The moment that message appeared, Xiao Yao’s entire body buzzed with adrenaline. His heart pounded so hard his hands shook.
He’d only meant to tease Ti Xiao a little, using reverse psychology like the fans.
Pass By: “Why not just ask him directly, Achoo?”
He didn’t expect Ti Xiao to actually fall for it — to just barrel straight into his DMs like that.
In reality, Ti Xiao had spent a long time psyching himself up. His hands trembled as he typed, carefully crafting a message that seemed casual, uncalculated, and devoid of all the tangled mess of his hidden crush.
He cradled his phone like it was fragile glass, barely daring to breathe, waiting like a nervous schoolkid for his test results.
It felt like he’d waited an eternity. But in truth, barely a minute had passed.
The reason he didn’t get a reply?
Xiao Yao’s phone had died.
The battery had been hanging on by a thread while he scrolled. Then he left that comment to mess with Ti Xiao, and just when the long-awaited message finally arrived, his screen went black.
Xiao Yao cursed — which was rare for him — and scrambled to find a charger. He plugged his phone in and impatiently waited for it to gain enough juice to turn back on.
When he finally opened WeChat, though, the message was gone.
In its place:
“My Little Ponytail” has retracted a message.
Xiao Yao: “…”
Why was he… kind of pissed?
Yup. Ti Xiao had chickened out.
He’d seized the moment, struck while the iron was hot — and then, within the two-minute golden window, he slammed the brakes, snatching back the message to protect his dignity and soothe his racing heart.
Xiao Yao refused to let it slide.
Past: “What did you send? Why aren’t you asleep this late?”
Ti Xiao glanced at the time — barely 10 PM. But his guilt weighed heavy, so he hastily typed a reply.
Mystic Conch: “Oh, nothing, just sent the wrong emoji by accident. I’m heading to bed now.”
Lies!
Xiao Yao gave up on sleep entirely, sitting up with determination, ready to get to the bottom of whatever Ti Xiao was hiding — even if it took all night.
Past: “What emoji?”
Ti Xiao had no choice. He randomly picked a chill, Buddha-like sticker he usually used when playfully arguing with Ti Jiji and her daughter.
But he was still so anxious that his hands shook. And in his panic, he accidentally tapped the wrong image.
It was one he used when messing around with his rowdy friends — a sticker with the words:
“Liking you isn’t enough. I want to f— you.”
Ti Xiao grabbed a kitchen knife and seriously considered chopping his own hand off.
Xiao Yao had already seen the message. And he replied instantly — there was no time to retract it.
Past: “…”
Mystic Conch: “I… my hand slipped, I swear. This is the one I meant to send. [Image]”
I’m done for. He definitely thinks I’m shameless now…
Ti Xiao traced the knife along his wrist, testing for a good spot to cut, drowning in despair.
Neither of them sent another message for a while. They couldn’t see each other, but the awkwardness was so heavy it might as well have been tangible.
Especially for Ti Xiao, who seriously considered deleting Xiao Yao as a contact, moving house, and disappearing from his life forever.
What he didn’t know was that Xiao Yao, staring at the screen, was filled with nothing but tenderness. He was already mentally picking out the perfect day to confess.
He figured he should be the one to say it.
This little nighttime incident? It could be chalked up as a happy little accident.
The temperature dropped again. The signature northern winter winds howled through the city, and with his frail constitution, Ti Xiao inevitably caught a cold. He sneezed nonstop, his voice turning muffled and nasally.
“Thanks.” Ti Xiao took the tissue Xiao Yao handed him and wiped his nose. “I feel awful.”
“Let’s go to the clinic for some medicine.” Xiao Yao frowned, full of concern.
“No, no, it’s fine. I’ll just drink some hot water.” Ti Xiao shook his head. “Let’s buy the meat first.”
Since Xiao Yao had the day off, they decided to have their long-awaited hotpot night.
“If you won’t take medicine, then come running with me. Exercise helps,” Xiao Yao said flatly.
Ti Xiao wiped his nose and shook his head. Sure, gyms might have all kinds of… fun possibilities, but he had zero interest in running or swimming.
He’d much rather do… other activities with Xiao Yao.
Like, say, in bed. Or on the floor. Or even in the kitchen.
“Maybe in spring,” Ti Xiao said, wiping his hands with a disinfectant wipe. He pointed at the shrimp in the freezer section. “Let’s get some for shrimp paste. Buy extra.”
“Alright.” Xiao Yao grabbed a bag and started picking out the shrimp. “Anything else? Go take a look.”
By the time Xiao Yao finished, their basket was filled with packs of meat and fish balls — not a single vegetable in sight.
“Maybe we don’t have enough meat. I’ll grab more,” Ti Xiao said, turning to go back.
“Stop, stop, stop. That’s plenty of meat. Go get some veggies.” Xiao Yao quickly pulled him toward the produce section.
At the vegetable aisle, Ti Xiao turned picky — rejecting crown daisies, cabbage stems, and carrots. He only wanted lettuce hearts and refused cilantro because of the smell. He unleashed his full bratty potential, thoroughly embodying a carnivore.
And Xiao Yao indulged him, carefully selecting only what Ti Xiao liked, sacrificing his own preferences without a second thought.
When it came to the hotpot base, Ti Xiao tried to argue for clear broth — but when Xiao Yao said he’d already bought the spicy base, his soul practically left his body.
He swallowed his protests like broken teeth and blood.
“I got the base and dipping sauces shipped from Chongqing. If you want sesame sauce, we have some at home,” Xiao Yao said, placing the last plate of meat on the table.
As the temperature rose, the hotpot broth began to boil, the red oil on the surface sizzling and bubbling. Chili peppers tumbled around, releasing waves of spicy, mouthwatering fragrance that teased their taste buds.
Honestly, it smelled incredible. Ti Xiao swallowed hard.
But he knew his own limits. He wasn’t sure he could handle the spice, so he hesitated to pick up his chopsticks.
“Why aren’t you eating?” Xiao Yao had already tossed in a plate of meat.
The thin slices of meat cooked quickly, turning color in the bubbling broth. Xiao Yao picked up a generous portion and dropped it into Ti Xiao’s bowl, nodding toward him. “Eat it before it gets cold.”
Like he was preparing to face a life-or-death challenge, Ti Xiao carefully picked up the meat, dipped it hastily in the oil sauce, and put it in his mouth.
The spiciness hit him like a punch, igniting his taste buds. His mouth felt like it was on fire, and tears threatened to spill from his eyes. But pride held him back — he swallowed the flames, struggling to maintain composure.
Nope. Can’t keep up the act.
The spice overwhelmed him, and he gasped, sucking in air. “Do we have any drinks? Water? Anything? I can’t take it…”
“Hold on.” Xiao Yao returned with a huge glass of ice water. “Drink this to cool down.”
Ti Xiao grabbed the glass and chugged several gulps before he finally felt some relief.
Xiao Yao chuckled. “That spicy? Didn’t you say you had a high spice tolerance?”
Quietly, he made a mental note: Little Xiao can’t handle spicy food.
“Stop laughing!” Ti Xiao glared at him, trying to look fierce. “Try it yourself.”
But to Xiao Yao, his glare was more puppy-like than threatening — especially with those watery eyes, all teary from the spice.
And those lips, flushed red from the heat… Xiao Yao had to fight the urge to lean in and kiss him.
“Maybe it’s a little too spicy?” Xiao Yao tried a bite himself and immediately clamped a hand over his mouth.
“See? I told you! It’s insane!” Ti Xiao was gleeful that Xiao Yao couldn’t handle it either.
“I can’t…” Xiao Yao grabbed the glass and guzzled water, tilting his head back.
His throat arched gracefully, Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. It was an ordinary motion, but to Ti Xiao, it was practically sinful. His mouth went dry.
And then he realized — it was his glass. The one he’d just been drinking from.
Wasn’t this… an indirect kiss?
Ti Xiao’s face burned even hotter. He grabbed a lettuce leaf and stuffed it in his mouth, trying to distract himself. His fingers brushed his lips, heart racing.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yao, lowering the glass, thought the water tasted… sweet.
He knew whose glass it was. Knew exactly where Ti Xiao’s lips had touched. And yet, he sipped from the same spot again, as if testing whether the sweetness was real.
“If it’s too spicy, I can add some broth,” Xiao Yao said, pouring stock into the pot to dilute the heat.
“By the way, I might be busy the night after tomorrow. You’ll have to handle dinner on your own,” he added.
Ti Xiao, fishing chili peppers out of the pot with his chopsticks, casually asked, “Why? What’s up?”
“A staff dinner. I have to go with my colleagues,” Xiao Yao explained.
With finals approaching, the school followed tradition and treated the staff to a meal to rally everyone for the busy weeks ahead.
Xiao Yao hadn’t wanted to go — not when he had a little troublemaker at home waiting to be fed. But since all the teachers would attend, and he was still new, he couldn’t reasonably decline.
Still, he reported his schedule like a man afraid of upsetting his wife.
“Everyone’s going. I’m new, so I don’t really have a choice,” he clarified.
Ti Xiao puffed out his chest and thumped it confidently. “No worries! I can eat at my parents’ place, or worst case, order takeout. You go and have fun.”
Even though he had said it was no big deal, when the day finally arrived, Ti Xiao still felt a little out of place. After all, Xiao Yao had become a daily presence in his life, bit by bit. And with how good his cooking was, takeout just didn’t satisfy him anymore.
“You still remember how to come home for dinner, huh?” Ti Xiao’s mom muttered, placing a bowl of noodles in front of him. “What, your personal chef kicked you out?”
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Ti Xiao said, mixing some sauce into his noodles. “He had something to do.”
Just as he spoke, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Xiao Yao.
Smirking, Ti Xiao held up his phone for his mom to see. “Look, he’s even reporting his whereabouts to me.”
Her gaze flickered over the screen. “‘Long-legged Biscuit’? What kind of weird nickname is that?” She quickly looked away.
Past: Kinda bored.
Magic Conch: Pat pat. Just started eating?
Past: Yeah, probably gonna be another two hours. They wanna do karaoke after.
“Why’d you stop eating? I made that just for you.” Seeing him focused on texting, Ti Xiao’s mom couldn’t help but nag.
“Hang on, hang on, I’m talking to your future daughter-in-law,” Ti Xiao replied without looking up.
Magic Conch: Feeling like dinner with me is more fun?
Xiao Yao swirled the liquor in his glass, his other hand scrolling through his phone. Seeing that message, he chuckled.
Dinner with you would definitely be more fun.
“Mr. Xiao, stop playing with your phone! Come on, let’s have a toast!” The math teacher had his arm around the chemistry teacher, swaying over with his drink.
Past: Hold on, someone’s coming to toast me. Be right back.
One toast led to another. Since Xiao Yao was new, his colleagues took the opportunity to mess with him a little—whether out of friendly teasing or just because he was good-looking.
Drink after drink, he was starting to feel a little helpless.
“Mr. Xiao, let me toast you!” A petite English teacher from the next class over, her face already flushed, lifted her glass with a coy smile.
Back at home, Ti Xiao’s mom nagged him again, so he quickly slurped down a few symbolic mouthfuls of noodles—all while still chatting with Xiao Yao.
Magic Conch: Make sure you don’t drink too much, okay?
Man, he was such a thoughtful little angel.
Seeing that message, Xiao Yao put his glass down without hesitation. The female teacher stood there, still holding hers, looking confused.
“Mr. Xiao?”
“Sorry, I can’t drink anymore,” he said, sounding a little apologetic.
“Huh? But you didn’t drive here, right?”
“‘The one at home’ won’t let me drink too much,” Xiao Yao replied, the corners of his lips curving slightly. There was an unmistakable hint of smugness in his voice.
The whole table erupted. “Wait, Mr. Xiao, you’re taken?!”
Up until now, everyone had thought of him as a prime bachelor. Those who were single—or had single family members—had been quietly keeping an eye on him. Now, hearing he was off the market, they were all a little shocked… and a little regretful.
Xiao Yao thought back to the day he had figured out “Little Xiao” was actually Ti Xiao, and he smiled. “Almost a month now, I think.”
It had been nearly a month since he realized his little troublemaker had feelings for him.
And just thinking about that made him feel ridiculously happy.
Maybe he should stir things up a little?
Meanwhile, as Ti Xiao was slurping noodles, his older brother and sister-in-law walked in with Ti Nanyi.
“Well, well,” Ti Zhe gave him a once-over. “Look who’s here. What, your personal chef kicked you out too?”
Like mother, like son. Ti Zhe was just as bad as their mom.
In a few days, Ti Nanyi would be taking exams, so he didn’t talk to Ti Xiao at all—just went straight to his study as soon as he got home.
It seemed like fate had decided for him. Since Ti Zhe and Ren Yue were going on a business trip before the new year, it looked like Ti Xiao would have no choice but to attend the parent-teacher meeting.
“When are you finally going to stop being single?” Ti Zhe asked, peeling an orange and crossing one leg over the other.
“Before the new year!” Ti Xiao was refreshing WeChat over and over.
“I feel like it’ll be after the new year,” Ti Zhe said with a sly grin. “Wanna bet?”
Ti Xiao didn’t even look up. “What’s the bet?”
“Whoever wins gets Nan Nan to give them shoulder massages for a whole week.” Ti Zhe had moved from messing with his little brother to exploiting his own daughter.
Ti Nanyi happened to walk into the living room to get a drink and overheard. “What does this have to do with me???”
It wasn’t a big deal. Even if he lost, it wasn’t like the stakes were that high. But thinking back to how embarrassingly nervous he had been that night—how he had freaked out and caused a huge misunderstanding—he felt a strong urge to redeem himself. He wouldn’t back down, even if it was just for his pride.
Ti Xiao flopped onto the table, his soft cheeks squishing against the surface. His phone sat right in front of him. Ever since Xiao Yao’s last message, there had been radio silence.
He must have been lured away by some flirtatious little vixen. Ti Xiao jabbed at his screen in frustration.
Should he confess?
He rolled his head side to side on the table, feeling completely stuck.
Damn that stupid long-legged biscuit. Maybe he should draw him as a short-legged bottom just for revenge!
Bringing out his tablet, he got straight to work. But before he could get too far, he got a message from Gua Pi.
Apparently, a publishing company had taken an interest in his new serialized work and wanted to negotiate a deal.
Editor Gua Pi Pi: If you think this offer works, I’ll send over the contract and some notes tomorrow. Also, a platform wants to schedule a book signing for you after the new year. Check your availability, but we can discuss that later… Oh, and there’s something else I need to tell you…
He seemed hesitant.
Smart & Brave Big Ah-Choo: What’s up?
Gua Pi ended up sending a voice message instead.
“Okay, so… You know how we’re supposed to keep our work and personal lives separate, right? Like, no personal feelings involved—you get what I mean?”
“But, uh… about that Duck Neck guy…”
Ti Xiao immediately got the gist.
“You two???” He was stunned.
“Yeah… We’ve been talking for a while, but I think I might’ve rushed into it. Work comes first, after all, and we’re technically just professional contacts.” Gua Pi sounded conflicted. “But it’s not my fault, okay? He keeps sending me pictures all the time… and now I’m here, talking to you about it.”
Ti Xiao sighed. “And what am I supposed to do about it? I’m single too, you know.”
“That’s exactly why I came to you!” Gua Pi said.
“Get lost, get lost, get lost!” Ti Xiao snapped. “I won’t be single for long!”
Gua Pi laughed. “Haha, alright, alright. Hey, by the way, Ah-Choo, you’re from Xuancheng, right?”
“Yeah, why?” Ti Xiao vaguely remembered Gua Pi mentioning that he was from Xuancheng too.
“Wanna meet someone? I can introduce you.” Gua Pi’s voice was full of mischief. “I’ve got a buddy—he studied abroad, he’s super handsome, an amazing cook, and has ridiculously long legs.”
“No thanks, no thanks.” Ti Xiao wrinkled his nose. “Sounds like all he’s got going for him are his long legs.”
“Haha, well, I wouldn’t know about that.” Gua Pi snickered. “But are you sure you’re not interested?”
“I’m sure.” Ti Xiao was firm.
“Tch, fine, whatever. I think he has a boyfriend anyway—he just doesn’t mention him much. Forget I said anything.”
After the call ended, Ti Xiao went back to working on his Ultimate Bottom Long-Legged Biscuit comic.
First, it was Ti Nanyi trying to set him up with the English teacher. Now, it was Gua Pi trying to introduce him to his friend.
As if any of these random people could compare to Xiao Yao.
Meanwhile, at the dinner table, the ultimate combination of the English teacher, Gua Pi’s friend, and the long-legged biscuit himself—Xiao Yao—sneezed.
Was his little troublemaker thinking about him?
That night, when Xiao Yao went to check his usual bedtime reading, a new Weibo post popped up.
Smart & Brave Big Ah-Choo: I’m starting a new webcomic called The Ultimate Bottom Long-Legged Biscuit. Updates will be irregular—whenever inspiration strikes. No explicit content. Don’t take the title too literally. Just a bit of personal fun, mwah~ Here’s the first chapter. [Image]
The first chapter’s title?
Your Biscuit Bro Has Been Lured Away by a Vixen.
Xiao Yao smirked. Looks like he had some new bedtime reading.
But he wouldn’t be lured away by just any little vixen. The only one who could lead him anywhere was a certain little troublemaker named Xiao Jiu Jiu.
The final day of exam week had finally arrived. Ti Nanyi had an exam. Xiao Yao was invigilating.
None of this had anything to do with Ti Xiao, but he had been assigned to pick up Ti Nanyi for dinner, so he showed up at the school early.
Blending in with the crowd of parents waiting at the gate, he bought a hot drink and idly scrolled through his phone.
Inside the exam hall, everything was dead silent. It was the last test, and every student was completely focused, heads down, pens flying across their answer sheets. Nothing could distract them.
Xiao Yao, who was invigilating a first-year English exam, paced the room, making his rounds. Even though it was boring, he couldn’t slack off.
“Teacher…”
A small voice came from the back corner.
“I need to use the bathroom… My stomach hurts… I really can’t hold it… Ow, ow…”
Xiao Yao glanced at the time and gave her permission to go. Then, he moved over to keep an eye on her desk.
The exam paper was clean and neatly written, with a high accuracy rate. This student was likely to get a great score.
The name on the paper: Ti Nanyi.
It seemed like she was from his own class.
Xiao Yao couldn’t help but think of a certain little troublemaker with the same surname. It wasn’t a common last name.
When Ti Nanyi returned from the restroom, she had this weird feeling that the English teacher kept looking at her, making her uneasy while she worked on her test.
I swear I only went to the bathroom—I didn’t check my phone!
As the bell rang, the final exam came to an end. Winter break had officially begun. Scores would be released in a week, and after the parent-teacher meeting, they’d all be completely free.
Outside the school, the waiting parents were buzzing with excitement, eagerly greeting their children.
“How’d it go?” Ti Xiao handed Ti Nanyi a cup of hot milk tea. “Think you did well enough to keep me from having to attend the parent-teacher meeting?”
“It’s already set in stone that you are going,” Ti Nanyi said, poking the straw into her drink and taking a sip. “No way out of it. I’m telling you, the test was so hard. Not easy at all!”
Ti Xiao shrugged. “Well, that’s what happens when your dad names you Nan Yi (which means ‘not easy’). Come on, let’s go—they’re probably getting impatient.”
By now, all the students had left the school, but the teachers were still inside, binding test papers and discussing grading plans.
Xiao Yao finally checked his phone and saw a message from Ti Xiao.
Magic Conch: Not going home tonight, having dinner with the fam~ 💖
Xiao Yao felt a little disappointed. He had planned to make seafood soup to celebrate the end of exams, but now he’d have to just throw something together for himself.
Meanwhile, the Ti family headed to the same restaurant where Xiao Yao had once treated Ti Xiao to a meal.
As they walked past the couple’s booth, Ti Xiao couldn’t help but sneak a few glances inside.
“Move along,” Ti Zhe nudged him. “Keep staring like that, and you won’t be out of singlehood even after the new year.”
Their mother spoke up, “With the new year coming up, the most important thing for a family is being together. We wanted to have this meal tonight because your father and I have something to announce.”
“This year marks our 40th wedding anniversary. So, in a little while, we’re planning to take a trip to an island.”
Everyone who had been scrolling on their phones during the meal looked up.
Mom, didn’t you just say that the most important thing for a family is to be together?
“So this year, you four can celebrate the New Year on your own,” the old lady said happily, as if she had just thrown off a heavy burden.
“Ahem,” Ti Zhe cleared his throat awkwardly. “Ren Yue and I canceled our business trips. We’re planning to take Nan Nan on a trip abroad during the New Year.”
After he spoke, the whole family turned to Ti Xiao with smug, gloating expressions.
Ti Xiao was speechless. So basically, I’m the only one not going on a trip?
“Alright, alright, I’ll just spend New Year’s alone then, okay?” Ti Xiao raised his hands in surrender.
“Little bro, don’t take it too hard.” Ti Zhe patted him on the shoulder. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll find a girlfriend before then, and you two can go on a romantic ten-day trip to Europe. If you book through the travel agency near our house and mention my name, you’ll get a discount.”
“Yeah, right.” Ti Xiao swatted his brother’s hand away. “Watch me have the time of my life alone.”
Even as he said that, he couldn’t help but feel like an abandoned cabbage left to wither in the field—wandering alone, cold and lonely, utterly miserable.
He was an adult now, but he’d never spent a New Year alone before. Just thinking about it felt tragic.
“Let’s take a photo for WeChat,” their mom said, handing her phone to her granddaughter. “Your dad and I have a flight tomorrow night—if we don’t take one now, we won’t see each other until after the New Year.”
Ti Xiao also posted the family picture on his Moments feed. As he tapped at his phone, waiting for their food to arrive, he wondered what Xiao Yao was doing for New Year’s.
Ah, forget it. He probably has plans with his family. He has a younger brother and an older sister, after all.
Meanwhile, at home, Xiao Yao had just finished cooking a bowl of noodles when the same thought crossed his mind.
Since he had spent years abroad, he was used to celebrating New Year’s alone.
This was his first year back in the country, and given his current family situation, he should be spending it with his grandparents. But this year, those two elderly adventurers had signed up for an island tour, saying something about “going all out while we still can.”
Xiao Yao sprinkled some black pepper into his pot and chuckled.
The meat still needed a little more time to cook, so he pulled out his phone to check WeChat Moments.
As expected, a few of his close friends were also returning to China, so he could probably meet up with them during the holiday. After all, being a teacher came with the perk of two whole months of vacation.
Just then, a new post popped up at the top of his feed—from “My Little Trouble”.
My Little Trouble: “A whole bunch of people off on vacation, and then there’s just me, all alone. 😐 [Photo]”
In the top right corner of the group photo, Ti Xiao stood there with his lips pressed into a pout, clearly not in a good mood.
Xiao Yao carefully examined the people in the picture.
These two must be his parents. The one who looks a bit like him is probably his older brother—definitely not young anymore, so that must be his sister-in-law.
And this little girl next to them… why does she look kind of familiar?
Wait. Wasn’t she the one who asked to go to the bathroom during the exam this afternoon?
Ti Nanyi.
Something in Xiao Yao’s brain clicked into place.
Earlier today, he had been wondering why he suddenly kept encountering people with the last name “Ti.” Then, he remembered seeing that little girl walking out of this apartment complex once before.
So she was Ti Xiao’s niece.
Fate sure worked in mysterious ways.
Did Ti Xiao even know that his niece had been punished by him to write vocabulary words?
Xiao Yao rubbed the tip of his nose absentmindedly. This was getting interesting. Ever since he discovered that “Little Trouble” was actually the author Big Ah-Choo, he had been eager to learn more about Ti Xiao. And now, finding out that his niece was his student? It only made him more curious.
At this point, every single one of Ti Xiao’s secrets had been completely exposed—nothing left, not even a shred of dignity.
The family portrait still glowed on his phone screen. They looked so warm and happy together. Xiao Yao figured that Ti Xiao must have a pretty good relationship with his family—not like himself, spending the holiday alone.
That evening, he still made the seafood soup. And, on impulse, he knocked on Ti Xiao’s door.
No answer.
It was just like a month ago, when he had gotten a call from his grandfather and came knocking on Ti Xiao’s door. No answer then either. Just the empty hallway, where only his own shadow stretched across the floor.
Xiao Yao almost pulled out his phone to call him.
He wanted to know what Ti Xiao was doing.
Who he was with.
He wanted to hear his voice.
Wanted to hold onto him.
Keep him close.
At that moment, Ti Xiao was still having dinner with his family.
If he said he wasn’t even a little bit upset, he’d be lying.
What is Xiao Yao doing right now?
It had been nearly twenty-four hours since he last heard his voice. Since he last saw him.
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