.Zhan Yu didn't bother mind his encounter with Lu Bai that day since right after returning, his first priority was to quickly find the person in charge of the dancing and singing competition. He needed to forfeit as soon as possible.
Apparently, the Student Council was in charge of holding this contest. President Ji Yi was a third-year university student who coincidentally studied in the same field as Lu Bai.
Upon hearing her desire to forfeit, President Ji Yi's face wrinkled in confusion. "Brother Zhan, everything's been going well up to now. Why do you want to forfeit?"
Zhan Yu looked back at his perplexed eyes and gave a vague answer: "I've been busy these days so there's no time for me to participate."
Ji Yi didn't plan to let him off just yet. "I still remember when you boldly stated that you were going to claim first prize."
"Haha," Zhan Yu smiled, not wanting to explain any further. "Anyways, I don't want to join this contest anymore. I'm here to talk to the one in charge of this competition. Even if you don't agree, I have no choice."
Then, just as he was about to walk away, she heard Ji Yi comment: "Turns out Brother Zhan's isn't the kind of person who keeps his promises."
Zhan Yu kept silent as he thought to himself privately: 'No matter, it's not like I was the one who promised.'
When Ji Yi saw no reaction from him, he had to use Lu Bai's name. "Are you afraid that you would embarrass yourself in front of Senior Lu if you encounter him during the competition?"
"It's none of your business."
Ji Yi was even more interested in the topic. "Isn't it true that you love Senior Lu so much that you would hover between life and death for him? Why would you give up after just one year of chasing him?"
Zhan Yu couldn't help but roll his eyes as he thought to himself: 'In more than a year, even a cold stone should've warmed up under the sun.'
(T/N: Lu Bai's heart is still stone cold even after a year of pursuit...nothing's changed)
He replied lazily, "It's because I've already stopped by the edge of the abyss, and now I've turned around and made my way back to the shore. Didn't you say that I loved him so much that I even hovered between life and death? I've already died once. If I still don't change my mind, wouldn't it be no different from seeking death one more time?"
Ji Yi was choked by his words. He didn't know how to retort. Although he had many chances to speak to Zhan Yu, he had never heard that he was a person with a sharp tongue!
Ji Yi squinted and observed her for a while before continuing, "Even if you change yourself for Senior Lu's sake, he still won't pay attention to you. Senior Sister Shen was such a perfect school girl, but she only received bits of Senior Lu's appreciation. She never even got to earn the official title as his girlfriend. But looking at your sincere face that shows no desire, it shows that you know when to withdraw when facing difficulty. If you happen to win Senior Lu's heart, I'll admire you sincerely."
Zhan Yu's lips twitched in annoyance as he replied, "Thanks for the reminder.
'The heck! It's the first time that we've met and yet you're acting as if you know my mind! We obviously had no interaction before!'
Ji Yi appeared several times in the novel, but after the supporting female character left the campus, this man won't have any roles left, right?
Zhan Yu looked down on shameless people like him.
He clearly said he wanted to forfeit, and yet this man was so bored that he went after him at the library and at his dorm, just so he could convince him again and again to join the competition.
After Zhan Yu left the library, he headed straight for the cafeteria, while Ji Yi chased after him. Just when he got in line to get his meal, Ji Yi stuck beside him like a minion, trying to brainwash him to join. "Just take part in the contest. You'll have a chance to see Senior Lu! You know, I even spent a lot of time to persuade him to be a judge at the competition."
"That has nothing to do with me."
"It won't be any fun if you don't join."
Upon hearing this, Zhan Yu gave him a sarcastic smile. "You're wasting time persuading me to join just so you can add oil to the flames and catch more attention?"
In this university, he was infamous for persistently chasing after Lu Bai. Moreover, Senior Lu will be at the competition, so more people will be coming to watch the fun. And those girls who had crushes on this male god, but were too shy to voice out their feelings, will be using Zhan Yu to probe Lu Bai's mind.
No matter what, watching the contest will only bring them more benefits than harm.
After Zhan Yu considered this possibility, he knew that Ji Yi didn't simply become the Student President for no reason.
Ji Yi smiled and said, "Anyways, there's nothing for you to lose. I'll at least put in a good word for you in front of Senior Lu."
Zhan Yu let out a quiet chuckle. "Thank you, but no need." He thought to himself: 'You think you can speak such words in front of Lu Bai? You think too highly of yourself!'
Afterwards, he no longer paid him any attention. Although Ji Yi still wanted to bother him, he was summoned by a phone call.
No longer having that annoying voice by his ears, Zhan Yu was quite satisfied. Yes, he could finally have his meal in peace.
Not far from him, Mao Shiyuan's chopsticks paused in midair as he pensively observed Zhan Yu from afar. He took out his phone and texted Lu Bai: "I heard that kid Ji Yi has been close to Zhan Yu lately. Is it true that he shifted his attention to Ji Yi since he knows that it won't work out with you?"
Several minutes passed, and he still didn't receive any reply.
Mao Shiyuan sent another text message: "I heard many people say that these two have been hanging out together recently. Is it true?"
Since Lu Bai was at a meeting, he wasn't able to see this text.
It wasn't until he finished work and left the dinner party that he received a phone call from Ji Yi on his way back. The student council President wanted to confirm the time of the contest for next week.
Lu Bai had already agreed to join as a judge, so he simply answered with a curt 'yes' before asking his assistant to cancel his schedule that night.
Since the other party still hadn't hung up, Lu Bai asked: "What else?"
Ji Yi gave a dry laugh and responded, "Senior Lu, how are you and Zhan Yu doing these days?"
Lu Bai's brow twitched slightly. "Why ask? Just tell me what it is you want."
Ji Yi answered directly: "Zhan Yu said that since you'll be participating that night, he won't join the semi-finals, no matter how hard I've tried to persuade him. I really want him to dance, but since he refuses to, there's nothing I can do. It's good that he's happy. He told me that he doesn't want to be involved in anything related to you. Senior Lu, what happened between the two of you?"
Lu Bai grinned as he leaned against his seat. He replied indifferently, "It's good that he knows hinself well." He hung up immediately afterwards, no longer wanting to continue this conversation with Ji Yi.
Meanwhile, a classmate who overheard their phone conversation, asked in surprise: "What's your purpose in telling Senior Lu these things?"
Ji Yi waved his hand and explained, "You don't understand! If Lu Bai isn't interested in Zhan Yu, it would be for the better, right? Moreover, if what Zhan Yu says is true, then I'm helping him indirectly, right? This is the most suitable method to get the two of them to hate each other."
Ji Yi pondered the issue more seriously. Senior Lu was like a son of heaven. How can an aloof school boy like Zhan Yu possibly get him finger in this peace of pie?
If Zhan Yu knew of his thoughts right know, he would've scoffed and said: "Are all people in this novel crazy?!"
After Lu Bai hung up, he read over Mao Shiyuan's texts before dragging his number into his blacklist.
A week passed quickly. Soon, the night of the semi-finals had arrived.
Zhan Yu wasn't planning on going to the venue, even though Zhong Qin told him that the semi-finals would be as big an event as the Lunar New Year's evening party.
Since two of the "Four MC Queens" of the university would be the MC's for this round. Tonight will be their last time working together before they will graduate.
(T/N: the term MC refers to the host of the program, a.k.a master of ceremonies or mic controller)
Zhan Yu once heard about the Four MC Queens of the school. However, one was studying abroad, another has joined a TV station ahead of schedule, while the remaining two wanted to participate in this competition before graduating.
However, Zhan Yu was really curious: "Why did the two sisters agree to be MC's for this semi-final round?"
In theory, it was amazing luck that these well known MC's were both successfully invited for the final round.
Zhong Qin looked at him in disbelief and said, "Either you really don't understand or you're pretending that you don't understand.
Zhan Yu was confused.
Zhong Qin explained, "Naturally because of Lu Bai! Many people have guessed that this will be the last school activity he'll be attending here. Which means this is the last time they'll see him here!"
Zhan Yu blinked in surprise. He muttered to herself: "How can that be? When the female protagonist returns, he'll return to school and give lectures so he can help her fulfil her dream."
"What were you saying?"
"Nothing, I was just wondering whether I should go or not."
"Stop thinking, just go! It's a rare chance to see those two seniors on the same stage! Such a good opportunity, we wouldn't have a second chance to see this again!"
After being convinced, Zhan Yu followed Zhong Qin to the hall.
The contest would start in ten minutes and the venue was already packed full of people.
Zhong Qin had to push and squeeze to get two seats in the back. It wasn't even two minutes of being seated that Ji Yi suddenly appeared out of nowhere and waved to Zhan Yu while screaming, "See, you're here!"
Zhan Yu threw him a quiet glance, indicating that he didn't want to talk to him.
"Come on, I'll take you to the front seats."
While Zhan Yu still thought of it, Zong Qin jolted up and replied, "Thank you, President! Xiao Yu, let's go."
Zhan Yu: "..."
The moment Zhan Yu was seated on the second row, he couldn't help but feel nervous. So it turns out that they moved several rows ahead their previous ones?
He wanted to run away.
The first two rows were actually the places where the teachers and judges were seated.
However, Zhong Qin was so excited that he pulled him head and said, "Xiao Yu, I've never been treated so well when watching any competition! So it's true that there's a lot of good perks when going with you!"
"Haha." Just when Zhan Yu was about to retort, a phone call interrupted him.
The music in the hall was getting so loud that he had to walk out to receive the call.
It was his mother, Bai Ning, calling to ask him why he didn't come home that night.
"Home?" Zhan Yu was perplexed.
"You come home every Friday night, don't you?" Then, Bai Ning said in realization, "Oh, I forgot that you've lost your memory."
"Hehe." Zhan Yu didn't know what to say.
Bai Ning went on to say: "Then you should come home early tonight. I cooked you some soup. If it cools down by the time you're home, remember to heat it up before eating."
After hanging up, Zhan Yu searched hus memories and recalled that the villain had his own apartment, one that was right next to Lu Bai's.
Previously, the villain spent plenty of effort and even did the despicable deed of stalking the male protagonist to find out his address, which wasn't far from school.
Afterwards, he bribed Lu Bai's neighbors with a large sum of money so they could leave the apartment. He used this opportunity to move in next door and try win the male god's favor.
Sigh, Zhan Yu wanted to die! It's quite pitiful that the villain still didn't win his heart even after putting in so much effort.
This was the fate of a villain that would never change!
While Zhan Yu was deep in thought of how to solve the housing issue, he failed to pay attention to the direction he walked in. Right when he turned around, he bumped into a broad chest.
A refreshing, tender masculine scent entered her nose. Zhan Yu still had his cellphone in one hand. Baffled, he stared straight at a shirt that was unbuttoned at the collar, unable to pull his eyes away from that refined, faintly discernible collarbone...'dang! That white shirt looks so tempting!'
A thought popped up in Zhan Yu's head- 'I really want to trace my hands from that chest to those broad shoulders! Is that too perverted? If I act like a hooligan, will there be serious consequences?'
The two maintained a close but ambiguous position for several seconds until the other party couldn't stand it any longer. He opened his mouth and spoke coldly: "How long do you plan on sticking to me like this?"....
To be continued...
...