Secretly Liking Him - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Gu Xun looked at Shen Yanzhi in a daze, looking like he had gone mute, not making a sound.

Seeing him like that, Wang Xiaosong felt so anxious his heart was nearly catching fire. His hand slipped accidentally, almost shoving Gu Xun right onto Shen Yanzhi.

Gu Xun staggered a step and only steadied himself after Shen Yanzhi gave him a hand. He turned his face and roared at Wang Xiaosong: “Are you trying to murder me?!”

Knowing he was in the wrong, Wang Xiaosong didn’t dare let out a single fart.

Gu Xun glared at him, then turned back to look at Shen Yanzhi.

Seeing that he was standing steadily, Shen Yanzhi pulled his hand back and looked at him with a focused gaze, waiting for him to speak.

Being looked at for no reason, Gu Xun felt quite nervous; he even swallowed a mouthful of saliva before saying: “Morning…”

Shen Yanzhi couldn’t help but laugh, and replied: “Morning.”

Gu Xun thought to himself, this is really fatal; does he have to smile that handsomely? Is he even going to let others live! How am I supposed to have the face to brag about my nickname ‘Gu Pan’an’ [a famous ancient Chinese beau] in the future!

Thinking this, Gu Xun’s mouth involuntarily stammered: “Do… do you want to walk together?”

After he finished stammering, Gu Xun wished he could find a block of tofu to bash his head against.

Shen Yanzhi, however, acted as if he hadn’t noticed this and replied very crisply: “Sure.”

Gu Xun unconsciously pursed his lips, his heartbeat felt a bit off—kind of like the feeling when his dad gave him money to spend before he left the house; anyway, it was a bit of a pleasant surprise, a little bit of happiness.

Seeing that the atmosphere didn’t seem so awkward anymore, Wang Xiaosong jumped into the conversation: “I’m called Wang Xiaosong. We’ve met before. I’m Gu Xun’s best brother!”

Shen Yanzhi gave Wang Xiaosong a very polite smile and said: “Hello.”

While they were talking, Gu Xun managed to find his bearings and said: “Mm, you’re currently the second-best.”

Wang Xiaosong thought he was saying this to Shen Yanzhi and felt quite proud, thinking to himself that since they grew up together, he was indeed in first place!

As a result, Gu Xun immediately followed up: “After all, this guy is good-looking. Ranking you second is already doing it for the sake of our childhood friendship.”

Wang Xiaosong: “…”

Wang Xiaosong: “I really thank you.”

Gu Xun was falsely modest with him: “No thanks needed, it’s only right, only right.”

Wang Xiaosong was also very polite: “May I ask if I can punch you?”

Gu Xun looked troubled: “That’s probably not good… after all, I’m so handsome, if I injure my face…”

Wang Xiaosong lunged forward in one stride to scratch him. Gu Xun, being wickedly mischievous, ducked directly behind Shen Yanzhi’s back: “Hey! Can’t hit me!”

Wang Xiaosong wouldn’t give up, and Gu Xun continued to use Shen Yanzhi as a shield. Shen Yanzhi, being good-tempered, helped block him.

After failing to catch Gu Xun several times, Wang Xiaosong said in deep grief: “Student Shen! You cannot assist a tyrant in his crimes!”

Shen Yanzhi stood between him and Gu Xun, tilted his head, thought for a moment, and said seriously: “No, I have to stop you.”

Wang Xiaosong: “…Why?”

Shen Yanzhi said slowly: “Because right now, I rank first.”

Both Gu Xun and Wang Xiaosong were stunned for a moment before they realized what he had said.

Gu Xun burst into laughter instantly, leaning his head against Shen Yanzhi’s back, his whole body shaking with laughter.

Shen Yanzhi felt it, so he reached back with his hand to steady him, fearing he would laugh too hard and fall to the ground.

Wang Xiaosong was shocked by Shen Yanzhi’s words: “Student Shen… I didn’t think you were this kind of Student Shen!”

Shen Yanzhi just smiled.

Gu Xun finished laughing and poked his head out from behind Shen Yanzhi: “Why call him Student Shen? It’s so distant!”

He put his arm around Shen Yanzhi’s shoulder from behind and turned his head to ask: “How do you want us to call you? Yanzhi? A-Yan? Yan-Yan? It can’t be Zhi-Zhi, right?”

Shen Yanzhi also turned his head to look at him: “Then what about you?”

With him turning his head like that, the two people’s faces were a bit too close.

Gu Xun’s heart skipped a beat, and his speech slowed down a bit: “I… my two-character name is easy to call. Call me Gu Xun, A-Xun, Xun-Xun… if you like, calling me Gu Pan’an, I also…”

Gu Xun looked at the face in front of him and felt that it would be quite difficult for him to actually withstand the other person calling him “Gu Pan’an.”

Gu Xun let out a long sigh and patted Shen Yanzhi’s shoulder: “Forget it, I’ll just call you Shen Pan’an from now on.”

Shen Yanzhi actually thought about it quite seriously before saying: “I don’t like Pan’an.”

Gu Xun made a tse sound: “Then what about Wei Jie?”

Shen Yanzhi: “Died young.”

Gu Xun: “…”

He really couldn’t remember any other famous beautiful men. Was this the legendary “regretting having so little knowledge when it’s time to use it”?

Seeing him dazed, Shen Yanzhi said with a smile: “Just kidding. Just call me A-Yan.”

Gu Xun was so dazed by his smile that his soul felt like it was floating: “…You can call me Xun-Xun, I don’t mind.”

Wang Xiaosong watched, feeling sour in his heart, and blurted out: “Why don’t you two just get married?”

Shen Yanzhi just smiled upon hearing this. Gu Xun casually followed up: “I’d like to…”

Then Gu Xun’s emotions flared up; he let go of Shen Yanzhi’s shoulder, grabbed his hand, and said with a tone full of deep affection: “Regrettably, the world does not allow us—such outstanding men—to love each other…”

Shen Yanzhi was very calm and went along with him skillfully: “Too regrettable.”

Wang Xiaosong: “…”

He felt like he could no longer see this world clearly. Why did it feel like the whole world had been infected by Gu Xun’s “crazy person” disease?

Wang Xiaosong felt that as a normal person, he should shoulder the responsibility that a normal person ought to bear, so he said: “Big brother, I beg you, stop acting, okay!”

Gu Xun: “Beg more sincerely.”

Wang Xiaosong: “I’ll fight you to the death!”

Gu Xun let go of Shen Yanzhi’s hand and bolted. Wang Xiaosong chased after him, while Shen Yanzhi walked behind the two of them.

By the time those two in front were tired from running and were taking a halftime break, Shen Yanzhi caught up.

Gu Xun and Wang Xiaosong were already sweating profusely from running under the gradually scorching sunlight. Shen Yanzhi was wearing more than both of them—long sleeves and long pants—yet he didn’t show a single drop of sweat. He looked refreshed and clean.

Looking at him, Gu Xun couldn’t help but feel a bit of envy, jealousy, and hate: “A-Yan, aren’t you hot wearing so much?”

Shen Yanzhi said: “I don’t really fear the heat.”

Wang Xiaosong said while taking out a tissue to wipe his sweat: “I can tell.”

Just as Gu Xun was about to speak, he heard someone calling him from the side.

Gu Xun turned his face and saw several former classmates from his junior high class, so he smiled and waved at them.

Then a girl came over and asked: “Gu Xun, who is that?”

Gu Xun followed her gaze and saw that Shen Yanzhi was also looking at him.

Tse, no need to ask, she must have been shocked by his brother’s beauty.

Gu Xun looked at his old classmates and said with great pride: “My brother. How about it? Handsome, right!”

The girls whispered among themselves for a bit and then all started laughing. Gu Xun couldn’t figure out what was so funny, then he heard one say: “Handsomer than you!”

Gu Xun’s expression instantly became fierce, and then he left a harsh word: “…At least you have good taste!”

Then he asked curiously: “What are you laughing at?”

As soon as he asked this, the girls laughed even harder.

But they just wouldn’t say what they were laughing at; instead, they looked at Gu Xun with an “if you know you know” smile, their eyes darting back and forth between him and Shen Yanzhi. Even as they left, they kept looking back and whispering.

Gu Xun was puzzled: “Is it really that funny? What are they saying?”

Shen Yanzhi said: “I think it might be happier not to know.”

Wang Xiaosong had a sense of detached transcendence: “…Anyway, they probably aren’t laughing at me.”

Gu Xun snapped at him: “That’s because you don’t have the value to be laughed at!”

Wang Xiaosong: “I’d rather not have this kind of value…”

Gu Xun was powerless to refute: “…True.”

Shen Yanzhi was more practical and asked a question: “Shall we go?”

Gu Xun responded immediately: “Go, go, go!”

They joked around all the way, and by the time they reached the Grade 10 Class 1 classroom, there were already many people inside.

Gu Xun had checked the class list before and knew which acquaintances were in Class 1. As soon as he entered, he gave all sorts of greetings, acting like a leader coming for an inspection.

Wang Xiaosong told Shen Yanzhi: “He’s just like this. You’ll get used to it.”

Watching Gu Xun laughing and greeting people, Shen Yanzhi said: “It’s quite good.”

Wang Xiaosong didn’t know if he was just being polite, so he said casually: “Gu Xun is a bit crazy, but he has a good heart. If you have anything, just look for him and you won’t go wrong.”

After saying this, Wang Xiaosong felt he should protect Gu Xun a bit, to prevent him from being taken advantage of: “Uh, don’t look for him for every single thing…”

Wang Xiaosong felt these words sounded a bit too blunt and not very friendly. He deliberated for a long time and didn’t know how to improve it.

Shen Yanzhi, however, said: “I know. Thank you.”

Wang Xiaosong scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward: “I’m just afraid Gu Xun will take everything onto himself. He’s just that kind of person…”

Before Shen Yanzhi could say anything else, Gu Xun came back, grinning from ear to ear: “What are you talking about?”

Wang Xiaosong subconsciously said: “Nothing!”

Shen Yanzhi also nodded: “Just chatting casually.”

Gu Xun didn’t ask further and dragged Shen Yanzhi toward his acquaintances, shouting: “Let you guys see what a real handsome guy looks like!”

Shen Yanzhi was dragged around for a circle like this. Wang Xiaosong asked for his thoughts.

Shen Yanzhi: “Everyone is very enthusiastic.”

Wang Xiaosong: “If I were a girl, I’d be enthusiastic toward you too.”

Shen Yanzhi just laughed: “His popularity is really good.”

Gu Xun interrupted from the side: “Hey hey, if you’re going to praise me, please praise me to my face. Do it forcefully and don’t stop; I don’t mind having too much.”

Shen Yanzhi cooperatively said to him: “Your popularity is really good.”

Gu Xun immediately felt like he was floating: “Of course. I’m loved by all, and flowers bloom when they see me…”

Wang Xiaosong pulled the rug out from under him: “…and tires burst when cars see you.”

Gu Xun gave him the middle finger: “You have the nerve to say that about me? My bicycle tires burst because I was carrying you!”

Wang Xiaosong wouldn’t admit it was his fault: “Nonsense! I’m not that heavy!”

Gu Xun stopped and looked him over: “You’ve gained weight again, haven’t you?”

Wang Xiaosong unconsciously looked down at himself: “No… no way!”

Gu Xun patted his shoulder, pointed to himself, then pointed to Shen Yanzhi: “Look at these bodies, these faces. The power of a role model is infinite. Come, I’ll let you rub against us so you can catch some ‘immortal air’.”

Wang Xiaosong: “Get lost!”