Chapter Twenty-Eight: Pursuit

“Let’s go study at the library this afternoon!” Gu Yan suggested.

Though no one was home at Yu Sheng’s house, Gu Yan couldn’t trust himself alone with her. A man and woman in an empty room—who knew what might happen?

“Alright. Midterms are coming up soon. You were first last time, but now there are plenty of people seeing you as their competitor.”

Gu Yan smiled. “It’s fine. My position at the top isn’t easily shaken.”

The library wasn’t far from Yu Sheng’s house; it stood near the school. So Gu Yan and Yu Sheng walked there together.

“Which subject are you weakest in?” Gu Yan whispered once they found seats in the study room.

“English and Chinese,” Yu Sheng replied, embarrassed.

Those are my strengths!

“Alright, let’s start with English. Let me see your test papers and usual assignments,” Gu Yan said.

Yu Sheng handed them over.

“Hmm, your grammar isn’t great, and you make quite a few mistakes in reading comprehension. Starting today, memorize a hundred new words for me each day, and I’ll explain grammar to you every week. How does that sound?” Gu Yan looked up.

Yu Sheng was secretly watching him. Gu Yan’s sudden glance caught her off guard. “Okay, alright.”

Gu Yan grinned mischievously at Yu Sheng.

Since Yu Sheng liked him, it was easy enough to get her to agree.

“Try this reading passage first,” Gu Yan said, marking a section in her workbook.

As he passed her the workbook, he deliberately brushed his hand against hers.

Soft, smooth.

“Which… which one?” Yu Sheng asked.

Gu Yan leaned closer. A faint fragrance enveloped him, making his heart skip a beat.

He pointed with his pen. “This one!”

For a moment, Yu Sheng felt the urge to toss the workbook aside and run away. Gu Yan kept leaning in, hovering near her, making her heart race wildly. How could she concentrate? This felt more like punishment. Clearly, asking Gu Yan to tutor her wasn’t going to work after all.

She hadn’t written much before she couldn’t stand it anymore. Gu Yan seemed to be doing it on purpose, inching closer and closer.

“Maybe we should just go home to study. I can’t focus here,” Yu Sheng said, pressing a hand against Gu Yan’s shoulder to keep him from moving closer.

“Oh? Really? I actually like it here,” he replied.

At least here he could restrain himself a little, but still tease Yu Sheng.

But Yu Sheng was already packing up. Gu Yan had no choice but to leave with her.

“Isn’t studying at the library good?” Gu Yan asked knowingly on their way back.

“…”

You think I can focus with you beside me? You know full well…

Yu Sheng was about to say something when Gu Yan suddenly pulled her into a nearby alley, wrapping an arm around her.

“Mmm… you—”

“Shh!” Gu Yan covered Yu Sheng’s mouth, holding her close and turning sideways. “Someone’s following us.”

Are you kidding? That was Yu Sheng’s first thought.

“Don’t make a sound. Wait till he passes.” Gu Yan’s expression was tense.

Looking at his face, Yu Sheng felt he wasn’t lying. She followed his gaze toward the gap in the alley.

Sure enough, after a moment, a man wearing a black cap and mask hurried past, unaware of the alley beside him.

Gu Yan let go of Yu Sheng. “How did you know he was following us?” she whispered.

“He’s been trailing us for a while now. You probably didn’t notice,” Gu Yan said, leading her down a different path through the alley.

This was the very path where, in her previous life, Yu Sheng had met with an accident. Gu Yan had always avoided it, but now, to bypass the man, he had no choice.

Yu Sheng was shocked. “I never noticed him.”

“Don’t tell anyone about this yet. I think he’s targeting me, so when we go out in the future, we should keep some distance between us.”

“Why?” Yu Sheng was confused.

“It’s safer if they don’t know about our relationship.”

What relationship could there possibly be?

“What about you? What if something happens to you?”

Gu Yan tightened his grip on Yu Sheng’s hand. “I’ll be fine! I promise!”

Yu Sheng pulled her hand free. “You’re just a student. What if something really happens? Why not tell my dad? Maybe he can help.”

Gu Yan sighed. In the previous life, none of these changes happened, but after what occurred last time, he knew any trouble would come for him. He didn’t want Yu Sheng involved, especially with an unknown danger lurking.

“Because I…” Because I came from the future, and I know you’ll leave me during high school. I only want to protect you, to stay by your side for as long as I can.

But he couldn’t tell Yu Sheng that—not yet.

“Because I know who they are. I have a way to handle it. Your dad is already aware, but you know how secret operations work—better to lay low for now,” Gu Yan said, blinking.

Sorry, Yu Sheng. Let me lie just this once.

Yu Sheng relaxed, the tension draining from her face. “Oh, I see. Not even family can know?”

Gu Yan hesitated.

“Oh, I meant my dad’s family.”

Gu Yan smiled. “No, it’s confidential.”

“Alright then.”

Taking the alley back through the neighborhood’s rear entrance, they saw no sign of the man from before.

Back home, Yu Sheng mulled over what Gu Yan had told her. It felt unbelievable—this was her first time being followed, and the thought of being part of a secret operation thrilled her.

When the mission was over, she’d tell her dad. She could say she’d taken part in a covert assignment, even if she hadn’t done much.

Gu Yan, upon returning home, drew the curtains closed. The group monitoring him had grown more brazen recently, but he still didn’t know who they were. He hadn’t confronted them yet, so all he could do was wait and see. What if they were the ones who killed Yu Sheng in his previous life?

As for Yu Sheng’s father, Yu Dong, it was best not to tell him for now. If they got spooked and acted prematurely, things would get complicated.

Yu Chen felt he’d been duped by Shen Henyun. That bastard had promised to take him somewhere secret in the morning, but instead dragged him around the outskirts for hours.

“Shen Henyun! What are you doing?!”

“Don’t you think this is exhilarating?” Shen Henyun laughed.

“Exhilarating, my foot! I’m freezing to death!” Yu Chen rubbed his hands. “I’m not like you—I didn’t bring gloves!”

“You should have told me. Just stick your hands in my pockets.”

“I won’t. Just find a place to park already!”

After a long silence, Shen Henyun finally spoke. “Um… if I told you the place I want to take you can only be visited at night, would you kill me?”

Yu Chen smacked his helmet. “I’ll kill you right now!”

“Alright, alright. Actually, we’re already here. It’s this place!” Shen Henyun stopped by the roadside. Across the river, a district of abandoned factories lay.

Yu Chen was exhausted. He shouldn’t have agreed to come.

He’d only said yes because Shen Henyun kept calling, pestering him, showing up at his classroom after every lesson. Every time Shen Henyun walked in and sat opposite him, Yu Chen felt drained.

Finally, on Friday, when Shen Henyun chased away the student sitting in front of Yu Chen and gazed at him with starry eyes, chin propped in hand, Yu Chen’s resolve crumbled.

Shen Henyun was already famous at school, so every day there were crowds in Yu Chen’s class, thinking he’d gotten into trouble. Even their homeroom teacher came to talk to him.

“Can you stop coming? Look around—your presence really disrupts our class.”

“Then agree to hang out with me this weekend.” Shen Henyun said, fiddling with Yu Chen’s pen.

Yu Chen snatched the pen back. “Fine, fine, I’ll go. Just promise you won’t come here anymore!”

“Mm, mm, mm!” Shen Henyun nodded obediently and left with his gang.

Watching them go, Yu Chen sighed. What had he done to attract Shen Henyun?

He’d heard from classmates that Shen Henyun’s family was wealthy. He’d go abroad in his senior year and later inherit the family business. Yet Shen Henyun’s reputation at school was terrible—infamous for being wild and reckless. He was the school bully, though he didn’t pick on students; instead, he fought with street gangs. As for the wild rumors, it was said he’d broken many girls’ hearts, but since he had good grades, Old Master Shen couldn’t say much.

“This is it?” Yu Chen felt thunderstruck. “You harassed me for days just to bring me to this godforsaken place? What, are we doing water stunts?”

Shen Henyun laughed. “Not now. It’s for tonight, so I said evening.”

“Then why bring me here so early?” Yu Chen’s smile was strained.

“It’s a long way off! I thought we’d arrive by noon.” Shen Henyun showed no embarrassment, parking the car and taking a large package from the back.

“What’s that?” Yu Chen’s attention shifted to the bundle.

Shen Henyun grinned and unpacked it in front of Yu Chen, spreading the contents on the ground.

Yu Chen looked at the pile, face complicated.

“Well? I’ve prepared everything. Are you satisfied?” Shen Henyun asked eagerly.

Yu Chen stared at the cloth laid out on the ground, which was covered with fruits, snacks, and several board games.

“You did this on purpose—just wanted a picnic, didn’t you!” Yu Chen gritted his teeth. “And you told me to bring books, claimed you’d help me revise!”

Shen Henyun patted him. “Come on, you can review here too! It’s not a problem!”

For a moment, Yu Chen wanted to leave, but seeing no sign of passing cars nearby, he immediately abandoned the idea.

“No worries, I finished my homework anyway. I’ll just sit here with you till evening, alright? Bro?” Yu Chen resigned himself to sitting on the cloth, staring at the river in a daze.

Shen Henyun sat down beside him. “Do you know what this place is?”

Yu Chen popped a grape in his mouth. “How should I know? You brought me here.”

Shen Henyun smiled. “Do you know why I brought you here today?”

Yu Chen rolled his eyes. “Are you crazy? You begged and blocked me into coming, and now you’re acting all artistic?”

“Because you’re my only friend,” Shen Henyun said quietly.