Once he had made plans with Jiang Ruotang, Lu Guifan immediately went to Teacher Song’s office to ask for leave.

This surprised Teacher Song greatly. Previously, Lu Guifan would come to class even with a fever. This was the first time he had ever taken leave in his entire high school career, which made Teacher Song take it seriously.

“Lu Guifan, are you sick? Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Or is there something at home you need to deal with?”

“None of those, Teacher Song… I just have plans with someone, and something I need to do.”

Lu Guifan was not good at lying, nor was there a need to lie. If Teacher Song didn’t agree, he would still go. He had promised his parents to buy something for Jiang Ruotang.

Song Qinghe was silent for two seconds, then said, “Then go ahead. I trust you have good judgment. Be careful. When you get home tonight, send me a message to let me know you’re safe.”

“Okay,” Lu Guifan nodded in agreement.

After getting leave, Lu Guifan returned to the classroom and picked up his backpack.

From school, he had to transfer from a bus to the subway, but it was rush hour, and the bus routes were visibly congested.

He didn’t want Jiang Ruotang to wait for him, so he stretched his long legs and began to run.

His backpack bounced up and down behind him, his coat flapped with his speed, and the cold wind swept across his cheeks, making his skin feel tight and sore. But in his heart, there was an unprecedented sense of anticipation.

From childhood to adulthood, he seemed to have never chased after anything. No matter the goal, he was accustomed to proceeding step by step, without needing to rush like this.

Finally, arriving in front of the subway station, Lu Guifan’s heart pounded like a drum, hitting his chest heavily and rhythmically. He took a deep breath, pulled out his phone to glance at the time, adjusted his breathing, and immediately walked quickly into the subway station.

Lu Guifan was lucky. A train arrived as soon as he entered the subway station. He confirmed the direction and quickly boarded the train, then pulled out his phone again for a glance. Jiang Ruotang hadn’t sent a message saying he had arrived yet. Lu Guifan let out a slight breath of relief.

The rush hour subway was packed with people. Lu Guifan raised his hand to grip a handrail, and with his other hand, he took out his phone and, as if possessed, clicked on the video Zhao Changfeng had sent again.

The phone’s camera quality was good, and Jiang Ruotang’s eyebrows and eyes were very clear, with tiny fuzz still visible on his cheeks from the sunlight.

Since it had already finished loading, Lu Guifan didn’t need to worry about mobile data and, with nothing else to do, watched it repeatedly.

Someone’s phone nearby rang, playing a popular love song recently.

“Tomorrow is vivid and concrete, there is and only one you—” (“Millennium”)

This rhythm inexplicably overlapped with Jiang Ruotang’s steps as he walked out of the exam hall in the video, like background music for the video, poking a small hole in Lu Guifan’s heart, stirring an elusive yet continuous throb.

Jiang Ruotang did indeed arrive at Jinshang MALL earlier than Lu Guifan. His bag had already been taken home by Little Gao. He only had his phone and power bank with him, tucked into his coat pockets. He walked around on the first floor while waiting for Lu Guifan.

The first floor had many famous international luxury brands, ridiculously expensive. For example, a European brand famous for men’s clothing, where a shirt alone cost over a thousand yuan, and a coat tens of thousands.

Jiang Ruotang strolled inside. Since it wasn’t the weekend, there weren’t many customers.

A rather refined-looking young man, who seemed very good at styling himself, was selecting clothes. A shop assistant was attentively serving him. From time to time, he would turn to ask another middle-aged man sitting on a sofa.

The man was wearing an expensive suit, like a rich family member from an idol drama. Although he wasn’t interested in the clothes, he would still nod and comment a couple of times.

Jiang Ruotang lowered his head, remembering some gossip he’d heard in the art studio.

For example, some students at Chengjiang Performance Academy would associate with wealthy individuals. On one hand, they could benefit materially, and on the other hand, they would develop these big bosses into connections for entering the capital circle.

Even during their school’s morning assembly, they would hear the principal on the microphone saying something like, “Recently, the trend of our school’s students finding sugar daddies has somewhat subsided…”

A senior student, whose home was near Chengjiang Performance Academy, almost stumbled when she heard the principal’s morning assembly speech while passing by.

He wondered if the students attending the assembly were so embarrassed their toes could dig out a fantasy castle.

The senior student had said that these ambitious students often frequented the luxury goods section on the first floor of Jinshang MALL. Some came to “casually” meet or encounter someone, while others came to gauge their boyfriend’s financial strength.

Jiang Ruotang just suddenly thought of these things, without intending to speculate on the relationship between the two men. He turned, ready to leave the shop, when the man on the sofa looked up and caught a glimpse of Jiang Ruotang’s side profile. Jiang Ruotang was lowering his head, taking out his phone from his pocket, and the shop lights fell on Jiang Ruotang’s face.

The overhead lights, notoriously known as “death rays,” would reveal all laugh lines and nasolabial folds on even the most handsome men and beautiful women.

But Jiang Ruotang happened to tilt his chin up, his face displaying a leisurely, relaxed expression, truly resembling a scene from a fashion magazine.

The man was stunned for a moment. He moved the laptop from his lap, stood up, and with long strides, walked to Jiang Ruotang’s side, asking in a gentle voice, “Hello there, are you also from Chengjiang Performance Academy?”

Jiang Ruotang paused. Speak of the devil.

But when Jiang Ruotang clearly saw the other person’s face, he was a little caught between laughter and tears. This man was named Pei Qian, and in the future, he would be the head of Yunfeng Video’s content acquisition department, a “sugar daddy” that many film companies and producers needed to curry favor with.

The happy expression on the face of the young man who was choosing clothes instantly turned ugly.

“I’m not. Sir, you’ve got the wrong person,” Jiang Ruotang looked towards the door, ready to leave.

“Is that so? Which university are you from then?” Pei Qian smiled, as if very interested, and caught up to Jiang Ruotang in a step or two.

Honestly, how annoying. Jiang Ruotang was well aware of his own appearance: his features were okay, but not stunning. At most, he looked ten years younger, making him appear more refined. When he was in the entertainment industry, none of those bosses ever showed any interest in him, including Pei Qian in his previous life, who never gave him a second glance.

What’s wrong today?

Has he eaten too much seafood and abalone and now wants a bowl of millet porridge?

“I’m still a high school student,” Jiang Ruotang replied testily, about to walk around the other side of the man.

Unexpectedly, the man blocked him.

“At this time, high school students should have just finished class. Shouldn’t you be wearing your school uniform?” Pei Qian said with a smile.

After seeing Jiang Ruotang clearly, Pei Qian felt he was very much to his taste. Such a clean and clear temperament, compared to those who rushed at him for fame and fortune, made one feel a desire to protect and possess.

Even if it was an act, it was a very clever one, and Pei Qian was quite taken with it.

Jiang Ruotang started to get annoyed. Do I have a bad face? Why am I being treated like I’m fishing for something? Could it be that Pei Qian thinks I’m playing hard to get?

If he wasn’t mistaken, the other party was about to offer terms in exchange.

Pei Qian took out his business card from his pocket and handed it to him, apparently very confident in his own power and appearance.

The pathetic thing was that Jiang Ruotang had seen him ten years later with a beer belly; he truly wasn’t attractive at all.

“Meeting here is fate. How about I treat you to a meal and then drive you back to school?” He offered a gentle smile.

Jiang Ruotang did not take Pei Qian’s business card, and the young man was staring at him menacingly, clearly looking like he was about to enter a battle for his patron.

Just then, a hand powerfully clasped his wrist, first pulling him into an embrace, then shielding him from behind. A familiar tall and slender figure blocked him from the front, and a cold yet imposing voice rang out.

“Sir, may I ask if you have something for my classmate?”

Lu Guifan had arrived!

Jiang Ruotang belatedly realized that the floor-to-ceiling glass window of this store faced the subway station exit. Lu Guifan probably saw someone bothering him as soon as he exited the subway station.

Pei Qian was stunned for a moment.

The young man wearing black-rimmed glasses in front of him, though young, had an undeniable aura. His gaze held a scrutinizing pressure, as if looking at some kind of trash that needed to be dealt with.

Then, Pei Qian realized that the other party had a backpack on his back, and under his coat was clearly a high school uniform.

Pei Qian secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He really thought it was some important figure, but high school students definitely couldn’t be touched.

He immediately forced a smile and looked teasingly at Jiang Ruotang, who was peeking out half his head: “Oh, so you were waiting for your little boyfriend. I apologize for disturbing you.”

The word “boyfriend” was like a spell, pricking Lu Guifan’s nerves.

Before he could say anything, he heard Jiang Ruotang coldly reply to the other party, “This is my class monitor! Perfect, weren’t you going to give me your business card?! Give it here, so I can have my teacher call you.”

With Lu Guifan by his side, Jiang Ruotang was like a loaded fighter jet, ready to open fire.

Seeing Jiang Ruotang’s hand about to reach out from behind Lu Guifan, Pei Qian realized the impropriety of his actions and quickly put his business card back in his pocket.

And Lu Guifan instinctively stepped aside, one hand blocking the man, the other hand holding Jiang Ruotang, half-pressing Jiang Ruotang into his embrace, completely separating him from Pei Qian.

It was Pei Qian’s first time confronting a boy so much younger than himself, but Lu Guifan’s aura made Pei Qian feel that this young man likely came from an extraordinary background, and it would be best not to offend him.

Pei Qian raised both hands, waving them, “Really sorry, I misunderstood.”

Then, as if nothing had happened, he turned back to the sofa, placed his laptop back on his lap, and pretended to continue working.

Jiang Ruotang was also not polite, saying in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, “If you keep showing off, watch out for lightning!”

Pei Qian was thick-skinned enough not to react, but the shop assistant serving him had long grown tired of this boastful man who clearly didn’t understand styling but liked to comment haughtily. Jiang Ruotang was simply speaking his mind.

“Alright, let’s go out.”

Lu Guifan put his hand on Jiang Ruotang’s shoulder and led him out.

Jiang Ruotang walked far away, still very angry.

And Lu Guifan was just relieved. If he had come a little later, would Jiang Ruotang have been taken away by that person?

But in reality, he knew Jiang Ruotang was a little hedgehog. With familiar people, he would rub his soft belly against them. But with people who harbored ill intentions, he would immediately raise his quills.

Even if someone merely lusted after him, Lu Guifan felt extremely uncomfortable, like something was stuck in his throat.