Fierce Beast Transfer Student

You Qi reached to hang up the video. His hand, the moment it extended, blocked most of the frame, and the classmates on the other end had already let out a huge collective hiss. They'd only just gotten screen mirroring working — how could he cut them off now?

'You're supposed to be a model student, and you're cutting off your classmates' video?'

'I'm telling the teacher — Teacher, You Qi won't let me watch his Early Romance—'

'Please, I won't say a word, just let me watch!'

'What's there that this class study rep can't see?'

'Wouldn't it be nice if the language class rep helped you catch your phrasing errors online?'

The comments were getting increasingly unhinged.

You Qi's hand froze. He shot the study rep a look — was that really something they should be saying?

Zhou Mu had somehow been swept up too. He asked You Qi: 'Was what I just said okay?'

'No, but you still haven't answered my question...' You Qi had already been a little uneasy, and seeing Zhou Mu's attention drift to these unimportant details made him suddenly even less sure.

He thought about how Zhou Mu hadn't really lived in human cities — so when Zhou Mu acted differently toward him, was it because he was You Qi, or just because everything was new?

Zhou Mu lowered his head, a little embarrassed: 'I said Early Romance, but I didn't say you could kiss me.'

That word — embarrassed — was rare on him. Not the kind of embarrassment he faked to lure prey, but the kind that came from thinking about how You Qi had suddenly kissed him just now, and it was a bit...

Anyway, probably... he could say whatever he wanted, but how could You Qi just go and do whatever he wanted!

For a Fierce Beast, both upbringing and genetics told them not to let just anyone get close. This kiss counted as one of those things, didn't it?

But You Qi caught something beneath the words. Zhou Mu's tone didn't sound like a refusal.

He held his breath. 'Then now, is it okay?'

Zhou Mu looked up, settling accounts: 'No, wait. You kissed me just now, so I have to suddenly kiss you back, and once we're even, then we can continue.'

Those words made You Qi feel his bones go light, almost floating off into the clouds. He wanted to grab Zhou Mu all at once and kiss his ear tips, his chin, his fingers — even those pale, soft, full lips.

But Zhou Mu was clearly being very reasonable. You Qi couldn't touch him, so he could only gradually close in — close enough to almost touch, but not quite — and whispered: 'You can kiss me back anytime.'

Zhou Mu only had to shift slightly and he'd be against You Qi's face. He'd never felt anything like this — every word he spoke carried a smile in his heart, spilling out bit by bit through his eyes. 'If you're prepared, it doesn't count as sudden.'

You Qi was about to say something more when his gaze swept down and suddenly met dozens of faces on the screen.

You Qi: '...'

Classmates: goofy grins, waving.

You Qi: ... Zhou Mu still hadn't hung up the video!!

As someone who rarely used a phone, Zhou Mu really had no awareness of these things, and You Qi had also completely forgotten there were people watching!

You Qi reached for the video button again.

'NOOOOOOOOO—'

'We didn't even say anything, why are you cutting us off, that's not fair!'

'Brother Mu, say something for us!'

Zhou Mu poked his head in, saw how earnest they looked, and said: 'How about we let them keep watching? They threw me a birthday together, they're pretty good people.'

You Qi: '...'

...He didn't have to repay his classmates in unnecessary ways.

Just then, He Shi rode up on a horse and called out: 'Come back for dinner, no waiting.'

Zhou Mu tensed immediately, tugging You Qi: 'Quick, let's go, my mom eats a lot.'

A lot? You Qi thought.

'Wait, mom??'

'Are they meeting the parents? I want to see mom too...'

'Does Mumu look like his mom?'

Between the two interruptions, You Qi had no choice — he hung up the video in one motion, and the noisy classmates wailed and vanished from the screen.

He Shi's figure was ahead. Zhou Mu had already caught up. You Qi followed half a step behind. Even with the parent right in front, the unfinished kiss was still burning in his mind — he couldn't suppress the urge to do something, to confirm in some way that Zhou Mu's attitude just now had been a yes.

You Qi reached out a hand, holding it in front of Zhou Mu. Remembering the lesson from earlier, he didn't go straight for Zhou Mu's hand.

Doing this right behind He Shi, that fierce senior, took some courage. He stayed alert, looking at Zhou Mu expectantly.

Zhou Mu mouthed: 'Not a good idea—'

You Qi insisted, also mouthing: 'You want to too, right?'

Zhou Mu's cheeks flushed slightly. He opened his mouth and, with a little bite, took You Qi's finger between his teeth.

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

He Shi hadn't turned her head, but nothing escaped her grasp. With great mischief she looked back: 'I knew you two were Early—' She saw Zhou Mu with You Qi's finger in his mouth, paused, and murmured: 'Oh, I really didn't expect that.'

With that, she rode off into the distance.

You Qi didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Fortunately Zhou Mu was only holding it between his teeth. You Qi pulled his finger out. 'I didn't tell you to... bite.'

'Didn't bite.' Before the finger could get far, Zhou Mu demonstrably blew on the faint tooth-mark on You Qi's finger. 'That light, just touched.' He held his own hand out to You Qi. 'Then you bite once too, and then we hurry and catch up with my mom — she'll definitely think I ate you, and then she won't eat dinner!!'

'...Save it for later!' You Qi shifted into his true form in one motion. 'Get on.'

This was Zhou Mu's first time seeing You Qi's true form. The wind beneath his feet was already gathering, bending the grass around them. Zhou Mu let out a delighted cry and jumped on. 'Charge!'

...

The entire weekend, You Qi was almost always at Zhou Mu's house. He didn't go home until Sunday night.

He could hardly sit still at home — the opposite of every student looking forward to the weekend. The next day, Monday, he finally went to School with his mom.

You Qi's mom was a special-department apprehension officer. For a Fierce Beast, she was remarkably casual. She herself had originally never needed a name — it was her boss, who was also her husband, who gave her one: You Yun. After You Qi was born, she simply used the homophone of her species name, 'You Qi,' to name the child.

Actually, You Qi had assumed that, as usual, You Yun would be too busy with work to go to School and would just send some subordinate in her place. But this time, when he mentioned that Zhou Mu's parent was named He Shi, You Yun's expression changed.

'He Shi? Do you know your classmate's bloodline?' You Yun asked urgently.

'Taotie...' You Qi watched his mother, who seemed to recognize He Shi. 'Do you know each other?'

'We don't know each other, but I've long admired her.' You Yun couldn't hide her excitement. Senior He Shi of 404 Office had been famous for years, and a Fierce Beast like her, also in the system, had read about many of her exploits in high-classification files. Some secrets she couldn't share with You Qi due to confidentiality, but from her attitude alone, You Qi could guess — and it wasn't really a surprise.

You Yun was full of feeling. She'd long known He Shi had moved to this area, but she hadn't expected to become acquainted in this way.

'I'll take Monday off and go with you.' You Yun decided immediately, and even asked with concern: 'By the way, can you make this Early Romance official?'

This was the closest thing to caring about his School life that You Qi had ever heard from You Yun...

You Qi: '...I'll try.'

You Qi went to School with his parent. He went to the Classroom first to drop his bag, and the moment the other students saw him, they started clapping and whistling. 'Hurry to the Office, Zhou Mu and his mom are already here, they went to find Lin Teacher first.'

'Boo hoo, you have to be happy—'

'Tell me if you actually kissed or not, we didn't see the next episode that day, I'm dying of suspense.'

They were saying all kinds of things. You Qi rubbed his forehead, too drained to retort — they'd accidentally livestreamed it themselves, so this was just the consequence.

You Yun, waiting at the Classroom door, was impatient: 'Ready?' She was in a hurry to see He Shi... ah, no, to see the teacher.

Her presence was too strong — tall, striking, beautiful — and the students who'd just been noisy fell silent.

You Qi walked quickly out and led You Yun to Lin Teacher's Office.

He Shi and Zhou Mu were indeed already in the Office. The moment the Office door opened, they both looked over — one of them at Zhou Mu, the other locking eyes with You Yun.

'Senior He Shi... ma'am.' You Yun's beautiful eyes lit up instantly. She stepped forward and held out her hand to shake He Shi's.

By comparison, though He Shi also looked young and beautiful, her temperament was much gentler. 'Hello, You Qi's mom.'

'Both parents are here,' Lin Teacher cleared her throat. 'I assume you roughly know why You Qi and Zhou Mu have been called in.'

You Yun said with deep feeling: 'I know about them. Truly... what a blessing across three lifetimes!'

Lin Teacher: 'What??'

You Qi's mom, what are you saying???

'Oh, nothing, I just meant that Zhou Mu is also an excellent student.' You Yun found an excuse.

'Still, you can't say "three lifetimes of fortune" — this is Early Romance!' Lin Teacher thought it was absurd. She couldn't help standing up. 'Ms. You, you also want You Qi to go to college, right? His grades are excellent! Have you talked to him about which university he wants?'

You Yun had no idea. She herself had never gone to college — it wasn't common in her generation. She composed herself and smiled: 'I'm not really sure. Zhou Mu, do you know?'

Lin Teacher thought You Yun was far too pleased with her son's Early Romance partner — what an absurd parent.

But Zhou Mu actually didn't know what university You Qi wanted to aim for either. He had seen some School recruitment ads though, and was quite satisfied with them. He said: 'New X Oriental Culinary School is pretty good, we can work hard to get in together...'

You Qi's pupils shook. He clamped his hand over Zhou Mu's mouth.

But it was too late.

Lin Teacher clutched her chest: 'Work hard to get in? Just because the teacher is stopping your Early Romance, you're going to be this rebellious?!'

In this chaos, He Shi stood up. Unhurried, she soothed: 'Teacher, please calm down. Zhou Mu was just joking. I'm aware of their situation and have already talked to them at home...'

She walked over to Lin Teacher's side, looking ready to open her heart and discuss child-rearing with her.

What they needed to do was actually very simple — make the teacher believe they'd talked to both kids, that the kids had agreed to break up, and that it wouldn't affect their studies.

You Yun couldn't help feeling sheepish. The senior really had composure, knowing how to use words to fool the teacher.

The next second, He Shi reached into her bag and pulled out a fox that had apparently been hidden there for who knew how long. The fox spirit locked eyes with Lin Teacher and bewitched her, hypnotizing with practiced ease: 'Zhou Mu and You Qi aren't dating, they were just misunderstood as dating, and very embarrassingly moved their own seats apart. You need to educate them that they must sit together...'

Even Zhou Mu didn't know when his mom had stuffed a fox in her bag!

He Shi couldn't be bothered to make up lies. She'd grabbed a fox skilled at bewitchment to confuse the teacher. After confusing Lin Teacher, she said to Zhou Mu: 'Who else knows the truth? The dean, right? Go.'

The fox stood upright on its hind legs, bowed to her, and accepted the order to clean up. According to the fox's plan, by skirting the edge — confusing the memories of just the key people — they wouldn't have to bother bewitching every classmate who knew the truth. That would be a huge workload.

You Yun, who had just been thinking the senior had patience, now sighed: 'Worthy of Senior He Shi, decisive in action.'

He Shi smiled slightly: 'You're You Yun, right? I know you. Since our kids are classmates, treat me to lunch.'

You Qi: '...'

You Yun was quite happy to. While Lin Teacher was still dazed, processing her new memories, the two of them left the Office together.

You Qi and Zhou Mu exchanged a glance, then tiptoed out of the Office and closed the door.

...

At the same time, the dean in another Office, having just had new memories fed into him by the fox's few words, paced to the window.

The dean thought: while Early Romance shouldn't be encouraged, it shouldn't be demonified either. Being misunderstood and then sulking to the point of giving up on classmates' friendship — Lin Teacher's class was a fairly typical case. Teachers should be urged to correct the children's views properly.

While pondering, he spotted two boys standing in the hallway during morning self-study — very conspicuous — because they had their backs to the Office door as they closed it, and their faces couldn't be seen.

The dean stared, wondering which class they were from, called to the Office during morning self-study...

At the door, You Qi and Zhou Mu smiled at each other.

You Qi said: 'Let's go, back to class...'

He was only halfway through when Zhou Mu, without warning, rose on his toes and planted a loud kiss on his lips. 'Mua!'

You Qi went rigid from head to toe, the tips of his ears burning. Zhou Mu had said he'd 'suddenly' kiss back, but this was too sudden — and at School, in broad daylight — leaving him at a loss. It took him a long moment to collect himself.

'Then can I make my request now?' You Qi said quietly.

Zhou Mu nodded with the sly triumph of a successful ambush, but before he could speak, a familiar roar came from behind: 'Which class are you from! School strictly forbids Early Romance!!!'

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

What was this, a second bloom of the same scene...

As a Fierce Beast, he'd once again lost to the sharp-eyed dean because his attention had wandered.

Fortunately they had their backs to the dean. You Qi threw his jacket open, wrapping it over both their heads, and hurriedly kissed Zhou Mu's ear, chin, and lips beneath the school uniform.

Light filtered faintly through the uniform. Inside it, neither of them could hold back their smiles.

Hand in hand, amid the dean's running footsteps and furious shouts: 'Run!'