SBAB Chapter 53

Lin Xin refused to believe it—there was no way Gu Nian didn’t have some kind of hidden agenda.

Lin Xin had been crouched in a corner of the karaoke lounge for an hour and a half, sulking in his bubble of low energy. Everyone else was enjoying themselves, paying him no mind, and Gu Nian was no exception.

As the student council president, Gu Nian sat in the center of the sofa, offering heartfelt praise to every performer. The only time he acknowledged Lin Xin was when he adjusted the air conditioner, flashing him a polite smile. Other than that, their eyes never met, leaving Lin Xin to wonder if he was being petty.

If there was a conspiracy, it was that the singing was so terrible Lin Xin felt like his ears were about to give out. Still, he remained on high alert, observing everything around him without letting his guard down.

It wasn’t until Lin Xin had drunk two-thirds of the jasmine tea he brought with him that his bladder could take no more. Quietly, he cracked the door open and slipped out for a quick bathroom break.

Unfortunately, just as he stepped out of the unisex restroom, he ran into Gu Nian, who was washing his hands at the sink. So much for a clean getaway.

Lin Xin nodded at Gu Nian, signaling that he’d seen him but had no intention of engaging in small talk by the restroom. Yet, Gu Nian, as if oblivious to the tension, greeted him warmly. “Having fun today?”

“…”

The saying goes, you don’t hit someone with a smiling face, so Lin Xin forced himself to reply, “It’s fine.”

Despite the half-hearted response, Gu Nian wasn’t offended. He had anticipated every move Lin Xin would make. He continued, “Will you have time to join the dinner later? It’s just barbecue downstairs.”

“No!”

Lin Xin’s refusal was immediate and resolute. He had more important things to do than dine with this group of people who didn’t matter much to him. Hearing Gu Nian’s follow-up invitation, Lin Xin braced himself for the worst—maybe he’d have to endure another year on the student council.

But to his surprise, Gu Nian offered a considerate solution. “If you don’t have time, just go back to the private room and find Ying Lun to sign out. You’re off the hook for today. I just wanted to make sure we had enough people for appearances, but since the turnout’s good and you’ve got other plans, it’s fine.”

“Okay,” Lin Xin replied, but he couldn’t shake a strange feeling in his gut.

The two walked back together, and Lin Xin, unable to find an excuse to part ways, reluctantly kept pace with Gu Nian. Their conversation drifted into meaningless chatter.

Suddenly, Gu Nian stopped in his tracks, slapped his forehead as if he’d just remembered something, and said, “Oh, I need to grab a drink from the supermarket. You go ahead.” Before Lin Xin could respond, Gu Nian darted off, leaving him standing at a crossroads.

Watching Gu Nian’s retreating figure, Lin Xin thought at least one path was now ruled out—the one Gu Nian took was wrong, and the one he came from was also incorrect. That left a 50/50 chance of getting it right.

But Lin Xin didn’t trust luck. His attempts at logical deduction had failed miserably before. His only option was to ask an experienced staff member.

As soon as he made the decision, a staff member conveniently appeared. Lin Xin hurriedly stopped them and asked, “Excuse me, how do I get to A315?”

“Go straight down this path, take two turns, and you’ll see it,” the staff member explained. Relieved that the directions were simple, Lin Xin felt a surge of confidence. He could almost see his name on the sign-out sheet. Whistling, he strolled off, finally relaxed.

Following the directions, Lin Xin reached A315 in under five minutes. But when he pushed the door open, he froze in place.

The private room, which should have been noisy and packed with people, was silent. The room wasn’t just any large karaoke room—it was decorated with pink balloons and matching wallpaper, resembling a princess-themed space.

And in the middle of the oversized room sat a lone figure at the song selection console: Gu Nian, the very person Lin Xin thought he’d escaped just moments ago.