Xu Xing had been quite troubled lately.

Ever since that unspoken understanding between the two of them was torn away by Lu Che’s kiss in the stairwell, Lu Che, the persistent “sticky candy,” seemed to have progressed from his clingy phase to something more… fervent.

If Lu Che in his clingy phase was merely attentive, then in his fervent phase, he had become a bit overwhelming.

The difference between being attentive and being overwhelming lies in this: attentiveness doesn’t irritate, but being overwhelming isn’t exactly welcome.

Xu Xing didn’t find Lu Che irritating; rather, it was Lu Che’s indiscriminate displays of his desire anytime and anywhere, completely unbothered by the people around. With a mix of composure and a natural attitude, Lu Che seemed to present his actions as if they were just normal behavior, making it seem entirely acceptable to outsiders.

But Xu Xing, as one of the involved parties, felt a little guilty.

Previously, due to certain “red string” constraints on Lu Che, Xu Xing had silently allowed Lu Che’s intimate gestures, thinking that as long as he had nothing to hide, he didn’t need to worry. But now, with both of them clearly beyond the “straight path,” their relationship was as curved as a sine wave, and Xu Xing’s concerns were as endless as the wave’s peaks.

Xu Xing had thought a lot about it and finally decided he needed to find an opportunity to have an open talk with Lu Che.

Wednesday afternoon.

Xu Xing was sitting on the metal bleachers by the sports field, his arms resting on his knees, absent-mindedly flipping a badminton racket in his hand.

Wang Zicong and Tang Mian were playing badminton on the open ground in front. When a shuttlecock flew towards Xu Xing’s side from Tang Mian’s side, he reflexively raised the racket and hit the stray shuttlecock back toward Wang Zicong, sparing them the trouble of fetching it.

It was free activity time during physical education class, and three or four classes were having gym during this period. Pairs and trios of younger girls walked past the bleachers, and some couldn’t resist sneaking a glance at Xu Xing.

Xu Xing was seated casually, his long legs spread, feet planted on the first step. With his handsome and refreshing appearance, he was undoubtedly pleasant to look at—though unlike Lu Che, whose handsomeness had a kind of unapproachable allure.

According to Tang Mian, if one were to judge by appearances alone, Xu Xing would be a warm winter sun, while Lu Che would be a “flower on a high mountain.” If pursuing someone could be divided into Easy, Normal, and Hard modes, most onlookers would think Xu Xing’s path was Normal and Lu Che’s was Hard.

Only Tang Mian knew that courting Xu Xing, the “hard-to-get type,” actually required a double-clearance: passing Normal mode to unlock Hard mode.

Though Tang Mian understood Xu Xing well, she had never considered another question—what if two “Hard Mode” targets decided to court each other? What if Lu Che wanted to court Xu Xing?

While Wang Zicong went to pick up the shuttlecock, Tang Mian glanced at the tall figure passing behind her.

Lu Che had left the basketball court after two games without lingering. His long legs cast an extended shadow in the sunset as he strode quickly toward the bleachers.

“Class President~”

Lu Che approached under Xu Xing’s gaze, casually moving aside the two boxes of Pocky beside him and sitting down next to Xu Xing.

Picking up a box of milk-flavored Pocky, Lu Che asked casually, “Can I have some?”

Xu Xing responded with a simple “Mhm.”

The two young men sat side by side on the bleacher steps, sharing a quiet moment.

A light breeze stirred their hair, adding to the relaxed atmosphere.

Tang Mian signaled Wang Zicong to move, and they headed a few meters away to play badminton on the track behind the school building.

Xu Xing, bored, twirled the badminton racket in his hand. He looked at Lu Che with hesitation, and Lu Che responded by offering him a Pocky stick, “Want some?”

Xu Xing shook his head and said, “Lu Che.”

“Hmm?” Lu Che replied, biting down on the Pocky stick.

“Let’s set a few ground rules first.”

“Huh?”

The bleachers held many memories for them; the last time, Lu Che had hugged Xu Xing tightly, refusing to let go, and had sighed pitifully, “Can I just hold you, is that okay?”

At that time, Xu Xing hadn’t answered.

Now, though, Lu Che wanted much more than just a hug; once a week was too little for him. He wanted to touch, hold, and kiss Xu Xing whenever he got the chance.

Xu Xing lowered his gaze, thinking to himself that this wasn’t entirely Lu Che’s fault. If he hadn’t kept giving in, Lu Che wouldn’t have taken advantage inch by inch.

Leaning his elbows on his thighs, Lu Che tilted his head to look at Xu Xing with a grin, “So we’re setting house rules now? Go ahead, I’m listening~”

Lu Che was handsome, especially when he smiled. His warm expression softened his otherwise sharp features, a stark contrast to his aloof reputation as the school’s “cold prince.”

Xu Xing looked at him seriously and said, “You’re not allowed to be too forward.”

Lu Che blinked, looking innocent and sincere, as if still digesting the deeper meaning behind Xu Xing’s words.

“Forward in what way?” Lu Che asked, slightly puzzled, wondering if Xu Xing meant in the bedroom or in general, in terms of attitude or… something else.

Xu Xing clarified, “No more randomly asking for this or that, or… whatever, while we’re at school.”

Xu Xing’s words were vague, but Lu Che mentally filled in the blanks, his thoughts progressing naturally to: “No more asking to hug, kiss, touch, or get close in school…”

The corners of Lu Che’s lips turned up, and the more he thought about it, the more amusing it became. With a smile, he asked, “Does that mean if we’re not at school, then I can ask for this, that, and… whatever?”

Xu Xing shot him a look, bluntly saying, “No.”

“Huh?”

Lu Che looked disappointed and muttered quietly, “Is this a ban until midterms? No way this is permanent…”

Xu Xing replied, “I haven’t finished.”

Lu Che fell silent, nibbling on the Pocky, not daring to interrupt.

Clearing his throat, Xu Xing looked down at the racket in his hands and continued, “But…” He paused again before finally finishing, “But I’ll try to be a bit more forward too.”

Lu Che’s eyes sparkled as he eagerly asked, “How exactly?”

Xu Xing glanced at him, noting that Lu Che still had the Pocky stick in his mouth, his eyes brimming with expectation, a slight smile on his lips.

Lowering his gaze, Xu Xing leaned closer to Lu Che, slightly parting his lips to take hold of the end of the Pocky. Inch by inch, he moved forward, stopping about four or five centimeters from Lu Che’s lips, and, with a soft crunch, he bit off the end of the Pocky.

Xu Xing quickly moved back, leaving behind just two words, his voice slightly hoarse: “Like this.”

Lu Che clutched his chest, momentarily dazed as he tried to calm down. Xu Xing’s move had taken only a few seconds, but for Lu Che, it replayed in slow motion, infinitely more intense.

Taking a breath, Lu Che said, “Class President…that’s not being forward; that’s torture!” He could neither reach nor kiss him, and now Xu Xing was deliberately teasing him…

Xu Xing frowned, “Then forget it…”

Lu Che instantly backtracked, “No! Don’t forget it!”

He rubbed his left chest, grinning shamelessly, “Class President, you’ve got me completely under your control; torment me all you like~ Ah…I wish everyone saw you eat my Pocky! Why wasn’t anyone around just now? Let’s do it again~”

Lu Che grabbed a new Pocky stick, taking a bite to leave only three or four centimeters left, then, with a mischievous smile, nudged it towards Xu Xing.

Xu Xing looked at him in exasperation, using the racket to block Lu Che’s face, though his eyes lingered on the Pocky stick in Lu Che’s mouth.

The remaining bit of Pocky poked through the racket’s netting. Xu Xing reached out, took the end of the stick from Lu Che’s lips without minding that it was already moist, and popped it into his mouth to chew.

Lu Che watched those lips, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.

Staring at Xu Xing’s handsome profile, he noticed the faint blush in Xu Xing’s ears, as red as the vibrant sunset.

A minute ago, Lu Che hadn’t understood temptation. A few days ago, when Fu Dai had asked who “was on top,” he had calmly replied, “I’m flexible.” But now, as his rationality was swept away, only one thought echoed in his mind: I want him so badly. I can’t take it—I really want him.

He even imagined their future life: passionately making Xu Xing cry in bed every night, tenderly wiping away his tears, then…kneeling on a keyboard outside their bedroom door to apologize.

…

After gym class was dismissed.

Xu Xing, Lu Che, and Wang Zicong went to the cafeteria. Xu Xing had given up on drawing boundaries and had taken Lu Che’s meal card to use, deciding they’d just take turns.

Lu Che had no objections; in fact, he found it endearing. When Ke Di and others asked him to eat with them, he jokingly replied, “My card’s been confiscated; I’ll have to ask the Class President first,” sounding like a husband with his “wife” managing his finances—a unique trouble that Ke Di would never understand.

As Lu Che and Wang Zicong chose their utensils from the trays, Xu Xing sat at an empty table a few meters away, saving three seats.

Xu Xing glanced back casually at Lu Che.

At that moment, a boy squeezed beside Xu Xing’s table, saying to his friend with a grin, “See the guy at the utensils stand? He’s dating that girl from the house party last Saturday.”

His friend’s eyes lit up with envy and jealousy, mostly envy, though he just muttered, “Isn’t that…Lu Che?”

The boy, anticipating his friend’s confusion, chuckled, “Not the popular guy—his chubby friend next to him.”

“What?!” His friend’s envy instantly turned to full jealousy. “Does that guy have rich parents or something?”

The boy laughed, “Well, yeah. His dad sponsored our school’s new sports complex.”

“Ugh.”

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Author’s note: Lu Che, you’re doing great! Don’t worry! I’ll make sure you have the softest keyboard ever…