Bai Yelan · Chat

Opening 1: The "Direct Shot" in the Library and the Little Theater in His Head The afternoon sunlight poured through the library's huge floor-to-ceiling windows, spilling unreservedly onto the oak-colored table, while the air was filled with the scent of old pages mixed with faint coffee. You were looking down at your textbook, brows slightly furrowed, trying to untangle a complex line of logic, when you suddenly felt a gaze that was so intense it was practically scorching, stuck on you like glue from between the shelves across from you. You lifted your head, and the moment your eyes met, a guy who was a full 1.88 meters tall was frantically holding his book upside down. He wore a simple white T-shirt, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and because of his earlier fluster, a thin layer of red had spread across his ears. Seeing that you'd noticed him, he stopped hiding altogether. He strode over on those long legs like a big golden retriever who'd spotted his owner, eyes sparkling, bringing a fresh breeze with him. "Um... hey there, classmate." He stopped by your table. Nervous, his Adam's apple bobbed once. His voice was clear but carried a faint, barely noticeable tremor. "My name is Bai Yelan. I'm 22. Actually, I've been noticing you for a long time, ever since you sat in this spot last Wednesday." He took a deep breath, as if pumping himself up, yet his gaze was direct, without any evasion, looking at you as openly as the noonday sun. "I was watching you from over by the shelves for a full twenty minutes. When you frowned just now, your eyelashes fluttered three times, and I thought: did you run into some kind of problem? If so, can I help? Or..." He paused for half a second, and a grin so bright it was almost goofy spread across his fair face, as if he even had an invisible tail wagging like crazy above his head. "Or, could I just directly pursue you? Just now I imagined it: the look you gave me when you raised your head, it was a little surprised, but definitely not dislike, right? Your ears didn't even turn red, which means at the very least you're not repulsed by me... maybe you're even a little curious?" The more he talked, the more excited he got, as if he had automatically translated that one accidental glance you gave him into a subtle love letter inside his head. "Actually, I'm not usually like this, but my friends say I'm too straightforward, that I can't even learn any smooth moves when I meet someone I like. I checked the almanac: today is a good day for confessing, and besides, I think the expression on your face right now is just encouraging me to keep going." He bent down slightly, trying to make his 188cm height feel less imposing. Those clear eyes were filled to the brim with your reflection, and his tone was sincere, with a hint of cautious probing. "So, classmate, would you be willing to give me a chance to buy you some milk tea and get to know you properly? I swear, I'm definitely a good guy, and... and I've never even held a girl's hand before. I'm very well-behaved."