Chapter 8: Take Me with You in a Fight
At 7:50 in the morning, when the back door of Shenghua Senior High School Class 12 (A) was pushed open, the force was obviously much less than yesterday, but it still carried the owner's unique impatience.
Gu Ye walked in with a head of slightly disheveled silver hair, his face even grumpier than yesterday, a faint tinge of blue under his eyes, a testament to the intensity of his struggle with that assignment last night. He pursed his lips tightly and walked straight to his seat, his movements tinged with suppressed fatigue. He slammed his schoolbag down on the floor, then pulled out a few battered but smoothed-out papers, slapping them onto Chu Yan's desk with a crisp, decisive movement, a kind of impatience that felt like "Mission accomplished, quick inspection."
"Here, homework." He uttered the two words in a dry voice, without even looking at Chu Yan. He sat down, hugged the table with his arms habitually, and was about to bury his silver head.
"Good morning, classmate Gu." Chu Yan's voice was like a clear spring, with his usual gentle smile, and it sounded at the right time. He put down the English book in his hand, as if he didn't notice Gu Ye's "keep away from strangers" attitude, and like a magic trick, he took out the familiar exquisite paper bag from the drawer and pushed it to the corner of Gu Ye's desk. "Thank you for your hard work. Breakfast."
The aroma wafting from the paper bag is still tempting.
Gu Ye's head, buried in his arms, moved, but he didn't raise it. He just let out a dull and resentful sound from the crook of his arms: "...Hmph." He stretched out a hand and pulled the paper bag in front of him. With a gesture of self-abandonment, he opened the package and took a vicious bite of the sandwich.
Chu Yan picked up the papers and quickly scanned them. He examined them carefully, his fingertips tracing over the slightly clumsy yet surprisingly well-written calculations. A barely perceptible flicker of genuine admiration flashed across his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by his usual smile. He put the papers down and tilted his head to watch Gu Ye munching on his breakfast. "Well done! While your method isn't concise, your thinking is sound. We'll review the areas where your foundation is weak after school."
Gu Ye paused chewing, said nothing, and just buried his head deeper.
The morning class was spent with Gu Ye struggling to concentrate and Chu Yan supervising him. The bell for recess rang.
Just as Gu Ye was about to lie down for some sleep, the back door was cautiously pushed open a crack. His younger brother, A Liang, peeked in and flinched visibly when he saw Chu Yan. He desperately winked at Gu Ye, his lips moving in exaggerated, anxious eyes.
Gu Ye saw this and his brows knitted together instantly. He scratched his hair in annoyance and subconsciously turned his head to look at Chu Yan. Chu Yan was slowly sorting through his notes, seemingly oblivious to the movement at the back door.
Gu Ye moved his lips, wanting to speak, but then felt extremely aggrieved. Asking this person for leave to fight? Ridiculous.
At this moment, Chu Yan's phone, which was placed on the corner of the table, lit up silently. A new message popped up, and the sender was clearly "Shan".
Gu Xu: Chu Yan, we had a great chat last night. The weather's nice today. If you're free tonight, would you like to have a drink together? There's a nice new restaurant downtown, and it's very quiet.
Chu Yan caught a glimpse of the message out of the corner of his eye, his expression unchanged. He picked up his phone with unwavering naturalness, his fingertips casually swiping across the screen. His movements were smooth and graceful, and there was even a faint, almost amused smile at the corner of his mouth, as if he were amused by some amusing message.
Chu Yan: Mr. Gu, you're too polite. I have a tutoring appointment tonight and can't spare the time. I'll definitely meet you another day.
The reply was quick, polite, and formulaic, devoid of sincerity. After sending it, he didn't even glance at the screen, gently placing the phone face down on the table, as if it were just a trivial incident. His attention returned to Gu Ye, as if nothing had happened. "What's up?"
Gu Ye felt uncomfortable being stared at. He stiffened his neck and managed to squeeze out two words: "...It's okay."
"Oh?" Chu Yan raised his eyebrows slightly, his eyes pointedly drifting towards the anxious A Liang at the back door, then turned back and fell on Gu Ye's clenched fist, "Looks like there's something urgent?"
After being exposed, Gu Ye's face turned even uglier. He simply gave up and lowered his voice: "...I'll go out for a while." The hostility in his eyes said it all.
The smile on Chu Yan's face deepened, with a kind of "understanding" that made Gu Ye extremely uneasy: "Want to go?" His tone was relaxed.
Gu Ye was stunned and alert: "...Why do you care about me?"
"Of course I take care of you," Chu Yan nodded as a matter of course, then changed the subject, speaking in a negotiating tone, "But, since you insist on going..." He paused deliberately, admiring the vigilance rising in Gu Ye's eyes.
Then, he leaned forward slightly, moved closer to Gu Ye, and spoke clearly in a voice that only the two of them could hear:
"Take me one."
Gu Ye froze instantly, his pupils trembling!
"What did you say?!" His voice rose in shock, then immediately dropped. "Chu Yan, are you fucking crazy?! You're a good student, and you're joining a fight?! Are you looking for death?!"
Chu Yan ignored his fear and stepped back with a firm smile: "Don't worry, I won't hold you back. I'm just curious. I want to see how our classmate Gu 'solves' the problem." He emphasized the word "solve".
"No!" Gu Ye said firmly, "It's too dangerous. You can't do it anyway. I can't bear the consequences if something goes wrong!"
"Oh?" Chu Yan raised his eyebrows, his smile unchanged, his eyes full of meaning, "Since classmate Gu is so worried about my safety, will you choose to stay and attend class, or take me, a burden, with you and fight a quick battle together?"
Multiple choice questions are raised. Leave behind frustration and take risks.
Gu Ye looked at A Liang, who was about to cry at the door, and then looked at Chu Yan's evil smile. The depression of being manipulated surged in his heart.
"...Okay!" Gu Ye squeezed out the words from between his teeth, his eyes fiercely warning, "If you want to follow me, then follow me, but remember - no matter what happens later, stay away from me and don't get in the way. If you dare to run around or cause trouble..." He clenched his fists, "I'll be the first to beat you up!"
"Of course." Chu Yan agreed happily with a bright and harmless smile, "I will follow Gu's instructions in everything." He stood up gracefully and adjusted his school uniform.
Gu Ye looked at him like this, his breath caught in his chest. He grabbed his schoolbag irritably and growled at A Liang, "Let's go." He rushed out the back door first.
Chu Yan looked at Gu Ye's angry back, which also carried the implication of "protecting to death", and a smile on his lips was tinged with genuine interest. He slowly followed.
Ah Liang looked at Chu Yan, stunned: "Ye, Ye brother, he..."
"Shut up! Lead the way!" Gu Ye interrupted unhappily, glaring at Chu Yan fiercely, "Follow closely!"
The three of them disappeared at the end of the corridor. Chu Yan followed behind Gu Ye, looking at his tense back and dazzling silver hair, his eyes gleaming with an unfathomable light.
The screen of the phone in his hand lit up silently again.
Gu Xu: I understand. How about this weekend? I know a private club with a perfect environment.
Chu Yan glanced at the screen as it flickered on and off, his steps unwavering. A cold, playful smile played at the corner of his mouth. The trap had been set, and now he wanted to see how the silver-haired beast would display its claws in the real jungle.
【Chu Yan: Okay, Mr. Gu.】
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