Sitting alone at the desk in the farthest corner, Wen Yang held a textbook in his hands, but he couldn't read a single word.
His brows furrowed with a trace of worry as he sat quietly, his mind a chaotic mess.
He wasn't used to the absence of Ning Chu by his side.
Almost instinctively, he glanced toward the library window, where a small head was peeking in from outside.
Before long, Ning Chu spotted him too. Their eyes met briefly, and then she excitedly waved at him from outside the library.
Seeing her lively demeanor, Wen Yang felt slightly relieved.
His biggest fear was that his confession would create a rift between them, but it seemed Ning Chu wasn't bothered at all.
Placing the book back on a nearby shelf, he walked straight out to the corridor outside the library.
"Why are you here?" he asked.
"I was afraid some bad woman might try to steal you away!"
Ning Chu handed him a cup of milk tea, smiling brightly. "What's up with you? It's been almost a whole day, and you still look like you haven't woken up."
"..."
"Come on! Let's go to the second floor of the cafeteria and get something good to eat!"
"It's only three o'clock."
"So what? Can't I be hungry?"
She had a habit of eating something whenever she was worried about something. The fuller she felt, the more her worries seemed to fade.
But when she was feeling down, she preferred to sit in a daze on an empty stomach.
"Let's go! There's a Taiwanese snack shop on the second floor. I heard their fried squid is amazing!"
Impatiently, Ning Chu grabbed Wen Yang's arm, hugged it with both hands, and dragged him downstairs.
"Stop spacing out here!"
Wen Yang, unable to resist her pull, helplessly followed her.
As they walked down the stairs of the teaching building, Wen Yang couldn't hold back his question.
"Don't you think... this is a bit awkward?"
"Awkward? Because you confessed to me yesterday?"
"..."
"If we can't be a couple, we'll just be friends! We're only in our first year. Why rush into a relationship?" Ning Chu felt that saying this was a bit risky, but she encouraged him anyway.
"And stop worrying about whether you're good enough or not. Dating in college isn't supposed to be rational. It's not like we're planning a marriage where everything needs to be perfectly matched—it's not a business deal."
"Uh... Shaoqing told you everything?"
Ning Chu nodded teasingly. "Yep! Who would've thought you're actually pretty insecure?"
Wen Yang looked upward awkwardly, chuckling. "Well, it's just... my family's financial situation isn't great, so yeah, I guess it makes me a bit insecure."
What Ning Chu said wasn't entirely right, though. Deep down, Wen Yang actually hoped he and Ning Chu could someday walk into marriage together.
"You're still in school. Work hard, graduate, and get a good job."
Ning Chu let go of his arm and tried to encourage him. "You're studious, and you're doing well academically. You'll definitely find a decent job in the future."
"That's... not guaranteed, is it?"
"What do you mean, not guaranteed?! I'm telling you, you'll have at least a 100,000 annual salary after graduation!"
He's the protagonist! With the protagonist's aura, he didn't have to save the world, become the richest man, or pioneer an industry. Just having an elite-level salary was totally reasonable!
She was brimming with confidence in Wen Yang, patting him on the shoulder with a mock-serious expression.
"Really! I have high hopes for you, young man!"
Wen Yang looked puzzled again. "That doesn't seem likely, does it?"
He suddenly thought of the incident where Yan Xinya was harassed by the counselor.
Back then, Ning Chu had firmly believed that if he reported it, the matter would be quickly resolved.
In Ning Chu's eyes, he seemed capable of anything.
"A person can be poor, but they can't lose their ambition!"
"Alright..."
Wen Yang lowered his head, still looking unconfident.
Ning Chu frowned, thinking he needed a bit of a push.
This side of Wen Yang was so frustrating!
"I actually prefer confident guys," she said casually. "No matter what problems they face, they rise to the challenge. That's the most attractive kind of man."
In truth, she had no idea whether she could ever like men, let alone what kind of men she might like.
"!!!"
Wen Yang's eyes lit up.
Observing Wen Yang's expression, Ning Chu curled her lips in disdain.
What's with this overly innocent demeanor for a male protagonist in a Hentai doujin?
Clearly, Wen Yang was no longer the male lead from the story. Even if he fell head over heels for some girl now, it was unlikely he'd become the womanizing, harem-building playboy from the original plot.
More likely, he'd turn into a loyal, responsible man devoted to just one woman.
Could this mean that even if she loosened her grip on him and let him date someone, the storyline involving her would become even less likely to occur?
She didn't dare take that gamble...
When they reached the second floor of the cafeteria, Ning Chu ordered crispy fried pork and fried squid. She sat at a table near the Taiwanese snack counter, watching Wen Yang's posture gradually straighten, his energy returning.
She sighed deeply.
Two months ago, she never would've imagined using herself as "bait" to motivate Wen Yang.
After all, he was the male protagonist she should've been most wary of.
"Want some?"
"No, thanks," Wen Yang shook his head.
Ning Chu pouted and tapped the back of his hand with a bamboo skewer, launching into her typical nonsensical reasoning.
"Look at you! Acknowledging your flaws and accepting help from others is a form of confidence too!"
"Huh? I just don't like fried food."
"Oh…" Ning Chu lowered her head in embarrassment, brushing aside a strand of hair that had fallen over her face. "You could've said so earlier—I ordered so much."
Her hair was getting longer. It wasn't much of a problem most of the time, but whenever she leaned forward to eat, it would get in her way.
She wondered if she should get it cut before it got long enough to accidentally end up in her food.
"Should I get a haircut?"
"Girls look good with long hair," Wen Yang remarked.
"I know…" Ning Chu muttered, "but it's inconvenient."
Washing and drying her hair had become such a hassle. Back when she had short hair, she could just towel it half-dry in minutes.
"How about a hairband?" Wen Yang suggested. "Or a small ponytail?"
"That's too girly for someone living in a boys' dorm."
"Look at celebrities; some of them wear ponytails, and no one says they're girly."
Ning Chu nodded thoughtfully. "True."
Not just celebrities—those samurai-style ponytails could be pretty cool too! If paired with a bit of stubble and a brooding gaze… total dashing uncle vibes!
She pictured herself sporting a samurai ponytail.
Hmm, a cool and handsome girl.
Then her mind drifted to the shaved middle of a traditional chonmage hairstyle… That would be terrifying.
"Help me finish this," Ning Chu said, pushing the fried pork toward him. She had a small appetite and doubted she could finish everything. "I don't think I can eat it all…"
"Alright." Wen Yang obliged, though his gaze remained fixed on Ning Chu as he ate.
Watching her devour her food, oil glistening around her mouth and breadcrumbs clinging to the corners, she looked so childlike and adorable.
He took a deep breath.
He couldn't let Ning Chu's confidence in him go to waste!
Time to get it together!