TPPCGEM Chapter 37

“Say I sent it?”

Yan Ci looked at him with a peculiar expression, feeling something was off.

“If you don’t want to disturb his life, then why send it at all? Why go through the trouble of saying it’s from me or someone else?”

The little black sesame dumpling was indeed sharp.

Xia Zhinian’s upper body was pressed against Yan Ci’s chest, and he swallowed nervously. Through the thin fabric, he couldn’t tell if it was his heart racing or Yan Ci’s.

Clenching his fingers, his mind was racing.

“Still… still send it.”

His almond-shaped eyes were wide and bright. He tried to glimpse Yan Ci’s face, but the awkward position only allowed him to see a sharp jawline and neck.

As long as Yan Ci didn’t say it was from him, even if Chu Qingjian guessed it might be related to him, the letter was written in his handwriting. In Chu Qingjian’s mind, the letter would be immediately detached from “Xia Zhinian.”

If the protagonist gong thinks the letter is well-written, the only person he might think of is… Yan Ci.

It might not work, but it’s better to try than to do nothing.

Xia Zhinian’s lips curled as he softly spoke, “Send it. What if it works?”

Yan Ci: “…”

“Okay.”

Yan Ci tugged at his lips, stroking the boy’s fluffy head. His voice was gentle like it had just come from a candy factory with decadent sweetness. He leaned closer, “So, you’re still not giving up, huh?”

Xia Zhinian: “!!”

Xia Zhinian’s heart skipped a beat. Unexpectedly, he felt a warm hand brushing against the back of his neck, causing his whole body to shiver and tense up.

“You go and send it. I-I won’t get close or… bother him.”

Xia Zhinian thought about the reason Yan Ci didn’t want him near Chu Qingjian. His curled eyelashes quivered slightly, and he clenched his fists, biting his lip in embarrassment. “I won’t… won’t dirty your medicine.”

“…Medicine?”

Yan Ci was rarely stunned for a moment.

Then, unexpectedly, his expression darkened, his face turning cold. He pulled Xia Zhinian up, staring into those clear almond eyes. His voice was calm, but it sent a shiver down one’s spine.

“Is that what you think?”

Did he think it was just about the medicine?

That was what he had said before, but the little rice cake didn’t consider anything else?

Yan Ci tugged at his lips, a coldness spreading in his eyes as he stared at the slightly confused boy.

Xia Zhinian was a bit bewildered, not quite understanding what he meant, and was momentarily stunned.

“What do you mean by that?”

What is the black sesame dumpling saying?

Yan Ci gazed into his clean, transparent amber eyes, the confusion in them visible. He pursed his lips, forcing himself to calm down, his lips curving slightly, the scar at the corner of his eye tinged with a chill.

“I can help you send it, but I’m not willing to do it.”

“If you want me to help you, fine, but have you thought about the price?”

Xia Zhinian’s gaze wandered over to Chu Qingjian, thinking about the reunited Xia family, the messed-up relationship line, and the body and identity that didn’t belong to him. He bit his lip, a hint of unusual stubbornness in his soft voice.

“You decide.”

Yan Ci’s eyes were dark, his smile gentle but somewhat intimidating.

“…Okay.”

Yan Ci only agreed but didn’t specify the price.

–

During the break, Xia Zhinian touched his stomach. Maybe he had eaten too much barbecue with chili powder, heavy on the spice and salt, making his stomach uncomfortable. He raised his hand to cover it.

Chu Qingjian was playing on his phone at his desk. Xia Zhinian stood on the stool, one hand holding his stomach, and knocked on the desk beside him. He lowered his voice, his eyes wide and expectant as he looked at Yan Ci.

“Hurry up, send it.”

Yan Ci stared at him, frowning slightly, feeling increasingly puzzled. His voice was deep.

“You want me to send it in front of him?”

Xia Zhinian: “??”

“Of course.”

Xia Zhinian nodded with certainty, “Otherwise, if you send it quietly, and the letter isn’t signed, it’s like I wrote it for nothing.”

“If I give it to him and don’t tell him it’s from you, isn’t it still a waste for you?” Yan Ci raised an eyebrow.

“It’s not the same.”

Xia Zhinian smiled, his almond-shaped eyes curving up, “If you give it to him, Brother Chu might open it and read it. As long as he reads it, it’s not a waste of effort.”

Yan Ci’s deep, dark eyes stared straight at him, as if trying to see through his mind. He did not blink as he looked into his eyes.

Xia Zhinian felt a bit guilty under his gaze but held his ground.

After a moment, Yan Ci’s gaze slowly moved down, inch by inch, across his body, stopping at his abdomen and the hand across his waist. Without warning, he asked, “Does your stomach hurt?”

Xia Zhinian: “??”

Xia Zhinian was momentarily stunned by the change of topic. He covered his stomach, saying, “A little, but it’s nothing. Hurry up and go.”

Yan Ci smiled slightly, his lips curling gently, his voice soft.

“Classmate Xia, my wound on my right arm has just scabbed over. You don’t want to tear it open again, do you?”

Xia Zhinian: “??!”

Xia Zhinian’s strength weakened instantly, like a kitten caught by the nape of its neck, frozen in place. His almond eyes were wide open as he stared at him, his heart pounding, “What are you doing? Is this the price?”

Yan Ci smiled gently, his voice warm, “Classmate Xia, you’re overthinking. This is just the beginning.”

“I haven’t even touched you yet. How could it be the price?”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Yan Ci wrapped his arm around the boy, casually asking a classmate to tell the teacher they were taking a break.

Leaving the classroom building, Xia Zhinian didn’t know where Yan Ci was taking him. He kicked his legs, frowning as he grumbled softly, “Let me go. I won’t run. Just tell me where you’re taking me, so you don’t tear your wound open.”

“And when are you going to deliver the love letter?”

Yan Ci chuckled softly, unhurriedly releasing him slightly but still half-restraining him as they walked.

“What’s the hurry? Classmate Xia has liked Chu Qingjian for so long, a little longer won’t make a difference. Take care of yourself first.”

Xia Zhinian paused, looking up at him in a daze, then down at his vaguely aching stomach, pursing his lips without saying a word.

Yan Ci took him back to the dormitory.

He initially wanted to take him to the infirmary but thought of the boy’s aversion to hospitals and similar places, so he changed his mind and took him straight back to the dormitory, letting him lie down and rest.

Yan Ci was worried about his stomachache. Xia Zhinian knew he had no malicious intention, but even though it was because he was a special medicine, this kind of attention still left him a bit at a loss.

The boy wasn’t used to accepting kindness from others, so he felt somewhat awkward as he sat at the desk, his clear amber eyes watching Yan Ci intently.

Yan Ci poured a cup of hot water and placed it on the desk, glancing down at him with a smile.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Is Classmate Xia waiting for me to tuck you in for a nap?”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Xia Zhinian’s ears turned red. He didn’t want to engage in his nonsense. Tugging at the hem of his shirt, his voice soft, he asked Yan Ci gently.

“Do you want to… touch me?”

Yan Ci smiled and spoke politely, “Classmate Xia, the price for helping you deliver the love letter is more than just a touch.”

“No.” Xia Zhinian’s gaze wandered, his voice slow, “I mean, my stomachache.”

Although he didn’t think it was too serious, Yan Ci bringing him back to the dormitory was, to some extent, a gesture of goodwill…

Xia Zhinian lowered his eyelids, long lashes covering his eyes, hiding the emotions within.

“… Do you want to feel it?”

Yan Ci looked at the boy, his deep, dark eyes observing him for a moment, then suddenly called out in a low voice.

“Xia Zhinian.”

Xia Zhinian raised his head, meeting those ink-black eyes. The small dormitory was quiet, Yan Ci’s voice especially clear, low, and pleasant, piercing his heart.

“You seem to think of yourself as a bargaining chip.”

Yan Ci stared at him.

“What?”

Xia Zhinian froze and tilted his head slightly, his expression calm and quiet. His amber eyes were like transparent, cold glass, without any rebuttal.

… The transaction between medicine and patient is supposed to be like this, right?

Everyone gets what they need.

Yan Ci gazed at him for a moment, sighed lightly, and brushed his hand over Xia Zhinian’s head. His voice was soft and gentle.

“No need to feel it, just sleep.”

Xia Zhinian was gently pressed down by Yan Ci to lie down, feeling a bit puzzled. Such a good opportunity presented itself, yet the black sesame dumpling… didn’t want it?

Strange.

—

Xia Zhinian spent the whole afternoon in Yan Ci’s dormitory, and then he returned in the evening. The next morning, someone called at the front of the classroom.

“Xia Zhinian, Mr. Qin is looking for you.”

Xia Zhinian: “??”

Teacher Qin?

Xia Zhinian stood up, puzzled, and headed to the office. Old Qin was sitting at his desk, and when he heard Xia Zhinian approaching, he turned around with a cheerful smile, revealing another chair by the side of the desk, and beckoned him over.

“Xiao Xia, come quickly.”

Xiao Xia: “…”

Xiao Xia looked at the chair and felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.

“Teacher, what’s the matter?”

As expected, old Qin invited him to sit down, took out a small pile of candy from his drawer, placed it on the desk, and assumed a posture ready for a long chat about life, squinting his eyes and smiling.

“Xiao Xia, why haven’t you been doing your homework again recently?”

“Weren’t you copying Yan Ci’s homework before? You copied it quite well.”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Copying homework is considered good?

Xia Zhinian felt a headache and forced a smile, “Teacher, I…”

He wanted to say he couldn’t learn so the teacher didn’t need to worry, but facing a teacher so persistent in trying to help his students learn, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Old Qin noticed Xia Zhinian’s hesitation, immediately seizing the opportunity, and sighed deeply, “Xiao Xia, your current situation really worries me.”

“Xiao Xia, look, the end-of-term exams are coming soon. You can’t just skip the exams, right? That would worry your family too.”

“Xiao Xia, even if you don’t take the college entrance exam and plan to go abroad directly, you still need to learn some English, don’t you?”

“You still need to learn more normally. Don’t worry if you can’t keep up, your teachers and even your classmates will help you.”

Old Qin, with reason and passion, quickly said a bunch, completely not giving Xiao Xia a chance to interrupt, then quickly took out two notebooks, placed them in front of Xia Zhinian, and smiled kindly.

“Come on, copy Yan Ci’s math homework from yesterday. Whether you understand it or not, just write it down. It’s better to have it written than not.”

“Go ahead, start copying.”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Xia Zhinian couldn’t get a word in, swallowed hard, his expression stiff, feeling the chair under him was prickly, and wanted to leave quickly, “Teacher, class is about to start, I’ll do it tonight—”

“I already spoke with your teacher, it’s okay. You can stay in the office and write. If you go back, you’ll just be playing on your phone or sleeping.”

“If you don’t finish your homework at night, you can come to the office and copy it the next day.”

“Don’t worry, the class president will help you catch up on what you miss.”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Well then, writing homework every day?

This is trouble QAQ.

Xia Zhinian, feeling bitter, looked at the notebooks on the desk. The class bell had already rung, and old Qin, who didn’t have a class, sat by the side, happily watching him with a smile.

It looks like he’s stuck here for a while.

Xia Zhinian took a deep breath and slowly opened the homework notebook and the blank one next to it.

Old Qin encouraged him like he was talking to a three-year-old, “Xiao Xia, very good, now pick up the pen.”

Xiao ‘Very Good’  Xia: “…”

Xiao Xia sighed softly, resigned to his fate, and copied the homework.

Fortunately, it was math, and there were only so many numbers. Learning to imitate the original handwriting was easier.

If tomorrow he had to copy a Chinese Language assignment…

Xia Zhinian, worried, pondered as he wrote.

Old Qin’s words reminded him that although the original owner didn’t live to take the college entrance exam, this end-of-term exam still had to be taken. He couldn’t just fill in the multiple-choice questions.

… Still need to practice the original handwriting urgently.

Xia Zhinian dawdled for a long time copying, and after three periods, old Qin finally let him go. He returned to the classroom, exhausted in body and mind, and lay on the desk, his chin resting, sighing as if he’d lost his soul.

Zou Ziqian turned back and laughed at him, “Oh my, three periods! Former deskmate, you’re back. Not doing homework at night means copying it in the office. Haha, you’re the first in our class for that.”

Yuan Lang chuckled, “Just the first to be so determined not to do homework, I guess.”

“Why won’t you do it? Yan Ci’s homework, others would love to copy it, I’m so jealous.”

Yan Ci came in from outside just in time to hear this, and the boy lying on the desk suddenly brightened his eyes.

“You want to copy it? Then why don’t you help me copy it?”

“Cough, cough, cough.”

Yuan Lang suddenly had a violent coughing fit, kicked Xia Zhinian’s desk, and accidentally kicked Xia Zhinian’s calf in his haste.

“?!”

The boy whimpered softly, a pained whine: “Big bro, you could just say it; there’s no need to kick so hard.”

Yuan Lang: “…”

Unexpectedly, a hand rested on Xia Zhinian’s head, ruffling his hair, a clear voice sounding from behind.

“Classmate Xia, your big brother is at the company, how come you have another big brother now?”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Yuan Lang: “…”

Yuan Lang quickly turned back, and Yan Ci ruffled Xia Zhinian’s hair, sat down, and opened the item he was carrying, smiling gently.

“Classmate Xia, a math assignment took you three periods, pretty slow, huh?”

Xia Zhinian saw that Yan Ci was holding his homework. Fearing that this cunning black sesame dumpling would find out, he immediately sat up straight, his almond eyes round and staring at him.

“Why is my homework with you?”

Yan Ci’s voice was clear and smooth, “You’re my mentee and copying my homework, of course, I’m checking it.”

Xia Zhinian: “?!”

Yan Ci looked at the notebook casually remarked, “There are mistakes, correction marks too, but none in the previous submissions.”

Xia Zhinian: “!!”

Because the previous ones were professionally imitated by someone else.

Xia Zhinian felt tense, “Just a coincidence, nothing to check, give it back.”

Yan Ci lightly pressed his arm, smiling softly. “It needs checking. There’s no rush. You’ll get it back soon, Classmate Xia.”

Xia Zhinian was a bit nervous, watching him flip through page after page, luckily not finding anything. Then Yan Ci handed it back, along with tonight’s language homework already completed, smiling.

“Tomorrow we’ll check the Chinese Language. If you don’t do it tonight, you’ll write it in the office tomorrow. Classmate Xia, don’t forget.”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Classmate Xia gritted his teeth, his eyes fierce and round as he looked over, pouting as he snatched back the notebook.

–

Xia Zhinian could only go to that shop to trace in the evening. But he didn’t expect to be so unlucky today.

First, he urged Yan Ci to deliver a love letter, only to be met with a leisurely “No rush.” Then, when he ordered takeout at noon, and the barbecue had just arrived, it was forcibly taken away by Yan Ci, who was also staying in the classroom, and replaced with a bland porridge.

Right in front of him, Yan Ci slowly finished his barbecue.

The fragrance spread everywhere, leaving not a single piece.

Xia Zhinian: “…”

And it wasn’t over yet. In the evening, when he went to the calligraphy tracing shop, the shop owner told him they couldn’t help him with copying homework anymore, so… they wouldn’t take his orders again?!

He tried other similar shops, but as soon as they heard he wanted to copy homework, they refused without hesitation, leaving no room for negotiation.

Xia Zhinian: “?!”

Standing by the street, Xia Zhinian was dumbfounded.

How did it happen that no shop was willing to do this business?

This… is strange.

He looked at the love letter in his hand, which served as a font template, pursed his lips, and even after running all over the city, he couldn’t find anyone willing to take his order. Helplessly, he returned to the Xia house and frowned at the Chinese homework.

…Something’s not right.

Even though copying homework isn’t good, he offered so much money, and it’s just copying homework. Everyone’s done it during their student days. Normally, someone would be willing to earn this money.

But… not a single shop today was willing to do it.

This doesn’t make sense.

“Ding—”

A message notification suddenly sounded on his phone.

Xia Zhinian opened his phone, and a familiar friend request popped up quickly.

[YC]: How’s the homework copying going, Classmate Xia? ^_^

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Xia Zhinian felt a pain in his heart and clicked reject.

[,]: Copying it.

[YC]: There’s quite a bit of Chinese homework. Hang in there, ^_^.

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Xia Zhinian gritted his teeth, feeling that this protagonist shou appearance was coincidental, but he couldn’t see any connection to Yan Ci. He pursed his lips and clicked reject again.

This time, he didn’t even write a reason for rejection. He just didn’t want to deal with it.

He picked up the pen, sighed, and carefully wrote down the first stroke in the homework book.

On the other side, Yan Ci looked at the blank rejection and curved his lips into a smile. His jade-white fingers tapped the screen.

[YC]: Classmate Xia, I’ve decided on the price.

The other side took a moment and replied, “Okay.”

[YC]: Classmate Xia, aren’t you going to ask what it is?

Xia Zhinian looked at the phone screen, pursed his lips, and steeled himself.

[,]: I can do anything.

…Anything?

No matter what?

Yan Ci stared at those words, reading them one by one, his back teeth slowly grinding together. His face was slightly chilled, with a hint of icy humor in the corners of his eyes.

What if he asked him to sleep with him?

Would that be okay, too?

All for a Chu Qingjian, going to any lengths?

Yan Ci looked at those words, pulling a faint smile on his lips, his expression both gentle and cold.

From his drawer, he found the light blue envelope; taking out the letter inside, his actions were elegant and dignified, with a hint of fearsome warmth.

He casually took out a lighter. The boy by the desk was jade in appearance, his pitch-black pupils shifting like some kind of vividly cold animal.

With a “click.”

The flames engulfed the light blue letter paper, curling up inch by inch.

Yan Ci smiled.

The letter paper was burning together, the different flame temperatures causing the top and bottom pages to curl and separate, revealing the words inside.

Yan Ci glanced, his expression suddenly changing, frowning as he extinguished the fire on the letter.

He spread the letter open, the paper still warm and slightly scalding. A few characters burned away in the first and last lines, but it didn’t affect the content.

But the words were slender and elegant with their style, and the content was composed and leisurely, well-written.

Completely unmatched by Xia Zhinian’s usual lousy handwriting.