You must be joking.
If he admitted it, that would be the end of him.
Ming Ying’s expression didn’t change much; the tone when he spoke these words was even very steady—as if he truly didn’t know who the person Aston was talking about was.
A sentence rolled on the tip of his tongue, then fell to the ground, taking no more than a second in total.
In that second, Ming Ying didn’t even have time to recall those (disgusting) messages he’d sent to XI. Amidst his wildly pounding heart, he praised himself: Whoa, bro, you’re awesome. Just like that—deny it to the death!
Compared to Ming Ying, Silas was clearly much more relaxed. He had his arms crossed, leaning against the table edge. Hearing this, he simply raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly.
Hearing that laugh, Ming Ying felt goosebumps rise again.
Then he heard Aston ask him: “Are you sure?”
Although it was a question, there was no anger, no doubt. The tone just rose slightly at the end, like someone teasing a puppy.
Ming Ying blinked. Although his eyes were directed towards Silas, his gaze was fixed on the bookshelf behind Silas—what a bookshelf-like bookshelf this was, with books and shelves.
“Ming?”
Crap, crap, crap.
Can you just not call me!
Ming Ying silently chanted three times in his heart: Can’t admit it even if it kills me—actually, admitting it was about the same as dying, so not admitting it was still more advantageous. At least he’d die with dignity.
So Ming Ying just looked at that bookshelf, frowning slightly, using an almost concerned tone and look as he said: “I’m sure. Professor, no, Mr. Aston, I truly didn’t understand what you’re talking about. How about you ask someone else? I have another class this afternoon, I’ll just… be going…”
As he spoke, he stealthily shifted his feet, trying to bolt again—speaking of which, Ming Ying really regretted not running when he had such a good chance in the corridor just now!
“Trying to run again?” Silas straightened up, seeing right through the kid’s scheme in a glance, and curved his lip. “This reading room also requires a fingerprint to unlock to leave.”
“…”
Student Ming Ying froze right there.
I beep, why would a reading room need a lock?
Too much money and nowhere to spend it? If you have nowhere to spend it, %&# give it to me!
Thus, Student Ming Ying’s escape plan collapsed halfway through.
Ming Ying stood obediently in place, but still looking at that bookshelf. He forced a smile (at the bookshelf): “No, my leg just fell asleep. Just moving around a bit.”
He heard the man before him give an “Mm,” and then nothing more.
The atmosphere fell silent, blank again.
…What was this? A test of endurance?
The next second, the person in front spoke first.
“Where do you want to go for lunch?”
Ming Ying sneered inwardly. See, so what if you’re a school board director? You still can’t outlast me.
—Wait, lunch?
Who wants to eat with you???
Ming Ying clenched his fist. “Uh, I think, Mr. Aston, you really have some kind of misunderstanding—”
This time, before Ming Ying could finish his sentence, he caught a glimpse of that corner of the gray suit moving slightly in his peripheral vision.
Immediately after, a slightly cool hand pinched Ming Ying’s cheek—that hand turned his face thirty-five degrees.
“…”
WTF…
Ming Ying was dumbfounded.
The first time in his life being cheek-pinched by a man…
He was too shocked to even think of resisting.
Silas turned the person’s head, frowning and said: “Ming, when speaking to someone, you should look them in the eye. It’s basic courtesy.”
“…”
Damn it.
Do you think it’s because I lack manners? If I looked at you, could I still speak?
Silas asked: “What did you want to say?”
Ming Ying had never been this close to this strange professor’s face. He had to admit, he was truly good-looking. His light blue eyes were like the sky. Ming Ying held his breath; it seemed like he could see his own reflection in them.
“Actually…”
Just then, Ming Ying smelled that familiar scent again.
He frowned. He had smelled this scent at the airport, at the hotel, and also… on that bed!!!
Damn it, what had he done on that bed?
A rush of heat.
Ming Ying’s face instantly heated up; his heart felt like it was about to jump out; ten thousand curses couldn’t stop it.
“Professor, no,” he shouted randomly, hastily stepping back. “I think, I think, I still don’t know you.”
“…”
Ming Ying wished he could bite off his own tongue!
Silas lowered his hand and didn’t speak.
After a moment, Ming Ying couldn’t help himself. Afraid he might die right there in this reading room, he secretly lifted his eyes to peek.
Who knew, the other party didn’t have any angry expression at all. Instead, seeing him sneak a look, he even raised an eyebrow.
“…”
Uh, like a mouse caught by a cat. Ming Ying hurriedly averted his gaze.
The very next second, he heard the other say: “Ming Ying, I fully understand you.”
He actually used his full name. Ming Ying was taken aback.
…But he wanted to ask, understand what?
Silas seemed to have genuinely thought about it, and said: “If you feel this way of handling things makes you more relaxed, then I can accept it.”
Ming Ying: “…”
Why did this make him sound like a scumbag?
Before Ming Ying could react, the other party had put his hands in his pockets and was walking towards the door.
???
It was over, just like that?
Ending with him as the scumbag? Damn, he refused to accept this.
But looking up, meeting the other’s height, which was a full head taller than his—never mind. A wise man doesn’t fight when the odds are against him.
Ming Ying watched Aston’s back, tailing along dejectedly.
With a beep, the lock disengaged.
Silas pulled the door open and stood to one side, leaving room for him.
Ming Ying scratched his head. Even at the doorway, he didn’t dare proactively look into the other’s eyes. He just slightly bent over and instinctively said: “Thank you, Teacher.”
After saying it, his movement suddenly froze.
Oh crap.
Just then, he heard a low chuckle from above his head: “Mm.”
Ming Ying didn’t dare stay a moment longer. He turned, wanting to flee, but just as he stepped out, he heard Aston say behind him: “I’ll make up this missed class for you.”
Make up what? Ming Ying practically wanted to vomit blood. He just wanted to get away, quick.
Ming Ying casually said “No need, no need,” and then turned to leave. Who knew, just as he stepped out, that man actually followed him out!
“…”
Ming Ying couldn’t hide his shock as he looked back. Silas very naturally walked past him: “I’ll drive you back.”
Drive him back.
Drive, him, back.
Back to where?
Perhaps because this time his confusion was written all over his face, Silas, standing not far away, said: “To your home.”
“Uh, that’s really not necessary.” Ming Ying chose a dignified reason: “Thank you for your kind intention, but class probably isn’t over yet. I think I can still go back and listen a bit more…”
This reason was brilliant. He didn’t have to be driven home, and he didn’t have to be subjected to the “makeup lesson.”
But his little scheme, how could Silas not see through it? “Ming, in your current state, what could you possibly get out of going back to listen?”
“Just, listen to the lecture…”
“Mm.” Silas: “And then thinking about me in your head?”
I beep—
Caught completely off guard, Ming Ying’s expression nearly cracked.
This familiar tone, familiar lines, familiar style…
In this moment, Ming Ying realized clearly, without a doubt, beyond any need for evidence, that the man in front of him really was his XI.
He was actually having an online romance with Aston, the legendary N University Third School Rule.
Aaaahhhh…
Was there anything more terrifying, more ridiculous, in this world than this?
Suddenly, a flood of his chat history with XI surged into Ming Ying’s mind.
“Teacher~ Don’t look over there~ Look at me~”
“Teacher~ I’m very obedient~ The most obedient~”
“Teacher, I have other photos~ Want to see~”
“[Kiss]”
…
Help.
Ming Ying looked at the broad back, at least one meter ninety tall, before him. A mouthful of blood nearly choked him.
How exactly was he supposed to accept that his blonde, blue-eyed hot babe had turned into a one-hundred-ninety-centimeter hot… man.
…
Ming Ying behind him was in a mental hurricane. Silas up ahead glanced at his phone and said: “If you really don’t want to go eat with me, then we’ll buy something along the way and take it home to eat.”
Ming Ying: “…”
What did he mean, really don’t want to eat with him?
He was already miserable enough. His girl was gone, and now he had to be made out as the scumbag.
“I’ll take you home first,” Silas walked in front, still not forgetting to add: “Be good.”
I beep—
Once again, Ming Ying internally cracked.
This $&# world. The moment his life started looking up, it threw this massive stumbling block at him.
And so, Ming Ying followed behind Silas with a dejected face, just like when they came.
However, as they walked, Ming Ying snapped back to reality and suddenly realized his backpack was gone again!
Ming Ying stopped, looking left and right, finally discovering that for some reason, his bag was back in Aston’s hand…
&^% his mother, did this bag grow legs or something?
“My bag, I’ll myself—” He started jogging over, as if this leg-sprouting bag contained some rare family heirloom.
Silas raised a hand to stop him: “Ming, can’t you tell? I was afraid you’d run away again.”
“…”
A mountain-tsunami roar raged inside Ming Ying.
He truly couldn’t take it anymore! Weren’t you a school board director? Weren’t you supposed to be gentlemanly, elegant, and mysterious?!
Why the #&% do you always talk like this!
Please, if you were a girl, I’d endure it, but you $&^% aren’t—but Ming Ying could only endure it after all.
Fine, because this person was a school board director, powerful and influential, capable of smacking him to the next district to live as a homeless man with a single palm.
He straightened up and weakly retorted: “I, I didn’t have that plan.”
Silas gave an “Mm”: “I trust you.”
“…”
Crap. Ah. Flowers. You really are beautiful.
Just like that, the two of them, one in front, one behind, still maintaining a distance of five meters, walked towards the parking lot.
Along the way, Ming Ying counted. Aston took two phone calls, averaging no more than five minutes each.
At the same time, some professors and students from the school saw Aston and came over to greet him. Aston would occasionally stop for a few minutes, but mostly just nodded and walked past.
Whenever this happened, Ming Ying tried his utmost to widen the distance, terrified that someone would discover he was walking with Aston.
Finally, as they walked, Aston suddenly stopped.
He stopped, so Ming Ying stopped too.
Silas turned his face sideways to look at him: “Ming, what are you standing there for?”
Ming Ying blinked. He couldn’t exactly say it was because he stopped, right?
“Uh,” Ming Ying said casually, “My legs are tired from walking.”
Then he saw Mr. Aston frown slightly.
“From the library to the parking lot, we’ve walked a full three hundred meters.” Silas lifted his book bag slightly, his tone unreadable. “Indeed, one should be tired.”
???
Only three hundred meters???
Why did he feel like he had walked three hundred kilometers???
Student Ming Ying was rendered speechless.
He didn’t know what to say, so he could only cough.
“I just… get tired easily from walking.”
A magical reason, a complete non sequitur. Anyone hearing it would say he needed to see a doctor.
Yet Aston actually nodded: “I’ve mentioned before, your muscles indeed lack exercise.”
I beep—
Did he have to bring that up? The moment Ming Ying remembered how the man knew he “lacked exercise,” he wanted to immediately find a crack in the ground and crawl into it—and never come out!
Ming Ying was annoyed to death. He looked up, meeting that gaze tinged with a faint smile…
Immediately, a rebellious spirit surged up, and he fearlessly said: “Mr. Aston, I read in a popular science article that for young people like us, we shouldn’t over-exercise.”
The implication: Can you stop minding my business, you old man.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ming Ying admired himself. &^% me, I’m really daring.
But immediately, he thought: Crap, will he expel me?
Probably not…
The next second, he heard Aston give an “Mm,” and say: “Then stand right here, don’t move. I’ll go get the car.”
Ming Ying was stunned, subconsciously asking: “Why?”
Silas chuckled: “To prevent you from over-exercising today.”
Ming Ying: “…”
Should I thank you?
Thus, in the vast campus, Student Ming Ying just stood there stupidly in front of the parking lot, without his bag, without anything, like a lost fool.
To be honest, if it weren’t for the fact that his bag was with that person, he would have run.
Pity, the devil is a foot taller, the way is a yard higher. He was still one move short.
Luckily, Aston didn’t make him, this lowly devil, wait too long. About five minutes later, a black car of a brand Ming Ying didn’t recognize stopped in front of him.
The driver’s side window rolled down. Silas, now wearing sunglasses, pointed towards Ming Ying: “Ming, go to the passenger seat.”
Ming Ying, who had been sneakily trying to get into the back seat: “…”
Even for just pulling the door open, getting in, and fastening the seatbelt, Ming Ying dawdled for ages, and still hadn’t clicked the buckle in.
Silas watched and said: “Ming, I won’t disappear just because you delay.”
“…”
Click. Student Ming Ying expressionlessly fastened his seatbelt.
Silas curved his lip slightly, then said: “Send me the navigation address.”
“Oh.”
Ming Ying took out his phone, found his own apartment address, copied it, then exited the interface. Then, the next second, he choked.
The question was, how should he send him the address?
Using WhatsApp?
Oh crap.
Ming Ying opened his chat interface with XI.
Apart from ten read [Puppy Peeking Sticker.jpg] messages, their latest chat looked like this:
Mingo: Our school board director came to observe the class today.
Mingo: And he sat in the very last row!
Mingo: The sheer arrogance of the capitalist!
Mingo: If he’s sitting there, where am I supposed to sit?
Mingo: Right?
Ming Ying took a look, and silently exited the chat interface with XI.
He took a deep breath, finally understanding how he had exposed himself this morning.
What a sin.
Although Ming Ying maintained the action of looking down at his phone, his gaze slanted towards the driver’s seat.
Silas turned his face: “What’s wrong?”
“Uh.” Ming Ying felt he still cherished his life. He chose the latter between being silenced and looking like a fool, and said: “That, um, your phone, does it have the AirDrop function?”
He finished speaking. Silas had been looking at him sideways the whole time, but because he was wearing sunglasses, Ming Ying couldn’t clearly see his eyes.
Ming Ying felt the sins he had committed today were enough to repay in his next three reincarnations.
He prepared himself for rejection, but unexpectedly, Aston said: “Sure.”
Then Ming Ying saw him pick up his phone and say: “Send it.”
Ming Ying held his forehead. He took a screenshot of the address, made it an image, and then prepared to use the iPhone’s AirDrop function to send the picture over.
But just as he opened the photos, Ming Ying heard the person in the driver’s seat say: “Ming. Don’t send it to the wrong person. I am that XI.”
“…”
I beep—
That was intentional, wasn’t it!
A tight-lipped Ming Ying AirDropped the photo to the user named XI. Heh.
After the file was sent successfully, Silas raised the car window and started the vehicle.
Aston’s car interior had quite a style.
This was Ming Ying’s first impression.
An N University emblem hung from the console; the seats were custom-made, high-class black leather.
Simple, but exceptionally comfortable. You could tell the owner was a person of great taste, completely unlike that hotel-like showroom luxury apartment.
Aston drove very steadily.
This was Ming Ying’s second impression.
From back home to abroad, from family members’ cars to ride-hailing services driven by all sorts of people, there weren’t many whose driving skills he considered truly steady.
They say driving reflects a person’s fundamental personality—impatient, restrained, or steady and gentlemanly.
But apparently, that saying was wrong.
Because Aston drove steadily, yet he was a rogue.
To be honest, even now, Ming Ying couldn’t connect the N University Third School Rule with the XI who flirted with him, and the man driving the car before him.
They seemed like three completely different people.
And… perhaps due to his limited experience, Ming Ying always felt that people like Aston should be chauffeured everywhere. How could they drive themselves?
“What are you thinking about?” Silas suddenly asked.
Ming Ying let out an “Ah”: “I didn’t expect you could drive.”
“…”
Strange? Why did that sound wrong?
Ming Ying quickly tried to remedy it: “No, I mean, I didn’t expect you would drive yourself.”
“Mm.” Silas said: “Thank you for the compliment.”
“…”
Watching the car leave the Manhattan city center, Ming Ying was gradually enveloped by the familiar scent inside the car. He felt extremely awkward.
Because no one was talking.
Although awkwardness was already the main theme of his life, being in a confined space with a stranger was still so awkward.
Ming Ying could only take out his phone.
He flipped through it endlessly, finally opening the childhood friends group chat.
As if finding a vent, he started typing furiously.
【Single Aristocrats】:
Mingo: I’m done. I want to die.
Mingo: Guess who my online dating partner was?
Mingo: Met in person today, it’s a guy!!!
Mingo: I’m done. I really want to die.
Ming Ying didn’t dare say that the person was also their school’s board director, or else he feared scaring his brothers to death.
Sure enough, for such explosive hot gossip, his two bastard-sworn brothers who loved being cheap would never miss it.
Son No. 1: ????
Son No. 2: ????
Son No. 2: As long as you found out early and didn’t get scammed out of money.
Son No. 1: Whoa, how did you luck into this good thing? Spill the tea!
Mingo: What’s there to say? The other party was just a guy. Ugh, what a sin.
Who knew, Son No. 1 suddenly sent a voice message amidst a flood of stickers.
Ming Ying was stunned, then instinctively tapped it.
Result: a cheap, flirty voice rippled through the quiet car.
“Brother Little Ming~ Why not have an online romance with me~ I’m a guy too~”
!!!
Oh crap!
Ming Ying hurriedly stopped the message.
Immediately after, he heard a soft chuckle from the driver’s seat.
Ming Ying: “…”
😭😭✋