Why Are You Blushing?

[My first novel, so please forgive the rough edges QAQ]

1.

Jian Xuan was famous at Nancheng No. 1 High School for the strangest reason: his English grades always managed to claim the very bottom spot in one way or another. Then, after the Grade 12 mock exams ended, he broke his own record for the lowest English score in his three years of high school: 51 points.

After learning that his homeroom teacher had called his parents, Jian Xuan crouched outside an internet cafe and scrolled through the handful of contacts on his phone.

Jian Xuan raised his battered phone and looked up helplessly. A man pulling a suitcase happened to walk past him. Without even a second's thought, Jian Xuan grabbed the man's sleeve. "Dad."

The man froze at the word "Dad." Jian Xuan brushed the dust from the wall off his arm and stood up. Looking at the frowning man before him, he lowered his eyes. "Hey, can you be my dad for one afternoon? Pretty please?"

2.

Pei Jian had just graduated from college and planned to go home and take a few months off before starting work at his father's company. But his leisurely plans got off to a bad start.

He had barely gotten off the plane when a boy who looked like an elementary school student grabbed him and called him "Dad" in a bright voice.

If there hadn't been anyone else around, Pei Jian might not even have realized the boy was calling him.

After learning that the boy had been called in by his teacher and needed a stand-in dad, Pei Jian fell silent.

Did he really look that old?

If the boy's eyes hadn't been watery, as though he were about to cry, and he hadn't looked at Pei Jian pitifully and said, "Hey, I'll send you 100 yuan. Please," Pei Jian would have refused.

He didn't need the hundred yuan. The boy just reminded him a little of his ragdoll cat, so Pei Jian reluctantly agreed.

But when he got to the school, Pei Jian looked at the mother standing before him, then at the boy dozing in the corner of the office, and fell silent again.

His mother studied Pei Jian for a long moment, then laughed and asked, "Are you Jian Xuan's dad?"

Pei Jian thought his mother was laughing in exasperation.

3.

After helping Jian Xuan with his English, Pei Jian decided the kid was pretty mysterious.

Jian Xuan was always falling asleep in places Pei Jian never would have expected. Jian Xuan claimed it was because he stayed up all night gaming, but one night, when Pei Jian went out to pick up a friend, he saw Jian Xuan working the night shift at a 7-Eleven.

The boy kept his head down, playing with a stray cat that had wandered into the store, while handing over the oden Pei Jian had bought. He didn't use the register. He just glanced at the food and quickly calculated the total in his head. "That'll be 32 yuan, sir."

No one answered, and there was no sound of money being transferred. Jian Xuan looked up and saw Pei Jian standing in front of him with a complicated expression.

Only then did Pei Jian realize that the 100 yuan Jian Xuan had offered him earlier was the only whole-number amount of money in the boy's pocket.

Pei Jian took Jian Xuan back to his apartment. He had the boy scoop the litter box, feed and bathe his ragdoll cat every night, and paid him 100 yuan a day. Jian Xuan couldn't resist the temptation and agreed.

But as the college entrance exams drew closer, Jian Xuan began to feel that Pei Jian had somehow become his own cat's servant.

1. Five-year age gap. The gong spoils the shou, and they won't date until the younger one is an adult.

2. Very little of the story takes place at school.

3. A light, sweet romance with both leads inexperienced.

PS: The title is based on a very, very old meme. I think it's cute (〃?ω?) It means, "Why are you blushing?"

Theme: Be gentle and steadfast, and walk alongside the light.