Chapter 10 There is a lot of content here

 Huai Xu and Jing Zheng xuan spent two days in Yuan City and 

returned to Jin City on Sunday evening, ready to face a new week of their busy schedules.

October in Jin City was still warm, though much better than September. 

For someone like Huai Xu, who was afraid of the cold, this was the perfect season. 

As long as he wore a T-shirt, he didn’t even need to turn on the air conditioning.

After dinner on Monday evening, Jing Zheng xuan walked with Huai Xu back to his dormitory.

The two walked side by side in the twilight, 

with Jing Zheng xuan’s broad hand resting on Huai Xu’s shoulder. 

The warmth from his palm seeped through the thin fabric, giving a reassuring sense of heat.

They chatted idly as they strolled, only to encounter someone approaching from the opposite direction.

“Hello, Senior. We meet again,” the person greeted with a smile.

Jing Zhengxuan glanced down at him with a confused expression. 

Who is this?

The person, Shu Jinwei, hesitated briefly. 

With his striking appearance, at least an eight or nine out of ten, 

he was used to being remembered—if not adored—by many. 

Being forgotten this easily wasn’t something he expected.

Biting his lip, Shu Jinwei explained,

“Senior, have you already forgotten? That day in the alley—if it hadn’t been for you stepping in, I don’t know what might have happened with those people…”

His voice grew softer as he spoke, his head lowering slightly.

“…” Jing Zheng xuan froze. 

Oh. Now he remembered.

“?” Huai Xu turned to look at him, 

catching keywords: alley, stepping in.

But which day? Which alley? Was it the first incident or the second?

Unable to piece it together, 

Huai Xu glanced at his childhood friend, 

hoping for an answer.

Under his gaze, Jing Zheng xuan’s initially speechless expression turned icy. 

His demeanor shifted instantly, 

and his gaze toward Shu Jinwei became frigidly unwelcoming.

“You’ve mistaken me for someone else,” 

Jing Zheng xuan said coldly, his tone firm and final.

Huai Xu was even more puzzled. Mistaken? 

Who could possibly mistake Jing Zheng xuan? 

With a face like his, there was no second copy in existence.

Just as he was about to inquire if there had been some misunderstanding,

Jing Zheng xuan wrapped an arm around him and walked forward without hesitation, 

leaving no room for delay or regret.

The more he acted like this, the more suspicious Huai Xu felt.

The boy they’d left behind didn’t seem malicious, 

and if there weren’t some sort of secret involved, 

why would Jing Zheng xuan be so eager to avoid him?

Turning back, Huai Xu saw Shu Jinwei reaching out a hand, 

starting to call after them, “Hey, Seni—”

Before he could finish, Jing Zheng xuan repeated firmly, 

“You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

His voice was cold and commanding, brooking no argument.

As Huai Xu looked at his friend’s stiff face, his suspicions deepened. 

Something significant was being hidden here.

Behind them, Shu Jinwei stopped in his tracks, 

trembling slightly at the authority in Jing Zheng xuan’s words, and fell silent.

He wasn’t entirely surprised. 

He’d known from the start that Jing Zheng xuan wasn’t easy to approach. 

But to be treated as though he didn’t even exist—he hadn’t expected that.

He’d simply wanted to find an opportunity to express his gratitude. 

This was far from the outcome he’d hoped for.

Shaking his head, Shu Jinwei watched the two figures walking shoulder-to-shoulder away from him.

Had he been misunderstood?

---

Meanwhile, Huai Xu nudged Jing Zheng xuan lightly with his elbow and grinned. 

“What’s going on?”

Jing Zheng xuan brushed his shoulder in a dismissive gesture. 

“Nothing.”

“Jing Zheng xuan,” 

Huai Xu persisted, turning to scrutinize him. 

“You really don’t know him?”

“No impression,” 

Jing Zheng xuan said sincerely.

He wasn’t lying—he truly didn’t recognize Shu Jinwei. 

Aside from Huai Xu, most people failed to leave any lasting impression on him.

After studying his friend’s unwavering gaze, Huai Xu decided he wasn’t lying.

But the mystery wasn’t resolved. “Then what about what he said…?”

At this, Jing Zhengxuan lowered his gaze briefly, then raised it again, his expression calm. 

“It must’ve been that night.”

“You really didn’t notice him?”

“I wasn’t paying attention. I was focused on not getting hurt myself,” 

Jing Zheng xuan replied with partial truth, his face impassive.

Thinking it over, Huai Xu added, “But he said you saved him.”

“Well, that’s not entirely wrong,” 

Jing Zheng xuan said, nonchalantly squeezing Huai Xu’s shoulder as if to emphasize his indifference.

Lowering his head, Huai Xu found the explanation plausible. 

After all, why wouldn’t the second person to intervene also count as a rescuer?

Although second responders often went unnoticed, 

with Jing Zheng xuan’s striking looks, 

it wasn’t surprising someone would go out of their way to greet him.

Realizing this, Huai Xu felt a bit guilty. 

What had gotten into him lately, constantly doubting his closest friend? 

Were cracks appearing in their bond of brotherhood that easily?

Feeling ashamed, he began to fuss. 

“You don’t have to be so cold, though. Be nice to people. At least let them finish what they’re saying. Your reaction made it seem like you have some secret with that junior that you’re hiding from me.”

“…” Jing Zhengxuan sighed and wrapped an arm around him. 

“I’ll be more mindful in the future.”

Having cleared up the misunderstanding, the two arrived at the dormitory.

Inside, all three of Huai Xu’s roommates were present. 

The moment they saw him return, they sprang into action.

Wu Ke threw the trash piled on the table into the garbage bin.

Zhang Yilang grabbed a broom and began sweeping crumbs off the floor.

Chen Pan adjusted the air conditioner, raising the temperature.

Despite their usual carefree personalities, 

they paid close attention to these details for one reason: 

Huai Xu’s health. 

His weak constitution made him prone to illness, 

so they went out of their way to create a clean and comfortable environment for him.

Initially, they did so under the pressure of Jing Zheng xuan’s imposing presence. 

But as they grew closer to Huai Xu, these actions became second nature. 

They genuinely didn’t want him to fall ill.

Who wouldn’t like a roommate like Huai Xu? 

Always smiling, he remembered everyone’s preferences and habits and often treated them. 

Last year, he’d even given them all thoughtful birthday gifts.

No one disliked having a roommate like Huai Xu.

---

Huai Xu, of course, reciprocated his roommates' care. 

Though they adjusted to his needs without hesitation, he was conscious not to inconvenience them.

“I can just wear a jacket,” 

Huai Xu said as he saw Chen Pan adjust the air conditioner. 

He grabbed the light jacket draped over his chair and put it on. 

“No need to turn the temperature up.”

“Don’t worry about it,” 

Chen Pan replied, still raising the temperature a few degrees. 

“Better safe than sorry. Don’t want anyone catching a cold from overuse.”

He had a point. 

As medical students, they had learned about the risks of “air conditioning illness” in class. 

They might as well apply their knowledge and stay cautious.

As he buttoned his jacket, Huai Xu thanked him sincerely.

Meanwhile, Jing Zheng xuan had taken a seat casually, leaning back in one of the chairs. 

Out of nowhere, he grabbed hold of Huai Xu and 

without warning, began undoing the buttons of his jacket one by one.

“Hey!” Huai Xu slapped his hand away. 

“What’s wrong with you?”

Sitting back and smirking slightly, Jing Zheng xuan methodically redid the buttons. 

“Nothing. Just wanted to fix it for you.”

Rolling his eyes, Huai Xu muttered, 

“I’m going to read for a while. You can head back now.”

“I’ll read with you,” Jing Zheng xuan replied as he finished buttoning the jacket and released him.

“You didn’t even bring a book.”

Without missing a beat, 

Jing Zheng xuan grabbed a copy of Atlas of Human Anatomy from Huai Xu’s bookshelf. 

“This will do.”

“…”

“You’re really going to read that? Not afraid it’ll give you nightmares?”

“Why not? It’s interesting to learn,” he said, flipping it open as though he were genuinely intrigued.

“Suit yourself,” Huai Xu replied, giving up on reasoning with him.

Knowing full well that Jing Zheng xuan wouldn’t leave until he was ready to sleep, he let him stay. 

He settled into his custom sofa chair—a gift from none other than Jing Zheng xuan. 

The chair could recline, had extra padding, and was exceedingly comfortable. 

Once he started using it, 

the school-issued chair at his desk became an unofficial seat for Jing Zheng xuan whenever he visited.

Seated at the desk, the two worked side by side. 

Jing Zheng xuan idly flipped through the anatomy atlas 

while Huai Xu focused on reviewing his class notes,

 jotting down additional thoughts in his textbook.

Out of the corner of his eye, 

Jing Zheng xuan noticed the class notes in use—the ones from Xie Kaiyan. 

His fingers froze mid-page turn, and his thumb traced the edge of the paper, 

the subtle prick of the sharp corner offering a momentary distraction.

A few moments later, he reached into the side pocket of Huai Xu’s bag, 

pulled out a lemon candy, and popped it into his mouth. 

The tart flavor spread across his tongue, sharp enough to make anyone else wince, but he didn’t even flinch.

The sourness distracted him, but not for long. 

After finishing the candy, he placed the anatomy book back on the shelf with precision, 

ensuring it was in its rightful spot—just as Huai Xu liked things.

Then, he pulled out his phone, silenced it, and opened his contacts list. 

Scrolling down, he found the name Jiang Yuhan and sent a message.

[JZX]: How many top students are there in the clinical medicine department?

Jiang Yuhan was the kind of person who got along with everyone, 

knew a little bit about everyone, and had a knack for gathering gossip around campus. 

If anyone knew, it was him.

The response came quickly.

[JYH]: There are quite a few. Your buddy’s one of them.

[JZX]: Who’s the best among the upperclassmen?

[JYH]: There are a few standouts. Why are you asking this?

[JZX]: Who’s the top one?

[JYH]: That would be Xie Kaiyan. Consistently ranked first every semester. Even your buddy can’t beat him.

Jing Zhengxuan: “…”

He didn’t reply. 

Instead, he closed the messaging app, leaned back in his chair 

with his arms crossed, and glanced again at the class notes on the desk. 

His expression darkened.

His gaze lingered for a moment longer before he stood and 

reached for another candy from the bag, his movements deliberate. 

This time, as the sharp sourness hit his tongue, he clenched his jaw slightly, deep in thought.

It wasn’t jealousy, exactly—it was something harder to pin down. 

He knew how much effort and care Xie Kaiyan had put into helping Huai Xu, 

and how much admiration and gratitude it seemed to elicit.

But Jing Zheng xuan wasn’t good at handling these feelings, 

so he stayed quiet, letting the acidity of the lemon candy 

bite into his thoughts as his eyes grew darker.

---

While Huai Xu diligently worked through the notes and his textbook, 

oblivious to the subtle tension brewing beside him, 

Jing Zheng xuan kept his thoughts to himself. 

He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, 

staring at the notes in front of Huai Xu with a guarded expression.

After a while, he stood up, stretching lazily. “I’m heading out,” 

he said suddenly, his tone neutral.

“Finally,” Huai Xu replied with a teasing smile. 

“Get some rest when you’re back.”

“Yeah, you too,” Jing Zheng xuan said, 

patting his shoulder lightly before leaving the dorm.

Once outside, his face darkened again. 

The earlier conversation with Jiang Yuhan replayed in his mind, 

and the name “Xie Kaiyan” lingered like a thorn. 

Jing Zheng xuan pulled out his phone again and opened his messages.

[JZX]: What else do you know about Xie Kaiyan?

Jiang Yuhan’s response was instant.

[JYH]: He’s a legend. Top grades every semester, respected by professors, and apparently super polite to everyone. Oh, and a lot of people have a crush on him, but I think he’s single. Why? You interested? 😂

[JZX]: No.

[JYH]: Then why are you asking about him?

Jing Zheng xuan didn’t reply. 

Instead, he slipped his phone back into his pocket and 

walked toward his dormitory, his thoughts heavy.

Back in the dorm, his roommates were lounging around, immersed in their own activities. 

They noticed his unusual silence but 

knew better than to question him when he was in this kind of mood. 

Without a word, he headed to his bed, lay down, and stared at the ceiling.

His mind wandered back to the image of the class notes on the desk, 

the careful handwriting on the pages, and the earnest effort behind them. 

Xie Kaiyan’s name seemed to loom larger and larger, overshadowing everything else.

---

Meanwhile, back in his dormitory, Huai Xu was wrapping up his study session. 

He carefully put the notes and his textbook back in their respective places, 

tidying up his desk as he always did.

He glanced at the candy jar on the shelf. 

It was a gift from his roommates, 

and he kept it stocked with a variety of sweets. 

He noticed a slight dip in the number of lemon candies—a favorite of his childhood friend.

Smiling softly, he shook his head. 

“That guy really likes sour things,” 

he muttered to himself, not realizing the weight behind Jing Zheng xuan’s choice 

to indulge in the tart treats tonight.

---

Later that night, Jing Zheng xuan found himself unable to sleep. 

The thoughts gnawing at him had taken root, and the usual methods of distraction weren’t helping. 

He pulled out his phone once again and opened the contact labeled HX.

His fingers hovered over the screen, debating whether to type a message or call. 

Finally, he settled on a simple text.

[JZX]: Sleep early. Don’t overdo it.

It was short, devoid of the depth of his current emotions, but it was all he could manage. 

A few moments later, his phone vibrated with a reply.

[HX]: Got it! You too. 😊

Staring at the cheerful emoji, Jing Zhengxuan let out a quiet sigh.

You too. 

The words felt distant, 

like a reminder of the space he couldn’t close between them—

one that seemed to be growing wider with every passing day.

As the night deepened, the city grew quiet, 

but within Jing Zheng xuan, something continued to stir. 

The image of Xie Kaiyan’s notes and

the thought of how much they meant to Huai Xu lingered like an unanswered question.

Unconsciously, he clenched his jaw and muttered under his breath, 

“Xie Kaiyan…”

For now, the question of what exactly he felt about all this remained unanswered, even to himself....

---

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