OCU Chapter 7

Qin Minggong was a wealthy second-generation heir. He was smart enough, but his temper was terrible. He skipped classes, smoked cigarettes, sat in on business meetings where his father negotiated deals with outsiders, and even wore suits to attend fancy banquets.

As his father put it, “What kind of person he becomes depends on the people he surrounds himself with.”

In his senior year of high school, his father moved to another city to expand his business and dragged Qin Minggong along, transferring him to X City’s top high school.

Behind the scenes, his father even arranged for him to have a high-achieving deskmate.

At first, Qin Minggong didn’t know about this. One day, he overheard his father’s assistant calling the school about it, and his rebellious streak flared up. From then on, he gave his new deskmate the cold shoulder.

But who could’ve predicted that it wouldn’t take long for him to… develop feelings for his deskmate?

It wasn’t a big deal at first. He’d dated girls before.

But, damn it, this wasn’t a girl! It was a guy!

A boy, for crying out loud! He’d never felt this way about guys before.

Why was he suddenly catching feelings for a boy?

Qin Minggong was utterly deflated.

This had to be his deskmate’s fault. Every day, he glared at him with a frosty expression, but the other guy didn’t seem to notice at all.

He kept asking, “Want to study together?” or “Do you understand this?”

This made Qin Minggong even more irritable. Was this another one of his father’s schemes?

He tested the waters several times but couldn’t find anything suspicious. Frustrated, he confronted his father directly. “Did you arrange for me to have this deskmate?”

His father, dressed impeccably in a suit with gold-rimmed glasses—his mother’s favorite look—leaned casually in his leather chair. “What’s wrong? Don’t like him?”

Don’t like him? He liked him so much it was bending him out of shape.

“I can’t stand him nagging me about studying every day! Did you put him up to it?”

“Who but your mother could ever make you listen to anything?” his father replied with a raised eyebrow. “I just asked the teacher to pair you with someone patient, with good grades and a good personality.”

Hearing this, Qin Minggong thought back to how his deskmate, after enduring his cold treatment for so long, still brought him snacks and drinks. Just a few days ago, he’d even gifted him a pillow.

Damn. If his father hadn’t told him to do this, why was he being so nice to him?

Qin Minggong’s heart raced. Could it be… Ning Qingze liked him?

Flustered, he blushed furiously and bolted out of his father’s study like his life depended on it.

His father watched him leave, baffled. Shaking his head, he decided to call his beloved wife, who was vacationing abroad, to share the latest family drama.

After that day, sitting next to Ning Qingze made Qin Minggong feel inexplicably nervous. He started turning down invitations to go out and even gave Ning Qingze some face by occasionally looking at his study materials. His attitude softened noticeably.

But even with all this, that idiot Ning Qingze didn’t pick up on a single thing!

Was a 59-point test paper really that fascinating?

What kind of expression was that?

“You’re going to have a hard time getting into a good university with these grades,” Ning Qingze remarked casually.

In one swift motion, Qin Minggong snatched Ning Qingze’s test paper. It was a 120-point paper, and Ning Qingze had scored 108, putting him at the top of the class or close to it.

Unbelievable. He’d improved from 38 last time! Why couldn’t Ning Qingze appreciate his progress?

Just as he was about to lose his temper, Ning Qingze added, “With these grades, we can’t apply to the same university.”

The same university? Qin Minggong’s ears turned red. Ning Qingze, you’re secretly into me, aren’t you!

“None of your business. I’ll catch up to you in no time,” he snapped. I’ll hire six private tutors when I get home. With money, how could my grades not improve?

After saying this, he noticed Ning Qingze pursing his lips, seemingly sulking.

That damned repressed guy.

Still, it felt nice knowing someone cared about him. Thinking this, Qin Minggong couldn’t help but feel a little pleased. He decided to placate Ning Qingze. “Thanks.”

The moment he said it, Ning Qingze’s mood visibly lifted. His dimples appeared, and his smile radiated.

Why did he have to fall for someone like this?