A social phobic can also fall in love.

8 PM.

Yan Tingmo sat on a small plastic stool in the space Qi Xing had designated for him, setting up his booth to make some money.

The price was modest: ten yuan for a quick sketch.

Many students, having written their wish cards and posted them on the wall, were wandering nearby. Yan Tingmo’s booth, sandwiched between food stalls, looked somewhat out of place.

Due to his personality, he couldn’t bring himself to shout out to the crowd and could only sit silently on his stool, watching students walk by.

Since the Christmas event had started, he hadn’t made a single sale. The cotton candy stall next to him had already sold over a dozen cones, and the sweet, sugary scent was filling the air, drawing in more customers.

The sickly sweetness puzzled him. How do so many people like something like that?

With no customers, he rested his chin on his hand, feeling bored, watching students post their wish cards on the wall. Two minutes later, a random student would take one down and try to fulfill it.

He had no intention of getting involved, and thought that if no one came in the next half hour, he’d pack up and head back to his dorm to sleep.

When Qi Xing and Lu Ze came by, he was dozing off. The two of them stood in front of him, and Qi Xing leaned down to gently tap his forehead. “Wake up. You’ve got a customer.”

At those words, Yan Tingmo snapped his eyes open and looked around. “Where?”

Lu Ze stepped out from behind Qi Xing, grinning confidently. “Me.”

Confused, Yan Tingmo took out his sketchpad. “Ten yuan each. There’s a stool at your feet; you can sit.”

Lu Ze easily sat down, chatting lazily with Qi Xing.

Yan Tingmo, meanwhile, quietly observed him and quickly sketched with simple lines. Once finished, he pulled the sketch off the board and handed it to Lu Ze.

He casually glanced at it. “Not bad.” He then took out his phone. “Where do I scan to pay?”

Yan Tingmo silently pulled out his phone and displayed his payment code. Lu Ze scanned it, paid, and then stood to wait for Qi Xing.

Qi Xing naturally sat on the stool Lu Ze had just vacated, nodding slightly. “My turn.”

Yan Tingmo was confused. “You want one too?”

Qi Xing raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”

Without arguing, Yan Tingmo stuck a new piece of sketch paper on the board and started drawing again.

With nothing else to do, Qi Xing watched him and then casually asked, “Why aren’t you looking at me?”

Yan Tingmo, taken aback, looked up at him. Qi Xing then added, “You looked at Lu Ze when you drew him. Why not me?”

Does your face really need to be looked at? Yan Tingmo thought. I could draw you with my eyes closed.

Of course, he didn’t dare to say that out loud and instead obediently observed him while continuing to draw.

Under the streetlights on the playground, Qi Xing sat bathed in a soft, warm glow. As he tilted his head to look over at Yan Tingmo, a gentle smile played across his face, making him look even kinder.

The Christmas songs played faintly from the speakers, and in front of him was Qi Xing, gentle as water. What would have been a sketch completed in a few minutes took him over ten.

While waiting for Qi Xing, Lu Ze was chatting with someone on the phone, rambling on for quite some time. Meanwhile, Yan Tingmo was still not finished.

“Seriously, how long is this going to take?” Lu Ze complained. “Still not done?”

Yan Tingmo glanced at him and whispered, “Almost.”

Lu Ze shoved his phone into his pocket, crossed his arms, and raised an eyebrow. “It only took you two minutes to draw me, but it’s taking ten times longer for him. What’s the deal? Does he have extra eyes or a nose or something?”

Yan Tingmo’s face turned red, but he didn’t say anything.

Qi Xing chuckled and scolded, “Go on. If you’re so bored, why don’t you help stick some wish cards on the wall?”

“Ugh, who would want to do that boring stuff?” Lu Ze scoffed. “Not me.”

“You don’t get it,” Qi Xing said. “It’s about participating. You write down a wish, and who knows? Someone might help make it come true.”

“Who’s going to make my wish come true?” Lu Ze laughed. “Santa Claus?”

Qi Xing shrugged. “Who knows?”

Yan Tingmo quietly finished the sketch and handed it to Qi Xing. “Done.”

Qi Xing stood up, took the sketch, and carefully looked at it with a smile in his voice. “Looks good. It really does look like me.”

Lu Ze leaned in for a look and, to be honest, the sketch of him was far superior to the one of him.

Is this favoritism? Probably.

But the next moment, Qi Xing scanned the payment code and sent over fifty yuan.

“That’s too much,” Yan Tingmo protested. “I haven’t had any other customers.”

Qi Xing just smiled and didn’t say anything more.

He Shiyang and the others only found out about Yan Tingmo’s sketch booth ten minutes before the event started. He and Zhou Wen brought along the limping Zhang Miao to support him.

“Mo Zai!” Zhang Miao hobbled over with a crutch.

When Yan Tingmo saw his roommates, he smiled brightly, showing two little dimples.

“How’s business?” Zhou Wen asked as she walked over.

Yan Tingmo shook his head. “Not so good.”

He couldn’t help but glance toward the wish wall, and He Shiyang followed his gaze. Qi Xing and Lu Ze were bent over, writing their wish cards.

“They’re here too,” He Shiyang muttered.

Yan Tingmo explained, “This event is organized by the student council.”

“Oh,” He Shiyang said. “You really know your stuff.”

Yan Tingmo chuckled awkwardly and lowered his head, not saying anything else.

Zhang Miao clumsily sat down on the stool, tossing the crutch aside, and raised his chin. “One sketch, please.”

Yan Tingmo was confused. “What do you want a sketch for?”

Zhang Miao grinned. “For someone else.”

He Shiyang and Zhou Wen just rolled their eyes, quietly picking up the crutch and setting it aside to keep it from tripping anyone.

Yan Tingmo sketched quickly this time, with simple lines that still captured the essence of Zhang Miao.

Zhang Miao took the sketch and held it fondly. “With skills like these, you’ll have no trouble making money.”

Yan Tingmo wasn’t so sure. Having skills was one thing, but it all depended on who you were. With his personality, no matter how good his skills were, he wouldn’t make much money.

Maybe the heavens heard his thoughts. With his roommates supporting him, more students began to come and ask for sketches.

He was soon busy, with the notification sound from WeChat constantly reminding him that ten yuan was being deposited.

Around 10 PM, the event was about to end.

He packed up his booth slowly, then walked to the wish wall, looking up at it.

[2023, I want to find someone—Chen Xiaoyun]

[Jiang Chenyi, I like you!—XXX]

[I don’t have any wishes, just wish everyone a happy holiday and good times—Li Siyu]

Each message was heartfelt, and Yan Tingmo couldn’t help but envy them, feeling that it was brave and honest to post such wishes for everyone to see.

He licked his lips, hesitating whether he should also write a wish card, when his roommates, who were about to head back to the dorm, called out to him. “Mo Zai, let’s go!”

The courage that had just risen within him retreated as he turned to reply, “Okay.”

Before leaving, he instinctively glanced at the scene. Qi Xing was packing up with the other club members.

He had no intention of greeting him. His roommates were still waiting, so he grabbed his sketchpad and hurried over to them.

On that day, he received a total of 260 yuan.

It was truly a pleasant and meaningful day.

After Christmas came the New Year.

Recently, Yan Tingmo had been very busy. As exam week drew closer, he spent more time in the library. When he returned to the dorm, he was also busy with group projects, and the atmosphere was filled with intense study energy.

As a poor student, Zhang Miao often felt out of place in a dorm with three straight-A students. Following the principle of “out of sight, out of mind,” he would often hide on the balcony and play with his phone.

While Yan Tingmo was catching up on assignments, He Shiyang and Zhou Wen were doing the same. The room was quiet, only the sound of fingers tapping on keyboards.

“Snowing!”

Zhang Miao’s excited voice came from the balcony, causing the three to look up at the window.

Outside, large snowflakes were falling, and the whole world seemed covered in a thick blanket of snow, as if they had entered a fairyland.

It seemed like the snow had been falling for a while.

Since everyone was focused on studying, the snow silently continued to fall outside in Jin Nan.

While everyone stayed still, watching the snow, Yan Tingmo faintly heard a loud cry coming from next door, followed by the sound of joyous laughter.

Then, footsteps of various depths hurried down the stairs.

“Snowing, haha!!”

“Quick, let’s have a snowball fight!”

The boys began shoving each other and throwing snowballs, and before long, the playground was crowded with people.

Yan Tingmo couldn’t help but wonder if their mental state was okay.

“Let’s go, go, go, let’s play in the snow,” Zhang Miao hopped in excitedly, unable to wait.

Zhou Wen looked at him. “Are you going like that?”

Zhang Miao ignored him, hopping to the door.

He Shiyang sighed. “Can you at least bring your crutch?”

“Oh,” Zhang Miao turned around and grabbed his crutch before heading out.

Yan Tingmo stared in disbelief—he couldn’t believe the crutch was part of the plan.

“Let’s go, we’re going too,” He Shiyang said. “I’m going crazy from all this homework. Sometimes, you need a proper work-rest balance.”

Yan Tingmo wasn’t keen on going. It was so cold outside, and going out meant putting on clothes, a hat, a scarf—such a hassle.

But Zhou Wen didn’t understand and insisted on dragging him along.

“You guys go ahead,” Yan Tingmo said. “I’ll put on my coat.”

Zhou Wen and He Shiyang nodded and left first.

He slowly put on his down jacket, then took out the new scarf and hat he’d bought, getting fully geared up before heading out.

Downstairs, Zhang Miao had made a few snowballs and, as soon as he saw him, hurled one at him, hitting him squarely, making him squint his eyes in confusion.

“Zhang Miao, you shameless person,” Zhou Wen laughed. “Picking on the soft targets.”

The response was a massive snowball thrown right back.

After a moment of silence, Zhou Wen retaliated with two snowballs, packed with dirt.

“You’re cheating!” Zhang Miao protested. “I only have one leg, you can’t bully me like this!”

Yan Tingmo, with his hands in his pockets, watched with amusement.

Then someone shouted, “Come on! Let’s all hurt each other! Bring Mo Zai in, don’t let him off!”

Yan Tingmo took a step to run, but as he turned around, his foot slipped, and he fell straight into the snow.

He Shiyang and the others seized the opportunity and kept stuffing snow down the back of his jacket.

He was completely overwhelmed by the snow assault, lying in the snow and staying there for a long time, unable to get up.