9 Campus Male Supporting Character

The weather on the second day was much as Chu Xiang had predicted. The wind was fierce, completely ruining the hairstyle of Chen Qian’s girlfriend and even blowing her hat away. Cheng Jin was wearing a short skirt today, revealing her slender legs just as Wu Qiyun had done the day before, but the wind was so strong that she had to keep her hands pressed against her skirt at all times, looking quite constrained. Having listened to Chu Xiang’s advice, Wu Qiyun and Zhang Zhuyun had come fully prepared with long pants, sun protection, and jackets.

Yang Yunan, who had followed Chu Xiang’s lead that morning and taken a jacket, didn’t hesitate when he saw this. He reached out and tied his jacket around Cheng Jin’s waist. Cheng Jin, seemingly caught off guard, stood frozen, letting him do as he pleased while she looked up at his impatient expression.

Wu Qiyun reached into her backpack to retrieve her own jacket, but her hand faltered, and she zipped it back up.

Chu Xiang, catching this out of the corner of his eye, smiled as he chatted with her: "A-Nan has become increasingly attentive ever since he started liking someone."

Wu Qiyun looked up at him. The strong wind billowed his white shirt backward, outlining the young man’s already firm chest, and blew his black hair back, revealing a smooth forehead that lent him a touch of maturity. This maturity was mingled with a boyish innocence, like a youth suddenly imbued with the air of an adult man.

It made her heart skip a beat.

She recalled the way Cheng Jin looked at Chu Xiang and felt a surge of worry—worry for the friendship between Chu Xiang and Yang Yunan. "What if she doesn't like Yang Yunan?"

Chu Xiang shook his head and asked Wu Qiyun, "If there were someone who took care of you in every way before anyone else could, would you like them?"

His question held an obvious linguistic trap, but Wu Qiyun didn't notice. She followed his prompt and imagined it, only to find it impossible to conceive; because her gaze couldn't help but linger on Chu Xiang, it didn't really matter to her who else was there.

But she couldn't say that.

Chu Xiang, however, had already seen the answer in her silence. His eyes curved, and he even looked a bit elated. "Yet, with just one gesture from A-Nan, Cheng Jin’s attention is immediately drawn to him."

Indeed, Cheng Jin still wanted to be close to him, often looking at him with longing, but one move from Yang Yunan would make her lose sight of anyone else, even if she looked full of impatience. In his past life, the original host hadn't seen this clearly; immersed in the warmth and sunshine of Cheng Jin’s active pursuit, he never imagined that this person who initiated the closeness was merely a fleeting illusion. Once he realized the truth, she had already walked toward her "true love," leaving him behind.

Listening to this, Wu Qiyun slowly stopped walking and looked up at him. She felt that Cheng Jin’s attitude was unhealthy, like walking a tightrope.

And how did Chu Xiang, who saw all of this so clearly, feel?

Wu Qiyun pursed her lips and couldn't help but say, "You are very good—very, very good—better than... him." She said it with great sincerity.

The wind was strong, so Chu Xiang leaned down and brought his ear close to her. "What did you say?"

Wu Qiyun’s lip line flattened further. Looking at the ear he had offered, the courage she had just summoned dissipated by more than half.

A smile appeared in Chu Xiang’s eyes as he looked over. "Are you silly? I don't like her, so I don't care about her attitude." Only those who truly like someone are hurt by their ambiguous behavior.

Wu Qiyun’s heart took flight, inexplicably.

Chu Xiang stared at her and asked, "Better than whom?"

He expected her to be annoyed and embarrassed as she had been in the past, pushing him away. To his surprise, this time she met his gaze and said, word for word, with complete seriousness: "You are better than Yang Yunan, which is why so many people are attracted to you."

Chu Xiang wanted to ask, "Does that include you?" He moved his lips, but before he could speak, large droplets of water splashed onto his face.

It was raining.

The group, which had been scattered across the grassland taking photos and playing, all came running back, scrambling to contact their driver.

There was no shelter on the open grassland; wherever they ran, they couldn't escape. The boys simply gave up, deciding that if they couldn't avoid it, they might as well enjoy it. Those who had jackets took them out and covered their heads.

Chu Xiang was the only boy currently holding a jacket.

It had been the same in his past life. Although it hadn't rained then, the temperature difference on the grassland was significant; the jacket he had been a step too slow to offer had eventually ended up on Cheng Jin’s shoulders, while Chen Qian’s girlfriend had no jacket at all, left shivering and relying on Chen Qian’s embrace to block the wind.

Though they had inexplicably returned to the same scene, Chu Xiang no longer cared. He handed his jacket to Yang Yunan, intending for Cheng Jin and Chen Qian’s girlfriend to share it as a shield against the rain.

Wu Qiyun was faster than him. She immediately handed her own jacket to Cheng Jin. "The two of you can use mine; Zhuyun and I will share."

Cheng Jin quickly thanked her, looking with complicated feelings at Chu Xiang’s half-extended hand.

Chu Xiang stood there stunned for a moment, then laughed. He pulled his hand back, yanked his jacket, and draped it over Wu Qiyun’s head. Standing tall, he stepped in beside her, using his height to shield her completely underneath.

All of this happened in just two or three minutes. Aside from the parties involved, only little Zhuyun saw through it all, giggling to herself under her own athletic jacket.

Soon, the car arrived.

Wu Qiyun sat with Zhuyun, and Chu Xiang sat beside Zhuyun. Everyone was busy wiping off the rainwater; he wiped away, smiling all the while.

Zhuyun bumped his shoulder. "Brother, what are you smiling at?"

Chu Xiang glanced toward Wu Qiyun. She was feeling guilty, unable to resist looking over, and their eyes met.

Chu Xiang retracted his gaze with a chuckle. "Nothing."

Wu Qiyun felt her momentary secret thoughts were incredibly conspicuous. Seeing him smile like that, her heart grew even guiltier. She pulled the jacket on her shoulders tighter and stared at the curtain of rain outside the window, vaguely catching his reflection in the glass, still wearing that silly grin. Her own lips curved upward in response.

The journey of the young men and women, despite various hidden agendas, was overall carefree and joyous. Except for the bad luck of hitting heavy rain on the second day—which left the group shivering as they returned to the hotel—the rest of the trip was perfect.

Chu Xiang was very good at taking care of people, looking after Wu Qiyun and his cousin well. In contrast, Yang Yunan, who had been a little tyrant and a pampered young master since childhood, truly didn't know how to be considerate. Trying to emulate Chen Qian and Chu Xiang in looking after Cheng Jin, he either did a poor job or made things worse, drawing complaints and anger from Cheng Jin, often ending in arguments that provided endless amusement for their group of ten throughout the trip.

On the final night, they stayed in tents on the grassland. At night, the sky was strewn with stars, and everyone sat outside the tents around a bonfire, gazing up.

The entire bottle of mosquito repellent had been used up, but no one wanted to go back inside.

Chen Qian and his girlfriend sat close together, whispering, the atmosphere sweet.

Yang Yunan pulled Cheng Jin a short distance away, saying he needed "a word in private."

Little Zhuyun took one look, then looked at her cousin, gesturing repeatedly and pointing at Wu Qiyun.

Chu Xiang couldn't help but laugh.

Zhuyun, unsure if her cousin understood, walked over to the other boys to give them some space.

Before long, the space around Chu Xiang and Wu Qiyun had cleared.

Wu Qiyun didn't notice. She was sitting on a small haystack, head tilted back, gazing at the starry sky with a serene expression, seemingly completely immersed in the brilliant expanse.

Chu Xiang shifted, sitting down on her haystack.

Being nudged, Wu Qiyun came to her senses and realized she and Chu Xiang were squeezed tightly together, with almost no distance between them.

Chu Xiang rested his arms across his knees, turning his head to look at her in a casual, relaxed manner. "Wu Qiyun, there’s a question I’ve wanted to ask you for the past few days."

Wu Qiyun looked at him, puzzled. "What is it?"

Chu Xiang’s lips curled slightly. Even though his heart was pounding like a drum, he kept his expression as if they were just chatting. "You said the other day that many people were attracted to me..."

Wu Qiyun pursed her lips, her heart rate accelerating, but she kept her expression calm and replied, "Yes." It was as if she were asking, *So what?*

So...

Chu Xiang slowly straightened up and leaned toward her, stopping at a distance where they were face-to-face. "Many people... does that include you?"

Wu Qiyun retreated a step, but the haystack was only so big, and she found herself leaning into empty air. She tipped backward, about to fall.

Chu Xiang was startled. His long arm instinctively wrapped around her waist, and with a slight tug—

Wu Qiyun was left half-suspended on the haystack, leaning entirely into his arms, her hands unconsciously clutching his shoulders to maintain her balance and keep from falling.

After the initial shock, Chu Xiang chuckled. His low voice sounded in Wu Qiyun’s ear: "What are you hiding from?"

Wu Qiyun gripped his shoulders. "Let me go."

Chu Xiang’s palm pressed against the small of her back, the warmth seeping through the fabric of her clothes. He felt how slender her waist was—he could circle it with one hand. Thinking of this, his palm felt itchy, and he couldn't help but move it slightly.

Wu Qiyun immediately stiffened, which only brought her closer to him. "Chu Xiang!"

Chu Xiang felt his head growing hot, but his voice remained steady. "Answer my question, and I’ll let you go."

Wu Qiyun’s hands tightened on his shoulders, as if she were in the midst of a battle with herself.

But the process didn't last long. Wu Qiyun was more direct than Chu Xiang had imagined. She whispered back, "Yes."

Chu Xiang felt a firework go off in the depths of his heart, soaring upward and blooming right by his ear. The sound of the firework was so loud it momentarily deafened him, leaving him to hear only his own thumping heartbeat.

No—there were two heartbeats.

One was his.

The other... was Wu Qiyun’s.

He heard his own voice, hoarse, saying, "Wu Qiyun, me too."

Wu Qiyun’s hands loosened, and her body swayed slightly.

Chu Xiang smiled and wrapped both arms around her waist, pulling her completely into his embrace.

The person in his arms slowly softened, leaning into him.

A long while later, he heard Wu Qiyun’s voice return to normal, even tinged with a hint of amusement. "Chu Xiang, why are your ears so hot?"

Chu Xiang was startled and immediately released her, sitting up straight while steadying her. He firmly countered, "Which living person’s ears aren't hot?"

Wu Qiyun seemed to believe him, a flash of self-doubt in her eyes. Chu Xiang breathed a sigh of relief and was about to use the darkness to dodge the topic when his earlobe was suddenly pinched.

The person who had just believed his nonsense was now pinching his earlobe with a serious expression, as if she were discussing a physics problem: "But you are clearly very hot."

Chu Xiang: "..." His girlfriend was too smart; it seemed she couldn't be fooled at all.

His mind raced, and he simply let her pinch it, saying, "A man’s earlobe shouldn't be pinched casually. Since you’ve pinched mine, you’re mine from now on."

Wu Qiyun: "...Why can't it be that I am yours?"

Chu Xiang followed the flow: "That works too."

Wu Qiyun: "..." This was a trap, wasn't it?

The two of them looked at each other and giggled.

After a while, Wu Qiyun’s expression turned serious. She said to Chu Xiang with great solemnity, "If you ever like someone else in the future, tell me immediately."

Chu Xiang thought of her parents and quickly understood why she was "worrying about danger in times of peace" so early.

"Okay. Then I won't change, and you must never change either. Always like only me."

Wu Qiyun didn't believe in "forever," but she saw the anticipation in Chu Xiang’s eyes. It was so strange; even though she was the least likely to believe in eternal vows, seeing him want "forever" still made her heart feel as sweet as honey.

The two, who had maintained distance and decorum before the trip, had quickly confirmed their relationship on the final day—decisive and without hesitation, free of excessive pushing or entanglement.

Their friends, who had been watching from nearby, saw it without needing to be told. When they saw the two holding hands the next day, they weren't surprised.

Only Yang Yunan and Cheng Jin, who had returned very late the night before, were unaware of this scene.

Yang Yunan’s eyes widened in surprise, followed by joy for his friend, while Cheng Jin couldn't help but feel a deep, hidden sadness.

Yang Yunan was so envious of Chu Xiang that he came seeking advice: "How on earth did you manage it? She’s the study committee member! She actually stopped thinking only about her studies and agreed to date you!"

Chu Xiang smiled, and the satisfaction in his expression was a sting to Yang Yunan. "She is a very decisive person. Whether she likes something or doesn't, she never wavers. So, when I revealed my feelings, she knew and responded to me."

Yang Yunan was incredibly envious, and thinking of his own situation, he felt dejected. "If only Cheng Jin were like that. Every time, I have no idea what she’s thinking." Yang Yunan himself was of the same temper, which was why he had pursued Cheng Jin immediately after realizing his feelings.

Chu Xiang’s smile faded slightly. Looking at his unrestrained and bold friend, who was becoming increasingly distressed and troubled, he said from the bottom of his heart, "A-Nan, does chasing Cheng Jin make you happy?"

Yang Yunan: "I don't know, but every time I have a free moment, I think of her."

Chu Xiang realized that when it came to love, others truly could not interfere or judge. He said no more and kicked Yang Yunan’s calf. "Want to go play ball?"

Yang Yunan hadn't played in a long time. Upon hearing this, he temporarily forgot the bittersweet pains of love and excitedly agreed!

In the past, the original host had been the fire extinguisher for Yang Yunan and Cheng Jin’s relationship. Whenever they had a problem, Chu Xiang would provide emotional value to Cheng Jin, help solve their issues, and then turn around to mediate for Yang Yunan—doing everything in the hope that Cheng Jin would always be happy.

He had been practically a saint.

The current Chu Xiang would still provide emotional value, but only to his own partner. He no longer meddled in their relationship, only offering to help his friend relax and ease his mood when he was lost or sad.

As for himself, the center of his life was no longer so empty that it could only revolve around those two. Now, he had Wu Qiyun, he had company matters to attend to, and he had his studies to strive for.