35

Unfortunately, Xu Ze's focus wasn't on the question Lu Heyang had asked, because he didn't consider getting his neck grabbed by Tang Feiyi to be a matter worth any attention at all. Compared to the injuries he'd sustained while fighting, this was truly insignificant.

Xu Ze just didn't quite understand why Lu Heyang was loosely cupping his neck like this, the touch so light it made him a little itchy—he felt Lu Heyang could apply a bit more pressure.

'A bit of a conflict with someone at the Underground Club,' Xu Ze said. 'It's fine.'

He really was terrible at lying, his gaze evasive, and he had to rely on other little movements to cover it up—Xu Ze raised his hand, his fingertips brushing the back of Lu Heyang's hand.

Lu Heyang didn't say anything. He let go, but his gaze remained fixed on Xu Ze's neck. His thumb stroked over the strangling mark, and Xu Ze's Adam's apple bobbed with the motion. Xu Ze stared at him, unblinking.

'It doesn't hurt,' Xu Ze added, though he knew Lu Heyang probably didn't care about that.

'Then what would make you feel pain?' After a long moment, Lu Heyang asked him back, with a rare, somewhat cold tone.

Xu Ze sensed the low pressure, but he couldn't figure out where the problem actually lay. He guessed Lu Heyang was probably upset about something, so after a moment's hesitation, he asked, 'Is something making you unhappy? You can tell me, if you don't mind.'

To prove he was a qualified emotional trash can, Xu Ze added, 'I won't tell anyone.'

This cautious, bewildered look of his always managed to please certain people quite easily. Lu Heyang smiled, seeming a little helpless. 'You really wouldn't get tricked by someone?'

It was a baffling question, but Xu Ze shook his head and answered earnestly, 'No.'

In every place except in front of Lu Heyang, Xu Ze was almost always full of defensiveness and wariness. He didn't stir up trouble or act impulsively; one could say he was impervious to all influence.

'Are you sure?' Lu Heyang smiled again.

He suddenly took half a step forward, tilting his head as he reached out toward Xu Ze. In that instant, Xu Ze thought he was going to embrace him—Lu Heyang's movement was too misleading. As he drew near, Xu Ze held his breath in nervous tension, his hands instinctively coming to rest on Lu Heyang's waist. The dampness and pheromone clinging to Lu Heyang were faint and cool, enveloping him, yet the breath he exhaled against Xu Ze's neck was warm. Xu Ze felt a tingle run from his scalp to his fingertips, his eyes fixed motionlessly on Lu Heyang.

With a creak, Lu Heyang pulled open the locker door next to Xu Ze's head and took something out.

Today, he and Xu Ze had drawn the same changing room, and their lockers were even close together. It was just that Lu Heyang had arrived a bit late; by the time he got to the changing room, Xu Ze had already left for class.

Discovering it was a misunderstanding, Xu Ze didn't feel disappointed either, because his mind had gone completely blank—he hadn't even had time to brew any sense of anticipation. Xu Ze just looked at Lu Heyang's profile, so close at hand, and couldn't control the urge to kiss it.

But he couldn't kiss him, so just looking was fine too. Xu Ze was quite content with the current situation. He had never thought about gaining anything, which paradoxically allowed him to receive little surprises more simply, even if those might seem utterly unremarkable in others' eyes.

Lu Heyang took out his clean clothes, straightened up to face Xu Ze, glanced down at Xu Ze's hands still resting on his waist, and asked, 'What is it?'

'Nothing.' Xu Ze immediately dropped his hands. His fingers still held traces of the water from Lu Heyang's body. Xu Ze rubbed his thumb and forefinger together—damp, like Lu Heyang's face and lips were damp.

'Do you have plans after school?' Lu Heyang asked again.

'No, why?'

'I mean I'd like to ask you out for dinner,' Lu Heyang said.

Xu Ze's gaze drifted, not quite processing it. 'Hmm?'

'Wait for me a moment. I'll take a shower.' Lu Heyang walked toward the shower stalls as he spoke. 'I'll be quick.'

'It's fine,' Xu Ze replied instinctively.

If it was waiting for Lu Heyang, any amount of time was fine.

After Lu Heyang went to the showers, Xu Ze sat on a bench waiting for him. The time was nearing the end of class, and Alphas began returning to the changing room one after another, having finished their training. People kept passing by all around, but Xu Ze didn't look at his mobile phone or do anything else; he just waited quietly.

About fifteen minutes later, Lu Heyang emerged from the shower room, putting on his wristband as he walked toward his locker. After putting his things away, he looked back at Xu Ze, and Xu Ze was still sitting there, looking at him.

Lu Heyang walked over to stand before Xu Ze, and Xu Ze tilted his head up slightly.

The Alphas around them came and went, talking, but the two of them were silent. Lu Heyang looked down at Xu Ze, slowly drying his hair, while Xu Ze looked up, meeting his gaze. When looking down at Xu Ze like this, Lu Heyang would recall the scene of him kneeling before him, his face shot full of come. The Xu Ze now, having showered not long ago, was clean, but overlapping that image with the memory of that face covered in semen didn't feel contradictory.

'Let's go.' Lu Heyang's gaze swept over Xu Ze's neck as he spoke to him.

The two of them walked from the Swimming Pool to the school gate. Along the way, Xu Ze could feel the gazes of others, as if him walking together with Lu Heyang was a very strange thing—and indeed, it was.

A car was parked under a tree by the sidewalk on the right. An Alpha wearing white gloves walked a few steps toward Lu Heyang and handed him the car keys. Lu Heyang said, 'Thank you.' The Alpha gave a nod, said nothing more, and didn't look at Xu Ze. Then another car drove up and took the Alpha away.

Lu Heyang opened the passenger door. Xu Ze thanked him and got in. Lu Heyang closed the door, took a call outside the car—it was probably from He Wei—and while replying with a faint smile, he glanced at Xu Ze through the window.

'What do you want to eat?' Lu Heyang asked after getting in the car, fastening his seatbelt and taking the backpack from Xu Ze's lap to place on the back seat.

'Anything is fine,' Xu Ze said.

He'd known that would be the answer. Lu Heyang took a box of band-aids from his own backpack—the ones He Wei had left behind earlier. White band-aids printed all over with cute little bears. No one understood why He Wei liked this style, just as no one understood why he'd decorated his sports car's interior in pink.

'Put one on your neck.' Lu Heyang handed the band-aids to Xu Ze, then started the car. 'Let's eat near your place. Any good food around?'

Xu Ze opened the band-aid box, paused, and said, 'Noodles.'

'Then noodles it is.'

'Okay.'