“Oh, this is interesting!” Jiang Ruotang’s eyes widened, and he leaned in to ask, “Who is it? Who? Tell me, see if it matches who I’m thinking of?”

Bringing this up, Jian Sha actually looked uncharacteristically shy. She started by saying, “Among the protagonist’s team, that lively, cheerful, seemingly noble but kind-hearted little prince… Every time I write, you’re who comes to mind.”

“Who?” Jiang Ruotang was momentarily stunned.

“You! It’s always been you—Jiang Ruotang. Doesn’t that character design resemble you? Growing up with a silver spoon but still caring deeply about those around you.”

Jian Sha spoke earnestly, and Jiang Ruotang’s face grew redder and redder.

He was too embarrassed to admit that when he read the novel, his favorite character was indeed the little prince.

Now, it seemed, liking the little prince was equivalent to liking himself. Jiang Ruotang wondered, Does this count as narcissism?

Beside them, Lu Guifan gently tapped the table with his fingertip and softly said, “Drink tea.”

“Later,” Jiang Ruotang said, still grinning, as he was in the middle of an exciting conversation with Jian Sha.

“Mm, and the knowledgeable, incredibly observant person by the protagonist’s side, who seems like a scholar but has amazing fighting skills—that’s you, class monitor!”

Lu Guifan, suddenly mentioned, was momentarily stunned, wondering how he ended up role-playing in Jian Sha’s novel. The next second, Jiang Ruotang’s arm wrapped around him, thoughtlessly swinging back and forth.

“Yes, yes, yes!” Jiang Ruotang almost pressed against Lu Guifan’s cheek. “As long as I substitute Lu Guifan’s face, I feel that scholar is especially, especially, especially captivating!”

“Right?! Especially when the protagonist thought the scholar was poor and took him around the capital, buying him clothes, books, and treating him to meals—that’s when the scholar fell for him. Every time the protagonist was in danger, the scholar would secretly help out.”

“Yes, that’s so Lu Guifan!”

If Jian Sha wasn’t opposite them, Jiang Ruotang would have directly rubbed his face against Lu Guifan’s. Perhaps it was this subconscious intimacy that caused Lu Guifan’s leg to subtly move, his body inexplicably warming.

“Too bad… Class monitor’s aura is unique. I don’t think any actor could portray it,” Jian Sha said with regret, clutching her chest.

Jiang Ruotang revealed his small canine teeth, his smile too bright. He took out his phone and extended it towards Jian Sha: “How about this actor?”

Jian Sha leaned in to look, paused for three seconds, then nodded like a groundhog. “Yes! Yes! I watched a drama he was in during middle school. Back then, I thought this guy was so handsome and acted so well; his lines instantly outshone all those other young idols. I thought he’d quickly become famous, but who knew that even after I graduated high school, I barely saw his dramas or movies anymore. I thought he was just acting for fun and would go inherit the family business if he didn’t get famous.”

“He’s the male lead of Drunken Immortal Stage now.”

That’s right, they were talking about Ling Song.

Just as Jiang Ruotang was about to put his phone away, a fair, slender finger clamped onto his phone. Jiang Ruotang turned his face, catching a glimpse of Lu Guifan’s cool gaze behind his glasses.

The boy on the screen looked about twenty years old, standing under a streetlamp with his hands in his pockets, his features refined yet sharp, his expression aloof, as if his emotions were detached from the human world.

Lu Guifan recognized him with a single glance: this was the model who had been sleeping in Jiang Ruotang’s studio.

And out of the corner of his eye, Lu Guifan caught Jiang Ruotang’s gaze. There was a hint of slyness in his eyes, like a small fox waiting to play with its prey.

Even though he knew Jiang Ruotang wanted to make him jealous, Lu Guifan quickly composed himself and returned the phone to him.

“I’m not like him.”

“Of course not. There are no two identical leaves in this world…”

Before Jiang Ruotang could finish, he felt Lu Guifan looking at him with a meaningful gaze.

Lu Guifan raised his purple clay teacup to his lips, perfectly blocking Jian Sha’s view, but allowing Jiang Ruotang to see his lips form words.

—He doesn’t love you like I do.

His heart uncontrollably skipped a beat.

Jiang Ruotang’s throat moved. He thought: This guy who only dares to kiss my cheek, where does he get his confidence?

The two then chatted about contract details and future creative plans. Jian Sha was incredibly excited, her mind brimming with new ideas, saying she had to rush back to write.

Jiang Ruotang hailed a taxi for her by the roadside, and he and Lu Guifan watched her leave.

Jian Sha looked in the rearview mirror and sighed: “After graduation, can I still ‘ship’ this couple?”

In contrast to her melancholy, Jiang Ruotang stretched, turned around, and playfully hooked Lu Guifan’s chin with his finger, flashing a dissolute smile: “Beauty, it’s just you and me now. This young master will do as he pleases, even if you scream yourself hoarse…”

Before he could finish, Lu Guifan’s lips curved slightly. With his hands in his pockets, he approached Jiang Ruotang with a nonchalant air.

He turned his head slightly, his prominent nose bridge and defined jawline so beautiful it made one’s heart tremble.

This was a bustling area, surrounded by all sorts of passersby. Lu Guifan’s tall figure and the contours of his face, not entirely hidden by his black-rimmed glasses, attracted quite a bit of attention. Jiang Ruotang inexplicably felt nervous and shy. Lu Guifan merely gently brushed Jiang Ruotang’s forehead with his nose tip, saying with a hint of a smile, “Fool.”

It was as if he was mocking Jiang Ruotang for acting like a scoundrel just now, only to lose his nerve.

“What next? A movie?” Lu Guifan asked him, while taking his hand.

Enveloped by the other’s fingers, feeling the warmth of his palm, Jiang Ruotang mischievously scraped Lu Guifan’s palm. Lu Guifan’s fingers indeed tightened their grip.

Jiang Ruotang tilted his head, asking a question that had puzzled him for a long time: “That day when we watched The Mathematician, you watched so carefully. I didn’t realize you liked watching movies so much.”

Unexpectedly, Lu Guifan gently shook his head, leaning close to Jiang Ruotang’s ear and whispering, “Actually, I was only really watching the kissing scenes.”

“Huh? Why… I felt they kissed so intensely, I was too embarrassed to even look up…”

Jiang Ruotang remembered how awkward he felt then, as if his toes were curling into the floor. He thought he was watching a biographical film with Lu Guifan, but it turned out to be a softcore romance.

Lu Guifan leaned into Jiang Ruotang’s ear again, his lips brushing the edge of Jiang Ruotang’s ear: “Because I don’t know how, so I learn from the movie.”

Jiang Ruotang’s body tensed up, hit by the rush of air the other brought. A tingling sensation quickly flooded his brain, and endless imagination spread in all directions.

So, when Lu Guifan was resting his chin, looking at the movie seriously, maybe he was imagining… kissing him as intensely and unrestrainedly as that mathematician?

“You really are learning all the time…” Jiang Ruotang grumbled.

“I can’t, so I have to learn,” Lu Guifan turned his face, his gaze peeking out from behind his black-rimmed glasses. Although he was expressionless, Jiang Ruotang felt he was utterly mischievous.

Even if you love to learn, some things can’t be learned by self-study.

You have to learn from me.

Jiang Ruotang thought for a moment; he had to properly “educate” Lu Guifan.

“You’re going to college soon. You can’t keep dressing like an immature high school student. I’m claiming the right to style you and take you to buy some clothes.”

“Ah?” Lu Guifan paused, then lowered his head to push up his black-rimmed glasses that almost slid down his nose.

It was obvious this guy didn’t like shopping.

“Don’t you know why a man buys clothes and dresses up the person he likes?” Jiang Ruotang asked with a grin.

“Because there’s nothing else to do, to pass the time.”

In short: boredom.

Jiang Ruotang sighed, “Dressing you up is like personally giving the most beloved gift a packaging that makes one’s heart race and delights. And at night…”

Lu Guifan looked at Jiang Ruotang’s hand gestures, then leaned his ear closer to listen.

“At night, you can personally unwrap the package.”

The benefit of dating a good student who cares little for the outside world is that no matter how cheesy the pickup line, it’s fresh to him.

See, Lu Guifan’s neck and ears indeed turned red.

Lu Guifan turned his face away. After a while, the faint blush that had spread to his earlobes faded.

Jiang Ruotang leaned his head closer, provocatively asking, “Are you going or not? If you go, you can change into many clothes for me to see. If you choose not to… then come back to my studio, and I’ll unwrap all the extra packaging. I want to draw the original.”

Lu Guifan impatiently pressed Jiang Ruotang’s head into his embrace. He had never known Jiang Ruotang could be so mischievous, going all out to tease him.

“Let’s go. Let’s see how you want to ‘package’ me.”

Jiang Ruotang was overjoyed: “I can finally be a domineering CEO for once. Like Daoming Si!”

“Hmm?”

Jiang Ruotang flashed his little canine teeth, then put on an arrogant expression, “Hey, Class First, you’ve attracted my attention.”

“Hmm?” Lu Guifan once again couldn’t follow Jiang Ruotang’s train of thought.

“It’s Daoming Si and Shan Cai!”

Lu Guifan still looked at Jiang Ruotang.

“Daoming Si is an uneducated, self-centered rich young master. Beneath his tyrannical exterior, he hides a kind heart—after all, someone with incorrect values can’t be a protagonist.”

“Oh, what about that ‘cai’?”

“Shan Cai? She’s upright, brave, and righteous, fighting to the end against Daoming Si’s group of unruly rich kids! So principled, just like you.”

Lu Guifan glanced at him, then walked forward.

“And the ending?”

“After a series of dramatic and convoluted plots, like Daoming Si’s mom’s interference, Daoming Si’s amnesia, and so on, Daoming Si and Shan Cai ended up together.”

Lu Guifan coolly replied, “And then they continued their chaotic life?”

“Hahaha! You’re so funny!” Jiang Ruotang couldn’t help but laugh. He jumped onto Lu Guifan’s back, originally just wanting to playfully choke him because he looked so calm, but unexpectedly, Lu Guifan actually carried him without a hitch.

Jiang Ruotang was momentarily stunned, then simply sprawled on his back until they passed a branded fashion store.

“This one! This one! Let’s go in!”

Lu Guifan carried Jiang Ruotang in and then set him down.

This store wasn’t a high-end fashion store; it mainly targeted college students who pursued fashion.

The first floor was women’s clothing, and there were quite a few girls shopping.

Jiang Ruotang dragged Lu Guifan to the second floor.

Even though the second floor was spacious, it was much quieter, with only a few scattered male college students Browse briefly before leaving.

Lu Guifan had no sense of fashion, but he trusted Jiang Ruotang’s taste and knew he wouldn’t pick unsuitable clothes for him, so he quietly followed behind Jiang Ruotang.

What he enjoyed was watching Jiang Ruotang’s focused expression as he carefully selected clothes.

Jiang Ruotang picked out a dark red plaid shirt, turned around, held it up to Lu Guifan, and then said with a mischievous smile: “Programmer’s standard issue.”

“Then are you going to give it to Cai Ji?”

“Ah, right, he’ll probably become a programmer in the future… I should give him anti-hair loss shampoo instead of a plaid shirt.”

Jiang Ruotang tilted his head back, his thoughts wandering.

Perhaps in ten years, Cai Cai’s soft, curly hair would turn into a receding hairline. Oh no, a human tragedy.

Lu Guifan looked at him sideways, then coughed lightly.

Jiang Ruotang then snapped back to attention, handed Lu Guifan a dark gray jacket and jeans, and pushed his back, saying, “Go try it on.”

Lu Guifan smiled helplessly. To him, the styles of these clothes weren’t particularly special.

A moment later, Lu Guifan came out changed. Jiang Ruotang, sitting on the sofa, watched him with a beaming smile, even taking photos of him with his phone.

“Lu Guifan, if your brain ever stops working, you could also be a male model. Wherever you go for a fashion show, I’ll follow you across the country.”

Lu Guifan was amused by Jiang Ruotang’s excessive flattery: “You’re lying.”

“How am I lying? That you can be a male model, or that I’ll follow you across the country?” Jiang Ruotang stood up, clasped Lu Guifan’s shoulders, and turned him to face the mirror. “Look how handsome you are.”

The young man in the mirror wore a dark gray, crisp, thin jacket. It was a color that might typically be worn by an older man, but on Lu Guifan, it exuded a unique texture, combining rigor with leisure.

The Lycra jeans didn’t feel restrictive; instead, they amplified the relaxed vibe and made Lu Guifan’s long legs appear even more slender.

Even his rather thick black-rimmed glasses became stylish.

These were colors and styles that made Lu Guifan feel comfortable, seemingly without much change, yet Jiang Ruotang, as if by magic, altered his usual distant aura.

“It seems that texture and tailoring can indeed enhance one’s appearance,” Lu Guifan said.

Jiang Ruotang chuckled: “Wrong. You’re the one enhancing this outfit. If I wore them, I’d look like a child in adult clothes, unable to pull it off.”

Another young couple shopping nearby, the girl saw Lu Guifan’s outfit, and immediately copied it, picking out the same set for her boyfriend to try on. Unfortunately, it lacked a thermos, otherwise, he could’ve cosplayed an “old cadre” (a term for older, traditional men). The same outfit, but the effect was world’s apart compared to Lu Guifan.

Jiang Ruotang then chose a hooded sweatshirt and a jacket with contrasting rhombus and square patterns. “I want to see this set!”

Lu Guifan patiently carried the clothes in. When he returned to the mirror, he found that this outfit indeed had a very college student feel—relaxed and handsome.

It also had to be said that the jacket’s design was very clever. If it were just rhombuses or just squares, it would look very old-fashioned. But this jacket had interlocking gradient patterns of beige, gray, and black, all low-key colors, which together created a sense of high quality.

The observing young couple’s hearts fluttered again. The boyfriend also went in to try on this jacket. Although not bad, it still looked like a huge difference between the buyer’s photo and the seller’s photo.

Jiang Ruotang secretly concluded that, besides looks, the other guy’s shoulder width and leg length couldn’t compare to Lu Guifan’s.

It was so annoying! His boyfriend had such a good physique, but he hadn’t seen the “original” version yet!

He even suspected Lu Guifan was employing a hunger marketing strategy.

“Try this one.”

Jiang Ruotang found another casual shirt for Lu Guifan, a faux two-piece design, with beige collar and sleeves, and a black body with light gray dandelion patterns. It looked very fashionable, but the colors were also acceptable to Lu Guifan.

He walked in, just about to close the fitting room door, when Jiang Ruotang quickly squeezed in after him.

“Why are you in here?” Lu Guifan asked.

“I’m afraid the tag might scratch the back of your neck. I’m here to help you fix the collar,” Jiang Ruotang said with a matter-of-fact expression.

Lu Guifan softly said, “I think you’re just trying to cause trouble. Don’t regret it.”

Jiang Ruotang grinned and retorted, “What do I have to regret? You’re not going to strangle me with a shirt, are you?”