Ye Qingyang didn’t rush to sleep that night. Instead, he called a locksmith to change the door lock.
After the lock was replaced, he left the apartment complex with the locksmith and took a taxi back to the student dormitory.
“I’m back at the dorm,” Ye Qingyang called Lu Jingcheng. “Make sure you come back early tomorrow.”
“Why go back so late at night?” Lu Jingcheng asked, puzzled.
Leaning against the car window, Ye Qingyang replied, “Of course, to annoy my aunt a bit more.”
“I just kicked her and her family out. Before they left, I told them to pack up their things, but they refused—acting shamelessly like scoundrels. Fine, let them not pack. It’s not like I’m begging them to clean up. They can sleep on the streets if they want. I couldn’t be happier.”
“What if they try to get back in after you leave?”
“That’s why I changed the lock,” Ye Qingyang said with a smile.
“You actually changed the lock?” Lu Jingcheng hadn’t expected that clever move. “You really are sly.”
“I’ve always been clever,” Ye Qingyang replied.
Lu Jingcheng smiled lightly, thinking, You only ever act clever around me sometimes.
“Did you take the bus or a taxi?” Lu Jingcheng asked.
“The bus,” Ye Qingyang said. “Taxi’s too expensive. I’m just a poor student.”
“Then wait here.”
“For what?”
Lu Jingcheng opened his mouth to speak but quickly changed his excuse. “Wait until you get to the station, be careful, rest well back at the dorm, and I’ll come back in the morning.”
“Okay,” Ye Qingyang said, looking out at the night lights, feeling happy. “Come back early tomorrow, I’ll treat you to lunch.”
“No problem. I need to go check on my sister now,” Lu Jingcheng said.
“Go ahead,” Ye Qingyang replied and hung up.
Watching the neon lights flicker outside, he traced a little paw print on the window glass with his hand. Finally, he had sent Ye Hong’s family packing—one piece of unfinished business resolved.
He thought about the shock and frustration on Ye Hong and Wang Yue’s faces as they were forced out. After living a comfortable life for so long, they had been bitten by the little lamb they underestimated. But it couldn’t be helped; Ye Qingyang was no longer the same boy—he was now a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
So Ye Hong’s family was destined to face consequences.
Ye Qingyang listened to music for a while on the ride, got off at his stop, and strolled toward the dorm, stopping at a nearby food street to grab some skewers and drinks.
As he approached the dorm, he noticed someone outside.
No way… he thought. He shouldn’t be here.
Tilting his head for a closer look, he couldn’t believe it and quickened his pace. Even when he reached the dorm entrance, he still struggled to accept it.
It was indeed Lu Jingcheng!
He was supposed to be at home. Was he waiting for him here?
Ye Qingyang’s heart swelled with joy.
He tiptoed up to him, and while Lu Jingcheng was still looking down at his phone, he greeted him with a smile. “Xiao Jing.”
Lu Jingcheng looked up, surprised to see him back.
He quickly put his phone away and pretended to complain, “You’re so slow! Are buses really this slow nowadays?”
Ye Qingyang shook the skewers in his hand. “I went to buy some food.”
Lu Jingcheng stepped closer to take the skewers.
“You sent me a WeChat?” Ye Qingyang asked, surprised. “I didn’t notice.”
“You’re hopeless,” Lu Jingcheng muttered.
Ye Qingyang handed him the skewers. “So the ‘sister thing’ was an excuse; you secretly came back to the dorm, right?”
Lu Jingcheng stubbornly said, “I came back properly, openly.”
Ye Qingyang laughed.
“I’m picking up a gift I bought for Lu Jixi, not for you,” Lu Jingcheng said awkwardly.
“Oh, I see. So you’ll leave soon then?” Ye Qingyang asked.
Lu Jingcheng: …
“It’s late, so of course I’m not leaving!”
“Then tomorrow? How will you give the gift to your sister?”
“It’s not like she can’t get it this week. I can give it later.”
“So why come back tonight?”
“Because I care about my sister!” Lu Jingcheng’s voice unintentionally rose.
Ye Qingyang chuckled, worried he might tease him too much. “Okay, okay, you’re so good, she’ll be happy.”
Lu Jingcheng huffed.
“You talk too much,” he said.
“I’m just happy to see you back,” Ye Qingyang said, holding his arm and smiling.
Lu Jingcheng’s irritation faded as he saw Ye Qingyang’s smile, and he returned it.
“That’s better,” he said.
Ye Qingyang found him adorable and innocent. He hugged Lu Jingcheng, looking up at him.
“Wait until we’re back before hugging,” Lu Jingcheng reminded him, glancing around. “If the dorm supervisor sees, we’ll be in trouble.”
“Just say I tripped by accident.”
Lu Jingcheng laughed. “That’s too convenient.”
“You could say you reacted quickly and caught me.”
Ye Qingyang let go. “Let’s go back to the dorm for a late-night snack.”
Lu Jingcheng put his arm around him, and they went inside together.
They shared the skewers. Lu Jingcheng asked about the events of the night, finally relaxing. “If they try to bother you again, just call the police.”
Ye Qingyang shook his head. “Thanks, but I’ll give them a beating first, then call the police.”
“Only you would do that,” Lu Jingcheng said, inspecting him. “You can fight back, but otherwise, don’t. If you need to fight, tell me. I’ll do it; you won’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m stronger,” Lu Jingcheng said proudly.
Ye Qingyang: …
He nodded, thinking there was no real way he could fight Lu Jingcheng.
“Then both of us should avoid fighting. You’ve been doing well in school—good students don’t fight.”
You really underestimate a ‘good student’.
Ye Qingyang nodded. “Got it. You should also stay out of trouble.”
Lu Jingcheng: !!!
He felt cornered. Avoiding fights was doable; being a model student… much harder.
Ye Qingyang encouraged him, “Cheer up! I’m counting on you~”
Lu Jingcheng: …
“I’ll try.”
They clinked their drinks together, finished the last sip, brushed their teeth, showered, and got into bed.
Ye Qingyang wanted to make sure Ye Hong’s family wouldn’t bother him again, so he canceled the weekend viewing with a prospective renter and blocked Ye Hong’s family’s numbers.
Lu Jingcheng hugged him and kissed him. “Good night, sweet dreams.”
“Dream of me.”
“That might be hard.”
“If I don’t dream of you, you’re not allowed to kiss me tomorrow.”
Lu Jingcheng: !!!
“That’s too much!” he exclaimed. “If I don’t appear in your dream, I’ll kiss you morning, noon, and night tomorrow!”
Ye Qingyang teased, “Then I’ll dream of you, so no need to kiss.”
Lu Jingcheng: …
He kissed him multiple times on the spot.
Ye Qingyang laughed, hugging him back. “Okay, I’ll dream of you. If not, I’ll just miss you.”
Lu Jingcheng pinched his nose. “Now that’s more like it.”
“Good night,” Ye Qingyang said.
“Good night.”
Ye Qingyang stayed in the dorm for two days, with Lu Jingcheng accompanying him. Naturally, there were plenty of rounds of math and science tutoring, but Lu Jingcheng’s intelligence and main-character aura helped him handle it effortlessly.
Monday morning, they went to school together.