Originally, when Gu Yufeng said that Xie Ci should treat everyone, a group of people just thought he was joking. They didn’t expect Xie Ci to actually treat them and even invited the cheerleaders and everyone from the basketball team who came out to compete this time.

Among the cheerleaders, a group of girls who had never spoken to Xie Ci felt a bit shy, and in the end, only Wang Wei, Shen Qiuyah, and three other girls agreed to go.

When Xie Ci saw the large bus full of people, he pushed the gym teacher, who was also the assistant coach, aside and actively invited him to join when they got off the bus.

This scared the others quite a bit.

Inviting a teacher to a gathering made everything less enjoyable.

Seeing the eager eyes looking at him, the gym teacher understood and humorously declined, “No need, I have things to do. You all go ahead, and be careful.”

Everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

On the way to the old street, Gu Yufeng occasionally felt Xie Ci’s gaze, but whenever he turned to look, that guy acted as if nothing was happening, chatting with Fang Sizhe and the others about the upcoming groupings for the league.

“The finals and semifinals are in other cities?” Gu Yufeng casually asked.

This basketball league was provincial, with over a hundred schools participating.

Xie Ci replied, “The finals will be at No. 1 High School.”

Gu Yufeng asked, “Is there hope to reach the finals?”

Jiang Chenyu chimed in, “Of course! We’ve been preparing for so long. Other than doing homework, we’ve been training, aiming for the championship. This is our last high school competition; we can’t leave any regrets.”

Zhang Ruochuan added, “But the strength of the sports school and No. 2 High School is quite strong. Getting to the semifinals shouldn’t be a problem, but winning the championship will be tough.”

Jiang Chenyu said, “What are you afraid of? Just roll up your sleeves and get to work!”

Fang Sizhe added, “As long as we can perform steadily, we still have an advantage.”

Gu Yufeng asked, “How do you figure?”

Fang Sizhe seriously analyzed the situation of a few championship teams: “Our three teams are evenly matched, but their forwards can’t keep up with Lao Xie’s stamina. If they can’t hold on and have to be substituted, the formation will collapse, especially since the forward from No. 2 High School is also the captain. If the captain is out, that’s even more fatal.”

Jiang Chenyu put his arm around Xie Ci’s shoulder, “So as long as Lao Xie doesn’t come off the court, we won’t have any problems.”

Gu Yufeng looked at Xie Ci, hinting, “In terms of stamina, Lao Xie really won’t lose.”

With that endless energy, he had never won against him in bed.

A perfectly normal sentence turned into something less serious coming from Gu Yufeng’s mouth.

Xie Ci tentatively asked, “You seem to know a lot?”

Gu Yufeng replied, “Haven’t we played basketball together?”

Xie Ci: “…”

This excuse sounded really familiar.

The group went to Lao Li’s small stir-fry restaurant, and the small place quickly filled up with people.

Fang Sizhe and the others knew that Xie Ci had very little pocket money, so they didn’t dare to order. The other boys and Wang Wei were even more reserved, making the atmosphere at the table a bit stiff.

“Are you just ordering these few dishes? Trying to lose weight?”

Gu Yufeng took the menu, marked all his favorite dishes, and handed it to Lao Li, who was waiting nearby.

Zhang Ruochuan joked, “Old Gu, are you trying to empty Lao Xie’s little treasury?”

Gu Yufeng replied, “He won’t be poor from eating. If he really has no money to pay, I’ll just leave him here to be Lao Li’s son-in-law.”

This line made both tables burst into laughter, easing the atmosphere quite a bit.

Xie Ci poured himself a cup of barley tea and replied lightly, “You really are generous.”

Gu Yufeng countered, “What do I have to be stingy about?”

Xie Ci said, “After all, we’re at the same table. Are you really going to send me off just for a meal?”

Gu Yufeng replied, “At least it’s worth a meal.”

Xie Ci: “…”

The grilled skewers and dishes came one after another, and the group of boys started chatting and laughing, no longer as reserved as at the beginning.

However, Xie Ci’s attention was entirely on Gu Yufeng, and his mind felt a bit chaotic.

Noticing Xie Ci’s gaze, Gu Yufeng finally couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?”

Xie Ci withdrew his gaze and silently ate the grilled fish, “I wasn’t looking at you; I was just thinking.”

Gu Yufeng squinted at him, feeling that this guy was either hiding something from him or plotting something mischievous.

“Why are you looking at me?” Xie Ci retorted.

Gu Yufeng’s gaze swept over Xie Ci’s face, “After a month of recovery, your complexion is much better.”

Xie Ci replied, “I have to thank Boss Gu for his support.”

Gu Yufeng suddenly laughed, “I just realized I’m doing the same thing as your dad.”

That nonsensical statement left Xie Ci a bit puzzled, but he quickly caught on from Gu Yufeng’s mischievous smile, recalling what the other had said before—”The precious son sent over a dog; I can’t help but feed it to death.”

Xie Ci asked, “Are you complimenting me or insulting me?”

Gu Yufeng handed him a skewer of grilled meat, “Eat more; I can’t lose.”

Xie Ci: “…”

“Since everyone is free this afternoon, how about we all go to KTV together?” one of the boys in the team suggested.

Usually, on weekends, they were mostly arranged to attend various tutoring classes, especially the seniors, but since there was a basketball game today, they had taken a day off.

The table gradually agreed, but Xie Ci and Gu Yufeng remained silent. Jiang Chenyu asked, “What about you two? Are you coming along?”

At this question, several girls at the other table looked over expectantly.

Xie Ci really had no interest, “I’m not going.”

“Since we won the group match today, let’s celebrate!” Jiang Chenyu said, nodding towards the other table, “If you don’t go, those girls over there definitely won’t go either.”

The girls were caught off guard and quickly averted their gazes.

“What is KTV for?” Gu Yufeng asked sincerely.

Zhang Ruochuan looked at him in surprise, “To sing! Haven’t you been before?”

Gu Yufeng replied, “No, I’ve never seen it.”

Zhang Ruochuan and the others: “…”

Never seen it?!

What kind of environment did you grow up in?

“Then we definitely have to take you to see the world.” Jiang Chenyu grinned, confidently saying, “As long as Old Gu goes, Lao Xie will definitely go too.”

Xie Ci: “…”

What kind of inevitable connection is that?

In the end, Xie Ci still went.

Most of the customers at the KTVs in the old street were students, and unless the city was cracking down hard, they usually wouldn’t check IDs.

Since there were many of them, they booked a large private room.

The group of boys was as excited as monkeys coming down from the mountain for the first time.

While Jiang Chenyu and the others were picking songs, Zhang Ruochuan casually asked Gu Yufeng, “Old Gu, since you’ve never been to KTV, what about an internet café?”

Gu Yufeng sat down, “Never been.”

Shen Qiuyah, who was nearby, heard this and felt even fonder of Gu Yufeng, shyly chiming in, “Old Gu is so well-behaved, unlike other boys who always want to skip class to play.”

Xie Ci listened but didn’t say anything.

Gu Yufeng may not have been to an internet café or KTV, but he frequented bars, clubs, and nightclubs more often than he went home, shamelessly flirting with waitresses, often buying drinks, and openly enticing minors to be escorts, never doing anything decent since he was young.

A few girls took the opportunity to ask Gu Yufeng some questions.

“Did you study abroad before? What did you do for fun besides studying?”

Gu Yufeng thought for a moment, “I didn’t have much time for fun. If I had some free time, I would play strategy games.”

Shen Qiuyah asked, “Strategy games?”

Gu Yufeng replied, “Making competitors go bankrupt or mysteriously disappear.”

Xie Ci: “…”

Shen Qiuyah and the others: “…Huh?!”

Seeing Xie Ci’s speechless expression, Gu Yufeng couldn’t help but laugh, “Just kidding.”

Just as everyone let out a sigh of relief, Gu Yufeng added, “This is work, not a game. I usually don’t play games.”

The girls exchanged glances, unable to tell which part of Gu Yufeng’s words was a joke.

Over there, Wang Wei and the boys finished picking songs and called Shen Qiuyah and the others to join them.

After the girls left, Xie Ci teased, “So going to bars is also work?”

Gu Yufeng was eating the fruit that had just been served, “That’s not work; it’s a mission.”

Xie Ci asked, “Mission?”

Gu Yufeng explained, “Just like you’re a student, you have to go to school every day, regardless of your preferences.”

Xie Ci: “…”

He was just talking nonsense.

Clearly, he always had a great time; it didn’t feel like he was being forced.

He remembered that the investigation report about Gu Yufeng clearly mentioned that Gu Yufeng loved to hang out in nightclubs, surrounded by both boys and girls, and was actually into handsome guys, preferring those who were gentle and steady, tall, fit, witty, and had good taste. They couldn’t have dyed hair, permed hair, or tattoos, and the conditions were so excessive that it was outrageous, pointing very specifically.

But in reality, as long as anyone met these conditions, they would definitely catch Gu Yufeng’s eye. This guy wasn’t particularly fond of any specific person.

Xie Ci had the hardware for it, and in order to pursue someone, he temporarily brushed up on a bunch of useless skills to package himself nicely, and thankfully, it worked out in the end.

“However—”

After finishing the grapes in his mouth, Gu Yufeng turned to look at Xie Ci, “That night at the bar wasn’t a mission.”

Xie Ci came back to his senses, waiting for him to continue.

Gu Yufeng said, “I specifically went to find you.”

Xie Ci raised an eyebrow, “What did you want to find me for?”

Gu Yufeng said seriously, “To advise you, this promising young man, to find your way back and not go astray.”

Xie Ci replied with a hint of sarcasm, “Well, you really are kind-hearted. Thanks to your advice, I almost became an escort.”

Gu Yufeng replied, “It’s the least I could do.”

After Wang Hao and Zhang Ruochuan belted out a few songs, they pulled out a deck of cards and invited Xie Ci to play with them.

“Hey, look over there!” Zhang Ruochuan nudged Xie Ci and pointed in a direction.

Gu Yufeng had somehow been surrounded by girls again, chatting with Shen Qiuyah and looking quite engrossed.

Zhang Ruochuan chuckled, “I see potential!”

Wang Wei patted Zhang Ruochuan, signaling him to keep it down, “Shen Qiuyah finally mustered the courage; you guys can’t mess it up.”

Zhang Ruochuan said, “How could we mess it up? Right, Lao Xie?”

Xie Ci looked over there but didn’t say anything.

Not long after, Gu Yufeng and Shen Qiuyah quietly got up and left the private room.

Zhang Ruochuan covered his mouth with the cards, surprised to see them leave, “Things are moving fast?! Sister Qiuyah is amazing.”

Wang Wei smugly chuckled, “That’s because she’s good enough to hit the target in one shot.”

The few people at the table had been chatting for a long time, but Xie Ci remained silent.

After a round ended, Xie Ci excused himself to go to the bathroom and left the private room.

The hallway was dimly lit, and he looked around but didn’t find anyone. After thinking for a moment, he walked towards the exit.

He walked all the way to the door and saw Gu Yufeng and Shen Qiuyah at the milk tea shop across the street.

Gu Yufeng handed a cup of milk tea to Shen Qiuyah, and they showed no intention of returning it, chatting and laughing as they walked away.

When Xie Ci returned to the private room, he gave his spot at the card table to Jiang Chenyu and sat on the sofa, grabbing a game controller to play, but his mind was wandering elsewhere.

“Hey, you guys are back so soon?”

Hearing Zhang Ruochuan’s teasing voice, Xie Ci turned to look.

“Just bought something; it didn’t take long.” Shen Qiuyah, feeling the gaze of everyone in the room, shyly squeezed in next to Wang Wei, her ears turning red.

Wang Wei glanced at the milk tea in her hand and teased, “Looks like there’s progress.”

Shen Qiuyah didn’t say anything, secretly glancing over at Gu Yufeng, her eyes sparkling.

Listening to the group of boys teasing, Xie Ci silently withdrew his gaze and continued playing his game.

“Can you really die playing Tetris?”

Gu Yufeng passed by Xie Ci and sat down next to him, “Pause for a second; give me your hand.”

Xie Ci turned to look at Gu Yufeng and noticed he was holding a plastic bag with “Kangjian Pharmacy” printed on it.

Gu Yufeng took out a medicine box from the bag, opened it, and pulled out a spray, placing it aside. He grabbed Xie Ci’s right hand, took off the wrist guard, and sprayed some on his hand, “Shen Qiuyah said this medicine works really well. You have another group match tomorrow, so after your shower tonight, spray it again. It’s best to do a hot compress before spraying.”

The room was suddenly filled with a medicinal smell.

Xie Ci didn’t move, allowing him to apply the medicine.

“You went out with her just to buy this?”

“What do you mean just to buy this?”

Gu Yufeng capped the spray, glanced at him, and then lowered his head to help him spread the medicine, “If you had applied the medicine earlier, your hand wouldn’t have gotten worse.”

The few people playing cards over there turned their heads when they smelled the medicine.

Jiang Chenyu asked, “Lao Xie, did you hurt your hand?!”

Fang Sizhe, seeing this, dropped his cards and walked over, “Is it serious? Did you get hurt in today’s group match?”

The basketball team members were all tense, fearing that Xie Ci’s hand would be a problem and affect the upcoming matches.

“It’s not.”

Xie Ci looked at Gu Yufeng and said lightly, “Tendinitis, it’s not a big deal.”

He was just making up an injury out of nowhere.

The girls who were singing and chatting also noticed.

“Did Xie team hurt his hand?”

“Training too hard, right? They’ve been playing whenever they have time, with no chance to catch their breath.”

Shen Qiuyah watched from the side, seeing Gu Yufeng helping Xie Ci with the medicine, and the light in her eyes dimmed a bit.

At four in the afternoon, the group prepared to leave the KTV.

Xie Ci received a message from his dad, Xie Qian, saying he had just returned from the hospital and could pick him up on the way home.

He settled the bill and walked out with the group, spotting Xie Qian waiting by the roadside.

“Dad, why are you standing by the road?”

“This road is too narrow, and it’s hard to park. I had Xiao Yang stop at the street and came over to wait for you.”

Xie Qian glanced at the flashy entrance of the KTV and looked at the group of students coming out. He didn’t say much and asked Xie Ci, “Is it over? Are you going back now?”

Zhang Ruochuan and the others had seen Xie Qian in the bustling area, but the others hadn’t. Seeing Xie Qian dressed in wrinkled linen clothes and worn-out cloth shoes with a hole in them, they suddenly felt a wave of guilt wash over them.

Just by looking at him, it was clear that their family conditions were not good, and they had actually let Xie Ci treat them, with Xie Ci paying for the KTV as well. It was really too much.

Xie Ci noticed the pitying and guilty looks from those around him and, feeling a bit helpless, asked Xie Qian, “Did you really wear this to see the doctor?”

Xie Qian looked confused, “The doctor said to dress casually, just like usual.”

He usually didn’t go out, so he wore whatever was comfortable.

Xie Ci: “…You really are too casual.”

Gu Yufeng stood next to Xie Ci, watching everyone’s reactions with amusement, teasing, “Good thing my dad didn’t see this; he would have been heartbroken.”

Xie Ci: “…”

The girls were getting ready to go shopping together, while the others were heading home. Xie Ci looked at Gu Yufeng, “Has your ride come? Do you want me to give you a lift?”

“No need, my little assistant is always on standby.” Gu Yufeng waved his hand and walked away without looking back.

Wang Wei and Shen Qiuyah reached the pedestrian street and dove into a jewelry store, their excitement rivaling that of the boys playing around in the KTV.

Seeing Shen Qiuyah not very interested, Wang Wei asked, “What’s wrong? Are you reluctant to part with Old Gu?”

Shen Qiuyah put back the hairpin in her hand, thought for a moment, and quietly said, “I think I’m going to give up.”

Wang Wei was a bit surprised, “Why? Didn’t you just make some progress?”

Shen Qiuyah recalled the scene of Gu Yufeng applying medicine to Xie Ci and the expression in his eyes when he spoke to Xie Ci. She couldn’t quite describe what she felt, but it was different from how he treated others.

“Forget it, I probably have no chance. I should pursue someone else.”

Wang Wei said, “You’re so fickle!”

---

In the evening, Xie Ci served a bowl of meat to Xiao Fang, placed it in front of him, and sat down at the dining table to eat with his dad.

Watching Xiao Fang devour the food, Xie Ci suddenly remembered Gu Yufeng’s words, “I can’t lose,” and felt a bit complicated.

When it came to eating, he couldn’t win against Xiao Fang at all.

After taking a shower and returning to his bedroom, Xie Ci saw the bottle of spray on the table and found it amusing to think about Gu Yufeng’s firm belief that he had tendinitis.

After thinking for a moment, he turned back to the bathroom, twisted a hot towel, and applied it to his right hand, taking a photo to send to Gu Yufeng.

【I’ve done the hot compress.】

After sending it, he waited for a long time without a reply. Xie Ci flipped through his physics book, feeling a bit distracted, occasionally picking up his phone to check, afraid of missing a message.

Finally, over an hour later, Gu Yufeng finally replied.

Gu Yufeng: 【You’re such a good boy.】

Xie Ci: “…You’re still a bit too young to be my dad.”