3

I blinked in disbelief. The "Crown Prince of Beijing"? I remembered Zhou Yan gossiping about this back when we first started college. Rumor had it that the real crown prince had enrolled at our university, but he kept a low profile, even changing his name. No one knew what he looked like, and there were no photos. Zhou Yan had always been curious, but I never cared—it had nothing to do with me.

Now, looking at Lin Dong—Yuxin's boyfriend—I couldn't help but doubt. This was the so-called crown prince? He looked… well, pretty ugly. Money really can't buy good looks.

I glanced at Shen Zeyan, who wore a strange, unreadable expression. Meanwhile, Lin Dong's face was twisted with discomfort. He tugged on Yuxin's arm, signaling her to stop, "Yuxin, don't say that. I want to keep a low profile."

But Yuxin couldn't resist getting in one last jab before leaving. "Liang Yu, even if you like guys, you could do better than a broke loser like him! So cheap!"

Watching her sharp, bitter face, I felt embarrassed I'd ever liked her.

I smirked, "Well, I'd rather be with a handsome guy than date an ugly rich kid. At least I have taste. You must have a strong stomach to kiss that pig face."

Yuxin's cheeks flushed with anger as she dragged Lin Dong away.

I noticed Zeyan's arm was red from the burn. Without thinking, I grabbed his uninjured hand and led him out of the cafeteria toward the campus clinic. I didn't see the way he smiled, eyes twinkling, as I held his hand.

The doctor cleaned and treated Zeyan's arm. Luckily, the burn wasn't too serious. After disinfecting and applying ointment, the doctor sent us off with a warning to be careful.

"Thank you," I said, guilt creeping in. "If it weren't for me, you—"

Before I could finish, Zeyan gently patted my head, his gaze so soft I nearly drowned in it. "Silly, you're my husband. Of course I'll protect you."

My face turned beet red. Only Zeyan could say "husband" so naturally—and make it sound so intimate.

"Don't call me that," I protested.

He leaned closer, his voice even softer, "Then… should I call you 'wife' instead?"

My heart raced, and I shot up from my seat, flustered. "Don't talk nonsense!"

Who wanted to be his wife? I was a straight guy, through and through!

That night in the dorm, I glanced at my phone's calendar. Only one week left of our "relationship." But the excitement I'd felt at the beginning was gone.

The last day finally arrived. Zeyan took me to the amusement park and insisted we ride the Ferris wheel. Fireworks exploded in the night sky as he held my hand tightly, his smile gentle but tinged with sadness. My own heart felt heavy, clouded with something I couldn't name.

"Liang Yu, thank you…" he said softly.

I frowned. "Thank me for what?"

He looked at me, eyes full of warmth. "Thank you for giving me a beautiful dream. I know you're straight."

I froze. "You… you knew?"

He nodded, a bittersweet smile on his lips. "I saw you practicing your confession to Yuxin in the dorm mirror. I've liked you since freshman year, when you walked in wearing that cute Doraemon T-shirt and smiled at me. I've had a crush on you for two years. When you confessed to me, I knew it was just a way out. But I was greedy—I wanted to date you, even if just for a while. The real selfish one is me."

His words hit me hard. I realized he was confessing for real. I felt bitterness well up inside me.

"I'm sorry," I managed to choke out.

He smiled gently. "Don't apologize. Loving you is my business. You did nothing wrong."

We walked back to the dorm together. This time, he didn't hold my hand. That night, he didn't crawl into my bed or whisper "goodnight, hubby" in my ear. Everything went back to how it was before we started dating.

It should've felt like a relief, but instead, I just felt empty.

The next two weeks, Zeyan was hardly ever in the dorm. Even when he was, he kept his distance, barely making eye contact. If I tried to talk to him, he'd just nod or give a brief reply. He was avoiding me.

I didn't realize how much I missed his warmth, his attention, until it was gone. Our roommates noticed the sudden chill and assumed we'd fought. I told them we'd broken up, and they left it at that.

That weekend, Zhou Yan dragged me out for drinks at a fancy club, boasting that it was members-only and he'd scored a last-minute spot. While we sipped wine and snacked on fruit, I excused myself to the restroom—and spotted a familiar figure on the glass balcony.

It was Zeyan, looking somber as he sipped red wine. Beside him, a striking man in a red suit had his arm draped over Zeyan's shoulders.

I felt a sharp pang of jealousy.

The man in red was speaking, "Zeyan, give it up. Stop chasing straight guys! I told you before, it's hopeless. You're just setting yourself up for heartbreak. Why not try someone who's actually interested—like me?"

I couldn't listen anymore. I turned and left, my heart aching.

Why should I care what Zeyan did? It was his business.

On my way out, I ran into Yuxin and Lin Dong arguing with the doorman. Apparently, they hadn't made a reservation and weren't allowed in.

Yuxin was fuming, "Do you know who he is? He's the crown prince of Beijing!"

Lin Dong tugged at her sleeve, embarrassed, "Yuxin, I told you, I want to keep a low profile. Stop bringing it up."

She pouted, "But I can't help it! People are so rude!"

The doorman sneered, "Funny, our boss is the real crown prince—and he's inside right now. As for your boyfriend, we don't know him."

Yuxin's face went pale. "What are you talking about?!"

Just then, Zeyan and the man in red walked out. The staff immediately bowed, "Good evening, Boss. Good evening, Young Master Xu."

One guard pointed at Lin Dong, "Boss, this guy's been impersonating you!"

Lin Dong's face drained of color. He dropped to his knees, begging, "Please don't call the police! I just borrowed your clothes and watch to impress my girlfriend. I swear I didn't do anything bad!"

Zeyan's voice was cold, "I warned you through your father last time. I only let it go because your dad worked for my family for thirty years. You haven't changed."

Lin Dong sobbed, pleading for forgiveness. Yuxin finally realized she'd been duped. She slapped him, screaming and cursing.

Hidden behind a wall, I was stunned.

What? Shen Zeyan was the real crown prince of Beijing? Wasn't he supposed to be poor, working multiple part-time jobs just to get by?