Sponsored chapter (2/5)
Nothing to see? Why doesn’t he believe that?
Yu Baihan gently patted Lu Huan’s hand and firmly held it. His curiosity piqued even more. “Don’t be shy, let me appreciate the charisma of our classmate Lu.”
Charisma…
With a vice-like grip, Lu Huan’s focus remained fixed on their intertwined hands.
As they stared at each other, Xue Qin’s voice suddenly cut in from behind, “Ah, here it is!”
He had found the video.
He playfully urged, “Xiao Lu, don’t be bashful. Let your partner witness what you were like back then.”
With the video ready, Xue Qin tapped on it, causing Lu Huan’s voice to emerge from the device, “Teacher, hello everyone. I am Lu Huan, the freshman representative.”
Right then, Yu Baihan quickly shifted his attention back to the phone’s screen.
On the mobile screen, the young man donned a crisp white shirt, looking handsome and youthful, an image that closely resembled his current self.
Inwardly, Yu Baihan mused, Isn’t Lu Huan incredibly handsome?
He seemed to be paying no mind to the hand holding onto his wrist, edging ever closer to the screen.
The video continued to roll. Lu Huan, sporting a serious expression, began to speak, his lips parting slightly, “Just yesterday, we were sweating in the examination room. And today, we find ourselves like fledglings, leaving the security of our nests.”
Wait, Yu Baihan’s pupils quivered ever so slightly: A fledgling… Lu Huan?
As the hand around his wrist tightened, Lu Huan on the screen locked eyes with the camera, determination shining in his gaze.
“In the days ahead, we’ll grow stronger and stronger,” he proclaimed. “We would rather be envied than pitied.”
His solemn face delivered his message with utmost sincerity, word by word: “Don’t gamble away your youth, because the price of losing is too high.”
Yu Baihan inhaled deeply.
Moistening his dry lips, he slowly turned to look at the Lu Huan beside him.
Classmate Lu from ten years ago was truly…
Behind Yu Baihan, Lu Huan cast his gaze downward, his lips forming a tight line, and his ears flushed crimson. Yu Baihan’s attention drifted to the redness creeping up from Lu Huan’s earlobes, and his mind raced.
Oh… Lu Huan in this state practically invites teasing—quite strange for someone who doesn’t want to be teased.
Sensing Yu Baihan’s gaze, Lu Huan hastily lifted his eyes, his hands once again gripping tightly. “Don’t look, Si Baihan!”
Yu Baihan offered a soft reassurance, “It’s nothing; it’s quite inspiring.”
Lu Huan took a deep breath, about to respond when Xue Qin suddenly clapped Yu Baihan on the shoulder. “Quickly, the most classic part is coming!”
Yu Baihan wondered, Are there even more classic moments?
He flashed Lu Huan a comforting glance and then focused on the video, which had nearly concluded.
On the screen, the Dean of the Business School stepped up to the podium.
The Dean took hold of the microphone. “Student Lu Huan was admitted to our university with the highest grades in his major. How do you motivate yourself to study?”
In the video, Lu Huan’s dark eyes precisely found the camera. “There’s no special method.”
“Having nothing is the reason why I work hard.”
Yu Baihan inhaled sharply, “…!”
With those words spoken, the video came to a halt.
Beside that stern face, a few words were captioned: Lu Huan, Freshman Representative of the Business School.
Following the video’s conclusion, the office fell into a hushed silence.
Only Xue Qin continued to chatter, “What do you think, Xiao Lu was quite dashing ten years ago, right?”
After a moment, Yu Baihan regained his voice. “Yes.”
Upon speaking, he once again turned to gaze at Lu Huan, unable to suppress a sigh. “Did you distribute this video widely back then?”
A mixed pot of inspiration, pain, and soul-soothing chicken soup.
Lu Huan, meanwhile, remained quiet.
Those deep eyes sparkled with light.
Unaware of Lu Huan’s emotions, Xue Qin pocketed his phone and made a remark to Lu Huan, “When you have time, make an effort to visit your dean more often. He truly misses you.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
A hint of melancholy colored his gentle tone.
Ktf qgfnlberis afcrf jawbrqtfgf fjrfv j yla. Oe Lejc rffwfv ab gfmbiifma rbwfatlcu, jcv tlr ojmf kjgwfv. “Cigluta.”
Wef Hlc jvvfv, “Snfgs sfjg, ktfc cfk raevfcar fcgbii, tf qijsr atlr nlvfb obg sbeg ofiibk raevfcar.”
Oe Lejc’r fsfr klvfcfv revvfcis.
Te Djltjc:!
“………”
C tfjns rlifcmf rfaaifv bnfg atf boolmf.
Te Djltjc mjra j rlvfibcu uijcmf ja Oe Lejc, ktb kjr ybklcu tlr tfjv rilutais. Ktf wjc rffwfv ab tjnf agjcrobgwfv lcab j yfjealoei rmeiqaegf, jcv kbgvr jqqfjgfv kbfoeiis lcjvfdejaf ja atlr wbwfca.
After what felt like an eternity, Yu Baihan lightly patted the back of Lu Huan’s hand. “Are you still going to work?”
Go, escape this realm of complications.
Lu Huan’s hand, which had been gripping him, hesitated for a moment before releasing him. “Yes.”
“…” There was a pause before he continued, “Alright.”
Xue Qin gestured for them to go. “Okay, get busy.”
Lu Huan inhaled deeply, gazed intently at Yu Baihan, and then turned on his heel, striding out of the office.
The door shut behind him, and the atmosphere slowly returned to normal.
Xue Qin retrieved a class schedule from his desk drawer and handed it to Yu Baihan. “This is my class schedule and classroom. Make sure to attend on time.”
“Thank you, Dean Xue.”
Yu Baihan accepted it with care.
This was something Lu Huan had traded for his dignity.
—
With Lu Huan’s commitment to his studies, he had become increasingly preoccupied with work, causing him to miss dinner at home for three consecutive days.
During the day, Yu Baihan attended classes and studied independently at C University, while Hua Wu joined him for dinner in the evening. After their meal, Yu Baihan would retreat to his room to study. Consequently, their time together had become quite limited.
On the fourth day at noon, Yu Baihan invited Sun Yiqing to join him for lunch.
The laboratory building of C University was not far from the Faculty of Liberal Arts, so the two decided to dine at a nearby cafeteria. They ordered a few fried dishes and sat facing each other.
Sun Yiqing donned his black-rimmed glasses and picked up his chopsticks gracefully. “You know, Brother Lu hasn’t visited his alma mater much in recent years. It’s quite unusual for him to make a special trip this time.”
Yu Baihan let out a sigh. “There might be even fewer visits in the future.”
Sun Yiqing inquired, “Why’s that?”
Yu Baihan shook his head. “Never mind.”
It was probably best not to discuss this with Sun Yiqing; Yu Baihan wanted to leave some space for Lu Huan.
They continued to eat in silence for a while, and then Sun Yiqing suddenly asked, “By the way, Brother Lu helped you find Dean Xue. Have you expressed your gratitude to him in any way?”
With a mouthful of food, Yu Baihan looked up. “Huh?”
Did he need to be so formal with Lu Huan?
Sun Yiqing adjusted his glasses’ lower frame. “Even though Brother Lu may not say anything, he’ll probably be happy if you show your appreciation.”
Yu Baihan considered this. It made sense.
After swallowing his food, he asked earnestly, “So, what do you suggest? How should I express my gratitude?”
Sun Yiqing smiled at him.
Yu Baihan raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
Sun Yiqing, however, seemed to find the whole situation amusing.
…
Twenty minutes later, the two were inside a gift shop on campus.
The store featured various cultural and creative accessories displayed on counter shelves in different categories. As they entered, a shop assistant immediately approached them, asking, “Is there anything specific you’re looking for?”
Sun Yiqing replied, “Not really, we’re just browsing.”
Yu Baihan followed him as they wandered through the store. “You’re buying a gift here?”
“Yes,” Sun Yiqing responded, suddenly falling silent.
He turned his back to Yu Baihan, retrieved an item from a shelf, then turned around and placed it atop Yu Baihan’s head, producing a faint jingling sound.
Jingling?
Yu Baihan reached up to touch it and found two fluffy textures.
Yu Baihan:? ? ?
There was a mirror nearby, so Yu Baihan turned to glance at his reflection. What he saw were two fluffy black cat ears sitting atop his head, with two tiny bells hanging beneath them.
These black cat ears seemed to blend seamlessly with his own jet-black hair, making it appear as though they were a natural part of him.
Yu Baihan’s pupils constricted as he felt once again subjected to Sun Yiqing’s playful antics.
He looked at Sun Yiqing in disbelief and inquired, “Um, what exactly is this?”
In a composed manner, Sun Yiqing replied, “Cat ears. Lu Huan appears to have a fondness for cats.”
Yu Baihan took the cat ears off from his head, closely examined the size of the headband, and pondered, “But are these sized to fit Lu Huan’s head properly?”
He couldn’t have his head constrained.
Sun Yiqing, exasperated, gently reminded him, “Do you remember who you’re trying to express your gratitude to?”
Suddenly, Yu Baihan shyly pinched one bell. “Oh, right.”
Sun Yiqing lifted an eyebrow. “Now, let’s wrap this up quickly; lunch break is almost over.”
Yu Baihan hesitated, “…Are you absolutely certain Lu Huan will like this?”
“Have I ever led you astray when it comes to choosing gifts for your staff?”
The two locked eyes, and Sun Yiqing’s determination shone in his gaze.
A few moments later, Yu Baihan looked away and proceeded to the cashier’s counter, where he was holding the cat ears in hand.
Indeed, he had to trust Xiao Sun!
While at the checkout, Yu Baihan sent a message to Lu Huan.
[Yu Er]: Ding dong! Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?
[Fish]: There’s a gathering tonight.
[Yu Er]: How late will you be back? [eagerly]
[Fish]: It might be quite late. What’s going on?
[Yu Er]: I’ve prepared a token of appreciation~
Yu Baihan was in the middle of sending the message when the cashier reminded him, “Dear student, you can make your payment using the code here.”
He temporarily exited the conversation, completed the payment, and collected the cat ears. During the transaction, the cashier’s gaze was fixated on the cat ears, and when she looked at him, her face flushed bright red.
Yu Baihan wondered, “Is this girl a cat enthusiast as well?”
Beside him, Sun Yiqing wore a smug, knowing smile.
After retrieving the gift bag from the store, Yu Baihan’s phone vibrated, signaling a new message from Lu Huan.
[Fish]: Next time, just leave it in the living room.
Yu Baihan squinted at his phone, reflecting on Lu Huan’s tendencies: he was not particularly enthusiastic about receiving gifts. Something was amiss with his thought process.
Sun Yiqing caught a glimpse of Yu Baihan’s expression and inquired, “What did Brother Lu say?”
Yu Baihan stashed his phone away and replied, “He mentioned that he’ll be back very late tonight, so he probably won’t be available to receive the gift.”
Sun Yiqing raised an eyebrow, shifted his gaze back ahead, and remained silent.
—
After parting ways with Sun Yiqing, Yu Baihan spent some time in the library in the afternoon. In the evening, Hua Wu picked him up and brought him back to the Lu residence.
However, Lu Huan did not return home for dinner.
Yu Baihan inquired with Uncle Feng, “Is Lu Huan going to be back very late tonight?”
Uncle Feng nodded, “It seems he’ll be returning around eleven or twelve. Master Baihan need not wait up for Master. Just go to bed early.”
“Alright, I understand.”
At this point, it was around seven o’clock. Yu Baihan headed upstairs to take a shower, checked his class schedule as usual, and then opened his books to study.
He noticed that Xue Qin’s class was scheduled for the first period in the morning tomorrow, which means it would start at 8 o’clock.
Yu Baihan momentarily lost himself in thought while gazing at his schedule.
It suddenly dawned on him why Xue Qin had mentioned that he had secured a separate student dormitory. It was because of the distance between Lu’s house and C University. Otherwise, he would have had to wake up at six in the morning for the past two days.
Taking advantage of the early hour, Yu Baihan hesitantly started packing his bags.
Once he finished packing, he sent a message to Hua Wu and coincidentally ran into Uncle Feng as he descended the stairs.
Uncle Feng’s eyes widened when he saw the luggage bag in Yu Baihan’s hand, as if he had just read the words “Runaway Wife” about to appear. He exclaimed, “Master Baihan… Where are you going?”
Yu Baihan sighed, “You’re overthinking it.”
It seemed like Uncle Feng had been reading a few too many melodramatic novels in private.
Yu Baihan clarified, “I have morning classes tomorrow and the day after, so I’ll be staying in the student dormitory for the next two days.”
Uncle Feng breathed a sigh of relief, “Will you be back this weekend?”
“Of course,” Yu Baihan replied. He offered Uncle Feng some parting words of advice, changed his shoes, and then left the house.
The private car smoothly exited Lu’s residence and soon disappeared into the dimly lit night.
…
Meanwhile, at Lu Corporation, on the top floor near the elevator.
Lu Huan, dressed in formal attire, appeared composed. Beside him stood Fan Lin, who was briefing him on the evening’s schedule.
Suddenly, Lu Huan’s phone buzzed, prompting him to check the notification.
[Sun Yiqing]: Brother Lu, are you back home?
Lu Huan furrowed his brow, puzzled.
[Lu Huan]: No, what’s going on?
[Sun Yiqing]: Baihan has prepared a gift for you with great care. Why don’t you go back and accept it?
[Lu Huan]: There’s a party tonight; I’ll do it next time.
After sending the message, the elevator arrived with a ‘ding,’ and Lu Huan stepped inside swiftly.
His phone buzzed again.
[Sun Yiqing]: You should accept it soon; I’ve seen it, and it’s quite cute. [Sent with the glasses of philosophy]
Lu Huan’s eyes locked onto this brief message, and his brow furrowed slightly.
Sun Yiqing had seen it?
[Lu Huan]: What are you talking about?
[Sun Yiqing]: Cat ears, the ones with tiny bells.
[Lu Huan]:?
Ding! The elevator’s doors opened, revealing the underground parking garage.
Beside him, Fan Lin pressed the door button and turned to address Lu Huan, who was engrossed in his phone. “Sir, we have arrived.”
Lu Huan tapped his phone screen with his fingertips before finally putting it away and exiting the elevator.
The two of them got into the car, and Fan Lin drove out of the garage. The brightly illuminated night scenery glided past the car windows. Lu Huan gazed out of the window for a few moments, his silence lingering. Then, he suddenly said, “The evening dinner has been postponed.”
“Let’s head home.”
…
They arrived back at the Lu residence, and it was nearly nine o’clock.
Upon entering the living room, Lu Huan was met with a surprised expression from Uncle Feng. “Why are you back so early, sir? Weren’t you supposed to be out late…”
“The event got canceled,” Lu Huan replied as he began to ascend the staircase. “Is he still studying?”
Uncle Feng paused, then responded, “No, Master Baihan has moved to the dormitory.”
Lu Huan halted his steps on the stairs, puzzled.
An odd sensation washed over him from the elevated position he was in.
Uncle Feng hesitated for a few seconds before dutifully conveying Yu Baihan’s words. “Indeed, sir. Master Baihan mentioned…”
Lu Huan pressed him to continue. “Go on.”
Observing Lu Huan’s expression, Uncle Feng tried to mimic Yu Baihan’s mannerisms and tone. “He stated that he wishes to venture beyond the shelter of your wings.”
Lu Huan froze for a moment.
Uncle Feng spread his arms in a theatrical gesture. “Today, he’s just a fledgling bird, you see~”
“………”
LMAO this is too hilarious 😂 xiao sun are you a blessed or cursed matchmaker at this point lmaooo. Love how yu baihan is so innocent with tha cat ears reaction. Honey better not put them on lu huan’s head or imma die laughing lmaoo
SY working hard for that wingman of the year award 👏 👏 👏. Why do I get the feeling our boy SY has some KINKS
I think SY is a kink expert. Probably teaches a class or two in kink too. Or just offers privare lessons. 😆
Typo on chapter heading: Fledgling
Aww, Classmate Lu missed out on seeing the cat ears on Classmate Yu 😻
Thanks for the chapter 💞
Oh no ! 😂😂😂
rofl
I don’t like the manipulation and wasn’t our MC was smart and witty, why can’t he understand
Because he’s too pure. My guess is he never has any lesson regarding those things 🙈 which is why he never realized some things he bought and did were like seductions…