Chapter 33 Chapter 33: Rain Soaked the Sky – Part 3
Today was Zheng Wenxuan’s birthday.
Xu Yecheng dragged himself out of bed but still felt utterly drained.
He’d gotten enough sleep—so why did he feel so incredibly exhausted?
He yawned lazily, stripped off his pajamas, and stood dazed in front of the mirror. His gaze drifted to his stomach—and he froze.
There used to be a bit of softness there…
He reached down and pinched the skin. The texture felt significantly firmer than before.
That’s weird. He’d eaten two whole bags of chips just yesterday—how come he looked slimmer?
Could it be because he’d been overdoing it lately?
Xu Yecheng’s expression turned grave.
Guess I really do need to start eating better.
Still puzzling over it, he pulled on his clothes. As his fingers brushed against his chest, a sharp, unfamiliar twinge shot through him.
He paused, startled. He pressed his palm gently against the spot again—sure enough, a dull ache returned.
What’s going on?
Maybe he’d pulled a muscle from running too hard?
Shrugging it off for now, he reminded himself: it’s an 8 a.m. class—he needed breakfast first, then lecture.
He picked up his toothbrush and looked into the mirror. Something about his face looked… off.
As he squeezed toothpaste onto the brush and put it in his mouth, he suddenly noticed—his acne on both cheeks had faded significantly.
Xu Yecheng blinked in surprise and touched his face. The usual bumpy texture was nearly gone, and the patchy redness that used to make his skin look inflamed had vanished.
But he hadn’t done anything special—no face wash, no serums, nothing.
Could it be… he was actually allergic to those skincare products?
He rubbed his cheeks again, bewildered.
Was this what people meant by “serendipity”?
……
Later that day, Xu Yecheng handed a small gift to Zheng Wenxuan. “Xuan, happy birthday.”
Zheng Wenxuan’s face lit up immediately. “Wow, I’m seriously falling in love with you right now!”
He took the box—then his palms grew warm as he realized what it was: a premium clay face mask.
“How’d you afford something this expensive?” he murmured, flustered.
Xu Yecheng blinked. “If I don’t mind spending the money, why should you?”
A smile tugged at his lips.
“You’re too sweet, babe Cheng,” Zheng Wenxuan cooed. “Just come straight back to the dorm after your 3 p.m. class—we’ll head out together.”
Xu Yecheng nodded.
Zheng Wenxuan’s expression shifted to curiosity. “Wait—when’s *your* birthday, babe Cheng? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you celebrate it.”
“It’s in November,” Xu Yecheng said. “Still a while away. And honestly… I usually don’t celebrate it.”
His life had never been big on rituals. Birthdays cost money—and as a kid, he’d always felt overlooked at home. His mom found parties troublesome and rarely bothered. As he grew older, communication with his family dwindled, and birthdays were no longer mentioned.
In high school, if anything, he’d just grab a late-night snack to mark the day.
Zheng Wenxuan had once promised to return the favor on Xu Yecheng’s birthday—but when November came, he forgot. Xu Yecheng never reminded him. Gifts, in his view, should be spontaneous. If someone remembered, great. If not, no need to bring it up—it was all about mutual willingness.
……
The afternoon class was English. Liu Xianlin decided to skip it entirely, reasoning that since the teacher had taken attendance last time, there was no way he’d do it again so soon.
Inspired by Liu Xianlin’s logic, Zheng Wenxuan’s will to study crumbled instantly.
“That actually makes sense,” he declared—and promptly joined Liu in slacking off.
Their English teacher was a kind middle-aged man, far less strict than others.
After another effortless class of doing nothing, He Xiaohan left to pick up Ji Qingying.
Knowing Ji Qingying would be coming along, Xu Yecheng suddenly didn’t want to go.
But if he backed out now, Zheng Wenxuan would probably be disappointed.
Back in the dorm, Zheng Wenxuan was already packing his things.
Spotting Xu Yecheng, he grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. “Have fun tonight, okay?”
Xu Yecheng’s stomach churned again—not because Zheng meant anything by it, but because he was still torn about attending.
Just go. It’s not like Ji Qingying has anything to do with me. I’ll just avoid talking to her—and sit as far away as possible.
But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he felt pathetic.
Since when did eating dinner require this much anxiety?
“Yeah,” he mumbled, tidying his desk slightly.
Liu Xianlin emerged from the bathroom, grabbed his hairdryer, and started blow-drying his hair.
…Does his hair look messy?
Xu Yecheng wondered out of nowhere.
“Who’d you invite?” he asked.
“Ji Qingying’s four roommates, some guys from our class, the class monitor, and a few close girl friends,” Zheng Wenxuan listed after a moment’s thought.
Sounds lively. But that’s fine—more people meant less chance of anyone paying attention to him.
“It sounds pretty… lively,” Xu Yecheng said.
Zheng Wenxuan nodded enthusiastically. “I love big gatherings—hahaha!”
Xu Yecheng gave a resigned smile. He wasn’t fond of parties, but social obligations were unavoidable. He didn’t want dorm tensions to sour their relationship.
The dinner venue was upscale—a place Xu Yecheng wasn’t surprised by, given Zheng Wenxuan’s comfortable family background.
He sat down next to Zheng Wenxuan. Most guests had already arrived.
Across the table, He Xiaohan sat directly opposite him—with Ji Qingying beside him, dressed up and clearly made-up for the occasion. She’d even gotten a temporary curl treatment for her hair.
Xu Yecheng stared at the dishes on the table, but his mood was anything but cheerful.
“Don’t hold back, everyone! It’s on me tonight—I’m the birthday boy, after all. Hope you all have a great time!” Zheng Wenxuan declared generously.
“Boss Zheng’s so generous!”
“Generous indeed!”
A few boys began shamelessly buttering him up.
“Hey, hey, stop it already—don’t embarrass me,” Zheng Wenxuan said, blushing slightly.
Xu Yecheng reached for his chopsticks—but in his peripheral vision, he caught He Xiaohan peeling a shrimp for Ji Qingying.
Next to He Xiaohan sat a shy-looking girl. Yet He Xiaohan, just by sitting there, radiated charisma. Watching him chat and laugh effortlessly, Ji Qingying beside him looked genuinely happy.
“Come on, everyone—let’s raise a toast to our birthday star!” the guy next to Xu Yecheng stood up and called out.
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