Chapter 13
When he finished changing, Jiang Jian poked his head out from under the blanket and stared blankly at Luo Shuxin’s back.
Luo Shuxin’s pen moved steadily, making quick marks on the paper.
Jiang Jian held the cat and watched for a while. Seeing that Luo Shuxin didn’t react at all, he finally announced, “I’m done changing.”
Luo Shuxin replied without looking up, “Mm. Go to sleep.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll sleep after I finish this problem.”
“…?”
Drunk or sober, Jiang Jian couldn’t comprehend that.
It wasn’t that he didn’t care about studying — he just knew exactly when to care and when to slack off. He was the type who studied hard only before big exams and coasted the rest of the time, maintaining decent grades without pushing himself. Life, in his opinion, was meant to be comfortable.
So the idea of staying up late just to finish one more problem was utterly foreign to him.
After a few minutes, he got off the bed quietly and padded over, standing behind Luo Shuxin like a little ghost.
If it weren’t for Yige’s sudden “meow,” Luo Shuxin wouldn’t have noticed someone right behind him.
The surprise made his heart skip, but he kept his composure.
Jiang Jian, unaware of how creepy he was being, hugged the cat seriously and asked, “Aren’t you already really good? Why are you still working so hard?”
“…I’m not that good,” Luo Shuxin said simply.
He didn’t think he was especially talented. There were people like Jiang Jian who could put in half the effort and still get above-average results — play, drift through life, and still do fine.
But Luo Shuxin wasn’t like that. If he stopped trying, he’d start to panic. If he slacked off for one day, he’d know. A month, and everyone would.
Jiang Jian looked around, then pulled a chair beside him and sat down with the cat still in his arms, watching him work.
Luo Shuxin underlined two key points in the problem but couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable being stared at so intently.
Finally, he looked sideways, silently asking what Jiang Jian wanted.
“You can keep writing,” Jiang Jian said. “I’m just watching.”
“…Right.”
Luo Shuxin took a deep breath. He didn’t think his heart could take much more of this.
Jiang Jian didn’t even seem to realize how clingy he became when his awareness dulled.
In the infirmary, he’d clung to Luo Shuxin’s shirt. In the living room, he’d sat and watched him do homework like a puppy. Now, he refused to leave his side.
Honestly, Luo Shuxin thought, good thing he’s the one who found this kid. Anyone else, and Jiang Jian might’ve followed them into the wilderness to be raised by some lonely hermit.
With a sigh, he opened a drawer, pulled out two Golden Monkey milk candies, and handed them over like he was bribing a child.
But Jiang Jian shook his head. “I already brushed my teeth.”
Luo Shuxin started to put them away, but then Jiang Jian changed his mind, grabbing them. “I’ll save them for tomorrow.”
Luo Shuxin watched as he looked around for a place to stash them — but his pajamas had no pockets.
In the end, he stuffed the candies into Yige’s fur, then patted the cat with satisfaction.
Luo Shuxin thought sincerely: Please. Just go to sleep. Maybe you’ll be normal again tomorrow.
And surprisingly, Jiang Jian agreed immediately.
The two boys — and the cat — crawled into bed. Since he was worried the drunk might roll off, Luo Shuxin let Jiang Jian sleep on the inside.
But instead of falling off, Jiang Jian rolled everywhere else, nearly pushing Luo Shuxin off the bed instead.
He woke up several times through the night, and finally, unable to take it anymore, grabbed his pillow and blanket to sleep on the sofa.
Except, when he sat up, he realized Jiang Jian had one arm around the cat — and the other clutching tightly at his pajama hem, just like he’d grabbed his uniform before.
Luo Shuxin pressed his fingers to his temple. Maybe he really should’ve left this little troublemaker on the sidewalk.
By morning, Jiang Jian was the first to wake — even before the alarm.
Before he opened his eyes, he felt two things: a pounding headache and a faint, clean scent at the tip of his nose.
The scent was familiar — maybe a kind of body wash?
He shifted a little, half-awake, and then froze when he realized someone’s arm was wrapped tightly around him.
It took his foggy brain two seconds to process it — then his eyes snapped open.
The curtains were drawn, dim light filtering through.
Something warm and furry was nestled in his arms — judging from the texture, it was either a cat or a dog. It moved faintly, breathing against him.
So he was holding the cat… and someone was holding him.
The scent he’d noticed earlier — light, clean, almost comforting — came from the half-open collar of the person behind him.
Both of his arms were wrapped completely around Jiang Jian, holding him firmly in his embrace.
Jiang Jian: “……”
The moment he realized the situation he was in, he jerked back in shock — a bit too violently, actually — enough to wake up Luo Shuxin, who had been peacefully asleep.
By then, Jiang Jian had already scrambled completely out of Luo Shuxin’s arms, clutching the cat against his chest, back pressed to the wall as he stared at Luo Shuxin’s slightly furrowed brow and slowly opening eyes.
…This guy definitely has morning temper!
Luo Shuxin’s reactions were sluggish.
He hadn’t slept well last night and wasn’t in a good mood at all, but when his gaze finally settled on Jiang Jian’s face, the visible irritation faded out of courtesy, turning into his usual blank expression.
“Morning.”
Jiang Jian’s brain short-circuited. He couldn’t even figure out which question to ask first — Why are you in my bed? Where is this? Why are we tangled up together?
Meanwhile, Luo Shuxin had already turned to grab his phone from the nightstand.
Less than three minutes left before the alarm would’ve gone off.
So much for going back to sleep.
Luo Shuxin sat up, raked a hand through his hair, and went to wash up with his usual calm composure.
Jiang Jian hugged the cat tighter: “……”
Why am I the only one freaking out here?
When Luo Shuxin came back after washing his face and brushing his teeth, Jiang Jian had already climbed out of bed, neatly folded the blanket, smoothed the sheets, and was now sitting upright at the edge of the bed — posture so proper it looked like he’d just come back from military training.
Luo Shuxin finally caught up mentally. “Remember what happened last night?”
Jiang Jian: “……”
Inside, a tiny version of himself was running in circles bawling, but outwardly he managed to keep his face steady and voice solemn.
“Yeah. I remember.”
How he’d bumped into Luo Shuxin last night, how he’d been taken home, and… how they’d ended up in the same bed.
Luo Shuxin found Jiang Jian’s grave expression amusing and deliberately teased, “Shouldn’t you say thank you?”
Jiang Jian shot up so fast it startled Luo Shuxin.
Luo Shuxin: “……”
Jiang Jian bent at a perfect ninety-degree angle. “Arigato gozaimasu!”
Then, marching stiffly, he headed for the bathroom — nearly managing the impossible feat of moving the same arm and leg together.
Luo Shuxin stood there speechless, and a moment later, Jiang Jian’s head poked out of the bathroom door again. Trying to act casual despite the obvious flush creeping up his ears, he coughed lightly.
“Uh, do you have another disposable toothbrush?”
Luo Yue got up later than the two boys. When she entered the living room, Luo Shuxin was frying eggs for breakfast, while Jiang Jian sat quietly on the couch hugging the cat, trying to pretend he didn’t exist.
She greeted him naturally, “Good morning, Xiao Jian.”
Jiang Jian jumped a little, then hurriedly replied, “Good morning, Auntie Luo.”
“How come you got all stiff overnight?” Luo Yue teased. “Yesterday you were calling me mother-in-law the moment we met.”
Jiang Jian: “?”
Wait. What? Did I?
No way. She’s bluffing. I was drunk — my memory’s fuzzy, but I couldn’t have!
Luo Shuxin set the eggs on the table and stepped in to rescue him. “Let’s eat.”
Luo Yue dropped the joke and corrected him earnestly. “You can just call me Sister Luo from now on. ‘Auntie’ makes me sound old.”
Jiang Jian: “Okay, Sister Luo.”
Luo Yue smiled. “Sleep well last night?”
Jiang Jian: “It was… fine.”
Luo Shuxin shot him a look.
It was fine — Jiang Jian had spent half the night tossing and turning, making such a racket that Luo Shuxin had considered escaping to the couch, except that would’ve required running through the house half-naked. In the end, he’d given up, wrapped all four limbs around Jiang Jian like a restraint, and only then managed a few hours of sleep.
But Jiang Jian was clearly unaware of his own nighttime crimes. Still ashamed about his drunken behavior, he could barely eat, while Luo Yue and Luo Shuxin finished their breakfast at an impressive pace.
Jiang Jian: “……”
He tried to justify it. “Eating too fast is bad for your stomach.”
Luo Shuxin replied coolly, “Eating too slow is bad for me.”
Jiang Jian: “?”
Luo Shuxin added, “Your backpack and uniform are still at home, right?”
Jiang Jian: “……”
Luo Yue chimed in, “So we’ll have to drop by your place first, then go to school. No time to waste.”
Jiang Jian immediately began speed-eating like a soldier in combat rations. In between bites, he reassured Luo Shuxin that since it was Monday and there’d be a flag-raising ceremony, morning self-study was delayed. They wouldn’t be late. And the ceremony didn’t usually take attendance anyway — if two people were missing, no one would notice.
Luo Shuxin asked mildly, “What if one of the people missing happens to be the speaker under the national flag?”
Jiang Jian: “……”
Ah. Right. He’d forgotten that part.
He swallowed his breakfast whole, then followed Luo Yue and Luo Shuxin downstairs. Along the way, he suggested that Luo Yue drop Luo Shuxin off first — he could just take a taxi.
Luo Yue immediately shattered his fantasy. Morning rush hour — good luck finding a cab.
“Don’t worry,” she said cheerfully. “We’re heading out early today, and you should have faith in your Sister Luo’s driving skills.”
True to her word, Luo Yue’s driving was fearless. She dropped Jiang Jian off at his home in record time. He dashed inside, threw on his uniform, grabbed his bag, and sprinted out again — passing by uncles and aunties who called out for him to slow down.
Luo Yue’s driving was solid, and by all accounts, they should’ve been right on time. Unfortunately, a small car accident near Jiangshui No.1 High School blocked the road. Luo Yue couldn’t get through and had to let the two boys out to run the rest of the way.
They sprinted as fast as they could, but still arrived two minutes late.
The discipline director was already stationed at the school gate catching late students — a neat row of delinquents already lined up, forming quite the striking sight.
From afar, Jiang Jian spotted the scene and panicked, instantly grabbing Luo Shuxin’s sleeve.
Luo Shuxin: “?”
Jiang Jian hissed, “We can’t use the front gate — someone’s guarding it. The others are probably covered too. Do you know how to climb walls?”
Luo Shuxin: “??”
