4-14: "Now, it's my turn to pursue you."
Everything was silent except for the whistling sound of snowflakes fluttering down.
The entire teaching building fell completely silent.
The winter sky remained gloomy as usual.
The distant clouds were dark, obscuring the last rays of the winter sun.
The long, slanting rays of sunlight that once shone down on the corridor of the teaching building are slowly disappearing.
In the dim light, only a faint, crimson dot could be seen on the Huaiyan inkstone.
The heat made his heart clench.
"What are you doing here?" Huaiyan asked, unusually flustered, her voice trembling slightly. "Aren't you going to eat?"
Huaiyan has been to several of the canteens at University A a few times, and the food is actually quite good.
He didn't know why Jin Xiuchen chose to stand here and smoke.
Seeing the students arrive, he showed no intention of restraining himself.
Moreover, not long ago, he clearly saw the man being surrounded by a group of girls as he left the classroom.
Logically speaking, there should be many people surrounding the other party at this moment.
But Jin Xiuchen didn't say anything.
The man leaned against the wall, smoke curling from between his fingers, and a strong smell of tobacco wafted over.
This must be a good cigarette; it smells quite nice.
Huai Yan thought to himself, his eyes blinking involuntarily.
Amidst the swirling smoke, he stared at Jin Xiuchen.
The man's gaze was cold and deep, his pale blue eyes adding to his chill, like the coldness of a snowy landscape.
The two were separated by a hazy layer of smoke.
The man's cold and superior face was somewhat indistinct in the shadows, making it difficult for Huaiyan to see clearly.
It is clear that Jin Xiuchen did not answer him.
Huai Yan suddenly felt a sense of shame for being presumptuous.
Although he and Jin Xiuchen were, in a sense, rumored to be dating.
But Jin Xiuchen is a professor, someone whom most people can only look up to but never reach.
Someone like that wouldn't be so idle as to browse the school's forum, would they?
Furthermore, the content on the forum is merely speculation, and no one has been able to provide any substantial evidence.
For example, Jin Xiuchen's confession, or love letters and the like.
Huaiyan then began to regret her recklessness.
He shouldn't have stopped to greet Jin Xiuchen.
Perhaps others don't even know him, let alone like him.
Perhaps from beginning to end, he was the only one who felt uneasy because of that post.
But just as Huaiyan was trying to find an excuse for himself, Jin Xiuchen spoke up.
"Did you take the day off yesterday?"
The man lowered the hand that was holding the cigarette, his voice indifferent, as if he were asking about something ordinary.
Just then, the cigarette had burned to the end.
Huaiyan watched as the ashes were blown to the ground by a gust of winter wind.
The floor was quickly stained with light gray ash that had a distinctive fragrance.
Upon hearing Jin Xiuchen's words, the boy, who had been hanging his head, slowly raised it.
He seemed incredulous, his emerald green eyes wide open.
Before he could think, the boy's mouth reacted before his brain could.
"I had a slight fever yesterday, so I took the day off," the boy's voice softened. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
Perhaps it was because she was facing Jin Xiuchen at such close range that Huai Yan's heart was beating a little too fast.
His emotions, which were already on the verge of spiraling out of control, intensified even more after he learned that "Jin Xiuchen knew him."
But Jin Xiuchen stopped talking again.
He simply exhaled a puff of smoke, and stared directly into Huaiyan's eyes.
Suddenly, Jin Xiuchen stubbed out the cigarette butt, which was almost completely burned out.
The man straightened up and, seemingly casually, flicked the cigarette butt into a nearby trash can.
The trash can was a bit far from the man, but he still managed to hit it easily.
Then, Jin Xiuchen's indifferent gaze shifted to the boy.
"A post on the forum."
The man's voice was calm and clear, as if it had been washed with water, as he uttered a statement with absolute certainty, "You saw it, didn't you?"
Huai Yan was startled and almost lost her footing.
He had imagined many scenarios, but he never expected that Jin Xiuchen would take the initiative.
But after thinking about it carefully, Huaiyan realized that it was true.
Jin Xiuchen certainly doesn't have the time or energy to deal with a forum post that's insignificant and doesn't really matter in private.
Finding Huaiyan and explaining things clearly is probably the limit of a man's patience.
After thinking about it, Huaiyan decided to tell the truth.
He obediently replied, "I saw it, but you don't need to worry about it. I will clarify."
"Um?"
The man seemed slightly puzzled. He stared intently at Huai Yan and asked, "Clarify what?"
Huai Yan was taken aback.
He thought Jin Xiuchen was confirming something with him.
The boy sounded flustered, feeling ashamed to have told the whole story.
After all, it was obvious that Jin Xiuchen wouldn't like him, and this was the first time he had said such a thing.
It sounds more like boasting.
But the boy still stammered and nervously explained, "To clarify... you weren't pursuing me, we were just..."
"But what?" Jin Xiuchen took a step closer and asked in a low voice.
The air around the man became heavy and oppressive.
Huaiyan couldn't quite grasp the man's emotions.
"It's just...it's just..." The boy took a few steps back and continued cautiously, "...just a normal teacher-student relationship."
He guessed that Jin Xiuchen was probably afraid of trouble.
Otherwise, why would I be waiting for him here? Just to clarify things.
However, after Huaiyan finished speaking, the man did not immediately respond.
His gaze swept back and forth over the boy, cool and aloof.
"No need."
Jin Xiuchen's voice remained calm, but his words sent a chill down one's spine: "This is not a rumor."
The man spoke as if he were discussing the weather, his tone casual and nonchalant.
After he finished speaking, he stared intently into the boy's clear eyes once again.
But this caused a huge uproar in Huaiyan's heart.
What?! Did he hear that right?!
What did Jin Xiuchen just say?
Huaiyan's heart was pounding more and more out of control.
He felt his heart pounding more violently than ever before in his chest.
This feeling of tension, excitement, almost made his blood run cold.
This is the first time it has happened.
For a fleeting moment, he felt as if he had suddenly come back to life.
At least when Huai Yan heard Bai Wenzhou's words, he was certain.
His heartbeat was vibrant.
It's not a rumor.
Could it be that Jin Xiuchen... is really pursuing him?
Once this perception is formed in your mind, it is difficult to shake off.
Huai Yan was momentarily flustered and didn't know how to respond to Jin Xiuchen.
He simply stared blankly at the man.
A few seconds later.
The boy's ear tips, cheeks, and neck all turned bright red.
"Teach...professor..." Huaiyan said hesitantly, "You mean..."
Suddenly, Jin Xiuchen chuckled softly.
"What I mean is, what needs to be clarified is..."
He finished the boy's sentence, saying in a deep voice, "I wasn't chasing you before."
Huai Yan's heart sank.
While feeling disappointed, I also felt that it was somewhat expected.
Why would Jin Xiuchen waste his time doing such thankless and arduous tasks?
Huai Yan forced a smile, looking somewhat embarrassed, and tried to continue the man's words.
Because his actions just now were truly a case of wishful thinking.
Jin Xiuchen is so smart, he must have seen through it at a glance.
However, the man did not give Huaiyan that chance.
The snow outside the teaching building has gradually lessened, I don't know when it started.
Suddenly, light burst forth from the clouds.
A long, warm light shone down on the empty corridor.
Jin Xiuchen was tall, and when he faced the boy against the light, his outline was blurred by the surrounding snow and light.
Those blue eyes held unreadable emotions, and even the gaps in their ink-black hair were tinged with gold.
The man rightfully occupied the center of Huaiyan's vision.
As a result, every move the other party makes attracts extra attention.
Huaiyan even slowed down her breathing.
He felt as if his eardrums were about to burst from the sound of his heartbeat.
Facing Jin Xiuchen, he felt an unusual awkwardness, a sense of trepidation—wanting to get close but not daring to.
then.
The man's tall figure loomed over them, like an impenetrable wall, completely trapping the boy inside.
Breaths intertwined, breaths blended.
“Now,” Jin Xiuchen’s eyes darkened, his gaze becoming inscrutable, and he stated bluntly, “that’s when I start pursuing you.”
Huai Yan suddenly opened her eyes wide.
boom.
Something exploded in his mind like fireworks, leaving only a buzzing sound.
The surrounding scenery rushed past, and the corridors, buildings, and crowds in the distance, bathed in the biting winter wind, seemed to suddenly dim.
Huai inkstones have a strange, heart-pounding downward sensation.
Without warning, he was thrown into a sweet trap called Jin Xiuchen by the deafening sound of his heartbeat.
The trap was like an all-encompassing net, slowly binding him within it, leaving him breathless.
It took Huaiyan quite a while to slowly, but with a hint of surprise, realize the meaning behind Jin Xiuchen's words.
"Professor Jin..."
The boy's eyes shimmered with a gentle light, and his usual aloofness had vanished completely.
For a moment, Huaiyan almost felt that she was about to agree.
But as soon as his lips parted, he suddenly remembered.
He currently has a boyfriend.
This fact made Huaiyan feel as if she were standing in the cold wind and snow, with a basin of icy water poured over her head.
He could not answer Jin Xiuchen.
At least for now, he cannot give Jin Xiuchen a clear answer.
If Jiang Feng finds out about this, things will definitely blow up.
Jiang Feng will definitely not let this opportunity pass, so that Huai Yan and the Huai family will feel guilty towards him.
Most importantly, if Jiang Feng really does reveal this matter...
The one most affected will be Jin Xiuchen.
A promising young man, full of vigor and ambition, who is at the peak of his career.
Why should we get involved in this mess because of him?
But Huaiyan also had his own selfish motives.
He doesn't want to let Jin Xiuchen go for the time being.
The moment Huaiyan first saw the man, she felt a strange sensation.
Whether it's just for fun or for dating.
He wanted this person.
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