Chapter 34

Sunday, at home.

Liu Chengxi woke up after an afternoon nap and got out of bed.

He then opened the chat group of the trio.

Chen Yuan: My classmates and I arrived first, you guys can come anytime.

Shi Yi: I'll be done with this set of questions in half an hour.

After seeing their messages, Liu Chengxi sat on the edge of the bed, legs crossed, and after thinking for a while, sent a message to the group.

Liu Chengxi: I also have something to do, will be there in half an hour.

Actually.

He had nothing to do.

But being too eager would make it seem like he particularly wanted to go…

Not that he especially wanted to go.

It's just that Zhou Fu's café had a nice environment, and the coffee tasted pretty good, although it was a bit overpriced, but since he didn't go every day, it was fine.

Thursday was the date for the New Year's Eve parties at all the schools in Xia Hai.

And everyone had agreed to go to Chen Yuan's Eleventh High School to watch his performance.

It was a little more troublesome for Shi Yi, whose choir performance was the fourth item on the program. After singing, he could use the excuse of not feeling well to leave school and rush to Eleventh High School.

Fortunately, Chen Yuan had two performances.

He would miss the first one, but he would definitely make it to the last one.

And so, the four people in the group would gather at one school.

Honestly, Liu Chengxi would have preferred those people to come to his First High School.

But after all, Chen Yuan had mentioned his performance first, so he couldn't become the one being visited.

For this reason, he even turned down an invitation to sing a duet with many girls.

First High School was different from Fourth High School. The cultural atmosphere was actually quite strong and didn't implement strict militarized management like those outrageous schools.

However, he didn't really have any close friends at this school.

The reason was that he was a very competitive person, and his standard for friends was that they had to have excellent grades.

And the personalities of the few top students in his class...

Were rather dull.

This was also why he could become friends with Shi Yi.

Although Shi Yi was a top student, he wasn't dull or boring. Even though his expressions didn't seem very rich, one could directly feel that he was very easygoing and friendly.

Chen Yuan was the same; his personality made people comfortable.

Moreover, Chen Yuan had one more difference, which was that he had a very handsome face.

Liu Chengxi actually didn't have a very happy time in First High School.

The reason was probably because he was quite handsome, and he was too popular with girls in First High School…

At the same time, he didn't really like hanging out with people with average grades.

This led to a feeling of being 'pretentious.'

He would often be mocked by his classmates, who would say things like, "Don't call Chengxi a male god, we can't afford to."

Only in the trio's group did he not have to lower his standards.

Shi Yi was a top student in Hai Dong, ranked number one, and had reached the 700-point range, still surpassing him by twenty points.

And Chen Yuan was also a remarkable student, although his grades weren't as good as his right now, he was handsome.

Therefore, these two friends were existences that made him feel very comfortable.

This circle was also a place where there wouldn't be any malicious sarcasm.

However, today's study group was at a shared table, and there were also some other friends of Chen Yuan's…

Would he be able to get along with them?

At this moment, Shen Yating called.

Then, Liu Chengxi answered directly, "What's up?"

"When are you going?" Shen Yating said, "Let's go together."

"Whenever, up to you," Liu Chengxi said casually.

"Didn't you say you had something to do?"

"..." Because he misspoke, Liu Chengxi quickly explained, "Helping my mom wash the dishes, wait ten minutes."

"Washing dishes? What a good son," Shen Yating said with a smile.

"What, isn't this a normal thing to do?"

"Oh no, aren't you a boy? I was just taking advantage of you, didn't you hear that?" Shen Yating said teasingly.

"...You're a bit boring."

"Hehe, you're aloof."

When the word 'aloof' came out, Liu Chengxi immediately reacted.

The feeling he gave non-friends really was aloof.

Then, wouldn't that make them uncomfortable later?

"Why aren't you talking? When are we leaving?"

"I'll talk after I'm done washing, just wait at home."

"Okay, hanging up."

"Mm."

After hanging up, Liu Chengxi stood up and took a breath.

Thinking of Chen Yuan, that boy on the same level as himself.

Never mind, he'd just watch Shi Yi's reaction and act accordingly.

Just like that, he went to the closet, his fingers swept across a row of hangers, and finally stopped on a coffee-colored sweater jacket.

Last time, Shen Yating said this one was girly…

No, why shouldn't I wear it just because she said it was girly?

On the contrary, he had to wear this one.

Just like that, Liu Chengxi put on his clothes, got up, and slung a cloth bag containing teaching materials over his shoulder before leaving the room. After seeing his mom eating oranges on the sofa, he suddenly said, "I'll wash the dishes tonight."

"Huh?" Chengxi's mom was stunned for a moment, looking puzzled.

Liu Chengxi didn't like to lie, so even if he made an excuse, he would make up for it later, so it was equivalent to not lying, just using a different narrative method, saying in advance what was going to happen.

He went out, took the elevator downstairs.

Then he found Shen Yating's apartment and knocked on the door.

After a while, an auntie who was a little short opened the door, looked up to examine him, and then smiled, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Liu Chengxi, with his hands in his sweater pockets, replied, "I'm looking for Shen Yating, going to the café together."

When the auntie heard this, her face turned red, then she turned her head and called out, "Yating, a very handsome young man is looking for you to go to the café!"

A moment later, a long-haired girl wearing a thin white down jacket came out, also carrying a cloth bag. After seeing Liu Chengxi wearing that warm, delicate jacket, she smiled lightly and said, "Let's go."

"Bye bye ~" the auntie said to the two with a smile.

"Goodbye," Liu Chengxi nodded in response.

After the two went downstairs, Shen Yating asked with great curiosity, "You just directly told my mom that you were looking for me to go to the café?"

"Aren't we going to the café?" Liu Chengxi asked back with a particularly calm expression.

"That's true."

Shen Yating shrugged, then teasingly asked, "Looking at you like this, do you often go to cafés with girls?"

"Yes."

"?" Shen Yating tilted her head, looking at Liu Chengxi, wanting to confirm if this guy was saying 'yes' to *that*.

But he didn't explain at all.

"Then what do you do when you go to cafés with them?"

Shen Yating asked in a rather flat tone.

When it came to this, Liu Chengxi got annoyed and said with particular displeasure, "You know Qian Lu in our class, right? She asked me to explain a question to her, I explained it to her, and then she said that to express her gratitude, she'd treat me to coffee, and then she dragged me to the café. I really don't understand, if she has time to drink coffee, why doesn't she ask me more questions? Her grades are going to drop out of the class if they decline one more time, and she still has time to drink coffee..."

"How did she insist on pulling you?" Shen Yating asked.

"No, are you listening to me?"

"Tell me first, how did she pull you?" Shen Yating asked with curiosity.

After thinking for a while, Liu Chengxi suddenly hugged Shen Yating's arm and said in a monotone voice, "Chengxi, don't be so polite, the desserts there are very delicious."

"..." Shen Yating was dumbfounded when her arm was hugged.

Then, watching him let go and act like nothing had happened, smoothly finishing the performance.

"Is Qian Lu so green tea in private?" With slightly flushed cheeks, Shen Yating asked with an incredulous expression.

"Not sure, but her studies are pretty average. After I finished explaining the question to her at the café, she propped her face with both hands, looked at me with a smile, and said to me, 'I don't understand, am I very stupid?'"

"How did you respond?"

"I said, 'You're a bit stupid.'"

"..." Listening to the silent Shen Yating, slowly made a 'six' gesture with her hand (meaning awesome).

"Hey, that Qian Lu..."

"Okay, okay, don't talk about her, it's a bit off-putting," Shen Yating waved her hand, rejecting the topic, then asked with some concern, "There really isn't a girl you like in First High School?"

"There is."

"..." Shen Yating stopped walking, looking at him with a somewhat stagnant expression, and asked, "Who?"

When he thought of this person, Liu Chengxi's face was full of longing, and even saying the name made him feel happy, "Senior Li Xinru."

"Li Xinru? Oh...that Xia Hai top scorer who just graduated," Shen Yating remembered, this was a senior who just graduated and was now studying finance at Guanghua School of Management at Ji University.

She's considered pretty...

But how could she be prettier than me?

So, the reason he likes her is just because she's the top scorer that Liu Chengxi is always thinking about?

This guy is already a bit obsessed.

The girl you like is only because of her score, you're too superficial.

Isn't appearance important?

Isn't voice important?

Isn't figure important?

Just as she was thinking this, Liu Chengxi suddenly pulled her arm with his hand.

Then, Shen Yating immediately responded with impatience, "Don't touch me."

At this moment, a car drove past in front of the crosswalk.

Liu Chengxi slowly let go of her hand, put it back in his pocket, and explained in a low voice, "Red light."

"..."

At this moment, Shen Yating realized that Liu Chengxi had just told her to stop and not run the red light.

After being snapped at by her, the boy's expression suddenly sank.

Not angry, but a kind of inexplicable grievance for being snapped at...

But his grievance wasn't expressed in a sissy way, just like he was hurt, and he was sullen.

Ah, this...

Made this little princess unhappy.

How should she coax him?

"That..."

Shen Yating put her hand on Liu Chengxi's arm, just about to say something, when Liu Chengxi suddenly tossed out a faint sentence, "Don't touch me."

"..." Shen Yating was stunned, protesting, "No, why are you arguing with a girl?"

"Ah?" Liu Chengxi looked at this unreasonable woman, replaying it for her, "Just now, you were the one who got angry first, and now, I just said the same thing, and you're getting angry again."

"I'm not angry."

Shen Yating turned her face to one side.

"You're not angry?"

"I'm just not angry!"

"..." Looking at such a fickle woman, Liu Chengxi missed her even more, "Senior Li Xinru wouldn't be like this."

After saying this, Shen Yating suddenly raised her hands, staring at Liu Chengxi.

"You, what are you going to do?" Liu Chengxi became wary.

Shen Yating gritted her teeth and said, word by word, "I'm going to push you onto the car and run you over, Liu Chengxi."

"Don't mess around, you'll go to jail for that."

"I'll kill you even if I go to jail!"

"Hey hey, don't push, even if I'm wrong, okay..."

"Can you be any more annoying, Liu Chengxi."

The two of them got entangled on the crosswalk just like that (good kids don't learn this).

At this moment, Shi Yi, carrying a schoolbag, happened to walk here, so he greeted Liu Chengxi, "Hi."

When he saw Shi Yi, Liu Chengxi immediately showed a genuine smile that was completely different from when he was with girls, "What a coincidence."

Shen Yating also restrained her behavior and stopped pestering him.

But she despised this two-faced guy in her heart.

He would smile when he sent messages to Chen Yuan, and his eyes would light up when he saw Shi Yi.

If you dislike girls so much, why don't you go kill yourself?

If you think I'm annoying, why don't you skip grades and test into Guanghua?

Wouldn't someone not be able to do it?

Wouldn't someone not be able to test in?

No, what's the point of me dissing him in my heart.

"The light's green."

Under Shi Yi's reminder, the two crossed the road.

"This is Shen Yating, my classmate." At this time, as the common friend of the two, Liu Chengxi began to introduce, "This is Shi Yi, my friend."

"Hello," Shi Yi took the initiative to greet with a smile, his tone very natural.

"Hello, I'm Shen Yating." Shen Yating also showed a polite smile.

This Shi Yi was a little different from what she imagined.

He didn't look so much like a scholar, and he didn't seem dull either.

Just very reliable, a feeling of stability.

This was the top high school student in Hai Dong?

Unexpectedly approachable.

"What were you guys talking about just now? How did you almost start fighting?" Shi Yi asked curiously.

To this, Liu Chengxi explained, "She was asking me if I had a girl I liked."

"I see, then why did a dispute arise?" Shi Yi was still confused.

"That," Shen Yating interrupted directly, asking curiously, "Then Shi Yi, do you have someone you like?"

"Not at this stage," Shi Yi said truthfully.

"Then are there girls who like you?" Shen Yating asked with a smile.

Shi Yi thought for a moment, then said, "There is one that I know of."

"Then what's her name?"

As soon as this question came out, Shi Yi's expression froze on the spot.

Then, he visibly started sweating.

Wait, what was her name again?

It seemed to be a girl from Class Two…

In the same grade as me.

At the time, I wanted to see her name, but I forgot about it later.

"..." Looking at Shi Yi, who was almost frozen by her and was racking his brains, Shen Yating's expression gradually became subtle.

Huh?

Can't even remember other people's names?

This boy...

Hard to judge.

Looking at it now, Chen Yuan was the most normal guy in that group.

Normally possessing desires, normally having a very beautiful girlfriend.

Liu Chengxi, on the other hand, looked down on stupid girls and didn't notice other people's feelings, a silly straight guy.

As for Shi Yi, who knows what he's thinking.

He could forget the name of the girl who confessed to him.

But if it was Chen Yuan…

He was a little too perfect.

Feeling that this kind of qualified, impeccable boyfriend wasn't quite to her liking.

How should she put it…

A large part of Shen Yating's feelings for Liu Chengxi were because of his attitude towards those girls.

But what she hated was.

She was also in the range of 'those girls.'

The difference was that she wasn't stupid.

The three of them walked to Zhou Fu's café just like that.

As soon as they entered, Zhou Fu took the initiative to greet them.

Shen Yating raised her hand, smiling and saying hello, "Hello."

"Hello, you guys," Zhou Fu nodded gently with a smile.

"It must be hard work, I felt so tired after working for half an hour last time," Liu Chengxi said.

Hearing this, Zhou Fu immediately broke down, crying, "Ah... it's tiring, this crappy shop's business is really getting better and better, when will it end."

"Haha, isn't good business a good thing?" Shen Yating was amused.

"Ugh," Zhou Fu tilted her head wearily, closed her eyes, then put on a smile again, and said, "They're over there, you guys go over first, I'll come over after I'm done with some things."

"Mm, go ahead," Shen Yating said.

After Zhou Fu left, Shi Yi asked in a low voice, "Chen Yuan's classmate?"

"Mm, also his deskmate," Shen Yating said.

"Oh, I see."

This was Shi Yi's first time coming. He was going to come before, but Chen Yuan said he had something to do that time, so he didn't come.

After the three of them walked to the table closer to the inside, Chen Yuan and the others took the initiative to greet them.

Then, everyone sat down together.

A position with two tables put together.

Chen Yuan and Xia Xinyu were sitting together, and Zhou Yu and He Sijiao were sitting across from them, sitting together.

Liu Chengxi and Shen Yating sat on Chen Yuan's side.

Shi Yi sat next to Zhou Yu.

"I'm He Sijiao." First, He Sijiao waved her hands, greeting enthusiastically.

"I'm Zhou Yu." Zhou Yu also followed closely with a self-introduction.

"Hello, I'm Shen Yating."

"My name is Shi Yi."

After these two finished speaking, their eyes focused on Liu Chengxi. He was stunned for a moment, then said, "Liu Chengxi."

After saying this, he suddenly realized that saying his three-character name directly seemed a bit pretentious.

So, he added, "Shen Yating's classmate."

"Ah ha, hello."

He Sijiao felt that this handsome guy was a bit strange, unlike everyone else here.

It should be, awkward.

"So, are you guys all skipping the New Year's Eve party then?" Chen Yuan asked.

Hearing Chen Yuan speak, Liu Chengxi's sense of alienation immediately disappeared, and he said with a smile, "Anyway, we don't live at school. We'll just ask for a sick leave, and maybe not even go to school."

"But isn't First High School's New Year's Eve party very good?" He Sijiao asked with longing, "Your school's auditorium is especially luxurious, and the clothes at the party are also super pretty. I've seen them on Douyin a few times before."

"Ah, it's okay," Shen Yating explained, "It looks good, but the atmosphere probably isn't as good as Eleventh High School's."

"Anyway, it's stronger than Fourth High School," Xia Xinyu complained.

Hearing this, Shi Yi didn't seem to complain as much, "I think it's quite interesting."

"Did you get Zhang Jianjun's favor?" Chen Yuan teased. (元子 is used here as a pun for 园子, referring to garden/favor)

"Indeed, how could that be possible," Shen Yating also shook her head, saying with fear, "If I went to Fourth High School's school spirit, I'd probably be scolded every day."

"It's not that exaggerated."

To this, Xia Xinyu seriously clarified, "Our homeroom teacher usually scolds us once every three days."

"I should be beaten to death if I went," Zhou Yu said leisurely.

"You barely passed the Eleventh High School entrance exam, right?" He Sijiao reminded.

"..." Hearing this, Zhou Yu picked up his Americano and started chugging.

Good news: the average score here is 630 points

Bad news: 630 points is like being an idiot in their eyes

"Since everyone is here, let's begin."

After everyone was here, He Sijiao, who was good at enlivening the atmosphere, announced with a smile.

Then, everyone took out things from their bags.

"..."

He Sijiao took out Flying Chess, and Zhou Yu took out *San Guo Sha* (Three Kingdoms Kill, a popular card game). But after seeing Shen Yating and Liu Chengxi take out books and papers, they immediately stuffed them back into their bags.

Shen Yating and Liu Chengxi were also stunned, and after turning to look at Shi Yi taking out a manga from his bag, they quickly put their papers back.

Shi Yi was also embarrassed, not knowing what to do.

Wait, what was starting?

Confused, everyone looked at the couple from the heart. (心源组, a pun for the couple, Xinyu and Chen Yuan)

Then they saw Chen Yuan using a spoon to feed a pudding to Xia Xinyu, and the other party opened her mouth with a smile, accepting the feed…

The others just had some deviation in behavior, but these two were outrageous!

---

Not a single word less!

Recommend a friend's book to you, it's pretty good, the link is below.

(End of chapter)