Chapter 2 — A Confession That Absolutely Cannot Be Accepted
The graduation banquet was lively.
More than forty students and six teachers packed into a large private room, filling three round tables. One table was all boys, one all girls, and the last was teachers, class officers, and the students who liked hanging around teachers.
The usually stern teachers relaxed their expressions, and the students shed their burdens. Even though admission results hadn't come out yet, everyone finally felt relieved.
But to Wang Heng, the real trial had only just begun.
He was normally quiet despite decent grades, so he sat at the boys' table beside his best friend Xiao Renjian. This guy had extremely distinctive looks — especially his thick eyebrows that made people think of Rock Lee from Naruto.
But his constantly shifty gaze and suggestive eyebrow wiggles gave him a far more… perverted aura. Instead of a passionate youth, he felt more like Shin-chan after growing up.
Seeing Wang Heng unusually silent today, Xiao Renjian picked up some food and asked,
"Xiao Hengzi, what're you thinking about?"
"Nothing."
"You're acting weird today…"
"How so?"
Rubbing his chin seriously, Xiao Renjian said,
"You used to call me 'bastard'. Today you actually called my name."
Wang Heng: "…Fine. Xiao Bastard. By the way, what university did you apply to?"
Xiao Renjian chuckled.
"Finally asking me? First choice in Huadu, second in Modu, third in the provincial capital. Where I end up depends on fate.
Oh right — the score line for Telecom Tech University isn't low. You sure you'll get in?"
"I'm sure," Wang Heng said without hesitation. "I accepted adjustment placement too. And this year the score line won't be high."
"Why are you so confident…" Xiao Renjian began teasing again, but suddenly paused.
"Hey — someone's staring at you."
"You mean Han Yixuan?"
"Yeah, look behind—"
Before he could finish, Wang Heng cut him off cleanly:
"Don't look. Eat."
"Huh?"
Avoiding bad endings starts with avoiding eye contact with girls.
Of course Wang Heng knew Han Yixuan was sitting only a few steps away at the neighboring table. But he deliberately refused to turn around, pretending he hadn't noticed at all.
The dishes were plentiful, but only a few people talked nonstop. Xiao Renjian soon discovered that after just chatting for a moment and glancing around, an entire plate of sizzling beef disappeared — especially when it reached their side, the last two pieces were snatched by Wang Heng in one swift chopstick attack.
"Can you leave me some?!" Xiao Renjian said mournfully.
While chewing, Wang Heng replied, "Sorry. No."
At that moment, a soft girl's voice sounded behind him.
"Student Wang Heng… can you come out for a moment?"
The surroundings suddenly fell silent.
Then the silence spread across the whole private room.
Nearby students all looked toward Wang Heng and Han Yixuan. Those who hadn't heard the words still followed the atmosphere and stared at them.
Xiao Renjian was the first to react.
"Ohhhh—"
Wang Heng sighed and put down his chopsticks. Ignoring it was no longer possible.
Some boys immediately started heckling:
"So Han Yixuan, why are you calling him out?"
"What secrets can't be said in front of everyone?"
"It's okay, we won't eavesdrop…"
Whenever gossip might happen, students get excited — boys and girls alike. Han Yixuan's face turned bright red, but she still stared firmly at the boy before her.
Wang Heng stood and met her gaze.
"Alright. Let's talk outside."
Amid waves of teasing, the two walked out.
Wang Heng walked ahead, Han Yixuan followed with her head lowered. They continued until they reached the sidewalk outside the restaurant.
It was much quieter there.
Wang Heng examined the girl before him. Her head was lowered so he couldn't see her expression clearly, but even her ears were red — her cheeks must be worse.
He sighed.
"I can probably guess what you want to say. Unless I'm overthinking… is it a confession?"
Her voice was extremely soft.
"You guessed right."
"I understand," Wang Heng swallowed.
"But I'm sorry."
She raised her head in shock.
"You… hate me?"
"I don't hate you. Strictly speaking, I actually like you quite a bit."
He knew the past two years of his behavior had definitely shown hints of mutual affection — so he needed a reasonable excuse.
"Then why apologize?"
"Because I don't plan to date."
She froze, then pressed stubbornly,
"The exams are over already. Why not?"
Wang Heng used the prepared excuse — the most suitable one.
"Because after summer vacation we'll separate. I don't like that. And honestly… I'm not ready for a relationship."
"You're a guy! What is there to prepare?!" Han Yixuan clenched her fists.
"And so what if we separate? It's not the old days — long-distance relationships are normal!"
She was harder to deal with than expected.
Wang Heng quickly thought of another excuse. Suddenly, inspiration struck.
"Let me ask you something," he said.
"Why do you like me?"
She hesitated less than a second before replying,
"Does liking someone need a reason?"
Wang Heng tapped his temple.
"All emotions have reasons. Most teenage 'love' is shallow — usually just because someone looks good.
Even people in their twenties or forties often aren't much different.
Love at first sight? That's just lust.
Feelings growing over time? That's weighing pros and cons — even more realistic."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying the core of love is instinctive reproduction desire plus fear of loneliness, wrapped in cultural packaging. That's all it is.
Love is a ridiculous illusion humans invented.
Dating means building your life around an illusion — like constructing a skyscraper on a swamp. It won't stand.
So even if we didn't separate in two months… we still wouldn't work."
Looking at the stunned girl, Wang Heng felt his improvised philosophical barrage had probably worked…
…probably.