As the other person’s slightly raspy voice fell, Xie Yun paused and gazed at him. His inky bangs swayed gently in the breeze. Perhaps because he was dressed entirely in black, standing there against the light, he looked as distinct and sharp as a stroke in an ink-wash painting. Only the faint smile on his thin, pale-red lips added a touch of softness.
Where would the contact information be on a registration list? Xie Yun didn’t believe a word of it.
[This is Field Academy’s ‘F4’ member, You Yu~] [Host, don’t let his melancholic and gloomy appearance fool you. In the original novel, the author’s description of his ‘performance’ in bed was…]
[Shut up. I don’t want to hear it.]
Xie Yun happened to lock eyes with the smiling, silent You Yu.
The rejected system sounded pitiful: [Does the Host not want to know who it was with?]
[Do I look like the type of person who wants to know?] The straight man was fed up. Please, keep the gay drama far away from me.
Averting his gaze from the other’s eyes, Xie Yun spoke up: “So, what is it you want?”
A deeper smile spread across You Yu’s lips. He took a few steps forward and lowered his eyelids. “Naturally, I want to learn and seek advice from my senior. I want to sign up for the competition next year too.”
As the man suddenly leaned in, Xie Yun instinctively took two steps back. He was a member of the F4, after all; if he wanted advice, couldn’t he just ask a professor for a private lesson? Why look for him?
Xie Yun repeated his internal thoughts out loud.
You Yu crinkled his eyes. “I heard Senior Xie is a transfer student. I looked at your math, physics, and chemistry papers, and your problem-solving methods are very similar to mine. I felt it was fate. Senior Xie, you are very suitable to teach me.”
The listener raised an eyebrow subtly.
A gust of wind, baked by the intense sun, brushed past their clothes, bringing a wave of warmth. The white clouds on the horizon were sparse, and the sunlight sparkled with white glints on the fountain. Beside them, only the rushing sound of water could be heard.
As groups of people passed by, You Yu spoke again: “Senior Xie, I can compensate you for the lessons. For example, I could bring you breakfast every day. So, could I trouble you, Senior…”
“We’ll talk about it two months from now. I’m busy lately and don’t have the energy to teach you,” Xie Yun replied flatly.
“Then at least, Senior Xie…”
“I have urgent business. Please excuse me.”
…At least accept my friend request. Xie Yun brushed past him in a hurry before You Yu could finish, the words getting stuck in the boy’s throat. The smile on his face froze instantly.
[Field Academy Forum]
[OP]: Holy crap, everyone! Guess who I saw today!
[2L]: Sorry, OP, I’ve been too busy studying lately to go see Yun-yun. I’ve developed a Yun-yun-themed lovesickness. If it’s not news about XY, I’m not listening.
[3L]: ……
[OP]: …Well, actually, today’s topic is that ‘melancholy guy,’ but it’s somewhat related to XY.
[5L]: Then go ahead, OP. I’m listening.
[6L]: ?
[OP]: I saw that depressive, obsessive F4 member, the ‘melancholy prince,’ talking to XY. That guy is terrifying; he just had a suicide scare last week and was taken home by his parents, yet here he is back this week like nothing happened.
[8L]: WHAT?! That depressive prince talked to XY?? Does Yun-yun know how extreme he is?! My god!! And he’s an S-grade Alpha! If he goes into rut… he’s definitely targeted Yun-yun. It’s over. I’m becoming a flower-guarding knight to protect my Yun-yun. This is scary…
[9L]: Yeah, everyone knows that guy is extreme; he’ll use any means to get what he wants. We might just talk big on the forum, but that guy will actually…
[10L]: The You family background isn’t simple either. He’s broken several school rules and still hasn’t been expelled.
[11L]: Terrifying. I hope he hasn’t set his sights on XY.
It was no easy feat reaching the old library safely. Xie Yun let out a soft sigh and tucked the literature back into its original spot. When will these restless days finally end?
Exiting the library, the stinging, intense sunlight pounced directly on Xie Yun. He raised a hand to block it. The light, split by the gaps between his fingers, reflected in his amber pupils. Then, a person appeared before him.
“Young Master Xie has the interest to come to the library, yet had no interest in my party last night?”
A voice filled with laughter and a touch of frivolity drifted over. The newcomer stood with his arms crossed, bathed in the fierce sunlight as he stepped toward Xie Yun. “Hmm? My little bookworm.”
Cui Yiyang had waited specifically for him at the party last night; he hadn’t expected Xie Yun to stand him up again. Cui Yiyang was nearly dying of anger.
As the warm breath drew closer, Xie Yun knit his brows and stepped back, spitting out two words: “Forgot.”
“Forgot?”
Cui Yiyang raised an eyebrow, a light scoff escaping his throat as he pressed closer. “Did Young Master Xie truly forget, or did he simply not want to go?”
The other’s breath was almost puffing against the tip of his nose. Xie Yun took several more steps back and looked him in the eye. “Yes. I didn’t want to go.”
Cui Yiyang: ?
Since he had provided the option of “didn’t want to,” Xie Yun saw no reason not to take it. He was quite satisfied with that answer.
“The news on the forum is spreading quite fast. Teacher Xiaoyu gave me the last spot for the competition. So, I’m truly sorry, Great Young Master Cui, I simply couldn’t get away to attend your party.”
Xie Yun mentioned this intentionally to annoy him. Everyone knew the Xie and Cui family backgrounds were equal; some time ago, Cui’s father had been currying favor with Teacher Xiaoyu specifically to secure that last spot. Even Cui Yiyang had wanted it. He hadn’t expected the Xie family to take it through the “back door.”
He was bound to be furious once he found out. A shallow smile finally surfaced on Xie Yun’s lips.
Blue veins surfaced on his cold, white skin. His long lashes swept down like curtains, partially obscuring his dark pupils. Xie Yun quickly returned to his expressionless state.
His bangs brushed over his beautiful features. Cui Yiyang stared at him. How can he be so well-behaved? he thought, his raised eyebrow conveying both frivolity and a hint of confusion.
“You know the link to the Field Academy forum? Who told you?”
Xie Yun: ? He isn’t angry? …Didn’t the original book say he cared a lot about this competition?
And Xie Yun actually knew about the forum’s existence. That meant some of the things people said…
Cui Yiyang gave him an undecipherable look. “Why have you stopped talking? I asked who told you.”
Xie Yun raised his own eyebrow and stepped sideways to slip away. “Is that any of your business? Move.”
“Where are you trying to hide from me now?”
Cui Yiyang blocked his path with a wide stride. “Can’t you say it? Do you have a secret?”
The air suddenly dipped into an eerie silence. Realizing that being tough didn’t work, Xie Yun decided to soften his attitude and take a gentler approach. “You want to know?”
His fingertips lightly brushed the other’s broad shoulder. Xie Yun pretended to flick away an imaginary speck from his shoulder. A wave of warmth immediately spread through Cui Yiyang; he froze, unsure of what Xie Yun was doing, only feeling his entire body heating up.
He watched as the beauty drew closer and closer, that alluring cedarwood scent once again entangling his nose.
“There was a leaf on your shoulder. Be more careful next time.”
the voice, cold as an icicle, fell softly, like a gust of breeze kissing Cui Yiyang’s ear. He stood dazed, watching that exquisite face brush past him.
God damn it.
Making his escape, Xie Yun let out a soft sigh and walked back onto the asphalt path. Having regained his senses, Cui Yiyang followed behind him without a word.
The hot wind, saturated with the blazing sun, enveloped Xie Yun. The warmth was enough to make one’s whole body burn. The tree shadows swayed, casting patches onto the asphalt road. This sensation was miserable for Xie Yun, who feared heat but not cold. He still preferred rainy days.
Weaving into the teaching building, a warm arm suddenly hooked around his shoulder. Xie Yun stalled and turned his head, his gaze colliding head-on with the other’s.
“You.”
His eyebrows knit together slightly as he stared at the person.
Cui Yiyang pulled a grin onto his lips. “What’s wrong, Young Master Xie? Don’t like me putting my arm around you?”
Before Xie Yun could even get a “Yes” out, the other laughed mischievously. “Weren’t you very affectionate toward me at the library just now? Why so distant now?”
The rustling of the wind against their clothes sounded as they stared at each other. Just as Xie Yun was about to speak, another figure appeared in his peripheral vision.
He saw Lu Yibing standing at the classroom door not far away, silently watching them. He looked indifferent, cold, and entirely devoid of emotion. His inky bangs swayed gently in the wind.
Xie Yun recalled the scene where Lu Yibing had also put an arm around his shoulder and instantly felt uncomfortable. He immediately pushed Cui Yiyang away. “I don’t like people putting their arms around me.”
Leaving that sentence behind, he took the first step forward and brushed past Lu Yibing at the classroom door. Cui Yiyang let out a cold laugh and followed. As he looked up, his eyes met Lu Yibing’s gloomy gaze. The latter was leaning against the door with his arms crossed, his eyes icy.
Cui Yiyang didn’t give him more than a few glances before following Xie Yun into the classroom.
This period was a chemistry lab session; students were coming to the classroom to get their books before heading to the lab building.
Xie Yun reached his seat and reached into the desk drawer for his book. His finger brushed against something in the deepest corner—the texture felt like a metal box. He pulled it out with one hand and opened the lid. Inside were cookies.
The white baking paper was stained with oil, and several irregular cookies lay on top. The sight of the crisp, butter-scented cookies entered Xie Yun’s view. With his fingers against the tin box, he stared at them silently. There was no note attached to the outside; he didn’t know who had sent them.
Xie Yun directed his gaze toward the person watching from beside him. “Did you send these to me?”
Lu Yibing snapped back to his senses, his voice sounding as thin as water. “I know you don’t like sweets, Brother. Why would I send you cookies?”
“Did you see who sent them?”
The other shook his head.
With no result, Xie Yun was too lazy to think about it. He closed the lid and casually stuffed the box back into the desk drawer before pulling out his chemistry textbook.
Not far away, Zou Shichen who had been watching him the entire time lowered his eyelids. Seeing him remain motionless, his lackey followed his gaze to Xie Yun’s tall back and whispered, “Eh? Brother Zou, didn’t you say you hated Betas the most? Why did you give Xie Yun a gift…”
“Shut up.”
Hearing this, Zou Shichen knit his brows in annoyance. The lackey fell silent.
Xie Yun took his book and left his seat. Lu Yibing hurried to catch up, his tone sounding hollow. “Where did Brother go just now? Why did you come back with Cui Yiyang?”