Chapter 52: A Happy Ending

The school festival was over, and Shen Yu found himself standing in the aftermath of a whirlwind. The excitement had fizzled out, but there was a sense of finality in the air—something had shifted, and there was no going back. It wasn't just the festival that had ended. His denial had ended too.

And as he stared at his phone, the realization hit him: the world knew.

The school forum had practically exploded. Every other post was a headline about him and Lu Zhixuan.

'BREAKING NEWS: Zhao Rui and Lu Zhixuan CONFIRMED?!'

'I KNEW IT!'

'Rivals to lovers trope is real, and I'm living for it.'

Shen Yu sighed, scrolling through the endless comments and posts. His inbox was flooded with messages—some congratulatory, some teasing, but all undeniably focused on him and Lu Zhixuan. He couldn't escape it, not that he particularly wanted to anymore. The rumors had become reality, and there was no denying what had blossomed between them.

Bai Xue, naturally, was insufferable.

She was sitting next to him, grinning like a cat who'd just gotten the cream. She took a sip of her juice and practically preened with satisfaction. "I told you," she said smugly, her eyes practically twinkling with amusement. "I told you it would happen."

Shen Yu groaned, setting his phone down and leaning back into his seat. "Yeah, yeah. You were right, okay?" he muttered, rolling his eyes in mock exasperation.

Bai Xue raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the rare victory. "See? I told you it wasn't just a phase. You're like... the perfect love story now."

Before Shen Yu could respond, a shadow fell over the table, and he felt an all-too-familiar presence. He didn't need to look up to know who it was.

Lu Zhixuan walked by without a word, pausing only long enough to lean down and press a quick kiss to Shen Yu's cheek. The action was quick, but it had a lingering warmth to it. It felt like everything they'd been through, all the awkwardness and the tension, had finally come to a peaceful resolution.

Shen Yu blinked, his cheeks flushing at the sudden affection. "Hey—" he began, but Lu Zhixuan was already walking away, a casual wave of his hand over his shoulder.

Bai Xue gasped, her eyes wide in mock disbelief. "Oh my god, you two are so disgustingly cute now. I can't even handle it." She put her hands on her cheeks as if she were about to swoon, though Shen Yu could tell she was secretly loving every second of it.

Shen Yu rolled his eyes but couldn't stop the small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed those small gestures—how much he actually wanted them. The kiss on the cheek wasn't a show for anyone. It wasn't for the rumors, the teasing, or the gossips. It was just for him. And for once, he didn't mind the attention. He didn't mind the world knowing.

Maybe the story didn't go the way it was supposed to. He had never imagined this would happen, never expected that he would fall for someone so different, so unpredictable, and so infuriating. But here they were, in the middle of it all, with no real script to follow. It was messy, it was confusing, and it wasn't what he had planned. But...

Maybe... just maybe...

It turned out better this way.

The realization settled into Shen Yu's chest like a warm glow, and for the first time in a long while, he felt content. Not just because the drama was over, but because he had found something real amidst all the chaos. He reached for his juice, taking a slow sip, his eyes scanning the room for Lu Zhixuan.

When he caught a glimpse of him, Lu Zhixuan was talking with his friends, but there was a moment when their eyes met. Lu Zhixuan's lips curved into a lazy smile, and it was as if the rest of the world had faded away. For all the mess, for all the attention, and for all the confusion, they were in it together now.

Shen Yu couldn't help but smile back, the weight of his earlier worries lifting from his shoulders.

Yeah. Maybe the story didn't go the way he had expected. But maybe—just maybe—it was a lot better than he had ever hoped.