Chapter 30: Saving the Gentle Senior 06

Qi Ze's face had darkened considerably; he turned to look at Shen Qingci, his tone mocking.

"Before finals, you refused to accompany me to the library to study, but now you're rushing to help him organize his notes."

Lin Le's expression was also off; he glared at Shen Qingci.

Jin Chen raised an eyebrow, his gaze toward the two unfriendly, yet the words that came out changed in tone.

"Senior has matters to attend to, and I didn't make him sacrifice his time—unlike you."

Ma Bing also chimed in: "You don't even think—insisting on accompanying you to the library during someone else's competition—isn't that owing?"

Lin Yu: "Qi Ze, can't you stop being so unreasonable? Since you're already with Lin Le, senior, don't keep dragging up the past."

Qi Ze didn't expect both of them to help Jin Chen; angry, he uttered some nonsense.

"Have you two lost your minds? He's only been here a short while, and you already understand him so well?"

Qi Ze pointed at Jin Chen again: "You say all this, but do you have no feelings for Shen Qingci at all? How are you different from me?"

Lin Le frowned dissatisfiedly; Qi Ze's words—aren't they admitting he still likes Shen Qingci?

He released Qi Ze's hand, feeling a surge of disgust in his chest.

Shen Qingci coldly shouted, "Enough."

He lifted his gaze to Qi Ze, his originally warm eyes holding coldness: "Am I an object? Let you argue about me here?"

"I don't like anyone, and I especially don't like you—please stop morally blackmailing with rumors."

He picked up his bag, left the classroom straight away without looking back.

Jin Chen frowned and quickly followed.

Ma Bing and Lin Yu exchanged a glance, their looks at Qi Ze filled with anger.

"Qi Ze, you fucking crazy?" Ma Bing rolled her eyes and shouted at him, "Do you really think the world revolves around you? What a spoiled brat's foul habit."

Lin Yu's tone was somewhat more civil: "Jin Chen's family background is no worse than yours, but only you are arrogant and domineering."

After saying that, the two walked away.

Qi Ze's face had already sunk as dark as ink.

A bunch of clueless things.

However, Lin Yu's words did enlighten Lin Le.

He currently can't argue with Qi Ze, or else trying to use the Qi Family to get into the Dance Troupe would become even harder.

Lin Le curled a smile, embraced Qi Ze, presenting the demeanor of a gentle older brother's tolerance.

"All right, don't be angry with them; worst case, we just stop associating."

——

Jin Chen didn't directly catch up to Shen Qingci, but remained a few steps behind, following him forward.

Shen Qingci was still angry and didn't notice he had walked to the edge of the artificial lake in the woods beside the teaching building.

By now it was approaching evening; students had all gone to the cafeteria to eat, so there was hardly anyone here.

He sat on the bench, forehead in hand, somewhat regretful.

How did he just lash out like this, leaving Jin Chen wondering how to view him.

Boom—

Shen Qingci looked at the sky in surprise.

The evening glow faded, and the entire sky was instantly covered by dark clouds.

It's actually going to rain!

The midsummer downpour came swiftly; in the moment of his surprise, large raindrops already poured down.

A canopy of an umbrella blocked Shen Qingci's view.

"If you keep spacing out, you'll get soaked."

Shen Qingci turned his head and lifted his gaze.

Jin Chen didn't know when he had stood at his side, holding a transparent umbrella.

He reached out, wiping the few drops of rain from Shen Qingci's face, saying, "It seems senior hasn't let go of his anger, but out of concern for your health, can we first take shelter from the rain before continuing to be angry?"

Shen Qingci instinctively shook his head: "No, I'm not angry at you."

He stood up, imitating Jin Chen's gesture, patted his head, his gaze gentle.

"Thank you."

Jin Chen flashed his canine teeth: "All right, then I'll escort senior to the dance room."

"Aren't you eating?"

"I'll eat when I return to the dorm later; senior, you don't need to worry."

Seeing Jin Chen insist, Shen Qingci also stopped refusing.

Perhaps he himself hasn't realized, but his treatment of Jin Chen and Qi Ze is truly completely different.

The transparent umbrella's canopy isn't large; as the two men walk side by side, it's inevitably a bit cramped.

Jin Chen, without changing his expression, tilted the umbrella toward Shen Qingci; they walked all the way to the Art Building before Shen Qingci noticed.

"Your shoulders are soaked—why didn't you tilt the umbrella?"

Shen Qingci took out a clean towel and wiped Jin Chen's shoulders.

"If senior catches a cold, I'll feel even worse."

Jin Chen cooperatively lowered his head, allowing Shen Qingci to dry his hair thoroughly.

The two were extremely close; their gazes met in an instant.

Shen Qingci's motion of wiping his hair halted abruptly, his heart beginning to race.

"Senior, you look really good."

Jin Chen spoke softly, lowering his gaze, staring directly into Shen Qingci's eyes.

Suddenly, his expression shifted, and he looked toward the camera in the corner of the Dance Room.

That spot was tricky—it could capture the Dance Room while facing the gap of the changing room door.

Shen Qingci, feeling a bit embarrassed by his words, then heard Jin Chen ask.

"Is this Dance Room for seniors only to train?"

"Well, I've been preparing for a competition lately, and the mentor applied for this dance room."

Shen Qingci pressed a hand to his chest, calming the inexplicable emotion.

Jin Chen, however, took his hand, walked to the corner, and then took out a miniature camera from the side of the mirror.

Shen Qingci's face changed instantly, and endless panic welled up in his heart.

"This..."

Jin Chen put the camera away, seeing Shen Qingci's slightly reddened eyes, his heart softened, and he pulled him into an embrace.

"Don't be afraid, I'll take care of it."

"Why would he do that?" Shen Qingci's voice trembled; he had reached his breaking point after this period.

I thought deleting the photos would be fine, but I never expected the camera to be placed directly in the Dance Room he uses every day.

He couldn't imagine how many photos and videos were still in Qi Ze's hands.

Smelling the scent of agarwood, Shen Qingci's emotions nearly collapsed, and he whispered tears.

Jin Chen said nothing, gently stroking the back of his neck in a soothing manner until he felt his emotions gradually stabilize, then he spoke.

"I'll take care of it, senior—don't worry, focus on preparing for the competition, and leave everything else to me."

His voice was gentle, but Shen Qingci's heart felt only more bitter.

Since his parents passed away and the company went bankrupt, he hadn't been treated this way in three years.

To outsiders, his strength and tolerance were merely the protective walls he had built time and again after heartbreak.

"Jin Chen..."

"No saying thank you," Jin Chen interjected, "this is what I willingly do for my senior; no thanks needed."

Releasing Shen Qingci, wiping away his tears, Jin Chen then smiled again.

"As long as you're happy, senior, you don't need to worry about anything else."

Shen Qingci unconsciously rubbed his palm, then looked into Jin Chen's eyes, seeing his own reflection clearly in their depths, and a strange feeling began to grow within him.

"Good."

【Detected Villain Blackening Value -5, total 50, detected emotional fluctuation of the villain toward the host, triggering Heartbeat Value, Heartbeat Value 10!】

【Little Pitiful One finally felt moved!】