My boyfriend ❤

Swan-like maidens, heads held high, pirouetted on their toes, their pale thighs swaying through the air.

They danced from one corner to the next, a vision of vibrant charm.

Though a certain Boss Xu once commanded a dance troupe overflowing with breathtaking beauties, even he would have struggled to witness such a scene—a vibrant mist of youth erupting from these maidens.

This was a dance utterly devoid of impurity, a pristine display that only girls, freely moving within the confines of a school classroom during the bloom of their youth, could radiate with such unblemished splendor.

Across the way, a chorus of larks, vocalists in training, practiced their scales.

While Pei Xingyan couldn’t quite fathom why the vocal department’s practice rooms were situated beside the dance studios, he found the current tableau utterly exquisite.

The men and women, their voices warming up, provided a serendipitous accompaniment to the girls’ spirited dance.

Su Sansan tugged him along, navigating a labyrinth of turns for what felt like an eternity.

He hadn’t realized the building was so intricate from the outside; despite their lengthy trek, they were still seemingly en route.

Could it be… that Su Sansan was intentionally leading him in circles?

Pei Xingyan maintained his composure, carefully avoiding any glance at the tantalizing long legs that swayed past.

Instead, his mind meticulously replayed every detail he had observed about Su Sansan.

His thoughts lingered on Su Sansan’s earlier admission that she had been secretly observing him for quite some time, and her subsequent praise for his apparent disinterest in the passing girls.

He subtly shifted his gaze, catching a glimpse of the girl walking ahead.

She had been feigning nonchalance while observing him, specifically noting the direction of his eyes.

Pei Xingyan’s intuition hummed with an insistent buzz.

For reasons he couldn’t quite articulate, despite this young woman, dressed in the style of a “landmine girl” (TL Note: A Japanese fashion subculture often characterized by dark, elaborate clothing and makeup, sometimes associated with a rebellious or unconventional aesthetic.), exhibiting a complete lack of decorum by grabbing his hand upon their very first encounter…

He still harbored the distinct impression that she was a girl who abhorred lecherous men.

Allowing his gaze to linger on these girls’ bodies would not serve him well; he needed to present himself as more of a gentleman.

He abruptly began to hum along, picking up the practice tune of the vocal students.

Though the pitch proved challenging, the rhythm was delightfully simple.

He consciously tapped his fingers to the beat, swaying his arms with deliberate intent, ensuring she understood that he was fully immersed in the music.

Pei Xingyan closed his eyes, consciously averting his gaze from the maidens radiating youthful beauty, and resisting the urge to seek out lovely faces amidst the enchanting voices.

He simply tapped out the rhythm, harmonizing with them across the expanse of the room.

“Can you sing as well?” Su Sansan suddenly inquired.

“No, I can’t.”

“Then what exactly are you doing?”

“My apologies,” he murmured, scratching his head with a sheepish grin.

“Your students sing so beautifully; I found myself quite delighted and simply couldn’t resist.

What exactly are we doing now?”

Su Sansan fell silent once more, yet her body trembled, leaving him uncertain whether it stemmed from anger or delight.

Forsaking her subtle glances, she instead walked straight ahead, her head bowed, leading him away from that area in just a few swift steps.

The air immediately hushed, all sounds vanishing completely.

Su Sansan guided him into a classroom, a spacious, empty room devoid of any superfluous furnishings.

“This is our activity room,” Su Sansan announced casually.

“Hardly anyone ever comes here.

The soundproofing is excellent, so even if we were to… do anything, no one would be the wiser.”

“Mm…” Pei Xingyan nodded silently, his face a mask of inscrutability.

Yet, a storm of agitation had already begun to brew within him.

Why utter such words?

It felt as though he had stumbled onto a set for a Lei Huojian film (TL Note: Refers to a director known for explicit content, implying a suggestive or inappropriate atmosphere.).

Having just feigned disinterest in the attractive young women, instead immersing himself in the music, he had distinctly sensed Su Sansan lowering her guard.

He had clearly observed her carefully exhaling, her shoulders visibly relaxing—an undeniable sign of relief.

But now, she was deliberately uttering such ambiguous words—

With a resounding “bang,” Su Sansan forcefully shut the door.

Pei Xingyan instinctively shifted closer to the door.

This time, his unease was no pretense; a genuine flicker of panic had seized him.

The classroom lacked surveillance.

If this girl were to suddenly scream, he would be utterly unable to explain his predicament.

Silently, he reopened the door.

Su Sansan let out a playful giggle, then closed the door once more.

“What’s wrong? Are you afraid of me?”

“Closing the door isn’t entirely appropriate,” he explained, “especially with the idiom ‘under the melon patch, near the plum tree’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom referring to situations where one might be wrongly suspected of wrongdoing due to their actions or circumstances.).

Adults, after all, should understand the importance of avoiding suspicion.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?” she suddenly inquired, her tone laced with concern.

“No,” Pei Xingyan replied, shaking his head.

“Then that settles it, doesn’t it?” Su Sansan declared, her face lighting up with delight as she took a step closer.

“I should have made it perfectly clear to that Junior Sister Tang: I need a boyfriend.

Since you’ve arrived, you understand precisely what’s expected, don’t you?

Do a couple, a boyfriend and girlfriend, truly need to avoid suspicion when they’re together?”

Pei Xingyan retreated, step by step, until his back met the wall.

“Classmate… classmate… I merely offer services of spiritual solace; I am not for sale…”

He appeared profoundly anxious, as if genuinely fearing the girl opposite might commit some impropriety.

Yet, internally, he remained as steady as an old hound.

He had already discerned the girl’s true intentions: she likely genuinely sought a boyfriend, but harbored a deep-seated fear of encountering a scoundrel who would exploit her for money or worse.

This current charade, he surmised, was merely another test.

For who else would be so overtly desperate?

Such clumsy tactics, he scoffed inwardly.

If a girl with such transparent machinations could outwit him, he would have long since found himself confined to Ye Ziwei’s basement.

He would not fall prey to her scheme.

“Is that right? Do you find me unattractive?” Su Sansan challenged, her hand suddenly landing on his shoulder, rubbing it with a deliberate, almost seductive pressure.

Pei Xingyan inwardly scoffed.

Did she truly believe such a touch would expose a lecher?

What true lecher could possibly resist such a blatant temptation?

His expression steadily soured, bordering on genuine anger.

He sharply slapped Su Sansan’s hand away, then turned as if to depart.

Yet Su Sansan remained persistent.

She blocked the doorway, a captivating smile gracing her lips, though to Pei Xingyan, it appeared exceedingly strained.

“I’m not deceiving you,” she insisted, “I genuinely want to find a boyfriend.

I’ve been single for over twenty years, never having been in a relationship, but the moment I saw you, I knew you were the one.

If you’re uncomfortable, even just holding hands would be fine.

Don’t be so resistant, alright?”

‘Just holding hands’?

Pei Xingyan would not fall for her absurd claims.

A young woman’s machinations might seem brilliant to herself, but in reality, they were riddled with glaring flaws.

He was utterly convinced that if he betrayed even the slightest hint of interest, this potential business arrangement would vanish into thin air.

Without a trace of lingering attachment, Pei Xingyan dashed towards another exit, not sparing Su Sansan a single glance as he fled as if from a plague.

To his slight surprise, however, Su Sansan made no move to stop him, nor did she offer any explanation.

She simply stood by the doorway, waving him off, allowing him to depart, her expression an unreadable blend of joy and sorrow.

A sudden pang of regret struck him.

Shouldn’t she have rushed forward, then, to explain that it had all been a mere test?

Had he misjudged the situation, and was this business venture about to fall through entirely?

After a moment of conflicted thought, he ultimately steeled his resolve, burying his head as he ran off into the distance.

He was gambling, betting that Su Sansan’s test was far from over.

Though he hadn’t fully deciphered the girl’s ultimate objective, he trusted his own judgment; those peculiar details, he knew, would not lie.

****

It wasn’t until nearly eleven that night that he was roused from his sleep by the distinct notification chime of the Tangxin app.

Su Sansan had sent him a text message via the app, her tone now plaintive and utterly devoid of the flirtatious charm and soft allure she had displayed earlier that day:

[I now know you are a true gentleman, and I like it very much ❤.

A little praise for you~ (#pathead), but next time, please don’t make me wait this long, alright?

My… boy… friend?]

Attached was a real-time selfie.

In the dim, almost black light, her makeup and expression were indistinguishable, yet he could faintly make out her figure, still listlessly seated against the doorframe, precisely where he had left her.

Pei Xingyan froze for a moment, then scrambled out of bed, dashing towards the door amidst the startled queries of his roommate.