Pursuit Tactics

The media classroom fell silent for a moment. Even the dust motes in the air seemed to freeze.

Shi Sui’s face was stiff. “What did you say?”

Lu Huaizhi repeated himself cooperatively: “I am pursuing you.”

His tone was steady, very similar to the tone he used while reading his speech on the podium earlier today. However, this was directed at Shi Sui alone.

“I know you can’t accept it yet, but I’m serious.” Lu Huaizhi spoke in a formal, matter-of-fact manner. “I will work hard until…”

“Shut up!” A blue vein throbbed on Shi Sui’s forehead. He looked at the dirty rag in Lu Huaizhi’s hand and had a sudden urge to stuff it into the other boy’s ceaselessly moving mouth.

He sneered mockingly, “Gay? You’re quite something.” Perhaps because he had just heard a confession from another male, Shi Sui’s voice was noticeably strained, and his hand gripped the desk tightly.

“I’m not that great.” Lu Huaizhi said calmly. “I haven’t even managed to add the person’s contact information yet.” Shi Sui: “…”

Lu Huaizhi glanced at Shi Sui’s hand, where the fingertips were turning white from the force of his grip, and his expression paused. “Do you find homosexuality repulsive?”

“No.” Shi Sui shot him a glance. “I’m just not interested in you.” He forced his voice to sound extremely calm, as if Lu Huaizhi’s words had no effect on him whatsoever.

Lu Huaizhi caught a glimpse of Shi Sui’s earlobes, which had turned red at some unknown point, and a very faint smile flashed in his eyes.

Sensing Lu Huaizhi’s pleasant mood, Shi Sui glared at him and snatched the rag from his hand. “You can get lost now.”

He hadn’t felt it before, but now that he was alone with this person, Shi Sui felt uncomfortable all over.

But Lu Huaizhi acted as if he hadn’t heard. After saying those annoying and nonsensical things, he simply turned back and continued wiping the desks and chairs on his side. He was clearly determined to help Shi Sui clean.

Lu Huaizhi was dressed in a clean school uniform. This “good student” who had stood on the flag-raising platform this morning was now cleaning a filthy, abandoned classroom. The hand holding the handkerchief was clean and slender with rounded fingertips. Perhaps because he was so used to seeing Lu Huaizhi holding a pen, this scene felt strangely out of place to Shi Sui.

He and Lu Huaizhi could never be the same kind of people. But now, this person insisted on pestering him.

Shi Sui watched with a wooden face for a long while. Suddenly, his grip on the rag loosened, and it fell into the water bucket at his feet with a splash.

He propped himself up on the desk he had just wiped clean and hopped up to sit on it. “Hey, you’ve never done this kind of thing before, have you?”

The desks were so dirty that the rag turned black after one wipe. Lu Huaizhi, however, seemed to have obsessive-compulsive disorder; he insisted on rinsing the rag clean after every single desk. The bucket of water, which started clear, quickly became murky and foul.

Who cleans like that? Shi Sui looked on with pure disdain.

“Mhm, I haven’t had much contact with this before.” Lu Huaizhi didn’t stop his hands. “But I can learn, just like I’m learning to pursue you.”

“I’ve never pursued anyone else either. If there’s something I’m doing wrong, you can point it out.”

The momentum Shi Sui had built up to cause trouble suddenly stalled. F*ck…

“You haven’t even wiped the table legs. And you missed the side of the desk.” Shi Sui completely ignored Lu Huaizhi’s nonsense. “If you’re going to work, be thorough. Don’t be lazy…” He didn’t believe he couldn’t break this kid.

When Tian Hongjun arrived, this was the scene he witnessed—

Shi Sui, who was supposed to be doing hard labor, was sitting arrogantly on a desk with one foot resting on the surface, his tone harsh.

“There’s still dust on the left. Under the table, you need to lower your head…” “Do you know how to wipe or not? If not, get out.”

Meanwhile, Lu Huaizhi, who should have been home in an air-conditioned room studying, was crouched down, struggling to reach a hidden, awkward spot beneath the desk. His clean uniform was covered in dust, and the back of his shirt was soaked through with sweat. Clearly, this had been going on for a while.

“Shi Sui!” Tian Hongjun roared. “Get the h*ll down from there!”

He looked at the boy who couldn’t even stand properly and said with a dark face, “Can’t you stand straight? If not, don’t go home. Stand here all night!”

Shi Sui pursed his lips and didn’t speak. This time, Tian Hongjun was truly angry.

“So you’ve learned to bully your classmates, have you?” Tian Hongjun looked at Lu Huaizhi, who was still holding the rag. “Forcing someone to help you clean?”

Just as he was about to explode, Lu Huaizhi spoke up.

“He didn’t force me.” Lu Huaizhi stood beside Shi Sui. “Teacher, I did this voluntarily.”

Even though Lu Huaizhi was covered in dirt, he didn’t look pathetic at all while standing. His back was straight, carrying a natural aura of authority. Shi Sui kept a wooden face and took a step to the side, not wanting to be so close to him.

“Huaizhi, you don’t need to be afraid of him.” Tian Hongjun thought Lu Huaizhi was being threatened and softened his voice. “You can tell me anything. I’ll take care of it for you.” “Or, maybe we should just switch the seats back…”

Before he could finish, Lu Huaizhi interrupted him. This time, Lu Huaizhi’s speaking speed was noticeably faster. “No need. I think the current seating is very good.”

He picked up a mop. “Teacher, it’s getting dark. I want to finish cleaning first.”

All of Tian Hongjun’s comforting words were stuck in his throat. He could only watch as Lu Huaizhi mopped the floor with considerable effort.

And Shi Sui, with one hand in his pocket, continued to watch the show from the sidelines.

Tian Hongjun was so angry he gave him a kick. “You kid, get to work too!” “Get out of here once the floor is mopped!”

In a roundabout way, Shi Sui’s punishment was lightened.

However, most of the remaining cleaning was finished by Shi Sui. He found Lu Huaizhi’s slow movements annoying to watch, so he took over all the work himself. When the mopping was done, both of them let out a breath in unison.

Shi Sui lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

Lu Huaizhi tilted his head and caught a glimpse of a lean, fit waist and abdomen. The previous injuries had completely healed, leaving only a few faint pink marks that softened the fair skin, making it look flexible and strong. But soon, the loose T-shirt fell back down, hiding the view.

Shi Sui didn’t notice Lu Huaizhi’s gaze at all. He went to the commissary and bought a bottle of ice water. He tilted his head back, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he finished the entire bottle in one go.

Shi Sui couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.

The sigh that escaped his throat carried an indescribable sense of comfort and satisfaction, causing Lu Huaizhi to unconsciously look at Shi Sui’s lips. The color was pale and slightly moist with water vapor.

Shi Sui turned around and found Lu Huaizhi standing quietly at the entrance of the commissary, watching him.

Shi Sui moved aside to give him room. “Aren’t you buying water?” Both of them had sweated quite a bit.

Shi Sui currently held another bottle of ice water. He had torn off the label and was pressing the bottle against his face to cool down. The condensation on the bottle mixed with the sweat, slowly sliding down the side of Shi Sui’s face and gathering at his jaw, trembling as it hung there, about to fall. Shi Sui, who had been giving him a cold face the whole time, had an exceptionally vivid expression right now.

“My backpack is in the classroom.” Lu Huaizhi moved his gaze away from Shi Sui’s flushed face and lowered his eyes, hiding the strange emotions within. “I didn’t bring money.”

“Oh.” Shi Sui tossed the water in his hand to him. “This is for you. I’m leaving.” Lu Huaizhi had given him water at the net cafe before; they were even now.

Lu Huaizhi reached out and caught it. By the time he looked up again, Shi Sui was already far away. He looked down at the water in his hand, his fingertip very lightly brushing against the bottle. It was still warm.

Shi Sui regretted giving him that water the moment it left his hand. He had been too focused while mopping and forgot the outrageous things Lu Huaizhi had said, only thinking about the favor from the water back at the net cafe.

He had forgotten that he had used that bottle of water to cool his face. Just thinking about Lu Huaizhi holding that bottle now made him feel awkward.

Shi Sui rubbed his ears, forcing himself not to think about it. The water would be thrown away once it was finished anyway.

Yet, he still underestimated the extent of Lu Huaizhi’s shamelessness.

When he entered the classroom for morning self-study the next day, Shi Sui immediately saw a bottle of unopened mineral water on Lu Huaizhi’s desk. The bottle was bare, the label having been torn off. From the shape of the bottle, he could tell it was the same brand as yesterday.

The feeling of regret reached its peak at this moment.

Shi Sui stared at the bottle with a blank expression, wondering if he should throw it into the trash before Lu Huaizhi returned. Just as his fingertips touched the bottle, Lu Huaizhi’s figure appeared at the classroom door.

Shi Sui retracted his hand in a flash, the movement so quick he almost knocked the water over.

Once Lu Huaizhi sat down, Wang Cheng from the front row turned around curiously: “Top student, what did Old Tian want you for?” He had been called away before self-study even started.

“Nothing.” Lu Huaizhi reached out to straighten the slightly tilted water bottle on the desk. Tian Hongjun was just worried about him being bullied by Shi Sui and wanted to know if he wanted to switch seats.

The answer, of course, was no.

He tilted his head toward Shi Sui. Before he could say anything, he was met with a glare. “What are you looking at!”

Lu Huaizhi paused: “You’re still wearing your backpack.”

Shi Sui, who was currently crossing his arms looking cold and cool: “…” No wonder his back felt a bit lumpy.

With a wooden face, he stuffed his backpack into the drawer and then collapsed onto the desk, giving Lu Huaizhi only the back of his head. It was a clear refusal to communicate.

Lu Huaizhi stared at the whorl of hair on the top of his head for a while. Shi Sui’s hair was fluffy and soft, pale in color, looking almost light gold under the light. The whorl in the center was round; compared to his sharp personality, it looked very soft. At a glance, it made him look quite well-behaved.

However, the moment he looked up, that gentle aura vanished instantly.

Shi Sui’s thin eyelids lifted slightly. “You’re still staring at me?” Even if he was sleeping, he could feel the direct gaze from beside him.

Are gay people this bold nowadays?

“I’m not looking anymore.” Lu Huaizhi picked up Shi Sui’s Chinese textbook and propped it up, shielding the boy’s face. “This way it’s not as easy to get caught.”

Wang Cheng wanted to turn around to share the latest gossip with Shi Sui and happened to see their interaction. He said in surprise, “When did you two get so close?”

He looked at the perfectly propped-up textbook. “Top student, you’re surprisingly considerate.”

The moment he finished speaking, the textbook was heartlessly pushed down by Shi Sui. “If you have something to say, say it quickly.”

“Right, I almost forgot the main event!” Wang Cheng quietly moved his chair back. “Shi Sui, there’s a new couple in our class! The Sports Rep and the Academic Rep!” “No wonder I saw the Sports Rep at the milk tea shop all the time lately, buying two cups every time.”

Shi Sui’s eyelid twitched. “I don’t…” Before he could say he didn’t want to hear it, Wang Cheng cut him off.

“Of course you wouldn’t know! The Sports Rep is so attentive. He delivers milk tea every day, takes the initiative to send messages, and brings her breakfast.” Wang Cheng talked incessantly. “No wonder he managed to win her over.”

“Bringing breakfast?” Lu Huaizhi suddenly asked.

“Yeah!” Wang Cheng looked at him in surprise. “Why, top student? Don’t tell me you have someone you want to pursue too?”

It was meant as a joke, but to his surprise, Lu Huaizhi nodded calmly. He took out a notebook and wrote a few words in it.

Shi Sui’s heart skipped a beat when he saw that familiar blue cover. That was the exact notebook Lu Huaizhi had used at the net cafe to write his pursuit guide.

Wang Cheng’s eyes widened. “Holy sh*t, top student, you’re for real?” He was even taking notes!

Lu Huaizhi didn’t deny it. After he finished writing, he took out his phone and sent a message, not forgetting to ask Wang Cheng: “Did the Sports Rep do anything else?”

Shi Sui wanted to tell Wang Cheng to shut up, but the phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.

He took it out and found a new red dot on his WeChat friend requests.

[Lu requested to add you as a friend.] [Remark: What do you want to eat for breakfast?]

Shi Sui pressed “Decline” with a blank expression. Should he say that Lu Huaizhi truly lived up to being rank one in the grade? His efficiency in applying what he learned was startlingly high.

Wang Cheng didn’t notice Shi Sui’s expression and was still sharing his experience. “The Sports Rep hangs around the Academic Rep all the time; you can’t even curse him away. He fights to help her collect and distribute homework, and after school, he finds excuses to linger. Even if she’s doing practice problems and he has nothing to do, he won’t leave.”

Wang Cheng spoke with great animation. “As they say, a persistent man can win over any woman. The Sports Rep used every trick in the book. During that time, there was a love letter every day in a pink heart-shaped envelope. God knows how cheesy the stuff inside was.”

“Love letters…” Lu Huaizhi was deep in thought. He had indeed overlooked that part.

“Actually, if you ask me, top student, with your looks, you’ll definitely have no problem.” Wang Cheng started giving advice. “Just ask them out at night. Under the cover of darkness, when the atmosphere is right, you just pin them against a wall. Be a bit forceful, don’t be too serious.”

He finished with a smirk at Lu Huaizhi, looking mischievous. “When two people are close, they can smell each other’s scent. Then you just hug, and everything will happen naturally…”

Seeing Wang Cheng’s talk becoming more and more out of line, Shi Sui kicked his chair. “You’re too noisy!” “Go recite ‘The Lament’ to get rid of the smell on you.”

After speaking, he gave Lu Huaizhi a cold look. At that exact moment, Lu Huaizhi finished taking notes and looked up.

Their gazes met.

One was cold enough to kill, the other calm and restrained. Like an iceberg and the ocean.

Lu Huaizhi weighed his words. “Tonight…”

“Who cares about tonight!” Shi Sui’s ears suddenly turned red. The belly full of curses he had ready was instantly scattered by Lu Huaizhi’s two bold words.

In the end, he rubbed his ears and said fiercely: “Go reflect on yourself tonight!”