Gu Zhuoyan's tall figure was particularly conspicuous in the crowd. Zhuang Fanxin saw him, his steps faltering for a moment before he fluttered over like a bird.

Gu Zhuoyan opened his arms. Just as Zhuang Fanxin was right in front of him, he bent down and swept him into a hug, catching him in his embrace. He lifted him, bag and all, and spun him around in a circle. In front of so many people, in front of the other's parents and friends, he should have restrained himself, but since Zhuang Fanxin had thrown himself over, how could he possibly hold back?

Zhuang Fanxin said excitedly, "I'm back!"

As if his hardship had finally turned to bliss, Gu Zhuoyan said, "You're finally back."

Zhuang Fanxin laughed heartily. He let go, so happy he didn't know how to express it, and playfully punched Gu Zhuoyan on the shoulder. Gu Zhuoyan, also feeling a bit unsatisfied, reached out to ruffle Zhuang Fanxin's hair. He looked him over from head to toe and noticed a bit of dust on his pants.

"How did you get that?"

Zhuang Fanxin's smile was mixed with a trace of embarrassment. He had started running right after getting off the plane and had taken a tumble on the jet bridge. Perhaps infected by his joy, the corners of Gu Zhuoyan's mouth curved up so much they ached. He bent down to pat the dirt off, saying like he was coaxing a child, "Be careful."

He put an arm around Zhuang Fanxin's small frame and walked outside. After leaving the terminal building, Pei Zhi was picked up by his grandmother, and they got into the SUV to go home.

Counting the days, the competition had just ended. Gu Zhuoyan remembered Zhuang Fanxin saying that he would stay with his grandparents for a few days after the competition. Had he come back early? Zhuang Fanxin nodded. His grandparents had gotten older in the past two years, especially his grandfather, who wasn't in good health and still had to manage company affairs. How could they have the energy to play with him?

Besides, with the mid-term exams approaching, Zhuang Xianyang was afraid his son would run wild outside, so he simply booked a flight for him to come back early for tutoring.

On the way through the city center, Zhuang Fanxin's phone rang. He answered and started chatting boisterously. The call was from Qi Nan, who was thinking of Zhuang Fanxin's return and was eager to give his deskmate a welcome-back reception.

Ending the call, Zhuang Fanxin said, "Qi Nan and the Class Monitor are looking for me, I'm not going home!"

Zhao Jianqiu asked, "Where should we drop you off?"

"The roadside is fine, they'll be here in a bit." After the car stopped, Zhuang Fanxin pulled Gu Zhuoyan out with him. They strolled to the entrance of a shopping mall where there was a fountain, and the two sat beside it to wait.

The initial excitement from getting off the plane gradually faded. Zhuang Fanxin, with his hands in his jacket pockets, gently swung his legs, occasionally bumping them against Gu Zhuoyan's. He asked, "How have you been lately?"

Gu Zhuoyan answered, "Alright."

"What about the few days you were back home? Lu Wen's concert had so many people, were they all classmates?" He regretted it a little after asking. 'Did he see his ex-girlfriend?' Zhuang Fanxin wondered.

Gu Zhuoyan said, "The whole class went."

Zhuang Fanxin suddenly pressed his lips together. 'So he did see her.' He snuck a peek at Gu Zhuoyan's expression from the corner of his eye. It was calm and relaxed, seemingly no different. 'Does this mean Gu Zhuoyan has gotten over his first love, and now only likes Qin Wei or Wang Churan?'

He wanted to ask, 'When are you planning to confess?' But he also didn't want to ask. Deep down, he seemed reluctant to bring up the topic of confessing.

Doubt grew in Zhuang Fanxin's heart, and even his hands hidden in his pockets clenched into fists. After a moment of silence, Gu Zhuoyan bumped his leg back and asked if anything fun had happened during the competition.

If there was anything worth mentioning, it would be Pei Zhi kissing someone in the break room.

Zhuang Fanxin would never gossip about his friends, so naturally, he didn't bring it up. Just as he was wondering what to say, his cheek felt cold as a water droplet trickled down his neck and into his clothes. Before he could react, another handful of water was splashed on him. Qi Nan and the Class Monitor were standing by the fountain, flicking their hands. "Look at you two, acting like a couple!"

Gu Zhuoyan couldn't hold back a smile, his lips twitching. He even cooperatively wiped the water droplets from Zhuang Fanxin's face. As his palm brushed against his cheek, Zhuang Fanxin grew inexplicably nervous, not daring to lift his eyes. The words "acting like a couple" echoed in his mind, and the image of Pei Zhi kissing a guy appeared. He shivered, ashamed, and blamed himself for randomly fantasizing about Gu Zhuoyan, the only confirmed straight guy he knew.

Zhuang Fanxin quickly said something else to cover it up, "Did you guys crawl over here? You're so slow."

"Damn, you ungrateful brat." Qi Nan was carrying four large cups of milk tea, handing one to each person. "I cooked these brown sugar pearls myself. Good things take time, you get it?"

Gu Zhuoyan took a sip. "How come I don't have any?"

Qi Nan said, "Don't you dislike sweets? I swapped them for coconut jelly."

Over the past month, Qi Nan had grown fond of Gu Zhuoyan while looking after him. At first, it was a one-way street, a task entrusted to him, but he gradually discovered that although Gu Zhuoyan seemed cold and distant, he was actually quite kind and considerate. Most importantly, he often let him copy his homework.

Biting his straw and observing the improper classmate-ly affection between his deskmate and his neighbor, Zhuang Fanxin felt like he had shot himself in the foot. He tried to salvage the situation: "I missed you guys so much. When I was eating in Los Angeles, I'd think of us eating together in the cafeteria."

The Class Monitor said, "Then you should treat us to dinner today."

Qi Nan said, "Great idea."

The promised welcome-back reception had turned into freeloading, but Zhuang Fanxin wasn't fazed. He patted his pockets like a rich man. The prize money from the competition was in US dollars. He had originally wanted to treat the entire class to a meal; today, he would first treat these few close friends to a meal.

They went into the mall to find food. They had eaten beef hot pot many times, so when they saw a Chongqing hot pot restaurant, they wanted to try it. Among the four of them, three couldn't handle spicy food well, so they ordered a yuan-yang pot. After seeing the red chili oil, Zhuang Fanxin was so scared he ordered another eight bottles of herbal tea.

They chatted while they ate. The Class Monitor talked about school matters: the beautiful chemistry teacher got married, the basketball team lost in the provincial tournament, and one day after school, he saw the Sports Committee Member and Lin Xiao'an waiting for the bus together.

Zhuang Fanxin, fishing for duck intestines in the pot, asked, "Huh? What does that mean?"

The Class Monitor said, "Are you dense? It means there's something going on between them! We started teasing them about it later, but they didn't deny it. I guess the Sports Committee Member will be off the market soon."

Qi Nan had a look of longing on his face. "Is Class 3 finally going to have a couple? We're already in our second year of high school. I was starting to suspect all the boys and girls in our class were emotionless learning machines."

Zhuang Fanxin finally managed to pick up a piece of duck intestine. He dipped it in the sesame oil dish and snuck a glance at Gu Zhuoyan as he put it in his mouth. He couldn't control himself and said, "Besides the Sports Committee Member and Lin Xiao'an, another couple will form soon."

Qi Nan and the Class Monitor immediately started gossiping about who it could be. Zhuang Fanxin was finding it harder and harder to put on the brakes. "A class representative."

Having finished a cup of herbal tea, Gu Zhuoyan felt a bit agitated. Zhuang Fanxin's words fell on his ears. 'Is he rushing me? Or testing me?' He picked up a shrimp ball for Zhuang Fanxin and deliberately provoked him in a low voice, "The emperor isn't worried, but the eunuch is."

Zhuang Fanxin blushed, also feeling that he was being a busybody, so he buried his head in his food and stopped talking. Qi Nan and the Class Monitor were still guessing which class representative it was. After going through the options, it came to the English class representative, and they both looked at Zhuang Fanxin.

Qi Nan asked, "Deskmate, it's not you, is it?"

The Class Monitor asked, "Were you talking about yourself just now?"

Gu Zhuoyan burst out laughing and said, "I think it is."

Zhuang Fanxin, holding his chopsticks, stared wide-eyed. It was so damn embarrassing. His mouth opened and closed as if he had lost his voice. In his panic, he fished a spinach leaf out of the spicy red oil pot and ate it while it was still dripping with scalding chili oil. Tears instantly gushed from his eyes.

He was just like a freshly caught fish, thrashing about. It was hot, spicy, and choked his throat. He turned to the side, bent over, and coughed violently.

Gu Zhuoyan rubbed Zhuang Fanxin's back. The spiciness was intense; the back of his neck was flushed red. He hooked a finger under Zhuang Fanxin's chin, tilting it up, wiped away the tears and sweat from his face, and fed him half a cup of herbal tea. Zhuang Fanxin looked at him with tear-filled eyes. His eyelids fluttered, and two more teardrops rolled down.

By the yuan-yang pot, amid the pungent steam and the mixed smell of meat and vegetables, with two third wheels across from them and surrounded by strangers dining, it was chaotic. Yet, looking at Zhuang Fanxin's miserable state, Gu Zhuoyan's mind began to wander. That little thought of his also felt like it was coated in a layer of scalding, choking red oil.

After a long while, Zhuang Fanxin recovered. He straightened up, his face still flushed, and ate a raw carrot to gradually soothe the burning sensation in his chest. The previous topic was dropped. The Class Monitor suddenly asked, "Oh, we still don't know what place you got in the competition!"

Qi Nan, chewing on some meat, said, "Exactly! If it's not ideal, just meow once."

Zhuang Fanxin finally had a chance to regain some face. Suppressing his excitement, he answered, "Got lucky, first place in the jewelry design group."

"Holy crap!" Qi Nan slammed the table, making the bowls and plates clatter. "My deskmate is so awesome, oh my god!"

The Class Monitor raised his cup. "A warm congratulations to our classmate Zhuang Fanxin for achieving such an outstanding result in an international competition! As the Class Monitor of Class 1, I am proud of him. This meal is on him! I'll down this cup!"

They clinked their glasses flamboyantly. Zhuang Fanxin was quite embarrassed. His skills were impressive, but this time there was an element of luck involved. A strong competitor had been eye-catching from the beginning of the competition, was also quite dramatic, and had always been the center of discussion in the jewelry group. Unexpectedly, he suddenly withdrew during the finals, becoming famous overnight. From a profit-oriented perspective, it seemed more beneficial than winning the competition.

Zhuang Fanxin didn't care about the rest. He had no desire to become famous in the USA, nor was he interested in being a new talent. He participated because he liked designing. He had worked diligently until his eyes were red, and he had honorably brought back the trophy that belonged to him.

Leaving the hot pot restaurant, everyone was stuffed. There was a cinema and an arcade next door, tempting them so much they couldn't walk away. Qi Nan made a beeline for the basketball shooting machine, and Gu Zhuoyan instinctively rolled up his sleeves and followed to accept the challenge.

After a flurry of shots, Qi Nan was trailing by twenty points. He yelled, "Zhuang Fanxin! Don't you fucking stand there like an idiot watching me lose!"

Gu Zhuoyan scoffed. 'A desperate man will try anything,' he thought. 'What help could Zhuang Fanxin's basketball skills be?' Suddenly, a ticklish sensation spread across his waist. Zhuang Fanxin had come over to obstruct him, hugging and rubbing him, wrapping his arms around him and shaking him. He missed two shots. Glancing over, he saw Zhuang Fanxin beaming at him, his face lit up in a smile.

The score had already been surpassed. Gu Zhuoyan, exasperated, shot while smiling. Having had enough, he pulled Zhuang Fanxin in front of him, trapping him in his arms to keep him under control, and began to catch up.

"Are you on his side or my side?" Gu Zhuoyan bumped Zhuang Fanxin's back. Zhuang Fanxin was just enjoying the fun, a happy little turncoat.

Ding, time was up. The two tied. Qi Nan was unconvinced. "I could have won!"

Gu Zhuoyan was so amused he was annoyed. "He already used a honey trap to interfere with me, how the hell could you win?"

As soon as the words were out, the other three froze simultaneously. Qi Nan and the Class Monitor looked at Zhuang Fanxin. They were both guys, so how could it be a honey trap? Zhuang Fanxin himself was a bit dazed and pushed Gu Zhuoyan. "Honey trap my ass!"

The basketball game didn't decide a winner, so Gu Zhuoyan and Qi Nan went to ride the racing simulators. Zhuang Fanxin and the Class Monitor shook their heads—competition hurts feelings—and the two went arm-in-arm to the dance machine. When Gu Zhuoyan got off the motorcycle, he caught sight of Zhuang Fanxin's dancing. Amidst the flustered movements was a certain grace, and hidden within the swaying was a clumsiness that was utterly distracting.

The four of them were a typical case of being too full with nothing better to do. After a round of games, they were drenched in sweat. Gu Zhuoyan treated them to ice cream, a Haagen-Dazs tub for each. The Class Monitor looked around, searching for the next activity, when he spotted a row of claw machines in the corner and was suddenly reminded of something.

On the first day of school, Gu Zhuoyan had said in front of the whole class that he was good at claw machines, that he could catch one with every try. The Class Monitor and Qi Nan started heckling, insisting that Gu Zhuoyan show off his skills to see if he was telling the truth.

Zhuang Fanxin had a look on his face that said 'this is bad.' He blocked the way. "Why would a big guy play with claw machines?"

He was afraid Gu Zhuoyan would be reminded of his past and get sad, thinking of his first love. Qi Nan shoved him aside. "What's wrong with a big guy? The man himself isn't even unwilling."

Zhuang Fanxin said to Gu Zhuoyan, "If you don't want to, just refuse. You don't have to listen to them!"

Gu Zhuoyan said, "Not at all. I'll show you what real skill looks like." He strode over, scanned a QR code, and paid twenty yuan. "Which one should I get?"

The Class Monitor pointed. "That Rilakkuma."

The claw moved, descended, and grabbed the Rilakkuma firmly, accurately, and ruthlessly. A success on the first try. When the bear fell out, Gu Zhuoyan casually tossed it to the Class Monitor. "It's yours."

Qi Nan got excited. "I want that pig, the big one."

Gu Zhuoyan held the joystick and moved it, grabbing the pig without fail. He was like a sharpshooter who never missed. Qi Nan and the Class Monitor, hugging a pile of stuffed toys, were hooked and endlessly asked Gu Zhuoyan to continue.

Gu Zhuoyan spotted one. "Let's get Xinxin a gorilla."

Qi Nan said, "That's a Monchhichi!"

The Monchhichi fell out. Gu Zhuoyan turned and handed it to Zhuang Fanxin. Zhuang Fanxin held it with both hands, gently touching the little freckles on the Monchhichi's face. He had been afraid that Gu Zhuoyan would be sad, and thankfully he wasn't. However, before he could even let out a sigh of relief, the Class Monitor asked, "How many girls have you won these for? You can't master this skill in just a day or two."

Gu Zhuoyan answered, "Just one."

Qi Nan asked again, "Was it your ex-girlfriend?"

Zhuang Fanxin quickly shot him a look, his face scrunched up, pouting and nudging his head at him repeatedly. He even reached out and tugged on Qi Nan.

Just then, Gu Zhuoyan said, "It was my sister."