Shen Leyuan coaxed Huo Tingfeng into bed to rest.
The man’s tiger-like eyes brimmed with tears and affection alike, as if he was moved to the verge of crying. Perhaps because his secret was already out, he no longer hid that lingering stiffness in his movements, which gave Shen Leyuan a sympathetic ache in his own balls.
He couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh. “It was almost healed, and now the hospital stay’s getting extended again.”
Huo Tingfeng looked at him with those damp, reddened eyes, utterly unrepentant.
Shen Leyuan put on a stern face. “No more hurting yourself. Even if you’ve got that kink, hold it in. If it breaks…”
Huo Tingfeng drawled slowly, “I don’t need it anyway.”
The person he liked was a top. If there was ever a chance in the future, he’d probably end up on the bottom—and only if that chance came. If not, this thing would go unused for life. Celibacy it was.
Shen Leyuan gave him a deep look, scanning him up and down.
Huo Tingfeng stiffened under the gaze. If he didn’t know better—that the other man had no interest in him now—he might’ve lifted his shirt to flash his abs and pecs.
…He used to be interested. I was the one who messed up.
The man’s eyelids drooped.
Shen Leyuan immediately sensed the self-loathing and inferiority complex creeping back in. The guy might even slap himself in private, nails or whatever. Irritated, he tsked softly.
In a cryptic tone, he asked, “You’re a bottom?”
Huo Tingfeng perked right up, only to be stealthily pressed back down. With irrepressible anticipation, he nodded solemnly. “Yeah…”
Wasn’t being a bottom for love?
He could do it. He would!
Shen Leyuan flashed him a brilliant smile. “What a coincidence—me too. Guess we’ll be sisters from now on?”
Huo Tingfeng felt like he’d been struck by lightning.
Seeing this, Shen Leyuan’s grin widened.
He was half-serious, half-joking. The “serious” part was that he could bottom; the “joke” was he’d never actually done the deed, so he wasn’t sure what positions he liked.
It was just to poke at Huo Tingfeng, keep that thing from crowing.
Lin Yao stood at the doorway, eyes wide alongside Huo Tingfeng.
What? What?
Hadn’t the teacher said he was a celibate?
The young man’s face flushed red as hazy thoughts swirled: Teacher’s a bottom, teacher’s a bottom, teacher’s a bottom. Then he recalled the gasps and thrusts from his dreams, and the green, unripe fruit in his mouth.
The more he thought, the hotter he got, his face burning even deeper.
Afraid the teacher would see his embarrassment—or that passersby might—he hugged his knees and squatted by the door, covering his face to hide the excitement down there too.
Maybe too many wet dreams lately… I’m way too easy to rile up now.
It made him seem so undignified.
Frowning in annoyance, Lin Yao pricked up his ears to listen inside while pulling out his phone to browse food delivery and flower shops.
Huo Tingfeng struggled to speak. “I was actually just joking earlier.”
Shen Leyuan smiled. “Me too. Just kidding.”
Was that the kind of joke you could toss around lightly?
Huo Tingfeng crumbled inside but kept it off his face, gazing pleadingly at his beloved, hoping the man wouldn’t toy with him like this anymore.
He’ll play me to death…
Shen Leyuan ignored him, casually climbing back into bed to work on practice problems.
Though hospitalized lately, he hadn’t slacked on studying. Internships started after winter break—he couldn’t afford another fail.
As he studied, a head suddenly popped up at his bedside.
Huo Tingfeng gazed at him soulfully, looking utterly pitiful, like he was about to ask about top/bottom or seme/uke again.
Shen Leyuan ignored him, pretending not to see, and thought coldly: Fine, be disobedient then. It’s not me who’s hurting from all the running around.
But the man said humbly, “Anything’s fine… just don’t ignore me…”
Tsk.
Shen Leyuan kept his eyes on his phone but reached out to ruffle the big dog’s hair. “Don’t bug Daddy while he’s working. Daddy’s got a makeup exam tomorrow!”
Huo Tingfeng’s chest suddenly ached with bitterness.
“Mm…”
He murmured lowly, as if that wasn’t enough to convey his feelings. Suddenly, he tilted his face up, took that hand in his mouth, licked it wetly, then declared seriously, “Woof!”
Shen Leyuan: !!!
He thought the dog deserved a beating, yet the long-lost familiarity sent his heart racing.
That was when the door swung open.
The young man burst in, clutching a huge bouquet of vibrant red roses, beaming. “Teacher! Teacher! I scored a huge bargain!”
Shen Leyuan instinctively looked over—and got a faceful of roses.
Lin Yao said, “Two bucks a stem, fresh and cheap. Teacher, look how pretty they are?”
Then, “The room’s too drab, no bright colors at all. I got some vases too—can we put a few on the windowsill later?”
Before Shen Leyuan could refuse, Lin Yao snatched the roses back and swiftly unpacked them into vases.
Shen Leyuan was caught off guard.
“Aren’t vases in a hospital room a bad idea?” His mind was a whirl as he grasped for an excuse. “Easy to knock over and shatter.”
Lin Yao was prepared. “No worries—plastic ones.”
Shen Leyuan: “On the windowsill, they might get bumped. Water spilling everywhere isn’t great.”
Fair point. Lin Yao pondered.
Roses were such an ambiguous flower. Shen Leyuan’s first instinct had been a confession incoming—but before he could panic-refuse, the kid called it a cheap steal.
This massive bouquet, dew-kissed and all—how do you “steal” that?
Shen Leyuan had no clue.
Lin Yao hadn’t said they were for him, either. No shy confession vibes—just pure, foolish youthful excitement. It left Shen Leyuan baffled, his suspicions unconfirmed.
“Got it!”
Lin Yao exclaimed, “Teacher, wait here. I’ll grab something!”
Shen Leyuan: “Oh…”
Huo Tingfeng watched from the side, grinding his teeth in hatred but at a loss for words.
He didn’t know Lin Yao well, unaware of the mess with Little Deer. His initial impression was that Lin Yao was Shen Leyuan’s devoted follower—way more qualified than his own half-assed, late-to-the-party self.
Even his assumption that Shen Leyuan was a top stemmed partly from Lin Yao.
That first meeting, Lin Yao’s deep hostility toward him, limping like his ass was hurt—it led to a snap judgment on top/bottom.
Only now did it hit him: How could Shen Leyuan hook up with a student?
Shen Leyuan probably hadn’t even clocked Lin Yao’s feelings!
Noticing the puzzled gaze his beloved fixed on the roses, Huo Tingfeng sniped sarcastically, “Two-buck roses just happening to catch his eye. What luck.”
“You think it’s fishy too?”
Shen Leyuan’s brows furrowed tight. “Does he… like…”
Mid-sentence, Lin Yao barreled back in, armed with adhesive hooks. He banged them into the wall—bang bang.
“Don’t worry, no one’s in the adjacent rooms,” he soothed his frowning, protesting teacher. “Plus, this is Lin Family property. I can do whatever.”
Huo Tingfeng sneered coldly. “But it’s my room.”
Lin Yao shot back without turning. “Then switch hospitals. Why crowd in with the teacher?”
In moments, he’d nailed a wooden board in a hard-to-bump spot, lined up the vases, and added an outer guardrail.
The fiery blooms burst against the wall, right opposite Shen Leyuan’s bed.
Shen Leyuan’s brows knit tighter. Sternly, “Lin Yao…”
Lin Yao looked back pitifully. “Teacher… give me a little face…”
This wasn’t about face.
This was about keeping his teaching job…
Oh right, he didn’t have one anymore. Shen Leyuan rubbed his forehead. “Thanks for your thought—”
“Teacher!” Lin Yao cut him off, all aggrieved. “I got rejected after confessing—don’t you feel sorry for me?”
He scooted to the bed’s edge, resting his head and hands on it like a puppy.
“I picked them one by one on video call. But the guy I like shot me down flat—no chance at all. Am I that lame?”
He mumbled his misdirection deliberately.
Shen Leyuan blinked, stunned. “The one you like… who?”
“A classmate,” Lin Yao moped. “Cold, heartless campus heartthrob. He’s shattered the hearts of countless suitors here, including mine.”
Shen Leyuan’s heart skipped. Has some weirdo invaded this world again?
He pressed for the guy’s name.
Lin Yao acted lovestruck, hemming and hawing, refusing to spill. Pushed too hard, he just sulked silently, fiddling with a rose. “You’ll see when you get back to school…”
Alarms blared in Huo Tingfeng’s head.
He quickly played pitiful too. “Darling, I’m still injured!”
Dar-ling?
Lin Yao’s teeth nearly cracked. He sneered coldly. “Why call him so sweetly? Outsiders might think you’re his boyfriend.”
Huo Tingfeng was speechless.
Lin Yao turned to the teacher. “Heading back today? Professor Lin said there’s an exam tomorrow. I wanted to tutor you tonight.”
Shen Leyuan glanced at Huo Tingfeng.
If he left, who knew if the man would act up again.
Huo Tingfeng blinked at him—blink blink—really blinked hard.
Lin Yao calmly hit the call button.
The sound drew both men’s attention. “Helpfully,” he said, “Uncle Huo’s eyes seem off. Needs a doctor.”
Then to Shen Leyuan: “At our age, studies come first.”
Shen Leyuan couldn’t help chuckling.
“Alright,” he said, thinking ahead. “I’ll head back to review for tomorrow’s exam. Be back in a few days.”
The meds were mild and cleared out.
Huo Tingfeng wanted to warn him about Lin Yao but feared backfiring. He played good. “Mm, come back soon.”
For some reason, those words made Shen Leyuan’s heart ache sourly.
He dazed for a second, then promised Huo Tingfeng, “I will.”
Lin Yao claimed total victory, smug as could be.
But before he could press his advantage, he saw the teacher lean to Huo Tingfeng’s ear, whisper something low. The old man froze—then actually blushed coyly.
Pah! Him? Blushing coyly?
Ugly as sin!
![Strange God [Infinite Flow]](https://i2.wp.com/dobynovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/gd.jpeg?resize=151,215 "Strange God [Infinite Flow]")
