Chapter 62 Amusement

At school, Ying Zhisheng wore a mask, was withdrawn and taciturn. The halo above him was too dazzling, and every glance was cast upon him, his every word and action scrutinized. Under such pressure, he dared not even sneeze or cough, concealing even the slightest expression. He wished he could become a dark shadow in the shadowy corner of the campus wall, a dead leaf that fell on the windowsill and was blown away by the wind, unnoticed or inquired about.

Young fame isn't something everyone can achieve, or endure. During that time, Ying Zhisheng was terrified of school. In class, the teacher would talk, the whole place silent, leaving him feeling uneasy. As soon as class was over, he would drop his head and scurry to the filthy, trash-strewn south wall to kick the tree.

While kicking, I silently beat the rhythm in my heart.

A rustling sound was heard, and Ying Zhisheng froze. He watched helplessly as the high-spirited young man sat on the wall, his affectionate eyes filled with inquiry and interest.

I jumped directly off the wall, using the large trash can as a support point, and luckily I didn't fall.

"Are you Ying Zhisheng?" the other party came aggressively.

Ying Zhisheng's expression was calm, but his palms were actually sweating. "Yes. What's the matter?"

"My name is Lou Sheng. Can I take off your mask?" The boy was straightforward, making a nonsensical and offensive request with confidence. His eyes were curved like crescent moons, cunning and handsome like a young man. "I want to see how handsome you are."

What a childish idea, such meaningless competition.

Ying Zhisheng refused coldly: "No."

"Oh my, you are such a stingy person. You think it's normal for you to stare at me, but I'm not even allowed to look at you."

The other party was an immature and boring guy. Faced with this sudden approach and attempt to make friends, Ying Zhisheng still took a few steps back to keep his distance and whispered, "I'm leaving first."

"Okay, take care." Although his goal was not achieved, Lou Sheng was not angry. He just stared at him with a smile.

There were too many people trying to curry his favor, and this guy was at best the best-looking one among them, nothing special. Ying Zhisheng was thinking about this when he heard the sound of discussion coming from afar.

"Is it really here?"

"Of course, we've been following for days!"

“Why does he still wear a mask?”

"He's just trying to be cool, what else can he do? We'll just rip his mask off and give him a good beating for pretending!"

"I also need some pocket money. My dad said it's easiest for actors like me to make money. There's nothing much to admire."

…

Ying Zhisheng's face turned cold. He was thinking of a countermeasure when his shoulder suddenly felt heavy, and an arm came over and a boy came closer with a smile.

"Are you scared?"

Of course, Ying Zhisheng was terrified. He had never encountered anything like this before. Growing up, he had always been aloof and devoted to playing the piano. The sudden hostility from his peers, like the online gossip, left him bewildered.

Lou Sheng poked his face through the mask, raised an eyebrow and said, "What are you going to do? These people are going to beat you up."

The distance was too close, and Ying Zhisheng unconsciously dodged to the side and replied, "Fight back."

"What's with all the shouting and screaming? Communication between people relies entirely on aura. Have you seen One Piece? Do you know the Conqueror's Haki? It intimidates them!"

“…”

Ying Zhisheng frowned and urged him to leave, which only provoked Lou Sheng to deliberately tug at the ear straps on his mask. He could easily have ripped it off, but he kept tugging at it, a sly smile on his face as he waited for Ying Zhisheng's approval.

A group of boyish boys came over, chewing gum with their chins held high, and then spat the chewed gum on the lawn with a "huh" sound.

Lou Sheng couldn't help but laugh while leaning on Ying Zhisheng's shoulder.

It was already this late, and was this something worth being happy about? Ying Zhisheng impatiently moved aside.

The worst-case scenario had been imagined countless times in Ying Zhisheng's mind, but the only thing he hadn't expected was that when those ruffians saw Lou Sheng, they would run away faster than rabbits.

Lou Sheng laughed even louder.

Ying Zhisheng looked warily at the boy beside him who was laughing non-stop: "Who did you find?"

"No." Lou Sheng's voice still contained a lingering smile. "Do you know who was the most popular person before you transferred here? Whenever I participated in a basketball game, people from the next-door, next-door, next-door schools would come to support me. They also gave me trouble, but I'm not someone you can easily bully."

Adolescents are competitive and take things like this as something to be proud of. Just for some gossip, I came over to see what he looked like.

Lou Sheng continued to chatter to himself, "There's a movie that's been incredibly popular lately, and a lot of guys are trying to imitate the male lead, fighting and using vulgar language. Look, those guys are typical examples."

"You talk a lot."

"I can't help it, it's just funny." Lou Sheng lay on his shoulder and laughed again. After laughing, he stared straight at Ying Zhisheng. The upturned corners of his eyes seemed to hide deep hooks, and his thin red eyelids were like a dizzy after drinking.

"Show me if you look the same as the photos online. I'll leave after I see you and won't bother you."

We could discuss it. Ying Zhisheng suddenly felt childish. A glance wouldn't hurt. Then he secretly regretted his decision to wear a mask to school. It was just for people to see, there was no need to be so contrived.

He was so close that he could see his reflection in those eyes. His fingertips slid across his earlobe and removed the elastic earring. Ying Zhisheng frowned and waited patiently for Lou Sheng to finish reading.

"Hey, handsome guy."

Ying Zhisheng pushed Lou Sheng away and took a few steps back. This was also a wrong decision he made.

…

A thin figure crouched beside a tree, eyelashes drooping. The evening glow shattered the clouds, and a gentle breeze rustled through the leaves. Ying Zhisheng closed his eyes and frowned. As the memory ended, the master of the dream was already in place, waiting for the outsider he had longed for.

The dazzling sunlight was blocked, and a dark shadow fell. It was Lou Sheng who leaned over.

Lou Sheng looked around and sighed, "Tonight's dream was about the day we first met."

"Yes." Ying Zhisheng's face became irritable.

"I remember that famous celebrities used to wear masks when they went to school, for fear that others would stare at them. Haha, it's even funnier than trying to cover up one's own mistakes."

Who doesn't have a dark history during adolescence? Thinking of this, Ying Zhisheng asked him, "Don't you have any questions for me? Why were you so indifferent and resistant to me back then? Why did you leave without saying goodbye?"

Lou Sheng took off his black coat and put it on the lawn, then sat down and looked at the distant horizon: "I don't want to ask, so don't tell me."

You're dead anyway, so knowing more will only add to your troubles.

Ying Zhisheng leaned forward, approaching Lou Sheng from behind. With a clear purpose, he placed his chin on his shoulder and lowered his head to kiss the thick, hard fabric. He said, "Got it."

Both come from single-parent families. The father of one is a manager driven by desire, and the mother of the other is the boss of an entertainment company with strong power.

In the two years since Ying Zhisheng and Lou Sheng met, their relationship has grown so close that they often wear the same clothes. Was this an accidental connection or a deliberate scheme?

Ying Zhisheng only knew that the man treated him as a cash cow and practiced repeatedly with him like a programmed machine.

The man used all means to get close to Lou Sheng's mother and succeeded.

Was it shock and pain at the moment of discovery, or fear of losing more? Ying Zhisheng gritted his teeth, hating him to the extreme. Over the years, he has been trying every possible way to get rid of the man's control. In order to prevent any accidents, he even sent him abroad despite the scolding.

After dealing with everything and coming to my senses, Lou Sheng was dead.

Ying Zhisheng held his forehead and laughed softly, his eyes sore and tears welling up. "Lou Sheng, come here quickly, I want to hug you."