CFL 29

Wen Ci’s acting skills had reached a level of perfection, making it impossible to see that the extra two hundred and fifty yuan was a gift to the “senior.” Not only did he give more, but he gave way too much. Now it should really be considered settled.

Wen Ci thought Jiang Yufeng would be angry, but he calmly accepted the seven hundred yuan with a seemingly satisfied expression, which left Wen Ci utterly confused.

On the brink of danger, Wen Ci’s sensitive nature made his hair stand on end. He clutched the strap of his school bag, ready to sprint out of the dormitory at a speed of a thousand meters in three minutes. His sneakers were poised and ready.

As soon as his foot took a step forward, the low and magnetic voice of Jiang Yufeng stopped him in his tracks. “Where are you going?” Jiang Yufeng asked.

“The library,” Wen Ci replied.

“Come with me,” Jiang Yufeng said.

“…” Wen Ci hesitated.

Jiang Yufeng looked at him gently, “Is that a problem?”

“…” Wen Ci looked up at him, forcing a smile, “No, not at all.”

The library was one of the representative architectural landmarks of University A, designed by a renowned architect. Its exterior was unique, primarily in shades of gray and white, with smooth curves that were artistically pleasing. Inside, the space was spacious, the functions were neatly distributed, and the environment was bright and quiet.

It wasn’t the end-of-term week, so while the library wasn’t empty, there were still available seats. Wen Ci and Jiang Yufeng registered with their student cards and chose a spot on the second floor. As soon as they sat down, Wen Ci noticed people around them glancing their way.

Jiang Yufeng hadn’t come just to pass the time. They had been assigned to work together on a group project presentation for their general education course, and now was the perfect opportunity to discuss and refine the details.

Initially, they had divided the work into two parts. When it came to writing the conclusion, Wen Ci’s version was quite emotional, while Jiang Yufeng’s was more positive and energetic. Combined, they complemented each other well.

Wen Ci mentioned, “Lu Xuesong said there are too many words. He doesn’t want to read so much.”

Uncharacteristically, Jiang Yufeng didn’t argue. He simply nodded and began to revise the two sections, rephrasing them in concise language while retaining Wen Ci’s part and integrating his own words.

Jiang Yufeng moved the computer screen towards Wen Ci, “How about this?”

Wen Ci nodded, “It’s fine.”

Jiang Yufeng said, “Open yours and show me.”

Wen Ci obediently opened the presentation. Jiang Yufeng instructed, “Change the font to this one. The classroom’s all-in-one machine might not recognize the other font and could display gibberish.”

Wen Ci asked, “What about PDF? It can be projected as well.”

“Be prepared for both,” Jiang Yufeng said, “In case the teacher doesn’t allow PDF format. I’ll take care of the rest. You focus on your own tasks.”

Without a doubt, working with Jiang Yufeng gave Wen Ci an inexplicable sense of security. He knew he had been lacking in consideration and learned from the experience.

When it was time for a meal, the two of them silently walked into the nearby cafeteria together. Jiang Yufeng paid for Wen Ci’s meal as well.

Wen Ci insisted on reimbursing Jiang Yufeng through a proper Alipay transfer.

“Fine,” Jiang Yufeng accepted it cheerfully, “Two hundred and fifty is no longer just two hundred and fifty.”

Wen Ci abruptly added, “It’s two hundred and eighty now.”

At first glance, it seemed like a meaningless remark, but in reality, it was laden with a complex backstory.

Wen Ci regretted making the comment, but fortunately, Jiang Yufeng didn’t seem to notice.

They spent almost the entire day in the library, and even had dinner together. If it had been anyone else, it wouldn’t have raised eyebrows, but since it was Jiang Yufeng and Wen Ci, to others, they appeared to be a couple deeply in love.

On their way back to the dormitory, they ran into Lu Xuesong and Tao Peng, who were returning from a date.

Lu Xuesong’s eyes curved with delight as he exclaimed, “You guys are back from a date too?”

Wen Ci panicked, so much so that he wanted to cover Lu Xuesong’s mouth, “No, we were working on our homework, the presentation.”

Lu Xuesong clearly didn’t believe him, and with an ambiguous “oh,” he made Wen Ci want to push him out of the dormitory immediately and prevent him from entering.

Of course, Lu Xuesong was just teasing. He had suspected that there was something between them, but he had no concrete evidence. The forum users were just stirring up trouble for fun. By next year, when a new batch of freshmen arrived, perhaps Wen Ci and Jiang Yufeng’s couple status would become outdated.

Humans are inherently fickle. Lu Xuesong didn’t dwell on it for now, but he still wanted to gossip.

Back in the dormitory, Wen Ci and Jiang Yufeng didn’t have that kind of atmosphere anymore. They were as distant as when they had first met.

While Wen Ci was hanging up clothes, Lu Xuesong, munching on some sugarcane oranges, quietly asked, “Do you think you’re being too deliberate with Jiang Yufeng? I can tell, you’re keeping your distance from him.”

Just because he had a new love interest, it didn’t have to be this way.

Wen Ci, organizing his clothes with a hanger, paused for a few seconds and said, “It’s good for both of us.”

Wen Ci had already sensed something when Jiang Yufeng suddenly moved back into the dormitory. So what?

But if Jiang Yufeng didn’t break the ice, Wen Ci couldn’t just go up to him and say, “Hi, I’m your online lover.”

Wouldn’t that just lead to a beating…

“Why?” Lu Xuesong asked.

“Because he’s intimidating,” Wen Ci replied.

Lu Xuesong admitted that at first glance, Jiang Yufeng seemed like someone not to be trifled with, “I’ve never seen him hit anyone.”

“Maybe you will soon,” Wen Ci said.

“??” Lu Xuesong was puzzled.

For some reason, Wen Ci’s ambiguous attitude towards Jiang Yufeng made Lu Xuesong suspect that Jiang Yufeng might have hurt Wen Ci in some way, and Wen Ci, being naive, didn’t realize it, but his body and mind both rejected him.

On Friday evening, during the two class committee election votes, it was voluntary. Whoever wanted to run for a position would write their name on the blackboard, and then everyone would vote anonymously, marking with a tally. The one with the most votes would be elected.

There was no better method than this. If the tutor had picked privately, it would have caused more trouble. Giving the choice to the students was the best solution.

The male class leader position was already confirmed to be Zhou Yan’s, with his votes leading by a large margin, and he effortlessly secured the role of class president for this semester.

The second position up for election was the Youth League branch secretary. Lu Xuesong, who loved to stir up trouble, insisted on encouraging Tao Peng to volunteer. Surprisingly, Tao Peng did go up and introduce himself, with a serious expression, focusing on presenting a stable image.

Lu Xuesong laughed heartily below, and even Wen Ci couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling like they were watching an acquaintance put on airs.

The final result was a failure in the election. The other girl was well-prepared, while Tao Peng had only prepared at the last minute and couldn’t compare.

Lu Xuesong nudged him with his elbow, “Next up is the study committee member. Want to give it a try?”

Wen Ci had excellent grades, and Lu Xuesong had heard that Wen Ci was the top student in his hometown.

Although Wen Ci modestly said that his hometown was small and couldn’t compare with big cities in terms of educational resources, being the top student was just a nominal honor.

But at that time, Xin Jingqi was very happy and treated the whole village to a meal.

Wen Ci was hesitant about running for a class committee position. He wanted to, but also didn’t want to. He was tempted by the awards and honors, but he found it a bit troublesome. Since there would be another chance in the second year, he decided to wait and see.

No one expected Jiang Yufeng to actively run for the study committee member position. This role was generally disliked by others because it was easy to be called upon by teachers to answer questions, and the risk of getting caught slacking off was very high.

The other candidate running against Jiang Yufeng was a boy with a stern appearance named Jing Tianhua. When comparing grades, Jiang Yufeng had higher scores, and when comparing physical appearance and demeanor, Jiang Yufeng was also the preferred choice.

After the self-introductions, the voting began.

Wen Ci initially didn’t care about Jiang Yufeng’s active candidacy. However, he suddenly remembered during their online chat when he had guessed what class committee position the senior might hold, and he had said study committee member.

Senior equals Jiang Yufeng, and Jiang Yufeng is now running for the study committee member position.

Wen Ci: “……”

Did he overthink it?

Lu Xuesong, unfamiliar with Jing Tianhua, also wanted a class committee member from their dormitory, so he decisively chose Jiang Yufeng. Of course, Tao Peng had to follow his vote.

Everyone around them unanimously voted for Jiang Yufeng. Wen Ci thought about it and figured that one more vote from him wouldn’t make a difference, so he carefully wrote Jing Tianhua’s name on the paper.

Although the two of them didn’t engage in any canvassing like Zhou Yan, the final vote count turned out to be a landslide.

Lu Xuesong was also surprised: “Who cast the precious and solitary vote for Jing Tianhua? I really want to know.”

Wen Ci: “……”

Damn it, this was too one-sided. He had thought Jing Tianhua would at least get a few votes!!!

In fact, Jing Tianhua didn’t really intend to compete with Jiang Yufeng. He was prone to stage fright. He was bold online but timid in reality. He just came to have fun and practice his courage, but he didn’t expect someone to vote for him.

After stepping down from the stage, Jing Tianhua immediately searched the group chat for the person who had supported him. Wen Ci played dead in the group, but some people were restless and insisted on finding out who that person was.

After all, it was quite a spectacle……

That being said.

[Jing Tianhua: You guys really didn’t vote for me, huh.]

[Zhou Yan: Let the scholar handle scholar matters. I’m afraid you can’t handle the pressure.]

[Jing Tianhua: Class President (teary-eyed)]

[Jing Tianhua: Who on earth voted for me? I really want to thank them. Seriously, I’d like to treat them to a meal.]

[Zhou Yan: Just post the notes in the group chat after it’s over, and you’ll know who it was.]

Wen Ci: “……”

Lu Xuesong tilted his head and said, “I actually thought it was Zhou Yan. They’re in the same dormitory and have a good relationship.”

Tao Peng mentioned a few other classmates’ names.

Lu Xuesong shook his head, “They all denied it in the group chat. Everyone just likes to tease Jing Tianhua.”

“You voted for Jiang Yufeng too.”

“I did that for the sake of our dormitory. We can’t have no class committee members at all.”

Lu Xuesong finished speaking and sought agreement, “Right, Wen Ci?”

He said, “You must have voted for Jiang Yufeng too. We’re all in the same boat as a dormitory. Having a class committee member here has many benefits. Even copying homework would be more convenient.”

For a moment, Wen Ci thought Lu Xuesong said “submit” homework, but upon closer listening, it was “copy” homework.

When it ends, it definitely won’t be hidden. Wen Ci whispered, “No, I voted for Jing Tianhua.”

“?” Lu Xuesong was shocked and about to speak when his gaze suddenly fixed on something behind Wen Ci.

Lu Xuesong was still recovering from the first shock when another one hit him, but he knew Wen Ci well: “Did you say it to avoid being exposed by them? Do you mind Jiang Yufeng knowing?”

Wen Ci’s face turned ashen: “I mind.”

“It’s too late now.”

Wen Ci slowly turned his head following Lu Xuesong’s gaze, his eyebrows twitching. Jiang Yufeng’s towering figure loomed over him. It wasn’t Wen Ci’s illusion; it seemed like his eyebrows lifted slightly, full of mockery.

Wen Ci asked, “Do you mind? Will it ruin our friendship?”

Jiang Yufeng sat beside him, expressionless, and said, “Friendship? Do we even have that?”

His voice carried a faint, constricting, and enveloping undertone.

Wen Ci’s heart skipped a beat.

The election ended, and the person who cast the vote wasn’t exposed because Jiang Yufeng had taken away the stack of notes beforehand. Without evidence, there was no way to verify.

Apart from Jing Tianhua, who was a bit disappointed, no one else had any objections.

It was rare for the four of them to walk back to the dormitory together. Wen Ci felt like he had fallen into an abyss. His emotions were easily visible on his face, and he couldn’t hide anything. Lu Xuesong kept glancing at him, and Wen Ci, fearing he would ask something on the spot, quickly said, “I really need to go. I have to use the restroom. You guys go ahead.”

Lu Xuesong responded with an “Oh,” and asked, “Should we wait for you?”

“No need!” Wen Ci hurried out.

As soon as Wen Ci exited the restroom, he saw Jiang Yufeng leaning against a pillar ahead, his hands in his pockets. The dim light outlined his sharp facial features and the lines of his profile, like a perfect oil painting.

Wen Ci had no heart for appreciation at the moment.

To chase someone all the way to the restroom entrance just for a vote, it had to be said, Jiang Yufeng was quite persistent.

Wen Ci walked close to the wall, and as he approached the corner, he broke into a run. Jiang Yufeng had sharp eyes; his automatic Wen Ci radar caught him in an instant, and he followed with his phone in hand.

Wen Ci was running too fast, unfamiliar with the environment, and the lights were dim. He didn’t see the two short steps ahead and missed his footing with one foot!

Wen Ci was suddenly drenched in cold sweat, his mind went blank, and his body fell straight forward.

He didn’t kneel successfully, nor did he face-plant. Instead, someone grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

Wen Ci leaned against Jiang Yufeng’s chest, instinctively taking a step back, only to be pulled back by Jiang Yufeng and pressed against the wall, giving Wen Ci some support so he wouldn’t fall.

Wen Ci stood against the wall, lifting his injured foot, with the foot arch facing down, hanging limply, most likely having twisted a tendon or bone.

Jiang Yufeng, holding Wen Ci’s arm with one hand, asked in a deep voice, “What on earth are you running from?”

Wen Ci remained silent, like a dejected kitten, meekly accepting the scolding.

Jiang Yufeng frowned at his foot, squatting down to touch it, but Wen Ci dodged.

Jiang Yufeng looked up, and Wen Ci honestly expressed his thoughts: “I feel like my ankle has gone soft. Don’t touch it; I’m afraid it will hurt.”

Without wasting words, Jiang Yufeng asked, “Carry you?”

Wen Ci hesitated, “Uh, no, that’s okay.”

“Then I’ll carry you on my back.”

Wen Ci felt awkward, “Maybe not.”

Jiang Yufeng sneered, “I’ll go to the infirmary to borrow a wheelchair. You wait here.”

Wen Ci was surprised, “No, really, it’s fine.”

Jiang Yufeng’s forehead veins bulged slightly, a sign of impending anger.

The next second, Wen Ci hopped over to Jiang Yufeng’s back, raised his hands, and clung to his shoulders, saying, “I weigh 63 kilograms and am 180 centimeters tall. I might be quite heavy…”

Before Wen Ci could finish his sentence, Jiang Yufeng grabbed his thighs and hoisted him onto his back.

Wen Ci tightly held onto his shoulders, his chest pressed against his back, his heartbeat thudding through a thin layer of skin against his spine.

Because they were so close, Wen Ci’s breath fanned against the back of Jiang Yufeng’s ear as he spoke: “Thanks for this. Next time if you need help, I’ll carry you.”

Jiang Yufeng: “…”

Wen Ci’s voice was a bit weak, “Is that okay?”

Jiang Yufeng, holding his thighs and applying a bit of force as he spread them, said, “Consider it a favor owed.”

Wen Ci didn’t need to clamp down on him too hard, and he dejectedly responded with an “Oh” while lying on his back.