Xie Linchuan opened his mouth, about to speak.
Then he heard her continue: "The class monitor has been diligently managing my livestream room all this time, so he's worked pretty hard. I'm thinking of giving him a gift."
She pointed at a jacket on the wall and asked, "Aren't you two good brothers? Tell me, would he like this style?"
Xie Linchuan was completely frozen.
It took him a while to snap out of it, his voice a little unsteady.
"So just now, when you asked Brother Zheng to pull Xubai away, it was to give him a surprise?"
Qiao Liuyue nodded, wearing an expression that said "the student has learned well." "Exactly."
It was a gift for Chu Xubai.
It was a gift for Chu Xubai.
It was a gift for Chu Xubai.
Those words kept circling and spinning around Xie Linchuan's ears. So the clown was himself?
Haha! Hahaha! Liuyue had no idea his birthday was coming up soon. Bringing him to the mall wasn't to buy him a birthday gift at all.
It was all just you being sentimental, thinking too much of yourself.
The little person inside Xie Linchuan's heart laughed and laughed, and then started to feel like crying.
He even felt a bit of regret over all the harsh words he'd said when he first met Liuyue.
So all of this was deserved! It was what he had coming! Wake up, stop fantasizing. Liuyue had Zheng Qingyuan, and she had Chu Xubai. Why would she ever like you?
Xie Linchuan! You're just a filthy rat living in a dark gutter.
Silently liking someone without daring to confess, only sneaking glances from behind, and imagining that maybe, just maybe, she'd have a tiny bit of feelings for you too.
But reality had punched him square in the face.
Telling him.
Stop dreaming.
Qiao Liuyue looks down on you. She hates you. She will never, ever like you.
At that moment, Xie Linchuan's teeth couldn't help but chatter slightly. His whole body felt like it was plunged into an ice cellar, as if he had turned cold from head to toe.
But Qiao Liuyue's voice broke through his thoughts.
"You're about the same height as the class monitor, and similar in build. Help me try on this jacket."
Like a walking corpse, Xie Linchuan instinctively said, "Okay."
By the time he realized what was happening, the light brown jacket was already on him, and he was standing in front of the mirror.
The man in the mirror was tall and slender, with a straight back. Among his handsome features, his eyes were especially striking—bright as flames—but at this moment, they were dull and dim.
Beneath a nose as upright as a mountain peak were pale, bloodless lips.
The corners of his mouth drooped slightly, carrying a hint of dejection.
He didn't want to be like this, but sometimes people just can't control their emotions. When you're in a bad mood, your whole being radiates a faint sense of listlessness and gloom.
Beside him, Qiao Liuyue, wearing a light blue dress with thin straps, was all smiles. She nodded approvingly at him in the mirror.
In a cheerful voice, she said, "Looks good. This color makes your skin look fairer. The class monitor should look really handsome in it."
Xie Linchuan seemed to find his voice again.
He said listlessly, "I don't think it works. Xubai doesn't like this color."
Actually, he was completely making that up.
Chu Xubai's style was more intellectual and cool-toned, so a beige jacket would definitely be something he'd like.
Especially since Liuyue had picked it out herself.
But Xie Linchuan was just sad. He was upset. He was jealous!
So, in the next round, Qiao Liuyue picked out five or six more pieces of clothing for Xie Linchuan to try on, and every single time, he said Chu Xubai wouldn't like that style.
Qiao Liuyue's patience ran out.
She shot him a sideways glare.
Somewhat annoyed, she said, "Is it really the class monitor who doesn't like it? Or is it you who doesn't like it? We've almost tried on every jacket in this store."
Xie Linchuan was stubborn. He forced himself to say, "Neither of us likes them."
Qiao Liuyue curled the corner of her mouth.
Clearly dissatisfied.
"Xie Linchuan, didn't you just say you'd be my obedient puppy? Are you messing with me on purpose now?"
Xie Linchuan's eyes reddened. He turned his head away stubbornly and said in a tight voice, "I'm not."
"Didn't you just say the class monitor would like this color and this style? When you actually tried it on, you said it didn't look good. You've gone back and forth like this several times now."
Xie Linchuan choked up, his voice thick. "It just doesn't look good!"
Qiao Liuyue waved her hand, her tone clearly displeased.
"Fine. I chose the wrong person today. Having you as my advisor is infuriating, a complete waste of time."
"I'll just ask someone else to help."
With that, she walked off on her own, completely ignoring Xie Linchuan still standing in the store.
The shop assistants around them looked at each other, not daring to speak.
Xie Linchuan stared at the jacket he was wearing in the mirror. He tried hard to curl up the corners of his mouth, but a wave of sourness rushed up through his nose.
He whispered softly, "It looks so good."
After a pause, he said in a dejected voice, "Too bad... it's not mine."
...
Chu Xubai had noticed that Xie Linchuan had been acting strange lately.
Every day after work, he came home very late. When asked, he said he was working overtime. He hadn't even been to Liuyue's gaming livestream in a long time.
As a good brother, since that dinner they'd all had together, Chu Xubai had gradually guessed what was going on in his friend's heart.
His feelings were complicated too.
His good brother had also fallen for the same girl Chu Xubai liked.
But he didn't want to give her up.
So Chu Xubai wanted to have a proper talk with Xie Linchuan, to be open and honest and clear things up.
But lately, Xie Linchuan had been leaving early and coming home late. There was simply no way to find him.
Or maybe—it wasn't that Xie Linchuan was avoiding Chu Xubai. Maybe he was avoiding Qiao Liuyue, who lived right across the hall.
Zheng Qingyuan had also caught on. At first, he was gleeful about it. When the two were at home, he'd laugh and say, "Isn't this great? We've got one less competitor, and you don't have to fight your bro over a girl. It's perfect."
But gradually, he noticed that Xie Linchuan's mood was off.
Zheng Qingyuan started to grow a little worried too.
Several times, when he saw Xie Linchuan coming home late from his night shift, he couldn't help but advise him:
"I know your company pays overtime, but you don't have to push yourself this hard. What if you ruin your health!"
Xie Linchuan's voice was stiff and ungrateful. "That's none of your business."
Zheng Qingyuan didn't know what else to say.
Meanwhile, some fans in Qiao Liuyue's livestream room asked: "Hey? Why haven't we seen Happy Puppy in a long time?"
Happy Puppy was a regular presence in the livestream room. He never spent money, but he showed up for every single stream.
And every time someone came to cause trouble in the room, he'd scold them right back.
His fighting ability was fiercely strong.
So other fans jokingly called him Fighting Puppy.
Of course, there were also some sly fans who'd say: "He's just a Fierce Dog in our livestream room."
Also, every time there was an exciting clip from the game in the room, he'd edit it and post it on his own account.
He was essentially Qiao Liuyue's ultimate superfan.
During one livestream, Qiao Liuyue noticed an anonymous user enter the room. In a very indifferent tone, she said:
"Oh, he's probably busy with real-life stuff."
"It's fine. We don't need Happy Puppy. We still have President Yuan and the class monitor. Everyone focus on watching me play."
The next second, Qiao Liuyue saw that anonymous user leave the livestream room.
