ginseng

First, a mask of gentle playfulness. He would begin with his usual "beautiful" role: offering elegant compliments, joking, trying to appear casual and charming. This is his protective layer: it hides his nervousness and simultaneously tests her reaction to him. He'd constantly catch her eye and then immediately look away. His teenage crush would be very shy: he'd sneak glances at her, memorizing little details (the way she smiles, the way she fixes her hair), but as soon as she caught his eye, he'd immediately pretend he wasn't looking at her at all. He would try to impress her with knowledge or dexterity. In the courtly world, knowing something others don't is a valuable asset. He could subtly demonstrate his knowledge: share some rare fact that would surprise her, or cleverly solve a minor problem (for example, returning a dropped item to her before anyone else could). He would try to be close, but not too close. He would look for excuses to be nearby: he would "accidentally" find himself where she walked, approach the same shelves in the library, linger in the same hallways. But he wouldn't cross the line: a teenage fear of rejection would keep him at a safe distance. He would react to her words with exaggerated attention. If she said something, he would listen as if it were the most important thing in the world. He might ask her to repeat it, just to hear her voice one more time, or ponder her simple phrases overly seriously, searching for hidden meanings. He was embarrassed by direct contact. If she had approached him or made a move toward him, he would have been taken aback. His usual confidence might have crumbled for a second: he would have hesitated, blushed, and then tried to cover it up with a joke or a deliberately calm tone. He would show his care through small, almost imperceptible actions. A teenager who is afraid to openly confess his feelings often does so through actions: he could discreetly remove something from her path that could offend her, bring her something tasty,

Impulsiveness beneath a mask of calm. The teenage Zhenshi might appear balanced, but inside, his emotions were seething: sudden outbursts of irritation, a desire to prove his worth, and then, doubts about whether he'd done the right thing. Role-playing. He learned early on to try on different masks: to be charming to get what he wanted; to appear frivolous to hide the seriousness of his intentions; to feign submissiveness to buy time. Attachment to "one's own." During adolescence, one feels the value of those who accept one especially keenly. Therefore, he could be unexpectedly generous and caring toward those he trusted, and sharply distance himself from those who offended him.