The Whole World Thinks I’m a Woman Disguised as a Man - CH 17.1

Interest (1) – unedited

“Why did you not call me this morning?”

Duan Wenzheng yawned, one hand pulling his shoulder into his arms. The other hand held his wrist which still could vaguely make out the red mark. “Does it still hurt? Last night was my fault…”

Duan Wenzheng’s frivolous tone at the last syllable seemed to arouse people’s imagination. He was talking about the red mark on his wrist, but it sounded…

This sudden intimate action made Xue Lan’s whole face heat up, but when he raised his head, he saw Wen Yan rigidly staring at Duan Wenzheng’s hand on his shoulder.

Xue Lan then belatedly realized—Duan Wenzheng must have seen him and Wen Yan talking to each other, and his earlier words, weren’t they a warning for him to leave Wen Yan?!

Xue Lan suddenly felt like a huge third wheel. He hastily picked up his luggage.

“I—I’m going to the room first to put my luggage!!”

He did not wait for them to speak as he slid out of their sight without looking back.

……

The morning of the following day, since the points match was over everyone was informed to collect the first video after entering the training camp in the footage room. Only after these were done did Xue Lan return to the training room.

Along the way, many people intercepted him, stuffing a bag of candies and snacks into his arms, then ran away without waiting for Xue Lan’s refusal.

Walking past the corridor outside the dorm, Xue Lan’s arms had been filled with snacks.

He was baffled. At last, he pulled a trainee who was about to run after inserting a bag of potato chips into his arms.

“Why are you…giving me these?”

The man blushed. “Wasn’t there…someone who gave you candy earlier? Did—did you not like it?”

Xue Lan blankly stared at him but was still bewildered. “But why give me all of this?”

That man cleared his throat in embarrassment. He did not dare to look at him. “You’re the only girl in our training camp!”

“…I’m really a…”

“I—I still have things to do! See you!!”

Without listening to what Xue Lan wanted to say, that man retracted his hand and, like a wisp of smoke, ran, leaving Xue Lan standing on his spot carrying the snacks that would soon drown him.

“…Deng Ruiqiu will no longer be that arrogant anymore.”

“That’s right. What about Reset, that sniper?”

“Him? Didn’t pay attention, he also seems to be at the bottom?”

The conversation nearby pulled Xue Lan back from his train of thought. He then remembered the reason why he went out and looked around to seek Duan Wenzheng.

Since Wen Yan was questioning him in the individual points match, he did not see what happened in the game, but he was aware that Duan Wenzheng couldn’t acquire an ideal position in the points match.

Xue Lan made a big circle and finally, with the help of eager trainees, found Duan Wenzheng sitting on a bench in the garden.

However, Duan Wenzheng was sluggishly leaning against the bench, staring at the stretch of azure blue sky. Who knew what he was thinking about.

Xue Lan remembered the conversation he heard while on the way.

Since Duan Wenzheng’s points match was disappointing, he must be feeling sad!

Xue Lan sat beside Duan Wenzheng with the heaps of snacks in his arms. He carefully put down the things and raised his head to see Duan Wenzheng watching him.

Xue Lan interpreted his expression, which was a little different from the previous days, as the forlorn from losing the match. He remembered his reckless smile that he always put on as he walked toward the top step by step, and also remembered his “stern righteousness” as he became the shou soon…

As if to encourage him, Xue Lan extended his hand and patted his shoulder, his eyes sparkling.

“Don’t be sad, we all lose and win in competitions. Next time you can tell me anything you’re upset about!”

Duan Wenzheng gave him a blank stare.

He slightly narrowed his eyes studying those pair of expectant eyes. He smiled. “Alright.”

Seeing the person’s eyes before him brighten even more from his answer, as though it were contagious, Duan Wenzheng’s mood also lifted. His gaze fell on the snacks that filled his arms.

“What are these?”

“Oh…” Xue Lan thoughtfully looked at the snacks in his arms. “These were…given by everyone. They—they seem to be treating me as a girl…and they won’t listen when I try to explain.”

But Duan Wenzheng laughed. “Didn’t it cross your mind that they gave you these not because of that reason?”

“Then for what reason?” Xue Lan raised his head in confusion.

Duan Wenzheng’s smile widened, but he only raised his hand and tapped Xue Lan’s forehead. He casually picked up a bag of snacks and opened it, throwing the potato chip into his mouth.

Seeing that his expression had returned to normal, Xue Lan asked, “About the points match…Who eliminated you?”

Duan Wenzheng turned to look at him and casually answered, “Myself.”

Xue Lan froze.

As if satisfied with his expression, Duan Wenzheng raised the corner of his lips and added, “Blew myself up.”

“???” Xue Lan looked at his relaxed face as he threw another potato chip. He asked after a while, “Why did you blow yourself up? That was a points match!”

But Duan Wenzheng only seemed to have heard a funny joke. “Didn’t you say ‘one points match isn’t much’?”

“…”

Xue Lan was choked speechless by his words. After a while, he remembered Duan Wenzheng’s expression a few minutes before and remembered the matter he heard concerning Deng Ruiqiu.

He looked at Duan Wenzheng, incredulous.

“Don’t tell me you…stayed around Deng Ruiqiu in the first few minutes, and after you killed him you…blew yourself up?!”

As if listening to an insignificant matter, and without avoiding the subject, Duan Wenzheng nodded.

Xue Lan gaped.

The first points match, as the training camp’s entrance examination, continued using the mechanism of the solo survival battle, which also meant that after players entered the map, they couldn’t see other people’s names unless they die.

But Duan Wenzheng simply fired a shot and left with Deng Ruiqiu’s head…