Chapter 8: The Collar

“Then I’ll head back and pack my bag. See you in a bit.”

“Hmm… it’s not your turn for duty today, is it?”

“No, I can’t be on duty every day. I’m off.”

Gu Yu turned into Class 4 when he reached the door, while Luo Ming walked straight ahead toward Class 3.

The basketball game had been in the afternoon, and school was ending just as it finished. Students were busy packing their bags, and the classroom was a noisy mess.

Several boys he knew were looking out the window. After watching Luo Ming pass by, their gazes shifted back to him. As he approached, they began to tsk and tease him.

“You’re a lucky man, Gu Yu. Was the water Luo Ming gave you especially sweet?”

“It was normal, nothing special.”

Gu Yu’s blunt answer left the boys a bit speechless. His indifferent attitude was unexpected, as if such a thing were a common occurrence.

“Hey, that’s not what I meant… Never mind… I just saw a lot of girls wanting to give you water. You really stole the show this time.”

“Oh, really?”

His response was casual and dismissive, as he didn’t care for such trivial things.

For someone who had to prepare his own three meals, he had no interest in these matters. Life had already slapped him to the ground long ago. In his state of poverty, he had no right to waste anyone else’s time.

“…Of course. Didn’t you see them? I guess you were too busy looking at Luo Ming, huh?”

“No, I really didn’t notice.”

“…… Whatever makes you happy.”

The boy slung his bag over his shoulder, feeling snubbed, and waved as he left.

The condensation on the water bottle in his hand had gradually vanished, and it was no longer as cold. He wasn’t hot anymore, either.

Gu Yu sat back in his seat and organized his bag. He didn’t have many books to take, and since he had already finished his homework at school, he wouldn’t have time to deal with it at home anyway.

After stuffing a few books inside as a formality, Gu Yu picked up his bag and left. Luo Ming was waiting for him outside the door as usual.

The crowd of students leaving school had mostly thinned out. He could hear various whispers about them nearby. Luo Ming knew exactly what kind of rumors were about to spread, and she was more than happy to hear people talking about them as a couple.

It served as a warning to all those loose women — don’t touch what belongs to her!

She hadn’t made her move yet; she was simply waiting. She was waiting for the boy to slowly sink in, one step at a time, until her image was carved into his eyes. Eventually, he wouldn’t be able to leave her and would cherish her as much as his own life… just as she did him.

A clean, sunny scent drew near. Luo Ming was considered tall among girls, being only half a head shorter than Gu Yu. With a slight lift of her eyes, she could see the boy’s face beside her.

She noticed that after the game, Gu Yu’s collar was a mess. He looked unkempt, his clothes were covered in dust, and his hair was dry and tangled like wild grass on a wasteland.

Those superficial women only saw his glamorous moments on the court and would only throw themselves at him when he was shining. Yet, when he stepped down, only she, Luo Ming, remained by his side to care for his disheveled state.

“Why is it so messy? You don’t even know how to tidy yourself up,” Luo Ming scolded gently. She reached out and carefully smoothed the wrinkles in Gu Yu’s collar.

The distance between them vanished unintentionally. They were nearly pressed against each other. When Luo Ming looked down slightly, she could see the boy’s thin collarbones beneath his neckline — their lines were soft, and his skin was pale and dry.

After fixing the front, she saw the collar behind his neck was just as messy. Luo Ming stood on her tiptoes and reached her arms around his neck. Her chest drew closer to his, and their faces were almost touching. The atmosphere grew increasingly intimate and tender.

“There’s no need to be so thorough. It’s not like I’m greeting customers yet,” Gu Yu said, turning his face away and trying to act calm. His voice was low.

The girl’s chest was still youthful, but there was already a noticeable curve to it. Her softness nearly pressed against his chest, and her fragrance drifted uncontrollably into his nose, stirring the shy, budding heart of an adolescent boy.

Luo Ming patted the dust off his clothes again, her gaze tracing him from bottom to top before finally stopping on Gu Yu’s face.

The boy kept his head turned, his shy gaze landing elsewhere. A visible flush rose from his neck, spreading outward until it reached the tips of his ears.

‘Fool,’ Luo Ming snickered inwardly.

She shifted her position to meet Gu Yu’s eyes. “That won’t do. The customers can see you, too. If you don’t take care of your appearance, you’ll ruin the shop’s image.”

The crimson on the boy’s face deepened. He dodged her gaze, feeling overwhelmed. “It’s not that serious… You… why are you being like this today…”

“What’s wrong with me?” Luo Ming smiled, her tone carrying a hint of mischief. “Your hair is still a mess, too.”

As she spoke, Luo Ming reached for Gu Yu’s messy black hair, smoothing the edges and flattening the stray strands. After her grooming, he looked much tidier.

The surrounding students had just finished leaving before Luo Ming touched him, so no one saw this scene. She knew that while giving him water could be excused as a friendly gesture, this kind of action was somewhat ambiguous.

She didn’t mind, but since Gu Yu had denied their relationship before, she didn’t want to make things difficult for him.

“It’s a pity we don’t have much time, or I would’ve helped you wash up.”

“That’s unnecessary. Let’s go, or we’ll be late.”

Gu Yu walked away quickly as if escaping, his footsteps hurried and clumsy.

“Slow down! Wait for me!”

Luo Ming only caught up once they reached the School Gate. Gu Yu slowed down to match her pace, not noticing that the usual awkward distance between them had vanished. She was walking very close to him.

“Walk slower. It’s not late yet, and we didn’t waste much time,” Luo Ming reminded him. “And…”

“Hmm? And what?”

“And there’s still a little bit here that isn’t right.” She smoothed down the last stubborn tuft of hair near his temple, finally satisfied.

Once they reached the street, many people were passing by on the concrete sidewalk. Shops of all sizes lined the road, and vehicles sped past, the sound of engines mixing with the chatter of the crowd.

Their small, intimate actions didn’t seem forced. To passersby, they looked like a typical high school couple in the throes of young love. Gu Yu couldn’t really explain himself, so he could only allow people to misunderstand.

“You should wash your face, too. It’s so dirty.” Luo Ming frowned with a hint of disdain, chiding him. “People will question the hygiene standards. You can’t be careless.”

“I know, I know. Since when did you become so naggy? You’re just like my mom.” Gu Yu paused. “Are you going to tell me next that I won’t be able to find a girlfriend if I keep this up?”

Luo Ming’s footsteps suddenly stopped. She fell behind him, her silhouette flickering in and out of the crowd. It was hard to see her clearly, but he could feel a dark chill seeping into his body from all sides.

Gu Yu turned back. The wind had tousled the girl’s hair. Beneath her thick eyelashes, her dark eyes looked deep and murky. “Luo Ming?”

There was no response. The girl walked toward him one step at a time, her gaze locking onto him so tightly that he couldn’t move forward or backward. He could only wait silently for her to approach.

“Luo Ming?” Gu Yu asked again. He cleared the wild thoughts from his head, telling himself the girl in front of him was perfectly normal. “What’s wrong?”

Luo Ming stopped very close to him and stared into his eyes. “Gu Yu, do you want to find a girlfriend? Do you have someone in mind?”

“Of course not. I was just speaking casually. Given my current situation, wouldn’t I just be a burden to someone else?” Gu Yu scratched his head and answered without thinking, his voice laced with a sense of humility.

“Then what if someone likes you? I saw several girls wanting to give you water just now. You… are quite popular…”

“It doesn’t matter. I won’t take it to heart anyway.”

“What about the one I gave you?”

“Yours?”

Gu Yu couldn’t follow her train of thought. The girl was still very close, her light fragrance lingering at the tip of his nose. He didn’t quite understand what Luo Ming meant. “I’ll remember it. I’ll find an opportunity to thank you properly later.”

“Is that so?”

Luo Ming walked past him, moving ahead. Her voice was soft, scattered by the wind. “Then you’ll have to thank me properly… by giving me the thing I want most…”