My Romance With The Cold-Blooded Heartthrob - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Wen Shu countered with a dark expression, What on earth are you talking about? We aren’t interested in that.

What is going through his head? However, Wen Shu couldn’t help but look him over from head to toe. It was actually hard to tell that he’d never been in a relationship. Then, with professional impartiality, he said, “In that case, I’ll just write ‘None’.

Great. Pei Xian glanced at the interview form on the desk. Other people had lists of specialties that wouldn’t end; at the very least, they wrote “Reading.” Looking back at his own None, his eyelid twitched.

Hobbies?

Debate and street dance.

He certainly knew how to seize an opportunity. Just as Wen Shu was about to continue questioning, a clerk from the print shop arrived with a stack of registration forms.

Pei Xian took his form with a look of regret, thinking: Terrible timing. If they’d come a bit later, Captain Wen could have questioned me for a while longer.

Looking at the thick stack of forms, Wen Shu asked casually, Is the street dance team this popular this year?

Jiang Jue shook his head. Of course not. We just mastered the traffic code.

To Wen Shu’s shock, Jiang Jue took a life-sized standee and a massive banner from the clerk. He nodded with satisfaction. Excellent. Now this is effective. My shouting alone wasn’t enough.

Wen Shu hurriedly grabbed the standee. It was a photo of him from yesterday someone must have captured it perfectly. He was in the center position, his pink hair flying. Because sweat had gotten into his eyes, he was squinting slightly in discomfort, making him look quite pitiful.

The more Wen Shu looked at it, the more embarrassed he felt. He clung to the standee as if to hide it. No! Putting this here is too humiliating!

He grabbed the banner next to it. This one isn’t bad.

Jiang Jue pointed out sharply, Can you even read that out loud?

“No way.” Wen Shu hid to the side, covering his face to escape reality. What was with the Ohayou, underclassmen!?

The clerk ran back, sounding apologetic. Sorry, this belongs to the Anime Club next door. We grabbed the wrong one.

Jiang Jue picked up the standee and decided to find an arbitrator. Pei Xian, right? What do you think?

Pei Xian didn’t even blink, his eyes glued to the standee. “I think it’s great.” Genius, he thought. Whoever came up with this is a genius.

Just as Wen Shu was about to argue, he saw the clerk holding another standee. He tried to reassure himself, but when the face was revealed… it was him again!?

Ah! Jiang Jue drawled, saying calmly, Looks like Xia Yang ordered one too.

Wen Shu said in self-denial, No way. Xia Yang wouldn’t dare.

Jiang Jue patted his shoulder, delivering the heavy blow. “But Lin Fei would. And these can’t be made on the spot; looking at this, it was probably a rush order from yesterday.”

Wen Shu felt his vision go dark. Lin Fei had been frantic because the faculty recruitment happened before the school-wide recruitment; she was terrified they wouldn’t find enough people for either team.

Thinking of Lin Fei’s never-stop-until-the-goal-is-reached attitude.

Jiang Jue’s words were the final straw. Did you forget Lin Fei’s old nickname? ‘The Madwoman’.

Wen Shu started packing his things. No, I have to go keep an eye on her, or who knows what she’ll pull.

He suspected that if Lin Fei realized she could recruit more people this way, she’d blow up his WeChat QR code and plaster it next to her for everyone to scan.

Jiang Jue nodded, looking at the remaining standees with peace of mind. Only then did he notice Pei Xian was still standing there, completely blocking Wen Shu’s standee from view. Do you still have business here?

Don’t just stand there like a wall, he muttered inwardly.

Pei Xian didn’t budge. He finally understood why his little cousin screamed whenever she saw her idols on TV. Her room was full of standees that looked like a haunted house at night, yet she happily brought them home like they were precious treasures.

Pei Xian thought to himself: One room wouldn’t be enough. He wanted to put one in every corner of his house so he could see him the moment he walked in.

He didn’t know what this psychological state was called, but it must be the same feeling his cousin had. Perhaps it was because yesterday’s Wen Shu was simply too beautiful.

“Senior? What will happen to this standee after recruitment ends?” Pei Xian asked, tearing his gaze away from the board with great reluctance.

Jiang Jue pondered, his long fingers tapping the table. It’ll probably be given to the last person to fill out a form.

Upon hearing this, Pei Xian silently picked up his own registration form and tore it up. In that case, let me help you, Senior.

Jiang Jue raised an eyebrow, looking at him seriously for the first time.

On the other side, Wen Shu was arguing his case with Lin Fei. He checked his phone and felt emboldened. See, see? Jiang Jue said he has help and told me not to rush over.

Lin Fei put her hands on her hips and looked up at Wen Shu, shaking her head firmly. No choice. We’re definitely using this standee!

Wen Shu let out a miserable sigh and looked down at Lin Fei. Don’t be fooled by her cute appearance standing 155cm with a baby face, people thought she was a pushover. In reality, once she decided on something, eight horses couldn’t pull her back.

Xia Yang patted his shoulder comfortingly. Look on the bright side. A human life passes by very quickly.

By evening, Lin Fei looked at the pile of forms with satisfaction. Not bad, not bad. I’ve got to brag to Captain Wu about this number.

She picked up her phone, then remembered something. Oh right, Wen Shu. I remember you prepared the debate topics. Post them in the recruitment group tonight.

Wen Shu nodded. For this interview, they planned to follow the previous process. Considering the applicants might not have prior experience, the three of them wanted to see their personal perspectives. They prepared eight topics for the applicants to choose a side.

Wen Shu sent the file to the group. @All Members, these are the eight topics. That should be enough, right? Surely not that many people will show up.

He glanced at the mountain of forms and decided to give up on worrying. Forget it, just these eight. Xia Yang, remember to post the group announcements tonight.

Since time was tight, they gave them three days to prepare. It was just recruitment, after all; the sooner they confirmed members, the sooner training could begin.

Xia Yang packed his things and nodded. “So, what are you doing with this standee?”

Wen Shu picked it up, intending to throw it in the trash. Tsk… I feel weirdly uneasy. Like I’m throwing myself in the bin.

Forget it, just leave it there. The cleaning lady will probably toss it later. Wen Shu truly couldn’t bring himself to do it.

After the three left, a dark shadow crept out from the corner. Seeing the standee left there, the figure hoisted it over his shoulder and bolted.

Inside a dimly lit room, Pei Xian sat on the floor leaning against the wall. Cigarette butts littered the floor by his feet. He held a cigarette, smoking deeply with dark eyes as he stared at the two standees facing him.

Pei Xian felt he must be going crazy. Why else would he act like a total creep and carry two life-sized standees back? He was so worried they’d be damaged by the wind if he tied them to his bike that he walked all the way back. People on the street looked at him like he was a pervert; most people weren’t even that careful with their actual wives.

Ding-dong. A message arrived. Pei Xian, with the cigarette still in his mouth, groped for his phone. It was an announcement in the debate recruitment group.

Wen Shu: @All Members, the debate topics and groupings are out. We hope everyone can express their own views. You have three days to prepare. We will meet in the meeting room on the second floor of Chengxue Building at 9:00 AM in three days.

Before Pei Xian could even react, anonymous messages started flooding in like crazy.

Dearest Wife, okay! I’ll be there! Ahhh pink hair is so pretty, I’m obsessed! Love letters are copied, routines are learned, roses are stolen, courage is borrowed but my love for Senior Wen is innate (Dog head with rose.jpg)

Watching these “rebellious” words, Pei Xian pressed his tongue against his back molars. An nameless fire rose in his chest, and his fingers twitched over the keyboard.

Wen Shu: @All Members, please change your names to Major + Name. Anyone who hasn’t changed it in half an hour will be kicked out as an unrelated person.

Immediately, the screen was filled with professional “Received” messages and questions about the topics.

Pei Xian looked at Wen Shu’s profile picture the black cat. Do you really like that black cat that much?

Finally, it’s back to normal. Wen Shu looked at the group chat. Once real names were required, the nonsense stopped.

On the other side, Xia Yang asked, Wen Shu, which topic are you looking forward to most?

Wen Shu answered without thinking. This one: ‘Is the ending of a story important?’ I love this topic. If I could choose, I’d definitely argue this one.

Xia Yang asked curiously, Why? Usually, the definition for this kind of topic is very subjective. You have to spend a lot of time just discussing the point of entry.

Wen Shu pondered for a moment. Maybe because it feels right for the Fourth Speaker to say.

As the Fourth Speaker, he had a filter for emotional topics that could be elevated. Unlike Xia Yang, who thought from the First Speaker’s perspective of definitions, or Lin Fei, who excelled as the Second or Third Speaker by anticipating the opponent’s attacks, his first instinct was to play the emotional card.

Xia Yang nodded. True. Anyway, we should get together soon to integrate all our questions.

“Sure, the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow is the street dance interview; I still have to go check it out.” Wen Shu waved. I’m off.

Lin Fei finished printing and saw only Xia Yang left. Where’s Wen Shu? Gone?

Aren’t you used to it? He always leaves alone.

“When will our ‘Mr. Lone Wolf’ truly join us? Lin Fei sighed.

The three of them had been close since freshman year, often discussing debate topics together. The team members generally had great relationships, often eating out or hanging out together except for Wen Shu. He politely declined every time. On the surface, he seemed to fit in, but in reality, there was always an invisible film between him and everyone else. It was always a relationship of “neither far nor near.”

Returning to his dorm, it was a lively scene. Wen Shu greeted his roommates naturally, ate his dinner as usual, and turned on a variety show on his phone, laughing along with it.

He answered his roommates’ questions politely, but the moment the clock hit a certain time, he put on his headphones and immersed himself in his own world.

The next evening, at the street dance interview, Wen Shu arrived a bit late because his class ran over. He entered the studio through the back door. Jiang Jue nodded to him from a distance and continued speaking seriously, “Alright, let’s begin the interview. Perform in order. We will play random music; each person has 90 seconds.”

Wen Shu walked over to Jiang Jue. Who’s first?

Me. Pei Xian raised his hand.

Wen Shu raised an eyebrow, surprised. He didn’t expect him to actually show up. Although many people had signed up that day, most were just looking for excitement; usually, people only showed up to the interview if they had some actual confidence.

Thinking this, Wen Shu looked Pei Xian over. Under his gaze, Pei Xian stood even straighter. Before he even started, just standing there was a feast for the eyes. With those long arms and legs, he was built for street dance.

Wen Shu spoke with expectation, Then, let’s begin.