Zhuo Junli didn't sleep well that night.
Shi Qing was quite domineering, and his sleeping posture was naturally domineering as well. He wrapped his arms around Zhuo Junli like an octopus, occasionally his hands would move restlessly.
Every time Zhuo Junli gently tried to move Shi Qing's hand away, within seconds, that hand would assertively return.
And it got even more excessive than before.
He even placed his legs on top of the young man.
Shi Qing's weight wasn't as heavy as Zhuo Junli had imagined, but he had been used to sleeping alone since childhood, so he was very uncomfortable sharing a bed with someone else.
The academic achiever, Zhuo Junli, silently breathed and persistently tried to remove Shi Qing's hand that was hanging onto him.
Shi Qing put it back.
He took it off again.
Shi Qing put it back.
He took it off again.
Shi Qing: "What are you doing in the middle of the night?"
His tone was filled with irritation, and he seemed a bit drowsy, but his hand, along with these words, once again dominantly pulled Zhuo Junli closer.
In the darkness, Zhuo Junli blinked and said, "Your hand..."
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
Shi Qing closed his eyes, yawned, rested his head on the young man's shoulder, appearing completely natural. His hand, separated by Zhuo Junli's nightshirt, gently patted him.
"Hurry up and go to sleep. Tomorrow morning, you're buying breakfast for me."
The young man didn't speak, only in the darkness, he slowly placed his hand on top of Shi Qing's hand, trying to remove it.
Then, that hand turned and tightly held his.
A warm sensation passed from the other person's body to his.
Zhuo Junli: "..."
He silently tried to pull his hand back.
Shi Qing held it even tighter.
And scolded him impatiently, "Stop messing around!"
Zhuo Junli gave up and let out a sigh, forcing himself to ignore the warmth on his body and the hand holding him, and began to fall asleep.
Zhuo Junli didn't sleep very peacefully that night.
Throughout the night, he kept having dreams of being tightly constricted by a python, unable to move. The golden python wound itself around him and occasionally touched him with its scorching body.
It was supposed to be winter, but it was unbearably hot.
Wait, in the dream, Zhuo Junli suddenly realized a flaw.
Snakes are cold-blooded creatures; they rely on external activities, like sunbathing, to raise their body temperature.
Clearly, there was no sun here.
So this was just a dream.
In his dream, while still entangled by the python, Zhuo Junli began to recall math problems that he could remember.
The next day, Zhuo Junli woke up early in the morning like clockwork.
Beside him, Shi Qing was sprawled out, one leg hanging over him, his handsome face relaxed with closed eyes, and a slight smile on his lips, looking like he had a pleasant dream.
When Zhuo Junli moved slightly, the seemingly sound asleep school bully immediately rolled over, skillfully hugging him with closed eyes.
Both his hands and feet were restrained, and Zhuo Junli, who couldn't move, said helplessly, "..."
Now he understood what happened in his dream last night.
Shi Qing was strong, and no matter how hard Zhuo Junli struggled, he couldn't free his limbs.
He could only helplessly call out, "Shi Qing."
"Shi Qing."
"Hmm... Who's it?"
The school bully, who was awakened from his slumber, opened his eyes with a hint of dissatisfaction, but despite the grogginess in his gaze, a smile appeared on his face.
In his usually arrogant tone, he said with a touch of happiness, "It's you."
He maintained that happy smile and leaned closer, bringing their faces close together.
Their noses were just a tiny distance apart.
Zhuo Junli watched helplessly as the school bully, who had soaked his bed last night, affectionately rubbed their noses together.
Zhuo Junli: "???"
Even his usually analytical mind couldn't figure this out.
What was even more baffling was that, as his mind went blank, the school bully continued to playfully nuzzle him with his nose, his eyes filled with joy.
From this angle, all Zhuo Junli could see was his eyes.
Shi Qing had typical narrow eyes, and when he didn't smile, he looked very arrogant and imposing. But when he smiled, his eyes became clear and bright.
Right now, those dark, shining eyes were filled with happiness.
It was the first time that Zhuo Junli had been so close to someone like this, and his ears gradually turned red.
He could endure cold glares.
He could remain calm in the face of violence.
He could even think calmly when freezing to death.
But when faced with such rare intimacy from someone else, Zhuo Junli was at a loss.
He, who could usually decide his next move with logical thinking, was now unusually flustered.
Shi Qing slowly and gently created some distance between them.
In this position, he could see the expression on Zhuo Junli's face, which was restrained by one of his hands.
Zhuo Junli, due to his unique upbringing, had matured earlier than his peers and used some disguises to protect himself.
But at this moment, he was not the later version of himself who could manipulate events at will, standing at the pinnacle as a king. He was still just a student who was engrossed in studying, trying to change his life through academics.
The young man's fair and handsome face was now gradually tinged with a blush. His eyes were filled with panic, and his long eyelashes blinked nervously, following the rhythm of his master's thoughts.
Only four words could describe him:
Breathtakingly beautiful.
"I can do it!!"
Because Shi Qing's hand was placed on Zhuo Junli's nightshirt, he could feel the chest beneath rising and falling with nervousness.
One moment.
Another.
And another.
It was soft and supple.
Zhuo Junli had a standard build: he looked slim when dressed, but there was substance underneath. Otherwise, he wouldn't have appeared as a pitiful youth during his school days and later transformed into a full-fledged handsome man.
Shi Qing, through the fabric, could sense the abdominal muscles.
He touched the fabric with a lecherous expression.
Indeed, it had a first-rate feel.
"Tsk tsk tsk, delightful!"
System: "Host, your current persona is supposed to bully him..."
Shi Qing confidently responded, "Yes, I am currently bullying him. Can't you see how angry he looks? Look, his face is all red."
System: "..."
It was on the verge of tears. "But the rules prohibit character deviation."
"Where did I deviate? Do you see any signs?"
Shi Qing leaned in again, affectionately rubbing his nose against Zhuo Junli's. He watched as the young man's body stiffened, and a faint pink hue spread across his neck, making him even happier.
With his chest pressed against Zhuo Junli's clothes and his nose affectionately nuzzling, Zhuo Junli started stammering, "Shi Qing, what are you doing..."
"I'm dreaming."
The school bully replied confidently. His hand slowly slid down Zhuo Junli's arm and gently held his hand. In his clear and shiny black eyes, satisfaction gleamed.
After speaking, he held Zhuo Junli's hand and slowly extended his index finger, gently massaging it in the young man's palm. He raised an eyebrow and narrowed his fox-like, slender eyes.
"You've been very obedient today."
Zhuo Junli: "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, you can speak today."
The school bully's face showed a hint of surprise as he leaned even closer. "Tell me, do you like..."
BANG BANG BANG!
The door was knocked from outside, followed by a cheerful voice, "Shi Ge! Shi Ge, wake up, Shi Ge!"
"See what I brought for you, Shi Ge! Are you awake? Open the door!"
The atmosphere inside the room momentarily froze.
Both of them remained in their original positions.
Shi Qing was almost entirely pressed against Zhuo Junli. His right hand held the young man's left hand, and his left hand was placed on his chest.
Face to face, nose to nose.
Close enough to make anyone uncomfortable.
Shi Qing stiffened for a moment. "I even had Lu Tao in my dream."
Lu Tao, the guy outside the door, is Shi Qing's best friend and classmate, as well as his follower.
Zhuo Junli said, "This shouldn't be a dream."
School Bully: "..."
He quickly moved away from Zhuo Junli and squeezed himself into the cup at lightning speed, leaving only his head exposed.
"Why are you on my bed?"
Zhuo Junli: "..."
Fortunately, he didn't need to explain anything. Shi Qing remembered it himself. He extended his slender hand and patted his head.
"Yes, I asked you to come."
"I was half asleep."
After figuring out what happened, the School Bully's expression turned fierce again. "You're already awake, why are you still lying on my bed? Get out of here!"
Zhuo Junli had given up explaining that he had wrapped himself so tightly that he couldn't get out of bed. Anyway, Shi Qing never listened to reason.
But...
He pressed his hand to his chest, feeling his rapidly beating heart and looking somewhat bewildered.
What did Shi Qing mean by what he said just now? Did he think he was dreaming? And what did that "You're so obedient today" mean? Wasn't this the first time Shi Qing dreamed of him?
Zhuo Junli lowered his gaze slightly, hiding all these doubts in his heart, and got out of bed with a calm expression to open the door.
Outside the door, Lu Tao was startled when he saw that it was him who opened the door.
This guy scratched his head, walked past Zhuo Junli, and approached Shi Qing's bed. "Hey, Shi Ge, didn't we lock Zhuo Junli in the bathroom last night? How did he get out?"
The School Bully was already in a bad mood, and mentioning Zhuo Junli again made him even more irritated. His tone was aggressive. "What's it to you? Hurry up and tell me, why are you looking for me early in the morning? If you can't give me a decent reason, watch me beat you up!"
Lu Tao was used to the School Bully's morning temper and wasn't offended at all. He chuckled and handed over something he had been holding. "Shi Ge, take a look. I specially asked someone to bring this for me. I got home late last night, and I brought it to you today. Check it out."
"What kind of junk is this?"
Shi Qing furrowed his brows and examined the item Lu Tao handed over. "A Buddha amulet?"
"This is not an ordinary amulet; it has been blessed by a senior monk. Its main purpose is to bless and ensure the safety of the person who possesses it. Moreover, I heard that this temple's specialty lies in these amulets; people who have them have reported outstanding performance in their exams, including the high school entrance and college entrance exams!"
Shi Qing looked at the small amulet in his hand. It had a simple design, even the cord was just a red string.
"Is this all? Even if it works, I'm not hoping for outstanding results. Even if I score zero, I'll still live happily," he remarked, tossing the amulet, which was promptly caught by Lu Tao.
"Come on, Shi Ge, why can't you see the bigger picture? Tong Xinyu values her studies the most. If you give her this amulet and tell her what it can do, she'll definitely be touched."
"We might not care about grades, but Tong Xinyu does. Her family is just an ordinary one, and good grades are crucial for those of us who need to get into a good college."
Shi Qing pondered for a moment. "You make a good point."
"And this thing really works. I've asked several people, and they all say it's effective. Shi Ge, you like her, right? If she does well in her exams, you'll be happy too."
Meanwhile, Zhuo Junli was in the bathroom, and the door wasn't soundproof, so he could hear the conversation between the two outside.
It was common knowledge in the class that Shi Qing liked Tong Xinyu. His henchmen always gathered around, trying their best to help him win her heart.
In the past, Zhuo Junli would have been happy to hear what they were saying. If Shi Qing and Tong Xinyu got together, he wouldn't have to worry about Shi Qing bothering him anymore. But now...
He looked at himself in the mirror and touched his chest. His heart rate had returned to normal, but his mind was filled with the image of Shi Qing pinning him down, his face showing a mixture of confusion and satisfaction.
Zhuo Junli raised his head, facing the perplexed reflection in the mirror, and softly began, "I like..."
What came after "I like"?
Why did Shi Qing want him to say this?
He had a faint guess deep down, but it seemed too unlikely to be true. Even if it looked like a fact, Zhuo Junli couldn't bring himself to believe it.
Zhuo Junli still bought breakfast for Shi Qing as he used to, had his own breakfast, and left the dormitory quietly with his backpack.
The school bully, who was eating a bun, immediately called out, "Wait!"
Lu Tao followed suit, saying, "Yeah, wait!"
The handsome youth stopped and turned to look at the two of them.
Shi Qing stood up and pushed the remaining food on his desk toward Zhuo Junli. "Come here, hold this for me."
Lu Tao, standing nearby, also mimicked the action, pushing his own breakfast. "Yeah, hold mine too."
"What the hell, you two!"
Zhuo Junli was about to step forward when he saw Shi Qing suddenly turn to give Lu Tao a slap on the head. "You parrot, addicted to mimicking my speech!"
Lu Tao's neck shrank back from the hit, and he quickly smiled awkwardly. "Then I won't let him hold it, I'll carry it myself."
So, Zhuo Junli held Shi Qing's breakfast, with Shi Qing walking beside him, and Lu Tao carrying his own breakfast and Shi Qing's backpack behind them.
The school bully said, "Do you remember what you promised me last night?"
"As soon as we get to the classroom, return the blue pig to Tong Xinyu. Got it!"
Zhuo Junli: "..."
No matter how many times he heard it, every time he heard Shi Qing say "blue pig" with such resentment, he couldn't help but want to laugh.
Of course, he couldn't actually laugh.
He just lowered his gaze meekly, and slowly asked, "If I return it to her, you won't bother me anymore?"
"Did I bother you?!"
Shi Qing snorted and poked Zhuo Junli's shoulder with his index finger while speaking. His tone was filled with resentment. "It's all your fault, provoking me time and time again!"
Zhuo Junli endured his not-so-heavy prodding in silence. He hesitated for a moment before asking, "I really don't have any interest in Tong Xinyu."
Following behind them, Lu Tao listened quietly and couldn't help but shed a tear of sympathy for Zhuo Junli in his heart.
Shi Ge was many things, but he was definitely unreasonable.
Zhuo Junli had always tried to avoid them.
It was really pitiful. A good student like him had been targeted by Shi Ge.
Shi Qing clearly didn't think he was being unreasonable. He counted on his fingers and said to Zhuo Junli, "Tell me, did you say twenty-one sentences to Tong Xinyu yesterday?"
"After subtracting the three sentences you said to Lu Tao and the eleven sentences you said to me, both of us combined still can't match Tong Xinyu. And you say you're not interested in her?!"
Lu Tao, who was behind them, remarked, "..."
It seemed like the point was off; they should have compared the number of sentences Tong Xinyu said to Zhuo Junli and the number she said to them.
The school bully's gaze towards Lu Tao gradually turned fierce.
Lu Tao: "..."
He shrank his neck and said, "That's right! Shi Ge, how could you possibly be wrong! Yes, it should be compared this way!"
Shi Qing finally withdrew his gaze with satisfaction, raised an eyebrow at Zhuo Junli, and said, "See that? Even Lu Tao thinks the same way."
"If you don't want to suffer anymore, you better honestly put an end to your futile thoughts about Tong Xinyu. Otherwise, if I catch you..."
Lu Tao interrupted, "If he catches you, it's over. There are so many girls in our class who like you. Why do you have to hang around Tong Xinyu? I think our class monitor is pretty good. You can pair up with her."
"Tsk."
The school bully furrowed his brow, stopped walking, and looked at his henchman impatiently. "Can you stop interrupting when I'm talking?"
Lu Tao replied, "I-I'm just planning his future. That way, he won't hinder Shi Ge from pursuing Tong Xinyu. Besides, the class monitor actually likes Zhuo Junli..."
"What are you implying?!"
Shi Qing gave him another brain-rattling slap and looked furious. "What's your intention?"
Lu Tao had no idea how he had provoked this big guy again. He looked quite aggrieved and said, "Shi Ge, what's wrong with you? If Zhuo Junli goes after the class monitor, then you won't have to compete with him for Tong Xinyu, right?"
"Nonsense!"
Shi Qing snorted, "All the girls in the class are mine."
Lu Tao: "???"
Lu Tao: "..."
He watched his boss, with an expression that screamed "I won't allow anyone to touch my territory," and threatened Zhuo Junli by lifting his chin, "Did you hear me? If you dare to approach other girls in the class, you're finished!"
Zhuo Junli looked bewildered.
Lu Tao, standing by, felt sorry for him as he watched. He cautiously poked his head out and said, "Uh... well, actually, there are girls in other classes who like Zhuo Junli too..."
"Shut up!"
Shi Qing's angry roar successfully silenced Lu Tao, turning him into a docile quail who obediently carried the backpack and lunch.
As they were about to reach the school building, Shi Qing suddenly stopped.
"You guys go ahead. I need to buy something."
Zhuo Junli, still holding his breakfast, asked, "Should I put your breakfast on your desk?"
"Put it on your desk."
The school bully spoke as if it were a matter of course. "We're changing seats today, and I want to sit at the same desk with you."
Zhuo Junli: "?"
Shi Qing coldly sneered, "Remember what you promised me last night. I'll check when I get upstairs. If you haven't returned the blue pig to Tong Xinyu, I'll make sure you regret it."
The school bully headed towards the school supermarket.
Seeing him leave, Lu Tao breathed a sigh of relief and nudged Zhuo Junli's arm. "Shi Ge probably just doesn't want you to sit with Tong Xinyu. Don't worry, Shi Ge likes Tong Xinyu. As long as you don't interfere with him, he won't trouble you."
Zhuo Junli furrowed his brows slightly and subtly shifted his position to avoid being touched by Lu Tao.
Lu Tao didn't notice and continued speaking. "Actually, I don't have any issues with you. I even helped you just now. If you think about it, if I hadn't spoken up for you, Shi Ge would probably dislike you even more. So, you can copy my homework for me. Morning self-study is about to start, and it's due today. In return, I'll help you speak well of Shi Ge in the future."
Zhuo Junli asked him, "Does Shi Qing really dislike me?"
"Isn't it obvious? Last night, as soon as he found out that Tong Xinyu was assigned to do classroom duty with you, he was furious. He brought us to lock you in the bathroom."
"But how did you manage to get out? We heard that today Mr. Wang had something to do and the dorm inspection teacher is a woman, so she shouldn't have gone to the boys' bathroom."
Zhuo Junli narrowed his eyes slightly.
Did Shi Qing get angry at him because Tong Xinyu confessed to him? Or because Tong Xinyu confessed to him?
After going upstairs, Zhuo Junli directly found the seldom-used blue pig eraser and walked over to Tong Xinyu's desk.
Tong Xinyu was indeed a lovely girl, with delicate looks and a straightforward personality.
Seeing the person she liked voluntarily coming to her desk, she immediately sat up straight. She looked dignified, her eyes filled with anticipation as she gazed at Zhuo Junli.
Then, under her hopeful gaze, Zhuo Junli placed the blue pig eraser on her desk.
"Sorry, I don't need it anymore. You can have it."
The expression of anticipation on Tong Xinyu's face immediately turned into disappointment. She reluctantly picked up the eraser and said, "It's just an eraser. I just wanted to thank you for helping me with the questions."
"Besides, your old one is almost used up, and I happened to find one, so I thought..."
"Ah," a nonchalant voice suddenly interrupted from behind. Tong Xinyu's tone paused, and she raised her eyebrows, her face filled with anger as she looked at Shi Qing, who had entered through the back door.
As expected, Shi Qing approached them with an unapologetic attitude. He looked at Zhuo Junli, then at Tong Xinyu, and tsked, "I said, you picked up an eraser and wanted to give it to Zhuo Junli. Is there a problem with that?"
"No problem."
With his hands in his pockets, Shi Qing raised an eyebrow and acted like a ruffian. "I'm just saying, since you picked it up, who knows if you actually picked it up or bought it yourself."
"You!"
Tong Xinyu glanced around and noticed that their classmates were curiously watching the dispute. Her face turned red with frustration.
Although she hadn't concealed her feelings for Zhuo Junli, as a girl, she didn't want to be exposed as intentionally buying an eraser to give to her crush. How could she willingly let others see through it?
Tong Xinyu was just an ordinary girl living in an ivory tower, and she didn't know how to counter this situation. She could only stubbornly insist, "I did pick it up! I found it on the ground. Is that not allowed?!"
"It's allowed."
Looking nonchalant, the school bully slowly took his hands out of his pockets, revealing a brand new blue pig eraser in his palm.
"Oops."
He made a casual sound, turned his palm over, and let the blue pig fall to the ground.
Shi Qing lowered his head and, with exaggerated surprise, picked up the blue pig. "How did an eraser end up here? I wonder who dropped it."
Tong Xinyu: "…"
She watched in disbelief as Shi Qing shamelessly held the blue pig in his hand, using one hand to grab her male god's hand.
Then, he handed the blue pig over to her.
"Here, how could there be an eraser here? I don't know whose it is."
Tong Xinyu: "..."
While she watched, Shi Qing blatantly clutched the blue pig and held her male god's hand with his other hand.
Then, he handed the blue pig over.
The school bully had a carefree look on his face. "Zhuo Junli, isn't your eraser almost used up?"
"Since I found one, I'll give it to you."
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