𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭

eighteen

QIN ZIMO'S POV

The teacher is talking about some sort of formula and my mind is floating around. Lifen must've noticed since we were seatmates. She nudged my elbow, "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing,"

"Is this about Shuzhen?" She whispered, careful of the teacher's actions.

I didn't answer since maybe she already knows what is it about.

"I actually heard it from Ruibin," Lifen continues as the teacher asks us to answer some activities in the book.

I gritted my teeth, that guy really doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut. He should join the broadcasting club.

I turned my head towards her, "You have any idea who it is?"

Lifen shook her head, "Not a clue. Shuzhen doesn't talk to a lot of boys. It was only centered around Yanchen, Ruibin, Xingjie, Jeffrey, Xiao Gui, Zhou Rui. That's all of her guy friends. Well, until you guys came along."

"Does she tell you stuff about her time in the orphanage?"

I saw Lifen smiled, "I actually once asked her about it but we ended up talking about you."

"Me?"

"I have never seen Shuzhen talk about someone like that. Not even Yanchen. Well, what do you expect anyway, those two started as a bet."

"Wait, what do you mean a bet?" I haven't heard this side of the story before. Shuzhen only told me that he and Yanchen are in a relationship and that's it.

Lifen nods, finishing her activity, "Yanchen and Shuzhen were once rivals and somehow Xingjie challenged the both of them to date. I believed they did like each other but not to that extent."

"I never knew that,"

I saw Lifen closing the book as she passed it on the table, "But back to the topic at hand," She said, sitting back down. "Do you like her, Zimo?"

I shrugged but before I can answer, she quickly continued her speech, "Because if you do, I'm willing to help. But you have to make sure that you really like her, not just because you want to move on from Mingzhu."

"That's what Bangbang said," I remembered.

"That's because he once dealt with a situation like this before," Lifen muttered, looking at the clock. "This may sound crazy but Ruibin once had a crush on Shuzhen before Yanchen became her boyfriend."

"Ruibin was heartbroken but months later, he told Bangbang that he likes me. Bangbang asked him a couple of times if he was really serious about it and he promised he was."

I'm in awe. I never thought that Bangbang would be like a guidance councilor. I should ask him for advice once.

I stood up and passed my book as the bell rang. Lifen picked up her bag and waited for me outside.

"If you're really serious about dating Shuzhen, the first thing you have to do is eliminate all possible rivals. Like Zi. You need to find out who he is."

.·:*¨¨*:·. .·:*¨¨*:·.

I squint my eyes as I take a peek at Shuzhen's phone. Who the hell is this girl talking to?! I've been sitting in front of her at the canteen for the past 10 minutes and all she does is look at her phone.

So I decided to stand behind her and she doesn't even notice.

"Li Shuzhen," I called out, grabbing her attention.

"What?" She replied, still not looking up.

I'm getting a bit annoyed so I quickly grabbed her phone, running towards the nearest janitor's closet.

"Shit," I heard her cuss as she chased me around.

Lucky for me I was fast. I entered the closet and locked the door behind me.

"Zimo, open up!" I heard Shuzhen's voice from the other side, knocking loudly on the door.

"I wanna find out who this guy is!" I replied, opening her phone with my fingerprint.

Shuzhen groaned, still knocking, "Qin Zimo, I swear! Give me back my phone!!"

As I opened it I was shocked to see what her wallpaper is. It was the both of us cosplaying. This is actually my favorite role because during the photoshoot, I got to hold her close to me.

I smiled, remembering what it was like back then when the two of us would sneak out during a cosplay event, not revealing our true self to others but only to each other.

I scrolled through her inbox and I found the one I've been looking for.

Shuzhen was still knocking on the other side and I can feel her slowly killing me in her head.

"If you stop knocking, I'll make this quick," I said, shutting her up.

I rolled my eyes and read his messages.

♢♢♢♢♢

ZI
Are you my Appendix? because I have a funny feeling in my stomach that makes me feel like I should take you out.

ZI
Can I take your picture to prove to all my friends that angels do exist?

ZI
Sorry, but you owe me a drink

SHU
why?

ZI
Because when I looked at you, I dropped mine.

ZI
You look so familiar... didn't we take a class together? I could've sworn we had chemistry.

ZI
That's your daily dose of Zi's sweet sweet pick up lines. Good night zhen zhen 💗

♢♢♢♢♢

Wait.. this is so familiar. I felt like I've read these pick up lines somewhere before. I looked at the mop that was leaning on the wall.

I recalled the memories of us when we were still in the orphanage. Two young boys playing around with the mop as the other one kept bugging Shuzhen.

I read the texts again and a certain name caught my attention. I widen my eyes fixing the puzzle.

Zhen Zhen? There's only one person who calls Shuzhen by that name.

And I know who it is.