The basketball court wasn’t just one area for playing—there were multiple games going on.
While Shen Ju and Jian Yi were talking, another basketball flew out, spinning as it rolled to a stop not far from them.
The guy who’d accidentally thrown it seemed to shout something from afar.
Probably asking them to grab it or something.
Pei Yan watched as Jian Yi handed his basketball to Shen Ju, then picked up the stray one too.
A gust of wind blew through.
Jian Yi’s left arm, hidden in his sleeve, became a bit more noticeable.
The student waiting for the ball not far away yelled, “Holy shit!” loud enough for Pei Yan to hear clearly, followed by, “No hands or what…”
Jian Yi’s face showed no expression, though his movements stiffened for a moment.
But Shen Ju’s face changed abruptly.
He took the basketball, turned, and walked right over to the guy.
Guan Mulin, Han Chengfeng, and the others noticed and immediately followed.
Even Pei Haochuan was among them.
The guy who’d spoken looked embarrassed.
But teenagers were at that age where face mattered most. He’d blurted it out without thinking and had no intention of apologizing at first, but now with this crowd showing up…
“I’ll apologize, okay?!”
“What do you all want, coming over like this?!”
“The air’s getting thin here, okay!”
“Make way, I need to go apologize!”
Shen Ju rubbed his nose, looking like he was about to reason it out a second ago. But hearing this, he “obediently” stepped aside to clear a path.
Then he trotted excitedly after them.
As he turned, his gaze swept over this way and suddenly locked eyes with Pei Yan.
Then Pei Yan heard—
【Brother 996, it’s Pei Ge!】
The sudden burst of delighted tone rushed toward Pei Yan without holding back, and even Shen Ju’s face lit up with surprise, like he was thrilled to see him.
Pei Yan smiled back at Shen Ju.
Shen Ju probably didn’t even realize how many people were gathered around him right now.
But the next second, Shen Ju called out to Jian Yi, then ran straight over to him.
He came to a skidding stop just in front of Pei Yan.
Only then did he seem to notice the principal standing beside him.
Shen Ju straightened up and greeted properly:
“Hello, Principal.”
He glanced over.
“Pei… Pei Ge, hello.”
The principal chuckled happily: “Hello there.”
Then he patted Pei Yan’s shoulder. “You two chat. I’ll go wander over there.”
“Alright, thank you, Principal.”
Once the principal left, Pei Yan turned back to Shen Ju.
The kid’s face was still beaded with sweat. When he saw Pei Yan looking, he tipped up onto his toes a bit, eyes sparkling.
“What?”
Pei Yan chuckled a little. “Got something to say to me?”
“Ge, are you still gonna tutor me?”
Shen Ju glanced around—Pei Haochuan surprisingly hadn’t come over.
“It was Pei Haochuan who said we could still come to your place for tutoring?”
Pei Yan glanced toward the distance. Pei Haochuan was of course watching them too. When their eyes met, he shrank back a bit, thinking it wasn’t that he didn’t want to greet his little uncle—it was just Shen Ju had moved too fast. Following after would feel off somehow…
He had no idea how Shen Ju thought his little uncle was approachable. What a weirdo.
Pei Yan looked away and hummed in affirmation.
“Wanna come?”
“Yeah.”
Shen Ju nodded.
Then, a bit embarrassed, he said: “I’ve been thinking lately if I should still ask you to tutor me, but I haven’t had the chance to say it yet.”
996: 【And it’s such perfect timing—not only are you getting tutored, but Pei Haochuan and Guan Mulin are too. So convenient!】
【Pei Ge is the best.】
【That guy at lunch was going on about how Pei Ge is some cold-faced god who shows no mercy, even made high school boys and girls cry back in the day. Total exaggeration.】
Is that so…
Pei Yan kept his expression neutral and swept another glance toward the distance.
Then he looked back at Shen Ju.
【I don’t think there’s anything bad about Pei Ge.】
【Pei Ge’s great.】
【And he totally knows how to smile.】
Shen Ju chatted with 996 while looking at Pei Yan.
【Plus, Pei Ge’s so good-looking.】
He’d spotted Pei Yan the moment he turned his head.
Even against the principal’s backdrop, Pei Yan stood out plenty, but Shen Ju noticed how, the instant he appeared, tons of gazes automatically zeroed in on him.
Some people just drew focus the second they showed up.
Feeling Shen Ju’s gaze and hearing what he “said,” Pei Yan’s lips twitched despite himself. Still just a kid, he thought, judging me by this stuff.
Wanting to smile was easy enough.
As for good-looking…
He wouldn’t deny that label from Shen Ju.
“Right, Pei Ge, why’d you come to Qichen?”
He’d just remembered seeing Pei Yan at school.
“I didn’t hold you up from anything, did I?”
“Nah, just came back to check things out.”
Pei Yan paused. “And I accepted the principal’s invite… Ant Market—you know about it, right?”
Shen Ju nodded.
“But I haven’t figured out what to sell yet.”
Curious, he added: “Ge, what’d you sell at Ant Market back in the day?”
“Wanna know?”
“Yeah.”
Pei Yan smiled. “Just one thing.”
“What?”
“My study notes.”
Pei Yan: “Auction-style.”
“Fetched the highest price of the whole event.”
Shen Ju’s mouth fell open: “…How much did it go for?”
“Not much, just 100k.”
“…”
Even 996 sighed: 【Host, what if I gather study materials online, compile them, and we sell those?】
【Zero-cost business right there!】
Shen Ju thought: 【First off, Brother 996, you’d need the ‘celebrity effect.’ Second, you gotta be good-looking.】
996: 【…Fine, forget I said anything.】
Guan Mulin in the distance: What the hell are they talking about?
Since Shen Ju had gone to Pei Yan, they’d stopped playing basketball.
Guan Mulin pulled out his phone and posted in the “Special Incident Investigation Bureau” group chat, attaching a photo of Shen Ju chasing after the basketball.
Qin Soxi popped up immediately: [Baby seems more outgoing lately.]
Group member Xiao Yao: [You guys playing basketball?]
Group member Xiao Lin: [Gym class. We were playing earlier, but now Shen Chirp’s chatting with Pei Haochuan’s little uncle.]
Bureau spouse: [Pei Yan? He’s there too?]
Group member Xiao Lin: [Dunno. But Shen Chirp bolted over the second he saw him. Seems like he really likes Mr. Pei, thinks he’s a good guy. Oh, and Pei Haochuan said Mr. Pei can keep tutoring Shen Chirp. They’re talking about Ant Market now—been at it a while.]
Guan Mulin typed while glancing at Shen Ju and Pei Yan.
They were still talking.
So much to say.
Guan Mulin couldn’t help sighing in the group: [Feels like Shen Ju calls Pei Yan “Ge” more than us. He’s all “Pei Ge, Pei Ge” with 996 too.]
And it wasn’t that sarcastic tone he used face-to-face calling him “Second Bro.”
Even though that was fake.
Guan Mulin thought, then typed: [Big Bro, he calls you even less, right?]
Guan Muya stared at his phone: “…”
Talking about the one thing I don’t wanna hear.
He pocketed his phone and turned to his assistant, who was briefing him on the evening schedule—including an auction.
Guan Muya: “Anything for high schoolers at the auction?”
Assistant: “Huh?”
Guan Muya frowned: “Nothing?”
Assistant: “…Let me check the auction list.”
High schooler stuff…
Do auctions sell workbooks or something…?
After school, Pei Haochuan trailed back listlessly with Guan Mulin and Shen Ju.
Qichen had evening self-study too, but it was all independent—better to do “evening study” at Pei Yan’s. His study desk was huge, five meters long.
“I’m staying at my little uncle’s tonight too…”
Pei Haochuan “eh-ed” and turned to Guan Mulin: “Right, Mulin—how about I crash at yours tonight…”
“No!”
“Why!”
Before Pei Yan entered the study, Pei Haochuan slammed a palm on the solid wood desk. It hurt like hell, but he gritted through it: “Guan Mulin, you’ve been acting weird lately…”
Guan Mulin averted his eyes to his workbook: “…How am I acting weird?”
“You’re overthinking.”
Please don’t overthink.
Pei Haochuan furrowed his brow: “You’ve got some issue with me lately, don’t you?”
“If you do, just say it!”
Guan Mulin felt a bit helpless.
He knew he’d been overly sensitive around Pei Haochuan lately.
But after learning about his connection with Pei Haochuan from Shen Ju… Even if he didn’t think it’d turn romantic, it still affected him. He didn’t know how to face Pei Haochuan—and he sure couldn’t spell it out. What was he supposed to say? Because we might develop feelings beyond friendship, I’m uncomfortable?
No way he could say that.
And even if he did, Pei Haochuan would probably think he was nuts.
“I got no issue with you, Haochuan.”
“I don’t believe it.”
Pei Haochuan scowled, then suddenly glanced at Shen Ju.
Seeing Shen Ju watching them with big round eyes, his frustration boiled over.
He jutted his chin at Shen Ju: “Ever since he showed up, you’ve changed.”
You’re pretty sensitive…
Guan Mulin rubbed his nose.
Pei Haochuan pointed immediately: “You rub your nose every time you’re guilty!”
996: 【Whoa! Not bad for the protagonist gong and shou—know each other inside out!】
Guan Mulin: “…”
He dropped his hand at once, annoyed: “Everyone does that move, right?!”
Shen Ju reached out and rubbed his own nose.
