TECSBRO | 71 | Hard Mode | 04
Because Lu Xu felt insecure and was worried about being separated from Rong Que, they slept together every night.
On the evening after Rong Que finished talking with Qi Sui, he tidied up as usual and accompanied Lu Xu to sleep.
Lu Xu happily shared what painting techniques he had learned that day, including how the teacher had praised him.
Rong Que patiently responded, but the image of Lu Xu as an adult occasionally surfaced in his mind.
Lu Xu, who was equally familiar with Rong Que, sensed that he was somewhat distracted.
After a moment of thought, Lu Xu quickly changed the subject, "Brother Rong Que, is there something bothering you?"
Rong Que shook his head, "I'm just a bit tired. Let's sleep early."
"Okay," Lu Xu replied sweetly, then snuggled into Rong Que's arms, nuzzling his face against him.
Rong Que was amused and couldn't help but relax.
After both fell asleep, perhaps because of the conversation earlier that day, Rong Que had a strange dream.
The dream was somewhat blurry, but the general idea was that Lu Xu had turned evil, and Rong Que, along with two faceless friends, was fighting against him.
However, Lu Xu was incredibly powerful. Even after having his arm cut off, he effortlessly killed Rong Que's friends.
The narrative of the dream was chaotic, and the scenes shifted unpredictably.
Yet, Rong Que clearly felt the heartache of losing his friends.
It felt so real that even after waking up, Rong Que still felt a heaviness in his chest.
He pressed his hand against his rapidly beating heart, slowly calming down, then turned to look at Lu Xu by the moonlight.
Lu Xu was sleeping in his usual disheveled manner.
Rong Que adjusted his position and covered him with the blanket.
But tonight, Rong Que couldn't fall back asleep immediately.
He felt overly awake, unwilling to close his eyes.
Every time he did, the chaotic images returned, filling him with a strange anxiety.
Rong Que stared at Lu Xu's face, perhaps for too long, as his vision began to blur.
He thought he saw Lu Xu's hair move slightly under the moonlight.
Rong Que reached out to touch the strand that seemed to have moved, but it suddenly coiled around his finger as if it had a mind of its own.
Startled, Rong Que didn't move. He already knew Lu Xu was different.
The hair didn't seem intent on harming him.
Nevertheless, Rong Que froze for a few seconds before retracting his finger.
The strand of hair seemed reluctant but eventually released him.
Rong Que felt a faint, almost imperceptible sting on his finger.
At the same time, another image flashed in his mind.
It was the same dark, endless place, with countless eerie, tentacle-like strands of hair frantically coiling around.
They couldn't be cut or burned.
Anyone touched by them would lose limbs or even their heads.
The overwhelming screams and the sight of dismembered bodies were so horrifying that Rong Que felt a chill run through him.
He looked down at the unruly strand of hair and fumbled in the dark for a pair of scissors.
Not wanting to wake Lu Xu, Rong Que's movements were gentle.
When he aimed the scissors at the upright strand, it seemed unaware and remained still, foolishly standing tall.
Rong Que felt a twinge of guilt.
But he still tightened the scissors abruptly.
The strand of hair didn't fall as expected.
The strand of hair actually retracted like it was bending over the moment the scissors closed.
Rong Que felt as if he had been teased by the strand of hair.
He put away the scissors, thinking that forcing the cut might wake Lu Xu.
He still hadn’t figured out what was going on himself, so it was better not to scare Lu Xu.
Rong Que frowned, quietly left the bedroom after putting the scissors away.
Only after returning to his own room did he turn on the light.
A discontinuous bead of blood had already appeared on his finger.
The wound was too fine and narrow, and the blood beads didn’t even form a continuous line.
But it was clear how terrifying the lethality of those strands of hair could be if they moved together.
So the images or dreams that flashed through his mind must have been real.
Rong Que washed his face, thought about it, and decided to go back to Lu Xu’s room.
To avoid Lu Xu suspecting anything when he woke up in the morning.
Rong Que pushed the door open, saw through the crack that the light was still off, and then walked in with relief.
However, the person who had been lying by the window earlier was gone.
Rong Que’s heart tightened, and he instinctively looked to his left.
Sure enough, a familiar black figure was sitting by the table.
Rong Que calmed himself and chose to turn on the light.
Lu Xu was sitting by the table, the scissors from the compartment under the table now in his hand.
Rong Que wanted to say something, but Lu Xu’s expression was calm, as if he was simply admiring the scissors.
A strange unease crept into Rong Que’s heart. He opened his mouth, and finally spoke, “Sorry, did I wake you?”
Lu Xu shook his head, casually putting the scissors back.
“If Brother Rong Que is scared, you should go back to sleep,” Lu Xu said with a gentle smile.
But the sorrow in his eyes was almost overflowing, making it heartbreaking.
For a moment, Rong Que couldn’t think. He took a step forward, grabbed Lu Xu’s hand, and said without hesitation, “I’ll always stand by Xiao Lu’s side.”
Lu Xu looked at their joined hands, but in front of the scissors from earlier, it seemed almost laughable.
Rong Que also felt the suffocating atmosphere. He spoke as if to himself, “I won’t betray Xiao Lu.”
He wanted to move closer to Lu Xu.
But Lu Xu took a step back, the strands of hair hanging by his side floating up, as if on alert.
Rong Que was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted, taking two steps forward to hug Lu Xu.
As if he didn’t see the terrifying strands of hair floating around.
“Xiao Lu, I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.”
Lu Xu gently pushed him, but the strands of hair gradually moving closer to Rong Que betrayed his true feelings.
Rong Que also let the strands of hair touch his skin.
Perhaps because Lu Xu was awake, they didn’t cause any harm to Rong Que this time.
Lu Xu said with a hint of grievance, “It’s normal to be scared of a monster like me.”
“Xiao Lu just has more abilities than others, you’re not a monster,” Rong Que said firmly.
Although the impression that Lu Xu would become a ruthless killer in the future had deepened due to the dreams and those images.
Based on Rong Que’s understanding of Lu Xu now, Lu Xu wouldn’t do that.
Unless something drastic happened.
Lu Xu blushed a little from Rong Que’s comfort.
After calming Lu Xu down, it was already late at night, and Lu Xu yawned, feeling sleepy.
He pulled Rong Que to sleep with him, and sternly reminded Rong Que not to sneak around doing bad things again.
Rong Que agreed to everything and apologized once more.
However, after falling asleep, Rong Que found himself back in that dream again.
It was the same scene as in the first half of the dream, but the images and people were much clearer this time.
This time, he could clearly see the face of the person fighting alongside him.
It was Qi Sui's face.
As for the other person, although Rong Que had never met him before, he recognized him at a glance.
As the youngest film emperor, even if Rong Que didn’t follow entertainment news at all, he had seen this person’s photos.
His unique appearance made him unforgettable at first sight.
The repeated battles in the dream, facing death, made Rong Que feel as if he hadn’t slept at all that night.
When he woke up, his head was about to explode.
He rubbed his forehead, wondering if this dream would only stop once he fully remembered his past life.
But strangely, in the following days, he didn’t dream about it again.
That was until Qi Sui mentioned that his friend would come over to visit.
Almost instinctively, Rong Que thought of the film emperor who had died tragically in his dream.
Qi Sui had already informed Xue Ying in advance.
Xue Ying had long wanted to see Rong Que, but Qi Sui had told him that Rong Que was now on good terms with that "monster" and had no memories of his past life.
He had prepared himself mentally for a long time, trying not to show too much emotion.
But the moment they met, Rong Que’s mind flashed with the image of Xue Ying’s death.
His heart suddenly ached.
To avoid more strange images surfacing, Rong Que lied and said he hadn’t slept well, then retreated to his room.
Lu Xu knew nothing about this. It was his first time seeing a big star in person, and he was quite excited.
However, the big star seemed a bit aloof and kept avoiding him.
Lu Xu had no choice but to return to the art studio to practice his drawing.
At lunchtime, the four of them had a meal together.
Only Qi Sui was actively trying to liven up the atmosphere at the table.
Since the others didn’t seem to get along, Qi Sui didn’t force it.
After lunch, he and Xue Ying disappeared into the study, presumably discussing something.
Lu Xu, tired from drawing all morning, pestered Rong Que to take a nap with him.
Rong Que wasn’t in the habit of napping, but he always accompanied Lu Xu when he wanted to sleep.
He had thought that seeing Xue Ying earlier might trigger a nightmare, but it didn’t happen.
When the two entered middle school, thanks to Qi Sui’s arrangements, they didn’t face any issues like being ostracized.
Lu Xu’s grades were consistently excellent.
But Rong Que had an extraordinary talent for learning, always ranking first in his grade and giving speeches under the national flag.
Lu Xu always felt that Rong Que was meant to shine so brightly.
As he stood below the stage watching, the girls around him were chattering excitedly.
Middle school was the time when students first began to develop crushes.
Lu Xu didn’t have to strain to hear what they were discussing.
It was mostly about wanting Rong Que’s contact information, but since Rong Que rarely spoke to girls, it was difficult.
Lu Xu pursed his lips, feeling an inexplicable discomfort.
He looked up at Rong Que on the stage, wishing that Rong Que’s eyes would only see him.
“Hey, Lu Xu, are you close with Rong Que?” the group of girls finally gathered the courage to ask him.
Lu Xu nodded blankly, not understanding why they suddenly approached him.
The girls exchanged glances, their eyes sparkling as they asked, “Do you have Rong Que’s contact information?”
Lu Xu almost instinctively wanted to say no, but he paused, confused by his own reaction.
He frowned and still said, "I need to ask if he's willing to give it."
"Aren't you two close?" the girl asked, somewhat puzzled. "Don't worry, we'll trade with you. Do you want the contact info of the class beauty or something?"
Lu Xu, upon hearing this, replied blankly, "Who's the class beauty?"
The girls were quite surprised, seemingly unable to understand why Lu Xu didn't know who the class beauty was.
In their class, it was almost unanimously agreed that the class beauty was the girl with fair skin, big eyes, and a small face—everyone thought she was very pretty.
However, Lu Xu's clueless demeanor dampened their enthusiasm, and they didn't press further about Rong Que.
As they dispersed, they were still marveling, "Can there really be a guy who doesn't notice our class beauty? Even guys from other classes often come to watch her."
Lu Xu, naturally, couldn't understand their surprise.
He could hardly remember the names of the girls in his class.
And in Lu Xu's eyes, no one shone brighter than Rong Que.
So, of course, he didn't notice.
After the morning assembly, Rong Que returned to Lu Xu's side and, seeing him lost in thought, asked, "What are you pondering, Xiao Lu?"
Lu Xu turned his head. Rong Que had grown even taller since starting middle school. "I was wondering who the class beauty is."
Rong Que was momentarily stunned. He had always thought of Lu Xu as the same little kid who used to follow him around.
Why was he suddenly concerned about the class beauty?
Was he thinking about dating?
But Rong Que had indeed heard the boys in class mention the class beauty. He replied, "She's the girl who carries our class banner."
Lu Xu looked over. The girl was quite tall and stood very straight—she did seem quite noticeable.
But to Lu Xu, she was just another person with two eyes and a nose, nothing special.
"By the way, are you coming to watch the grade basketball game tomorrow?" Rong Que asked. He knew Lu Xu wasn't interested in sports, but he always watched his games.
Lu Xu nodded quickly.
Middle schoolers were more direct and enthusiastic in their expressions, not yet as shy as high schoolers.
So on the day of the basketball game, Lu Xu heard everyone around him shouting Rong Que's name, and some even affectionately yelling "brother."
Lu Xu pursed his lips. Rong Que was his brother, after all.
Rong Que, representing their class, had an undeniably winning streak and made it to the finals.
The final was against the class with the sports students and was scheduled for the following week.
During after-school practice, everyone was a bit nervous.
The boys in their class were mostly tall and lean.
But the sports class guys were quite burly.
The class's cohesion reached its peak at this time.
The girls also made an effort to come watch their practice.
They even bought a crate of water for the boys to drink freely.
Lu Xu found himself feeling a bit nervous too.
He had never been interested in sports games before, but this time he felt somewhat excited.
On the day of the final, the sports students quickly got into their groove.
The first half was almost a complete domination.
During halftime, everyone was feeling down and out of sorts.
But the girls in the class were all encouraging them.
Rong Que walked over to Lu Xu. Even though it was autumn, you could still feel the heat radiating from him.
Lu Xu looked up and said, "Brother, you can do it."
Rong Que smiled and ruffled Lu Xu's hair. "You seem pretty eager to win. You didn't care before, did you?"
Lu Xu rubbed his nose, "Because everyone really wants to win, and in this inexplicably united atmosphere, I also hope you can win."
Rong Que's eyes flickered slightly as he looked at Lu Xu's embarrassed expression, but his mind recalled the image of Lu Xu, who was once ruthless and bloodthirsty.
Lu Xu was no different from a human.
He could feel emotions like unity, and he could also rely on and trust others.
Moreover, Qi Sui had mentioned that in their past life, Lu Xu didn't have Rong Que by his side.
Things should be different this time.
Before the game started, Rong Que discussed a change in tactics with his teammates.
The opponent's offense was too fierce; pure defense wouldn't work.
They decided to go all out with an aggressive strategy in the second half.
As the second half began, the athletes from the opposing team immediately started mocking them with gestures.
Rong Que stopped a teammate who was impulsive and wanted to fight, giving the athletes a cold look.
In the latter half, everyone was in great form, barely letting the opponents touch the ball.
The score was about to even out.
In the last few seconds, Rong Que dribbled the ball, ready to shoot a three-pointer that would put them ahead.
But unexpectedly, the burliest athlete suddenly charged at him.
Rong Que's form was disrupted mid-jump, and before he fell, he managed to throw the ball.
Under the tense gazes of everyone, the ball spun around the rim before finally rolling in.
The basketball court erupted in cheers.
They had narrowly won by one point.
After the excitement, everyone rushed to help Rong Que up.
But Rong Que seemed unable to stand, and his swollen ankle looked scary.
Lu Xu anxiously ran over, wanting to help support him.
However, Rong Que's teammates had already lifted him up.
Rong Que, looking pale, gave Lu Xu a reassuring smile, "It's okay."
The girls from their class went to confront the athletes, but they denied any wrongdoing, leading to a heated argument.
Lu Xu and another boy helped Rong Que to the school clinic, where the doctor took one look and issued a referral to the orthopedic hospital next door.
Rong Que asked the boy to help him take leave and then informed Qi Sui about the incident.
Qi Sui was also their guardian, though he usually didn't involve himself much, he cared for them deeply.
On the phone, Qi Sui seemed to be in a meeting but said he would come immediately before hanging up.
The school doctor lent them a crutch, and Rong Que, leaning on it and Lu Xu, made his way to the school gate.
Seeing Lu Xu's reddened eyes, as if he was about to cry, Rong Que sighed helplessly, "It's okay, at most it's a fracture."
They had seen many boys fracture bones on the sports field; although it took three months to heal, there were usually no lasting effects.
Lu Xu gritted his teeth; he wouldn't let the boy who injured Rong Que off easily.
After waiting a few minutes at the school gate, Qi Sui's car arrived.
They expected only the driver or an assistant, but the passenger window rolled down to reveal Qi Sui's concerned face, "What happened? Get in the car."
The public hospital was too crowded, so Qi Sui had the driver take them to his family's hospital.
Seeing Qi Sui so worried about him, Rong Que felt a bit unaccustomed.
But recalling Qi Sui's memories of their past life, where they fought side by side, their bond was indeed much deeper.
Not knowing if his inability to recall those memories would also make Qi Sui feel down.
The group arrived at the hospital, and since it was owned by Qi Sui's family, the process of getting X-rays and other procedures was expedited.
In the end, Rong Que was given a cast and provided with a pair of crutches, allowing him to return to class.
Seeing how exhausted they were from the ordeal, Qi Sui decided to take a day off and attend class the next day instead.
With Rong Que's leg temporarily out of commission, Lu Xu began to take care of him, fetching tea and water.
Previously, it had often been Rong Que who looked after Lu Xu, so this was Lu Xu's first time experiencing what it was like to care for Rong Que, and it felt somewhat strange.
However, Rong Que, who had been active in sports for years, had strong arm strength and could move around freely with the help of his crutches.
The only difficulty was climbing to the second floor for class the next day.
He made a special request to the teacher to avoid going up during peak hours.
Rong Que and Lu Xu entered the classroom during class, drawing curious and concerned glances from everyone.
The teacher, on behalf of the class, inquired about Rong Que's condition, to which he replied that it wasn't serious.
To make things easier for Rong Que, the teacher even moved his seat to the back door, closer to the restroom and stairs, so he wouldn't have to walk back and forth in the classroom.
The student responsible for watching the back door was quite happy, as he no longer had to keep closing it.
Rong Que found it convenient too, as he could simply extend his crutch to close the door.
Lu Xu was very worried that Rong Que might accidentally fall, so he would follow him even when Rong Que went to the restroom.
The urinals in the men's restroom didn't have doors, only a partition at most, so Lu Xu would stand guard with his back turned.
Rong Que found it amusing, "We grew up wearing the same underpants, and now you're getting shy. Could it be that you've got a crush on some girl?"
Lu Xu, already a bit embarrassed, pouted at Rong Que's teasing and said, "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll steal your crutches."
Rong Que obediently shut up, realizing that Lu Xu hadn't really interacted with many girls and probably didn't have a crush on anyone.
His question had been somewhat probing.
Perhaps it was out of a sense of responsibility as an older brother, wanting to prevent Lu Xu from starting a relationship too early.
At noon, when school let out, the teacher allowed them to leave ten minutes early to avoid the crowded period.
Just as they reached the staircase, they encountered the same group of athletes from before, tall and burly, smoking and chatting on the stairs.
They must have skipped class.
Seeing Rong Que's leg in a cast, they walked over with malicious grins.
Their eyes scanned the two with disdain.
"Wow, a little bump and you're crippled. Nerds are so fragile."
"No wonder the girls in the next class were so worried. We must have really damaged their precious boy."
"I didn't even stand steady. Who knew he'd be as weak as a girl?"
Rong Que frowned, but he was concerned about provoking them and putting Lu Xu in danger.
After all, with one leg out of commission, it would be hard to protect Lu Xu.
Unexpectedly, Lu Xu spoke up directly, "Yeah, girls are so weak. Were you born from your dad then?"
The boy was taken aback by the question and glared at Lu Xu with hostility, "What's it to you, with your long hair that makes you look neither male nor female? Did I insult a woman and hit a nerve?"
"Do you not have a mother?" Lu Xu asked innocently, glancing at him.
Rong Que was worried that the boy might hit Lu Xu when he suddenly noticed a strand of Lu Xu's hair extending out.
The strand was so fine that it was almost invisible to the naked eye unless viewed from a specific angle.
The next second, the boy who had bumped into Rong Que suddenly tripped as if something had caught his foot, causing him to fall forward.
He quickly grabbed onto his two friends beside him.
Both of them were smaller and, caught off guard, all three of them tumbled down together.
Each of them was quite large, and Rong Que even felt the stairs shake from the impact.
The strongest one was the worst off, his face hitting the edge of the stairs, and blood immediately started flowing down his face.
The other two fell on top of him, causing further injury.
Lu Xu chuckled, "Why do you keep losing your balance? Be more careful next time."
His last sentence carried a slight mocking tone, almost like a curse.
Lu Xu didn't bother with them any longer and simply pulled Rong Que along as they went downstairs.
Having gotten his revenge, Lu Xu's mood improved significantly.
"Xiao Lu, was that you?" Rong Que asked after a moment of silence.
Lu Xu's smile froze, and he turned to observe Rong Que's expression.
He was quickly trying to figure out how he had been discovered.
Indeed, it would be better to do such things behind Rong Que's back in the future.
Rong Que was kind-hearted and would surely think he was being malicious.
Just as Lu Xu's heart raced, unsure whether to admit it, Rong Que suddenly smiled gently, "Were you avenging me, Xiao Lu?"
Lu Xu was taken aback and asked uncertainly, "Would you be scared of me, Brother?"
Rong Que remembered the night when he had used scissors to cut that strand of hair.
Although they had talked it out, Lu Xu still seemed to care about it.
Rong Que replied earnestly, "I've said before that I'll stand by your side, Xiao Lu."
"You didn't do anything when you were bullied before. Using your abilities to protect yourself isn't a bad thing. I don't want you to be bullied either."
Lu Xu was moved, but Rong Que had misunderstood one thing.
He hadn't used his abilities before because he didn't know how... otherwise, he would have retaliated against those who bullied him long ago.
But it was fine to let Rong Que misunderstand.
Lu Xu gave a sweet smile, "I won't misuse this ability."
After saying that, he extended his pinky finger, just like when they were kids.
Rong Que, holding his cane, also extended his pinky, and they made a pinky promise.
During the afternoon's physical education class, Rong Que and Lu Xu were allowed to stay in the classroom.
So, for a while, it was just the two of them in the classroom.
The athletes from next door somehow found out about this and skipped class to come and pick a fight.
Their faces were still covered with band-aids, and the most severely injured one, probably with a broken nose, was wrapped up even more tightly.
Clearly, the three of them had dismissed the stair incident as an accident, and they were embarrassed about it.
They wanted to come and bully the weak and the disabled to regain their pride.
But Lu Xu didn't even let them enter the classroom; he tripped them in the hallway using his hair.
The sound of heavy bodies hitting the floor attracted the attention of the dean who was teaching next door.
With their old injuries not yet healed and new ones added, they were taken away by the dean for disciplinary action.
For a while, no one disturbed them again.
The classmates were well-informed and remembered the boy who had teased Lu Xu.
During breaks, they even discussed whether he deserved divine retribution for his actions.
Middle school ended smoothly, and the two of them advanced to high school together.
Getting into the top-tier "rocket class" in high school was no easy feat, especially since it was the best one.
Qi Sui had actually asked if Lu Xu should be sent there as well.
Lu Xu declined, as the rocket class was too exhausting. He wouldn’t have time to paint, and the atmosphere was too stifling.
Fortunately, they were on the same floor.
Every time Lu Xu passed by their class, he saw everyone quietly resting or working on extra practice problems.
It was truly intense.
Whenever Rong Que saw Lu Xu, he would still come out to accompany him to the balcony for some fresh air.
During long breaks, the two could sit on the balcony together and snack.
Lu Xu had already grown accustomed to seeing each other briefly every day, especially since they could still sleep together at night as day students.
Until one day during lunch, Lu Xu was waiting at the door for Rong Que, who was held up by class.
As he stood there, a classmate from the neighboring rocket class walked past and muttered, "I always see him bothering the top student in our grade."
Lu Xu’s hearing was sharp, so he usually ignored the sounds around him.
But when it came to information related to Rong Que being the top student, he couldn’t help but listen carefully.
The voices grew fainter as they walked away, but Lu Xu still caught their words, "Yeah, the top student is already so busy, yet he still has to accompany that little brother of his."
"You don’t get it, he’s an art student. He’s got plenty of free time."
In truth, the rocket class and the class with more art and sports students didn’t get along well.
They didn’t see eye to eye.
Although it wasn’t Rong Que’s own classmates who said it, it was still the neighboring rocket class.
Lu Xu felt a bit down, wondering if Rong Que also felt that he was a disturbance.
But if he asked, Rong Que probably wouldn’t say it directly.
Thinking this, Lu Xu decided to appear less often at Rong Que’s classroom door.
During long breaks, he also tried not to disturb Rong Que.
Following this plan, Lu Xu didn’t pass by the rocket class for the entire afternoon.
During evening self-study, he watched from a corner as they finished class. Only when Rong Que solved the last problem and looked up did Lu Xu dare to appear at the window.
He was afraid that if Rong Que saw him, he wouldn’t be able to focus on his studies.
At night, when Rong Que lay down to sleep, Lu Xu immediately stopped playing on his phone.
Their usual bedtime chat was also gone.
Rong Que didn’t know why Lu Xu was suddenly so quiet today.
He also seemed to be in a bad mood.
Turning over, Rong Que hugged Lu Xu and asked, "What’s wrong? Why aren’t you happy?"
Lu Xu shushed him, "Go to sleep, I’m tired."
His tone sounded normal enough.
Since Lu Xu said he was tired, Rong Que couldn’t force him to chat.
So he just followed suit and went to sleep.
But he underestimated how much he cared about Lu Xu’s unusual behavior.
The next morning, Lu Xu was surprised to see Rong Que waking up slower than him for the first time.
Lu Xu exclaimed, "Are you that sleep-deprived already?"
In Lu Xu’s eyes, the half-hour they spent chatting before bed was taking away from Rong Que’s sleep time.
Last night, Rong Que had finally gotten enough sleep, so he couldn’t wake up easily.
Rong Que, still groggy, replied casually, "No, I had a dream and didn’t sleep well."
Normally, Lu Xu would have curiously asked what the dream was about.
But this time, he thought that if he spoke, Rong Que would have to respond, which would waste his energy. Rong Que already didn’t seem very energetic.
This isn't working.
Lu Xu closed his mouth, quietly finished breakfast, and bid farewell in the hallway.
After three classes in the morning, Rong Que still hadn't seen Lu Xu.
He felt that something was indeed off.
During the long break, Rong Que took the initiative to ask Lu Xu to grab some snacks together.
Lu Xu shook his head, indicating he'd just eat in the classroom.
Rong Que pressed his lips together, clearly unhappy.
Lu Xu furrowed his brows, not wanting to see Rong Que upset.
So he obediently came out.
His sluggish movements clearly showed reluctance.
Rong Que's eyebrow twitched involuntarily.
As soon as they left the classroom, Rong Que grabbed his hand and headed for the balcony.
The two looked out at the scenery.
The fresh breeze cleared their stuffy heads from being cooped up in the classroom.
Lu Xu asked puzzledly, "Are you unhappy today?"
"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that? Why didn't you want to come to the balcony with me?" Rong Que rubbed his forehead, unsure what Lu Xu was thinking.
Lu Xu lowered his head and took a bite of an apple, "But I'll distract you from studying."
"Who told you that?" Rong Que's lips twitched. He had a strong learning ability, almost photographic memory, and excellent comprehension.
So he hardly ever did extra practice problems.
Instead, spending time with Lu Xu was his most relaxing time. Resting his brain actually improved his study efficiency.
Lu Xu pursed his lips and honestly said, "A classmate from the next class said that when I was waiting for you at the door."
Rong Que sighed, "Last night I was thinking about why you were unhappy, so I didn't sleep well."
"You didn't show up during break, I got anxious, missed a few points in class, and had to stay longer after evening self-study."
Rong Que said this to express that he couldn't get used to Lu Xu not being with him.
But Lu Xu's eyes widened, moistening, "So I really am distracting you from studying."
Rong Que's expression froze for a moment, wondering where he went wrong.
Or maybe Lu Xu's thought process was just different from others.
Rong Que felt mentally exhausted. He simply hugged Lu Xu, burying his head in Lu Xu's neck and shoulder, "Without you, I can't study properly, don't you understand?"
"Being with you relaxes me and relieves study stress. Does that make sense to you?"
The sudden straightforward words left Lu Xu stunned for three seconds before his face turned red.
He rubbed his burning cheeks, then pushed the heavy bulk, "Got it, get up first."
Rong Que, who hadn't slept well last night, had faint dark circles under his eyes.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Still going to sulk alone?"
Lu Xu sheepishly touched his nose, "Who said I was sulking? I was just looking out for you."
Rong Que curled his lips, raising an eyebrow at Lu Xu, "You, who needed me to put on your socks this morning, are worrying about me?"
Just then, a noise came from the doorway.
Rong Que turned to see his deskmate holding a bread, trembling, "Did I come at a bad time?"
Lu Xu, also embarrassed, hid behind Rong Que.
Rong Que said helplessly, not sure what his deskmate had misunderstood, "Just come eat your bread normally."
But in this ambiguous atmosphere, the deskmate was too embarrassed to approach.
Not coming over would make it seem like he'd heard too much.
So the deskmate tiptoed to a spot far from them, trying to quickly finish his bread and leave.
Rong Que pulled Lu Xu over, "If you don't believe me, ask my deskmate. I started zoning out during class yesterday afternoon."
Lu Xu leaned out, "Really?"
The deskmate nodded repeatedly, "When I asked a question after class, Rong Que even zoned out while explaining!!"
"Sister-in-law, did you two have a fight? Make up quickly. When Brother Que zones out, the order of his explanations is all messed up!!"
This made Rong Que a bit embarrassed. He just wanted his deskmate to confirm the accuracy of his statement.
He didn't expect the other to say so much.
And he even called Lu Xu "sister-in-law."
Lu Xu awkwardly explained, "I'm also a guy..."
The deskmate waved his hand carelessly, "We all know, we understand, hahaha. If you don't like being called sister-in-law, how about brother-in-law?"
Rong Que pushed his head, "You better go back to the classroom and eat."
The deskmate grabbed his half-eaten bread and ran off.
Although gossip is fun, being a third wheel is not.
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