Shen Shiyan lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Better now?”

Jiang Mian instinctively felt that the ache in her chest had eased—just a little. But it still throbbed faintly. She eyed the man’s lips with barely concealed greed, knowing full well he wouldn’t let her steal a kiss.

Forget it. It’s not like the pain was unbearable. She could handle it.

She pouted in dissatisfaction but took the opportunity to confess, “I really like you!”

“I know.”

“Will you be back tonight?”

“We’ll see.”

Hopefully never.

Jiang Mian secretly prayed. If it weren’t for him, she wouldn’t be suffering like this in the first place.

But on the surface, she remained sweet and obedient. “Then I’ll wait for you to have dinner together. You have to come back, okay?”

As she spoke, she let go of him reluctantly, her demeanor soft and well-behaved, so much so that Shen Shiyan’s heart softened just a little.

“I’ll bring you a gift later.”

Jiang Mian was certain—there was no way he’d be back tonight.

Perfect.

Watching the great god Shen finally leave, she let out a long sigh of relief.

Rubbing her aching chest, Jiang Mian decided she should probably get checked at the hospital another day.

She had already wasted too much time on Shen Shiyan—so much that she couldn’t even catch up on sleep. Might as well put on some makeup, freshen up, and head to class.

Finding an empty seat, she pulled out her textbook and started reading.

She had no intention of letting her studies slip. No matter what, she still had books to read but she had barely settled in when a tall figure appeared beside her.

The buzz of whispers around her grew noticeably louder. She could feel people sneaking glances in her direction.

Jiang Mian was still trying to figure out why everyone was staring when a cheerful voice greeted her.

“Hey!”

She turned her head, staring for a few seconds before recognizing the guy sitting next to her—it was the same one who had given her a rose after the Level 4 exam, hoping to be friends.

Wasn’t he from the sports department? What was he doing in her classroom?

…Don’t tell me he’s here to chase after me?

Catching glimpses of her classmates from the corner of her eye, she suddenly understood who they were whispering about—her and Cheng Wenhan.

“Hey,” Jiang Mian greeted back. “What are you doing here?”

“I went for a run this morning and had some free time, so I thought I’d drop by to see you!” He spoke with an easy familiarity, as if they had known each other for ages.

“You…”

“Don’t worry, go ahead with your class. I’m just sitting in—I promise I won’t disturb your studies!” Cheng Wenhan said considerately. “Oh, by the way, have you had breakfast? I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I grabbed a bunch of stuff from the cafeteria!”

As he spoke, he pushed the breakfast toward her.

Jiang Mian raised an eyebrow. The soy milk and fried dough sticks were still steaming—clearly, he had gone out of his way to bring them fresh.

And yet, he made it sound like he just happened to stop by after his run. Yeah, right.

Still… a warm, thoughtful guy like this? That was rare.

Jiang Mian had never been pursued by a guy before, and she couldn’t help but feel a little touched. She was thirsty anyway, so she reached for the soy milk—

Then, out of nowhere, a jolt shot through her hand, like an electric shock. Her fingers twitched—

And the soy milk went flying.

Shit!

OOC moment unlocked!

All she did was pick up a cup of soy milk—how did that turn into an OOC moment?!

Jiang Mian was about to lose her mind. But before she could even be properly pissed off, the pain hit.

Just as she’d finally adjusted to the ache in her chest, another wave of discomfort crashed over her. She almost wanted to cry.

But instead, she had to apologize. “Sorry, my hand suddenly went weak. I didn’t mean to spill it on you!”

Cheng Wenhan would never get mad at someone he liked. Besides, he had a naturally good temper. “It’s fine, it’s fine! Just a little spill—I’ll wipe it off!”

Jiang Mian quickly dug out a pack of tissues from her bag and handed them to him, apologizing again. “I’m really, really sorry!”

The soy milk was wiped off in no time. Cheng Wenhan even cleaned up the mess on the floor and neatly packed the cup into a plastic bag.

What a perfect guy.

If it weren’t for this damn OOC curse hanging over her, she would’ve already said yes to this adorable sunshine boy.

But reality was cruel.

She could only break his heart.

Internally, she wailed. She just let an absolute gem slip through her fingers.

Before class started, Cheng Wenhan tossed the trash and turned back with a grin. “I’ll get you another one tomorrow morning!”

“N-no need!” Jiang Mian refused immediately.

She understood now—she couldn’t reject Shen Shiyan, but she also could not accept any other guy’s pursuit.

Sigh. Life was really making things difficult for her.

Cheng Wenhan, ever the easygoing guy, stuck around for two whole lectures with Jiang Mian. At first, their classmates whispered and gossiped, but eventually, they lost interest and moved on.

When class finally ended, Cheng Wenhan turned to her with obvious anticipation. “Jiang Mian, where are you going for lunch?”

“I…” Jiang Mian busied herself packing up her books, sneaking a glance at his hopeful expression. Unfortunately, she had no choice but to reject him. Keeping her face blank, she said, “I already have plans.”

Plans?

That caught Cheng Wenhan off guard. But he wasn’t about to give up. “With your roommates? Can I tag along? I’d love to meet your friends!”

So, the rumors were true—she was cold and hard to chase. But the more she acted like this, the more Cheng Wenhan liked her. The challenge only made him want to pursue her even more.

Besides, if she wasn’t going to give him an opening, maybe her roommates would.

Jiang Mian saw right through his plan and shut it down immediately. “Sorry, not happening.”

Grabbing her bag, she strode out the door.

Cheng Wenhan rubbed his nose, then followed after her anyway.

The two of them walked side by side. Since Cheng Wenhan’s public confession last time, the school forum had been buzzing with threads stacked ten stories high. Now, seeing the two of them together again—handsome guy, beautiful girl, a picture-perfect match—it didn’t take long for the whispers to start up.

“Whoa, he confessed on Saturday, and now they’re already together?”

“Right? I heard Cheng Wenhan even brought her breakfast today and sat through two classes with her!”

“Ugh, he’s so thoughtful! I want a boyfriend like that!”

“Yeah, keep dreaming. Do you even look half as good as Jiang Mian?”

“……”

While the crowd gossiped, Jiang Mian was lost in her own world.

Cheng Wenhan was undeniably good-looking, and she did appreciate a handsome guy.

The problem was—she couldn’t accept him.

She’d already told Cheng Wenhan she had plans with someone else, but he still insisted on tagging along.

How the hell was she supposed to shake this guy off?

Just as her headache was reaching critical levels, she spotted Chen Yao up ahead.

Her eyes lit up. She quickened her pace, calling out Chen Yao’s name loudly.

Chen Yao turned around, saw Jiang Mian, and waved happily. Then her gaze shifted to Cheng Wenhan walking beside her.

Of course, she’d heard the rumors about his public confession during the CET-4 exam. She just hadn’t expected Jiang Mian to be this impressive—catching the attention of the most popular guy in the sports department? That was next-level.

Jiang Mian sped up, hoping to lose him, but when she realized Cheng Wenhan was still right on her heels, she stopped in frustration.

Think. Think.

She scrambled for the right words, pausing for a few seconds before finally blurting out, “My friend’s waiting for me to have lunch. You should probably head back.”

Her tone wasn’t harsh—if anything, it was soft, like a gentle breeze brushing over fresh spring grass, tender enough to make someone’s heart bloom.

Cheng Wenhan just smiled even wider. “I’d love to meet your friend! We’re all classmates here—what’s wrong with making a new one?”

Chen Yao, clueless about the subtle battle happening, walked over cheerfully, calling out, “Mianmian!”

Cheng Wenhan smiled at Jiang Mian, silently repeating the nickname Mianmian in his head a few times. Honestly, it suited her—even when she tried to act fierce, she was still soft and adorable.

“Hi, I’m Cheng Wenhan from the sports department next door,” he said brightly, flashing a confident grin. “I’m currently pursuing Jiang Mian. Nice to meet you!”

Chen Yao was stunned for a second. She’d only ever seen guys like him from a distance on the basketball court. She’d heard all the rumors—how ridiculously handsome he was—and had regretted never seeing him up close.

Well, here he was.

“Hi, I’m Mianmian’s roommate, Chen Yao!” she replied with an awkward smile.

“I know,” Cheng Wenhan said smoothly. “You’re meeting Jiang Mian for lunch, right?”

Chen Yao froze. Lunch?

She shot a confused glance at Jiang Mian, thinking, since when did they make lunch plans?

Meanwhile, Jiang Mian was practically telegraphing an SOS with her frantic blinking.

Chen Yao caught on instantly. “Oh! Yes, yes—we’re meeting for lunch. I’ve been waiting for her!”

Cheng Wenhan’s smile softened, his tone as warm as spring sunshine. “Mind if I join you guys?”

Both Jiang Mian and Chen Yao were momentarily speechless.

What the hell?

She’d already rejected him—clearly! —yet here he was, still pushing.

Just because his handsome and charming doesn’t mean he can be this shameless, dude!

Chen Yao had no idea what to do, so she quickly looked to Jiang Mian. After all, he wanted to have lunch with her, so it wasn’t really her call. It all depended on Jiang Mian’s response.

Jiang Mian kept her face cold and said bluntly, “Sorry, Cheng Wenhan. I’m not interested in dating right now. Please stop following me.”

Even if she wanted to date someone, it’d probably have to wait until the male lead dumped her. Only then could she enjoy a carefree romance with another guy.

She’d made herself clear. Cheng Wenhan knew he was pushing it, and sticking around wouldn’t win her over—it’d only make her annoyed.

So, he wisely backed off. “Alright then. See you around!”

Even after being rejected, he didn’t get upset or angry. Instead, he smiled, waved goodbye, and with his long strides, quickly disappeared into the crowd.

The moment he was out of sight, Jiang Mian let out a sigh of relief. Finally—no more walking on eggshells.

Chen Yao, still puzzled, asked, “Cheng Wenhan seems like a great guy. Mianmian, you don’t like him?”

Like him? Of course, she did but she couldn’t afford to.

On the inside, she was already crying a river, but on the outside, she had to keep up the act. She shook her head firmly. “I don’t feel anything for him.”

“No way! Cheng Wenhan is that handsome. Not to mention all the girls at our school who chase after him—even girls from the school next door come over just to confess!”

Sigh. Tell her about it.

Why did she have to meet Cheng Wenhan now of all times? Couldn’t fate have held off a little longer?

Jiang Mian was practically mourning inside, but she forced herself to say, “He’s just not my type.”

Chen Yao looked at her like she’d grown a second head. If Cheng Wenhan wasn’t her type, how impossibly high are her standards?

But she didn’t press the issue and the two of them headed off for lunch.

^_^