TAO | Chapter 42

The blazing fire in the depths of Jiang Zhan’s dark eyes seemed ready to erupt at any moment.

Wei Xiaochi’s heart sank.

However, Jiang Zhan didn’t say or do anything. He simply turned and walked away, leaving behind a cold, aloof silhouette.

“Sorry, I’m not selling anymore,” Wei Xiaochi said, returning the money to the boy and grabbing his schoolbag as he hurried after Jiang Zhan.

“What’s going on?” the boy complained. “First you’re selling, then you’re not. Don’t you care about your business reputation? Do you even want to keep selling stuff in the future?”

Wei Xiaochi stopped in his tracks and turned back to him. He opened his mouth as if to explain but hesitated, finally muttering an apology. “I’m sorry, I won’t be selling anything from now on.”

With that, he quickly chased after Jiang Zhan.

Jiang Zhan might not have lashed out earlier, but it was clear he was angry.

The alpha’s long legs covered twice the distance of an average step, his handsome face dark and brooding, a storm of low pressure radiating from him.

Wei Xiaochi jogged to catch up, calling his name twice. Jiang Zhan didn’t respond, not even turning his head.

It was recess, and many students were out taking a breather. Wherever Jiang Zhan walked, the crowd instinctively parted to give him space.

Anyone with half a brain could see the school tyrant was in a foul mood. No one dared cross him at a time like this.

Wei Xiaochi didn’t dare either, but he had to find a way to calm Jiang Zhan down. After all, this mess was ultimately his fault.

Selling the chocolate Jiang Zhan bought for him without telling him was, admittedly, wrong.

When Jiang Zhan ignored his attempts to speak, Wei Xiaochi fell silent, trailing him closely all the way to the rooftop of the science building.

The rooftop was cluttered with blue plastic barrels. Jiang Zhan vented his frustration by kicking one hard.

The barrel wobbled precariously like a roly-poly toy, the contents inside clanging loudly, making Wei Xiaochi’s heart leap in fear.

It was as if that kick was meant for him, just redirected to the barrel.

Swallowing hard, Wei Xiaochi murmured weakly, “…I’m sorry.”

Jiang Zhan turned around, his gaze locking onto Wei Xiaochi with aggressive intensity, his eyes burning with fury.

“Why did you sell them?” Jiang Zhan demanded.

Wei Xiaochi froze, rooted to the spot as if nailed down. His body stiffened under Jiang Zhan’s glare, his legs trembling slightly.

“I couldn’t eat them all,” Wei Xiaochi admitted honestly. “It’s summer, and they would’ve melted. Selling them felt like the best option.”

His reasoning was sound, but it only made Jiang Zhan angrier.

“You know you have low blood sugar!” Jiang Zhan shouted, his frustration spilling over. “I was in my sensitivity period, fresh out of the hospital, forcing myself to endure all kinds of pheromonal chaos just to buy you that pile of chocolate in the middle of the night. And you sold it! Then you lied to me, saying you ate it!”

Wei Xiaochi stared at the furious alpha, and oddly enough, he felt less scared than before.

He looked at Jiang Zhan quietly, blinking slowly. For some reason, a strange sense of calm washed over him.

When he sold the chocolate, he hadn’t thought much about it—certainly not about Jiang Zhan being this upset.

He had no idea Jiang Zhan bought all that chocolate because he knew about his low blood sugar. Wei Xiaochi had thought it was just a passing whim.

Jiang Zhan was a young master with a temperamental personality and a habit of spending extravagantly on a whim. When the chocolate had first arrived, Wei Xiaochi was overwhelmed. Returning it wasn’t an option, and keeping it felt impractical.

With few friends and a frugal nature, selling it had seemed like the best solution. He hadn’t meant to hurt Jiang Zhan’s feelings.

“I didn’t lie to you,” Wei Xiaochi said softly. “I really did eat some. I even kept a portion for myself.”

“Sorry for letting your thoughtfulness go to waste.”

Jiang Zhan’s face flushed with heat, his eyes darting away as he kicked the blue barrel again.

“What thoughtfulness?” Jiang Zhan mumbled, his voice dry and awkward. “What feelings could I possibly have for you?”

The barrel rattled back and forth as Jiang Zhan kicked it repeatedly, the clangs growing louder and more chaotic.

“What feelings are you talking about?” Jiang Zhan’s ears were slowly turning red. “Do you… do you have feelings for me?”

Wei Xiaochi was stunned. What on earth was he talking about?

“Answer me!” Jiang Zhan demanded, kicking the barrel harder, his breath uneven. “Don’t you have feelings for me?”

Wei Xiaochi: “…”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Jiang Zhan muttered, lowering his head in embarrassment and giving the barrel another couple of kicks. “If you don’t say anything, how am I supposed to know?”

If Wei Xiaochi still didn’t understand what Jiang Zhan meant at this point, then his brain might as well be for show.

It seemed like Jiang Zhan had feelings for him, feelings that implied he wanted them to be together. And… he wanted Wei Xiaochi to confess to him?

Wei Xiaochi felt as if his brain had been hit with a heavy hammer, leaving him dazed and unable to process anything.

After a long pause, Wei Xiaochi finally managed to choke out, “I…”

The moment he spoke, Jiang Zhan immediately turned to look at him, his eyes blazing with anticipation.

Wei Xiaochi felt like his throat was stuffed with damp cotton, making it impossible to get any words out. He even regretted starting to speak in the first place.

Earlier, he had doubted whether he was overthinking things. Jiang Zhan’s logic was often unpredictable, after all.

But now, faced with the alpha’s eager expression, Wei Xiaochi was certain he hadn’t misinterpreted anything.

Jiang Zhan liked him. Liked him enough to expect a confession.

It was all so…

Author’s Note:

Who else? Who else can be more tsundere than Jiang Zhan?
He likes someone but forces them to confess to him instead.

Share your favorite tsundere characters and their outrageous antics in the comments! Let’s discuss!