NASAY CH 56

Huo Xingzhou had never been one to hesitate in his life. If he wanted to do something, he did it—whether it was fighting or anything else, he always jumped in headfirst.

But ever since he met Luo Xing, he found himself overthinking even the smallest things. He would even rehearse his words in his mind before speaking, just to make sure they were right.

Looking down at Luo Xing, who tilted his head up uncertainly, seeking his opinion, Huo Xingzhou thought for a moment before asking,
“Do you think they’ll be upset? What about you—won’t you feel bad?”

“I don’t know. I just think… if Auntie and Uncle find out I’ve been hiding so much from them, will they be unhappy?”
Luo Xing fidgeted, absentmindedly picking at his fingers, then hesitantly asked,
“What about you? Do you think I should tell them?”

Huo Xingzhou smiled and ruffled his hair.
“If you’re ready, then tell them. If not, just wait a little longer. They won’t mind. Don’t worry.”

Luo Xing nodded.

When they returned to the dining table, Wu Suyan was serving rice. Seeing them, she smiled warmly.
“Come sit, try your Uncle Huo’s cooking.”

“Thank you, Auntie.”
Luo Xing quickly took the bowl, taking a nervous breath. He was about to speak when Huo Xingzhou suddenly pressed down on his hand, shaking his head slightly.

Luo Xing didn’t understand why he was stopping him, but he also felt relieved and chose to quietly eat his meal.

Throughout dinner, Wu Suyan kept adding food to his bowl, piling it up like a small mountain. No matter how much he ate, there was always more.

She also cheerfully shared embarrassing childhood stories about Huo Xingzhou, making Luo Xing stifle his laughter.

“Look at you, siding with an outsider like this. Aren’t you afraid of breaking your arm from bending it outward too much?”

Wu Suyan glanced at him.
“What did you say?”

Huo Xingzhou immediately straightened up and cleared his throat.
“Eat more, Mom.”

Wu Suyan nodded approvingly.
“Good boy. Oh, by the way, the New Year is coming up in a few days. The weather’s nice today, so let’s go out in the afternoon and buy some New Year’s goods.”

Huo Xingzhou wasn’t a fan of shopping.
“You can go by yourself.”

Wu Suyan scoffed and placed a bowl of sweet soup in front of Luo Xing.
“What do you know? Today’s the perfect time to buy you boys some new clothes for the holiday. Plus, we can pick up some of your favorite foods. You don’t want new clothes?”

Luo Xing quickly waved his hands.
“Auntie, no need! I have clothes to wear.”

But when Huo Xingzhou heard they were buying clothes for Luo Xing, he immediately changed his tune.
“We do! We definitely do!”

Wu Suyan smirked.
“That’s settled, then. Now, finish your meal.”

---

Wu Suyan was always decisive, and shopping for the New Year was no exception. From traditional red couplets and decorative lanterns to intricate paper cuttings and festive ornaments, she meticulously picked out everything.

Before long, they had an entire pile of shopping bags, leaving the scholarly and refined Huo Yeshan reduced to a mere porter.

Feeling awkward about not helping, Luo Xing quickly grabbed a few bags.

Huo Yansheng chuckled.
“Are you sure you can carry them?”

“I can!”
Luo Xing nodded firmly, afraid of being seen as lazy. He picked up the bags and followed closely beside Huo Xingzhou.

Ahead of them, Wu Suyan was still excitedly browsing. She stopped at a shop, bent down to inspect an item, and asked,
“Boss, how much is this?”

“That’s eighty per pair,” the shopkeeper said eagerly, sensing that she was a generous customer. He even brought out more styles for her to see.

“Dear,” Wu Suyan called without turning around.
“Come take a look. I think they’re all nice. Which one should we buy for the boys’ rooms? Or maybe just get them all? No, no… that’s too much…”

Huo Yansheng stepped forward to help her decide, and the two of them discussed for a long time.

With only two days left before New Year’s Eve, the mall was packed with people, barely leaving room to move.

Huo Xingzhou worried about Luo Xing getting jostled by the crowd, so he kept one hand free to shield him while carrying the bags in the other. It was a chaotic mess, and before long, both of them were sweating.

Spotting an empty bench, Huo Xingzhou immediately pulled Luo Xing over to sit down. He patted the seat beside him and said, “Come here, Gege.”

Luo Xing was exhausted. He couldn’t understand how Wu Suyan, wearing high heels, could still be so energetic after all this time. He sighed in admiration as he watched her shop enthusiastically.

“Auntie has so much energy… she hasn’t gotten tired at all,” he said with a small laugh.

Huo Xingzhou suddenly stood up, crouched down in front of him, and lifted one of Luo Xing’s legs onto his knee.

Luo Xing was startled and instinctively tried to pull away.
“What are you doing? There are so many people here!”

“Relax,” Huo Xingzhou said, firmly holding his ankle.

From his angle, he appeared to be kneeling, gently massaging Luo Xing’s sore calf with slow, firm motions.

His grip was well-controlled—not painful at all, but rather comfortable. However, with so many people around…

Passing customers glanced at them, their eyes filled with curiosity. One after another, they stared, probably thinking there was something odd about them.

Huo Xingzhou looked up, still wearing that slightly mocking expression.
“Let them look if they want. I don’t care. Why should it matter to me?”

Luo Xing shook his head frantically, nervously glancing toward the store across from them. Huo Yansheng had already pulled out his card to pay, and they would be coming over any moment. He urged anxiously,
“Auntie and Uncle are coming over—let go, quickly!”

Wu Suyan was still shopping when she overheard people murmuring. Curious, she turned around, and to her surprise, she saw her son half-kneeling in front of Luo Xing, seemingly doing something.

“Hey, Mr. Huo, sneak a look behind you—what is your son doing?”
Wu Suyan nudged Yansheng’s arm and stole another glance from the side.

Huo Yansheng took back his card from the cashier, turned around, and looked.

After a few seconds of silence, Huo Yansheng’s expression turned complicated.
“He’s massaging Luo Xing’s leg… like he’s cradling some kind of precious treasure. Embarrassing.”

Wu Suyan sighed for a second as well.
“They say a man should never kneel easily, yet look at our little prince—he’s kneeling like there’s a cushion under his knees.”

“Good thing he was born in modern society. If he were a prince in ancient times, this country would be doomed.”

“My little darling is tired, huh?”

Wu Suyan walked over, smiling as she patted Luo Xing’s head.
“Mama Huo was too busy shopping and forgot about you two. Shall we go eat?”

Before they arrived, Huo Xingzhou finally let go, dusted off his hands, and stood up with a calm and composed expression.

Luo Xing hurriedly adjusted his posture, flustered.
“I’m not tired. It’s just that there are so many people, and it’s a bit crowded… Uncle, let me help carry the bags.”

“No need, just take the few on the ground.”

Luo Xing bit his lip, nodded, and picked up a few gift boxes before following them.

Since he walked a little slower, he naturally lagged behind. Watching Wu Suyan and Huo Yansheng’s backs, he suddenly let out a sigh.

Such a loving couple, shopping together for the New Year, with Huo Xingzhou by their side—laughing and talking as a family.

Even as an outsider, he could feel the warmth of the New Year seeping into his heart.

In past years, he had never gone shopping for the New Year with Zhao Jiulan. They had never even put up Spring Festival couplets. The house had always been cold and empty.

“Luo Xing!”

Just as he was about to step onto the escalator, a figure suddenly appeared from around the corner, calling his name in surprise.

Luo Xing stopped in his tracks. “He Tingting?”

He saw He Tingting walking toward him. Under her white beret, two strands of hair framed her small, pale face. She wore a pink coat, looking incredibly cute.

“You’re shopping too? What a coincidence.”
He Tingting looked around and asked curiously,
“Are you alone?”

Subconsciously, Luo Xing glanced at Huo Xingzhou, who was on the phone, then nodded.

He Tingting had been his classmate from elementary to middle school. She was one of the few people who knew about his family situation but had never mocked or gossiped about him like others. She was, in fact, one of the only friends he had.

However, due to a scholarship program, she had gone to No. 1 High School while he had ended up at No. 2 High School, and they had lost contact since then.

“Oh, right! Did you know your mom is resigning from No. 1 High School?”

Luo Xing froze and lowered his head.
“I didn’t know. She never told me.”

He Tingting hesitated, looking at his somewhat pale face. After a long pause, she finally said,
“Actually, I’m not sure if it’s true. But after our exams, I was helping the homeroom teacher deliver something to the academic affairs office, and I overheard them talking about Teacher Zhao resigning… and something about domestic violence.
At first, I thought they were talking about you…”

“Me?”
Luo Xing furrowed his brows at her hesitant expression, a wave of frustration suddenly welling up inside him. It felt suffocating.

“Just say it directly. It’s fine,” he said.

He Tingting hummed in response.
“From what I heard, it seems that Teacher Zhao went to the principal to resign. But because she’s a tenured teacher and not a contract hire, she can’t just quit whenever she wants. So she admitted to the principal that she used to abuse you and said she’s unfit to be a teacher, which is why she wants to resign.”

Luo Xing suddenly took several steps back. She… she told the principal herself that she abused him?

Why?

Seeing his deeply shocked expression, He Tingting quickly reached out to support him, but she tripped over her own feet and fell straight into his arms. Both of them crashed against the wall together.

Luo Xing instinctively held onto her.

Huo Xingzhou had just finished his call and turned around with a smile to look for him, only to see Luo Xing holding a petite girl in his arms. Her face was flushed red, and she was smiling shyly.

…?

Gone for just a few minutes, and now he’s making progress?

Impressive.

He Tingting quickly straightened up, flustered.
“Sorry, sorry! I was trying to help you… Did you get hurt?”

“I’m fine.”
Luo Xing frowned slightly. There was some kind of decoration on the wall that had jabbed uncomfortably into his back, but he didn’t mention it. Instead, he just smiled.
“It’s nothing. Are you okay?”

He Tingting shook her head.
“I’m fine. About your mom… don’t let it weigh on you too much. Maybe she regrets it now. After all, you’re still her biological son.”

She trailed off mid-sentence.

Even she had a hard time believing that. She knew very well how badly Zhao Jiulan had treated Luo Xing. Saying that she regretted it? That was about as likely as red rain falling from the sky.

Besides, after everything she had done to Luo Xing, forgiving her… would be really difficult.

“So, are you spending New Year’s with her this year?”
He Tingting hesitated before suggesting,
“If not, you could come to my house. My mom has met you before, and since you always helped me with my studies, she’s wanted to properly thank you.”

Her face flushed slightly as she fidgeted with her fingers and asked softly,
“Would that be okay?”

“Of course not.”

Huo Xingzhou walked over and casually draped an arm over Luo Xing’s shoulder. He glanced at He Tingting with a cold, unreadable expression.

She jumped in surprise.
“Who… are you?”

“I’m—”

Before Huo Xingzhou could finish speaking, Luo Xing quickly interrupted, blurting out,
“A new classmate from my school.”

Someone called for He Tingting in the distance, and she turned her head before saying,
“Oh, you have company. I’ll be going now. Think about my offer, okay?”

“Mm, see you.”
Luo Xing let out a breath of relief.

The next second, his wrist was grabbed, and his heart jumped in his chest.
“Wh-what is it?”

“We’ll deal with this at home.”
Huo Xingzhou lowered his gaze, half-smirking as he stared at him.

Luo Xing glanced at He Tingting’s retreating figure, unable to stop thinking about what she had said.

Why had Zhao Jiulan suddenly confessed to something like that and even resigned?

What was she planning now?

---

Back at home.

Aside from Wu Suyan, who was still full of energy, everyone else was nearly exhausted. Huo Yansheng had an important contract to discuss and had already gone upstairs.

“You guys should rest too. I’m going to bring some gifts over to Uncle Lu’s place.”
Wu Suyan didn’t even take off her shoes as she knelt down to sort through the New Year’s goods, picking out a few things to bring with her.

Huo Xingzhou, still preoccupied with the sight of Luo Xing holding a girl, let out a cold huff.
“Come upstairs with me.”

Luo Xing followed him up nervously, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. Cautiously, he asked,
“Are you… angry?”

Huo Xingzhou closed the door behind them, then suddenly grabbed Luo Xing and pressed him against it. His voice was chilly.
“Who was that girl just now? Did she feel nice to hold?”

Afraid that Huo Xingzhou would misunderstand his relationship with He Tingting, Luo Xing quickly explained,
“She’s just a classmate! I… I didn’t hold her, she was trying to help me but accidentally fell into me—really!”

“Did she feel nice to hold?”
Huo Xingzhou pinched his chin and let out a cold snort.
“I saw you reaching out for her. And you were smiling so happily. Just a classmate?”

Luo Xing finally realized he was jealous and rushed to clarify,
“I really didn’t mean to! …I don’t know if it was comfortable or not, I didn’t even think about it before she left.”

Hearing him stammering and making it sound even worse, Huo Xingzhou grew even more irritated.
“So if she hadn’t left so quickly, would you have taken your time and seriously savored the experience?”

“No, no!” Luo Xing shook his head frantically.

“That’s not what I meant!”

“Then what do you mean?”

Huo Xingzhou bent down slightly and lifted Luo Xing into his arms, striding toward the bed. He sat down with Luo Xing on his lap, one arm wrapped tightly around his waist while the other hand gripped his chin, forcing him to look at him.

“If you don’t confess honestly, I’ll break your legs.”
Huo Xingzhou tightened his grip on Luo Xing’s chin, his tone turning cold.
“Hurry up and speak.”

Frightened by his sudden coldness, Luo Xing shook his head nervously.
“I really didn’t mean to! I didn’t hug her, and I… I had no intention of experiencing anything!”

“I’m asking you—did she feel nice to hold?”

Luo Xing shook his head quickly.

“Will you dare to hold someone else next time?”

He shook his head again.

“You’re just my new classmate?”

Luo Xing looked at his expression, sensing that he was still upset. Carefully, he grasped Huo Xingzhou’s fingers and softened his voice.
“Don’t be mad at me. I won’t do it again.”

Huo Xingzhou felt his heart itch at Luo Xing’s soft, syrupy tone. He wanted to see how Luo Xing would continue coaxing him, so he snorted coldly and ignored him.

Luo Xing bit his lip, hesitantly withdrawing his trembling fingers. He started recalling—he had reached out and held He Tingting just now. But he had only been afraid she’d fall; there was nothing more to it.

But if…

He glanced up secretly at Huo Xingzhou’s sharp jawline, then lowered his gaze in thought. If Huo Xingzhou had held another girl, no matter what excuse he had, Luo Xing would probably be jealous too.

It wasn’t Huo Xingzhou’s fault. It was his mistake.

Huo Xingzhou treated him so well—brought him home for the holidays, even massaged his calf at the mall without hesitation.

He should have been more careful. After all, Huo Xingzhou was so handsome, so amazing.

Even he managed to keep his side completely free of girls, except for Ye Qiaoqiao.

Yet Luo Xing hadn’t done the same.

Luo Xing closed his eyes and made up his mind. He slowly leaned into Huo Xingzhou’s neck and let out a quiet hum, trying to recall the voice drama Huo Xingzhou had made him listen to last time. Then, pressing his lips against the skin of his neck, he let out a soft, breathy sigh.

The sound of that needy breath drifted into his ears, and Huo Xingzhou instantly froze. His eyes widened as he stared blankly at Luo Xing, who was nestled against his neck, exhaling softly.

“Luo Xing, what are you doing?!”

His voice was hoarse, and he nearly bit his tongue as he spoke, making his words sound a little unclear.

Luo Xing’s eyes flew open. He blinked rapidly, his face flushed red, not daring to meet Huo Xingzhou’s gaze. He stammered,
“I-I’m apologizing! Please… don’t be mad.”

Huo Xingzhou had only been jealous at first, but after that—his heart had completely softened. He suddenly had the urge to press Luo Xing down onto the bed and make him cry.

Grabbing Luo Xing’s hands, he lifted his chin so he could look at him. Luo Xing kept dodging his gaze, his face burning as he took quick little breaths—he looked adorable.

“My little cutie,”
Huo Xingzhou murmured, his fingers brushing against Luo Xing’s lips, coaxing him gently,
“let me hear a few more, hmm? Okay?”

Luo Xing had only done it in a panic, afraid that Huo Xingzhou would stay mad at him. He didn’t know how else to coax him, and he had remembered that Huo Xingzhou always wanted to hear that kind of voice. That’s why he had mimicked it.

But now that he was fully aware of what he’d done, he absolutely couldn’t do it again.

Luo Xing bit his lip, feeling Huo Xingzhou’s breath tickling his ear. He couldn’t hear the words clearly, but for some reason, his nervousness only deepened, making even his heartbeat tremble with every kiss and whisper.

“It doesn’t sound good.”

Luo Xing struggled to control his breathing, his face burning as he recalled the uninhibited sound he had just made. He wished he could dig a hole, jump into it, and bury himself alive.

“You’re lying.”

Huo Xingzhou leaned in, rubbing against his lips before giving him a kiss, teasing him for a long while.

“There’s no sound in the world more beautiful than this. Just one more, be good.”

Luo Xing shook his head, burying himself low in Huo Xingzhou’s embrace. His voice was so soft that it almost came out as a whimper from his chest.
“I… I can’t.”

“If you won’t, then I’ll do it myself.”

“What?”

Luo Xing was stunned, then immediately felt Huo Xingzhou’s fingertips slowly moving downward, from the hollow of his collarbone to the base of his spine, then even lower, pressing lightly.

“Keep your voice down—your idol is in the room next door, discussing a contract with someone. Don’t let him hear you.”

Huo Xingzhou deliberately tried to scare him, watching in amusement as Luo Xing instantly clenched his teeth, his eyes widening in horror.

Huo Xingzhou chuckled, his fingertips continuing their teasing motions. He noticed how Luo Xing’s breathing became increasingly unsteady, his entire body trembling slightly as he tried to endure it. His hands clutched tightly at Huo Xingzhou’s clothes, swallowing hard.

Luo Xing could barely take it anymore. He panted heavily and shook his head.
“Stop it… it’s unbearable.”

“Where does it feel unbearable?”

Huo Xingzhou didn’t let go. Instead, he applied even more pressure, forcing Luo Xing to speak.
“Tell me, and I’ll let you go.”

“I don’t know… I don’t know.”

Luo Xing sat on his lap, feeling as if his entire body had turned soft. It wasn’t just his heart—every nerve, down to his very bones, felt like they were being nibbled away by invisible ants. The sensation was unbearable.

“If you don’t know, then it must not be unbearable. Liar.”

Huo Xingzhou knew perfectly well that Luo Xing couldn’t take it anymore, but he still deliberately twisted his words. Lowering his head, he kissed Luo Xing’s collarbone, lightly biting down.

“As long as you tell me how you feel, I’ll let you go.”

“Ah… Huo Xingzhou, stop, uncle is still next door—don’t—”

Luo Xing barely held onto a sliver of clarity, trying to push his hand away. But under Huo Xingzhou’s touch, he gradually lost all reason, going limp against his chest, letting out soft, delicate sounds.

“Mm… it tickles… press a little harder.”

Luo Xing instinctively arched his back. That firm press from earlier had felt too good, making him lean closer, wanting more. His voice was sticky and alluring.

Huo Xingzhou chuckled, kissing him as his fingers pressed down harder.

Luo Xing’s body stiffened instantly, then softened again, his moans swallowed up entirely by Huo Xingzhou’s mouth. Huo Xingzhou held onto his delicate waist, letting him collapse against his chest, gasping for breath.

When Luo Xing finally came back to his senses and saw Huo Xingzhou’s half-smiling expression, he nearly lost his mind. His eyes reddened instantly.
“You… you—!”

Huo Xingzhou cupped his chin and kissed him, but Luo Xing turned his head away and struggled out of his embrace, jumping to his feet.

“Luo Xing, what’s wrong?”

Huo Xingzhou was startled by his intense reaction. He quickly grabbed his hand, his voice filled with concern.
“Are you uncomfortable?”

Luo Xing shook his head.

Huo Xingzhou realized he had gone too far just now. He immediately pulled Luo Xing back into his arms, lowering his voice in apology.
“I’m sorry, I crossed the line. It was my fault. Punish me however you want—just don’t ignore me, okay?”

Luo Xing still shook his head, lowering his gaze as if he didn’t know how to respond. He pulled away from Huo Xingzhou’s embrace and stepped aside.

Huo Xingzhou truly saw Luo Xing as his boyfriend. He knew Luo Xing had liked him for so many years. Even though Luo Xing refused to give their relationship a label, they both knew what they meant to each other.

It was because of that unspoken understanding that Huo Xingzhou had acted recklessly.

Holding Luo Xing’s hand, Huo Xingzhou lightly slapped himself on the face.
“Don’t be mad at me. Just tell me what’s wrong, and I’ll change.”

Luo Xing shook his head.
“It’s not that…”

“Then what is it?”

Huo Xingzhou gently touched his face, seeing his reddened eyes. His heart ached as he pulled Luo Xing back into his arms. After a long moment, he let go and looked into his eyes.
“Do you think I misunderstood you?”

“Mm.”

Luo Xing lowered his gaze and whispered,
“You know I wouldn’t do that.”

Huo Xingzhou looked at him and felt like slapping himself again. Lowering his head, he kissed Luo Xing’s eyes, speaking seriously.
“I was just jealous. I won’t act like this next time. Don’t be mad, okay?”

“I’m not mad, it’s just…”

Luo Xing opened his mouth but hesitated, embarrassed. He leaned into Huo Xingzhou’s embrace and whispered so softly it was almost inaudible.
“When you… when you do that to me… I feel…”

“Hmm?”

Luo Xing was so embarrassed and nervous that he stammered for a long time. Huo Xingzhou barely managed to piece together a full sentence.

Luo Xing finally said,
“I feel like I’m… so shameless.”

Huo Xingzhou burst out laughing and pulled him into his arms. Just as Luo Xing had barely caught his breath, Huo Xingzhou lifted him up and pressed him onto the bed. He trailed kisses from his eyes to the tip of his nose, murmuring with each kiss:

“Who says that’s shameless? My little cutie is just showing how much he likes me, and I love it.”

Luo Xing bit his lip uncertainly, clutching his fingers tightly.
“You really… really won’t be disgusted by me?”

Huo Xingzhou felt both amused and heartbroken. He took Luo Xing’s hand and pressed it against his own heartbeat, speaking almost word by word:

“Silly, I love you no matter what.”

“R-Really?”

Luo Xing looked at him, feeling the warmth of his heartbeat against his palm. His face flushed even redder.

“Mm.”

Huo Xingzhou smiled, leaning close to whisper in his ear,
“When you grow up, I want to see you be even more shameless.”