WAYCAV Chapter 43

Su Zhiyan had never found his major classes so hard to get through.

Shen Nianjing sat beside him, and whenever he put his hand down, his elbow would bump into Su Zhiyan. His breathing was so close too, and sometimes when the air got too quiet, Su Zhiyan could even feel the rhythm of his breathing.

Su Zhiyan felt a bit uncomfortable. He stared hard at the podium, forcing himself to focus back on the lecture.

But Shen Nianjing’s presence suddenly felt so strong.

His peripheral vision could see this person all the time, watching him slightly lower his head, pause, then lift his head once, then lower it again, concentrating on writing something.

He could hear his movements too, and catch the faint strawberry scent from him.

It was like being wrapped up by this person all the time, with no way to escape.

Su Zhiyan pursed his lips and tilted his head slightly to the left, forcibly kicking Shen Nianjing out of his peripheral vision!

With Shen Nianjing finally out of sight, he relaxed slightly.

Before he could enjoy this relief, he felt Shen Nianjing suddenly lean closer and put something in front of him.

Su Zhiyan’s chest tightened as he stubbornly kept his head turned away, refusing to look.

He’d rather die than turn around.

Then the person beside him reached out with his long arm and forcefully shoved the thing into his line of sight.

Those distinct knuckles suddenly entered his vision. Su Zhiyan’s eyelid twitched, and he tried to stay calm as he looked down.

Oh, a little note.

A note???

He looked over in surprise. Shen Nianjing raised an eyebrow at him slightly and smiled.

“…” What was he smiling about?

Su Zhiyan looked away and focused on reading the words on the note.

[Why are you so distracted? Do you have something to do after class? I can go with you]

It was a very thoughtful and normal sentence, the kind that a good friend would ask, and it immediately pulled Su Zhiyan’s tangled heartstrings back to the right track.

Oh right, Shen Nianjing wasn’t actually some kind of mind reader. He wouldn’t know what Su Zhiyan was thinking.

Even though his dreams had suddenly evolved after what Shen Nianjing said, only Su Zhiyan knew about this. Shen Nianjing didn’t even know what the dreams were about.

Su Zhiyan’s mind cleared up.

So what was he being awkward about?

He picked up his pen, scribbled a few words on the note, and flicked it with his finger. The note slid smoothly to Shen Nianjing’s side.

He saw Shen Nianjing freeze for a moment, then give a light chuckle before taking out his phone and started typing

While Shen Nianjing was seriously typing, Su Zhiyan quietly observed him.

With his righteous appearance and tall nose bridge, Shen Nianjing was the textbook definition of a conventionally handsome guy. Whenever he smiled, he looked really sunny, the kind of cheerful and lively kid that elders would like.

Su Zhiyan nodded.

Yep, just a cheerful kid.

He looked away, relaxed against the back of his chair, and looked toward the podium. Finally, he could hear what the teacher was saying.

While listening to the lecture, he slowly thought things over.

Someone like Shen Nianjing didn’t seem like the type who would pin him down on a bed for a deep kiss at all. He was more like those college guys who would still get teased about “dating too early” even in college.

As for what happened in the dreams…

Su Zhiyan thought back, his expression a bit complicated.

He had physical contact with Shen Nianjing several times today, so he probably wouldn’t dream again tonight, right?

Otherwise, hanging out with someone like good buddies during the day, then getting pinned down by that same buddy in dreams at night.

Su Zhiyan rubbed his arms, feeling like he was getting goosebumps.

As soon as the class bell rang, Shen Nianjing stood up and looked at him with resentful eyes. “Why didn’t you reply to my messages?”

“I was listening to the lecture,” Su Zhiyan answered matter-of-factly.

“…” Shen Nianjing looked at the note in his hand.

The reply on it was written in very messy handwriting, completely different from Su Zhiyan’s usual neat and proper writing.

[No, nothing, nope.]
[Are you possessed by an elementary school kid? You have a phone but you’re writing notes?]

Wasn’t this supposed to mean they should chat on their phones?

Shen Nianjing felt a bit disappointed and quietly folded the note and put it in his pocket.

“Let’s go, let’s go, I’m starving to death. Let’s eat hot pot, hot pot!!” Wen Bei noisily packed up his things, then turned to see Su Zhiyan taking his sweet time. “Hurry up! Don’t put your pen in the bag, just throw it in your backpack, and don’t sort your books by size, just stuff them in!”

“Okay, okay, right away,” Su Zhiyan nodded and immediately closed his backpack.

Seeing this, Shen Nianjing slowly looked at Wen Bei with question marks floating over his head, blinking.

Wen Bei saw his look, nodded like he suddenly understood, then also started blinking frantically.

Shen Nianjing blinked.

Wen Bei blinked several more times.

Shen Nianjing’s head filled with question marks as he mouthed: Are you coming to eat too?

Wen Bei also mouthed back: Of course! I’m about to starve to death right in front of you, you friend-forgetting guy!

Shen Nianjing: Who’s forgetting friends? I was just asking.

Wen Bei: Well I’m just cursing.

“What are you two doing?”

Su Zhiyan stood to the side watching the two of them stare deeply into each other’s eyes, his tone a bit helpless. “Are we going or not?”

“Going!!” The two turned around and said in unison.

“I noticed we only ever eat barbecue or hot pot,” Wen Bei sighed as he sat down at the hot pot restaurant.

“Winter is perfect for hot pot! Stop talking nonsense and come order.” Shen Nianjing pulled up the ordering app and added several must-haves to the cart.

The fragrant half-spicy, half-plain hot pot base was brought over and soon started bubbling with steam.

The private room got a bit hot, so Su Zhiyan took off his sweater. When he turned around, he found a pair of chopsticks with freshly cooked mutton in front of him.

“Try the dipping sauce, see if it’s salty enough. I’ll adjust it if it’s not enough.”

Su Zhiyan ate the offered meat and nodded. “It’s fine, no need to change it.”

He reached out and put a piece of meat in Shen Nianjing’s bowl. Shen Nianjing’s heart jumped with joy, but just as he was about to get happy, he saw Su Zhiyan turn and put another piece in Wen Bei’s bowl.

Shen Nianjing: “…”

Su Zhiyan kept his head down eating, thinking it had been a long time since he’d had such a comfortable meal with friends.

Before, every time they ate together, he was preoccupied with worries, and after each meal he’d have to think about whether he’d had any contact with Shen Nianjing that day.

Now not only was everything out in the open, but he and Shen Nianjing didn’t have the conflicts he’d imagined either.

As for that dream, as long as he didn’t tell anyone the real content, no one would know this embarrassing secret.

Su Zhiyan felt like everything was suddenly clear and bright.

His phone buzzed and the screen lit up.

Su Zhiyan sipped his juice and glanced over.

Su Zhiyan looked away and pressed to turn off the screen.

After the party last time, he and Qu Fangming had exchanged contact info. Occasionally they’d discuss some basic science questions to help satisfy Qu Fangming’s regret about not studying science, but Su Zhiyan always felt like the other person wasn’t taking it seriously. He couldn’t remember principles and formulas that had been explained twice, so Su Zhiyan gradually reduced contact with him, just treating him as an ordinary classmate lying in his friends list.

He didn’t like forcing communication and contact with people he wasn’t familiar with, especially going out together.

He’d reply later. It was dinner time anyway, and it wasn’t appropriate to look at his phone while with friends, Su Zhiyan thought.

But somehow, as if the person on the other end of the chat sensed his reluctance, several more messages came one after another.

Su Zhiyan ignored them all and focused on picking up food and eating with his head down.

Shen Nianjing’s eyes quietly glanced over. Seeing Su Zhiyan completely unmoved, his gaze fell on Su Zhiyan’s phone.

It showed three unread messages.

He looked away and cleared his throat. “Someone’s messaging you.”

“Mm.” Su Zhiyan responded, then looked up to drink his juice but found his cup was empty.

Shen Nianjing poured him more juice. “Then why aren’t you checking it?” He looked at Su Zhiyan as he spoke.

Su Zhiyan took a sip of juice, his face calm, his tone very casual. “It’s nothing important. It can wait.”

“Unless it’s messages from seniors or teachers, I’ve never seen him reply to anyone instantly,” Wen Bei said sarcastically, complaining bitterly about this behavior. “I’m telling you Su Zhiyan, can you not be so realistic!”

“I reply to your messages instantly!” Su Zhiyan felt his complaints were unreasonable.

“That’s because I know your personality so I just call you directly!!!” Wen Bei said angrily.

Su Zhiyan laughed out loud. “That’s a good habit, keep it up.”

Wen Bei: “…”

Shen Nianjing listened to this conversation in a daze, his mood suddenly floating, like a light butterfly landing gracefully on his heart.

Su Zhiyan replied to his messages very quickly!!

Shen Nianjing couldn’t help but smile, using his drink to hide his grin.

He couldn’t get too cocky.

Hehe.

The phone vibrated twice more. The other person seemed really anxious.

Shen Nianjing silently swept another glance, pretending not to care. “You should check it. Maybe they’re really in a hurry.”

“Don’t worry. Normally, if someone bothers Su Zhiyan a few more times, he’ll get annoyed enough to respond.”

Wen Bei looked at Shen Nianjing, somewhat gloating.

At a loss, Su Zhiyan was speechless and opened his phone.

Then he sent several photos about the activities and some pictures of the resort.

Su Zhiyan silently looked at those pictures, wondering why Zhang Chang didn’t just talk to him directly instead of finding someone else to ask him.

Soaking in hot springs in winter was indeed very comfortable, but Su Zhiyan still felt resistant to going with people he wasn’t familiar with.

“Wow, hot spring resort!” came Wen Bei’s exclamation from behind him, startling Su Zhiyan so much he almost dropped his phone in his bowl.

He steadied his phone and turned around with furrowed brows.

“I didn’t mean to look at your messages!” Wen Bei immediately stood up straight to explain. “I was just passing by to get my clothes and accidentally saw it.”

“What hot springs?” Shen Nianjing raised his voice, looking straight at Su Zhiyan.

“Some friends from the student council invited me to go to hot springs in the northern suburbs this weekend,” Su Zhiyan explained.

Shen Nianjing said “Oh” and turned his head, his tone a bit awkward. “I see, so are you going?”

Su Zhiyan shook his head. “No.”

Shen Nianjing whipped his head back around, his eyes bright. “Why not?”

“I don’t want to socialize with people I’m not familiar with. It’s troublesome.”

Hearing this, Wen Bei directly put his arms around both of them, saying excitedly, “Then let’s go together! Didn’t he say there are activities when more people go?”

Going together with Shen Nianjing and Wen Bei…?

Su Zhiyan’s expression gradually relaxed as he thought about it.

That wouldn’t be unacceptable.

He nodded. “Okay.” Then he looked at Shen Nianjing. “Are you free this weekend?”

Shen Nianjing tilted his head slightly, his expression a bit unnatural.

This guy Wen Bei was pressing down on both of them, making Shen Nianjing and Su Zhiyan suddenly much closer. He could even feel Su Zhiyan’s warm breath lingering by his neck.

His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, and he licked his lips before responding, “Of course I’m free!”

“Great!” Wen Bei cheered excitedly, shaking Su Zhiyan frantically. “Hurry up and tell them we two want to go too!”

“??????????”

Shen Nianjing slowly looked up, his pupils shocked as he stared at Wen Bei, his face full of disbelief.

Wen Bei noticed his gaze and proudly winked, mouthing: Leave it to me, bro, don’t worry.

Shen Nianjing: “……”

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