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Jing Shao sighed.
"That's the fourth time in the past hour", Jing Chen said, setting his half-eaten lunch to the side. "You're making my salad go warm"
Jing Shao tore his gaze away from the beauty he was staring at from across the cafeteria to give his older brother a deadpanned look. Jing Chen returned the look and picked up his fork to point it at him.
"You've been staring at Mu Hanzhang for 15 minutes straight. Aren't you worried of being labelled a stalker?", Jing Chen asked his brother, continuing to dig into his lunch.
Jing Shao frowned, "I'm not a stalker. It's called love!"
It was Jing Chen's turn to sigh now, "Xiao Shao-er, you've had a crush on Hanzhang since freshman year when you first moved onto campus and he was your orientation guide. It's already been a year since then. Haven't you made any progress?"
Jing Shao grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like a "no one asked you" and lowered his head to finish drinking his soup.
It was true. Jing Shao had known he had feeling for the senior the first moment he laid eyes on him. Jun Qing had been assigned as his guide on orientation day. Jun Qing with his soft, brown hair and smile so beautiful it rivalled even the most good-looking idols. Jun Qing whose eyes shone like sapphires, reflecting the kind-hearted person that stood behind them. The one who had shown him where his classes were, where his dorm was located, and the quickest paths to the cafeteria. Not to mention, he was ridiculously intelligent and even offered peer tutoring sessions for underclassmen who were struggling with their classes.
He had since then developed a crush on Jun Qing. He unconsciously began to behave like an eager puppy every time he encountered him. Smiling bright, calling his name out sweetly, and actively trying to get his attention whenever they were in the same room. Unfortunately, the senior dorms were on the other side of campus, as were the senior classes. And regardless of the lack of proximity, Mu Hanzhang rarely had any free time. He spent all of his time studying for tests or tutoring undergrads, and on the off chance he managed to have a moments rest, he used it to spend time with his best friend Zhou Jin. So, even with all his efforts to talk to him, Jing Shao hadn't had many opportunities to get to talk to him.
He sighed again.
Jing Chen raised an eyebrow at his little brothers futile attempt at romance. He, of course, knew of his brothers hopeless crush on Mu Hanzhang. In fact, he was pretty sure 92% of campus knew as well. Unfortunately, the one who had caught his brothers eye was in that 8% who had failed to notice. He was beginning to get fed up with Jing Shao's ridiculously obvious pining. Truthfully, he had started to feel irritated when his brother had began to wax poetry every time he so much as thought of his dear Jun Qing. Therefore, he had roped together Gu Huaiqing and Xiao Yuan and formulated a plan.
Jing Chen could be said to be friends with Mu Hanzhang. They shared an economics class and were previously partnered up for a something project, so Jing Chen had a good impression of him. He was polite and very hard-working, always willing to help his peers and of course, very attractive. But outside of school, the two didn't converse much aside from occasionally exchanging homework notes.
While he was pondering over how to strike up a conversation with him, a golden opportunity fell straight into his lap.
Jing Shao was never the brightest student. He focused his time and energy more towards athletics, than academics and got a scholarship to Cheng Wan University through his skills in sports. Thus being the case, their father and head of the mathematics department, had contacted Jing Chen the last week after he had finished class. Their father told him that Jing Shao wasn't meeting the average requirements to succeed in his advanced calculus class and would require a tutor if he wants to continue on in the course. By bringing this up to him before Jing Shao, he knew his father was asking for him to find time to tutor his brother. However, Jing Chen happened to overhear Mu Hanzhang explaining to Zhou Jin how one of the students he was tutoring had to be pulled out of the program due to excessive behaviour problems.
A perfect opportunity, he thought to himself. If he could get Mu Hanzhang to agree to tutor Jing Shao, they would be able to spend more time together and Jing Shao would get the tutoring he needs to pass his calculus class. Subsequently, Mu Hanzhang would not have to revise his schedule due to cancelled tutoring sessions and Jing Chen wouldn't be forced to spend any more time with his brother than he already did.
He loved his brother, but even he had his limits.
The first step was convincing Mu Hanzhang to accept Jing Shao as his tutee. This wouldn't be a difficult challenge, considering Zhou Jin and Xiao Yuan's relationship. The two had been dating for a couple months now and they were very happy enjoying their time together. So, one afternoon when Mu Hanzhang didn't have tutoring, Zhou Jin, Xiao Yuan and him decided to go out for lunch. Xiao Yuan used this as a set up to put the first phase of the plan into action.
"Hanzhang, you mentioned the other day that Lei Jin had to drop out of your tutoring sessions right?", Xiao Yuan said off-handedly, stirring his soup as Zhou Jin quietly picked up a few of his own wontons and added them to Xiao Yuans bowl.
Mu Hanzhang smiled at his friends gesture of intimacy, "Yes that's right. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason", he said scooping up the wontons Zhou Jin had placed in his bowl and shovelling them into his mouth. "I just heard from Jing Chen that his little brother needed a tutor for calculus"
Mu Hanzhang's face showed a hint of surprise and lifted a delicate eyebrow, "Jing Chen's little brother? Isn't that Jing Shao?"
Zhou Jin picked up his napkin and began to dab the broth around Xiao Yuans mouth, shaking his head in exasperated fondness, "That's the one. Apparently, he's been struggling with the fundamental theorems. Hanzhang, you're a good mentor and you won't have to reschedule your cancelled appointments. Plus you already know the kid. Why don't you offer to tutor him?"
Mu Hanzhang paused to think about it for a second before humming an affirmation with his usual smile, "Alright, I'll do it. Let Jing Chen know that I would be happy to help if he needs it", he said before going back to his lunch.
"Sounds great!"
Where Mu Hanzhang couldn't see, the couple in front of him shared a mischievous smile.
After getting Mu Hanzhang's approval and having his father transfer him the information he needed, the next step of Jing Chen's plan was to tell Jing Shao. This was the easy part.
"Father wants you to get a tutor", Jing Chen said, pushing the rim of his glasses higher on his nose as he flipped the page of the book he was reading.
Jing Shao choked on his drink, "Huh? I don't need a tutor", he exclaimed.
"Then tell me, what score did you get on your recent integrals exam?", Gu Huaiqing asked matter-of-factly, resting his forearms on their table. He had invited the two brothers out for lunch at a local café on campus after class, as per Jing Chen's request. He said it was because he "wanted to spend more time with his favourite brothers" but in actuality it was just a facade to drop the bomb on Jing Shao.
Jing Shao awkwardly flicked the side of his nose, "A 34"
The other two winced. Jing Shao frowned, fiddling with the straw of his drink, "But I don't need a tutor. It was just one test. I'll do better on the next one"
Jing Chen set his book aside and took a sip from Gu Huaiqing's drink. Gu Huaiqing looked at him out of the corner of his eye but didn't say anything. He turned his head to look straight at Jing Shao, an evil twinkle shining in his eye.
"Even if Hanzhang was your tutor?", he said with a slow smirk spreading across his face.
The younger man's face lit up upon hearing the name of his tutor.
And so, Jing Shao signed himself up for tutoring under Mu Hanzheng.
"Jun Qing!", Jing Shao exclaimed when he saw the man sitting in the library.
The man in question lifted his head from the book he was reading upon hearing the excited call of his name. He was sitting by himself at a table in the corner of the library with a notebook and a calculator neatly placed in front of him. Recognizing who it was, he put away the book he was reading and smiled politely at the other, "Xiao Shao, you're here"
Jing Shao pouted, sliding into the empty seat across from Mu Hanzhang, "I've kept Jun Qing waiting. Lu-laoshi ran overtime during today's lecture and I couldn't get here on time"
Mu Hanzhang dismissed his tardiness with a wave of his hand, "There's no need to apologize. I understand your lecture hall is quite far from the campus library and regardless, you're only late by a few minutes"
Jing Shao internally sighed with admiration. His Jun Qing was so good and patient.
Mu Hanzhang opened his notebook and flipped to a blank page, "Shall we get started? What is it you're struggling with?"
Jing Shao unpacked his textbook and binder and placed his pencil case on the table in front of him. He flipped open his textbook to the "Limits and Continuity" chapter and pointed at the fourth problem solving question. He looked up at Mu Hanzhang with a pitiful expression, "I've tried multiple times, but can't figure out this question"
Mu Hanzhang looked at his exaggerated pitiful expression thinking he looked like a sad puppy begging his owner to let him out of his cage. He forced down the amusement in his eyes and said nodding gently, "Alright, let me take a look"
Jing Shao watched him take the textbook and flip it over so he could read the question right-side up. Jing Shao thought he looked particularly beautiful today. He was wearing an indigo sweatshirt with a white collar tucked underneath. It looked a little too big for him, but the oversized sweater on his smaller figure made him look all the more alluring. He wore pale blue jeans that hugged his long, shapely legs snugly with plain white converse shoes. His long, chestnut hair was styled in a half-up half-down hairdo, a few strands falling off to the side of his face, framing it elegantly. Jing Shao clenched his hands under the table to keep them from reaching out and tucking those strands behind his ear when they fell into his eyes. He had thick-rimmed glasses that rested on the straight bridge of his nose, displaying his lively eyes and dark eyelashes. His head was tilted down as he read over the question, pink lips pursed in concentration.
After reading it over a couple times, Mu Hanzhang had a vague idea of how the problem could be solved. He nodded to himself and passed the book back over to Jing Shao, snapping the other out of his daze.
"The problem here states that.." Mu Hanzhang began to explain the procedure, scooting his chair over slightly to sit beside Jing Shao so they could read the question properly together. His delicate fingers brushed over the paper as Jing Shao and him organized the information given in the question. Every couple minutes, Jing Shao would subtly move his chair slightly in the others direction until they were sitting shoulder to shoulder solving calculus problems together.
After finishing the few questions he was truly struggling with, Jing Shao fell into another daze. Mu Hanzhang was explaining applications of derivatives while Jing Shao quietly admired him. The soft and patient tone of his voice when he spoke. The way his tongue poked out from between his lips when he was thinking through a question. The slight glimmer of pride in his eyes when Jing Shao understood a problem after only having explained it once. As he thought of this, he couldn't help the slight quirk of his lips grow wider and wider.
At some point during his explanation, Mu Hanzhang felt the others focused gaze begin to slip. He looked over to find Jing Shao propping elbow up on the desk and resting his head in his palm. He was looking straight at him with a bright smile, adoration openly sketched onto his face and reflected in his eyes. Mu Hanzhang felt equal parts amused and confused, pausing his sentence.
"I-Is there something on my face?", Mu Hanzhang asked awkwardly.
Jing Shao's let out a chuckle. "Nope. I was just thinking that you're a very good tutor", he said easily before returning his focus on his notebook to continue copying out the question Mu Hanzhang was previously explaining.
Mu Hanzhang was taken aback. He had not expected Jing Shao to answer like this, and so brazenly as well. It had only been one lesson and he had never been told directly by one of his tutees that they appreciated his style of teaching. He was touched by the younger mans sincere words. He felt his ears begin to heat up and averted his gaze, "Oh. Well, thank you"
Jing Shao continued to smile down at his book.
An hour passed by within the blink of an eye and when Mu Hanzhang next checked his watch it was already 3:30. He smiled to himself, thinking that his session with Jing Shao had been especially pleasant, the younger man listening attentively and applying everything he had advised. He was beginning to pack up his materials when he heard Jing Shao speak up from beside him.
"Jun Qing"
Mu Hanzhang hummed and turned his head.
Jing Shao gave him a grateful smile, "Thank you for tutoring me. I know it was set up last minute, but you're such a good mentor I'm sure my test scores will go up"
Mu Hanzhang laughed, zipping up his backpack, "Xiao Shao, you flatter me. If you hadn't put in the hard work and effort to work through it yourself then there wouldn't be anything I could do to teach you"
Jing Shao took a deep breath and decided to go for it. He swung his bag over his shoulder and looked into Mu Hanzhang's eyes, "Jun Qing, do you have plans this evening? I'll treat you to dinner as a thank you for agreeing to tutor me"
He had asked with a seemingly nonchalant tone, as if he were just casually asking about the weather. However, where Mu Hanzhang couldn't see, his palms were sweating profusely.
Mu Hanzhang tilted his head, recounting his schedule for the afternoon and realized he had forgotten to get groceries today. He was sceptical, as a senior, to let his junior pay for his dinner but looking at the childlike earnestness in Jing Shao's eyes while he invited him, he decided to let himself indulge just this once. He smiled.
"Sure. I'll see you tonight"