Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Weekend Like a Battlefield of Blissful Chaos
“I know how to help you gain followers…”
After some earlier probing and honesty, their relationship had returned to normal, and Wen Liang was now helping He Tianran brainstorm ideas to increase followers on his Little Broken Station account.
“Tomorrow, yes, tomorrow! I’ll record the latest video with you—I’ll be on camera too!”
She naturally held out a skewer of grilled gluten toward He Tianran’s mouth. The boy hesitated, blushing as he opened his mouth, just about to take a bite, but the girl suddenly pulled the skewer back and happily ate it herself.
He Tianran swallowed nervously. “You being on camera… that’s not a good idea, is it? Fingerstyle guitar isn’t accompaniment; it doesn’t need vocals.”
Wen Liang shook her head slightly. “Even if I just sit next to you, you’ll still get more followers. Believe it?”
“…I believe it. I really do.”
“So all along when you said you believed me, you were just saying that to be polite?” Wen Liang teased.
“No, no, no! I know the users on Little Broken Station too well—they’re all pervs. You can tell by the inflated views and likes in the dance section. As long as there’s legs, they’re all in!”
“Hmm…” Wen Liang narrowed her eyes, making a characteristic skeptical sound. She pointed the wooden skewer at He Tianran. “So you’re one of them, huh?”
“No, no, no…”
He Tianran denied it, but the next moment Wen Liang’s words caught him off guard. The short-haired girl said, “I followed your Little Broken Station account, and out of the 52 accounts you follow, 43 are dance creators. Your fans even comment under your videos that you’re basically a regular in the dance section now and won’t be getting out!”
“…”
He had no rebuttal—that was the truth.
“Let’s do it this way. You’re going to play ‘LOVIN’ YOU,’ right? I happen to know how to sing it too. You can play the accompaniment once, then play the pure instrumental version once. While you’re playing accompaniment, I’ll sit beside you and sing. Consider it a bonus, and also a warm-up for the upcoming Freshman Welcome Party!”
He Tianran thought it made sense and nodded in agreement.
“Then it’s settled. Tell Boss Park that we’ll go to his shop to record the video at ten tomorrow morning.”
He Tianran wanted to mention that he didn’t have good recording equipment at home, but when Wen Liang brought this up, he realized she must have noticed it when she visited his home last time. Though she seemed carefree, Wen Liang was actually quite thoughtful.
After making the plans, since it was getting late, they chatted a bit more before heading home separately.
On the way, He Tianran fantasized about singing and playing with Wen Liang tomorrow. Suddenly, his phone buzzed in his pocket.
It was a message from Cao Aiqing, containing a picture.
Specifically, it was a screenshot from a review website showing the address and description of a Thai restaurant.
“(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑) Hehe, this place’s pineapple seafood fried rice is highly rated. The lunch set for two is only 168 yuan, and I have a 100-yuan voucher, so it’s just 68 yuan—super worth it! He, let’s go tomorrow! Consider it a reward for helping me find my phone!”
Looking at the contact name “Cao, who takes the initiative to treat me to dinner,” He Tianran was completely stunned…
Was Cao Aiqing really this innocent and sweet?
---
It was just a joke… but she actually planned to treat him to a meal?
And tomorrow?
For lunch?
He zoomed in on the restaurant’s address…
Wasn’t that inside the Yuehui Mall right near his home?
“The address is inside Yuehui Mall. He, your place shouldn’t be far, right?”
“Not far…”
He Tianran sighed. Even though Harbor City was a first-tier city, when did it get so small?
But thinking about it more, it made sense. Most students at Harbor City High came from the same school district, and Yuehui Mall was a relatively bustling area nearby, so meeting there was convenient for everyone.
“Alright, so tomorrow is good? My voucher expires after this week…”
“No problem…”
“(⸝⸝⸝ᐢᵕᐢ⸝⸝⸝) Okay, I’ll head out at 11:30. Should be there by noon. Don’t be late!”
“Won’t be late…”
“Won’t be late…” Yeah, right!
He Tianran collapsed to the ground, clutching his head.
What kind of perfect weekend was this?
Why did the two most popular girls at his school both want to meet him on the same day?
He slapped himself hard. It hurt. This wasn’t a dream.
What should he do now? Wen Liang just said she didn’t want him interacting with Cao Aiqing during the makeover plan phase, and he didn’t want Cao Aiqing to know about his relationship with Wen Liang either—otherwise there’d be gossip. If the girl he liked misunderstood…
He grabbed his hair, ruining his neat hairstyle until it looked like wild weeds.
One meeting at 10 a.m., one at 12 p.m., just two hours apart. Even if the video shoot went smoothly, it wouldn’t be enough!
“What would an experienced player do? Hikigaya Hachiman, Kiyotaka Ayanojo, Katsuragi Keima, Maki Itou… ah, forget the last one. What would these guys do?”
He Tianran tried to put himself in their shoes. A week ago, he was still an unnoticed, clueless shut-in, but his theoretical knowledge was solid…
“Snap!”
He slapped his cheeks, his inner chuunibyou spirit blazing fiercely.
---
At this moment, it felt as if he wasn’t fighting alone. Behind him, countless predecessors’ ghostly shadows cheered him on, even though only he could feel it.
Perhaps this was the power of chuunibyou.
He had just made up with Wen Liang, and others wanted to help him—he couldn’t and wouldn’t refuse. Cao Aiqing’s invitation was his own doing; facing someone else’s initiative, he couldn’t let the opportunity slip by.
“Then I’ll date them both at the same time!”
He Tianran shamelessly set the tone for his plan. Although “date” wasn’t exactly the right word, he didn’t care anymore.
He hurried home and opened his computer. The clock read 10:42 p.m.
He opened a Word document and typed furiously—
“Operation Codename: Kings Who Must Not Meet
Operation Description: This is a false battlefield. After all, both targets are merely ‘friends’ with me, which is key. Even if the operation fails, irreparable damage to me is unlikely, so the Ten Commandments from the ‘Sword Manual’ must be remembered. After years of practice, failure is unacceptable.
According to my analysis, there is still room to maneuver during this operation. Previously, the elder ‘Little Pig’ mastered the art of fleeting moments; now, I, young Tianran, shall lightly stir the long river of time!
Wishing myself good fortune and success!
Difficulty Level: Golden Core Realm
Only those who form the Golden Core can be considered our kind. As long as this operation succeeds, this lone cultivator should make progress on the path of social success!
Target Analysis:
Target One, codename ‘Huang Rong’: This girl is clever and mischievous, occasionally with foresight, and knows my weaknesses well. Handling her requires utmost vigilance with no slack.
Target Two, codename ‘Little Dragon Girl’: This girl’s face is like ice and snow, but underneath is warmth. Perhaps this can be exploited for a surprising effect…?
Operation Timeline A:
…”
By the time He Tianran finished this densely detailed plan, it was already 2:30 a.m. After reviewing and memorizing timelines A, B, and C, he shut the computer and jumped into bed without delay.
Who knew if Wen Liang saw this meticulously crafted plan, would she be embarrassed by her makeover scheme?
But no matter what, when He Tianran next opened his eyes,
he would be facing that so-called “false battlefield.”