Chapter 96: Caught a Little Butterfly Stealing a Kiss

With Zhai Yifei’s order, his followers immediately moved to clarify the “rumor.” Maybe it was because Ji Laili and Shen Yu had been sworn enemies for so long that the idea of them being together was simply unbelievable.

In fact, they barely needed to clarify anything—the Alphas had already filled in the blanks themselves.

It had to be a misinterpretation from Instructor Xishan! The correct translation must be—

“Shen Yu, do you really want to kill me?”

The Alphas all breathed a sigh of relief.

The only victim here was Instructor Xishan.

“Why on earth did it translate this way? Ji Laili must have pronounced it wrong! He probably said ‘I really want to kill you,’ but it came out as ‘I really like you.’

“That must be it.”

Instructor Xishan muttered to himself in despair.

---

Meanwhile, the real culprit, Ji Laili, had zero self-awareness and was still flirting with his boyfriend.

“The doctors in the treatment room were terrifying! It’s not like I had no reaction—I already told them, I have rhinitis! Smelling stuff just makes me uncomfortable!”

Ji Laili grumbled, “It didn’t feel like treatment at all, more like torture.”

His nose had suffered enough.

Shen Yu listened quietly to his complaints, but when he heard that a Beta doctor had tried to touch him, a flash of displeasure crossed his eyes.

Ji Laili, who had just finished ranting, noticed the silence and turned his head—only to see Shen Yu looking obviously unhappy.

He quickly grabbed Shen Yu’s hand and shook it playfully.

His eyes curved into crescents, and he grinned brightly. “But don’t worry! I followed the strictest ‘Male Virtue’ rules, so he didn’t get to touch me at all!”

“Male… Virtue?”

Shen Yu was momentarily distracted, curiosity flickering in his gaze.

Ji Laili’s diversion tactic had worked! He grinned and explained, “It means that no one except my partner can get close to me—especially not the opposite sex!”

With an expression that screamed ‘Aren’t I super well-behaved?’, Ji Laili was still basking in his own cleverness when Shen Yu suddenly said—

“I understand.”

Shen Yu’s tone was serious.

“I will also follow the Male Virtue rules perfectly.”

“Are there any other standards for Male Virtue?”

“Huh?” Ji Laili hesitated before listing some random guidelines he’d seen online:

• Always take the initiative to message your partner.
• Like every single one of their posts.
• Do chores, laundry, cooking, and cleaning without being asked.
• Remember everything your partner likes…

As he read them out loud, Ji Laili suddenly paused.

“Why did you stop?”

Tilting his head slightly, Shen Yu pulled up his Starnet device—on the blue holographic screen, he had already saved all the Male Virtue rules Ji Laili had just mentioned.

His gaze was full of confusion.

Ji Laili blinked.

“I just realized… Shen Yu, you’re already a perfect Male Virtue role model.”

Every single rule, Shen Yu had already been following.

As expected of a male lead!

Shen Yu pursed his lips. “Then why do you still call me ‘Senior Shen’?”

Ji Laili grinned mischievously. “Don’t you think ‘Senior’ sounds kind of romantic?”

He leaned in closer and chuckled. “Really, you don’t think so? Senior? Senior? Shen Senior?”

The curly-haired boy nuzzled against him playfully. A moment ago, the word “Senior” had felt normal—but suddenly, it sounded different.

A faint blush crept over Shen Yu’s face.

The untouchable, cold, and aloof Senior Shen—who was always distant and unapproachable—was now completely at the mercy of his own Alpha.

He was like a delicate butterfly caught in someone’s palm, helplessly being played with.

Unfair.

This is too unfair.

This only makes me want to bully him more.

Ji Laili’s eyes sparkled as he leaned in closer. “So, can I keep calling you Senior Shen?”

His curly hair brushed against Shen Yu’s cheek. Even though he couldn’t smell Ji Laili’s scent, Shen Yu’s body reacted instinctively—his breath hitched, his whole body tensed, and his ears turned bright red.

“…You can.”

“Eh? That was so cold!”

A disappointed murmur brushed against his cheek. “Shen Yu, I won’t force you.”

Shen Yu panicked and hurriedly turned to explain. His usual cold expression was gone.

“No, I…”

The rest of his words got caught in his throat as Ji Laili’s smiling eyes filled his vision.

They were so close—their breaths intertwined, and if either of them just leaned in a little…

Their noses would touch.

And maybe even…

Shen Yu’s gaze dropped, recalling the soft sensation from last night’s kiss.

He quickly looked away, his expression as calm as ever. “I don’t dislike it.”

“You can call me whatever you want.”

Ji Laili’s smile grew even brighter. But there was something different about it this time.

Just now, he had noticed something interesting.

Shen Yu had glanced at his lips.

At first, Ji Laili thought he was just imagining it, but now?

No.

Shen Yu definitely had something to hide.

Ji Laili hugged him tightly and grinned. “That’s great!”

Then, after dropping that bombshell, he bolted away.

Shen Yu’s raised hand froze mid-air, before slowly lowering.

He hadn’t managed to hug Ji Laili back.

His gaze drifted toward him, still unsatisfied, as his thoughts circled back to that kiss.

I really want to kiss him…

I want to kiss him.

I want to hug him.

I want to smell his scent…

But most of all—

I really, really want to kiss him.

Shen Yu lay wide awake, eyes open, his expression cold and indifferent.

Who would have thought that his mind was filled entirely with thoughts of kissing?

He stared at the ceiling, his body stiff as he lay there. Half the night had already passed, but he still couldn’t fall asleep.

Ever since Ji Laili let go of that hug, the thought of kissing him had lingered in Shen Yu’s mind—up until now.

Shen Yu closed his eyes for a moment.

They had only just gotten together. He shouldn’t act on impulse.

Ji Laili likes me—I don’t have to prove a point anymore. I don’t have to kiss him senseless in front of that little omega he used to like.

So just go to sleep.

Tomorrow… Tomorrow I’ll find another chance to kiss him.

---

A moment later, in the darkness of the night, a familiar figure appeared at the bedside across the room.

Shen Yu stood beside Ji Laili’s bed, watching him with quiet satisfaction before reaching out to stroke his soft curls.

His pale fingers tangled into the chestnut curls, and before long, the fluffy strands had completely wrapped around his fingers.

Every so often, a curl would catch on his fingertip. Shen Yu habitually smoothed it out and, in the dim light, carefully collected the fallen strands from the pillow.

Only after completing this little ritual did he lean down—his cool, beautiful face drawing closer to the sleeping Alpha beneath him.

The same distance as before, during the day.

Hearing Ji Laili’s steady breathing, Shen Yu thought:

He’s asleep.

Then just one kiss shouldn’t hurt…

Ji Laili won’t notice.

With that thought in mind, Shen Yu pressed forward and placed a light kiss.

No reaction.

So, naturally, Senior Shen assumed he wouldn’t wake up.

That’s just how sleeping puppies are. When they smell something familiar, they completely let their guard down.

One kiss.

Then another.

Since he won’t wake up… might as well kiss a little more.

And then—

He found himself staring straight into Ji Laili’s wide-open eyes.

Clear, bright eyes reflected his small, guilty figure.

Caught in the act, Shen Yu’s gaze wavered, flickering for a brief moment.

A deep flush spread from his neck to his ears.

He froze completely, too afraid to move.

His neck and ears were burning red, and so were Ji Laili’s.

For a long moment, the two of them simply stared at each other in awkward silence.

Ji Laili had already suspected this might happen.

But after waiting all night, Shen Yu still hadn’t come over.

So, he had scolded himself silently—how shameless! How could I even think something like that?

Just go to sleep!

He had turned over, trying to fall asleep.

But then, in the half-conscious haze between dreams and wakefulness…

Something licked his lips.

His drowsiness vanished instantly.

The moment he opened his eyes, he saw Shen Yu, mid-kiss, stealing another one.

His mind went blank.

Shen Yu’s eyes were full of guilt, glancing nervously around.

Ah…

He caught a little butterfly stealing kisses.

Ji Laili blinked.

Alright then.

I’ll just wait until he’s finished kissing before I say anything.