The unexpected word “Mom” left Xie Qiuling momentarily stunned. Then, she covered her mouth and chuckled softly, looking at Qiao Muyu without saying a word.
Realizing he had made a fool of himself, Qiao Muyu’s face instantly turned as red as a cooked shrimp.
Avoiding the amused look Lu Zhen shot his way, he stammered an explanation: “Ah, no, I mean… you must be Lu Zhen’s mother, right? He-hello, Auntie. Please sign in here.”
Xie Qiuling took the pen, signed her name, and looked back at Qiao Muyu. “A-Zhen told me you’ve looked out for him at school. Thank you.”
Qiao Muyu replied politely, “No, no, it’s nothing. Helping classmates is what we should do.”
Xie Qiuling nodded with a smile, turned to whisper a few words to Lu Zhen, and then said, “Xiao Qiao, have A-Zhen bring you over to our house for dinner sometime.” Then, she picked up her handbag and turned to leave.
Qiao Muyu watched her back, feeling bewildered. “Your mom is leaving already?”
Lu Zhen said, “She’s going over to Zhou Shengyuan’s side.”
Qiao Muyu was surprised. Hadn’t it been said that Zhou Shengyuan’s parents never attended his previous parent-teacher meetings? So this was the first time?
But with Xie Qiuling gone, was there no parent left for Lu Zhen?
He asked, “Didn’t your dad come?”
Lu Zhen: “His company is very busy; he couldn’t get away.”
Qiao Muyu: “Then what about your side?”
“It’s fine,” Lu Zhen said nonchalantly. “My mom checked in with Old Wan beforehand. The teacher said there wasn’t anything he needed to talk to her about privately.”
Qiao Muyu understood. Zhou Shengyuan’s situation was clearly more difficult to handle; Xie Qiuling would likely be pulled into a two-hour lecture by his homeroom teacher.
Lu Zhen scanned the seats filling up in the classroom and leaned in slightly, whispering, “It looks like our two seats will be the only empty ones in the whole class today.”
Qiao Muyu froze for a second, looking into his eyes. He suddenly felt, perhaps narcissistically, that Lu Zhen was saying this to comfort him.
He had been feeling a bit depressed about Qiao Yongde’s absence, but now that he had someone to share the awkwardness with, his mood lightened considerably.
“Tch, it’s not exactly a point of pride,” he pouted, feigning disdain.
…
After all the parents had signed in, Qiao Muyu and Lu Zhen left the classroom together.
The library and the playground were already packed, leaving almost no room to stand. The two decided to find a quiet, secluded staircase in the administration building to sit and rest.
Qiao Muyu brought a Youth Digest magazine to flip through, while Lu Zhen was busy in an online PK (player-kill) match on his phone.
Qiao Muyu had played this game before, so he occasionally glanced at the screen. Soon, he realized something was wrong.
Lu Zhen had been dueling the same player ID repeatedly—and he had slaughtered the opponent eight times in a row.
As a bystander, Qiao Muyu felt stressed just watching; he could only imagine the resentment the victim must be feeling.
He couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity: “Do you have a grudge against this person?”
“No.” Lu Zhen’s fingers didn’t stop moving. “This is Zhou Shengyuan.”
“Huh?” Qiao Muyu was even more surprised. “And you’re being this ruthless?”
“He said he was amazing at this game and insisted on a PK. He refused to accept his loss.”
Just then, another PK invite popped up. Lu Zhen pointed at the screen. “See? He’s inviting me again.”
Qiao Muyu: “……”
The two characters on the screen clashed again, a dizzying display of skill effects and light.
Qiao Muyu continued to watch, feeling a subtle sympathy for Zhou Shengyuan. Tsk tsk, it’s a bloodbath.
Seeing Lu Zhen empty the opponent’s health bar again without even blinking, Qiao Muyu couldn’t help but ask, “You’re not going to let him win even once?”
Lu Zhen didn’t look up. “Why should I?”
Qiao Muyu was a bit dazed by the blunt counter-question. “…Because he’s your brother.”
“So what?” Lu Zhen’s profile, illuminated by the screen’s glow, looked indifferent. “This is a game, not home. I don’t need to yield to him in everything.”
Qiao Muyu was choked up and muttered softly, “I thought you pampered your brother.”
Lu Zhen heard him and turned his head. “Why?”
Qiao Muyu recalled the previous conflict at the basketball court. “Because last time, when he hit you, you didn’t fight back, and you didn’t even dodge. You just let him punch you for nothing.”
Lu Zhen pondered for a moment before explaining honestly, “I just didn’t want him getting in trouble at school or getting hurt and making my parents worry. If a punch could make him calm down and solve the problem, then it wasn’t a bad thing.”
Qiao Muyu didn’t expect that kind of reasoning and felt speechless. He really couldn’t tell if the relationship with Zhou Shengyuan was good or bad.
Could it be, as Du Jingfei guessed, a “legitimate young master vs. illegitimate son” situation?
But curiosity aside, Qiao Muyu’s logic and manners told him it was better not to pry into such sensitive matters.
He just sighed and said to Lu Zhen, “Don’t just stand there and let him hit you in the future.”
Lu Zhen was confused. “Why?”
“Because if you get hurt, your parents will worry too.” Qiao Muyu paused, then added, “And me. I’ll worry about you too.”
“……”
Lu Zhen’s lowered eyelashes trembled suddenly. His fingers on the screen twitched, accidentally releasing a powerful ultimate skill at an inappropriate time.
He ignored the battle on the screen and looked up at Qiao Muyu, his lips moving as if to say something, only to be interrupted by Qiao Muyu’s shout: “Aww, he dodged it!”
Qiao Muyu pointed at Zhou Shengyuan’s character, who was now charging his own ultimate. He pushed Lu Zhen urgently: “Quick, quick, quick! He’s counterattacking!”
Lu Zhen raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you just say I should let him win a bit?”
Qiao Muyu: “Nonsense! This is a battlefield! There’s no yielding here. Real men face each other head-on!”
Lu Zhen: “……”
…
The parent-teacher meeting ended smoothly. Except for those parents who stayed behind for deeper discussions with teachers, everyone else packed up and went home.
Qiao Muyu picked up his backpack and was about to leave when Lu Zhen blocked him at the door.
“What’s wrong?” Qiao Muyu asked.
Lu Zhen reminded him, “Have you forgotten what we’re doing today?”
Under Lu Zhen’s encouraging gaze, Qiao Muyu tilted his head and thought seriously. Finally, with a blank mind, he shook his head.
“……” Lu Zhen frowned at him and uttered two resentful words: “A date.”
Qiao Muyu blinked, suddenly remembering. It was the weekend, and according to their previous agreement, he had promised to go on a date with Lu Zhen.
Seeing that Qiao Muyu didn’t respond, Lu Zhen narrowed his eyes. “You’re not going to back out, are you?”
“Of course not.” Qiao Muyu was a man of his word. “But don’t you need to go home and eat with your mom and brother first?”
“I told them not to wait for me; they went ahead,” Lu Zhen said. “I want to have lunch with you.”
Eating together was a proposal Lu Zhen had submitted several times over their first week of dating, only to be ruthlessly rejected by “Leader Qiao.”
Qiao Muyu thought that since Qiao Yongde wasn’t home anyway, he’d just be eating something simple by himself. He might as well go along with Lu Zhen. “Okay, then what do you want to eat?”
The fact that Qiao Muyu agreed was enough to satisfy Lu Zhen; he wasn’t picky. “Anything. Same as you.”
“Really?” Qiao Muyu was surprised. He thought the guy would want some high-end restaurant. “Even a street stall is okay for Young Master Lu?”
Lu Zhen: “Fine.”
Street stalls were easy; there were plenty at the school gate. But since school just let out, they would be crowded. It wouldn’t be good if their classmates saw them.
Qiao Muyu’s eyes darted around as an idea formed. He grabbed Lu Zhen’s sleeve and led him downstairs. “Come on, I’ll take you somewhere!”
“Where?”
“Somewhere no one will disturb us.”
…
Qiao Muyu had ridden his bicycle to school as usual.
He led Lu Zhen to the bike shed, put his backpack in the basket, kicked back the kickstand, and hopped onto the seat. Propping himself up with one foot, he gestured coolly to Lu Zhen. “What are you staring for? Get on.”
Lu Zhen hesitated. “You’re carrying me?”
“Well, yeah,” Qiao Muyu said as if it were obvious. “The place we’re going is several streets away. You want to walk?”
Lu Zhen’s family driver had already taken Xie Qiuling and Zhou Shengyuan back.
He glanced at the other students and saw several suspected “couples” riding together—always the girl sitting on the back seat, arms around the boy’s waist.
Lu Zhen withdrew his gaze and asked tentatively, “Can… can I carry you instead?”
Qiao Muyu misunderstood, puffing out his chest with confidence. “Don’t worry, my bike skills are great. I won’t drop you.”
Then, Lu Zhen asked out of the blue, “Have you carried anyone else before?”
Qiao Muyu narrowed his eyes. This question… smells a bit sour.
He crooked his finger at Lu Zhen. When the other boy stepped closer, Qiao Muyu leaned into his ear and whispered, “No, baby. You’re the first.”
A spark lit up in Lu Zhen’s eyes, and his ears turned slightly red.
Seeing this reaction, Qiao Muyu was overjoyed internally: Ha! Those flirting techniques I studied overnight really work!
“Ahem,” Qiao Muyu cleared his throat and added casually, “Besides, you don’t know the way to the restaurant. Let me ride.”
Since he put it that way, Lu Zhen didn’t refuse again and obediently sat on the back seat.
Qiao Muyu pedaled and made a turn. “Hold on tight, here we go!”
…
The bicycle carried the two boys leisurely through the autumn-colored streets.
Rows of ginkgo trees were draped in gold, shimmering under the sunlight. A gust of wind shook the yellow leaves.
The stretch of road they were on was fairly flat, but when the wheels crossed manhole covers or speed bumps, the bike inevitably jolted.
Every time this happened, Qiao Muyu felt his shirt being suddenly grabbed tight from behind, then slowly released. Fingers would occasionally brush against the soft flesh of his waist through the fabric, sparking a restless itch.
By the third time, Qiao Muyu couldn’t take it anymore. He braked and turned around. “Are you tickling me on purpose?”
Lu Zhen sounded innocent. “I’m not.”
“Really?” Qiao Muyu was suspicious. “Then why does my waist feel so itchy?”
“Maybe your waist is just too sensitive,” Lu Zhen said.
Qiao Muyu was at a loss for words, feeling the conversation had turned strange. He didn’t want to argue about his waist sensitivity, so he gave up. “Fine, you ride. I’ll sit in the back and give you directions.”
Lu Zhen didn’t mind and swapped places.
The bike moved forward again.
Only after sitting on the back did Qiao Muyu realize he might have wrongly accused Lu Zhen. This bike had never carried anyone before; the back rack was bare metal without even a cushion. It was hard and uncomfortable. If he wasn’t careful, he’d slip off.
Lu Zhen had been too shy to just grab him for balance, but Qiao Muyu wasn’t going to miss this perfect opportunity to fluster the guy.
After mentally preparing himself, he reached out and grabbed Lu Zhen’s shirt. His fingers slowly wrapped around Lu Zhen’s waist, tightening just enough that it was hard to tell if it was a search for balance or a tease.
Lu Zhen said nothing, but Qiao Muyu could clearly feel the muscles beneath his hands tensing up. The rhythm of the pedaling also faltered for a second.
Qiao Muyu had no intention of stopping. Instead, he pulled his arm even tighter around Lu Zhen’s waist. Thinking for a moment, he pretended his hand slipped and gave Lu Zhen’s abs a little squeeze. After the squeeze, he felt annoyed.
Tsk, how did he train those? They feel so good.
At the same time, the bike wobbled violently, nearly hitting the curb.
Qiao Muyu asked knowingly, “What’s wrong, baby? Nearly ended up in a ditch on such a flat road.”
Lu Zhen stabilized the bike. “Nothing.”
Qiao Muyu looked at his red ears and snorted inwardly: Keep faking. Let’s see if I can’t tease you to death.
He joked, “Looks like your bike skills aren’t that great. You need more practice.”
“……” Lu Zhen gave him a very speechless view of the back of his head.
…
The city roads were straight. Lu Zhen kept moving forward, and Qiao Muyu only spoke up to tell him where to turn at intersections.
Looking at the changing scenery, Lu Zhen realized Qiao Muyu wasn’t taking him to a fancy commercial district, but rather toward an old residential area.
About fifteen minutes later, Qiao Muyu patted Lu Zhen’s back. “Stop, we’re here.”
Lu Zhen braked and put his foot down. He looked up to see a school. A stone monument by the gate was carved with “Nanjian Yuyang Middle School.” The gold paint was fading due to age.
Seeing him staring, Qiao Muyu introduced it: “This is where I went to middle school.”
Lu Zhen turned to him. “You’re taking me to eat at a cafeteria?”
“Are you silly? It’s Saturday. There’s no school, so no cafeteria.”
Qiao Muyu hopped off and walked across the street, gesturing for him to follow. “Over here!”
Across from the school was a pedestrian street that wasn’t exactly bustling. Signs flashed with colorful lights, and there were various shops, mostly snacks and stationery. But since the students were home for the weekend, the street was deserted.
Qiao Muyu headed straight for a shop called “Xiao Fang’s Clay Pot Hot Pot.”
He pointed to the glowing red sign. “See? This is it. When I went to school here, I loved coming to this place. It’s cheap and delicious.”
As he spoke, a yellow dog dozing on the concrete at the door pricked up its ears. Its eyes lit up, and it bounded toward Qiao Muyu with joyful barks, spinning around his legs with its tail wagging like a propeller.
Qiao Muyu could barely move. He knelt and rubbed its head, and the dog nuzzled his palm affectionately with its wet nose.
Qiao Muyu let the dog lean against him, smiling. “Aww, Pudding, it’s been so long, but you still remember me.”
A familiar voice answered, “He has to remember! You’re his savior!”
An auntie in an apron walked out. She had permed yellowish hair, a slightly plump build, and a joyous smile.
Qiao Muyu greeted her familiarly: “Auntie Fang.”
Auntie Fang put her hands on her hips, feigning anger. “Xiao Yu-er, you haven’t been here in over a month! I thought you forgot my little shop.”
“How could I? Studies have just been too busy. As soon as I had free time, I came to support your business—and I brought someone.”
Qiao Muyu introduced Lu Zhen. “This is my classmate, Lu Zhen.”
Lu Zhen nodded slightly. “Hello, Auntie Fang.”
“Whoa, looks like there are plenty of handsome boys at No. 3 High,” Auntie Fang joked. “Come in and sit! Order whatever you like. No customers right now, so there are plenty of seats.”
The two followed her inside. The shop was small but clean and bright. The air smelled of soup base, with faint hints of cumin and Sichuan peppercorn—very appetizing.
Auntie Fang enthusiastically recommended their signature dish: Clay Pot Potato Starch Noodles. It was similar to Malatang, but the main starch was thick, chewy potato noodles.
Qiao Muyu and Lu Zhen each took a basket to the refrigerated display to pick their toppings. Pudding followed Qiao Muyu, wagging his tail. Lu Zhen followed Qiao Muyu to see what he was picking.
The boy and the dog accidentally bumped into each other and stood there, staring in silence.
Seeing Pudding staring at him warily, Lu Zhen recalled what Auntie Fang said. “What did she mean by ‘savior’?”