ATPN Chapter 53

Chapter 53: Something’s Up~

Chapter 53: Something’s Up~

Yu Zhanrong slammed the door shut with a bang, isolating the roommates’ uproarious laughter inside. Standing before Song Baiyan, his face was flushed crimson, the blush spreading from his earlobes down to his neck.

A fleeting gleam flickered in Song Baiyan’s eyes. He lightly cleared his throat to suppress his amusement, and handed him the notebook he held: “Your notebook.”

During the meeting, Yu Zhanrong had used his own notebook to take notes. He left in the middle of it, so he hadn’t taken it with him.

He thought Meng Xiyue would return it, or he would go find Meng Xiyue in a couple of days to retrieve it. He never expected Song Baiyan would personally deliver it to his dorm.

“Meng Xiyue said we live close, on different floors, and asked me to bring it to you. Organize a copy of the meeting notes and send it to me. You—”

“Hic~!”

“…”

So embarrassing! Save me!!

Yu Zhanrong really wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into. He had never been so embarrassed, especially in front of Song Baiyan.

The hiccups just wouldn’t stop. Overwhelmed with shame, Yu Zhanrong grabbed the notebook and covered his flushed face, wishing he could bury his whole self in the notebook. He was too ashamed to face anyone.

Is he so nervous?

Song Baiyan chuckled softly.

Hearing the low laughter, Yu Zhanrong felt even more mortified. He pressed the notebook to his face, speechless and on the verge of collapse: “Senior Brother, please don’t laugh… Hic~”

“…”

“…”

Song Baiyan gazed at Yu Zhanrong, who was completely shielding his face, and leaned closer.

He reached out and pulled the notebook away, meeting Yu Zhanrong’s eyes. His dark pupils resembled a tranquil lake.

Suddenly confronted with Song Baiyan’s handsome face so close, Yu Zhanrong was startled and instinctively recoiled.

Song Baiyan knew he would startle him, but he didn’t expect such a big reaction. Seeing that he was about to retreat into the dorm, he quickly pressed his large hand on the back of Yu Zhanrong’s neck, pulling him closer.

When Yu Zhanrong was pressed against Song Baiyan’s shoulder, his head buzzed.

They were too close. He could even clearly hear the thumping of a heartbeat, unsure if it was his or Song Baiyan’s.

He also didn’t know what kind of laundry detergent Song Baiyan used, but it… smelled quite nice.

“Se…Se…Senior…Brother…” Yu Zhanrong’s mind was a bit muddled as he stammered.

Before he could finish speaking, Song Baiyan had already released him and stepped back, creating distance between them.

“I startled you too much.”

“?”

“See if the hiccups are gone?”

Yu Zhanrong: “…”

They really seemed to be gone?

So, he was curing his hiccups just now?

“I’ve delivered the notebook. Remember to organize the meeting minutes and send them to me. I’m leaving.” Song Baiyan’s expression remained unchanged, still calm and composed.

Only his right hand, hanging by his side, slightly curled up.

Song Baiyan’s figure turned into the stairwell and disappeared into the hallway. Yu Zhanrong still stood there holding the notebook, the heat on his face yet to dissipate.

Inhale, exhale.

Inhale, exhale.

After the heat on his face had almost faded, Yu Zhanrong pushed open the door to the dorm.

The three who had been playing games had stopped, and were now sitting in a row, backs against their chairs, looking like they were preparing for a three-way interrogation.

Without needing to think, he knew what they wanted to ask. The gossipy feelings in their eyes were almost overflowing. Yu Zhanrong didn’t bother with them, placed the notebook back on the desk, and touched his face with the back of his hand. It was still a bit hot.

He glanced out of the corner of his eye. The three were still staring at him, and he strategically picked up his water cup for a drink.

Liu Yi cleared his throat, pinched his voice, and affectedly patted Yang You’s shoulder: “Se…Se…Senior…Brother~”

Yu Zhanrong: “…???”

Crap, goosebumps all over, so disgusting!

Yang You shuddered, resisting the discomfort, tilted his head, deliberately lowered his voice, and said in a deep tone: “Startled you? Cured the hiccups.”

Yu Zhanrong: “…”

“Get lost!”

“Aiya, Little Yu, don’t be so irritable. Look how red your face is.”

Yu Zhanrong subconsciously touched his face.

“Look, look…” Yang You tugged at Tang Wei, “I told you, there’s definitely something fishy between them!”

“I was disgusted by you guys, yue~” Yu Zhanrong slapped Liu Yi, “Especially you! You almost made me yue out the noodles I just ate.”

“What’s the grudge? Why are you guys doing this to me?”

“To be fair, Yi Yi, with your build, little punches to your chest like that are terrifying.” Tang Wei was also disgusted.

Liu Yi was 1.9 meters tall and a member of the basketball team, with a muscular build. He could lift two Yu Zhanrongs with ease.

Yu Zhanrong rolled his eyes countless times in his heart, but still explained, “Senior Brother Song just came to bring me the notebook. Why are you guys making such a big deal out of it? Read more, gossip less.”

Yang You didn’t believe him, and neither did the others.

Who was Song Baiyan?

He was someone on a pedestal. Not only was he handsome and academically excellent, but his family background was also impossibly high. It was said that his family had donated two buildings to Hua University.

He himself had been working on projects since his sophomore year, and had made an unknown amount of money.

Would such a celestial being personally deliver a notebook to someone for no reason?

“The student union president is so busy, does he have time to personally deliver it?”

“Is your notebook made of gold?”

“Exactly.”

Yu Zhanrong choked.

Tang Wei stroked his chin thoughtfully, a look of a detective who had found a clue: “Yu’er, you didn’t join any clubs at first, but you went to the school’s student union. Hmm? Was it because of Song Baiyan?”

“Something’s up~~”

“No!!”

Damn it!

He blurted it out again.

The hamster in Yu Zhanrong’s heart screamed wildly.

“Oho, you admitted it without being forced. Do you really like Song Baiyan?” Three people, six eyes, stared intently at Yu Zhanrong.

“I don’t!!”

I don’t… not really.

“I just admire him! Admire, understand?”

Admire my ass!

Yu Zhanrong retorted stubbornly, the heat that had finally subsided quickly climbed back onto his face.

Damn it.

The words he said, he himself refuted them all in his heart. Who would believe him?

He lowered his head, pretending to open his laptop. The computer’s startup sound couldn’t drown out the pounding of his heart.

“Then why are you shy?”

“I said I don’t, I don’t. Study more, gossip less. Let knowledge fill your empty minds, okay?”

“Did you pass English level four? What about level six? Can you get full marks in your major courses? Have you learned advanced mathematics? Have you taken all the certificates you need to take? Do you still want to come to my place for hotpot next week?”

A barrage of violent output stunned the three roommates.

“Go, go, go.”

Seeing that he was embarrassed and angry, Yang You and the others stopped pursuing the matter. The three looked at each other, tacitly understanding, and went back to hum and play games.

Yu Zhanrong waited for the computer to finish booting. His face was reflected on the screen, and he suddenly felt a sense of shame, as if he had been stripped bare.

It was as if the secret was no longer a secret, but deep inside, a corner was filled with a subtle sweetness.

Actually, it wasn’t that he couldn’t say it, it was just that he didn’t know where to start with his roommates.

His attention to Song Baiyan had started too early.