Lin Shiyu didn’t expect Zhong Qi’s casual “do well” to be taken so seriously. Zhong Qi made it his mission to help Lin Shiyu improve his grades. He followed Lin Shiyu home every day after school, ate dinner with his family, and then supervised his homework. If Lin Shiyu made a mistake, Zhong Qi would correct him, becoming even more annoying than a private tutor.

This relentless supervision continued even at school, where Zhong Qi would make sure Lin Shiyu studied and corrected his homework errors during breaks.

The problem was that Lin Shiyu made many mistakes every time he did his homework and didn’t know where he went wrong. After analyzing for a long time without any results, he still got a knock on the head from Zhong Qi. In class, his mind was a mess, and after class, it was still a mess. After a few times, Lin Shiyu finally couldn’t take it anymore and exploded under the pressure.

“I just forgot to use the Pythagorean theorem! What more is there to analyze!” Lin Shiyu angrily threw his pen. “This is so frustrating! I just can’t do it!”

Zhong Qi responded, “If you’re dumb, don’t be so self-righteous about it.”

“I—”

Zhong Qi pulled out a piece of candy from his pocket and quickly popped it into Lin Shiyu’s mouth, calmly coaxing, “Stop fussing. Finish correcting your mistakes, and I’ll buy you some chips after school.”

With the candy in his mouth, Lin Shiyu calmed down.

Gao Jie, who had been about to sneak away, remarked, “Amazing.”

Mao Silu, who had been pushed to the side without a seat, added, “Truly amazing.”

Zhong Qi’s dedication to Lin Shiyu’s studies had a direct impact on everyone around them. Many people joined in to encourage Lin Shiyu to study well. Gao Jie and Chen Xiaoxin would come over to explain problems, Shen Ziyi and Tao Chen helped organize his notes, and Mao Silu, as his deskmate, diligently ensured Lin Shiyu didn’t sleep or daydream in class, violently shaking him awake if necessary. Even Ruan Zhikai would ask why Lin Shiyu wasn’t studying with Zhong Qi when he saw him in the hallway.

During a class meeting, Zhong Qi simply had Ruan Zhikai switch seats with Mao Silu so that he could keep an eye on Lin Shiyu and make him take notes. Lin Shiyu didn’t like taking notes on time and wrote slowly, often missing important content. Zhong Qi had scolded him several times without much improvement, so he decided to keep Lin Shiyu under his nose and watch him write.

Li Zhong, having nothing better to do, wandered over to see what they were up to. “Why are you two sitting together again?”

Zhong Qi replied, “Making sure he takes notes.”

“Oh, wow.” Li Zhong looked at Lin Shiyu with a “you-deserve-this” expression, grinning like a fox. “Very good, mutual help and support. Lin Shiyu, look how much he cares about you.”

Lin Shiyu, his head buried in his notebook, thought that Zhong Qi didn’t care at all and was just bored after finishing his own homework and wanted to mess with him.

“If you two get along so well, I’ll assign you to be desk mates next time.”

Lin Shiyu protested, “No!”

Zhong Qi said, “Okay.”

Lin Shiyu turned and glared at Zhong Qi, “I don’t want to be desk mates with you.”

“Then who do you want to be desk mates with?”

“Anyone but you.”

Mature adult Li Zhong didn’t want to watch kids bicker, so he wandered off.

“Oh, you dislike me that much?”

“Yes!”

Zhong Qi watched as Lin Shiyu, now angry, turned back to his textbook. He reached out and pinched Lin Shiyu’s cheek.

Lin Shiyu looked puzzled: “?”

Zhong Qi lowered his voice, “If you don’t like me, why do you keep that ugly bug I gave you on your backpack?”

Lin Shiyu grabbed Zhong Qi’s wrist with both hands and pulled it away. One of his cheeks was red from the pinch. “I’ll throw it away after class.”

“Don’t you dare.”

“Who says I can’t?”

Zhong Qi rested his chin on his hand, watching Lin Shiyu with a half-red face, eyes bright and round, sparks flying when he got angry.

Suddenly, Zhong Qi smiled.

He gently brushed his fingers across Lin Shiyu’s pinched cheek, the movement seemingly casual and natural. “Alright, quickly finish your notes.”

Lin Shiyu paused.

They stopped bickering. Zhong Qi did his homework while Lin Shiyu looked at his notes and textbook, also filled with his own notes. The pen hovered over the paper, not writing a single word for a long time.

His heart was pounding in his chest, beating a bit too fast.

After the final exams, Zhong Qi, as promised, wanted to take Lin Shiyu out to play. Before the agreed day, Lin Shiyu had already considered several possible outings. Basketball, either at school or in Zhong Qi’s neighborhood; watching a movie like they did during the winter break; he even wondered if Zhong Qi would take him to an internet café like Gao Jie and Ruan Zhikai, who were always enthusiastic about it. Though Lin Shiyu had never been to one and wasn’t interested, he would go if Zhong Qi wanted to.

He thought of all these possibilities, but never expected Zhong Qi to take him to a boxing club.

Lin Shiyu stood at the entrance of the club, looking at the sign, then turned to Zhong Qi. “Do you want to beat me up?”

Zhong Qi, carrying a black bag, took the locker key and equipment handed to him by the receptionist. He patted Lin Shiyu’s head as he turned. “Stop being cute.”

…Being cute?

Zhong Qi went into the locker room, took out his gear, put his bag in a locker, and led Lin Shiyu to an empty training ring. He motioned for him to step up.

“Take off your shoes, and your socks too,” Zhong Qi reminded him.

The club was busy on weekends, with the other training rings occupied. Only this one was empty. The people practicing ranged from teenagers to adults in their twenties and thirties, mostly one-on-one with a coach. Only Zhong Qi and Lin Shiyu were students, seemingly there just for fun.

Sitting on the edge of the ring, Lin Shiyu took off his shoes and socks, looking around curiously. He had never engaged in such activities before. Compared to playing basketball, watching movies, or going to an internet café, this was quite intriguing.

Lin Shiyu stood on the training ring barefoot, while Zhong Qi took out the gear and helped him wrap his hands. As Zhong Qi wrapped the bandages around his hands, Lin Shiyu asked, “Are you going to teach me boxing?”

“We’re just here to have some fun.”

“How long have you been practicing?”

“Five years.”

Zhong Qi finished wrapping Lin Shiyu’s hands, then pulled out knee and wrist guards for him. Finally, he wrapped his own hands. Lin Shiyu noticed that Zhong Qi didn’t wear knee or wrist guards and looked at his own fully geared-up self. “Why aren’t you wearing protective gear?”

Zhong Qi finished taping his hands and glanced at him with a bit of mockery in his eyes. “It’s not me who’s going to get thrown around in a bit.”

Lin Shiyu, once again ridiculed, glared at him. “How do you know I can’t beat you?”

The two stood in the middle of the training ring, and Lin Shiyu noticed that Zhong Qi seemed to have grown taller again. He had to tilt his head higher than before to meet Zhong Qi’s eyes.

Lin Shiyu felt a bit defiant.

Zhong Qi guided Lin Shiyu through a simple warm-up, holding his arms to teach him the movements. The basic footwork, punches, and kicks in combat, from straight punches and hooks to sidesteps and leg sweeps, all had fundamental actions. However, Zhong Qi wasn’t here to be his coach, just to play around, so he directly started teaching him close-range throws.

“Bend down and lower your body. Watch my movements.”

They stood face to face, Zhong Qi placing his hands on either side of Lin Shiyu’s thighs. As he bent down, his face came close, his arms tightening slightly, his voice low and steady. “Relax, I’m going to throw you.”

Lin Shiyu, unable to move with his legs held, instinctively gripped Zhong Qi’s arms nervously. “Wait, how are you going to throw me?”

Zhong Qi suddenly smiled, and the next moment, his arm muscles tensed up. Lin Shiyu’s center of gravity was lost, and he was thrown directly by his legs. “Ugh!”

Just before his back hit the ground, Zhong Qi swiftly leaned forward, one knee hitting the ground, and his hand securely held Lin Shiyu’s neck, preventing him from being slammed into the floor.

Lin Shiyu was still a bit stunned, his hands still nervously gripping Zhong Qi’s arms. He didn’t realize how close their positions were, almost ambiguous. Zhong Qi was half-kneeling above him, almost holding him entirely in his arms.

Zhong Qi looked down at Lin Shiyu, clearly seeing the bright light in his eyes. The accelerated heartbeat from the sudden loss of balance transmitted through the warm skin, subtly pulsing.

The feeling of a dry throat came back again. Zhong Qi’s Adam’s apple moved, and he silently pulled Lin Shiyu up, his fingertips unintentionally brushing against Lin Shiyu’s neck, leaving a bit of warmth.

Lin Shiyu, having just recovered from being thrown, began to get a little eager. “How do you learn this?”

“The forward throw in close combat is the simplest move. Grab the opponent’s legs, use the strength of your shoulders and back to push them forward, and simultaneously lift with your arms,” Zhong Qi explained, his voice a bit hoarse. He cleared his throat and continued normally. “I’ll teach you again, then you try throwing me.”

Zhong Qi taught Lin Shiyu a few more times, showing him how to find the right leverage points, especially when facing someone bigger. Lin Shiyu listened attentively, and Zhong Qi let him practice on him.

“Grab my leg, push forward with your body, and hit hard,” Zhong Qi patiently instructed, guiding Lin Shiyu’s hands to his thigh. “I’ll count to three, two–”

Just as Lin Shiyu was about to charge forward, a loud voice interrupted, “Yo, Zhong Qi, brought a friend to play?”

Caught off guard, Lin Shiyu lost his momentum and stumbled into Zhong Qi, knocking him off balance. Zhong Qi instinctively protected Lin Shiyu’s shoulders, and they both fell with a thud.

Coach Feng, who had just come over to join the fun, holding onto the fence, exclaimed, “Hey, hey, hey?”

Lin Shiyu scrambled to get up from Zhong Qi, his protective gear ensuring he wasn’t hurt, and Zhong Qi cushioning his fall. Lin Shiyu nervously helped Zhong Qi up. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” Zhong Qi said, rubbing his bruised elbow. His shoulder hurt a bit from the impact, but he was otherwise fine. He stood up and pulled Lin Shiyu up as well, turning to Coach Feng. “Coach.”

Coach Feng chuckled. “Don’t worry, kid. Zhong Qi has been training with me for years, probably been thrown a hundred times. He’s got bones of steel now. Zhong Qi, are you teaching him?”

Zhong Qi nodded. “Just for fun.”

“Rare sight, I’ve never seen you bring a friend to the club.”

Lin Shiyu, adjusting his clothes, was slightly stunned.

Zhong Qi calmly replied, “Just had some free time, so I brought him along.”

Coach Feng, eager to get involved, suggested, “How about I teach him a move? A proper back throw, what do you say?”

Coach Feng was a veteran and a gold medalist coach at the club, with a wall full of combat sports trophies. Normally, getting him as a teacher was a big deal. His offer was clearly a favor to his prized student’s friend.

However, Zhong Qi declined. “No need.”

Coach Feng, who was about to climb onto the training ring, paused. “Huh?”

Lin Shiyu had been looking forward to seeing how a professional coach would teach and glared at Zhong Qi.

Zhong Qi acted like he didn’t notice and continued seriously, “He’s not ready. Just playing around with a few moves is enough. It would be a waste for you to teach him. I can handle it.”

Lin Shiyu protested, “Who are you calling unprepared?!”

Zhong Qi restrained the agitated Lin Shiyu and said to Coach Feng, “We’ll play for a bit and then leave. You go ahead.”

“Alright then, have fun and come by often.”

Lin Shiyu watched as Coach Feng walked away, then angrily pushed Zhong Qi. “Who are you calling unprepared?!”

“You’re still a bit worse than me.” Zhong Qi turned to face him. “Let’s continue.”

“Who’s continuing with you? Stingy! What’s the problem with letting your coach teach me a few moves?”

Lin Shiyu was very dissatisfied, feeling that Zhong Qi was both petty and mean-spirited. He even said that teaching him was a waste, which made Lin Shiyu so angry that he didn’t want to play with him anymore. He lowered his head and started to remove his protective gear.

Zhong Qi grabbed his wrist and pulled it down, “Isn’t it enough that I teach you?”

“Can you be the same as the coach?”

“What’s the difference?” Zhong Qi took a step closer to Lin Shiyu, hands on his hips, looking down at him with an inexplicably intimidating air. “Are you looking down on me?”

Lin Shiyu was suddenly pulled close, and his heart skipped a beat. He stepped back. “You’re the one looking down on me.”

Zhong Qi raised his hand and pulled him back in front of him, clearly coercing him. “Only I can teach you. No throwing a tantrum.”

“Why!”

“Because I’m handsome.”

“What?!”

The two started bickering like children again, completely ignoring the people around them. Passersby glanced at them curiously. Coach Feng had gone to the front desk for a bit, and returned to see his student arguing loudly on the training platform with his friend. He couldn’t help but laugh.

He had never seen Zhong Qi talk to someone like this before.

Later, when Lin Shiyu, sore all over, returned to the locker room, he wondered what had gotten into Zhong Qi. Zhong Qi had grabbed him and said, “You want to learn the back throw? Fine, I’ll teach you until you get it.” Then, Zhong Qi started tossing him around. Lin Shiyu was thrown so much that he was disoriented. He was then pinned down and asked if he had learned it and if it was professional enough. Zhong Qi’s methods were so harsh that it was like torture.

Professional my foot. Lin Shiyu angrily took off his hand wraps, ignoring Zhong Qi who was sitting nearby changing his shoes.

He removed the wraps and opened his locker to get his phone and keys. The locker was dimly lit, and as Lin Shiyu reached in, his fingers brushed against a cold corner. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his fingertip.

Lin Shiyu frowned, made no sound, and looked down to see his finger had been cut by something sharp, with blood slowly oozing out.

He inspected the locker and found a small splinter of wood stuck in a crevice. He didn’t know how it got there. Accepting his bad luck, he was about to examine his injury when he felt a familiar warmth approach.

Zhong Qi closed the locker door to let more light show the injury. He braced his arm against the door, looked down, and held Lin Shiyu’s hand. Blood trickled from the small wound.

“How did this happen?” Zhong Qi frowned, his voice very close, resonating in Lin Shiyu’s ears like the low, magnetic sound of a cello, causing a ripple through his eardrums and down his neck.

Lin Shiyu, with his hand held by Zhong Qi, swallowed dryly before saying, “There was a splinter in the locker. I got cut.”

Once again, Zhong Qi’s warm, heated presence enveloped him. For some reason, Lin Shiyu found it easy to lose track of what he was supposed to do next in this warm, intoxicating yet aloof atmosphere. He could only stand stiffly and let Zhong Qi encroach on his personal space, unable to get angry or show his claws, just watching him casually wander around like a second master.

There were others in the locker room, talking behind the row of lockers. Yet, it felt like there was a silent, secluded space between them. Lin Shiyu’s heart began to beat erratically, sweat forming on his back. He wanted to pull his hand back. “Alright, let’s go–”

The next second, Lin Shiyu’s eyes widened, a shiver running from his feet to his head like a massive wave from falling into the sea.

Zhong Qi had lowered his gaze and kissed his fingertip.

 

 

Edited by: Jaisland

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