Chapter 12: Warning. "Don't pay any attention to him anymore."

"Well..."

Meeting the "little devil's" bright, watery eyes, Qu Zhi felt a pang of sweat forming, swallowing back all the harsh words he'd prepared along the way.

He was the one who'd been closest to Huo Wenyuan recently? How come he didn't have the same unruly, arrogant, and annoying qualities I'd imagined?

This was getting tricky.

Qu Zhi silently studied Gu Ci, whose every ounce of "innocence" and "sincerity" radiated, his gaze even more complicated than when he'd learned Huo Wenyuan had placed second.

Even though that had never happened before, this

was getting even trickier.

Several pairs of eyes were already staring at him. Thinking of his purpose, Qu Zhi couldn't afford to give up halfway, so he cleared his throat and said with a pretentious tone, "It's you. I heard you're close to Huo Wenyuan?"

Gu Ci didn't know why he asked, but he answered without hesitation, "Not bad, we're friends."

"Friends?" Qu Zhi laughed at this and muttered to himself, "Huo Wenyuan has friends?"

With his cocky personality, besides the masochistic and insensitive Shang Jia, the others were either hot-headed suitors blinded by the truth. How could Huo Wenyuan have any other friends? Strange, really.

Seeing Qu Zhi's frown and pout, Gu Ci tried to ask, "Huo Wenyuan... has friends. Is that strange?"

Qu Zhi nodded, "Yeah, it's indeed strange."

After answering, he realized something was wrong: he came here to attack, so why was he chatting with the target of his attack?

Qu Zhi returned to the main topic and said, "Listen, no matter what your relationship with Huo Wenyuan is, keep your distance from him. If he falls in love, the person he wants can only be my sister."

Gu Ci's eyes flickered a few times: "But... I'm a boy, and I won't fall in love with him."

This classmate was clearly speaking Chinese, so why was it a little hard to understand when they were put together?

It seems that he needs to improve his Chinese reading comprehension skills.

Qu Zhi was a little upset: "I was just giving an example! I'm not asking you to fall in love!"

Really, they are all junior high school students, and they are all boys, what's the point of being gay!

If you are not in a relationship, then why say that? What's the point of using examples and metaphors here...?

Gu Ci was even more confused: "So what did you ask me to do?"

Qu Zhi felt that he was just wasting his breath.

Time was running out for him. Seeing that Gu Ci was completely unmoved, he felt quite sad that he had wasted half a day's emotions. He threw the jar and said, "Warning, I'm warning you!"

Gu Ci was frightened by his sudden loss of defense and was a little overwhelmed for a moment. He had to gesture with his hands to soothe him and said, "Don't get excited, just warn you slowly."

Qu Zhi: "..."

Take a deep breath, and then another deep breath. Don't forget, you are now an invincible villain for your sister's love!

He exhaled, and his mood eased a little. He said, "Gu Ci, keep your distance from Huo Wenyuan. If you get close to him again, I will..."

"What about you?"

The chilling tone interrupted what he wanted to say next. The temperature around him dropped sharply. Qu Zhi looked up vigilantly. A sinister figure had appeared behind Gu Ci at some point. He was staring at him expressionlessly at this moment, with a look of disgust and displeasure that was so familiar that it could not be more familiar.

Huo Wenyuan coldly demanded, "What will you do if he comes near me again?"

Gu Ci had been listening intently to Qu Zhi's ultimatum. When she heard Huo Wenyuan's voice, she immediately turned around in surprise. "Huo Wenyuan, you're here!"

Huo Wenyuan: "Yeah."

Qu Zhi: "?"

Oh dear sister, that's probably not a rumor.

Huo Wenyuan truly was his lifelong enemy. Besides being number one, he even wanted such a beautiful friend for himself!

Seeing their "close friendship," Qu Zhi grew anxious: "Haha, if he comes near you again, I won't let him!"

Gu Ci: "?"

Huo Wenyuan chuckled contemptuously, even clapping sarcastically: "Well said." He

then added, "But he won't just come near me, I'll come near him too."

Gu Ci nodded and leaned closer to Huo Wenyuan: "We're friends."

Qu Zhi: "..."

Although he didn't know why he was angry, he was truly furious.

The bell rang just in time for class. Although Qu Zhi narrowly lost this round, he still threatened Huo Wenyuan and Gu Ci: "Just wait, I'll settle the score with you next class!"

Huo Wenyuan raised his head: "You dare try again?"

Seeing Huo Wenyuan's genuine anger, Qu Zhi gritted his teeth and ran back to the classroom.

Gu Ci asked Huo Wenyuan curiously, "Is he trying to bully us?"

Huo Wenyuan nodded slowly, confirming Gu Ci's statement: "You could say that."

Gu Ci's heart tightened, remembering the reason for being "bullied." He asked, "But why doesn't he allow me to get close to you? Even if his sister likes you, we're not dating."

Huo Wenyuan lowered his eyes and warned, "Don't pay any attention to him from now on."

Gu Ci nodded.

But he hadn't expected that Qu Zhi, despite being second in the grade, had a thicker skin and courage than a city wall. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been caught by security guards so early in the morning without his school uniform.

During the next break, while Huo Wenyuan was in the teacher's office, Qu Zhi went straight to his desk and sat down.

Gu Ci, who was diligently reviewing his Chinese reading comprehension, slowly turned his head and saw the smug smile of the "bully." Qu

Zhi asked arrogantly, "Didn't you expect me to come straight to your door?"

Gu Ci feigned composure and smiled politely.

Qu Zhi said, "Gu Ci, you're such a big shot! I spent an entire class thinking hard and finally came up with a solution."

Gu Ci swallowed nervously and asked in agreement, "What solution?"

Qu Zhi glanced around but didn't see the target of his warning. So he said solemnly, "Student Gu Ci, Huo Wenyuan is not a good student. It's no fun being friends with him. It's better to be friends with me."

Gu Ci: "...Huh?"

...Is this some new kind of bullying?

Seeing Gu Ci's troubled face, Qu Zhi slammed his trump card down on the table and said, "It's just a cookie, I have one too!"

"If you take my cookies, you're my friend. What's so great about Huo Wenyuan? I have good grades, I'm pretty good-looking, and my family is just as well off as his. Gu Ci, leave him!"

This was the solution Qu Zhi came up with after wasting an entire physics class. First, he could gain a good-looking friend, letting Huo Wenyuan have a taste of what it's like to lose to him. Second, Huo Wenyuan would lose his friend, and his beloved sister would have more opportunities to show her care and comfort.

It was a perfect solution, killing two birds with one stone!

Qu Zhi was confident in his own charm. After all, legends about him circulated endlessly throughout Xichen. Being his friend was far more cost-effective than staying with Huo Wenyuan, wasn't it?

But Gu Ci's response dealt a heavy blow to his confidence.

"Sorry, I can't do this,"

Qu Zhi's inner groundhog screamed. "Why?"

Gu Ci seriously tried to come up with a reason: "Because..."

At that moment, Shang Zui had just returned from a stroll outside. Seeing the uninvited guest in his seat, he immediately rushed over from the podium to protect the little angel: "Qu Zhi, you are not allowed to talk to Gu Ci!"

His howl practically captured the entire class's attention. Only then did the class realize that the second-grade student, who usually argued with Huo Wenyuan, was sitting in the last row by the window, his face radiating lewd intent towards Gu Ci.

Qu Zhi craned his neck and barked at Shang Zui: "Just talking, what's wrong with that!"

"You're being unreasonable!" Shang Zui pointed at his butt. "Get out of my seat!"

Qu Zhi was fearless, even leaning back arrogantly against his chair.

"You!" Shang Zui's teeth were gnashing with rage. "Just wait! Huo Wenyuan's coming back soon. You're absolutely dead!"

Qu Zhi stopped moving: "..."

He turned and warned Gu Ci: "My phone number is on the cookie. It's the same number as the green bubble and the fat penguin. Remember to add me!"

Then he scurried off amidst the eager gazes of the crowd.

As Qu Zhi left, before Gu Ci could even recover, Huo Wenyuan returned to the classroom with a sullen face, walking straight towards him.

Shang Zui raised his hands in joy, "Huo Wenyuan, you're finally here! Our Gu Ci was almost poached!"

Huo Wenyuan scowled and asked Gu Ci, "He was here again just now?"

Gu Ci nodded, "He said he wanted to be friends with me," automatically omitting the "leave Huo Wenyuan" part.

But Shang Zui, not wanting to miss the opportunity to fan the flames, said, "He also wants Gu Ci to leave you!"

This statement only made Huo Wenyuan's face grow even grimmer. "Really?"

Gu Ci avoided his gaze, feeling somewhat guilty.

"...Yes."

Huo Wenyuan stared into Gu Ci's eyes, unwilling to miss a single expression. "So what did you say? Did you agree?"

"I refused right then and there!" Afraid Huo Wenyuan would misunderstand, Gu Ci anxiously looked up to explain, "There's no way I'll leave you!"

Huo Wenyuan's expression finally softened, and he patted Gu Ci's head. "You're so sweet."

Gu Ci smiled, "Thanks for the compliment!"

Shang Zui: "..."

This person in front of him was Huo Wenyuan, not someone else in disguise, right?

Huo Wenyuan tossed the sticky note and cookies into the trash without a flicker of emotion, leaving them to rest in shattered form.

Gu Ci, feeling a pang of guilt, stared at the shattered pieces and cookie crumbs, silently muttering, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

That same day, the gossip escalated to version 2.0:

the top and second-best students in the third grade had fought in Class 9 (1) to compete for Gu Ci's exclusive friendship, and Qu ended up losing miserably.

Gu Ci was stunned when he heard about it.

Putting aside the concept of "exclusive friends," how could someone like Huo Wenyuan possibly fight with someone else? Anyone who truly thought deeply wouldn't believe such rumors!

After evening study, Gu Ci followed Huo Wenyuan, still dwelling on the rumors he'd heard.

No, next time, he had to put a stop to them! This wasn't a good reflection on Huo Wenyuan. Did they really think Huo Wenyuan was rude and mean?

How could Huo Wenyuan be rude and mean?

As he pondered, Gu Ci's pace gradually slowed, not noticing that Huo Wenyuan ahead of him had also slowed down.

Under the warm yellow streetlight, Huo Wenyuan turned his head and asked in a flat voice, "Why are you so far away?"

Did he really listen to what that bastard Qu Zhi said?

His face darkened at the thought.

Gu Ci came to his senses and shook his head in denial, "No, wasn't I right next to you?"

This time, Huo Wenyuan didn't sneer. Instead, he reached out and hooked his hand around the shoulder strap of Gu Ci's schoolbag, pulling him in with him, the two of them pressed tightly together.

His voice echoed above Gu Ci's head: "That's what you call next to me."

Gu Ci murmured a small "Oh," indicating that he understood this time.

Seeing that Gu Ci was distracted, Huo Wenyuan casually asked, "What were you thinking about just now?"

Gu Ci, who was not very thoughtful, said it casually: "I was thinking about the fight between you and Qu Zhi... Oh no, the rumored fight."

"That's outrageous." He clenched his fists, his cheeks puffing slightly with anger. "I know you're not that rude or petty."

Huo Wenyuan stared at him directly and admitted without hesitation: "I am."

Gu Ci was a little surprised: "...Huh?"

What did he mean by that?

Huo Wenyuan took a step forward, paused and turned back. Gu Ci immediately understood and followed him.

Huo Wenyuan finally revealed a hint of satisfaction, gazing forward and saying, "Qu Zhi's last tooth was replaced thanks to me."

During the summer vacation of his eleventh year, at the jujitsu dojo, three or four young men from aristocratic families, much taller than him, lay on the ground. Huo Wenyuan looked down at them, his fist already covered in a horrifying red spot, but he still delivered a final blow to Qu Zhi before being rushed to an ambulance.

Afterward, those young men from aristocratic families never appeared in Guicheng again, and Qu Zhi was confined at home for the better part of a month. Only with the Huo family's tacit consent was he released to a normal life.

As for why this had happened, Huo Wenyuan didn't elaborate further. Instead, he asked Gu Ci, "How are you? Didn't you expect me to be that kind of person?"

"Do you still want to be my friend?"

He expected Gu Ci to back off, a naive young man who would complain to his teacher when he encountered a thug. It would be strange if he wasn't terrified to learn his true nature.

But contrary to what he thought, Gu Ci still kept pace with him and said without hesitation: "Yes."

Huo Wenyuan was silent for a moment and asked: "Why?"

Gu Ci's eyes were full of smiles, and the ends of his hair were covered with a layer of warm light under the streetlight: "Because we are friends. I know you. Even if you don't say why, you must have your reasons for doing so."

Huo Wenyuan's fingertips trembled for no reason.

Gu Ci took the initiative to extend his pinky finger towards Huo Wenyuan and hooked it in the air. The shadow cast on the road was like a fluttering butterfly.

Huo Wenyuan was puzzled: "What are you doing?"

Gu Ci continued: "It's just like what you said to Qu Zhi. Actually, I am the same."

"Even if you don't come close to me, I will come close to you."

"Huo Wenyuan, I am actually very happy to meet you."

Gu Ci lowered his head embarrassedly and said, "I thought I had no home, but Uncle Huo took me to your house and let me go to school and live with you. Here we have Uncle Feng, Uncle Du, and many, many good uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters. They all take good care of me."

"And... you are very good to me too."

"I really hope we can be friends forever! Make a pinky promise with me, and don't regret it later!"

Huo Wenyuan stared at the delicate and white little finger, stretched out his little finger, and touched it.

Looking from above, the figures of the two people overlapped so closely.

Friends, of course, are close.