Chapter 9: Cute Thoughts

\"Ye Yuxing? Ye Zimei?\"

Asaka Akihime blinked in confusion. \"No, I\’m an only child. Did you forget, Fang-kun?\"

Fang Cheng shook off his random thoughts. \"Must\’ve remembered wrong then.\"

Asaka Akihime smiled. \"Your new hairstyle looks good, Fang-kun.\"

Fang Cheng ran fingers through his short hair. \"Right? Tried acting like a nerdy recluse around you all, but it only pushed people away. Time to drop the act – this handsome face doesn\’t need hiding.\"

Asaka covered her giggling mouth, eyes crinkling with laughter while noting his personality shift. Old Fang Cheng would never joke about his looks like this.

His seated position gave him an eyeful of Asaka standing before him. Let\’s be honest – Fang Cheng was a shameless perv, so he openly admired the view.

The timid boy at the protagonist seat snorted at Fang Cheng\’s boasting, though envy flickered in his sideways glance. Must be jealous of Fang Cheng\’s upfront appreciation.

Asaka\’s cheeks pinkened under Fang Cheng\’s frank stare. She instinctively retreated as the bell rang. \"Fang-kun,\" she whispered, \"eat lunch with me? Need to discuss something.\"

\"Sure.\" Fang Cheng nodded. Dining with a beautiful girl was always a treat – might even help with digestion.

After Asaka left, Fang Cheng turned to the protagonist-seat boy. \"Sato. You like Asaka?\"

Sato Hayato jumped at being addressed. \"N-no! Don\’t spout nonsense, Fang-kun!\"

\"Should I tell her you\’re not interested then?\"

\"Stop!\" Sato\’s face burned crimson under Fang Cheng\’s teasing \"Oh?\"

\"It\’s not me! My friend likes her!\"

\"This \’friend\’ you?\"

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Sato clasped pleading hands. \"Please don\’t mention me to Asaka!\"

\"Shame. Was gonna play matchmaker.\"

\"Really?!\" Sato\’s head shot up.

\"Psych!\"

\"Knew it…\" His shoulders slumped.

\"Relax. I recorded everything to show her later.\"

\"NO!!\"

\"I was kidding.\"

\"Ah!!\"

Sato Hayato clutched his hair and let out a wail, shrinking away as if fleeing a demon. Fang Cheng found this amusing—if only Kanzaki Rin were this gullible.

The teacher arrived, not the unmarried beauty Fang Cheng hoped for, but an oily middle-aged man. The math lessons were beyond Fang Cheng’s grasp, forcing him to start from scratch. Thankfully, his past life’s university education hadn’t fully faded; self-study seemed manageable.

School ranked low on his priorities, but abandoning it entirely wasn’t wise. A college diploma would serve as a backup—something to fall back on if his plans crumbled. Plus, being a student offered protection. Without proof, officials like Kanzaki Rin couldn’t openly target him.

Morning classes blurred by as Fang Cheng studied alone. At lunch, most students unpacked homemade meals. Empty-handed, he headed to the cafeteria—cold leftovers didn’t appeal.

Asaka Akihime trailed him after class, anxious to speak. They settled in a quiet corner. \"What’s this about?\" Fang Cheng asked.

\"Let’s eat first,\" she replied softly.

Over lunch, they chatted about trivial school gossip. Fang Cheng noted her plain meal—scant eggs as the only protein—and her worn clothes. Memories surfaced: her family had slid into hardship after her father’s death. Was her kindness to him mere pity?

After eating, Asaka fidgeted with her skirt, eyes downcast. \"Fang-kun… did you skip school because of me?\"

He paused. The original host had indeed fled after a failed confession. \"No,\" he said. \"I’ve been handling my parents’ insurance.\"

She searched his face for lies but found only calm. \"I… see. Forgive my assumption.\" Relief and disappointment tangled in her voice.

As she left, a figure emerged from the flowerbed—Kanzaki Rin in her uniform, stunning without effort. Black hair cascaded over flawless skin, her figure drawing stares. Fang Cheng grimaced like he’d spotted vermin.

Ignoring his glare, Kanzaki watched Asaka disappear. \"Do you fancy her?\" She’d reviewed his files—mediocre grades, bland personality. Yet his sudden competence contradicted that ordinariness. His daytime presence here further muddied her vampire suspicions.

The question echoed familiarity. Fang Cheng shrugged. \"A gentleman admires grace. Give me reason not to.\"

\"Yet you’re floundering,\" she smirked, having overheard everything.

No shame colored his reply: \"I sent a love letter. Got rejected.\" Asaka’s universal kindness had tricked the original host into misreading her care.

Kanzaki’s mockery died as recollection struck. \"Fang-kun… didn’t you write me one too?\"