Chapter 11 Part 2

He was annoyed and silently cursed that foolish young master in his mind once more.

How could one kiss make it this serious?

Fortunately, the marks on his lips faded quickly.

He secretly got some ice in the kitchen and cold-compressed it for a while, and it was fine.

Afterward, he didn’t even greet the team leader and returned to the dormitory early to rest.

If asked tomorrow, he’d just say Zong Xing Yi had let him go—no problem.

With time still early and plenty of hot water, he took a satisfying bath.

After steaming in the bathroom for over half an hour, when the door opened, waves of hot steam carrying the scent of body wash poured out. The person who emerged had skin turned a watery pink.

Having bathed too long, Zhong Nian was thirsty. Ignoring his wet hair, he grabbed a cup and gulped down water.

When Ke Zhengchu came in, what he saw was a heart-stirring scene.

Unlike yesterday when he’d only wrapped a towel exposing large patches of mottled skin, the youth was properly dressed in pajamas this time, but the allure hadn’t diminished at all.

His soaked hair still dripped water, sticking to the sides of his face and neck, making his exquisite features seem even smaller.

He stood there, chin tilted up as he eagerly drank water. His neck was slender, and water not swallowed in time overflowed from the corner of his mouth, trailing down his chin. Before it could drip onto his collarbone, he wiped it away.

Gulp.

When Zhong Nian nearly emptied the cup, he heard a clear swallow. He noticed his roommate standing dazed at the door.

Seeing the other’s breathing heavy, looking parched too, he was stunned and offered his cup: “Do you want some?”

“Ah… yeah.” Ke Zhengchu responded hoarsely.

Zhong Nian heard how parched his throat was and planned to fetch more, but the cup was quickly snatched from his hand.

Ke Zhengchu held it and drank the remaining bit at the bottom, then stared blankly at the cup after finishing.

“Not enough? I’ll go fill some more for you.” Zhong Nian tried to take it, but the other yanked it back fiercely, like protecting a treasure.

“I’ll go.” Ke Zhengchu ran out with the cup.

Zhong Nian stood alone, scratched his chin, didn’t think much of it, and started blow-drying his hair.

By the time he finished, Ke Zhengchu returned.

“Why’d it take so long? Did something happen?” With the murder that evening, Zhong Nian was still a bit worried.

Moreover, the wound on Ke Zhengchu’s wrist made him think more.

That was definitely not from any accident, whether self-inflicted or by someone else—it meant he’d suffered some grievance outside.

“Nothing.” Ke Zhengchu shook his head, returned the cup without looking at him once during the process, head down the whole time. “Thanks.”

Zhong Nian took the heavy cup: “You filled it up for me? Thanks.”

He took two sips and set it on the table, saying to the dazed Ke Zhengchu: “Hurry and shower. Remember not to get the wound wet. Later, I’ll reapply medicine to your hand.”

“Okay…”

Ke Zhengchu took his things and clothes into the bathroom but stood rigidly for a moment, sniffing the lingering scent in the room.

It had just been used by the youth—smelled so good.

Just like when he’d smelled it on the cup rim…

The youth with hunched back touched his own lips; a sickly flush appeared on his bloodless face hidden under long hair.

As if struggling to restrain something, his thin back trembled, and his breathing grew heavier.

Habitually, he wanted to scratch the wound on his wrist to vent the itch rising from deep within, but as soon as his nails touched the waterproof gauze, he snapped awake.

Right… can’t do that anymore.

Otherwise, the person outside would be sad.

Meanwhile, Zhong Nian, waiting, asked the System the rest of his unfinished questions about the stream from before.

“Where do the viewers come from?”

“Players staying in the Rest Area, and victors who’ve cleared games and gained freedom.” The System seemed to know what the youth was thinking. “Stream comments shield all spoilers and cheats—no shortcuts for players.”

“Oh… then open one to try.”

In the System’s notification sound, Zhong Nian saw a intangible screen appear before him—the stream window.

Current viewers: zero, not even a robot.

Normal for a newbie; he didn’t mind. Hearing the bathroom door open, he minimized the window, picked up the medicine kit he’d brought from outside, turned around, and sensed something off.

“Did you shower with cold water?”

“Yeah… no hot water left.” Ke Zhengchu stared at the floor as he said it.

“Already gone so fast?” Zhong Nian muttered, then made him put on an extra layer of clothes and blow-dry his hair quickly.

Though Ke Zhengchu had a gloomy temperament and seemed unapproachable, he surprisingly obeyed him completely, doing whatever he said.

Afterward, they sat on the bed’s edge. Zhong Nian cleaned his wound, applied medicine, and rebandaged it.

The gauze had stuck to the wound, making removal tricky.

“Might hurt a bit—bear with it.” Zhong Nian poured saline to soak it, softening the scab for easier separation.

“I’m starting.” Zhong Nian gave Ke Zhengchu mental prep, proceeded carefully while watching his reaction. Seeing no sound from him, he used a bit more force and yanked off the toughest part in one go.

Not sure if the wound was still tender or if he’d used too much strength, blood seeped out.

“Ah…” Zhong Nian panicked and handled it, holding Ke Zhengchu’s wrist and blowing on it. “Sorry, sorry—did it hurt?”

He lowered his head to check Ke Zhengchu’s expression.

Sure enough, the other bit his lip in endurance, sweat sliding from his forehead, back arched, other hand gripping his clothes hem and pulling down hard—clearly in significant pain.

“I’m fine. You can use more force; I don’t mind the pain.”

Zhong Nian sighed: “Don’t comfort me.”

Little did he know, the person before him wasn’t being stubborn or consoling him.

He was indeed enduring, but not a bit of it was from pain.