Chapter 83
Noticing that the rainwater on his hand had dampened the other’s hair, Xiang Huaizhi withdrew his hand and lowered his gaze, quietly waiting for a response.
Jing Huan gripped the doorknob, finally managing to find his voice. With his hoarse, raspy tone, he asked, “Bro… how did you know I live here?”
Xiang Huaizhi replied, “Lu Hang told me.”
Actually, it was something Xiang Huaizhi had noticed when they came back together earlier. Shortly after Jing Huan entered the building, the lights on this floor would turn on within minutes.
But admitting this out loud would probably sound a bit creepy.
So he simply pinned it all on Lu Hang.
Jing Huan responded with a quiet “Oh.”
Xiang Huaizhi handed him the gift box.
Jing Huan flusteredly took it, not giving it a second glance, and said in a panic, “Thank you.”
Shit.
What’s going on here!
We agreed I’d turn myself in after I recovered! Why are you here to arrest me now!!!
Jing Huan swallowed, the stinging pain in his throat jolting him fully awake.
Xiang Huai glanced at the slightly ajar door crack, then shook the bag in his hand.
Not knowing why this person noticed but didn’t confront him outright, Xiang Huai simply decided to play along.
He said, “Lu Hang has a fever, so I bought him some fever medicine on my way. Since you’re sick too, you can have it first.”
“……”
What fever?
Weren’t you just happily running dungeons with me a moment ago?!
Knowing that these were medicines Xiang Huaizhi had specifically brought for him, Jing Huan reluctantly accepted them: “This is too kind of you, thank you.”
Jing Huan, you absolutely must stay calm.
You know nothing.
As long as your acting skills are good enough, Xiang Huaizhi’s fists won’t reach you.
Xiang Huaizhi was wearing a dark green coat, which had turned darker from the rain.
After realizing he was sick, Jing Huan closed the window and drew the curtains, completely unaware that it had started raining outside.
“Did you get caught in the rain?” Jing Huan asked. “Didn’t bring an umbrella?”
His original intention was to lend Xiang Huaizhi an umbrella.
But before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted.
“Yeah,” Xiang Huaizhi said. “Mind if I take shelter here from the rain?”
Jing Huan: “…”
Damn!!!
For a moment, Jing Huan got goosebumps all over—
What should I do.
What about the game client I have open on my computer?
How the hell am I supposed to act now?
Even an Oscar-winning actor couldn’t fucking pull this off!!!
Just refuse.
Just kick them out directly!
Say he’s sick and uncomfortable! Say the room is too messy to be seen! Say he’s living with someone and it’s inconvenient!
Huai Zhi asked, “Is that okay?”
“…” Jing Huan’s heart was pounding, but he kept a calm face, then slowly opened the door as if prying open his own coffin. “Yes, of course it is.”
As soon as Huai Zhi stepped inside, he saw a shoe rack that reached up to his waist, each layer filled with sneakers, each pair quite expensive.
Men are naturally messier than girls. On the floor by the entrance, a few pairs that couldn’t fit were haphazardly placed to the side.
Although it appeared messy, there was no unpleasant smell in the air.
Jing Huan wanted to fetch a pair of slippers for Xiang Huaizhi but couldn’t find any after searching for a while, only then remembering he had just one pair at home.
So he took off his shoes: “I only have this one pair, you’ll have to make do with them.”
“No need, you keep them on.” Xiang Huaizhi’s gaze remained fixed on the shoe cabinet as he asked casually, “Do you really like sneakers?”
The words of reply surged to his lips, only to be swallowed back forcefully by Jing Huan.
He stood rooted to the spot, his back rigid.
Wait a minute…
Hadn’t he previously fabricated the pitiful persona of an impoverished teenage girl with divorced parents???
Xiang Huaizhi sized things up for a while before figuring it out.
The priciest shoes were placed on the top shelf of the shoe cabinet, while the cheaper ones were at the bottom. The ones kept outside were also expensive—those were the frequently worn pairs.
Jing Huan’s ears burned as he forced out a sentence: “These are all high-grade knockoffs.”
Xiang Huaizhi asked, “And your parents are okay with you wearing knockoffs?”
“……”
He forgot that Xiang Huaizhi had met his parents.
Jing Huan felt himself growing colder by the minute.
Trying to cover up the lie only made it spin further out of control.
Xiang Huaizhi’s lips quirked almost imperceptibly, but he didn’t tease him further. “Go take your medicine first.”
The pot of hot water Jing Huan had boiled earlier was almost empty. He poured a cup for Xiang Huaizhi as well, and when he walked out of the kitchen, he saw Xiang Huaizhi sitting on the sofa, his gaze fixed on the computer screen.
Jing Huan nearly dropped the cup.
Damn.
Why had he chosen convenience and rented this apartment without a separate bedroom?
Jing Huan’s rented apartment only had the bathroom and kitchen separated; the bed, sofa, and desk were all in the living room. It looked spacious and comfortable, just the kind of layout he liked, perfect for living alone.
Now I just regret it, so much regret.
He forced himself to place the cup in front of Xiang Huaizhi as if nothing had happened.
“You just got caught in the rain, have something warm…”
“Are you still playing Nine Heroes?”
The air fell silent.
Jing Huan’s breathing unconsciously quickened.
“Just playing around casually.” Jing Huan suddenly coughed a few times, randomly grabbed the medicine on the table, and forcefully changed the subject, “How many of these should I take each?”
Xiang Huaizhi withdrew his gaze, took out a small rectangular box from the plastic bag, and upon opening it, found an ear thermometer.
Jing Huan reached out to stop him: “No need to unwrap it, this…” I have.?
Jing Huan, what are you doing?
Your thermometer can’t measure body temperature!!
Xiang Huaizi looked up: “Hmm?”
“This…” Remembering the lie he told back in elementary school, Jing Huan took a deep breath, “I don’t know how to use it.”
Xiang Huaizhi didn’t say anything. He tossed the instruction manual aside, turned around with the ear thermometer that had its cover on, and reached out to pinch Jing Huan’s earlobe.
His fingertips were still cold. Jing Huan felt a tingling in his ear and instinctively tried to pull away.
Xiang Huaizhi reached out and held the back of his neck.
“Don’t move.” He held the ear thermometer, made sure it was working, then inserted the tip into Jing Huan’s ear.
Jing Huan sat frozen on the sofa, suddenly unsure where to put his hands and feet.
From childhood till now, Jing Huan was never exactly the kingpin type, but he was certainly a little tyrant in his own right. During his rebellious phase, he never picked fights with others, yet no one dared provoke him either. Whether it was school brawls or major exams, he’d never really felt nervous before.
At this very moment, he felt like his face was hot enough to fry an egg.
Damn it.
Is this the price of lying?!
I was wrong, I swear I’ll never do it again.
The ear thermometer might have only been in his ear for ten seconds, maybe even less, but to Jing Huan, it felt longer than the entire hundred-plus minutes of the college entrance exam.
Then I heard the person beside me speak in a deep, emotionless tone: “38.9°C.”
Jing Huan exclaimed in surprise, “That high?”
Xiang Huai lowered his gaze.
Meeting his eyes, Jing Huan’s pupils trembled, and his heart raced with panic.
“I measured it when I woke up, it wasn’t even 38 degrees yet,” Jing Huan averted his gaze, “really.”
Xiang Huaizhi tossed the ear covers into the trash bin and opened the medicine box.
“Take two tablets at a time when you have a fever,” Xiang Huaizhi said, his slender fingers pressing the pills out of their packaging into a small container as he spoke.
“This one twice a day, one pill each time, take it daily.”
Jing Huan stared at his fingers—Xiang Huaizhi’s hands were truly beautiful, so much so that even he, a guy, thought so. Long and straight.
“This…” Xiang Huaizhi glanced at him. “Are you even listening?”
Jing Huan snapped back to attention. “Of course!”
It wasn’t until he’d taken the medicine that Jing Huan realized how overly dramatic he’d been acting just moments ago.
He had never let anyone serve him medicine since he understood things.
Watching him finish the medicine, Xiang Huaizhi pulled out a tissue and casually wiped it a couple of times on the stray hairs on his forehead.
Only then did Jing Huan realize: “I’ll get you a towel.”
“No need, it’s almost dry already.”
The rain outside grew heavier, raindrops pattering against the glass with a light, crisp sound.
Jing Huan was just about to say something when his phone on the table suddenly rang.
He unlocked it and saw a WeChat call.
It was from Qiu Feng.
The two of them froze for a moment. This time, Jing Huan reacted lightning-fast, hanging up the phone before anyone could blink.
Shit!
Is this the legendary “strike while the iron is hot” move?!
Autumn Maple: ?
Autumn Maple: Did you get the takeout? The AFK timer’s up, come back and AFK again.
In the game “Nine Heroes,” the auto-battle feature has a turn limit. After exceeding forty turns, you need to click the auto-battle button again, or your character will stand still.
“Takeout?” Xiang Huaizhi raised an eyebrow, as if it were the most natural thing.
“Yeah, I ordered a medicine delivery, but it still hasn’t arrived…”
Jing Huan typed under the scorching gaze from his right side.
Xiao Jing Ya: Kick me out of the team!
Autumn Maple: Ah, it’s fine. How much longer do you need? I’ll stay logged in and wait for you. Anyway, we’ve already cleared the ten-minute jungle monsters, and they haven’t respawned yet.
Xiao Jing Ya: Don’t wait for me!
Xiao Jing: Just kick me out directly!
I can’t go back today!
Autumn Maple: What’s wrong with you 0.0
Autumn Maple: Don’t worry, I just took a look, Heart Yearning is AFK in Penglai, they can’t catch us [wink][shy]????
Hello???
What issue between us requires Huaizhi to come catch us???
What grudge do I have with you that you’d seek revenge like this???
Jing Huan didn’t even want to reply anymore and directly locked his screen.
Xiang Huaizhi took in the contents at a glance, then asked, “What mission are you doing?”
“…” Jing Huan muted his phone. “Grinding in the wild map.”
After saying that, he added, “It’s a full team grinding, I couldn’t steal any monsters. I just happened to see someone from the guild, so I hitched a ride.”
Xiang Huaizhi asked, “Aren’t you going to restart the auto-battle?”
Jing Huan shook his head: “The auto-battle only lasts for forty rounds, it’s too troublesome… Besides, I need to rest soon, so I’m not going to grind right now.”
The phone screen remained lit, filled with messages from Autumn Maple.
Autumn Maple: Just kidding, haha.
Autumn Maple: If you want, you can hand over your account to me, and I’ll help you play.
Autumn Maple: What materials do you need? Let me see if I have any extras.
I don’t want anything.
Get lost!
Jing Huan couldn’t hold back anymore and flipped his phone face down on the table.
He was just about to speak when the person beside him suddenly stood up.
“Although I haven’t played in a long time, I still know how to stay online,” Xiang Huaizhi said. “It’s fine, go to sleep. I’ll help you grind.”
Jing Huan widened his eyes and instinctively reached out to grab his sleeve to stop him, but he didn’t succeed.
Xiang Huaizhi had long legs and reached the computer in just two steps. He shook the mouse, and the computer’s standby screen instantly disappeared.
Xiang Huaizhi took hold of his mouse, skillfully activating the AFK mode: “You’re playing a female character?”
Jing Huan: “…”
Jing Huan said with tragic determination: “Male character equipment is expensive, playing a female character saves more money…”
Xiang Huaizhi’s gaze lowered, suddenly letting out a soft “Oh”: “And you’re married too.”
Jing Huan frowned: “Yeah, just…”
He was stuck for a long time, unable to come up with a reasonable excuse.
So he struggled to get up and walked behind Xiang Huaizhi: “I’ll do it myself, no need to trouble you.”
At that moment, Qiu Feng’s voice came from the speaker.
Qiu Feng let out a surprised “Huh”: “Is Little Jingjing back?”
Qiu Feng used a voice changer, producing the standard “scumbag” voice. The way “Xiao Jing Jing” sounded coming from his mouth was completely different from when Lu Tiao Tiao said it.
Especially since Jing Huan found wearing headphones uncomfortable today and had specifically connected to speakers, the effect was even more pronounced.
Jing Huan’s eyelid twitched slightly.
Just as he was about to say something, he saw Xiang Huai Zhi suddenly press F5—the talk key in the game.
His scalp tingled, and without thinking, he bent over, tightly covering his microphone, blurting out, “No, brother…”
I turned on the 100% voice changer!!!
I’ve already lost all shame, I can’t let you embarrass yourself too!!!
Xiang Huaizhi froze mid-action and looked up at him.
Seeing him let go of the F5 key, Jing Huan also sighed in relief: “Brother, this microphone of mine…”
Xiang Huaizhi asked, “Now you know to call me brother?”
Jing Huan: “…”
Huh?
Wait a minute?
Did I just call him “brother”???
Jing Huan froze instantly, beginning to slowly recall the moment.
“I said I suddenly developed a stutter,” he blinked once, “Do you believe me?”
Xiang Huaizi silently raised an eyebrow at him in response.
“Alright then.” Jing Huan gave up his struggle in less than two seconds.
He simply couldn’t keep up the act any longer.
“Go on,” Xiang Huai asked, holding the microphone stand. “What’s wrong with this mic?”
“Well, it’s on, you know, that thing.”
“What what?”
Jing Huan struggled to articulate, word by word: “A… voice changer.”
The room fell into silence, with only the whirring sound of the computer’s cooling fan audible.
Jing Huan was utterly mortified.
But this was his own doing, so he had no one to blame but himself. He swallowed hard, gripping the hem of his clothes tightly: “I’m sorry… you can hit me if you want!”
Xiang Huaizhi was amused by his look of grim determination.
But he didn’t show it on his face.
After a moment of contemplation, he moved the microphone away and stood up, saying, “Alright, close your eyes.”
Jing Huan’s heart sank, then he resignedly closed his eyes.
Clenching his teeth as he awaited the fist, when engulfed in darkness, all emotions flooded in—embarrassment, panic, fear… and sorrow.
He didn’t even know why he was feeling sorrow.
It wasn’t the fear of being hit either. Just the thought that the person about to punch him was Xiang Huaizhi…
It just feels really unpleasant.
After waiting for about ten seconds with no movement, Jing Huan grew increasingly restless. It felt like having a knife hanging over his head, neither falling nor retreating—utterly unbearable.
Unable to resist the urge, he tried to peek, but before his eyelids could fully lift, a warm sensation brushed against his cheek.
It was the boy’s palm, gliding ever so lightly across his face. The touch was so gentle it couldn’t even be called a pat—let alone a slap. If anything, it was more like a caress, or even a “fondle.”
His father used to ruffle his hair like this when he was a child.
But he felt that Xiang Huaizhi’s touch carried something more than his father’s ever did.
As for what that “more” was, he couldn’t quite put it into words.
All he knew was that his heart was pounding like a drum, louder even than the rain outside, as if the whole world could hear it.
“Alright, open your eyes,” Xiang Huaizhi said.
Jing Huan slowly opened his eyes, looking utterly bewildered.
That’s it?
It’s over?
Jing Huan stood rooted to the spot in disbelief, half-suspecting this was all a dream.
Xiang Huaizhi sat back in his chair. In the game, Qiufeng was still sending messages in the chat box, asking Jinghuan if he had muted his mic and why he hadn’t said anything.
Xiang Huaizhi glanced at the chat content and asked the person next to him, “Can we leave the party? I don’t want to listen to his nonsense.”
Jing Huan snapped out of his daze and answered without hesitation, “I can.”
As long as you’re happy.
I’d even PK him for you if you asked.
Author’s Note:
Autumn Maple: ?