NASAY CH 22

Li Lefan shifted his gaze, raised his hand to cover his mouth, and spoke in a mysterious tone, 

“Bro, let’s create an opportunity for Feng Jia to impress his goddess.”

“Careful, it might backfire,” 

Huo Xingzhou stretched his long legs and chuckled,

 “If you guys want to play, go ahead, just don’t drag me into it.”

Li Lefan raised his voice dramatically, 

“How could it backfire? Dice games depend on luck. We’re not cheating. At worst, she doesn’t want to play—no scheming involved.”

Liu Mengya overheard and smiled slightly, 

“What are you guys talking about? Not playing what?”

Li Lefan winked at Huo Xingzhou, then turned to Liu Mengya and said, 

“We’re talking about playing a game. Wanna join?”

“What game?”

Luo Xing gently tugged at Huo Xingzhou’s finger. Huo lazily explained, 

“The ‘7-8-9’ game.”

Huo Xingzhou sat up a bit straighter, pulling Luo Xing closer.

 “See that glass of alcohol in front of you?”

Luo Xing nodded.

Huo Xingzhou continued, 

“Each player rolls the dice. If you get 1, 3, 4, 5, or 6, you’re safe. If you roll a 7, you have to add alcohol to the communal cup, as much as you want. If you roll an 8, you have to drink half of the communal cup. Roll a 9, and you have to finish the whole thing and then refill it however you want. If you roll two 1s, you can pick anyone to drink.”

Luo Xing glanced at Liu Mengya, who happened to look back at him, then quickly turned away and asked Li Lefan.

“Who’s playing?”

“Me, Feng Jia, Huo Xingzhou, and the class leader,” 

Li Lefan paused. 

“Wanna join?”

Liu Mengya thought for a few seconds and nodded.

Li Lefan walked over and slammed the dice cup in front of Huo Xingzhou. 

“Dare to play?”

Huo Xingzhou snorted,

 “I’ll drink you under the table.”

Li Lefan looked at Luo Xing, 

“Are you playing?”

“I…” Luo Xing turned to Huo Xingzhou, hesitated, then nodded.

Huo Xingzhou raised an eyebrow, puzzled for a second, and asked, 

“Don’t feel pressured. I’m here, and he wouldn’t dare force you.”

Luo Xing softly explained, 

“No, I’m not being pressured.”

He just… wanted to play with him.

The others gathered around to watch the game.

Huo Xingzhou went first, shaking the dice a few times before slamming the cup onto the table. Luo Xing watched nervously as he lifted the lid. 

A 6.

 Luo Xing let out a sigh of relief.

Feng Jia went second. He shook the dice dramatically, making a show of it before slapping the cup down on the table. 

A 9.

“Drink!” 

Li Lefan laughed, picking up the cup. Seeing Feng Jia trying to dodge, he immediately shouted, 

“Guys, hold him down!”

Feng Jia tilted his head back and downed the entire glass, choking and coughing twice. He waved his hand frantically, 

“Damn it, are you guys feeding me or washing out my stomach?”

“Again, again!” 

Li Lefan filled the cup even more and pushed the dice cup toward Liu Mengya.

Liu Mengya shook the cup twice and lifted the lid. 

Two 1s.

“Whoa, what kind of luck is that? Amazing!”

Luo Xing remembered that rolling two 1s meant she could pick someone to drink.

Liu Mengya brushed her hair back, lightly bit her lip, and smiled. Her gaze swept across the crowd before finally settling on Huo Xingzhou.

“Huo Xingzhou,” 

Liu Mengya smiled softly and spoke in a gentle voice, 

“Sorry, but it’s your turn to drink.”

“Hey, hey! Big sis, big sis! You know Huo Xingzhou’s drinking capacity. If he drinks that, the night’s over for him,” 

Li Lefan quickly intervened. 

“The game’s just started—we can’t end it this quickly!”

“Ah, is that so…”

 Liu Mengya softly coughed, took a few steps forward, and smiled at Huo Xingzhou.

 “Sorry, I didn’t know you couldn’t drink. How about I drink it instead?”

Feng Jia, who was usually bullied, was determined to mess with Huo Xingzhou this time and immediately said, 

“No way! Whoever it lands on must drink it.”

“But…” 

Liu Mengya bit her lip and looked at Huo Xingzhou. 

“What if you get drunk? Maybe…”

“One glass of alcohol is going to knock me out? Bring it here.”

Actually, everyone knew Huo Xingzhou’s alcohol tolerance was poor. Feng Jia had been pursuing Liu Mengya for a long time, and during their occasional meals together, there was no way he wouldn’t know that.

Ye Qiaoqiao stood quietly on the side. Knowing Huo Xingzhou’s temper, he kept his mouth shut.

Liu Mengya, pretending to be unaware, softened her voice as she leaned closer to Huo Xingzhou. Her off-shoulder top revealed fair, delicate skin, and a faint jasmine fragrance lingered in the air.

She was pretty, smart, and graceful. Being so considerate made everyone think she was genuinely a good person.

“How about you both drink half?”

Some who didn’t know Feng Jia was pursuing her joined in the fun. 

“Yeah, yeah! Split it!”

Liu Mengya blushed and shyly said, 

“W-what nonsense are you all talking about?”

Luo Xing stared at Liu Mengya for a few seconds before lowering his gaze to his fingertips.

He really liked Huo Xingzhou. He wanted him to be happy and wished him to find someone truly great to be with for a long time.

But her…

She wasn’t good enough for Huo Xingzhou.

“Since it was my turn—”

Before he could finish, he heard—

“I’ll drink for him.”

The entire room fell silent. Everyone, including Huo Xingzhou, turned to look at the person who had spoken.

Liu Mengya stared at Luo Xing and then at Huo Xingzhou, dumbfounded. 

“You… but you can’t drink either, right? It’s fine, I—”

Luo Xing picked up the glass and downed it in one go, placing the empty glass back on the table before Liu Mengya could finish her sentence: “…actually, my alcohol tolerance is okay.”

Luo Xing set the glass down and sat back in his chair.

Liu Mengya forced a smile, her expression awkward.

 “Didn’t know you could hold your liquor. If I had known, I wouldn’t have picked Huo Xingzhou. I would’ve just let you drink from the start.”

Ye Qiaoqiao tilted her head. 

Liu Mengya’s words were full of hidden barbs—polite on the surface but clearly mocking. His eyes twitched. Of all people to mess with, she had to choose Huo Xingzhou.

Luo Xing looked up.

 “It’s not too late now.”

That one sentence left Liu Mengya speechless. Ye Qiaoqiao burst out laughing.

Huo Xingzhou chuckled too, gently rubbing Luo Xing’s soft palm under the table.

Luo Xing let out a soft hum.

Liu Mengya, feeling embarrassed, glanced at Huo Xingzhou, but he wasn’t even looking at her. She turned to Feng Jia with teary eyes, finally unable to hold it in anymore. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to… I guess your friends just don’t like me.”

Feng Jia quickly said, 

“No, no, no! You know how Huo Xingzhou is. And Luo Xing… well, he’s not familiar with you. You didn’t know that in the dorm, Huo Xingzhou teases him until his face turns red and he ignores him, but there’s no malice.”

Li Lefan jumped in to smooth things over, 

“Exactly! Don’t overthink it.” 

He paused before adding, 

“Let’s change the rules. No more drinking. Let’s play dice and… eat…”

His eyes landed on the bowl of strawberries in front of Luo Xing.

 “Eat strawberries!”

The others quickly tried to comfort Liu Mengya, eagerly changing the topic. 

“How do we play? Tell us!”

“Hu Jiawen, go get a piece of string!” 

Li Lefan called out.

Hu Jiawen ran out and quickly returned with a spool of thread. Li Lefan tied a few knots around the strawberry stem and let it dangle mid-air.

“Huo Xingzhou, give us a demonstration!”

 Li Lefan shouted, trying to hype things up and steer the conversation away.

Unexpectedly, Huo Xingzhou actually responded.

“Demonstration, huh? Bring it here.”

“Huh?”

Huo Xingzhou glanced around the room, his gaze finally landing on Luo Xing. He smiled and said,

 “I can’t demonstrate this alone. You need to pick a partner for me.”

Li Lefan had only intended to change the subject with this silly punishment. Everyone knew it was just a joke—no one actually expected a serious demonstration.

Before Li Lefan could react, Huo Xingzhou smiled and lowered his gaze, gently rubbing Luo Xing’s wrist. 

“Luo Xing, want to give them a demonstration?”

His eyes sparkled with amusement, curious to see if the bold “little wolf” Luo Xing from earlier was still there.

Luo Xing didn’t fully understand but nodded lightly.

Li Lefan was stunned, holding the strawberry. This game was meant to be fun between a guy and a girl—what’s the point with two guys?!

The strawberry dangled in midair.

Huo Xingzhou lowered his eyes and stared at Luo Xing.

After drinking, Luo Xing’s cheeks and lips were tinged with a rosy hue. His wide, doe-like eyes locked onto Huo Xingzhou, and he unconsciously swallowed nervously.

Huo Xingzhou’s heart warmed at the sight, his gaze lingering a bit too long on Luo Xing’s lips before moving to the strawberry dangling just inches away.

Several girls who had been chatting earlier gathered around and started counting down.

“3…”

“2…”

“1!”

Luo Xing, nervous, leaned forward and opened his mouth.

But Huo Xingzhou wasn’t about to play fair. He bit the strawberry first, then tilted Luo Xing’s chin upward, pushing the strawberry into his mouth.

“Cheating! Cheating! That doesn’t count!” someone shouted.

Huo Xingzhou pressed his lips to Luo Xing’s, passing the strawberry into his mouth. He bit off the part with the stem and kept it for himself, leaving the sweetest tip for Luo Xing.

Luo Xing froze completely, his mouth slightly open as he dumbly accepted the strawberry. He forgot how to kiss or breathe, his fingers instinctively clutching Huo Xingzhou’s shirt.

Huo Xingzhou’s kiss carried a faint scent of alcohol, his scorching breath enveloping Luo Xing like molten lava, overwhelming him from head to toe.

Luo Xing’s eyes widened, his mind blank. The surrounding laughter sounded distant, yet chaotic enough to leave him flustered.

His only thought was, Did Huo Xingzhou… kiss me? Did he really kiss me?!

Huo Xingzhou gently tapped his forehead, snapping him back to reality. 

Luo Xing quickly chewed and swallowed the strawberry in a panic, his earlobes so red they looked like they might bleed.

“Why wouldn’t it count?” 

Huo Xingzhou raised an eyebrow. 

“I ate the strawberry, and so did Luo Xing. Did you set any specific rules on how to eat it?”

“I always knew you were shameless, but I never thought you could be this shameless,” Li Lefan said in disbelief. 

“I’ve learned something new today.”

“Flattery, all just flattery.”

 Huo Xingzhou accepted the comment with a grin.

 “Demonstration’s done. Let the birthday star play next. I’m taking a break.”

The others, knowing Huo Xingzhou’s drinking limit, didn’t push him further. They laughed and pulled the birthday person into the game. The dice rattled loudly, and the atmosphere became even livelier.

Meanwhile, Luo Xing couldn’t think about anything else but that fleeting kiss. It felt like the warmth of Huo Xingzhou’s lips was still lingering on his own.

He just… felt his heart go numb. Every sensation seemed to concentrate on his lips, and the sound of his own heartbeat was so loud that even he could hear it.

He pressed his lips together, glancing at Huo Xingzhou, who was resting with his eyes closed. He carefully raised a hand to touch his lips and then gently licked them.

Huo Xingzhou’s kiss.

“It’s your turn again!”

 Li Lefan laughed. 

“You guys got 8 and 9—you’re up!”

The crowd’s attention was drawn back. Luo Xing lifted his head slightly to see what was happening.

This time, the ones called were Liu Mengya and Feng Jia. Caught off guard, Liu Mengya shot up from her seat.

 “I… I need to use the bathroom!”

Feng Jia, already quite drunk, watched her retreat with a knowing smile. He had expected this.

Ye Qiaoqiao quickly stepped in to smooth things over, placing the cake in the middle of the table. 

“It’s time for the birthday star to make a wish and cut the cake!”

Feng Jia, with red eyes and slightly swaying, took the lighter from Ye Qiaoqiao. He pointed at Huo Xingzhou and insisted he light the candles for him.

Li Lefan burst out laughing.

 “You’ve got guts now, huh? Asking Huo Xingzhou to light your candles himself? Forget it—I’ll do it for you.”

Feng Jia leaned on his shoulder, hiccupping from the alcohol. 

“Huo Xingzhou, hurry up! Light the candles for me!”

Huo Xingzhou opened his eyes, taking in Feng Jia’s drunken state, and let out a low hiss, clearly about to start mocking him.

“Be nice,” 

Luo Xing quickly tugged at his hand.

 “Just light it for him. It’s his birthday.”

Huo Xingzhou’s expression softened, and he nodded gently.

“Alright. Stay here and wait for me. Don’t let anyone bother you. If you need anything, wait until I’m back.”

Luo Xing nodded.

Huo Xingzhou got up, lit the candles, and stuck them into the cake like planting seedlings.

“Happy now?”

“Very happy!” 

Feng Jia said, pretending to make a wish. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes and blew out all the candles in one breath.

“I’m an adult now!”

Everyone cheered and shouted

 “Happy Birthday!”

Feng Jia wiped the corner of his eye. “Damn, no more protection from the juvenile law! If Huo Xingzhou hits me now, you guys have to protect me!”

Everyone burst into laughter.

Huo Xingzhou scoffed.

 “Such ambition.”

Feng Jia let out a long sigh and cut a few slices of cake before leaving it for the girls to divide among themselves. The boys weren’t interested in sweets.

Huo Xingzhou picked up a small piece and brought it to Luo Xing, who was waiting quietly in the corner.

 “Try it.”

Luo Xing took it and had a bite. His fingers twitched—chestnut flavor…

“Is it good?” 

Huo Xingzhou asked.

Luo Xing blinked twice. 

“It’s delicious.”

Huo Xingzhou hummed softly and wiped the corner of Luo Xing’s lips with his thumb.

Luo Xing noticed Huo Xingzhou staring at him and thought he might want a taste too. Nervously, he scooped a fresh piece of cake and offered it to Huo Xingzhou.

Ye Qiaoqiao turned her head just in time to see Luo Xing slightly tilting his head, holding a piece of cake with one hand and feeding it to Huo Xingzhou with the other.

Huo Xingzhou never ate sweets. Even a single sip of sweet soup would require three gulps of water to wash it down. For him, eating cake was worse than torture.

Ye Qiaoqiao smiled, ready to look away—until she saw Huo Xingzhou actually open his mouth and eat the spoonful of cream.

??

“Is it good?”

Huo Xingzhou nodded. Luo Xing smiled happily and scooped another big bite for him. To Ye Qiaoqiao’s utter shock, Huo Xingzhou ate almost the entire piece.

Ye Qiaoqiao quietly retreated to the corner and took out her phone to capture the moment.

After the party, most of the guests were stumbling drunk. Luo Xing had drunk quite a bit himself, but surprisingly, he was still clear-headed.

Feng Jia, swaying slightly, found his phone and showed Luo Xing an address. 

“Huo Xingzhou’s all yours now. The door at his place is fingerprint-locked—just press his thumb on it, and you’re good. I’ll call you guys a ride…”

Luo Xing struggled to remember the wobbly address Feng Jia gave him and said, “I’ll handle it. Be careful on your way back.”

Feng Jia hiccuped and waved. 

“No problem.”

The guests gradually dispersed, leaving Luo Xing holding Huo Xingzhou as they waited for the car at the inn’s entrance.

Paper lanterns swayed in the evening breeze, carrying a faint scent of alcohol and the warmth of Huo Xingzhou’s breath.

After eating the cake, Huo Xingzhou had begun to feel unwell—probably from the alcohol kicking in. He leaned his head on his hand, eyes closed in rest.

Luo Xing didn’t dare disturb him, but before long, Huo Xingzhou was completely out.

“Huo Xingzhou.” 

Luo Xing wrapped an arm around his waist to support him. Beneath his fingertips, Huo Xingzhou’s waist was lean and firm—completely different from his own soft frame.

His fingers burned from the contact. Holding him tightly, Luo Xing couldn’t help but feel jealous of whoever would normally take Huo Xingzhou home. Yet tonight, that person was him.

With a soft sigh, he suppressed the surge of emotions in his chest and quietly hugged him, burying his face in Huo Xingzhou’s embrace, trying hard to hold back the sting in his eyes.

“Huo Xingzhou.”

“Hmm?”

“Wake up for a bit. Let’s go home first, okay?”