He can't

Gu Tinglan watched Xixi dragging the blanket away and letting out a long breath. He fell back on the bed, his arms draped over his eyes, his chest heaving violently.

"Really..." He laughed at himself, his Adam's apple rolling, "You're asking for trouble."

Who made him so soft-hearted that he left this ignorant succubus behind?

The moonlight outside the window, still lingering, was cold and desolate, yet it couldn't quench the heat surging within him. He rolled out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom. Cold water poured down from above his head, snaking along the lines of his muscles. Gu Tinglan braced himself on the tiles, water droplets dripping down his eyelashes.

"How stupid!" He cursed under his breath, not knowing whether he was talking about Sissy or himself.

Meanwhile, Xixi sat cross-legged on the carpet in the living room, her tail slapping the ground irritably. After getting used to being at Gu Tinglan's house, she'd gotten used to dressing properly, but she no longer bothered to hide her tail and horns. Since she wasn't going out anyway, she didn't have to worry about getting caught.

She took out her cell phone and quickly sent a message to Xi Yin:

-Xixi: [You lied to me! ]

-Xixi: [Those tricks you mentioned don't work at all! ]

Not long after, the phone vibrated.

-Xi Yin: [? ]

-Xi Yin: [Impossible! I've taken down over a dozen high-quality prey using this trick.]

-Xi Yin: [Unless...]

Xixi stared at the jumping ellipsis on the screen, and her tail unconsciously straightened.

-Xi Yin: [He can’t.]

Xixi was stunned. She thought of the men in the TV series; it seemed like every one of them didn't like doing that kind of thing; they were all animals with lower bodies. Then she thought of Gu Tinglan's serious expression when he said, "You can only do it with someone you truly love," and suddenly she understood.

So this was just an excuse he made up to cover up his own incompetence?

At this moment, footsteps were heard behind her. She hurriedly hid her phone behind her and looked up to meet Gu Tinglan's gloomy face.

"Don't want to continue sleeping?" In the past, she would sleep until the afternoon. Even if she was woken up by him today, she should take a nap.

His hair was still dripping with water and he smelled of shower gel.

Xixi's eyes rolled, and she suddenly stood up, stepped barefoot on the carpet, and looked up at him: "Gu Tinglan, what exactly does the love you just mentioned... feel like?"

Gu Tinglan paused in his hairbrushing. Under the moonlight, the girl's crimson eyes were crystal clear, with a seriousness he had never seen before.

"That's it..." He said in a low voice, "I would want to protect someone, I would be happy if she was happy, I would..." He suddenly got stuck in the middle of the sentence, and his ears turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye.

He coughed lightly twice and glanced at Xixi. She looked confused and didn't seem to understand at all. Gu Tinglan couldn't tell what he felt in his heart, but he didn't want to waste time explaining to her. "Forget it, you won't understand even if I tell you."

Xixi blinked, tilted her head and waited for a long time, then suddenly her eyes lit up: "I know!" She jumped over and hung on him, "You just can't do it!"

Gu Tinglan subconsciously caught her in a panic.

"...Do you know what you are saying?" He pursed his lips tightly, with a thin layer of frost in his eyes. He looked a little angry and embarrassed, but he subconsciously protected the back of her head, fearing that she would bump into the coffee table next to her.

Xixi smiled slyly and wrapped her tail around his wrist. "Then why are you so nervous?" She leaned close to his red ears and blew gently. "Don't be shy. I won't dislike you."

"It's not like I have to do it... hmm." Only love can restore her spiritual power, but her cultivation level cannot be improved. However, she doesn't care.

Before he could finish his words, Gu Tinglan covered his mouth.

“…”

"Shut up." Gu Tinglan suddenly relaxed his arm, and Xixi fell on the carpet without noticing. She staggered back a few steps before she managed to steady herself.

Seeing his big reaction, Xixi curled her lips and said, "Okay, I won't say anything more, okay."

"I'm going to start school."

"ah?"

"Then will you come back?" Xixi was a little nervous for a moment.

"What do you think?" Gu Tinglan raised his eyebrows.

"Then I have to go to school too!" Anyway, I'm tired of staying at home and I've finished watching all the good TV series.

"Okay." Gu Tinglan's lips curled up into a triumphant smile, which disappeared in a flash.

The morning sun streamed into the bedroom through the gauze curtains. Gu Tinglan stood in front of the wardrobe, his slender fingers tracing over a row of neatly ironed school uniforms. He pulled out a white shirt, put it on, and walked out the door toward Xixi's room.

Looking at the house number hanging on the door handle that was shaking, Gu Tinglan reached out and knocked on the door, "Knock knock——"

There was no movement inside.

"Xixi." He called her.

This time, I could faintly hear a "hmm" coming from inside.

It seemed that she was staying in bed. Gu Tinglan wanted to ignore her, but then he remembered that she had said yesterday that he must wake her up. He stopped and finally held the door handle helplessly.

With a "click", the door was opened easily.

Gu Tinglan was a little surprised. She was really carefree and didn't even lock the door when she slept.

He looked up and saw a heap on the bed with Xixi sleeping soundly with her legs spread out.

"Get up." He walked over and pulled back the quilt without mercy.

Xixi curled up into a ball, and her heart-shaped tail reflexively wrapped around his wrist: "No...sleep for another five minutes..."

Gu Tinglan sneered and took out his cell phone from his pocket: "I'll count to three. Three, two——"

Xixi half-opened her eyes in a daze, and kept mumbling in her sleep, "I'll get up right away, right away."

"It seems that you don't really want to go, so I'll leave by myself." Gu Tinglan had already agreed with the school yesterday that he would bring someone to audit the class. Anyway, his family had a large stake in this school, so it wouldn't be difficult to get someone in.

Of course, it wouldn't have any impact if she didn't go.

"I'll get up, I'll get up!" Xixi sat up with a start, her black hair standing up in a mess. She rubbed her eyes and muttered, "Why do humans have to go to school so early..."

Ten minutes later, Gu Tinglan stood at the entrance, carrying the still-drowsy Xixi. His temples throbbed as he frowned at the succubus in an oversized shirt and bare legs.

"Go change into your school uniform." He pointed to the uniform bag on the sofa.

Xixi pouted and walked slowly to the sofa. Looking at the clothes that were completely different in style from her own wardrobe, her sleepiness instantly disappeared and she shouted excitedly, "Wow, this uniform is so beautiful. I will be a person of status from now on."

Faced with her exaggerated tone, Gu Tinglan found it a little funny, "What identity?"

"Students!"

Gu Tinglan: “…”

I've never met anyone who loves going to school.

In a few days, she will probably be clamoring to come back.

Xixi hurriedly changed her clothes. When she came out of the bedroom, Gu Tinglan was tying his tie. Her eyes lit up and she jumped over: "Let me help you!"

Her slender fingers clumsily twisted around his tie, and her breath carried a faint sweet fragrance. Gu Tinglan lowered his eyes to look at her serious expression, his Adam's apple rolling unconsciously.

"Okay!" Xixi patted his chest proudly, completely unaware that she had tied a crooked Windsor knot.

Gu Tinglan sighed and was about to tie his hair again when his phone rang. It was a message from Pei Song: "Master Gu, the department head is checking attendance on the first day of school. If you don't come, you'll be punished."

He put away his phone and grabbed his schoolbag: "Let's go."

Xixi trotted after him, and when she was about to leave, she suddenly grabbed the corner of his clothes: "Um... I'm a little nervous..."

Gu Tinglan turned around and saw her twitching the tip of her tail nervously, her red eyes gleaming with anxiety. He reached out and ruffled the top of her head, "Put your tail back first, and then just follow me."

On campus, students walked towards the teaching building in groups of two or three. Xixi looked around curiously when Gu Tinglan suddenly pulled her to his side.

"Don't run around." He lowered his voice, "Remember that you are a transfer student. Don't reveal the characteristics of a succubus."

Xixi nodded, and the next second her attention was attracted by the girls walking towards her.

"Oh my god! Is that Gu Tinglan?"

"Who's the girl next to him?"

"It can't be my girlfriend..."

Xixi didn't understand the other meanings of the whispers, but she could feel that they meant to include Gu Tinglan in her circle.

She shook her head proudly, her tail almost popping out. Gu Tinglan quickly pinched the back of her neck: "Hold it back."

The classroom suddenly fell silent. Everyone's eyes were focused on Xixi, standing at the podium. She nervously grasped the hem of her skirt, her tail twitching restlessly beneath her clothes.

"This is our new transfer student, Xixi." The homeroom teacher pushed up his glasses. "I hope everyone will take good care of her."

Gu Tinglan watched her being seated next to him expressionlessly. After she sat down, he raised the corners of his lips. During the break, several girls immediately surrounded him.

"Your hair is so shiny!"

"What beautiful eyes!"

"What is your relationship with Gu Tinglan?"

Xixi was confused by the question and looked at Gu Tinglan for help. But he deliberately turned his face away, with a sly smile on his face.

It wasn't until lunchtime that Gu Tinglan openly dragged Xixi to the cafeteria to eat. In front of her was a plate of barely touched food, and she was poking at the rice with a fork, looking aggrieved.

"Why don't you eat?" He sat down opposite.

Xixi raised her head, her eyes red. "It's not even one-tenth as delicious as yours." She sniffed. "It's so hard to be a student..."

There are also many rules. You are not allowed to talk or move around in class. What is taught is a completely foreign language and you cannot understand a single word.

Gu Tinglan was silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up and said, "Follow me."

He took Xixi to the rooftop and took out a lunch box from his schoolbag: "Eat this."

Xixi opened the box and found her favorite braised pork ribs. Her eyes lit up and her tail popped out unconsciously, wagging happily.

"You know it's not fun anymore." Gu Tinglan leaned against the railing and said softly, "You don't have to come tomorrow."

Xixi bit her chops and asked vaguely, "Will you always stay with me?"

The sunlight fell on the corner of her mouth stained with sauce. Gu Tinglan reached out to wipe it off, and his fingertips lingered on her lips for a second: "Hmm."

This simple syllable seems particularly gentle in the warm autumn sun.

"Then I want to come too." Otherwise, it would be more boring to have a demon at home alone.