An Impossible to Reject Confession

It wasn’t until the bell for class rang and the classmates around Lu Shi had dispersed that Qiao Mu and Xu Youyou could return to their seats. Right before the second period ended, Qiao Mu secretly gave Xu Youyou a paper slip: [As soon as the bell rings, let’s leave as fast as possible.]

Xu Youyou looked at it and responded with a sentence: [Didn’t all the students get their autograph last time? Why would they come again?]

Qiao Mu: [Our class got their autographs, the other classes haven’t.]

Xu Youyou was speechless: [How long will this last then?] Behind it she drew a sad crying face. 

Qiao Mu lowered his eyes and smiled: [It should end after today.]

Although Lu Shi was a celebrity, the students Hongluo No. 7 had all known him since middle school. The fervor wouldn’t last that long. 

Lu Shi sat in the back row and saw the two of them pass the paper slip back and forth, a frown slowly appeared on his face. He was familiar with Qiao Mu’s personality. Since he was young, he was sad and didn’t like making friends. He also didn’t know how to reject people. After Lu Shi became a celebrity, many people knew Qiao Mu was his cousin so they tried to use Qiao Mu to get closer to him. Because Qiao Mu was afraid of causing him trouble, he rejected a lot of people. The people he rejected felt like they had lost their dignity so they bullied Qiao Mu and called him fat like a pig. When Lu Shi found out, he was absolutely crazy. 

When they were young, his relationship with Qiao Mu wasn’t actually that great. Qiao Mu had been learning and practicing chess since young and spent most of his time at the training center that they didn’t see each other often. Until 7th grade, Qiao Mu suddenly transferred to his class. Before that he hadn’t seen Qiao Mu in three months. When they met again, he could almost not recognize him any more, because the small, skinny cousin in his memory had suddenly become a ball. 

During the past two years, Qiao Mu’s condition had become a bit better, but Lu Shi didn’t want others to bother Qiao Mu. After thinking about it for a bit, he suddenly had an idea. 

However, the entire afternoon, waves after waves of fans came to get an autograph and it wasn’t until after school that he had an opportunity to talk. 

“Qiao Mu, switch seats with me.” Lu Shi immediately moved his own books onto Qiao Mu’s desk. 

Qiao Mu who was packing his backpack froze and looked at Lu Shi not understanding: “Why?” 

“I want to sit in your seat, you can sit by yourself in the back.” As he said it, Lu Shi gazed into Qiao Mu’s eyes and the implication in his eyes were very obvious. 

I know you don’t like others bothering you, you can sit in the back and I’ll deal with my fan myself. 

Xu Youyou didn’t know what was happening between the two cousins as they eyes flirted back and forth. From her angle, it seemed that Qiao Mu’s cousin had taken a liking to Qiao Mu’s spot and was very domineering trying to take it. 

Xu Youyou suddenly became angry. The original good impression she had of Lu Shi because he was good looking suddenly collapsed. Before she had wondered why the young Qiao Mu was in his current state, it turned out it was because he had a cousin who bullied him since young. Furthermore, this cousin was more handsome than the current Qiao Mu and a celebrity. With this comparison, Xu Youyou came up with a very dramatic plot in ten seconds. 

“Don’t switch!” Without waiting for Qiao Mu’s response, Xu Youyou smashed his just neatly put away backpack on the desk with a “bang,” 

Qiao Mu and Lu Shi both jumped up in fright and looked at her in unison. 

Qiao Mu had truly jumped out of fright, but Lu Shi had thought he had heard it wrong. What was happening? What’s wrong with this girl? He had taken the initiative to be her deskmate yet she wasn’t happy. 

“Give me your books so I can place them back on your own desk.” Xu Youyou looked at Lu Shi coldly. 

Lu Shi had never been yelled at like this before and it was a girl. This immediately aroused a desire to win: “Why do you care where I sit?” 

“I don’t care where you sit, but the only place you cannot sit is Qiao Mu’s spot.” Xu Youyou said.

“I still want to sit here. Qiao Mu, sit in the back.” Lu Shi told Qiao Mu. 

“Sit there and don’t move.” Xu Youyou immediately pressed a hand to Qiao Mu’s shoulder. 

In that moment, Qiao Mu couldn’t stay, but he also couldn’t leave. At a complete loss, he looked to the two demons on his right and left. He was stunned as he didn’t understand the direction of the matter. 

“Put your book back on your own desk.” Xu Youyou repeated. 

“What if I don’t?” 

“You could try,” Xu Youyou kicked the seat next to her with a “bang.” The irritable genes which she tried so hard to suppress with self-cultivation the past few years all came out. 

In her past life she wasn’t as good tempered as the current life. During her rebellious high school years, she often got into fights. Afterwards, she traveled the world climbing mountains and for self defense she professionally learned to fight. 

Although Xu Youyou had the skin of a 16 year old, inside was still a soul of 26 years. How could an honest youth like Lu Shi beat her accumulated 10 years? He was so frightened that he froze where he was. 

“Move back!” Xu Youyou shouted again. 

Lu Shi subconsciously moved his books back. By the time he returned to his senses, Xu Youyou had positioned the chair back up and was talking to Qiao Mu about going home together. 

“Let’s go, today we’ll go to your house to do homework. I have a few math problems I don’t understand.” 

“I have to go to the main street to buy some xuan paper*.” Qiao Mu said. 

“Then we’ll first go to the main street and while we’re there we can also conveniently pick up a few cold dishes that way Grandmother doesn’t have to cook as much.” 

“Okay.” 

Lu Shi watched the two talk in a familiar manner, they were close and harmonious. They even talked about going home and he spat out a sentence: “F*ck!”

After all that, it turned out the clown was himself?  

———————–Translator’s Note ————————–

* a type of rice paper used for calligraphy or Chinese painting