Lu Qiao simply couldn’t believe it!!!
He was going to explode! He was going crazy! He was suffocating! Aaaaaah!!!
“Yan Qiu” was Yan Qiu! This guy was actually Yan Qiu!!!
All the stupid things he’d done and all the stupid things he’d said had been seen by Yan Qiu!!!
Wait, wait—what about that person called “Luo Ye”? Was that actually Luo Ye himself too???
He had spent so long interacting with these two guys online while hiding behind aliases, and they’d even discovered his identity!!!
No—that wasn’t right.
Lu Qiao suddenly remembered that on San Guang Star, after he and Irritable Rabbit had recognized each other, Yan Qiu had kept smiling mysteriously…
The moment he remembered that, Lu Qiao’s face turned green.
So he’d been the one to expose his own alias?!
At the same time Lu Qiao took off his holographic helmet, Yan Qiu took his off as well. He tightened his face and pulled Lu Qiao into his arms.
“Qiaoqiao!”
Lu Qiao immediately angrily shook off his hand and jumped down from the bed, still bristling with rage.
“Don’t call me ‘Qiaoqiao’!!”
He was furious!
But just then, seven o’clock arrived.
Yan Qiu instantly appeared in front of Lu Qiao. Lu Qiao instinctively took a step backward, and Yan Qiu directly pressed him against the wall.
Lu Qiao: “…”
Yan Qiu: “…”
Yan Qiu calmly said, “Listen to me explain.”
Lu Qiao’s chest rose and fell rapidly. He was absolutely furious. He glared at Yan Qiu, his face practically saying, Then go ahead and explain.
Yan Qiu thought for a few seconds, looked at Lu Qiao, and said:
“…It’s because you’re too cute.”
Lu Qiao: “…”
Lu Qiao’s face flushed bright red.
What was cute about him?! What was cute about him!!!
This guy was obviously just making fun of him, bullying him! All the embarrassing things he’d done had been seen by Yan Qiu!!!
Seeing that Lu Qiao’s expression was getting even worse, Yan Qiu immediately pulled him into his arms and apologized without another word.
“Don’t be angry. I was wrong.”
Lu Qiao, embarrassed and furious, gave a sinister smile.
“Angry? Ha. Why would I be angry? Someone actually insulted himself, and I don’t even know what was going on!”
Yan Qiu: “…”
Lu Qiao coolly pushed Yan Qiu away.
“That’s enough. Don’t hug me. I don’t like this.”
Yan Qiu stiffened and stepped back slightly, but he still kept Lu Qiao pinned between himself and the wall. Calmly, he asked,
“Shouldn’t we try on the sweater?”
“…”
The veins on Lu Qiao’s forehead practically bulged.
“The sweater? What sweater?”
“…”
Yan Qiu silently glanced back at the bed.
The sweater was still lying there perfectly well.
“Where is there a sweater?” Lu Qiao put his hand above his eyebrows and pretended to look around, his face full of confusion. “I don’t see one!”
“…Qiaoqiao.”
Yan Qiu’s voice lowered. He hugged Lu Qiao again and remained silent for a moment before softly saying beside his ear,
“I really was wrong. Don’t be angry anymore, okay?”
Lu Qiao froze and widened his eyes.
He… he’d never seen Yan Qiu lower himself or try to placate anyone before.
So when he suddenly heard Yan Qiu speaking in that tone, it startled him. After hesitating for a moment, his heart softened slightly.
He felt Yan Qiu gently bite his earlobe and heard him rasp,
“…I want to try on the sweater you made for me.”
“!!”
It felt as though an electric current shot straight through Lu Qiao’s spine. Both his legs went weak.
Yan Qiu immediately caught him in his arms to keep him from collapsing onto the floor, then looked at him gently, waiting for his answer.
Lu Qiao leaned against Yan Qiu’s chest, breathing heavily. After taking two breaths, he was just about to speak when a series of “beep beep” sounds came from the bed.
They both turned around.
It was Yan Qiu’s new holographic helmet. Its battery had run out, and it was beeping an alert.
Lu Qiao: “…”
Yan Qiu: “…”
Most likely, no one had charged it before Yan Qiu took it to use. It hadn’t had much battery remaining in the first place.
But the moment Lu Qiao saw the holographic helmet, he immediately remembered what had happened online, and his mind instantly cleared.
He gave a cold laugh.
“No sweater. It’s so hot outside. Why would anyone wear a sweater?”
Yan Qiu: “…Qiaoqiao.”
Lu Qiao glared at him.
“Are we going to sleep or not? I still have an exam tomorrow!”
Yan Qiu reminded him, “…It’s only seven o’clock.”
Lu Qiao bristled.
“I’m going to sleep anyway! Are you going to let me sleep or not?!”
“…”
Yan Qiu sighed.
“I’ll let you.”
After Yan Qiu released him, Lu Qiao walked to the bed with a stiff expression. When he saw the sweater, he turned around and glanced at Yan Qiu beside him.
Yan Qiu glanced back at him.
Lu Qiao thought for a moment, then, right in front of Yan Qiu, slowly straightened the sweater and stuffed it underneath his pillow.
Yan Qiu: “…”
He simply watched in silence, his gaze lingering on Lu Qiao’s pillow for a long time.
Lu Qiao couldn’t even describe that look.
In any case, it was the first time he’d ever seen that kind of expression on Yan Qiu’s face. His heart trembled, and he almost made up with Yan Qiu right then and there.
But Yan Qiu had bullied him far too much this time.
H-How could he make fun of him like that?!
Lu Qiao held his breath and said fiercely,
“What are you looking at? You have a pillow too!”
Yan Qiu’s lips moved, as though he wanted to say something.
But seeing Lu Qiao glare at him even more fiercely, he ultimately remained silent.
The two of them got into bed, and Yan Qiu still slept beside Lu Qiao.
Lu Qiao turned over, presenting his back to him.
Yan Qiu silently reached out one hand, intending to hug him.
Smack!
Lu Qiao slapped his hand away, and Yan Qiu silently withdrew it.
“…”
How should he put it?
At that moment, Yan Qiu’s obedient response gave Lu Qiao a strangely satisfying feeling.
In the end, the corners of his lips curled upward slightly. He gave a little hmph internally and closed his eyes.
That night, in the entire Yan family estate, Lu Qiao was probably the only person who slept particularly peacefully.
Early the next morning, Lu Qiao was awakened by Yan Qiu calling softly beside his ear.
“Qiaoqiao, time to get up.”
The man’s voice still carried the characteristic huskiness of morning, when sleep had not yet completely faded away. It sounded especially sexy.
Lu Qiao was still half-asleep. He felt himself nestled in a familiar embrace and comfortably stretched.
But halfway through the stretch, he suddenly woke up completely.
He blinked and turned his head to look at Yan Qiu.
Yan Qiu was holding him from behind and looking at him too.
“…”
Lu Qiao removed Yan Qiu’s arm from around his waist and said coolly,
“Oh.”
He got out of bed and began getting dressed.
Yan Qiu silently watched his back from the bed for a moment before getting up as well.
As soon as Lu Qiao put on his shirt, Yan Qiu proactively reached out and helped him button it.
When Lu Qiao went to the bathroom to wash up, Yan Qiu had already squeezed out his ointment and handed it to him.
His service was truly impeccable.
Lu Qiao glanced sideways at him.
Yan Qiu reached out and smoothed Lu Qiao’s hair, then asked with a completely serious expression,
“Can I try on the sweater tonight?”
“I’ll think about it,” Lu Qiao muttered.
Yan Qiu obediently nodded and didn’t ask anything else.
After the two finished washing up, they opened the bedroom door.
Lu Qiao was startled.
The butler was actually waiting outside with a beaming smile!
The butler eagerly said,
“Young Master, Young Master Lu, good morning. Breakfast is already prepared. Shall I have someone clean your room right away?”
Lu Qiao was a little confused. He had no idea what the butler was up to.
Yan Qiu said expressionlessly,
“Throw away that holographic helmet.”
Lu Qiao: “…”
Butler: “???”
Although he had no idea what was wrong with the helmet, the butler answered doubtfully,
“Yes…”
When Yan Qiu and Lu Qiao went downstairs, Lu Qiao glanced at him and gave a little snort.
“So you do take your anger out on things.”
Yan Qiu said lightly,
“I’m not taking my anger out on it.”
Lu Qiao didn’t believe him.
“Then what are you doing?”
Yan Qiu calmly replied,
“As long as I don’t have it, I won’t be unable to resist going online to see you again.”
“…”
Lu Qiao was completely bewildered.
“What difference is there between the me online and the me in real life?!”
And besides, he absolutely wasn’t going to do those stupid things online again!
He was abandoning the account!
He was quitting it completely!
Yan Qiu’s voice was slow and gentle, his expression utterly composed.
“Both are cute, but they’re different kinds of cute. I like every version of you. I want to see all of them.”
Lu Qiao: “!!!”
His face instantly turned red, and he stopped in shock.
Yan Qiu stopped as well. He turned his head and smiled at him.
“As for self-control… I don’t have much self-control when it comes to you, so I can only rely on external restraints.”
He reached out and smoothed the strands of hair beside Lu Qiao’s temple.
“I’m sorry.”
Lu Qiao trembled.
W-What was this?!
Where had the obedient, aggrieved, completely suppressed Yan Qiu from last night gone?!
Why did Lu Qiao suddenly feel like Yan Qiu had quietly taken control of the situation again?!
He’d only slept for one night, and Yan Qiu had already turned back into the Yan Qiu who had everything under control—the great marshal Yan Qiu!!!
“Come on.”
Yan Qiu took Lu Qiao’s hand.
“Let’s go eat.”
Lu Qiao: “…”
No!
He didn’t want to eat!
He refused to accept this!
Meanwhile, upstairs, the butler excitedly summoned the servants to clean the bedroom, only to discover—much to his shock—that not a single one of the things he’d prepared for Yan Qiu was missing.
He was instantly filled with disappointment.
No matter how unwilling Lu Qiao was to accept it, the situation had already quietly reversed itself, and he and Yan Qiu had entered into a strange tug-of-war.
At the dining table, Yan Qiu calmly attended to Lu Qiao.
Lu Qiao was furious, but with Yan Qiu’s loving parents sitting right there, he didn’t dare throw a tantrum and refuse to eat.
So he obediently ate everything placed in front of him, until by the end his cheeks were puffed up.
After breakfast, the two of them set off for the military headquarters.
Lu Qiao was there to take the examination, while Yan Qiu was naturally one of the examiners.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the military headquarters.
Lu Qiao remained sullenly silent and was about to open the hatch of the aircraft when Yan Qiu pulled him over, straightened his clothes, and said softly,
“I’ll be waiting for you, okay?”
“…”
Lu Qiao held it in and held it in, and finally gave a muffled,
“Hmph!”
Yan Qiu smiled and rested his forehead against Lu Qiao’s.
“I love you.”
Lu Qiao’s face quietly reddened.
“If you’re still angry,” Yan Qiu said softly, “after the examination is over, I’ll let you beat me up.”
“…Give me a break. I’m not that free!”
Lu Qiao pushed him away, awkwardly turned around, and opened the hatch.
Before getting out, he paused and muttered,
“…I won’t keep you waiting long.”
With that, he jumped down and walked straight into the building on his own.
Yan Qiu followed him down.
Amid the murmurs of the people around them, he watched Lu Qiao’s retreating figure with a smile.
Ji Zhuyun happened to arrive as well. He glanced around and smiled.
“Everyone’s watching the two of you. What, are you still planning to walk separately to avoid suspicion? But if you’re trying to avoid suspicion, maybe don’t keep staring at his back and smiling, okay?”
It was seriously giving him goosebumps.
Yan Qiu said calmly,
“I wanted to go in with him, but he’s in a bad mood today.”
Ji Zhuyun froze, then burst out laughing.
“Pfft! So he left you behind? What happened? Did you piss him off?”
Yan Qiu: “Yeah.”
Ji Zhuyun: “Wow, and you’re still this calm?!”
Yan Qiu curled his lips into a smile and slowly said,
“I’ll make it up to him. And besides—he’s cute like this too.”
With that, Yan Qiu walked inside.
Ji Zhuyun’s laughter nearly choked him to death halfway through.
What the hell was going on?
He couldn’t help feeling utterly bewildered by his friend, who was gradually becoming more and more hopelessly lovesick.