"This... who did this..."

Wu Feng froze the moment he rushed into class, staring at the array of food covering his desk.

"Your girlfriend, obviously," Zhou Zhiyi said with feigned envy—though a trace of real envy lingered. "Lucky bastard."

Wu Feng always cut it close to being late, grabbing breakfast with Zhou Zhiyi during the long break.

Which gave Chu Xinyue the perfect excuse to buy him meals.

Still, it was a staple scene in youth romance novels.

"That’s right. I bought them," she admitted.

"But why so much?!"

"Because... I didn’t know what Little Feng likes!" Chu Xinyue fidgeted, cheeks flushing. "A failure as a girlfriend..."

"I never agreed to that title! Can you read the room?!" Wu Feng hissed, glancing at the boys glaring daggers at him.

"But it’s the truth?"

"I never confirmed it!"

"Little Feng’s such a tsundere."

"..."

Words failed him. Defeated, Wu Feng slumped into his seat and opened his textbook.

Zhou Zhiyi’s gaze drifted to Qin Huan’s desk. Dark lines seemed etched across Qin Huan’s face.

*What a brutal harem battle...*

Tomorrow was the school sports day, yet Zhou Zhiyi felt nothing. The expected plot twist still hadn’t arrived. By now, the protagonist should’ve been sidelined—so why would the spotlight fall on the second lead?

*Unless... I’m not here to shine.*

*I’m here to embarrass myself.*

Zhou Zhiyi suspected Che Qingshi knew far more about the "Fate Mark," but he’d forgotten to contact her yesterday. Their meeting was set for after the sports day anyway. And he wasn’t even sure if mentioning the "Fate Mark" was safe.

"Zhou Zhiyi, wanna come over this weekend? I’ve got scary single-player games downloaded."

Wu Feng’s voice snapped him out of his spiral.

*How convenient...*

The weekend? That clashed with his plans to meet Che Qingshi.

*Which one to choose?*

"Sorry, I’ve got plans."

*As if it’s even a question. Che Qingshi, obviously.*

*Why suffer through his sister’s "real damage" at his place?*

"Little Feng, can I come?" Chu Xinyue chirped, somehow catching their conversation. Her eyes sparkled with hope.

"Hard pass," Wu Feng waved dismissively.

"Little Feng is so mean!" Tears glistened in her pretty eyes, pitifully adorable.

*...Probably faking it.*

"Wu Feng, you’d reject such a perfect girlfriend?" Zhou Zhiyi clapped his shoulder. "I’d jump at the chance."

*Truth was, if Chu Xinyue’s the heroine, pushing them together now prevents future harem chaos.*

*But only if she’s truly the heroine.*

"That’s you. Not me." Wu Feng shrugged. "Pay attention. Wei Zongqi catches us chatting, we’re in deep trouble."

*Weren’t you the one who started it?*

Chu Xinyue pouted but turned obediently toward the blackboard. Zhou Zhiyi sighed, following suit.

*When will this happen to me...*