TSIFB Chapter 46

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穿成校草被迫营业 / Transmigrated into a School Idol and Forced to Do Business
It’s someone I like very much

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Yu Baizhou looked at the message notification that popped up on the phone’s screen. It was a message sent by Tu Gaoming but he didn’t click on it for now. The phone rang again; another message, this time from He Yan.

Yu Baizhou checked his notifications list.

【Tu Gaoming: “Boss!!”】

【He Yan: “Sleeping yet?”】

After pondering for a moment, he chose to tap into He Yan’s message first.

He Yan: “Sleeping yet?”

Yu Baizhou typed back: “Not yet.”

After a few seconds, He Yan returned: “Tomorrow, do you have any plans?”

Looking at He Yan’s questioning, Yu Baizhou’s heart moved. He Yan’s intentions had mostly been confirmed by him and corners of his lips involuntarily deepened in a curve.

He laid on the bed and entered in the text box——none.

After thinking about it and deleting the word, he proceeded to be entangled in whether he should return with “none” or “none for now”.

If he returned with “none”, it would make him appear as if he was looking forward to He Yan’s invitation.

After careful consideration, he ended up texting back “none for now.”

He waited for several seconds more this time before He Yan replied.

He Yan: “If that’s the case, do you want to go to the movies together tomorrow? I found this new release that looks promising, and the genre is probably one you like.”

At the end, He Yan added another sentence: “Just the two of us.”

【Just the two of us.】This sentence touched Yu Baizhou’s sensitive nerves. Two people watching a movie they enjoy, just like a couple. Thinking to this point, Yu Baizhou’s fragile face gained a slight red tinge. He endured the warmth on his face and enthusiastically rolled around on the bed before finally returning with an “okay”.

This year’s Christmas Eve was going to be more than a monotonous apple-eating day.

After he ended his conversation with He Yan, Yu Baizhou opened Tu Gaoming’s chat box. In just the past few minutes, Tu Gaoming had already sent so many more lines.

Tu Gaoming: “Boss!!”

Tu Gaoming: “My girlfriend split up with me!”

Tu Gaoming: “Damn, I’m fucking heartbroken!”

Yu Baizhou sat upright.

What? Heartbroken?

The following afternoon, Yu Baizhou, Tu Gaoming, and Che Cong met up at a kushiyaki* store by the roadside. When Yu Baizhou arrived he found that Tu Gaoming was in the middle of filling himself with alcohol. Yu Baizhou stared at the fierce strength he utilised for the sake of getting wasted and involuntarily clicked his tongue in admiration.

[T/N: skewered grilled meat and vegetables; I don’t know the Chinese equivalent or if shish kebabs are the same thing so I used the Japanese name]

Yu Baizhou walked over and Tu Gaoming spotted him. “Damn it, Boss, I got my heart broken!”

Yu Baizhou sat down next to him, patting his shoulder in an attempt to comfort. “I know.”

They happened to be in the shop during meal time and there were many people milling around in-store, not to mention drinkers.

Tu Gaoming cried out once again, “I got my heart broken!”

Yu Baizhou looked at him. “I said I know.”

Tu Gaoming: “And yet you still appeared in front of me, wearing such a glamorous outfit, as if you’re going to go on a date with someone on Christmas Eve!”

Yu Baizhou: “……”

Yu Baizhou patted his shoulder once more. “Don’t mind it, you can just treat me as if I’m free.”

Yesterday, the three of them were pulled into a group on WeChat. In it, Tu Gaoming let out all his grievances for a long time but was still not appeased, leading to him pulling the other two out for the day.

Yu Baizhou and Che Cong acted as spectators for Tu Gaoming, who cried for a while.

Tu Gaoming and his girlfriend has been going well together for two months, but just after he had eagerly arranged today’s dating plans the day before, his girlfriend dumped him.

Yu Baizhou was weirded out. “Say, just how did you offend the other person?”

Two days ago, Tu Gaoming had even drove her outside to perform a show of love.

Tu Gaoming was about to speak when Che Cong interjected, “I know. It’s because he’s a brick of a person, with not one sliver of romantic sense.”

Tu Gaoming replied instantly, “Che Cong, is it possible for you to make your mouth less poisonous ah.”

Che Cong picked up a glass. “Let’s see, shall we. The first time taking a girl out to play, the rendezvous point was at a haunted house. Upon scaring the other person until they were on the verge of crying, you angrily turned your head and left.”

Tu Gaoming softly murmured, “Was that not trying to create a sense of intimacy? Haunted houses mean you can pull the other to your side.”

Che Cong then continued to list more of Tu Gaoming’s poisonous points. “Watching a movie with a girl, you stuff the popcorn in her arms. Shoving soda and popcorn in the other’s arms, saying ‘Here, since you like it so much you can keep it all to eat ‘. If she didn’t split up with then who else would she have split up with ah?” 

Tu Gaoming: “Then should I have held it for her ah? I’m fine with holding it, but if I kept it in my arms for a long time and far away from her she would’ve been too embarrassed to come over and ask for it ah.”

Che Cong pointed at Tu Gaoming. “Boss, you assess, closely assess, and see what type of straight man this one is.”

Although Yu Baizhou wanted to assess, he felt helpless in the fact that what Tu Gaoming said sounded somewhat reasonable…… Most likely, because he had a lack of emotional experience, he may also have the potential to become a straight man, one that’s stuck on the same level as Tu Gaoming.

Yu Baizhou said, “I think ba, the past is in the past. We all have to look forward. Old Tu, don’t grieve over this anymore. Letting go of the old love will welcome the new love, isn’t that right?”

Tu Gaoming complained, “I’m not grieving over this that much, it’s just, with so many places and times to break up with someone, she just had to choose this kind of atmosphere. Is that not a deliberate attack?”

Che Cong bluntly replied, “If she doesn’t like you then it means she doesn’t like you. Since she doesn’t like you, why would she waste time picking a date? Besides, weren’t the two of you only together for two months? The feelings between you two were not as passionate as you think, so there’s no need to kick up such a fuss.”

Tu Gaoming paused for half a second and actually thought Che Cong’s words made sense.

“But,” he said, “this is about self-esteem, a man’s self-esteem ah.”

Che Cong lazily put down the glass. “Got it ba? It’s not like this is the first time someone’s dumped you. If it’s really about self-esteem, your self-esteem has long been trampled on by others that by now it’s non-existent, so relax your heart. It was because you two weren’t suitable. Wait for the future, even if it takes a while, and you’ll also find someone who suits you.”

Tu Gaoming’s expression appeared to be a mix of feeling moved and wanting to beat Che Cong.

Yu Baizhou poured alcohol for the two and a drink for himself. “Okay, okay, let’s forget about her after this toast.”

The three of them tapped their glasses together and the matter passed after drinking.

After ordering some dishes, the three chatted while eating.

The sky gradually darkened.

They sat at the seats near the door, bathing in the scorching heat under the lights. Yu Baizhou chewed on tofu skewers, dipping the tofu in chilli sauce every now and then before he decided to order a drink.

The waiter brought the drink over. He was pouring himself a drink when he suddenly heard Che Cong on the opposite side of the table say, “Eh, do you guys think that guy is He Yan?”

Tu Gaoming lifted his head. “He Yan?”

Yu Baizhou heard the comment and followed Che Cong’s line of sight, turning his head back and seeing that it was indeed He Yan.

Not only did he see He Yan, he also found a tall and thin girl walking alongside him.

“Damn!” Tu Gaoming asked the two with a face that craved gossip, “Who’s that lady? Is she He Yan’s girlfriend? She looks at least one meter seventy, what a good figure.”

Yu Baizhou looked in the direction of He Yan and the girl. The tofu in his mouth suddenly lost all its taste.

Especially when Tu Gaoming said the girl was He Yan’s girlfriend.

Even though he knew that the girl was probably not/shouldn’t be He Yan’s girlfriend, with the two people walking together like that, it could be said that they matched each other well.

Che Cong noticed that Yu Baizhou’s appetite had decreased and thinking he was uncomfortable, asked out of concern, “What’s wrong, Boss?”

“Nothing, just ate something too spicy.” Yu Baizhou poured a glass of drink and drank it in one gulp, covering up the little emotion in his heart.

Currently, He and He Yan weren’t a thing, so he couldn’t care too much about the other’s matters.

The film started at 7:20. Yu Baizhou and He Yan made an appointment to meet at the cinema doors at seven. The cinema was not far from where the three of them were eating, only a few steps away, but as Yu Baizhou watched the time tick one second after another, he found that it was difficult to recall the excitement he had previously mustered up at the thought of meeting He Yan.

He Yan sent the person to the subway station and said, “Let’s leave it this for today ba, we’ll find some other time to solve the remaining problems.”

The girl nodded. “No problem.”

As she entered the subway station, the girl turned back, asking He Yan with a smile, “Boss, let me gossip for a bit. Dressed up so handsomely today, could it be that you have a date?”

He Yan lips hooked upwards and he corrected, “It’s an important date.”

The girl let out a pretend exclamation of shock, following up with, “Alright, then I’ll go back and send the other sisters to their deaths, tell them you already have a partner.”

He Yan smiled, not denying anything.

As for the ‘partner’, if things go well then he will get one tonight.

He Yan glanced at the time. It was almost the agreed upon time that the two had made a meeting for so he went to the cinema in advance to wait.

But as time approached, there was no shadow of Yu Baizhou anywhere. Unable to stop the worry that bubbled in his heart, he took out his phone and called Yu Baizhou. Yu Baizhou’s voice over the phone sounded incredibly dull. “En.”

“Your voice sounds a little weird, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing ah, nothing’s wrong.”

“Where are you? I’ll come find you.”

“Oh, no need, I……”

Yu Baizhou only got out half of his words when He Yan heard Tu Gaoming’s voice come through from the other side. “He Yan? Is it He Yan ma? Old He, we’re at 36 XX road, the kushiyaki place!”

Hanging up the phone, He Yan was even more certain that Yu Baizhou’s mood was wrong.

That store, he seemed to pass by it just before.

With that thought, He Yan wanted to laugh.

……That person couldn’t have misunderstood something ba?

On the other side, Yu Baizhou hung up the phone, looking at Tu Gaoming as he cried without tears. “What did you call He Yan over her for? You just…… Are you not afraid of He Yan finding out all the ins and outs of your broken heart?”

Tu Gaoming was eating something, having long abandoned his feelings of falling out of love. “More people makes for a more lively atmosphere bei. Besides, He Yan’s not an outsider so I don’t mind.”

Tu Gaoming didn’t mind, but Yu Baizhou definitely minded it ah! He still had the picture of He Yan walking alongside the tall girl stuck strongly in his mind.

Before long, He Yan arrived.

Knowing He Yan had not eaten yet, Tu Gaoming took the initiative to invite He Yan for a meal with the rest of them. Anyway, they were only haflway through the meal so far, so things can be sorted out just by adding some more dishes.

Yu Baizhou lowered his head and messed around with his food when he suddenly felt someone sit down on the seat beside him. The person carried with them a wave of cold air, but even that couldn’t cover the familiar and comforting scent.

He Yan and Tu Gaoming exchanged a few words before he found that Yu Baizhou next to him still had his head bowed down in complete silence. He understood immediately.

He said to the small group, “I passed by just now. If only I looked closer, knowing you guys were here I would’ve invited my companion to come over and eat together.”

He Yan paid careful attention to his use of words.

Coming onto the topic of companions, Tu Gaoming’s gossipy soul ignited. “Ze ze, we saw who your companion was. Looks pretty good ah, she’s your girlfriend ah?”

He Yan denied, “No, just a work partner.”

Hearing this, Yu Baizhou, who had immersed his head in food, finally showed some movement.

From the corner of his eyes, He Yan noticed Yu Baizhou’s little movement and wanted to laugh.

Sure enough, it was as he had guessed.

Che Cong focused on ‘work’ and wondered, “Work? Do you have a part-time job?”

He Yan explained, “It’s not a part-time job. Do you know about that popular creative game design competition that was announced recently? I’m quite interested in this area and after thinking about it I formed a team to design a game together so we could give it a try. The girl you saw before is one of the members on my team.”

Yu Baizhou’s ears that were sticking upright just now slowly softened.

He Yan withdrew his gaze and smiled. “Just putting it out here, she already has a boyfriend.”

At this point, He Yan had already made the relationship between himself and the girl crystal clear. 

The little emotion in Yu Baizhou’s heart gradually dispersed.

Tu Gaoming listened to He Yan’s outline and admiringly commented, “It’s hard to see ah, Old He, but you’re actually amazing. Really cool!”

Che Cong also said, “Really!”

He Yan: “I’m okay, it’s just that I wanted to try more things while I have the opportunity.”

Listening up until now, Yu Baizhou paused. Something wasn’t right.

He tilted his head up at the person beside him. “When did you learn programming?”

He remembered, the book never mentioned He Yan having this skill while he was in high school.

He Yan saw how the other boy was finally willing to look at himself and said with a smile in his eyes, “Took some time to learn during the holidays.”

Meeting He Yan’s gaze, Yu Baizhou’s eyes trembled and he turned his head back.

The group of four continued to eat. The movie he had planned to see was long past its starting time, but He Yan didn’t care.

The movie was not important, but the person at his side was.

As he chewed on his food, Tu Gaoming suddenly noticed that He Yan’s outfit today was very different from his normal. It was simply a layer of refinement on top of the usual level of sophistication. No matter how one looked, he did not fit at all amongst the noisy kushiyaki shop.

Tu Gaoming teased He Yan, “Old He, say, what are you doing wearing such an exquisite outfit. It’s not like you’re going on a date with someone.” 

He had already suspected that He Yan was going on a date, but at this point in time, how could a person who was planning to go on a date still be here, leisurely eating a meal with their group? With this, the idea was rejected by him once again.

Since Tu Gaoming brought it to attention, Yu Baizhou finally noticed that He Yan really did dress himself up today, just as he did. Sparing a second to think about this fact briefly, Yu Baizhou eventually reacted accordingly, with his face instantly turning faintly red.

Hearing the tease, He Yan replied, “I do have a date.”

Tu Gaoming’s hand that was pouring beer almost shook. “There’s really a date? Who ah? It can’t be another ‘companion’ ba?”

He Yan smiled, saying, “This time, it’s not.”

He Yan slightly lowered his eyes, and inadvertently moved his right hand holding chopsticks to the side. Intentionally or unintentionally, the back of his hand touched Yu Baizhou’s. There was a deep smile on the corners of his lips. “It’s someone I like very much.”

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First (real) date! Let’s hope it goes well