Chapter 56

Yu Fan took a few steps before his hands and feet got back in sync.

Even though he hadn't really been part of the guys' conversation, they subconsciously saw him as the backbone of their group. So when he stood up, everyone looked up at him in unison.

'Where are you going?' Wang Luan'an asked.

Yu Fan paused mid-step, expression unchanged. 'Smoking.'

'Oh? Then I'll come with...' Zuo Kuan immediately started to stand up.

Yu Fan pressed him back into his seat with one hand, saying lazily, 'I'm smoking alone. Don't follow.'

'Didn't he say he was quitting? Gave up that fast?' Zuo Kuan stared at Yu Fan's cool but slightly stiff back. 'And he won't let anyone go with him. Is he afraid I'll bum a cigarette?'

'Bullshit, Yu Fan's not that stingy,' Wang Luan'an said.

'Just kidding,' Zuo Kuan looked around and clicked his tongue. 'Yu Fan's just going for a smoke, why are so many girls staring at him?'

Wang Luan'an had spent a lot of time with Yu Fan, so he was used to it. Yu Fan's face plus that cold, fierce aura no one else had meant he got a lot of looks whether on or off campus.

It wasn't about having a crush or liking him, but people would subconsciously be drawn to look at a boy like that.

Usually everyone only dared to sneak glances, but now it was pitch black, so of course they'd let themselves stare.

He bumped Zuo Kuan's shoulder, about to invite him to play a mobile game, when another tall figure beside them got up and left.

So Wang Luan'an asked again, 'Where are you going, valedictorian?'

'Bathroom,' Chen Jingshen said.

A lot of people around them turned their heads to follow Chen Jingshen's figure. Zuo Kuan watched for a while, then couldn't help looking back and asking, 'If I stood up and left now, do you think that many people would look at me too?'

Wang Luan'an pointed ahead. 'See that screen?'

Zuo Kuan: 'Am I blind?'

'If you ram your head into it right now, maybe that many people would look at you.'

'Fuck you.'

...

Usually the Experimental Building had a few lights on each floor at night, but today because all the students were downstairs watching the movie, only one light was left on in the stairwell. So now the Experimental Building was pitch black with a hint of dim yellow, kind of eerie.

Yu Fan crossed his arms, leaning expressionlessly against a pillar, and picked up his mobile phone for the sixth time to check the time. Chen Jingshen still had two minutes to go.

So he switched to another pillar and kept waiting, silently processing the excitement slowly seeping out of his heart in the darkness.

Actually, the first time he saw other people sneaking away, Yu Fan had felt a little tempted.

But just for a moment, he quickly suppressed it. The school was too dangerous—it felt like there were people in every corner. Even in the remote classrooms of the Experimental Building, there was a curtain that never closed properly, and you'd run into students sneaking out to pick up takeout.

But Chen Jingshen had asked him out.

Kind of asked him out...

Anyway, he fucking came out anyway.

Yu Fan was about to check the time for the seventh time when he saw a tall, thin figure coming from the School Playground. The surroundings were so dark he couldn't make out the person's clothes or face, but he was almost instantly sure it was Chen Jingshen.

When the person reached him, Yu Fan spoke up irritably, 'Didn't I tell you to act natural?'

'What's not natural about it?' Chen Jingshen said.

'You're walking faster than usual,' Yu Fan commented. 'And your arms are swinging higher than usual.'

Chen Jingshen was silent for a few seconds, then nodded. 'First time doing this, no experience. I'll pay attention next time.'

'...'

The noisy explosions came from the School Playground again. Chen Jingshen touched his fingers. 'Where are we going?'

Yu Fan was about to say, how should I know? Chen Jingshen added, 'Where did you used to take your girlfriends at school? Can I go there?'

Yu Fan really wanted to go back in time and cover his own mouth.

Words spoken are like water spilled. Yu Fan thought calmly for a moment, then straightened up from the pillar. 'Where else? Just find any classroom.'

He'd observed for a while when he had nothing to do—every couple that passed by and got startled by him headed upstairs in the Experimental Building.

After saying that, Yu Fan put on an experienced air and turned to walk into the Experimental Building.

Actually, usually only the classroom at the end of the first floor of the Experimental Building was usable—no surveillance.

But tonight the lights were off, and the building's surveillance cameras were all installed by the school years ago with no infrared function, so the building suddenly became a holy land.

The prime spot on the first floor was already taken, as expected.

They went up to the second floor. Yu Fan pushed every classroom door—all locked.

Third floor—no need to push doors. Two people were standing by the window at the end of the hallway, heads down, holding hands, saying something. Faint sounds came from the first classroom too—

Zhu Xu: 'I fell during training today and you didn't come comfort me. Boohoo, you don't care about your Xu baby at all...'

Yu Fan: '...'

Damn, even making out requires waiting in line?

Yu Fan took a deep breath, grabbed the person, and continued upward, his pace subtly faster than before.

Chen Jingshen glanced at his pulled clothes and followed him up without a word.

Zuo Kuan's curse was right—almost all five floors of the Experimental Building were occupied.

It was Yu Fan's first time walking through the entire Experimental Building. By the time he reached the last classroom on the fifth floor, he'd already given up hope. But to his surprise, the old door creaked open, and inside was empty—no one.

Yu Fan breathed a sigh of relief, like he'd caught the last midnight bus.

Searching every classroom on five floors, having to tiptoe and dodge people—he felt this trip was more exhausting than fucking running three thousand meters.

Chen Jingshen closed the door, checked the windows and curtains, and when he turned around, Yu Fan was already sitting on the first row of desks, leaning against the wall, playing on his phone while the fan blew.

His mobile phone had been vibrating all the way while they searched for a classroom—voice messages from Wang Luan'an. Yu Fan randomly opened one—

'Yu Fan, how many packs are you smoking? Aren't you coming back?' Wang Luan'an's voice rang out abruptly in the empty classroom.

'Is the Experimental Building always this lively?' Chen Jingshen asked.

Yu Fan was afraid Wang Luan'an would call him, so he looked down and replied to a couple of messages, saying offhandedly, 'Who knows...'

He paused, suddenly realizing, and added vaguely, 'It's not like I've dated anyone from our school.'

Chen Jingshen hummed in acknowledgment.

Wang Luan'an was too long-winded. Yu Fan dealt with him for a bit, then suddenly thought of something and called out without looking up, still typing, 'Chen Jingshen.'

'Mm.'

'What did the physics teacher want you for?'

'Nothing much. About the training camp.'

Yu Fan remembered the guy who had invited Chen Jingshen to stay together at the camp. His typing paused. After a few seconds, he said, 'Oh, when are you going?'

'Not going.'

Yu Fan was startled and instinctively looked up, only to realize Chen Jingshen was already standing in front of him, eyes half-lowered, looking at him.

Yu Fan: 'Why?'

Chen Jingshen had wanted to tease him, but didn't want to waste time, so he told the truth. 'I never planned to go. Something happened when I participated in group activities before, so I haven't joined any since.'

'What happened?'

Chen Jingshen looked at him, thought for a moment, and said lightly, 'I was bullied.'

'?'

Yu Fan immediately sat up straight, his face darkening. 'When? Where? Who? How did they bully you? Did you fight back?'

Chen Jingshen almost smiled, but held it back, saying flatly, 'A summer camp when I was a kid. I didn't fight back, but someone stood up for me.'

Yu Fan's expression shifted with his words—first getting agitated at 'didn't fight back,' then slowly letting his shoulders drop at the rest.

'How were you such a loser as a kid, needing someone else to stand up for you,' Yu Fan commented coldly.

Chen Jingshen said, 'Yeah, I guess.'

'Then why didn't you later...'

'If we keep talking, the movie will be over,' Chen Jingshen brushed his fingers, negotiating. 'Can you criticize me later?'

Maybe because Chen Jingshen had lowered his voice a little, Yu Fan's hand holding the phone stiffened slightly, and he belatedly remembered the purpose of this trip.

The emotions worn away by five floors gradually returned. With the windows closed, the movie sounds from downstairs faded a lot.

Yu Fan muted Wang Luan'an and Zuo Kuan's messages, tossed his phone aside, then looked up and responded coldly, '...Oh.'

The classroom fell into a brief, ambiguous silence.

Chen Jingshen's eyes glimmered faintly in the darkness. Yu Fan couldn't take it after a few seconds and was about to look away.

'I looked it up,' Chen Jingshen suddenly said. 'That Smoke Cessation Candy of yours doesn't really work.'

'...'

Why bring up that damn Smoke Cessation Candy now?

Yu Fan's mouth twitched downward, about to speak—

'It says you should use gum, or do something else to distract yourself.'

Chen Jingshen lowered his eyes and asked in a low voice, 'Do you want to smoke right now?'

Yu Fan's hand on the desk clenched tightly, his Adam's apple bobbed, and after a long moment he said, '...A little.'

Chen Jingshen hummed, tilted his head, and leaned in.

Yu Fan's heart pounded like a drum, but he kept his face calm as he lifted his chin slightly. Just as he brushed against Chen Jingshen's lip—

A beam of flashlight suddenly swept through the glass above the classroom door, flickered, and disappeared instantly.

Both of them froze.

The next moment, Zuo Kuan's loud voice came clearly from downstairs—

'Zhu Xu... brothers and sisters in the Experimental Building, fucking run!!! Fat... Director Hu is fishing for students tonight!!! He's coming up right now!!!! Hey hey hey Director, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, don't twist my ear...'

-

Chaos erupted.

The seemingly eerie Experimental Building suddenly spilled out a lot of people—some ran down the stairs, some took the emergency exits, and when they ran into school security rushing up, they quickly turned back.

Yu Fan grabbed Chen Jingshen's hand and climbed out of a first-floor classroom window, still a bit dazed. What the hell was this déjà vu? Hadn't he and Chen Jingshen climbed out of here just this morning?

They had experience and moved fast. Even though they were on the fifth floor, they climbed out before anyone else.

The Experimental Building was in an uproar. Just a few seconds after they climbed out, they heard the window move again, and Zhu Xu came tumbling out with his girlfriend in a grand fashion.

'You okay, babe? Did you hit your leg? I'll carry you, I'll carry you! I'll put you down when we get to the playground.' Zhu Xu hoisted his girlfriend onto his back, then realized there were two other people behind him.

He was startled at first, then asked, 'Yu Fan, what are you doing here? Smoking?'

When Zhu Xu saw him, Yu Fan couldn't help but flinch inside, already planning several ways to silence him. But being asked that made him suddenly realize—

Wait, why were he and Chen Jingshen running?

They were both guys. Even if they'd walked downstairs right in front of Fat Tiger, so what?

Chen Jingshen seemed to realize it too, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he returned to his usual poker face.

Yu Fan casually hummed in agreement.

'Oh, then you smoke. I'm heading back,' Zhu Xu said. 'The movie's almost over anyway.'

All the students were watching the movie on the playground in front of the building. The school path behind was empty except for them.

Zhu Xu was carrying his girlfriend, so he walked slowly. The two were pressed close together intimately ahead, occasionally Zhu Xu would turn his head to say something to his girlfriend, and she'd shyly punch his back.

Yu Fan was forced to watch from behind, and the more he watched, the more annoyed he got. Getting ambushed by Fat Tiger twice in one day was bad enough. But when it came to dating and running into Fat Tiger on patrol, why was the difference so huge?

Other couples were clinging together like eloping lovers, flirting, while he and Chen Jingshen were walking behind like they were on a stroll.

Others had made out through a whole movie in the Experimental Building, while he and Chen Jingshen had just climbed stairs?

What the fuck gave them the right?

'Chen Jingshen.'

Chen Jingshen looked over at the sound, then was suddenly grabbed by the collar and pulled down. He lowered his head accordingly, and his lips were caught off guard and kissed.

This path had no streetlights, relying entirely on two yellow lamps hanging on the Experimental Building's wall, casting fragmented tree shadows on the ground.

Their shadows also pressed together on the ground for a moment.

Yu Fan quickly pulled back. He let go of Chen Jingshen's clothes and looked ahead as if nothing had happened, thinking that this time he probably hadn't kissed as dumbly as before—he'd even licked Chen Jingshen's lip. He was so awesome.

The next moment, his arm was suddenly grabbed. Before Yu Fan could react, he was pulled into the open door of the sports equipment room beside them.

-

Near the playground, Zhu Xu put his girlfriend down and glanced back, then froze.

'What's wrong?' his girlfriend asked.

'Nothing,' Zhu Xu scratched his head, puzzled. 'Yu Fan and the valedictorian disappeared. They were just behind us a moment ago...'

The movie finally ended, and the students dragged their chairs back to the Academic Building—a rather spectacular scene.

The front stairs were too congested to get through, so some students took a detour to the stairs at the back of the Academic Building.

Some people were too lazy to carry their chairs, so they dragged them on the ground, the chair legs scraping against the floor with a grating noise.

The equipment room, separated from the Academic Building by only a small corridor, was now tightly shut.

The equipment room was narrow and cramped, with all kinds of sports equipment piled on both sides, leaving only a small space in the middle.

Yu Fan sat slumped on the floor, back against the wall, a little dizzy from being kissed. He'd learned how to breathe while kissing, but when Chen Jingshen's tongue touched his, he still felt floaty.

Voices and scraping sounds came from outside intermittently, teasing Yu Fan's nerves bit by bit. He felt both resistant and excited, a numbness spreading through the back of his head.

'Damn it, where the hell did Yu Fan and the valedictorian go?'

When Wang Luan'an's voice came through, Yu Fan tried to sit up as if electrocuted. The hands holding his chin suddenly moved down, pressing on his neck, and pinned him back against the door.

His back hit the metal door with a dull thud.

'What's that sound?' he heard Wang Luan'an ask.

'No idea. Hey, you think they did it on purpose? Ran off so we'd have to carry their chairs for them,' Zuo Kuan said irritably. 'Man, Fat Tiger pinched my ear so hard just now, it still hurts a bit.'

...

Yu Fan was so stimulated his head spun, his whole face flushed and burning. He thought, fuck it, and clumsily responded to Chen Jingshen, letting himself go.

And then he was kissed even harder.

When he was finally released, there was no sound outside anymore.

Yu Fan sat on the floor catching his breath for a moment, then reached out and pinched Chen Jingshen's face, pushing his cheeks together in a fierce gesture.

He looked up at Chen Jingshen, his voice slightly hoarse. 'Chen Jingshen, if you'd had even half the force you used to hold me down just now when you were a kid... you wouldn't have been bullied.'

Chen Jingshen let him pinch his face, silent for a long moment, then hummed lowly. He couldn't help it and leaned down to kiss him again.