The excitement before bed was just too much, so when Fang Chen crawled under the covers he was still feeling a little dizzy.

Even though Seth promised again and again there would be no more funny business, Fang Chen still locked the door.
As if Seth’s promises could be trusted!

Maybe it was all those strange “pre-bedtime exercises,” but Fang Chen had a wild dream.
He dreamt someone hugged him from behind. He struggled to look back, but whoever it was held him tightly, not letting him move at all.
Large hands circled his waist, trying to draw him into the other’s body.
Dazed, Fang Chen tentatively called Seth’s name.
There was a low laugh behind him, then the man picked him up, turned him around, and kissed him deeply.
He could finally see clearly.
It was Seth.
He gazed down with focused eyes.
……

Bright morning. Fang Chen sat on the bed in a daze, lifted the blanket for a peek, then groaned painfully and covered up again.
Wuwuwu!
How useless!
Waking up like this…and already…finished?!
What should he do!
He’d have to wash the sheets!!

Closing his eyes in anguish, he finally got up, washed up, and started stripping the sheets.

It was almost noon, still no word from the guest room, or reply to his messages.
Seth checked the time, frowned, then finally decided to go knock.

After waiting a couple minutes, the door cracked open, and Fang Chen’s fuzzy head poked out, watching Seth warily. “What is it?”

“If you’re up, why haven’t you come out? Why not reply?” Seth squinted at him. “Come eat.”

Fang Chen’s eyes flicked, looking a bit guilty, stammering, “I…I’m not hungry.”

He tried to shut the door, but Seth stuck a hand out and pushed it open.

Seth stalked closer, tall and imposing, closing in as Fang Chen retreated until he bumped the wall.
Seth’s question made his heart skip, and he just shook his head frantically.

Seth glanced at the drops still on Fang Chen’s hand, raised an eyebrow, and headed straight for the bathroom.

“Hey! Seth—”

But it was too late. Seth opened the door, where a basin sat on the floor—soaking the sheets.

No machine in the guest room, so Fang Chen had to use the old-fashioned way.
He stood behind Seth, smiling awkwardly. “Ha, I…just spilled juice, so I washed them. Don’t worry about it…”

Seth turned, half-smiling, studying him until Fang Chen looked away, shifty.

“Was it juice…or milk?”

That teasing question made Fang Chen flush, glaring at Seth. “None of your business! Get out!”

Seth smirked, grabbed Fang Chen’s hand, pulled him to the sink to wash up, then said, “You don’t have to do that; someone will come by to clean.”

Fang Chen didn’t want others to do it. He bit his lip, stiffly, “I’ll do it myself.”

He pouted and tried to sit down again.

Seth pulled him away.
“I’ll do it.”

Fang Chen hesitated, but then got bold.
He helped Seth last night—so Seth helping him wash sheets today was fair!

The little lamb tiptoed to pat Seth’s shoulder, “Fine, you wash it. I’m off to eat.”

Seth stole a kiss on Fang Chen’s cheek as he darted away—so soft, but Fang Chen was too fast and he couldn’t sneak in a lick.

Breakfast was laid out, Chinese style, clearly made by Seth.

Fang Chen feasted guiltlessly.

When he finished, Seth came out of the guest room and saw the empty table.
“You finished eating?”

Fang Chen glared, “What, want me to wait for you?”

“No.” Seth explained, “You said your hand hurt, I thought I’d feed you.”

…
Hand hurt! Like it wasn’t his fault!

Fang Chen looked away, “I’m going back to school.”

Seth silently walked over and hugged him from behind, “No classes today. Can you stay?”

“Hmph, you even know my class schedule?”
Seth paused, realized he shouldn’t push, and let it go.

“Still have rehearsal today.”

He struggled, but Seth only hugged tighter.
Fang Chen sometimes wondered if Seth had some kind of touch-starved syndrome—always wanting hugs and kisses.

He used to think Seth wasn’t “functional”!!
Turns out it was his own brain that wasn’t functional.

Seth picked him up, nuzzling and kissing his neck, his hot breath tickling—like a big dog getting close.

“Stop kissing! Did I say you could?!”

Seth, pretending innocence, “Not even a kiss on the cheek?”

Fang Chen thought, then seriously: “Only with my permission.”

Seth’s eyes darkened, but he relented, “Baby, stay home, let me rehearse with you.”

“With you?!”

“Why not? Doesn’t it make more sense than with that guy?”

Fang Chen was caught off guard, only then realizing Seth meant Chen Fang, and almost laughed in exasperation, “I barely know him!”

Seth seized on it, “If you can practice with him, you definitely can with me.”

He couldn’t win that one.
Eventually, he caved.

Fang Chen still wore Seth’s silk robe, tied up like a dumpling—no skin showing.
He kneeled on the rug, pointing to lines on the tablet, “The lines in red are yours. Respond when I finish. Also, if I hit you, you need to fall down and react, okay?”

Seth eyed his “little mummy,” responded carelessly, “Okay.”

“You even listening? Repeat what I said.”

Brief and to the point, Seth replied:
“You hit me, I react.”

…Little lamb nearly blacked out.
If he weren’t afraid Seth really would react, he’d want to really punch him.

Seth surrendered after two seconds.
“Okay, got it.” He took the tablet. “My first line?”

“Did you hear what I said!” Fang Chen scowled, fists tight, “Stay away from Zhu Yingtai or our young master will punish you!”

He punched Seth’s chest.

Seth raised an eyebrow, stared at him.

Where was the reaction!

Fang Chen blinked at him. Seth looked down, eyed the soft punch, then played along—clutching his chest, retreating, falling to the floor rather stiffly.

The little lamb ran over, kicked him, “That’s for ruining my young master’s plan!”

Barefoot, he kicked—and then his ankle was grabbed.

Eh??

Two tugs and he couldn’t get loose.

He glared, but those dark eyes staring back had no smile, only fierce intensity.

Gulp. The little lamb swallowed.

He tried for a grin, “Never mind, let’s stop now, let me go…”

He smiled—Seth smiled back.

But it was a cold smile.

Lamb’s heart raced, but too late. Seth pulled, toppling Fang Chen right onto him.

Disaster!

Lamb panicked, tried to scramble up, but somehow ended up grabbing somewhere…hot.

A stifled groan from Seth. Looking down, Fang Chen realized, shocked, just where his hand was.
“Sorry…my roommate’s having a baby, got to go—”

He started crawling away, but his ankle got snagged. Seth’s icy voice, “Ass pointed at me, what’s that mean? You hinting at something?”

Fang Chen almost cried, shaking his head.

Seth’s hand slid up Fang Chen’s leg; in a panic, Fang Chen blurted, “Seth! Points off! I’m docking your score!”

Seth paused, glancing at him.

Heart pounding, Fang Chen feigned fierceness, “Really! Minus ten!”

Seth was calm, “If I let you go now, how many do I get back?”

What a highway robbery!

Fang Chen eyed him, “…2—no, 5!”

Seth snorted, dropping the act.

“Fine, dock away.”
His own score was the least of Seth’s worries—something else mattered more.

“Wait, wait—ten—no, twenty!”

Seth’s arm circled Fang Chen’s waist, letting out a slow laugh. He mused aloud, “Baby, how many points do I have now?”

Dropping the mask! Big bad wolf!

Lamb tried to look pleased, “Seventy!”

Seth was satisfied. “Good lamb.”

He didn’t really plan to do anything—the night before had been wild enough. If he crossed the line again, lamb would hide from him.

He stroked Fang Chen’s thighs a few more times, then reluctantly let go, helped him fix his robe, and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Fang Chen wanted to curse.
Damn faker!

After lunch, nothing would make Fang Chen stay longer. He insisted on leaving—with or without a ride.
Seth had to drop him off.

Before leaving the car, Seth tried for a kiss, but Fang Chen was already gone, faster than a rabbit.
The door slammed in his face.

His roommate was gaming and looked up in horror. “What happened—dog chasing you?”

“Kind of,” Fang Chen muttered. “Wolf chasing me.”

Astounded roommate: “A wolf? In NY?”

Fang Chen just collapsed on the sofa, “Terrifying, right.”

The roommate noticed red hickeys on Fang Chen’s neck, grinned, “Oh, a sex wolf.”

!!!
Wide-eyed, Fang Chen covered his neck. “It’s not—”

“Come on, you should date already. What kind of guy is he? Tall? Handsome?”

Fang Chen pouted, “We’re not dating. Still evaluating him.”

The process just wasn’t very smooth.

Roommate said no more, just raised an eyebrow—amused.

Blushing, Fang Chen excused himself and dashed to his room, burying in his bed.
Wuwuwu! All Seth’s fault, with all that nibbling and kissing!

Just then his phone rang—thinking it was Seth, Fang Chen snapped, “What?!”

A pause, then Zhou Lili’s hesitant voice, “Fang Chen?”

Blink. Fang Chen checked, sat up, tone instantly polite. “That’s me, what’s up?”

She invited him to a dinner with the other students.

Fang Chen refused outright.
He hated socializing!!

But Zhou Lili wouldn’t hang up, coaxing for ten minutes before Fang Chen, dazed, caved.
“Great, I’ll text the address—don’t be late!”

Afterward, Fang Chen checked his phone—Seth had sent several messages.

【Baby, miss you.】
【Can I pick you up tomorrow?】
【Parrot mastered backflips.】
【I mastered backflips, too.】

He didn’t want to reply, but relented: told Seth about the dinner.

Seth quickly replied: 【I’ll pick you up.】

Fang Chen, annoyed: 【No need!】

For the rest, he ignored all Seth’s messages.

……

The dinner was at a nearby restaurant.
Fang Chen arrived on time, hid in a corner.

Zhou Lili found him: “Why so far away?”

“In the end it’s all the same.”

“True.”
Chen Fang sat beside him.

Fang Chen looked away.

Chen Fang seemed not to notice, chatting away, “Why didn’t you rehearse today?”

A sore subject!

Was rehearsing plenty—at home!
He’d put on a high-neck sweater to hide the marks.

Chen Fang stole looks, eventually turning away, but then asked, “Why did you and Seth come out of the changing room that day?”

Baiting him.

But Fang Chen coolly replied, “Why so interested?”

Under Fang Chen’s gaze, Chen Fang flinched. “We’re friends, that’s all.”

Fang Chen’s smile was mocking.
“About me and Seth?” he said lightly. “My clothes are glow-in-the-dark. Asked him to see.”

Chen Fang went totally cold.

He’d already distanced himself from Chen Fang, but the guy just kept pushing.

Annoyed by him, Fang Chen endured the meal, quietly slipping out when it ended.

“Fang Chen!”
Chen Fang caught up, “I’ll walk you home.”

“I don’t want you to,” Fang Chen snapped.

Chen Fang tried to grab him, “I have something to say.”

Fang Chen dodged, “Don’t touch me!”

The motion stung Chen Fang, and he turned hostile, “What, too precious to touch?”

Wait—
Did he say “little young master”?

Seizing on that, Chen Fang grew more aggressive, “So Seth can touch you? Your family know about your foreign boyfriend? Banished here, and yet you’re doing so well. Chased after Seth for his money?”

Fang Chen froze, mind buzzing.

Chen Fang reached out, but was abruptly yanked away, tossed aside like trash.

He crashed into the door, coughing, glaring—until he saw the tall man behind Fang Chen, then went dead silent.

Seth glared coldly, “You touched him?”

Chen Fang paled, speechless.

He already disliked Chen Fang. Seeing him touch Fang Chen pushed him to fury.
Seth strode forward, but Fang Chen grabbed his wrist.

“Baby?”

Fang Chen’s lips moved, face pale. “Let’s go, Seth.”

Seth watched for a second, then nodded.

The car was right outside; Fang Chen jumped in, finally breathing easier.

So Chen Fang knew…
He’d forgotten—after being transmigrated over, the original owner was exiled. Had Chen Fang figured it out?

His mind swirled—what if he was dissected in a lab?

A touch on his cheek, Seth cupped his face. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Fang Chen blinked out of his spiral. “Nothing.”

Seth barely frowned, but did not push.

“Let’s go to the apartment near campus.”

Fang Chen nodded.

Truthfully, Seth’s company calmed him.

Back home, Fang Chen was mostly fine—just startled before, but maybe it wasn’t so bad.

Seth ruffled his hair, “It’s late. Go shower and sleep.”

Fang Chen turned back, then beckoned Seth closer with his finger.

Startled, Seth leaned in.

Fang Chen tiptoed and kissed his cheek, then dashed away.

Seth stayed frozen.

A first—Fang Chen initiated. Even just a peck, it made Seth’s heart race.

He touched his cheek, savoring the moment.

He grinned and headed for the guest room, knocking,
“Baby, I wanna shower too, let’s shower together.”

…
Shouldn’t have let him see his soft side—Seth always took advantage.

He’s a wolf!
Kindness to wolves is cruelty to lambs.

Alas, before he realized it, Seth was in the bathroom—two men, one shower.

It’s just a shower…right?
Back at uni, the dorms did this all the time—

If he treats Seth like a roommate, it’ll be fine.

Right.
Roommate!

Wait—
If he’s a roommate, does that mean living together too?