A Forced Kiss and a Day of Reckoning

Qiyu incessantly refreshed the page. From a deluge of scathing comments, he finally selected one that could both substantiate his identity and remain relatively innocuous.

“Kiss them?”

This was quite acceptable. After all, it wasn’t a real kiss; a clever camera angle for a forced perspective would easily complete the task.

His frantic desire to prove his identity was entirely due to those ardent CP fans. They had already begun to brainwash the public, insisting that the person who made the post was undoubtedly Qiyu.

They had even penned several lengthy essays, their earnest emotions palpable even through the screen.

Fortunately, very few people actually believed them.

Yet, this was an extremely dangerous presence, like a bomb buried nearby, ready to detonate at any moment.

It seemed the online adage—never provoke CP fans—held true.

Qiyu knelt on the floor, resting his head beside Lu Xingye. Thinking of what he was about to do, he subtly glanced up at Lu Xingye, a hint of guilt in his eyes.

The young man’s breathing was soft and even. Due to his illness, his expression had softened considerably compared to usual.

Qiyu watched for a long while, as if trying to bore a hole into Lu Xingye with his gaze. No one knew what thoughts swirled in his mind.

He rose, meticulously mimicking the way others cared for him when he was sick, now tending to Lu Xingye.

First, he retrieved a cooling fever patch from the medicine box in the drawer. Then, he went to the bathroom, dampened a towel, and gently wiped Lu Xingye’s feverish face.

Qiyu couldn’t help but marvel, ‘He’s sleeping so soundly; he hasn’t even woken up.’

Qiyu hadn’t anticipated genuinely taking on the role of caregiver. After tidying everything, he only then remembered his actual objective.

He began to implement Plan A.

Like a thief, he quietly opened the door, took the elevator to his floor, and opened the fabled cabinet…

****

The first thing that caught his eye was the long, straight black wig.

Wen Nuo had given him this wig for his birthday, always exclaiming, “Yuyu, you’d definitely look good in women’s clothes, so I got you a women’s three-piece set!”

“It includes a wig, a skirt, and stockings.”

“You don’t lack anything else anyway, so this is to add a little fun to your life.”

“Right?!”

Back then, Qiyu had listened to all this with a darkened expression before stashing the items into the cabinet, never imagining they would see the light of day again.

He took a moment to put on the wig. He didn’t bother with the skirt, simply pulling out a hoodie from the cabinet.

His face was already handsome, and with the added effect of the wig, at first glance, it was genuinely difficult to tell he was a young man.

…

****

Qiyu raised his phone, revealing only a tantalizing glimpse of his profile. He spent a considerable time finding the perfect angle for the forced perspective.

He snapped several photos in quick succession, but ultimately felt the pictures lacked a certain something.

This led him to consider a video instead.

In the video, he leaned in close, his soft lips gently brushing against the smooth curve of Lu Xingye’s cheek—a mere illusion, of course.

He wasn’t foolish enough to actually sacrifice his ‘virtue.’ The angle for the forced perspective was perfect. Just as he was about to press the pause button, satisfied with his work…..

His wrist was suddenly seized. His breath hitched, and Qiyu flinched nervously, his lips truly pressing against Lu Xingye’s. His mind went utterly blank, and he even forgot to pull away.

Lu Xingye’s cheeks were burning hot from the fever, a warmth that transferred through the kiss, permeating every cell in Qiyu’s body.

A flush of heat spread through him.

“Your preferences are quite unique,” Lu Xingye murmured.

Lu Xingye spoke in an extremely soft voice, his gaze sweeping over the wig. As if a thought had struck him, he let out a soft chuckle.

To Qiyu, that sound was like a mocking laugh; it was utterly mortifying!

Once he registered what had happened, he stumbled back a large step, speaking almost incoherently.

“You… you’re sick, why aren’t you sleeping properly? What are you doing with your eyes open?”

Even Qiyu himself didn’t know what he was saying. It was illogical, senseless, and filled with unreasonable petulance.

“I certainly didn’t sneak a kiss from you. I wouldn’t stoop to such a thing.”

Lu Xingye: “Mm.”

“To be honest, with a face like mine, the people pursuing me could form a line all the way to France.”

Lu Xingye: “Mm.”

Qiyu’s voice grew softer and softer. Looking back at his own words, it felt as though he had walked straight into a trap.

He finally understood why dramas featured such brain-dead plots; in a moment of panic, anyone could spout such foolishness.

Qiyu: “…”

‘Well, it does fit his character pretty well.’

He consoled himself, ‘Wasn’t I just trying to make him disgusted with me?’

Despite his internal monologue, his legs refused to obey. After just two glances from Lu Xingye, he bolted out the door.

Before returning to his room, he made sure to call the family doctor.

****

That night, he felt utterly miserable.

He probably looked like a perverted cross-dresser who loved sneaking kisses to Lu Xingye.

It wasn’t until he was slumped over his desk in the A-class classroom, staring blankly at the empty seat beside him, that he suddenly realized Lu Xingye had taken the day off.

He could skip class and relax a bit, considering it good for his mental and physical well-being.

“Yuyu, are you going to… play?” Wen Nuo whispered to him while the teacher’s back was turned.

“Or rather, *can* you go?” Wen Nuo’s words were laced with hesitation.

Qiyu was just about to write a note to Wen Nuo when he noticed the hesitation in Wen Nuo’s eyes, causing him to pause.

“Why can’t I go?”

“You ask why? Which day recently haven’t you been swimming in a sea of practice problems?” Wen Nuo continued, “Tsk, the academic slacker has transformed into a top student. You’re too far above us now.”

Qiyu: “…”

“You’ve been acting like you’re possessed lately.”

“For example, you used to detest Lu Xingye, but now you’re constantly pestering him to explain problems to you.”

“It’s like finding a kindred spirit over wine, or a worthy opponent in chess.”

Qiyu’s mouth twitched. “That’s not quite how that idiom is used, is it?”

“And how could I possibly pester Lu Xingye? You must be mistaken.” Qiyu now reacted with alarm whenever Lu Xingye’s name was mentioned.

Last night’s scene was far too awkward, unforgettable even.

Wen Nuo shot him a disdainful look, as if to say, ‘Unable to own up to your actions? What kind of man are you?’

Just as he was about to speak, Qiyu instantly stopped him. “Little mouth, be quiet.”

In the past, Qiyu and his two friends loved nothing more than skipping class to relax at the internet café.

But ever since Lu Xingye had “bound” him to studying, he hadn’t had a chance to relax in ages! Taking advantage of Lu Xingye’s absence to secretly enjoy a day out felt perfectly reasonable and justifiable.

Under the teacher’s watchful eye, Wen Nuo turned his head, presenting Qiyu with a stern view of his occiput.

So, Qiyu pulled out a notebook, tore off a piece of paper, and picked up a pen to write on it:

‘Leave after class.’

Wen Nuo also sent a message to Jian Lin, and the three prepared to meet at their usual spot as soon as class ended.

Although Lu Xingye was absent, he still fulfilled his duties.

[.: Bring back all the homework I assigned you today after school.]

[.: I need to check it.]

That incident had been bothering him incessantly, so his first reaction upon seeing the message was embarrassment. He didn’t reply.

****

Jian Lin had reserved a private room. This internet café was significantly more expensive than others, and its decor was much more upscale.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t have dared to open right next to their school.

The moment he stepped into the internet café, Qiyu’s brows furrowed in discomfort as the smell of smoke assaulted his nostrils.

He walked to the private room, found a seat, and as soon as he sat down, Jian Lin began chattering excitedly.

“Xiao Yu! Do you have any idea how much we missed you?”

Qiyu didn’t even have the mental energy to complain about the nickname.

Wen Nuo reached out to interrupt him. “Don’t say ‘we.’ Qiyu and I are in the same class; we see each other every day.”

Jian Lin: “So what if we’re in the same class? It’s just Class A. Give me a month, and remember to throw me a welcome party then.”

Wen Nuo scoffed, “Little baby, you’ve been saying that since the first semester of senior high.”

Jian Lin: “…”

Qiyu chuckled helplessly. “Why do you two always bicker? Even if we’re not in the same class, we still love each other, alright?”

Hearing this, Jian Lin raised his chin at Wen Nuo and leaned in to curry favor.

“Xiao Yu, what do you want to eat? I’ll have someone bring it over.”

“Me? I don’t have much of an appetite.” Qiyu skillfully pressed the computer’s power button, waving his hand at him.

“Why didn’t you ask me? A friendship of three is too crowded; I’ll just leave,” Wen Nuo feigned a sob.

“Then what do you want to eat?” Jian Lin added.

“Uh, nothing, no appetite,” Wen Nuo replied with a poker face.

Jian Lin: “…” ‘Why does it feel like this guy is treating me like a dog to tease?’

Qiyu didn’t join their conversation, quietly watching the computer screen alone. He didn’t even feel like playing the games he once adored.

Seeing his lack of interest, the other two started a duo queue. To avoid matching with incompetent teammates, they selected the ‘duo in quad’ option.

With Jian Lin’s skill, carrying ten Wen Nuos wouldn’t be an issue.

Jian Lin, with his head of white hair, wore a serious expression as he played, controlling his character to eliminate opponent after opponent. As the two immersed themselves in the game, Qiyu suddenly spoke up.

“In this amount of time, I could have finished two sets of exam papers.”

Jian Lin: “…”

Wen Nuo: “…”

Jian Lin and Wen Nuo exclaimed, “What did you say?!”

Qiyu realized he was being a killjoy, so he shook his head and replied, “Nothing.”

Instead of playing, he dragged his mouse and randomly clicked into a live stream.

The streamer wasn’t showing their face, only a virtual idol avatar with red hair. He initially thought it was a casual chat stream, but then he looked at the scrolling comments and the viewer count in the upper right corner…

The viewer count was over ten thousand, and the comments scrolled relentlessly, filled with negative remarks. The one or two comments defending the streamer were quickly swept away.

The streamer was practically engaging in a war of words with the masses, determined not to suffer even the slightest slight.

[Mango Pomelo Sago Mochi: Stupid as hell…]

The young man replied with a clear voice, “No u.”

[If I Stay Up Late Again I’m a Dog: Suggest you uninstall the game and check your IQ.]

The streamer replied, “No u.”

[Bald Monster: Is the streamer that legendary ‘game killer’ online? The one who’s terrible at all games but dreams of being a pro player?]

[,. : What a talent.]

The streamer continued, “This young master is spending his time streaming for you, shouldn’t you be kneeling in gratitude?”

Qiyu’s hand, poised to click out of the stream, paused. “…”

He finally understood why these people were cursing so fiercely; they had a valid point.

“Fine, seeing how hard you wage slaves work, I’ll reward you with some red packets.”

Qiyu saw that it was a password-protected red packet, requiring him to type:

‘Thank you, Young Master, for your grace.’

Qiyu: “…”

‘What a strange one.’

To Qiyu’s surprise, no one claimed the password red packet. Instead, another phrase gained traction in the live stream.

“Idiot.”

Qiyu couldn’t help but laugh aloud, unconsciously remembering the streamer’s name: Su Yiheng.

****

What was bound to happen eventually did. His phone lay lonely beside him. Two hours passed, and it vibrated several times.

He opened his phone with his eyes closed, unwilling to face reality.

‘Please, please don’t be Lu Xingye! Heaven help me, I, Qiyu, will definitely do more good deeds in this life!’

In reality:

[.: Come out. I’m at the internet café entrance.]

It seemed to be even worse news…