❖

Early in the morning of the next day, a fully equipped Wang Guangning quietly ran to a hair salon to trim off his hair—which looked like a peacock having its tail spread out—and settled for a crew cut.

Thankfully, his 囧 agreement with Zhang Lingyi yesterday was only for a day. Otherwise, Wang Guangning estimated that he would cultivate himself to become a hermit and never step outside again in the future.

Around noon, Wang Guangning walked out from the hair salon feeling fresh and relaxed. His mood was much better than before, hence he cheerfully sent a text over to Zhang Lingyi, something which he rarely initiated.

According to previous times, Zhang Lingyi should agree happily then seize advantage of the situation and take liberties with him. He didn't expect that Zhang Lingyi would actually coldly reject him.

It was Luo Zihui again. Wang Guangning's heart felt faintly depressed so he replied in a particularly proud manner.

Zhang Lingyi quickly sent back another text.

(╯3╰).

Wang Guangning shivered, goosebumps appearing on his skin as he stared at Zhang Lingyi's evil intention of trying to act cute in their texts. He decided that he had better just keep revising instead.

***

At this moment, Zhang Lingyi was overjoyed as he gazed at the text messages and imagined Wang Guangning's gloomy expression.

Seeing Zhang Lingyi staring at his phone and restraining his laughter to the point of shaking, Luo Zihui couldn't help but curiously ask, "What are you looking at that's making you so happy?"

Zhang Lingyi put away his phone then said with a smile, "Nothing, it's just that I was sending a text to Wang Guangning."

"Wang Guangning?" Luo Zihui frowned and swallowed the weird feeling that filled her heart, "You seem to be quite close with Wang Guangning recently."

"En." Zhang Lingyi ate his lunch while absent-mindedly replying, "He's quite amusing."

"Ah, but weren't you both on disagreeable terms before?" Luo Zihui didn't know why she suddenly thought of Zhang Lingyi's wallpaper of Wang Guangning on his phone. Her brows knitted together tighter.

Zhang Lingyi wasn't paying much attention to Luo Zihui's expression and only focused on eating his food. "Before, I didn't like him all that much and thought that he was very arrogant. But after interacting with him for a few days, I think he's quite good. Although he is a bit narcissistic, he is extremely generous and knows how to joke around. En, he is also a very self-motivated person."

Luo Zihui laughed reluctantly, "I rarely see you having such opinion of other people. If it wasn't for the fact that Wang Guangning is male, I would suspect that you actually like him."

Luo Zihui's words weren't false. Zhang Lingyi said that Wang Guangning was narcissistic, but in fact, his own level of narcissism was quite high as well. On the whole, he didn't really view anyone highly. This was also the reason why he had always been out of sorts with Wang Guangning.

Luo Zihui and Zhang Lingyi have been classmates for three years. Although she didn't hear him maliciously belittle others, it was extremely rare to hear him praise another. Therefore, to hear him compliment Wang Guangning, she did indeed feel surprised.

"He he. Nowadays, gay love isn't something males or females avoid!" Zhang Lingyi said meaningfully at he faced Luo Zihui and smiled. It was practically as if he had his hands on his hips and was laughing heartily as he delivered an announcement to all lands under heaven. So what if it was male on male? This young master was pretending to be gay with Wang Guangning!

However, his target for retaliating against society was not Luo Zihui. If he went ahead and told her, apart from making himself appear foolish, it would give also be giving Wang Guangning extra trouble. Furthermore, it wouldn't help further their plan to get revenge against society.

Zhang Lingyi considered the matter for a while then decided to say nothing.

Yet, Luo Zihui had been shocked for a second because of his words. Luo Zihui who had always known how to skilfully advance and retreat, and was good at using words to speak was now unable to control her expression. Stiffly, she said, "Lingyi, your words truly do make people think misleading thoughts..."

"Ha ha, really?" Zhang Lingyi's expression appeared quite proud and he winked at Luo Zihui, "Do Wang Guangning and I really look as if we are a gay couple?"

En, if even Luo Zihui thought so, then their plan should be considered at least half successful!

Zhang Lingyi considered whether or not to celebrate with Wang Guangning tonight.

"Um......" Faced with Zhang Lingyi's eyes full of expectation, Luo Zihui was unsure of what he was thinking. She had always thought that in F University, she was the one who understood Zhang Lingyi the best. So how come in the past few days, she felt as if things seemed wrong. It was like everything she had been certain of in the past had been completely thrown into disorder. In the end, she didn't answer Zhang Lingyi's question and instead smiled, "I wouldn't go as far as that. Guys just fooling around is quite normal."

"Oh!" Zhang Lingyi didn't hear the answer he had desired so he patted his head in disappointment.

This was Zhang Lingyi's new hobby after he had discovered that using his hand to touch his bald head felt particularly refreshing. Ever since he had his head shaved, he loved to touch it, even if it was for no reason whatsoever.

Luo Zihui directed her gaze at his bald head, and her expression turned strange for a moment. "Lingyi, how come you decided...to have such a hairstyle..."

She really felt as if she understood Zhang Lingyi less and less. The Zhang Lingyi she knew regarded his reputation as if it was his life. Don't even talk about shaving his head, even just touching his fringe was like threatening his life. These few days, exactly what kind of crazy thing had happened?

She had heard that Wang Guangning also had an odd hairstyle!

The strange feeling in Luo Zihui's heart grew heavier.

Zhang Lingyi was evidently calmer than her and he said with a laugh, "Nothing much, I just thought it would be amusing. Don't you think that being bald feels very manly?"

He continued speaking while eating his lunch, "Right, Zihui. You were the one who invited me out for this meal, so how come after speaking for so long about my matters, you still haven't said the reason why you asked me out?"

"Can't I invite you out to eat without having any particular reason?" Luo Zihui held the bowl in her hands tightly.

"Of course it's not that!" Zhang Lingyi laughed. Yet, in his heart, he thought—recently I've been occupied with being gay so if you don't have anything much you need to say, please don't delay mine and shou shou's dates.

"The reason I invited you out today...is because I have something important I want to tell you." Luo Zihui hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.

"Oh, what is it?" Zhang Lingyi's eyebrows raised.

Luo Zihui gazed at him with bright eyes full of hope, "Lingyi, we've already known each other for three years..."

"En." Zhang Lingyi's heart felt slightly less calm. He couldn't be blamed him overthinking since the expression in Luo Zihui's eyes and her opening words were too much like she was about to confess. In truth, he quite liked Luo Zihui. She was intelligent and beautiful, and understood how to give herself and others room to manoeuvre. In F University, he hadn't met another female student more suitable for himself than Luo Zihui. However, the problem was, he still hadn't psychologically prepared himself to accept her!

"During these three years, I haven't been in a relationship..." Luo Zihui spoke slowly, leaving enough time for Zhang Lingyi to think over her words, "The reason for this, I'm sure you are very clear about..."

Usually, if the female students did not open a topic like this to him, Zhang Lingyi wouldn't take the initiative to expose them. However, it had to be said that Zhang Lingyi did not like deliberately being ambiguous or pretending to be oblivious and continuously drag these matters on. Therefore, even though Luo Zihui had abruptly breached this topic, he still nodded his head in a straightforward manner.

"En, I know."

Zhang Lingyi's frankness startled Luo Zihui for a second, but she quickly went on, "Lingyi, originally...I had hoped...that these words would be spoken first from your mouth..."

Zhang Lingyi smiled in apology.

Luo Zihui also smiled and said, "I suspect that if this keeps dragging on, I still wouldn't receive an answer from you even at graduation!"

Zhang Lingyi was silent. It wasn't that he didn't want to say anything, but rather that he really didn't know what to say.

It was because he knew that what Luo Zihui had said, may as well be true.

Luo Zihui may be an indispensable friend of his, however, in regard to feelings, he had always treated their existence lightly.

This was indeed not fair to Luo Zihui.

Yet, searching for fairness in feelings was a ridiculous idea in itself.

Luo Zihui also did not intend for Zhang Lingyi to fully understand the situation with just those two sentences. Smiling faintly, she said, "Actually Lingyi, Zhuo Ximing confessed to me two days ago..."

Zhuo Ximing was F University's computer genius and also a very influential figure in the campus. However, he was well-known due to genuinely relying on his own strength and talent, unlike Wang Guangning and Zhang Lingyi's popularity which was related to their outward appearances. Zhou Ximing's character could only be said to be very upright.

Yet, the level of admiration of female students towards Zhou Ximing was not much less than Wang Guangning and Zhang Lingyi.

The reason for this was simple. Compared to Wang Guangning and Zhang Lingyi's devastating features, Zhou Ximing's appearance made the female students feel more secure.

Also, Zhou Ximing was not as difficult to get close to like Wang Guangning and Zhang Lingyi.

Stunned, Zhang Lingyi watched Luo Zihui.

"Lingyi, I am a young woman. For me, three years has already been long enough. I do not want to keep waiting indefinitely." Luo Zihui was indeed a person who behaved with propriety. Even while speaking these words, they were still as fitting as before. "I want to give myself a chance. But before I make my choice, I don't want to destroy my past three years of waiting in vain."

"The reason why I came today is because I'd like your answer."

"You don't have to hurry and answer me, I'll give you three days to consider. During these three days, no matter what your answer will be, you can let me know at any time."

***

When Zhang Lingyi walked out of the cafeteria, he still felt a bit dizzy, even the Dark Chef's speciality dish of indigo woad root and corn soup did not leave him an aftertaste.

Towards Luo Zihui, he quite liked her. However, it was the kind of like that wasn't anything very exciting. Rather, it made him feel quite comfortable, and not to the point that he wanted to pierce through it.

In the past, Luo Zihui had not mentioned anything so he had also pretended not to know.

However, now, Luo Zihui had pierced through first. Hence, he also had no choice but to face this matter.

Should he accept, so they are together.

Or reject, and watch her fall into the embrace of another?

Zhang Lingyi sighed.

It was only until he met Wang Guangning in the late evening that he suddenly became aware of something—this question which he had been at a loss for an entire afternoon, actually involved Wang Guangning as well.

Before making this agreement with Wang Guangning, he had once considered his relationship with Luo Zihui. At that time, his way of thinking was to just let nature take its course. In the case that Luo Zihui ever took the initiative and opened her mouth first, and he didn't have a girlfriend yet, then being together wasn't a bad idea.

However, now that Luo Zihui had spoken, the thing that he was at a loss over was that—if he did get together with Luo Zihui, he would feel as if he had let down Wang Guangning!

This was too much!

Zhang Lingyi was frightened to the point of cold sweat appearing all over his body. Raising his head, he looked at Wang Guangning who had arrived at the place they agreed to meet a step earlier than him.

Wang Guangning was leaning against a streetlight, playing on his phone. As the temperature for today was unusually high, Wang Guangning wasn't wearing much—a shirt and a light jacket. The flashy and trendy hairstyle of yesterday had already been completely shaved, leaving only a fluffy crew cut.

The light from the streetlamp shone on his body which had been obscure in the darkness.

Yet, this sight nevertheless made people incapable of moving away their vision.

Zhang Lingyi didn't know why he suddenly thought of an evaluation of Wang Guangning posted on F Xing Ren's forums—

Wherever Wang Guangning is, was where the scenery would be.

Seeming to feel Zhang Lingyi's stare, Wang Guangning slowly lifted his head.

There was no expression on his face, and his gaze was insipid. As he lightly swept his eyes across, there suddenly was a feeling of looking down from a high place.

For some people, their noble aura was like one created by the heavens.

A humming noise filled Zhang Lingyi's mind and he completely didn't hear the sounds which surrounded him.

He also didn't hear the frantic pulsing in his heart.

__________________

*stares at Zhang Lingyi with wide eyes* Do you hear that?

(≧▽≦)ﾉ ∠※パン！【*―☆―* Happy New Year *―☆―*】ヽ('∀'ｏ)

Hope you all have a wonderful 2018 and be healthy and happy ~

Shou shou, quickly hug me!(づ￣ ³￣)づ

*shoves ZLY away*

( : ౦ ‸ ౦ : )

*shoves WGN back*

*hugging a reluctant WGN*

...

What's that poking me? (⊙_⊙)

(*/▽＼*)

translator: k i a i