Just that one line sent the fans’ screams soaring, nearly shaking the entire studio to its foundations. Listening backstage, Cheng Qiang found it downright terrifying—it seemed like half of Kaleido’s fanbase were auditory CP shippers.
“Online classes, Mr. Fang!”
“Ahahaha, live-stream math lessons, Mr. Fang!”
With everyone egging him on like this, Fang Juexia felt even more embarrassed. He wasn’t good at putting on a show for variety programs. When alone, he tended toward silence, but with teammates around, he subconsciously leaned on them. So, microphone in hand, his eyes darted left and right, seeking help from his teammates beside him.
When his gaze met Pei Tingsong’s, the latter quickly grabbed the mic. “But if Brother Juexia really started teaching now, his students probably wouldn’t do too well academically.”
Host Chen Mo laughed and chimed in, “Right, they’d probably all be too busy admiring the teacher’s looks.”
The female host then asked, “Speaking of which, is Juexia the group’s visual?”
The conversation finally circled back to the team. Fang Juexia held the microphone with both hands and nodded.
Jiang Miao introduced him, “Not only that—Juexia is the group’s visual, lead vocalist, and main dancer.”
“Wow, so versatile!” The host signaled the introduction process. “Then let’s have the other members of KADAMU introduce themselves too.” He gestured toward He Ziyan. “Ziyan, you start?”
He Ziyan nodded, introducing his name and age with ease. “I’m the group’s sub-rapper who handles arrangements and electronic music, and I’m also the second member of the Number Group.”
“Number Group?” the host asked, puzzled.
Ling Yi immediately jumped in to explain, “I’m Ling Yi, Ziyan is Er Huo (Two Fire), and Miao Ge is San Shui (Three Water). Our fans gave us the nickname ‘Number Group’! I’m the leader of the Number Group.”
Chen Mo chimed in, “This group really has way too many inside jokes.”
“Hahahahaha!”
Lu Yuan followed He Ziyan’s lead and introduced himself, “Hello everyone, I’m Lu Yuan. Thanks to Teacher Fang, everyone calls me Teacher Yuan. I’m the main dancer in the group.”
The female host interjected, “I hear Teacher Yuan handled most of the choreography for ‘Break the Formation’?”
The members nodded in agreement. Lu Yuan put on a show of modesty on stage, “No, no—everyone contributed ideas. Juexia’s solo part was choreographed by him and the classical dance teacher.”
The host praised, “That’s still incredibly impressive.”
Jiang Miao briefly introduced himself: “I’m the sub-vocalist, sub-lead dancer, and team captain. I’ve been studying the guzheng.”
The host addressed the audience: “How about we have Jiang Miao show us a bit of his guzheng skills later?”
“Yes!!”
When it came to Ling Yi, he introduced himself, “Hello everyone, I’m Ling Yi. I’m the lead vocalist and high-note specialist in the group, as well as everyone’s cheerful little ray of sunshine and the group’s favorite!”
Pei Tingsong deliberately put on a cool, aloof expression, “Who ever spoils you?”
“Hahahaha!”
He Ziyan also teased him playfully, “The group’s favorite in your dreams.”
Fang Juexia suddenly looked enlightened. “No wonder you talk in your sleep.”
The fans below the stage burst into laughter. “Hahahaha, what’s up with this group’s top-tier members?”
Ling Yi looked at Fang Juexia with a pout. Fang Juexia ruffled his hair. “You are the darling, you are.”
Seeing Fang Juexia pamper Ling Yi like this, Pei Tingsong felt a pang of envy he couldn’t voice, his body instinctively retreating half a step.
A female fan near the stage with a magnifying glass laughed loudly, “Hahahaha, look at the grapevine tactic retreat!”
When it was Fang Juexia’s turn to introduce himself, he said, “Actually, the captain already mentioned me earlier. I’m Fang Juexia. Yeah.”
“That’s it?” Pei Tingsong looked at him, sighed, and began his own introduction. “Hello everyone, I’m Pei Tingsong. I handle the creative work and rap duties in the group, and I’m also the youngest member—the baby of the team.”
“Tingsong is only 20, right?”
Pei Tingsong nodded at the host. “But I’m the tallest. Let me share my latest height: exactly 1.9 meters.” He then formed the number 190 with his fingers.
Upon hearing this, only Fang Juexia maintained a neutral smile while the rest of the group erupted in boos.
“The ventriloquism troupe is back!”
Kaledo naturally possessed strong variety show instincts. Combined with the members’ close rapport, the program’s entertainment value flowed effortlessly without forced gimmicks, making even the host’s job much easier.
After brief introductions, the host invited each member to showcase their talents. Jiang Miao played the guzheng, He Ziyan brought his full setup for a live electronic music performance, Ling Yi flaunted his vocal range with a high-pitched vocal run, and Pei Tingsong delivered an incredibly challenging English rap at astonishing speed.
Lu Yuan and Fang Juexia performed their previously unrevealed duet dance from the signing event. Pei Tingsong saw their self-choreographed routine for the first time. Their group currently leans toward intense styles, especially in choreography—fast-paced with sweeping, dramatic movements. Aside from Fang Juexia’s occasional classical dance performances, he rarely sees him dance in a sensual style.
The song featured a heavy drumbeat but a moderate tempo, layered with the sound of striking and extinguishing a match.
The loose work pants were slightly too big at the waist, sliding down during dance moves. The top edge of his shirt couldn’t fully cover his waist, revealing a slender, pale section where the contours of his muscles could faintly be seen tensing and relaxing.
His gaze fixed on Fang Juexia’s face. His expression held no hint of seduction, remaining cool and detached. Only when transitioning between moves did he unconsciously lick his lips, the tip of his tongue briefly visible before retreating.
Pei Tingsong’s attention was drawn to the lyrics.
[Lips meet teeth and tongue, my heart skips eight beats at once.]
Moving with the music, Fang Juexia performed two slow, fluid waves. His black top hugged his narrow waist, like an endless tide surging through the night.
The lyrics reached this line precisely.
[We all been found guilty in the court of aorta.]
In the courtroom of swelling desire, you and I were both found guilty.
The faintly pulsing arteries and the boiling blood within them were the evidence.
The moment the final hip thrust appeared, the fans below erupted in screams. When dancing, Fang Juexia was completely open and liberated, unafraid to express himself, unhindered by his reserved nature. But the moment the music ended, he reverted to his easily shy self.
“Wow! Let’s give Lu Yuan and Juexia a round of applause, shall we?”
A thin sheen of sweat glistened on Fang Juexia’s skin as he returned to Pei Tingsong’s side, taking the microphone from his hand. Pei Tingsong leaned close to his ear, murmuring, “Brother, your waist is so supple.”
The magnetic bass exploded in his ear, sending a jolt through Juexia’s body. He nervously licked his lower lip.
After spending so much time together, he’d almost forgotten how terrifyingly unpredictable Pei Tingsong could be.
The show primarily featured indoor games. After brief self-introductions and talent performances, the host continued, “Now let’s begin our game segment!”
Staff brought out mats that nearly covered half the stage. The host explained the rules: “The first game is a blindfolded challenge. Kaledo just drew lots to form teams: Ziyan, Juexia, and Lingyi are Team Blue, while Xiao Peimiao and Xiao Yuan are Team Red. Each team will send one representative.”
Chen Mo produced small balloons. “We’ll tie one balloon to each of your waists—one in front, one behind. If your balloon pops, you’re eliminated and replaced. Survivors advance to the next round. But remember—you’ll be blindfolded the entire time.”
He Ziyan crouched down and pressed the mat in front of him. “No wonder they made it so thick and big—they’re afraid we’ll turn this into wrestling.”
“It might be scarier than wrestling.”
Lu Yuan raised his hand. “That’s not fair! Our strongest player is injured.”
The host said, “Xiao Pei can choose not to compete and give his spot to a teammate.”
Fang Juexia was most worried about Pei Tingsong. Though he’d researched it—this type of fracture was actually minor, and being young, Pei healed quickly—he still feared the boy was in pain or discomfort, even though Pei insisted he felt no pain at all.
“You really shouldn’t play,” Fang Juexia urged, unable to resist.
Pei Tingsong smiled. “But I want to play.”
Lu Yuan suggested, “Then why not blindfold him?”
“It’s fine,” Pei Tingsong explained. “My arm is immobilized, so I’m not too worried about collisions. The cast protects the hand inside. This is actually a minor injury—it’ll be removed soon. I can wear a blindfold, and there are plenty of pads here.”
The production team had known about the member’s injury beforehand and specially arranged for a medical team. They had now come on stage to reinforce Pei Tingsong’s arm again, wrapping it in shock-absorbing padding and securing his entire left arm to his chest.
“Then Young Master Pei can have one less balloon since he’s missing an arm.”
“True masters fight with one arm,” Ling Yi patted his shoulder.
Lu Yuan chuckled, “You’re dissing Yang Guo, and I’ve got proof.”
Ling Yi immediately turned to Pei Tingsong, “Guo’er, you gotta give it your all!”
After preparations concluded, Chen Mo addressed both teams: “Alright, the Red and Blue teams may now send out your first contestant. Who wants to lead off?”
Fang Juexia, who had been quiet until now, suddenly volunteered, turning to He Ziyan and Ling Yi: “How about I go first?”
Pei Tingsong had already anticipated this outcome when the rules were read. As the only one on the field aware of Fang Juexia’s night blindness and his opponent’s status as the youngest member, he found it incredibly thrilling.
Seeing Fang Juexia take the initiative, his teammates naturally cheered, “Great! Our team will send Juexia out first!”
Pei Tingsong didn’t want to go first—he wanted Fang Juexia to enjoy the game longer—so he egged Lu Yuan into going first. Staff secured balloons around their waists. After putting on black blindfolds and removing their shoes, Fang Juexia and Lu Yuan were escorted by teammates to two distant corners.
Once on the mats, both moved forward cautiously.
The other members and the host sat cross-legged on the floor watching, occasionally calling out to disrupt their sense of direction.
Ling Yi waved at the blindfolded Lu Yuan, “Lu Yuan, I’m here!”
“Hahahaha!”
Sudden darkness could momentarily disorient anyone, but for Fang Juexia, spatial memory was second nature. Darkness felt more familiar than light. Hearing Ling Yi’s voice, he quickly formed a basic mental map.
Logically, they and the host should be roughly in the same positions as before the blindfolds, with little change. A mental image of the vast, blank mat filled Fang Juexia’s vision—its four corners, the members positioned along the long edges. The sense of distance and direction provided by sound had already allowed him to roughly pinpoint his location on the mat.
Ling Yi continued teasing Lu Yuan, “Lu Yuan, you’re the coolest! You’re my little troublemaker!”
Lu Yuan laughed at his teasing. “Shut up, you.”
Just as Lu Yuan spoke, Fang Juexia instantly pinpointed his location. He tilted his head, shifting his body’s orientation. The extension of his line of sight stretched straight to Lu Yuan’s exact spot.
Jiang Miao murmured, “Juexia is so amazing.”
Pei Tingsong crouched on his knees, eyes fixed on Fang Juexia’s every move.
Blindfolded, he was as sharp as a sleek cheetah, effortlessly tracking down his prey.
Lu Yuan hadn’t fully entered game mode yet, preoccupied with bantering with the distracting Ling Yi. He completely failed to notice his opponent had already crept closer. Below the stage, fans kept as quiet as possible under the host’s subtle cues, many covering their little mouths.
They watched Fang Juexia advance step by step, as if he knew exactly what he was doing, each stride almost identical in length.
Soon, only half a meter separated them. Fang Juexia halted, intending to assess his position. He Ziyan saw through his plan and deliberately teased Lu Yuan into talking.
“Yuanzi, Yuan’er~”
Seeing his teammate oblivious to the opponent right before him, Jiang Miao immediately warned, “Snap out of it, Lu Yuan! Quick, get ready to fight!”
“Fight? I don’t even know where Juexia is!”
Before he could finish, a hand touched his chest. Startled, Lu Yuan instinctively stepped back. Fang Juexia anticipated this retreat and simply knocked him down. The small balloon behind him burst as it hit the ground. In the darkness, Fang Juexia groped for the balloon in front of him, grabbed it, and squeezed hard.
The front balloon also exploded.
In such a short time, Fang Juexia had secured the first kill, unscathed himself.
“Waaah!!!”
“Brother Juexia is so freaking awesome!”
The host exclaimed in awe, “Juexia is truly incredible! Team Blue wins this round!” Staff members stepped forward to help Fang Juexia up. They didn’t remove his blindfold but instead led him directly to a different corner than where the game had started.
“For the next player Team Red sends out, we won’t announce his name directly. For a moment, neither the audience nor our other members should call out his name—let’s distract Juexia a bit. “
This was indeed an obstacle for Fang Juexia.
In his mind, opponents fell into two categories—Pei Tingsong and everyone else.
Against anyone but Pei Tingsong, he could attack with full force, aiming for a quick victory. But if it was Pei Tingsong, he’d worry about his hands and hold back considerably.
He could only tackle them one at a time.
Fang Juexia stood still, listening as the crowd began a fresh round of cheering.
“Here they come, here they come—Team Red is coming!”
Guiding himself by the voices, he located his position using the same method as before. After the previous skirmish, his opponents surely knew that making noise would give them away. So Fang Juexia changed tactics too, planning to head straight for the center of the mats, getting closer before listening for his opponents’ voices.
He boldly felt his way forward, arms outstretched to maintain balance. Walking on the soft mats felt unsteady, making it easy to stumble.
Ling Yi persisted in taunting the enemy, “Aren’t you scared, Red Team?”
Fang Juexia had now reached the center of the mat following the sound, focusing intently on listening.
“He won’t make a sound. Trust me.” Lu Yuan, who had failed once before, offered his prior experience.
Ling Yi scoffed. “Who says? If he loves me, he’ll make a sound!”
Suddenly, amidst the clamor of taunts, Fang Juexia heard a laugh. It was all too familiar to him—a brief, close-by flash, originating not far behind him.
“Pei Tingsong?” Fang Juexia tried to turn around.
The audience below the stage was stunned. Many people waved at Fang Juexia from below. To their eyes, Fang Juexia, blindfolded, had not only correctly identified his opponent’s direction but also called out his name directly.
Pei Tingsong was right behind him, no more than a meter away.
The host was stunned too, blurting out, “Juexia, is that blindfold fake?”
“He just randomly covered his eyes for Xiao Pei, right?”
Jiang Miao messaged her teammate, “Don’t talk! He’s already close to you.”
He wanted him to get closer.
Pei Tingsong’s lips curved upward. Standing still, he called out Fang Juexia’s name in a deep voice. Those three syllables confirmed Fang Juexia’s earlier judgment beyond doubt.
The classification was complete, but what should he do next?
Should he really go after Pei Tingsong?
With each step, the soft mat would sink in and spring back. Yet as the distance closed, the depression grew more pronounced beneath his palm. Compounded by the rustling sound of Fang Juexia’s loose trouser legs.
Pei Tingsong felt a thrill of luring his prey into the trap.
One step.
One more step.
Fang Juexia stretched out his arm, feeling something was off. Based on his earlier judgment, he should have been right there, yet he couldn’t reach Pei Tingsong. Had he shifted position again without a sound?
There should have been a sound.
The hollowed-out indentation beneath his palm on the mat was unmistakable. In that instant, Pei Tingsong decisively shot out his right hand, seizing Fang Juexia’s ankle with pinpoint accuracy.
Damn. Fang Juexia knew he’d miscalculated.
The sudden force of the grab pulled him to the ground. Fang Juexia tried to resist, attempting to twist his body to prevent the balloon behind him from bursting, but he had to ease his struggle. In that moment of hesitation, his legs were pinned down.
He could feel Pei Tingsong sitting on his legs, his weight pressing down. The right hand traced up his body, just as Fang Juexia had groped for direction in the darkness—knee, thigh, hipbone, the lean waist.
The audience below could no longer contain their screams. Everything had reached a fever pitch.
Blindfolded, Pei Tingsong sensed Fang Juexia’s hands pushing, struggling to break free. The blue balloon secured to his lower back trembled pitifully in the lingering aftermath of the violent collision.
Pei Tingsong’s hand had already reached his waist. Fang Juexia couldn’t tell if it was intentional or not, but he could feel the sensation of fingertips kneading his skin, sending shivers through every pore in this duel of competitive drive.
He still had a chance to fight back. Fang Juexia strained to half-turn his upper body, creating space for the balloon behind him, reaching out to grab Pei Tingsong’s front balloon. He touched it on the first try, but quickly realized his own front balloon had been seized by Pei Tingsong. He swiftly withdrew his hand to protect his own balloon.
Beating sweat beaded on Pei Tingsong’s back. He couldn’t fathom why he felt so hot. The balloon, almost within his grasp, was once again shielded by Fang Juexia’s slender fingers. Losing patience for the teasing, Pei Tingsong’s palm covered Fang Juexia’s hand, enveloping it as he pressed down on the balloon at his lower back until it burst.
Having executed the act of violence perfectly, Pei Tingsong felt elated. He mimicked the sound of an explosion on Fang Juexia’s body, “Boom.”
Pure provocation. Fang Juexia was left holding only the shards of the burst balloon. Enraged, he struggled free from Pei Tingsong’s grasp, reaching for the balloon at Pei Tingsong’s waist.
Pei Tingsong anticipated his move, shifting from sitting atop him to straddling him, kneeling on either side of his thighs. Missing his left hand, he couldn’t match Fang Juexia’s leverage. Instead, he seized one of Fang Juexia’s wrists, forcing his arm flat against the mat and pinning it with his knee. His other hand was also lifted and held down firmly.
“Don’t move.”
Fang Juexia, who had just lost one balloon, was pinned to the ground like this.
“You’re too cunning,” Fang Juexia gritted out, his voice strained—which only sounded sexier to Pei Tingsong.
“Am I cunning?” Pei Tingsong pressed down hard on his wrist. “I have one life, you have one life left, but you have two hands, I have only one.”
His body was burning hot, his low voice panting from the intense struggle.
“Brother, let me go.”
Pei Tingsong yanked his arms apart, flinging Fang Juexia from a half-reclined position onto his back. The balloon behind him teetered precariously, its smooth rubber scraping dangerously against the soft foam cushion.
This was his last balloon.
Pei Tingsong’s strength was immense, and Fang Juexia couldn’t fight back with full force like he would against other opponents. He could only seek ways to protect himself first.
So he arched his waist as much as possible, creating space for the balloon and revealing a beautifully curved waistline.
Blinded by the intensity of the battle, Fang Juexia naturally had no idea how alluring this movement was.
In the darkness, he seemed to already see Fang Juexia’s presence—his state, his posture, his masked face, and his slightly parted lips breathing—all vivid before his eyes.
His hearing had indeed sharpened. He could even hear Fang Juexia’s breaths, creeping into his ears, tickling him.
He finally understood how Fang Juexia simulated the structure of vision in the darkness. He now shared that experience with him.
Screams and cheers erupted from the audience below, deafeningly loud. Pei Tingsong couldn’t bear to keep pressing Fang Juexia’s wrist any longer. He intended to finish this quickly.
The instant he released Fang Juexia’s wrist, Pei Tingsong’s arm brushed against the floor mat. The heat from the friction traveled through his arched waist as he swept his arm horizontally, snatching the innocent balloon and simultaneously wrapping his arms around Fang Juexia’s waist.
His arm tightened, his palm exerting pressure. Within that lightning-fast half-embrace, Fang Juexia heard a pop.
The air-filled sphere behind him vanished instantly, leaving no barrier between their hands and waists—they pressed tightly together. Pei Tingsong’s final strike had achieved its purpose, his entire weight crashing onto him.
Victory or defeat lost all meaning in that instant. Fang Juexia’s heart pounded wildly as he was held so tightly.
The game ended. A thunderous cheer erupted from the stands as Pei Tingsong rose from him.
He should have known what Pei Tingsong was like when playing games. He was so skilled at strategizing, exploiting every possible advantage. Using his keen hearing to deliberately lure him in, guiding him step by step into the trap, then striking with perfect timing.
The host spoke at length, but Fang Juexia didn’t catch much. He pushed the blindfold before his eyes upward. The first thing he saw was still Pei Tingsong’s face. With one hand, he tore off the blindfold and tossed it to the ground before reaching out toward Fang Juexia.
Fang Juexia gasped for breath, weakly raising his hand to let Pei Tingsong grasp it and pull him up from the floor. Though Pei Tingsong’s expression seemed normal, Fang Juexia still felt uneasy. He reached out and touched Pei Tingsong’s hand. Pei Tingsong quickly understood, shook his head, and patted Fang Juexia’s arm.
“Are you okay, Xiao Pei?” the host stepped forward with concern.
Pei Tingsong shook his head. “I’m fine, but I can only play this round. Let’s switch players for the next one.”
“I was sweating bullets just watching them.”
“Xiao Pei was incredible. That round was truly spectacular.”
Sweat dampened Pei Tingsong’s hair, sticking it to his face. He wiped it away, speaking with an uncharacteristic modesty. “Nothing.” He glanced at Fang Juexia, lifting the corner of his mouth. “Brother Juexia let me win.”
With that, he grabbed Fang Juexia’s hand and pressed it against the red balloon on his lower abdomen. He gripped Fang Juexia’s hand firmly and popped it cleanly.
“Your last life. It’s yours.”
Author’s Note: Don’t play “games” with wolf cubs.
