Chapter 22: Devouring Kiss

Chapter 22: The Devouring Kiss

In the dim dorm room, Lin Shenshi slept soundly.

The red wine from the Ferris wheel restaurant had a stronger kick than expected. Utterly unconscious, he was oblivious to the approaching danger.

The door was deadbolted. Behind gold-rimmed glasses, dark pupils were bottomless and intense, too profound to meet directly.

Lu Yuan slowly approached the bed, like a predatory serpent slithering toward its prey, its crimson tongue flicking, fangs gleaming coldly.

A shadowy figure stood by the side, looking down with lowered eyes.

Lin Shenshi lay on the bed, still in his clothes. Wrapped in a tan scarf, his cheeks were flushed from intoxication. His lips were strikingly red, as if they had been thoroughly kissed, gnawed, and tasted from the inside out.

A dangerous glint flashed in Lu Yuan's eyes. He leaned down, pressing his fingers against those lush lips.

His slender fingers traced the lines of the lips one by one.

Here, someone else had brazenly sampled what was his... He carried the scent of another person, and even the entire room was filled with that sickening scent...

Fury swelled in his gaze, finally erupting like a volcano. Lu Yuan yanked Lin Shenshi by the scruff of his shirt and dragged him roughly into the bathroom.

In his sleep, Lin Shenshi felt the world spinning. His back hit the cold, hard wall, and he blearily opened his eyes, only to be met with a deluge of ice-cold water pouring over his head.

"!"

"A-Zhao, what’s going on?"

The water blurred his vision. Still drunk and not fully awake, his memory lingered on the moment Yu Lanzhao stood at the dorm entrance, plucking a piece of lint from his hair. Waving his hands to block the water, he whined almost petulantly, but then an extremely sinister voice sounded above him.

"'Ah Zhao'?"

The tone was terrifying, almost dripping with bone-deep menace.

The voice sounded familiar, like that of the final-boss type he had been cautiously wary of in his dreams day and night.

Lin Shenshi snapped awake.

In the dim light, the white tiles of the bathroom reflected the faint light from downstairs. A person who should not have been there was coldly looking down at him.

Lu Yuan's face was extremely dark, like a demon from hell, his eyes burning with furious red. He held the showerhead high, drenching him in cold water relentlessly.

At that moment, Lin Shenshi could no longer feel the chill of the water—or perhaps he had no time to care.

The moment he saw Lu Yuan, his mind was completely occupied with thoughts of "I’m so dead, I’m so dead, I’m so dead, I’m so dead, I’m so dead, I’m so dead, I’m so dead, I’m so dead."

Why was Lu Yuan in their dorm?

Had he drunk too much and passed out with Yu Lanzhao, making Lu Yuan misunderstand that something happened?

But why had Lu Yuan come again? How did he know that he had gone out with Yu Lanzhao? And why had he come to "catch us red-handed" right after they returned?

A full-on college professor couldn’t possibly have nothing better to do than stand by the window all day spying on them, could he?!

In a fraction of a second, countless thoughts raced through Lin Shenshi's mind. But no matter what the answer was, his outcome was crystal clear—

He was going to be tortured to death by Lu Yuan!

After all his efforts, he had somehow wound up right back where he started.

Lin Shenshi's lips trembled. Through the half-open bathroom door, he couldn’t clearly see into the room.

The room was dark. Lu Yuan hadn’t turned on the lights, and even the bathroom was pitch black, relying only on the faint light from downstairs to barely see him.

What about Yu Lanzhao? After killing him, would the furious Lu Yuan take Yu Lanzhao away and brutally possess the delicate youth?

Lin Shenshi didn’t dare to imagine it.

Had everything he done only just postponed fate, and might it even bring Yu Lanzhao even crueler treatment?

Noticing the shift in his gaze, Lu Yuan gritted his teeth. "What are you looking for?"

Lin Shenshi quickly averted his eyes, trembling as he explained, "You’ve misunderstood! Ah Zhao and I are really just roommates!"

"'Ah Zhao'?" Lu Yuan repeated the name for Yu Lanzhao dangerously.

"—Yu Lanzhao!" Lin Shenshi immediately corrected himself.

But Lu Yuan’s expression didn’t improve much.

"—Classmate Yu!" Lin Shenshi changed his address again.

Only then did Lu Yuan’s face soften slightly.

His gloomy gaze fell on the tan scarf around Lin Shenshi’s neck.

Seizing the chance, Lin Shenshi quickly took it off. "Just a friend thing! If you don’t like it, I’ll throw it away right now!"

Eager to prove himself to Lu Yuan, Lin Shenshi moved hastily, almost ripping the scarf off. Even the softest material couldn’t avoid scraping against his skin, leaving vivid red welts on his slender, pale neck.

Fear made Lin Shenshi’s breathing rapid, trembling like a cornered animal. After discarding the scarf, he looked up at Lu Yuan like a prisoner awaiting judgment.

The red welts trembled as water dripped down, disappearing into the collar of his shirt.

Lu Yuan’s throat worked, his voice hoarse:

"Keep going."

Lin Shenshi gulped.

Take off more? But these were clothes he bought himself—they weren’t even matching outfits with Yu Lanzhao’s...

Under Lu Yuan’s cold, reptilian stare, Lin Shenshi didn’t dare to argue. He lowered his head and shucked off his jacket and sweater, leaving only a thin undershirt.

The late autumn temperature was so low that his breath fogged. The water from the shower was icy, and with only a thin shirt clinging to him, Lin Shenshi shivered violently. "Teacher Lu, i-is this enough?"

Lu Yuan’s voice was cold and stern. "Off."

Lin Shenshi: "..."

He really couldn’t strip further. Any further, and he would die of hypothermia.

Unless... that was exactly what Lu Yuan had in mind? To make him get naked and then let him freeze to death?

This—this way to die was too horrific.

Lin Shenshi decided to make a last-ditch effort: "Teacher Lu, I bought these clothes myself, really only one set, no identical set. If you don’t believe me, I can show you the purchase history... My phone is right..."

Lin Shenshi reached out to rummage through his jacket pocket, but his wrist was suddenly grabbed. The man’s strong, powerful hand easily clamped down on both his wrists, pressing them harshly against the wall.

The tiles were icy cold, startling Lin Shenshi into struggling instinctively. Before he could react, the next second, his jaw was forcibly lifted, a shadow loomed over him, and a sudden warmth engulfed him.

"???!!!!!!!!!!!"

Lin Shenshi gaped in shock. In his field of vision, Lu Yuan’s handsome face loomed impossibly close. He could even see the dewdrops clinging to the man’s eyelashes through his glasses.

Warm lips, his tongue swept over Lin Shenshi's lips, then turned into a sharp bite. As he gasped in pain, the invasion deepened ruthlessly, like a wolf in the night savagely invading its territory, claiming and conquering mercilessly.

The metallic tang of blood spread between their intertwined lips, and raw terror surged through him. Lin Shenshi felt as if he were about to be consumed whole by Lu Yuan. His survival instinct made him struggle violently.

"Mmph! Mmph!" (Let me go!)

But Lu Yuan ignored him completely, turning a deaf ear. The violent, ravaging kiss was like a tempest, making it hard for Lin Shenshi to breathe.

The lack of oxygen left him nearly blacked out, his mind blank.

His jaw was clamped down, his tongue lifted, and spit he couldn’t swallow fast enough trickled down the corner of his mouth.

Clear and transparent, yet forming sticky strands when pulled by fingertips.

Lu Yuan stared intently at his handiwork, his violent expression easing slightly.

He spread the moisture on the young man’s bruised, reddened lips: "There was his scent here." And now, it’s all my scent.

The man looked down on Lin Shenshi, his eyes filled with the air of a conqueror.

Lin Shenshi gasped for breath, tears pricking his eyes reflexively, only vaguely catching snippets of words.

"His scent"?

...Did he mean Yu Lanzhao’s scent?

Just like how Qi Lian once caught Yu Lanzhao’s scent on him, did Lu Yuan also smell it on him?

Unlike Qi Lian, who had never met Yu Lanzhao, Lu Yuan knew exactly who this scent belonged to. Was that why he had pinned him down in the bathroom, dousing him with water and kissing him?

—No, this wasn’t a kiss.

Lu Yuan just wanted to strip away the scent of Yu Lanzhao on him, even going so far as to do it personally.

The perverted old top truly lived up to his reputation.

Lin Shenshi quickly stammered out an explanation: "You’ve misunderstood, A— no, I mean, Classmate Yu, he and I are really just roommates. The reason I have his scent is just because we share a dorm. There has never crossed any lines between us."

Lu Yuan coldly scrutinized him: "Nothing?"

Lin Shenshi wished he could swear on his life, but with his hands pinned against the wall, he could only move his lips: "Really, Teacher Lu, if I’ve ever laid a finger on Classmate Yu, let me get kidnapped when I go out! May the rest of my life be filled with unease! Forever haunted by nightmares! And end up dying miserable!"

Lu Yuan’s gaze flickered. Sensing the pressure on his wrists easing slightly, Lin Shenshi pushed his luck: "Besides, I’m straight. I don’t like men; I only like girls! I would never— Ahh!"

The just loosened grip tightened again, even more forcefully than before.

Lin Shenshi gasped in pain.

What gives? He had tried so hard to clear things up, so why was Lu Yuan even angrier?

No, he had to think of another way to divert Lu Yuan’s attention.

An idea struck Lin Shenshi.

In the original book, Lu Yuan was extremely fond of collecting everything related to the protagonist shou. The protagonist shou had lost many intimate belongings, which were later found in Lu Yuan’s home.

In the dead of night, Lu Yuan would pleasure himself with the stolen clothes, watching as pristine shirts were soiled with his release, as if seeing them bloom on the youth’s tender, pink flesh.

Perverted and twisted, yet irresistibly captivating.

Gritting his teeth, to escape his current predicament, Lin Shenshi could only throw Ah Zhao’s clothes under the bus. If he survived today, he would definitely buy him twice as many new ones as compensation.

Lin Shenshi jerked his head toward the room: "Teacher Lu, compared to the faint scent on me, there’s much more over there—clothes, shoes, mugs, toothbrush cups... whatever you want—"

"Lin! Shen! Shi!!!"

Unexpectedly, an enraged roar cut him off. A dark shadow pressed down as Lu Yuan crouched like a predator, viciously growling his name as if he wanted to crush him between his teeth. His pitch-black eyes flashed with a complexity Lin Shenshi couldn’t decipher:

"Are you really this oblivious, or are you pretending?"

Lin Shenshi: "Wha—?"

A warm hand touched his neck. Lin Shenshi trembled all over, afraid Lu Yuan would strangle him. But though Lu Yuan was furious, he didn’t intend to kill him outright. Instead, he caressed the skin, following the slender line of his neck upward until he framed his face.

Foreheads pressed together, each breath exchanged was scorching: "Even after all this, you still don’t get it?"

Lin Shenshi’s brain blue-screened.

After all this... What did "all this" mean?

*

Back in high school, Lin Shenshi loved playing basketball. Whenever there was free time during PE class, he would sweat it out on the court with his classmates.

A few girls from his class would sit together watching. During breaks, one girl was always pushed forward by her friends, blushing as she brought him water.

He hadn’t thought much of it at the time. It wasn’t until later, when his parents transferred jobs and he changed schools, that he accidentally found a love letter from that girl tucked in his textbook. Only then did he realize her feelings.

Maybe because his parents had been hands-off since he was young, Lin Shenshi had low emotional sensitivity—he knew this himself. But even if he were exceptionally dense...

There was no way Lu Yuan could like him!

In the original book, Lu Yuan was steadfastly, deeply in love with the protagonist shou. His love was intense and unshakable, remaining unmoved despite numerous temptations.

He remembered one time when the big shot Yin Yunxian wanted to monopolize the protagonist shou and tried to kick others out of the picture. Somehow, he found a beauty who looked 90% like the protagonist shou and placed her by Lu Yuan’s side to seduce him. Lu Yuan remained expressionless as he tossed the half-naked woman out of the room, completely unaffected.

Lu Yuan’s love for the protagonist shou was irreplaceable. Now, to make Lin Shenshi believe Lu Yuan had shifted his affection? How was that possible!

If someone said Lu Yuan liked him, it’d be more convincing to say Yu Lanzhao liked him!

The air in the bathroom was cold, and Lu Yuan’s questioning plunged them into dead silence.

The man framed his face, his deep, dark eyes inscrutable like the sea.

A thought occurred to Lin Shenshi—the only possibility:

"Teacher Lu, you... couldn’t be taking an alternative approach to eliminate a love rival by pretending to like me so that I’d fight with Yu Lanzhao and ruin our relationship, could you?"

Hearing this, Lu Yuan frowned, his face darkening with a "what nonsense are you spouting" expression. His broad palm moved to Lin Shenshi’s jaw, forcing his head up.

Lu Yuan’s voice was hoarse, suppressing rage: "Lin Shenshi, sometimes I really don’t know what’s going through that head of yours."

Definitely not perverted thoughts...

Lin Shenshi's mind subconsciously flashed, but he didn’t dare to answer honestly. Even more shocked by Lu Yuan’s words, he tried to process them and mumbled awkwardly, "You couldn’t possibly actually like me, could you? You’re not joking, are you?"

Lu Yuan gritted his teeth. "What makes you think I can’t like you?!" Is Yu Lanzhao the only one allowed to like you?

"No, that’s not it..." Lin Shenshi shook his head, the water from his dripping bangs falling onto his wet cheeks as if he were crying. His amber eyes widened as he returned his gaze. "—You’re supposed to like Yu Lanzhao!"

Lu Yuan looked like he’d swallowed a fly. "Why would I like him?"

"You’ve liked him since the first day of freshman year!" Lin Shenshi stated matter-of-factly.

He had a photographic memory, and the original book clearly stated—

"A fragile-looking young man sat in the last row of the lecture hall. The morning breeze of late summer brushed against his cheeks, the soft fuzz on his tender skin glistening under the sunlight like an angel descending to earth, instantly struck Lu Yuan’s heart."

"He wanted to embrace him, kiss him, place him on a soft bed, peel away the layers like unwrapping a gift, until his fair skin was exposed against the dark sheets, blossoming with radiant colors under his touch..."

Lu Yuan fell in love with the protagonist at first sight—captivated by his looks, enchanted by his demeanor, and true to his heart.

His feelings were so intense he was overcome, which eventually led to his breaking point during the "drunken assault by his roommate" incident. In a frenzy, he had the protagonist over and over, even obsessively recording the entire process with a camera.

Every intimate encounter was thoroughly documented, categorized and archived in encrypted folders, with the password set as Yu Lanzhao’s birthday.

As for the original roommate, Lu Yuan had always ignored him. In fact, after discovering the roommate’s preemptive and brazen moves, Lu Yuan had him beaten to death by hired thugs the very next day. So how could he possibly like him now?

Lin Shenshi searched his memory for evidence. "You like Yu Lanzhao, that’s why you made him your class representative, had him write fan replies... all so he’d frequently come to your office, giving you the opportunity. That time after class when you called him over, I clearly heard—"

"Heard what?"

Lin Shenshi remembered it vividly:

["...clothes... take off..." "You wouldn’t want... to let... know..." "...office... enough... decision..."]

Though he hadn’t caught everything, these snippets were enough to show Lu Yuan had ulterior motives toward Yu Lanzhao.

"........."

"What on earth is going on in your head?" Lu Yuan gritted his teeth, his dark expression tinged with frustration. "Did Yu Lanzhao never tell you?"

Lin Shenshi looked at him blankly. "Tell me what?"

"I called him over to give him money."

Lin Shenshi: "Huh?"

Lu Yuan let out a long sigh.

Back when Yu Lanzhao was exceptionally admitted, all the faculty knew about the extraordinarily talented orphan who had enrolled. Seeing that he had no one to rely on, Lu Yuan wanted to provide him with a monthly stipend of 2,000 yuan for living expenses. But the young man, though struggling, had strong self-respect and politely declined the offer.

Lu Yuan went to great lengths to come up with the idea of making Yu Lanzhao the class representative and assigning him the task of writing fan replies, counting the payment as wages. However, Yu Lanzhao only accepted 200 yuan per month, returning any extra.

This had been going on for over a year, but two weeks ago, Yu Lanzhao refused to come collect the money. That was why Lu Yuan called him to the podium after class. The actual conversation was:

["Go back to the dorm and change out of these clothes. Bizarre clothing doesn’t comply with school regulations."]

["Also, remember to come get last month’s money. I know you don’t want the other students to find out, so come to my office tonight."]

Yu Lanzhao refused again.

Lu Yuan urged him:

["Enough, think it over carefully before you decide."]

Lin Shenshi: "........."

In the dim light, Lu Yuan’s serious expression showed no sign of lying. Lin Shenshi never expected the truth to be like this. He swallowed hard and asked, "Why didn’t he come get the money?"

Lu Yuan didn’t answer.

The image of the stubborn young man instantly flashed through his mind.

That night, Yu Lanzhao turned down all the work and declared he would never accept Lu Yuan’s money again. Though he didn’t explicitly state the reason, his rivalrous hostility was unmistakable.

Lu Yuan never imagined that his well-intentioned efforts would end up creating a love rival.

Lin Shenshi’s arms were growing sore from being pinned. He shifted slightly, barely able to process it. "So you really don’t like Yu Lanzhao? You... like me?"

Lu Yuan’s gaze swept over his red, swollen lips, swollen from his kissing, his eyes possessive. "Do I need to prove it again?"

"No, no, no..." Lin Shenshi quickly refused, his mind in chaos.

What gives? How is this different from the original novel’s setup? The top love interest, deeply in love with the protagonist, has just transferred his affections?

Lin Shenshi was panicking, desperate for confirmation. "Are you Lu Yuan? The original, unaltered Lu Yuan?"

Lu Yuan frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Lin Shenshi’s heart sank.

So, Lu Yuan hadn’t been soul-transmigrated like him. But... it didn’t make sense... it made no sense at all...

Yu Lanzhao’s makeover plan had just begun. His looks and vibe hadn’t changed much yet; he still looked like the original character. As the main love interest, deeply devoted to the protagonist, how could Lu Yuan suddenly change and fall for him instead?

Lin Shenshi asked urgently, "Teacher Lu, what do you like about me?"

Lu Yuan was baffled. "What do you mean?"

"Whatever you like about me, I’ll fix it!"

The air fell silent for a second. Fury gathered in Lu Yuan’s eyes. "Lin Shenshi, have I been too lenient, giving you the wrong idea?"

Lin Shenshi: "Huh?"

The hand gripping his wrist tightened forcefully. Lu Yuan gripped his chin tightly, leaving red marks on his fair skin.

"Do you think I came here today to play games?"

His dangerous tone was like a cobra coiled to strike.

Lin Shenshi blinked.

Lu Yuan leaned in, their lips almost touching. "I came to fuck you."

"!"

His pupils contracted instantly. Before Lin Shenshi could react, Lu Yuan’s lips slammed into his again.

The searing heat burned his skin. This time, Lin Shenshi grasped the meaning of the kiss all too well—the plot from the original novel flashing through his mind.

"The youth was pinned fiercely against the wall by the man, his pale thigh lifted high, fingers sinking into the soft flesh, leaving behind a trail of vivid red marks."

"His toes curled taut in the air, trembling, as sweat beaded and trickled down his jade-like toes."

"In the unseen depths between them, slick and wet, accompanied by broken, breathy moans escaping his throat, it drove the man to thrust harder."

Lin Shenshi trembled uncontrollably. Though he didn’t know why Lu Yuan's feelings had changed, a perverted top was still a perverted top—whatever he could do to the protagonist in the original novel, he could now do to him.

Lu Yuan’s kiss was fierce and unstoppable, his burning chest pressed tightly against him, pinning him to the cool tile wall.

The contrast between ice and fire was pure torment.

After a brief moment of panic, Lin Shenshi began to kiss back obediently, parting his tightly shut lips to invite a deeper invasion.

Lu Yuan deepened the kiss without hesitation as their tongues intertwined. He released his grip, one hand wrapping around Lin Shenshi’s slender waist while the other slid over his hip bone and under his clothes.

In that instant, Lin Shenshi suddenly bit down hard.

"Ugh!"

Lu Yuan grunted in pain, shoved backward by Lin Shenshi’s sudden force. The next moment, the slim body darted away nimble as a monkey toward the bedroom door.

But his ankle was caught, and Lin Shenshi stumbled, crashing toward the floor.

A burning hand seared his wrist as the man’s voice turned dangerously low. "Where do you think you’re going?"

His body was dragged back forcefully. Lin Shenshi watched helplessly as his hand, which had almost reached beyond the bathroom, was pulled back ruthlessly, leaving a damp trail on the floor.

He struggled to get up, but Lu Yuan easily restrained him, pinning both his hands above his head with one hand.

This time, however, half of Lin Shenshi’s body was soaked by the cold water on the floor, while Lu Yuan straddled his waist, looking down at him from above.

Blood trickled from the corner of the man’s lips, the bitten spot a gruesome mess, but he seemed oblivious, his eyes cold and dark as he gazed down at Lin Shenshi.

In the depths of those dark eyes flickered a hint of broken hurt.

Lin Shenshi: "..."

What the hell do you have to be upset about?

Lin Shenshi struggled violently. "Let me go!"

Just then, there was a noise outside the door.

"Xiao Shi?"

Hope surged through Lin Shenshi: It was Yu Lanzhao!

"Ah Zhao! Hel—"

Before his cry for help could fully escape, his lips were sealed again. Lu Yuan cupped the back of his head, swallowing his words in an unyielding kiss.

"Mmmph!!!"

Hearing the commotion in the room, Yu Lanzhao yanked frantically at the doorknob, but the locked door didn't budge, emitting only a futile, metallic scrape.

"Lu Yuan!!!" the youth shouted furiously. "I know you’re in there! Let Xiao Shi go now!"

Lu Yuan coolly lifted his gaze, his deep pupils brimming with the triumph of a victor and the ruthlessness of an invader. His left hand moved from Lin Shenshi’s nape to his collarbone, fisting his collar, and then—

"Rustle!"

The shirt buttons scattered and flew off under immense force, the young man's pale chest now completely exposed and laid bare before the man.

A broad palm stroked downward, kneading the soft flesh and causing the young man to gasp lowly as he arched his waist, his amber eyes growing misty.

Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes with satisfaction, watching the young man writhe beneath him, his expression filled with utter disdain for the rival outside the door.

Try to take him from me? You don’t stand a chance.

*

"Bang!"

"Crash!"

"Thud!"

The loud banging on the door echoed throughout the hallway. Yu Lanzhao shouted furiously, "Let go of Xiao Shi!"

In the bathroom, with water rushing loudly, Lu Yuan pressed down on the young man, devouring him in a fierce kiss.

Shirt buttons were scattered everywhere, pale skin laid bare. A large hand roamed and stroked along his waist, teasing the small of his back and causing the one beneath him to arch uncontrollably.

Lin Shenshi's face flushed with an unusual redness. Lu Yuan's fingers seemed enchanted, every touch sending shivers deep into his soul.

His hands had been freed at some point, but Lin Shenshi had no attention to spare for that now. He bit his lip hard, trying to endure, yet embarrassing moans still escaped his mouth.

Outside the door, silence fell.

Lin Shenshi lay helplessly on the floor, his chest heaving violently. He arched his neck back helplessly, his vision fixed on the dormitory door, which showed no further movement.

One second...

Two seconds...

Just as Lin Shenshi was about to sink into despair, a deafening crash suddenly erupted. The dormitory door was smashed open, its lock broken, wood splinters flying everywhere.

Behind the shattered door panel, Yu Lanzhao held a deformed fire extinguisher, his beautiful face burning with boundless rage.

When the young man saw the scene in the water-covered bathroom, his dark eyes widened in fury, bloodshot and veins bulging. He stormed in, swinging the fire extinguisher mercilessly at Lu Yuan.

"Bang!"

The metal-shelled fire extinguisher met resistance—Lu Yuan had actually caught it with his bare hand!

Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, those long, narrow phoenix eyes lifted, a scornful sneer curling on his lips. "Yu Lanzhao, are you trying to attack a teacher?"

"Bullying Xiao Shi—I’ll kill you!"

Yu Lanzhao's eyes were blood red. Though outmatched by Lu Yuan in size and strength, he showed no fear.

He yanked back the fire extinguisher and swung again, but Lu Yuan, who appeared refined, moved with surprising speed.

The fire extinguisher was kicked away. In the narrow bathroom, metal clashed against ceramic tiles with a piercing noise. Lu Yuan stood firm, looking down at him with a mocking sneer. "Bully? Yu Lanzhao, if you could, you would only 'bully' him more fiercely than I ever could."

The young man, poised to throw a punch, froze.

Lu Yuan said coldly, "What I’m doing is nothing more than what you’ve fantasized about for countless nights but never dared to do."

Yu Lanzhao’s pupils shook. As if afraid of being discovered, he glanced nervously at the young man nearby. Lin Shenshi was struggling to stand up in the water, completely unaware of their conversation.

The intense, deep kiss left Lin Shenshi's mind in a daze; the suffocating feeling of a lack of air only began to ease after Lu Yuan pulled away. He gasped heavily, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

His legs went weak, and Lin Shenshi had to lean against the sink to barely keep himself standing. His shirt, already soaked from the earlier struggle, now clung to his skin, hinting at his flesh. The front, missing its buttons, hung wide open, exposing his well-defined V-line in full view.

Drops of water trailed down his taut lines, eventually disappearing into the hidden depths beneath his hips.

Yu Lanzhao's throat moved.

A cold snort made Yu Lanzhao realize Lu Yuan was watching him with a dark gaze, a mocking look that seemed to say, "Who are you kidding? We’re both guilty here."

Yu Lanzhao clenched his fists at his sides, nails biting into his palms.

He knew better than anyone that Lu Yuan was right. A beast of desire lurked inside him, always snarling and clawing, eager to pin Lin Shenshi down. He wanted to kiss him, touch him, possess him, to see that pretty face flushed with desire, his amber eyes half-closed and red-rimmed, only reflecting him.

But...

Yu Lanzhao's breathing grew rapid.

No!

Even if consumed by desire, he must never harm Xiao Shi in the slightest!

He couldn’t do it, and neither could anyone else!

Yu Lanzhao lunged forward again. This time, perhaps caught off guard, Lu Yuan took a direct hit to the face. His handsome cheek jerked to the side, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

After a brief moment of shock, Lu Yuan fought back. The two tangled together, quickly escalating into an all-out brawl.

Lin Shenshi took a moment to recover, his head finally clearing. When he turned, this is what he saw.

He gasped.

Oh my gosh, the original novel's main top and main bottom are fighting???

Shouldn’t you be doing this in bed?

Even worse, this main top is a dangerous outlaw! If Lu Yuan has really lost interest and no longer likes Yu Lanzhao, then... isn’t Yu Lanzhao now in the same situation he himself was at the beginning?

The more Lin Shenshi thought about it, the more nervous he got. He rushed over to stop the fight. "Stop it!"

He wrapped his arms around Yu Lanzhao, placing himself between them. Yu Lanzhao, worried he might hurt him, froze. Lu Yuan spat blood, his expression grim and menacing.

Lin Shenshi turned to Lu Yuan. "Teacher Lu, I suggest you leave our dorm immediately."

Lu Yuan’s face grew even darker as he watched Lin Shenshi protect Yu Lanzhao and stand defensively against him.

He shot back, "Why should I leave?"

Lin Shenshi replied, "Because if you stay any longer, your reputation will take a hit."

In the original novel, Lu Yuan valued his image as a teacher above all else. No matter how he messed with the main bottom in private, it never became public.

It could be said that Lu Yuan’s greatest fear was others discovering his twisted obsession with his student.

Originally, he could have slipped into the dorm unseen, had his way, covered his tracks after, and left.

But now, with Yu Lanzhao’s sudden return, the shouting, and the breaking down the door with a fire extinguisher, the commotion had drawn the attention of the entire dorm building. If anyone were to see Lin Shenshi a mess and rumors spread, Lu Yuan’s hard-earned reputation would crumble.

There were footsteps and murmurs from the hallway: "What’s going on?" "No idea, but it’s loud." "Should we check it out?"

Lu Yuan’s expression darkened.

Lin Shenshi seized the moment to push his advantage. "Teacher Lu, if you leave now, I promise I won’t say a word. But if you keep persisting, who knows what kind of scandal will spread all over campus online tomorrow."

Lin Shenshi’s words were nothing short of a threat. Under normal circumstances, he would never dare speak like this, but to protect Yu Lanzhao, he had no choice.

Lu Yuan’s face was dark. He narrowed his eyes as if weighing his options, then straightened his collar. His gaze, like a snake’s, swept over both of them before settling on Lin Shenshi, suggesting, "We’ll stop here for today. There will be plenty of time in the future."

His chilling voice felt like a huge snake ready to devour them at any moment. Anxious, Lin Shenshi instinctively stepped in front of Yu Lanzhao and added, "If anything happens to either of us, the same applies."

Lu Yuan glared fiercely, and for a moment Lin Shenshi thought he would attack him right there. But the next second, the man’s expression returned to normal, though a dangerous glint shone in his dark eyes.

Before Lin Shenshi could decipher it, Lu Yuan slammed the door on his way out.

Watching the door close again, Lin Shenshi’s tense body finally relaxed. Exhausted, he swayed backward, and Yu Lanzhao caught him swiftly.

"Xiao Shi, are you okay?"

Lin Shenshi shook his head. "I’m fine."

Though he said so, Yu Lanzhao noticed the abrasions on his body and lowered his deer-like eyes guiltily.

"It’s all my fault. I was called away by an audition phone call, giving Lu Yuan an opening." Thinking of this, Yu Lanzhao felt immensely grateful he’d turned back halfway, sensing something was wrong. Otherwise, who knows what might have happened tonight.

Even so, he had been too late.

Yu Lanzhao’s gaze swept over Lin Shenshi.

The young man in his arms was weak, drenched, with crimson marks on his wrists and neck. His face was pale, but his lips were strikingly red, swollen, and covered in fine bite marks.

It felt like a thousand needles were piercing his heart. Yu Lanzhao’s heart ached unbearably. He helped Lin Shenshi to a chair, hurriedly fetched clean sleepwear for him to change into, then rummaged through the first aid kit for erythromycin ointment, carefully applying it with a cotton swab.

Lin Shenshi sat quietly, his mind a tangled mess.

Although they had temporarily driven Lu Yuan away, their future looked bleak.

In the original novel, the main bottom had tried everything to escape Lu Yuan. His transfer application, sent to the counselor for approval, was torn up and thrown in the trash by Lu Yuan, who served as a part-time advisor, without even a glance.

The principal’s office, the education bureau, the police station—he tried every possible avenue, but hit walls everywhere.

Some unseen force backed Lu Yuan, shielding him from consequences and trapping the main bottom in a confined existence. Every time the main bottom resisted, Lu Yuan would torment him until he couldn’t get out of bed the next day. In the end, the main bottom could only accept his fate in despair.

Was the main bottom’s future in the original novel about to become his own?

What worried Lin Shenshi even more was Yu Lanzhao’s future.

"...Xiao Shi? Xiao Shi!"

Yu Lanzhao’s call snapped him out of his thoughts. Lin Shenshi looked up, dazed.

Yu Lanzhao’s face was full of concern. "Xiao Shi, you look terrible. Do you want to lie down and rest?"

Lin Shenshi shook his head, pushing aside the negative thoughts.

"Then hang on a bit longer, let me finish applying the medicine..." Yu Lanzhao held his chin, gently dabbing ointment on the injured areas.

Lost in thoughts of breaking free from their predicament, Lin Shenshi didn’t notice the boy’s gradually roughening breath.

At first, Yu Lanzhao was entirely consumed by concern, with no room for other thoughts. But as time passed, the person he had longed for day and night was right before him, their breath faintly brushing against his face, carrying the distinct scent of a young man. Yu Lanzhao couldn't help but feel his mind wander.

The bitten lips were a deep, wilting-rose crimson, and as the cotton swab pressed down, leaving one shallow indentation after another, Yu Lanzhao couldn't help but wonder... if he were to kiss them, would he leave similar marks...

Every wound on Lin Shenshi's lips reminded him of how forcefully Lu Yuan had kissed Lin Shenshi just moments before. The one he had painstakingly guarded for over a year had been helplessly pinned to the ground and kissed so wantonly by someone else.

The moment he burst through the door flashed through his mind again—the torn buttons, the drenched shirt, and the person blooming like a decadently blooming rose...

Those amber