Which One of Us Is Chasing the Other, Anyway?

She got into the same university as the guy she'd had a crush on, and soon he'd go from high school heartthrob to college heartthrob...

With no dean around to crack down on high school romances, it was only a matter of time before he started dating someone. Tong Musi decided to take her shot.

Better to make a move herself than let someone else win him over!

She couldn't just confess outright, so she decided to win him over with a few tricks.

-

Tong Musi posted this on her social feed:

[Anyone want to make a big splash at the start of the semester?]

[Service 1: I'll bring you milk tea or another drink in class. You pay for the drink, plus a 9.9 yuan delivery fee per trip.]

[Service 2: I'll approach you on the street and ask for your contact info, and you can ruthlessly reject me: 29.9 yuan per time.]

[Service 3: I'll submit an 800-character love letter to the campus confession wall, with photos and videos shot to perfectly recreate a stalker's candid perspective (equipment: iPhone 16 Pro Max/Canon CCD/DJI Pro). I can edit photos (I have annual memberships for Xingtu, Meitu Xiu Xiu, and Jianying), or the client can provide their own (I'll say I got them from someone else). 29.9 yuan per post.]

[...]

[More services available. Contact me, sweet clients! Discounts for long-term cooperation.]

Once everything was ready, Tong Musi plucked up her courage and went to offer her services to her crush. “Zhou, are you interested?”

He stared at her for a long time without saying a word.

Tong Musi thought, Of course this won't work. How could he be the kind of guy who likes showing off?

But the next moment, he answered with a smile.

“Sure. I'll take the whole package. Please make sure I make a big splash at the start of the semester.”

Later, a rumor went around Yanda that Zhou Jinghan, the mathematics department's heartthrob, had pursued someone with every trick in the book, from all angles, before finally winning himself a girlfriend.

Hearing this, Tong Musi asked her crush in bewilderment, “Baby, I was the one who used every trick in the book to pursue you. Why does everyone say you pursued me? So which of us was chasing whom?”

He smiled brightly. “Baby, those cheesy tricks you copied from the internet would never have worked if I hadn't been willing to take the bait. Did you really think you could win me over?”

A coward, but willing to go all out for love! · Thick-skinned yet shy · A master of memorizing lines · Desperate to confess, but too scared, sob · Sweet girl x Actually liked her from the start · But really enjoying being flirted with and pursued · Seriously, why won't she confess already? · Is she a ninja turtle? · A sly, seductive wolf

*The leads call each other baby. They're a very lovey-dovey couple.

*Fast-food fiction, a short, purely sweet story. Don't overthink the meaning. It's not a classic, so why does it need a deeper message?

*Every time I say I'll write a short palate cleanser, it keeps getting longer. If this one goes over 200,000 words, I'll chop my head off.

Theme: Honesty is the foundation of doing business.