Chapter 24: That feeling

“Holy crap, Young Master Lu, those dark circles again?”

“Up all night?”

“It’s not because of the fem—”

I quickly covered Zheng’s mouth.

I shot him a murderous glare.

Lowering my voice to a whisper, I spoke seriously into his ear.

“Keep your mouth shut.”

“If you spill, I’m socially dead, and you’re not getting off easy.”

Zheng nodded.

He pushed my hand away.

He grinned mischievously.

“Honestly, you blew me away yesterday.”

“I regret not taking pictures.”

“I’m stopping by today to snap a few.”

“You jerk.”

“Fine, whatever.”

“Don’t spread them.”

“At least don’t let anyone know it’s me.”

“Chill, I said I’d keep quiet.”

“No fourth person will know about your fem—”

I clamped his mouth shut again.

This jerk, I can’t trust him.

I just hope a crowd of classmates doesn’t show up to laugh at me during my shift.

“Lu You, here’s yesterday’s English homework.”

“Oh, thanks.”

“By the way, An Xue Ruo, about yesterday?”

The girl in front fiddled with her blue hair.

She thought for a moment.

“Some guy named Wang or Zhou, maybe?”

“I didn’t pay attention.”

“He wasn’t important.”

“He was confessing to you, right?”

“You don’t even remember his name?”

“That’s gotta hurt if he finds out.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“So many people confess to me.”

“Do I have to memorize all their names?”

“If he doesn’t give up and keeps bothering me, I’ll remember him.”

“But for bad reasons.”

I can’t relate.

Someone who musters the courage to confess should leave an impression.

You’d remember their name, right?

Maybe for popular girls like her and Sister Yuan, confessions are so common they don’t bother.

I wouldn’t know.

I’ve only been confessed to by one girl.

And she’s the sister I live with.

“Goddess Xue Ruo got confessed to again?”

“Who was it?”

“Describe him, maybe I know him.”

Zheng eagerly leaned in.

He’s obsessed with gossip, especially about classmates.

It’s why he keeps joking about me and Sister Yuan.

…Not that it’s entirely a joke.

We do have a pretty important relationship.

“I don’t remember.”

“I rejected him.”

“Stop gossiping, Zheng Chen.”

“And don’t call me that.”

“No ‘goddess,’ just An Xue Ruo.”

“Got it, Goddess Xue Ruo.”

“Whatever you say, Goddess Xue Ruo.”

She rolled her eyes and turned away, exasperated.

“Zheng, what’s it like to like someone?”

“Young Master Lu, you into someone?”

“Spill!”

“Who is it?”

“What class?”

“What’s their name?”

“How do they look?”

“Good figure?”

“Guy or girl?”

“What’s that last question?”

“Don’t project your weird assumptions on me.”

“I’m just asking.”

“I don’t even know if I like them as a guy.”

Zheng gave me a disdainful look.

His lips curled down, like I’d said something wild.

“Not as a guy?”

“Then as a girl?”

“Young Master Lu, did yesterday’s… thing awaken some strange kink?”

“Go to hell.”

“I’m a totally normal straight guy.”

“Please don’t bring that up.”

“You’ll slip and spill.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll drop it.”

“Not as a guy… then as what?”

“A family member?”

“Whoa, Young Master Lu, you don’t like your sister, do you?”

I covered his mouth again.

He was so loud.

What if An Xue Ruo heard?

She actually knows about me and Sister Yuan.

“Keep it down, you jerk!”

“I’m asking because I don’t know if I like her.”

“What’s it like to like someone as a guy?”

“Be serious.”

“Fine, fine, serious.”

“Here’s the deal.”

“Liking someone is, like, feeling attracted to them as a person.”

“In a romantic, opposite-s*x way.”

What are you even saying?

That’s just word salad.

“Don’t give me that look.”

“I don’t know what it’s like either.”

“I’ve never really liked someone like that.”

“At most, I’ve been into a girl’s looks or body.”

How does he just admit something so embarrassing?

It’s fine in private, I guess.

But we’re in class.

Isn’t he worried An Xue Ruo or Class President Su will hear?

I sighed.

I slumped onto my desk.

I felt pathetic for having such a useless best friend.

“I don’t know, but others might.”

“Young Master Lu, let’s ask someone else.”

“Goddess Xue Ruo, Goddess Xue Ruo.”

An Xue Ruo didn’t turn.

She kept working on something.

She heard but didn’t want to deal with Zheng.

He realized his nickname was the issue.

He tried again.

“An Xue Ruo, An Xue Ruo.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“What?”

“Make it quick.”

“I haven’t prepped today’s lessons.”

“Young Master Lu wants to know what it’s like to like someone.”

“You get confessed to a lot.”

“You must know, right?”

She thought for a moment.

Surprisingly, she shook her head.

She nudged her desk mate, Su Ye Mi.

“Ye Mi, do you know?”

“What’s it like to like someone?”

Su Ye Mi tilted her head, thinking.

Her eyes darted.

She placed a curved finger by her lips.

Her golden hair spilled onto the desk.

After a bit, her face flushed.

She looked down, speaking slowly.

“It’s probably being deeply drawn to someone.”

“Always thinking about them without meaning to.”

“Wanting to be with them forever.”

“Spending your life together.”

“Something like that, I think.”

“I’m not sure…”

That sounds different from what Sister Yuan said.

Maybe her version is specific to how she feels about me.

Me with Sister Yuan…

I do want to be with her forever.

I’m in awe of her amazing qualities.

I always remember how good she is to me.

I’m definitely grateful.

And the kind of liking Su Ye Mi described?

I probably feel that too.

But the kind Sister Yuan talked about?

Do I feel the same way about her?

Forget it.

No more thinking.

Saving up for her birthday gift is more important.

The coffee shop was quiet today.

Sister Yan left after giving me my tasks.

I was alone in the shop.

I liked the calm, peaceful vibe.

It felt like escaping the city’s noisy steel beast.

A little corner of the world, all mine.

Sister Yuan texted me now and then, teasing.

It broke up the slight boredom.

Ding-a-ling—

The doorbell chimed.

*TL Note: The classroom banter and gossip about confessions reflect a common aspect of Chinese high school culture, where romantic confessions are a frequent, almost ritualized part of student life, often discussed with humor and curiosity among peers, as seen with Zheng Chen’s nosy enthusiasm.