Chapter 39

The movie was a romance film. The few couples in the almost empty theater also left midway due to the boring plot.

Throughout the movie, the male and female leads were making out, then broke up. After a heart-wrenching and agonizing separation, the female lead contracted a terminal illness.

Lin ChuSui looked back and asked, "Brother Octopus, why did you choose this movie?"

Zhang Cheng Yu innocently said, "The poster wrote it was a youth idol and tear-jerking masterpiece. I thought since we have two girls, a romance would be quite suitable."

One of the girls, Lu TianBai, was already asleep on her brother's shoulder.

Snoring lightly, she was sleeping soundly.

Lu Chi said, "My sister can barely be considered a girl. As for the one in front... Do you really think she can appreciate a romance film?"

Zhang Cheng Yu saw Lin ChuSui's utterly confused expression and said, "My bad."

...

The male and female leads on screen started intimately kissing again.

Lin ChuSui glanced sideways at Xiao Yan. He was watching very attentively and seriously, no less focused than when he was studying.

"Xiao Yan, is this nice to watch?"

"It's nice."

"Nice???"

Xiao Yan seriously asked back, "You don't think it's nice?"

"It's not that, but what's nice about it?!"

"Their love, it's very touching."

"It's obviously so contrived!"

"The female lead contracted a terminal illness," Xiao Yan said matter-of-factly. "After overcoming all sorts of difficulties, the lovers still couldn't be together in the end. They became separated by life and death. The male lead will forever cherish her memory."

"That's what you find touching?"

Xiao Yan said, "How can you be so cold-hearted?"

"... "

Lin ChuSui shut up completely.

Previously she thought there was just a 500 point gap between her and Xiao Yan. Now she saw there was an insurmountable chasm between their mindsets.

She snuck another peek at him.

He watched attentively without any expression, his pitch-black profound eyes seemed somewhat forlorn.

A Xiao Yan who could genuinely appreciate contrived romance films was a bit cute.

Lin ChuSui took out the last piece of popcorn and decided to give it to Xiao Yan to eat.

Xiao Yan had learned to be smart. He asked, "Is this giving me, or feeding me?"

"Feeding, feeding, feeding."

Only then did he casually take the popcorn with his mouth.

"Xiao Yan, last time you said you like girls with nice figures. Was that for real or just joking?"

"Why ask about this?"

"Just...casually asking. If there was a girl who met your criteria that came to date you, would you agree?"

"I wouldn't."

"Oh."

Receiving his unhesitating response, Lin ChuSui didn't know whether to feel happy and relieved, or disappointed. "Why not?"

"It's true I'm not in good health," Xiao Yan replied in a flat tone. "I'm also very poor. Dating costs money, which I don't have. I also don't yet have the ability to make any promises to someone I like."

Lin ChuSui carefully considered his words. Very realistic, also very truthful.

This was Xiao Yan's personality. He took every step steadily.

Because his life was already hanging by a thread, with an abyss under his feet. He couldn't make a single misstep.

Lin ChuSui thought about what Xu Jia Ning just said, that she liked Xiao Yan.

Did she really like Xiao Yan?

It seemed...she did like him a bit.

Lin ChuSui asked somewhat indignantly, "Since you have no interest in dating, why do you watch romance films so seriously?"

"Because they keep kissing."

"You like watching kisses?"

"I'm 18 years old. Scorpio."

"?"

Lin ChuSui truly didn't understand what Xiao Yan meant.

But she was a good girl who asked when she didn't understand. She immediately searched Scorpio's traits, and from the descriptions like "possessive", "jealous", and "vengeful", she found a key word—

"Strong sexual desire."

For the rest of the movie, Lin ChuSui's mind wandered. Whenever there was a kissing scene, she would involuntarily glance at the youth beside her.

He had no expression, his pitch-black eyes stared intently at the screen, unknown what he was thinking.

Lin ChuSui's inner thoughts were exceptionally rich, as she got herself all flushed and hot.

Exiting the theater, Lu Chi and the others were all chattering about the plot—

"This movie was too crappy. What was with the female lead suddenly getting a terminal illness at the end? Just watched it for nothing."

Lu TianBai who had slept groggily said, "The plot was so exciting, why didn't you wake me up?"

"Little sister, what kind of misunderstanding do you have about 'exciting'? It was contrived!" Lu Chi said agitatedly, "Just you wait, in a couple years he'll definitely forget about her." Lin ChuSui said, "No, the male lead will forever cherish her memory. That's true love."

"Pfft, that just shows you don't understand men, and you don't understand love."

"In any case, I won't," Lin ChuSui said. "The person I like, I'll remember for a lifetime."

Lu Chi laughed. "What about Qin Nai then? These past two years, haven't you forgotten all about him?"

Hearing the words "Qin Nai", Lin ChuSui's expression noticeably froze for a moment. She lifted her leg to kick Lu Chi.

Lu Chi quickly dodged. "Not letting me talk about him huh!"

Xiao Yan, who had been silent at the back the whole time, suddenly asked, "Who's Qin Nai?"

Seeing Xiao Yan was interested, Lu Chi immediately explained to him, "Qin Nai is ChuSui's ex. They started dating in high school but broke up after."

Lin ChuSui immediately justified, "I was so young then, didn't understand anything. Just felt he had a unique personality. Can we not bring up this old history?"

Lu Chi scratched his head. "It was because Xiao Yan was curious that I explained it to him."

Xiao Yan was truly interested and asked again, "What was his personality like?"

Lu Chi said, "Qin Nai's grades were near last in the grade. He really knew how to play, could be considered one of those hotshot school kings."

Xiao Yan looked at Lin ChuSui. "So you used to like those with bad grades?"

"It wasn't because of his bad grades," Lin ChuSui explained. "Back then I only felt he was handsome."

"How handsome?"

"About...on par with you."

"Any photos?"

Seeing he was dead set on pursuing this, Lin ChuSui said, "We deleted each other long ago, where would there be any photos left? Didn't expect you to be such a gossip Xiao Yan."

At this time, Zhang Cheng Yu took out his phone. "I haven't deleted him yet. Qin Nai posts selfies on QQ Space every day. Xiao Yan, do you want to see?"

Xiao Yan reached to take the phone. Zhang Cheng Yu immediately made conditions. "Sharing all the homework in the class group for a week."

Xiao Yan said, "Deal."

Lu Chi exclaimed, "Fuck!"

He agreed without any hesitation!

Zhang Cheng Yu passed the phone over. Xiao Yan scrolled and flipped through it.

This ex-boyfriend indeed posted a selfie every day, and basically all muscular topless gym mirror selfies. Very narcissistic and oily...

Although his selfie style was oily, Qin Nai's features were very rugged and handsome. He could certainly be considered good-looking and enduringly attractive.

Xiao Yan passed the phone back without further commentary on his looks.

Xu Jia Ning took the phone and laughed after glancing at it. "Can't believe your ex was like this!"

Lin ChuSui staunchly defended her aesthetics. "He's quite good-looking!"

Xu Jia Ning mocked, "His looks are passable, but his temperament is lacking. One look and you can tell he's uncultured. The uncultured are prone to being vulgar."

Lin ChuSui indignantly said, "Just because you're cultured, carrying that Dream of the Red Chamber everywhere, doesn't mean you've become Jia Baoyu!"

"Of course I can't become Jia Baoyu," Xu Jia Ning mocked. "My little sister isn't Lin Daiyu after all."

"In any case, your aesthetics aren't that great."

Xu Jia Ning asked Xiao Yan, "Xiao Yan, what do you think of her taste?"

Xiao Yan glanced at the mission progress in the bottom right corner and said, "Occasionally off, but generally quite good."

"See!" Lin ChuSui tiptoed and patted Xu Jia Ning's head, self-satisfied. "Xiao Yan says my aesthetics are good!"

"He also said you were occasionally off," Xu Jia Ning went straight for the key point. "Your ex's looks were acceptable. But his temperament truly wasn't that great. To cure ugliness, one must read more books. Even handsome people can't neglect their studies. For positive examples, please refer to Xiao Yan before you."

Lin ChuSui just made a disdainful noise, but didn't refute him.

Xiao Yan was obviously an irrefutable example.

Xiao Yan looked at Xu Jia Ning, "You're very clever."

"Huh?"

"Next time I'll let you get first place."

Xu Jia Ning: ?

...

Dinner was at a restaurant Xu Jia Ning chose, on the fourth floor of Times Square Mall, a very upscale Japanese-French fusion restaurant.

“No seafood allergies, right? Then let's go to this restaurant,” said Xu Jia Ning. “This restaurant has a nice environment and affordable prices, most importantly the dishes are delicious.”

Lu Chi looked at the artificial scenery of a white smoke emitting small bridge over flowing water in front of the Japanese restaurant. He asked in bewilderment, “This can be a buffet? The kind where you can eat whatever you want?”

“It’s a buffet,” Xu Jia Ning replied. “That’s why I recommend this restaurant to you guys.”

After entering the door, you have to pay first at the front desk before dining. When Lin ChuSui saw that the buffet was 480 yuan per person, this was indeed a high-end buffet.

Of course, this level of high-end was relative to the buffets under 100 yuan that she used to go to with Lu Chi and his sports team buddies.

Lu Chi said, “Then Chu Ge, we have to eat until we throw up.”

Lin ChuSui replied, “You can stuff yourself silly, don't drag me into it!”

Lu Chi said, “That’s too much. Every time we went to a buffet before, didn't we always eat until we threw up? Now that the God of Learning is here, you're rebelling!”

Lin ChuSui glared at him angrily, “I have never eaten until I threw up! Don't talk nonsense.”

“There was one time when your stomach looked like you were 5 months pregnant after eating!”

Seeing that Lin ChuSui was looking at him with murderous eyes, Lu Chi finally shut up and hid behind his sister Lu TianBai.

Xu Jia Ning was about to scan the code to pay when Xiao Yan opened his mouth, “Let’s split the bill.”

“No need,” Xu Jia Ning scanned the code and paid, casually saying, “We never sp... ”

Before he could finish speaking, there was a "ding dong" sound. In his phone, a transfer from Lin ChuSui had arrived.

Xu Jia Ning looked at Lin ChuSui, “What are you doing?”

“Every time we go out, don’t we split the bill? Why are you pretending to be rich now?” Lin ChuSui said, “Classmate, I paid your share, just transfer it to me later.”

Xiao Yan said, “Okay.”

Lu Chi also transferred money to Xu Jia Ning, "My and my sister's share, and Big Brother Zhang's, please collect it."

Zhang Cheng Yu said, "Thank you, Brother Lu."

Lu Chi retorted, "What are you thanking for! We're splitting the bill, just paying you back!" ...

The waiter led them to the dining area. Lin ChuSui chose a window seat with a night view and sat down.

Xiao Yan naturally sat down next to her and took out his phone to transfer her a red packet.

Ding.

The red packet contained only two words:

"Thank you."

Lin ChuSui looked up at him. His dark eyes were also staring at her, raising the corners of his eyes, hinting for her to take the red packet.

Lin ChuSui sent him a message: “It was Xu Jia Ning showing off. We would never come to such an expensive restaurant to eat before.”

Xiao Yan replied: "Why mention this?"

Lin ChuSui said: "Just...saying it randomly."

Xiao Yan said: "I earn money by the minute and second, this is nothing."

Lin ChuSui felt a little more at ease. She sent him a thumbs up cat emoji: "Scholar god (Xiao Yan) is awesome."

Hearing the “ding dong” sounds of their phones, Lu Chi dissatisfiedly said, "You guys are so close, yet still messaging each other. Can't you just talk directly? Wasting mobile data."

Zhang Cheng Yu laughed, “Mind your own business, mutt. Let the classmates whisper to each other, what's it to you?”

Lu Chi retorted, “What whispering? Have you seen me whispering with Xu Jia Ning?”

Lin ChuSui put her phone down and said, "Just receiving and sending red packets."

...

The waiter came to take their order. Lu Chi pointed to all the dishes on the menu and asked, "All of these are self-service buffet items with unlimited quantities, right?"

Waiter: "That's right."

Lu Chi looked at the menu, "Iron plate grilled matsutake beef tenderloin, small pot burnt iron plate green onion cod..."

Lin ChuSui added: "And sashimi autumn knife fish, North Pole scallop sushi, French pan-fried anglerfish..."

The waiter's mouth twitched as he politely said, "I suggest you order some first, then order more after finishing those."

"We've barely started, we can..." Seeing the waiter's expression, Lin ChuSui glanced at Xiao Yan and changed her words, "We...have more than enough. I don't eat much."

Lu Chi exclaimed, "Chu Ge, stop pretending to be a lady. 480 yuan per person, you absolutely have to eat until you throw up! Might as well order everything on the menu and try it all."

Waiter: "If you don't finish, you'll have to pay penalty fees based on the weighed leftovers."

Lu Chi scoffed, "You really underestimate us. With Chu Ge's appetite alone, she's equal to ten people..."

"Lu Chi!!!" Lin ChuSui had completely lost her mind. Clenching her fists, she glared at him and threatened in a low voice, "I'm going to kill you."

Perhaps truly sensing Lin ChuSui’s murderous intent in her eyes, Lu Chi wisely shut up.

Soon, dish after dish was served, filling up the table.

Zhang Cheng Yu and Lu Chi demonstrated the fierce potential of sports team boys, wolfing down huge portions in minutes.

Xu Jia Ning didn't eat much, though his eyes rolled plenty as he said, "I'm never eating with you sporty types again. How embarrassing."

Lu Chi chugged his drink and said, "Food, color, and s*x appeal, yet you eat so daintily. I bet you're just as prim in bed."

"Don't worry, I'm definitely more civilized than you there."

Zhang Cheng Yu covered Lu TianBai's ears. "There's an underage girl here, what kind of vulgarity are you spewing?"

Seeing Xiao Yan steadily eating, not too fast, not too slow, not overly refined, nor sloppy, just very focused on eating, Lin ChuSui unconsciously started imagining if he was just as attentive in other matters.

Noticing the girl's odd gaze, Xiao Yan glanced at her, "Just looking at me already full?"

"Ah no."

Lin ChuSui hurriedly buried her head to eat beef. After a few pieces, she quietly asked Xiao Yan again, "Can you eat these comfortably? Want some rice?"

Xiao Yan put down his chopsticks. "I'm not as...unsophisticated as you think."

"Oh, sorry."

She shut up and continued eating, not daring to babble anymore.

Xiao Yan knew that ever since the bill splitting earlier, Lin ChuSui had been carefully trying to protect his self-esteem, just that the little girl was too clumsy, being a bit too obvious about it.

He wasn't angry, on the contrary feeling rather touched.

It was rare for someone to be so considerate of him like this.

"Lin ChuSui," he called her name softly.

"Hmm?"

"Help me get some foie gras."

"Okay!" Lin ChuSui immediately stood up and brought over the plate of foie gras from in front of Lu Chi, placing it in front of Xiao Yan. "Xu Jia Ning said their foie gras is quite authentic. You're missing a kidney, so eat this to replenish!"

Xiao Yan rubbed the corner of his eye. "I didn't lose a kidney, it was my liver. This is the last time I'll explain it."

"What's...the difference?"

"Is there a difference between your brain and this lump of foie gras?"

Lin ChuSui laughed. She picked some beef for Xiao Yan again, "No difference at all. As long as my deskmate is happy, eat more."

She was actually quite fond of bantering with Xiao Yan like this, unconsciously edging closer to him. She gave him all the beef from her own bowl, "Eat more, get your health better. I know you want to find a girlfriend with a good physique, but your own strength can't fall too far behind, right?"

Xiao Yan said, "You make sense. Lack of harmony in life can lead to many conflicts."

Lin ChuSui nodded, "Yes."

Lu Chi covered Lu TianBai's ears again. "When did you two get close enough to talk about s*x?"

Lin ChuSui asked, "Where was anything s*xual mentioned?"

"Talking about disharmony in life, how vulgar, corrupting my sister!"

Lin ChuSui explained, "He's so frail, of course he'll make his future girlfriend do all the work. How can life be harmonious like that?"

Lu Chi said, "You really think when he said he wants to find a girlfriend with a good physique to be on top, he meant someone strong who can do housework?"

Xiao Yan stated plainly, "That is exactly my meaning. You're the vulgar one."

Lin ChuSui affirmed, "See."

Lu Chi conceded, "...Yes, yes, it's me."

Xu Jia Ning gently clinked glasses with Lu Chi, "You can never wake two people pretending to be asleep, especially when they are 'deskmates for life' who have pledged eternal devotion."