Su Nuan and Gu Chuchu sat on the grass, ready to eat.

"Should we find another spot for breakfast?" Lin Shu scratched the back of his head. "We’ll definitely get swarmed by onlookers here."

"Wherever senior goes, I’ll follow."

"Planning to eat in our classroom? I don’t mind, but our junior might be too scared to come," Su Nuan teased.

"Scared? No way! Senior will protect me anyway."

"Not the classroom. Somewhere dirtier and darker."

Lin Shu pointed to a one-and-a-half-story shed between the senior high building and the indoor gym. It was the school’s sports equipment warehouse.

"The roof of the warehouse? We’d need a ladder to climb up. And it’s probably filthy, covered in trash," Su Nuan mused, stroking her chin.

"It’s the warehouse itself. I have the key."

After thinking it over, this was the only place no one else would be.

"Did the PE teacher ask you to work, and you secretly made a spare key?" Su Nuan’s eyes darted playfully as she guessed.

"The coach did ask me to move stuff. But he forgot the key was with me and grabbed a spare. When I tried to return it, he said to keep it. He claimed the warehouse is full of junk and antiques—nothing valuable. He told me to use it whenever we need balls or mats," Lin Shu said, shrugging helplessly.

"Seems the coach really favors you."

"He knows my dad. He’s a regular at our gym too. He’s the one who suggested I become a sports student."

"Hmph, pulling strings?"

"Wish it were that easy. PE tests are won drop by drop of sweat. The high school entrance exam nearly killed me."

"Senior, stop chatting with Su Nuan-jie! Breakfast is getting cold. Let’s hurry to the warehouse," Gu Chuchu pleaded, hugging Lin Shu’s arm and trying to drag him. But he stood firm.

Su Nuan remained seated on the grass, reaching her small hand toward Lin Shu.

He knew her legs had gone numb again—she really needed more exercise. He pulled her up by the hand, and the trio headed for the warehouse.

The entrance was an iron gate, locked with an ordinary yellow padlock. Lin Shu unlocked it and pushed the creaking door open. Petite Gu Chuchu slipped inside first. Su Nuan ducked under Lin Shu’s arm to follow.

Lin Shu relocked the padlock, stepped in, and shut the door behind him.

The warehouse was dim, lit only by a small attic window.

Downstairs, a basket of basketballs and one of volleyballs sat beside a cracked ping-pong table and dusty gymnastic mats. Deflated soccer balls littered the floor. The air reeked of dust. In the shadows, badminton rackets, jump ropes, hurdles, and track-marking lime could be spotted.

Usually, students only came here during basketball class or free time to grab a ball and kill time.

"Bringing two girls to a place like this… are you planning something weird?" Su Nuan crossed her arms, eyeing him warily.

"Senior can do anything to me. I’m mentally prepared," Gu Chuchu declared, half-clenching her tiny fists and swaying them, a hint of anticipation in her voice.

"We’re just eating. Nothing else."

Lin Shu flicked both girls on the forehead with a chop. What nonsense filled their heads? They were supposed to be good students.

"Could someone lock us inside?" Su Nuan worried. "That’s the classic warehouse trope."

"No way. Without a key, how?"

"What if a teacher with a key comes to lock up?"

"The earliest PE class is third period. Teachers won’t show up this early. My coach just checks on us occasionally, then goes for breakfast. Downstairs is messy. Let’s go to the attic—it’s cleaner."

They climbed the creaking wooden stairs to the attic, filled with discarded ping-pong tables. Last year, alumni donated new ones, so the old ones were hauled here by Lin Shu and other sports students to gather dust.

"So dirty."

Dust coated the tables like a waxy film. Su Nuan wanted to touch it but hesitated.

"This table’s cleaner. I wiped it with a cloth," Lin Shu said, patting one by the window. He pulled a moisture-proof mat from a bag under the table and spread it on the netless surface.

"On days I skip lunch, I nap here. Better than dozing at a desk."

"With your friends?"

"Just me. They have dorm beds. I don’t want to sleep in someone else’s—what if they return? Awkward."

Lin Shu and Su Nuan sat side by side on the table edge. Short-legged Gu Chuchu crawled onto the table and settled on Lin Shu’s other side.

"Shu-shu, open wide…"

Su Nuan grinned, feeding him.

"I have hands."

Su Nuan raised an eyebrow, puffing her cheeks in annoyance. She was clearly trying to act like a couple in front of Gu Chuchu to make her give up.

Lin Shu obediently complied.

"Senior, try mine too."

Gu Chuchu thrust a meat baozi forward, refusing to back down.

"I told you not to force yourself. Just buy your own portion."

"I bought mine today too. Go ahead, senior."

"You didn’t overspend your breakfast money for the next few days, did you? I’ll transfer the cost. Give me your account."

Lin Shu hated freeloading.

"Sure! Add me as a friend, senior," Gu Chuchu chirped happily.

"Add me instead. I’ll pay for whatever my boyfriend ate. But really, stop feeding other girls’ boyfriends," Su Nuan cut in, deploying girlfriend defense.

"Su Nuan-jie is such a miser."

"I’m already generous letting you eat here with us."

Reluctantly, Gu Chuchu added Su Nuan’s account. It was progress, even if against a rival.

"I’m changing clothes. Don’t peek."

Lin Shu grabbed his uniform and headed downstairs. But Su Nuan and Gu Chuchu followed right after.

"I brought your backpack down. Morning reading starts soon. Change quickly and let’s go," Su Nuan said, her own bag on her back and Lin Shu’s slung across her chest.

"I’ll hold your old clothes, senior. I’ll be your clothes hanger."

"A hanger that short?" Su Nuan scoffed.

"Yes, there is."

Thankfully, the dim light downstairs spared Lin Shu from too much exposure.

As soon as he stripped off his training top, Gu Chuchu snatched it and buried her face in it, taking a deep sniff.

"It smells all like senior."

"Junior, there’s a limit to being a creep."

"Loving someone means loving everything about them. I bet Su Nuan-jie can’t even stand senior’s sweat smell."

"Of course I can!" Su Nuan grabbed the shirt, sniffed it boldly. Amid their bickering, Lin Shu had already changed into his uniform pants, clutching his training shorts—they reeked stronger.

"You can change here too, no need for the bathroom."

"Coming all the way here just to change is troublesome. If I open this place, others might sneak in. If something goes missing—even if it’s worthless—I’m the only one besides teachers with a key. I’d have to pay a fine. Better to avoid trouble and use the bathroom."

"Speaking of which, if we leave the warehouse together and someone sees us, won’t more weird rumors spread?" Su Nuan grinned slyly.

"You two go first. I’ll wait. I don’t mind being late," Lin Shu said nervously. How hadn’t he thought of this earlier? He’d only worried about breakfast photos.

But Su Nuan didn’t budge.

"I’m walking with you. I’m your girlfriend—I don’t care about rumors."

"Then I won’t leave either."

"Class starts soon. Junior, don’t you mind being late? Your building’s far from here, right?"

Gu Chuchu bit her lip, pushed the door open, and declared, "I’ll be back."

"You go too."

"Why? More rumors are better. I want everyone to know we’re a couple."

"That shirt stinks, right?"

"A bit. But I’m used to it."

"Sorry…"

Though Su Nuan had many admirers, most acted behind the scenes. The class monitor and Da Ben only pulled petty tricks to annoy Lin Shu. In terms of persistence, Gu Chuchu was the toughest.

"No problem. We have PE tomorrow afternoon. I’ll let you smell my sweat. We’ll call it even."

It sounded fine at first. But the more he thought, the weirder it felt.