Chapter 81
Qi Wang had originally wanted to give Lin Huaixi a romantic surprise, but in the end, he was the one who got surprised first.
Even two days later, whenever Lin Huaixi recalled the look on Qi Wang’s face at that moment, he still could not help wanting to laugh.
Their majors were different, and so were their class schedules. They could not see each other the whole day. But after class, a hard-to-suppress longing suddenly welled up from deep inside Lin Huaixi, and he could not wait to go see Qi Wang.
He came out of the teaching building and passed that popular maple-lined avenue. But now that the weather had turned colder, the frost-beaten maple leaves had been blown even redder by the freezing wind, only to spend the last of their vitality. The branches had gone bare, with unmelted first snow clinging to them, making the whole place look especially lonely.
Wearing boots, Lin Huaixi stepped onto the hardened snow, and each step made a crisp crunching sound. He was enjoying it when, from the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of a pair of long legs wrapped in black trousers.
He lifted his head blankly and saw Zong Nanze and Zhong Chongqiu standing side by side.
How had those two ended up together?
The scum-gong were supposed to repel one another. Just look at Qi Wang and Sun Baiyi—if they were not fighting, that was already a blessing. And Zong Nanze was not even a student at this school, so there was almost no chance he would run into Zhong Chongqiu.
A guess formed in Lin Huaixi’s mind. Since he had already run into them, there was no reason to act like a coward and avoid them. So he smiled at the two of them and walked over.
It had only been a short while since he last saw him, but Zong Nanze’s hair had grown a little longer. It was still tied into a small knot behind his head, the loose ends brushing against his shoulders. His brows and eyes were languid and refined, making him look like some romantic artist.
Zong Nanze looked at him with a smiling face and dragged out his tone. “Xixi, have you been very busy lately? You’ve ignored us for so long.”
It should have sounded like a complaint, but coming out of Zong Nanze’s mouth, it carried an extra layer of flirtatious tenderness. Lin Huaixi felt as if his chest had been lightly scratched by a fingernail. It itched a little.
No wonder Zong Nanze had been known as such a charming playboy even back in high school. So many people liked him. Even knowing he was a scumbag, they still rushed toward him like moths to a flame, just wanting to stay by his side a little longer.
Now there was an added weight of maturity on him. His expressions and words were controlled just right. For one second, Lin Huaixi was dazed, as if he himself had turned into some cold-hearted ex-lover who had abandoned Zong Nanze.
He shook his head and forced those extra thoughts out of his mind. Putting on an official tone and refusing to give Zong Nanze any chance to grow closer, he said, “My major courses are packed. Almost every day is full from start to finish. I’m either in class or in the library. The campus is so big too. Of course we wouldn’t run into each other.”
Smiling, Lin Huaixi added, “Besides, Zong Nanze, you’re not even a student at this school.”
Zong Nanze raised a brow and deliberately said, “Xixi, are you saying I’m not welcome here?”
“I never said that.” Lin Huaixi held back for a moment, but still added, “But if that’s how you want to think about it, there’s nothing I can do.”
Zong Nanze: “……”
Zhong Chongqiu: “……”
Zhong Chongqiu was so charmed by Lin Huaixi’s little expression that he almost laughed. The fierce lines of his face softened, and after the corners of his mouth twitched twice, a faint laugh slipped out by accident.
Zong Nanze did not become embarrassed or angry because of their attitudes. On the contrary, he laughed even louder, even pretending to wipe at a nonexistent tear from the corner of his eye. “Xixi, how come after not seeing you for a while, you’ve become this cute?”
Lin Huaixi firmly believed he was already a grown man and was steadily moving toward becoming mature and dependable, so he did not want to be called cute. His brows lifted. “Hah, I’m not cute at all!”
The weather had turned even colder lately, and he was bundled up more tightly than before. He had a cream-colored knitted scarf wrapped around him, and the down jacket he was wearing had just been given to him by his mother. It even came with an extra-warm hood trimmed with a circle of white fur.
Lin Huaixi’s features had always been delicate and beautiful since childhood. Now that he had grown, his face had gained a little more definition, but the overall lines were still soft. Whenever he was angry or surprised, his eyes would widen into perfect circles, his pupils clear and wet, like a little rabbit puffing up in a huff. But he was too polite. Aside from glaring fiercely, he had no other intimidating means.
He was sparring with Zong Nanze, yet Zong Nanze was smiling like some seductive demon, openly enjoying himself. Even Zhong Chongqiu—who least resembled a scum-gong and whose character was actually pretty decent—curved his lips faintly.
Lin Huaixi: ???
Were they looking down on him?!
He was annoyed, but he could understand it too.
Before, he had gotten along fairly well with Zhong Chongqiu because he had only been a background extra. These scum-gong did not take him seriously, much less see him as a threat.
But now he was with the protagonist. He had risen from a random passerby to an important supporting character… no, to another protagonist entirely. In the eyes of those scum-gong, he was now a romantic rival. Of course their attitudes would not be friendly anymore.
The moment Lin Huaixi thought of it that way, he instantly calmed down.
He needed to give Zong Nanze and the others a little warning. That way Zong Nanze would have some scruples and stop pestering Qi Wang.
Hmph. He was the top-positioned protagonist-gong now. Super powerful!
Lin Huaixi unconsciously straightened his chest and lifted his chin, wanting to look down on the two of them. Unfortunately, the height difference made that impossible. Meanwhile, all Zong Nanze and Zhong Chongqiu had to do was lower their heads slightly to see the top of his head.
“……”
Lin Huaixi wilted for one second, then quickly adjusted his strategy again.
If that was the case, then he would catch his love rivals off guard and immediately drop his ultimate trump card on them, blowing their minds so badly they would not recover for a long time—and fall into complete despair.
Lin Huaixi took a deep breath and was just about to speak when Zong Nanze suddenly stretched out one finger and pressed it against the tip of his nose.
“Wait. Let me guess first.”
Zong Nanze’s shoulders had just been trembling with laughter, and he really had laughed tears out. A tear clung to the corner of his eye, making him look like some alluring demon. But when he lifted his eyes to look at Lin Huaixi, his entire air changed. His phoenix eyes were no longer affectionate, and his expression no longer lazy. The lines of his face sharpened, and he stared straight at Lin Huaixi, as if interrogating him—or even as if he could see straight into the depths of his heart.
“You…”
This was the first time Lin Huaixi had ever heard Zong Nanze speak in that tone. He sounded like a languid beast that had finally cast aside all disguise, revealing his bloodthirsty and ferocious nature.
And yet it did not feel abrupt in the slightest. It was as though he had been born to be exactly like this.
“You… are you together with Qi Wang?”
The words hit like thunder on level ground. Both Lin Huaixi and Zhong Chongqiu were left with ringing in their ears, while the whole world around them was forced into an eerie silence.
At first, because of Zong Nanze’s action, Zhong Chongqiu had frowned and wanted to step forward to protect Lin Huaixi. But upon hearing those words, he suddenly turned his head and stared at Zong Nanze in shock. The disbelief in his eyes nearly overflowed.
Three seconds later, he gave the faintest shake of his head, then looked back at Lin Huaixi with a huge motion, staring fixedly at him and hoping desperately to get a denial from him.
But his hope failed. Lin Huaixi’s expression and reaction had already revealed everything.
The light in Zhong Chongqiu’s eyes went out in an instant, turning black like an abyss that could devour every last emotion.
Lin Huaixi was so shocked that he did not even notice Zhong Chongqiu’s abnormal reaction.
That had been his trump card. He had wanted to reveal his identity the way he had always stepped forward for Qi Wang before—firmly protecting his little bamboo horse.
But Zong Nanze had stolen the chance and laid everything bare before he could even open his mouth.
Was this how a scum-gong demonstrated power?
What Lin Huaixi cared about more was something else. His brows knitted tightly. “How did you know?”
The fact that Zong Nanze had dared to ask it outright meant he had already guessed a long time ago. But when faced with Lin Huaixi’s question, he gave no answer.
“So it really is…” After five or six seconds, Zong Nanze only let out those two faint words, then withdrew his gaze. Without looking at Lin Huaixi again, he turned and walked away.
Lin Huaixi stared blankly at his back, unable to figure out what Zong Nanze was up to. Unable to get an answer, he instinctively turned a pleading gaze toward Zhong Chongqiu.
One second before Lin Huaixi looked over, Zhong Chongqiu had turned and left as well.
???
Lin Huaixi stood there stupidly, his face filled with confusion.
What did that mean? Now that they knew he was with Qi Wang, they did not even want to say another word to him?
But their attitudes were strange. Zong Nanze was supposed to be a carefree playboy who never took anything seriously, always looking completely in control. Yet Lin Huaixi had clearly read a trace of loneliness in his departing back. Zhong Chongqiu, who as president of the astronomy club had once taken very good care of him, had also left without even greeting him this time.
The two attitudes left Lin Huaixi completely baffled. He stood there wrestling with it for a full five or six minutes before finally withdrawing his gaze and walking off in the opposite direction.
It was only a tiny interruption, and Lin Huaixi did not want Qi Wang to worry, so he showed nothing at all.
Their daily rhythm remained just as familiar as before. During meals, they would chat about what had happened around them. After dinner, they would not head back to their rooms immediately but sit on the sofa, watching a movie or simply passing the time together.
Lin Huaixi glanced at his phone. “Liu Zhengnian asked me to play games with him. Do you want to join too?”
“I don’t know how.”
Lin Huaixi leaned over of his own accord, pressing most of his weight against Qi Wang as he coaxed softly, “I can teach you. It’s not hard at all.”
Qi Wang thought for a moment. “If I only start learning now, it’ll be too late. Another day. Next time I’ll play with both of you.”
After thinking it over, Lin Huaixi agreed that he could not make Liu Zhengnian wait too long, so he nodded. “Okay, then it’s a deal. The next time I ask you to play with us, you’re not allowed to make excuses and get out of it!”
Qi Wang smiled and agreed, then shifted his position a little so Lin Huaixi could lean against him more comfortably.
Lin Huaixi turned on his mic and started gaming with Liu Zhengnian.
Whenever he played, he was very focused. He nearly forgot the passage of time and everything else around him.
Qi Wang did not interrupt him. He merely peeled a few grapes and placed them into Lin Huaixi’s mouth.
The grapes were very fresh, with the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Their juice burst open on his tongue, making Lin Huaixi’s words slightly slurred.
Liu Zhengnian had just made a mistake and died once. While waiting to respawn, he asked casually, “Huaixi, what are you eating? Why are you talking all mushy?”
“Grapes,” Lin Huaixi replied offhandedly. “Qi Wang peeled them.”
“So Qi Wang’s next to you too.” Liu Zhengnian was full of admiration for their brotherly bond. “So nice. Zhang Yunqiu only calls me trash. Sometimes he gets so mad he’ll slap the entire bunch of grapes right into my face!”
The image was so vivid that Lin Huaixi laughed. He could not help saying, “Can’t be helped. I’m the only one who gets to have such a wonderful Qi Wang.”
“……”
The feeling in those words was too strong. Liu Zhengnian briefly associated it with a couple showing off their affection. But since they were all just good brothers from the same dorm, straight-man Liu Zhengnian did not think too deeply about it. Just then his respawn timer ended, and he was once again full of life, controlling his game character as he charged merrily toward yet another glorious death.
Lin Huaixi had a very steady temperament and never got angry at bad teammates. Even though Liu Zhengnian had fed the enemy half the game, he did not complain once. He simply carried the team on his back and dragged them toward victory with great difficulty.
They had originally planned to play two rounds, but after one game the two of them were already exhausted. They wordlessly reached a tacit agreement and said goodbye.
After exiting the game, Lin Huaixi turned to Qi Wang and said, “I still want more.”
He had just been eating grapes, so his lips were now redder and moister than usual, glistening temptingly. Missing the sweet-tart taste, he unconsciously licked the corner of his mouth and looked up at Qi Wang. Completely unguarded, he resembled an offering of soft flesh, inviting someone to pierce through the thin skin of fruit and taste the sweetness hidden inside.
Qi Wang’s breathing changed. His eyes darkened as he looked at Lin Huaixi. And Lin Huaixi, no longer the clueless little fool he used to be, noticed that subtle shift in Qi Wang at once. Heat slowly climbed up his face.
Their breaths intertwined. The air around them grew heavy and sticky, wrapping them tightly inside it.
In the warm, dry night, a thin layer of sweat broke out in Lin Huaixi’s palms. His fingers curled restlessly, craving more contact, more skin against skin.
Qi Wang’s throat bobbed, yet somehow it was Lin Huaixi who felt thirsty. His gaze traveled upward inch by inch, finally stopping on Qi Wang’s thin lips.
His mind went blank. Completely driven by instinct, he closed his eyes, like a soft sacrifice offering himself up.
Everything seemed to enter slow motion, as though it were a film scene. Dim shadows flowed through the room, carving the world into rich, textured frames. Their overlapping silhouettes merged together. And then Qi Wang’s kiss landed on the tip of Lin Huaixi’s nose.
The trembling of Lin Huaixi’s eyelashes stopped all at once. He slowly opened his eyes and stared directly at Qi Wang.
His eyes were cursing.
And cursing very viciously, at that.
Qi Wang, are you not capable or what?
I was all ready, and you kissed my nose? At the very least you could have kissed the corner of my mouth!!
Qi Wang was so charmed by Lin Huaixi’s reaction that his heart trembled. He could not help wanting to tease him a little, which was why, at the very last second, he had changed direction and let the kiss fall lightly on his nose like a dragonfly skimming water.
But Lin Huaixi’s look of challenge had provoked him.
Qi Wang narrowed his eyes slightly. Their shape lengthened, his pupils darkened, and in them was reflected only Lin Huaixi’s image, trapping him inside with no path of escape.
Lin Huaixi also keenly sensed the subtle shift in the atmosphere. The antennae he used to sense danger had only just begun to extend when the provoked Qi Wang revealed the bloodthirsty side of a beast. That advancing figure was reflected in Lin Huaixi’s unprepared eyes. Qi Wang came closer and closer, lifted a hand to catch Lin Huaixi by the chin, and then bent down into a deep kiss.
