When Chi Han approached, Rong Xu instinctively tensed his body. He was well aware that he shouldn’t have any further interaction with this person, but each time, he couldn’t help but pay attention to him.
Rong Xu’s heart was in a conflicted state. Since the day Jiang Yaoning told him that Chi Han had also pushed him before, those blurry memories had become clearer, and he could even recall Chi Han’s expression on that day vividly.
It was a smile with a hint of flattery.
And that flattery was directed towards Fang Jingluo.
Every time he thought about it, dark thoughts swirled within Rong Xu’s heart.
He wanted to tear that face into shreds and savor the fear slowly.
But as soon as his gaze met Chi Han’s clean eyes, those thoughts would vanish into thin air.
It was as if, under the warm sun that melted the first snow, all impurities were purified.
Rong Xu looked at Chi Han in confusion, wondering why he always felt a surreal sense of disconnect, making it hard for him to believe that this person in front of him could also wear that sticky, flattering smile.
Chi Han casually pulled a chair and sat down next to Rong Xu, reaching out to wave in front of his eyes with a somewhat teasing tone, “Why are you daydreaming now?”
Rong Xu’s thick, dark eyelashes fluttered, covering those beautiful ink-black eyes, hiding all his emotions.
Chi Han clicked his tongue in his mind.
He had just prodded a bit and then withdrew.
“Whose student ID is this?” Chi Han deliberately teased him, drawing out his words with a somewhat malicious tone. “Let me see the photo inside.”
Rong Xu seemed to remember something, and his usually indifferent face suddenly showed a trace of panic.
“Mine.”
Chi Han raised his hand slightly and smiled with his eyes crinkling. “Hey, no way! There’s no name written on the cover of this student ID; I have to see inside.”
Rong Xu had never engaged in a struggle with others since he could remember. Moreover, after his legs were injured, no one had ever tried to compete with him. So the Rong Xu of the moment, in this unusual situation, appeared somewhat at a loss. He could only lightly purse his pale lips and calmly fix his dark, ink-black gaze on Chi Han.
Chi Han pretended to open it and kept an eye on Rong Xu’s reaction. When he saw Rong Xu’s hand, placed on the armrest, clenched tightly, he quickly placed the student ID on the table, spreading his palm and comforting, “I was just teasing you. I won’t look anymore.”
He figured that Rong Xu didn’t want him to see that photo. Perhaps because it would remind him of something sad?
Chi Han had initially just wanted to make a playful joke to tease Rong Xu, but if he had unintentionally hurt him… Thinking of this, Chi Han’s heart suddenly tightened.
He slightly lowered his body to observe Rong Xu’s expression, his face filled with anxiety. “Rong Xu… I didn’t mean it; you’re not mad, are you?”
Rong Xu stuffed the student ID into his pocket and averted his gaze from Chi Han’s.
Inside the student ID, on the last page, was a piece of calculation paper that Chi Han had helped him dry and mend. There was a small word written on the paper.
Han.
Rong Xu lowered his eyes, concealing the emotions that surged within.
“No.”
***
Chi Han had initially intended to talk more about the snacks, but then the bell for class rang. He looked at Rong Xu, took a few steps to grab his textbooks and papers, and quickly returned.
Rong Xu: “…”
An unexpectedly new addition to his table left Rong Xu feeling completely out of place.
Understanding his need to maintain some distance from others, Chi Han pushed a table over with a series of thumps.
There was about a hand’s width of space between the two tables.
In Class 19, such seat arrangements were commonplace. Several couples sat together and got affectionate, while others huddled together to play games. The teachers who came to give lectures were long accustomed to it.
When the teacher saw that there was someone new sitting next to Rong Xu, they gave it a curious glance but continued with the class.
The teacher for this class was rather mediocre, sticking to the textbook. Chi Han took out a paper and began working on it after just two minutes.
Listening to this kind of class felt like a waste of time.
After completing the answers, a satisfied smile graced his face. He had only struggled with the second question of the penultimate problem and the last question of the last problem. The rest, he had answered with nearly 95% accuracy.
It appeared that the foundation from his first year needed a bit more reinforcement. He would have to put in extra effort there.
After stretching his neck a bit, he decided to tackle a physics paper later.
Chemistry was his strong suit during his school days, while physics was his weakest subject among all.
Chi Han massaged his head and then glanced at Rong Xu on his right.
Rong Xu was still the same, quietly writing on his paper.
Chi Han watched him under the pale classroom lights, and Rong Xu’s already pallid complexion seemed to lack any hint of color. He felt something stir in his heart.
Tap.
Rong Xu’s pen paused, and a small crumpled paper rolled over from one side of the table, coming to rest against his fingertip.
His lips twitched, and he tilted his head slightly. Chi Han was leaning on the desk, his profile facing Rong Xu, with the chemistry textbook propped up in front of his head.
His attractive eyes held a playful glint, shining like scattered stars.
“Open it.”
Seeing Rong Xu’s gaze, Chi Han silently mouthed the words.
Rong Xu observed him for a while, then turned back without any change in his expression, continuing to work on his writing.
Chi Han: “?”
Rong Xu’s breathing became slightly irregular. The numbers in front of him gradually turned into meaningless characters, and in his mind, he saw those smiling eyes over and over again.
So beautiful…
Rong Xu snapped out of his daze, a bit flustered, and crossed out the name on the paper.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap, tap…
But those annoying little crumpled papers continued to roll in one after another as if they wouldn’t stop until they received a response. Soon, they formed a small pile.
Rong Xu felt as if these crumpled papers were like little stones, creating ripples on the calm surface of his heart, making it restless.
With a cold expression, he reached out and picked up one of the crumpled papers, unfolding it.
On it, he found a line of writing, the strokes firm:
“Sorry, Rong Xu. I have to admit a mistake. Before returning your student ID, I peeked at your photo and birthdate. If you’re not mad, can I attend your birthday party this year? :-D”
Rong Xu’s eyes trembled, and he opened another crumpled paper.
“Hurry and read it! I’ll bring you a birthday gift.”
“If you don’t read this, do you believe I’ll keep throwing them?!”
“Look at me, look at me, look at me, look at me!”
“Quick, look!!!”
“Hello? Are you there?”
“Don’t hide inside and not respond; I know you’re at home!”
“…”
Rong Xu went through them one by one, and his fingertips grew warm.
He felt like he was under a spell, repeatedly reading those messages.
Birthday…
For a while, Rong Xu had even come to despise these two words, feeling that perhaps he shouldn’t have come into this world.
His mother had endured excruciating pain to give birth to him, not realizing that there would be even longer-lasting suffering in the future.
Rong Xu tightly gripped the paper note, feeling something pass through his heart.
He hadn’t felt warmth from these two words in a long time because his mother had died on the second day after his birth.
Every time that day came, his legs would start to ache.
Pain, fine and intense, would creep out from the cracks in his bones, making it unbearable.
Rong Xu endured the pain until his consciousness blurred, relying on his hatred for those people.
Rong Xu turned his head to look, and Chi Han had already put his book aside. Since he hadn’t received a response for a long time, he had resumed working on his exam paper.
What do you really want?
Rong Xu silently moved the corner of his lips.
In this world, there were no deserved blessings, but it was filled with undeserved malice.
He had long experienced this to the fullest.
After a while, Rong Xu picked up a pen and wrote a reply on a fresh piece of paper.
***
Just before class ended, Chi Han finally received a response. He eagerly opened the paper note, and the reply on it was painfully short:
“Are you short of money?”
Chi Han: “???”
Chi Han was surrounded by question marks, unable to fathom how Rong Xu’s thought process had jumped directly to this point.
Coincidentally, the bell for the end of class rang, and Chi Han immediately moved his chair to the right, making a rattling noise as he shook the paper note. He clenched his teeth and said, “Rong Xu, what do you mean by this?”
If this guy dared to say that he got close to him because of money, he would immediately… pop his head like a watermelon!
Rong Xu moved back, creating distance between them, his gaze falling on the desk.
He whispered, “Someone saw you not being able to afford lunch.”
Chi Han took a deep breath, his face showing a half-hearted smile. “So you think I want to attend your birthday party just to get a free meal?”
Rong Xu didn’t move, but his expression clearly conveyed that this was his suspicion.
Chi Han was almost so frustrated that he wanted to take action. He held back, withdrew the hand that was ready to tweak Rong Xu’s ear, and put it back down.
How little trust did Rong Xu have in others?!
In his world, perhaps human relationships were nothing more than transactions based on self-interest.
He simply couldn’t believe that there might be someone genuinely kind to him in this world.
Suddenly, all of Chi Han’s anger turned into heartache.
After a while, he helplessly raised the corners of his mouth and nodded. His expression was full of indulgence. “Yes, I’m really short of money lately, so can I attend your birthday party? Otherwise, I’ll go hungry for a day.”
Forget it, if it can make Rong Xu feel better, he’ll just have to embrace his materialistic side.
Rong Xu raised his eyes slightly, and the boy in front of him stood in the warm orange sunset. The corners of his eyes, which had been constantly tilting upwards, drooped a bit, inexplicably adding a touch of pity.
Rong Xu nodded and whispered, “Okay.”
He silently promised to himself that he wouldn’t let Chi Han go hungry.
