TWSITAOCP Chapter 47

“…”

Every word Yu Sui spoke struck a chord, always managing to win people over. Yan Xiu glanced at him, feeling a sudden annoyance at the noise and the presence of so many people.

Yu Sui continued, “I love every single one of your drawings, really.”

“I know,” Yan Xiu said, interrupting the young master’s increasingly blatant flattery.

Minister Yan was easier to please than expected. He held Yu Sui’s hand in his palm and squeezed his knuckles.

Yu Sui’s words abruptly stopped. He narrowed his eyes and grabbed Yan Xiu’s hand in return.

The conference hall was only lit in the front rows; the back was dim. Their seats were close together, and it was pitch black underneath. Their hands remained intertwined and hidden under their seats.

On stage, the school leaders and teachers of the fifth school were being thanked. They stood up, bowed and greeted everyone for two or three seconds, before sitting back down.

Next came the sixth school, the International Department of Shenghuang High School. As soon as the school name was mentioned, students started clapping, slapping their seats, and cheering, like at a concert. Some even brought out light sticks.

The host teacher was initially taken aback, probably because the previous schools had been so serious; the sudden appearance of such a lively school caught them off guard. Their school leaders, however, seemed unfazed, so the host remarked, “These are clearly students involved in the arts; they’re all very energetic!”

“Damn it!” Yang Feiwen yanked his head around, gripping the back of the chair, not noticing the two men behind him quickly letting go of their hands.

Yang Feiwen, clutching two glowing lights in his hands, said with a murderous glint in his eyes, “Did they eavesdrop on our plan?! How could they copy us?!”

On the order list, No. 26 High School was right after the International Department of Affiliated High School. Not long ago, before going downstairs, these cunning individuals had planned to “give face” to the No. 26 High School leaders when they stood up. Now that the affiliated high school had done it first, their subsequent attempt to do the same seemed like “following suit” and “borrowing” from them.

Although it wasn’t a major problem, the students from No. 26 High School frowned in annoyance: “They really weren’t deliberately causing trouble?”

Yu Sui and Yan Xiu exchanged a glance, then Yu Sui gently pushed Yang Feiwen, who had already attracted the attention of teachers from other schools, aside. “Probably not. The Affiliated Middle School has always been like this. We were just unlucky to be at the back.”

“Then what do we do?” someone asked. “Should we still shout?”

Yu Sui: “Shout. We have an advantage being at the back.”

“We can shout louder than them,” Yi Tian immediately said.

The group immediately became spirited, and those who brought instruments pulled them out.

Ji Jiangwu had noticed their commotion earlier. He saw these kids banging around on their phones, adjusting flashlights, clearly planning to surprise the school leaders later. However, they had always been tolerant of students’ lively nature and had no intention of interfering. So he simply remarked, “Why is someone even bringing a gong? That’s going too far!” “So he covered his ears.

Professor Xu went even further—he excitedly joined the students and asked them for a stick.

The noise from the Affiliated High School faded away. And, almost immediately following suit, the sounds of gongs, drums, flutes, and shouts rose up, rhythmic and orderly, but incredibly loud, like a battle. The group peered forward, and saw the head of the Moral Education Department turn and point at them.

The host introduced the leaders of the No. 26 High School much faster.

At the Affiliated High School’s section, a boy swore, but unexpectedly, as soon as the host finished introducing the last word of the No. 26 High School segment, the commotion there vanished cleanly. His swear word was particularly jarring and comical in the entire conference hall.

A moment of silence followed, then bursts of laughter from the students.

Yu Sui turned around and saw the boy who had sworn, with the eccentric boy next to him—a thin baton tucked under his arm, watching him from afar.

Zhou Yijia and Gou Yuda.

Young Master Yu was quite the popular figure in his middle school days, managing to get along with everyone. Even though he only graduated from the Affiliated High School two years ago, the older students still remember him. There was one group, Qiu Yin from the next class, and now there’s another group like Gou Yuda.

Compared to Qiu Yin, who was so arrogant that Yu Sui couldn’t even remember him, these two were actually in his class and had even competed against him, but their relationship remained merely acquaintances.

Gou Yuda seemed to want to say something to him, but before Yu Sui could understand what he meant, Yan Xiu turned his head back around.

Yu Sui looked at him blankly: “What?”

Yan Xiu’s expression remained unchanged: “Looking around and disrupting discipline will result in a point deduction.”

Yu Sui was taken aback, probably not expecting the gold card to lose its effect so quickly. Minister Yan, whom he hadn’t even warmed up to, was already threatening to deduct points.

But he didn’t panic. After a couple of seconds, he exclaimed, “Really not because some other boy was giving me a flirtatious look?”

His choice of words was practically asking for trouble.

“…” Yan Xiu’s thin eyelids lifted slightly: “Secretly giving a flirtatious look?“

Yu Sui immediately corrected himself: “Well, not exactly, he was too far away for me to see what he meant.”

Yan Xiu said, “Then it’s not.”

Yu Sui: “…”

He felt the need to remind Yan Xiu: “Wouldn’t this count as settling a personal score?”

Yan Xiu nodded, actually admitting it: “Yes.”

Yu Sui, who had been teasing him, found himself at a loss for words and silently rubbed his neck. 

The second half of the ceremony, as usual, announced the rules of the competition. Because it was an unconventional competition with mixed backgrounds, it was divided into three venues at different times, lasting two days in total. The competition consisted of only two rounds; the school with the higher score after the first round would advance to the second round finals.

When the schools held separate meetings in the hotel corridor, Ji Jiangwu stood in the middle, reminding them to get proper rest that night and to double-check that they had brought everything they needed before distributing the schedules and letting them go back to their rooms.

“Oh, right.” Ji Jiangwu pointed at the boys playing instrumental music, finally settling on Yang Feiwen and Yu Sui. “You guys can mess around all you want normally, but tonight, absolutely no more nonsense. No staying up late playing games. I’ll be logging into game accounts tonight to see if you’re online. I might even be walking the hallways with your moral education director. Anyone online, or anyone making noise in any room, will face the consequences if I find out.”

This was a grand event, showcasing the inner talents of various schools in Yandu. These guys, whether they volunteered or not, had prepared for this for a long time, so much so that they had to soak their hands in hot water every night. Even if Ji Jiangwu hadn’t said anything, they wouldn’t have done anything reckless.

Besides, Ji Jiangwu had been nagging for days. They yawned sleepily, and Yang Feiwen couldn’t help but crack a joke: “Okay, Mother Hen.”

“Pfft.” The group turned away, laughing.

“What hen? I’m talking about you.” Ji Jiangwu’s criticism was directed precisely at him, and he also implicated Yu Sui, “And Yu Sui, weren’t you the one who caught a cold in that weather a few days ago?”

“……”

The fact that Ji Jiangwu even knew about this clearly came from the gossipmonger Yang Feiwen.

Yu Sui shot a glance at the guilty-looking Yang Feiwen. “I’ll keep the windows closed today.”

His hands were behind his back, obediently and well-behavedly.

Ji Jiangwu had been fooled by this act before—back then, Yu Sui had also promised to practice diligently, only to sneak off to the snack shop for treats. So now, seeing him like this only made Ji Jiangwu more suspicious. “Who’s sharing a room with Yu Sui?” 

Yan Xiu raised a hand.

Ji Jiangwu was surprised: “Oh, A-Wen, you’ve fallen out of favor so quickly?”

“Bullshit,” Yang Feiwen blurted out. “He’s the real one.”

Yan Xiu: “…”

Yu Sui, who had been secretly tugging at Yan Xiu’s clothes behind his back, silently dropped his hand to his side. He even shifted a little to the side, giving Yan Xiu some space to be seen.

Ji Jiangwu nodded. “I’ve heard.”

Everyone burst into laughter again.

Yan Xiu didn’t say anything, just looked at Ji Jiangwu questioningly.

Ji Jiangwu was worried about Yu Sui, but genuinely trusted Yan Xiu: “You classmates should help each other out. Yan Xiu, remember not to let this guy secretly eat any strong-flavored snacks. Also, make sure the air conditioning is on, the windows are open, and the blankets are warm. And remember to soak your hands and give him a massage.”

Yan Xiu listened and nodded: “Okay.”

After finally seeing Ji Jiangwu off, several students who had been practicing with Yan Xiu surrounded him, eagerly asking for tips.

Zhao Ru, the English class representative from Class 3, was also among them, waiting shyly in line. Others were also chatting in groups, while those from the instrumental music group went home earlier.

Yu Sui figured their commotion wouldn’t end anytime soon, so he told Yan Xiu he was going back to take a shower.

Unexpectedly, when he came out of the shower, Minister Yan was still surrounded.

Yu Sui wasn’t in a hurry to go in, so he waited by the door with a towel draped over his arm. It was the group that saw Yu Sui and realized they had probably bothered Yan Xiu for too long, so they all waved goodbye.

Yu Sui was idly scrolling through his phone, engaging in the typical pastime of modern youth—browsing forums as if inspecting his territory. He clicked through all the trending posts and finally checked the official shipping thread.

Their appearance together had already caused quite a stir in the shipping thread, with everyone betting on whether he and Yan Xiu would share a room.

Yu Sui used a burner account to place a bet on “yes,” then looked up. He noticed Zhao Ru’s flushed face as she left, and after a moment, he calmly averted his gaze.

Yan Xiu had noticed Yu Sui as soon as he came out. Now, as Yan Xiu returned and walked past him into the room, Yu Sui didn’t react. Yan Xiu took a step back and asked the young master, “What are you standing here for?”

Yu Sui glanced at him. “What do you think?”

“……” Yan Xiu placed a hand on his shoulder, pushing him inside before closing the door behind them. Without much pause, he pressed Yu Sui against the door panel.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, letting Yu Sui tug at him.

Then, they kissed carefully at the doorway.

 

The hotel room wasn’t large, with two beds, a TV stand, and a balcony. Unpacked luggage lay on the floor, and clothes hung on the coat rack.

Yu Sui sat quietly on the bed, listening to the sound of running water from the bathroom. Only after the lingering heat in his ears had subsided did he crouch down to retrieve his and Yan Xiu’s toiletries, arranging them neatly on the table.

Then, holding a laundry bag, he knocked on the bathroom door and said in a muffled voice, “Hand me your clothes. I’ll take them to the laundry room.”

The sound of water stopped for a moment, then the door opened.

Yan Xiu hesitated for a long time, then hummed in confusion. He wiped the water from his eyes and opened them, seeing the back of Yu Sui’s head.

The young master stood with his back to the bathroom door, blindly reaching out with his hand, waving it up and down.

“……” Yan Xiu thought back to how Yu Sui had licked his lips earlier, and seeing the back of his head now, he couldn’t help but feel amused.

He said, “Keep your hand still.”

Yu Sui froze. “Where did you put it?”

The clothes were then placed in his hands, the person’s damp hands being pulled away with a distinctly strong movement.

Yu Sui, unfazed, stuffed the clothes into a laundry bag, not even glancing at the person behind him, and carried the two bags out.

Yu Sui took the clothes to the laundry room, then returned to continue tinkering with the remaining luggage. He first respectfully placed the toiletries on the outside sink, then occupied the bed on the right.

Someone messaged him on WeChat; it was an old classmate who hadn’t been online for a long time.

Gou Yuda: [Coming down?]

Gou Yuda: [We’re having skewers at 80 Chai Chai downstairs, all old friends.]

There were only two shops below the hotel—a 24-hour convenience store and 80 Chai Chai. From the outside, Chai Chai looked quite grand, an upscale indoor barbecue and grill restaurant. It wasn’t the kind of place ordinary students would frequent based on their spending habits. 

It was unclear whether the students from Fuzhong were just carefree or intentionally flaunting their wealth, but they had chosen to gather there for a meal.

And right before the competition, no less.

Fish Can: [Are you guys going there just to drink plain water?]

Gou Yuda: [?]

Gou Yuda: [No spicy food or alcohol, it’s fine.]

Yu Sui still refused, giving a very confident and official reason.

Fish Can: [I’m not going.]

Fish Can: [The school won’t allow it.]

Gou Yuda was silent for a moment: [When have you ever heard of the school?]

True to being an old classmate, he remembered. Yu Sui thought for a moment but couldn’t recall any distinctive traits of Gou Yuda, letting out a faint sigh.

Fish Idle Can: [Not exactly, but the head of the disciplinary committee is right next to me. He’ll deduct points.]

Only then did Gou Yuda give up, putting down his chopsticks and shaking his head at the girls at the table. “I already invited him, but their school is strict. They’re not allowed to come out.”

The girls sighed, somewhat disappointed.

“Sure enough, the worse the school, the stricter its rules,” Zhou Yijia said with displeasure.

One girl asked, “I saw Yan Xiu next to him. Are they close now?”

The girl next to her laughed, “Of course! Yan Xiu is Yan Ying’s brother. They’ve been close for a long time… What are you thinking?”

“I’m not thinking about anything. What are you thinking?” the girl replied.

Then, the two of them chuckled silently.

 

When the sound of water stopped again, Yan Xiu emerged from inside, a towel draped over his arm. Having changed into soft pajamas, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms.

The steam seemed to accentuate his cool, refreshing aura. Yu Sui glanced up at him, then flipped his phone over and covered it, his movements somewhat hurried.

Yan Xiu followed the sound and looked over, asking, “What’s wrong?”

“Oh.” After covering his phone, Yu Sui felt a bit neurotic and silently scolded himself. He said, “My sister sent a message telling me to do well in the competition… I don’t even know how she found out.”

“You don’t want her to know?” Yan Xiu asked upon hearing this.

“Not really, it just feels strange.” Yu Sui had just realized that Tang Ying might have told Yu Zhen. He could keep his trip away from home from the competition, but Tang Ying and Lao Yan would definitely know what they were doing out there.

So he awkwardly scratched his head, about to say something to salvage the situation, but Yan Xiu had already shifted his attention away from it.

Yan Xiu knew the young master had packed his things when he came out.

The toiletries were placed on the sink for easy access, two water glasses were on the table, and towels were laid out on both beds.

But…

He picked up a towel and threw it at Yu Sui.

Yu Sui was completely confused: “What’s wrong?”

Yan Xiu glanced at him: “I want to sleep with you.”

 

Author’s Note: –