NASAY CH 64

Luo Xing had always loved Blood in the Wind, so being able to write the title for its cover made him so excited that he could barely eat.

Huo Yansheng chuckled—what a silly kid. But when his gaze swept over to his own son’s face, full of mockery, his expression immediately cooled.
“What are you doing?”

“Nothing at all,”
Huo Xingzhou smirked.
“You two are having your touching father-son moment, and yet you still have time to scold me?”
He scoffed. If it weren’t for making sure Luo Xing ate properly, he would’ve left the table already.

Honestly, he was practically full just from eating jealousy alone. Who even needed food at this point?

“Hey, hey, hey! Eat your food! Stop staring!”
Huo Xingzhou smacked Luo Xing lightly on the forehead and glared at him.
“Wipe that starry-eyed look off your face. You act like you’ve never seen an idol before. Keep that up, and I’ll break your legs.”

Luo Xing pursed his lips to hold back a laugh. Even his jealousy felt so sweet. Taking advantage of the moment while Huo Yansheng was in the kitchen, he picked up some food with his chopsticks and placed it in Huo Xingzhou’s bowl.

“Don’t be jealous.”

“Just wait until we get back to school—I’ll deal with you then.”
Huo Xingzhou huffed, biting down on his food with resentment. The way this little traitor was beaming just from hearing about Blood in the Wind irritated him even more.

Was that book really that good? Was it better looking than him?

Tch.

After they finished eating, Huo Yansheng dropped them off at the school gates before heading off to park the car.

With the new semester, the dorms and class assignments had been reorganized. Notices were posted outside the classrooms, but since their apartment-style dorm wasn’t affected, Luo Xing and Huo Xingzhou went straight back to their room.

Feng Jia hadn’t arrived yet, so Luo Xing took the opportunity to help tidy up his belongings as well.

By the time they finished cleaning, it was already late afternoon. Huo Xingzhou threw off his gloves and let out a long sigh.
“I’m exhausted. When Feng Jia gets back, he better kneel down and bow three times to us in gratitude.”

Luo Xing laughed.
“You’ve got something on your face.”

Huo Xingzhou blinked and wiped his face with his hand. The moment he looked down, he cursed.
“What the hell is this? It’s not… poop, is it?”

“……”

Luo Xing was silent for a moment. Watching Huo Xingzhou rush to the bathroom in a panic to wash his face and hands, he couldn’t hold back his laughter. Opening the window, he called out,
“I think that’s Feng Jia’s paint.”

“Paint? More like a disaster zone! That guy couldn’t draw to save his life. Babe, are you sure you’re okay?”
Huo Xingzhou frowned, inspecting his hand with a look of grim determination, as if facing a life-or-death situation. After sniffing cautiously, he realized it didn’t actually smell bad.

“He used to have a crush on Liu Mengya, so he bought her imported paint,”
Luo Xing explained, pausing slightly before continuing,
“But later… he just left it on his desk. You probably touched it while cleaning.”

After washing his face, Huo Xingzhou grabbed a towel, wiped off the water, and casually hung it on the rack. Then, he leaned out of the window and beckoned to Luo Xing with a single finger.

“What is it?”

“I need to tell you something. Stop dawdling and come here.”

Luo Xing leaned over, completely unaware of what was about to happen—until he was suddenly kissed.

The world seemed to pause for a moment, with only the air flowing quietly between them.

Huo Xingzhou looked at Luo Xing’s dazed, blinking eyes and suddenly remembered how he had gazed at his father in admiration earlier that morning. Jealousy surged again, and before he knew it, he bit him lightly.

Luo Xing winced, snapping out of his daze.

“You—you tricked me again!”
Luo Xing instinctively stepped back, his face turning red as he covered his mouth and glared at him.
“Haven’t you ever heard the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf?”

Huo Xingzhou chuckled as he walked out of the bathroom. Leaning lazily against the doorframe, he said,
“I don’t know that story. But I do know the song Little Bunny, Be Good.”

Clearing his throat, he approached, pulling Luo Xing into his arms. Pressing his lips close to his ear, he sang in a low voice, ‘Little bunny, be good, open the door, I want to come in.’

Luo Xing had heard him sing this before, and it was never a good thing. He instantly covered his ears.

Huo Xingzhou, amused, kissed his fingertips.
“Babe, hurry up and grow up—so I can come in.”

His words became more and more outrageous. Luo Xing’s face was so red it looked like it was on fire, his blush spreading from his ears all the way down his neck.

Huo Xingzhou wondered if the color had spread to his entire body by now. Unable to resist, he lowered his head.

The moment his lips brushed the delicate skin of Luo Xing’s nape, Luo Xing shuddered and tried to pull away.
“Don’t mess around.”

Instead of letting go, Huo Xingzhou hooked his finger into Luo Xing’s collar and ran his tongue lightly along the back of his neck.

“Just tasting to see if you’re sweet.”

“What… mmh—”
Luo Xing didn’t even have time to process what he meant. The rest of his words got stuck in his throat, transforming into a soft, lingering sound that curled around Huo Xingzhou’s heart like an invisible thread.

Huo Xingzhou opened his mouth and bit him lightly. The tip of his teeth pressed together gently, creating a sensation that was both painful and ticklish, making Luo Xing’s legs go weak. On top of that, being in the dormitory, where their other roommate could return at any moment, made his breathing turn ragged with nervous anticipation.

“Huo Xingzhou, stop…”
Luo Xing struggled to catch his breath, gripping his clothes tightly and whispering a plea.

Huo Xingzhou pinched his waist and lifted him onto the desk he had just wiped clean. He then lowered his head and kissed him deeply, only letting go when Luo Xing was nearly breathless.

“This is the real version of ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf.’ Did you mishear it before?”
Huo Xingzhou wiped the moisture from Luo Xing’s lips, deliberately twisting the story.
“Not only do I know ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf,’ I also know ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ and I can—”

Luo Xing couldn’t stand hearing him twist fairy tales into something so improper and quickly covered his mouth, his breath still unsteady. He whispered, “Stop talking.”

“I won’t talk, then. But you have to kiss me.”
Huo Xingzhou didn’t resist his hand over his mouth, speaking with a smile in his eyes, his words slightly muffled.

Luo Xing froze for a moment. Who acts like this…? So unreasonable!

Clearly, he was the one speaking nonsense, yet he was still demanding something from him, acting as if he was the one being wronged. How was that fair?

“Are you going to kiss me or not?”

Luo Xing tried to struggle and get down, but Huo Xingzhou held onto his legs, keeping him trapped in his embrace.
“You’re so unreasonable…”

“When have I ever been reasonable?”
Huo Xingzhou chuckled as if he had just heard something hilarious.
“Baby, did you mistake your husband before? Here, look at my head—do you see grass growing on it?”

“What?”

“Yes, green grass.”

Luo Xing finally understood what he meant and, both embarrassed and angry, pushed him away.
“Move! I want to get down.”

“No way. Unless you bite me?”
Huo Xingzhou’s rogue-like nature came out in full force. As his gaze shifted, he noticed a small box tucked inside Luo Xing’s bed and casually grabbed it.

“What’s inside…? My things?”
He shook it, and the glass objects inside clinked together.

Luo Xing’s eyes widened, and he quickly snatched it back, hugging it tightly.
“You’re not allowed to look.”

Pfft. They were already together—was he still shy about such a small thing?

“Fine, I won’t look. Didn’t I already say it? Even if you begged me to, I wouldn’t.”
Huo Xingzhou let out a playful scoff. Just then, the sound of a key turning in the lock reached them, and he let go of Luo Xing.

“Who wants to look anyway?”

—

The new semester meant class redistribution, but Class 9 had always been a mess, and no teacher wanted to take them in. The school didn’t want to bother either, so they were left to their own devices.

However, Teacher Cheng called in a few top-performing students, including Luo Xing and Ye Qiaoqiao, to ask if they wanted to transfer to a more focused class, as the learning environment here might affect them.

Ding Chao quickly agreed—he had long wanted to leave Class 9.

Zhang Chenlan and Ye Qiaoqiao chose to stay, saying Class 9 was fine. The subject teachers were competent, and their learning wouldn’t be affected.

“Alright, you’ll remain in Class 9 then. If you run into any problems, let me know. There are only a little over a hundred days left until the college entrance exams. This semester will determine your future, so don’t take it lightly.”

“We understand, Teacher Cheng.”

Finally, it was Luo Xing’s turn. Teacher Cheng looked at him hesitantly and said,
“Come with me for a moment. I have something else to discuss with you.”

He had Ye Qiaoqiao and Zhang Chenlan leave first, keeping Luo Xing back. They stood in the hallway downstairs, with the bulletin board behind them displaying various notices for the new semester.

“Luo Xing, after discussing with the academic director, we think you should transfer to Class 11 or Class 8. Class 9 isn’t suitable for you.”

Luo Xing frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”

Teacher Cheng hesitated, looking at him closely. The clothes he was wearing were brand-name, and his shoes were expensive. From what he knew of Luo Xing’s family background and situation, affording such things was questionable.

Especially with Zhao Jiulan’s resignation—Teacher Cheng had heard some inside information. Putting two and two together, it was easy to speculate whether Luo Xing could really afford those things on his own.

“You’re still a student. Pursuing luxury brands at the cost of your studies, or worse… getting involved in other things, is not right. If you’re facing difficulties, I hope you’ll come to the teachers for help.”

The more Luo Xing listened, the less he understood. He looked at Teacher Cheng in confusion.
“What are you talking about?”

Seeing that he was still playing dumb, Teacher Cheng grew a little angry.
“A student anonymously reported to the principal that you and Huo Xingzhou from Class 9 are in a relationship. Is that true?”

Luo Xing’s heart skipped a beat.

How did someone find out about his relationship with Huo Xingzhou?

He had only come out to his elders back in his hometown. Even if others had noticed something, they shouldn’t have had enough evidence to report it.

Huo Xingzhou always teased him, making him endlessly embarrassed, but he was usually very careful. Other than Feng Jia, Ye Qiaoqiao, and a few others, no one else should have known.

Lu Qinghe, the type of person who thought even looking at others was a waste of time, was definitely not the one who talked.

…Xue Jian!

He had told Xue Jian that Huo Xingzhou was his.

“Teacher Cheng, can you tell me who told you?”
Luo Xing didn’t want to falsely accuse anyone, so he asked cautiously.

“It was an anonymous report, so we don’t know for sure. But I did ask a few students about it, and while there’s no concrete evidence, someone took photos of you spending the entire winter break and New Year’s at his house. Look for yourself—is this you?”
Teacher Cheng handed him a stack of photos.

Luo Xing took them and flipped through the pages.

There were many pictures—one of them having barbecue on the day vacation started, another of Huo Xingzhou adjusting his scarf, one of them shopping for New Year’s goods, and even one of Huo Xingzhou crouching down to massage his legs. Although taken from a distance, the figures were clearly identifiable as him and Huo Xingzhou.

That day, Feng Jia had suddenly called out “Xue Jian,” but none of them had seen anyone at the time. It had even caused Ye Qiaoqiao to burn a chicken wing for him. But looking at these photos now, it was clear that Feng Jia hadn’t been mistaken—Xue Jian had been there that day and had secretly taken these photos.

Teacher Cheng noticed the veins bulging on the back of Luo Xing’s hand as he clutched the photos. On his fair skin, they stood out starkly. Looking up at his face, he could see the veins at his temples also tensing, and there was even the faint sound of his teeth grinding together.

“Since there’s no solid evidence, I asked the principal for the photos first and kept this matter under wraps. I haven’t made it public,”
Teacher Cheng carefully observed his expression, lowering his voice.
“Do you have any explanation for this?”

Luo Xing let out a quiet laugh.

Xue Jian had gone to such great lengths to take these photos and even sent them to the principal—wasn’t it just to force them to break up? Or perhaps, if he couldn’t have him, he’d rather destroy him instead.

If that was the case, then Luo Xing definitely couldn’t let him have his way.

He lifted his eyes and looked seriously at Teacher Cheng. “No, I don’t.”

“You—!”
Teacher Cheng widened his eyes in frustration. He was angry, but thinking of Luo Xing’s academic performance, the awards he had won for the school, and his usual well-behaved nature, he suppressed his temper and tried to reason with him patiently.
“Is he threatening you? If he is, tell me.”

“He’s not threatening me. I’m with him willingly.”

“You willingly… Do you even know what you’re doing?!”
Teacher Cheng’s anger flared instantly, his voice rising. A few students passing by were startled and quickly walked away, taking a detour.

“Teacher Cheng, thank you for keeping this matter quiet, but I know exactly what I want.”
Luo Xing sincerely respected this teacher and understood that he was asking out of concern.

But Huo Xingzhou was his bottom line.

A line he would not cross.

“Your academic performance and conduct—everyone can see it. The school leadership, the district officials, they all know how outstanding you are…”
Teacher Cheng sighed, feeling complicated emotions swell in his chest. He had thought about what to say, but now that the words were coming out, they felt clumsy and inadequate.

“You’re still just a kid. What kind of future or responsibilities can you handle? If you’re with Huo Xingzhou, can he take care of you? Can he give you a stable future?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Teacher Cheng suddenly realized that, in his urgency, he had spoken thoughtlessly.

Luo Xing wasn’t the kind of person who needed someone else to take care of him. He was very independent.

In fact, he had even been the one helping improve Huo Xingzhou’s studies.

Teacher Cheng frowned as he recalled how, ever since Luo Xing had started helping him, Huo Xingzhou’s grades had skyrocketed and even made it onto the grade rankings. Meanwhile, Luo Xing’s own scores hadn’t dropped at all, and he had fulfilled every academic expectation set for him.

But… two boys in a relationship…

Even relationships between boys and girls were strictly forbidden in school. How could a relationship between two boys be allowed?

This isn’t just about the two of them—it could affect their families and even the school’s reputation!

If they end up facing such a storm, how would they handle it? How would they bring it to an end?

Teacher Cheng was feeling very conflicted. Before he came to talk to Luo Xing, he had been holding onto hope that this was all just a rumor, that someone was deliberately making things up to smear them. But he never expected Luo Xing to admit to it so openly—without even trying to deny it.

For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. Looking at Luo Xing’s sincere and obedient demeanor, he couldn’t even bring himself to scold him.

“Forget it. You should go back first. Tell Huo Xingzhou to come to my office.”

After saying this, Teacher Cheng picked up the stack of photos and left, leaving Luo Xing with no chance to argue.

Luo Xing turned around and went back to the classroom. Huo Xingzhou was wiping the dust off his desk and arranging his books in order of height. Seeing his finished work, he smiled with satisfaction.

“Huo Xingzhou.”

“Hmm? You’re back…”
Huo Xingzhou clapped the dust off his hands and turned to look at Luo Xing with curiosity. But when he saw Luo Xing’s serious expression, his smile froze.
“What’s wrong?”

Luo Xing glanced at the students in the classroom, lowered his voice, and said,
“Just now, the teacher gave me a stack of photos. Someone reported us for being together.”

When Ye Qiaoqiao returned, she mentioned that Teacher Cheng had asked if they wanted to transfer classes, joking that Luo Xing was leaving and wouldn’t be playing with them anymore.

Huo Xingzhou scoffed.
“Wherever I am, he has to be. You think he dares to leave? He’d end up hugging my leg, crying, and begging not to go.”

Feng Jia walked in from outside, and the first thing she said after the New Year was a solid “Pfft.”

“You’re all talk. Who knows who’ll be the one hugging whose leg, crying and begging not to leave.”

Just as they were joking around, Luo Xing came back and dropped this serious news.

Huo Xingzhou wiped his hands and tossed the wet tissue into the trash.

He held Luo Xing’s hand and said,
“Alright, I’ll go see him.”

Luo Xing watched his retreating figure, took a deep breath, and felt his heart tighten.

Teacher Cheng had only said a few words earlier, and Luo Xing couldn’t figure out what he was thinking or how this would affect them.

He had to think ahead—if this turned into a serious issue and they got expelled, what would they do?

Huo Xingzhou walked to the office door, raised his hand, and knocked lightly. A voice quickly responded, “Come in.”

Cheng Limin sat behind his desk, a stack of photos in front of him.

Huo Xingzhou glanced down and immediately recognized the two main characters in the pictures—it was him and Luo Xing.

“Take a look for yourself. Do you recognize these?”
Cheng Limin took a sip of tea, suppressing his anger as he waited for Huo Xingzhou’s response.

Huo Xingzhou picked up the photos and examined them carefully, one by one.

Cheng Limin lifted his gaze slightly and asked, “Anything you’d like to say?”

After a brief silence, Huo Xingzhou muttered,
“Whoever took these has some skills. The shots are pretty good… even made me look quite handsome.”

“Get out!”

Cheng Limin nearly choked on his tea. Whether it was from anger or from coughing, his face turned red as he slammed his cup onto the desk.

“If I really leave, don’t call me back,”
Huo Xingzhou said with a smirk, standing there without moving.
“If you want to scold me, just do it calmly. Getting mad is bad for your health.”

“You think I’ll get sick from anger?”
Cheng Limin glared at him, his eyes nearly popping out. He was so furious he almost had a stroke.
“If you could just stop causing trouble for once, I’d bow toward the south in gratitude!”

“Last semester, I excelled in moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education. I was just one award short of decorating my entire house.”
Huo Xingzhou sighed.
“At this point, I’m more obedient than a Young Pioneer.”

“…”

Cheng Limin took a deep breath, unwilling to look at him. He swept his gaze over him coldly.
“Tell me, what’s going on between you and Luo Xing?”

Seeing that the teacher was serious, Huo Xingzhou dropped his playful attitude and answered properly,
“Luo Xing and I are serious about each other, but for the sake of his studies and the school’s reputation, we never planned to make it public before graduation.”

Cheng Limin didn’t respond right away. He just looked at Huo Xingzhou standing there, and for the first time, he saw him with a serious and humble expression. His thoughts became even more chaotic.

He had actually considered whether someone as stubborn as Huo Xingzhou might be bullying Luo Xing, so he had kept an eye on them. But after observing their interactions and noticing that Luo Xing was just naturally shy, he hadn’t given it much thought.

He knew very well what kind of family background Huo Xingzhou came from. He had encouraged him to study because he wanted him to have more options in life, not to force him into anything.

But Luo Xing… with his background and personality, studying was his only way out. That’s why Cheng Limin was so worried. If Luo Xing’s academic future was ruined, the consequences for him would be far more severe than for Huo Xingzhou.

“So tell me, who initiated this?”
Cheng Limin hesitated before asking, struggling to find the right words.
“Did he pursue you, or did you… chase him?”

Huo Xingzhou answered without hesitation,
“Of course, I chased him. With how easily he blushes, do you think he’d have the guts to chase anyone?”

“Speak properly!”

Huo Xingzhou obediently fell silent and waited for the scolding.

Cheng Limin asked,
“If the school asks you to break up, or else you’ll be expelled, what will you do?”

“Then we’ll break up.”

“What did you just say?”
Cheng Limin almost lost his breath again. He glared at him furiously, just short of slapping him across the face.
“Say that again! How could you say something so irresponsible?”

Huo Xingzhou sighed helplessly.
“What else can I say? Should I declare that I’ll stay with him no matter what? Or that getting expelled doesn’t matter? You wouldn’t want to hear that either, right?”

Cheng Limin was speechless.

Huo Xingzhou might seem carefree and reckless, but in reality, he was more thoughtful than most. He had already considered things that others wouldn’t even think about. His words weren’t wrong, but…

“So now you’re even calculating my thoughts?”
Cheng Limin let out a cold laugh.
“Fine, then tell me, what’s your plan? Someone’s already reported this to me. It’s obvious they’re targeting you two. Even if I suppress it this time, there’s no guarantee they won’t take it to someone else.”

Huo Xingzhou knew the moment he saw the photos exactly who had taken them. A string of curses ran through his mind, but in the end, he just smiled.

“I’ve heard about Luo Xing’s family situation,”
Cheng Limin said.
“He’s never truly experienced love. If someone shows him a little kindness, he might mistake it for love. But what if he meets more people in the future? Can you guarantee he’ll feel the same way he does now? Are you willing to bet your entire life on one person?”

Cheng Limin was nearly sixty. He had seen countless ups and downs in life. He genuinely cared for his students and wanted them all to have bright futures.

That’s why, when he first saw the photos of Luo Xing and Huo Xingzhou, his immediate reaction was to prevent the school from handling it officially. If the school intervened, those two kids would be finished.

Huo Xingzhou stood upright, waiting for him to finish speaking. After a few seconds, when he was sure Cheng Limin had no more to say, he finally replied.

“Teacher Cheng, I know you’re looking out for us. You’re worried about us getting hurt—I understand.”

Cheng Limin scoffed. You don’t understand a thing.

“It’s good that you understand.”

“I trust Luo Xing,”
Huo Xingzhou continued.
“I love him, and because of that, I want what’s best for him.”