I’d seen Lin Muke’s sad expression—and because of it, guilt weighed on me like a stone pressing against my heart.

I knew exactly what my earlier act meant. Lin Muke’s intention was unmistakable. But as the girl, she’d waited for the guy—me—to take that final step. I won’t deny it: just a little initiative from me, and we might’ve become the class’s first openly dating couple.

Yet I played dumb. Not truly clueless—just deliberately so. The message was crystal clear.

I—rejected Lin Muke.

Even I found it hard to believe. Lin Muke was *that* girl. Back when I first joined class, during idle chats with the guys, her name always came up: stunning looks, gentle, caring—the perfect wife-and-mother type you’d proudly bring home.

And yet I turned down her subtle confession. Ye Huaixian… what virtue do *I* possess to deserve such affection?

But once the gloom lifted, I slipped back into my old self—the Ye Huaixian who could “go with the flow,” yet still march to his own drum.

Morning’s last class was PE. As the dismissal bell rang, I slowly packed up, planning to shoot hoops then head straight home. Fang Liancheng strolled over with his basketball, pretending to chuck it at me. I didn’t flinch. He just pursed his lips.

“Wang Jingzhe, wanna play ball?” he called to my front-desk neighbor. Lately, Wang had turned into a study machine—attentive in class, cramming problems the second the bell rang.

“Nope! Playing ball? Not happening. This PE hour’s for worksheets and flashcards.”

I was already standing. Fang tossed the ball. I caught it one-handed. “Let’s go,” I murmured.

I left the classroom without glancing ahead. Fang followed.

I dribbled down the hall while he trailed behind, muttering.

“Huaixian… I thought selling those fan comics was for your dating fund…”

“Never guessed you’d actually reject Lin Muke…”

“You don’t… have some ‘can’t get it up’ issue…?”

“Get lost!”

I hurled the ball at him. *Figures—nothing decent ever comes out of that mouth.*

Was it so hard to admit I, Ye Huaixian, had principles? That I’d risen above base desires?

He fell into step beside me.

“But seriously, Huaixian—how could you say no to Lin Muke’s advances?”

I sighed. “You wouldn’t get it. There’s a saying: ‘One glimpse of *that* person ruins your whole life.’"

“All I’ll say: I gave up the whole forest for one single cloud.”

“Yeah, right. Since when was the forest even *yours*?” Fang sneered.

“The *cloud* is the point!”

“Oh? Who’s this ‘cloud’?”

“Not telling.”

“Drop dead!” He lunged for my neck again.

We tumbled down the stairs laughing. Honestly? Hanging with an idiot like him always lightened my mood.

I knew I’d hurt Lin Muke. But I had reasons—reasons I couldn’t ignore.

My future belonged to Xiao Xian and my senpai.

Seemingly out of reach… yet traces of the path remained clear.

With Lin Muke? Only emptiness lay ahead.

If it was destined for nothing… better it never began.

&

Lin Muke watched Ye Huaixian’s retreating figure until a classmate’s nudge pulled her from her daze. She rose absently and followed them toward the locker room.