Chapter 40 – Exclusive Sweet Romance: The Battle to Save the Campus Heartthrob (02)
Sensing the target’s appearance, Xiao Bobao dutifully reminded, “Mo Mo, your husband has appeared at your seven o’clock position.”
Bai Mo spun around excitedly, his bright eyes landing on the winding corridor ahead.
Under the shade of a tree, a tall and slender young man stood with an air of effortless elegance. His stunning features were flawless, and his gentle gaze, framed by rimless glasses, was utterly captivating. A single glance from him could make anyone willingly drown in the ocean of his tenderness.
Jian Haocang’s gaze met the girl’s.
Bathed in the warm sunlight, she beamed at him, and in that moment, his heart ignited like a flammable substance under a magnifying glass—sparks erupting into flames, engulfing everything in their wake.
The girl lifted her heavy skirt and ran toward Jian Haocang.
The crisp “tap, tap” of her low-heeled boots echoed on the stone pavement. Her eyes shone brightly, overflowing with burning affection and joy, as she dashed toward the corridor.
Jian Haocang was no stranger to this kind of gaze—he had seen it in the eyes of many admirers before.
At first, their persistent confessions had troubled him. After countless rejections, he had grown indifferent, able to walk through campus unfazed by their longing stares.
But now, he realized he had overestimated his composure.
As Bai Mo drew closer, his heartbeat grew increasingly erratic, pounding violently against his ribs.
Just as their long-awaited reunion seemed destined to be a perfect moment, Jian Haocang opened his mouth—
“Hello, classmate. The character wall is a public display and should not be defaced.”
His voice remained as gentle and soothing as a spring breeze, yet his first words shattered the magic of the encounter.
The panda-like broadcast system chewed on bamboo with a deadpan expression: “Heh. Male lead, with lines like that, you’re doomed to be single forever.”
Bai Mo’s joy from their long-awaited reunion instantly faded, replaced by an unmistakable hint of disappointment in his eyes.
Jian Haocang panicked.
That wasn’t what he wanted to say!
Why had his clumsy mouth chosen this as an opening line?!
“Uh… I tripped,” Bai Mo said, voice tinged with grievance.
“Yes, that’s it—I tripped. I’m sorry. I’ll clean it off right now.”
His heart felt stifled.
He had imagined countless romantic scenarios for their reunion, but never in his wildest dreams did he expect the male lead’s first words to be a reprimand.
There went his beautiful first impression.
Turning around sullenly, Bai Mo pulled out a wet wipe and reached up to clean the lip print off the male lead’s photo on the wall.
However, due to the special material of the photograph—and the excellent staying power of his lipstick—the mark refused to budge.
Instead of disappearing, the entire area turned an even deeper shade of red.
“Now it really looks like someone sneaked a kiss and didn’t bother wiping their lips after,” Bobao system giggled, covering its mouth in amusement.
Bai Mo: “……”
What could he do? He was utterly hopeless.
“It won’t come off…”
Even though he had mentally prepared himself, the moment his husband scolded him in the tone of a stranger, Bai Mo grew more and more aggrieved.
His delicate, palm-sized face scrunched up, and his big, watery eyes brimmed with unshed tears. Just one blink, and golden teardrops would fall for all to see.
“Don’t cry. I didn’t mean to blame you.”
Seeing the little guy’s tearful expression, the always gentle and refined Jian Haocang felt a sudden wave of panic.
He had no idea how to comfort someone.
Instinctively, Jian Haocang pulled out a tissue, reaching out to wipe the tears away.
His fingertips brushed against the boy’s soft, smooth skin, as delicate as white jade.
But the slight movement of his adam’s apple made him hesitate.
Lifting his gaze, he met Bai Mo’s eyes.
The boy’s wet eyelashes trembled slightly, and the dangerously close distance between them made them both freeze in place, holding their breath.
The adorable girl had turned out to be a boy, yet Jian Haocang didn’t feel disgusted at all.
If anything, he found Bai Mo even more endearing—so genuine, so bold, unapologetically embracing his own preferences.
Living freely and joyfully… That was pretty admirable.
Bai Mo stared at his reflection in the young man’s eyes.
That tender expression, as if his entire world of warmth was reserved for Bai Mo alone, made the boy’s fair cheeks flush a soft pink.
No wonder his husband had been chosen as the male lead—just his looks alone were enough to make hearts race.
But then he remembered—this very same person had just scolded him moments ago.
Bai Mo’s smile faded.
Taking the tissue from Jian Haocang’s hand, he subtly put some distance between them and responded lightly,
“I can do it myself. Thank you~”
“It’s fine. I’ll take care of it,” Jian Haocang replied.
As the head of the Student Council’s Publicity Department, he was in charge of the Character Wall.
If the photo got stained, he’d just replace it with a new one.
“Sorry for the trouble,” Bai Mo said, taking a few steps back to give him space, his gaze dropping to the ground as he stood a full meter away.
Watching Bai Mo withdraw, Jian Haocang felt a twinge of discomfort in his chest.
And when their eyes met again, Bai Mo’s avoiding gaze made something stir restlessly within him.
Before he could think, he blurted out—
“The Publicity Department has backup photos, but they’re a bit large. I can’t put them up alone… Can you help me?”
Being gazed at so intently by his husband’s eyes—bright as the stars—Bai Mo’s mind went completely blank.
By the time he came back to his senses, he had already followed behind Jian Haocang, heading toward the Student Council office.
The rain had stopped for a while, and more students gradually filled the pathways.
Curious gazes swept over Bai Mo, not just because of his small, adorable appearance, but also because of his relationship with Jian Haocang.
With his keen hearing, he could clearly pick up every whisper from the passing students.
“She’s so cute! I don’t think I’ve seen her at A University before. Is she a freshman?”
“I just want to know… what’s her relationship with Jian Haocang? I’ve never seen him this close to a girl before…”
“She must be his little sister. No way—I have to befriend her! A cute little sister like that? I need to have her!”
“Count me in!”
Listening to all the praise, Bai Mo couldn’t help feeling a little smug.
After all, he was the most beautiful snow ferret in his clan, and plenty of small animals loved playing with him.
“Ouch—!”
Suddenly, Bai Mo collided with a solid wall of muscle—his delicate nose slamming right into Jian Haocang’s back.
The sharp sting instantly made his eyes water.
This is what happens when you don’t watch where you’re going.
Hearing the boy’s pained cry, Jian Haocang immediately turned around, his voice filled with concern—
“I’m so sorry, that was my fault. I should have warned you we arrived. Let me see—did you hurt yourself?”
He lowered his head, trying to check Bai Mo’s condition.
Bai Mo wasn’t the type to act fragile or dramatic, but Jian Haocang’s gentle care made something sour and aching rise in his chest.
He lifted his head, only for Jian Haocang to lightly grasp the hand he was using to cover his nose.
The sudden contact made that sour feeling spread throughout Bai Mo’s body.
“Looks like you’re okay. If you had really gotten hurt, I would have felt so guilty.”
Jian Haocang gently pinched Bai Mo’s nose, checking for injuries.
Apart from the slight redness at the tip, everything else seemed fine.
“No more crying, okay? I’ll treat you to milk tea later to make up for it.”
His gentle actions and affectionate tone made Bai Mo completely freeze in place.
A single teardrop clung to his long, curled lashes, and when he blinked—
The crystal-clear bead rolled down, only to be caught by Jian Haocang’s fingertips.
Bai Mo snapped back to reality in an instant.
“I wasn’t crying! This is just a physiological reaction!”
Furrowing his delicate brows, he sniffled slightly, determined to preserve his dignity.
Real men don’t cry!
He refused to admit he was a crybaby!
“Alright, alright, I misspoke—this is just normal physiological tears.” Jian Haocang played along with Bai Mo’s words, finally satisfying the latter.
Now that’s more like it.
The onlookers, who had witnessed the entire scene, had to cover their mouths tightly to suppress their excited screams.
They shipped it. They totally shipped it.
A tsundere crybaby loli × gentle, intellectual male god—and that nose pinch?! It was too much for their hearts to handle.
Jian Haocang had always been kind and polite to everyone, a well-mannered and helpful person.
Under normal circumstances, they might have taken a second glance at him and moved on, but pinching someone’s nose?
That was a display of intimacy.
As far as they knew, Jian Haocang always maintained a respectful distance from girls.
They had never seen him show this kind of indulgent tone or gaze toward anyone before.
If he wasn’t dating this person, then what else could this be?
And don’t try to tell them this was just a sibling thing—because no way would anyone treat their sister like that.
The whispered chatter from the onlookers reached Bai Mo’s ears word for word.
Hearing them call him and Jian Haocang a couple, his ears instantly turned red.
They weren’t a couple yet!
There hadn’t even been a proposal or a wedding.
They couldn’t use the word “partner” yet.
Besides, Jian Haocang had just scolded him and even bumped his nose until it turned red.
Why would he ever choose a partner who only bullies him?!
Seeing Bai Mo’s obvious but adorable denial, Xiao Bobao decided to tease him on purpose—
“The female lead is approaching in 10 meters! Mo Mo, prepare for impact!”
Before Bai Mo could even react—
Speak of the devil, and the devil appears.
Ran Yunyun, the female lead, and her best friend, Huo Wen, were both Student Council officers.
It wasn’t unusual for them to be around this area, but what a coincidence—
Huo Wen noticed a crowd gathering ahead, the atmosphere buzzing with excitement.
Curious, she dragged Ran Yunyun along to check it out.
And what did they see?
Jian Haocang holding onto Bai Mo’s wig, the two of them standing dangerously close, their faces mere inches apart.
To anyone with eyes, it was clear—
These two were not just acquaintances.
Ran Yunyun’s feelings for Jian Haocang were no secret—
Most people within the Student Council already knew about it.
And she wasn’t even the only girl who liked him.
Several others—equally matched in status and beauty—also had a crush on the male lead.
But unfortunately for them, Jian Haocang treated everyone the same, maintaining his calm, gentle, and distant demeanor.
Even so, Ran Yunyun had one major advantage over the other girls—
She was also part of the Public Relations Department, meaning she had more opportunities to interact with Jian Haocang.
As the saying goes—“proximity breeds opportunity”.
Yet now, seeing her beloved male god getting close to another girl with her own eyes—
Ran Yunyun’s heart took a massive hit.
Huo Wen was Ran Yunyun’s closest friend and knew her feelings well.
In her eyes, Ran Yunyun and Jian Haocang were a match made in heaven—anyone else was simply unworthy.
She snorted coldly, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Who are you? Standing in front of the Student Council’s Public Relations Department, trying to cause trouble?”
Huo Wen didn’t hesitate to accuse Bai Mo, instantly painting him as a troublemaker.
After all, both Jian Haocang and Ran Yunyun were wildly popular, known as the campus prince and princess of A University.
Each had their own devoted admirers, and there was no way those fans would allow an outsider to bully their idols.
Unfortunately, Huo Wen had arrived too late to understand the full story.
The bystanders who had witnessed everything from the start knew the truth—
It was clearly Jian Haocang who made the beautiful young lady cry.
What did she do wrong?
Bai Mo, having read through the original plotline, already knew this so-called “best friend” of the female lead was a master of false accusations.
What he didn’t expect was that they’d clash this quickly—on their very first meeting.
Had he even done anything that deserved such hostility?
Why was she acting so aggressive?
Was this just the unavoidable force of the plot?
The Lolita-style “girl” slowly turned around.
Her delicate, palm-sized face, adorned with vibrant peach blossom eyes, radiated an almost bewitching charm.
Her rosy pink lips pouted slightly, and as she tilted her head, she exuded an air of tsundere defiance—
A perfect “Who do you think you are?” expression.
Earlier, Bai Mo had been walking with his head down, following Jian Haocang.
Because of this, the passersby hadn’t gotten a good look at his face.
But now—
The “girl” had fully revealed their beauty, as if a dewdrop-laden flower bud had just bloomed after the rain.
Soft, delicate, breathtakingly enchanting.
Instantly, many students present found their hearts captured.
What did this pretty young lady do wrong?
She wasn’t at fault at all—
The real problem was the campus prince who had bumped into her and made her cry.
Even Ran Yunyun, upon seeing Bai Mo’s striking appearance, felt a pang of self-doubt.
People often described her as a graceful and elegant azalea—
But Bai Mo?
Bai Mo was a budding peony, still waiting to bloom—
A future, unparalleled beauty.
Given time, his radiance would undoubtedly surpass all others.
“Hey, I’m talking to you! What, are you mute?”
Huo Wen’s eyes flickered with jealousy.
Not just toward Bai Mo’s looks, but also his outfit and demeanor.
Everything about him screamed wealth and privilege—
Clothing only the rich could afford, accessories that ordinary families would never dream of buying.
It all reminded her of certain unpleasant childhood memories she had long tried to forget.