Online Dating Fiasco with the Campus Heartthrob (DATING)
The next day during a professional class, Ji Su sat in the third row with his eyelids heavy.
The teacher at the podium noticed his head nodding and found it somewhat novel.
Ji Su was a model student, always attentive and taking notes even in elective classes. Teachers loved interacting with him in class, so this was the first time they'd seen him dozing off.
Qiao Jin noticed the teacher's gaze lingering on Ji Su and secretly nudged him with his elbow.
Ji Su's long, thick lashes fluttered like startled butterflies as he suddenly straightened up while looking dazed.
The teacher gave him a kind smile and continued the lecture.
For the rest of the class, Ji Su kept pinching his palm to stay awake.
Finally, when the class ended, Qiao Jin immediately leaned over and asked, "Susu, what did you do last night? Why are you so tired?"
"Don't mention it..." Ji Su packed his bag and replied softly, "I was being chased in my dreams all night."
"Huh?" Qiao Jin's eyes widened. "Was the person chasing you Gu Zhao?"
Ji Su: "Yes..."
In his dream, Gu Zhao emerged from the phone screen then pulled out a gun without a word, and transformed into a cold-blooded assassin.
They chased each other until Ji Su was cornered at a cliff, and he woke up with a start.
He then couldn't sleep for the rest of the night and stay awake until dawn, so he was severely sleep-deprived.
"It's not that bad!" Qiao Jin tried to comfort him. "We live in a society governed by law and Gu Zhao is a top law student. He wouldn't break the law."
Ji Su sighed softly: "People really shouldn't do things they'll regret."
On the way to the cafeteria, Qiao Jin suddenly remembered an important question: "Tomorrow's the holiday. Have you decided to come out with us?"
Ji Su declined: "I won't go. Have fun."
Qiao Jin saw through his concern: "It's fine. I checked with Zhou Yang. Gu Zhao won't be there."
Ji Su: "Really?"
"Really, would I lie to you?" Qiao Jin patted his chest confidently. "Staying alone on campus will just make you overthink. It's better to go out and relax."
Ji Su weighed his options and finally agreed: "Alright."
He didn't want to go home, and staying on campus increased the chances of running into Gu Zhao. Going on a trip seemed like the best option.
"Great!" Qiao Jin jumped with joy. "I'll message Zhou Yang right away to make arrangements."
Ji Su hesitated: "Qiao Jin..."
Qiao Jin: "What?"
Ji Su shook his head: "Never mind, it's nothing."
He had wanted Qiao Jin to ask Zhou Yang about Gu Zhao's reaction, but after being blocked by Meng Meng last night, he figured Gu Zhao wouldn't be in a good mood.
As the instigator, anything he did now would seem hypocritical.
After dinner, Ji Su was drawing in the dorm.
After who knows how long, his phone on the desk suddenly vibrated.
His first thought was that G had messaged him again, but after a few seconds, he remembered he had already blocked the other person.
G wouldn't message Meng Meng anymore, and he wouldn't log into that account again.
Ji Su picked up his phone and opened WeChat.
Ji Chen: [Bro, are you coming home tomorrow?]
Ji Su: [No, I'm going out with some classmates.]
Ji Chen: [Huh? Not coming back?]
Ji Chen: [Not even for a day? It feels like it's been forever since I last saw you.]
Ji Su hesitated but still gave a negative answer.
Ji Su: [After your exams, you can come visit me.]
Ji Chen: [Really?]
Ji Chen: [I can really come find you after the exams?]
Ji Su: [Yes.]
Ji Su: [Good luck.]
Ji Chen: [Bro, I'll work hard. I'll come to A University to find you as soon as the exams are over!]
Finally ending the chat, Ji Su was about to continue drawing when his phone rang again.
Seeing the caller ID, he frowned and walked to the balcony before answering.
"Your brother said you're not coming home for the holiday?" Ji Zhenghai's voice was accusatory. "Didn't I tell you to make time to come home? Is university really that busy?"
Ji Su explained softly: "I'm sorry, Dad. I've already made plans with my classmates."
Ji Zhenghai's tone was displeased: "What plans?"
Ji Su replied honestly: "We're going on a trip."
"So you'd rather go on a trip with your classmates than come home?" Ji Zhenghai began to lose his temper. "Do you dislike coming home that much? Has anyone in this family mistreated you? Tell me!"
Ji Su bit his lip and didn't respond.
Qiao Jin peeked out from behind the balcony door and whispered, "Who is it?"
Ji Su mouthed: "My dad."
Qiao Jin's eyebrows shot up, and he immediately snatched the phone to greet loudly, "Hello, Uncle!"
The scolding on the other end abruptly stopped. Ji Zhenghai cleared his throat awkwardly: "Ahem... Who is this?"
Qiao Jin rolled his eyes while speaking politely, "Uncle, it's Qiao Jin. Don't you remember me?"
Ji Zhenghai: "Ah, yes, I remember."
"Uncle, here's the thing. I was the one who insisted on taking Ji Su on this trip," Qiao Jin lied without hesitation. "You know how unsafe it is out there these days, with all those news stories about college students going missing while traveling alone. It's safer to go with someone, right?"
Ji Zhenghai: "But—"
"Also, Ji Chen is about to take his high school entrance exams, right? You and Auntie must be busy taking care of him. If Ji Su came home now, he'd just be in the way," Qiao Jin said in the most polite tone but was laced with sarcasm. "Don't you think so, Uncle?"
He rattled off so quickly that Ji Zhenghai couldn't keep up and was momentarily at a loss for words.
"Well, that's all, Uncle. Goodbye." Having said his piece, Qiao Jin decisively hung up.
Ji Su, who had been listening the whole time, looked at Qiao Jin with admiration: "Qiao Jin, you're really good at this."
"Not at all," Qiao Jin flipped his bangs casually, then added, "Susu, you're not bad either. You just don't want to argue with your dad, so you stay silent out of habit."
Ji Su gave a faint smile: "Arguing doesn't help anyway."
Ji Zhenghai never really listened to what he had to say or cared about his true feelings. Why bother making things difficult for himself?
Then let it be.
Maintaining peace, at least on the surface, made it seem like he wasn't alone.
"Let's not talk about these unhappy things anymore." Qiao Jin handed the phone back to him. "Come on, let's pack our clothes and get ready for a fun trip tomorrow!"
Ji Su put away his phone: "Alright."
The other two roommates had already gone home early, leaving only the two of them in the dorm.
Ji Su took out clothes from the wardrobe, and while rummaging through them, he unexpectedly found the skirt Gu Zhao had bought for him.
Qiao Jin saw it too and teased, "What, Susu, you still want to wear a skirt?"
"Of course not!" Ji Su snapped back to reality and quickly stuffed the skirt back into the deepest part of the wardrobe.
"Honestly, I kind of miss seeing you in a skirt." Qiao Jin smacked his lips as if reminiscing about something. "Actually, I can't blame Gu Zhao. Who wouldn't be mesmerized by those legs of yours?"
"Qiao Jin, stop it..." Ji Su looked at him helplessly. "Let's just let this matter go, okay?"
"Alright, alright!" Qiao Jin knew when to stop. "How many outfits are you planning to bring?"
Ji Su stuffed the selected clothes into his backpack: "Two sets."
Qiao Jin looked surprised: "Susu, are you serious?"
Ji Su: "What's the problem?"
"You're such a straight guy, not the least bit refined!" Qiao Jin shook his finger. "We're going to be out for several days. You can't wear the same clothes every day."
Ji Su found it troublesome: "It's fine. I'll just wash and change."
Qiao Jin reminded him: "If you run out of clothes, don't expect to borrow mine."
Although they were similar in size, Ji Su was slightly taller, and their fashion styles were completely different. So, even though they were close, they never borrowed each other's clothes.
Ji Su glanced at Qiao Jin's flamboyant clothes and smiled: "Don't worry, I won't steal your clothes."
........
Around 9 PM, Gu Zhao sat in his chair staring at the WeChat chat window with his cold gaze as if it could pierce through the phone.
"Brother Gu, I found it, I found it!" Wang Mingzhe stood up excitedly while leaning on the table with one hand as he moved over.
Gu Zhao glanced sideways: "Let me see."
"There are only three freshmen in the music school this year with names containing 'Meng': Li Shimeng, Zheng Yimeng, and Zhao Mengmeng." Wang Mingzhe handed his phone over. "Here are their photos. Do you want to meet them one by one?"
Gu Zhao scanned the screen then his tone turned grim: "None of them."
"Wait, Brother Gu, haven't you ever seen Meng Meng's face?" Zhou Yang couldn't help but wonder. "How can you tell they're not her at a glance?"
Gu Zhao: "By their legs."
"Damn, you can tell just by that?" Wang Mingzhe found it unbelievable. "What if the photos she sent you were photoshopped?"
Gu Zhao was certain: "They're not photoshopped."
No one knew he was a leg enthusiast and with his own set of aesthetic standards for legs, it was almost to the point of being pathological. For so long, only those legs had perfectly hit every nerve of his.
Long and straight, as if one hand couldn't reach the end, skin as white as jade, smooth and flawless.
The proportions between the thighs and calves were perfect, the lines elegant and fluid, slender yet with just the right amount of flesh, not too much and not too little.
The knee joints were round and delicate with a faint pink hue, and even the red mole on the inner thigh seemed to have grown according to his preferences.
He had to admit, he was initially drawn to that leg photo.
"Wait!" Wang Mingzhe slammed the table. "Is it possible that the name 'Meng Meng' is also fake?"
Gu Zhao had also considered this possibility, so his face darken as he remained silent.
He had always known the other person had ulterior motives and didn't mind Meng Meng occasionally telling harmless little lies. But how could someone who could play such a piano piece be a complete fraud?
"Maybe she's a professional online scammer!" Zhou Yang finally couldn't hold back and his tone was full of regret. "Ji Su said you might have encountered an online scammer, and I didn't take it seriously at the time. I should have listened to him and warned you earlier!"
Wang Mingzhe's eyes widened: "Brother Gu, did that Meng Meng scam you out of money?"
"No." Gu Zhao said coldly. "She didn't want my money."
Not only did she not scam him out of money, but she also sent him 10,000 yuan.
So, no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't understand why she suddenly turned cold and blocked him.
Could it really be as Meng Meng said, that she had mistaken him for someone else from the start, played the piano for him when he needed it most, chatted with him every day, and said she liked him and was willing to accept everything about him, all for the sake of another man...
Thinking of this, Gu Zhao's expression turned even darker, like a storm was brewing.
"She didn't scam you out of money?" Wang Mingzhe scratched the back of his head and was completely confused. "Then what... what exactly is going on?"
"If it's not about money, then it's about emotions." Zhou Yang speculated. "Isn't there a type of scumbag who enjoys playing with others' feelings?"
Gu Zhao was silent for a few seconds, then looked up at him: "Who did you say thought I might have encountered an online scammer?"
"Huh? Oh! Ji Su." Zhou Yang explained. "That Ji Su from the architecture department. He came to my birthday party with Qiao Jin. Do you remember him?"
Gu Zhao narrowed his dark eyes slightly: "How did he know I encountered an online scammer?"
"Well..." Zhou Yang felt a bit guilty and took a step to the side. "I just mentioned casually that you might be in an online relationship recently..."
Gu Zhao frowned: "You've been spreading the word about my online relationship?"
"No, no, no!" Zhou Yang quickly waved his hands in denial. "I didn't spread it around. I only told the two of them."
Wang Mingzhe also raised his hands: "This has nothing to do with me. I didn't say anything!"
Gu Zhao's gaze returned to the phone screen with his eyes growing increasingly inscrutable.
Wang Mingzhe thought for a moment and then suggested: "Why don't you, Brother Gu, stake out the music school next door and try to identify her by looking at the legs of passing girls? You might just catch Meng Meng!"
Gu Zhao glanced at him: "Do you think I'm a pervert?"
Wang Mingzhe manually sealed his mouth: "Ok fine, forget I said that."
The dorm fell silent as no one spoke.
"Brother Gu, tomorrow is the May Day holiday. I don't think we'll find this person anytime soon. Why don't you come out with us and have some fun?" Zhou Yang cautiously broke the silence. "Take a break, and maybe you'll forget about this when you come back."
Gu Zhao tapped the table with his knuckles: "Who did you say was going?"
"Right now, it's me, Old Wang, and Qiao Jin. Ji Su initially said he wasn't going but changed his mind just now." Zhou Yang counted on his fingers. "And—"
Before he could finish, Gu Zhao interrupted: "I'll go."
.........
Early Saturday morning, Qiao Jin excitedly jumped out of bed and started getting ready.
Ji Su waited until he was almost done before washing up, but still ended up waiting an extra ten minutes.
At 7:50 AM, the two of them walked to the school gate together.
"Qiao Jin, Ji Su!" Zhou Yang waved enthusiastically from a distance. "We're over here!"
Qiao Jin waved back: "Coming!"
As Ji Su approached, he noticed that besides Zhou Yang and Wang Mingzhe, who was on crutches, there was also a tall, unfamiliar guy.
"Ji Su." The guy greeted him. "I told you we'd meet again, didn't I?"
Ji Su looked a bit confused: "You are..."
"I'm He Yiming!" He Yiming looked at him expectantly. "Don't you remember me?"
Ji Su finally retrieved the guy's information from his memory and tried to cover his awkwardness with a smile: "I remember, we met at Zhou Yang's birthday party."
"Yes, yes, yes!" He Yiming's eyes lit up when he saw that Ji Su remembered him. "We were going to add each other on WeChat back then, but your phone died, so we didn't get to."
Ji Su: "..."
Why was this guy still so persistent about adding him on WeChat after all this time?
"Oh, so there's this little episode?" Wang Mingzhe keenly sensed something off. "Old He, why do you want to add Ji Su on WeChat?"
He Yiming's face inexplicably turned red: "I—"
"Hey!" At that moment, Zhou Yang spotted someone approaching. "Brother Gu! Over here!"
Ji Su stiffened and instinctively turned around to confirm.
Gu Zhao was wearing a familiar black jacket with a black hiking bag slung over one shoulder, and walked towards them with one hand in his pocket with his expression indifferent.
"Damn—" Qiao Jin quickly cut off the curse and whispered urgently, "Zhou Yang, didn't you say Gu Zhao wasn't coming?"
Zhou Yang scratched the back of his head: "Oh right, Brother Gu decided to come last night. I forgot to tell you."
"The more, the merrier!" Wang Mingzhe chimed in. "I love a lively crowd."
He Yiming teased him: "I can tell. Otherwise, you wouldn't be so determined to go on a trip even on crutches."
"You—" Wang Mingzhe raised his crutch to hit him but caught sight of Gu Zhao and put it down.
Ji Su turned back and exchanged a look with Qiao Jin.
Ji Su: Can I bail now?
Qiao Jin: Doesn't look like it...
"Ji Su, let me carry your bag." He Yiming extended his right hand. "It looks pretty heavy."
Ji Su politely declined: "It's not heavy. I can carry it myself. Thanks."
He Yiming didn't insist: "Alright then."
"Alright, everyone's here!" Zhou Yang clapped his hands. "The car is parked at the school gate. Let's get ready to go."
In front of him was the beaming He Yiming, and behind him was the icy-faced Gu Zhao.
Ji Su stood still and did not want to move an inch.
Is there any kind soul out there who could kidnap me right now?
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