Chapter 7: Enticement

Li Ran was a day student, so after school at six, he didn’t have to join the boarders for evening self-study.

However, today was Friday, and everyone—teachers and students alike—headed home.

Normally, when the dismissal bell rang, Li Ran didn’t need to rush since no one was waiting for him at home and he wasn’t in a hurry to get back. Still, he never dawdled. To him, the school—an institution where he’d studied for over a decade without ever scoring well—was useless except for teaching him that he had average intelligence and was essentially a good-for-nothing. But today, he was in a hurry, anxious as if he might not find the address. He packed his bag early, hugged it to his chest, ready to bolt at any moment.

Two minutes before the bell, he poked Qi Zhi’s arm with his finger. “I’ve gotta run after school—clear a path for me, okay?”

Qi Zhi didn’t get it but was happy to help his desk mate.

He immediately slid his stool forward, leaving space behind him, and asked, “What’s the rush to get home for?”

Seeing the tense expression on Li Ran’s face, Qi Zhi let out a long breath. Instantly alert, he furrowed his sword-like brows, his suspicious gaze scanning Li Ran’s overly captivating face as he leaned in to sniff out any secrets. “You aren’t… dating someone—got a girlfriend, have you?”

“No,” Li Ran said, annoyed at being accused of that but also harboring a faint longing. He knew better, though. “Who’d like a dummy like me?”

Qi Zhi burst out laughing, reaching over to pinch and rub Li Ran’s cheeks. “You’re so cute!”

Li Ran leaned his head back to dodge.

But Qi Zhi agreed with one thing Li Ran said: “Girls like romance, and you don’t have a romantic bone in your body. If you don’t change, you’re doomed to a lonely life.”

“If you hadn’t been my desk mate for two years, no one would believe a face like yours…” Qi Zhi trailed off, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he searched for the right word to describe Li Ran’s looks. He couldn’t find one— no vocabulary captured Li Ran’s beauty and allure. It didn’t even look like the face of a high schooler. “Seriously, A’Dai, we don’t have to stick to girls. Being with a girl… You’re clearly more suited to being with…”

With that, Qi Zhi succeeded in his prank. He threw his head back, mouth agape, laughing heartily without noticing the subtle shift in Li Ran’s expression. The teacher had left five minutes earlier, leaving the students to self-study. Now, the classroom echoed with Qi Zhi’s laughter.

“You’re so annoying!” Li Ran snapped in anger.

Right then, the dismissal bell rang. Without another word, Li Ran grabbed his bag and bolted out of the classroom. Qi Zhi’s laughter cut off abruptly, his expression turning panicked.

Two seconds later, Li Ran rushed back in, bowed deeply to Qi Zhi, and said solemnly, “Thanks for the snacks!” He didn’t give Qi Zhi a chance to respond before turning and running even faster.

Anger couldn’t cancel out someone’s kindness toward you—that much, Li Ran understood perfectly.

What was what, and they never mixed.

Qi Zhi barely managed to stretch out one hand to stop him. “Hey… Li Ran…”

They’d been classmates for two years, and no one had ever heard Li Ran yell at anyone like that. Nor had anyone seen Qi Zhi—the guy liked by teachers and students alike—get yelled at. All sixty heads in High School Class 20 swiveled toward the back row, staring at Qi Zhi in shock.

Zhang Si recovered first and broke the silence. “Damn, what’d you do to piss off A’Dai like that?”

“I… have no idea,” Qi Zhi said after a moment of thought.

Zhang Youde shook his head too. “A’Dai’s such a good kid. If you upset him that badly, we’re all coming after you.”

Qi Zhi nodded. “I’d have no mercy on myself either.”

“Only a talent like you could make Li Ran mad.”

“—Wait, no, A’Dai looked like he was in a huge rush to leave. Where’s he off to?”

“A date?”

“What?! Holy shit!”

Qi Zhi frowned. “He said no. Don’t spread rumors. Rumors stop at the wise.”

“It definitely isn’t. If A’Dai could date someone and not get dumped within a month, I could date ten in that time. And it has nothing to do with looks, okay?”

“Li Ran’s too honest, haha…”

Qi Zhi laughed along with them.

If Li Ran did start dating and got dumped within a month, it truly wouldn’t have anything to do with his stunning looks. It’d be purely because he didn’t know how to date, wasn’t romantic, wasn’t proactive, and wasn’t enthusiastic.

The more they talked, the rowdier it got. The class buzzed with jokes. Some mischief-makers even egged on Qi Zhi to kneel and apologize to Li Ran when school reopened on Monday.

Qi Zhi slapped his forehead hard, pretending to faint onto the desk with his tongue lolling out and blood spurting. “I’ll apologize properly.”

—

As one of the first students out the school gate, Li Ran pedaled his mountain bike smoothly across two streets before belatedly realizing his reaction might have been over the top.

Qi Zhi had clearly just been joking…

But why make that kind of joke?

Whatever. It was no big deal. He had a big heart and forgot things quickly—today’s unhappiness would be gone by tomorrow.

Li Ran had one earbud in, following the navigation directions. Chi Mo’s company wasn’t far away. He might have even passed the building while hanging out before, but knowing he’d never afford even one apartment there in his lifetime, he hadn’t paid it any mind.

“Turn left at the next intersection… Continuing navigation for you.”

The mechanical voice faded under the music as a call came in. Li Ran glanced at the quiet roadside, slowed down, planted his feet on the ground to steady the bike, lit up his phone to see who it was, and answered.

“Mom.” He sounded genuinely happy.

“School out? You didn’t stay to do homework, right?” Bai Qingqing’s bright, crisp voice was naturally louder than most, but it wasn’t grating—it was pleasant. Anyone who heard her speak said not only was the woman beautiful, but her personality was straightforward too.

Provided she wasn’t angry.

A loud voice combined with anger was a surefire way to pierce eardrums.

Li Ran replied, “School’s out. Didn’t stick around.”

Bai Qingqing got straight to it. “I talked to that disgusting bastard Li Ang at noon.”

“Dad said I got home late from school the other day?” Li Ran understood, chuckling lightly, warmth blooming in his chest.

His parents were divorced, but when it came to him, neither held back.

“Don’t get cheeky with me. There’s no way you were at school until eight,” Bai Qingqing said seriously. “I want you to do well in school, but no need to do homework there that late. You can do it at home—leave blanks for what you don’t know and ask the teacher or your desk mate tomorrow. Your desk mate got first in the whole school again this time, right? Look at other people’s kids… Ugh, I’m annoying myself. I start talking and go off on tangents. What I mean is, don’t come home that late anymore. I know you’re a boy, nothing’ll happen, and you’ve been sensible since you were little—you’d never go astray. But people say genes are inherited, and your dad that turtle-grandson bastard…”

She let out an irritated yell, hating even to mention him as it dirtied her mouth. She didn’t want to keep reminding her son and fell silent. “There are too many restless types, sickos, and crazies in society now. Coming home that late is dangerous. Your bike ride takes fifteen minutes—short in daylight, but feels endless at night.”

“What if a drunk suddenly appears on that road and follows you home because you look young? No medicine for regret in this world. There are all kinds of perverts now—don’t let your guard down!”

“I don’t want to think like that, but I’m not with you, so I worry.”

“Don’t make me worry about you on and off work. Your dad’s shameless and inhumane, but he’s got a good heart for you—I can vouch for that.” Bai Qingqing’s tone softened, though her voice’s penetrating power didn’t wane.

Li Ran listened intently.

“Ranran, you handle little things like this well. Don’t make your parents worry sick.”

“Got it, Mom.” Li Ran couldn’t tell her that ever since switching to his mountain bike in high school, he was always the most punctual—right on time for class and dismissal.

The other night, dinner at eight-thirty was because of the thing with Chi Mo.

The less he said, the less she’d worry, which made Li Ran happy. He promised repeatedly to come home on time from now on.

Staying at the dorms would actually be more convenient weekly and reassure his parents more, but with just him at home these past two years, if he boarded, the landlady auntie would hold the room. But every week he’d return to a dusty, empty house.

He didn’t want to face that cold emptiness.

Bai Qingqing told Li Ran to come eat at her place tomorrow or the day after, then hung up.

The mountain bike turned onto the final street. After five or six minutes of riding, a massive building appeared—so tall he had to crane his neck nearly ninety degrees to see the top. It stood unassailable, its presence overwhelmingly strong.

The huge glass curtain wall gleamed like daylight in the encroaching night, displaying Chi Mo’s company logo—Moran Technology.

Turning suddenly, there the man was amid the fading lanterns. That poem was practically a school motto.

Li Ran propped himself with one foot, the other on the pedal. His neck ached from looking up before he lowered it. While marveling at how Chi Mo, so young, had achieved such impressive status and wealth, he unconsciously gripped the handlebars tighter.

He grew nervous—and envious.

People were just too different.

In front of the skyscraper, he was like an ant.

Even a homeless guy could squash him with half a foot.

The street bustled with people and cars honking nonstop. Li Ran rooted himself firmly to his tiny patch of ground to avoid bothering anyone.

Security guards stood at the high-rise entrance, and the massive glass revolving doors constantly spun with people coming and going.

Thinking about going in soon—and probably having to ask staff how to see Chi Mo—made Li Ran’s back prickle with nervous sweat.

If they said he needed an appointment, he’d faint on the spot.

Why message or call Chi Mo out of the blue? He’d seen plenty of imported snacks. He was so busy… Maybe he should turn back now and play turtle.

But Li Ran had always followed rules and kept promises.

Steeling himself, he noticed his palms were sweaty.

Better to die early than late. Go for it.

Li Ran slowly dismounted, slowly wheeled the bike to the public area, and slowly locked it.

Just as he planned to tighten his bag strap and march to his doom even more slowly, a familiar Cullinan pulled into a nearby empty spot.

In that instant, Li Ran felt a ray of light enter his life. No talking to strangers, no waiting for appointments, no facing unfamiliar faces inside, no enduring stares—he just had to talk to Chi Mo.

“Mr. Chi! Mr. Chi!” Li Ran’s eyes sparkled as he clutched his bag and trotted over. The Cullinan had already stopped. Acting as if he were close with the luxury car’s owner, he bent down and knocked on the driver’s window.

He pressed his face close, as if only Chi Mo could provide security right now—he had to make sure Mr. Chi saw him at a glance.

Li Ran’s smile was brilliantly radiant, revealing a row of clean, straight white teeth, utterly sincere from the heart. Anyone would stop to admire it.

The driver’s window buzzed, unlocking as if about to lower. But Li Ran waited, and it didn’t move.

About three seconds later, the rear window smoothly descended halfway instead. Chi Mo tapped the window too, his tone neutral but not sounding pleased.

“I’m right here, kid.”

Li Ran jolted in surprise, immediately straightening up and stepping back half a pace, nearly tripping himself.

He realized who the driver was even without the window lowering. Definitely Shen Shu.

Having approached the wrong person, Li Ran trotted to the back, flashing Chi Mo an apologetic smile.

“…Mr. Chi.” This time, his eyes curved into crescent moons, no teeth showing, the smile shy with a hint of fawning. His hazy purple eyes sparkled like stars, even the mole on the side of his nose bridge gleaming.

The coffee-colored curls on his forehead danced in the evening breeze, a few catching on his lashes like swings. He didn’t dare brush them with his hand, just blinked subtly twice to flick them away. Incredibly cute.

But when Li Ran smiled, it went far beyond just cute.

Chi Mo stared at him, silent for a long while.