Chapter 61

Xie Ling stared at the lone hand dangling in the air, his heart tangled in knots.

Qin Han whispered urgently, “Director Cai’s coming up.”

Xie Ling glanced down in a hurry and saw that Old Cai had indeed climbed halfway already.

In his panic, Xie Ling didn’t think twice. He grabbed Qin Han’s hand and bolted. “You’re such a handful, you big young master.”

He grumbled the words, but there wasn’t a trace of impatience in his tone. Qin Han smiled to himself, feeling even the cool wind rushing at his face turn warm.

Pushing his luck, he said, “You still haven’t coaxed me yet.”

Xie Ling shot him a glare over his shoulder. “I don’t know how.”

Qin Han wasn’t fazed. “Just like you did outside earlier. Call me Brother Qin Han, and that’ll do it.”

Remembering what had happened outside, Xie Ling still felt a bit awkward. That had been pure impulse—just a way to rile up Lin Mo on the spot. Asking him to say it now…

No way! Not even if he dropped dead!

With his mind set against it, Xie Ling kept running, only to notice the footsteps behind him slowing down.

“Little Ling…” Qin Han called out pitifully from behind.

Once, twice. Xie Ling stopped dead in his tracks.

He turned around, his expression unreadable as he looked at Qin Han.

Qin Han’s heart tightened a little. Earlier in the Small Woods, he’d realized Xie Ling had a high tolerance for him and couldn’t resist testing the waters. Now he worried he’d gone too far and pissed him off. He was racking his brain for an excuse when Xie Ling suddenly curved his lips into a smile.

Xie Ling took Qin Han’s hand and drew closer, leaning in by his ear. In a sticky, coaxing tone laced with temptation, he murmured, “Brother Qin Han, good brother, won’t you do me the honor? Hurry up and run, okay?”

Qin Han’s eyes widened. For a moment, he felt like his eardrums might burst.

Seeing Xie Ling’s dazed expression, Xie Ling flashed a sly grin and tugged him back into a run.

The faster they went, the better his mood got.

This guy was always the one leaving him flustered. Finally, he’d evened the score. Hahaha!

Xie Ling’s heart bloomed with delight, oblivious to just how dangerous his little stunt had been. If Old Cai weren’t still chasing them, whether he’d make it down the mountain with his virtue intact tonight was anyone’s guess.

They reached the edge of the Small Woods, and Xie Ling was about to pull Qin Han back the way they’d come when Qin Han stopped him. “Wait.”

His voice was still a bit hoarse.

Xie Ling asked, “What’s wrong?”

Qin Han reined in his emotions, trying to steady his voice. “Director Cai’s pretty fast on his feet. If we go back the same way, we might not get caught, but he’ll probably spot our faces.”

Xie Ling nodded—it made perfect sense. “So what do we do?”

Qin Han smiled and took Xie Ling’s hand in turn, leading him to the other side, directly facing the Small Woods. Then, from who-knows-where, he pulled out an object.

Xie Ling’s eyes lit up the instant he saw it. “A grass sled? Here?!”

Qin Han said, “I checked this spot out during the day. It looked perfect for grass sledding, and I figured you’d like it, so I borrowed one.”

He crouched down to fiddle with the sled while glancing toward the base of the hill. Unlike the slope with the Small Woods and where Old Cai was climbing, this side had lights lining both edges. The path was clear, and the safety factor was pretty high.

Xie Ling watched Qin Han bent over tinkering with it and bounced over eagerly. “Let me do it! Can I sit in front?”

Qin Han smiled at his excitement. “You know how to grass sled?”

It was a two-person sled. He’d planned to sit up front with Xie Ling hugging his waist from behind…

“Is there anything in the world your Ling Bro can’t do?” the young man replied with a laugh, full of spirited confidence.

Qin Han’s gaze softened. “Nope. You’re the best.”

Xie Ling basked in the praise, body and soul relaxed. With lightning speed, he got the gear ready, strapped on the protective pads, and hopped on the front. “Come on up and hold tight. My driving’s pretty wild—you don’t want to get flung off!”

The sight of this fresh, thrilling gadget had his blood pumping, and words spilled out without a second thought. Only when Qin Han settled in behind him did Xie Ling realize their current… situation. Those words of his were pure fire.

“Uh…” Xie Ling shifted a little. “Aren’t you holding on a bit too tight?”

Qin Han sat pressed against his back, arms around his waist, legs snug against his own, chest flush to Xie Ling’s back. Xie Ling could even feel Qin Han’s powerful heartbeat searing through their clothes.

“It’s safer this way,” Qin Han said matter-of-factly. “Otherwise, if I get tossed off and mess up my face, your chances of liking me go even lower.”

Xie Ling: “…”

Just then, Old Cai crested the slope, huffing and puffing with a flashlight in hand. Spotting the two familiar-yet-blurry figures climbing onto a grass sled, he jumped in outrage. “Students! If you’re bold enough to do it, own up to it! Come confess right now…”

Before he could finish, the pair shot off down the other side of the slope on their grass sled.

Scenery whipped by on both sides, the biting wind lashing their cheeks—icy yet exhilarating. Their bodies seemed to meld with the rush, the weightless thrill drawing a wild whoop from Xie Ling: “Aaaaaah—”

He laughed uproariously, his breath misting into the starry expanse.

Qin Han held him close and murmured gently by his ear, “Director Cai might hear.”

Xie Ling startled and clamped his mouth shut, though joy tugged uncontrollably at his lips. “How’s that? Too fast?”

As he spoke, he twisted his head slightly mid-speed, not realizing Qin Han’s face was right at his neck. Their breaths mingled in an instant, lips nearly brushing.

…

Xie Ling whipped his head forward again.

His heart pounded harder than it had during that first drop.

“Not too fast. You can go even wilder.” Qin Han chuckled low by his ear. “I’ve got stamina. I could go all night without tiring.”

…

Damn.

That sounded so off.

Xie Ling fell silent, focusing on steering.

Qin Han’s voice came again from behind. “Xie Ling.”

“…Yeah?”

“Having fun tonight?”

His voice blended into the vast night, tender and lingering.

Any other time, Xie Ling would’ve whooped without a care that he was over the moon. But now, caught up in the mood, he just murmured softly, “Yeah. Having fun.”

“Good. As long as you’re happy.” Qin Han tightened his hold on Xie Ling’s waist, rubbing his cheek gently against Xie Ling’s back. “That’s all that matters.”

Such simple words made Xie Ling’s chest ache with emotion.

The stars, the milk candy, the grass sled…

Suddenly, it hit him: Qin Han had to be the person who understood him best in the whole world.

The starlit expanse stretched to the horizon. Xie Ling gripped the controls, a bit lost in thought, when Qin Han’s urgent shout rang out behind him. “Watch out!”

The mood shattered. Xie Ling snapped back to attention and saw a soccer ball hurtling toward them from not far off.

“Hang on tight!” Xie Ling yanked the controls hard.

The football field lay just beyond the base of this slope. Some guy must’ve botched a mighty kick and sent the ball flying their way.

They swerved just in time, but before Xie Ling could exhale, the sled’s front end veered off course from the sharp turn and clipped a rock jutting from the path.

Too late to recover. Balance lost, they tumbled off the sled. In a flash, Qin Han wrapped Xie Ling in his arms, shielding him tight.

They rolled down the short remaining slope—nearly at the bottom already. Qin Han didn’t even have time to brace before his back slammed into a nearby tree trunk.

On instinct, he let out a pained grunt.

Xie Ling crawled out unscathed from Qin Han’s embrace. “You okay?!”

He darted around to check Qin Han’s back.

They both wore the camp-issued army-green camo jackets, so Xie Ling couldn’t see clearly. Anxious, he started yanking off Qin Han’s outer layer.

“I’m fine.” It hurt, but seeing Xie Ling so worked up made Qin Han’s heart swell with sweetness. “The guy coming to grab the soccer ball will be here any second. If he sees you stripping me in the pitch dark… if word gets out…”

Mid-flirt, Qin Han noticed the hands behind him freeze. He glanced back and saw Xie Ling’s eyes rimmed red.

Qin Han froze, his heart clenching. Softening his voice, he said, “I really am okay…”

“Does it hurt?” Xie Ling’s voice was hoarse. He’d already glimpsed the bloody mess on Qin Han’s back.

“Doesn’t hurt.”

Xie Ling glared at him.

Qin Han’s eyes filled with helpless fondness. “Okay, a little.”

Xie Ling clenched his fists. “Why’d you lunge like that? Think you’re made of iron or something, you…”

“It’s just a little hurt.” Qin Han gently pried Xie Ling’s fingers open, coaxing his fists apart one by one. “If you got hurt, it’d hurt me way more.”

…

How could this guy… even now…

Xie Ling swallowed the swell of emotion in his chest and slowly helped Qin Han to his feet, letting him lean fully against him. “I’m taking you to the Medical Office.”

~~~

Qin Han’s wound looked gruesome and had bled plenty, but it was all superficial—no real damage.

Once the military doctor finished bandaging him, Xie Ling spoke up from the side. “Doctor, could you write him an excuse note? Keep him out of activities for the next couple days.”

Deep down, Xie Ling wanted to bench him for the whole week, but he couldn’t. The farm training program counted toward their academic credits.

“I’d have opened it anyway, even if you hadn’t said anything.” The military doctor grinned at the two of them. “You two a little couple?”

Who would have thought this nearly forty-year-old military doctor uncle would be such a gossip? Xie Ling’s ears turned red. “No…”

Qin Han sat there calmly. “I’m pursuing him. Haven’t succeeded yet.”

“Hey!” Xie Ling protested.

The military doctor burst out laughing. “Relax, I’ve seen this plenty of times during the annual farm training. I won’t tell your teachers.”

Xie Ling wanted to argue further, but he caught sight of Qin Han smirking off to the side. For some reason, the words died on his tongue.

Fine. For the sake of the injured patient, he’d let it slide.

~~~

After leaving the medical office, Xie Ling supported Qin Han all the way to the First High School Alpha Dormitory Building.

The communal Alpha dorm strictly forbade Omegas from entering or exiting, but with no elevator in the building, Xie Ling couldn’t leave Qin Han to climb the stairs alone. Instead, he called Xiao Yanfei and asked him to come down with Zhang Chengrui to pick him up.

While they waited, Qin Han’s stomach suddenly let out a loud rumble.

Xie Ling froze for a second, then burst out laughing.

Qin Han eyed him helplessly. “Is my stomach growling really that funny?”

“It’s not that. I just never imagined you’d make such a… down-to-earth sound.” Xie Ling kept laughing, but the thought of Qin Han being both injured and hungry left a sour taste in his heart. “What do you want to eat? I’ll run to the canteen and grab it for you.”

“The canteen’s closed at this hour.”

Xie Ling realized he was right and started to worry. “Then ask Zhang Chengrui later. He always turns these events into a picnic outing. Back during freshman military training, he smuggled in a whole backpack of snacks. Just ask him…”

“I think he ate all his snacks this afternoon.”

“…” Little Pig Zhang!

Xie Ling racked his brain for a moment, then pulled a handful of milk candies from his pocket—the ones Qin Han had stuffed into his hands earlier. “Here, eat these. They’ve got a strong milky flavor that’s pretty filling, at least mentally. You’re such an idiot. You made so many and didn’t eat a single one, giving them all to me…”

Before he could finish, a soft sensation brushed his cheek. Xie Ling’s eyes flew wide as he realized Qin Han was kissing him.

Anyone could spot them under the dormitory building at any moment, so Qin Han pulled back after just a quick peck. As he did, though, he darted his tongue out for a teasing lick along Xie Ling’s cheek.

“No need for the milk candy.” Qin Han smiled, thoroughly satisfied. “This is plenty.”

“Of course.” He leaned in close to Xie Ling’s ear and whispered, “If you let me taste more… other places, I’d be even fuller.”

…

Xie Ling’s mind went blank with a rush of heat as he grasped what Qin Han meant. He felt like he was about to melt from embarrassment. He wanted to shove Qin Han away, but remembering his injuries, he could only stand there frozen.

“You… don’t talk nonsense.”

Qin Han let out a low chuckle, gazing at him. “Little Ling.”

“…What?” Every time Qin Han called him that, a jolt of electricity shot through Xie Ling’s body, leaving him tingling and numb.

“I really like you so much.” He grasped Xie Ling’s hand—the one clutching the milk candies. “Uncle Xie can’t always be by your side, but I can. If you’re willing, I’ll make milk candies for you for the rest of our lives.”