Chapter 17: Taking money to share someone's worries

As classmates in Class 13, Lin Yu and Chen Qin looked in surprise at this classmate they had known for over two years but were not at all close to; they never would have imagined that Xu Zijun was actually so close to Chen Siqi.

Only Lu Yan He reacted immediately: this person was his "colleague."

He wondered how much she had been paid for this appearance.

The job was quite elaborate—passing notes with answers, and now coming to pose as a friend.

Lu Yan He smiled at Xu Zijun.

Xu Zijun's gaze met Lu Yan He's, and she immediately looked away.

In this occasion where Chen Siqi was the protagonist but not the host, the appearance of a few young students was merely a minor interlude.

The adults soon withdrew their attention to discuss their own affairs.

In this grand social arena, these young people had not yet reached the point of being the focus.

Chen Siqi was triumphant, following Liu Weian around like a prop to greet every one of her father's business partners.

Lu Yan He and the others were able to exit the performance stage and take a short break.

Li Zhibai whispered to Lu Yan He, "What were you doing just now?"

Lu Yan He said, "Helping my benefactor hold down the fort."

Li Zhibai: "..."

Yan Liang also shot Lu Yan He a sideways glance.

Lin Yu had been pulled aside by Du Ruolan's mother to chat, and Chen Qin, having been heartlessly abandoned, could only stand with Lu Yan He and the others.

Chen Qin felt he wasn't on the same wavelength as these three and didn't know what to say.

Yan Liang said, "How come I feel like Chen Siqi's stepmother is actually quite good to her? Throwing such a big party."

Lu Yan He: "Good? Is this party for Chen Siqi? With so many people here, ninety-nine percent of them aren't here for Chen Siqi. If it were your birthday and your mom threw you a party, but everyone who came was just there to talk business with your parents, would you be happy?"

He looked at Chen Qin.

"If it were you, would you be happy?"

Chen Qin: "... My parents are just ordinary people. When we have birthdays, besides family, no one else comes."

Lu Yan He nodded: "Then you're still luckier than me; I've hardly ever had a birthday."

Chen Qin was just about to say "how is that possible," but then he remembered Lu Yan He's family background and fell silent.

The identity of a celebrity created many illusions around Lu Yan He—even though everyone knew Lu Yan He's family was from the countryside and his parents had passed away early, people still subconsciously felt that Lu Yan He wasn't short on money and must be happier than the average person.

However, from the information exposed about Lu Yan He on the school forum, it was clear that even after becoming a celebrity, Lu Yan He hadn't earned any money.

In short, he just wasn't very famous.

Chen Qin suddenly didn't know what to say.

But Lu Yan He didn't feel any embarrassment or inferiority.

He turned his head and saw that Xu Zijun had hidden herself in a corner at some point.

So, he picked up a glass of juice and walked toward Xu Zijun.

"What are you doing sitting in the corner by yourself?"

Hearing Lu Yan He's voice suddenly, Xu Zijun looked up at him in surprise.

She didn't know why Lu Yan He would take the initiative to come over and talk to her.

At school, she had always been a student with very little presence, and almost no one ever spoke to her voluntarily.

"I..." Xu Zijun didn't know what to say.

At this moment, Lu Yan He turned and sat down right beside her.

Xu Zijun felt it was strange and looked at Lu Yan He in surprise.

Lu Yan He handed the juice to Xu Zijun and said, "You sitting here alone without talking to us, how strange it looks to others. If they discover the truth and know we aren't Chen Siqi's real friends, how awkward that would be."

Xu Zijun didn't speak.

She just looked at Lu Yan He in confusion, her inner bewilderment growing deeper.

Ever since seeing Lu Yan He on the playground, Xu Zijun had felt confused, and seeing him again today made her even more so.

Why did it feel like Lu Yan He had become a completely different person?

Xu Zijun had never told anyone, but she had always felt that Lu Yan He was very much like her. She didn't dare tell anyone this; firstly, there was no one to say such things to, and secondly, others would find it inconceivable. Lu Yan He was at least a celebrity, while she was just a transparent high school student; where did she get the confidence to think Lu Yan He was like her?

But that was what she believed.

Every time Lu Yan He came to school for class, Xu Zijun could see the same inferiority, loneliness, and isolation on his face that she felt herself.

Perhaps it was that like attracts like, or perhaps some other reason; in any case, Xu Zijun never felt her intuition was wrong.

But now, Lu Yan He had changed. His career as an artist hadn't improved, and his life hadn't undergone any changes, yet the person himself had changed, possessing a bit more ease and indifference. Xu Zijun had always hoped she could be more outgoing and relaxed, less inferior, and could be neither humble nor pushy, but she couldn't do it.

Why had Lu Yan He managed to do it all of a sudden?

Xu Zijun said, "You have so many friends over there, you don't need to worry about me."

Lu Yan He smiled and said, "It's not worrying about you. Just like you, I'm here at someone's request. We have to act out the whole play; we can't be perfunctory. If you sit here alone, others will mistakenly think you aren't close to us."

Xu Zijun: "It wouldn't matter even if others mistakenly thought we weren't close."

"How could it not matter? You are our classmate," Lu Yan He said. "We need to be a bit more familiar and friendly so others won't suspect our relationship with Chen Siqi. Do you know Li Lin?"

"I know her," Xu Zijun asked, "What about her?"

"She's been questioning us," Lu Yan He said. "You have to be careful; she might come over to probe you at any moment. She's been trying to prove that Chen Siqi has no friends and gets bad grades, wanting to expose Chen Siqi's facade in front of everyone. We're taking money to do a job, so we must have professional integrity."

Xu Zijun was speechless for a moment, not knowing what to say.

Xu Zijun asked in confusion: "Do you like Chen Siqi? Why are you so invested in her affairs?"

Lu Yan He: "This is called taking money to share someone's worries. Why do you keep bringing up that I like her? I've only met her twice; that's ridiculous."

The look Xu Zijun gave Lu Yan He was filled with the words "I don't believe you."

"Lu Yan He, Xu Zijun."

Li Lin suddenly walked over, appearing behind them, and scrutinized the two of them with suspicious eyes.

"When did you two become friends with Chen Siqi? Why have I never seen you hanging out with her at school?" she questioned.

Lu Yan He immediately raised his eyebrows at Xu Zijun, the meaning in that gesture being: See, I told you!

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(End of chapter)