Su Lian barely raised his eyelids, feeling quite speechless. He turned his head towards Chi Wang and asked, "It's a video of two people, how do you know it's not someone having a crush on you?"
The logic was tight and flawless.
"That's possible too," Chi Wang rubbed his face, momentarily stumped.
His mind whirring, he tried to organize his words, awkwardly attempting to smooth things over: "But they didn't mean any harm, so don't look so fierce."
His originally expressionless face now looked gloomy and ominous, as if revealing the truth might lead to bloodshed in the cafeteria the next second.
"No one starts with ill intentions," Su Lian pulled out a tissue to wipe his mouth, instantly losing his appetite.
He indeed didn't like living under public scrutiny, with every word and action magnified and analyzed under watchful eyes. It felt quite awful.
Previously, when studying medicine, there had also been extensive media exposure, dubbing him "Peking University's Most Handsome Medical Student." Along with the screams and admiration came various malicious speculations.
Later, someone dug up that he had become an attending physician while still pursuing his Ph.D. at such a young age, leading to debates about whether it was due to his skills or his good looks.
A few simple words negating all his hard work was quite frustrating.
Now, history was repeating itself, with increasing attention that was bound to turn sour.
"Found it, the original source was posted by an ID called 'Taro Bubble Tea Cutie'. Judging by the name, it really seems to be a girl," Gu Anjiu showed him the screen and asked in a low voice, "Lian bro, how do you plan to handle this? She's a girl, so be gentle, okay? Don't commit murder."
Su Lian unlocked his phone, downloaded the app, registered an account, and searched for the ID.
"What kind of person do you take me for?" he replied softly while typing, "I'm going to contact her to delete the video."
Chi Wang's eyelid twitched, thinking that girls indeed get better treatment. If Su Lian knew he was the source, he'd probably be silently assassinated in the middle of the night.
Their relationship had just started to warm up a bit, and he didn't want things to become too awkward again, reverting to square one.
The screen flashed, and a private message was sent.
[su]: Hello blogger, I'm Su Lian, the person in the video. Because I don't want too much attention, I'm bothering you in hopes that you could delete that video. Sorry for the trouble.
Chi Wang tapped his fingertips on the screen, wondering how to reply.
Lin Yan, while scrolling through popular videos, speculated: "I think with the video having such high traffic, they might not be willing to delete it. These days, traffic means money, and who wants to part with money?"
"Actually, this will blow over in a couple of days. It's not as serious as you guys think," Gu Anjiu propped his chin, trying to comfort them, "At most, it'll be embarrassing if acquaintances see it."
"The whole school doing exercises was embarrassing enough, and now we're trending," Su Lian nudged Chi Wang with his elbow, feeling the other's unusually calm demeanor was a bit odd, "As one of the people involved, how can you be so calm?"
Chi Wang lowered the screen brightness, awkwardly stretching out his long legs, pretending to be nonchalant: "I'm fine, I have thick skin."
Su Lian raised an eyebrow, pondering: "Forgot to ask your opinion, or do you not want to delete it? Want to be famous?"
"Not at all, I'm already famous enough. I don't need this video to add fuel to the fire," Chi Wang deflected with a joke.
Su Lian glanced at the screen and clicked his tongue: "Still no reply. Why don't you send a private message too? Maybe they're after you."
Chi Wang thought to himself, I only have this one account, how am I supposed to play both parts in this conversation?
Steeling himself, he turned the screen slightly and quickly typed a reply.
[Taro Bubble Tea Cutie]: Hello Senior Su Lian qaq, I posted that video because I like you so much, I didn't realize it would cause so much trouble for you and Senior Chi Wang. I'll delete it right away tat I'm so sorry! Sorry sorry sorry!
Lowering his eyelashes, suppressing his discomfort, he added all the cute emoticons he could think of, desperately trying to distance himself from the situation.
Beside him, Su Lian held his phone and chuckled softly: "Pretty reasonable, agreed to delete it."
Gu Anjiu leaned over to read the reply and slapped his thigh in shock: "Wang boy was right, it's a cute girl with a crush on you! Why don't you ask which class she's in? Maybe you can use this opportunity to develop a beautiful romance and say goodbye to your stupid ex once and for all."
"Sounds reasonable, ask her," Lin Yan nodded in agreement.
Song Jiaci focused on an odd point: "Is... is she pretty?"
Gu Anjiu's tone was regretful: "No photos on the profile, just one video. She really must be head over heels for our brother Su Lian."
Chi Wang: "........"
He really wanted to buy ten boxes of super glue to seal these chattering mouths.
Su Lian spoke flatly: "Not asking. I'm not interested."
[su]: Alright, thanks for understanding.
Chi Wang glimpsed the reply and clicked to delete the video on his phone. He thought this matter was finally resolved quietly.
But Gu Anjiu chimed in: "You sent it, and she didn't reply?"
Su Lian: "No."
Gu Anjiu was puzzled: "That's not right. When you like someone, don't you usually seize every opportunity to chat and get closer? Could she have some other scheme?"
Chi Wang felt suffocated: "........"
You little fatso, always have the most to say.
Su Lian frowned: "What scheme?"
"I don't know, but if she doesn't follow up, saying she likes you is definitely just a front," Gu Anjiu got excited, passionately developing his conspiracy theory, "For example, he might be a guy, afraid to reveal himself, so he pretends to be a girl to gain sympathy."
Chi Wang pinched the bridge of his nose. Bull's eye. He'd never seen this brain work so efficiently before.
"If it's a guy secretly recording two male students exercising, that's somewhat perverse," Lin Yan stroked his chin, looking quite disgusted.
Song Jiaci nodded like a pecking chicken: "Very perverse."
The group passionately discussed in front of the person involved, getting more and more excited. The real 'cutie' wanted to nail his own coffin shut and scatter some paper money on top.
Chi Wang took out his phone again, sending another private message with a resigned look, continuing to play along.
[Taro Bubble Tea Cutie]: You're welcome! Senior is so kind, I like you so much! The video has been deleted, can I have your WeChat?
[su]: I don't use WeChat.
With the video deleted, Su Lian gathered his loose jacket: "Forget the wild guesses, let's end it here. Come on, let's go back for evening self-study."
"He asked for WeChat, hope you two hit it off," Gu Anjiu patted his shoulder, blessing him, "Cute girls are rare, cherish it while you can."
Chi Wang got up lazily, seeing the reply pop up, he couldn't help but laugh.
Little liar, who was he passionately arguing with on WeChat these past few nights?
He stared at the back of Su Lian's head. This guy appeared expressionless on the surface, but behind the scenes, he could seriously spout nonsense. What a contrast.
[Taro Bubble Tea Cutie]: Who doesn't use WeChat these days? You're lying to me!
[su]: Mm, got to go to class now. Goodbye.
[Taro Bubble Tea Cutie]: Senior, chat with you later :d
Chi Wang said goodbye online, put away his phone, and took a big step forward to hook his arm around Su Lian's neck: "Enjoy chatting with the cute girl?"
Gradually getting used to this guy's tendency to get physical without warning, Su Lian didn't react much, allowing the arm on his shoulder, only slightly bending his neck: "Didn't chat much."
Chi Wang clicked his tongue, his fingers tightening, slightly shaking the other: "How much more did you want to chat? Don't tell me you actually like this type?"
"I don't like it, the way of speaking is too sickeningly sweet," Su Lian frowned, getting a headache just thinking about all those exaggerated expressions.
Chi Wang pursed his lips, thinking their views aligned perfectly.
After finishing self-study, as previously agreed, the two met at the running track at midnight to complete their 3000-meter punishment for failing to memorize their assignment over the weekend.
As night fell, there were scattered students jogging on the field, occasionally people passing by, casting curious glances at the two campus celebrities.
Chi Wang stood on the track, exaggeratedly pressing down his front knee to stretch before running, his fluorescent running shoes ostentatiously flashy.
He complained lazily: "Since we both have to run, why don't we go easy on each other and just do 800 meters?"
"No way, no room for negotiation," Su Lian finished stretching his legs, bounced in place a few times, and neatly stood at the starting point, "Come on, let's start running."
"You're really..." Chi Wang couldn't find the right words to describe him for a moment, so he simply gave up.
The two ran side by side, the night breeze slightly dry, a very faint scent of osmanthus wafted over, making even the air carry a hint of sweetness.
The weather in mid-September was no longer too hot. Chi Wang tugged at his collar to let in some air, gradually quickening his pace, easily taking the lead by a short distance.
After five laps, Su Lian's pace gradually slowed down. He bent over, hands on his knees, panting: "Let's take a break."
"Star player, your stamina isn't great," Chi Wang said teasingly as he jogged backwards slowly. "Didn't you say we'd run 3000 meters?"
You've got good stamina, who are you trying to insult?
Su Lian was at a loss for words. A thin layer of sweat had formed on his body, and his cheeks were slightly flushed. "I didn't say I wouldn't run."
Chi Wang stared at him for a moment, then generously offered: "Fine, we'll save the last 1000 meters for later."
"No, let's finish it," Su Lian lifted his chin, stubbornly insisting.
Because he was bent over, his slightly open collar hung down loosely, revealing his slender neck. His sharp collarbones and pale white skin together resembled white jade.
Chi Wang was suddenly dazed. How could someone be so fair-skinned?
"What are you staring at?" Su Lian's breathing evened out, his voice gradually returning to normal. "Let's continue."
Chi Wang blinked a few times, then reached out to grasp Su Lian's wrist, saying slowly: "Don't rush, let's jog at a slower pace."
Suddenly, Su Lian felt a warmth on his wrist, continuously transferring from Chi Wang's fingertips. He wasn't sure if it was due to the elevated body temperature from running.
Mixed with sweat and heat, it should have felt damp, but instead it was dry as if about to spark a fire.
This guy still hasn't broken his habit of being handsy, what a dense straight guy, Su Lian scoffed inwardly.
Forced to run the remaining two and a half laps while being pulled along, by the time they finished, Su Lian barely had the energy to speak, barely managing to stand.
This shared suffering of exercise was supposed to feel more like his own personal hell.
"Exhausted, aren't you? Come on, I'll treat you to a late-night snack," Chi Wang casually draped his arm around Su Lian's shoulders, dragging him towards the area outside the school.
Su Lian's shoulder pressed against Chi Wang's chest. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed: "It's not good to eat right after exercising."
"Just eat a little bit. I'm worried you'll be hungry later tonight," Chi Wang coughed lightly, saying awkwardly, "You hardly ate anything at dinner because of that damn video."
This responsibility, no matter how you looked at it, fell on his own shoulders.
Su Lian blinked gently. This guy always caught him off guard with his moments of tenderness. It was infuriatingly endearing.
By the time he came to his senses, he had already been dragged to a street food stall near the school. Forcibly seated on a plastic stool, Su Lian looked around at the noisy surroundings, frowning slightly.
The clamorous voices of people talking, the spicy and numbing aroma of hot pot, the cramped tables and chairs - it all came together to form the most common nighttime scene in Fog City.
His doctor's professional habits kicking in, he warned again: "Eating street food skewers is bad for your stomach."
"This place is really good, don't be so picky," Chi Wang wiped the table clean with a napkin, waved over a waiter, and ordered a large assortment of items.
Su Lian lowered his eyes, fidgeting with his fingertips. Oh well, just this once, he'd go along with it.
Both of them were somewhat tired, slumping in their chairs across from each other, silently waiting for the soup base to come to a boil.
Suddenly, the conversation of two girls at the next table drifted over. The two kept glancing over as they spoke.
"Aren't those the two high school boys from the exercise video? They're so handsome in person."
"I think it is them. I've watched their video so many times these past couple days. I wonder if we could ask for a photo with them."
Hearing the conversation, Su Lian felt annoyed and pulled up the hood of his sweatshirt under his school uniform. The hood was large enough to cover most of his face.
After chatting for a bit longer, the guy in the floral shirt at the next table stood up and strode over, tapping Su Lian on the shoulder.
"My girlfriend wants to take a picture with you two. Come over here for a photo."
"Sorry, we don't want to," Su Lian frowned as he refused.
The floral shirt guy scoffed, raising his voice in irritation: "What's the big deal about taking a picture? It's not like it'll cost you an arm and a leg. Acting all high and mighty."
Chi Wang looked up, his lips pressed into a thin line, looking rather intimidating: "My friend said no. Are you deaf?"
"Oh, forget it, forget it," the girl reached out to pull the guy back, hurriedly trying to smooth things over. "If they don't want to, then never mind. Come sit back down."
Having been flatly rejected, the floral shirt guy felt like he'd lost face. He rolled up his sleeves and slammed his hand on the table: "Looking down on us? I'm going to make you take that photo today. Pretty boy, you get up."
Chi Wang's fingers gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white as he suppressed his anger: "We're not obligated to take photos with you. If you keep this up, I'm calling the police."
"Call the fucking police, you want a beating?" The floral shirt guy jerked his head, signaling to his three buddies who all stood up in unison.
Su Lian calmly reached for a few skewers from the plate, asking nonchalantly: "What should we cook first?"
"Beef, it cooks quickly," Chi Wang pushed his chair back a bit, creating some space, and propped his long legs against the table leg.
"Boss, they're ignoring you. Shouldn't we teach them a lesson?" The guy with the buzz cut had quite a temper. He grabbed a beer bottle from a nearby table and smashed it on their table with a crash, glass shattering everywhere.
Su Lian calmly brushed the glass shards off the table: "We didn't want to resort to violence."
Chi Wang lazily continued: "But you're all up in our faces now. How annoying."
"Beef only takes 30 seconds to cook. Any longer and it gets tough," Su Lian said as he dropped a handful of beef slices into the boiling red soup, his sleeve pulling back to reveal his wrist. "Shall we make this quick?"
Chi Wang glanced up at the four provocateurs: "Two each?"
"Mm," Su Lian stood up smoothly, swiftly grabbing the buzz cut guy's wrist and twisting it. He kneed him in the stomach and kicked him in the waist, causing the man to crumple to the ground.
His movements were efficient and ruthless. Stepping on the fallen man's lower back with one foot, Su Lian's expression was cold: "Is that all you've got?"
His tone was flat, extremely provocative.
Chi Wang let out a low whistle, suspecting that the Su Lian who was out of breath after running 2000 meters earlier had been putting on an act.
As expected of the former school bully from Eighth High School, famous for taking on five opponents at once. His fighting moves were crisp and beautiful.
"Fuck, you've got time to spectate?" The two heavyset guys lunged at him simultaneously, trying to restrain him from both sides.
Chi Wang took two steps back, then lashed out with powerful kicks to the left and right. Before the two could react, they went flying. Each crashed into the plastic chairs on either side, their excess weight causing the furniture to collapse with a series of clatters.
The outcome was, of course, without suspense.
Bystanders screamed. Taking advantage of the chaos, the floral shirt guy made a solo dash towards Su Lian, raising his arm to choke him from behind and try to slam him to the ground.
"Need any help?" Chi Wang asked politely as he moved the two girls to the side, crossing his arms to watch from a distance.
He was just asking out of courtesy. Clearly, help wasn't needed.
Su Lian elbowed backwards, and as his opponent doubled over, he turned sideways and kicked upwards into the man's abdomen.
The floral shirt guy flew in a rather graceful arc, completing a turtle stack with his heavyset friends.
While the battle raged on one side, the red soup base boiled on the other.
"Ah, the beef is just right," Chi Wang sat back down, casually pulling out a skewer of meat and offering it. "Try some."
Damn, thirty seconds. Now that was humiliating.
The thoroughly beaten group lay sprawled on the ground, exchanging glances with expressions of resentment.
"Ow, my back is killing me."
"Fuck, I'm bleeding. Damn you all."
"You bastards, how dare you kick me. You're finished."
The four struggled to their feet, pulling the two girls along as they headed for the exit, all while putting on a show of bravado with empty threats.
It was the classic line of those who lost a fight. Chi Wang had heard it hundreds of times before; his ears were practically calloused from it.
He hooked his foot around the table leg, drawling lazily: "What, you want another beating? Let me be clear, I'm not covering your medical expenses. You're on your own for any injuries."
Su Lian lowered his gaze, chuckling softly: "You really know how to provoke people."
"Just you wait," the floral shirt guy wiped the blood from his nose, waving his hand. "Let's go."
"Looks like we caused trouble again. It's been a while since I've been in a fight," Chi Wang flexed his fingers, grabbing a couple of meat skewers. "This video coming out has been such a headache."
"Well, with hundreds of thousands of views, you're bound to attract a few idiots," Su Lian said, lowering his eyes to carefully savor the hot beef.
He had to admit, the taste was quite good.
The red soup base bubbled, aromatic scents wafting through the air. The two continued eating quietly, not mentioning the recent incident again.
Chi Wang's screen suddenly lit up. He swiped to check it - it was a private message from Su Lian sitting across from him.
[Su]: Please use your status as the original poster to request that other channels who downloaded and reposted the video delete it as well. Thanks for your trouble.
They had just been in a fight, and while this guy appeared calm on the surface, his thoughts were quite meticulous.
He wasn't worried about fans, just annoyed by idiots like earlier who picked fights for no reason. It was really irritating.
Chi Wang cursed under his breath, but his actions were accommodating. He managed both simultaneously without issue.
[Sweet Taro Bubble Tea]: Okay, senior. Sorry to trouble you. Are you hungry? Would you like me to keep you company for a late-night snack?
He remembered to stay in character as the person with an obvious crush, not forgetting to offer gentle care.
Anyway, given Su Lian's aloof personality, he was sure to refuse.
Sure enough, Su Lian, with a straw in his mouth, held his phone up to Chi Wang's face: "Got any experience? What's the best way to make a girl give up completely?"
"No experience, but..." Chi Wang rested his chin on his hand, pondering for a few seconds, "Tell her you have a girlfriend?"
Su Lian frowned, his expression resistant: "I don't have one."
"Just make up some excuse. The girl will be heartbroken for a day and then definitely move on to someone else."
Chi Wang thought this plan was perfect. Once all the videos were deleted, Sweet Taro Bubble Tea would vanish without a trace, disappearing from their lives.
"Fine." Su Lian took back his phone, lowering his eyes as he tapped away on the keyboard.
[su]: No need, I'm having dinner with my girlfriend. She'd get jealous.
Chi Wang's fingertips tapped the table, satisfied. This account could be put to rest now.
[Sweet Taro Bubble Tea]: Oh, you have a girlfriend. In that case, I'll transfer my affections to senior Chi Wang. Farewell!
Su Lian's brow furrowed even deeper. This girl had just finished bothering him, and now she was going to harass Chi Wang?
No way. Chi Wang should be focusing on his studies and staying healthy right now. How could he possibly date?
Five seconds later, Chi Wang received a reply from the cool-looking guy sitting across from him.
[su]: Chi Wang has a girlfriend too. The four of us are having dinner together.