Until Lu carried the pot and bowls into the kitchen.
Zhou and Shen immediately went back to the coffee table and sat on small stools next to Song, along with Xie.
Song felt uneasy being stared at by the three of them. He hesitated. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s going on with you and Lu Beihuai? What’s his attitude toward you?” Zhou frowned and asked in a low voice.
“Song Song, you didn’t decide to ‘offer yourself’ to him just because he saved you, did you? Our grades aren’t great, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have brains,” Xie asked, propping his hands on the coffee table.
“Look how proud he is now. Because of your attitude, he’s practically walking tall in front of us. Where’s the person who used to live with his tail between his legs?”
Song immediately put a finger to his lips. “Shh… don’t let him hear you. You have to trust me, don’t provoke him.”
Zhou saw Song’s downcast eyes and cat-like fear and was confused. “Why? Do you think the four of us can’t take on one poor kid? Why be afraid of him?”
Song hesitated. “No, just trust me this once.”
This isn’t a ‘poor kid,’ it’s the real Young Master.
“Trust you for what?” Xie asked with his arms crossed.
Song moved forward and squatted in front of the three of them. He looked up and said mysteriously, “He will definitely achieve great things in the future. From now on, let’s treat Lu Beihuai like a brother. Let’s hang out with him, okay?”
Otherwise, when this big boss inherits the family business, anyone who offended him will be ruined.
Shen raised an eyebrow. “Achieve great things? What great things can a poor kid achieve? Getting close to you is his ‘great thing’.”
Song couldn’t stand such words and waved his hands frantically. “Absolutely not. Trust me. If you’re good to him now, you’ll be his most useful partners in the future. If you keep bullying him, he’s the type to seek revenge. He can endure it now, but he’ll pay you back many times over in the future. It’s not good for any of you.”
“Any of us?” Zhou caught the phrasing. “What about you?”
Song fell silent. Him? If the plot was changed now, maybe he would have a better time in the future, or maybe…
He looked down and smiled. “My health isn’t good. I’ll just see where life takes me.”
Hearing this, the expressions of the three in front of him were heavy and unhappy.
Song noticed it too. “I’ll go to the kitchen and see if he needs help.” He stood up and walked to the kitchen.
Perhaps because he changed the subject so quickly, the subtle emotion he left behind sat uncomfortably in the hearts of the three boys.
—My health isn’t good. I’ll just see where life takes me.
Those weren’t good words to hear.
The sound of washing dishes echoed in the kitchen.
“Do you want me to help you?”
Lu saw a head suddenly pop up beside him. Song was tilting his head and looking at him. “No need. You don’t know how.”
He efficiently placed the washed bowls on the drying rack.
“I can learn.” Song observed Lu’s expression, seeing that he looked better than last night. “You were still unwell yesterday. Do you feel dizzy today?”
“Song Qie.”
“Yeah?”
Before Song could react, his wrist was grabbed by a large, wet hand. Before he could process it, Lu leaned in, and Song backed up against the counter in fright.
He didn’t realize he had trapped himself.
The kitchen fan was still rumbling loudly. In the tiny space, the strong, dominant body cornered the slender figure between his arms and the counter. The invisible pressure from above was overwhelming.
It made the already narrow kitchen feel even more suffocating.
“I don’t like them coming to my house, and I don’t need their apologies.”
Song swallowed nervously and looked up carefully. Lu was quietly staring at him, and the feeling reminded him of the fierce beast on the boxing ring last night.
“I…”
“A bully is always a bully. An apology doesn’t make that identity disappear. It’s like a criminal getting caught—it stays on their record.” Lu lowered his broad shoulders, looked at Song’s trembling shoulders, and laughed softly.
“The damage is already done. A light apology and unimportant gifts are useless.”
The voice from above sounded amused, but it was like a demon’s casual chat—light, but enough to make one tremble.
Song bit his lip, trying to hide his fear.
These words seemed directed at him.
He knew why Lu wasn’t pretending anymore: he had won a large prize from the match last night.
That prize was enough to cover his father’s medical bills and his own future.
Enduring the bullying while gaining the trust of Song’s parents and a school spot, earning money with his life, and fighting for a future while being treated unfairly by his father. All of this had made the eighteen-year-old Lu brave and patient.
But the more it was like this, the more Song had to make Lu lower his guard. Only temporary cooperation or at least changing Lu’s view of him—would work.
Not this constant pressure.
Or, he could use Lu’s current pressure to gain his trust and escape the future tragedy.
“I know.”
“Once your father’s condition is stable, I can do a bone marrow match with him. If it doesn’t work, I’ll find a way to have my parents help you. This semester is our last in 12th grade. I can help you get into a top university. I’m willing to give you all the resources my parents gave me.”
Song bit his lower lip, his heart racing. “…I’ll return everything to you. It’s what I owe you. Please don’t refuse me.”
Offer sincerity and promises first—that’s always right.
Lu looked at the boy in his arms. His eyelashes were fluttering as he looked up. His voice was trembling as if he might cry at any moment. How afraid of me is he?
Did that one look last night scare him that much?
Is he so afraid that he’d give up everything for me?
This feeling of having everything within reach didn’t seem to give him any thrill of revenge.
“Do you think if you say this, or cry a little, or act weak in front of me, I’ll take back what I said?”
“Huh?” Song was stunned for a brief moment.
Lu put his hand on the back of Song’s neck, making him look up. “I said it before: wear a dress for me.”
Song: “…” I know, I know, I know.
The mood was so repentant!! Haven’t you been moved at all?!!!
Is wearing a dress that important?!!! Are dresses that good-looking?!!!
The boy standing between his arms had red eyes. He gripped his shirt, lips pursed, angry but not daring to speak. He looked exactly like someone being bullied, which made one want to bully him further just to see him cry.
Lu lowered his hand and stepped back. “I’ll accept their apologies for now. Let them leave. You can’t go.”
Song looked at Lu in shock, his expression saying “What? He can’t leave?”
“I said: wear a dress for me.”
“Do you even have a dress?”
“Yeah. I bought them. I have as many as you want.”
“What color?”
“I like pink,” Lu said.
Song bit his lip, fighting back tears. He tried to struggle: “Let them finish the practice problems before they leave. The monthly exam is the day after tomorrow.”
Sob, sob, sob… this person is so mean.
It’s so unfair. I’ve never suffered such injustice.
Why did he buy pink? I like blue.
Lu gave a casual glance and saw that aggrieved mouth, suppressed his growing mood, and turned to walk out of the kitchen. He gave a light reply: “Fine.”
The curve of his lips was hard to hide.
Feeling it, he suppressed it again and went back to being cold, like a heartless killer.
The time reached 7:30 PM.
“The content I marked is what might be on this monthly exam. Also, the AP exams are pushed back to June. We don’t have much time left, so we need to push as much as we can. Aim for a 3 and strive for a 5. An extra 5 in each subject will be very helpful for school applications.”
Song took out his tablet and AirDropped all the high-frequency questions he had organized for each subject. “From today on, you will practice these sets of questions. If you get something wrong or don’t understand, ask me immediately. We’ll try to master all the best scoring types.”
Zhou and the others naturally listened.
Lu was silent, but in his silence, he accepted this bizarre fact.
A month ago, Song was the one with the worst grades. No one would have guessed that a month later, he could lead them in a study session and even get a 5 in all subjects on the weekly test.
This was no different from walking into an AP exam and getting all 5s to get into Harvard.
Without academic knowledge, it was impossible.
“Don’t get distracted. This question is wrong.” Song couldn’t help but poke Lu’s tablet.
Lu gave him a meaningful look.
Song silently withdrew his finger, his eyes darting around. He muttered softly, “If you don’t do well, I won’t take you out to play…”
“Then teach me.” Lu moved his tablet in front of Song and leaned closer. “I don’t know how.”
His warm, firm arm, smelling of medicine, pressed against Song’s clothes. The heat from his chest transferred over.
Song’s throat tightened. “So stupid… you don’t even know this?”
He immediately regretted saying it.
Lu laughed. “Yeah, I’m just that stupid. I’m counting on you to teach me, Teacher Song.”
Song: “…” Keep acting. Just keep acting.
The other three, who were studying seriously, looked up with resentful glazes. What are they doing while we’re trying to study?
The clock on the wall moved slowly as time passed.
Five people sat around the coffee table—some cross-legged, some leaning on the sofa, some scratching their heads. They were all seriously working on the problems on their tablets, occasionally discussing things they didn’t understand.
After all, they were students at an international school. Even if they had slacked off for two years, it didn’t mean they had no foundation.
Song found they were easy to teach especially since they all had a good English foundation and had already taken the IELTS and TOEFL. He could only say that their academic knowledge was a base built on their family backgrounds; it wasn’t hard to catch up now.
Even if they couldn’t catch up in these three months, they could always go abroad for a foundation year.
He also had to prepare for two possibilities. First, before the truth came out, he needed to handle Lu and ensure his future survival. Second, if the truth was discovered only after they went abroad, he needed the ability to be independent.
“It’s about time,” Lu said, looking at Song.
Song’s hand holding the pen stopped. A tingle ran up his spine. He checked the time and tried to struggle: “It’s only after 8:00. How about a little lon—”
“I’m tired,” Lu said.
Song bit his lip. Fine! Let the storm be even stronger!
He looked at Zhou and the others. “Why don’t you guys head back first? The driver will pick me up later.”
“We can just drop you off together.” Zhou sensed something.
Song pretended to be calm and smiled. “It’s fine. Lu Beihuai and I still have something to resolve.”
The three were half-doubting, looking at them with “you’re up to something” eyes. They asked a few more questions before leaving.
“Lu Beihuai, don’t get any ideas,” Zhou warned.
Lu laughed. “How could I have ideas about him? He’s the young master I want to take good care of.”
Song: “.”
And so, after waving goodbye, the door slowly closed.
Song stood by the door without moving, staring at it until he heard the sound of something being dropped on the floor. He shivered.
“The dress is here. Change into it. It’s your size.”
Song slowly turned his head and saw Lu standing behind him. He looked down and saw a paper bag on the floor next to him. A corner of sandy-pink fabric was peeking out.
It looked like…
There wasn’t much fabric.
“Do you need help changing?” Lu asked.
Song immediately leaned down and picked up the bag. “I-I’ll change by myself!”
Lu pointed toward his bedroom.
Song gave a long sigh and walked dejectedly into the bedroom with the bag.
Ten minutes later—
Knock, knock, knock.
Song was startled and jumped, his shoulder strap falling off.
“Not finished yet? Or do you not know how to wear it?”
Song looked down at his exposed belly button and legs, wanting to cry. Was this white gauze and milk-pink outfit too revealing? Don’t girls get cold wearing this?
“I’m coming in then.”
Hearing the door move, Song panicked. “Wait, wait, wait—”
The “wait” was useless.
The door opened, and a slender waist and fair legs immediately came into view.
The beautiful boy had already put on the milk-pink and white gauze crop top and short skirt with spaghetti straps. He had a small frame and a slender upper body. His waist was thin enough to be held in one hand, with a small, delicate belly button. His long legs under the skirt were milky white and straight, with firm skin—perfect without a single inch of extra flesh.
But now, he was covering his shoulders in panic, and a strap had accidentally fallen.
In that instant, the thin white strap hung on his snowy arm. The boy’s ears and cheeks gradually turned a deep red.
His frame was slender, his thin shoulders trembling slightly. His bare feet were white and thin. His long, beautiful legs shook with nerves, making the sandy-pink ruffled hem of the skirt sway.
As everyone knows, a “slim, fair, and delicate” body is often a more fitting description for a boy.
From top to bottom, he was beautiful, firm, just right, and flawless.
The darkness in Lu’s eyes deepened.
Song felt the gaze lingering with too much heat. He grabbed the short skirt in front of him, so nervous he was almost crying. “…I-I’m dressed.”