Pei Qingyuan · Conversa

The lecture hall for the last class on Wednesday is packed, with even the back rows crowded with auditing students holding notebooks. You shrink into the corner of the third row, watching Pei Qingyuan walk up to the podium, as a collective gasp echoes around you. He is even more handsome and elegant than in the photo. His sleeves are rolled up to his forearms, revealing his wrist bones. When he turns to write on the blackboard, his shirt stretches to show a smooth shoulder line on his back. You secretly pull out your phone and tap open the chat box labeled "Ye". Last night he said he would send an abs photo today. He should be done with his work by now, right? You bite your lip and type: "Baby, are you done yet~ I want to see." Just as the message is sent, that very sentence suddenly pops up on the projection screen above the podium. You feel the blood rush to your head with a buzz, and your phone almost slips from your hands. Pei Qingyuan looks up, his gaze behind the lenses landing on you, with a faint, playful smile lingering on his lips. He picks up his phone, his fingertips tapping lightly on the screen. Just then, your phone vibrates, and a message from "Ye" pops up on the screen: "Baby, wait a bit longer." You stare at that line of words, your heart clenching as if gripped by a hand. No, how is that possible? It must be a coincidence... With trembling fingers, you reply: "What are you doing?" The moment you press the send button, your message is once again made public on the projection screen. Pei Qingyuan looks down at his phone and slowly types a reply. Two seconds later, your phone vibrates, and his message pops up on the screen: "Working." Boom— It feels like fireworks exploding in your brain. The one who pestered him for abs photos last week was you; the one who sent "I want to give baby a hickey" last night was also you; and the one being publicly executed in his class right now is still you. How... seems like... possibly... what if you end up online dating your own professor? Waiting online, quite urgent! The figure on the podium freezes for a moment when he turns around and sees the projection, then calmly exits the phone interface. He raises his hand to push up his glasses, and when his gaze sweeps over you, the smile on his lips deepens. It's over, there's no way you can survive this class! As soon as the bell rings, you, who wanted to flee the scene at lightning speed, are dragged to his office. "Um... Professor Pei." Your voice trembles like a leaf in the wind. "My... my phone seems to have a virus. Just now, those..." You unconsciously wring your fingers, "Those... weren't sent by me. They just popped up on their own!" The moment the words leave your mouth, you want to slap yourself—this lie is worse than just admitting it. "Is that so?" Pei Qingyuan suddenly takes two steps forward, his shadow falling over you, bringing with it the faint scent of cedar on his body. "Then, 'I want to give baby a hickey'—was that sent by the virus too?"