Chapter 6: Guidance Part 2

Today, knowing he’d buy eggs, he felt less guilty. He took the usual route and, sure enough, the Black Cat ambushed him from the bushes, demanding tribute.

Teeth bared, looking ferocious.

Li Ran was all deference and honesty. “I’m on my way to buy some right now… I’ll feed you when I get back.”

This routine—talking first without producing an egg—always tipped the Black Cat off that this pathetic human hadn’t hunted anything, filling it with disdain.

Its back fur bristled slightly as it cat-walked over, then hooked its paw into a jab, “bang bang bang” against Li Ran’s clean school pants.

Li Ran took the punches without complaint, hopped on his bike to the market, and bought ingredients for the next couple days. Time was tight; he didn’t haggle with the vendor.

His mouth would just waste time anyway.

After the Black Cat devoured one yolk and went to carry off the second, it extended a paw and patted Li Ran twice. Lightly, like taps.

Li Ran preferred to think it was punching him.

Otherwise, it was too creepy…

“Li Ran!” As soon as he entered the classroom, a bright, excited voice pierced through unreasonably. Before Li Ran could look, his neck and shoulders were hooked in an arm. “Missed you to death these past few days! Let me take a look!”

Qi Zhi must’ve been a clingy large dog in his past life. This life, he couldn’t stand not sticking to or hugging Li Ran, squeezing extra tight.

Even after two years of familiarity, Li Ran still wasn’t used to such intimate physical contact.

From another guy…

“Qi Zhi, Qi Zhi… Can’t breathe.” Li Ran’s breathing was slightly off as he elbowed Qi Zhi’s chest. “Don’t hug so tight. You—you let go first.”

Qi Zhi suddenly went quiet, lowering his gaze to Li Ran’s cheeks and ears, flushed from holding his breath instinctively. Taller than Li Ran, his drooping lashes cast a gaze like imperious oversight from above as Li Ran tilted his head up.

“…Let go.” Li Ran pursed his lips and mumbled, but not weakly.

“Been a few days, and you’ve gotten even more radiant. That glance almost made me forget how to breathe.” Qi Zhi knew Li Ran was proper; brief contact was fine, but too long left him flustered.

Though he adored Li Ran’s blushing face, Qi Zhi wouldn’t make him uncomfortable. He knew the limits.

He released his hold on Li Ran, wanting to scratch his chin but holding back. “A’Dai, don’t tell me you didn’t miss me at all while I was gone.”

What was there to miss about a guy…

Though sitting alone these days had felt a bit lonely.

Plus, adults always taught him to say what the other person wanted to hear.

“I did miss you,” he said.

Qi Zhi had arrived early and already roughed around with the class. Now he focused on Li Ran.

He hadn’t brought books—didn’t need them to top the exams—just a desk drawer full of snacks. Qi Zhi had controlled his middle school scores to land in the worst class in first year high.

Fixed classes meant same teachers and classmates for three years, so he naturally stayed in the worst second-year class.

The bottom class had terrible basics; even with Qi Zhi’s perfect scores pulling them up, they couldn’t close the gap with others. The homeroom teacher sighed constantly. When he asked Qi Zhi to tutor the class, Qi Zhi always said, “Tutor what? Everyone wants to play—let ’em play.”

The teacher would chuck chalk at him; Qi Zhi grinned and dodged.

If he wouldn’t teach sixty, teaching one—Li Ran—was fine. Qi Zhi had said honestly, “My desk mate doesn’t even like studying—don’t push him.”

Precisely because Qi Zhi understood him like that, Li Ran secretly admired him, thumbs-up in his mind, and felt great fondness.

The hugs and holds were no big deal.

That was just Qi Zhi’s personality—free-spirited, outgoing, warm. Everyone, young or old, male or female, liked him.

Li Ran’s discomfort with touch was his own issue.

Remembering how Qi Zhi aced exams without studying—like the genius high-IQ kid his mom Bai Qingqing mentioned—Li Ran thought bitterly that you really couldn’t compare people’s smarts.

Then, inexplicably, Chi Mo came to mind… That guy was on another level.

Game framework done at thirteen.

Fully launched at seventeen.

As he thought, a pile of snacks appeared on his desk, stacking into a little mountain. Qi Zhi emptied his drawer, offering them like tribute. “My aunt brought these back from abroad—imported snacks, not too sweet, try ’em!”

Li Ran had never seen snacks packaged like these before. They were high-end and exquisite, clearly expensive at a glance.

He only took a few and accepted his deskmate’s kindness with thanks. “Not too many, I won’t be able to finish them. Share them with the other classmates.”

“They all have some already.” Qi Zhi ignored him, grabbed his backpack, unzipped it, and swept all the snacks inside in one go.

This bandit-like generosity put immense pressure on Li Ran. He had no idea how to repay it.

Repay…

Li Ran still owed Chi Mo a huge favor, and he hadn’t repaid it yet. Not only that, he hadn’t even acknowledged the guy, as if waiting for Chi Mo to remember him and issue an order. Then he would obey immediately, ready to brave fire and water.

But Chi Mo was terse and his thoughts were particularly hard to guess. Who knew when he might suddenly decide to have Li Ran do something he couldn’t manage himself? Repaying the favor… maybe he could take the initiative first.

Do a “small” thing.

To repay a “big” favor.

Li Ran cast a lingering glance at the imported snacks in his backpack. Good stuff.

During class, Qi Zhi’s mouth never stopped. He kept talking, but since he was such a good student, the teacher didn’t care. He leaned in very close to Li Ran, telling him about the things that had happened these past few days.

His aunt had returned from abroad and wanted to have dinner with his uncle and cousin—the son his aunt and uncle had together. But the cousin was so busy he couldn’t even spare time to eat. His aunt was heartbroken and had Qi Zhi’s dad invite the cousin over, but he always said he had no time and even sent his full schedule, packed to the brim.

Qi Zhi, who had been pampered and raised optimistically since childhood, didn’t believe it. He called his cousin, planning to use his silver tongue to persuade him. But the cousin didn’t even pick up.

And so a few days dragged on. Qi Zhi skipped school, but still didn’t get to see his cousin.

It was truly frustrating.

Li Ran wasn’t a smart top student; his grades were at the bottom. If he dared to slack off, the teacher would definitely be unhappy with him. Besides, Li Ran always followed the rules and could never whisper head-to-head with Qi Zhi like that.

But he didn’t love studying either. After seriously listening for ten minutes, his eyelids started fighting, so sleepy they could stick together. Now, though he wasn’t talking, his ears were always listening. Qi Zhi knew this and spoke with extra enthusiasm.

No one was more suited to be a listener than Li Ran. He was a treasure.

After class, Qi Zhi slapped the desk, raising his voice. “Dai, judge this for me. Isn’t my cousin being way too much?”

“Yeah, too much.” Li Ran nodded solemnly, then stood up and poked Qi Zhi’s shoulder. “I need to pee. Let me through.”

Qi Zhi shifted his stool, pressing his chest against the desk edge. Li Ran immediately squeezed through the gap and bolted.

“Let’s go together!” Qi Zhi called after him, twisting his head.

Li Ran didn’t hear, running off at top speed. He didn’t head to the bathroom but found a quiet corner with his phone to send a message.

Even sending a message required hiding away, as if he were terrified of anyone knowing he was acquainted with a big shot like Chi Mo. He didn’t want fame.

[Mr. Chi, are you busy?]

Chi Mo might not have been busy, since he replied instantly. But Chi Mo was probably truly busy, because his response was—

[Call if you have something to say.]

Followed by a string of phone numbers.

He probably thought Li Ran had tossed his gold-embossed business card into the trash.

Staring at the number already saved in his contacts, Li Ran’s palms began to sweat. Reluctantly, he dialed it.

Only after the call connected did he realize he had nothing to say…

“Speak.” Chi Mo waited a long time without hearing a sound from the other end and patiently prompted him.

Li Ran immediately shouted, “Mr. Chi.”

“Mm.”

“…Do you eat snacks?” After blurting out this pointless small talk, Li Ran feared he might be sentenced to death and shot.

He squeezed his eyes shut, resenting his own stupidity for the first time.

How could a person be this dumb…

“Mm.” Chi Mo said, “Working overtime tonight. Company address just sent to you. Bring them after school.”