45 : Initiative to get closer

 After more than five hours, we arrived in Guangzhou. The moment we landed, the cold air in the cabin slowly dissipated, replaced by the warm air that rushed in as the cabin door opened after a stable landing.

The intense and irresistible heat enveloped everyone, a warm welcome.

The weather in the south is always unpredictable. A few days ago, the temperature was slowly dropping, but today it could rise to 29 degrees Celsius, a heavy blow to those who had just arrived from the north.

Students quickly took off their clothes, either draping them in their arms or stuffing them into their backpacks.

The further south you go, the higher the humidity. It's not just hot here, but an unbearably humid heat. Sweat quickly soaks your hairline, and every breath feels like covering your mouth and nose; fresh air never seems to reach your lungs.

Zhang Jingxiao put her bag down and fanned herself with her hand to cool off. "It's almost November, why is the weather still like this? I can't stand it, I'm going to buy some ice water."

Tan Qi, who was standing to the side, naturally followed, leaving only the two of them.

On the plane, Song Shi couldn't help but look away first. He didn't know how to answer that person, nor did he know what the other person meant.

The words and atmosphere were too ambiguous to explain. He was afraid of misunderstanding and afraid of saying something inappropriate, so he hadn't spoken a word until now.

Chen Zhoumu took out a tissue to wipe his sweat. It was noon, and although it would snow in Xia City in a few days, the sun was still shining brightly here. He looked at the person next to him pretending to be an ostrich, and the thought of teasing his sweetheart arose in his mind again.

He approached with light, quick steps, gently poking a small indentation into Song Shi's flushed cheek. Song Shi slowly turned his head: "What are you doing?"

Chen Zhoumu withdrew his hand: "Did you hear what we said on the plane?"

"Yeah."

"That's why you look so beautiful when you smile. Come on, smile more." He playfully teased Song Shi's lips, gently lifting them.

Song Shi felt the tickle on his lips and frowned slightly, slapping Chen Zhoumu's hand away: "Don't you have anything better to do?"

But Chen Zhoumu seemed not to hear him, turning to give Song Shi's cheek a light pinch, the pressure barely enough to tease a child.

"It feels so good. My friend's face is really soft."

"If you don't want your hand, I can cripple it for you right now." Song Shi said, tilting his head back to avoid Chen Zhoumu's touch.

Chen Zhoumu watched as Song Shi spoke to him again before withdrawing his hand. He knew that Song Shi had been a bit impulsive and blurted out those things on the plane.

But after regaining his composure, he didn't intend to take it back. He seemed to be confirming something, but he knew Song Shi's personality.

He couldn't be teased; he was easily provoked, and if teased, he'd retreat into his shell. If he didn't take the initiative to say something, Song Shi might never come out.

He would casually accept those words as if he hadn't heard them, but Chen Zhoumu couldn't pretend nothing had happened.

He wanted to confirm something; he had thought a lot about the night Song Shi came to Beijing to see him.

Regardless of whether what Song Shi said was true, he wanted to verify the truth of Song Shi's statement about 'liking girls.'

Because when Song Shi was with him, that statement seemed full of holes, so this time he wanted to take the initiative to approach him.

A little while later, Zhang Jingxiao came over with several bottles of ice water and Tan Qi. The two separated, and the group shared the ice water.

The school bus that had come to pick them up drove over, and the teachers leading the group walked over.

Students began to gather, chatting in twos and threes.

"I heard it's very chaotic in Guangzhou. My parents kept telling me not to wander around when I came here."

"Also, I heard from friends here that there's a lot of bullying among students in Guangzhou schools. I heard that a lot of things like that happened at Guangzhou No. 1 High School, which is the best high school here."

"I can understand. I've read in novels that this place is a den of iniquity. It's been better these past few years, but a few years ago it was littered with corpses!"

"How scary! How many classes are there in the competition program?"

"I don't know. Anyway, there's only one class in Guangzhou. There should be seven or eight competition programs from the three provinces combined. There are definitely more here, right?"

The teacher leading the group directed everyone to the bus. The air conditioning on the bus helped dispel some of the heat.

Sitting behind, Zhang Jingxiao fanned herself, feeling irritated. "This awful weather, even with the air conditioning on, it's useless. How do people in Guangzhou live?"

The person behind her leaned against the window glass, looking utterly hopeless, not caring about how dirty it was, just wanting to cool off.

Tan Qi, sitting to the side, had somehow produced a notebook and was fanning the person next to her.

The person frowning because of the weather turned to look at her, then their gaze fell on the other person's hands. The once neat exercise book was now crumpled from being squeezed, and was fluttering up and down with the person holding it.

The irritation that had risen in Zhang Jingxiao's heart because of the weather suddenly dissipated at the other person's actions.

She reached out and snatched the book from the other person's hand, examining the usually tidy, thin exercise book.

Yes, this was Tan Qi's most treasured exercise book. She remembered that the last time Liao Ming lent her this exercise book, Tan Qi absolutely refused, but she would lend her anything else, except this one.

Once, when Tan Qi wasn't around, Zhang Jingxiao finally couldn't resist her curiosity and stole this book from the other person's desk, then opened it.

Strangely, for a good student like Tan Qi, there wasn't a single word touched in this book. Zhang Jingxiao silently put it back.

According to her, there were no marks on this exercise book, but when she opened the first page, she found a messy rabbit drawn on it.

Zhang Jingxiao found it incredibly funny; she hadn't known the other girl had this side to her.

In her mind, Tan Qi never drew such strange things, especially not in her workbook.

The other girl was a studious person; in Zhang Jingxiao's eyes, she was just an emotionless learning machine, so she hadn't expected such an adorable side.

Yes, she found it cute, extremely cute.

But now, when she picked up the workbook again, the other girl, though momentarily stunned, didn't make any further move. She didn't say anything, nor did she try to take it; she just watched as Zhang Jingxiao picked it up and opened it.

Until she turned to the page she'd seen before, the extremely ugly rabbit still rigidly printed there.

This time, Zhang Jingxiao suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity with this ugly thing, so she moved closer to look.

Suddenly, something occurred to her, and she finally understood why that thing felt so familiar—this ugly thing was actually what she had drawn!

She remembered; that memory flashed through her mind in an instant.

I fell asleep during math class that time, so I just casually picked up Tan Qi's exercise book and fell asleep. After being forcibly woken up, I sat in my seat in a daze, and that's when I drew this rabbit in a muddled state.

Then she turned the shell over again. Sure enough! She'd

drooled on it while sleeping so soundly last time, and there was still a stain that wouldn't dry.

She looked at the person beside her, somewhat dazed. Tan Qi was still staring at her motionless, a cold wind blowing over her head.

Zhang Jingxiao was starting to feel cold; the cold air sent a shiver down her spine.

Then she heard her own voice: "Isn't this your most treasured workbook?"

The other person hummed in agreement.

Then she flipped to the first page: "Did I draw this too?"

She heard her hum again.

The two stared at each other like that. Zhang Jingxiao spoke again: "Then why did you use it as a fan?"

Tan Qi finally looked away, then took the workbook from the other person's hand. Because the person she was serving was you, she no longer needed to cherish anything.

Of course, she wouldn't say these words aloud; as long as she knew them in her heart, that was enough. Zhang Jingxiao didn't need to know these dark and disgusting thoughts within her.

She just blurted out softly, "Because you're hot."

Zhang Jingxiao didn't get a reply, but she heard some breathy sounds from the other person's mouth, so she asked, "What?"

She reached out and slowly smoothed out the wrinkles, then turned and put them back in her bag. "Nothing, are you still hot?"

The airport was quite far from the competition class, so the bus ride had turned from hot to cool, and she couldn't feel the heat anymore.

The topic changed so quickly that she forgot what they had been talking about and started going along with the other person's words.

Her body also gave a corresponding reaction—Tan Qi saw the other person shake her head. Her face, which had just been flushed from the heat, hadn't faded yet. The person, irritated by the heat, casually tossed her hair, so it hadn't returned to its original shape, and a few strands were sticking straight up.

The midday sun shone brightly through the glass, shining directly on people. Song Shiben was staring blankly at the scenery outside the window.

Suddenly, he was directly hit by the sunlight. He squinted slightly and drew the curtains beside him, blocking the needle-like sun from entering.

Chen Zhoumu, standing beside him, watched his every move—watching him squint, watching him reach to pull back the curtains, watching him place his hand on the armrest not far away.

Now, he stared blankly at Song Shi's hand. Because it was a little warm, the other man had rolled up his sleeves to his forearms, revealing fair skin with bluish veins.

Song Shi's hand was as beautiful as the man himself: long, slender fingers, short, rounded nails, clean and free of dirt.

The perfectly curved crescent shape at the base, each joint revealing a faint pink hue, casually resting to the side, as if enticing one to grasp it, to hold it tightly.

And the person observing him did just that, his hand involuntarily reaching out, a ripple spreading across the skin where they touched.

Then, as if dissatisfied with such a small touch, he spread his fingers and completely enveloped the hand resting on the armrest. The other man's hand was cooler and smaller than his. He

could clearly feel that there was little flesh, the distinct bones pressing against his palm.

The person whose hand was being held turned to look at him, somewhat confused. He then felt a slight struggle, but Chen Zhoumu didn't let go.

After the struggle failed, Song Shi looked at him: "What are you doing?"

"Just cooling my hands down." Chen Zhoumu didn't intend to let go, so he made up an excuse. With the air conditioning, he wasn't too hot anymore.

He only saw the other person glance at him and then ignore him. If it were before, Chen Zhoumu would definitely have been scolded, but this time the other person didn't say anything.

Seeing the other person obediently lean back in his chair, lost in thought, he felt a ticklish sensation, like a feather being pricked.

Then his hands started to play tricks, sometimes scratching his palm, sometimes rubbing his fingertips

. Song Shi felt the other person poking and touching his hands. Although he didn't say anything or express it, he didn't know what he was feeling.

He felt strange; was the other person's behavior normal? But when he turned to look at the other person, he didn't show any emotion.

As if truly drawing coolness from his hands, he turned his palms and backs of his hands, making his already cool hands slightly red and damp.

He awkwardly curled his fingers, only to have them forcefully straightened again.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he abruptly pulled his hand away: "That's enough."

Chen Zhoumu looked at his empty palm and simply gave a faint "oh." He thought the other person would remove their hand sooner, but at least they hadn't pulled it back yet.

Chen Zhoumu was satisfied. He wasn't greedy now, because he had achieved his goal. Song Shi was slowly indulging his touch and closeness.

He just needed a trigger, and then he could become greedy, greedily wanting to see and possess the other person exclusively, to make Song Shi belong only to him.

Just thinking about it made Chen Zhoumu's heart race.

After Song Shi withdrew his hand, he felt the touch from the other person's touch slowly growing larger, heavier, and deeper. He rubbed the area that had been thoroughly touched inside and out hard against his pants.

His pale hand became even redder than before, but he seemed to feel no pain.

Because that hand had been gently caressed and covered by the other person, it felt like a brand, one that would never fade.

The bus headed towards the bustling city center, the number of people increased, and the journey became more stop-and-go. It took more than an hour to reach the destination.

The teacher organized the students to take their luggage and walk inside, and the stuffy heat began to rise again.

Song Shi stopped at the destination and looked up at the sign of the school that offered the competition class.

Yangcheng Affiliated High School.

This high school was the best in Yangcheng, with a good environment and a large area. Most importantly, all the teachers here were sent here.

Students who could attend the affiliated high school were either rich or noble, either heirs groomed by large families or top students.

It was commonly known as a school for the elite.

Song Shi and his friends had all graduated from this school, which was only two streets away from Yangcheng No. 1 High School.

So some people must already know that he had returned to the south.

Several students from Yangcheng No. 1 Primary School, dressed in black clothes and ripped jeans with different colored hair, stood lazily at the back gate of the school's sports field, cigarettes dangling from their hands.

This spot was rarely visited by teachers, making it a common hangout for students and young couples.

However, the people standing there didn't seem to be from Yangcheng No. 1 Primary School; they looked more like students from Vocational School No. 7. Some leaned against the wall, others squatted nearby, each with a cell phone in their hand.

Passersby, unable to resist their curiosity, timidly peeked in their direction.

One of them had white hair, styled in a buzz cut, was tall, and wore a tattered school uniform covered in scribbled scribbles, obscuring the school emblem and making it impossible to identify which school he belonged to.

He slowly turned around, wearing a pair of black, somewhat long trousers, but fortunately, he was very tall and the trousers didn't touch the ground.

Even from behind, he looked like someone not to be trifled with, and then there was his face.

He had striking features, but his eyes, with their prominent whites, made him seem unapproachable. His eyebrows were dyed white, and his face was very pale; that face alone would attract many to his presence.

A shallow scar on his brow bone severed the middle of his right eyebrow, creating a broken eyebrow, which added to his menacing appearance. Some

of them saw him turn around, and several of them stood up and cursed at the furtive person peering around: "What the hell are you looking at! If you don't want to die, get the hell out of here!" The

already cautious group trembled at the sound of his voice and ran towards the school building.

Although this was at Yangyang City No. 1 School, if they confronted such a person head-on, it would definitely be the students who got hurt; these people were clearly just idle young people from the streets.

However, due to the man's strikingly handsome face and his shocking past, many people still avoided him, despite his undeniable good looks and vicious record.

But because his face was so attractive, his mere presence always sparked discussion.

"You'd never guess who I just saw at No. 1 School!"

"Who? You've fallen for someone again, haven't you?"

"Of course not, it was Shen Huai! That hottie and bully from No. 7 Vocational High School!"

"Shen Huai! Didn't he get sent to the juvenile detention center for causing trouble last time? And then he was released?"

"Actually, what happened last time wasn't his fault, was it? To be honest, it's a waste of his good looks. He's so handsome, but his behavior and character are terrible."

"Honestly, he's the only person I find truly handsome since Song Shi left. Didn't he even shave his head this time? He's really handsome!"

A few of the people discussing this couldn't stand it anymore and retorted, "What's the use of being handsome? He's vicious. This kind of person is a menace!"

"Exactly. So far, whether it's fighting or school bullying, hasn't he been involved? He just takes advantage of the fact that he's still a minor."

"Disgusting. What's the point of someone like that coming to our No. 1 School? I feel like the air is being polluted. And don't compare him to Song Shi, they're completely different."

A figure not far ahead suddenly stood up, the sharp scraping sound of a stool on the ground interrupting their conversation.

Everyone turned to look, only to see the figure had already run far away. No one paid any more attention to the little incident and continued with their own business.

Gao Ting couldn't bear to listen to their conversation anymore after hearing that person's name. She had only one thought in her mind: to see Shen Huai.

She ran tirelessly towards the back gate of the stadium. This place, usually bustling with couples, was deserted today.

Walking into the narrow alley, she could hear a few people talking. Their voices weren't loud, but the surroundings were very quiet, so she heard every word.

"You can do it if you want, or I won't force you if you don't, but you need to think carefully about the consequences."

The voice was familiar, so familiar that Gao Ting wanted to tear her ear apart, rip out her cochlea and its nerves, and smash it.

She turned her head and saw two figures. The person not far away was turned to her side; one was Shen Huai, and the other was Zhang Su.

That voice that haunted her nightmares every night. Gao Ting's hands trembled slightly. She gripped her palms tightly, trying not to make a sound.

Zhang Su, slightly shorter than Shen Huai, reached out and straightened Shen Huai's slightly disheveled collar, his tone calm: "This isn't the first or second time this has happened. This is the last time. Once you leave, this won't happen again."

"And I can guarantee you a comfortable life for the rest of your days, including your mother's hospital fees. Think it over carefully. Contact me when you've made up your mind. I look forward to your choice."

With that, Zhang Su turned and walked away. He paused briefly near where Gao Ting was hiding, glanced in that direction, and then continued walking.

Gao Ting's heart pounded. She glared hatefully at his retreating figure, only peeking out after his footsteps had receded into the distance.

Shen Huai remained standing there, then slowly crouched down and picked something up from the ground, putting it in his pocket.

As he turned to leave, he heard a rustling sound behind him, followed by the voice of someone he hadn't heard in a long time.

Her voice held a hint of nervousness: "Shen Huai."

The two words pierced his ears, and then his clothes were tugged by a familiar force.

It seemed like they hadn't seen each other for a very, very long time.

He didn't know if she was doing well.

He didn't know if she had become a better person.

He didn't know if she resented his sudden departure.

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