A Nuclear Rejection

Could it be merely a coincidence of names?

[Ding dong~ Gossip Alert!]

[Target Confirmed: Lin Yating, a sophomore at the School of Literature, and Chen Hao’s ‘white moonlight.’]

‘Holy crap, it really is her!’

With Xiao Qi’s confirmation, Zhou Yi covertly scrutinized the seemingly guileless girl standing before him.

Her pristine light blue dress, her meticulously styled hair, the palpable shyness and perfectly timed blush that graced her cheeks whenever she spoke…

Drawing upon his extensive experience watching films, he concluded that she was practically the embodiment of the ‘pure campus belle’ archetype.

It was no wonder Chen Hao had been utterly captivated, his head spinning with infatuation.

Yet, the moment his mind conjured images of the manipulative, ‘green tea’ conversations on Chen Hao’s phone, and the obsequious, devoted manner in which Chen Hao had defended her within the simulator, Zhou Yi found himself rolling his eyes internally.

This was no ‘white moonlight’; she was unequivocally the final boss!

He frantically shot glances at Jiang Chen, dreading that the man might, in a moment of absentmindedness, impulsively agree.

Jiang Chen, however, remained entirely oblivious to his desperate signals, instead calmly reaching for a towel and leisurely wiping away his sweat.

Zhou Yi felt as though he were on the verge of expiring from sheer anxiety.

Just as he prepared to interject, Jiang Chen finally spoke, not even deigning to lift his eyelids as he curtly declared, “Don’t remember.”

Such a blunt dismissal ignited a flurry of celebratory fireworks within Zhou Yi’s mind.

“Jiang Chen…” Lin Yating’s meticulously cultivated smile faltered, freezing rigidly on her face.

It had never occurred to her that her typically irresistible charm would prove utterly useless in Jiang Chen’s presence.

Her eyes immediately welled up, brimming with unshed tears as she persisted, “But I truly admire…”

“Excuse us,” Jiang Chen interjected, abruptly cutting off her performance as he pulled Zhou Yi, brushing past her.

Lin Yating remained rooted to the spot, her expression frozen, the water bottle she had offered suspended awkwardly in mid-air.

Several onlookers from the basketball team immediately cast reproachful glances at the unfeeling Jiang Chen, yet simultaneously began to shift towards Lin Yating, jostling each other in their eagerness to console the ‘poor little white flower.’

Zhou Yi turned his head, his gaze coolly assessing Lin Yating’s face.

Her expression transitioned from stunned disbelief to profound grievance, then effortlessly shifted to one on the verge of tears, a picture of heart-wrenching vulnerability—a truly fluid, masterful display.

He very nearly broke into applause.

Such remarkable acting surely deserved an Oscar.

Nevertheless, the smoldering indignation in his chest intensified.

The more he pondered the situation, the more he felt Chen Hao was being woefully exploited.

That simpleton Chen Hao likely remained utterly oblivious, even now, that his pristine ‘white moonlight’ goddess—who had dangled him with a mere cup of milk tea that very morning—could, by afternoon, turn around and display such a heartbreakingly vulnerable expression to another man.

“Jiang Chen!” Lin Yating, unwilling to concede defeat, suddenly broke into a light jog, catching up to him.

“Could we just exchange WeChat IDs? I genuinely find the way you play basketball to be particularly…”

“Particularly what?” Jiang Chen suddenly pivoted, unleashing his trump card with an utterly deadpan expression.

“My apologies, classmate, but I happen to prefer men.”

Having declared this, he promptly scooped the nearby Zhou Yi, who had been avidly engrossed in observing the drama, into his embrace.

Zhou Yi had long harbored a profound disgust for Lin Yating’s ‘green tea’ machinations.

Upon hearing Jiang Chen’s audacious declaration, he instantly grasped the underlying intent, seizing the opportune moment to nestle into Jiang Chen’s chest.

He even deliberately brushed against him twice, murmuring, “Exactly, Brother Chen~ I’m practically wilting from the heat, let’s make a swift exit~”

This unexpectedly brilliant display of coordination sparked a fleeting flicker of surprise in Jiang Chen’s eyes, which swiftly transformed into a look of profound satisfaction.

He casually ruffled Zhou Yi’s hair, a thought forming in his mind: ‘This kid is quite sharp.

It seems my efforts in bringing him meals haven’t been entirely wasted.’

The two of them strode away, leaving Lin Yating frozen with an expression akin to having witnessed a specter.

From the corner of his eye, Zhou Yi observed Lin Yating’s beautiful face finally crumble, its carefully constructed composure shattering utterly.

“Pfft…”

Zhou Yi very nearly burst into outright laughter.

Though he grumbled internally that Jiang Chen’s method of rejection was nothing short of nuclear-level, witnessing the ‘green tea’ who had so thoroughly manipulated Chen Hao finally suffer a setback brought an inexplicable sense of vindication.

“What precisely is so amusing?” Jiang Chen queried, casting a sidelong glance at him.

Zhou Yi instantly suppressed his overly gleeful expression, replacing it with a look of profound admiration as he gazed at Jiang Chen:

“Oh, nothing at all.

I merely find, Brother Chen, that your method of handling situations is truly… tsk, swift, decisive, and exceptionally effective!

My admiration for you, humble junior that I am, swells like a mighty river…”

“Enough with the flattery,” Jiang Chen interjected, though a playful glint in his eyes betrayed his amusement.

“Your acting was overly dramatic, and your lines were utterly cheesy.

Next time you’re pretending to be my partner, endeavor to be a little more convincing.”

It was only after uttering these words that he suddenly stiffened, as though a belated realization had struck him.

‘…Something isn’t quite right.’

‘How to articulate it?

When that fellow Zhou Yi had practically launched himself into his embrace and rubbed against him just moments ago, the sensation against his chest had felt… perhaps a touch too soft?’

‘Was it merely a trick of perception? Or…’

Jiang Chen subtly cast a glance at Zhou Yi’s tightly bundled jacket, his eyes narrowing in thoughtful contemplation.

And then, the realization struck him: this fellow had been uncharacteristically bundled up all day, meticulously covering himself despite the oppressive heat…

A conjecture, somewhat preposterous yet strangely logical, began to form in his mind.