To put it bluntly, the so-called “strong medicine” was a seduction plan.
After bitter reflection, Qiao Muyu decided he didn’t want to play this elementary-school-style pure love game with Lu Zhen anymore. Only by pushing the boundaries could he thoroughly mess with Lu Zhen’s heart.
However, Qiao Muyu was equally lacking in experience. His theoretical knowledge came almost entirely from various shoujo manga that Qiao Miaoying had forced him to read.
Thus, he decided to go home after school and search for some “strategy guides” to study. Being a “temptress” required technique; if he didn’t strike the right balance and ended up scaring Lu Zhen away, the loss would outweigh the gain.
…
As the evening self-study session neared its end, a sudden heavy rain began to fall.
The early winter night wind carried continuous raindrops that drummed against the windowpanes. It didn’t look like it would stop anytime soon. Students who hadn’t checked the weather forecast began to worry—without umbrellas, how were they supposed to get home?
Fortunately, Qiao Muyu always kept a spare umbrella in his backpack, so he wasn’t worried. However, riding a bike while holding an umbrella in a rainy night was both dangerous and inconvenient. It looked like he’d have to walk.
A moment later, the dismissal bell rang, and the classroom instantly became noisy.
Qiao Muyu packed his bag and was about to leave with his umbrella when someone lightly tapped his shoulder. He turned to find Lu Zhen. “What’s wrong?”
Lu Zhen asked, “Can I take you home today?”
Qiao Muyu froze. This was the first time Lu Zhen had offered to take him home. He probably saw the rain and was worried about him riding alone.
Qiao Muyu was touched for a second and was about to say he had an umbrella when an idea struck him: Wait, this scene… feels familiar!
In manga, when a male lead offers to take the female lead home on a rainy day, it’s usually an excuse to create intimacy. Once they reach the house, it’s not impossible for him to stay the night, and then things naturally progress to… that.
In a single second, eight hundred classic manga plots flashed through Qiao Muyu’s brain. He felt the timing was too perfect to pass up. He nodded happily. “Sure, I’ll trouble you then.”
…
The two shared an umbrella and walked to the school gate, finding the Lu family’s eye-catching luxury car amidst a sea of scooters and sedans.
Wang Chuan was already waiting by the car with an umbrella, seemingly unbothered by his suit getting damp. He smiled and nodded at Qiao Muyu, showing no surprise at his presence. Without a word, he respectfully opened the door. “Please, go inside.”
Qiao Muyu gave a slightly awkward “Thank you” and climbed into the back seat. Once he and Lu Zhen were settled, Wang Chuan closed his umbrella, sat in the driver’s seat, asked for Qiao Muyu’s address, and slowly steered the car out of the crowd.
Qiao Muyu suddenly realized something. “Don’t we need to wait for Zhou Shengyuan?”
Lu Zhen shook his head. “He’s taking another car back today.”
Qiao Muyu was surprised. “Why aren’t you together? Did you have a fight?”
“No,” Lu Zhen said.
Wang Chuan, turning the steering wheel slowly, added, “Young Master Lu said he wanted to take you home today, so he asked me to bring an extra car.”
Qiao Muyu was stunned. Lu Zhen knew it was going to rain tonight, so he planned this? But it had rained before, and he’d never offered then. Why today? Was it just a whim?
Lost in thought, Qiao Muyu felt his hand, resting on the seat, covered by a warm palm. He instinctively tried to pull away but failed. He glanced at Wang Chuan, but seeing him focused on the road, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
He turned to glare at Lu Zhen, signaling him to let go. Lu Zhen, however, casually draped his jacket over their joined hands, hiding them. Then, he raised an eyebrow at Qiao Muyu with a look that said, “See how smart I am?”
Qiao Muyu: “……” What’s there to be proud of for secret hand-holding? This is the extent of your skills.
…
The car drove smoothly. Neon lights blurred into misty colors against the rain on the window. The car was warm, a pleasant incense filled the air, and the seats were soft.
Qiao Muyu, who hadn’t slept well the night before, felt his eyelids grow heavy. Without realizing it, he leaned against Lu Zhen’s shoulder and fell asleep.
After some time, he felt his palm being squeezed and heard Lu Zhen softly calling his name. He opened his eyes, groggily mumbling, “Huh?”
“We’re here,” Lu Zhen said.
Qiao Muyu looked out at the familiar apartment buildings and woke up instantly. Wang Chuan was already at the door, holding it open. Qiao Muyu hopped out with his bag, but as he turned to say thanks, he saw Lu Zhen getting out with his own backpack too.
“What are you doing?” Qiao Muyu asked.
“I’ll walk you up,” Lu Zhen said. He didn’t wait for an answer, opening an umbrella to shield them both. “Uncle Wang, please wait here for a moment.”
Wang Chuan maintained his professional smile. “Of course, Young Master.”
…
In the ten seconds it took to walk from the car to the building entrance, Qiao Muyu had already reached a conclusion: Since the “prey” had delivered himself to the doorstep, there was no way he was letting him go.
The old apartment had no elevator, so they walked up. The hallway lights were dim, and a cold draft blew through. They walked in silence, with only the sound of their footsteps.
Qiao Muyu was thinking of an excuse to invite him in when Lu Zhen asked, “Is your dad home today?”
“No,” Qiao Muyu replied honestly. “He’s away on a business trip for a couple of days. I’m home alone.”
Lu Zhen frowned slightly. “He’s not coming back tonight either?”
“No,” Qiao Muyu said. “He’s away often. I’m used to it.”
Lu Zhen nodded. “Then, can I come in for a bit? I have something to tell you.”
Qiao Muyu looked at him in surprise. So proactive? Did this guy finally “awaken” today?
This suited his plans perfectly. He answered with a calm, “Sure.”
As they reached the door and Qiao Muyu felt Lu Zhen’s gaze on him while he unlocked it, he felt a strange nervousness. This was the first time he’d brought someone other than Du Jingfei home. Du Jingfei was a brother; Lu Zhen was a boyfriend.
Qiao Muyu cleared his throat awkwardly. “My place is small, don’t mind it.”
“It’s fine,” Lu Zhen said.
The door opened. Qiao Muyu flipped on the living room light and pulled a pair of slippers from the shoe rack. “Wear mine.”
“Thanks.”
They stood in the living room, staring at each other. Qiao Muyu suddenly felt at a loss. He threw his bag on the sofa and headed for the table. “I… I’ll get you a glass of water.”
“No thanks, I’m not thirsty.”
“…I want some.” Qiao Muyu was so nervous about what might happen next that he needed a drink. He gulped down half a glass of water as if it were a shot of liquid courage.
He wiped his lips and looked at Lu Zhen with a “do-or-die” expression. “You said you had something to tell me. What is it?”
Lu Zhen didn’t answer immediately. He put his bag on the table and slowly unzipped it. Qiao Muyu’s mind filled with a panicked thought: I swear, if you say you came here just to do homework together, I will kill you!
But Lu Zhen stopped searching through his bag, looked up, and said, “Qiao Muyu, close your eyes.”
Close my eyes? The suggestion made Qiao Muyu’s heart race. Is it finally happening?!
He swallowed and closed his eyes. His long eyelashes trembled. He heard the zipper close, and then Lu Zhen stepped closer, stopping about an arm’s length away.
Qiao Muyu’s heart was in his throat. But the kiss didn’t come. Instead, Lu Zhen’s clear voice whispered, “Open your eyes.”
“……”
Qiao Muyu opened his eyes blankly. Right in front of him was Lu Zhen’s fist. A second later, a necklace dropped from his palm, its pendant dangling like a sparkling star.
“Happy Birthday,” Lu Zhen said.
Qiao Muyu froze for a full five seconds. Something clicked in his heart, like a drop of water falling into a deep pond—faint, but undeniable. He realized today was his birthday.
Growing up, birthdays were a thin concept for him. His only birthday memory was the director at the orphanage cooking him longevity noodles with an extra egg. After coming to the Qiao family, he rarely celebrated. His father didn’t remember the date, and with everything on his mind lately, he had forgotten it himself.
But the boy in front of him remembered.
Qiao Muyu’s voice cracked slightly. “How… how did you know?”
“If you want to know, there’s always a way.” Lu Zhen handed him the necklace. “Do you like it?”
Qiao Muyu looked at the gift. It was a simple black cord, but the pendant was unique. It was a small, semi-cylindrical stone, smooth and polished like jade. The back had a creamy pattern like the moon’s surface, while the front was hollowed out, revealing a layer of sparkling fragments within deep black sand—it looked like a starry sky wrapped in an aurora.
“I love it.” Qiao Muyu studied it. “But the shape is so unique. Is it custom-made? I can’t accept something too expensive.”
“No, it’s a coral stone I found while diving in Bali,” Lu Zhen explained. “My aunt said it had probably turned into agate. She said it would be beautiful if cut into jewelry, so I kept it.”
“Your aunt?”
“She’s a gem merchant. She has a sharp eye,” Lu Zhen said. “I didn’t know what to get you, so I had this cut into a necklace. She was right; it’s beautiful inside.”
Qiao Muyu realized something. “So… this is only one half?”
“Mm. I made a pair. One for you, one for me.”
“Oh,” Qiao Muyu murmured. “Couple style.”
“It’s a one-of-a-kind couple style,” Lu Zhen said seriously, reaching out to gently put the necklace around Qiao Muyu’s neck. “They say deep-sea coral is the product of millions of years, representing eternal love. It will bless us to stay together forever.”
Qiao Muyu blinked. “Is that really a thing?”
“No, I just made it up.”
Qiao Muyu laughed. “Young master, you’re quite a talker.”
Lu Zhen smiled back. “Do you have a birthday wish?”
Qiao Muyu shook his head happily. “No.”
“Make one. It’s your birthday.”
“Okay, then…” Qiao Muyu thought for a moment. “I wish a birthday cake would appear in front of me. I suddenly want to eat some.”
Lu Zhen raised an eyebrow, looking confident. “Close your eyes.”
This time Qiao Muyu didn’t cooperate. “You didn’t actually bring one, did you?”
Lu Zhen didn’t answer, turning to his bag again. To Qiao Muyu, that bag was starting to look like Doraemon’s pocket. He watched as Lu Zhen pulled out a small, exquisite cake box—just enough for one or two people.
Lu Zhen set it on the table, sounding slightly dissatisfied. “I made it myself. It was my first time; it’s a bit of a failure.”
The cake was indeed a bit messy. The “Happy Birthday Qiao Muyu” written in jam looked amateurish. But Qiao Muyu’s heart felt incredibly warm. “Thanks, baby. As long as it’s not poisonous, I don’t mind.”
“It’s not poisonous.” Lu Zhen handed him a fork. “Try it.”
Qiao Muyu took a bite of the cream-covered cake and gave a thumbs-up. “Delicious. You’re amazing, Young Master.”
Lu Zhen took a small bite himself. “I think it’s too sweet.”
“I love sweets. It’s perfect for me.” Qiao Muyu hit a pocket of blueberry jam. “This jam is great! Here, try.” He naturally offered a piece of cake to Lu Zhen with his own fork.
Lu Zhen ate it and nodded. “Yeah, it’s good.”
Qiao Muyu bit his fork and looked at him playfully. “Lu Zhen.”
“Mm?”
“Does this count as an indirect kiss?”
Lu Zhen froze. Adam’s apple moved, and a blush crept onto his ears. Qiao Muyu’s own heart began to race, his face heating up. What am I doing? Why am I the one getting flustered after flirting?
The atmosphere turned heavy with tension. The distance between them shrank until they could feel each other’s heat. As their noses brushed, Lu Zhen suddenly turned his head away. Everything stopped.
He put down his fork and packed his bag. “It’s late. I should go. Get some rest.”
Qiao Muyu stood there, frozen. He felt a wave of humiliation, as if he’d been doused in cold water. He grabbed Lu Zhen’s sleeve. “Are you playing with me?”
Lu Zhen stopped and looked at him in confusion.
Qiao Muyu tried to stay calm. “Do you even like me at all?”
Lu Zhen frowned. “Why ask that?”
“You don’t even…” Qiao Muyu choked up. He felt hurt. “You don’t even want to be close to me.”
“Close how?”
“Like… what normal couples do.”
“Aren’t we dating?”
Qiao Muyu was fuming. He grabbed a throw pillow and hit him. “This isn’t dating! I didn’t find a boyfriend; I found a study buddy! Lu Zhen, you nerd! You’re a blockhead! All you do is bring me to libraries and make me do homework! Can’t you do anything else with me?”
After taking a few soft hits, Lu Zhen grabbed his wrists. “Like what?”
“Like,” Qiao Muyu threw shame to the wind, “kissing… or something.”
Lu Zhen was stunned. “You want to do that?”
“We’re a couple! It’s not normal not to do it!” Qiao Muyu felt mortified. “Or do you think I’m a minor? I turned eighteen today!”
“It has nothing to do with your age. I just…” Lu Zhen sighed. “I didn’t want to go too far. I was afraid of scaring you, and I didn’t want to affect your studies.”
Qiao Muyu didn’t expect Lu Zhen to be so cautious with their relationship. But avoiding “affecting studies” wasn’t what he wanted. He pushed further. “I’m not afraid of it affecting my studies. I want to be closer to you, but you—”
Before he could finish, Lu Zhen yanked his wrists, pulling him close. The light dimmed as the boy leaned down and pressed a hot kiss against his lips.
Their lips, tasting of cream, pressed together. Hearts skipped beats; breathing stopped. For a moment, all senses were concentrated on the incredible softness of the contact.
A few seconds later, Lu Zhen pulled back slightly, staring deep into his eyes. Qiao Muyu was completely dazed, a pink flush spreading from his neck to his cheeks. “You… why so suddenly…”
Lu Zhen’s eyes darkened, his voice husky. “Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.”
Before Qiao Muyu could react, Lu Zhen’s lips covered his again.