Chapter 17: Bandage

Chapter 17: Bandaging

"Where did you go after delivering the letter last night?"

The boy's chest was pressed tight against his, those dark eyes gazing intently at him.

Lin Shenshi swallowed hard, reaching out to push against Yu Lanzhao's shoulders, trying to create some distance, but the slender frame felt solid as steel, unyielding.

He finally gave up.

"Ah Zhao, actually, last night I was..." Lin Shenshi's mind raced as he spoke, "—looking for a rehearsal space."

Yu Lanzhao: "A rehearsal space?"

"Yeah. Midterms are right around the corner, and it's so hard to book a rehearsal room at school. I thought I'd look for one nearby so we can use it as much as we want when the time comes."

The Performing Arts Academy's midterm exams were scheduled for the week after next. In addition to written tests for academic subjects, each student had to perform a solo skit.

In the original story, the protagonist had a hard time booking a rehearsal room. After finally managing to reserve one after tons of effort, it turned out to be part of Lu Yuan's scheme. He was drugged shortly after entering and was repeatedly assaulted in front of the mirror.

The smooth mirror surface was splattered with sticky smudges, showing no regard for the next student scheduled.

Fortunately, Lin Shenshi knew how things would play out. Not only could he ease Yu Lanzhao's worries now, but he could also avoid the risk of being drugged and assaulted by Lu Yuan.

Lin Shenshi had already checked out a place a couple of days ago, so he spoke without missing a beat.

"I found one yesterday, just a right turn and a short walk from the school's west gate. The environment is great, and I lost track of time practicing. By the time I realized how late it was, it was way too late, so I just slept there. That's why I'm only back now."

Lin Shenshi spoke convincingly. Yu Lanzhao looked at him for a moment, then lowered his head, biting his lower lip, looking utterly wronged. "Why didn't you tell me? You were gone all night—I thought something had happened to you. You weren't picking up, and I was so worried."

"Phone?" Lin Shenshi had been stuck in Lu Yuan's grip last night. He had initially planned to leave at some point but ended up dozing off. He had indeed forgotten to message Yu Lanzhao, but he hadn't heard any phone rings either.

He pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket and found that it had turned off at some point.

"Must've died," Lin Shenshi muttered. "Sorry, Ah Zhao, I worried you."

Yu Lanzhao shook his head. "It's fine. Just glad you're okay. Let's get ready and go to the cafeteria for breakfast."

"Okay."

Yu Lanzhao headed toward the bathroom. Lin Shenshi took his phone and went to find the charger on the desk. After plugging it in and turning the phone on, the basic startup screen showed, and the top right corner clearly indicated it was charging, with a remaining battery level of 68%.

"?"

Lin Shenshi couldn't believe his eyes.

The phone still had 68% battery—how could it have turned off by itself?

"Xiao Shi!"

Just then, Yu Lanzhao's voice shot up.

Guiltily, Lin Shenshi flipped his phone over on the desk, his voice shaky. "Wh-what's wrong?"

Yu Lanzhao hurried over but didn't look at the phone he was deliberately hiding. Instead, his face went pale as he leaned in to examine the back of Lin Shenshi's neck.

"Xiao Shi, you're hurt?!"

Lin Shenshi suddenly realized that the back of his neck was still smudged with the blood from when Lu Yuan had cut his palm.

"No," Lin Shenshi lied. "On my way to look for the rehearsal room yesterday, I saw a car accident. I helped move people—maybe it got on me then."

Yu Lanzhao nervously reached out to touch it, finding the blood had long dried and there was no wound on the skin. Only then did he relax.

"Let's go to the bathroom. I'll wipe it off for you."

Before Lin Shenshi could refuse, Yu Lanzhao had already pulled him into the bathroom. The boy wet a towel and reached up to clean it but found he could only reach by standing on his tiptoes.

Lin Shenshi perceptively stooped down, but the boy still didn't move.

"Ah Zhao?"

A moment later, Yu Lanzhao dabbed the towel against Lin Shenshi's neck. As he wiped, he silently calculated the height difference between himself and Lin Shenshi.

His mind couldn't help remembering the feet of that man in the mall changing room that day… larger than Xiao Shi's, meaning taller than Xiao Shi…

Yu Lanzhao's expression darkened.

One day, he would grow taller than that man, so no one could ever take Xiao Shi away from him.

"All done."

Yu Lanzhao pulled the towel back and rinsed it clean.

Lin Shenshi touched the now damp and tacky skin, smiling gratefully. "Ah Zhao, whatever you want to eat, your pick. My treat today."

He smiled brightly, just as the morning sun broke through the window, washing him in golden light like an angel fallen to earth.

Yu Lanzhao's eyes darkened again before finally settling into a bright, clear gaze. "The large plate chicken at Cafeteria Three, extra meat."

Lin Shenshi protested, "Whoa! Such a heavy meal this early, Ah Zhao, you're really taking advantage!"

"Xiao Shi said I could choose anything."

"Alright, alright, if Ah Zhao wants it, we'll go."

Lin Shenshi headed out first.

Yu Lanzhao followed obediently behind. He looked up, still having to tilt his head to see the top of the young man's head.

But he no longer wanted to remain in his boyhood. He wanted to grow up, to grow taller, to be able to effortlessly wrap his arms around his beloved with just a stretch…

Xiao Shi.

Wait for me.

*

Yu Lanzhao polished off four bowls of rice, only stopping when the chicken on the plate was completely gone, licking the lingering sauce from his lips.

Lin Shenshi stared in astonishment. "Ah Zhao, aren't you full?"

Yu Lanzhao shook his head.

Lin Shenshi was speechless.

Although his transformation plan included increasing Yu Lanzhao's appetite, he had never imagined such a dramatic increase.

He had truly underestimated a young person's good appetite.

After breakfast, they went together to see the rehearsal room. Yu Lanzhao was over the moon. They practiced there all morning, then returned to the school cafeteria for lunch.

In the afternoon, Yu Lanzhao had his regular shift at his part-time job at the convenience store. Having already called out last week due to a sprained ankle, he couldn't afford to miss another shift, so he got ready and left the dormitory.

Lin Shenshi sat on the bed for a while, thinking it over, then picked up the first aid kit from the wardrobe and headed downstairs.

The door to Room 803 in the admin building was closed. He took a deep breath and knocked.

"Teacher Lu, are you in?"

After a brief wait, a deep voice came from inside: "Come in."

Lin Shenshi pushed the door open and entered.

The curtains were drawn, and the room was dimly lit. Lu Yuan sat behind the desk, looking at him heavily: "What are you doing here?"

His gaze was like that of a lion watching a rabbit that had strayed into its territory.

Oblivious, the little white rabbit raised the first aid kit and said enthusiastically, "I'm here to help bandage your wound."

A derisive snort escaped Lu Yuan's lips: "You're overstepping."

"How is this overstepping, Teacher Lu? Last night, after I fell asleep, it was you who moved me to the bed, right?"

Though phrased as a question, Lin Shenshi's tone held no doubt. His phone had 68% battery left, yet it was shut off in the morning—clearly not due to running out of power but because someone had shut it off manually while he was asleep.

And the only other person in the room at the time was Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan looked at him sharply, his expression complicated: "You noticed?"

It would have been hard not to.

After all, the old-school habit of turning off one's phone at night was something only an older person like Lu Yuan would still practice.

Young people these days leave their phones on 24/7, 365 days a year.

But fortunately, the phone was turned off—otherwise, if Lu Yuan had seen the 99+ missed calls from Yu Lanzhao, there would have been no explaining it away.

Lin Shenshi approached with the first aid kit: "So, to thank you for taking care of me last night, bandaging your wound is not overstepping at all."

Lu Yuan's deep, dark eyes fixed on him, swirling with emotions Lin Shenshi couldn't decipher.

But after last night, Lin Shenshi knew he was safe. It seemed that as long as it didn't involve the protagonist, Lu Yuan wouldn't get so extreme or difficult to deal with.

At the very least, Lu Yuan definitely wouldn't see red and kill him over bringing a first aid kit.

Knowing the boundaries, Lin Shenshi grew bolder. He placed the kit on the desk, dug out the bandages and medicine, and urged, "Let me see your hand."

He could feel Lu Yuan's heavy gaze on him but paid no mind, letting silence stretch between them.

Once he had laid out the iodine and gauze on the table, Lu Yuan finally extended his right hand.

A handkerchief was clumsily tied around the wound, stained dark red with blood that had seeped through the cotton fabric.

Lin Shenshi frowned.

It was clearly a slapdash bandage, without even any ointment applied.

He leaned down to untie it, and Lu Yuan tossed the dirty handkerchief straight into the trash.

Lin Shenshi: "……"

Lu Yuan lifted his eyelids: "What's wrong?"

Lin Shenshi quickly shook his head.

If he wasn't mistaken, this handkerchief was different from the one Lu Yuan had used to wipe his hands after touching his shoulder earlier. There was no need to wonder where its predecessor had ended up.

Sigh. He wondered how many more handkerchiefs would be thrown away after bandaging Lu Yuan today.

"Teacher Lu, do you have a thing about cleanliness?" Lin Shenshi couldn't help but ask.

This time, it was Lu Yuan's turn to be confused. He glanced at the blood-stained, clearly ruined handkerchief in the trash and retorted, "Lin Shenshi, is your family so poor you can't even make ends meet?"

Lin Shenshi: "……"

Thanks for your concern. Having inherited his real-world family background, his bank account still held a six-figure balance, with a monthly stipend deposited regularly.

"I was just asking casually. If not, then never mind."

Lin Shenshi mumbled under his breath and said no more, picking up the iodine to disinfect the wound.

To make it easier, Lin Shenshi reached out and took hold of Lu Yuan's fingers. The moment they made contact, Lu Yuan's hand jerked back, but Lin Shenshi held it steady.

"Don't move."

Lin Shenshi thought with sly amusement: Well, you said you don't have a thing about cleanliness—don't blame me for grabbing your hand directly.

Whether Lu Yuan didn't want to go back on his word or not, his hand relaxed and stayed in place. Lin Shenshi soaked a cotton ball in iodine and dabbed the wound gently.

Only a sliver of sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains, and as luck would have it, that warm yellow beam fell precisely on the young man's brows and eyes.

Lin Shenshi had fine, regular features. Since childhood, many had praised him as handsome, and he often turned heads on the street. But in the Performing Arts Academy, where everyone was gorgeous, his appearance was considered average, far from Yu Lanzhao's dazzling beauty.

Lu Yuan had seen plenty of people far more attractive than him. Yet, at this moment, his deep gaze was riveted on the young man.

Emotions churned in Lu Yuan's eyes, and he leaned in without thinking. Suddenly, an image flashed into his mind—an explicit, absurd, indecent painting he had accidentally seen on a student's phone during class. But now, he involuntarily replaced the central figure's face with Lin Shenshi's.

He desperately wanted to know what it would look like—the expression clouded with desire, the body melting into weakness, the soft panting and pleading…

How downright mesmerizing it would be to see such a scene unfold with Lin Shenshi…