Xu Deng paused. Just then, his elbow was lightly nudged.
His deskmate, He Xiaosong, whispered, “What are you spacing out for? The teacher’s here.”
Xu Deng came back to himself and gave a soft “Mm.”
He Xiaosong had ordinary looks and wore black-framed glasses. Though he studied very hard, his grades were average. In class, he was an invisible person much like Xu Deng.
Even in the book, this name was only mentioned in passing. Where exactly did he appear…
Xu Deng remembered. When Jiang Cheng came to the school to investigate him, he questioned many classmates, and He Xiaosong was one of them. And He Xiaosong, like the other classmates, believed Xu Deng had a crush on Ji Ziyang.
Xu Deng: …
He really had not known He Xiaosong thought so too.
He Xiaosong naturally had no idea what Xu Deng was thinking. He listened to the lesson seriously, his notebook densely covered in notes.
Xu Deng was silent for a long while. Better to pretend he did not know.
The morning passed quickly.
When the bell rang, He Xiaosong packed up his books and headed out. Xu Deng suddenly called after him.
He Xiaosong turned. “What is it?”
Xu Deng said, “Let’s go to the cafeteria together.”
He Xiaosong said in surprise, “Aren’t you going with Ji Ziyang and the others?”
Xu Deng said without expression, “No.”
He Xiaosong stole a careful glance at Xu Deng, somewhat baffled.
This deskmate of his had always been silent and hard to approach. He Xiaosong rarely spoke to him. Yet such a seemingly withdrawn person always insisted on mixing with Ji Ziyang’s group, refusing to give up even when he clearly could not fit in… Rumor had it Xu Deng liked Ji Ziyang?
Why was he not going with Ji Ziyang today? Why did he suddenly want to go with He Xiaosong instead?
Though he was very confused, He Xiaosong did not ask. He only gave a vague “Oh.”
Xu Deng did not plan to explain either. He left the classroom with He Xiaosong and did not glance toward Ji Ziyang.
He did not know that a gaze fell on his back.
Jiang Yue was leaning against the desk, twirling a pen in one hand. He watched Xu Deng walk out of the classroom without looking back, then said to Ji Ziyang with some surprise, “What’s with that kid today? He didn’t come over.”
Ji Ziyang lifted his eyelids and said carelessly, “If he doesn’t come, he doesn’t come.”
He had plenty of so-called “friends.” People surrounded him with all sorts of motives, and Ji Ziyang never took them to heart.
As for Xu Deng, Ji Ziyang’s only impression was of a silent youth: he did not fight back when bullied, did not make a sound when ordered around…
Ji Ziyang vaguely remembered one time after school, he came across Xu Deng being extorted by a few thugs. The boy lowered his head and clutched his backpack, standing there and letting himself be bullied. Ji Ziyang casually scolded the thugs, but he looked down on Xu Deng like that.
If a person did not know how to resist and only knew how to cowardly run away, then he was not worth anyone’s attention.
Whether Xu Deng came or not mattered less to Ji Ziyang than what he would eat for lunch.
Jiang Yue saw Ji Ziyang get up and leave, and hurried to follow. A flicker of impatience passed through his eyes.
If not for his father’s reminder, he would not have bothered with Ji Ziyang…
Ji Ziyang did not care whether Xu Deng came, but this follower who delivered himself to the door—why would Jiang Yue not use him? Xu Deng, that fool, did whatever he was told. If Jiang Yue did not order him around, who would?
Jiang Yue walked up to Ji Ziyang with a smile. “I’ll bet you Xu Deng definitely went to the cafeteria first to line up for us.”
Ji Ziyang ignored him.
Jiang Yue added, “He likes you so much. There’s no way he wouldn’t come.”
Ji Ziyang finally paused. His face darkened. “Don’t talk nonsense.”
Jiang Yue grinned. “How am I talking nonsense? Everyone knows he likes you. It’s not like it stops being true just because I say it isn’t.”
Usually, when girls handed over love letters, Jiang Yue liked to tease like this. Ji Ziyang was already impatient… He and Xu Deng would never have any kind of relationship, and he did not want to hear Jiang Yue say these things.
Seeing Ji Ziyang’s displeasure, Jiang Yue tactfully shut up. The two headed straight for the cafeteria.
Because they went late, the cafeteria was packed, with long lines at every window. Jiang Yue scanned the room but did not see Xu Deng. Just as he was wondering where the kid had gone, he spotted Xu Deng and He Xiaosong in the farthest corner, already eating.
Jiang Yue’s expression turned cold.
Xu Deng had actually left alone?
He was not putting Jiang Yue in his eyes at all!
Jiang Yue had just bet with Ji Ziyang that Xu Deng went to line up for them. The kid made him lose face, and Jiang Yue was instantly embarrassed and furious.
Xu Deng and He Xiaosong sat in the corner, quiet and empty.
This suited him better. Turning the number on the Good Person Card positive was hard, but not going over to Ji Ziyang’s side was easy.
Over time, naturally no one would misunderstand.
So giving up on something made his heart this light.
Xu Deng ate absentmindedly. Suddenly, He Xiaosong whispered nervously, “Jiang Yue is coming over.”
Although Jiang Yue restrained himself in front of Ji Ziyang, there were still plenty of classmates who feared him. It was said that people who had offended him before were taught brutal lessons in private.
Xu Deng raised his eyes and glanced over indifferently.
Before, when he had foolishly gone over, Ji Ziyang had never ordered him around. It was Jiang Yue who ordered him about without the slightest courtesy. At the time, he did not know how to refuse, thinking this way he would be accepted. Now it seemed ridiculous. Ji Ziyang probably looked down on him for acting like that, did he not?
Besides, Ji Ziyang might not truly consider Jiang Yue a friend. They were not the same kind of people. It was just that before, he did not know this, and knew even less what Jiang Yue was really like. He naively thought Jiang Yue was Ji Ziyang’s good friend… Now that he had decided to stay away from Ji Ziyang, there was even less reason to care about someone like Jiang Yue.
And besides…
Xu Deng thought of the plot in the book, of what would happen in the future, and felt even more impatient with Jiang Yue. But none of it had happened yet; for now, he would just treat Jiang Yue as a passerby.
Xu Deng did not even want to look at Jiang Yue.
Jiang Yue and his group heading toward Xu Deng attracted quite a bit of attention.
Jiang Yue had friends all over school. His family was rich and powerful, and even the teachers did not dare to control them. No one wanted to provoke Jiang Yue. What was wrong with Xu Deng today? Had he gotten into a conflict with Jiang Yue? Why did Jiang Yue look like he was going to cause trouble…
He Xiaosong thought the same. He already regretted coming out with Xu Deng and sat on pins and needles.
Jiang Yue watched Xu Deng’s movements as he walked. He saw Xu Deng lift his head and glance at him. Just when Jiang Yue thought Xu Deng would come over on his own, like every time before…
Xu Deng lowered his head again and went on eating as if no one else existed, as if he had not seen him at all.
Jiang Yue’s anger flared up. What exactly did this kid mean? Was he provoking him? He dared to ignore him!
Did he think Jiang Yue could not do anything to him? Ji Ziyang was not going to watch him every second!
But this was the cafeteria, not a place to explode.
Jiang Yue took a deep breath, suppressed the malice in his heart, and walked over with a smile. He put a hand on Xu Deng’s shoulder and said coolly, “You didn’t come over today, and you didn’t even say anything?”
Jiang Yue was smiling, but his eyes were ice-cold.
Xu Deng lowered his eyes. There were few people at school he disliked; Jiang Yue was the only one.
Xu Deng quietly shifted sideways, dodging Jiang Yue’s hand. He slowly moved to another seat, even pulling his tray over, and then said lightly, “Forgot.”
He Xiaosong, sitting across from Xu Deng, held his breath. He truly had not expected that the usually silent Xu Deng had a side like this! He was so nervous he could die!
Jiang Yue’s hand clenched. He restrained the urge to hit him, took a deep breath, and then studied Xu Deng carefully.
The youth’s bangs were a little long, partially covering his eyes. The black eyes that showed through held a coldness Jiang Yue had never seen before. His chin was pointed, his skin sickly pale. Black hair and white skin formed a stark contrast. His body was thin, the loose school uniform hanging off him. He was plainly dressed and utterly plain, yet there was something fragile and alluring about him…
Jiang Yue felt as if he were seeing Xu Deng for the first time. Before, the youth always kept his head down in silence, with no presence at all, obedient and well-behaved… Now, suddenly, he seemed to have grown thorns.
Even the way he refused you made your heart itch.
Jiang Yue curled his lip and stepped closer again. He softened his tone. “Why did you start eating alone?”
Xu Deng had not planned to pay Jiang Yue any attention, but Jiang Yue clearly was not going to leave like that. Irritation rose in his heart. He thought of the book’s plot… It was exactly the sort of thing Jiang Yue would do.
Before, he had only thought the plot absurd. How could he be that kind of vengeful ghost? But now Xu Deng suddenly felt that, if it was Jiang Yue, he would not mind seeing him die miserably.
It would definitely be interesting.
Xu Deng finally raised his eyes and chuckled. “What else?”
Jiang Yue grew angry at his words. He had already given him a way out, yet the kid was still this ungrateful—this brat—
He was about to speak, but when he met Xu Deng’s pitch-black eyes, he suddenly shivered. A chill rose from the bottom of his heart.
For some reason.
Xu Deng looked at him as if he were looking at a dead man.
