Chapter 79
The winter sunlight bathed the well-known library building of Hangda University, casting a faint golden hue. Inside the library, the atmosphere was quiet and serious—everyone engrossed in their studies.
Gu Juncheng strode purposefully, his stern expression making him unapproachable in the sunlight. He wore a long windbreaker, exuding an entirely different aura from Cheng Xuyuan.
If Cheng Xuyuan was the fair and slender beauty, then Gu Juncheng was the mature, composed cool senior. Passersby couldn’t help but turn their heads, awestruck by this charismatic young man.
Swiping his card to enter the library, Gu Juncheng casually messaged Liu Yuda: “Where are you? I have some materials to give you.”
Liu Yuda, pleasantly surprised, replied: “Really? I’m on the fifth floor, near the elevator!”
Without hesitation, Gu Juncheng headed for the elevator. After a few futile attempts, he lost patience and took the stairs, climbing to the fifth floor without breaking a sweat.
Arriving at the area Liu Yuda mentioned, Gu Juncheng surveyed the surroundings and spotted Liu Yuda. He walked over purposefully, placing several study materials on Liu Yuda’s desk.
Then, he turned his attention to the two boys who were huddled together, studying.
Cheng Xuyuan was deeply engrossed in explaining a problem, completely unaware of Gu Juncheng’s presence. But Qi Zimo had noticed him and looked surprised.
The next moment, Gu Juncheng calmly walked to the opposite side of the two, gently pulling out a chair and sitting down. He watched Cheng Xuyuan without a change in expression.
Cheng Xuyuan finally noticed the movement across from him. When he looked up, the sudden appearance of the familiar figure startled him. His hand trembled, leaving a mark on the scratch paper.
“You…” Cheng Xuyuan whispered, “Why are you here?”
Gu Juncheng, still composed, gazed at him and gently said, “I came to study.”
With that, he took out a few books from his bag, placed them in front of him, and began diligently taking notes. Cheng Xuyuan was too preoccupied with the windbreaker Gu Juncheng wore, a blush crossing his face.
Qi Zimo, equally observant, had already deduced Gu Juncheng’s purpose. Feeling a bit flustered, he subtly distanced himself from Cheng Xuyuan.
“Um, well…” Qi Zimo whispered to Cheng Xuyuan, “Since Senior came to find you, maybe I should leave?”
Gu Juncheng smiled politely, his voice soft: “If you have something to do, feel free to go.”
Cheng Xuyuan stared blankly at Qi Zimo, still puzzled. “Do you have something urgent? We haven’t finished discussing the problem…”
Qi Zimo swiftly gathered his things, moving faster than someone late for an early class. “I suddenly remembered an important appointment. Cheng Cheng, I’ll leave first.”
With those quiet words, Qi Zimo hurriedly left his seat, as if escaping.
Cheng Xuyuan sat at his desk, occasionally glancing up at the person across from him. However, Gu Juncheng remained as stoic as a sculpture, his expression far from gentle.
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During lunchtime, Cheng Xuyuan wrote a few words on a scrap of paper: “Want to eat?” and handed it to the person in front of him.
Gu Juncheng glanced at it, barely audible as he sighed. Then he nodded slightly, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.
Initially, Cheng Xuyuan had wanted to be angry. What was with that guy calling him 'Cheng Cheng'?
But Cheng Xuyuan’s innocent look disarmed him. Watching Cheng Xuyuan excitedly organize his backpack, Gu Juncheng’s mood improved a little.
However, that didn’t mean this matter was settled.
During their meal, Gu Juncheng casually asked, “You’re close with your roommate?”
“Yeah,” Cheng Xuyuan nodded, “We get along well.”
“Heh,” Gu Juncheng’s expression turned cold, “No wonder he’s so affectionate with you.”
“Huh?” Cheng Xuyuan took a moment to process what he meant, “Is it… okay?”
“He’s calling you ‘Cheng Cheng,’ and you think it’s okay?” Gu Juncheng pushed his food aside, chopsticks dropping into the bowl. “I don’t address you like that.”
Cheng Xuyuan stifled a laugh, the curve of his eyebrows and eyes giving him away.
“You’re still laughing?!” Gu Juncheng had been simmering with jealousy since the library.
Cheng Xuyuan glanced at him, startled by the jealousy and frustration in his eyes. He hurriedly explained, “He’s really just my roommate. Don’t overthink it…”
“But he shouldn’t address you like that.” Gu Juncheng stared straight at him. “And that kid doesn’t strike me as straight!”
Cheng Xuyuan almost choked. He looked at Gu Juncheng, who had suddenly become an expert in gaydar. “Your gaydar is quite accurate…”
Gu Juncheng scoffed. “The way he looks at you, it’s obvious. Can’t I see that?”
Cheng Xuyuan could only nod. “You’re right. It was my mistake in choosing friends…”
“I’m not stopping you from making friends…” Gu Juncheng looked down at his rice. “I just don’t like others being so affectionate with you. After all, we haven’t confirmed our relationship, and I feel insecure.”
Clearly, he was just a jealous pot, making excuses for himself…
Cheng Xuyuan tilted his chin toward Gu Juncheng’s bowl. “I know. I’ll keep my distance from him. Now eat.”
Only then did Gu Juncheng sulkily start eating.
“Oh, by the way.” Cheng Xuyuan, nearly done with his meal, shifted his attention to Gu Juncheng’s windbreaker. “Didn’t we agree to alternate wearing it? Odd days for me, even days for you. So why are you wearing it today?”
Gu Juncheng pursed his lips, muttering under his breath, “Because you annoyed me…”
“What did you say?” Cheng Xuyuan raised an eyebrow. This guy was becoming more like a sulking wife.
“I said I want to wear it openly with you, just once.” Gu Juncheng blinked at him. “Just once, really.”
Cheng Xuyuan was amused by his pleading eyes. He sighed, relenting, “Fine, since we’re both wearing it today.”
“Are you unhappy?” Gu Juncheng glared at him.
“No, no, no…” Cheng Xuyuan waved his hand, “I just feel like we’ve become the center of attention in the cafeteria.”
Indeed, in the vast university cafeteria, although Cheng Xuyuan and Gu Juncheng’s seats weren’t dead center, they had clearly become the focal point of everyone’s gaze.
Two strikingly different handsome boys sat together, eating, and even wore matching windbreakers. It was enough to fuel people’s imaginations…
After leaving the cafeteria, they walked side by side, drawing a hundred percent head-turning rate.
Cheng Xuyuan felt a bit embarrassed by the surrounding stares. He looked down at Gu Juncheng’s shoes until his voice broke the silence: “Does it bother you?”
Cheng Xuyuan hesitated.
“If it bothers you, I’ll head back to the dorm…” Gu Juncheng’s fingers tightened on his backpack strap.
Cheng Xuyuan shook his head. “It’s not bothersome, just… I’m not used to everyone staring at me like that.”
Gu Juncheng turned to him. “Was I too impulsive today?”
“Your temper isn’t great to begin with,” Cheng Xuyuan said seriously. “Of course, mine isn’t either. Next time, if you’re jealous, just tell me.”
Gu Juncheng’s lips curved slightly. He wanted to assert his dominance in front of those guys.
This handsome and outstanding young man was his alone.
“Only a few days left,” Gu Juncheng suddenly said. “You remember, right?”
Cheng Xuyuan thought for a moment, realizing he was referring to the final exams. He nodded, his voice uncertain: “Yes, I remember.”
His uncertainty wasn’t about his grades; it was about what would happen when he found the system.
But Cheng Xuyuan had no other choice.
________________________
During exam week, he gave his all in every test, scouring his knowledge base thoroughly. He ensured he could score full marks on every question.
During this time, Gu Juncheng accompanied him whenever he wasn’t taking an exam. Exam preparation was busy and monotonous, but Gu Juncheng always brought tasty snacks to cheer him up when he felt tired.
In the library, they were the most harmonious pair.
As for Qi Zimo, Cheng Xuyuan shifted their tutoring sessions to the evenings after returning to the dorm. Although the time was compressed, he still reviewed all the key points with Qi Zimo, boosting his confidence.
“You’re a genius, truly.” Qi Zimo had said this more than once, admiration written all over his face. “I can’t put my admiration into words.”
“Then describe it with cake,” Cheng Xuyuan teased, extracting quite a few delicious treats from him.
Exam week lasted over a week, from New Year’s until mid-January. When they finished the last exam, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. During this time, students who usually played hard were now burning the midnight oil.
Cheng Xuyuan was the earliest to sleep in the dorm, and his exam performance was top-notch. He almost always finished early and filled his answer sheets to the brim. When teachers picked them up, their eyes widened in surprise.
After the exams, Cheng Xuyuan stayed a few more days with Gu Juncheng before booking his ticket home. He packed his bags and joined the Spring Festival travel rush.
His grades started coming out after Cheng Xuyuan returned home.
The first exam was calculus. Cheng Xuyuan felt a bit nervous as he checked the results. When the page displayed the number “100,” he breathed a sigh of relief and eagerly sent his score to Gu Juncheng.
While Gu Juncheng congratulated him, Qi Zimo messaged: “Thanks to Professor Cheng, my calculus score broke 85. It’s a miracle, touching the heavens and the earth, moving all of China, Cheng Xuyuan.”
Throughout the semester, Cheng Xuyuan never skipped a class. Whenever teachers had questions, they liked to call on him. As a result, his participation grades were consistently high, usually not lower than his test scores.
And then, the miracle happened.
Except for English, where he scored 98, Cheng Xuyuan aced every single course.
When the final exam results were out, everything settled. Cheng Xuyuan clicked the button to check his overall GPA for the semester.
4.95.
Cheng Xuyuan grabbed his phone and eagerly messaged Gu Juncheng: “My GPA is higher than yours.”
Gu Juncheng replied almost instantly: “So what?”
Cheng Xuyuan was about to send a message like “Let’s be together,” but an unexpected voice echoed in his mind. A powerful surge of brainwaves made him shudder.
“Plug-in No. 10287, the order in the ‘Pen God’ world has been disrupted. System reboot successful.”
Meanwhile, Gu Juncheng waited for ten minutes, but still didn’t receive a message from Cheng Xuyuan.
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Author’s note:
Next chapter is the grand finale.
Today’s update will be complete, with more to come later.
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