Chapter 30: Picking You Up After Class
“Hey.”
Mu Lantu paused his writing and looked up at the boy tapping his desk with an empty drink bottle.
The boy was dressed head-to-toe in designer brands, black diamond studs gleaming in both ears, a polished watch on his wrist shining like a mirror. He swung his legs lazily and stared at Mu Lantu with narrow, glinting eyes, tongue slowly running across his teeth in a cocky, mischievous way. The books on his desk hadn’t even been opened.
“You’re not in our class, are you? What’s your name?”
There were plenty of empty seats. Mu Lantu simply moved one seat away and continued listening to the lecture.
“Hey!” Zhu Feiyu tilted his chin with interest and shifted one seat over as well. “Don’t be like that—let’s be friends. I’m Zhu Feiyu. Has anyone ever told you your height’s perfect for basketball? Let’s play sometime.”
Mu Lantu turned his head, his voice indifferent. “Can you be quiet?”
Zhu Feiyu dragged out the syllables dramatically. “Sure—quiet—I’ll listen to you.”
The bell rang, and the teacher didn’t keep the class. They assigned one piece of homework and left.
Mu Lantu packed up his things and headed out of the classroom.
“Hey, wait up!”
Zhu Feiyu quickly followed.
“Young Master Yu?”
Two of his usual lackeys looked confused and ran after him.
“Hey, you still haven’t told me your name!”
Zhu Feiyu reached out, trying to grab Mu Lantu’s arm, but Mu Lantu suddenly changed direction, walking briskly, leaving Zhu’s hand grabbing at thin air.
Standing under a tree ahead was a tall, striking man, scanning the crowd of students as they poured out after class. When he caught sight of someone, a rare warmth bloomed in his calm eyes. It was Xu Huazhang, dressed in a shiny sports jacket in red, white, and blue, paired with blue athletic pants and white basketball shoes. He looked like the male lead straight out of a campus novel.
A nearby girl was so mesmerized, her body kept moving forward while her head stayed twisted back. She bumped into the person in front of her and fell to the ground, prompting a round of friendly laughter from the onlookers.
“What are you doing here?”
Mu Lantu crossed the distance with a few long strides, his surprise lighting up his face. His beautiful lips parted slightly, and though he only uttered a few words, they carried an almost imperceptible intimacy. He reached out and neatly pulled Xu Huazhang’s mask up to fix it properly.
“Here to pick you up.”
Xu Huazhang took his backpack and handed him a vanilla milk tea. His gentle eyes turned instantly cold and full of warning when they landed on Zhu Feiyu.
Zhu Feiyu’s heart skipped a beat. He suppressed a flash of fear and stared back defiantly, only to realize that the man’s attention had already returned to Mu Lantu.
Zhu Feiyu gave a quiet snort and stood a few meters away, refusing to leave. His gaze roamed over Mu Lantu, from his fair neck down to his slender waist and further… Suddenly, heat surged in him without warning. His body burned, his breathing turned heavy.
Then he felt a chilling, murderous aura lock onto him. A cold shiver crept up his spine, raising every hair on his body. His burning frame felt like it had been plunged into ice.
Mu Lantu gently touched Xu Huazhang’s wrist. Aside from some fatigue and a minor stomach issue, he was healthy. Clearly, the people around him were taking good care of him.
Xu Huazhang’s hand paused slightly, a trace of confusion flashing across his face.
Mu Lantu took a sip of the milk tea. The warmth settled in his stomach, and the sweetness spread to his heart.
“I still have one more class.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Xu Huazhang lightly held Mu Lantu’s wrist for a moment, then let go and began walking in the direction of the classroom on his own.
He not only knew Mu Lantu’s class schedule, but also that the next class was in another building.
Zhu Feiyu snapped out of it and realized the two had already walked off.
The pair walked side by side, their shoulders occasionally brushing in quiet intimacy, like a match made in heaven. Something about them drew people in, and unconsciously, the crowd behind them slowed their pace, not wanting to walk ahead.
Mu Lantu glanced at Xu Huazhang’s refined side profile—and noticed he’d pulled his mask down again.
“Are you done with work?”
“Not yet. But I can take the day off today. Once this project’s over, I’ll have a long break.” Xu Huazhang watched his expression carefully.
Mu Lantu nodded. “Work a while, rest a while. That’s good.”
Xu Huazhang relaxed a little, but when he thought of that male student from earlier, a cold rage rose in his chest—though it didn’t show on his face. “That guy earlier—your classmate? He didn’t look like a decent person.”
Mu Lantu, engrossed in his milk tea, thought for a moment before realizing he meant Zhu Feiyu.
“He’s in the same class, but I don’t know him.”
Xu Huazhang cautioned, “Be careful around him. If he offers you food or drink, don’t take it. Some spoiled kids from rich families have no boundaries.”
Mu Lantu felt a bit helpless—Xu Huazhang seemed to see him as some innocent, naive college student. But still, he replied softly, “Got it.”
Zhou Ye, hiding in the crowd, was pointing a phone in their direction the whole time.
“He’s taking pictures?”
Noticing that Mu Lantu had spotted it, Xu Huazhang remained calm. “He’s been learning photography lately. He wanted to use me as practice. It’s no big deal, so I agreed. He’s still not very skilled—he might accidentally get you in the frame. Do you mind?”
Mu Lantu was silent for a moment. That excuse was honestly pretty weak. If Xu Huazhang had just said he wanted a photo of the two of them, Mu Lantu wouldn’t have refused.
“I don’t mind.”
