Friend Fee

Gu Luo flipped open the sketchbook Shen Yue handed him, and exquisite artworks gradually unfolded before his eyes.

He examined them with intense focus, his gaze slowly tracing every line and brushstroke.

Occasionally, he couldn’t help but nod slightly in admiration.

There was no denying it—he was thoroughly impressed by Shen Yue’s artistic skill.

Whether it was the delicate portrayal of characters or the vivid depiction of scenes, everything reflected an exceptionally high level of craftsmanship.

Shen Yue, meanwhile, secretly observed Gu Luo’s reactions, her eyes brimming with nervous anticipation.

Her fingers fidgeted unconsciously.

“This is amazing,” Gu Luo finally murmured in awe before turning to Shen Yue and asking softly, “Shen Yue, do you want to be a painter someday?”

“A painter…?” Shen Yue blinked, then shook her head with a hint of bewilderment.

Clearly, she had never considered the question before.

To be this skilled just from a hobby…

This must be what talent looks like.

After chatting for a bit longer, Shen Yue suddenly lowered her head.

Then, hesitantly, she asked, “Um… are we friends now?”

The question caught Gu Luo off guard, but he quickly nodded. “Ah… of course.”

Relief washed over Shen Yue at his answer. Immediately, she reached into her desk and pulled out a bread roll and a carton of milk, placing them on Gu Luo’s desk.

“For you…”

She then retrieved a chocolate bar and a pack of strawberry gummies.

Next came a waffle and some cream-filled biscuits.

Wait—

Gu Luo stared blankly as the pile of snacks on his desk grew taller. Snapping out of his daze, he hastily waved his hands. “That’s enough, that’s enough! It’s too much—I can’t finish all this.”

Only then did Shen Yue stop.

She instinctively ducked her head slightly, a habit of hers.

Gu Luo chuckled. “Are you… paying a ‘friendship fee’ or something?”

At the mention of “friendship fee,” Shen Yue’s head shot up. She shook it vigorously, then nodded quickly, only to shake it again before finally settling on a slow, tentative nod.

“I was just joking. Thanks for the snacks.” Gu Luo laughed softly and stashed them in his drawer.

At the same time, a thought crossed his mind.

“My house has lots of snacks. I’ll bring you more tomorrow.” Seeing Gu Luo accept everything, Shen Yue’s mood instantly brightened.

As if, by taking her snacks, he had sealed their friendship forever.

“Well then, let me introduce myself properly. I’m Gu Luo. From now on, we’re friends.”

The corners of his lips curled into a gentle smile.

His charm, already striking at a solid 9 out of 10, seemed to shine even brighter in that moment.

A breeze drifted through the classroom window, carrying the crisp scent of September—fresh leaves, blooming flowers, and the unmistakable fragrance of youth.

The wind playfully tousled the young man’s bangs as his smile painted a unique hue over the autumn month.

Thump-thump.

Her heart was racing.

Shen Yue only realized she had been staring at Gu Luo when she snapped out of her trance.

Her cheeks burned. Flustered, she averted her gaze and nodded quickly, her voice tinged with panic:

“I’m Shen Yue. I’ll… bring more snacks to school.”

Meanwhile, several girls in the class who had been stealing glances at Gu Luo witnessed the entire exchange.

Envy.

Envy.

Still envy.

Why isn’t Gu Luo sitting next to me instead?

And that smile of his… so warm.

They also noted one crucial detail: Gu Luo seemed to really like snacks.

This is important. Must write it down.

Gu Luo, oblivious to the stares, kept his attention on Shen Yue. “So, Shen Yue, can you come with me to check out some clubs after school? I heard Guangya Academy has a club credit system.”

“Yes, yes!” Shen Yue nodded eagerly. “I’m free!”

“Great. Thanks.”

“No problem…”

Just as they finalized their plans, the bell rang, signaling the end of class.

Almost instantly, Gu Luo found himself surrounded by a group of outgoing girls.

“Gu Luo, hi! I’m Feng Youqing, the English class rep.” The ponytailed girl introduced herself with a grin before cutting straight to the chase:

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“……”

Gu Luo’s lips twitched. He vaguely remembered Feng Youqing—she had been the one peeking out the window when he first arrived at the classroom.

“Wow, so direct!” another girl chimed in excitedly.

“So, Gu Luo, do you?”

“You must, right?”

“……”

The barrage of questions made Gu Luo’s head spin.

Just as he was about to excuse himself to the restroom, a male voice suddenly cut through the chatter.

“Move aside, all of you. Don’t crowd my best friend.”

Situ Wenyao shoved Feng Youqing aside and took her place.

Then, with an exaggeratedly confident smirk, he struck what he believed to be a cool, heroic pose.

“Greetings, my dear friend. I am Situ Wenyao, but you may also call me ‘Big Bro Bi’—a loving nickname bestowed upon me by our classmates.”

“From now on, we shall be the twin pillars of handsomeness in Class 8!”

“……”

So even you know you’re called ‘Big Bro Bi’?

Too many things to unpack here.

Gu Luo was rendered speechless.

Meanwhile, Feng Youqing, having been pushed aside, was fuming. In one swift motion, she grabbed a thick English dictionary and—

THWACK!

A resounding thud echoed through the room.

Situ Wenyao, deceased.

Gu Luo stared in shock, his scalp tingling in sympathy.

“Who do you think you’re shoving, huh?” Feng Youqing spat at Situ Wenyao’s “corpse.”

But the moment she put the dictionary down, she instantly reverted to a sweet, soft-spoken demeanor, batting her lashes at Gu Luo.

“Ehehe~ I’m not usually like this, you know~ It’s just that he’s so annoying~”

“……”

Gu Luo shuddered.

———

Time flew by, and before he knew it, the last morning class had ended.

Gu Luo opened his locker and pulled out a thermal lunchbox from his bag.

Just then, the resurrected Situ Wenyao sauntered over and clapped him on the shoulder with overbearing familiarity.

“My dearest friend! Care to join us for lunch? There’s three of us.”

Gu Luo glanced behind Situ Wenyao, where two other boys stood. They nodded politely when they met his gaze.

“No thanks. I’m not used to big groups,” Gu Luo declined tactfully.

Barging into an established clique wasn’t the wisest move.

If it were just Situ Wenyao, maybe.

“Aww, what a shame!” Situ Wenyao sighed dramatically before pointing two fingers at his own eyes, then at Gu Luo.

“But mark my words, my friend—I’ll be watching you.”

“……”

After the three of them left, Gu Luo had originally planned to eat lunch in the classroom when he noticed Shen Yue walking out alone.

"Shen Yue," Gu Luo called out to her.

"Ah... what is it?" Shen Yue turned around, her bright eyes blinking.

Gu Luo had to admit—those eyes of hers were truly beautiful.

Like clear lake water, pure and luminous.

In fact, all her features were lovely.

It was just that her face carried a bit too much roundness, obscuring her beauty.

If she could slim down, she’d undoubtedly be on the same level as Gu Ximan—a stunning beauty.

Add to that her... approachable yet impressive assets,

and she’d effortlessly dominate the scene.

"Let’s eat together, desk mate."

"Ah... sure." Shen Yue nodded quickly, though a hint of hesitation crept in as she asked,

"But... didn’t Situ Wenyao and the others just invite you to join them...?"

............

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