Cough

After the awkward incident that morning, Ji Ze reverted to his usual mode of ignoring everyone, his face expressionless and silent.

Jiang Hao, however, seemed determined to go against his wishes, constantly provoking him to speak.

During class, he would pass notes, and after class, he would deliberately stretch out his leg, blocking Ji Ze’s exit.

The classroom was crowded, and space around each desk was limited.

Ji Ze’s seat, in particular, was directly in front of the air conditioner and water dispenser, meaning that if blocked, he would have to speak to Jiang Hao to leave.

Yet, Ji Ze could simply choose not to leave.

He would either work on problems or read his textbooks, and he even had Yu Huageng’s silver fox hamster from the front seat to play with, ensuring he was never bored.

The tiny, fluffy creature gnawed obediently on the sunflower seeds Ji Ze offered, making soft crunching sounds.

Every movement it made was utterly adorable.

Jiang Hao reached over to playfully scratch the little hamster.

“Speaking of which,” he said casually, “does the school allow pets?”

Although he appeared to be focused on the hamster, his attention was entirely on Ji Ze.

He watched Ji Ze’s profile as sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm, soft glow on his features.

Yu Huageng, busy with a game, spared a moment to answer.

“Of course not.”

“I’m keeping it a secret.”

Jiang Hao looked at Ji Ze.

“And the Class Monitor just turns a blind eye?”

Yu Huageng shrugged.

“Ah Ze is even more like a pet owner than I am.”

“He totally spoils Yinzi.”

“That’s a nice name,” Jiang Hao chuckled.

“Of course, I came up with it,” Yu Huageng said, raising an eyebrow.

Suddenly remembering something, Jiang Hao asked, “If the teacher on duty or the dean comes by for inspection, where do you hide it?”

“What’s there to be afraid of?”

“We haven’t encountered that yet,” Yu Huageng replied.

She casually swiped her finger across the screen, and as the cheerful ‘level cleared’ music played, she finally looked up, nonchalantly ruffling her silly, adorable hamster.

“So, you just haven’t thought about it?” Jiang Hao observed, understanding dawning on him.

“We’ll figure it out when the time comes.”

“I don’t believe I’d be that unlucky…”

“Holy crap!”

“Jiang Hao, are you a jinx?!”

Yu Huageng, who had been sitting casually sideways, leaning against the wall, suddenly spotted the teacher on duty strolling down the corridor outside the classroom.

Startled, she immediately sprang up.

In a flash, quicker than the blink of an eye, she snatched the hamster and tossed it into Jiang Hao’s shirt pocket!

Jiang Hao: “…What the hell?”

Fortunately, the teacher on duty merely glanced casually into the classroom, checking the situation without looking too closely.

During this time, the mischievous hamster repeatedly tried to climb out.

Each time its head peeked out, Jiang Hao quickly pressed it back down.

His pocket bulged slightly, the tiny creature fluttering within.

Only after the teacher had finally walked far away did Jiang Hao pull the hamster out of his pocket, casting a speechless look at Yu Huageng.

“What were you doing just now?”

Yu Huageng scratched her head and laughed.

“It was an emergency, an emergency!”

“I just felt like you boys are better at hiding things.”

“…What exactly led you to such a profound misunderstanding?”

Yu Huageng, ever blunt, replied, “…Porn?”

Ji Ze finally couldn’t hold back, letting out a burst of laughter.

Both of them turned to look at Ji Ze.

Under their intense gazes, Ji Ze turned his head, composing himself and suppressing his smile.

With these two lively characters around, every day felt like watching a comedy sketch.

That brilliant smile made Jiang Hao momentarily dazed.

Stroking the little Yinzi, he tilted his head and asked with interest, “What are you laughing at?”

“Watching videos?”

“I don’t believe you don’t watch them.”

Ji Ze pursed his lips.

“To say I don’t watch them would be a lie, but… what I watch might be different from what you watch.”

Something clicked in Jiang Hao’s mind.

Thinking this was another excellent opportunity to deepen their understanding, he said, “Different?”

“How would you know if you don’t tell me?”

“Let’s discuss it.”

As he spoke, he pulled his chair even closer, as if they were good brothers sharing resources.

Ji Ze instantly stiffened, sitting ramrod straight.

His temples throbbed as he stiffly said, “There’s nothing to discuss.”

“Why not?”

Ji Ze found an excuse.

“There’s a girl present, so be mindful.”

He was, of course, referring to Yu Huageng in the front seat, who was blinking curiously at them.

Jiang Hao readily agreed, a meaningful glint in his eyes.

“Alright then, we’ll have a good discussion back in the dorm tonight.”

To an outsider, it might have sounded like they were planning something illicit.

Evading one problem only to face another.

Ji Ze suddenly felt a headache coming on.

The class bell rang.

He discreetly picked up his water cup, opened it, and took a few sips.

His throat felt dry and itchy, and he couldn’t help but cough twice.

Jiang Hao heard him and turned to look.

“What’s wrong?”

“Throat bothering you?”

Ji Ze swallowed some water.

“It’s nothing, just a bit of a sore throat.”

“Then let’s go see the school nurse after class,” Jiang Hao said.

“I’ll go with you.”

Ji Ze opened his mouth, wanting to refuse, but the words didn’t come out.

He merely gave a flat ‘mm’ in response.

This was a self-study class.

The classroom was mostly quiet, save for the occasional soft murmur of voices.

Ji Ze bent his head, working on his homework.

Every now and then, he would cough once or twice, deliberately suppressing the sound to a whisper, not drawing much attention.

But gradually, the intervals between his coughs grew shorter and shorter.

He buried his head, his face pressed into his arm, coughing violently, each spasm followed by gasps for breath.

Students gradually turned their heads.

“What’s wrong with the Class Monitor?”

“Is he alright?”

The sudden, grating scrape of a chair across the floor was jarring.

Jiang Hao, Yu Huageng, and Liang Zhuo all stood up almost simultaneously, their expressions grave.

Jiang Hao gripped Ji Ze’s arm, his voice tight.

“Come on, let’s go to the school clinic.”

Yu Huageng and Liang Zhuo followed close behind.

All the way there, Ji Ze continued to cough incessantly, almost completely unable to control it.

The sound emanating from his windpipe was like a bellows, short and heavy, accompanied by violent gasps.

Just listening to it made one feel his discomfort, as if he might suffocate at any second.

It was the first time Jiang Hao had seen him like this.

His eyes were a mix of panic and tension as he turned to Yu Huageng and Liang Zhuo.

“He’s coughing like this, isn’t there anything to ease it?”

Yu Huageng frowned, completely shedding her usual frivolous demeanor.

“We also…”

Suddenly, Ji Ze violently pushed them away, rushing to the nearby railing and clutching it.

His coughing intensified.

His slender back was bent and trembling.

Jiang Hao clenched his fists, feeling both powerless and deeply worried.

He stood beside Ji Ze, supporting his arm.

Ji Ze raised a hand, unconsciously gripping the fabric of Jiang Hao’s shirt over his chest with such force that it created messy wrinkles.

Even with his effort to restrain himself, he nearly tore the shirt.

Ji Ze’s face turned pale, and he coughed until he vomited, a few drops of liquid even splashing onto Jiang Hao’s pant leg.

Jiang Hao’s face instantly darkened, becoming as black as a pot, frighteningly grim.

Yu Huageng, watching, assumed he was angry about his clothes being soiled.

To her surprise, Jiang Hao extended his hand towards her, his brow furrowed, and asked, “Do you have any tissues?”

Yu Huageng paused, then immediately fumbled in her pockets.

Liang Zhuo, the calmest among them, produced a pack of tissues and handed them over.

Jiang Hao quickly tore open the package, pulled out a tissue, and pressed it into Ji Ze’s hand.

“Wipe yourself.”

Then, completely disregarding the splash on his own pant leg, he swept Ji Ze into his arms and strode towards the school clinic.

The person in his arms was very thin, and his weight was even lighter than expected.

Jiang Hao looked at Ji Ze’s pale face, his heart tightening, and quickened his pace.

Jiang Hao possessed immense strength, carrying a person with effortless ease.

Yu Huageng, trailing behind, struggled to keep up, grumbling indignantly, “All that brute strength, long legs really are an advantage.”