The Prankster’s Predicament and a Shameless Proposition

“No reason,” Lu Xingye replied, not bothering to argue further with Qiyu. “Perhaps this is just the family’s special treatment for its top student.”

Frankly, he had done it on purpose. In a villa as large as the Lu family’s, surely there were other rooms available?

Qiyu’s room wasn’t even the brightest or the most spacious, but Lu Xingye simply didn’t want to see Qiyu happy; he wanted to vex him.

The extent of their past animosity was something both of them understood perfectly well.

“What special treatment?” Qiyu, his bare feet sinking into the plush carpet, walked directly towards him.

His eyes were wide as he spoke, and he tilted his head slightly, glancing at Lu Xingye before letting out a disdainful huff.

Lu Xingye’s initial focus wasn’t on the arrogant tone, but on those beautiful, clear, amber eyes. ‘Did he truly believe his good looks granted him license to do anything he pleased?’

Unaware that his casual glance had been completely misinterpreted, the other boy continued to glare at him with what he imagined was a fierce expression.

“Stay away from me.” Lu Xingye quietly took a large step back, turning his head to look elsewhere.

His expression remained neutral as he continued, “What if your foolishness is contagious and infects me?”

Qiyu watched Lu Xingye’s actions, seething with anger, especially stung by that particularly cutting remark.

The worst part was, he genuinely felt a little foolish and couldn’t refute it, which only made him angrier.

As Lu Xingye watched Qiyu’s expression slowly fall into a daze, as if he were trying to recall something, he couldn’t help but lean in. He pressed his index finger against Qiyu’s forehead. “What a terrible memory you have.”

“Allow me to refresh it for you,” Lu Xingye said calmly, clearing his throat. “The Lu family has always granted priority choice to those with good grades, hasn’t it?”

With that single statement, Qiyu was immediately plunged into a vortex of seven-year-old memories.

As an example of fairness, Lu Xingye’s parents showed no favoritism towards either of their sons. They smiled as they announced the news that felt almost like a death sentence to Qiyu: “Whichever of you has better grades will have priority choice.”

Although Qiyu was merely a foster son, he had still been raised by the Lu family for seven years, developing genuine affection for them. As for Lu Xingye, their biological son, his feelings were even more profound.

“You lived in the Lu household for many more years than I did, yet you actually forgot.” Lu Xingye had, at some point, moved to stand behind Qiyu.

Qiyu: “You’re shameless.”

Lu Xingye: “Mhm, mhm, I am shameless.”

Knowing his mother had undoubtedly agreed, Qiyu could only grit his teeth and begin packing his clothes. He deliberately made loud noises while pulling out his suitcase, occasionally shooting resentful glares at Lu Xingye.

Lu Xingye, with one leg crossed over the other, lounged languidly in the gaming chair. Hearing the commotion, he replied indifferently, “Be gentle. Don’t break anything in my room.”

Qiyu paused, his hand hovering over his clothes, then turned to stare at him, his mind already churning with mischievous ideas.

Lu Xingye added, “I’ll be locking my door tonight.”

He lifted his gaze, a smile playing on his lips. “Also, only an idiot would broadcast their intentions to commit mischief all over their face.”

As if finding the fire in Qiyu’s head insufficient, Lu Xingye promptly poured several more buckets of oil onto it. But what was wrong with that?

Hadn’t Qiyu been the one to declare that even if he liked dogs, he wouldn’t like Lu Xingye?

Was there any problem with giving him a little punishment? Absolutely none.

Regardless of whether Qiyu liked him, it wasn’t as if Lu Xingye liked him back. Lu Xingye didn’t dwell on the reasons for his own irritation.

Qiyu was a man easily provoked. He suddenly stood up, his voice laced with unconcealed malice. “What do you mean by constantly calling people idiots? When did I ever provoke you again?”

“All I said was that you’re not good enough for me. Is there really a need to be so petty? Surely some people don’t get so defensive just from hearing the truth?”

“Alright, alright, I’ll concede a step,” Qiyu said, crossing his arms, showing no hint of shame for his words.

Lu Xingye watched him with a composed air, as if keenly anticipating his next statement.

Qiyu: “I admit that if you try hard enough, you might still be worthy of me.”

Lu Xingye: “…That’s like expecting ivory from a dog’s mouth.”

Lu Xingye: “Narcissism to this degree could be a psychological disorder, commonly known as ‘peach blossom madness’.”

Qiyu was enraged once more. “Who are you calling a dog!”

Qixia quietly opened the door a crack. Seeing the two children getting along so ‘lovingly,’ she contentedly made a video call to Lu Xingzhou, her devoted husband.

“They’re getting along wonderfully, and Little Yu is quite doting towards Xingye,” Qixia said, her eyes narrowing into a smile. “I never expected him to be so willing to give his room to Xingye.”

If Qiyu were to overhear such peculiar words, he would undoubtedly scream, ‘This is a Mary Sue world! Restore my innocence!’

Forcing Lu Xingye to live at home was actually driven by a private agenda. Both children had been betrothed since childhood; if they didn’t cultivate their feelings now, what would happen if they fell for other people?

Lu Xingzhou knew his wife’s thought process was anything but ordinary, and he suspected a fierce battle might be raging inside the room.

He understood Qiyu’s personality well, and he had a good grasp of Lu Xingye’s temperament. He knew all too well that their first meeting would inevitably involve mutual provocation.

****

Qiyu’s eyes were rimmed red, and with his head bowed, he resembled a deeply wronged little rabbit. He glanced down at his suitcase, sighing. ‘What wasn’t his, ultimately wasn’t his.’

Before he could wallow further in his melancholy, the atmosphere was abruptly shattered by a voice. “You’re just moving to the fourth floor. Is it really that big of a deal?”

Qiyu let out a cold snort, presenting only the haughty back of his head to Lu Xingye.

The room on the fourth floor had already been prepared. It was slightly larger than his previous one, and the lighting was about the same, which he found satisfactory.

Qiyu was someone whose anger flared quickly but also subsided just as fast. The moment he lay on the soft, cotton-like bed, his entire body and mind relaxed.

Still, Qiyu kept glancing at the time. When the hour hand reached half past nine.

He tiptoed, even opting for the stairs instead of the elevator. Upon reaching the third floor, he noticed a drawing pasted near both the staircase and the elevator.

It appeared to be a portrait.

With two eyes, a nose, and a mouth, it looked quite handsome. Although it was a Q-version stick figure, couldn’t the small mole on the tip of the nose instantly reveal that it was him?

The mole on his nose tip was so tiny that one had to get very close to see it. Qiyu had always quite liked it, considering it very sexy.

Before Qiyu could finish marveling at his own exquisite features, he noticed a large red ‘X’ next to the Q-version drawing, accompanied by several bold characters:

[Entry Forbidden for the Intellectually Deficient!]

Qiyu: “…”

This discovery only solidified his resolve to make Lu Xingye move out.

He ripped off the papers and stuffed them into his pocket. When he reached the familiar room, he found the door ajar. ‘Wasn’t this divine intervention?’

Just as he was fretting about not finding an opportunity, even more advantageous news arrived. Shortly after he crouched down, he heard Lu Xingye inside, talking on his phone to someone.

However, Lu Xingye hung up soon after, saying, “I’m going to shower now, so I’ll talk to you later.”

Crouching outside the door, Qiyu immediately perked up at the sound. He promptly picked up the basin of cold water he had just filled.

Yet, Lu Xingye inside, as if deliberately targeting him, purposefully sat on a chair and played on his phone for half an hour. Qiyu withered, almost falling asleep leaning against the wall.

Bang—

The sound of the bathroom door closing.

Qiyu instantly brightened, a smile playing on his lips. His clear pupils reflected the no-longer-unfamiliar furnishings inside the room. ‘Just you wait, Little Xingye. So, you want to steal rooms, do you?’

The patter of water echoed from the bathroom. Only then did he dare to enter. He pulled back the duvet, splashed the cold water, and pulled the duvet back, completing these actions in just a few minutes.

After returning to his own room and showering, Qiyu fell asleep shortly after lying in bed. He wondered if such a carefree nature was an advantage or a drawback.

****

“Young Master, Madam has given instructions.”

“Please don’t make things difficult for us.”

Uncle Li looked at Qiyu, who was still reluctant to get into the car, and felt a pang of distress. He raised his hand to check his wristwatch, a genuine sense of urgency rising within him.

Qiyu didn’t want to be difficult early in the morning, but he couldn’t understand why Uncle Li, who usually granted his every request, was now refusing him.

Still, he could likely guess it was his mother’s doing.

In the backseat, Lu Xingye showed no intention of persuading Qiyu to get in the car, merely leaning against the window, lost in thought.

“Understood.” Seeing Uncle Li’s distress, Qiyu didn’t press the issue further. He could only get into the car sullenly.

He truly didn’t understand. With so many drivers and so many cars in the family, why did he absolutely have to go to school with Lu Xingye?

Had Lu Xingye forced their parents? Was he deliberately playing a prank on him? Was he trying to prove to those ignorant students that he wasn’t a poor nobody, but the true eldest young master of the Lu family?

Wouldn’t that expose his identity as a fake young master? He had been living so freely at school, accumulating a large number of enemies.

If his identity were truly exposed, it wouldn’t just be a matter of a few sarcastic remarks. He might even be strung up and beaten by those who disliked him on the very first day.

And Lu Xingye wouldn’t protect him; he’d probably just shove his hands into his pockets, glance up nonchalantly, and say, “Hang him higher.”

Qiyu: “…”

The more he thought about it, the darker his expression grew.

This wasn’t merely a matter of a forum meltdown; it concerned human lives.

The drive from home to school took forty minutes. During the ride, he openly stared at Lu Xingye’s profile.

Honestly, if Qiyu wasn’t at St. Lanxinglin Academy, the title of ‘campus heartthrob’ might very well have fallen to Lu Xingye. Like Qiyu, Lu Xingye’s profile was impeccably handsome.

Lu Xingye turned his head, propping his face with his hand, and stared unblinkingly at Qiyu. Ten minutes passed, yet his gaze remained fixed on Qiyu’s rosy cheeks.

“I’ve caught a cold. I feel really unwell.” Lu Xingye spoke with a nasal tone, sounding genuinely affected.

Qiyu fell silent, images of last night flashing rapidly through his mind. He had almost forgotten about it.

“That somewhat adorable portrait on the third floor…” Qiyu mimicked Lu Xingye’s threatening tone, his small face stern.

Lu Xingye: ‘…Even now, he doesn’t forget to praise himself.’

“You should know the reason, shouldn’t you?” Lu Xingye didn’t take the bait, continuing to look out the window, his tone unhurried.

“Brother, I was wrong, wasn’t I?” A true man knew when to bend and when to straighten. No matter how disgusted he felt internally, Qiyu had to suppress it. Fortunately, he was exceptionally skilled at acting coquettish.

Lu Xingye seemed entirely unprepared for Qiyu’s swift admission of guilt, and a flood of ready remarks were swallowed back. “Mhm.”

Qiyu’s thoughts: ‘Is he brain-damaged? Did he really sleep in a soaking wet bed all night?’

He had originally thought Lu Xingye would sleep in the guest room next door upon seeing the wet bed, which was why he had dared to play such a prank. Who would have guessed Lu Xingye was so thoughtless?

With that, the topic seemed to be closed, yet Lu Xingye’s scrutinizing gaze hadn’t shifted an inch.

Qiyu: “How about you take a picture and use it as your wallpaper? I’m afraid you haven’t seen enough.”

Lu Xingye froze for a moment, unsure if the tone was sarcastic or genuinely sincere.

“Aren’t you going to take it?” Qiyu turned his head and even flashed a V-sign. His smile made his eyes crinkle, and his voice softened, like a kitten playfully pawing at you.

Qiyu treated all his fans equally, believing that anyone who appreciated his good looks was a good person—everyone except Lu Xingye.

Still, he could at least give him a pleasant look.

For the first time, Lu Xingye truly grasped the meaning of an ‘unconventional thought process.’ He expressionlessly pulled out his phone and captured the moment.

Yet, his words remained sharp. “It’s hideous.”

Qiyu consoled him, “It is a bit, isn’t it?”

Lu Xingye: “?”

Qiyu, without a blush or a racing heart, continued, “Plastic surgery technology is so advanced now. You can go to Korea for a ‘head swap’ later; just use my face as the template.”

Lu Xingye forced out a speechless laugh. “Are you out of your mind?”

Qiyu: ‘I’m giving serious advice, and you’re getting agitated.’

As the two bickered, the car slowly entered a familiar road. They were no more than five minutes away from school, a distance of two kilometers—neither too far nor too close.

“Uncle Li, please stop here,” Qiyu said, placing his hand on the window, his tone growing anxious.

Lu Xingye raised an eyebrow, looking at him with some confusion. “Stop here?”

After the car stopped, Qiyu didn’t open his own door. Instead, he opened Lu Xingye’s door and tilted his head, looking at him.

The intense gaze clearly conveyed, “Aren’t you getting out?”

Lu Xingye: “…” ‘Where did this weirdo come from?’

“Hurry up and get out, or you’ll be late,” Qiyu said, as if stating the obvious.

“Why should I get out?” Lu Xingye asked, his tone casual.

Qiyu’s eyes darkened. “Oh.”

“I’ll get out myself!” Qiyu’s voice suddenly amplified, signaling his anger.

The car sped away, leaving a lonely, dejected Qiyu by the roadside. He walked along, kicking pebbles, utterly exasperated. ‘Two kilometers!’

If not for his fear of his identity being exposed, he would never have endured such an indignity.

Lu Xingye didn’t dote on him like everyone else, and he had inexplicably barged into Qiyu’s peaceful life. What awaited him next was surely more chaos.

“Yu Yu! Why are you alone by the roadside?” Jian Lin had his driver stop the car. He rolled down the window and called out to Qiyu, “Want to come with me?”

Qiyu: “You finally did something human.”

Having walked several hundred meters, he was exhausted. As soon as he got into the car, a barrage of questions from Jian Lin hit him:

“Why didn’t you take the car today?”

“What mischief did you get into that your parents are punishing you?”

“Do you have an older brother? Are you hiding something else from me?”

The first few questions were harmless, but why did the last one drop a bomb?

Even more explosive was the vibration from his phone in his pocket. He opened it to find a message from Lu Xingye.

[: Oh~ I think I know why you were in such a hurry to get out.]

[: Afraid of people finding out about our relationship? Afraid of them discovering that St. Lanxinglin’s infamous campus bully is actually my Lu Xingye’s spouse.]

[: How about this: if you become my dog, I’ll consider not telling anyone.]

[: ^-^]