Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The silver-haired little figure saw that he had already wavered and thought it should not push too hard.

【Alright then, Host, if you have any questions, you can come ask me again.】

After saying that, it slowly turned into illusory particles, breaking apart little by little in the air until it completely disappeared.

Seeing this scene, Hui Jiang sighed that his life was becoming more and more fantastical. He rubbed the back of his neck and sat up from the desk, then looked up and saw Mu Nanzhi sitting beside him.

The warm afternoon sunlight slanted into the classroom. The rustling sound of tree branches swaying in the wind filled the air. That skin as pale as plaster, those long and straight fingers, and the faint red mole between his fingers—no matter how many times he looked, he would still be captivated by the other’s appearance.

The person noticed his gaze and turned his head slightly.

“Why aren’t you sleeping anymore?”

“I’m more used to sleeping in bed,” Hui Jiang sighed, looking at the bamboo lot beside the other’s arm, “That… I still feel a bit guilty.”

Mu Nanzhi lowered his eyes, glanced at the lot on the table.

“You’re still thinking about this,” he picked it up and placed it in his palm, “So what do you want to do?”

“Why don’t we switch back,” Hui Jiang took out a bamboo lot, “Even though I really hate the idea of pretending in women’s clothes, this was still my draw. I can’t just be so shameless.”

Mu Nanzhi looked at him.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes,” Hui Jiang took back the red-marked lot that originally belonged to him, “We’re friends. I can’t just drag you into this. Besides, don’t you think cross-dressing is embarrassing? You’re the campus idol. Aren’t you afraid people will secretly take photos and leave you with some terrible black history?”

“It’s fine,” Mu Nanzhi smiled lightly, “I can’t control what others want to do. But if this is your decision, I’m willing to go along with it.”

“I never realized you were this easygoing,” Hui Jiang said helplessly, “I just hope the department head won’t make things harder for us. Please don’t make us dance some Bilibili dance covers.”

Mu Nanzhi felt he was amusing, but still comforted him.

“The venue is large. Students in the back won’t be able to see your face clearly.”

“Hopefully…” Hui Jiang never expected that one day he would abandon his dignity just for gentleman points.

【Host, what you said is not quite right. While earning gentleman points, you will also receive monetary rewards. According to my estimate, this dance alone will earn you at least six figures in RMB.】

Six… six figures?!

Hui Jiang immediately started counting on his fingers. Tens of thousands?!

【Not tens of thousands. It should be hundreds of thousands. One person equals one thousand yuan. Excluding graduate students and seniors on internships, the school has at least 24,000 people. That’s not even counting teachers. Even if students in the back can’t see you, just attracting the front rows alone will earn you a huge amount!】

‘Wait, let me calm down,’ Hui Jiang was stunned by the sudden “path to wealth.” Hundreds of thousands was an enormous sum for a university student. ‘Just dancing in women’s clothes can earn this much? Isn’t that basically like livestreaming female influencers?’

【If the host is willing to livestream cross-dressed dancing, the income would be even higher than theirs.】

The system’s voice was like a nightmare, tempting the greatest desires in human hearts.

Although Hui Jiang liked money, he was not at the point of abandoning dignity and shame.

‘Stop tempting me. Livestreaming in women’s clothes is impossible in this lifetime. I’m a top university student, how could I do something like that?’

【The system only provides suggestions. The choice is yours.】

Then it disappeared again.

Just then, the department head began registering the list of lottery winners, and instantly the classroom was filled with groaning sounds from the boys.

“Those who got red lots, please raise your hands. Deputy head, help me record them,” the department head said on the podium, scanning the students with a microphone, “While the deputy head is recording, I’ll explain this dance performance…”

The department head opened a projector and pulled up several Bilibili dance videos from favorites. The students instantly deflated.

“Department head, you want us to dance this?!” someone immediately complained jokingly.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take the essence and remove the flaws… for now we haven’t decided which dance yet, so we’re showing you options,” she said.

No one believed that.

Hui Jiang also couldn’t hold back, “Wasn’t this supposed to be mixed male-female dancing?”

The department head nodded.

“Yes. These are dances originally performed by ‘girls’—and that includes you boys doing cross-dressing versions.”

What?!

All the boys who drew red lots felt their hearts sink. Some even began refusing, using excuses like being too fat or too tall.

“Unless you quit the department, you all must participate. Of course… those who want to quit should consider the end-of-year GPA evaluation,” Senior Sister Miao Tingqiu said calmly, and the room instantly went quiet.

Her words hit the point directly. Participation added two points to the final comprehensive evaluation, affecting scholarships and rankings. Even if one didn’t care about the points, it still affected campus relationships, so no one would choose to quit at this time.

As expected, the room went silent. No one at H University was foolish enough to act rashly. Hui Jiang already foresaw his future and gave up resisting.

Then Senior Sister Miao Tingqiu said again:

“Junior, I think these dances are good. Let’s string them together into a medley.”

“What?!”

A “medley,” as the name suggests, meant combining the best parts of each dance into one.

Not only was Hui Jiang shocked, even Mu Nanzhi beside him looked surprised.

“Won’t that be too tight on time?” he asked.

Indeed, there was only one month left until the cultural festival.

Miao Tingqiu immediately softened her tone when she saw Mu Nanzhi speaking.

“It’ll be fine. We’ll only learn the most iconic movements… Department head, what do you think?”

The department head nodded.

“Alright. Then starting tonight at 7 p.m., everyone comes to this classroom. I’ll send the videos to you—practice on your own.”

He smiled with a hint of mischief.

“Since the dance is decided, we’ll now form groups. You may freely match up. Remember: one boy and one ‘girl’ per team. Once you’re done, report to me.”

This statement was devastating to the boys who drew red lots. While others went to find girls, they could only pair with other boys.

Hui Jiang sat dejectedly in his seat and noticed Mu Nanzhi still hadn’t moved.

“Why aren’t you going to find a partner?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” Mu Nanzhi said, turning to look at him, “What about you? Who are you planning to pair with?”

“Who knows. Those guys are definitely rushing to find girls,” Hui Jiang complained, “Maybe only after they get rejected will they think of me.”

“I see…”

“Hui Jiang, you two know each other?” Senior Sister Miao Tingqiu suddenly walked over, “Why don’t you introduce him to me?”

It’s over.

Last time he rejected her request. Now that she found out he knew Mu Nanzhi, would he be targeted?

“Hello, Senior Sister… Mu Nanzhi, this is our previous department head, Senior Sister Miao Tingqiu,” he quickly stood up and introduced them.

“Junior Mu, hello,” Miao Tingqiu greeted warmly, then pulled Hui Jiang aside.

“Hui Jiang! Explain yourself honestly.”

“I-I explain what?” Hui Jiang pressed himself against the wall, pretending innocence.

“Hmph, forget it. I’m not that petty,” Miao Tingqiu said, brushing her hair back, “That said, the medical school campus idol really is quite good-looking. Too bad I don’t like robbing the cradle.”

Is that so? Doesn’t look like it.

“Senior Sister, what do you want me to do?” Hui Jiang smiled ingratiatingly.

“Since you drew a red lot, and you two already know each other, why don’t you just form a team with Mu Nanzhi?”

Miao Tingqiu rested her chin on her hand and smiled faintly.

“Why? Even if I go invite him, he might not necessarily agree. He might want to team up with girls instead.”

Senior Sister Miao Tingqiu immediately gave him a glare.

“If Mu Nanzhi were as sleazy as you people, he wouldn’t deserve to be called the campus idol. There are quite a few girls in our department. If one of them goes to invite him, the others will definitely copy her. That would make the atmosphere extremely awkward.”

Hui Jiang suddenly understood.

“Oh, so senior sister is doing this for departmental harmony. True, if other boys saw it, they’d definitely be jealous to death,” thinking of that scene, even someone as upright as him would feel jealous of Mu Nanzhi.

“We must eliminate these uncertain factors at the bud stage. Anyway, you two already know each other, and you’re a guy, so the girls won’t be jealous of you, and the boys won’t be jealous of him,” Senior Sister Miao Tingqiu analyzed confidently.

“You’re right.”

“Then why aren’t you going already!”

“But… I and him…” We’re really not that close.

“But what? Go.”

And so, Hui Jiang was pushed over to Mu Nanzhi by the senior sister.

Mu Nanzhi saw that he had been dragged away to talk for so long and couldn’t help but feel curious.

“What did the senior sister say to you?”

“Nothing much, just talked about the development of the department.”

“About you?” Mu Nanzhi narrowed his eyes, clearly not believing it.

“Let’s not talk about that,” Hui Jiang carefully observed his surroundings, “While I was away just now, did anyone invite you to form a team?”

He shook his head.

“No.”

From his tone, it didn’t sound like he was lying. Could the senior sister have been wrong? But at that moment, Hui Jiang suddenly saw a girl walking toward them, and alarm bells rang in his head.

No way, is she serious?

In those few seconds of shock, the girl had already walked up to Mu Nanzhi.

Absolutely not!

Hui Jiang suddenly stood up, startling both Mu Nanzhi and the girl into turning around.

“I… I—” He didn’t even know what to say.

“Hui Jiang, why did you scare me?” This girl happened to be from the same department. She then turned to Mu Nanzhi and said, “Hello, may I ask if you already have a partner?”

It’s over.

Hui Jiang quickly glanced around. With how polite Mu Nanzhi was, would he really refuse? Senior Sister Miao Tingqiu was right there too—she must have seen this. He had to do something.

Mu Nanzhi had just started to speak.

“I…”

“Wait!”

Hui Jiang immediately stepped between them.

“Sorry, he already formed a team with me!”

Mu Nanzhi looked at him in surprise. After a few seconds, his expression returned to normal.

“What the hell, Hui Jiang,” the girl blushed, “I never said I was inviting him. You guys are so full of yourselves.” She turned and left, quickly finding another boy as her partner.

Phew, that was close. Even if the girl might resent him, at least he completed what the senior sister asked.

From a distance, Senior Sister Miao Tingqiu smiled at him, seemingly quite satisfied.

“Since she’s gone, can you explain what that just meant?”

“Uh… that…” Hui Jiang sat down awkwardly, “It’s just the literal meaning. I wanted to team up with you… sorry, I didn’t even ask if you agreed.”

Mu Nanzhi looked at the flustered boy and suddenly felt like teasing him.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll get angry? Or do you think I have such a good temper?”

His calm voice seemed to hide stormy waves beneath it.

“Not that,” Hui Jiang quickly denied, “I didn’t mean that. I just… just…” He was afraid Mu Nanzhi would be angry. “I was afraid you’d agree to that girl.”

His expression looked very sincere.

Seeing him so panicked, Mu Nanzhi inexplicably felt a bit relieved.

“So if I agreed to her, what then? Do you think I can only team up with you?”

“I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry,” Hui Jiang completely panicked. Even though he thought Mu Nanzhi had a good temper and wouldn’t get angry, when he actually questioned him, the pressure was overwhelming.

Seeing him so timid, Mu Nanzhi stopped teasing him.

“Then go register.”

“Register? What register?” Hui Jiang looked up blankly, not understanding how the topic had jumped there.

He then saw Mu Nanzhi smile at him.

“You’re not angry anymore? You agreed to team up with me?”

“Mm. And I’m not that petty.”

Mu Nanzhi stood up and walked a few steps ahead, then turned back.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Oh, I’m coming.”

Happiness came too suddenly. Hui Jiang had to admit this scene felt exactly like something out of an idol drama. No wonder those girls were so obsessed with Mu Nanzhi—his temperament and elegance were not something a “single dog” like him could compare to.

“Oh? You two formed a pair?” The department head in charge of registration smiled at them.

“Perfect. Mu Nanzhi is a few centimeters taller than you. Otherwise, with your 1.8-meter height, it would actually be hard to find a dance partner.”

He took out two small notebooks and scribbled on them.

“What is this? Isn’t it enough to just write a name?” Hui Jiang took the notebook handed to him. It already had their names written on it, along with the department seal.

“You each get one notebook. During training, you supervise each other and record attendance. If the other person does poorly or leaves early, you can write it down. We’ll collect them every week to check,” the department head explained.

“This is so troublesome,” Hui Jiang frowned, noticing Mu Nanzhi also had one, and couldn’t help complaining, “It’s like a marriage certificate.”

Mu Nanzhi paused slightly.

“Now that you mention it, it does,” the department head joked, “Then I wish you both a long and happy marriage…”

“Alright, alright,” Hui Jiang interrupted, taking the notebook back, “If there’s nothing else, I’m heading back.”

“Go ahead. Remember to come at 7 p.m. tomorrow.”

Hui Jiang couldn’t stand this guy anymore and pulled Mu Nanzhi away. When they reached the first floor, he realized it was already almost six.

“How did this afternoon go by so fast?”

“Mm. Want to grab dinner together?” Mu Nanzhi rarely made an invitation.

“Sure—” he agreed, but his phone suddenly rang.

It was Hao Tu calling.

As soon as he answered, Hao Tu’s blunt voice came through.

“Hui Jiang, where are you?”

“I’m near the South Cafeteria, about to go eat there.”

“Alright, wait for me. I’ll be there soon.”

“Huh?!” Before he could refuse, the call had already ended. Hui Jiang looked at his phone helplessly.

Mu Nan Zhi asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

Hui Jiang felt a bit embarrassed. “My roommate is coming to eat with us. Is that okay?”

“It’s fine, I don’t mind.” Just a moment ago, Mu Nan Zhi had already seen the caller ID on his phone—again He Tu. “By the way, let’s exchange numbers and WeChat, in case we can’t find each other during training.”

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Feels like getting a marriage certificate… (There will be another update tonight)