Ruan Zhao could already imagine how terrible he must look right now.He dug through his backpack and pulled out a face mask, quickly putting it on to cover the “battle scars” on the lower half of his face. Yet, the moment he got home, his mom immediately noticed.
With a puzzled look, she asked, “It’s so hot today—why are you wearing a mask?”
He scrambled for a plausible excuse. “I think I might be catching a cold,” he mumbled. “Didn’t want to risk getting anyone else sick.”
“In that case, I’ll make you some cold medicine.”
“No, Mom, really, it’s fine.” His voice was a little muffled, with a slight hoarseness in his nasal tone. He coughed lightly to clear his throat before continuing, “If I’m not feeling better later, I’ll make some myself.”
His mother’s gaze lingeredon him for a moment too long. Ruan Zhao nervously fidgeted with his fingers.
But her expression remained serene. “The weather’s been unpredictable lately. Be careful not to catch a chill.”
He let out a sigh of relief. “Got it. I’ll be careful.”
As he turned to head upstairs, he could feel his mother’s eyes on his back, her gaze carrying some inexplicable meaning. It sent a shiver down his spine.
Was he imagining things, or… did she know?
She hadn’t said a word, but still…
Damn Gu Xingyan!
A wave of guilt washed over him, stiffening his posture. He was so flustered that he nearly started walking with his right foot and right hand in unison.
Thankfully, he made it back to his room without without any incidents.
Ruan Zhao headed straight for the bathroom and examined himself in the mirror. His lips were horribly swollen, the color completely off—like he’d smeared on some garish red lipstick. There were even a few tiny cuts, probably from Gu Xingyan’s sharp teeth.
So cruel. So cruel. So cruel…
Who kisses someone like this?! He’d never heard of anyone biting their partner so hard during a kiss! And he hadn’t even bitten Gu Xingyan! So why was Gu Xingyan allowed to bite him?!
Frustrated, Ruan Zhao grabbed some ice from the fridge, wrapped it in a towel, and pressed it against his lips to bring down the swelling. He hissed at the cold, drawing in a sharp breath, while fishing his phone from his pocket.
Ever since he and Gu Xingyan had parted ways, his phone had been vibrating nonstop, to the point where his leg had gone numb. He unlocked the screen. His notifications were swamped with messages from Gu Xingyan, along with dozens of missed calls. A sea of red notification dots. It was unbearable for someone with a touch of OCD.
Just as he was about to clear them all, another call popped up. Without hesitation, his pale fingers hit the decline button.
Rejected!
The phone went silent for a few seconds, only to start ringing again, a relentless, insistent buzz.
Rejected, rejected, rejected!
Three calls, one after the other. Each time, the ring barely flickered before being cut off. Anyone would have grasped the message. But Gu Xingyan, seemingly blind to the obvious, persisted.
He called again, and again, as if he had all the time in the world—as if he’d keep calling forever until Ruan Zhao finally picked up.
Ruan Zhao was beyond annoyed. In the end, he gave in and answered the call. Silence greeted him. Gu Xingyan said nothing, the only sound was his slightly ragged breathing.
Suddenly, Ruan Zhao was reminded of the way Gu Xingyan had breathed against his skin while kissing him—the way his breath had come out heavy, desperate, like a starving dog tasting meat for the first time.
That heat, hot and damp, had landed against the sensitive skin of his cheek, igniting something dangerously intimate.
“…Zhaozhao.”
Ruan Zhao pressed the cold back of his hand to his burning face. He remained silent.
“I’m sorry.”
The apology flowed too easily, too smoothly. But then, Gu Xingyan stumbled, twisting the words. “I was wrong. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have kissed you so hard… shouldn’t have lost control… shouldn’t have bitten you…”
……
“I promise, next time I’ll be gentler. I won’t hurt you like this again.”
Ruan Zhao wasn’t planning to respond.
But hearing something this shameless—he just couldn’t help himself.
“Next time?” he scoffed. “Are you insane, or am I? What makes you think I’d ever let you kiss me again? Keep dreaming.”
……
He was about to hang up. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he paused and lowered his voice coldly. “Don’t call me again. If you do, I’m blocking you.”
Silence.
The world was finally, blessedly quiet.
The ice, wrapped in a towel, had half-melted, cold droplets sliding down his leg—damp and freezing. Ruan Zhao grabbed a fresh towel. He’d been icing for so long that the swelling had finally subsided a little. But the ache remained, both physical and emotional. Frustration surged, and he mentally cursed Gu Xingyan a dozen more times.
Then—a sudden knock on the door.
Ruan Zhao stood up, ready to open the door—when he suddenly remembered something. He grabbed the mask from his desk and hurriedly put it on. The knocking was distinct: three long, one short—steady and rhythmic. Ruan Zhao quickly hid the towel and ice pack, then wiped the water off his desk with a tissue, making sure to leave no trace.
“Just a second, coming!”
“Zhaozhao,” his mother’s voice filtered through the door. “A classmate is here to see you.”
A classmate?
The first person that popped into his mind was Gu Xingyan. But they had just fought. He had been cold and firm on the phone, making it clear he didn’t want to talk to him.
Would Gu Xingyan really show up uninvited like this?
Could it be Chen Feng?
No, at this hour, he’d be glued to his computer, headphones on, trash-talking his way through some virtual battlefield. A visit was highly unlikely.
Ruan Zhao’s hand hovered over the doorknob, frozen in place. Through the door, he asked softly, “Mom, who is it?”
“It’s Xiao Gu. He said he needs to talk to you.”
His fingers tightened around the doorknob.
Of course, it was him. His immediate impulse was to turn him away. But his mother had always believed they were close friends. If he suddenly refused to see him, she’d definitely ask why. And then what? How was he supposed to explain?
Explain to his mother that Gu Xingyan had dragged him into a dark room, forced a kiss, and bitten his lips and tongue until they bled, leaving him furious and unwilling to speak? Ruan Zhao felt like he couldn’t breathe.
He had been stalling for too long—his mother’s impatient voice cut through the silence. “Zhaozhao, what are you doing? Why aren’t you opening the door?”
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” he replied.
With a sullen expression, Ruan Zhao slowly turned the doorknob and pulled the door open. He found himself face-to-face with the one person he least wanted to see.
With his mother present, he couldn’t afford to lose his composure. So he could only force himself to speak calmly. “Is there something so urgent it couldn’t wait until tomorrow at school? You had to come over now?” Even though his tone was neutral, there was still a sharp edge to his words.
Ruan Zhao’s mother immediately sensed something was off between them. Experienced with teenage disputes, she knew better than to intervene without understanding the situation. Taking sides could easily make things worse, so the best approach was to let them sort it out themselves.
She quietly stepped back, giving them space. As she rounded the corner, she raised her voice slightly. “I’ll go slice some fruit for you two. Talk things out, and no fighting.”
That last part—”no fighting”—was a clear admonition directed at Ruan Zhao.
Ruan Zhao drew out a long, reluctant “Ohhh.” Only then did his mother turn away, satisfied.
……
The atmosphere settled into silence once again.
Ruan Zhao adjusted his mask, pulling it up slightly, leaving only his bright eyes visible. In those light irises, wariness and caution flickered, as if he feared Gu Xingyan might suddenly snap and attack.
Ruan Zhao gripped the doorframe tightly, holding onto half the door—ready to shut it in his face at the slightest provocation.
“I already made myself very clear over the phone. Why are you here?”
Gu Xingyan paused, then spoke in a low voice, “Because I thought an apology in person would show more sincerity.”
Not that he truly regretted his actions. Given the chance, he’d repeat them without hesitation. He would still kiss him. But he had angered Ruan Zhao, and that was a mistake.
So…
“I’m sorry.”
An in-person apology carried more weight than one delivered over the phone. Ruan Zhao could not only hear his voice but also see his expression. See the way he was carefully watching him, as if afraid he was still mad.
Ruan Zhao didn’t want to admit it… but the resentment in his heart had eased—just a little.
“…Then promise me. Promise you won’t ever do that again.”
Ruan Zhao had offered Gu Xingyan a way out. As long as he was willing to take it, then maybe—just maybe—Ruan Zhao could be merciful and forgive him.
“…No.”
It was just a single syllable, forced through gritted teeth, crackled with reluctance, resistance, and sheer stubbornness. As if agreeing would be a death sentence.
Ruan Zhao thought he’d misheard. “…What did you say?”
“I said… Can we change it? I’ll promise you anything else.”
A cold laugh escaped Ruan Zhao. “Then we have nothing to talk about.”
He moved to shut the door, but Gu Xingyan was faster—his arm shot out, wedging itself in the gap. Luckily, Ruan Zhao pulled back at the last moment, lessening the impact. Still, the door slammed against Gu Xingyan’s arm.
Just looking at it made him wince. Yet Gu Xingyan didn’t flinch, didn’t utter a sound. He simply called his name, urgently, softly.
“…Zhaozhao.”
“Can you… not close the door yet? There’s still something I want to say.”
Completely insane.
There was no one crazier than Gu Xingyan. Who in their right mind would shove their own arm into a closing door like this? What was he trying to do—deliberately injure himself?
Ruan Zhao’s gaze lowered, falling on the boy’s reddening skin—a deep, obvious mark left behind by the door’s impact. As time passed, the mark darkened, a faint bruise blooming. Yet he held on, gripping the door, speaking with careful restraint, as if walking a tightrope.
“…Zhaozhao,” Gu Xingyan repeated, his voice quiet. “…Can I come in now?”
Maybe he was pretending to be pitiful. Maybe he was playing for sympathy. Or perhaps—just perhaps—this was all a trick, a way to make Ruan Zhao lower his guard…
Because the moment he let him in, who knows what he’d do next?
Ruan Zhao instinctively braced for the worst.
And yet—he still moved aside, creating just enough space for Gu Xingyan to enter.
“Say what you need to say quickly,” he said, his brow furrowed. “Then leave.”
“…I’m sorry, Zhaozhao. I lied to you.”
More apologies. They had become so frequent, they were almost meaningless. Ruan Zhao scoffed. “Well, yeah. You definitely lied to me. You said it was just for show, but then you actually kissed me. No honesty whatsoever.”
Gu Xingyan hesitated. “That’s… not the lie I meant.”
Ruan Zhao’s eyes widened. “…You lied about something else too?!”
Unbelievable. It was like discovering the loyal puppy he’d raised had suddenly learned to deceive its owner.
Gu Xingyan met his gaze—directly, unwaveringly—like he wanted to see straight into his heart. “That suggestion I made to you…” he admitted, his voice low but firm. “It wasn’t just a casual idea. It was selfish. I wanted to kiss you. I wanted you to be mine. That’s why I came up with that ridiculous plan.”
Ruan Zhao: “…?”
Gu Xingyan raised a hand, as if wanting to touch his eyes. Just as his fingers grazed his lashes, he hesitated, pulling back.
“If you like giving orders, I can listen to you for a lifetime. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it. If you like role-playing, if you want me to treat you a little rougher, I can try. I’ll try to become whatever you desire…”
“Liar.”
Ruan Zhao cut him off, his voice sharp and clear. “You don’t listen to me at all. I told you to stop kissing me, and you didn’t. You just kept going.”
“…That’s different.”
Gu Xingyan’s ears flushed slightly. He pressed his lips together, searching for the right words.
Ruan Zhao folded his arms. “How is it different? If you can’t do it, don’t promise it.”
Gu Xingyan: “…” He exhaled slowly. “Zhaozhao…”
“Don’t you understand yet? What I’m trying to say is…”
“I like you.”
Translator’s Corner:
This extra chapter is a special treat for Andrea! 🎉 Thanks so much for your support! 💖
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