I Don't Want To Be Hated By Everyone. - Chapter 16

His heart lost its rhythm under that gentle gaze, and it took Cheng Shuoning quite a while to finally accept the gift. “Thank you.”

The burning heat from the tips of his ears spread across his cheeks, causing him to raise his hand to touch his face, growing increasingly flustered.

To distract himself, Cheng Shuoning tore open the gift right away.

It was a white rabbit plushie.

It had large eyes, ears that drooped along the sides of its face, a pink upturned mouth, and distinct blush marks on both cheeks. It was indescribably soft and cute, making one want to squeeze it tightly.

The previous gloom seemed to vanish into thin air with the appearance of this rabbit. Cheng Shuoning curved his eyes into a smile and said to Xu Wangzhi, “It is very cute. I like it a lot.”

Watching from the side, Li Shengfei felt a bit sour.

It was just a dead rabbit plushie. Could it possibly compare to the live bird he had given? Yet Cheng Shuoning looked even happier than when he received his gift.

The more he thought about it, the more jealous he became, and Xu Wangzhi looked increasingly unpleasing to his eye. Li Shengfei snatched the rabbit, tossed it onto a chair, and grabbed Cheng Shuoning’s hand, putting on a close display. “Ningning, the parrot hasn’t been named yet. Why don’t you give it a name?”

For some reason, this person, Xu Wangzhi, brought a massive sense of crisis to him, forcing him to stay on his guard.

Cheng Shuoning broke free from his grip, picked the rabbit back up, and set it neatly to the side. Only then did he glance at the well-behaved parrot inside the cage and say, “Let us just call it Audio Recording.”

Li Shengfei thought the name was strange, but he did not voice it. “Audio Recording? Not bad.”

“Cheng Shuoning, come over quickly for a commemorative photo! The classmates are already lined up!” Zhang Xiuli shouted from a short distance away.

Cheng Shuoning gave an answering shout and walked toward her.

An idea struck him halfway through. He paused slightly, turned around, and looked at Xu Wangzhi to extend an invitation. “Are you coming too?”

“Come along, come along! Hurry, hurry, hurry!” Zhang Xiuli wished nothing more than for Xu Wangzhi to join. Hearing this, she waved her hand frantically. “We are only missing the two of you. Come here, come here!”

She had thought about asking Xu Wangzhi for a photo before, but because someone else had asked him previously and he expressed that he disliked photos, she had backed off. Hearing Cheng Shuoning’s words, she wanted to give him a massive thumbs-up, praising his excellent invitation.

The surrounding classmates all assumed Xu Wangzhi would refuse as usual. They never expected him to follow Cheng Shuoning in silence, ultimately stopping right by Cheng Shuoning’s side to face the camera.

Almost everyone thought, “!”

Has Student Xu’s personality been collectively melted by them? This is truly a rare sight.

“Classmate over there, could you please help us take a photo?” Since the entire class had gathered and no one was left to take the picture, Zhang Xiuli’s gaze landed on Li Shengfei.

Li Shengfei initially did not want to move, but out of consideration for Cheng Shuoning, he still stood up and walked over.

He picked up the camera and aimed it at everyone. When he saw Xu Wangzhi standing right next to Cheng Shuoning through the lens, he let out a click of his tongue, lowered the camera, and said, “Can you move a bit further away? Why are you standing so close? It is not like there is no space next to you.”

Xu Wangzhi acted as though he had heard nothing, his eyes dark and deep as he stared back at him.

Li Shengfei felt that familiar sense of oppression once more, which left him incredibly disgruntled, tempting him to hurl the camera right at him.

He restrained himself, revealing a brilliant smile as he spoke in a friendly tone, “Classmate, can you not hear me?”

“He is already very far away.” Cheng Shuoning knew exactly how much distance was between himself and Xu Wangzhi, so he urged Li Shengfei with a smile, “Just take it.”

Li Shengfei reluctantly snapped a few photos and returned the camera to Zhang Xiuli. His expression was so foul that he did not even utter a sound when Zhang Xiuli thanked him.

Dozens of people crowded together to look at the pictures on the camera, and almost everyone’s eyes landed on Xu Wangzhi and Cheng Shuoning first.

The two of them standing together were entirely the center of attention in the crowd, rendering it impossible to look away.

His phone rang. Li Shengfei answered it, and his expression shifted slightly. He snuck a glance at Cheng Shuoning, and seeing that he was focusing on the photos and not paying attention, he quickly walked upstairs while lowering his voice into the phone, “I am coming over right now.”

“Li Shengfei, do you want to take a photo together?”

Every year on his birthday, the four of them would take a group photo. Since Zhou Xundu had not arrived yet, Cheng Shuoning raised his head intending to ask Li Shengfei if he wanted to join, only to find the person gone.

He found it strange, casting a glance toward the second floor.

“Hungry, hungry!” The parrot inside the cage hopped back and forth, mimicking Li Shengfei’s tone of voice.

Cheng Shuoning had originally intended to head upstairs to search for him, but hearing this, he first retrieved some nuts to feed the parrot.

“Delicious, Ningning!” After eating, the parrot stood there motionlessly, its bean-sized eyes staring intently at Cheng Shuoning.

“As long as it is delicious.” Cheng Shuoning stroked its head, moved the cage to one side to set it down, and prepared water and food for it.

“Cheng Shuoning, your phone.” The cold-featured youth stopped beside him, glancing at the constantly vibrating phone on the table as he gave a low reminder.

Prompted by Xu Wangzhi, Cheng Shuoning finally discovered that someone was calling him.

It was Zhou Xundu, who told Cheng Shuoning apologetically that he would arrive a bit late.

Cheng Shuoning replied, “It is fine. Handle your matters first, Brother Zhou. There is no rush, and please drive safely on the road.”

“I want to see Ningning sooner,” Zhou Xundu said in a warm tone. “I will hurry over as fast as possible. Wait for me, Ningning.”

“Okay.” Cheng Shuoning hung up the phone.

The sky began to darken, and Aunt Chen pushed out a six-layered cake.

Cheng Shuoning lifted his eyes to look at the second floor. A bizarre emotion inside his heart urged him to go up and search for Li Shengfei, and that feeling was so intense that he could not ignore it even if he tried.

After making three phone calls that went unanswered, Cheng Meng dialed the number once more.

He originally assumed he would be rejected again, but to his surprise, the call connected this time.

The other party’s voice was cold and detached, as though inquiring of a stranger he had never known, “What is it?”

“Are you not coming today?” Cheng Meng bit his lip, asking with immense anticipation.

“Whether I come or not has nothing to do with you,” the man said. “The main character today is not you.”

Cheng Meng gripped his phone tightly. His heart could not help but beat frantically the moment he heard the man’s voice, and even his cheeks turned red along with it.

He clutched his clothes somewhat bashfully, softening his voice to say, “I want to see you. I haven’t seen you at all these past few days. I have already retrieved the necklace. I never expected it to drop at your house previously.”

“Truly, I thought I had lost it outside and searched for a long time. You must believe me.”

“You aren’t angry with me because of this, are you?” Cheng Meng asked with extreme caution, the depths of his eyes concealing a dense, uncontainable affection.

Yet, the other party only granted him endless silence.

Cheng Meng called out aggrievedly, “Brother Zhou”

Perhaps this phrase “Brother Zhou” touched the other party, as the voice on the phone softened considerably, “I understand.”

Following that vague sentence, the call was disconnected.

The lack of a refusal meant there was an opportunity. Cheng Meng’s eyes lit up, and he leaped off the bed, opening the wardrobe to begin searching for suitable clothes.

Thinking of what Cheng Shuoning was wearing today, he retrieved a similar suit to change into.

The person in the mirror wore a black suit, his figure upright, his features refined, and his cheeks flushed.

He attempted to mimic the smile Cheng Shuoning usually wore, slightly curling his lips, yet it did not look alike no matter what, making his own face appear unfamiliar instead.

Cheng Meng felt annoyed, staring grimly at the person in the mirror.

He rejoiced that he did not look like Cheng Shuoning, yet he also wished to look like Cheng Shuoning. This contradictory psychological state was close to driving him insane.

A knock sounded on the room door, and Li Shengfei’s worried voice rang out, “Cheng Meng, are you alright?”

He walked over and opened the door. “I am fine. I have already recovered.”

“Your face is so red? Do you have a fever?” Li Shengfei stepped into the room, raising his hand to test his forehead. “The temperature is fine. Did Han Tian come to find you earlier? What happened?”

Over the phone, Cheng Meng had spoken with a sobbing tone saying he wanted to see him, so Li Shengfei dared not delay at all, rushing straight over after ensuring he wasn’t discovered by Cheng Shuoning.

“It was nothing major, it is just that Han Tian came to find me and was discovered by Cheng Shuoning. He interrogated Han Tian, and then concluded that I had seduced Han Tian.” Hearing his anxiety and worry, Cheng Meng arranged his hair, enjoying that display of concern as he spoke casually.

“Ningning truly thinks that way?” Li Shengfei knit his brows, expressing some surprise.

Cheng Shuoning would actually use the word “seduce.” No wonder Han Tian was so furious when he left. It appeared the two of them absolutely had a fight.

“What? You think he is not capable of that?” Cheng Meng paused, his tone sounding somewhat heartbroken. “But he said exactly that, and he even disparaged me, saying I deliberately targeted him, which was why I seduced Han Tian. He even told me to stay further away from you guys, saying I am not worthy of approaching you.”

“The reason you called me here is” Li Shengfei’s eyelids twitched wildly.

“Yes, I decided it is better for me to draw a clear line between myself and you guys anyway. In the end, I cannot compare to Cheng Shuoning, and I still have to be humiliated by him, with him calling me lowly.” Cheng Meng suddenly squatted down, covering his face as he sobbed, “His appearance caused what should have belonged entirely to me alone to be divided into two portions. I hide my grievances without speaking, yet I still have to be hated and humiliated by him. Li Shengfei, I am truly so sad.”

Cheng Meng usually either remained silent or spoke with mockery, so this was the first time Li Shengfei had seen him like this.

The originally existing doubts were shattered by his pitiful appearance. Li Shengfei walked over, stroking his head to comfort him, his words issuing before his brain could even process them, “Do not be sad. Ningning went too far this time; he shouldn’t have spoken about you that way. You are not lowly; the one who is lowly is him.”

“Do you truly think so?” Cheng Meng’s eyes were bright red, and he asked while holding back tears, “You won’t think like him, assuming I approached you guys intentionally?”

“Of course not, you are very good, I know it all.” Li Shengfei patiently coached him, wiping away the tears slipping from the corner of his eye. “Stop crying. Your crying is making my heart break.”

Cheng Meng threw himself into his embrace, sobbing out a declaration of his goodness, “Li Shengfei, you are so good.”

Outside the door, Cheng Shuoning’s hand, which was about to knock, ultimately withdrew.

Forget it, he thought.

Pushing the door to enter, or exposing it on the spot—what if Li Shengfei also acted entangled like Han Tian, feeling that this was nothing major?

The sky outside the window had darkened completely, leaving the corridor somewhat dim. The pale-faced youth stood at the doorway, his head lowered slightly, rendering it impossible to see the expression on his face clearly.

The wind blew in from outside the window, bringing an invasive chill. He shivered slightly, pressing his lips together tightly. Just as he turned around preparing to leave, someone approached him and draped a jacket over his shoulders.

The man’s warm aura drew close. Meeting those eyes filled with softness, Cheng Shuoning took off the jacket, silently refusing his kindness.

The people inside the room were still speaking, mostly mentioning Cheng Shuoning, and even the phrase “green tea” issued from their mouths.

Listening to a person he had known for many years address him as green tea with every breath, the youth curled his lips into a self-mocking smile, his features carrying a trace of exhaustion.

“Ningning, I will not be like him,” the restrained and modest man spoke softly. “Believe me. Do not refuse me, okay?”

Although he lowered his voice, it was still highly audible in the quiet surroundings.

The voices inside the room vanished, as if sensing someone outside the door. Immediately following that, the door was opened from the inside.

Seeing the two of them, Li Shengfei remained reasonably composed, offering a slight smile, “Why did Ningning come up? And Zhou Xundu, you arrived altogether too late; the sky outside is already dark.”

{He actually ran up here to eavesdrop? This is truly a headache. When did he become so calculating? He gave me quite a scare.}

He released his grip on the door frame and said to Cheng Shuoning, “When I came out of the restroom, I heard a sound inside Cheng Meng’s room. Fearing something had happened to him, I came over to inquire. Ningning, rest assured, he is fine.”

Cheng Shuoning said coldly, “Whether he is fine or not has nothing to do with me.”

Li Shengfei froze, his smile becoming somewhat unsustainable as he explained, “Previously, you always told us to pay more attention and not fling our faces at him. I thought you cared about him a lot, so I comforted and coaxed him for a long time. I never expected that I had misunderstood.”

These words were spoken precisely as though he had entered Cheng Meng’s room solely because of Cheng Shuoning, and regarding the words spoken inside the room, he could also explain that it was merely to coax Cheng Meng, following along with his words.

Cheng Meng stood behind Li Shengfei, his eyes swollen from crying, appearing rather pitiful.

It was quite novel; Cheng Shuoning had never seen Cheng Meng like this. He took a couple of extra glances and suddenly found it somewhat amusing, unable to restrain himself from laughing out loud.

The silence in the corridor was shattered by his light laugh, and the reasonably composed Li Shengfei found himself lacking a leg to stand on as he witnessed the clearly visible mockery on Cheng Shuoning’s face.

“What are you laughing at?” Cheng Meng raised his brows to question him. His gaze swept over Zhou Xundu, who stood elegantly with a smile on his face. Subconsciously arranging his somewhat wrinkled clothes, he lifted his chin slightly, his words sharp, “Do you have a fetish for eavesdropping? Twice now, is there no end to this?”