Chapter 14 Chapter 14: The Casanova – Part 2
Xu Yecheng felt utterly speechless. Lately, he couldn’t shake the feeling that He Xiao Han’s comments were always laced with subtle sarcasm—aimed directly at him.
True, he and Ji Qingying hadn’t had much physical intimacy. And that was exactly why he’d been so furious after learning about what had happened between He Xiao Han and Ji Qingying.
In hindsight, maybe it was just immature jealousy…
Xu Yecheng sighed inwardly, resigned.
Zheng Wenxuan wasn’t much of a smoker—he didn’t have a real nicotine addiction, and at best, he could smoke without choking.
The fourth roommate in their dorm didn’t smoke at all. Among them, He Xiao Han was easily the heaviest smoker.
Xu Yecheng still remembered the moment vividly: when He Xiao Han pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and strolled onto the balcony, Xu Yecheng had been completely stunned.
He never would’ve guessed someone so strikingly handsome would smoke. Meanwhile, Zheng Wenxuan—who didn’t touch cigarettes back then—seemed oddly out of place in contrast.
Of course, Zheng Wenxuan had only started smoking because of He Xiao Han.
Xu Yecheng recalled that scene clearly.
He Xiao Han had been holed up in the lab, while Zheng Wenxuan lounged in the dorm, sighing dramatically to Xu Yecheng: “Dude… smoking looks so damn cool.”
Xu Yecheng had frowned, puzzled. “Wait—you saw He Xiao Han smoke, so now you wanna try too?”
Zheng Wenxuan nodded earnestly. “Seriously cool. Gives off this aloof, god-tier vibe.”
“And what would you be?” Xu Yecheng shot back bluntly. “An aloof loser?”
Zheng Wenxuan looked genuinely hurt.
“Come on… am I really that creepy-looking?”
Xu Yecheng cleared his throat, realizing he might’ve been too harsh.
“I just mean… smoking’s bad for you. If you wanna shorten your life, go ahead—but being ‘cool’ isn’t about the act, it’s about the person. Don’t just jump on the bandwagon.”
But in the end, Zheng Wenxuan still picked up the habit. Xu Yecheng never figured out exactly why—only that one day, out of the blue, he saw Zheng Wenxuan accept a cigarette from He Xiao Han, and the two of them stood together on the balcony, smoking.
“I’m heading out,” Xu Yecheng announced, standing up and leaving.
Zheng Wenxuan lit his cigarette, took a drag, and immediately frowned. “Hmm… this one doesn’t hit as hard as last time.”
He Xiao Han chuckled. “This is Zhonghua. Last time was the cheap stuff.” He flicked off the ash from the tip. “Why don’t you buy your own? You seem awfully fond of the ones from my pack, huh, Xuan?”
Zheng Wenxuan clicked his tongue. “I’m a good kid—I never buy cigarettes.” He grinned at his own joke, then glanced down at the smoke in his hand. “But yours… it carries your scent. It just hits differently.”
He Xiao Han laughed even louder. “If I keep supplying you with cigarettes, will you fall in love with me?”
Zheng Wenxuan waved him off—then suddenly spotted Xu Yecheng walking out of the dorm building below.
“Hey, have you noticed Yecheng looks kinda… hotter lately?” Zheng Wenxuan asked.
He Xiao Han frowned slightly, as if considering it.
“Not really.”
“Don’t you think he’s gotten fairer?”
“Can’t tell.” He Xiao Han took another drag. “What, you into him now?” His expression turned playfully mischievous.
“Wha—? Don’t be ridiculous!” Zheng Wenxuan huffed, annoyed—but a flicker of embarrassment crept into his voice.
Weird… Why did Xu Yecheng just keep looking better and better the more he saw him?
Zheng Wenxuan couldn’t make sense of it.
“By the way,” he said after a pause, “have you been seeing that campus beauty lately—what’s her name, Ji Qingying?”
He Xiao Han raised an eyebrow. “She came to me on her own.”
“Holy crap, bro—you’re insane! How’d you even meet her?”
He Xiao Han frowned slightly, searching his memory. “Some event a while back… we had dinner together, got to know each other a bit.”
Zheng Wenxuan thought hard. “Was it that social practice program? I remember Yecheng was in it too.”
“Yeah, that one.” He Xiao Han exhaled a plume of smoke. “Didn’t last long—just about a week.”
Zheng Wenxuan wiped mock tears from his eyes. “Unreal… a campus goddess chasing after you. You’re basically a certified success story.”
He Xiao Han patted Zheng Wenxuan on the shoulder. “Stop wearing white tees and black pants every damn day. Get a clean, sharp haircut—I swear, I thought you were some grunge rocker.”
The moment He Xiao Han started dishing out dating advice, Zheng Wenxuan’s eyes lit up like stars. “Yes! Please, He-ge, go on!”
Maybe he could become a Casanova too!
“There’s not much to it,” He Xiao Han said casually. “Just get a brighter, fresher haircut, keep yourself tidy. Be genuine—sincerity attracts sincerity.”
The spark in Zheng Wenxuan’s eyes instantly dimmed at those last words.
Not that he doubted He-ge’s expertise… it’s just that coming from He Xiao Han—a known playboy—“sincerity attracts sincerity” sounded deeply unconvincing.
Still, Zheng Wenxuan felt it was time to change.
No more drifting through life aimlessly.
He didn’t aspire to be a heartthrob like He Xiao Han. His only goal now?
To stop finding Xu Yecheng more and more appealing every day…
At that very moment, Xu Yecheng sneezed. He sniffled, rubbed his nose, and stepped out of the school gate, ID card firmly in hand.
Even though he was already a sophomore, Xu Yecheng rarely ventured off-campus. His daily life revolved around classes and part-time work—he’d never experienced the flashy, carefree nightlife others talked about.
He’d grown up in a small county town, in an ordinary family that pinned all their hopes on him. Like so many of his generation, he was expected to climb the ladder through grades alone—study hard, succeed, bring honor to the family.
But Xu Yecheng hated that pressure.
His parents had only ever cared about his report cards, never about who he really was. Even now, he felt painfully average—living without direction, drifting through days.
Ji Qingying’s presence had given him purpose, however briefly.
Whether it was working an extra hour to buy her a little snack or imagining a future where he could support a family after graduation—those were real thoughts he’d had not long ago.
But after she’d abruptly broken things off for reasons he still didn’t understand, he’d slipped right back into his old pattern: eat, sleep, survive.
His eyes drifted past the street-side milk tea shops, then onward down the road.
After walking one block, he finally spotted the café Zheng Wenxuan had mentioned.
The sign read: **“Candy Day.”**
Xu Yecheng stopped at the entrance. The décor was undeniably upscale—sleek, stylish, almost boutique-like.
Just as he snapped out of his thoughts, a young woman in a maid uniform appeared before him.
“Welcome, honored guest! Don’t miss this opportunity~”
Before he could react, she thrust a flyer into his hand.
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