Episode Forty-Four: Untitled (III)

He Tianran, who had never expected anything of himself, had finally begun to have expectations.

He began to look forward to tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and every single day that lay ahead.

This feeling was quite wondrous, somewhat similar to finally opening a critically acclaimed AAA video game he had anticipated for years, yet the sensation was far more intense and lasted much longer. To the point where he somewhat despised his current state, because compared to the shut-in He Tianran of the past, this state completely contradicted the survival creed he had always upheld.

"I am currently acting like a goddamn normie, completely throwing off the balance. So annoying, damn it!"

He Tianran lay on the bed with his eyes closed, his body twitching as if experiencing a seizure while the corners of his mouth curled wildly upward. As he repented inwardly, he eagerly anticipated the arrival of tomorrow.

The next day, he woke up exceptionally early, strapped his guitar on his back, and headed out to the ticket pickup point closest to his home. He stood there grinning foolishly at those two slips of paper for a long time. Although passengers could now board high-speed trains simply by swiping their national ID cards, he naturally wouldn't miss the opportunity to collect and treasure such a meaningful pair of tickets.

Upon arriving at school, he met many classmates along the way and overheard some whispered gossip about himself.

Because he was a performer today, he wore casual clothes to school, an outfit Wen Liang had chosen for him days in advance—not overly flashy, but enough to make people's eyes light up.

Perhaps due to the boxing lessons he had taken over the past month, He Tianran’s posture was somewhat more upright. It wasn't as exaggerated as a sudden growth spurt, but compared to his usual slouching, indoor-kid image, he had indeed undergone a visible transformation.

The lingering aura of gloom that had long hung over his face had mostly dissipated, and what remained was blended with a newly acquired cheerfulness and positivity. His skin retained the fair, delicate look typical of someone who spent long periods away from direct sunlight, so a little tidying up made him appear remarkably clean. The tear mole at the corner of his eye became even more prominent; if one looked closely for a few seconds, it genuinely lent him a rare, striking charm.

To describe him at this moment with an unrefined phrase—

It was like a mongrel turning the tables to become a handsome hound.

Handsome he certainly was, but a dog he truly remained.

The welcome gala was scheduled for seven o'clock in the evening. Classes proceeded as usual during the day, except that afternoon dismissal was moved up to four o'clock, and the evening self-study session was naturally canceled. The campus brimmed with a joyful atmosphere; after all, for students, leaving school early combined with a holiday tomorrow equaled double the happiness.

As for the welcome gala itself, it was really just a mandatory school-imposed add-on. If Wen Liang hadn't dragged him into it, He Tianran would have felt exactly the same way—which truly highlighted how genuine he was being!

Perhaps influenced by this festive atmosphere, the girls in his class acted slightly bolder than usual, even going so far as to tease He Tianran with a couple of remarks. The topics were nothing more than, "I had no idea you could play the guitar! Can you play *Chengdu*?" or "Your fashion sense is quite good; do you dress like this in private?"

Things of that nature.

For such scenarios, He Tianran could not quite claim to be a seasoned veteran, but he was at least unfazed. Having even exchanged banter with Cao Aiqing, he no longer found these girls so intimidating.

After casually exchanging a few words, several of the girls were amused into giggling. This left He Tianran quite baffled; he had no idea what was so humorous about what he said, yet they suddenly burst out laughing. Were girls' thresholds for laughter really this low?

So it turned out that as long as one wasn't bad-looking and knew how to dress up a little, chatting with girls really allowed one to do whatever they pleased...

At that moment, a fellow shut-in male classmate walked past his desk and silently mouthed two words:

"Damn normie."

How should he put it...

Hearing those three words now, He Tianran found them ridiculously endearing, without a shred of aversion.

He had arrived very early today, and by the time Cao Aiqing arrived, the surrounding circle of girls had already dispersed.

He Tianran's feelings for Cao Aiqing were complicated now. His inner choices had already shifted; the sense of urgency he felt when hearing about Zhang Jifan's intention to confess made him realize that he actually preferred Wen Liang now. Yet, facing this girl he had adored for so long, he couldn't completely let go all at once.

Fortunately, He Tianran's relationship with Cao Aiqing had not reached a point where a boy could make casual choices.

At the very least, they were still friends, and that hadn't changed at all from before.

Cao Aiqing stared at He Tianran for a few seconds. The boy pointed to the corner of his mouth and said:

"Water stain."

The gentle girl subconsciously wiped it with her finger. It was left over from drinking congee earlier—not much, just a tiny bit that would go unnoticed without close inspection.

This seemed to give her an opportunity to retaliate. He Tianran stood up to make way for her to pass, and as they brushed past each other, she whispered:

"You're quite observant too..."

There was a hint of quiet triumph in her voice, though she dared not make it too obvious.

He Tianran stood frozen in place while Cao Aiqing had already taken her seat. Tilting her head sideways, she cast a triumphant little glance his way.

Was she competing with him?

The boy rubbed his nose. "So if something like this happens in the future, I get to watch you make a fool of yourself?"

Cao Aiqing giggled. "Not a chance. Thank you, though~"

He Tianran sat back down and heard her say again, "Good luck with your performance on stage today! I'll be cheering for you from the audience!"

If he had heard such words in the past, He Tianran would have been overjoyed to death, but hearing them now... it somehow felt... inexplicably guilt-inducing.

His feet involuntarily shifted outward, attempting to maintain a certain psychological distance.

"Th-thank you..." he replied.

Cao Aiqing noticed this movement as well, though she mistook it for the stage pressure getting to the mischievous boy. "Are you nervous?"

He Tianran forced an unnatural, bitter smile. "I'd be in trouble if I weren't nervous..."

"Don't be nervous. Whenever you get nervous, it makes me nervous for you."

Not knowing how else to comfort him, Cao Aiqing could only ask, "Would you like to take a few deep breaths along with me?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

He Tianran's mind was somewhat muddled, and he blurted out an impulsive response in the chaos. But the moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them.

The girl looked at him with a puzzled expression, yet she still nodded. "Go ahead."

In truth, what question did he really have to ask? It was nothing more than making conversation out of thin air. But under the girl's gaze, amidst a thousand tangled thoughts, he seized upon the most direct question—the one most likely to cut off any retreat, and the one for which he desperately wanted an answer:

"If I chased you, would you say yes?"

"..."

"..."

Silence, even amidst the playful chatter and laughter of the surrounding classmates.

Yet in that corner of the classroom for Senior Three, Class Two, by the window seat, it was as if a separate space had been isolated from the outside world.

Time seemed to stretch out endlessly—the maple leaves fluttering outside the window, the gauze curtains stirred by the breeze, and the widening of the pupils in the girl's eyes right before him.

He Tianran needed a rejection; he had already imagined every possible outcome.

He thought himself so fortunate to believe that Cao Aiqing rejecting him would be a very good thing.

So you see, he was indeed—handsome he certainly was, but a goddamn dog he truly remained.