Lin Zhi repeated it again with the resolve of someone facing death: “Your abs are so defined. Can I lick them?”
This time, there wasn’t a trace of stuttering.
Song Mian was so shocked that he let Lin Zhi grip his hand, his abdomen still exposed to the cool air. The only silver lining was that there really was no one inside or outside the classroom.
Song Mian pried Lin Zhi’s hand away and straightened his clothes, his voice suppressed. “Are you delirious from the fever?”
Lin Zhi leaned against the chair, tilting his face up with an expression that said his bro wasn’t being cool enough. “No, I’m dead serious. You look so hot playing basketball. I’ve wanted to lick them for ages. As bros, you can’t even fulfill this little request?”
Song Mian’s brows furrowed tightly as his gaze locked onto Lin Zhi’s eyes.
Lin Zhi didn’t dodge either. He even tried to widen his eyes, making sure Song Mian could see his longing for those bro abs. They’d come this far—he had to complete it!
Lin Zhi’s body felt awful, sustained only by his willpower to survive. Seeing Song Mian stay silent for so long, he endured the pain and urged, “So, what’s it gonna be?”
His voice had even started to give out.
Song Mian ground his back teeth. “You need to go to the infirmary. We’ll talk after you get checked.”
Lin Zhi refused. “No, right now. Let me lick.”
Song Mian’s throat bobbed hard. After a few seconds of silence, Lin Zhi pressed again. “So, what’s it gonna be?”
Song Mian’s gaze never left Lin Zhi’s eyes. His voice came out hoarse. “You’re serious.”
Lin Zhi nodded.
Song Mian confirmed. “You’re a total perv.”
Lin Zhi didn’t care anymore.
“Yeah, so can I?”
Under Lin Zhi’s relentless pressure, Song Mian relented. “Fine.”
Lin Zhi’s eyes widened slightly. He could?
“You mean it’s okay?” Lin Zhi asked excitedly.
Song Mian’s gaze darkened. “Yeah.”
“Big Fierce Top, quick!”
The A9901 system popped online instantly: [Ding! Side task three completed. Dormitory survival chance unlocked—head to the infirmary ASAP to treat your condition. Host won’t die before the next task refresh!]
Lin Zhi’s eyes flew wide open. He started to stand and explain to Song Mian that he didn’t actually want to look, but his head plunged straight into Song Mian’s abdomen.
In Song Mian’s eyes, even in his final moment before passing out, Lin Zhi was going for those abs. Song Mian called out lowly, “Lin Zhi?”
Lin Zhi had truly fainted.
–
“What a freak.”
Lin Zhi jolted awake at the curse. He blinked dazedly at the familiar ceiling and familiar infirmary bed. He raised his hand slightly— an IV drip hung from it. Sunlight streamed in through the window outside. Lin Zhi glanced at the time: 3 p.m.
Already 3?
“Tap the lucky bag in the upper right corner.”
Another irritable voice. Lin Zhi turned his head. Tong Xu sat beside him, frowning as he played a game. Lin Zhi sat up slowly and leaned over. Tong Xu was dominating in-game, and Lin Zhi reflexively said, “Take me in.”
His voice was still thick with congestion.
Tong Xu jumped. “You’re awake?”
Lin Zhi peered at the screen. “Yeah.”
Tong Xu shifted his phone screen toward Lin Zhi and glanced at the IV. “How you feeling now?”
Lin Zhi eyed the skills enviously. “No more pain, just a bit dizzy. Take me in?”
Tong Xu refused. “Dizzy? Don’t play games. Xiao Zhu’s at the library. Song Mian wouldn’t stay with you, so I drew the short straw. You piss off Song Mian or something?”
That finally pulled Lin Zhi’s attention away. He even lost interest in watching Tong Xu play. He leaned back on the bed and sighed heavily. “Do you think harassing a straight guy gets you the death penalty?”
Tong Xu asked, “Who harassed you?”
Tong Xu flexed his arm, gesturing to the muscles under his shirt. “I’ve got the strength. I’ll help you get payback later.”
Lin Zhi wailed in grief. “I… harassed another straight guy.”
Tong Xu: ?
Tong Xu paused his game and looked up. “Song Mian?”
Lin Zhi nodded.
Tong Xu: “Why?”
Because of the system, but telling Tong Xu about it wouldn’t help—even if he believed it, Song Mian wouldn’t.
Lin Zhi mumbled, “Just wanted to.”
Tong Xu’s eye twitched. He resumed playing and grumbled speechlessly, “With your die-hard attitude, if there was a crime for harassing straight guys, they’d drag you out and shoot you.”
Lin Zhi fretted. “What do I do?”
Tong Xu said casually, “You throw around ‘I love you’ like candy. Whatever you did is small potatoes. Song Mian probably just thinks you’re brain-dead.”
Lin Zhi felt like he’d found a soulmate. “I think so too. Bro, my head doesn’t feel dizzy anymore. Take me in?”
Tong Xu smoothly changed the subject. “Rest up. We’ve got a group dinner tonight. How you gonna eat your money’s worth if you’re weak? You paid up, right?”
He had.
Lin Zhi burrowed back under the covers and soon let out soft snores.
He woke next to gnawing hunger. The infirmary had dimmed. Tong Xu, who had been gaming beside him, was gone. The needle in Lin Zhi’s hand had been removed too.
Lin Zhi stretched lazily on the bed and happened to glance at Song Mian leaning against the infirmary door, a lit cigarette pinched unlit between his fingers, staring darkly at him.
Lin Zhi startled, his stretch stiffening.
“Shit. Bro, make a sound next time.”
Song Mian walked in, his tone emotionless. “Feeling better?”
Lin Zhi still felt guilty about noon. He hummed vaguely, his voice still nasally.
Song Mian stood by the bed, staring intently at Lin Zhi. Lin Zhi averted his eyes timidly, sat up quietly, slipped on his big floral pajamas, and broke the awkward vibe. “There’s a group dinner tonight. I paid. You know where it is?”
Song Mian spoke. “Aiyi Restaurant, one kilometer from campus.”
Lin Zhi knew the place—their signature was Spicy Rabbit Head. He loved animals. So he messaged the class monitor for a refund. But as he stood, his body wobbled weakly. Song Mian steadied him just in time.
Lin Zhi gripped Song Mian’s arm. “Haven’t walked in too long.”
Song Mian frowned slightly. “Talk less.”
Lin Zhi shut up.
Song Mian grabbed Lin Zhi’s meds from the infirmary window. Lin Zhi offered to transfer money, but Song Mian’s glance made him look away guiltily.
They reached the cafeteria entrance around 5:30 p.m., peak dinner time. Crowds everywhere. Lin Zhi, in his big floral pajamas, still had some pride.
He stopped, face grave. He sneaked a peek at Song Mian—the guilty vibe lingered. Lin Zhi casually detoured around the cafeteria toward the dorm.
Song Mian suddenly asked, “What do you want to eat?”
Lin Zhi looked around.
Song Mian patiently repeated, “Fish noodle soup or Braised Chicken Rice?”
Song Mian was actually asking. Lin Zhi felt oddly touched and ordered, “Braised Chicken Rice.”
Song Mian said calmly, “Wait at the door.”
No roasting, and he was buying food? Lin Zhi was still wary—was this the calm before the storm? Song Mian wouldn’t hold it against him?
Lin Zhi circled to the cafeteria door and waited minutes. Song Mian emerged with two portions of Braised Chicken Rice. He held one out—not for him? Lin Zhi scratched his face. “Lemme take it?”
Song Mian didn’t hand it over. “You’re the patient.”
The Romance Lifesaving System chimed in: [Not bad for the Male Lead! So thoughtful. Lin Zhi, haven’t you swooned under his dark pants yet?]
No way! Song Mian’s thoughtfulness felt off!
The class monitor messaged back, earnestly urging Lin Zhi to come, saying the computing class would lose face without him. He even sent a pic of a table full of dishes to tempt him.
Lin Zhi was already digging into his Braised Chicken Rice, tapping his phone: [No Spicy Rabbit Head for me. Just left the infirmary for dorm. You saw my state today—nearly died.]
Class monitor: [You nearly died but still brought Song Mian water? Know what the forum’s saying about you two?]
Lin Zhi, curious: [That Song Mian’s a humane tall-rich-handsome guy?]
Class monitor: [That you’re seducing Song Mian! Pretending to be straight to get close and marry into wealth!]
Lin Zhi: ?
Lin Zhi typed: [Seducing in big floral pajamas?]
Class monitor: [They say you’re playing cute. Gotta go— no refund.]
The 100 bucks was gone, but bigger issues loomed. Lin Zhi picked out the white radish, finished eating, then secretly logged into the campus forum behind Song Mian’s back.
Sure enough, the homepage was all him and Song Mian.
[Looking forward to the day Lin Zhi marries into wealth—we’re all witnesses!]
[It’s happening! It’s happening! It’s happening! Dorm yaoi lit, come see!]
[Who’s this in the ugly-cute pajamas? So adorable!]
[Isn’t Song Mian too handsome? Sisters, come ogle!]
[Beauty can’t snag the cold campus heartthrob? Try cute! Full HD pics of cute Lin Zhi and cold campus heartthrob interactions!]
Lin Zhi even clicked into one post randomly.
[OP: Watching two hunks get cozy is eye candy. Lin Zhi’s too good—face on Song Mian’s shoulder! And this: Song Mian’s hand gripping Lin Zhi’s leg—so firm? Tsk tsk, does wifey’s leg feel good?]
Shit.
Lin Zhi’s face flushed crimson. He covered his phone like a kid hiding mischief and sneaked a guilty peek at Song Mian. Song Mian was tossing trash, his eyes lifting to catch Lin Zhi red-handed. Unusually, Song Mian didn’t roast him. He even said, “I’ll get water. Take your meds after.”
Lin Zhi thanked him stiffly. “Th-thanks.”
“System bro, what’s Song Mian up to?”
The Romance Lifesaving System had been lurking: [I prefer Big Fierce Top. How should I know what the Male Lead’s planning? But he hasn’t mentioned noon—maybe the magnanimous Male Lead’s letting it slide again?]
Letting it slide was ideal.
But… could he really? Lin Zhi remembered Song Mian had agreed to let him lick. He’d wanted to explain but collapsed onto him. So in Song Mian’s eyes, he was still a perv craving bro abs.
Lin Zhi pondered.
The Romance Lifesaving System was exhausted: [Host, stop fake-thinking!]
Lin Zhi kept eating with his head down.
At 7 p.m., Tong Xu and Zhu Muyun still weren’t back. Lin Zhi got up from bed and approached Song Mian, who was collecting laundry on the balcony.
Lin Zhi hunched over shamelessly, sidling up with what he thought was an honest smile. “Song Mian bro, when my brain fries from fever, I get pervy ideas. I didn’t do anything to you at noon, right?”
Song Mian kept collecting clothes. “Sleepwalking again?”
Lin Zhi tensed. “Not sleepwalking. I-I was delirious from the fever.”
Song Mian glanced at Lin Zhi, his gaze lingering on Lin Zhi’s thoroughly red ears—like a puppy’s after being bullied.
Seeing Song Mian silent, Lin Zhi’s eyelids fluttered. “S-Song Mian bro?”
His lips were pretty nice.
Song Mian looked away. He draped the clothes over his arm, set the drying rack aside, and reminded him darkly, “At noon, you said you wanted to lick the sweat off my abs. I said yes. Still want to?”
Lin Zhi stumbled.
The Romance Lifesaving System gloated: [Scared me! Thought the Male Lead would let you off easy again! Lin Zhi, your excuses won’t cut it anymore!]
Lin Zhi ignored the useless thing and played dumb. “I-I was totally delirious. No licking, definitely not. Who licks bro abs? Pervs! Haha.”
Song Mian turned his face slightly, a hint of amusement mixing into his indifferent eyes. His lips curved in a not-quite-smile. “Really not?”
Lin Zhi shook his head. “Nope!”
Song Mian withdrew his gaze, hugged the clothes, and left—but not before tossing out, “Your pajamas are pretty ugly-cute.”
Lin Zhi drew a sharp breath.
“Ugly-cute”—Song Mian’s vocab wouldn’t include that unless… he’d been browsing the forum too.
