Chapter 4 – Without Glasses
The steam rose thick from the hotpot, carrying the rich scent of chili and peppercorn that clung to our clothes and hair. My brothers were still devouring the food with chopsticks flashing like weapons, the broth bubbling as more beef slices and mushrooms disappeared into it, but all their movements slowed the moment the waiter's words echoed at our table.
"You… you look like a celebrity without your glasses," he said, his tray trembling slightly in his hands.
I blinked, caught off guard. "I don't."
But the damage was done. Chen Hao's chopsticks clattered loudly against his bowl, and he leaned across the table with his eyes practically bulging out of his head. "What the hell, Wei! You've been hiding a face like that from us this whole time?"
Wang Lei leaned closer too, staring as if trying to memorize every detail. "He's not lying, Wei-ge… you really do look different. Your skin's clearer, your eyes are sharper, even your jawline looks… I don't know… like you belong on a magazine cover."
Zhang Rui was quieter, but he didn't look away. He adjusted his glasses, studying me like a puzzle he couldn't solve. "I always thought your glasses were too heavy for your face, but… this is beyond that. This is like two different people."
Heat crept up my neck. I picked up my chopsticks and shoved a piece of lotus root into my mouth to avoid answering. "Stop exaggerating. You've all had too much chili. Your brains are fried."
But the waiter shook his head firmly, cheeks flushed from embarrassment. "No, I mean it. I—I'm sorry if I was rude. I'll bring the rest of your order now." He bowed quickly and rushed off, leaving the four of us in a strange silence broken only by the bubbling pot.
Chen Hao was the first to break. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, staring at me like I'd betrayed him. "Wei, you bastard… all this time, we thought you were one of us. A normal, average-looking, broke college guy. But no. Secretly, you're a hidden prince."
I rolled my eyes. "Don't be ridiculous."
"I'm not!" Chen Hao slammed his palm on the table, making Wang Lei jump. "Think about it! You always kept those thick glasses on, never went out of your way to show off, kept low-key. You didn't want anyone to notice. Admit it, you were hiding your face on purpose."
Zhang Rui pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his tone calm but his words sharp. "Whether you're hiding it or not, the truth is clear now. Without glasses, you're someone else entirely. And people notice it. That waiter couldn't stop staring. If others see you like this…" He trailed off, but the implication was heavy.
Wang Lei's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Wei-ge, if you went on TV, or auditioned for a drama, or even just walked through the mall, you'd cause a scene. People would stop and stare. Girls would scream."
"Stop it," I said quickly, my voice firmer than I intended. Their words pressed down on me in a way the breakup never did, heavier, suffocating. The money I could hide. The system I could keep a secret. But my face? My face wasn't something I could lock away in a bank account.
Chen Hao leaned forward again, narrowing his eyes. "Then tell us the truth, Wei. What's going on with you today? You come back soaked in the rain, grinning like you just aced the national exam. You break up with Qinghe and don't even look sad. You suddenly drag us to one of the most expensive hotpot restaurants in Jiangcheng and say it's on you. And now this—your glasses come off and boom, you're a different man. Are you going to tell us you really did win the lottery?"
The word made my chest tighten. If only they knew how close to the truth they were, and yet how far. I couldn't tell them about the system, not yet. Not when I didn't even understand it myself.
I forced another laugh, waving my hand dismissively. "Maybe heartbreak makes people reckless. Maybe I just wanted to treat my brothers for once. As for the glasses… they're special prescription lenses. They make my features look duller, so I don't get distracted in class."
Wang Lei blinked. "Wait, is that even a thing?"
"It is if Wei says so," Chen Hao grumbled, though suspicion still lingered in his eyes. "Fine, keep your secrets. But don't expect me to believe you're just an ordinary guy anymore."
Zhang Rui dipped another slice of beef into the broth, but his gaze stayed on me longer than it should have, thoughtful, calculating. "Secrets never stay buried forever."
The words hung between us, carried by the steam rising from the hotpot. I smiled like it didn't matter, like I wasn't carrying a truth bigger than all of us combined, but inside my chest my heart pounded against my ribs.
Because Zhang Rui was right.
The system wouldn't let me stay invisible.
And sooner or later, the world would notice.