Chapter 36: I Won't Be Coming Home Tonight

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, spring swayed gently. The silk tree blossoms were reflected in the boy’s eyes, rippling with a boundless, enticing smile.

“Mr. Shen?”

“Aren’t you going to kiss me, Mr. Shen?”

The mischievous, unruly little lion tilted his head, gazing at him lazily.

It was Shen Jixing who had agreed to this.

At first, Zhou Yili hadn’t wanted tutoring at all. He’d grown up wild and unrestrained, a self-sabotaging, hopeless delinquent. The only reason he’d agreed to let Shen Jixing through the door was out of pity.

And maybe because he was a bit pretty.

Who would have thought that this person, for the sake of money, would obey Zhou Hengyang’s every word.

“I’m not writing it.”

Zhou Yili was assembling a model sports car, not even bothering to turn his head. “Just how much do you love money?”

His voice was the same as always, languid and nonchalant.

The hand in which Shen Jixing held the test paper paused ever so slightly.

Then he heard Zhou Yili’s voice again: “Would you really sell both my body and soul for this little bit of money?”

The noble, slender young master turned to look at him, enunciating each word.

“Repaying kindness with ingratitude?”

Shen Jixing: “…”

After a moment’s silence, Shen Jixing calmly retorted, “Are you really proud of yourself for scoring six points?”

Besides.

Zhou Hengyang hadn’t even offered him a raise.

“Forget it, we’ll talk about this later.” Shen Jixing gave up on saving him, his tone steady. “For now, focus on your piano practice. Last week’s—”

“One kiss for every page I write.”

His voice was still lazy and careless, with that uniquely youthful, brazen directness.

As if it were some sort of joke.

Zhou Yili was so offhand that he didn’t even look up, continuing to tinker with his expensive model car.

“I have to get something out of this, don’t I? If you agree, I’ll write.”

His tone was sparse, indifferent, as if daring Shen Jixing to give up.

Standing two meters away, Shen Jixing watched him. His ink-dark eyes swept over the boy’s composed profile, and the hand holding the Lego pieces that trembled ever so slightly.

His brow arched, intrigued.

A benefit?

Shen Jixing nodded nonchalantly. “All right.”

He then selected a test paper, drew it out, and placed it at the corner of the desk.

“When I come back next time, have it finished and hand it to me.”

Zhou Yili seemed to pause for a couple of seconds, then continued assembling his model, now only a few bricks away from completion.

The boy’s tone was languid, as if commenting on the weather, “I’ll try.”

As dusk settled, Shen Jixing nodded and turned to leave the room.

About ten seconds after he left, the model car in the room crashed to the floor in a clatter.

Now Shen Jixing looked at the boy calmly, while Zhou Yili still wore that bold, lazy air. His Adam’s apple bobbed twice, betraying a tightness.

The young have little self-restraint, though he thought he hid it well.

“You’re not thinking of backing out—”

The third time Zhou Yili tried to speak, Shen Jixing interrupted, “It’s not time yet. We’ll talk after class.”

He was a tutor now; any overstepping would give rise to a dangerous sense of transgression.

Zhou Yili glanced at the time. Shen Jixing usually finished at six-thirty in the afternoon.

He let out a quiet scoff. “If you want to back out, just say it. It’s not like I really want you to kiss me.”

“If you’re going to make excuses, at least be professional. There’s just five seconds left till class is over.”

Zhou Yili seemed to know Shen Jixing wouldn’t do it.

He was aloof, proud, meticulous—except for his awkwardness on the first day, he was cold as stone.

If someone like that were to kiss him, it would be like being saved from death…

“Four, three, two, one…”

Zhou Yili counted down lazily, turning to look at him, “See? You’re just playing—”

The light around him was suddenly blocked, and the faint scent of sandalwood enveloped him.

Cool, delicate lips brushed softly against his cheek.

A light, fleeting kiss.

“Playing with you?”

…

“Done.”

Qi Yan, relying on her still-warm knowledge, had finally finished all thirty math problems.

She glanced over at the two heads beside the next table, both now collapsed in exhaustion after their brawl.

One green, one brown.

They looked a bit like the color scheme of pickled mustard greens.

She felt like they’d never make it through this round. Qi Yan turned to Zhou Yili. “Let’s go.”

Zhou Yili didn’t respond, his gaze fixed on a particular question.

Qi Yan followed his gaze, her face calm as ever. “Are you that interested in the old lady on the bus?”

Zhou Yili: “…”

“I’m only interested in old men.” Zhou Yili strode toward the exit.

Qi Yan: “?”

“Well, aren’t you just always looking for an excuse to act out,” someone quipped in the barrage of comments.

“Can’t take him anymore, can’t we get a man to keep him in check?”

“He’s got the face of a straight guy, but who turned him like this?!”

Zhou Yili pushed open the door to the lounge.

Shen Jixing, rousing from sleep, looked up at him.

Their eyes met.

The live comments were already buzzing about how good these two top stars looked together in the same frame.

Zhou Yili’s gaze met his for a second, then he looked away coldly, sitting in the seat farthest from Shen Jixing.

Shen Jixing, after a moment’s stillness, withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes to sleep.

“Wait, you two?”

“I don’t think I missed anything, but are they really the most familiar strangers now?”

“Did solving a math problem really drive a wedge between you?”

“Zhou Yili, it’s normal for you to be dumb. But if you give my wife that look again, watch out, I’ll leak your unedited photos!”

“Do whatever you want,” Zhou Yili replied lazily to the barrage of comments.

He’d just been suddenly pulled back to the sweetest days, struggling to adjust to the current gap between them.

Perhaps it was only he who found those days sweet.

Shen Jixing, from start to finish, had remained unruffled.

That grand, secret crush had always been a war only he fought.

“Doesn’t matter, this rebel doesn’t care about his image—he’d show up to see his mom with his hair blown up by a fart.”

“Why do I feel like those two have the vibe of exes meeting again, pretending to be indifferent?”

“Hilarious—does the toad really want to reach for the swan? Is my boy even worthy?”

“I don’t think so. Shen the Movie King isn’t pretending to be cold—he’s genuinely cold to everyone.”

“Maybe I guessed wrong, oops.”

Just as Shen Jixing was about to drift into a deep sleep, the two geniuses from the second round finally emerged.

“We’ll let you off this time,” the director said to them. “But next time, no more exceptions!”

Sheng Que nodded. “Of course, of course.”

Cen Susu echoed, “Definitely, definitely.”

The two then apologized to each other for losing their tempers during the round and checked each other’s injuries with gentle politeness: Sheng Que sported a large bump on his forehead, Cen Susu’s curls had lost a few strands.

They both laughed it off, saying it was nothing, that the collaboration had been exhilarating.

And that they would never collaborate again.

“The recording of the pilot episode is officially over!” The director entered the lounge, holding up his modified voice-changer and applauding. “In two days, same time, see you all at Xiao Happy!”

“Pilot episode???” Cen Susu asked.

“Of course! With such a casual production, how could it be the first episode?” the director replied earnestly. “It’s just to help everyone get familiar with each other.”

…

Are you calling a forty-million-dollar piece of new tech a casual production?

“We’re not even familiar yet.”

Sheng Que, seeing his friend’s expression, burst out laughing. “Those two have really become the most familiar strangers, hah!”

At the commotion, Zhou Yili looked up at him.

Sheng Que obediently made a zipping gesture.

Then Zhou Yili rose from his seat, striding over to stand before Shen Jixing.

Shen Jixing was only half-awake, still gathering himself.

“I’m not going home tonight,” Zhou Yili said quietly to him.

The entire lounge fell eerily silent.

Shen Jixing slowly lifted his long, thick lashes, his ink-dark eyes slightly misty, weary as he glanced over at Zhou Yili.

“Oh.”