Chapter 64: I Didn’t Hurt You, Did I?

H-He was holding on too tightly.

But actually… it wasn’t that tight, right?

It was just a light press. That couldn’t be blamed on him.

Defending himself in his heart, Shen Yu still avoided Ji Laili’s gaze, his eyes darting around uncomfortably.

“Oh.”

Ji Laili rubbed his nose. “Got it.”

Then, realizing that sounded unreliable, he cleared his throat and declared with utmost sincerity, “Next time! I definitely won’t hold on so tight!”

Shen Yu’s eyelashes quivered, and he let out a seemingly indifferent hum of acknowledgment.

Ji Laili wanted to ask how he had suddenly appeared here.

With so many Alphas around, if his susceptibility period hadn’t ended, wouldn’t he be suffering?

But the chaotic footsteps around them and the unfamiliar Imperial soldiers in every direction made Ji Laili swallow his words.

The gap he had just kicked open in the encirclement was slowly closing again.

Time was tight. Ji Laili grabbed the rope at his waist. “We need to get to the basement now. We can’t stay here.”

“Give me the rope. I’ll take you out of here.”

There was no time for Shen Yu to recover. The best option was for Ji Laili to carry him and use the rope to escape.

The “next time” he had promised earlier—who would have thought it would come so soon?

Ji Laili said, “Just hold on to me. This time, I promise I won’t hurt you.”

His smile was bright and confident.

Shen Yu paused. The words “I’m fine now” lingered on his lips but never left them.

Ji Laili was so enthusiastic.

If he refused, Ji Laili would probably be disappointed, right?

…Then he would just accept it.

The cool and elegant beauty, ears slightly red, fixed his gaze on the curly-haired Alpha.

When Ji Laili reached out to pick him up, he even cooperatively spread his arms.

Ji Laili was stunned for a second.

For some reason, he wanted to laugh. The curve of his lips wouldn’t go down.

He scooped Shen Yu up, and a firing gun was suddenly handed to him.

Shen Yu’s voice came close to his ear:

“Firing gun. Just aim and shoot, but you’ll need to retract the rope manually.”

The warm breath brushed against his neck, nearly distracting Ji Laili.

Luckily, the wave of Imperial soldiers surging toward them kept him alert, ensuring he stayed in battle mode.

With Shen Yu in his arms, he had lost the use of one hand for combat.

So Ji Laili relied entirely on his legs, holding Shen Yu close as he spun—

Delivering a series of powerful kicks to clear space for their escape.

“I’ll handle the rope retraction,” Shen Yu said.

“Alright,” Ji Laili responded. “I’ll deal with them and make sure these Alphas don’t get near you. Just focus on the rope.”

Shen Yu’s movements faltered slightly. He turned his head and realized he was entirely encased in Ji Laili’s embrace.

Clean, warm—blocking out most of the unpleasant scents.

It seemed like he smiled. Or maybe he didn’t.

Perhaps even he wasn’t aware of the expression on his face at that moment.

Shen Yu quickened his pace.

When his cool voice finally said, “Done,” Ji Laili kicked away the surrounding Alphas—

And raised the firing gun, aiming at a column beneath the stairs.

Bang—!

A long silver rope shot out, gleaming coldly as it stretched over ten meters.

The five-clawed hook at its tip latched firmly onto the column, wrapping around it several times.

Ji Laili’s fingers pulled the trigger again.

With a sharp zip, the rope retracted rapidly, pulling them downward.

Ji Laili tightened his hold on the person in his arms, one hand gripping the gun.

One black and one white silhouette plunged downward under the enraged glares of the Imperial soldiers!

“Damn it!”

“Don’t let them escape!”

“Hah—” Ji Laili curved his eyes in a grin. “Safe landing.”

He tapped his visor, activating a holographic map to the basement, illuminated in interwoven blue lines.

“We go left.”

Saying this, Ji Laili adjusted his hold on Shen Yu and bolted.

Despite carrying someone 1.83 meters tall, he sprinted at full speed.

While running, he casually asked, “Shen-xuezhang, still feeling bad?”

A completely straightforward question, utterly oblivious to anything suggestive—

“This time, is your waist still weak? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

Shen Yu: “……”

Thankfully, at this angle, Ji Laili couldn’t see the light blush on his face.

Shen Yu’s eyelashes fluttered. His fingertips quietly grasped a strand of Ji Laili’s chestnut curls, rubbing it lightly between his fingers.

His expression remained cool, but his ears were faintly red. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary—except his voice had dropped noticeably.

A slightly cold, soft murmur:

“Still feeling a bit weak.”

“Can’t stand steadily. A little dizzy.”

“Maybe it’s because my susceptibility period hasn’t fully passed. Their scent is making me uncomfortable.”

Ji Laili reassured him, “It’s alright. I’ve got you.”

“I’m running fast—I’ll lose them as soon as I can so you won’t have to smell them anymore.”

“I checked; the basement isn’t far. We’ll be there soon.”

Shen Yu’s lips curved ever so slightly. His lowered lashes carried a hint of a smile.

The hand playing with Ji Laili’s hair remained gentle, barely exerting any force.

As the young Alpha ran, the wind softly stirred—

Chestnut strands slipping between pale fingers, drifting away for a moment before lightly brushing back.

Like a feather-light kiss against his fingertips.

A tingling itch spread through him, making Shen Yu’s chest tighten for a moment as his breath hitched.

Greedily, he brushed his fingers along the tips of Ji Laili’s hair, indulging in the intimate sensation.

A sudden coolness touched the back of Ji Laili’s neck, making him shrink his shoulders and shake his head lightly, trying to dispel the strange feeling.

His eyes, hidden behind his visor, continued scanning for a path ahead when Shen Yu’s voice came from above:

“Put me down.”

“Eh?”

Ji Laili was puzzled and instinctively held him a little tighter. “Why are you saying that?”

With a serious tone, he declared, “I’m not going to leave you behind and run away! And I’m not even close to my limit—I still have plenty of strength, Shen-xuezhang^[1]Ji Laili calls Shen Yu “Shen-xuezhang” (沈学长) because “xuezhang” (学长) is a respectful Chinese term used to address an older male student at the same school or … Continue reading, you don’t have to worry.”

Shen Yu wasn’t actually worried about Ji Laili’s stamina. He had come here to help him.

Yet now, Ji Laili was the one carrying him and using up more energy.

Even though… he did enjoy the feeling of being held and protected by this excitable pup.

But the moment he noticed the faint trace of exhaustion between Ji Laili’s brows, none of that seemed to matter anymore.

“I’m fine now. I don’t feel bad anymore. Put me down.”

Ji Laili didn’t believe him—how could he be fine all of a sudden?

He blinked, and a bead of sweat from his forehead dripped onto his eyelid.

Then, out of nowhere, he grinned, his eyes curving into crescents.

“You’re worried about me, aren’t you?”

“……”

No response.

Ah-heh, that meant yes.

“Alright, I am a little tired. I mean, I have been fighting for a while now. But no matter how exhausted I am, I won’t put you down.”

He said it so naturally, as if it were an undeniable fact.

Shen Yu couldn’t help but lower his gaze, and the first thing he saw was the little whorl in Ji Laili’s chestnut hair.

“Why?”

“Because you said you weren’t feeling well.”

Shen Yu was silent for a long moment. “…And?”

“What do you mean ‘and’?”

Ji Laili looked at him with pure confusion, his bright, clear eyes shining as if the answer was obvious.

“There’s no and.”

“You said it, so I did it.”

His gaze held a soft, scattered light, and his wide grin was filled with youthful exuberance. His voice, clear and bright, stretched into a lingering note—

Like a puppy wagging its tail, playfully asking for affection.

“Shen Yu, trust me a little more, okay?”

“……”

A sudden thought crossed Shen Yu’s mind—Ji Laili would probably excel in his future marksmanship training.

After all, with just a single sentence—he had hit the bullseye.

Right in the center of his heart, throwing his emotions into disarray.