Fierce Beast Transfer Student

What exactly does 'food' refer to in that sentence??

Zhou Mu reacted fastest. The instant he saw He Shi sizing You Qi up, he was already on guard, stepping in front of him: 'Don't look, this isn't for you!' He snatched up the fruit and tossed it into He Shi's lap — like redirecting a beast's attention.

He Shi took the fruit and gave Zhou Mu a withering look. 'Does School teach you to be unfilial now?'

Listening to this mother-son exchange, You Qi was even more speechless.

What kind of family is this?

Yao Clan living in Human Race cities generally don't fuss over or get curious about others' true forms — regulations are strict here, and species has less and less impact on daily life.

Even someone like You Qi, born of Fierce Beast lineage, attends School peacefully. Even if his relationship with his parents isn't close, compared to other classmates — at least You Qi's mother wouldn't make him register as a visitor...

You Qi had only known before that Zhou Mu ate a lot, but given he was still growing and was a Fierce Beast among the Yao Clan, an unusual appetite wasn't strange. Yet the guard's words earlier had already made You Qi a bit puzzled, and now seeing Zhou Mu's mother in person, her words and bearing made You Qi doubly curious — what species was Zhou Mu?

It couldn't be...

Just as You Qi was puzzling, Zhou Mu's father also appeared. He'd heard from the guard that Zhou Mu had actually brought a classmate home, and was in a state of alarm: Did Zhou Mu trick a classmate into coming home to eat? He'd clearly warned Zhou Mu to rein it in at the new school!

Then he heard the guard describe how Zhou Mu and his classmate seemed to get along extremely well, laughing and chatting together. He couldn't help coming out of his second-floor room, just in time to see Zhou Mu blocking in front of You Qi.

'Zhou Mu, is this your classmate?' Zhou Chen asked.

'Yeah, this is my deskmate at the new school, You Qi.' Zhou Mu looked up. 'He's also Yao Clan.'

You Qi greeted Zhou Chen politely. Compared to Zhou Mu's mother's oppressive presence, his father, though he had presence, seemed less dangerous — and clearly trying to show his gentler side.

Zhou Chen wasn't just trying to be gentle — he wanted to say thank you to You Qi.

He hadn't expected the day would come when Zhou Mu could have a harmonious relationship with a classmate — the two even knew each other's Yao Clan identities, were still this friendly, and he'd brought a classmate home to play. Unprecedented. For Zhou Chen, who grew up in a Human Race city, this was genuinely a comfort.

Zhou Mu had finally grown up.

Zhou Chen showed a slight smile and leapt down from the second floor. 'Looks like you're very close. You brought this classmate You Qi home for the weekend?'

Zhou Mu nodded. 'Mm, basically. Mainly to tell you — School wants us to call our parents in on Monday because of our Early Romance.'

Early Romance...

It took Zhou Chen half a beat to process what Zhou Mu had said, and he cried out: '...What??'

He Shi was a beat behind, hand on her cheek, blinking: 'Oh?'

She looked quite interested, with a hint of surprise.

You Qi noticed Zhou Mu hadn't added that this was a misunderstanding afterward, and was mildly shocked — was that something you could just leave out?

He turned to look at Zhou Mu. Zhou Mu showed a cute smile, giving no indication whether that earlier remark had been intentional or not.

You Qi's gaze drifted...

From Zhou Chen's perspective, it looked like they were making eyes at each other right in front of him.

'You came just to tell me you're being called in because of Early Romance?' Zhou Chen struggled to stay calm. He'd been pleasantly surprised that Zhou Mu had grown up, yes, but this growth was a bit much!!

The gentle, gratified look Zhou Chen had just been giving You Qi was gradually losing its warmth.

His perfectly fine son hadn't known anything before the semester started, only knew how to eat — how did he learn about Early Romance just from sitting next to You Qi?

Zhou Chen had never been able to control Zhou Mu much. This You Qi was young, but also a Fierce Beast — he tugged at He Shi's clothes.

He Shi understood, and said solemnly to You Qi: 'Early Romance means — you don't plan to take him home to live with you yet?'

Zhou Chen: '...'

Zhou Chen broke down: 'Is that what you're asking?'

The concept of Early Romance only existed among the Human Race — only Zhou Chen, with his strong sense of Human Race blood identity, took it seriously.

What He Shi was thinking was — if Zhou Mu was dating, he should just go live at the other family's place already.

You Qi, also somewhat breaking down, pulled at Zhou Mu: 'Just say the whole thing.'

'Oh right, the dean said we're in Early Romance, but actually we were fighting at the time. But apparently the punishment for Early Romance is lighter than for fighting, so we figured we'd just go with Early Romance.' As Zhou Mu spoke, it seemed like he'd explained it clearly, but also somehow still left things ambiguous.

He finished, looked at You Qi, and said innocently: 'That's right, isn't it?'

You Qi: '...Right.'

'Oh, it was a fight.' He Shi visibly lost interest.

And Zhou Chen, hearing it was a fight, his emotions fluctuated again, and he felt gratified once more. He stepped forward and patted Zhou Mu's shoulder: 'Looks like you've grown a bit at school — you've learned to fight with classmates.'

You Qi: '???'

Zhou Chen, seeing You Qi's confusion, explained: 'Zhou Mu used to be at a Yao Clan school, the rules were different — eating classmates wasn't against the rules as long as you didn't finish them.'

You Qi: '...'

You Qi: 'Sorry, I was just wondering — may I ask, what species is Zhou Mu?'

'He carries bloodlines from several species, with the Taotie bloodline being the strongest.' Zhou Chen explained simply. Zhou Mu and He Shi had both won the genetic lottery, mixing only the best traits.

From the gluttonous temperament, You Qi had already vaguely guessed, but Taotie were rare after all, and a top-tier Fierce Beast famous since antiquity — so hearing his guess confirmed, he couldn't help but be moved.

'But he also inherited some Human Race blood from me. I don't know what your fight was about, but since you're unharmed and you seem to get along well, I think perhaps Zhou Mu does have that gentle, kind Human Race side — so I'm telling you his true form directly. I hope this won't drive you apart, and I hope you can help him with life and studies among the Human Race.' Zhou Chen said sincerely after a moment's thought.

'I understand, both seniors.' You Qi said.

He couldn't say about anything else, but thinking about how he and Zhou Mu had each reacted before and after their mutual reveals — though he was surprised, how could he possibly be driven apart by this?

'Mm,' Zhou Mu agreed, and took something out. 'Dad, You Qi gave me his card.'

He Shi was unmoved.

Zhou Chen felt it was a bit inappropriate: 'Oh? How did you get his card?' Friends wouldn't go that far — his own family hadn't skimped on allowance either.

'Meal card. When I first enrolled, mine hadn't been issued yet.' Zhou Mu explained.

Oh, a meal card. He Shi immediately looked approving.

Not bad, a sensible child.

Zhou Chen also nodded: 'Not bad, a true friend.'

You Qi: '...'

When he gave it, he really didn't know Zhou Mu was a Taotie — he'd recklessly told Zhou Mu he'd never go hungry. Now thinking about it, the card was probably nearly eaten through...

'Right?' Zhou Mu took the chance to tattle. 'Mom, the teacher won't let us be deskmates anymore because of the Early Romance thing.'

'Enough, we know about this.' He Shi glanced at the two of them, slumped back into the lounger, and said languidly: 'Whether it's Early Romance or fighting, I'll handle the school side.'

...

Since they were already here, Zhou Mu had You Qi stay as a guest — You Qi's parents weren't home much anyway.

Zhou Mu actually hadn't been to this home many times himself. He took You Qi wandering around their mountain, pointing things out: 'Look, these cows and sheep are all Mom's. I'll steal one for you to eat in a bit.'

You Qi: '...Thanks.'

He didn't know whether to be touched that Zhou Mu was preparing to feed him, or to sigh that Zhou Mu still had to steal at home. Thinking about it that way, his meal card was better off staying with Zhou Mu.

'By Monday, we'll be deskmates again.' Zhou Mu fully trusted his mom to follow through.

'That's good.' From You Qi's angle, he could see the top of Zhou Mu's head and the soft lines of his half-profile cheek. They'd only been deskmates a short while, but he already felt more used to having Zhou Mu beside him in class.

And from the dean, the teacher, to classmates, and even Zhou Mu himself — everyone kept saying 'Early Romance' until You Qi's previously vague feelings multiplied and became obvious.

He glanced at Zhou Mu on the sly.

Was Zhou Mu doing it on purpose...

Just then, Zhou Mu's phone rang — a video call from Xu Tianyi.

'What?' Zhou Mu had never replaced this old-person phone — huge font, huge volume, auto-speaker on as soon as it connected. He leaned toward the camera and asked.

'Just checking on you — why did you and You Qi run off after school? Did you notify your parents? Isn't School calling parents in because of the Early Romance thing? What did your family say, did they hit you?' Xu Tianyi's gossip-hungry face was magnified especially clearly on the screen.

'You're the most nosy person in our class,' Zhou Mu wrinkled his nose. 'Hit me? Let me tell you, my mom totally supports us — she'll make the teacher put us back together as deskmates.'

Those words...

You Qi had gone numb, and was even starting to want to laugh — before he could.

'Wow—'

A chorus of gasps came from the other side of the video.

Xu Tianyi pulled the camera back, and Zhou Mu realized there were at least twenty-some classmates behind him — they'd all heard what he just said. The background was some buffet restaurant; unclear whether they were dining together and happened to hear the gossip, or had specifically gathered to gossip.

Zhou Mu: '...'

Careless — his classmates were all extremely nosy.

Xu Tianyi grinned: 'Didn't expect that, did you? I've got people behind me.'

Zhou Mu's competitive spirit rose, and he pulled the camera back too: 'I've got people behind me too!'

When he pulled the camera back, it revealed You Qi.

'Wow—' the other side let out another chorus.

'How are you two together?'

'You brought You Qi home to meet your parents?!'

'Oh my god, this is true love...'

'We'll talk about it later.' Zhou Mu waved. 'On Monday you'll get to see how I do Early Romance.'

You Qi: '...'

'Beast!'

'Brother Mu, you're really something!'

'LMAO, waiting for it~'

You Qi watched Zhou Mu put down the phone, couldn't help himself, lowered his head and leaned close to his cheek, and asked: 'Did you do that on purpose?'

Zhou Mu: 'Hmm?'

He seemed to look at You Qi without understanding, perfectly open, but a bit unused to You Qi being this close.

The mountain wind howled past. At this distance, You Qi could count Zhou Mu's eyelashes. All along, Zhou Mu's words — intentional or not — had been stirring his heart like a feather brushing against it.

You Qi slowly closed the distance further. 'Don't dodge.'

Told not to dodge and he dodged anyway — Zhou Mu lifted his foot, trying to step back.

But the mountain wind caught Zhou Mu's waist, making him stumble forward instead — You Qi caught him around the waist and lowered his head to kiss his cheek.

Zhou Mu's round almond eyes widened as he looked at You Qi — perhaps not expecting You Qi would really dare to kiss him.

You Qi's tall frame encircled Zhou Mu, their shadows overlapping on the ground.

Though it was only the cheek, the soft touch still made You Qi's heart race. Every sensation was magnified infinitely — skin, wind, a faint scent, the lifted collar...

The thrill made him feel more alive. He imitated Zhou Mu, teasing in as righteous a tone as he could manage: 'What are you looking at? Weren't you the one who said we should do Early Romance?'

Zhou Mu, looking up at this angle, appeared even more disarming — like he was helpless — and said softly: 'But...'

But what?

Was he really just joking, with no other meaning at all?

Those two hesitant words from Zhou Mu sent You Qi's mood plummeting — awful — and his hand on Zhou Mu's waist froze.

'But,' Zhou Mu raised his phone, 'I haven't hung up the video yet. What I accidentally pressed earlier was just muting the speaker.'

You Qi glanced down and saw the screen packed with people. The old-person phone's muted speaker wasn't as loud now, but sounds still leaked through faintly.

'Hold it higher, we can't see!'

'Are they still kissing?'

'Quick, turn on the private room TV, try screen mirroring...'

You Qi: '............'