NASAY CH 34

Luo Xing pulled out his phone and saw a WeChat notification—it was from his mother. His heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively hid the phone.

“What’s wrong?”

 Huo Xingzhou noticed his odd behavior and tilted his head. 

“Who sent you a message that you’re hiding it from me?”

“It’s not a message,” 

Luo Xing shook his head.

 “Just an ad notification.”

“Hmm, it’s freezing out here. Let’s go inside first.” 

Huo Xingzhou didn’t press further. Smiling, he led Luo Xing into the restaurant and told him to sit while he went to order food.

Luo Xing nodded and found a seat. Once seated, he glanced cautiously at Huo Xingzhou at the counter, then lowered his head and checked his phone.

“Are you coming home for New Year’s?”

Luo Xing bit his lip. When it came to Zhao Jiulan, he never knew how to feel. He didn’t want to hate anyone. She had given him life and made sure he didn’t freeze on the streets—that was a fact.

But for all the harm she caused, the hearing loss and the countless pains she inflicted on him, forgiveness wasn’t something he could offer easily.

He only wished to see her as little as possible.

When Huo Xingzhou suggested they go to another city for university, Luo Xing agreed immediately. One reason was that he wanted to stay with him; the other was to get away from her.

He didn’t want to become someone consumed by hatred like her.

Rubbing his hands, Luo Xing planned to reply to the message, but before he could, Huo Xingzhou returned with two plates of food. He casually glanced at Luo Xing’s phone and said, 

“Let’s eat. No phones during meals.”

“Okay.” 

Luo Xing quickly put his phone away.

Huo Xingzhou noticed his pale face and nervous expression. His mind flashed back to the message he once saw on Luo Xing’s phone in the gym. His brow furrowed. Could it be her again?

He poured some hot water to clean Luo Xing’s chopsticks, observing him carefully. Pretending to speak casually, he said, 

“By the way, during the New Year’s holiday, why don’t you come to my house to help me study?”

Luo Xing was startled, lifting his head slightly. The steam from the cup turned his nose red. 

“New Year’s?”

Huo Xingzhou nodded and handed him the chopsticks. 

“My parents won’t be home for New Year’s. If I’m alone, I’ll probably just end up playing basketball with Feng Jia. But if you’re there, I’ll actually study.”

Luo Xing hesitated, his mind wandering back to Zhao Jiulan’s message. If he didn’t go home, would she make a scene?

The last time he stayed at Huo Xingzhou’s place and didn’t return home, she went on a rampage—threatening to find Cheng Limin and even the principal of No. 2 High School, demanding to know what kind of education they were providing.

He didn’t want to cause a scandal at school, but he also didn’t want to refuse Huo Xingzhou. Torn between the two choices, his heart ached. He really wanted to be with him. Even just sitting quietly next to him felt satisfying.

But… he couldn’t.

Unconsciously biting his lip, Luo Xing remained silent.

Huo Xingzhou could roughly guess what he was worried about. After thinking for a moment, he tested the waters. 

“Are you afraid your family won’t agree? How about I go home with you and talk to your parents? I’ll just stay for two days, and we’ll be back at school on the third day.”

“N-No!” 

Luo Xing was startled and quickly realized his reaction was too strong. Lowering his voice, he said, 

“My mom doesn’t like classmates coming to our house.”

“I see.”

Huo Xingzhou noticed the level of resistance in Luo Xing’s reaction, far beyond what could be explained by a strict parent. It seemed more like fear—deep-seated fear.

There was a trace of terror and rejection in his eyes. It was unexpected, yet somehow felt inevitable.

After some thought, Huo Xingzhou looked into his eyes and asked softly, 

“So, are you going home for New Year’s?”

Luo Xing didn’t know how to respond. Hesitating, he bit his lip. 

“I… I don’t know.”

Huo Xingzhou hummed and said, 

“I heard it’s going to snow during New Year’s. We can stay home and work on practice papers. If I get stuck, you can help me. And last time, your noodles didn’t turn out great, so we won’t eat those. My mom taught me how to make a sweet soup—the one you liked. I’ve practiced it several times. Why don’t you come over and try it?”

Luo Xing blinked, his heart already longing. As he listened to Huo Xingzhou, he couldn’t help but feel excited. He could live with Huo Xingzhou and even drink the sweet soup he made—just the thought of it made him feel like flying. But…

“Are you coming or not?” 

Huo Xingzhou thought to himself, You better say yes. Otherwise, I’ll carry you back to my place if I have to.

Luo Xing stayed silent for a long time. He was worried that if Zhao Jiulan found out, she might cause trouble for Huo Xingzhou. He didn’t mind suffering himself, but he couldn’t bear to see Huo Xingzhou hurt.

The last time Ding Chao’s mom hit Huo Xingzhou, it had broken Luo Xing’s heart. He couldn’t protect him back then.

At least with Zhao Jiulan, he could prevent her from hurting Huo Xingzhou.

“You can do your homework at home. If you have any questions, you can ask me on WeChat. I… I’m not available,” 

Luo Xing said, gripping his chopsticks and lowering his head.

Huo Xingzhou was quiet for a moment. He could almost confirm it now—what Luo Xing was desperately trying to hide was his mother.

He had been thinking of ways to get Luo Xing to open up without hurting him. But the moment this subject came up, it clearly caused him pain.

He wanted Luo Xing to be his, but if that meant hurting him first, then he would rather wait.

But that “home” of his—he didn’t need to go back there.

In the blink of an eye, Christmas Eve arrived.

Many girls in the school were giving gifts to their crushes. Luo Xing had promised to give Huo Xingzhou a Christmas present and had spent days thinking about what to get.

He went out on a break that afternoon to buy it. However, because something went wrong during the process, he didn’t make it back in time for evening self-study.

When he returned, Feng Jia had gone out for dinner. Luo Xing opened the door and saw Huo Xingzhou sitting at the dorm table with his long legs stretched out, his expression anything but friendly.

“Where did you go?” 

Huo Xingzhou turned his head when he heard the door, frowning at him. 

“You’re all grown up now, huh? Skipping class too?”

Luo Xing walked up to him, breathing heavily. He pressed his lips together and softly asked, 

“Are you mad at me?”

Seeing Luo Xing nervously looking at him with those doe-like eyes, his nose red from the cold and his breath short, with a layer of mist on his lashes, all the anger in Huo Xingzhou’s chest instantly dissipated.

After the morning class, he had gone to the restroom and planned to take Luo Xing out for lunch. But when he returned, Luo Xing was gone. His calls went unanswered, and his WeChat messages were ignored.

For a moment, he thought that crazy woman had done something to him, but after asking around, he learned that Zhao Jiulan had been at school the whole time.

He waited until evening self-study, thinking that since Luo Xing loved studying so much, he would surely come back by then. Yet, twenty minutes after it ended, he still hadn’t returned!

Luo Xing gently tugged at his fingers and said cautiously, 

“Don’t be mad.”

Huo Xingzhou lowered his eyes, deliberately making his voice cold and emotionless.

 “I waited for you all afternoon, and you’re only coming back now. Why didn’t you answer your phone?”

Luo Xing was startled by his expression. His fingers instinctively shrank back, but Huo Xingzhou grabbed his hand again and pulled him closer. 

“Why didn’t you tell me before you left?”

“I… I wanted to surprise you,” 

Luo Xing said with slightly trembling fingers. Avoiding his gaze, he blinked and pulled a small box from his bag. Softly, he said,

 “I’ll tell you next time. Don’t be mad, okay?”

Huo Xingzhou’s heart softened, but he kept his tone cold. 

“You’ll tell me every time?”

“Mm!” 

Luo Xing nodded eagerly.

 “I won’t do it again. Don’t be mad.”

“I won’t be mad… but you have to come close and beg me to forgive you,” 

Huo Xingzhou said with a mischievous glint in his eyes, leaning to the side. He wanted to see if the usually shy Luo Xing could actually say something like that.

Luo Xing bit his lip and looked at him with misty eyes. 

“Can I not? I’ll definitely tell you next time.”

“Nope. If you don’t, I won’t forgive you.”

 Huo Xingzhou turned his head, pretending to get up, when suddenly a soft hand grabbed his fingers.

He turned back.

Luo Xing stood on his tiptoes, leaned close to his ear, and in a soft, trembling voice said, 

“Xingzhou-gege, please forgive me, okay?”

Huo Xingzhou’s heart felt as though a soft hand had mercilessly rubbed over it. Luo Xing’s tender voice carried a spark with every word, igniting small flames in his chest until, with that final pleading “okay?”, they combined into a blaze that burned uncontrollably.

His rational mind was reduced to ashes in an instant, only for the fire to rekindle from the ashes and roast him repeatedly.

“Hiss…” 

Huo Xingzhou raised his hand. Luo Xing instinctively closed his eyes, his long lashes trembling nervously. His timid reaction softened Huo Xingzhou’s heart. Instead of scolding him, he gently pinched Luo Xing’s nose and said softly, 

“Next time, no matter where you’re going—whether it’s home or anywhere else—tell me first. Got it?”

Luo Xing didn’t dwell on the deeper meaning of his words. He nodded quickly and handed him the gift. 

“Merry Christmas.”

But Huo Xingzhou didn’t take it. Instead, he pulled Luo Xing closer, pressing him against the desk and lowering his voice. 

“Then will you come to my house on New Year’s to tutor me?”

Luo Xing, pinned to the desk, was startled. He glanced nervously at the door. 

“I… I…”

Huo Xingzhou leaned in closer. From somewhere, he pulled out a candy, bit open the wrapper with his teeth, and gently coaxed him with a soft voice, 

“Open your mouth.”

Caught off guard by his sudden shift from anger to this, Luo Xing, dazed, obediently opened his mouth and let him feed him the candy.

Huo Xingzhou lifted him onto the desk, keeping one hand on his waist while standing in front of him. His voice lowered as he asked, 

“Is it sweet?”

Luo Xing blinked, nodded dumbly, and swallowed. 

“It’s sweet.”

“Once you’ve taken something from someone, you owe them a favor.” Huo Xingzhou brushed his fingertips lightly over Luo Xing’s soft lips and smiled.

 “So, will you help me with my studies?”

Luo Xing remained silent. Huo Xingzhou chuckled, stretched out his hand in front of Luo Xing’s lips, and teased, 

“If you don’t want to, give me the candy back.”

How could he return it? Luo Xing stared at his hand. Did he want him to spit it out?

But the candy had already melted in his mouth. How could he give it back? Sitting on the desk in that position, pinned by Huo Xingzhou, he felt extremely uncomfortable. His face flushed with anxiety, turning red from his ears all the way down to his neck.

“If you won’t give me back the candy and you won’t come to my house, that’s not fair, is it?” 

Huo Xingzhou grinned mischievously.

He pressed his fingers lightly against Luo Xing’s waist, holding him firmly. His breath brushed against Luo Xing’s lips, full of pressure, leaving Luo Xing unable to escape the kiss.

“Huo Xingzhou, stop forcing me.”

 Luo Xing’s eyes welled up with tears, his voice trembling as he shook his head in helplessness.

 “I… I can’t promise you that.”

When Huo Xingzhou saw his red-rimmed eyes, as if tears would fall with just one more push, his heart ached terribly. He pulled Luo Xing into his arms and whispered softly, 

“Okay, okay, you don’t have to go. Don’t cry.”

Luo Xing hadn’t intended to cry, but the warmth and gentleness of Huo Xingzhou’s voice made it impossible for him to hold back. His tears streamed down uncontrollably as he clung to Huo Xingzhou’s neck, sobbing pitifully.

Sitting on the desk, Luo Xing buried his face in Huo Xingzhou’s neck. Standing in front of him, Huo Xingzhou could feel the cool dampness on his neck and the slight trembling of Luo Xing’s sobs. Heart aching, he gently patted Luo Xing’s back and apologized repeatedly.

“I won’t force you anymore. I won’t say another word about it. Don’t cry, okay? Be good.”