Chapter 57 Bite Marks

Ji Tong only slept for forty minutes.

He cried for a long time. His eyelids were thin, and the blood vessels around his eyes were slightly inflamed. His eyelids looked like they had been soaked in water, so heavy that it was difficult to open them.

He turned over, trying to slowly open his eyes again. Just as he moved, the back of his hand touched something warm.

Ji Tong opened her eyes a crack—

Gu Lin sat on the carpet beside him, one leg bent, his back against the sofa.

He had just bumped into Gu Lin's back.

Before Ji Tong could speak, the person on the ground put down the book in their hand and turned to the side.

Ji Tong's left hand, which was resting on her ear, was cupped.

Gu Lin gently rubbed the lines of his palm with the pad of his thumb to see if he was sweating.

Ji Tong finally opened his eyes.

The rain was still falling outside the window, but it wasn't as heavy as before. Only a few large, sparse raindrops occasionally leaked out, like tears.

The living room, like the sky, was gray and gloomy.

Ji Tong used the light to look at the person sitting next to him.

Those exhausting emotional fluctuations have passed, like the rain that has stopped outside.

Ji Tong didn't speak; he was somewhat lost in thought.

Ji Tong recalled for the first time that Gu Lin had said to him at the used clothing recycling center that day, "We'll talk about those things later."

Later, he imagined more than once how Gu Lin would confess to him the reason for going abroad.

In those scenarios, it was mostly a fierce "trial," with him standing in the position of the final arbitrator, listening to Gu Lin, the perpetrator, explain the course of the crime.

He didn't want justice or laws, nor did he want pity or understanding. He wanted dictatorship, to teach Gu Lin a painful lesson so that he would never dare to repeat his mistakes.

Ke Jitong never imagined that it would be such a morning.

Rain was falling outside the window, and a dim light was on inside. The clay pot on the dining table was bubbling with the rich aroma of rice, and steam was rising from it.

A secluded and quiet morning.

The courtroom was gone, the execution ground was gone, only a small apartment remained, like a snail shell, where he and Gu Lin lived, their wet, wounded tentacles reaching out to each other and entwining together.

Ji Tong closed his palms and slowly grasped Gu Lin's fingers as if grasping antennae.

How stupid! The sofa is so wide, why are you sitting on the floor?

Ji Tong moved over to make room, then patted the door open and said, "Come on up."

"woke up?"

"Okay, come up."

Gu Lin stood up and had just sat down beside him when his wrist was grabbed and pulled down—

"Lie down." Ji Tong lifted the blanket off himself and covered Gu Lin with half of it.

Two tall adult men squeezed onto the sofa, and even though the sofa was already quite wide, it was still a bit cramped.

Ji Tong lay face to face with him, raised her hand to cup one side of his face, and gazed at him quietly.

Gu Lin lowered his head, and their foreheads touched.

After a nap, Ji Tong's face was flushed.

"It's swollen like a peach," Gu Lin said softly.

Ji Tong: "What?"

Gu Lin: "Eyes."

Ji Tong muttered unhappily, "Who did this?"

Gu Lin deliberately countered, "Who did this?"

Ji Tong pinched him: "Gu Lin did this, you help me beat him up?"

"Mmm." Gu Lin's eyes were full of him, and he felt at peace. He lowered his head and touched noses with him.

"Then why haven't you beaten them up yet?"

"Who are you going to beat up?"

"Beat yourself up."

"It was Gu Lin's fault, what does it have to do with your boyfriend?" Gu Lin chuckled.

"..."

Ji Tong was both angry and amused, so she punched him on the shoulder.

"Aren't your eyes ugly?" Ji Tong raised her hand to rub them, but Gu Lin stopped her.

"No, it's beautiful."

"Lie down a little longer, I'll go wash a towel and put it on your eyes." Gu Lin gently massaged the acupoints around Ji Tong's eyes in a circular motion.

Ji Tong did not answer.

Gu Lin pressed for five or six minutes, then lifted the blanket to get up and go to the bathroom to wash the towel, when his sleeve was grabbed again.

Ji Tong didn't say anything, just held on like a small animal, as if he wouldn't let him move an inch.

Gu Lin stood quietly for a while, then lifted the blanket off him and threw it at the end of the sofa. He then pulled the thin blanket that he usually wore from the armrest and wrapped it around him.

Ji Tong thought he would be hugged like before, so he didn't move and lay there waiting. But he saw Gu Lin wrap him in a blanket, then turn his back, bend his knees, and kneel in front of the sofa.

"Come up."

Ji Tong felt as if his heart had lost its weight for a moment.

Gu Lin's scar on his back was covered by his pajamas, so Ji Tong couldn't see it, but he remembered its location perfectly.

Ji Tong felt a lump in her throat again, but she managed to sit up slowly, leaning forward carefully and resting her head on Gu Lin's back.

"Does it hurt?" Ji Tong knew that the scar had long since healed and didn't hurt anymore.

But he still asked.

It's as if I'm asking this question on behalf of myself back then, and also on behalf of Gu Lin back then.

"It doesn't hurt," Gu Lin said, enunciating each word clearly.

Only when Ji Tong leaned his entire chest against him did Gu Lin steadily stand up.

Ji Tong hugged him very close, so tightly that there was no gap between his chest and Gu Lin's back, so tightly that Gu Lin's heart seemed to be beating inside his chest.

Gu Lin carried the person to the bathroom, placed him next to the sink, washed a thin towel with lukewarm water, and placed it on his eyes.

"Is it cold?" he asked.

Ji Tong: "A little."

Gu Lin turned up the water temperature by a few degrees.

Ji Tong's eyes were covered by a towel, and her hands were always on Gu Lin, sometimes gripping his sleeve, sometimes his collar. It wasn't that she was uneasy, but she just wanted to make sure that Gu Lin was by her side.

He had just gotten out of bed, his cheeks still flushed. Gu Lin turned on the bathroom heater, and the steam made his neck glow with a healthy red.

It's as soft as clam meat.

Even though it was so close, Gu Lin still felt it was too far.

Driven by his heart, he lowered his head and shared a long, tender kiss with him.

Ten minutes after applying the eye mask, Ji Tong was carried into the bathroom, but when she came out, she was being carried in her arms.

He's always been clingy, but after crying today, he's practically inseparable from me. He follows me to meals, to wash dishes, to take out the trash, like a clingy cat that's always showing its belly to people. He even sleeps in the guest room at night.

This situation lasted for a long time, until the day the final grades came out.

Along with the final exam results, the rankings for the second round of selections were also released.

The class group chat is already filled with various "scores coming from all directions" emojis.

Both the first and second cohorts of students are selected through competitions and are admitted in advance. Compared to other classes, the exam pressure is not as great. However, now only about half of the graduate students at Anhui University can stay at the university, and even fewer can secure a master's degree.

Although I got into the project team a step ahead of others, it is still a brand new reform and attempt by the college. How things are now does not represent how things will be three years from now. We still need to rely on our grades. Only half of the students are guaranteed admission to the college. If we don't rank among the top in the department, it's not much different from failing a course.

The grade checking system opens at nine in the morning, and the class group chat is already buzzing with activity from eight o'clock onwards.

This year's discrete mathematics questions were very difficult; people are still discussing the question types even after the exam ended.

There wasn't a single word about "discrete mathematics" in Ji Tong's dormitory group chat; even someone as boisterous as Li Yuan rarely quieted down.

They are waiting for Gu Lin's selection ranking.

There were about a hundred people participating in this selection exam. Only the top twelve could enter the project team and choose their class according to their scores.

In other words, Gu Lin not only needs to be in the top twelve, but also in the top six to guarantee him the right to choose.

Ji Tong hadn't had a moment's rest since she opened her eyes early in the morning.

"Don't be nervous, we've already checked the answers, so there shouldn't be any problem."

"This year's exam paper was set by Teacher Yang. You've done so many of his practice questions, they're practically marinated in your knowledge."

"The results will be out in half an hour. Do you want to go back to sleep for a while? I'll wake you up at nine."

Are you thirsty? Would you like some water? I'll get you some.

"I'm not thirsty." Gu Lin grabbed her boyfriend's wrist and pulled him down slightly, bringing Ji Tong to Gu Lin's front.

The two sat on the carpet.

The carpet was just dry-cleaned yesterday and still smells of fluffy lavender.

Gu Lin ran his finger along Ji Tong's inner thigh: "Sit cross-legged."

Ji Tong obediently sat cross-legged and leaned back into Gu Lin's arms.

The computer was placed on the extension table of the coffee table in front of the two of them. Gu Lin surrounded them, raised his hand to close the score checking interface, opened the video software, selected "movies" in the category bar, opened animated movies, and picked a Minion movie according to the rating.

When the Minions' familiar and classic "Bang bang bang, bang, bang bang bang bang, bang! bang!" sound rang out, Ji Tong's brain short-circuited for a few seconds.

What time is it? Why are you still watching Minions?!

Ji Tong raised her hand to close the movie, but just as she did, her hand was lightly tapped.

"Be quiet," Gu Lin said.

"If you want to see it, I'll go with you after we check the scores," Ji Tong said.

"This isn't for me to see," Gu Lin said, holding Ji Tong's fidgeting hand and looking down at him. "Who's really nervous?"

I don't sleep well, and I don't eat breakfast properly either.

I was so busy all morning, like a spinning top, I didn't stop for a moment.

Ji Tong: "I am..."

Gu Lin: "Are you worried I won't get into Class 1?"

Ji Tong shook his head. From the day he learned that Gu Lin liked him, it didn't really matter whether Gu Lin was in Class 9 or Class 1. They were still the same as in high school, their foundations were always connected, and he could reach out and touch them whenever he wanted.

There are even occasional surprises and novelties of accompanying someone to class.

Ji Tong was nervous because she was worried that Gu Lin's hard work would be in vain.

"I was afraid you'd be upset," Ji Tong finally said.

“Class 9 is actually very good, Yongjie and Qiwei are very good, double majoring in finance is also very good, accompanying you to investment class is also very good, I am also happy to do so, I just…” Ji Tong sighed, “In the two weeks before the exam, you stayed up so many nights. If the results are not satisfactory, I am afraid you will feel uncomfortable.”

Gu Lin spent the longest time reviewing the selection exam.

Uncle Chen always said that they were outstanding and could be recommended to Anhui University. They were geniuses among geniuses and the best of the best. If Chen Ping'an had such talent, he would be laughing in his dreams.

But what Anhui University has in abundance on its green field is talent.

Even Gu Lin, even a "genius" with one or two tricks up his sleeve, still worked through night after night to achieve his success.

The Minions on the computer screen were still chattering away. Ji Tong turned around in Gu Lin's arms and slapped his face in her hands: "If you really don't pass the exam, it's okay. There might not be as many classes next semester, so we can help each other with our classes."

"Pay one fee, learn two things, we actually make a profit."

Gu Lin could barely suppress her smile, as if she didn't know how to express her affection for him. She lowered her head and kissed her boyfriend's lips in return.

"knew."

Twenty minutes later, the school's grade checking system officially opened.

Ji Tong, who had promised himself not to be nervous, unconsciously clenched his fists again the moment he saw the score checking system interface.

He was a little afraid to look, so he turned around, closed his eyes, and leaned against Gu Lin's chest.

The sound of Gu Lin typing his student ID and password could be heard in my ears.

After a series of keyboard symbols, a heavy "thump" followed.

Enter, press Enter to search.

"Have you found it? What's your ranking?"

Gu Lin didn't speak, and Ji Tong's nerves immediately tensed up.

"What's your ranking? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Ji Tong tugged at Gu Lin's sleeve: "What's your ranking? Say something."

Gu Lin remained silent. Ji Tong couldn't hold back any longer and decided to go and see for herself. Just as she turned her face to the side, Gu Lin grabbed the back of her neck with his hand.

With a soft "bang," the computer was slammed shut.

They won't let me see it?

This means... I didn't do well on the exam?

Ji Tong didn't tell Gu Lin that he had actually looked up a lot of comforting phrases yesterday.

What's the one thing guys most want to hear when they're feeling down? Here's how to comfort your boyfriend when he's feeling down.

He even wrote down two points, but now he's forgotten them both.

"It's nothing, it's just an exam, it's not a big deal."

Ji Tong raised his hand, wrapped it around his neck, and patted his back lightly twice.

"Well," Ji Tong coughed, trying to distract Gu Lin, then paused for two seconds before raising her hand, unbuttoning the top button of her collar, and tilting her head slightly to expose her fair collarbone to Gu Lin's eyes, "Didn't we kiss here yesterday..."

Ji Tong, looking like a swan bravely facing its execution, closed her eyes and said, "Kiss me."

The two had been sleeping together almost every day for the past few days, but they had been very well-behaved and hadn't done anything. The only exception was last night when they were a little fussy. Gu Lin's kisses moved from the corners of his lips to his chin, then to his neck, and just as they were about to land on his collarbone, Ji Tong grabbed the blanket and covered his face, saying, "Go to sleep!"

Today, however, he took the initiative to raise his head.

"To comfort me?" Gu Lin's voice was low and soft.

Ji Tong responded and felt Gu Lin's fingertips trace a couple of times on her collarbone. The next second, the warmth of his fingertips disappeared, replaced by warm breath and slightly cool lips.

Gu Lin didn't just kiss him; he slightly opened his mouth, as if holding jade in his mouth, and then—

A bite mark.

Ji Tong was so embarrassed that her face was practically steaming, but she pretended to be very relaxed.

Once Gu Lin's breath left her neck, Ji Tong's hands trembled as she tried to button the first button of her pajamas. She couldn't button it on the first try, nor on the second. She had to try three times before she finally got it on.

"Is it better now?" Ji Tong said, his mouth agape.

"Hmm," Gu Lin added calmly, "Can we still kiss tonight?"

Nighttime is when it's easiest to fall into a low mood, so a kiss... it won't hurt you anyway.

Ji Tong clutched the collar of her pajamas: "Kiss me, kiss me."

Oh, how pitiful.

“The exams are over and done with, don’t look at them anymore,” Ji Tong cupped her boyfriend’s face and kissed him again. “Check your final grades. You got full marks in the midterms, so your final grades will probably be similar.”

"You can check mine first too." Ji Tong turned away from Gu Lin's embrace, turned on the computer, and unlocked it with her fingerprint.

"I'll exit this system interface as soon as I unlock it, so Gu Lin won't see it again," Ji Tong thought to herself. She moved her finger to the upper right corner of the touchscreen, ready to close it, when the screen suddenly flashed.

The computer is still stuck on the grades page.

Ji Tong was about to cross it out when her gaze unconsciously shifted to the center—

[Name: Gu Lin, Course Number: 111, Course Name: Computer-Aided Design (Option A)]

[Score: 145.5 (A+), Rank: 1 (Only top 12 are displayed)]

[*Students whose grades are displayed should check their college emails.]

Ji Tong: "…………"