“Did it scare you to tears?” Xiao Yan sat back down on his stool and noticed Luo Zhiyu’s slightly reddened eyes.
“No way.” Luo Zhiyu kicked Xiao Yan and wiped her eyes with her hand, staring blankly at the workbook. “It’s just a little… unexpected.”
This was indeed different from what he’d expected—just a temporary mark. His reaction to the whole thing was much stronger than he’d anticipated. He couldn’t quite call it distress, but he couldn’t describe it any further either. No wonder Teacher Xu had marked his homework with a big red X.
“Don’t be afraid,” Xiao Yan said. “I’m not picking on you.”
It was just that he’d involuntarily crossed a line—to put it bluntly, he really had been picking on him.
After crossing that line, the two of them quietly retreated to their own safe zones without a word, making no mention of what had just happened and acting as if nothing had occurred. But the atmosphere had undeniably changed; it wasn’t that easy to erase the traces—they simply left it unspoken.
Their relationship had been strained since childhood, and they weren’t even in the same class. This was the first time they’d ever sat side by side at the same desk, quietly doing their homework. The atmosphere was so harmonious that neither of them could quite adjust to it. Soon, Luo Zhiyu was the first to voice his objection.
“Hey, aren’t you taking up too much space?” Luo Zhiyu tapped Xiao Yan’s elbow with his pen. “Move over a bit—I can’t even write neatly like this.”
Xiao Yan eyed the space between them and refused to budge. “You’re the one leaning sideways while doing your homework—your notebook is all slanted. I’m practically squeezed to the edge of the desk, and you’re the one complaining?”
“Mind your own business—this is my family’s desk.” Luo Zhiyu showed her true colors. “I decide how we divide the space.”
Xiao Yan: “You asked me to come help you with your homework, but you won’t even let me use the desk. Am I just a tool to you?”
Luo Zhiyu: “A tool wouldn’t be as touchy-feely as you are.”
The phrase “getting all handsy” inexplicably struck a nerve with both of them, and they fell silent again. Lu Zhiyu even amiably shifted two inches to the left, giving Xiao Yan a little more space.
“Hey, ‘tool person,’ are you there? I don’t know how to do this problem.” Lu Zhiyu tapped the table and handed over a test paper. “The last question—take a look for me.”
“You’re working through college entrance exam papers? This year’s set is pretty tough,” Xiao Yan said as soon as he took a look. “We don’t cover this topic until sophomore year.”
But Xiao Yan still explained the problem to Luo Zhiyu. Luo Zhiyu studied quite intently, his eyes fixed on the test paper as he worked through the calculations on scrap paper using the method Xiao Yan had shown him. Every now and then, he’d voice his own thoughts and look up to ask for Xiao Yan’s opinion.
But Xiao Yan couldn’t help but keep thinking about how the corners of Luo Zhiyu’s eyes had turned red just a moment ago.
If he teased her a little more, would he get to see an even more charming Luo Zhiyu?
“What are you thinking about?” Luo Zhiyu waited for the next step but didn’t get a response for a long time. “Why do you suddenly look like you’ve done something wrong?”
Xiao Yan: “…Nothing.”
There are two types of model students in high school: the hardworking type, who study and memorize relentlessly both in public and in private; and the enigmatic type, who go wild playing in class during the day but study like crazy in the dorm at night.
Luo Zhiyu and Xiao Yan clearly both belonged to the latter category.
Having had the chance to witness each other studying seriously, they were surprised to realize they were cut from the same cloth and actually had quite a few things in common.
As midnight approached, Luo Zhiyu finished working through the set of standardized test papers he was on, tossed his pen onto the desk, and leaned back comfortably in his chair: “Are you still studying?”
“It’s almost midnight; I should head home.” Xiao Yan gathered his homework, stuffed it into his backpack, and double-checked to make sure they didn’t mix up their assignments.
“Alright, I’ll walk you out.” Wearing his pajamas and wrapped in a towel, Luo Zhiyu stood up to see Xiao Yan off. “I’ll walk you to the courtyard gate.”
“No need,” Xiao Yan said. “Just open the door for me—I know my way home.”
Luo Zhiyu casually closed the door to his room and led Xiao Yan to the living room, but they hadn’t taken more than a few steps when they heard the sound of a door opening outside.
Xiao Yan: “?”
Luo Zhiyu: “……”
He quickly pushed Xiao Yan into the small storage room by the stairs, followed him inside, and closed the door.
“That scared the life out of me. What happened to you not coming back tonight?” Luo Zhiyu patted his chest; his heart was beating a little faster for some reason. He motioned for Xiao Yan to keep his voice down. “I’ll walk you out once they’re asleep.”
The storage room by the stairs was tiny and crammed with Lu Zhiyu’s belongings. The only small patch of empty space was barely enough for two people to stand. Lu Zhiyu didn’t turn on the light; the only illumination came from the robot vacuum charging on the floor, emitting a faint, flickering glow.
“Good thing you’re wearing shoe covers,” Luo Zhiyu whispered in Xiao Yan’s ear. “Otherwise, I’d have to figure out how to explain why there’s an extra pair of shoes by the front door—and why I cut the security feed and brought an Alpha home.”
“Zhiyu must be asleep already; all the bedroom doors are closed,” came a voice from outside.
“He must be asleep. Don’t disturb him. Let’s get some rest too.” The voice gradually faded away.
[Not a Cicada]: Cover me!
[Stinky Orange]: …
[Not a Cicada]: Let’s chat on WeChat—it’s safer.
[Stinky Orange]: What did you label me as?
[Stinky Orange]: Don’t try to hide it—I already saw it. Smiling-upside-down.jpg
The storage room was so cramped that Luo Zhiyu had half his body leaning against Xiao Yan. He’d been feeling a bit sleepy for a while, and before long, he dozed off against Xiao Yan’s shoulder. Xiao Yan, afraid he might fall, carefully held him up.
The sweet scent of peaches lingered around him, tantalizingly close yet elusive. He couldn’t help but be enveloped by Luo Zhiyu’s pheromones—they were simply too close.
A message popped up on Xiao Yan’s own phone. With quick reflexes, he silenced the notification sound and switched it to silent mode.
[Mom]: It’s so late—where are you?
[Smoke Fills the Air]: Out having fun.
[Mom]: Are you coming back? Yawning.jpg
[Smoke Fills the Air]: Coming back.
[Mom]: Then hurry up.
[Smoke-Filled]: Okay, I’ll try to hurry.
The sounds from outside gradually faded away. Xiao Yan patted Luo Zhiyu on the shoulder: “You can even fall asleep standing up—I’m truly impressed.”
“What time is it?” Luo Zhiyu’s voice was thick with sleepiness; he hadn’t fully woken up yet. “Why don’t you just stay? My bed’s big enough.”
Xiao Yan: “……” The calm he’d finally managed to find in his heart was once again stirred by a ripple of emotion.
Having taken off his usual school uniform, Xiao Yan felt his thoughts growing increasingly dangerous.
“Come on, say that again. ” Xiao Yan’s hand rested menacingly on the back of Luo Zhiyu’s neck. “Or go copy your textbook three times, then come ask me again.”
The moment Luo Zhiyu felt his touch, he was instantly wide awake. Strangely enough, even though the two of them had fought countless times since childhood, he harbored a nearly blind trust in Xiao Yan.
“I’ll let this one slide, but you can’t say things like that to other Alphas, got it?” Xiao Yan felt this guy still needed to be taught—he had no choice but to teach him. “Other Alphas aren’t allowed to touch you like that either, understand? If anyone touches you like that, beat them up—or call me to help you beat them up, got it?”
“Okay.” Luo Zhiyu nodded earnestly. “Got it. You don’t count as an Alpha.”
As soon as he said that, he regretted it, because without a moment’s hesitation, Xiao Yan pinched him on the waist. Startled, Luo Zhiyu took a step back, but the cramped space left him with nowhere to go. His foot landed on the cover of the robot vacuum, accidentally pressing the power button.
“Heh heh~ I’m about to start cleaning!”
The robot vacuum turned on, and the announcement that it was starting to clean echoed through every corner of the house.
Xiao Yan: “……”
Luo Zhiyu: “……”
The more tense and exciting the situation gets, the more trivial little things seem to come along to complicate matters.
“Obstacle detected, obstacle detected.” The robot vacuum bumped back and forth against Luo Zhiyu’s heel. “Please remove the obstacle.”
Luo Zhiyu struggled to bend down and turn off the robot vacuum. The “Luo” obstacle tiptoed over to shoo the “Xiao” obstacle out of the yard, then returned to the living room, still shaken.
“Did the robot vacuum go haywire?” His dad was crouched at the doorway of the storage room, his eyes half-closed as he examined the robot vacuum on the floor.
“Who knows? It must have gone haywire. Time to replace it.” Luo Zhiyu slipped back to his room with remarkable composure, leaving his dad standing there, wondering why Luo Zhiyu—who had supposedly “fallen asleep” long ago—had come back from the yard.
[Not a Cicada]: Everything go smoothly, buddy?
[Not a Cicada]: Everything’s fine on my end. I’ve already slipped into bed.
[Stinky Orange]: Well then, go to sleep. I’m almost home. It went smoothly for me—nothing as complicated as at your place. The innocent have nothing to hide; there’s nothing to explain.
[Stinky Orange]: Good night.
[Not a Cicada]: What a thrilling night.
[Stinky Orange]: I suggest you shut up.
[Stinky Orange]: Be a good boy—if you don’t know how to talk, just shut up.
[Not a Cicada]: You know how to talk? Go write a book and explain it all at your leisure.
Luo Zhiyu had gone to sleep. On the winter road, Xiao Yan was the only one walking under the stars and moonlight.
In Xiao Yan’s living room, the two who had just returned home were chatting—
“It’s so late—where did Xiao Yan go to hang out?” Xiao Yan’s dad, half-sober, asked. “Why did he turn off the security cameras? What’s he up to?”
“I don’t know. He just said he was going out to have fun, nothing else. Maybe an internet café?”
“That doesn’t make sense. Our home computer and internet setup are better than any internet café’s,” Xiao Yu couldn’t figure it out. “We can eat, drink, and have fun right here at home.”
“That’s strange, then. Is there anything we don’t have at home?”
Xiao Yu: “…I can think of one thing…”
“We’re probably thinking of the same thing…”
Panic.
“We don’t keep scumbags in our house—we’ve got to ask him.”
“We’ve got to ask him properly.”
Under a pitch-black, wind-swept night, Xiao Yan finally arrived home. He swiped his card, entered the passcode, and unlocked the door with practiced ease, showing not a hint of panic. The first thing he did upon entering the living room was turn on the lights; the second thing was…
Two people on the living room couch were staring at him intently—
Xiao Yan: “???”
This was scarier than Luo Zhiyu watching horror movies at home.
“Where’d you go?” Mom asked with a smile.
“What did you do?” Dad asked kindly.
“Where’d that Omega scent on you come from? ” His parents were understanding.
Xiao Yan: “……”
00:59:47
[Smoke of War]: cover?me.
[Cicada]: Tired.jpg
[Cicada]: Deal with it yourself; the innocent will be cleared.
[Cicada]: Good night, big brother.