Studying Is Such A Damn Thing - Chapter 4

“Present!”

You Cheche and Qi Yuan scrambled to the classroom door, barely making it before the bell rang.

The two tumbled into their seats in a disheveled mess. As they pulled out their holiday homework to hand it over, the Academic Representative looked at them with a look of pure shock. “Well, well, look who showed up. To what do we owe the honor of you two actually turning in assignments today?”

“Tan Qing, speak normally. Stop using that pinched voice, it’s gross,” Cheche groaned.

“Oh? You don’t like it?” Tan Qing teased with a playful smile.

You Cheche sighed, propping his head up with his hand. “Are all you Omegas this extra?”

“Not all, just me. It’s called… having character,” Tan Qing replied.

You Cheche was speechless. He was finally starting to feel the sheer exhaustion of not paying attention in class, especially during Physiology.

Ding. Qi Yuan’s phone buzzed. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out. A new message had popped up in a group chat titled [AB No O].

[AB No O] was the main group for Song Chaolian, Shen Yiyi, Tang Yuwei, Qi Yuan, and You Cheche. However, according to the latest notification, someone new had joined, added by Tang Yuwei.

Qi Yuan tapped You Cheche on the shoulder and showed him the screen. “Who’s this? Do you know them?”

Relying on his seventeen years of professional experience in shipping couples, You Cheche only needed three seconds to deduce the answer.

“That… should be Wei-ge’s seatmate. I’ve noticed him hanging around Li Yuyu a lot lately.”

“Oh, him? That’s fine then,” Qi Yuan nodded. “Li Yuyu is such a lonely kid. It’s probably safer for him to hang out with us. Who knows, maybe we’ll ‘assimilate’ him.”

“True. Let me add him on WeChat first,” Cheche said.

He glanced at the small head in the seat in front of him. The boy’s head was tucked low, and his hair was a bit long, though not enough to hide his neck. A large patch of fair skin was exposed, and his gland looked slightly flushed, giving him an air of pure innocence.

Looking at him, You Cheche couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Such a good kid, he’s just too insecure and timid. He has zero sense of alertness.

With that thought, he quickly pulled out his phone and sent a friend request. Immediately, four consecutive dings echoed from the pocket of the boy in front of them.

It seemed all four of them had the same idea and reached out to the newcomer at the same time.

In the group chat, a user with a kitten profile picture sent a period, followed by: Do you guys want to go to the amusement park this Saturday? My family just opened a new one recently, and I heard online that it’s pretty fun.

Qi Yuan replied: Tang Yuwei, since when did you become so kind-hearted?

Tang Yuwei, sitting ahead of them, smirked and typed: When have I ever not been kind-hearted?

Song Chaolian chimed in: It’s a date then. Saturday morning at ten, at the amusement park. Be there or be square.

The rest of the group popped up one by one to agree.

Tang Yuwei typed again: @Yuyu, you’re coming too. Don’t just stay cooped up at home all the time.

You Cheche looked up and noticed his front-seat neighbor’s ears were turning bright red. The boy’s hands trembled slightly as he held his phone, slowly typing out: Okay.

The days drifted by one by one.

In the blink of an eye, it was Friday night. You Cheche was lounging with his feet propped up on his desk, wireless earbuds in, listening to a radio drama while mindlessly scrolling through his phone.

“Cheche, do you want to go out for a late-night snack?” Qi Yuan sat on Cheche’s bed, looking at him with bright, expectant eyes and a smile.

“Sure. What are we eating?”

“How about some skewers?” Qi Yuan asked softly.

“Heck yeah, let’s go!” The two threw on some random clothes and headed out.

“Aren’t we supposed to go out tomorrow? If we stay out this late, will we even be able to wake up?”

“Who cares? As they say, ‘To die beneath a peony flower is to be a romantic ghost even in death!'”

“Tch, is that even how you use that quote?”

“Doesn’t matter, as long as the vibe is right.”

By the time they reached the shop, the summer heat made the interior feel stiflingly humid. You Cheche took off his glasses, his forehead drenched in sweat.

“Skewers are up!” The owner, a white towel draped around his neck, walked over with a wide grin and a tray of food.

The small skewers were grilled to perfection, sizzling with oil. The chili powder provided the perfect accent, and the meat was tender and succulent. The balance of lean and fat was savory and satisfying. With one bite, the juices exploded in his mouth, oily and fragrant. The cumin added an aromatic depth, like a touch of spice in a mundane life, or a single plum blossom in the snow.

Pure bliss.

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