The Price of Distraction

Lu Xingye: “…”

Qiyu’s inner thoughts: ‘Throw them out, fling them out, make them fly out, cast them out!’

He feared psychological torment far more than any physical harm. If he truly had to stare down these ten test papers all night, he would surely be plagued by nightmares for the next half-month.

The rhythmic clicking of Lu Xingye’s pen magnified infinitely in the quiet room. To Qiyu, it sounded like a grim countdown to his demise.

Fearing his current tactic wouldn’t work, he gritted his teeth, preparing to use his charm. “Brother,” he began, “you know, if you stay so far away from me…”

“My mind will be entirely preoccupied with finding ways to get closer to you while I’m doing these papers.”

“If that happens, not only will my grades not improve tonight, but your face might end up with a hole from my constant staring.”

“It wouldn’t be worth the loss, Brother…”

Qiyu inwardly celebrated his lifelong talent for dramatics. A normal person, he mused, would probably spontaneously combust after uttering such words.

“Are you finished?”

“If not, continue.”

With that, Lu Xingye lifted his expressive peach blossom eyes, scrutinizing Qiyu from head to toe. He then muttered to himself, “I truly don’t know how you manage to become more dramatic the older you get.”

Lu Xingye paused his pen’s clicking, adding, “And you love to act spoiled.”

Qiyu: “…”

Lu Xingye habitually wore a “the world owes me” expression, a perpetual deadpan that left Qiyu utterly unable to discern if he was angry in this moment.

One thing was certain: his mood was far from pleasant.

After all, he was being pestered by a younger ‘brother’ he detested—one who had usurped his place and bore the title of a child-fiancé.

Qiyu felt as though he was sitting on pins and needles. He cautiously glanced at Lu Xingye, then at the stack of papers, seemingly weighing which option would incur a greater cost.

Yet, no matter how he thought about it, completing ten test papers was undeniably the more agonizing fate!

Just as Qiyu was furiously brainstorming, Lu Xingye suddenly spoke, his voice cutting through the silence. “Don’t push your luck.”

Before Qiyu could fully process the meaning behind the words, a hand appeared before him. “You can write now, can’t you?”

Qiyu froze. “Huh?”

Lu Xingye turned slightly, his tone cool and inscrutable. “Only one finger.”

Upon hearing this unexpected response, Qiyu was utterly bewildered. He hadn’t even considered the possibility of Lu Xingye agreeing to anything!

To prevent Lu Xingye from growing impatient or suspicious, he could only grimace and extend his left hand, gripping the other’s index finger tightly.

After all, his current persona was that of a pure, adorable little boy who adored his ‘brother.’ Despite a few minor mishaps on the first day, it wouldn’t affect the overall image.

He tilted his head, attempting to observe Lu Xingye’s expression, but from his current position, he couldn’t see anything. He then shifted his stool, intending to move closer, unaware that Lu Xingye had perfectly misinterpreted his action.

“Don’t cross the line, and don’t even think about anything more.”

Qiyu: ‘Narcissist…’

Setting everything else aside, a drama queen and a narcissist truly made for a perfect match.

****

After five test papers, Qiyu lay sprawled on the desk, feeling utterly miserable. “Brother, please, just let me off this once, alright?”

The once embarrassing address now rolled off his tongue with surprising ease.

“I promise I’ll finish these up tomorrow. No, I’ll even do twenty papers tomorrow!”

“Please, okay~?”

When Qiyu lied, his long, delicate eyelashes would flutter slightly, attempting to conceal his panic, especially when paired with his soft, pleading voice.

If he were to pout and ask for the stars, a crowd of people would undoubtedly scramble to pluck them down and present them to him.

Alas, Lu Xingye saw nothing of the sort at this moment.

Nor did he hear Qiyu’s coaxing.

Instead, Lu Xingye was irritably staring at pages filled with red crosses. Where was he even supposed to begin teaching this? Moreover, this was clearly not the standard of an A-class student.

With his right index finger still tightly clasped by Qiyu, he was forced to hold his pen with his left hand to grade the homework. The scene was at once bizarre and strangely harmonious.

“The only use for your brain is to swirl in a hotpot.”

“Someone like you can be in A-class?”

“How did you get in?”

“If you’re using all your pocket money to buy answers just to stay in A-class…”

“Then don’t expect another penny from now on.”

Qiyu, who had been bonelessly sprawled across the desk moments before, instantly shot upright. “Annoying pest, hateful creep, stinking idiot! What right do you have to control my allowance?!”

The mere mention of cutting his allowance transformed Qiyu into a bristling kitten with its tail stepped on, every inch of him sharp with defiance. All thoughts of polite address, of ‘Brother,’ or of grossing him out, vanished completely.

They were utterly forgotten.

He had indeed spent a fortune cheating to remain in A-class, solely because his father had recently warned that if he dropped out, all his cards would be suspended.

However, he had forgotten that Lu Xingye, sitting beside him, would never indulge his unreasonable antics.

Hearing Qiyu’s profanity, Lu Xingye frowned slightly, discomfort clouding his features. Such words should neither be spoken by, nor even originate from, Qiyu’s mouth.

“Your hand. Give it to me.” Lu Xingye tossed his pen aside, pulled open the drawer, and retrieved the disciplinary ruler from within.

“You have no right to hit me…” Qiyu’s voice trailed off, a hint of tears already present.

Having been pampered and spoiled since childhood, no one had ever truly laid a hand on him, even when he was at his most outrageous.

He was the quintessential ‘won’t shed a tear until he sees the coffin’ type. Despite Lu Xingye holding the disciplinary ruler, Qiyu remained defiant.

“If you hit me, I’ll curse you.”

“And I’ll spread it everywhere that you’re an abusive man who beats his spouse.”

Lu Xingye let out a cold laugh, sliding his chair to sit directly opposite Qiyu. “First, I, Lu Xingye, have no blood relation to you whatsoever.”

“I am not your brother, and even less your husband.”

“Second, my patience in teaching you is entirely due to the generous incentives my mother provided.”

“Otherwise, no one would want to teach a mentally deficient imbecile.”

Lu Xingye watched Qiyu’s eyes redden, his round, almond-shaped eyes growing moist, yet he remained utterly unmoved, continuing to twist the knife.

“Third, when you make a mistake, simply hold out your hand.”

Qiyu subtly raised his gaze, observing Lu Xingye’s expression. It was the same as always: aloof, cool, and impossibly arrogant.

Yet, his expression seemed genuinely serious, as if he would forcibly drag Qiyu’s hand over if he didn’t comply immediately.

Thus, Qiyu made a cowardly decision, extending his writing right hand. ‘Go on, hit me,’ he thought. ‘If I get injured, I won’t have to write anymore.’

Lu Xingye glanced at him, then spoke blandly, “Switch to your left hand.”

Qiyu: ‘Clever devil, you saw right through me.’

Lu Xingye had no idea what Qiyu had imagined, but a significant portion of his tears had indeed been held back.

Just as the disciplinary ruler was about to descend, Qiyu cried out, “Wait a moment!”

Lu Xingye: “?”

Qiyu asked with a hint of seriousness, “Have you thought this through?”

Lu Xingye: “?”

Qiyu continued, “If you hit me, it will be very troublesome if you ever want to be with me in the future. I hold grudges, you see, so you’d have to pursue me for at least an extra month then…”

Before he could finish speaking, Lu Xingye abruptly pulled his hand, and the disciplinary ruler came down hard on his palm. The strike was swift and forceful, leaving a stark red welt on his pale pink palm.

“Since your hypothesis is entirely unfounded, I’m simply proceeding with the punishment.”

Qiyu was stunned by the blow, even forgetting to cry. He merely cradled his stinging palm and blew on it blankly. “I hate you…”

Lu Xingye paid no mind to his words, instead spreading the test papers covered in red crosses before him. “Continue.”

****

By the time they finished, it was around eleven at night. Lu Xingye, being meticulous in his methods, had managed to knock some sense into Qiyu’s ‘dull’ brain.

In Qiyu’s heart, however, Lu Xingye had become nothing short of a complete villain.

Moments ago, he had been disciplined with the ruler multiple times for swearing, for constantly spacing out during problems, and for failing to grasp the same type of question even after being taught ten times.

This had thoroughly beaten Qiyu’s ‘stubborn bones’ into submission.

Though, Qiyu wasn’t truly ‘stubborn-boned’; at most, he was adaptable, a ‘flexible-boned’ individual.

When he tearfully cried out in pain, Lu Xingye, with an impassive face, tossed him a jar of ointment. He then picked up the schedule he had prepared for Qiyu, pointing to the ant-sized text in the bottom left corner:

‘Should mistakes be made, Lu Xingye reserves the right to administer appropriate punishment.’

Qiyu, still looking indignant at the time, had challenged, “But what right do you have to control my swearing?”

Naturally, he received no answer.

In the bedroom, Qiyu lay sprawling on the bed, his fair, sculpted waistline exposed. Several tear stains marked the orange duvet.

On the plush carpet lay his discarded maid outfit and headpiece.

After crying for only a short while, Qiyu suddenly sat up, slipped on his slippers, and plopped down in front of the computer.

He turned on the computer, logged into the forum, and using his alternate account, posted a comment under both the “Qiyu & Lu Xingye CP” thread and Lu Xingye’s solo fan thread:

– Tonight at midnight, I’m dropping a bombshell. #LuXingye’sImageCrumbles #DarkSideOfMyMaleGod

After posting these comments, he seemed to forget the pain in his hand, a smile instantly blooming on his face.

Qiyu checked the time on his phone, realizing there were still thirty minutes until midnight—enough time for a hot bath.

He likely hadn’t anticipated the immense stir his comment would cause; even his friend Wen Nuo had messaged him because of it.

[Wenwen: Yuyu, have you seen the forum?]

[Wenwen: Someone’s apparently threatening to expose Lu Xingye.]