Chapter 123 - Can’t hug.
This chapter is brought to you by an anon and Lulith!
You Liangxing was not one to renege after agreeing to a request, which meant that even if Kang Shengzhe were to throw a tantrum and roll about, it would be of no use; he steeled his face and disallowed any oil or salts from entering, and Kang Shengzhe could only stop after pestering him for a time because there were no forthcoming results.
Originally, You Liangxing thought he had lost interest and he was too lazy to kick up another row, but he did not expect that when he was heading out at eight o’ clock, this person would suddenly appear at his dorm to obstruct him. Not only was he righteous sounding in his words, he was even particularly immaculate and confident.
“If you’re going, I’m going too.” Kang Shengzhe said seriously, “You have to bring me.”
There would be ghosts if You Liangxing brought him.
Especially when he had dressed himself up so handsomely!
You Liangxing had chosen to attend the Double 11 evening party precisely because he did not want Kang Shengzhe attending; if Kang Shengzhe were to go, wouldn’t You Liangxing have joined the commotion for nothing?
But rejecting it was completely useless – Kang Shengzhe was akin to a sticky confectionery and he followed him from the dorm to the music building where the evening party was held, and he was impossible to shrug off.
“You-xuezhang!!”
As both parties were deadlocked, the female student who had previously invited You Liangxing ran over in high spirits, and seeing that Kang Shengzhe was present too, her eyes were so bright they were almost capable of emitting light. “Kang Shengzhe came too! Oh my god, this is great!! It’ll definitely be particularly lively later!”
You Liangxing had every intention to clarify that Kang Shengzhe was not here to attend the evening party but the female student was already leading them towards the backstage in an eager and exuberant manner. “After hearing that You-xuezhang would be attending, the people at the front have been packed to the brim, and we can only make do by entering through the back.”
Since the opportunity was lost, it was only logical for Kang Shengzhe to stay and the man was radiant with delight. Feeling increasingly annoyed by his attitude, You Liangxing could not resist glaring at him.
“The evening party has already started, but you guys can join when the second round of games start. When you hear the front announcing the event items and calling people up, both of you can go out together, hahaha I didn’t expect that Kang Shengzhe would want to attend too, give me a moment, I need to inform the emcee.”
Even though he was merely another guest in the game, his presence required a special notice, which evidently showed that it was not far-fetched to proclaim that Kang Shengzhe’s popularity had skyrocketed during You Liangxing’s absence in school.
When he thought about that, You Liangxing’s vexation stepped up a notch.
Although they were backstage, Kang Shengzhe could still perceive that situation below the stage by peeking around the raised curtains at an angle. His mouth was lined with a smile and his entire body exuded a certain sense of self-satisfaction.
Probably because the people under the stage had noticed the “peeking through the curtains” Kang Shengzhe, a cacophony of female voices shrieked out his name.
Kang Shengzhe held his hand in a hurry, face full of smiles.
You Liangxing said: “... What are you holding my hand for.”
Kang Shengzhe: “I saw Liao Su and Liang Chulin, they’re...” As he said that, he abruptly found that You Liangxing’s tone sounded strange. Turning his head back, he asked, “Liang Liang, what are you being angry for?”
After receiving his query, You Liangxing paused for two seconds before he said: “I’m not angry.”
“You are angry, look at the space between your eyebrows, its currently shorter by three millimetres,” said Kang Shengzhe.
Right before his eyes, that big and tall man leaned closer and You Liangxing hit him away like he would a fly. Before he had the time to say anything else, the emcee at the front shouted You Liangxing and Kang Shengzhe’s name.
“Yi, so fast?”
It certainly was fast. The female student rushed over in a flurry, enthusiasm visible in her hand gestures and countenance as she urged them, “School senior, school senior! Time to go up on stage!”
You Liangxing nodded and pushed opened the door, traversing through the darkness to reach the stage.
From the back to front stage, the lights were incandescent. The moment You Liangxing and Kang Shengzhe went up on stage in a few strides, the emcee revealed a grin right away and interacted with the people below the stage: “Do you recognise these two?”
The audience’s response was like a tide, “You-xuezhang!!! Ahhhhhhh You-xuezhang!!!”
“Kang Shengzhe!!”
Including them, there were two Year Two and Year Three school seniors on stage as well; the school union and school management association managed to invite four guests in total. Each and every one of them were in the ranking list for the top five most handsome men in school, but You Liangxing and Kang Shengzhe’s popularity was significantly higher. When the shouts started, only You Liangxing and Kang Shengzhe’s name could be distinguished in all the overlapping noises.
Despite their recent appearance, the yells for them resounded through the entire floor and the degree of heat was far higher than what the emceed imagined. This sort of atmosphere was extremely infectious and even the emcee was not spared from its influence as his words became bolder and more unrestrained.
“Singles’ Day’s Double 11, let me see how many people are still bachelor and bachelorettes! Aiyo, are those below the stage all single dogs, if you’re not, please raise your hands up high! Are there people raising theirs hands! En, thankfully there’s none! If there are, this emcee will personally go down and cross them out!”
A wave of laughter swept through the audience and the emcee turned his head back to point at the four individuals on stage, “Is this line-up strong enough, and are they handsome enough!”
The audience answered in the positive: “Handsome enough!!”
“Who’s the most handsome!!”
With regards to popularity, You Liangxing was the overwhelming number one, but in this sort of scene, everyone was more considerate and they shouted loudly, “Everyone is handsome!”
In the midst of the heaven shaking screams, a very recognisable voice from the stage yelled out, “You Liangxing is the most handsome!”
The emcee turned his head back. With a flustered face that could rival the girls below the stage, Kang Shengzhe was currently yelling: “You Liangxing— most handsome! You Liangxing— most handsome!”
All the gazes at the scene landed on Kang Shengzhe’s person but Kang Shengzhe did not have any desire to repent or mend his ways. Wielding his two-metre-tall height, he stood out like a fan who was bold and self-confident since he was assured that justice was on his side.
Immediately, a wave of hissing and jeering rose in the surroundings. The campus was still circulating the matter of Kang Shengzhe and You Liangxing’s special relationship and now that they saw it live, some people cheered while others applauded.
The opening deviated from normal behaviour, causing You Liangxing’s blue veins to jump in a lively manner. His temper surged, but when he turned around to see Kang Shengzhe’s smug attitude, his heart relaxed again, delight superseding his previous emotions for no apparent reason.
You Liangxing did not understand the appeal of being flattered by someone, but his body and emotions were more honest as they shifted, thus uplifting his mood again.
However, this was the first time he had been the target of rowdy jeering in reality, and You Liangxing did not know what expression he should be making at the moment. Thankfully, the little brother of an emcee laughed in a timely manner and controlled the topic very quickly.
“The number of fans that You-xuezhang has is truly terrifying, it seems like apart from having fangirls, he has a lot of fanboys too~”
The audience burst into meaningful laughter.
The emcee allowed the atmosphere to ferment as it pleased before he followed the programme to start the second round of games by drawing fifty students from the crowd to come up on stage to participate in the game.
The selection of the game participants was very time-consuming. Although intermittent happy shrieks would ring out at a close proximity to his ears, Kang Shengzhe was starting to feel sleepy as he waited, and the only way he could maintain his soberness was to steal glances at You Liangxing who was one school senior away from him.
Speaking of which, the placements on stage was not very scientific, he should be the one placed to You Liangxing.
After a period of time, the game participants were all chosen and under the emcee’s command, fifty male and female students went up on stage. With everyone gathered, the formerly spacious stage became a little congested.
The emcee said, “I’ll be explaining the rules of the game to everyone... it’s not difficult, you’ll understand once you hear it. We’ve played this game frequently prior to this, and it creates a lot of material benefit ah! Ladies, prepare yourselves, the opportunity to be in close contact with your male god only comes once in a blue moon!”
With the sudden joyous cries from the surrounding female students, Kang Shengzhe was shocked awake from his drowsy state. Immediately after he internalised the instructions, his entire person started feeling a little appalled.
At the start of the game, the fifty-four participants had to form a circle and dance along to the music and when the music stopped, the emcee would read out a number, to which the participants had to group themselves according to said number. And at the end, the emcee will signal for them to stop and those who did not manage to make a successful group would be phased out.
With this sort of game, the person with the most popularity had nothing to worry about. Even if he did not go and group others, people would naturally go up and hug him.
And the obvious problem here was the “hugging”.
Did You Liangxing lack in people who wanted to hug him? Absolutely not!
Kang Shengzhe’s lip jutted, and a jar of old and preserved vinegar lifted and upended right then and there. Letting various female students hug Liang Liang or whatever... No way, dream on, you’re thinking too much.
Temper rising, Kang Shengzhe promptly decided that he would not let anyone touch You Liangxing, not even a finger was allowed. Before the game even started, he stood in combat readiness, waiting to act.
“Everyone should have understood the rules, right? Then we’ll start~ Everyone, hold onto your chances, find the target you want to hug oh! Okay, counting down from three, three—two– one, start!”
The music sounded and the fifty students and four handsome guests formed a circle and started to slowly move to the upbeat music. Kang Shengzhe’s eyes affixed themselves on You Liangxing and he continued to scheme as he danced randomly.
Ten people, the distance was not considered far. He would rush up to him the moment they were told to stop, and perhaps, he might even be the first one to hug You Liangxing and obstruct everyone behind him.
The longer Kang Shengzhe considered it, the more feasible he thought his plans to be, and it was to the extent where he even wanted to open a window and shout to boost his own morale.
Burn those calories!!
Kang Shengzhe— you can do it!
All of a sudden, the music stopped and everyone tensed. In a loud voice, the emcee shouted: “Five!!!”
Fifty-four people making a group of five, four people were bound to be eliminated in the first round. Kang Shengzhe was akin to an arrow that had left its bow as he rushed up in an instant.
And then... he was surrounded by four girls and pinned to ground, and he did not manage to take half a step out.
Kang Shengzhe: “......”
In an instant, four people were eliminated. You Liangxing’s situation scarcely differed from Kang Shengzhe’s; with You Liangxing as the heart of the formation, four people were hugging him tightly.
And the person who hugged him the tightest was a male student who was unusually excited because after he was done hugging You Liangxing and before the emcee could even speak, he shouted out: “Did you see that!! Although this Laozi could not find a girlfriend in the past two years, this Laozi managed to hug You Liangxing! Aren’t I awesome!”
The male student’s entire dorm of friends below the stage clapped their hands and hooted, “Freaking awesome!! Older brother, good show!!”
Warm laughter broke out in the entire scene.
Having been stimulated, Kang Shengzhe felt unwell all over, but he set down his determination to hug You Liangxing in the next round! When the game finally concluded with eight players remaining from the original fifty-four, Kang Shengzhe issued dog-like sobs at where he stood.
“Are you alright?”
Standing close to Kang Shengzhe was a pretty girl from Year One. She stared at Kang Shengzhe with glittery eyes, and Kang Shengzhe lowered his head to say: “It’s nothing.”
The distance between them could not be considered as far, but from You Liangxing’s angle, they were virtually pasted together. You Liangxing sent a sharp gaze in Kang Shengzhe’s direction for a long time before he silently moved his eyes away, an angry and cold laugh slipping past his lips.
Once the game round concluded, You Liangxing and Kang Shengzhe – both of whom were invited over – retired after winning merit. Although You Liangxing did not say a single word on stage, he still abided by the game rules and dutifully allowed several male and female students to hug him, which was more than enough to kindle the audience’s fervency.
When they entered the backstage, Kang Shengzhe immediately threw himself onto You Liangxing’s person, and his heart was jammed packed with the grief derived from having to watch You Liangxing getting hugged by various students.
You Liangxing stared at him, unspeaking as Kang Shengzhe muttered to himself: “Liang Liang is too well-received.”
You Liangxing replied, “You’re the one who...”
The latter half of his sentence was barely audible, and Kang Shengzhe said: “What did you say?”
You Liangxing said: “Nothing.”
Kang Shengzhe stared at him for a few seconds. “En? Why do I feel like you are angrier now than before you stepped on stage?”
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