NASAY Extra 1

“Luo Xing.”
A soft female voice called out to him. Luo Xing turned around and saw that it was his classmate, Li Yan.

“Do you need something?”

“I—my friend recently got two tickets to a musical, but they suddenly had something come up and can’t go. So they wanted to give the tickets away. Do you… have time?”

Li Yan’s face reddened slightly as she unconsciously nudged the tip of her shoe against the ground, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear in an endearing way.

Luo Xing paused for a moment before saying,
“Sorry. I’m not really into musicals, so I don’t want to waste the ticket. You should give it to someone who actually likes them.”

Li Yan swallowed lightly, then looked up and softly asked, “Then… are you free this Sunday? Some classmates are planning to go camping at Daming Mountain. Would you—”

Luo Xing smiled faintly.
“Sorry, I have a partner. I spend my days off with him.”

Li Yan was stunned. She had been paying attention for a long time and had never seen any girl close to him. He had to be lying.

Noticing the doubt in her eyes, Luo Xing didn’t bother explaining further. He simply chuckled lightly.
“Hope you all have fun.”

Li Yan was unwilling to give up. She was widely recognized as beautiful, had top scores when she got into university—she refused to believe she could lose to another woman. She had to see for herself just how beautiful this girl was.

“In that case, why don’t you bring her along? Everyone is really welcoming, and one more person won’t make a difference.”

Luo Xing tilted his head slightly, just in time to see Huo Xingzhou leaning against a broad-leaved tree not far away. Even from tens of meters away, he could feel the jealousy radiating off him.

“He has a bad temper and gets jealous easily. If he comes, it might ruin the mood for everyone, so it’s better if we don’t go. But thank you for the invitation.”

Since he had turned her down so clearly, Li Yan had no choice but to give up. She mumbled a quick goodbye and walked away.

Only after she left did Luo Xing lift his foot and head toward Huo Xingzhou.

Even though they got into the same university, they had chosen different majors. Following the bottom-line rule set by the Huo family, Wu Suyan had bought them a small apartment outside the campus, preventing them from living in the dorms.

“What was that girl talking to you about?”
Huo Xingzhou asked.

Luo Xing smiled.
“She was asking for directions. How long have you been here?”

“Just got here. I saw that girl chatting and laughing with you, so I didn’t want to interrupt—didn’t want to ruin the beautiful moment.”

Huo Xingzhou rarely spoke so poetically. When he did, it was either because he was angry or because he was jealous. Since he rarely got truly angry, most of the time, it was jealousy.

If Luo Xing so much as smiled at another girl, he would get jealous. If he got too close to another guy, he would get jealous. If he talked too much to someone else and didn’t pay attention to him, he would also get jealous. He was like a jar of sweet vinegar, repeatedly marinated over and over.

“Are you jealous?”
Luo Xing asked.

“No.” Huo Xingzhou shoved his hands into his pockets and strode forward without waiting for him.

Luo Xing chased after him, chattering on about the funny things that happened in class today, about the new book inspiration Huo Yansheng had mentioned to him, and about—

Huo Xingzhou, annoyed, suddenly turned around and kissed him, right there on campus. His hands stayed in his pockets as he leaned down, pressing against Luo Xing’s collarbone.

Luo Xing was startled, stumbling back several steps in a panic. Only after making sure no one was around did he relax. In a hushed voice, he said,
“You scared me!”

“What, now I’m not even allowed to kiss my own boyfriend?”
Huo Xingzhou let out a chilly laugh.

“Fine, fine. Go back home and be their good little son. Don’t bother with me anymore.”

Luo Xing could tell he was really upset this time. He hurriedly grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together, and coaxed him softly,
“I’m sorry, okay? If you don’t like it, I won’t say it anymore. Oh, right—let’s go camping this Sunday! Let’s go to Luoxia Mountain.”

Huo Xingzhou shook his head. “Not going.”

“Then let’s go to the movies this Sunday! That old film you used to love is getting a remastered edition in ultra-high resolution. We should go watch it!”

“Not going.”

Luo Xing thought for a moment before suggesting,
“There’s a stall up ahead selling cotton candy. How about I buy you a strawberry cotton candy, little Xingzhou? Don’t be mad, okay?”

“…” Huo Xingzhou shook off his hand and flicked Luo Xing’s forehead.
“Do I look like a three-year-old to you?”

Luo Xing thought to himself, You’re throwing a tantrum over something this small, so you’re not much older than a three-year-old.

Then, remembering how it had only been two months since the start of university, and how Huo Xingzhou had already come up with countless excuses to drag him out of class, he sighed internally.

“No, no, of course not. I just want some cotton candy myself.”
Luo Xing grinned, rubbing his fingers along Huo Xingzhou’s palm to show goodwill, but the other was still sulking.

“Xingzhou-gege… Smile, okay? How about I cook dinner for you tonight?”

“Not eating.”

“Alright, be mad if you want. But don’t hug me tonight, go sleep in the study.”

Luo Xing let go of his hand and strode ahead. If he wanted to ignore him, then fine—who couldn’t do the same?

Huo Xingzhou’s footsteps paused as he watched Luo Xing walk away in long strides. He realized he’d gone too far this time and quickly caught up, saying,
“Wife, I was just messing with you. Can I not sleep in the study?”

Luo Xing didn’t even turn his head.
“Of course not.”

At that moment, Huo Xingzhou truly understood what it meant to suffer the consequences of one’s own actions. He wore a pleading expression but was met with a cold snort as Luo Xing turned away.
“Keep talking, and you won’t be allowed to hug me for two days.”

Huo Xingzhou immediately shut his mouth.

When they got home, Luo Xing went to take a shower first.

Meanwhile, Huo Xingzhou dutifully went to the kitchen to cook. As he chopped vegetables, he pondered how to coax his wife. Normally, sleeping solved all problems, but now… Luo Xing wouldn’t even let him sleep in the same bed. That was a serious issue.

Because their university was in Beicheng, summer here was exceptionally long. Wu Suyan had bought a detached villa, and after spending so much time with Huo Xingzhou, Luo Xing had gradually shed his shyness. Now, he casually came downstairs wearing only Huo Xingzhou’s shirt.

Huo Xingzhou was chopping vegetables, with a colander beside him filled with carrots and cucumbers. Luo Xing peeked over his shoulder and frowned.
“I don’t want to eat carrots.”

“No being picky,”
Huo Xingzhou said with a stern face, finding the situation amusing. When they first met, he was the picky eater while Luo Xing wasn’t. But after all this time, their roles had reversed.

After finishing with the bell peppers, Huo Xingzhou picked up a carrot and suddenly brought it to Luo Xing’s lips. “Little bunny, be good. Take a bite.”

Luo Xing turned his head away. “No.”

Huo Xingzhou wiped his hands on his apron, pulled Luo Xing into his arms, and pinned him against the sink. Holding the carrot near his mouth, he coaxed,
“Just one bite, and I won’t cook any carrots today.”

Looking into his teasing, smiling eyes, Luo Xing knew he was deliberately forcing him. The little devil inside his mind suddenly took over.

He opened his mouth, took the tip of the carrot between his lips, and moved forward slightly. His eyelashes trembled, and he gagged subtly before quickly letting go. A thin, silvery thread stretched between his lips and the carrot.

Luo Xing licked his lips and pretended to swallow, as if he’d actually eaten something.

Huo Xingzhou stared at the damp carrot, then at Luo Xing’s soft, red lips. Instantly, his lower abdomen burned, and his grip on Luo Xing’s waist tightened.

His eyes seemed to ignite with flames, burning every nerve into ash. His Adam’s apple bobbed unconsciously before he leaned in for a kiss.

But Luo Xing pushed him away, slipping out of his grasp like a fish.
“I told you—no hugging today. Hurry up and cook, I’m hungry.”

Huo Xingzhou looked at his now-empty arms, then at Luo Xing’s smug smile. Sighing, he glanced downward and thought bitterly, What was the point of being jealous? See? Now you’ve screwed yourself over.

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to focus on cooking. But when he finally finished and came out, Luo Xing was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, happily watching TV.

Huo Xingzhou walked up behind him and gently pinched his chin, tilting his face up for a kiss. As he nibbled at his lips, he murmured,
“Wife, forgive me, okay?”

Luo Xing dodged left and right, pushing him away.
“Ugh, move, you’re blocking the screen.”

“Blocking what?”
Huo Xingzhou glanced up at the TV and saw a crime drama filled with blood and knives. It was incredibly gory.

Luo Xing casually popped a nut into Huo Xingzhou’s mouth and said,
“It’s a highly rated crime drama. I’ve never seen it before, but Qiaoqiao recommended it. Apparently, it’s based on a case her dad solved.”

Huo Xingzhou immediately turned off the TV.
“Nope. No watching crime dramas. Am I not more interesting to look at?”

Luo Xing hesitated.
“Well… maybe not.”

The show was all severed limbs and blood—there really was no comparison.

“That’s better.”
Finally satisfied, Huo Xingzhou circled around to the front of the sofa, knelt on one knee, and rested his chin on Luo Xing’s knee.
“Fine, no more carrots today. Can I go back to the bedroom now?”

Luo Xing’s tone was firm.
“Every time you’re jealous, you deliberately bully me. I told you to stop, but you never listen. You even made me promise something I didn’t even do. This time, I’m punishing you.”

“Alright, alright. Whatever the punishment is, as long as you forgive me, I’ll accept it.”

Luo Xing leaned down, pressing a fingertip against his forehead, lifting his chin slightly.
“You can sleep in the bedroom… but you’re not allowed to come out all night.”

Huo Xingzhou fell silent for a long time, realizing that this punishment… might just be his undoing.