Ye Qingyang nodded.
Li Lan said proudly, “Pretty impressive, right? Just say it—impressive or not?”
“Impressive.” The classmates gave him thumbs-ups.
“Ye Qingyang, you’re really something. I couldn’t tell before—you even know how to do this?”
“I learned a little.”
“Then can you help me fold mine?” someone asked. “Our dorms aren’t far apart. Could you help me out?”
“Sure.” Ye Qingyang didn’t refuse anyone. After all, anyone who came was a customer.
“One yuan each time, okay?”
“Deal.” The student didn’t hesitate at all. One yuan to guarantee safety? Totally worth it!
“I’ll book one for our dorm first.”
“Alright.”
Ye Qingyang had him send the dorm number to his phone.
They were still chatting when Instructor Xu called Ye Qingyang’s name.
Ye Qingyang had no choice but to stand up, brush the dust off himself, and walk over.
“You’ve had military training before?” Instructor Xu asked.
Ye Qingyang nodded.
“I’m not talking about the kind you students do.”
Ye Qingyang smiled. “Then no.”
“Still, you seem to know quite a lot. Show me a goose step.”
With no way out of it, Ye Qingyang performed a goose step right there in front of him.
Lu Jingcheng watched from a distance and thought, What is this? A private lesson?
This instructor was way too unfair!
Blatant favoritism toward the class cadre!
But then he thought about it again—Ye Qingyang was his person.
So favoritism was fine.
Great, even.
After Ye Qingyang finished, Instructor Xu patted his shoulder approvingly. “Not bad, kid. You’ll be the flag bearer for our company.”
Ye Qingyang had already guessed this would happen, so he just calmly replied, “Oh.”
“You’ve never officially done military training before? Then how come you’re this good? Got someone in the family who’s a soldier?”
“Yeah. My dad.”
The instructor didn’t ask further and just said, “You’ve got good potential. You could consider applying to a military academy later.”
“We’ll see,” Ye Qingyang replied.
There was still more than a year before the college entrance exam. No rush.
The instructor seemed quite optimistic about him. “Keep it up. You’re a good kid.”
“Thank you, Instructor.”
“Alright, go back.”
Ye Qingyang turned and walked back. Soon the other students finished their two laps and returned to the gathering point.
Everyone sat down on the spot to rest.
The boys and girls immediately pulled out their phones and started tagging Ye Qingyang in the group chat, asking about his blanket-folding service.
When they saw the price, they all looked up at the most dazzling star in the crowd.
This guy was basically a little angel!
Compared to running two laps, one yuan was ridiculously cheap!
Absolute bargain!
Too conscientious!
For a moment, people started placing orders one after another, rushing to send payments and reservations.
Ye Qingyang looked at the red packets popping up on his WeChat page but didn’t accept them yet.
The workload was huge. He had to see whether he could handle it all. If not, he’d just open a flash sale later—first come, first served.
By the end of the day, the sixteen- and seventeen-year-old boys and girls were exhausted like dogs. As soon as they got back to the dorm, they collapsed onto their beds like salted fish too lazy even to shout “666.”
Lu Jingcheng sat on his bunk, looking down at Ye Qingyang lying on his bed playing with his phone, and felt so conflicted he almost went to slap the railing again.
What was this supposed to mean?
Didn’t they agree he’d sleep with him tonight?
Why wasn’t he coming over yet?
Was he waiting for an invitation?
Lu Jingcheng grew irritated.
Since when did he start putting on airs?
Getting arrogant because he was favored!
He was clearly relying on Lu Jingcheng’s soft heart—after all, he’d been treating him too well lately.
Lu Jingcheng angrily climbed down from his bed and drank a glass of water.
He glanced at Ye Qingyang.
Still playing on his phone.
Didn’t even look at him.
Lu Jingcheng got even angrier.
He walked closer, standing near Ye Qingyang’s bed and glancing sideways at him.
Unfortunately, Ye Qingyang was busy negotiating business and didn’t notice his little looks.
Lu Jingcheng paced back and forth twice in front of his bed.
Dong Yu asked in confusion, “Jingcheng, do you need something?”
Lu Jingcheng lifted his chin calmly. “Taking a walk.”
“A walk… inside the dorm?” Bai Le looked at him.
Lu Jingcheng snorted. “A hundred steps after a meal lets you live to ninety-nine.”
“With all due respect,” Bai Le said, “it’s been several hours since dinner.”
Lu Jingcheng shot him a glare. “What’s wrong with some exercise before bed?”
Bai Le chuckled. “Nothing wrong with it. Yours is just… unusually pure.”
He finished with a strangely meaningful smile.
Lu Jingcheng didn’t quite understand.
Was there some kind of impure exercise before bed?
What kind?
Let him see!
But he was too embarrassed to expose his ignorance, so he didn’t ask. Instead, he kept wandering around in front of Ye Qingyang.
Only on the third lap did Ye Qingyang finally look up.
Seeing that he’d noticed him, Lu Jingcheng snorted internally.
Oh, now you remember to look at me?
If you’re so capable, try not looking at me forever.
Let’s see who breaks first.
Ye Qingyang saw that he seemed upset again but had no idea why, so he patted the bed beside him.
“Want to sit?”
“No.” Lu Jingcheng replied arrogantly.
Earlier you ignored me. Now I’m beyond your reach.
Ye Qingyang laughed and sat up. “Then Brother Lu, are you going to brush your teeth and wash up?”
“I’m not!” Lu Jingcheng remained proud and aloof.
Ye Qingyang stood up. “Then I’ll go first.”
With that, he took his basin and walked out.
Walked.
Out.
Lu Jingcheng stared in disbelief.
How did he just… leave?!
Wait—he went to brush his teeth and wash his face.
That meant he was preparing to sleep.
Suddenly Lu Jingcheng felt like he’d figured it out.
Hah. Acting tough all this time, but he couldn’t keep it up.
He was definitely planning to come back and sleep with him after washing up.
Just as expected.
Ye Qingyang would be the first to give in.
Lu Jingcheng smirked proudly and waited.
After washing up, Ye Qingyang filled a basin with water to take back for washing his feet. As soon as he entered the dorm, he saw Lu Jingcheng sitting on his bed.
He set the basin down, poured the water in, then went to add hot water.
“Brother Lu, can you check if the temperature’s okay?” Ye Qingyang asked casually.
Lu Jingcheng tested it. “It’s fine.”
Seeing that Lu Jingcheng didn’t seem angry anymore, Ye Qingyang felt his moods really came and went quickly—without even exploding, just dissolving on their own.
It was kind of adorable.
“Where’s your basin?” Ye Qingyang asked. “I’ll pour you some so you won’t have to fetch water later.”
Bai Le immediately saw Ye Qingyang launching another attack on his straight-guy best friend and quickly interfered.
“Ye Qingyang, why don’t you give me some too? I didn’t fetch water either.”
“What’s it to you?!” Lu Jingcheng glared at him. “Go get your own!”
Trying to share his water?
Was he crazy?
Didn’t he realize this water was filled with Ye Qingyang’s deep love?!
Trying to steal someone else’s love!
Wouldn’t that break Ye Qingyang’s foolish little heart?
“Then come with me to get some,” Bai Le insisted.
“Why should I go with you?” Lu Jingcheng said confidently. “I already have water.”
He pointed to the bunk across the room. “Help me grab my basin. The blue one underneath.”
Ye Qingyang put the thermos back and brought it over.
Lu Jingcheng took it, but as he was about to pour the water in, he realized his basin looked a little dirty.
Seeing this, Ye Qingyang said gently, “Then just wash in mine. Don’t use yours.”
Lu Jingcheng felt deeply moved.
Ye Qingyang really was his true love.
He worked so hard to fetch water and would rather not wash himself than let him suffer.
So virtuous!
Lu Jingcheng felt guilty.
He didn’t even like Ye Qingyang yet—how could he shamelessly take someone else’s water?
“Well… there’s quite a lot of water,” Lu Jingcheng muttered. “Why don’t we wash together?”
After saying it, he didn’t look at Ye Qingyang. Instead he stared at the dorm door. Wooden. Old. Probably needed replacing.
Bai Le nearly fell off the top bunk.
Chen Wei, however, immediately jumped down and rushed over to stop him.
“Your Majesty, you must not! Have you forgotten your germophobia?!”
Lu Jingcheng: How the hell did you hear that?! Why are your ears so sharp?!
From the top bunk Bai Le slapped the railing anxiously. “Your Majesty, don’t move! This old minister will have someone fetch foot-washing water for you immediately!”
Lu Jingcheng: …
He sneered.
His role was the tyrant emperor.
If he listened to advice, would he still be a tyrant?
Tyrant Lu Jingcheng immediately kicked off his socks and stepped straight into the basin.
“Too late,” he said with a smile.
Chen Wei: …
Bai Le slapped the railing again. “Heaven is destroying the Great Jing Dynasty! Your Majesty, you can’t be saved!”
Lu Jingcheng waved it off casually. “It’s fine. I don’t care.”
Then he looked at Ye Qingyang.
“Come, my beloved concubine. Let’s wash our feet together.”
Ye Qingyang: …
Li Lan, watching from the neighboring bed, whistled. “Hurry up, Consort. His Majesty has summoned you—why aren’t you accepting the honor?”
“Exactly,” Liu Ning added. “Lord Bai is glaring so hard. If you agree now, you might just anger him to death.”
Ye Qingyang glanced up at Bai Le on the top bunk, who looked like he was about to explode, and—enjoying the chaos—slowly took off his shoes.
Bai Le’s vision went dark.
The next second Ye Qingyang put his feet into the basin, the two of them forming a four-footed formation like mandarin ducks playing in water.
Hopeless.
Absolutely hopeless.
Bai Le thought bitterly. His best friend would probably end up bent sooner or later.
He lay back down in defeat.
Li Lan gasped dramatically. “Oh no, Consort! Lord Bai has fainted!”
“You people made him faint!” Bai Le shouted.
“Mm. Very good,” Ye Qingyang nodded.
With the little play finished, Ye Qingyang finally focused on washing his feet.
But they were both seventeen-year-old boys, and one basin holding both pairs of feet felt cramped.
Looking at their feet, Ye Qingyang deliberately brushed his against Lu Jingcheng’s.
Lu Jingcheng glared at him.
We’re washing feet—why are you flirting with me?!
Clearly not a proper foot-washing youth!
Ye Qingyang just smiled. “Brother Lu, after I finish… do I go straight to your bed?”
Bai Le jolted upright. “No! Absolutely not!”
Tyrant Lu Jingcheng replied calmly, “Yes. Straight to my bed.”
Bai Le spat imaginary blood and collapsed again.
He’d tried his best.
But he couldn’t stop his brother from charging down the road of bromance.
If heaven wanted someone bent, maybe it could be saved.
But if someone wanted to bend—
No saving them.
After getting his answer, Ye Qingyang nodded and lifted his foot to dry it.
Lu Jingcheng watched him and noticed his feet were quite fair.
Not only fair—smaller than his own.
He glanced down at his own feet and wiggled his toes.
When Ye Qingyang finished drying his feet, he handed Lu Jingcheng his towel.
Lu Jingcheng wiped his feet, picked up the basin, and went outside to dump the water.
Ye Qingyang climbed straight up onto his bed just like Lu Jingcheng had said.
When Lu Jingcheng came back and pushed the door open, he saw Ye Qingyang taking off his clothes.
Lu Jingcheng: !!!
Why was he stripping?!
He stared at him, wanting to say something but unable to.
Ye Qingyang noticed the look. While changing clothes he asked, “What’s wrong?”
“N-nothing.” Lu Jingcheng said awkwardly.
He walked in slowly, sneaking glances.
Everything about Ye Qingyang seemed… pretty fair.
The moment he realized what he was thinking, Lu Jingcheng’s face turned bright red.
He grabbed his basin and fled the dorm like he was escaping, heading for the washroom to brush his teeth and wash his face.
Of all times to strip—he had to do it exactly when he walked in.
Was Ye Qingyang trying to seduce him?!
How calculating!
How painstaking!
So deeply scheming!
Did he really think such a low-level trick would work?
Lu Jingcheng scoffed.
As if he’d be tempted by something like that.
Of course…
Of course…
Lu Jingcheng guiltily realized that, actually…
It really had worked.