HCILH Ch. 121

Chapter 121: Redistribution of School Divisions

As Sui Houyu walked into the cafeteria, Hou Mo and Sang Xian were just heading out together, planning to warm up.

When the two saw him, they both fell silent at once, making him overthink things for a moment.

Were these two discussing some secret tips?

He couldn’t help but see them with suspicion, feeling like they were just two scoundrels plotting together.

Hou Mo approached him, leaned down, and whispered: “I’m going to warm up now. Once you finish eating, just head to the audience stand.”

“Oh, good luck.”

“Yeah, I’ll definitely do my best.” Hou Mo replied, even giving his earlobe a light squeeze before heading out side by side with Sang Xian.

Watching the two walk away, Sui Houyu had an odd feeling, as if he was looking at two big bad wolves conspiring on how to devour a little rabbit.

He shrugged it off, focusing on getting his meal. Inside the cafeteria, he noticed Deng Yiheng and the others, including the two couples.

He carried his tray over and had barely taken two bites before hearing Lu Yanxin comfort him: “Brother Yu, don’t mind those people. They’re just a bunch of jealous trolls who can’t stand a newcomer winning.”

He looked up at Lu Yanxin, confused.

Deng Yiheng quickly elbowed Lu Yanxin: “If you didn’t say anything, he wouldn’t have known about it!”

“What?!” Lü Yanxin had only wanted to reassure Sui Houyu, not realizing she’d made things worse.

Sui Houyu raised an eyebrow and asked: “What’s going on?”

Now that he knew something was up, there was no use pretending otherwise.

Deng Yiheng and Shen Junjing both looked conflicted.

Shen Junjing’s girlfriend, Mo Nan, who wasn’t familiar with their circle, curiously asked: “What’s happening?”

Shen Junjing whispered: “If Brother Yu finds out someone’s talking bad about him, he tends to go confront them. Even if it doesn’t end in a fight, he’ll definitely hold a grudge.”

Mo Nan’s eyes widened: “Seriously?”

Shen Junjing nodded: “Yep. Sui Houyu holds grudges, but once he vents his anger, he’ll let it go afterward.”

Deng Yiheng confirmed: “Exactly.”

In the end, they explained it to him.

All the athletes knew about an app that featured various types of news. One section was dedicated to sports news, and within that, there was a subsection for youth sports. Occasionally, their matches were featured there.

Typically, only the top-ranked athletes from various events appeared on it. Hou Mo was a regular, thanks to his good looks and strong performance. Even people who weren’t into tennis would check him out.

This time, the nationwide youth tournament had garnered reports after each match. It was something the athletes closely followed.

The match between Sui Houyu and Hou Mo was reported on, and it seemed that the attention wasn’t just due to their skills but also their looks. Surprisingly, it became quite popular and was pushed to a prominent position in the general sports section overnight.

By morning, the front page of the app, where major stories were displayed, featured their match.

Unfortunately… the highlight wasn’t the match results, but: The New Generation of Athletes with Astonishing Looks.

A sport not widely watched + an even less watched youth tournament + an even more overlooked doubles match.

Three factors of obscurity weren’t enough to stop the power of good looks.

The article surged in popularity in an unexpected way.

Even the event organizers didn’t expect that ticket sales for their matches would suddenly spike due to such an unusual reason.

Sui Houyu specifically downloaded the app, sipping his porridge as he opened the news.

At first, the news was fairly normal, but once it made the front page, the headline was edited to be more sensational.

The article simply introduced their team as the dark horse of this youth tournament, having defeated the second-seeded team. It even included a poll asking readers whether they favored the dark horse or the top-seeded team, He Shibi and Chu You.

However, the comments took an unexpected turn.

Many were off-topic—

Black Cherry Sakura: “Oh wow, the dark horse team is so handsome. Personally, I think they can win.”

Little King Little Moon: “When I saw the big picture, I thought it was a new show. Only after a closer look did I realize it was sports news?”

Gaosubaru: “Do kids these days all look like this? Sister can wait ten years for you.”

Call Yi by Jiana: “I’m swooning again. The match is in my city, and now I suddenly want to go watch.”

None of Your Business: “Raise your hand if you clicked in just to see the big picture.”

Pianxian: “I have nothing against the top-seeded team, but I’d be happy if the dark horse team won.”

The Womanizer: “I don’t get your taste. The top-seeded team is actually pretty handsome too. You all just like the pretty-boy types? Fine, if it were up to me… I’d pick them too.”

Hunhan: “A prime example of having the looks but relying on skill.”

Soon, another group chimed in—

He and Shadow Stream Are Both Zed: “Tennis isn’t about looks. In terms of strength and consistency, the Nanyun Affiliated team is better.”

Curly Rabbit Chu: “I vote for the Nanyun team. In doubles, they’re genuinely talented. Plus, their last match was a crushing victory, whereas the dark horse team struggled through each match.”

Little Brother Plays: “A bunch of people who don’t understand tennis joining in for what? This poll is skewed; the northern team isn’t a match for the top seeds. That curly-haired one plays so sloppily and just relies on his partner.”

Stubborn Yellow Peach: “Sports isn’t about looks. It’s all about skill. By boosting their popularity like this, you’re only setting them up for a harder fall.”

Niu Niu: “If the Fengyu team can beat the Nanyun team, I’ll livestream myself swallowing a tennis ball.”

Big Bad Wolf in a Red Hat: “Look at my lips: Sissy! Not a trace of manliness, raised in a graveyard to be so effeminate.”

Sui Houyu watched for a while, then put down his phone, casually remarking: “No point in arguing with them.”

Deng Yiheng, relieved, quickly said: “Exactly, they’re just jealous trolls. Being good-looking doesn’t mean you’re bad at tennis. Who says you don’t have skill? You’ve got both talent and looks… combined.”

“Hah—‘sissy’?” Sui Houyu let out a cold laugh. “I could put them to shame easily.”

Lu Yanxin, the habitual joker, nearly spit out his porridge.

Mo Nan, not understanding, looked to Shen Junjing for clarification. Shen Junjing swallowed a bite of rice and said: “Manliness! Guts! Yeah!”

He almost convinced himself.

Sui Houyu glanced at Mo Nan, feeling slightly uncomfortable with a pure girl among them; it meant he had to watch his words.

With Su Anyi and Lu Yanxin, he could speak freely since everyone understood. This was also why he couldn’t get close to Xu Youyi.

After a few more bites of porridge, he asked: “Do I really look like I’m just riding coattails?”

Deng Yiheng answered seriously: “Brother Yu, you’re not weak at all. If you were, Shen Junjing and I would be too embarrassed to show our faces. It’s just that Hou Mo is very famous in the youth tennis scene, a standout figure. It’s rare for anyone at a youth tournament to already have a fan club. You, as a newcomer, teaming up with someone at the top of the pyramid is why people say that. You’re not lacking in any way, just fame and achievements.”

Despite claiming not to care, Sui Houyu clearly did.

With Hou Mo not around, he barely finished his breakfast, slung his bag over his shoulder, and asked: “Do you guys have matches today?”

Deng Yiheng replied: “We’re the second match in the morning, and she’s got the first match in the afternoon. Mo Nan doesn’t have a match today.”

He continued: “Do He Shibi and their team have a match today?”

Deng Yiheng shook his head: “Not sure… we’d need to ask Su Anyi.”

Sui Houyu, bag on his shoulder, decided to go watch Hou Mo’s match. After walking a bit, he turned around and asked: “Can we find out who ‘Big Bad Wolf in a Red Hat’ is? Are they from Nanyun Affiliated?”

All four shook their heads.

He had no choice but to leave.

He remained upset all morning. Even after Hou Mo finished his match, showered, and came to watch Deng Yiheng and Shen Junjing with him, Sui Houyu still felt glum.

Hou Mo, puzzled, asked: “Do you want to beat up Sang Xian?”

Sui Houyu shook his head.

Lu Yanxin handed his phone to Hou Mo, who shielded the screen with his hand to read. After a moment, he understood.

Hou Mo smiled and said: “Ignore them. If we win, it’ll be the ultimate rebuttal.”

“Yeah.”

“You know that, but you’re still unhappy?”

“To them, I’m not good enough for you?”

“Huh?” Hou Mo was taken aback. “That’s an unusual angle to look at it.”

Sui Houyu continued to watch the match, still sullen, when Hou Mo leaned in and said: “You’re marrying down.”

“Marrying?”

“Yep, I know. I’m the one punching above my weight.”

Sui Houyu sighed: “I sent the news link to Ran Shu. He’s been in a bad mood lately, so when he saw it, he created a bunch of burner accounts to argue with those people. With his and Su Anyi’s combined fighting power, I think they’ll handle everyone.”

Hou Mo, imagining Ran Shu and Su Anyi teaming up to argue online, felt a shiver run down his spine. It was bound to turn into an all-out verbal war soon.

“Then why are you upset?” Hou Mo asked again.

“Because I prefer scolding people right in their faces!”

“Oh… Is it unsatisfying to do it behind a screen?”

“Yeah.”

“They only dare to talk behind people’s backs anyway, just a bunch of nobodies.”

Sui Houyu kept his eyes on the court and changed the topic: “Deng Yiheng and Shen Junjing have really improved.”

Seeing that Sui Houyu had dropped the previous topic, Hou Mo followed up: “Must be the power of love; they’ve been working really hard recently.”

*

Later that evening, back in their hotel room, Hou Mo sat with furrowed brows, putting down and picking up his phone repeatedly.

He had just looked at the class group chat and saw an announcement that left him distressed.

After school resumed, students taking the standard college entrance exam would attend classes at the original Qingyu campus, where they would be immersed in the secluded, intense life of senior year. No sports events, no holiday celebrations, just the strict three-point schedule of studying, eating, and resting.

However, due to inadequate facilities and the coach’s inability to split duties, student-athletes would remain at the original Fenghua campus.

This meant that if Sui Houyu took the regular college entrance exam, he would return to the original campus after school started.

But Hou Mo would have to stay at Xiangjia Alley.

The school had initially promised that there would be no reassignments after the new class distributions, yet they now faced merging with Class Sixteen in their senior year.

This really upset Hou Mo.

Setting aside the issue of being separated shortly after starting their relationship, Hou Mo was particularly worried about Sui Houyu’s sleep.

The senior year workload was tough enough, and without proper rest, he had no idea how Sui Houyu would manage.

And if Hou Mo couldn’t be by his side, he would be anxious day and night.

When Sui Houyu returned after visiting Ran Shu, he saw Hou Mo’s troubled expression and asked: “Did you see the group announcement?”

“Yeah, I did.”

Silence fell between them, so quiet that the sound of Sui Houyu unscrewing the water bottle and swallowing could be heard distinctly.

It was clear they had both read the message and felt down about it.

After a moment, Sui Houyu put down the water bottle and said: “I was fine before meeting you, wasn’t I? You don’t need to worry.”

“How about I commute? I’ll come to your campus after school and go back here in the morning.”

“Are you crazy?” Sui Houyu frowned at Hou Mo.

“I’m an athlete anyway; I need to train. Doesn’t it make sense? If not, I’ll ask Sang Xian’s family to arrange a car for me to go over daily. Otherwise, you’ll have trouble sleeping, and I’ll miss you; this way, both problems are solved.”

“That’s not necessary!”

Hou Mo, growing anxious, stood up and said: “Five whole days without seeing you? I’ll go insane!”

“The season isn’t over yet. I’ll still be living at the Xiangjia Alley campus for another two months.”

“But after that, you’ll still have to move! Otherwise, I won’t take the athlete’s entrance exam. I can go for the standard one—”

“You still have competitions next year! Your family situation has only just started to improve; don’t get reckless!” Sui Houyu interrupted him sternly.

“I can train on my own. Coach Wang doesn’t have much more to teach me now.”

“That’s unnecessary…” Sui Houyu said as he took off his shirt to change into his sleepwear.

Hou Mo moved closer, wrapping his arms around him, refusing to let go and whining: “Brother Yu… I can’t. I can’t be without you… I’ll get lovesick.”

“Let go.” he said, holding his sleepwear.

“No! I won’t let go! How can you be so heartless? Do you not like me that much?”

“Let go.”

“Brother Yu, I’m about to cry. Why are you like this?”

Sui Houyu shook himself free, pushing Hou Mo back, and continued changing. As he did, he said: “No one is worth giving up your future or altering your entire life for. If either of us sacrifices too much for the other, it disrupts the balance. It would make one person always feel indebted to the other, and that’s not necessary. Even in a relationship, we are still individuals.”

“But didn’t you study hard for Ran Shu and play tennis for me?”

“And did either of those things change me in any significant way? Both were beneficial. Is there anything wrong with studying hard or focusing on a sport? But if you change your path for me, you’re an idiot.”

Hou Mo pursed his lips, no longer pestering him.

Sui Houyu ignored him and went to take a shower.

Did Sui Houyu care?

He had spent a long time cooling off in Ran Shu’s room before coming down.

He knew Hou Mo would actually do it—ride a bike or even run to cross half the city every day to see him.

But he couldn’t let Hou Mo do that.

School training was grueling, often leaving him so tired after a shower that he just wanted to sleep.

And mornings? How early would Hou Mo have to get up to return? Even by car, it took over an hour, and traffic was even worse in the morning.

With that in mind, if Hou Mo strained himself to visit every day, he would eventually collapse, despite his good physical condition.

So when Sui Houyu came downstairs, he had already prepared himself to talk Hou Mo out of it.

He couldn’t be soft; he had to be firm.

Hou Mo sat alone on the bed, thinking about being separated from Sui Houyu so soon after they had just started dating, and his eyes turned red after a while.

They had just started dating, and now they were facing a long-distance relationship—he couldn’t handle the blow.

When Sui Houyu came out and saw Hou Mo’s expression, he was surprised. Finally, he sighed, sat down beside him, and said: “I’ll come back to Xiangjia Alley on the weekends.”

“Mm…” Hou Mo replied, still looking aggrieved.

“We’ll call and video chat every day.”

“Mm…”

“Deng Yiheng and Shen Junjing don’t act like you; they’re in a long-distance relationship too.”

“Mm…”

Sui Houyu gave Hou Mo a light kiss on the corner of his mouth: “Good.”

Hou Mo finally nodded, reaching for the small pouch on the bedside table, which he used for storing his phone charger. When he pulled out the charger, a small box slipped out of the pouch and landed conspicuously between them.

Hou Mo looked at the box of condoms, then at Sui Houyu, and back at the box: “What the—?”

How did this end up here?

“I put it there.” Sui Houyu said calmly.

“What?” Hou Mo’s voice cracked in surprise.

“It’s convenient to have it here, isn’t it?”

“Oh…”

“But I’m not sure if this is enough. Are you up to it?” Sui Houyu teased.

“I-I am!” Hou Mo’s demeanor changed instantly as he stammered out a hasty response, trying to prove himself. “Sang Xian was stingy the first time; he only gave me this and refused to hand over more, saying I wasn’t in a hurry and he’d bring more next time. This one was just for emergencies.”

“Oh—” Sui Houyu drew out the response, “I’ll take your word for it.”

Seeing Sui Houyu lie down to get some sleep, Hou Mo quickly scooted over and said: “Brother Yu, I’m serious, really serious. If you don’t believe me, feel for yourself.”

Saying that, he started to act mischievously again.

“There’s a match tomorrow.” Sui Houyu reminded him quickly.

“Then… just keep your legs closed.”

“Damn it… you—”

The blanket fell to the floor with a lonely thud, only to be grabbed and pulled back up by Hou Mo, who also switched off the room light.

The night was unusually quiet.

The rustle of clothes and Sui Houyu’s slightly trembling breaths were all too clear.

“Brother Yu…” Hou Mo called out suddenly.

“Mm.”

“Just wanted to call your name.” Afraid you’d fall asleep.