Don't Hide Your Secret Crush Too Well

Jiang Yan has had a crush on Xu Yunyi for two and a half years.

It started in the most pathetic way possible: during the first-year high school spring cleaning, Jiang Yan was hauling books and covered in dust when Xu Yunyi passed by and handed him a pack of tissues. He remembered that one pack for two and a half years. His group of friends summed it up: "The bar for falling in love is absurdly low."

Jiang Yan stubbornly denies it, even if it kills him. But then he secretly fixes her computer, waits half an hour at the finish line of the sports meet with a bottle of water, and, when called on after zoning out in class, stands up and says, "Xu Yunyi isn't here today."

During the winter break of his final year, his mom signed him up for an intensive prep course. On the first day, Xu Yunyi sat beside him and smiled. "Hey, weren't we desk mates in our first year of high school?"

Jiang Yan froze for three seconds, then managed, "Yeah."

After that, Xu Yunyi started asking him questions, inviting him to the library, and walking partway home with him after school.

Jiang Yan thought he was in love alone. What he didn't know was that Xu Yunyi had been secretly watching him since the very first day of the prep course.

Then Xu Yunyi sat down across from Jiang Yan. "Jiang Yan, do you like me?"

Jiang Yan's brain shut down for ten seconds. "Don't mess around."

Xu Yunyi: "All right, then I'll go first. Jiang Yan, I like you."

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.