The Love Letter Debacle

I… am about to die.

The biting wind, as if carrying blades, assailed us as we were bundled up like dumplings. I couldn’t help but shove my hands deeper into my coat, my body trembling as I slowly trudged toward school.

My sister beside me wasn’t faring any better. Wearing a thick coat, her teeth chattered uncontrollably. She cowered behind me, seeking shelter from the wind. And now, I had become her haven.

“I told you I’d tell the teacher you have a cold! Look at you now, hiding behind me for cover.” I was a bit annoyed. Girls’ uniforms were already thin; even the winter version wasn’t much thicker—just a little skirt. If not for the long, knee-length coat she wore, her legs would definitely be cold.

“Wah, I don’t care! I want my big brother by my side!” She huddled close to my back, her small fingers lightly tugging at the hem of my coat as she shuffled along with me.

“How about we run? That’ll warm us up.” I suggested, quickening my pace.

“No! I’m full; can’t run. Walking faster is fine!”

“Alright, alright, whatever you say.”

Finally, with our relentless effort, we made it to the classroom!

I let out a breath and quickly sat down in my seat, scooting the chair forward to keep the wind from the back door off me.

“Hey, Huaimo, morning! Man, why are you wrapped up like that?” Zhang Zhibo noticed me, grabbed his chair, placed it beside mine, and sat down, looking at me with concern.

“Ah, I’ve got a slight cold, so it feels extra cold today.” I evaded his question.

“Really? Hmm… then swap seats with me. The draft from the back door is strong; my seat is warmer. It’s fine, I’ll tell the teacher if he asks.” Zhibo grinned cheerfully and held up a hand to stop me from taking out my books.

Hearing this, I couldn’t help but feel the warmth of friendship. ‘Bro! To meet a kindred spirit like you, I’m truly blessed! Wuwuwu, fate can’t sever our bond; our destinies are tightly intertwined! Thank heavens for bringing Zhibo into my life!’

“You sure?” I asked calmly, masking my inner turmoil out of politeness.

“Of course, why not? If I catch a cold, you’ll have to take responsibility and visit me—and bring gifts.”

“Alright, 3q~”

“No problem, that’s what bros are for~”

Delighted, I swapped seats with Zhibo. Once seated, I felt less wind and a warm current flowing through my heart, keeping me cozy. I slowly pulled out my textbook, but then I felt a light tap on my back. Turning around, I saw a classmate.

“Huaimo, um, that…” The male classmate behind me sat there, speaking timidly. His name was Lin Caiheng. According to the introduction at the start of the semester, his parents hoped he would be brilliant and talented, hence the name. Unfortunately, his Chinese skills were worrying, though his science grades were decent.

He was quite good-looking: black, medium-length curly hair, brown pupils, fair skin—a real fresh face. So he was popular among the girls in class.

But our relationship was merely that of ordinary classmates, nothing deep. He wasn’t someone who needed resources, so we rarely had any dealings.

Yet now he was actively approaching me, which left me puzzled.

“What’s up, Caiheng?” I asked awkwardly, caught off guard.

“It’s just…” Seeing him hesitate and trail off, I tilted my head, confused.

“Um, well, Huai…” The fresh-faced Caiheng blushed, turning his head away, not daring to meet my eyes.

‘This reaction… Could it be… he’s fallen for me? Well, with my charm, handsomeness, elegance, humor, friendliness, diligence… I’m an unmatched good man—Huaimo himself. Falling for me is only natural. My bad, my bad.’

‘Ah, not only am I popular with girls, but I’m so awesome that even my sister turned into a yandere. It’s all because I’m too amazing. Now I’m so awesome that even guys are swooning. Why, oh why am I so…’

“This love letter…” Caiheng finally mustered his courage, tremblingly pulled out a piece of paper from his desk, and handed it to me.

“But… I…” I was flustered and hesitated to take it. ‘Sure, gender isn’t an issue; I could be the top, right? Right, my foot! I’m straight! Not gay! You ask if I’ll take it? I won’t!’

“Could you give it to Huaixin?”

“Oh.”

I silently accepted his love letter, deeply ashamed of my earlier wild thoughts. Then I opened it and read.

“D-don’t read it!” Caiheng panicked, reaching to snatch it back, but I glared him down.

“P-please, take a look, give me your feedback… No, I want it back! Don’t hit me!” He covered his head, stuttering.

‘Huh? Am I that scary? And hey! My glare was meant to encourage you to confess! If you succeed, I succeed too! My sister’s yandere tendencies would be cured, and I wouldn’t have to worry so much. But you’re so spineless—you even want me to deliver your love letter. How could you possibly succeed?’

I was a bit annoyed, but what if it worked? His Chinese was terrible, so I had to personally review it before delivering. Let me see.

“Dear Jiang Huaixin,

I’ve liked you for a long time. From the very first moment I entered this class, I liked you. I like your intelligence, your gentleness, your smile. No matter what, you captivate my soul and keep me awake at night. At school, we don’t have much interaction, but just looking at your profile makes me incredibly happy. But this can’t go on, because your image is indelible in my mind. So, this love letter expresses my feelings for you.

I’ll wait for your reply.

Lin Caiheng”

‘Hmm… After reading it, I can only say: if you don’t know how to use idioms, don’t misuse them. And there are typos! What’s with this love letter? It gives me goosebumps—not a trace of stirring emotion. There’s no genuine feeling in it. And you think this shoddy work can win over my sister? Dream on!’

“Take it back!” I was furious. Forget that you asked me to deliver it; this letter gets a 1 out of 10, and that’s just for length! Nothing else counts—I’m that capricious!

“Huh? Hey—”

“Your letter is incoherent and painful to read. And you want to confess like this? Hah?”

“S-sorry, wuwu, I didn’t mean to. Don’t hit me.”

“Write me another one tomorrow. I’ll review it until I’m satisfied, then I’ll deliver it.”

“O-okay!”

“No! Have one ready by this afternoon! At this rate, even kindergarten girls won’t want you!”

“U-understood. Huaimo is absolutely right. I-I’ll draft one by this afternoon.”

“Good, I’ll wait.”

With that, I turned around angrily. What a frustrating day! First, this season’s annoying powers, and now this! I even have to teach this guy Chinese. It’s infuriating.