Chu Yao listened to the pentakill announcement, completely used to it by now, and was about to start a second match with Huang Chuying. She had just leaned over when the boy beside her startled her!
"Chu—Zhou… Zhou Wenshi?!?!"
Chu Yao was shocked: "How are you here?!?! And—and on my bed?!"
Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!!! When did he get here?? How did she not notice at all?
Zhou Wenshi's expression was calm as he shifted his gaze from the screen to her. He didn't speak, just sat half-reclined against the wall. His skin was fair, his eyelashes long, and his short, tousled hair was soft and silky.
Strangely enough, it seemed like there was a glow around him, and… was that a faint scent?
Chu Yao wasn't sure and asked suspiciously: "Did you use perfume?"
His expression was cool and distant, yet he actually said: "Mm."
As she measured the distance between them with her eyes, he unexpectedly reached across the empty space and placed his hand on the wall behind her.
He leaned most of his body toward her, and the crisp, cool fragrance became especially intense at this moment, assaulting her senses. Chu Yao felt like she was completely enveloped in the scent, almost as if she'd catch it like a contagion.
Especially since he was so close—he was nearly pressing his entire body against hers.
Chu Yao didn't dare move an inch, not even lean forward. She was afraid she might accidentally brush against the male lead's chin.
Wouldn't that make her a pervert?
No, no. That wouldn't do.
Looking at the male lead who was acting so strangely, she chose her words carefully: "P-playing games doesn't require being this close. This distance isn't really appropriate."
She wanted to push him away and maintain a proper distance, but unexpectedly, he suddenly placed his hand on her shoulder and buried his entire face into the crook of her neck. Chu Yao: "…"
Chu Yao was so stiff she didn't dare move a muscle.
No, no, no—can someone tell her what was going on?! Huh??
Why was the male lead doing this? Was this—was this right? AHHHHHHH—
Chu Yao, who rarely stuttered, managed: "…L-let's talk this out, don't—don't do this to me… y-you get up first… get up."
The breathing against the crook of her neck was very light, like a feather falling. Chu Yao shuddered all over, her body tensed up. Zhou Wenshi pressed against her, his lips easily able to brush against the side of her neck.
The cool fragrance radiating from him slowly, lazily wrapped around her.
Chu Yao had absolutely no idea what act this was supposed to be. H-his body was also mostly pressed against hers, and he buried his face in the crook of her neck, gently inhaling.
His breath fell on her shoulder, lightly brushing against it.
Chu Yao: "…" No! Help! What was he doing?!
Why did he seem like he wasn't acting like a proper person at all?
"C-calm down," she said dryly. "P-playing games really d-doesn't require this. Y-you should move over a bit… haha, hahaha."
She pressed her hand against his shoulder, trying to snap him back to his senses: "You… you need to act normal."
The next second, Zhou Wenshi took her hand, lowered his head, and kissed her palm.
Chu Yao: !!
Oh—oh my god! Zhou Wenshi had gone off the rails!
His expression was cool and aloof, yet his movements were shy and suggestive, lingering as if he wanted to stay but also leave. There seemed to be a little hook in his eyes, directly luring her in.
Chu Yao: "…" I—I've spent my whole life doing good deeds and working hard on my tasks. What sin have I committed to deserve this?!
She tried to pull her hand back but couldn't—he held her wrist and pressed it against the wall as he leaned his entire body down over her.
A kiss landed on the side of her neck.
He asked softly: "Still playing games?" As he spoke, his lips kept brushing against her.
It made Chu Yao shiver: "That tickles… d-don't talk like that, it's t-too weird."
She raised her hand to block his face, and he took the opportunity to kiss her palm, as if his whole body were enveloping her.
Zhou Wenshi gripped her wrist, and the dense, cold fragrance now completely wrapped around her.
Chu Yao was stunned.
What is this? How could the male lead have become like this?
The key point was—why was he like this? Wasn't he supposed to be aloof and restrained, untouched by worldly desires, with no mortal cravings at all?
He pinched her wrist again: "Not focused."
Chu Yao's pupils shook violently.
She shoved the person on top of her away.
"You're out of character, you know that? Give me back my male lead!"
The male lead could never be like this!
Suddenly, it dawned on Chu Yao—someone must have taken advantage of the moment to soul transmigrate into him, using his body to commit disgraceful acts!
She had to protect the male lead's purity! Damn soul transmigrator! How dare they tarnish the male lead's image and destroy his innocence—they deserved a thousand deaths!
So Chu Yao tied him up, binding him tightly. No matter how Zhou Wenshi struggled, he couldn't break free.
Seeing this scene, Chu Yao finally felt at ease and let out a long sigh: "Stop struggling. I have plenty of strength and methods."
Now she could finally rest assured.
Chu Yao's brows and eyes were full of smiles. If the real male lead came back and found out someone had used his body to do such things, he'd definitely be devastated. Luckily, she'd noticed something was wrong in time and stopped this person.
They hadn't caused any irreparable consequences.
Thank goodness it was her—anyone else wouldn't have cared so much and would've just devoured Zhou Wenshi in this state completely.
Then the male lead wouldn't even have a place to cry.
Thinking of this, Chu Yao couldn't help but admire herself for being able to resist.
She revealed a gratified smile.
Chu Yao frowned: "Don't make that expression with the male lead's face."
The bound person was still staring straight at her, seducing her.
What was terrifying was that, at some point, the rope no longer looked like a proper rope. It had turned into red threads, winding around Zhou Wenshi's body. His loose bathrobe had fallen open a bit during his struggles.
As he twisted, the bathrobe on his shoulder seemed about to slip off.
Chu Yao: "…"
Zhou Wenshi's skin was very fair. He tilted his head up to look at her, revealing his Adam's apple, and also…
Chu Yao: !!
Something was terribly wrong!
She was scared out of her wits, jumped off the bed with a lunge, and fled the dormitory.
Oh my, oh my—who was this madman? Doing this to the male lead like that—when he came back, wouldn't he be too ashamed to face anyone?
Chu Yao thought to herself how terrifying this was. The place was so big, and she couldn't seem to run out.
But she didn't dare stop, afraid of being caught up to, and even more afraid of the male lead coming at her in that state.
Even fleeing through the wilderness wasn't as miserable as this. Chu Yao ran desperately, tears streaming down her face.
Finally, she spotted the cafeteria and dove straight in. The atmosphere was lively.
She stopped.
Huh? Why were there so many people?
Was there some event at the cafeteria?
Just as she was wondering, someone suddenly grabbed her wrist. Chu Yao only caught a glimpse of a familiar back and profile before she was pulled along in a run.
"Hey… where are you taking me?"
Zhou Wenshi brought her to a private room on the fifth floor.
Chu Yao let out a sigh of relief: "Thank goodness you're here. You have no idea what happened—it was so terrifying."
"Heart-Sprout?" he confirmed hesitantly.
Chu Yao poured a cup of flower tea, remembering to scald the cup first. After sitting down, she drank a cup of flower tea to calm her nerves.
This male lead looked much more normal.
"Oh right, you can just call me Chu Yao, we know each other." Chu Yao didn't stand on ceremony—maybe because she was too shaken up, she couldn't be bothered to keep up the polite act.
"Chu Yao."
Zhou Wenshi's expression was cool and distant, his gaze the same, but his voice was pleasant to the ear.
Just seeing him made her mood much better.
Though she couldn't quite remember what he'd said, she vaguely recalled him simply looking at her from afar with that clear, cold gaze.
Strange—she thought she could smell that cool fragrance emanating from him again.
Faint, and pleasant.
Chu Yao was puzzled. Did the male lead have something like that on him? Why couldn't she seem to remember?
She was extremely confused.
Inside the private room, the lighting was soft. The male lead seemed to radiate a glow, as if special effects had been applied. His entire face was bathed in cool light, like a pure white angel.
Cold and untouchable.
His eyes seemed to hold a layer of hazy mist.
His lips weren't heavily colored—soft and lustrous, not the traditional thin shape. He had a cupid's bow, beautifully formed.
And they looked… very kissable.
As if noticing her gaze, he suddenly said: "…Want to *?"
His misty eyes looked toward her, moisture swirling, leaving only those beautifully shaped lips opening and closing.
About to press against hers.
Chu Yao jolted awake.
She sat up, her heart pounding, still shaken.
Holy crap!
That was way too scary!
"Scared me to death…"
Chu Yao's heart thumped wildly. The darkness inside the bed curtains was deep and black, and the familiar surroundings put her at ease.
…So it was a dream.
She knew it—how could the male lead be like that, looking all… well… hard to describe.
Chu Yao finally relaxed, though the dream had been a bit too terrifying. She hoped she'd never dream of that again.
Come to think of it, why did she have a dream like that?
Even though Zhou Wenshi looked kissable, that didn't mean she wanted to dream about him leaning in close—that was a horror story!
Could it be that meeting him in person had been too impactful, giving her improper thoughts about the male lead's lips, which led to this dream?
If that was the case, it made sense.
She did kind of want to kiss him.
But she was still a rational person. Thinking about it was fine—as long as she didn't act on it, the thought would fade quickly.
The pursuit of beauty was only human nature, after all. She didn't need to be too hard on herself.
Chu Yao steadied herself and checked the time. It was ten in the morning.
Had the male lead sent her a message yesterday? It was even a voice message.
Chu Yao tapped on the 3-second voice note.
Zhou Wenshi's pleasant voice was very soft.
"Good night. You too."
What mattered was that it overlapped perfectly with the voice in her dream.
Chu Yao's expression turned subtle. She couldn't help but think of the first half of the dream—him resting on her shoulder, burying his face in the crook of her neck, breathing gently.
She could almost smell that cool fragrance again.
Chu Yao quickly stopped herself from imagining further, telling herself not to overthink it. It was just a dream.
She convinced herself, sent a good morning to someone familiar, and put Zhou Wenshi out of her mind.
After a dream like that, she really didn't want to see anything related to him.
It was unsettling.
Chu Yao changed her clothes, pulled open the bed curtains, washed up, and went to the cafeteria for breakfast.
Zhou Wenshi had invited her to the library that afternoon, and Chu Yao agreed.
The two of them spent the whole afternoon in the library. Nothing happened.
Zhou Wenshi brought his tablet and seemed to be scrolling through something, while Chu Yao flipped through her professional books, absorbed in reading.
In the evening, the sunset was beautiful.
Chu Yao walked out of the library, paused for a moment, and naturally broke into a smile.
A line of white egrets flew across the sky, and the orange sunset was vivid and breathtaking.
Chu Yao pulled out her phone to take a photo.
Zhou Wenshi naturally caught sight of her—a setting sun sinking behind her, her lightly made-up profile wearing a comfortable, relaxed smile, the glow of the evening clouds in her eyes, long hair draped over her shoulders, like a quiet painting.
She turned her head, her eyes seeming to hold the natural breeze and clear, cool waters, her lips a faint shade as she breathed out a laugh.
"I haven't seen beautiful evening clouds in a long time."
The evening glow in her eyes seemed to reflect into his.
Zhou Wenshi's cool, clear eyes, at this moment, actually held a trace of warmth, and within the orange radiance, a person was reflected.
He asked politely, "Want me to take a photo?"
Chu Yao was pleasantly surprised: "Can you?"
Zhou Wenshi nodded, adjusted the settings on his phone, and aimed the lens.
Chu Yao stood beneath the evening clouds, her smile radiant.
Click.
The frame froze.
The person and the scenery blended naturally, perfectly harmonious.
Chu Yao immediately stepped forward to look—he had actually taken a good shot. Not just good, it was stunningly impressive!
She was astonished: "You know how to take photos? This makes me look like I'm not even me—even better than in person."
Zhou Wenshi responded casually: "I've studied it."
As if it weren't anything worth mentioning.
He added, "I've only ever photographed scenery."
Chu Yao still found it amazing, and said enviously, "My friends don't like having me take their photos when we go out. They say it's better if I just stand there and throw a peace sign—my skills shouldn't meddle."
She let out an "ah" of deep regret.
Zhou Wenshi suddenly said, "You take one."
Chu Yao: "?"
Zhou Wenshi: "Use your phone to take one."
Chu Yao: "Huh?"
He said flatly, "Take a photo of me."
Chu Yao: "Why would I take a photo of you?"
Zhou Wenshi: "For practice."
Chu Yao reminded him, "I'm really not good at taking photos. Are you sure? Don't regret it once you see the results."
Zhou Wenshi: "I won't."
"Fine, since you insist, then okay—I warned you, it was your own choice," Chu Yao rattled off a string of disclaimers. "If it turns out bad, you can't blame me."
Zhou Wenshi: "Mm."
Chu Yao could see he wouldn't give up until he hit the wall, so she planned to show him what she was capable of—he'd definitely be too regretful to speak afterward.
But when she focused the lens and Zhou Wenshi stood in her frame, Chu Yao froze.
The young man's gaze was focused, his demeanor cool and composed, his posture impeccable. Standing there, he needed no technique—pure handsomeness.
Even the scenery behind him took on a distinctive charm.
The setting sun melted into gold, evening clouds merged like jade, gray clouds stilled their shadows, white cranes fell silent.
His feathered robes ever tinged with misty hues—the lords of the clouds came descending one by one.
Completely… no photography technique needed.
Every single frame was a picture.
Chu Yao refused to believe it. How could it come out perfect like that? She was determined to find a 360-degree angle that would fail—she'd search for the 361st.
She started directing Zhou Wenshi to strike poses, anything at all—she wanted to find a gap that his model-like build and proportions couldn't compensate for. The result was that even from a deadly angle, he had no blind spots and still produced stunning shots.
Chu Yao: "…"
Impossible. Absolutely impossible.
How could anyone withstand such a deadly angle? Fake—it had to be fake.
Chu Yao refused to accept it.
Twenty minutes later, she believed it.
Now, looking at Zhou Wenshi's face, she felt a surge of irritation—he was challenging her photography skills.
She couldn't stand it any longer!
Zhou Wenshi, having finally watched her finish shooting, walked over and received a smile burning with indignation.
He: "…"
He hesitated for a second, unsure what had happened, but followed her anyway.
"Chu Yao?"
Chu Yao: "Don't talk to me right now."
Zhou Wenshi kept a little distance between them, afraid she might slap him—though it would hurt his body, her palm would hurt too.
He said, "It's fine if the photos didn't turn out well."
The result was that Chu Yao just looked at him, smiled, and said nothing.
Zhou Wenshi: "…" Chu Yao seemed even angrier.
He didn't know what was wrong, but she was really upset, so he tried to get closer to her.
He took her hand and said, "I'm sorry."
"If you're angry, you can hit me," he suggested sincerely. "Just lightly."
Chu Yao was baffled: "Hit you?"
Zhou Wenshi: "Yes."
Chu Yao said irritably, "Are you into being hit?"
Zhou Wenshi pressed his lips together: "No."
Chu Yao: "Then why tell me to hit you?"
Zhou Wenshi didn't argue, only said, "A little venting can easily improve your mood."
Chu Yao looked at him like he was a pervert: "I'm not a violent person. Why would I need to hit you to vent? If I'm in a bad mood, I just need to calm down on my own."
Zhou Wenshi bore that look without changing his expression: "I can listen."
Chu Yao pulled her hand back: "Don't hold it for so long. I don't like it."
Zhou Wenshi: "Oh, okay."
Chu Yao was purely feeling defiant, but after a few exchanges, she no longer had any real anger left.
"Let's go eat."
Zhou Wenshi followed behind her.
Under the setting sun, two shadows stretched long, gradually drawing closer together.