NASAY CH 15

Huo Xingzhou stood at the door, stunned for a few seconds. When he looked up just now, he saw Luo Xing lifting his shirt, both thin arms stretched overhead, revealing a waist without a trace of excess fat—slender and pale. 

Even the faint outline of his belly button was round and cute.

The hand holding the thermos felt a little hot. If not for his remaining self-control, he might’ve gone over and grabbed that waist to see if it was really as soft as it looked.

Luo Xing, feeling nervous, glanced at him standing silently in the doorway and fiddled with his hair. 

“Huo Xingzhou?”

Huo Xingzhou coughed awkwardly to cover it up, walked in, and set the sweet soup on the table while changing his shoes. 

“My mom heard that I had a classmate who wasn’t going home. She insisted I bring you some soup to try.”

Luo Xing, surprised by the kindness, stood up quickly. 

“Th-thank you.”

Huo Xingzhou had already scooped a bowl and handed it to him. 

“Here, drink it.”

Luo Xing took the bowl. He really didn’t have much of an appetite—his mind was buzzing, and he was so tired he just wanted to sleep. But since the soup was specially brought for him, and Huo Xingzhou was watching closely, he couldn’t refuse.

Huo Xingzhou sat casually on a chair, watching him sip the soup. His tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed.

His eyes wandered.

Since bringing laptops was strictly prohibited at their school, and Luo Xing was known for following the rules, Huo Xingzhou couldn’t help but be curious. Casually pointing at the half-translated text on the screen, he asked, 

“What’s that?”

Luo Xing explained,

 “I took on a job translating Huo Yansheng’s book into French.”

Huo Xingzhou leaned over to take a look.

“Huo Yansheng?”

Seeing him frown, Luo Xing thought something was wrong and quickly asked,

 “I-is there a problem?”

“No, it’s fine.” 

Huo Xingzhou leaned back in his chair.

 “You’re in your final year. Are you sure you can handle all this?” 

After a pause, he glanced at the injuries on Luo Xing’s face, his thoughts drifting to the gossip article Feng Jia had sent him earlier about the “innocent university student.” He frowned. 

“Are you short on money?”

Luo Xing’s fingers froze for a moment, nearly spilling the bowl. He stayed silent for a few seconds, then shook his head.

“No, I’m not.”

Seeing Luo Xing’s stubborn attitude, Huo Xingzhou felt frustrated. 

“Fine. Take your time with the soup.”

With that, he got up, annoyed, and went to take a shower.

Standing under the showerhead, all he could think about was Luo Xing wiping his tears at the school gate. The thought made his chest feel tight. Irritated, he turned the water to cold.

The cold water helped him calm down a bit. He cracked open the window and saw that after he left, Luo Xing secretly poured the sweet soup into the trash, his face tired and frowning. The sight made Huo Xingzhou’s heart ache.

He suddenly had the urge to hold him and ruffle his hair gently.

If it were up to him, he’d find a way to pluck stars from the sky just to let Luo Xing play with them.

No one was allowed to hurt him—not even a finger.

After finishing his shower, Huo Xingzhou leaned against the bathroom door, arms crossed, watching him. 

What had this small body gone through to become so cold and hardened?

Sensing his gaze, Luo Xing looked up.

The moment he did, he saw Huo Xingzhou standing there with nothing but a bath towel wrapped around his waist, staring at him in a daze. Luo Xing looked away awkwardly, his face flushing as he blinked nervously. 

“W-what is it?”

Huo Xingzhou sat down beside him.

 “Nothing. Keep translating.”

Luo Xing nodded, but his mind was a mess, unable to focus.

It was the first time they were alone in the dorm, with no Feng Jia around to joke and lighten the mood. The silence made Luo Xing feel anxious.

Whenever they were alone in such a quiet space, Luo Xing would get so nervous that he didn’t know what to do.

His hands and feet didn’t know where to go, afraid that the other would notice his “inappropriate thoughts.” He mistranslated a sentence three times in a row, to the point where even the syllables seemed unfamiliar.

Huo Xingzhou propped his chin up with one hand, leaned in, and poked his elbow. 

“Kid, let me teach you how to play a game.”

Luo Xing remembered that he couldn’t hear subtle sounds well. If he played a game, Huo Xingzhou would definitely notice. Pressing his lips together lightly, he said, 

“No need, I don’t play games.”

Huo Xingzhou knocked on his head and said, 

“It’s fine, you don’t have to know how. Just stand behind me and do nothing—I’ll protect you.”

“I really don’t know how.”

 Luo Xing was afraid that if Huo Xingzhou kept pestering him, he would break down. So he pretended to be very focused, unwilling to be disturbed.

Yet before he could translate two more lines, Huo Xingzhou spoke again,

“Then how about I teach you basketball? Next time, you can play with me on the court.”

“I don’t know how to play basketball.” Luo Xing looked up and said, 

“I’d just drag you down.”

“It’s fine, I—”

Luo Xing couldn’t hold back anymore.

 “Can you be quiet for a bit?!”

“……”

Huo Xingzhou was stunned. He had only wanted to tease him into talking more after seeing him crying at the door earlier. He hadn’t considered his mood.

Right now, Luo Xing probably wasn’t in the state of mind to deal with others. If it were him, he might have already snapped at someone by now.

This kid was already colder than most people, and he likely hadn’t been pestered like this before. Being able to endure it this long was probably his limit.

After thinking for a moment, Huo Xingzhou said, 

“Go ahead and translate.”

Luo Xing knew he had said the wrong thing, but his mind was too messy today.

He knew Huo Xingzhou was just trying to cheer him up—it was out of kindness. Softening his voice, he tugged at his hand.

 “I can’t concentrate when you keep talking to me. Can you wait until I finish this translation before we talk? Please?”

Huo Xingzhou looked down at him and happened to meet those pale-colored eyes, shimmering as if covered with a thin mist. He tilted his head up slightly, looking pitiful, and something in Huo Xingzhou’s heart softened.

“Alright.” 

Huo Xingzhou ruffled his hair. 

“Go ahead.”

“Don’t be mad at me.” Luo Xing said softly. 

“I’ll be quick, just a little while.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Huo Xingzhou suddenly laughed.

Luo Xing had no idea what he was laughing about, but the deep chuckle sounded like a drumstick tapping against his heart, making him nervous all over again.

“Please?”

“Then read it out loud as you translate,” Huo Xingzhou said. 

“Let me check if it’s good enough.”

“Okay!”

Luo Xing nodded and started typing while softly reading the sentences in French.

His already gentle pronunciation made the French sound even softer, like a sugar pastry coated with an extra layer of fine icing.

One bite, and the sweet filling would ooze out.

Huo Xingzhou opened a game while his ears were filled with Luo Xing’s soft, unhurried voice, reciting unfamiliar words.

The dorm was completely silent, and his voice landed directly in Huo Xingzhou’s heart—scratching, rubbing, leaving a lingering warmth behind.

He tilted his head to look at the boy sitting properly at the desk, his long, slender fingers tapping away at high speed. His soft lips parted and closed, letting out those sticky-sweet syllables.

After speaking for a while, Luo Xing’s mouth must have gotten dry, because he subconsciously licked his lips. The tip of his tongue flashed for a moment before quickly retreating.

“Enough, stop reading.”

Huo Xingzhou’s voice was slightly hoarse as he got up and climbed onto his bed. 

“Not another word.”