T/L: Last main chapter! There’s still extras and side stories~
Also: no explicit smut. The author never written anything explicit, and yet, they were still censored…
After the system disappeared, everything returned to normal. The inexplicable headaches vanished, and the extra memories in Jiang Wenhan’s mind were gone.
He looked at Zhu Tong and Shao Ming standing hand in hand, and at Xia Yang lying on the floor.
“You guys…”
Before he could voice his confusion, the door to the ward was pushed open.
“Is Xia Yang staying in this room?”
The person who entered was in a police uniform, looking serious.
Jiang Wenhan instinctively answered, “Yes.”
The police officer then asked, “Who is Xia Yang?”
As soon as he spoke, he noticed the person lying on the floor.
Jiang Wenhan said, “That’s him.”
The police officer was momentarily speechless.
After Qin Junhong was taken to the police station, he confessed about his accomplice. The police had come to the hospital to request Xia Yang’s cooperation in the investigation.
With Jiang Wenhan handling the follow-up, Zhu Tong didn’t want to stay in the hospital any longer. He pulled Shao Ming away.
In the car, the two of them sat in the back seat, raising the soundproof partition. Zhu Tong slowly recounted the events that transpired when the space was frozen.
“The reason for the headaches Jiang Wenhan and I had might have been due to data leakage.”
Because of its weakness, the system in Xia Yang started to collapse even before the favorability level reached its maximum value, which would mark the complete restoration of the world’s trajectory.
Shao Ming held Zhu Tong’s hand and asked, “Is everything okay now?”
Zhu Tong nodded, “Yes, everything is fine now.”
Although he still didn’t understand what the main system’s compensation of “dominance” truly meant, he didn’t feel any changes in his body.
Maybe it would only manifest when a threat appeared. He hoped that threat would never come.
After a brief pause, Shao Ming asked, “Did the favorability level reach maximum value just now in the hospital?”
Zhu Tong: “….”
Then, the shorter youth nodded slowly after glancing at Shao Ming.
Shao Ming looked at him, his emotions unreadable.
The street outside kept moving backward, and the lights from the road cast varying shadows on Shao Ming’s face.
Shao Ming didn’t speak further, and Zhu Tong didn’t know what to say either.
He felt he should explain something, like why the favorability level couldn’t reach its maximum value earlier, or reassure Shao Ming not to worry too much about it.
Zhu Tong hesitated, wondering if explaining things would make it seem like he was overly concerned.
The two returned to the villa in silence, only to run into Zhu Tong’s grandfather heading out early in the morning.
Before they could ask why he was up so early for work, the old man gave them a stern lecture.
Shao Ming took responsibility, saying, “We made you worry. It won’t happen again.”
Cheng Qingsong sighed. Knowing they both had a good sense of judgment, he didn’t really intend to blame them. They were back safely and understood their mistake, so he just reminded Zhu Tong to get another health check-up before their flight.
Zhu Tong agreed readily.
He finally had a chance to introduce Shao Ming to Dr. Johnson and his broken Chinese.
However, Zhu Tong failed.
Shao Ming, like Zhu Tong’s grandfather, had an automatic translation ability and could communicate with Dr. Johnson without any issues.
The two even got along well… celebrating Zhu Tong’s recovery together.
After returning from the hospital, Zhu Tong was immediately cornered by Zhu Xin.
Zhu Xin wanted them to transfer back to A City for their senior year, but Zhu Tong refused.
Why go back to A City and invite trouble when they could study peacefully there?
At the very least, he wanted to life the trajectory of a normal high school student.
“Doesn’t your school arrange practical activities? We can visit you in E City when our cousin organizes it,” Zhu Tong suggested, patting his sister’s head.
Zhu Xin’s eyes lit up. “Deal!”
“Mn,” Zhu Tong confirmed with a smile.
Due to the impromptu medical check-up, they were late to school by one class. When they stood at the classroom door, the room fell silent for a moment before erupting into a buzz.
History repeated itself. The last time they returned from A City, the class had the same reaction.
Shi Wenshu, however, remained calm, simply instructing them to return to their seats without any questions.
The rest of the class was far from composed.
“I told you they’d show up together!”
“Last time they returned to school together was a coincidence, but being late on the first day together?”
“This is basically an official announcement, right?”
“Mom, my ship is real!”
“….”
The school atmosphere was as lively as ever.
But… somehow, Shao Ming’s attitude made Zhu Tong confused.
Is the whole favorability she-bang over now?
Really don’t care at all?
Well, it’s fine either way. The system was gone now, so it does not matter.
Still, Zhu Tong felt that something was missing.
As questions appeared in his mind, Zhu Tong dazedly took a bite of the sweet-scented osmanthus cake that Shao Ming brought to his lips.
…it was too sweet.
Zhu Tong asked, “Where did you buy it?”
Shao Ming replied, “At the gate of the school, when you called your cousin, how did it taste?”
After the shorter youth chewed it, he said, “Very delicious.”
Shao Ming’s lips curled.
“Tsk tsk tsk tsk….”
Luo Suo, always the fore-front of getting fed dog food, was already prepared. He sat down at the chair he brought, then faced the two lovebirds.
Shao Ming naturally stuffed the sweet-scented osmanthus cake that Zhu Tong had taken a bite into into his mouth, turned his head and asked, “Is something wrong?”
Luo Suo: “Yup.”
“……”
“Did you know that Xia Yang dropped out of school?”
Shao Ming was very calm. “I know.”
“You know?” Luo Suo was surprised, “I’m not talking about him transferring, but really dropping out. Do you know that? His family went bankrupt, but he doesn’t care about attending high school?”
Zhu Tong listened next to him, he reached out and took a piece of sweet-scented osmanthus cake, and said in his heart, ‘Well, he might not be able to attend even if he wanted to.’
Assisting the crime and shielding Qin Junhong, he was probably still in the custody of the police at the moment.
Because Luo Suo was too surprised, his voice was a bit loud, and people around him soon participated, and a topic was discussed in full swing.
Shao Ming quickly withdrew from the topic of “Xia Yang’s family went bankrupt” and “Xia Yang dropped out of school”, and turned to look at Zhu Tong.
Zhu Tong was slightly startled, “What’s wrong?”
Shao Ming gently shook his head and wiped a crumb from the corner of Zhu Tong’s mouth.
Shao Ming said, “There’s still one more evening self-study.”
Zhu Tong was puzzled.
One more evening self-study, so what?
Shao Ming just smiled at him, worried that he might choke, and went to the podium to get him some water.
Zhu Tong: “…”
This seemed normal, but it felt a bit off.
After the evening self-study ended, the two returned to the homestay. Shao Ming, for once, went to the bathroom before him. After showering, he even took the initiative to find Zhu Tong some pajamas and let him take a shower.
When Zhu Tong came out after his shower, the air conditioning had already made the room quite warm.
Shao Ming took on the task of drying Zhu Tong’s hair. The moment he put down the hairdryer, Zhu Tong was pushed onto the bed.
Zhu Tong was somewhat prepared for this.
At home, with his grandpa and sister around, although the atmosphere was warm and cozy, they didn’t dare to mess around. It’s inevitable they feel restrained in front of family members.
The homestay was different for them. It was equally warm, but it belonged to just the two of them, a place where they could be more relaxed together.
Shao Ming kissed the youth in his arms.
Zhu Tong was a bit tense and stiff at first, but gradually relaxed and started to respond to his kisses.
His mind began to blur, sinking into a daze.
Suddenly, something felt wrong.
His hands were bound.
Shao Ming took a scarf from the bedside and wrapped it around Zhu Tong’s hands, holding them above his head.
Zhu Tong: “???”
“What are you doing?”
He hadn’t caught his breath yet, his red lips slightly parted, breathing unevenly.
Shao Ming leaned down, an overwhelming sense of pressure enveloping him.
Zhu Tong tried to struggle, but he couldn’t move at all!
Shao Ming said, “Don’t struggle too hard, if you hurt yourself, I won’t have the heart to continue.”
Zhu Tong: “…”
So why the sudden binding?
Shao Ming looked at him with eyes full of allure and deep affection, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier that the favorability couldn’t reach full value?”
Zhu Tong: “…”
What is this? Settling accounts afterward?
He moved his lips.
But Shao Ming didn’t let him speak, “You were afraid I’d worry, afraid I’d blame myself, afraid I’d start doubting myself, so you didn’t dare tell me, right?”
“……”
Shao Ming spoke for himself, so why ask him anything more?
Shao Ming pressed down on his hands with one hand and placed the other on his neck.
Fingertips pressed against his neck, dangerous yet thrilling, Zhu Tong sensitively flinched.
Shao Ming asked, “Don’t you trust me?”
Zhu Tong replied, “…I do.”
“Even if the favorability can’t reach full value?”
“…”
The reason favorability can’t reach full value has nothing to do with how much he likes him. He has already experienced this firsthand.
Zhu Tong sighed and carefully recounted the details of his task to Shao Ming.
Shao Ming was stunned after listening, “…Your last fainting spell, was it because of me?”
With his hands unable to move, Zhu Tong awkwardly admitted, “In a way, yes.”
It was because he hadn’t initially explained things clearly, which led Shao Ming to misunderstand.
In that situation, anyone would have misunderstood.
His fragile body, the real medical records, and coincidentally receiving the “critical condition notice” sent by his cousin to Lu Zheyu…
Shao Ming suddenly fell silent, gazing deeply at him.
Zhu Tong raised his chin slightly, “You said you didn’t blame yourself.”
Shao Ming was resolute, “I didn’t say that.”
Zhu Tong: “…”
It seemed he hadn’t said that after all.
Suddenly, Shao Ming leaned over him, settling on top of him, and nuzzled his neck, “If I blamed myself at the time, would it have affected the favorability level too?”
Zhu Tong said, “I don’t know, I can’t be sure.”
And he didn’t dare to find out.
Shao Ming buried his head in his neck, breathing lightly.
Zhu Tong wanted to hold his head but couldn’t, so he comforted verbally, “It’s all okay now, everything is fine.”
Shao Ming murmured an acknowledgment, then lifted his head from Zhu Tong’s chest, smiling slightly, “Thank you for believing in me.”
Zhu Tong also smiled, “And I thank you for not giving up on me when I was upset.”
—He even going to A City to find him.
The two exchanged a smile, but as they continued to smile, their gazes started to shift uncomfortably.
Fresh out of the shower, Zhu Tong’s face was flushed, a faint red tint even spreading over his body. With his handsome face, slightly swollen lips, and a body that he let Shao Ming press down without resistance.
Zhu Tong felt his cheeks heating up under his direct, passionate gaze. He swallowed dryly, “Could you… could you let me go first?”
Shao Ming tilted his head, “Why?”
“…”
Zhu Tong said, “Are you still mad at me?”
Shao Ming replied, “I’m not mad at you.”
“Then…”
“I didn’t tie you up because you hid something from me.”
Shao Ming lightly chuckled, mischief glinting in his eyes.
Zhu Tong remained silent.
Shao Ming leaned down and captured his lips, gently sucking.
Zhu Tong’s grip on his hand tightened slightly, unable to suppress a tremble.
Shao Ming released him again, repeating a routine they both were familiar with.
Zhu Tong faintly sensed that something was off but couldn’t pinpoint what.
He bit his lip tightly to keep himself from making a sound.
Suddenly, Shao Ming leaned in close again, releasing his lips and murmuring softly, “Scared?”
Zhu Tong immediately shook his head, “No, I… I’m nervous.”
Shao Ming asked, “Nervous about what?”
“…”
Zhu Tong couldn’t find the words. He lowered his head to avoid eye contact, his gaze falling on Shao Ming’s neck.
Then, he remembered something and lifted his head again, “There’s something I want to ask you.”
Shao Ming raised an eyebrow, “Go ahead.”
Zhu Tong said, “Do you know your approval rating with Luo Suo and other people only maxed out at 30%?”
Shao Ming：“……”
