Vol 2 Chapter 9: High Noon

Liu Changqing.

Male, interested in women.

As a perfectly normal guy in every aspect, he obviously couldn't tolerate any same-sex romantic advances. After personally writing a love letter and handing it to his employer...

The other party shoved the letter back into his hands...

At this moment, Liu Changqing completely lost control. In that instant, he recalled how Sun Fan had just embraced him, whispering intimately in his ear.

He remembered the way Sun Fan had looked at him...

Remembered...

Liu Changqing couldn't take it anymore.

Enraged, he immediately started grappling with Sun Fan, who was utterly bewildered.

After being pinned down by Liu Changqing, the unwilling Sun Fan fought back.

As the saying goes: "We're both troublemakers - what gives you the right to hit me?"

Not one to back down, Sun Fan began throwing punches too.

This terrified their classmates.

Especially Qin Ruoliu, the class monitor. Seeing the fight break out in the back row, the frightened girl hurriedly left her seat and ran to the teachers' office.

She went to fetch the teacher again.

Soon, Qin Ruoliu returned with their homeroom teacher in tow.

Seeing the two boys wrestling, the teacher's face darkened instantly. He rushed forward and kicked each boy once before dragging them out by their ears.

Thus ended the brawl.

Peace returned to the classroom once more.

As class monitor, Qin Ruoliu had once again resolved a conflict between classmates.

Sighing in relief, she surveyed the aftermath of the fight.

Books scattered everywhere, desks overturned.

Understanding her responsibilities as monitor, she only hesitated for a few seconds before stepping forward to laboriously right the toppled desks and chairs.

Then she began gathering the scattered books.

While she worked, the other students whispered among themselves, speculating why the two close friends had come to blows.

Qin Ruoliu paid them no mind.

Until... she noticed a piece of paper at her feet.

Pausing for a second.

She eventually picked it up and curiously unfolded it.

Reading the words on the paper...

Her face grew progressively redder.

She abruptly folded the paper and clutched it tightly.

Now Qin Ruoliu's mind was completely occupied by the love letter's contents.

Startled, she first glanced toward the classroom door to confirm the boys hadn't returned yet, then hurriedly placed the letter back on Liu Changqing's desk.

Head bowed, she quickly retreated from the back of the classroom.

Returning to her own seat.

How... could he write such things...

So shameless...

Meanwhile.

Liu Changqing, making his third office visit that day, endured their homeroom teacher's furious finger-pointing tirade.

Beside him, Sun Fan watched the teacher scold Liu Changqing, occasionally nodding in agreement - which only infuriated the teacher further.

The verbal assault soon shifted from Liu Changqing to Sun Fan.

With class about to start.

An Yuanyao entered the office.

She'd come to collect graded assignments, but the moment she stepped inside, she spotted Liu Changqing.

Pausing briefly, she couldn't help thinking:

He's been in the office for two whole class periods... how pitiful.

Liu Changqing noticed movement behind him and instinctively turned to look.

Seeing An Yuanyao, his gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds before looking away.

An Yuanyao opened her mouth to greet him.

But no sound came out.

Suddenly...

She remembered what Li Wanran had said two classes ago.

Her previously bright eyes dimmed as she explained her purpose to Liu Changqing's teacher, then went to her own teacher's desk to collect the prepared stack of notebooks.

Turning.

She walked past the three of them.

This time, An Yuanyao didn't exchange a single word with Liu Changqing.

Not even eye contact...

Like complete strangers.

Glancing back at her retreating figure briefly, Liu Changqing soon turned away again.

Listening to the teacher's scolding.

At least this time there was no horse stance punishment.

After the lecture, each boy received a kick to the rear before being expelled from the office.

As the class bell rang, the two walked silently back toward their classroom.

Returning to class.

As if they'd had a falling out, neither spoke to the other.

This continued for two full class periods without any interaction.

Until morning classes ended.

Just as Liu Changqing prepared to go to the school cafeteria for lunch, Sun Fan suddenly grabbed his arm.

Instantly covered in goosebumps.

About to unleash a verbal tirade, but before Liu Changqing could speak, Sun Fan's voice reached his ears first.

"Not sure why you hit me, but remember - I paid you."

"Think money makes you special? You think one yuan can buy me? Dream on!"

"Huh?"

Hearing this, Sun Fan looked utterly baffled.

Frowning in confusion, he asked after a pause:

"Buy you... what do you mean?"

"I won't even insult you. I don't judge sexual preferences, but let me make this clear - I like girls! Not guys!"

"I like girls too!"

"Wait what?"

With Sun Fan's response, it was now Liu Changqing's turn to be stunned.

Also frowning as he carefully reconsidered.

After a while, he asked:

"That love letter... wasn't for me?"

"Are you stupid? Why would I give it to you?"

"You're the stupid one! You finished writing it and put it in front of me - what was I supposed to think?"

"We agreed you'd deliver it for me. Early onset dementia? So forgetful!"

"......"

Facing Sun Fan's explanation, Liu Changqing thought long and hard.

Realizing he was right.

His fuzzy memory did recall agreeing to help with this...

Wait, who did this guy like again?

"So you thought I liked you? Have you looked in a mirror lately? You're so dark you reflect light! I've told you before - don't go out in direct sunlight! Look..."

Sun Fan yanked up Liu Changqing's shirt, exposing his pale stomach.

A stark contrast to his tanned skin.

"......"

Dropping the shirt, Sun Fan patted his shoulder.

Misunderstanding resolved, their friendship returned to normal.

"I'll go save you a seat in the cafeteria. You..."

Sun Fan glanced at the few remaining classmates and lowered his voice.

"Take the chance to slip the letter into her desk. I'll treat you to ice cream if it works out."

"Slip it to who?"

"Tch, stop pretending. You know exactly who I like!"

Sun Fan raised his eyebrows meaningfully toward a direction.

Following his gaze, Liu Changqing saw...

Qin Ruoliu's seat.

Meanwhile, Sun Fan continued:

"The prettiest girl in class! I fell for her the first day of school!"

Prettiest...

After careful consideration and reviewing all the attractive girls in class, Liu Changqing realized who he meant.

Qin Ruoliu.

With her big eyes and pink lips, her art style seemed different from everyone else's.

Initially, Liu Changqing wanted to refuse being an errand boy.

But ice cream sounded too good.

In this sweltering heat, though his parents doted on him, they strictly controlled his allowance to prevent him from picking up bad habits.

No reason to turn down free ice cream, right?

After these instructions, Sun Fan left for the cafeteria.

Liu Changqing searched his desk until he found the love letter.

Holding it.

Scanning the room.

Soon, the last few students departed.

Leaving Liu Changqing alone.

High noon!

Meanwhile, en route to the cafeteria, Sun Fan encountered Qin Ruoliu heading his way.

Spotting his class monitor, Sun Fan waved.

"Hi Monitor! Where you headed?"

"Oh... hello... I'm going back to get my water bottle..."

"Really!"

The mischievous Sun Fan paused before asking:

"Is Huihui in the cafeteria too?"

"Yes..."

Facing his interrogation, the timid Qin Ruoliu answered softly.

Despite being monitor, she kept her distance from the class troublemakers.

The "Huihui" he mentioned was her deskmate.

Zeng Yihui.

Chinese class representative.

Sun Fan had been pestering her for ages - common knowledge in their class.