Chapter 13
Looking at the person he had caught in his arms, Xiao Yao let out a sigh of relief.
Just moments ago, he had noticed that Ti Xiao was trying to steady the scaffolding. While the scaffolding stayed put, Ti Xiao himself lost his balance. With a shift of his hips, he was about to tumble down.
Acting on instinct, Xiao Yao quickly stepped forward and stretched out his arms to catch the falling man.
Thankfully, he succeeded.
One arm wrapped around Ti Xiao’s waist, while the other supported him under the knees.
It was a textbook princess carry.
However, Xiao Yao couldn’t help but notice that Ti Xiao seemed to have a small frame. Despite being 173 cm tall, which wasn’t particularly short, Ti Xiao didn’t feel heavy at all. In fact, his entire body felt soft and pliant.
At this thought, Xiao Yao’s hands unconsciously tightened their grip.
I wonder how good it would feel to pinch his cheeks.
Ti Xiao, perhaps out of nervousness or because he had already resigned himself to the idea of falling flat on his butt, kept his eyes tightly shut. Combined with the white paint smudged on his face, he looked rather comical.
It wasn’t until he heard a low chuckle—a deep, magnetic sound with a teasing lilt at the end—that he cautiously cracked open one eye.
What he saw was Xiao Yao looking down at him with a smile, his eyes curved and his lips quirked up in amusement.
Red card! Red card! Referee, he’s flirting with me!
“Don’t worry, you didn’t hit the ground,” Xiao Yao said softly, his voice tinged with laughter. His fingers twitched slightly.
So soft and squishy.
Suddenly, he didn’t want to let go.
And, as it turned out, someone else didn’t want to be let go either, wishing they could stay like this a little longer.
But since it was currently the time when students were returning home from school, the neighborhood was bustling with people. Two grown men embracing in broad daylight would undoubtedly draw unwanted attention. In the end, it was Xiao Yao who reluctantly loosened his grip.
“Be careful,” Xiao Yao said as he carefully bent down, allowing Ti Xiao’s feet to touch the ground before slowly releasing him.
“Ah, thank you,” Ti Xiao stammered, his mind a whirlwind of embarrassment after his flirtatious thoughts had exploded.
How could you fall off the scaffolding like that, Ti Xiao? Are you a pig? And of all people, you had to fall right in front of Xiao Yao!
Even a princess carry couldn’t salvage his lost dignity.
Well, maybe it could, but only if Xiao Yao followed it up with a barrage of kisses!
Once Ti Xiao was steady on his feet, Xiao Yao asked, “Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Huh?” Ti Xiao, still dazed from the embrace, took a moment to respond. “No, no, I’m perfectly fine.”
In an attempt to reclaim some of his lost dignity and prove how healthy he was, Ti Xiao quickly straightened his posture, swung his arms a few times, and even jumped in place. “See? I’m totally fine. I’m really into fitness and health. I go running regularly, and I even put goji berries in my beer!”
In his eagerness to craft an image of himself as an active, health-conscious individual, Ti Xiao was willing to say just about anything.
Completely forgetting how many times he had regretted opening his mouth afterward.
In reality, Ti Xiao hadn’t exercised since his final physical fitness test in college. Nowadays, he was practically a second-class invalid, sometimes getting winded just climbing four flights of stairs, let alone going for a run.
Exercise? That was a thing of the past.
“Do you run often too?” Xiao Yao suddenly seemed interested. “We should go for a morning run together sometime. The air is fresher in the morning, perfect for running.”
“Ah? No, no, no,” Ti Xiao quickly backtracked, not daring to commit to something that would expose his lies. “I usually go to the gym. Yeah, the gym, haha.”
“The gym works too,” Xiao Yao said, taking a step closer. At nearly 190 cm tall, his presence was undeniably imposing.
Xiao Yao’s height was likely due to his lifelong love of sports.
Basketball, running, boxing, swimming—he had kept up with these hobbies even during his years abroad. Now that he was back in the country teaching, he still made time for exercise, even on mornings when he had early classes. He had been a dedicated morning runner for years.
Back then, he had his buddies to play basketball and swim with. But now, back in Xuancheng, he was alone. Running by himself felt lonely.
In fact, being alone in general didn’t feel great.
So, when he heard Ti Xiao mention that he also exercised regularly, Xiao Yao genuinely wanted to invite him along. It didn’t matter what they did, as long as he wasn’t alone.
“But I’m only free on weekends for the gym. Is that okay?” Xiao Yao asked tentatively.
Ti Xiao was torn. On one hand, he was worried about his own physical limitations. On the other, his desire to flirt with Xiao Yao was bubbling up.
But this was a golden opportunity to spark something. Who knows what could happen? Gym play, poolside shenanigans, secrets in the badminton court—just thinking about it made his heart race. The sparks might even turn into fireworks.
After weighing his options, Ti Xiao gritted his teeth and said, “Sure, weekends work.”
“Great,” Xiao Yao replied, his eyes lighting up and a smile tugging at his lips. The sight left Ti Xiao momentarily stunned.
Blinded by Xiao Yao’s charm, Ti Xiao went all in. “It’s the gym at the corner of the block.”
“Got it,” Xiao Yao said with another smile, clearly in a good mood. “I’ll remember that.”
Xiao Yao had originally planned to come home for lunch and rest a bit before heading back to school. The high school freshmen had a monthly exam that afternoon, and the teachers needed to arrive an hour early. Waking Ti Xiao up at the entrance of the neighborhood had already eaten into his time, and their little chat had taken even more. It seemed he’d only have time for a quick meal at home.
But finding someone to join him for workouts had lifted his spirits. Before leaving, he finally mustered the courage to do something bold.
While Ti Xiao was distracted, kicking a small pebble on the ground, Xiao Yao swiftly reached out and pinched the soft flesh of Ti Xiao’s cheeks.
He even gave it a gentle tug.
The sensation was just as delightful as he had imagined—soft with a bit of bounce, like squeezing a piece of jelly. He couldn’t resist giving it a few more pinches.
His mood seemed to improve even more.
Xiao Yao let go, smiled, and said, “See you this weekend,” before striding off with his long legs.
Leaving Ti Xiao standing there, dumbfounded.
Did he just… pinch my face?
Watching Xiao Yao’s retreating figure, Ti Xiao slowly reached up and touched the spot where Xiao Yao had pinched him.
Unlike Ti Xiao, who was bundled up in a thick winter coat, Xiao Yao was wearing a relatively light jacket, so his fingers were slightly cold.
But they were nothing compared to the heat burning in Ti Xiao’s heart.
It took a while for Ti Xiao to snap out of his daze. He picked up his chopsticks and shoveled a mouthful of the now-cold dumplings, drenched in spicy dipping sauce, into his mouth. Squatting on the scaffolding, he chuckled to himself like a gleeful child.
What a breathtaking move.
So breathtaking that Ti Xiao ended up painting one pink flower after another on the blackboard, turning the winter solstice into the spring equinox.
In the afternoon, as school let out, Ti Xiao received a message from Ti Nanyi.
Ti Nanyi: I think our English teacher was in a really good mood today. I messed up reciting a word, and he didn’t even punish me.
Ti Xiao, who had just finished painting one of the walls and was packing up his supplies to head home, replied after reading the message.
Magical Conch: What’s that got to do with me?
Ti Nanyi: Wow, Uncle, why are you so cold today? Are you in a bad mood? 【Pouting】
Magical Conch: You’ll have to get used to it. You haven’t even seen me at my coldest.
Ti Xiao stuffed his phone into his pocket, picked up his painting supplies, and hummed an unnamed tune as he walked home.
Was I in a bad mood today?
A princess carry and a cheek pinch—that was enough to keep him happy for a year.