KMYB | Chapter 45

"Wear this?" Xi Shui seemed uncertain, his face full of surprise and confusion. He raised a hand to point at Zhou Zeqi, but halfway there, Zhou Zeqi caught his wrist and turned the pointing finger back toward Xi Shui himself.

"You wear it, not me." Zhou Zeqi straightened up and went to the kitchen to make Xi Shui a glass of kiwi juice.

Xi Shui chased after him, his face red. "I’m not wearing it."

Xi Shui had worn all kinds of clothes. He had played all kinds of roles on stage, but something like this…

Zhou Zeqi took a glass from the cabinet. "Didn’t you ask me what I wanted? I only want to see you wear this for me."

"I asked what gift you wanted."

"I just told you."

Xi Shui stood beside Zhou Zeqi, his fingers picking at the edge of the marble counter. "No."

"Why not?"

"I’m shy."

Seeing him admit it so openly, Zhou Zeqi couldn’t help laughing, his eyes crinkling with amusement, but he still had no intention of backing down. "Being shy doesn’t count. You already promised me."

"Xiao Xi, aren’t you the kind of person who values promises most?" Zhou Zeqi poured out the juice, added a few ice cubes, and handed it to Xi Shui. "Besides, catgirl clothes are so cute. Try it."

"That’s catgirl clothes? That’s, that’s…"

"That’s what?"

There was barely any fabric up top, just a thin lace triangle that looked like it would tear if you tugged it. Below hung a row of delicate silver chains, light and shimmering, but Xi Shui thought it didn’t look like something a person should wear.

"I don’t know where to buy it," Xi Shui said, finding a very reluctant excuse.

"Of course I bought it for you." Seeing that Xi Shui had already slowly finished the juice, Zhou Zeqi lowered his head and rested his forehead against Xi Shui’s. "How could I let you buy something like this yourself, right? Besides, my Xiao Xi only has two hundred yuan left this month, doesn’t he?"

A man of integrity can be killed, but not insulted.

Those two hundred yuan had been given to him by Zhou Zeqi in the first place.

Xi Shui lifted his head, his eyes a little unconvinced.

The next second, before Xi Shui could even speak, his lips were captured, and he was lifted whole into Zhou Zeqi’s arms and seated on the icy marble counter.

Away from the stage, the little swan looked especially beautiful, and especially easy to bully. On stage, he seemed too distant, too untouchable, like he didn’t belong to the mortal world.

There was no air-conditioning in the kitchen. Once the door was shut, the cool air from the living room couldn’t get in, and the heat immediately swept away the little chill that remained here.

Xi Shui gripped the fabric at Zhou Zeqi’s waist, his head tilted back, his neck line taut.

Zhou Zeqi’s scorching palm slowly slid to the nape of Xi Shui’s neck and gave it a light squeeze, as if a tiny electric current had shot from his spine and surged through his whole body.

With the swan’s neck in hand, it was as if he held all of him.

Zhou Zeqi lowered his head and kissed Xi Shui with slow, intimate persistence.

Sitting on the counter, his feet hanging in the air, Xi Shui swung his legs and lured Zhou Zeqi closer, looking at him with eyes veiled in a beautiful mist.

Zhou Zeqi could tell at a glance what he was thinking.

"No, not yet. You need to be nurtured a little more."

Xi Shui’s voice was soft and sweet. "But you clearly want it too."

"…"

Zhou Zeqi’s eyes turned dark and heavy. The way he stared at Xi Shui looked like he wanted to tear him apart and swallow him whole the very next second.

After a while, he pinched Xi Shui’s waist and lifted him up in one motion. "Fine." Clenching his teeth, he accepted Xi Shui’s challenge.

–

Xi Shui had already gotten used to Zhou Zeqi helping him bathe, so much so that it wasn’t until the next morning, when he was about to go practice his morning routine, that he realized the skin on his thigh had been rubbed raw. He must have applied medicine to it, because it didn’t sting with that burning pain.

Xi Shui thought about it, then took his pillow in hand and went to smack Zhou Zeqi once with it.

It was still early, a little after five.

A wolfdog didn’t have the same regular, healthy biological clock as the little swan. Though his schedule wasn’t exactly healthy and regular, he did have a bad temper when woken up.

When the pillow landed the first two times, Zhou Zeqi only lifted his eyelids and glanced at Xi Shui, showing no reaction.

On the third hit.

Before Xi Shui could even pull his hand back, his wrist was seized and he was yanked straight into the blankets.

Zhou Zeqi pinned him down hard and bit into Xi Shui’s neck.

"Didn’t I tell you I have a temper when I wake up?" Zhou Zeqi’s hand moved along Xi Shui’s waistline, itching for trouble.

Xi Shui said softly, "My leg hurts."

"You were the one who came on to me first."

"I didn’t know it could be like that."

"Like what?"

Xi Shui went quiet. He felt that his skin wasn’t as thick as Zhou Zeqi’s.

"What do you want to eat this morning? I’ll make it for you." Zhou Zeqi buried himself in the crook of Xi Shui’s neck, his voice lazy, already sounding like he was about to fall asleep again.

"I have morning class, I’m not eating. I’ll buy milk and eggs at the supermarket."

"You don’t have class?"

"I don’t have any classes this morning," Zhou Zeqi said.

After he entered his junior year, he practically had no classes left. Usually, he spent half his time running over to the business school side. He didn’t need to take the entrance exam for graduate school, and he didn’t need some dazzling academic record either. Even if he were illiterate, the family business would still be handed over to him.

Xi Shui didn’t know much, and said, "So enviable."

"What’s there to envy? I’m going to start learning at the family company this summer."

"What about senior year?"

"Internship, at the family company. I’ll come back for graduation."

"That works out perfectly," Xi Shui said. "I’ll go study further, and you’ll go intern."

"Mm…" Zhou Zeqi didn’t think that sounded perfect at all.

Even though he was sleepy, Zhou Zeqi still rode his bike and sent Xi Shui to the teaching building. Xi Shui got off the bike with a worried look on his face. "You should just sleep from now on. Don’t send me anymore. I’m afraid you’ll kill me if you fall, oh, and yourself too."

"Get lost and go to class."

Xi Shui bolted.

Lin Xiaojin had already figured out the time the two of them arrived at school. He had bought breakfast for Xi Shui in advance, and even peeled the eggs.

"Where’s the yolk?"

Lin Xiaojin said, "I already ate it for you. Thoughtful of me, right?"

"…"

Xi Shui tossed the egg white into his mouth. "What events did you sign up for in the sports meet?"

Lin Xiaojin said, "The two-thousand meter run. I was forced into it. You know me, high jump doesn’t work either. I can’t get off the ground. I suspect I’ll never make a living in ballet."

As long as it involved jumping, it was Lin Xiaojin’s weak point. His expressiveness and explosiveness were both fine, but every time he landed, he was too heavy. Xu Wei had said it before too, saying he was like a weight.

"No way, your mentality is just off every time," Xi Shui said. "I think your takeoff posture is really pretty. You’re just too worried, that’s why it turns out like this."

Lin Xiaojin once again felt that Xi Shui was an angel.

–

By the end of June, the weather was already unbearably hot. The sports meet was held under this kind of weather, so naturally it was lively enough. The school supermarket sponsored dozens of cases of mineral water, and the school infirmary also brought over medical staff and some medicine to prevent heatstroke.

The logistics department occupied one area by itself, and a row of leaders sat on the podium, wiping sweat nonstop.

The student representative for the opening ceremony was Yun Chu. In such scorching weather, with the bright sun blazing down and heat waves rising from the ground, he was wearing a pure white long-sleeved, long-pants tracksuit, not a drop of sweat on his face, like those few clean clouds in the sky.

Wu Fengyi was in charge of timing the running events. The group of them sat in a row on more than ten chairs near the track, turning to look at Yun Chu on the stage. "What kind of freak is that?"

"Who in Xi Shui’s class is holding the sign?"

"Of course it’s Xi Shui. What are you thinking?"

"Yeah, yeah. If he didn’t do it, even their homeroom teacher would shove the sign into his hands."

Zhou Zeqi was holding an umbrella, arms folded, the handle pinned under his arm, and he said nothing.

"No, Old Zhou, you’re really so damn flashy. Look at the rest of us, who’s got an umbrella? Just you. Aren’t you embarrassed?"

Zhou Zeqi lifted his eyelids. "My boyfriend’s umbrella."

"…"

Meng Kewen squeezed under Zhou Zeqi’s umbrella, hiding from the vicious sun, and said to Wu Fengyi, "You’re the one who should be embarrassed."

Xi Shui really was their class’s sign bearer. He stood at the very front of the class holding the sign. When he saw the other classes around him all set their signs down on the ground, he followed suit and put his down too.

Jingxue was actually the biggest department in Jing University. The ballet program at Jing Dance had three sophomore classes, but combined they didn’t even make a hundred people.

They weren’t conspicuous at all.

But Xi Shui always felt that Yun Chu, standing far away from their class, was looking over here.

Xi Shui’s back was soaked with sweat. He was wearing long pants and a black sun-protection shirt. He looked cool and distant, but in fact the clothes underneath were already drenched.

As soon as the sports meet was announced open, Xi Shui ran straight toward Zhou Zeqi.

Zhou Zeqi handed him the umbrella. "Your face is all red from the sun."

Xi Shui greeted Wu Fengyi and the others. "The high jump is tomorrow."

"You’re going back first?" Zhou Zeqi asked.

Xi Shui asked Zhou Zeqi, "What event are you in charge of?"

Zhou Zeqi looked at Wu Fengyi. "Supervising the timekeepers."

At the finish line of the track, a stepped platform reserved for staff had been set up, and there were not only Zhou Zeqi and Wu Fengyi there, but also other people from Jingti. On one hand, it was to prevent injuries, so someone could rush over and carry people away in time. On the other hand, it was to prevent disputes.

There were fights at every sports meet. It wasn’t anything unusual.

"Then I’ll keep you company."

"It’s this hot, go back."

"No."

So everyone on the bleachers could see Jing Dance’s beautiful little swan sitting with an umbrella in a crowd of athletic guys whose builds were clearly a full size larger than his.

Wu Fengyi couldn’t sit down. The first race was the 200 meters, half a lap, very fast. He gripped the stopwatch with a look of utter despair.

Lin Xiaojin and Xi Shui sat side by side.

"Ah, um, Yun Chu is here." Lin Xiaojin nudged Xi Shui’s arm.

Yun Chu was followed by several people, each carrying a case of mineral water. He was friendly and gentle with everyone. "I’m here to hand out water."

The water was distributed to everyone. Yun Chu handed the bottle in his own hand to Xi Shui. "Long time no see."

Xi Shui felt a little awkward. "Long time no see."

Zhou Zeqi, sitting one row below Xi Shui, heard this strange exchange and turned his head. "You know him?"

He was asking Xi Shui, because Xi Shui couldn’t lie.

Just as Yun Chu was about to answer, Xi Shui quickly cut in front of him. "I ate hotpot with Yun Chu before. Nothing else, just hotpot."

He looked nervously at Zhou Zeqi.

Zhou Zeqi looked at the two of them for a while, then finally let his gaze settle back on Xi Shui’s face. "I didn’t ask you anything else. Why are you so nervous?"

Yun Chu glanced at Xi Shui and said to Zhou Zeqi, "Jing University is going to reshoot and remake the admissions brochure. I came to Xi Shui before to ask whether he could make a appearance. He said he was still considering it, right?"

Xi Shui nodded repeatedly.

Zhou Zeqi laughed. "Fine then."

After Zhou Zeqi turned away, his face immediately cooled.

And then he thought it was funny.

Xi Shui must have forgotten that before, on the balcony, he had personally told him that Yun Chu was the boyfriend Meng Kewen had introduced to him. It was just that he had refused. Judging from the situation, Yun Chu also didn’t know that Zhou Zeqi already knew.

But seeing Xi Shui so nervous because of him, Zhou Zeqi still felt pretty happy.

He was only unhappy because of Yun Chu.

Yun Chu was clearly still harboring feelings for Xi Shui.

"Get up, come with me to the bathroom." Zhou Zeqi suddenly stood up. He slipped the work pass hanging in his hand around his neck and looked down at Xi Shui.

Xi Shui was holding the umbrella, dazed. "You need someone to go with you to the bathroom?"

"…"

After a brief silence, Xi Shui hurriedly stood up, handed the umbrella to Lin Xiaojin, and went off with Zhou Zeqi.

Lin Xiaojin had already frozen solid. He felt that Zhou Zeqi had just seemed to sweep a glance over him, and that look seemed like it wanted to eat people.

Xi Shui was really bold. At a time like this, he could still ask, "You need someone to go with you to the bathroom?"

Amen.

–

There were several bathrooms in the sports stadium. One was the most out-of-the-way, with almost no one using it. It was just a bit far. Xi Shui was pulled inside, and the door was shut right after.

"Lied."

Zhou Zeqi pinned him against the sink. "You told me last month who Yun Chu was, and you forgot?"

Zhou Zeqi’s dark, calm eyes felt vaguely familiar, and Xi Shui slowly remembered.

"Right, I told you." In the next second, all of Xi Shui’s confidence vanished.

"Stay away from him." Zhou Zeqi pinched Xi Shui’s face. "You can’t beat him."

Xi Shui looked at Zhou Zeqi in confusion.

No matter how you looked at it, Yun Chu’s appearance had nothing to do with the word "beat."

Zhou Zeqi cleared it up for him. "Yun Chu and I have known each other since we were kids. Wu Fengyi knows him too, but we just know each other. Not even enough to count as nodding acquaintances."

"His mother was his father’s legal wife. But a few years ago, his mother was locked up in a psychiatric hospital, and the mistress moved straight into his home and became Mrs. Yun. But…" Zhou Zeqi paused slightly. "Last year, Yun Chu forced his father to get a vasectomy, made himself the heir to the family, and then the mistress died in a car accident."

Xi Shui felt a chill run down his back. "You mean…"

Zhou Zeqi raised a hand and covered Xi Shui’s mouth. "There’s no evidence. He’s innocent until proven guilty. Besides, he has had a pretty miserable life."

But to be able to become the heir successfully in a family like that, if Yun Chu really had the mind for it, then Xi Shui, faced with him, with no Zhou Zeqi watching over him, probably wouldn’t even have his bones left after he was chewed through.

Xi Shui nodded.

Zhou Zeqi slowly let go of him.

Xi Shui had thought Zhou Zeqi had only come to tell him to stay away from Yun Chu, so he let out a sigh of relief.

But Zhou Zeqi’s next words made his nerves tighten again.

"Alright, now let’s talk about why you just subconsciously lied to me," Zhou Zeqi said, one hand cupping Xi Shui’s face and tilting it up. His voice was low. "If your answer doesn’t satisfy me, then next month’s birthday present gets one more item."