CH 34

“Tsk, why is God Lu together with Yan Ziyun ah?” After Ju Meng spoke, she then immediately reacted, cautiously turning to look at Ning Yi’s face. “It’s definitely Yan Ziyun bothering God Lu, didn’t she want you to help her explain before? Yiyi, don’t overthink! Look, God Lu’s expression clearly looks impatient.”

Ning Yi didn’t overthink, her mood was incredibly good. Even facing the hot wind of the hottest days of summer, she couldn’t resist taking a moment to close her eyes and enjoy it for a bit. She didn’t notice the two people standing nearby at all.

Hearing Ju Meng’s words, she glanced in front and happened to see Lu Xu Nan and Yan Ziyun tugging and pulling.

Ning Yi didn’t really react- Ju Meng actually hissed first as she inhaled. The hand looping hers suddenly tightened. Ju Meng didn’t forget to comfort her, “What the f*ck! Yiyi, don’t be sad ah, Yan Ziyun moved first, really! I watched them closely for you! Look, he flung her off! God Lu ruthlessly shook her off! Now, you can be relieved…”

Ning Yi looked at her chattering and found it a little funny as she cut her off, “Okay, I really don’t care about this…”

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Ju Meng saw her expression was normal and suddenly smiled til her eyes narrowed, “Oh ho, spending an intimate night together changes things ah, impressive!”

Ning Yi was quite dumbfounded. She clearly earnestly studied and worked through problems. Coming from Ju Meng’s mouth, it sounded like she had done something that couldn’t be described. She pursed her lips, her face serious as she glared at Ju Meng. Pretending to be angry, she huffed, “If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll be mad!”

When Lu Xu Nan hastily got to the back door, he just happened to hear the end of this sentence. His heart involuntarily thumped.

Lkdt Zkuk oyp xye? Uswze kv cl clnywpl pbl pyo Zyd Hkuwd vwt bkp byde fwpv dso?! W*nj, kv oyp vbyv tkaz obs qsanlqwzzu rwzzle bkx! Tl kxxlekyvlzu pbssj kv sqq! Pke pbl dsv pll pwnb y ckt xshlxldv?

Nw Dw Lyd’p xswvb oyp qypvla vbyd bkp caykd. “Lkdt Zkuk.”

Lkdt Zk pwcnsdpnkswpzu rywple bla pvlrp. “Od?”

Nw Dw Lyd vbld alyzkgle vbyv bl bye ynvwyzzu alyzzu nyzzle bla swv zswe. Tl srldle yde nzsple bkp xswvb, ulv eked’v jdso obyv bl oydvle vs pyu. Tl takv bkp vllvb, vblal oyp ds oyu swv.

Lkdt Zk pzktbvzu aykple bla blye vs zssj yv bkx yde sdzu pyo vbyv bkp casop olal vktbvzu jdkv yde bkp ldvkal qynl eyaj, zkjl bl oyp ldewakdt bkp vlxrla vs vyzj vs bla. Tla tsse xsse kxxlekyvlzu vssj y bkv. Fbl nszezu ypjle, “Fsxlvbkdt vbl xyvvla?”

Twaau wr kq usw byhl vs qyav, sjyu? Gnvkdt zkjl y dsczl prlyjkdt vs y nsxxsdla, oswze usw ralqla vs nsdvkdwl vs nzwxr wr okvb Zyd Hkuwd?

Fwal ldswtb, pbl bye xkpwdelapvsse yde tsvvld ydtau.

Nw Dw Lyd vbswtbv vbkp yde psxl taklhydnl aspl kd bkp blyav, cwv vblal oyp yzps psxl plnalv elzktbv. Tkp tygl qlzz sd Lkdt Zk’p pzktbvzu rwaple zkrp. Mblu olal qykdvzu rkdj zkjl nblaau czsppsxp, vblu qlzv oyax, yp psqv yp qzsola rlvyzp…

His mind suddenly slipped from his control. Lu Xu Nan quickly looked away. He blurted a sentence in a hoarse voice, “I don’t have anything to do with Yan Ziyun, don’t overthink.”

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Then he bolted.

–

Just like this, Lu Xu Nan avoided her for nearly a week.

Upon realizing what it means to like someone, the youth who had always been lofty suddenly discovered that his heart and his mind were both beginning to slip from his control. His first reaction was actually not to courageously go forward, but to hide from his feelings.

He was guilty and happy because he secretly kissed her. On one hand, he yearned and on the other hand, he didn’t know what to do. He became less and less like himself and more hesitant.

Lu Xu Nan waited for the car sending Ning Yi to school to leave before leaving and after school, he left first through the back door once the bell rang.

Although the two were in the same classroom, one was in the front row and one was at the very back. Under his meticulous avoidance, never mind speaking, even the time spent face to face was minimal.

Before, when Ning Yi wandered about in front of him, Lu Xu Nan always disliked it. Now, however, it was he who avoided her while also unconsciously searching for her figure in the crowd.

When she smiled, her eyes would curve like little crescent moons. The little pouch that she always carried was filled with candy, most of them were strawberry flavored, but occasionally, there were honey peach and tangerine ones. During the break after the second class in the morning, she often walked by his window arm in arm with Ju Meng. In the first class of the afternoon, she was likely to doze off, and always puzzled for ten or so minutes…

He even incidentally discovered that there were two hair whorls at the top of her head and thought it was adorable and special.

Unfortunately, the target who was being paid close attention to– Ning Yi–, however, didn’t notice at all. She had obtained mental freedom with much difficulty and was studying and working through questions to her heart’s content.

It was actually Fang Ci who was the first to find something wasn’t right, but after paying attention, he found it unbelievable.

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“Brother Nan, are you really planning to turn over a new leaf?” Fang Ci watched Lu Xu Nan who was spinning a pen while burying his head in a book next to him. He was asking for the third time.

This time, Lu Xu Nan finally raised his head, but his gaze didn’t fall on him, instead staring for a bit at the back of Ning Yi’s head that was several rows of students away. After replenishing some “mental sustenance”, he finally spared a glance at Fang Ci.

“You’re so idle, wouldn’t it be better to do the worksheet assigned during Physics?”

Fang Ci: “…”

Lu Xu Nan saw that he was choked up and felt more invigorated in his heart.

He had not thought it through and wanted to earnestly improve his studies or whatever. It was just that he’d hid for a week and didn’t interact with Ning Yi, yet he couldn’t resist logging into to look at “Number 1 God”‘s activity log every night. Looking at her increasing points and the increasing number of record trophies, he inexplicably had the feeling that the distance between him and her was increasing.

This feeling made him very uncomfortable.

To alleviate this uneasiness, he unconsciously started to work through the exams that she had done before. In this way, he actually seemed to find a kind of secret joy.

It was just that the duration of this joy was too short. When he finally finished trudging through one set and saw the system’s grading, there remained only his hurting face and the stuffiness in his chest.

Thinking of the tragic score from last night, Lu Xu Nan couldn’t help lifting his hand to rub his cheek, then lowered his head again to continue looking at the key points in the questions that he got wrong.

Looking at the dark circles under his eyes, Fang Ci said, ” Brother Nan, even if you study, there has to be a balance ah. You’re not playing games and not even playing ball. Look at those eyebags! Even if you’re more attractive, you still can’t take this abuse ah! You tell me, just what stimulation did you suffer? As a brother, although I might not be able to help, I can still be here to listen. You don’t push yourself to the brink…”

Lu Xu Nan finally looked up from his nagging. “Your mental awareness is low, can’t it be higher?”

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Fang Ci heard this and couldn’t help muttering, “But you’ve suddenly overdone this too much. Studying from morning to night, could it be that you want to score first? You have to study, but your health also needs…”

The other person’s voice was cut off by the abrupt ringing of tinnitus. Lu Xu Nan hissed as he held his forehead.

Upon seeing this, Fang Ci said, “Look, sure enough I was right, right?”

Lu Xu Nan took a moment to recover. After that wave of ringing slowly passed, he looked at him and said; “You shut up and speak less, then my head won’t hurt from you being nosy.”

Fang Ci: “…”

Fiiine.

You’re handsome, whatever you say : )

Fang Ci did a zipping his lips gesture and pulled out his phone, burying his head in a novel.

Lu Xu Nan turned his head and glanced in the direction of Ning Yi’s seat again.

Since the last time he… kissed Ning Yi, the ringing and headache had never occurred. He even almost forgot about this condition.

It was like there was a gu poison in his body that only recognized Ning Yi. If he went a little longer without interacting with her, it would bounce up and down in his head.

–It was simply like he was infected with Ning Yi’s gu 1.

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The appearance of this realization not only did not annoy Lu Xu Nan, instead he grew hot. Even the tips of his ears were all red, he couldn’t help covering his mouth as he let out a cough.

Fang Ci heard movement and turned to look at him. He said strangely, “Brother Nan, why is your face so red?”

Lu Xu Nan flicked his collar, and said impatiently, “Hot.”

“Is it that hot? Isn’t it raining today…” Fang Ci mumbled to himself, not caring much.

Contrarily, for Lu Xu Nan who had a guilty conscience, the color of the tips of his ears got a shade deeper.

Once the ringing began, based on prior experience, the brief ringing just now was only a warning. If he doesn’t think of a way to relieve it, the symptoms will only become increasingly severe.

And the medicine to cure the “gu” was precisely Ning Yi.

Lu Xu Nan tapped the space between his eyebrows with the top of his pen. While he felt troubled, an unknowing restlessness emerged from the bottom of his heart.

–

Ning Yi currently had her head down looking at a complicated geometric diagram. From time to time, she sketched out a very light supplementary line. Someone who didn’t understand would think she was only randomly drawing.

This question from the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) was given to her by Mu Wanqing this morning. Reportedly, no one could solve it in yesterday afternoon’s IMO class.

Ning Yi thought for two classes after receiving the question and finally thought of a rough idea. She quickly wrote down two numbers on the side. Just as she wanted to continue writing, her shoulder was suddenly hit by someone beside her, causing the tip of the pen to draw out a winding line.

She helplessly raised her head and looked at Ju Meng to see her making eyes as she leaned over. Smiling evilly, she said, “Did you really not see or are you pretending you didn’t see ah? Your family’s Nan gege walked down our aisle twice already. He’s currently looking at you in the hallway!”

Ning Yi froze for a moment. She turned her head and looked out the window. Sure enough, she saw Lu Xu Nan leaning against the railing in the hallway, his body just facing the window where her seat was. When he met her gaze, a bit of unnaturalness appeared on his face and he very quickly looked away.

Ju Meng’s prattling continued, “Did you two fight? Weren’t you guys fine on Monday? You even did questions together and stuff in the evening. Why aren’t you guys saying even a word these few days? I see Lu Xu Nan also seems like he was deliberately avoiding you, you didn’t mention a word of him either. I was scared to death, I thought you guys broke up just when you got together…”

Ning Yi was speechless. “What breaking up ah, me and him aren’t together at all…”

Ju Meng face was completely “I don’t believe it” as she looked at her. Ning Yi pursed her lips and nodded, solemnly stating, “Really.”

The two looked at each other for a few seconds. The expression on Ju Meng’s face slowly receded.

Ning Yi originally thought this matter was over and was about to continue her train of thought for the solution just now. However, she suddenly heard Ju Meng’s “wow”. Her face with the expression “looking at you with new eyes”, praising: “I never expected ah! Yiyi, you’re awesome!”

Ning Yi: ?

Ju Meng happily talked on by herself. “It should be this way. After all, God Lu’s attitude in the past… uh… was a little not very good. Before, I even worried that you agreed to him too easily and would take a loss in this relationship. Now, I can stop worrying!”

Her eyes floated out the window. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the gaze Lu Xu Nan casted this way. She beamed as she said, “Looking at it, God Lu is in the disadvantageous position now! Indeed times change, fortunes rise and fall. Loosen the reins to grasp them better, right? Skilled, really skilled!”

The more Ning Yi listened, the more confused she was. Her face was scrunched up like the grandpa looking at his phone on the subway2. “? What are you saying?”

Ju Meng tsked, her little hand patted her on the shoulder, her face with a “I understand it all” expression. There was unconcealable happiness on her face. “Training an aloof male god to become a loyal dog, wow~ It’s beautiful just thinking about it~”

Ning Yi: …

She didn’t speak, deciding to give up trying to find the frequency of Ju Meng’s brainwave.

Before going back to her question, Ning Yi couldn’t help casting a glance at the window and found that Lu Xu Nan was already no longer there.

She blinked, ignoring that very slight strangeness at the bottom of her heart and tossed this minor incident to the back of her mind.

Can Dog Lu compete with an IMO question?

Absolutely not.

And after school today, Lu Xu Nan who wasn’t as important at an IMO question went to make a round at the basketball court first, then sneakily made his way back to the classroom after thinking that most students should’ve left.

With a hand propped on top of Ning Yi’s desk, he unnaturally rubbed his nose, thinking in his heart: it turns out being a thief really makes one feel guilty.

Clearly he had already confirmed there wasn’t anyone in the classroom, but before acting, Lu Xu Nan still couldn’t resist taking a look around again before sitting down and beginning to look through Ning Yi’s desk.

He originally wanted to find a pen that Ning Yi used before. It was small and not obvious, if she found that it was gone, she wouldn’t think much about it either. After all, which student hasn’t lost a few pens?

But he searched for a while and didn’t see even a shadow of a pen. Instead, he found a pretty candy wrapper inside the desk.

The candy that Ning Yi frequently ate, Lu Xu Nan knows. The packaging was brightly colored and flowery, and there was also a short sentence printed inside each wrapper. It was nice enough that a lot of young girls would even buy it for the purpose of  collecting them.

But in Lu- Straight Man- Xu Nan’s eyes, no matter how nice this candy wrapper looked, it was still trash ah.

Hence, he lowered his head, looking at that candy wrapper in his hand. The corner of his eye twitched and his expression was rather complicated.

Lu Xu Nan forced down the dislike for the thing in his hand. Just as he was about to stuff the candy wrapper back into the desk, he suddenly smelled a faint, familiar sweet scent that made the hand reaching into the desk pause.

He lifted his hand, bringing it closer, and sniffed. A sweet fragrant scent entered his nostrils.

Lu Xu Nan used his other hand to take out a pale pink crystal wrapper from inside and saw the short sentence on it.

「All living things suffer3, but you are strawberry flavored.」

Upon staring at it, the youth who originally disliked it couldn’t help recalling a week ago, in Ning Yi’s room, that fragrant soft taste that was just like this candy…

Lu Xu Nan immediately felt a little restless in his heart. He licked his lips, unwittingly rubbing the candy wrapper in his hand a few times. With the tips of his ears red, he stuffed the candy wrapper into his own pocket instead.

The author has something to say:

Dog Lu: Trash? Who said? My Yiyi’s things are all treasures.

[1] 蛊: a venomous insect, in cultivation/ancient/wuxia, etc. novels, they can be controlled and are parasites that make the host do things or torture the host (there’s one for love too), can come as a pair of mother and child

[2]地铁大爷看手机:

[3] 众生皆苦: “All existence is suffering”; one of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism (Baidu, Buddhist Centre)