Chapter 3 – Announcement of the Freshers Party

The classroom buzzed with soft chatter as students settled into their seats. The energy felt different today—lighter, more expectant, as if something exciting was about to happen.

Chen Yu leaned back slightly in his chair, tapping his pen against the desk.

“…Do you feel that?” he whispered to Lin Jie.

Lin Jie glanced at him. “Feel what?”

“Something’s going to happen today,” Chen Yu said with a grin. “I can tell.”

Lin Jie rolled his eyes, though a smile tugged at his lips. “You say that every day.”

Before Chen Yu could reply, the door slid open.

Silence fell almost instantly.

Li Wei entered the room, followed closely by Zhang Hao.

The atmosphere shifted.

Where Chen Yu brought warmth and noise, Li Wei brought stillness and control. His presence alone was enough to quiet the room. Every step he took was measured, precise, as if he owned not just the space—but the moment itself.

Chen Yu straightened slightly, his playful expression softening into curiosity.

…It’s him again.

Li Wei moved to the front, his gaze sweeping across the classroom. For a brief second—

It paused.

On Chen Yu.

Then moved on.

But that single moment was enough to make Chen Yu’s heart skip without reason.

“…Weird,” he muttered under his breath.

Lin Jie glanced at him. “What?”

“Nothing.”

At the front, Li Wei began speaking, his voice calm, low, and commanding.

“Attention.”

The word alone was enough to draw every eye toward him.

“This Friday, the student council will be hosting a fresher’s party to welcome the new students.”

A ripple of excitement spread across the room immediately—whispers, small smiles, curious glances.

Chen Yu’s eyes lit up.

“A party?” he whispered excitedly. “Finally!”

Lin Jie chuckled. “Now you’re interested in school.”

“I was always interested,” Chen Yu shot back. “Just not in boring things.”

At the front, Li Wei continued, unfazed by the rising chatter.

“Attendance is expected. Participation is encouraged.”

His tone remained neutral, but there was a subtle edge—authority that wasn’t forced, but natural.

As he spoke, his gaze once again drifted—

—and found Chen Yu.

Laughing.

Bright.

Unrestrained.

Something tightened in Li Wei’s chest.

…Again.

Why is it always him?

Beside him, Zhang Hao leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice just enough.

“You’re doing it again.”

Li Wei didn’t look at him. “Doing what?”

“Staring.”

A pause.

Then—

“…Focus on your role,” Li Wei replied calmly.

Zhang Hao smirked faintly. “I am. I’m observing you.”

Li Wei said nothing.

But his silence was enough to confirm everything.

—

Meanwhile, Chen Yu leaned toward Lin Jie again, barely containing his excitement.

“We have to go all out,” he whispered. “Dance, games—everything.”

Lin Jie raised an eyebrow. “You’re planning like it’s a festival.”

“It is a festival,” Chen Yu replied dramatically. “The festival of new beginnings.”

“…You’re unbelievable.”

Chen Yu grinned. “And you love it.”

Lin Jie didn’t deny it.

—

As the announcement ended, Li Wei stepped back slightly, allowing the teacher to continue the class.

But his attention wasn’t on the lesson.

Not completely.

No matter how much he tried to focus—

His awareness kept returning to one place.

Chen Yu.

Talking.

Laughing.

Leaning closer to Lin Jie as he whispered something, eyes sparkling with mischief.

A strange feeling settled in Li Wei’s chest.

Not irritation.

Not exactly.

Something sharper.

More unfamiliar.

…Too close.

His gaze darkened slightly.

Why does it bother me?

He had never cared about how others interacted. It had never mattered.

So why now?

—

After class, the hallway filled with noise again.

Students gathered in small groups, already discussing outfits, performances, and plans for the party.

Chen Yu and Lin Jie walked together, caught up in their own excitement.

“We should match outfits,” Chen Yu suggested suddenly.

Lin Jie stopped walking. “Absolutely not.”

Chen Yu laughed. “Come on! It’ll be fun.”

“It’ll be embarrassing.”

“Same thing.”

Lin Jie sighed. “I regret being friends with you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“…No, I don’t.”

They continued down the hallway, shoulders brushing lightly as they walked.

—

From a distance, Li Wei watched them again.

Zhang Hao followed his gaze, then let out a quiet chuckle.

“…You’ve got it bad.”

Li Wei’s expression remained calm.

“…It’s nothing.”

“Sure,” Zhang Hao replied easily. “Let’s see how long that ‘nothing’ lasts.”

Li Wei turned away without responding.

But his thoughts were no longer steady.

Something had shifted.

Something small—

—but undeniable.

—

That evening, the preparations for the party began behind the scenes.

Decorations, lighting, music, arrangements—everything was planned with precision.

Li Wei reviewed every detail, his usual cold efficiency fully in place.

Yet even as he worked—

A memory surfaced again.

A smile.

A laugh.

Bright eyes.

Chen Yu.

Li Wei paused for a brief moment, fingers resting against the table.

Then slowly—

He exhaled.

“…A distraction,” he murmured.

But deep down—

He knew it wasn’t just that.

—

Across the city, Chen Yu lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling with a wide grin.

“This is going to be fun,” he said to himself.

He had no idea—

That for someone else—

This “fun” was becoming something far more dangerous.

Something deeper.

Something impossible to ignore.

—

The stage was set.

The distance between them was shrinking.

And soon—

The line between curiosity and obsession would begin to blur.

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