The bus stop nearest to No.1 High School stood beside a newsstand at the crossroads. A long line of students waited for the bus. Su Nuan stood before the route map and asked, "Which bus should we take?"

"Plenty of options. Any bus passing near the city library works."

"Whoa, there really are a lot—almost every bus on this list..."

Su Nuan scanned the approaching bus against the route board.

"Lucky me! A bus just arrived as we got here," she grinned triumphantly.

"This one’s packed. It’s nearly full, and more people are trying to squeeze on."

Just as Lin Shu said, students too impatient to wait for dinner forced their way aboard. The doors wouldn’t close until the last few finally stepped off.

Two minutes later, another bus arrived.

"This one’s empty! And huge." Su Nuan spread her arms wide.

"It’s an intercity bus. Four yuan fare. Only worth it if you’re going all the way to the suburban terminal."

"Oh."

After another five or six minutes of waiting, Su Nuan tapped her foot impatiently, irritation creeping in.

Finally, a less popular route arrived—few passengers onboard, but it passed near the municipal government station, meaning a longer walk to the shop.

Su Nuan hopped on first. Lin Shu swiped his bus card twice.

*Beep. Student card.*

With no other passengers boarding, the doors closed. As the bus lurched forward, Su Nuan stumbled backward. Instinctively, she grabbed Lin Shu’s arm while he gripped the overhead handrail.

Plenty of seats were free. Su Nuan slid into a window seat in a two-person row. She unzipped her backpack and cradled it in her lap, then looked up at Lin Shu standing beside her. Patting the empty seat, she asked, "Aren’t you sitting?"

"I never sit on buses. Saves the hassle of giving up my seat later. Easier to get off from here too."

"Then I won’t sit either."

She slung her backpack across her chest, stood up, and positioned herself opposite Lin Shu. Their hands clasped the same pole, fingertips almost touching, toes brushing lightly.

After a few stops, no one got off. Gradually, chattering elementary schoolers and other passengers filled every seat. The cabin grew crowded, noisy, and stifling.

"Six more stops," Su Nuan said, squinting at the route map near the ceiling.

"Tired legs?"

"A little. Earning a meal from you isn’t easy."

When someone needed to exit, Su Nuan would pivot around the pole to let them pass.

"Don’t move yet," she said sternly.

"What? Do I have something on me?"

Su Nuan pinched Lin Shu’s chest lightly.

"Now we’re even."

*Still holding a grudge.*

"Rock-hard and no fun to squeeze."

"Yours isn’t much better."

"What did you say?"

Su Nuan stomped her foot onto Lin Shu’s shoe and kept it there until their stop. The moment the rear doors opened, she dashed off first, stretching her arms wide and rubbing her legs.

"My lady, how was your commoner’s bus ride?"

"Not what I imagined."

"What did you imagine?"

"Not telling. Next time, I’m taking a seat—and ignoring you, dummy."

They walked straight down the avenue, turned right at the crosswalk, and waited for the light. The shop sign came into view, flanked by an internet café and a music restaurant. The entire building housed a four-star hotel. Across the street stood the library and a senior college.

"It’s right over there."

"*Forest Fitness Lifestyle Center*."

"Where’s the forest? The nearest park is miles away."

"I asked the same thing. Probably because my dad’s named Lin Sen?"

"Your family’s naming sense is just..." Su Nuan pressed a hand to her forehead, too drained to comment further.

"My sister’s name is perfectly normal."

"Who asked about your family? Do you live nearby too?"

"Yeah. Renting in an old residential compound. The closest school is Experimental High."

"Why aren’t you there? Their uniforms are suits—with skirts."

"Private school. Tuition’s... steep. Uniforms cost extra. No way I could go. Why aren’t *you* there?"

"You wanna see me in a skirt?"

"Not interested. Light’s green. Let’s go."

"Hmph."

Su Nuan followed Lin Shu across the crosswalk.

Lin Shu pushed open the shop door. The two-story space housed a lounge-diner, workout zones, and member lockers on the first floor. Exposed concrete walls and antique hanging lamps cast a warm, dim glow.

"It doesn’t stink? I expected sweat fumes strong enough to knock you out." Su Nuan pinched her nose.

"We spent big on ventilation. Gym hygiene matters to people. Bright lights? Wear a cap. Too loud? Use earphones. Not enough equipment? Modify exercises. Competition’s fierce—if the place feels cheap or grimy, business dies. Yoga mats and changing rooms might smell a bit. Some people reek up close, but everyone carries deodorizing sprays."

Besides trainees, five coaches—three men, two women—were filming promotional shorts. All wore tank tops, flexing sculpted muscles. Two male coaches had discreet tattoos on their arms.

The group swarmed Lin Shu at once. Su Nuan instinctively ducked behind him.

"Young Master’s back from class? Is this pretty girl your girlfriend?"

"Just a classmate," Lin Shu corrected.

"First time seeing the Little Boss bring his girlfriend to the gym!"

"I said *classmate*."

"Call the owner! We’re drinking tonight to celebrate!"

"Don’t tell my dad about this."

Three male coaches whooped.

"Sister Jiang, is my dad here?" Lin Shu asked the front manager, Jiang Yan. She wore a black face mask, her toned midriff bare—no trace of fat. The gym’s top-selling personal trainer, she also managed the diner. Lin Shu had to log every meal he ate to balance the books.

"Owner’s not here. Only stopped by this morning."

"Oh, good." Lin Shu exhaled in relief. "I’ll grab something from the kitchen then."

"Lin Xiao Shu, do you have a secret identity?" Su Nuan whispered.

"Don’t listen to them. They’re just messing around."

The diner area was simple: pre-made meal boxes and veggie containers from a partnered health-food spot. Labels listed calories. Just microwave and eat.

But Lin Shu preferred stir-frying ingredients himself. Boiled chicken breast alone was too dry and bland.

"Su Nuan—" he began, tying an apron.

She shot him a glare. He corrected himself: "Xiao Nuan, any foods you can’t eat?"

"Hmm... probably none. If I can’t finish something, you eat it. Just cook like you always do."

Used to cooking only for himself, his sister, and aunt, Lin Shu made a slightly heartier meal today:

Pan-seared chicken breast, two fried eggs, oil-vinegar vegetable salad, multigrain rice, and passion fruit honey tea.

"Looks good, at least."

Su Nuan snapped photos with her phone, swatting Lin Shu’s hand when he reached for chopsticks.

After posting, she finally ate. She chewed a piece of chicken slowly.

"How’s the taste?"

His family always praised his cooking—but that was family bias.

"Better than I expected. A little."

Her chopsticks never stopped moving, though. She left all the raw broccoli in the salad but ate every potato chunk and cherry tomato.

"Now I’ll get skinny," Su Nuan declared, patting her full belly.

"Diet alone won’t slim you down. You need exercise too."

Lin Shu delivered the harsh truth.

"What do you do after lunch?" Su Nuan asked, chin resting on her hands.

"Nap on the folding cot. Then back to school."

"No homework?"

"None. Didn’t bring textbooks or assignments."

"How can you sleep? Let’s head back now."

"Seriously? So early?"

"It’s almost 1 PM. We forgot our bet with the teacher? My grades won’t drop, but *yours* have to improve."

"If I jump too high now, I’ll have no room to grow later."

Everyone wanted better grades—but effort felt like a chore.

"No one expects constant improvement. Small dips are normal. Just stay within the target range."

"Safe travels, Young Master!"

"See you next time, Little Boss! Bring your girlfriend again!"

Lin Shu stopped correcting them.

"*Young Master*? *Little Boss*? I’ll never get tired of hearing that," Su Nuan giggled behind her hand.

The bus was nearly empty this time. Su Nuan chose a seat similar to before and patted the space beside her. "It won’t fill up before school. Still standing like a fool?"

"I’ll nap sitting down," Lin Shu yawned. His afternoon siesta habit was kicking in.

"I’ll wake you at our stop."

Lin Shu closed his eyes. A moment later, a soft weight pressed against his shoulder. He glanced sideways—Su Nuan had slumped against him, breathing steadily.

*Who was scared to sleep earlier? And she’ll wake me at the stop?*

*Testing me? Seeing if this fake boyfriend takes advantage while she’s "asleep"? Like vetting an official?*

*Whatever. Sleep first.*

But strands of her hair tickled his neck. Impossible to rest.

He almost shook her awake—then remembered using this against her later. *At least protect my nap time.*

Sunlight streamed through the windowless bus. To keep her from waking, Lin Shu gently shaded her eyes with his hand.

As their stop neared, he shook her shoulder. "Su—Xiao Nuan. Wake up. Time to get off."

"Mmmph."

Su Nuan blinked open sleepy eyes, rubbing them and yawning. The bus doors wouldn’t wait. Lin Shu grabbed her hand and pulled her off. He stopped abruptly. Still drowsy, Su Nuan bumped straight into his back—and jolted fully awake.

"Why’d you sleep on the bus? Not tired earlier?" Lin Shu teased.

"Optimizing time," Su Nuan declared, smoothing her hair, her nose slightly pink. "If not on the bus, when *else* would I nap? You didn’t sleep at all?"

*Of course she wouldn’t admit she’d planned a quick nap but got too comfortable.*