'Can't Stand Anymore'

Zhang Xianjing charged to the front line of water delivery, determined to 'win him over before the monthly exam'.

Chen Jingshen glanced at her, then suddenly got up and walked over quickly, his pace nothing like someone who'd just run three thousand meters.

Zhang Xianjing pursed her red lips—

What do you call this?

This is what they call 'if you think about it enough, it'll happen'!

Chen Jingshen was about to reach her. Zhang Xianjing immediately tilted her face to its best angle, casually showing off the nail polish she'd stayed up late painting last night as she handed him the water, pitching her voice sweet: 'Chen tong—'

Then she watched in disbelief as Chen Jingshen turned right before her, brushed past her, and collapsed onto Yu Fan's shoulder.

Zhang Xianjing: '...'

She looked at Yu Fan's gloomy expression and thought, oh no.

If she remembered correctly, the last person who got this close to Yu Fan while drenched in sweat was a group of troublemakers from the neighboring school. Word was that guy didn't show up to class for a week afterward.

Zhang Xianjing was about to rush in for a beauty-saves-hero moment and seal their fate, when she saw Yu Fan raise his hand—

And wrap it around Chen Jingshen.

Zhang Xianjing: '?'

...

Yu Fan stiffly held the guy, debating whether to drop him on the ground or kick him there. 'If you can't stand, then lie down. No car's gonna run you over here.'

Chen Jingshen said hoarsely, 'I'm afraid I'll affect other people.'

'Then are you afraid of getting hit?'

The person on his shoulder was quiet for a moment, then slowly pushed himself up and stood straight.

'Sorry.'

Chen Jingshen's pale lips moved. He took a step back, as if to make room for Yu Fan to leave, but the next second he swayed, and another head landed on Yu Fan's shoulder.

Yu Fan: '...'

A few seconds later, under everyone's watchful eyes, Yu Fan roughly adjusted his position.

He shifted Chen Jingshen to his side, disdainfully lifted one of his arms and draped it over his own shoulder, then cold-faced carried the guy away.

The School Infirmary wasn't far from the School Playground. By the time Yu Fan arrived, people waiting for treatment were already crowded up to the door.

There were only three chairs and one bed in the School Infirmary, and they were all taken, so Yu Fan had to stand there holding the guy.

The school nurse was squatting on the ground applying medicine to another student's leg. Hearing the noise, he looked up: 'What's wrong?'

'Just finished running three thousand meters,' Yu Fan said coolly. 'Might be on his last legs.'

'...'

As long as you didn't beat him into this state, it's fine.

Because Zhuang Fangqin often brought him here for medicine, the school nurse recognized him.

The school nurse looked at Chen Jingshen: 'Where do you feel uncomfortable? Chest pain?'

Chen Jingshen shook his head lightly: 'Dizzy, no strength, can't stand steady.'

'That's nothing, it's normal. You probably don't exercise much, so you overexerted yourself. It'll ease up in a while.' The school nurse jerked his chin at Yu Fan. 'Go, pour a cup of warm water, add some sugar and salt. Less salt, about a third of a spoonful, stir it and give it to him. The stuff is on my desk.'

Yu Fan stood still: 'Me?'

'You want him to go himself?'

'.'

The school nurse looked around and saw there were no seats. He was about to say, why don't you let him lean against the wall for a bit—

Yu Fan carried the guy on his shoulder and went to mix the sugar water with one hand.

School nurse: '...'

Yu Fan was heavy-handed. He had no idea what a third of a spoonful was, so he just scooped up a heaping half spoon.

'Less,' the person on his shoulder said weakly.

'Say one more word and you're making it yourself.' With that, he shook the spoon, flicked half the salt back, stirred the cup perfunctorily, and held it up to Chen Jingshen. 'Drink.'

Chen Jingshen took it and took a very slow sip.

'You want to get hit?' Yu Fan said. 'Drink it all.'

Chen Jingshen obediently downed it in one go.

The nearby students who knew them both held their breath, staring at them in shock.

After finishing the medicine, the school nurse stood up and asked, 'How is it? Feeling better?'

'Mm,' Chen Jingshen said quietly. 'But I still can't stand very steady.'

'You still need a while to recover. Go back to the Classroom and rest properly. No strenuous exercise for now.'

The school nurse finished and looked at the person supporting him. 'Yu Fan, did you also run the three thousand? Want me to mix you a cup too?'

Yu Fan was about to ask where to put the guy down, but frowned at the question. 'No need, I didn't run.'

The school nurse was puzzled: 'If you didn't run, why is your face so red?'

'...'

Yu Fan dropped a 'I'm taking him back to the Classroom' and dragged the guy out of the School Infirmary.

Students were either on the School Playground or in the Classroom, so the hallway was mostly empty.

Afraid he'd faint again going up the stairs, Yu Fan irritably supported him, step by step.

'Do you still have strength?' Chen Jingshen suddenly spoke, his voice low. 'If you can't handle it, I can walk on my own.'

Who's the one who can't handle it now?

'Shut up,' Yu Fan said through gritted teeth, his ears tingling. 'Don't talk next to me.'

His mouth still had the strange taste of sugar and salt mixed together. Chen Jingshen swallowed silently, his breath a little heavier.

Yu Fan: 'And don't breathe either.'

'...'

Chen Jingshen lifted his eyes and glanced at Yu Fan's ear, then shut up.

The Senior 2 Class 7 Classroom was empty, not a single person.

Yu Fan dumped the guy onto a few desks pushed together and sat down next to him to play on his Mobile Phone.

Wang Luan'an had sent him a bunch of messages, buzzing his pocket the whole way.

[Wang Luan'an: I'm satisfied. Where are you guys?]

[Wang Luan'an: There's seriously something wrong with this brand of ice cream. I have to sue them! Once I get the compensation, I'll buy this School outright and have Sports Day every day!]

[Wang Luan'an: Holy shit! It's over! Zuo Kuan just told me the three-thousand was run by the study god. With his wrecked body, finishing that is gonna kill him!]

[Wang Luan'an: Where are you? Why aren't you in the stands?]

Just as he finished reading, Wang Luan'an called him. Yu Fan hung up immediately.

[-: Classroom.]

[Wang Luan'an: What are you doing in the Classroom?]

[-: Keeping vigil.]

[Wang Luan'an: ?]

A slight noise came from the front. Yu Fan held up his Mobile Phone and moved aside a little, meeting eyes with the person he was watching over.

Chen Jingshen was lying flat on the desks. The desks weren't long enough for him—at least half his legs hung off the edge.

The pose was pretty goofy, but on Chen Jingshen it didn't look that way.

He turned his head to look at Yu Fan: 'How was your long jump?'

There was a gap between the desk and the chair, enough space. Yu Fan sat with his legs crossed arrogantly, expressionless. 'Are you gonna sleep or not?'

'Can't sleep,' Chen Jingshen said. 'I...'

Bang.

A very soft sound cut off Chen Jingshen's words.

Yu Fan lifted the leg that was resting on his other knee, stretched it out, and kicked the desk Chen Jingshen was lying on—not hard, but the desk shifted a little.

'Chen Jingshen,' Yu Fan said coldly after a long moment. 'You said before that you started noticing me in freshman year?'

Chen Jingshen's eyes flickered. He looked at him quietly.

Yu Fan continued: 'And during Sports Day, you watched my events?'

Yu Fan's everyday cold face and his expression when he was truly angry were actually different.

Usually, when he bickered with Hu Pang, ran into extortionists from the neighboring school, or even ran into Ding Xiao at the Bubble Tea Shop, he was always indifferent and lazy, never really taking those things seriously.

Not like now—every look was like a knife, his face written with 'one punch from me and you'll sleep forever,' and his voice dripping with ice.

'I didn't participate in Sports Day freshman year. Where did you watch my event? Cool Boy Internet Café?' Yu Fan said expressionlessly. 'All that crap you said, you learned it from Zhang Xianjing, didn't you?'

'Chen Jingshen, are you messing with me?'

The Classroom was silent for a moment.

Chen Jingshen stared at him without moving, his lips pressed tight.

Might as well just hit him.

Yu Fan waited a little, then made up his mind.

He pulled his leg back, stood up, looked down at Chen Jingshen, grabbed his collar, and said flatly, 'Get up. Let's settle this at noon...'

'First year of middle school,' Chen Jingshen suddenly spoke.

Yu Fan was startled: 'What?'

'First year of middle school, at Chengshan Middle School,' Chen Jingshen said, still lying down, looking at him calmly. 'You did the long jump.'

'...'

'I went to your school for an exam and saw you.'

Was that a thing?

Yu Fan's eyelid twitched hard.

It fucking really was—

'You had your pants rolled up, no shoes on. You tripped during your run-up, rolled on the ground, and fell into the sand. You didn't make the jump. Then you did it again.'

Yu Fan: '...'

'The second time wasn't far either.'

'...'

'Then you stood there watching other people jump, refusing to leave, and cried while you watched—'

'I wasn't crying!' Yu Fan tightened his grip on the collar, gritting his teeth to correct him. 'That time I got sand in my eyes!'

'Mm.'

After that 'mm,' Chen Jingshen suddenly turned his face away silently.

Yu Fan's heart jumped. He was about to tell him to shut up when Chen Jingshen looked back at him: 'But it was very cute.'

'...'

The grip on his collar suddenly tightened again.

The murderous intent hadn't faded from Yu Fan's face. His ears bright red, he glared at Chen Jingshen, his expression unusually dazed.

'Later, at the first flag-raising ceremony in freshman year of high school, you went up on stage to read your self-criticism, and that's when I found out we were in the same high school.'

Yu Fan said fiercely, 'Shut up.'

'I didn't learn from anyone else, and I wasn't messing with you,' Chen Jingshen said. 'I...'

'Can't you understand human speech—'

Bang!

The classroom door was kicked open from outside without warning.

Wang Luan'an was carrying a big plastic bag, with Zuo Kuan and Zhang Xianjing behind him: 'Yu Fan, I sent you messages but you never replied! The sun's brutal outside. Jing-jie said let's order takeout, so I got you a random braised beef brisket. Just make do with it—'

The three of them saw the scene inside and froze.

Yu Fan had one hand tightly gripping Chen Jingshen's collar, as if he was about to yank him off the desk, but his other hand was clamped firmly over Chen Jingshen's mouth. His face was bright red, his eyes carrying three parts ferocity, three parts shock, and four parts helplessness—his whole body awkward.

And the guy being grabbed lay there completely at ease, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, letting Yu Fan cover his mouth.

Like he was at someone's mercy, yet completely unafraid.

Hearing the noise, both of them looked over—one cold, one warm.

What are they doing? Wang Luan'an was stunned.

Fighting? Didn't look like it. He'd never seen Yu Fan hit someone with a red face, and he'd never seen Yu Fan cover anyone's mouth with his hand.

But with that pose, what else could it be?

An awkward silence filled the Classroom.

After a long moment, Wang Luan'an asked quietly, 'You guys... playing around?'