My Upperclassman Wants me to confess my feelings - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Lying

Who the person in the hallway was Cheng Wu confirmed it with a single trip to the milk tea shop.

She didn’t intend to go looking for him. Instead, she spent every day accompanying Xia Xiaohan for meals, taking her to the track for walks, runs, and physical exercise.

The pair of eyes from that night seemed to be forgotten from then on.

It wasn’t until early December, when the Mathematical Modeling Competition ended and Xia Xiaohan’s class team successfully advanced, that she immediately ran to the Management Department to find Cheng Wu.

To her surprise, she ran into Fan Jia at the entrance. After a brief internal struggle, Xia Xiaohan stopped and called out, “Senior.”

Fan Jia nodded with a complex expression. Seeing that Xia Xiaohan was about to enter the department building, he suddenly turned and called her back: “Can you talk with me for a moment?”

“Sorry, I have nothing to talk about with you, Senior,” Xia Xiaohan refused stiffly and turned to run.

Unexpectedly, Fan Jia suddenly asked: “Do you know that Cheng Wu likes you?”

Xia Xiaohan stopped in her tracks. She gritted her teeth before turning back to say: “Of course I know Senior likes me! And! Stop pestering her, okay?! She’s already been polite enough to you!”

On the fifth-floor corridor, Cheng Wu happened to spot the two at the entrance of the building. She immediately shoved the books in her hand to Chang Le and hurried downstairs.

In the stairwell, the rapid sound of high heels clicking against the marble floor echoed.

In less than three minutes, Cheng Wu arrived at the entrance, just in time to hear Fan Jia saying to Xia Xiaohan with great gravity: “Do you actually understand what it means when I say Cheng Wu likes you?!”

“Xiaohan!” Cheng Wu called out loudly, her breath still a bit ragged.

Xia Xiaohan was just about to ask for details, but hearing her Senior’s voice, she immediately ran to Cheng Wu’s side and naturally took hold of her hand.

Standing outside, Fan Jia watched their hands. He felt a chill run through his entire body; his hands clenched unconsciously as the sense of resentment in his heart grew stronger.

He had actually lost to the fact that he was a boy!

For the past half-month, Fan Jia had been in the library—either looking for relevant books or searching for information online.

The more he understood, the more alarmed he became, and suddenly many things made sense.

For example, Cheng Wu was glamorous and beautiful, with an impeccable personality and reputation, yet she had never had a single rumor involving a boy. The boys chasing her came in all varieties, yet without exception, Cheng Wu rejected them bluntly.

Having understood this, Fan Jia was still unwilling to give up, but he had stopped bothering Cheng Wu.

Until today, when a student from the Management Department had something to ask him and he unexpectedly ran into Xia Xiaohan, he finally couldn’t help but speak up.

Fan Jia forced himself to look away. Just as he was about to speak, Cheng Wu beat him to it: “Let’s meet at the cafe tonight.”

“You…” Fan Jia didn’t understand.

Cheng Wu said with a serious expression: “Since you already know certain things, if you have questions, just come and ask me directly. No need to look for Xiaohan; she doesn’t understand yet.”

Fan Jia was even more shocked. His gaze moved to Xia Xiaohan’s face, and he finally understood why he had stopped her just now.

Following Cheng Wu upstairs, Xia Xiaohan asked in confusion: “Senior, why do you still want to see Fan Jia? What else is there to clear up? He’s so annoying! Always pestering you!”

Recalling how Fan Jia had just questioned her Senior’s “liking” for her, a sense of stifled anger rose in Xia Xiaohan’s heart.

Cheng Wu patted her head dotingly: “Don’t worry. After this talk, he won’t pester me anymore, and he certainly won’t come looking for you again.”

“I believe everything Senior says!” Xia Xiaohan gave a toothy grin, hugged Cheng Wu’s arm tightly, and even quietly rubbed her cheek against it.

…

After nightfall, Xia Xiaohan sat in the classroom feeling restless, constantly wondering what her Senior would say to Fan Jia.

Halfway through self-study, the scratch paper in front of Xia Xiaohan was still a total blank.

Ding Ming tilted his head to look over and whispered, “Xiaohan, is something wrong? You look like you’re sitting on pins and needles; you haven’t written a single word.”

Xia Xiaohan snapped back to her senses, seeing her scratch paper clean while Ding Ming’s was already covered in dense notes.

She immediately felt ashamed. “There is something, but I will definitely calculate my part today.”

Just as Xia Xiaohan picked up her pen, Ding Ming reached over to press it down. “Sneak out through the back door. The class monitor will turn a blind eye.”

“Is that okay?” Xia Xiaohan looked up at the podium. The class monitor’s sharp eyes were scanning the room.

Ever since the school student union’s surprise inspection last month—where two people from their class were caught skipping, causing ten points to be deducted from their “Excellent Class” evaluation—the monitor’s heart had been bleeding. He had even been called in for a talk by the head teacher.

These days, even the habitual skippers, like Yang Xing, were honestly scratching their heads and working on problems.

Xia Xiaohan struggled for a while, but eventually feeling that Fan Jia’s “thief’s heart” would never die, she quietly packed her things, took her backpack, rose from her seat, and left the classroom through the back door as if no one were watching.

On the podium, the class monitor adjusted his glasses, widened his eyes, walked down slowly, and whispered to Ding Ming: “What’s wrong with Xiaohan? Why did she suddenly leave?”

Ding Ming said with a straight face: “Xiaohan has an urgent matter and must go right now. Monitor, look…”

The monitor scanned the classroom; everyone was staring at him. However, he maintained a forced composure and said: “What are you looking at? Not a single person is missing from this class! Get back to your homework!”

The classroom was instantly filled with the sound of collective gasps. Everyone was speechless: Talk about lying through your teeth…

In the back row, Yang Xing couldn’t take it. He stood up abruptly. “Monitor! This is too much! Xia Xiaohan clearly walked out in broad daylight! I want to go out too!”

The monitor pointed at the spot next to Ding Ming and glared at him. “Isn’t Xiaohan right here?! Sit down! The teacher said if we don’t make it to the finals, it’s your responsibility!”

Yang Xing looked at the empty seat, trembling with rage. Just as he was about to speak again, Ding Ming pulled him down and whispered, “Bei Wenxin won’t see you, but she’s willing to see me. If you wait until self-study is over, I’ll take you to see her.”

“Really!?” Yang Xing’s anger instantly turned to joy.

Just then, the school student union members came by for roll call. Sun Wenze was among them this time, leaning lazily against the door and yawning, looking quite impatient.

When they reached Xia Xiaohan’s name, Ding Ming replied calmly: “Present!”

The person taking roll was about to call the next name when they suddenly felt something was off. They looked up and scanned the room—there wasn’t a girl there at all!

“Where is Xia Xiaohan!”

Cold sweat broke out on the class monitor’s palms.

Just as the monitor was at a loss for how to explain, Sun Wenze’s phone chimed. He opened it to see a message from Ding Ming: Xiaohan went to see Senior Cheng Wu! Help cover for her!

At the mention of “Cheng Wu,” Sun Wenze instantly perked up. He scanned the classroom and saw that Xiaohan really wasn’t there.

Seeing that the Discipline Department member was about to mark Xia Xiaohan as absent, he stepped forward and pressed down on the logbook. “Give me some face. Let Xia Xiaohan slide.”

“President Sun, we really can’t let this slide. Sisi said we have to—” The Discipline Department member started to say, then trailed off.

Sun Wenze snatched the logbook away and arched an eyebrow. “You’re afraid of Ye Sisi, but aren’t you afraid of me? Besides, Xia Xiaohan is off to see Sister Cheng. If Sister Cheng finds out about this, how do you think she’ll feel?”

The Discipline Department members froze. Zhou Weiwei immediately stepped in to smooth things over: “Senior! He didn’t mean it like that. Since she’s one of Sister Cheng’s people, let’s just go.”

“At least you’re sensible.” Sun Wenze tossed the logbook back to Zhou Weiwei and turned to leave the classroom.

…

On the way to the cafe, Xia Xiaohan received a call from Bei Wenxin.

“Xiaohan, I’m back at school!”

“Really? Are you in the dormitory now?” Xia Xiaohan slowed her pace.

At that moment, Bei Wenxin was sitting in the cafe with her crutches; she had an appointment with Sun Wenze today.

“No, I’m at—” Bei Wenxin looked into the cafe and suddenly saw Cheng Wu walk in. Her face lit up with joy, but then she saw Cheng Wu stop on the other side of a partition.

Soon, Fan Jia appeared in her line of sight. Bei Wenxin gritted her teeth and hurried to end the call: “Xiaohan! I’ll talk to you later, I have an emergency.”

Without waiting for Xia Xiaohan’s reply, Bei Wenxin hurriedly hung up.

After Fan Jia and Cheng Wu were seated, she immediately grabbed her bag and crutches. Stooping low, she slowly shuffled forward, drawing frequent glances from the waiters and the guests by the window.

Reaching the other side of the partition from Cheng Wu’s seat, Bei Wenxin sat down carefully, set aside her crutches, quietly leaned toward the partition, and pricked up her ears to listen.

Bei Wenxin wasn’t someone who liked to eavesdrop, but it was impossible for her Senior to meet Fan Jia under normal circumstances.

Since her Senior was meeting him, there must be something important.

When it came to her Senior, Bei Wenxin simply couldn’t maintain a normal attitude.

On the other side of the partition, Fan Jia was in a terrible mood; he had a premonition that Cheng Wu was there for a showdown.

Cheng Wu still wore a bright smile. She called the waiter over and ordered Fan Jia’s favorite, a latte.

“I didn’t expect you to remember I like lattes.” Fan Jia felt a bit touched, and his expression became less dejected.

Cheng Wu smiled. “After all, we were once friends. I keep the preferences of my friends in mind.”

Fan Jia hesitated to speak, but in the end, he just shook his head.

When the coffee and the Lava Egg Custard were served, Fan Jia looked at the dessert and gave a bitter smile. “You really do know everything.”

“I rarely drink this to keep my weight down. It must have been hard for you to find out.” Cheng Wu held her cup and stirred it with a glass straw.

The thick, sandy liquid swirled with the glass straw.

Cheng Wu took a sip. The familiar taste brought her a sense of pleasure.

She looked up, meeting Fan Jia’s dazed gaze, and said word by word: “I am a lesbian. I only like girls.”

The last bit of hope in Fan Jia’s heart shattered completely.

Behind the partition, Bei Wenxin desperately covered her mouth, but her eyes were filled with wild joy.

Great! It turns out Senior likes girls too! Then I have a chance!

Fan Jia opened his mouth with difficulty, organizing his words countless times before finally asking feebly: “Then… if you liked boys, would you like me?”

“Sorry, there are no ‘ifs’ in this matter.” Cheng Wu knew Fan Jia’s personality, so she gave him no room for fantasy from the start.

Fan Jia’s hand holding the coffee cup trembled slightly. He gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Yeah, how could there be an ‘if’ in something like this! If there were, I probably wouldn’t even have had the chance to chase you.”

Cheng Wu didn’t speak. She looked at the Lava Egg Custard in front of her but didn’t continue drinking.

Finally accepting the fact, Fan Jia looked up and asked: “So the person you like is—”

The glass door of the cafe was suddenly pushed open. Xia Xiaohan appeared at the entrance. Ignoring the sweat on her forehead, she ran straight to Cheng Wu, interrupting Fan Jia: “Senior! Wenxin is back! She’s at the dorm, let’s go see her!”

Behind the partition, Bei Wenxin’s eyes widened: I clearly didn’t say where I was! Why did Xiaohan say I was at the dorm? Is she… lying?