Chapter 78
Cheng Xuyuan stared into Gu Juncheng’s eyes for a while, then spontaneously reached out and hugged him, resting his chin on Gu Juncheng’s shoulder. They hadn’t spoken in a long time.
“Maybe this isn’t the best way to spend our time,” Gu Juncheng said, brushing Cheng Xuyuan’s unruly hair. “Taking up space without singing.”
Cheng Xuyuan picked up the microphone, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. “You choose a song, and this superstar will sing it for you.”
Gu Juncheng looked at him skeptically. “Are you really going to sing?”
“…Never mind,” Cheng Xuyuan obediently placed the microphone back. “If you want to hear it, I’ll hum it for you, hehe.”
But unexpectedly, Gu Juncheng took the small microphone and selected a love song. He began singing, surprising Cheng Xuyuan with his melodic voice.
His voice was magnetic, carrying a hint of tenderness and allure. His eyes held a playful glint as he sang to the young man beside him.
Cheng Xuyuan had heard this song many times before, but hearing it from Gu Juncheng’s lips gave it an entirely different feel.
Although Gu Juncheng wasn’t particularly skilled at singing, he was decent among ordinary people. Cheng Xuyuan couldn’t help but join in, unable to tear his gaze away from Gu Juncheng’s handsome face.
The song wasn’t very long, but within its heartfelt lyrics, Cheng Xuyuan found himself drawn to a particular section. When he heard those lines, his cheeks flushed, and his eyes sparkled as he looked into Gu Juncheng’s eyes.
“If heaven and earth are truly worthy of praise, it’s because of you that everything becomes lively…”
After the song ended, Gu Juncheng returned the microphone, licked his lips, and said to Cheng Xuyuan, “I’m hungry.”
“Come on, let me treat you to dinner,” Cheng Xuyuan hooked his arm around Gu Juncheng’s shoulder. “Consider it a reward for your serenading.”
Gu Juncheng allowed his antics, watching Cheng Xuyuan excitedly search for something delicious in the mall. Then he said, “I’ve shared my worries with you, so if you have anything on your mind, make sure to tell me.”
Cheng Xuyuan hesitated, and the smile on his face gradually faded. He did have something bothering him—the question of whether he could stay after finding the system. But clearly, that was something he couldn’t discuss with Gu Juncheng.
Seeing Cheng Xuyuan’s troubled expression, Gu Juncheng seemed to guess that he had something he didn’t want to share. So he said, “But I won’t force you. If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay.”
Cheng Xuyuan lowered his head like a child who had done something wrong. His voice sounded somewhat dejected: “Give me some time; I still don’t know how to say it…”
“Okay,” Gu Juncheng half-encircled Cheng Xuyuan’s body. “As long as you’re willing to talk, I’ll wait as long as it takes.”
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After their recent shopping trip, it seemed that the relationship between the two had changed. Gu Juncheng, who used to silently care for Cheng Xuyuan, now began sending trivial messages on WeChat.
“Today’s sunrise was so beautiful.”
“My roommate was sleep-talking last night, reciting an English speech — it was hilarious.”
“There are so many idiots in the student council, but luckily, I don’t have to worry about their opinions.”
Cheng Xuyuan found this side of Gu Juncheng authentic; each message revealed his emotional trajectory.
Not long after midterms, the calculus teacher announced the exam answers in class and handed back the papers.
Everyone received their test papers — except Cheng Xuyuan.
“I’d like to commend a student here,” the calculus teacher addressed the class. “That student is Cheng Xuyuan. His performance this time surprised me…”
All eyes turned to Cheng Xuyuan, especially those from the Software Engineering classes. They were familiar with his name because he was a recognized campus heartthrob. Add to that his good-natured temperament, and many students — both male and female — had secretly confessed their feelings to him.
During the exam, when Cheng Xuyuan handed in his paper early, some suspected he hadn’t finished writing. After all, the test was quite challenging, and according to the unwritten rule of university, good-looking people weren’t expected to excel academically…
So when everyone heard the calculus teacher’s words, they couldn’t help but show surprise—except for Cheng Xuyuan’s dorm mates. They knew he genuinely studied hard.
Qi Zimo boldly guessed, “I saw someone with 94 points; you probably scored above 95.”
The other two roommates also speculated that Cheng Xuyuan’s grade might be between 96 and 98.
The calculus teacher’s voice rang out: “Let’s applaud and congratulate Cheng Xuyuan for achieving one of the few perfect scores in the entire school!”
The room erupted in astonishment.
In the midst of everyone’s astonished voices, Cheng Xuyuan calmly walked to the front of the classroom, collected his test paper, and looked as if he had anticipated this outcome.
Qi Zimo led the applause, clapping until his hands tingled. The room erupted in thunderous applause, expressing the highest respect for Cheng Xuyuan, the academic prodigy.
After class, Cheng Xuyuan promptly messaged Gu Juncheng: “Perfect score, hehe.” He attached a photo of the 100-point test paper.
Gu Juncheng replied instantly: “Impressive!”
A little later, he sent another message: “So, what do you want to eat tonight?”
Cheng Xuyuan typed with a smile: “I’m craving crab casserole.”
This perfect score in the midterms boosted Cheng Xuyuan’s confidence. Although he wasn’t initially worried about exams, achieving full marks this time gave him insight into the school’s test difficulty.
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As the weather turned colder, final exams loomed closer.
Qi Zimo, who usually didn’t study much, spent his time either hanging out with friends from the club or shopping for food. Occasionally, he flirted with upperclassmen. His life was undoubtedly more exciting than Cheng Xuyuan’s.
When Qi Zimo learned that there were only two weeks left until finals, panic set in. The dormitory was buzzing with anxiety, but Qi Zimo was the most nervous of them all.
One day, Qi Zimo brought an exquisitely packaged small cake to Cheng Xuyuan. With a coquettish tone, he said, “Cheng Cheng, I saw this cake while shopping today and thought you’d love it, so I bought it for you.”
Cheng Xuyuan glanced up from his English textbook, his response nonchalant. “You still have the energy to go shopping?”
“Shopping used to make me happy,” Qi Zimo sighed. “Now it just makes me nervous.”
“So, you’re not studying, then?”
Qi Zimo chuckled, placing the cake on Cheng Xuyuan’s desk. He clasped his hands together. “Can I still pray to you, the academic deity?”
“I’m no academic deity; praying to me won’t help.” Although Cheng Xuyuan said this, he had the best relationship with Qi Zimo in the dormitory. So he accepted the cake with a smile.
Qi Zimo looked at him pitifully. “Big bro, I’m counting on you for my upcoming revision…”
Cheng Xuyuan sighed. He couldn’t bear to see his friend fail, so he nodded.
“Great!” Qi Zimo swiftly pulled out his textbook from his bag. “I’ll rely on you for my calculus and linear algebra.”
Cheng Xuyuan agreed and informed Gu Juncheng about this arrangement. He assured Gu Juncheng that he would spend the next few days studying with Qi Zimo in the library.
Although Gu Juncheng felt a bit displeased, he didn’t say anything. After all, his sweetheart’s popularity was also essential.
After spending some time apart from Cheng Xuyuan, Gu Juncheng suddenly felt uncomfortable. Cheng Xuyuan experienced the same.
Being accustomed to each other’s company, their brief separation left them at a loss.
“This limit requires using the Lagrange formula…” Cheng Xuyuan patiently wrote out the solution steps on paper, effortlessly solving the challenging problem that had stumped Qi Zimo.
Qi Zimo watched him with admiration but also a hint of confusion. “Why do I feel like you explain problems so quickly? Although I understand, it still seems too fast…”
Could he not be fast? I just want to finish quickly and send this Buddha away! Cheng Xuyuan silently complained. But outwardly, he remained composed. “My problem-solving style is like this — I only write down the necessary steps if they lead to the correct answer.”
Qi Zimo nodded, half understanding. “Truly worthy of a genius.”
Coincidentally, final exams for their junior-year major courses were approaching. Gu Juncheng, diligent in his studies, felt little concern as he worked on planning the New Year’s Eve party for the student council.
However, Liu Yuda was different. As Gu Juncheng’s roommate, he often borrowed Gu Juncheng’s materials and relied on his guidance to achieve decent grades.
But this semester, Gu Juncheng was rarely in the dormitory. Liu Yuda had to fend for himself, so he brought his textbooks to the library.
As soon as he arrived, Liu Yuda noticed two young men sitting together.
Cheng Xuyuan wore a camel-colored windbreaker, his fair and slender face complemented by a glimpse of his wrist as he diligently wrote and drew on paper. The boy next to him gazed at Cheng Xuyuan with an expression of awe, occasionally showing a look of sudden enlightenment. Clearly, he was receiving tutoring.
Initially, Liu Yuda paid no attention, but something about Cheng Xuyuan’s clothes suddenly seemed familiar.
His curiosity got the better of him, and he discreetly snapped a photo of the scene with his phone, sending it to Gu Juncheng.
“Is this guy wearing the same outfit as you?” Liu Yuda asked.
The windbreaker Cheng Xuyuan had on was one they had bought together during a shopping trip. Liu Yuda was unaware of this, thinking it was a remarkable coincidence.
When Gu Juncheng heard the notification, he picked up his phone. The photo showed Cheng Xuyuan earnestly explaining a problem, while the boy beside him leaned in closely, even resting his chin on Cheng Xuyuan’s shoulder — an overly familiar gesture.
What infuriated Gu Juncheng most was the boy’s gaze. When he looked at Cheng Xuyuan, it held admiration, tinged with an unusual emotion. This emotion resembled that of the lecherous men who coveted Cheng Xuyuan’s beauty.
Frowning, Gu Juncheng abruptly stood up.
Five minutes later.
Gu Juncheng packed a few books into his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and strode out of the dormitory.
His roommate, Peng Yuan, glanced at him. “Where are you going?”
“The library.” Gu Juncheng’s voice carried a hint of coldness.
Peng Yuan looked surprised. “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t have time for the library these days?”
“I suddenly want to go.” Gu Juncheng walked out without looking back. His demeanor didn’t suggest a trip to the library; it seemed more like…
To catch someone in the act?
Peng Yuan shook his head, thinking his idea was crazy, and returned to his book.
Suddenly, he looked up again, rubbing his eyes.
Wasn’t Gu Juncheng wearing a different outfit just ten minutes ago.
Why change into another windbreaker for the library? Wasn’t that a bit vain?
Peng Yuan shook his head. Gu Juncheng was becoming increasingly enigmatic.
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Author’s Note:
Qi Zimo: I just think Cheng Cheng looks good; there’s nothing more to it.
Calculating the end. Almost there.
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