Chapter 042: Oysters Can’t Be Eaten Too Much

As they walked, Xia Chiyi asked Zhou Zhexiao, “When did you get here?”

“When that guy did the double-clutch layup.”

“Then why didn’t you call me?”

“I saw you were playing happily.”

Xia Chiyi quickened his pace to catch up and nudged him with his elbow. “Then do you know who that guy with the double-clutch layup is?”

“No.”

Zhou Zhexiao’s subtext was: I’m not interested either.

“He’s Yang Huaiyu! Yang Huaiyu from the Qincheng University school team!”

This name successfully made Zhou Zhexiao stop. “That King of Double-Clutch?”

“Yes, yes, yes! But that guy deliberately held back his strength in front of me today. I feel his ability should be more than just that. It might be because Ma Tao on the other side brought a freshman, and his skill wasn’t enough. Forgot to mention, that Ma Tao is from the Mining University team, also a ruthless character!”

“So you did your best to show off everything you’re good at, making a perfect impression on Yang Huaiyu, hoping to get him to recruit you to Qincheng University?” Zhou Zhexiao asked back.

“I wanted to seduce him…” After Xia Chiyi said it, he suddenly wanted to punch Ye Zhaoying to see what kind of nonsense that guy had taught him.

Sure enough, Zhou Zhexiao stopped walking and turned around.

Standing under the streetlamp, his gaze was cool.

“Seducing him… you certainly have a talent for that.”

“I didn’t say that, it was Ye Zhaoying! Don’t you remember the request he made before we left? He wanted us to seduce the people from Qincheng University, let them know how good we are, and then agree to our practice match invitation!”

Zhou Zhexiao reached out and flicked Xia Chiyi’s forehead.

“If this is called ‘seduction,’ you are indeed exceptionally gifted.”

“Ah? Don’t think I didn’t hear that, you’re being sarcastic!”

“How is this sarcasm? It’s a compliment. So far, there have been quite a lot of people seduced by you.”

“No way!”

“Ling Huanzhen, Jiao Yingfeng, Fan Qingliang, today’s Ma Tao, Yang Huaiyu, and… Sheng Xingming.” Zhou Zhexiao’s last sentence was very low, submerged in the night.

Xia Chiyi’s stomach let out a growl. He put on a pitiful expression. “I’m really hungry…”

“Eat. Your oyster pancake is still hot.”

“You’re the best!”

Xia Chiyi took the paper bag with the oyster pancake. Just as he was about to bite into it, he suddenly thought about how hard Zhou Zhexiao had worked to queue for it. He was about to give the first bite to him, but unexpectedly, Zhou Zhexiao shook his head and picked up the box of cold, sticky takoyaki.

“I’ll just eat this.”

Although Zhou Zhexiao said so, Xia Chiyi still brought the first bite to his lips. Zhou Zhexiao pursed his lips tightly and took half a step back.

“I don’t like it made this way.”

“Oh, you should have said so earlier… Queued for so long for nothing.”

Xia Chiyi opened his mouth and innocently took a big bite.

In an instant, the fishy smell of the oysters exploded in his mouth, accompanied by the unique smell of a seafood market, and some unknown shrimp fishiness in the sauce instantly assaulted Xia Chiyi’s brain.

“Urgh—”

He rushed to the trash can at the speed of a half-court sprint and spat it out.

Zhou Zhexiao walked over unhurriedly, putting a takoyaki ball in his mouth and chewing slowly.

“Why… why is it so fishy?”

Xia Chiyi looked at Zhou Zhexiao with confused eyes.

“Oysters are naturally very fishy.” Zhou Zhexiao handed him a napkin.

“You knew? Then why didn’t you warn me!”

“While I was queuing, a tourist bought one and started eating on the side of the road, then hugged the trash can and threw up just like you.”

After speaking, Zhou Zhexiao put a spring roll to his lips, holding it like a cigar, truly looking like a boss.

“Then you could have told me!”

“I called you and sent you a text, you didn’t reply.”

Xia Chiyi took his phone out of his pocket and found a missed call and an unread text message.

The text read: [Oyster pancakes are very fishy, are you sure you want to eat one?]

The time of the message was twenty minutes ago. At that time, he should have already been playing basketball with Yang Huaiyu.

“Because I didn’t say I wouldn’t eat it, so you just kept queuing?” Xia Chiyi asked.

“Mn.”

At this moment, Xia Chiyi suddenly felt that the oyster pancake in his hand was very precious.

He swallowed his saliva, held his breath, wrinkled his face like a bun, and took a big, fierce bite.

Zhou Zhexiao suddenly snatched the paper bag back. “Don’t eat it if you’re not used to it!”

Xia Chiyi looked at him, his mouth full of fishy taste, tears almost overflowing in his eyes: “Ni ai e e e le le le e ao en en a…” (You queued for so long…)

“Spit it out, quickly.” Zhou Zhexiao grabbed the back of Xia Chiyi’s neck and turned him towards the trash can.

Xia Chiyi originally wanted to tough it out, but he still spat it out.

“What did you just say?”

Xia Chiyi sniffled. “I just said… since you bought it, I have to eat it even with tears in my eyes…”

Zhou Zhexiao seemed to sigh again. “Give me your phone.”

Xia Chiyi didn’t know what he was going to do. Unexpectedly, he went to the small shop opposite and bought a bottle of mineral water for Xia Chiyi.

“Rinse your mouth more. Don’t stink me out when sleeping tonight.”

Xia Chiyi used up the whole bottle of mineral water rinsing.

When he looked up, Zhou Zhexiao poked a fish ball towards him. “I tried it, this one tastes normal.”

The moment Xia Chiyi bit into the fish ball, his taste buds were refreshed, and he felt exceptionally happy.

“Let’s go, return the school uniforms, and we’ll go eat seafood barbecue.”

If Zhou Zhexiao hadn’t reminded him, Xia Chiyi would have forgotten he was wearing a high school uniform.

“Seafood barbecue? With the experience of this oyster pancake, I don’t dare believe online recommendations anymore.”

“I asked the locals, they recommended a barbecue night market.”

Xia Chiyi looked at Zhou Zhexiao again, feeling that his back view was truly the most handsome in the world.

When they arrived at the photo studio to return the uniforms, the owner was very enthusiastic upon seeing them.

“You’re back from shopping? Our photographer is back, do you want to take a set of commemorative photos?”

“But it’s night now, there’s no theme to shoot, right?” Xia Chiyi asked.

“There’s the evening study hall theme!” The owner enthusiastically opened his album.

Xia Chiyi glanced at it; it had that sweet secret crush vibe. For example, the girl sleeping on the desk in the study hall, and the boy lying face-to-face with her, not closing his eyes but looking at her affectionately.

“Uh, we’re two guys. There’s no suitable theme here, right?”

The owner laughed. “Was your deskmate in high school male or female?”

“Male.”

“Then isn’t that it? Just treat it as doing our studio a favor. We haven’t shot a two-guy theme yet. We’ll pick one to hang on the photo wall for promotion, and give you three photos for free today! We’ll waive the uniform rental fee too!”

Upon hearing this, Xia Chiyi nodded in agreement, then looked back at Zhou Zhexiao.

“Mn.” Zhou Zhexiao responded very faintly.

They both refused makeup and went bare-faced.

The photographer led them to the evening study hall set. Xia Chiyi realized this set actually only had three desks; the rest of the space was filled with lighting equipment.

The desks were filled with various props like “Three Years of College Entrance Exam, Two Years of Simulation,” “Physics Intensive Compilation,” “Chemistry Gold Exam Papers,” etc. It was truly familiar and stressful; Xia Chiyi tactically leaned back as soon as he saw them.

“Did you do this many papers for the college entrance exam?” Zhou Zhexiao casually picked up a simulation question collection and flipped through the pages quickly.

“Yeah… the past is unbearable to recall. You definitely haven’t heard those slogans, like ‘Three years of hardship, a lifetime of happiness,’ ‘Better to suffer for a hundred days than regret for a lifetime,’ ‘Not suffering, not tired, senior year has no taste; not fighting, not struggling, equals living in vain’!”

Zhou Zhexiao reached out and rubbed the top of Xia Chiyi’s head. “It’s okay, the light boat has passed ten thousand mountains.”

“Wow, you even know Li Bai’s poetry.”

The photographer was a guy with dreadlocks who looked quite artistic. He was originally just testing the lighting and casually snapped a few shots, but he couldn’t help marveling inwardly.

These two handsome guys were too photogenic!

Just chatting casually like this, glancing at each other, touching each other’s heads—it was so atmospheric. Every photo had a story.

It made one hope they would chat like this until the end of their youth.

“Okay, handsome guys, now let’s assume some scenarios. Little brother on the left, pick up a pen, spread the paper on the desk. You can’t solve this problem; what kind of expression should you have?”

Xia Chiyi muttered softly, “Not knowing how to solve problems is the norm in senior year…”

As he spoke, he pouted and balanced the pen on his upper lip, shaking it back and forth.

Zhou Zhexiao was originally crossing his arms in boredom. When Xia Chiyi made this expression, he leaned in closer and closer, finally resting his chin on his hand and looking at him.

So, is this where Xia Chiyi’s pouting when thinking comes from?

The photographer’s little heart was struck. He had seen countless couples showing off their love, that sweet yet somewhat cloying taste—he had seen too much of it.

But for some reason, the way the handsome guy on the right looked at his companion was like he had traveled over mountains and rivers from a faraway place, and upon finally seeing the other person, his gaze was restrained yet tolerant.

“Um, handsome guy on the right, your deskmate has absolutely no idea how to solve this problem. What would you do?” The photographer started setting the scene again.

Xia Chiyi looked over eagerly. “Hey, I can’t do it.”

Perhaps due to the lighting, Xia Chiyi’s eyes were round and bright, reminding Zhou Zhexiao of the cat Fan Qingliang used to keep. Every time it wanted canned food, it would show this kind of look.

Zhou Zhexiao really wanted to ask, Did you… look at your class monitor like this back then?

So that’s why he still can’t forget you.

Zhou Zhexiao remained silent. Xia Chiyi laughed awkwardly, thinking this guy probably hadn’t even done a few exam papers, so how would he understand this?

“Fine, I’ll do it.”

Zhou Zhexiao’s hand suddenly reached over, pinched the edge of the paper, and pulled it towards himself.

Xia Chiyi leaned in. “Hey, in this scenario you should be teaching me how to solve the problem! How did it turn into you doing it for me?”

“Didn’t you say the college entrance exam is very hard? If I were your deskmate, I wouldn’t let you use your brain anymore. Wouldn’t it be better if I just finished it directly?”

Xia Chiyi froze for two seconds, then suddenly smiled with curved eyes, bumping him with his shoulder. “You do it! Do it if you have the ability! Or tell me, which question can you understand?”

Zhou Zhexiao, who feared nothing in heaven or earth, was defeated by the comprehensive science simulation questions. He asked in a low voice, “…Is there English?”

“Haha… hahaha…” Xia Chiyi laughed so hard he rocked back and forth, finally resting his forehead on Zhou Zhexiao’s shoulder. “I finally found a place where… where I can beat you… If we took the college entrance exam… I’d definitely score at least two hundred points higher than you!”

Zhou Zhexiao expressionlessly pinched Xia Chiyi’s nose and lifted him off his shoulder.

“Ow ow ow… I was wrong! I was really wrong! You’re the best! If you took the exam, Yandu University and Qing University would be in the bag for you!”

“I won’t go to Yandu University or Qing University.”

“Ah?” Xia Chiyi rubbed his nose.

“Because you can’t get in. If we aren’t in the same university, we won’t be playing ball together.”

Hearing this, it was as if a lot of warm steam gathered in Xia Chiyi’s heart, turning into a stream that filled all the regrets about the college entrance exam.

He had something he wanted to say, but didn’t know what to say.

The photographer holding the camera was inexplicably stuffed with dog food.

Everyone else wants the underachiever to improve into a top student, but this underachiever’s deskmate just wants him to be happy and never use his brain.

I won’t go to Yandu or Qing University; I just want to play ball with you at an ordinary university.

What kind of divine love… divine brotherhood is this!

And just casually pressing the shutter, the expressions of the two were natural and had a heartwarming atmosphere. Just one look made one want to fall in love—what was going on!

“Two of you, next scene! The handsome guy on the right got sleepy doing papers for his deskmate and is going to sleep on the desk. Little brother on the left, what will you do?”

Zhou Zhexiao didn’t react at all until Xia Chiyi pushed his back. “Lie down, close your eyes, pretend to sleep.”

“Oh.” Zhou Zhexiao immediately lay down, one hand cushioned under his cheek, one arm extended, wrist hanging off the front of the desk.

Xia Chiyi thought, What would I do? Of course, lie down and sleep like Zhou Zhexiao!

But just as he was about to lie down and sleep too, he noticed Zhou Zhexiao’s eyelashes were trembling slightly, probably because the overhead light was too bright.

Xia Chiyi picked up a question book and held it over Zhou Zhexiao’s head to block the light for him.

The photographer’s inner love was triggered again. He had taken photos for so many couples, either kissing on the desk or touching the other half’s hair. Only this pair, seemingly brotherly, was genuinely sweet.

The next second, Xia Chiyi let go. The book fell, and just as it was about to hit Zhou Zhexiao’s face, he suddenly grabbed it and slammed it back onto Xia Chiyi’s face.

Well, the pink bubbles were gone, turned into elementary school kids fighting.

Finally, when Xia Chiyi’s stomach growled again, Zhou Zhexiao said, “Not shooting anymore. We’re going to eat dinner.”

They returned the uniforms. Zhou Zhexiao told Xia Chiyi they would come back to select the negatives after eating the seafood barbecue, and the photographer agreed.

After the two walked out, the photographer rushed to the owner like crazy.

“Really handsome and atmospheric. If we hang it on the photo wall, it will definitely attract a bunch of people to take photos!”

The owner grinned from ear to ear.

After walking for more than ten minutes with Zhou Zhexiao, Xia Chiyi finally arrived at an authentic seafood night market.

They ate several grilled oysters. Xia Chiyi especially loved the texture of the garlic and soft oyster interwoven together.

Zhou Zhexiao kindly reminded him, “You… ate too many oysters.”

“Ah?” Xia Chiyi raised his hand. “Boss, another dozen!”

Zhou Zhexiao sighed. “I’m afraid you won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

“Huh?” Xia Chiyi didn’t care. He grabbed a grilled sea cucumber and ate the whole skewer in one bite. “Wow, the sea cucumber is so bouncy too!”

Zhou Zhexiao, wearing plastic gloves, peeled the salt and pepper grilled prawns and put them on Xia Chiyi’s plate. “Eat some other seafood.”

“Mhm mhm.”

While they were eating seafood enthusiastically, in the Qincheng University cafeteria, Yang Huaiyu carried his tray and sat opposite head coach Ren Xin.

Coach Ren asked, “Did you go see Li Shunchuan? How is he?”

“The scars brought by an old romance probably really need a new romance to heal.” Yang Huaiyu nodded sagely.

Coach Ren let out a breath and immediately picked up his chopsticks to hit Yang Huaiyu’s head. “I told you hundreds of times, you went to comfort him, not to provoke him! What did you say to him?”

“There are thousands of girls in the world, if this one doesn’t work, just switch.”

“And then, what about him?”

“He said this isn’t one of the thousands of girls, this is first love.” Yang Huaiyu spread his hands, looked down, and put the scallion shrimp into his mouth.

“In his state, I’m afraid he won’t be able to play in our practice match against Shenghai University tomorrow.” Coach Ren stared at Yang Huaiyu and said, “So tomorrow, you have to play.”

“No need, right? With Ke Yan there, he can take two freshmen to farm the Shenghai University dungeon.”

“Ling Huanzhen will be there to observe tomorrow too. Do you want him to think that our prestigious Qincheng University of the First Division League, ranked third in the country, is only at this level?”

“Ling Huanzhen… didn’t he go to Ningchang University in a fit of hot-bloodedness?”

Speaking of this, Ningchang No. 3 High School suddenly appeared in his mind. Yang Huaiyu leaned in front of Coach Ren and smiled. “Today, I played basketball with a particularly amazing high school student.”

“Mn, and then? Did you destroy him?”

“No, no, no, he was on my side. The two of us destroyed the Mining University players together. I dare say… none of the freshman players you recruited, Coach Ren, are his match.”

Coach Ren chuckled lightly, treating it as Yang Huaiyu changing the subject. “How amazing?”

“Dribbling sprint speed, besides me and Ke Yan, probably no one in Qincheng University can catch up.”

“What else?”

“Very strong directional change and breakthrough ability. If I went one-on-one with him, I’m not sure I could stop him.” Yang Huaiyu lowered his eyes, recalling the figure of that high school student in his mind.

Coach Ren smiled, but when he glimpsed Yang Huaiyu’s expression, he suddenly realized the other party was serious.

“Just that might not necessarily attract you, right?”

“He has a very strong overall view and predictive ability. When he passed the ball to me, the tacit understanding made me think it was Ke Yan.”

“Mn, interesting.” Coach Ren nodded, signaling him to continue.

“My opponent today was Ma Tao, that power forward from Mining University, you remember him right?”

“I remember. comprehensive skills, big but not clumsy, strong dribbling breakthrough ability, very domineering under the basket.”

“This high school student stole the ball from Ma Tao when he was going for a layup. His hang time is very strong… his face looks harmless to humans and animals, but his physical fitness is first-class.”

This made Coach Ren frown. “How is his mid-range shooting?”

“Sudden stop, quick shot. Fast enough to surprise me. And the accuracy is very high. Playing with him all the way, this kid made 4 out of 5 shots. I didn’t help him with pick-and-rolls; he relied on himself.”

“Huaiyu, do you know that the high school student you described is definitely at the provincial team level, or even the first tier of the provincial team?”

Yang Huaiyu opened his mouth and nodded. “Yes, with such a strong level, the provincial team would have recruited him long ago. But I don’t think so. Today he was still wearing a high school uniform near the cultural street. Would a provincial team let their players wander across provinces? I feel like he’s taking the sports student route. Maybe he’s already been set by some university coach, so he has the leisure to come out and play.”

“Do you know which middle school he’s from? I can ask around.”

“The friend with him said he’s from Ningchang No. 3 High School.”

“Ningchang No. 3 High School? Running to Qincheng for a trip?” Coach Ren felt a subtle coincidence. “Don’t tell me he’s already been set by Ling Huanzhen?”

“Ah? Coach Ren, hurry up and ask! Even if there’s an admission intention, it’s not too late to persuade him to change. We definitely have more strength than Ningchang University, right?” Yang Huaiyu looked at his coach, putting away all expressions on his face, so serious and earnest that Coach Ren was surprised.

“You want me to snatch someone from Ling Huanzhen?” Coach Ren asked back.

“I want him.”

Yang Huaiyu put both hands on the table and leaned towards his coach. “And Qincheng University needs him too. If he becomes our enemy, Coach Ren, you will definitely regret it.”

Coach Ren admitted he was persuaded, and very moved.

As Qincheng University’s ace, Yang Huaiyu had never given any opinion on team recruitment, as if anyone could come.

This was the first time he explicitly told Coach Ren that a certain person was a must.

“You look like you’ve been possessed by Li Shunchuan.”

“Huh?”

“After being carefree for so long, a belated first love has made your head hot.” Coach Ren sighed.

Although he said that, he still dialed a number, an old friend in Ningchang: “Sigh, Old Zhong, sorry to bother you. It’s like this, I have my eye on a student from your Ningchang No. 3 High School, but forgot to ask the child’s name! Height…”

Coach Ren looked at Yang Huaiyu. Yang Huaiyu immediately said, “185 to 188, very handsome, reject the ugly ones.”

“Height 185 to 188, quite handsome, plays basketball really well, still playing in our Qincheng today. Can you help me find out who fits this description?”

After a while, Coach Ren exchanged pleasantries with the other party and said to Yang Huaiyu, “If this first love of yours is real, I hope you achieve a positive result! Do you know how rare the person you described is? Why didn’t you know to take a photo?”

“Tsk, forgot.” Yang Huaiyu rested his chin on his hand and poked his tray with chopsticks. “Now I can only pray my ‘first love’ isn’t a scum.”

It was already 9:30 PM when Xia Chiyi and Zhou Zhexiao returned to the hotel. They reported their safety to Ling Huanzhen and planned to wash up and sleep.

Zhou Zhexiao was still scrolling through the photos the photo studio sent them on his phone. While taking out his change of clothes, Xia Chiyi complained, “You are a severe patient of impulsive spending. You actually bought all the negatives! Many of them are duplicates, okay?”

Zhou Zhexiao sat on the sofa, his long legs folded, looking like an emperor waiting to be served.

“I want to post on my Friend Circle.” Zhou Zhexiao said.

Xia Chiyi was amused. “You want to post on Friend Circle? Do you have WeChat! In fairytales there’s the Emperor’s New Clothes; yours is the Emperor’s Friend Circle, existing only in imagination?”

Zhou Zhexiao frowned at Xia Chiyi, looking as if he had received the world’s greatest injustice. “Can’t you share half of your Friend Circle with me?”

“Okay, okay, okay, you post, you post. Don’t post anything mushy! Otherwise, if Ye Zhaoying sees it, he’ll discuss the brotherhood of Zhang Fei and Guan Yu again!”

After speaking, Xia Chiyi carried his toiletries into the bathroom.

He fiddled with the hotel shower for a long time, but only a few drops of water fell on his face.

What was wrong? Tears from the budget hotel?

Xia Chiyi wrapped a bath towel around himself and came to Zhou Zhexiao: “Your Majesty, there is a problem with the shower head in this bathroom! We might have to pack up and change places!”

“Mn?” Zhou Zhexiao was seriously choosing photos for the Friend Circle. He looked up and saw Xia Chiyi standing in front of him with a bath towel around his waist.

His figure was much more solid than when he first enrolled. The strength of his muscle lines was increasingly obvious, especially where his lean, narrow waistline disappeared into the pure white bath towel. Zhou Zhexiao’s gaze lingered for a while, then he looked down at his phone again.

He thought of the word Xia Chiyi used today, pure desire.

Xia Chiyi stood with hands on his hips and waited for Zhou Zhexiao for three seconds. The other party didn’t react at all, wandering off to god knows where.

Just when Xia Chiyi planned to give up and call the hotel front desk himself, Zhou Zhexiao suddenly spoke.

“I’ll take a look.”

After speaking, Zhou Zhexiao put his phone on the coffee table next to him and walked into the bathroom with Xia Chiyi.

“Are you sure there’s a problem with the shower head? Is it that you don’t know how to use it?”

“What? Look closely!” Xia Chiyi walked to the shower head and demonstrated all the twistable and pressable parts, then a drop or two of water fell on his forehead. “See? Is there any other way?”

Zhou Zhexiao tilted his head, walked behind Xia Chiyi, reached past Xia Chiyi’s side, grabbed something Xia Chiyi had turned 180 degrees, and pulled it up!

In an instant, a turbulent flow of water crashed down from above, soaking Xia Chiyi’s head.

“Holy crap—cough cough…”

Xia Chiyi shivered from the drenching and retreated regardless of anything. Only when he had nowhere left to retreat did he realize his back was pressed against a warm, rising and falling chest.

It was Zhou Zhexiao… did I smash him against the tiled wall?

Xia Chiyi quickly wiped the water off his face. “Sorry!”

Zhou Zhexiao’s arms hung by his sides, hands pressed back against the tiles, as if the cold from the wall could offset the heat brought by Xia Chiyi.

“The water is fine.” Zhou Zhexiao’s voice, amidst the crashing water, was actually a little hoarse, as if something was tugging at his vocal cords, dragging his heartbeat and breathing along with it.

Hearing it in his ear, Xia Chiyi felt itchy.

“I’ll go turn off the water first.”

Just as Xia Chiyi was about to step forward, the bath towel hanging on his waist immediately loosened.

Oh god—no!

The super humiliating scene in his imagination didn’t happen because Zhou Zhexiao grabbed the edge of his bath towel, fastened it firmly on his waist, and pulled him back. Xia Chiyi crashed into the other party’s arms again.

Only this time was more awkward than the last. Through the bath towel, Xia Chiyi felt like he bumped into something very extraordinary.

Holy crap… Zhou Zhexiao, do you have to be so healthy!

Did you eat too much beef? Or is the beef composition in America different from China’s?

At this moment, Xia Chiyi would truly rather perform picking up the towel than be pulled back into Zhou Zhexiao’s arms.

“Thanks.” Xia Chiyi’s face was so red it was about to smoke.

Zhou Zhexiao unhurriedly tightened his towel and tucked the edge in. When his knuckles slightly touched Xia Chiyi’s side waist, Xia Chiyi didn’t dare to breathe.

Fortunately, Zhou Zhexiao walked out expressionlessly. If he stayed for another half minute, Xia Chiyi would have suffocated himself.

When the bathroom door closed, Xia Chiyi rushed over and turned off the water.

“Xia Chiyi, how stupid are you! You only know how to twist; lift it up and the water comes out!”

Outside the bathroom, Zhou Zhexiao leaned back against the wall, looked down at himself, turned his face to the side, and let out a long breath.

That night, Zhou Zhexiao covered himself with the quilt early and went to sleep, showing no intention of hogging Xia Chiyi’s phone to watch videos.

Xia Chiyi finally had the joy of “my phone, my rules.” He unlocked his phone and found he had received N WeChat messages.

Ye Zhaoying: [Holy crap, did you guys go to Qincheng to observe or to show off your love?]

What the hell? What kind of love showing off?

Pang Shuai: [Do you still remember Little Pang by Daming Lake? Why didn’t you ask me to take commemorative photos!]

Huh?

Jiao Yingfeng: [I told you to have fun in Qincheng, didn’t expect you to play so wildly.]

Ah? Master, what are you saying!

Du He: [Hey Xia Chiyi, where did you and Zhou Zhexiao take those photos? My cousin came to give me dried sweet potatoes, caught a glimpse of your Friend Circle, and said she wants to take honeymoon photos there next month.]

Honey… moon… photos?

Xia Chiyi suddenly realized where the root of the problem lay. He immediately opened his Friend Circle and discovered that Zhou Zhexiao had actually posted a nine-grid photo set of them in blue and white uniforms!

It had been less than two hours, yet there were over a hundred likes, basically covering the whole class.

The comments were a pile of “Happy hundred years,” “Hearts united forever” blessings, especially from those guys on the basketball team, who were the most exaggerated.

Above the nine photos was written: Blue and white school uniform commemoration.

With such a formulaic tone, it was obviously posted by Zhou Zhexiao. Yet these guys still dared to be sarcastic and jump around; did they really think King Zhou had no authority?

Xia Chiyi clicked open the photos to look. There was nothing special! Just two guys chatting and laughing in a study room, right?

Why were these people’s imaginations so rich?

Xia Chiyi originally wanted to delete the post, but thinking about how Zhou Zhexiao really wanted to show off this set of youthful memories, he would definitely be sad if it was deleted.

He clicked open the photos one by one. They didn’t have any actions that could be called “intimate,” but inexplicably, he felt something tightly connecting them together.

For example, when he balanced the pen on his lips, Zhou Zhexiao resting his chin watching him; for example, Zhou Zhexiao pulling his paper away, saying he would do it for him; for example, Zhou Zhexiao lying on the table, and him blocking the light for him…

This gave Xia Chiyi an illusion that he was special to Zhou Zhexiao.

Not deleting it. Whoever wants to talk can talk.

Xia Chiyi replied to those “Happy hundred years” comments with “Wish you lovers eventually become brothers.”

Setting an alarm on his phone, Xia Chiyi lay down.

But for some reason, he couldn’t fall asleep for a long time. As soon as he closed his eyes, it was the bathroom shower pouring down on him, splashing all over his head and body, and bumping back into Zhou Zhexiao’s embrace.

Yet the guy on the other bed slept superbly well, as if changing beds had no effect on him at all.

Didn’t you say in the dorm before that if I couldn’t sleep and my breathing was wrong, you wouldn’t be able to sleep either? Liar!

Xia Chiyi took a deep breath, with a bit of resentful emotion, and turned over to see the other’s back lying on his side.

The quilt covered Zhou Zhexiao, but he could still see the broad shoulders, the lines from his back to his waist…

Xia Chiyi swallowed, inexplicably feeling very hot under the quilt.

His brain began to diverge into imagination. If I had turned around and looked Zhou Zhexiao in the eye in the bathroom, what would have happened?

Would his eyes be wide open? Would his eyelashes be wet? Would his breathing be as nervous as mine?

Xia Chiyi curled up. Zhou Zhexiao’s back was like a boundary in the dark, with a moving silhouette, yet so blurred. It wouldn’t matter if I secretly crossed the line, right?

Holy crap, did I eat something poisonous today?

Cross the line? Cross your head!

Xia Chiyi went to the bathroom. Sitting on the toilet, he really wanted to take a cold shower.

But that would definitely wake Zhou Zhexiao up, and then he’d be killed.

The bathroom was quiet, seemingly able to temporarily isolate everything.

But images belonging to Zhou Zhexiao flooded into Xia Chiyi’s brain like a flood. He even remembered Zhou Zhexiao’s hand covering his waist and abdomen during equipment training…

Unexpectedly, that imagination was so useful.

Xia Chiyi flushed the toilet, washed his hands, and went back to bed. Less than twenty minutes later, he was hot all over again and wanted to go to the bathroom.

Sitting on the toilet this time, he tried hard to drive the equipment-training Zhou Zhexiao out of his mind, but the Zhou Zhexiao who obediently sucked on milk tea and said the black sugar pearls were very much like Xia Chiyi reoccupied his brain.

Amidst the sound of Zhou Zhexiao “slurp slurp” sucking pearl milk tea, Xia Chiyi finally completed the important task for the second time.

He flushed the toilet, washed his hands clean, and tiptoed back to his bed.

Zhou Zhexiao remained motionless in that position. Great, he didn’t wake up.

Xia Chiyi simply stuck his hands and feet out of the quilt, thinking he wouldn’t feel hot anymore like this, right?

But it really wasn’t useful.

He became incredibly attentive to Zhou Zhexiao’s movements opposite him, his sleeping posture, the sound of his breathing, whether his arm was hanging off the bed…

Then the feeling of magma flowing in the blood, unable to burst out of the crust and violently surging twenty thousand leagues underground, came again.

Xia Chiyi bent over, thinking, Why am I even going back to the room? I’ll just sleep in the bathroom!

This time, he drove the milk-tea-sucking Zhou Zhexiao out of his brain, but the Zhou Zhexiao wearing military training camouflage came.

He lowered his eyes, approaching step by step. Xia Chiyi could only retreat step by step until his lower back hit the classroom desk.

Zhou Zhexiao remained silent, but suddenly picked him up and placed him on the desk. His two hands rested on the ends of the desk, as if to block all directions Xia Chiyi could escape.

He was cold, like a beast locked onto its prey; the more silent, the more terrifying.

Those amber eyes seemed to enclose a dark sea. Xia Chiyi shattered it with a light touch, and the dark ocean surged out.

Xia Chiyi propped himself up to retreat. Just when he thought he could escape the other’s hunting range, Zhou Zhexiao grabbed his ankle and dragged him back, like pulling the firewood from under the cauldron.

The fear multiplied. Xia Chiyi held his breath, while the Zhou Zhexiao in his mind was so dangerous, exuding fatal attraction like a black hole, giving not a single chance to escape.

Xia Chiyi found that kicking the other’s shoulder couldn’t push him away, so he used his hands to pry at Zhou Zhexiao’s fingers.

But as soon as he got close, Zhou Zhexiao’s kiss came like a violent storm, full of predatory intent, just like every extreme operation of his under the basket, stretching breathing and heartbeat infinitely long.

This time, Zhou Zhexiao was really more thrilling than the previous two times.

At the same time, huge guilt was about to crush him.

Xia Chiyi took a deep breath, flushed the toilet, washed his hands, and returned to the room.

Zhou Zhexiao’s sleeping posture seemed unchanged. Xia Chiyi dared not even look at him one more time.

Lying back on the bed, Xia Chiyi looked at the empty ceiling and thought miserably: Already the third time, there shouldn’t be a fourth time, right?

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his mind, thinking of green mountains and rivers, thinking of the northern lights, thinking of…

Then Xia Chiyi found that none of these were as thought-provoking as Zhou Zhexiao.

Xia Chiyi started a magical game review. He found that every move of Zhou Zhexiao was full of hormones.

When organizing an attack, he raised his left fist, fingers pointing to the ceiling, expression grim, rhythm stable.

His dribbling direction change, lightning fast, long legs like a silver moon bow, the tension of his shoulders and back pulled to the max.

His dunk under the basket, full of deterrence…

Done for, here it comes again.