31 : Rumors

 Chen Zhoumu sat between the two, smiling at the person carrying a backpack: "What are you talking about?"

Song Shi glanced at him casually without speaking, then looked past his head at the person on his right. The two nodded to each other in front of the person in the middle.

After that, the girl left, and Chen Zhoumu noticed something amiss, so he turned his head and asked: "Is that someone you know?"

The other person was silent for a while before answering his question: "No."

"Then why did you exchange contact information?" There was a hint of resentment in the voice, which the speaker himself didn't even realize.

"Can't I?" Song Shi leaned lazily against the cold wall behind him, having already taken out the jersey from his backpack.

"No, yes, yes."

Then Song Shi picked up the slightly wrinkled clothes and stood up, ignoring the person who had been sitting there and the person who was staring at him.

He followed the signs into the locker room, and Chen Zhoumu watched his figure until he disappeared behind the white door.

After Song Shi came out, he saw that the other person was still sitting in the same spot. He walked over and put his clothes into his backpack.

"Let's go."

Hearing this, the other person looked up and followed behind him, then widened his strides.

The two walked side by side.

Xu Sen had already led his group to the waiting area for the indoor competition. As soon as they entered, the noise inside was incredibly loud, and a wave of heat enveloped

everyone . As soon as

the two entered, Xu Sen, who was standing not far away, waved for them to walk in that direction.

Of course, besides Xu Sen's gaze, many students who were watching the competition behind them also turned to look. After all, they were

the two most talked-about people in the school. Two extraordinary faces naturally attracted attention, and two outstandingly handsome faces were now standing together.

Song Shi ignored those gazes and simply walked in the direction the wave was waving.

As the two approached, Xu Sen, who was standing in front, frowned and patted Chen Zhoumu's shoulder, signaling him to follow him.

Chen Zhoumu gave Song Shi the towel and water he was carrying and then left.

Song Shi glanced at the two figures' backs and continued walking towards his seat.

Coincidentally, He Xi and his group were sitting behind him, several pairs of eyes fixed on Song Shi as he approached.

As he drew closer, he could hear the others around him discussing something.

He Xi clenched his fist in a gesture of encouragement, Song Shi nodded, while Zhang Jingxiao, sitting beside him, looked at him with an excited and expectant gaze.

Although he didn't understand what it meant, it didn't stop Song Shi from greeting them.

After nodding to everyone, Song Shi sat down, blocking their view.

Actually, Song Shi felt their gazes, but he ignored them, only sensing a strange feeling mixed with their stares that he couldn't understand.

Until he overheard their conversation.

"Is this the transfer student from No. 1 High School?"

"Yeah, he's really handsome. Didn't he take the exam at No. 3 High School last time? There was even a special post about him there that day."

"Tsk tsk, I didn't see it last time, but wasn't it said that he was dating Chen Zhoumu from No. 1 High School?"

"Wow, really?"

"I just saw this hot post, it says it's authentic, a No. 1 High School internal post."

"Yeah, I saw it too, it says they were caught kissing in the woods last night by a teacher from the disciplinary office!"

"Ah! That's explosive! All the handsome guys are already taken in

by the school." "And didn't you say that the international student who went back to China last week is gay, and..."

They were still discussing something, but Song Shi couldn't listen anymore. He didn't know this rumor would spread so far.

He twitched his lips, he didn't want to say anything more, perhaps explaining would only make things worse.

Now Song Shi was already regretting the decision he made this morning, he should have let Chen Zhoumu bear it alone.

But no one expected Zhou Wei to think that the other person was dating on their way home that night.

The news had already spread like wildfire, reaching many people's ears.

Some described it so vividly, as if they were there themselves.

Today was the official competition, unlike yesterday's casual matches; competitors from different schools were forbidden from communicating or gathering together.

Otherwise, Tan Xiuyuan, sitting in the Third Middle School's rest area, would have rushed over to ask about the rumors.

He gritted his teeth, listening to the people behind him discussing it. People had been talking about it since he arrived at the waiting area this morning.

But at first, he didn't pay attention, until he heard a familiar name, then he strained his ears to listen.

Then he heard Chen Zhoumu's name, and the man who had just raised his hand to gulp down water stopped.

Who and who?

Dating? Shizi and... Chen Zhoumu? Who the hell is spreading these rumors?

He whirled around, startling the group of people discussing it. Tan Xiuyuan's self-control wouldn't allow him to utter a sound.

He just smiled, seemingly interested in the matter, and asked, "What are you guys discussing?"

The group then recounted the whole story. He naturally didn't believe the two were dating, but their story sounded plausible.

Before he could even turn the page, the person sitting in front, who had been talking the loudest and most vehemently, pulled out his phone and handed it to Tan Xiuyuan.

"Look, I told you they'd been having an affair for a while. These are some photos I just received last night."

Tan Xiuyuan took the phone; every photo was very clear and extremely suggestive.

For a moment, he wanted to crush the phone. How much had Chen Zhoumu managed to swindle while he was away?

The girl watched Tan Xiuyuan's face gradually contort, and she immediately reached out to take his hand away.

But she found him gripping her phone tightly.

She was embarrassed and anxious: "If you like these photos, I'll send them to you, okay?"

Before she could finish her sentence, Tan Xiuyuan's face turned terrifying, startling her so much that she pulled her hand back.

Tan Xiuyuan's smile was extremely awkward: "No need, thank you."

Her phone, like a broken heart, returned to her.

Tan Xiuyuan turned to look at the other side of the field. The No. 1 Middle School team's uniforms were white, with black numbers on the back.

Song Shi sat in the waiting area, watching the game intently, without glancing this way.

In fact, it seemed that those watching the game weren't focusing on the players running on the field, but rather on the people in the corner.

The man was tall and imposing, the number ninety-nine spurting on his back. His muscular physique was impressive; at 1.89 meters, Xu Sen had to look up to speak to him.

He lowered his head slightly, his hair, unlike the others' jet-black, was a natural brown with a hint of brown.

It was slightly messy, not perfectly tidy, but the messiness was just right. His

Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke, his lips slightly pursed as he looked up.

Looking up again, the other man had also looked over, their eyes meeting.

Song Shi suddenly felt a flustered sense of being caught, blinking. The other man smiled in their direction.

Chen Zhoumu had a beautiful smile, a faint dimple at the lower left corner of his mouth when he usually didn't show his teeth.

His eyes were also beautiful, now filled with a smile. He then lowered his head, forced to listen to Xu Sen's words.

"Did you hear what I said?" Xu Sen asked helplessly, arms crossed, looking at the somewhat distracted man.

“Got it, it’s just that the setter fell this morning and is in the hospital, so they need me to substitute.” Chen Zhoumu nodded.

“You should at least be serious.”

“Fine.”

He smiled and walked over, sitting down in the empty seat next to Song Shi. He then picked up the water next to his seat and drank it, his eyes fixed on the game.

“Did Second Middle School win the last game too?”

He Xi, sitting behind him, leaned over and answered, “No, no, quite the opposite, Third Middle School won.”

Chen Zhoumu raised an eyebrow: “Second Middle School beat Third Middle School?”

“In the last basketball game, Third Middle School’s international student came in and turned the tide, narrowly defeating Second Middle School. He didn’t come to this game.”

The person drinking water paused, inadvertently glancing at the person sitting next to him who hadn’t said a word.

Seeing the other person so focused on the game, Chen Zhoumu felt a sudden surge of irritation. He then closed the water bottle and stopped watching the game, keeping his eyes fixed on Song Shi.

He Xi, who had leaned over from behind, saw this and, knowing better than to look away, quickly withdrew his head.

The person being stared at finally turned around impatiently: "What are you doing?"

The person staring shrugged shamelessly: "Nothing."

Song Shi ignored him but leaned back, widening the other person's field of vision.

However, the starer's gaze followed his movement.

He turned to meet Chen Zhoumu's blatant gaze: "What's wrong with you?"

Chen Zhoumu smiled and shook his head. He was in a good mood and, as He Dong had said, was going to the court on a bamboo horse to play the game.

Tan Xiuyuan would definitely have texted Song Shi to come watch, since they were still in the lounge, not far from the court, just a corridor away.

But Song Shi didn't go.

Whatever the reason, just thinking that he hadn't gone to watch the other team play made Chen Zhoumu happy.

Because of the disparity in strength between the two teams, the game ended early.

The next game was their turn.

After the announcement, the players from No. 1 Middle School and No. 3 Middle School stood on opposite sides, and the cheers on the court were loud.

Both schools had the most talked-about students.

"To be honest, the players in today's matches were all very pleasing to the eye."

"If only it were always like this! I love watching handsome guys compete, not those fat, skinny guys who'd take their clothes off without a second thought."

"I totally agree."

Tan Xiuyuan sat in the waiting area watching the players on the field. He admitted he was incredibly jealous, even though he and Song Shi had known each other for almost a decade.

But this morning, when they discussed Song Shi, that other person's name always came up.

And those photos, the daily updates on their lives on the forum—it all drove him crazy with jealousy.

He regretted going abroad, regretted telling his family about that incident.

He also regretted lying to Song Shi, even though the other person seemed unaware of it, or perhaps never cared.

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