After school, Zhuang Zi'ang headed to the snack street to find some food. In the distance, he spotted a stall selling fried potatoes. This stall reminded him of the first day he met Su Yudiel, when they shared their first snack.

  "Hey Auntie, I get an order of potatoes? Extra spicy, please," Zhuang Zi'ang said as he approached.

  The auntie, busy with her cooking, smiled and hen casually asked, "What about that girl ith you st time?"

  Zhuang Zi'ang's face lit up. "Auntie, you remember Little Butterfly?"

  "Of course," the auntie replied thoughtfully. "She used to e here all the time for potatoes. Always so bubbly and chatty, a really sweet girl. She made quite an impression."

  "When was the first time you saw her?"

  "Hmm, about three months ago, I'd say."

  Zhuang Zi'ang decided to leave it at that, not wanting to probe further. He didn't want the auo get the wrong idea and think he was some kind of creepy stalker.

  As he munched on his insanely spicy fried potatoes and sipped an ice-cold Coke, Zhuang Zi'ang entered two familiar faces: Lin Mushi and Xie Wenyong.

  "Zhuang Zi'ang, I was a little stressed about the exam tomorrow, so I asked Xie Wenyong to e grab some barbecue with me. There's nothing romantic between us, okay?" Lin Mushi quickly expined.

  Zhuang Zi'ang was bewildered. "Uh, okay? Enjoy your meal. Why are you expining this to me?"

  Lin Mushi furrowed her delicate brows. "It seems like, where have you eveely? You haven't been around to eat with me, and Xie Wenyong happeo be free. You don't mind, do you?"

  "No, not at all! It's totally normal for cssmates to eat together," Zhuang Zi'ang replied with a smile.

  Lin Mushi bit her lip, obviously frustrated, her cheeks flushing pink. Seriously, Zhuang Zi'ang? You're off spending time with some irl all the time now. And our movie pn? You've pletely fotten about it, like it's a history.

  "Hey Zhuang Zi'ang, wanna join us?" Xie Wenyong asked tentatively. He felt he had to extend the offer, especially after Zhuang Zi'ang had spoken up for him ierday's css meeting. He couldn't be rude again. Plus, he had done some self-refle and knew he'd messed up in the past, too.

  "Sure, why not? I've got nothing going on bae," Zhuang Zi'ang readily accepted.

  Xie Wenyong: "..."That was just a polite gesture! Why are you taking it so literally? He felt like spping himself. What was he thinking, asking that? He'd goo so much trouble to ask Lin Mushi out, and now they had an unwahird wheel - not to mention he'd have to shell out more cash. Way to go, genius.

  They ended up at the same all-you--eat barbecue pce Zhuang Zi'ang and Su Yudiel had visited before. When Zhuang Zi'ang saw the beer in the dispy case, a small smile appeared on his face.

  It was a self-serve pce, and Xie Wenyong immediately started fussing around as soon as they sat down – brushing oil on the grill, prepping the meat, and mixing dipping sauces. Lin Mushi, ever the princess, didn't lift a finger, simply waiting to be served.

  Zhuang Zi'ang, feeling equally zy, acted like a king, spearing his fried potatoes with a bamboo skewer.

  "Could you maybe y off the potatoes for a bit? You're totally killing my budget here," Xie Wenyong grumbled, shooting him a gre. The buffet riced per person, and Zhuang Zi'ang filling up on cheap potatoes was definitely not cost-effective.

  But Zhuang Zi'ang didn't care o, happily tinuing to devour his potatoes.

  Lin Mushi's gaze, however, remained fixed on Zhuang Zi'ang. She couldn't shake the feeling that behind his seemingly carefree attitude, there was a shadow, a hint of something troubling him. And his ret absences from css were really starting to worry her.

  When the first batch of food was ready, Xie Wenyong automatically started peeling shrimp for Lin Mushi.

  Zhuang Zi'ang grinned. "Hey, you're a pro at peeling shrimp! Mind peeling a couple for me too?"

  "'t you do it yourself?" Xie Wenyong muttered under his breath.

  "I'm too zy to go wash my hands. e on, be a pal and just peel them all while you're at it," Zhuang Zi'ang said, pletely unfazed.

  Xie Wenyong ractically steaming. You're the pal. Your whole family are pals.

  Lin Mushi let out a little giggle. Seeing Xie Wenyo flustered by Zhuang Zi'ang was kind of eaining.

  "Zhuang Zi'ang, was that girl who came to find you outside css the other day yirlfriend?" Lin Mushi finally asked, after hesitating for a while.

  Zhuang Zi'ang shook his head. "No, I just met her st week."

  Lin Mushi immediately pressed on, "Oh? So, which css is she in?"

  "To be ho, I don't know," Zhuang Zi'ang admitted. "She said she was in Css 23, but..."

  Everyone khere were only 22 csses in their grade. So, that was obviously a lie.

  "That's weird. If there was a girl that geous in rade, how e nobody knows her?" Xie Wenyong chimed in.

  Lin Mushi, with a touch of jealousy in her voice, asked, "Geous? Just how geous are we talking about?"

  Xie Wenyong quickly backpedaled. "Well, of course, you're much prettier, Mushi."

  Their questiohe same ones Zhuang Zi'ang had been turning over in his mind for days. There was always an air of mystery surrounding Little Butterfly.

  Throughout the meal, Lin Mushi spent most of her time chatting with Zhuang Zi'ang. He was surprisingly open, even sharing some helpful exam tips with them.

  Xie Wenyong, oher hand, ended up pying waiter, too busy grilling to eat much himself.

  Finally, after muternal debate, he swallowed his pride and humbly asked Zhuang Zi'ang for advice.

  "What's your secret to being such a good css president? Why does everyone listen to you and not me?"

  Having just enjoyed a free meal, and not having any major issues with Xie Wenyong, Zhuang Zi'ang smiled and shared his wisdom. "Being css president means serving your cssmates, not bossing them around. If you genuinely put the css first, both the teachers and your cssmates will see that. Keep at it, and you'll make a great css president."

  ...Xie Wenyong listened ily, a look of shame and uanding on his face. Zhuang Zi'ang's generosity and big-picture thinkiruly beyond his own. He couldn't help but feel a sense of respect.

  "I'm stuffed. 't eat too much at night, don't want to gai," Lin Mushi announced, setting down her chopsticks.

  "Yeah, I'm pretty much dooo, especially after those potatoes," Zhuang Zi'ang added.

  "What? You guys are finished already? I'm just getting started!" Xie Wenyong excimed, looking panicked.

  Lin Mushi said sweetly, "Well, you stay a some more. Zhuang Zi'ang and I are gonna head out."

  Zhuang Zi'ang, barely suppressing a chuckle, said, "Xie Wenyong, thanks for the meal! I'll get going then."

  The two of them got up and walked out of the restaurant together, leaving Xie Wenyong alo the table.

  Suddenly, the chi wing in his mouth didn't taste so good anymore.

  Snowfkes flutter, the north wind howls, a vast expanse of white... He felt a pang of loneliness, just like the lyrics of that old, sad song.

  "Mushi, you should probably grab a cab," Zhuang Zi'ang suggested as they stood by the roadside, trying to hail one for her.

  "Wait, Zhuang Zi'ang, there's something I o talk to you about," Lin Mushi said, biting her lower lip.

  Zhuang Zi'ang turo face her, gazing at the school's beauty queen. Lin Mushi was undeniably beautiful, ae her occasional princess-like tendencies, she was also a sweet girl. But her privileged background created an aura of sophistication that made Zhuang Zi'ang feel a bit out of pce, even a little inferior.

  Or rather, being with Lin Mushi always made him feel a bit inferior.

  Su Yudiel was a different story altogether. She was beautiful, adorable, and incredibly down-to-earth. When he was with her, all his worries seemed to vanish in an instant.

  After a long pause, Lin Mushi finally gathered her ce. "Zhuang Zi'ang, are you... are you going through something tough right now?"

  His ret erratic behavior had her deeply ed. She wao help, but she also didn't want to hurt his pride, so she tried to choose her words carefully.

  "Mushi, thanks, but I'm really okay. Don't worry about me," Zhuang Zi'ang said, f a smile.

  "But you're not okay! Aren't we good friends? Why are you keeping things from me?" Lin Mushi pressed, her frustration evident.

  Uhe more easygoing Li Huangxuan, Lin Mushi, being a girl, was much more sensitive and intuitive. She had a strong feeling that Zhuang Zi'ang was fag a major crisis, and she even wondered if it had something to do with that mysterious girl.

  "Zhuang Zi'ang, be ho with me. Are you dating someone?"

  "No," Zhuang Zi'ang denied immediately, but then, after a brief hesitation, he added, "But... I think I've really fallen for her."