29 : Misunderstanding

 Chen Zhoumu stood to the side, holding Song Shi's things without saying a word.

The other person walked up to Song Shi: "They're throwing a banquet for me tomorrow, are you coming?"

"Just you." Tan Xiuyuan added.

Song Shi nodded: "Okay."

"By the way, my mom sent me some persimmons, I'll bring them to you when you're free, or you can come pick them up."

"I can pick them up tomorrow."

Chen Zhoumu glanced at them indifferently, then looked away.

He Dong happened to walk over. He walked to Chen Zhoumu's side and pointed with his chin, "What's going on?"

Chen Zhoumu didn't answer. He Dong, standing to the side, continued, "They actually know each other. I heard them talk about Liu Zi today."

"Tsk tsk, it's a pity that someone like that is gay. He'll break so many girls' hearts. Tomorrow, many girls from No. 1 High School are coming to see him."

"By the way, what's the relationship between Song Shi and that guy? They seemed quite intimate."

Chen Zhoumu finally looked up, his tone emotionless, "Friends."

"Hmm? They hugged."

Chen Zhoumu looked up, his eyes narrowing. Tan Xiuyuan also smiled and looked this way. Then the two separated.

Song Shi walked over.

He Dong, standing nearby, couldn't hold back any longer: "Do you think Song Shi knows that guy likes guys? If he doesn't, does that mean he likes Song Shi?"

Chen Zhoumu picked up his things and walked towards Song Shi: "Yeah."

He Dong hadn't quite grasped the other's answer yet. Did Song Shi know that the guy from No. 3 Middle School liked guys, or did he know that the guy liked him?

Or did he know both?

He Dong scratched his head; he hadn't figured it out yet.

*

The two walked back to their dorm without saying a word. Song Shi wasn't one to start conversations.

Chen Zhoumu, who was usually very talkative, was now silent.

The only sound between them was the gentle breeze and the rustling of falling leaves.

Finally, Song Shi looked at the unusually quiet person and spoke: "What's wrong?"

The person being asked immediately stopped, turned to face Song Shi, and just stared at him without saying a word.

Song Shi stopped and looked up with some confusion, only to hear the other person ask, "Are you and Tan Xiuyuan a couple?"

The person looking up froze. Song Shi hadn't expected Chen Zhoumu to ask so bluntly. He had indeed pretended to be a couple with him a long time ago;

he'd almost forgotten about it.

But that didn't count as being together, and most importantly, his secret of liking boys couldn't be revealed.

So he paused for a moment before saying, "I like girls."

Now it was Chen Zhoumu's turn to be stunned. He didn't know whether to be happy or upset.

He knew Song Shi was definitely straight, but hearing it from the other person's mouth sounded like a rejection of his feelings.

Fortunately, what the other person said wasn't entirely true. If they were a couple, Song Shi should logically like boys.

Fortunately, now he and that person were in a fair competition, and Chen Zhoumu wasn't going to think about their past.

But the voice in his head still wanted him to ask, to find out what their relationship was, and about that profile picture.

That's what he thought, and he said it aloud: "So what's your relationship with him now?"

"Friends."

"What's with the profile picture?"

Song Shi looked at the man. Ever since Tan Xiuyuan returned, this man had been acting strangely, and even now, he seemed to be still immersed in those emotions.

Song Shi hadn't changed his chat profile picture for many years; he was already used to it.

Besides, he wasn't someone who paid attention to those things.

He was too lazy to change it, but who knew this person would be so sensitive, asking such detailed questions about just a profile picture.

The two stared at each other for a long time, so long that Chen Zhoumu thought he wouldn't get an answer tonight.

Song Shi took out his phone from his pocket, casually found a picture online,

and then opened his chat homepage, changing the profile picture to a new one in front of Chen Zhoumu.

"How about this? Does this dispel your strange thoughts, Chen?" Song Shi held up his phone and waved it at Chen Zhoumu.

Chen Zhoumu watched his actions, his face expressionless, but he couldn't help feeling happy inside. He

even wanted to take a picture of the other person's actions and send it to Tan Xiuyuan.

So he could only awkwardly explain, "That's not what I meant."

"I don't know what he's been saying to you lately, but haven't you noticed how strange you've been lately?"

Song Shi put his hands in his coat pockets, tilting his head to look at the slightly downcast man: "What's wrong with you?"

Chen Zhoumu's eyes flickered slightly. Nothing much.

Nothing much had happened recently, except that he had confirmed one thing.

And this confirmation had begun to make him anxious and insecure, to make him feel deeply inferior, to make him unable to sleep or eat properly.

But he couldn't say it out loud, he couldn't express it, he could only bury it deep in his heart.

It was like brewing wine, but he didn't know how long it would take to be ready.

He didn't know what the result would be, perhaps it would be fragrant and delicious.

Perhaps it would be infested with maggots.

The person tilting his head to look at him was still waiting for his answer, but he couldn't give it to him yet.

So he smiled easily and put his arm around the other person's shoulder: "Nothing, I'm perfectly fine."

Song Shi squinted at the smiling man, chuckled softly, and didn't ask any further questions.

It was already quite dark, and the school streetlights weren't very bright. Many trees were planted around, their branches growing wildly and haphazardly,

blocking some of the light. So the light spurted through the gaps in the leaves onto the ground,

then caught by the person standing under the light, illuminating their face and body, just enough for them to see each other clearly.

Just as the two were about to leave, a light suddenly flashed nearby: "Who's there! Which class are you in? What time is it? What are you doing here instead of going back to your dorm!"

It was that familiar voice. The two looked at each other, not knowing who had grabbed the other's hand and started running.

All they knew was that the wind that night was strong and cold, but it kept them wide awake.

There were also footsteps chasing behind them, and the flickering beam of a flashlight illuminating their hurried retreating figures.

"Stop right there! Chen Zhoumu! Was that you?" The bespectacled guy, panting as he ran, adjusted his glasses.

"Just you wait! Still dating, huh? Don't think you're above the rules just because you have good grades! Whew..."

After shaking off the bespectacled guy, the two let go, leaning on their knees, panting, and smiled at each other.

Song Shi, catching his breath, said, "Why did we run? We didn't do anything."

"Being caught and having to explain is too much trouble. It's better to just run away." Chen Zhoumu put his bag back on.

The next morning, on their way from the dormitory to the classroom, the two saw the bespectacled guy checking school uniforms at the gate.

When it reached them, the bespectacled guy adjusted his glasses.

He looked at Chen Zhoumu and sneered, "Go stand over there."

Then, looking at Song Shi, his expression softened, "Song, you go in first."

Chen Zhoumu smiled at Zhou Wei, "Old Zhou, it's not like I'm not wearing a school uniform."

Zhou Wei glanced at Chen Zhoumu and grabbed one of the people standing nearby who wasn't wearing a school uniform and was trying to sneak in.

Then he looked at him and explained, "Was that you last night? Who was the other person? You're getting bolder and bolder, even daring to have a relationship now. Tell the other person that even if I haven't caught her yet, it's only a matter of time."

"As long as she obediently comes forward, maybe she can get a lighter punishment."

Chen Zhoumu stood lazily: "Old Zhou, that person really wasn't me, you really misunderstood me."

"Stand properly! It was you, I could recognize you even if you were ashes, tell me who that person was!"

Chen Zhoumu stood up properly: "There really was no one else, just me."

"Do you think I'm blind? Can't I tell if there are one or two people? You don't tell the truth a single word."

Then he saw that Song Shi, who was standing to the side, hadn't moved, and his expression softened a little: "Song, you're going to be late, you go in first."

But Song Shi didn't move, and Chen Zhoumu in front of him also gave Song a look, signaling Song to go in first.

Zhou Wei adjusted his glasses again: "What's wrong, Song, is there a problem? Is it something about your life or your studies?"

"It's me." Song Shi said without any emotion.

Then, the people standing at the door watched as the transfer student, with a cold expression, stood next to their school bully.

The person Zhou Wei had just mentioned was the runaway who had secretly met with Chen Zhoumu and was having a puppy love affair last night.

The news came too quickly and too violently, shocking everyone.

The two words "that nonsensical person" made Zhou Wei's face extremely ugly. He had just learned about Song Shi's situation from Jiang Man a while ago and

decided to be nicer to the boy, but now this had happened.

His breathing became extremely rapid, and he almost fainted.

Fortunately, Jiang Man and the head of student affairs, who were walking in quickly, saw him. The head of student affairs immediately supported the swaying Zhou Wei and asked, "What's wrong? Old Zhou?"

Jiang Man knew from Chen Zhoumu that nothing good was going to happen, then glanced at Song Shi standing to the side.

"Song Shi, what are you doing here?" her voice was gentle.

"You two will write 3000-word self-criticisms for next week's flag-raising ceremony!! Go up on stage and reflect!" Zhou Wei roared with his last breath, then was helped down.

Those standing by watched this scene. Some, after seeing Zhou Wei carried away, secretly slipped inside through the door.

Jiang Man looked at the two in front of her: "Didn't you go to training yesterday? How did you get caught by Lao Zhou? What happened to you two?"

"Nothing much, Lao Zhou misunderstood. Song Shi and I went to training first." Chen Zhoumu rested one hand on Song Shi's shoulder and waved to Jiang Man with the other.

The two left like that.

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