Volume 3 Chapter 14
by Golden DragonVolume 3 + Chapter 14: First Encounter With Duan Haichen
“Ouyang-senpai!”
Just as Ouyang Qianxue opened the clubroom door, a boy rushed up to him at astonishing speed.
“I heard yesterday that you were injured? How are you, are you feeling any better? I bought you some things to help you recover…”
As he spoke, Qianxue noticed that his seat was already piled high with various nourishing supplements.
“Uh… who are you…?”
Faced with the overly excited boy, Qianxue instinctively took a small step back.
“Ah, sorry, Ouyang-senpai, I got a bit carried away just now. My name is Duan Haichen. I’m a freshman who joined both the Go club and the music club. I’m actually your devoted fan. Ever since I saw your performance six months ago, I’ve been completely captivated by your beautiful yet strikingly handsome presence. You could say that I enrolled at Sakura Academy and joined both clubs entirely so I could get closer to the perfect you I’ve always admired!”
“Haha… I’m really not as perfect as you say.”
Qianxue gave a wry smile. If this junior ever found out that the senior he admired so deeply was actually a crossdressing boy, he would probably be terribly disappointed.
“But Ouyang-senpai, how are you feeling now? Yesterday I heard that shorty, ah, I mean, Xia Bingdie, say you were injured.”
“So it was Xia Bingdie who told you… what exactly did she say?”
Qianxue suddenly felt a trace of unease. Xia Bingdie had witnessed everything, from Bai Yuxuan saving him to her unusually attentive attitude toward him. If she had told others about those details, then the nature of their relationship…
“She said that while accompanying you to the hospital, she ran into some troublemakers who harassed her, and you stepped in bravely to fight them off, but unfortunately got injured.”
“And then? What else did she say?” Qianxue pressed.
“She said you went to the hospital on your own afterward, and she reported it to the police. But, Ouyang-senpai, your injury…”
“Oh, that’s just an old injury flaring up again. It’s nothing serious.”
“An old injury?”
“That incident was suppressed by the school. Previously, during a school-organized outing, Qianxue was shot.”
At this moment, the vice president of the music club passed by and casually explained.
“What?!”
Duan Haichen’s face turned pale with shock.
“What are you panicking for? Isn’t she standing perfectly fine right in front of you?”
The vice president patted his shoulder with a teasing smile.
“Right… sorry, I got too worked up.”
Duan Haichen scratched his head and gave Qianxue an embarrassed grin.
“But Ouyang-senpai, are you really okay now?” he asked again, still concerned.
“Mm. The hospital checked me this morning. As long as I avoid strenuous activity, I should be fully recovered in about two months.”
“That’s a relief.”
Hearing this, Duan Haichen finally let out a breath he’d been holding.
“Hey, junior Duan, aren’t you a bit too enthusiastic? You’ve already said everything we wanted to tell Qianxue.”
Several second-year music club members gathered around, laughing.
“I…”
Duan Haichen found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
“Qianxue, you have no idea how emotional his speech was during the club recruitment interview. ‘All for Ouyang-senpai,’ ‘Ouyang-senpai is my motivation and source of strength’, honestly, it sounded like a confession!”
“Th-that’s not true!”
Duan Haichen’s face flushed bright red at their teasing.
“I just regard Ouyang-senpai as the senior I admire most. And someone as perfect as her, I’m well aware of my own place.”
“But judging by that expression, you do have some feelings for Qianxue. Though I get it, any guy who sees her would be rooted to the spot, unless he’s some kind of anomaly.”
The vice president covered her mouth and chuckled.
“Seriously, and you call yourself my friend? All you do is make fun of me!”
Qianxue protested, clearly displeased. He was, after all, a completely ordinary man, if he attracted other guys, that just meant something was wrong with them. This junior was probably just captivated by the undeniable handsomeness that even his crossdressing couldn’t conceal.
“How is that making fun of you? Attracting boys just proves how cute you are. But seriously, aren’t you going to consider it?”
The vice president leaned close, resting a hand on his shoulder and whispering into his ear.
“Consider what?”
“Junior Duan, of course. When he auditioned, his performance of ‘Maiden’s Prayer’ was absolutely moving. He’s handsome, ranked sixth in the entire school upon admission, and more importantly, he’s cheerful and bright, not like that Bai Yuxuan, who always looks as stiff as a steel plate.”
“What nonsense are you talking about? How could I possibly have any strange thoughts about a junior!”
“What’s wrong with a junior? Qianxue, you’re actually over a year younger than all of us. I’ve seen Haichen’s application, he’s the same year as you, even born in June. That means you’re actually younger than him!”
“That’s not the point!” Qianxue retorted.
“I’m not interested in boys at all!”
“Ugh, Qianxue, you’re the kind who takes abundance for granted! You’re always surrounded by handsome, talented boys chasing after you, that’s the only reason you can say something like that!”
The vice president puffed her cheeks in mock frustration.
“I really have no interest in boys or romance!” Qianxue said, irritation creeping into his voice.
“Not interested in boys…”
After hearing this, Duan Haichen looked a little dejected, yet there was also a trace of relief in his eyes. After all, if she wasn’t interested in boys, it meant she hadn’t fallen for anyone yet.
“Don’t listen to her!”
The vice president suddenly hugged Qianxue from behind. Feeling the soft warmth pressing against his back, his face instantly flushed crimson.
“This one’s just a classic tsundere bottom. You’ve got to be proactive with her. Like this, just hug her from behind, and she’ll start blushing immediately!”
“Wh-who are you calling a bottom?!”
Qianxue’s body stiffened as he spoke.
“What was that? I didn’t quite catch it.”
The vice president leaned in closer and gently blew air by his ear.
“Ah!”
Qianxue’s face turned so red it looked as if steam might rise from it, and tears even welled faintly at the corners of his eyes.
Seeing this scene unfold, Duan Haichen suddenly felt a warm surge in his nose, and quickly clamped it shut to stop the nosebleed.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize you were this sensitive, Qianxue.”
A few minutes later, the vice president scratched the back of her head, offering an utterly unapologetic grin as she apologized.
“That apology doesn’t sound sincere at all.”
Qianxue straightened his slightly disheveled clothes.
“If you do that again, I’ll have you expelled! I finally managed to build up a perfect image in front of the juniors, and now it’s all ruined!”
“No matter what, Ouyang Qianxue will always be the most perfect in my heart.”
Duan Haichen said this while wiping his nosebleed with one hand and giving a thumbs-up with the other.
“Excuse me, is Ouyang-senpai here?”
At that moment, after a soft knock on the door, Xia Bingdie peeked her head in and asked.
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