Chapter 9 Domineering School Prince's Wet Love 09 "Really? You like this...
The interior of Jiang Lian's luxury apartment was pitch black. He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a brand new high-powered telescope in his hand.
The telescope was pointed precisely at a window in the old residential building opposite.
He had been standing there for nearly an hour, motionless.
The window opposite was always covered with cheap floral curtains.
finally.
“Crash!”
The curtain was suddenly pulled open by a white hand.
Jiang Lian's breathing paused, and then a searing concentration washed over him. He felt a surge of excitement. He quickly adjusted his focus, his vision crystal clear, as if the distant window were right before his very eyes.
"call!"
Ye Ling came out of the bathroom wearing a half-worn plaid bathrobe, with wet, messy, curly short golden hair, and rushed to the window to open the curtains.
The summer night breeze blew in, and the bird's instinct made him feel comfortable with the circulating air.
But the wet hair was heavy and sticky on his scalp and neck, cold and sticky, very uncomfortable. He subconsciously shook his head, trying to get rid of the excess water droplets, just like he had done countless times in the cage and by the water basin.
[No, no, no!] 778's electronic voice sounded a bit helpless, [I told you you're a human now! No feathers! You can't shake it off! Use a towel to wipe it off!]
Ye Ling muttered softly: "...Got it."
He picked up the towel draped over his shoulders and began to wipe his blond hair, his movements haphazard, sometimes rubbing it roughly, sometimes unable to resist using his fingers to comb through the tangled strands like a bird combing its feathers.
After rubbing it a few times, he still felt it wasn't dry enough. The feeling of the wetness sticking to his skin made him feel uncomfortable. He endured it again and again, but his bird instincts finally took over.
"Just give it another shake..." He whispered to himself and 778.
Without waiting for 778's permission, he jerked back, his wet blond hair flying up in the air, water droplets splattering everywhere, a few even landing on the windowpane.
He closed his eyes, completely immersed in his own world, unaware of the hunter lurking in the darkness across the street.
And the moment Ye Ling opened the curtains, Jiang Lian's pupils suddenly constricted.
The boy, wearing a bathrobe, appeared in front of the window, ignorant and defenseless.
The clumsy movement of wiping hair was like a fledgling frantically combing its wet feathers, with a kind of...innocence, primitiveness, and extremely strong temptation.
Jiang Lian's breathing suddenly became heavy.
The telescope's focus was fixed on the neck tensed by the tossing of the head, the golden hair flying in the wind, and the slightly open collar of the bathrobe...
This was much more vivid and more... than the neatly dressed and shivering students he saw at school.
tasty.
He covered the lower half of his face tightly, as if he was restraining something.
"Oh……"
Ye Ling's campus life also became happy.
He now has his first deskmate in his life and also his first friend since he was born... although that is only his unilateral opinion at the moment.
At noon, the cafeteria was bustling with people, plates clattered, and the smell of various foods mixed and steamed.
Ye Ling was holding a plate containing the stir-fried seasonal vegetables and a white steamed bun that he had carefully purchased.
[Host! Target locked! The heroine is at the table behind the pillar in the front right!] 778's voice pounded in Ye Ling's head like a drum of war. [God-given opportunity! There's an empty seat nearby, hurry! Run over! Create a romantic encounter for the hero and heroine to dine at the same table! This is the highlight of your pervert career... ahem, mission career!]
Ye Ling looked through the crowd and saw Su Xiaoxiao sitting alone at the table.
She lowered her head and ate the food from the simple lunch box she brought with her in small bites. Her thick bangs covered most of her face.
"Should I really go?" Ye Ling hesitated. "She's a girl... wouldn't that be a bad idea? My classmates don't like me very much either. What if it affects her..."
[Of course I should go! You're already deskmates, so it's okay!] 778 painted a very tempting picture of the future, [For your future master! Imagine the hero and heroine being happily together, and then they both pat your head...]
Ye Ling's eyes lit up, as if he saw the happy scene of being fed by his two masters in turn. He carried the food tray and walked resolutely towards Su Xiaoxiao.
"Student Su, is it convenient to sit here?" He pointed to the empty seat opposite her.
Su Xiaoxiao looked up in surprise. Seeing Ye Ling, her eyes lit up under her bangs: "No one is here. Please sit down."
"Thank you!" Ye Ling breathed a sigh of relief and sat down quickly.
[Nice! Landing successful!] 778 simulated virtual applause, gently coaxing her. [Step 2: Communicate naturally and guide the conversation! Get the male lead's attention here! For example... well, find a small detail to praise the female lead!]
What was he praising? Ye Ling quietly looked up at Su Xiaoxiao. Her washed-out uniform, her bangs covering her face... His gaze wandered around, finally landing on a small, light blue hairpin at the edge of her bangs.
"Student Su," he spoke again, pointing, "The hairpin you're wearing is very unique and cute."
Su Xiaoxiao was stunned for a moment, then subconsciously touched the inconspicuous hairpin, pursed her lips and revealed a sincere smile: "Ah? This... Thank you."
Just when Ye Ling had just breathed a sigh of relief.
An extremely oppressive figure descended silently to the table.
Jiang Lian.
Without asking whether the seat was empty, he placed the plate domineeringly on the empty seat next to Ye Ling, and then his people sat down calmly.
The noisy cafeteria seemed to be muted.
[…Why is he sitting next to me?] The topic had just started and the male protagonist was successfully attracted, but Ye Ling was panicking.
[There are differences between men and women! Weren't you also concerned about this just now?] 778 was very calm, and took the opportunity to brag about himself, [Even a little pervert like you would pay attention to this sense of propriety, let alone our great Jinjiang male lead!]
Su Xiaoxiao, who was being "taken care of", was so scared that her hands shook and the spoon almost fell into the lunch box.
The low pressure made her feel suffocated and she wished she could disappear right there.
Jiang Lian ignored everyone's reactions. He picked up the chopsticks, picked up a piece of crystal clear sweet and sour pork ribs and put it into his mouth.
[Host! Hold on! The plot is progressing smoothly!] 778 cheered for the timid host, [Come on, keep going, praise something else! Make the hero jealous! Let the plot heat up!]
The little bird in Ye Ling's heart screamed crazily: [What the hell! He looks like he wants to eat me and my ribs together...]
[Don't be scared! Praise! Hurry up!] 778 urged relentlessly.
A little cold sweat oozed from Ye Ling's forehead. He closed his eyes and repeated stiffly like a tape recorder: "Really...that hairpin is very cute."
“Bang!”
Jiang Lian placed his chopsticks on the edge of his plate. The sound was quiet, but it startled the two people, who were already on edge.
Ye Ling turned her head suddenly and met a pair of eyes as dark as the abyss.
"Really?" Jiang Lian's voice was low and calm, and no emotion could be heard. "You like this?"
His eyes slowly swept across Ye Ling's frightened expression, passed over his pale lips, and finally landed on his fingers that were clutching the corner of his clothes.
Ye Ling's blood froze. [He must be angry! His eyes are so scary...]
[Don't panic!] 778 popped up like a military advisor, [Don't be fooled by the hero's icy face; he's actually mad with jealousy! OS: Oh, your love? How cheap and annoying! Su Xiaoxiao is mine!]
Su Xiaoxiao was completely stunned, feeling that the atmosphere was extremely strange. She looked at Ye Ling, whose face was as pale as a bloodshot, and then at Jiang Lian, whose aura was terrifying and whose eyes were icy.
There were a few seconds of dead silence, which seemed so long.
Jiang Lian stared at Ye Ling for a long time without saying a word.
'Aren't you my little tail?'
'Except your sight, your attention, and your love, they should all be mine.'
for a long time.
Jiang Lian slowly withdrew his gaze, picked up his chopsticks again as if nothing had happened, and continued eating.
…
The afterglow of the setting sun bathes the campus in gentle warm gold.
The hustle and bustle of school gradually subsided. Jiang Lian, carrying his schoolbag in one hand, walked on the tree-lined avenue leading to the high-end apartment.
He deliberately slowed down his pace, slower than usual, and waited patiently for his golden "little tail".
His keen senses had already captured the familiar scent not far behind him, with the freshness of grass after rain. However, today, the scent was a little far away and mixed with the scent of another person.
Ye Ling and Su Xiaoxiao were seen standing under a big tree at the school gate. The golden light of the setting sun shone through the gaps between the branches and leaves onto the two of them.
Su Xiaoxiao still had her head bowed, her heavy bangs covering most of her face, but her shoulders were no longer hunched as she whispered something, occasionally gesturing with her hands. Ye Ling leaned forward slightly to listen, her hazelnut eyes sparkling and a faint smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
He even unconsciously rubbed the ground with his toes, like a bird that relaxed and unconsciously combed its feathers with its claws.
“…”
Jiang Lian curled up the fingers in his trouser pockets.
His pace slowed down a bit, and the air pressure around him quietly dropped.
[Host! Host! The target is getting too far!] 778's anxious voice rang out in Ye Ling's head, [Your tracking mission! Hurry up and catch up! Stop chatting! If you keep talking, the hero will be home!]
Ye Ling was listening to Su Xiaoxiao telling about the interesting things that happened to her in the studio over the weekend. She suddenly came back to her senses when she heard the system's urging.
He subconsciously looked up and saw that Jiang Lian's back was about to disappear around the corner of the street!
"Ah! Classmate Su, um... I have something to do, so I'll leave first!" Ye Ling said to Su Xiaoxiao hurriedly.
"Oh... okay, goodbye." Su Xiaoxiao nodded, and looked at Ye Ling in confusion as she hurriedly chased in the direction where Jiang Lian disappeared with her schoolbag in her arms.
Ye Ling jogged all the way and easily caught up with Jiang Lian at the next intersection.
[778, he's walking so slowly today...] Ye Ling muttered to herself. He was already slow, and today he's even slower!
[Wouldn't it be better to go slower?] 778 guided, [It'll make it easier for you to keep up. Host, don't forget your mission. Today's focus is to gain a deeper understanding of the target's life details!]
"Details of life..." Ye Ling chewed on the word, his eyes subconsciously drifting in the direction Jiang Lian was walking. The high-end apartment building was shining in the setting sun.
He followed Jiang Lian home from a distance countless times, but was always blocked by the glass door and the access control system that required a card swipe.
[Yeah, details of life!] 778 added fuel to the fire, [Look, if you don't even know what emails he receives every day, what kind of pervert is that... Just imagine, if I could get even a tiny glimpse into his life...]
Ye Ling's heartbeat quickened slightly.
Jiang Lian's pace remained unhurried, with one hand in his trouser pocket, as if he was just strolling casually.
However, his fingers in his trouser pockets were unconsciously stroking a small key in his pocket - the key to the mailbox downstairs in his house.
He first walked to the mailbox, seemingly unaware of the prying eyes behind him, and calmly opened the mailbox and put something in it.
He also deliberately "forgot" to close the latch of the mailbox, making it look like it was only half-closed.
Ye Ling followed him to the downstairs of the apartment building and watched him swipe his card to enter through the glass door and disappear into the elevator lobby.
[778, what do you think will be in the mailbox?]
Ye Ling took a deep breath, looked around again, confirmed that no one was passing by, and quickly rushed out from behind the tree. In a few steps, he slipped to the silver mailbox where Jiang Lian had stopped.
He held his breath and gently touched the cold metal door of the mailbox.
“Click.”
With a slight click, the mailbox door opened automatically for him.
Ye Ling took a step back in shock: [The mailbox... is not locked! ]
The door of the silver mailbox revealed a tiny black gap, which was like a silent invitation.
Ye Ling's heartbeat was nearly pounding. He quickly glanced toward the apartment building entrance. It was quiet inside. He quickly cast his gaze toward the mailbox. Inside lay a few ordinary letters and advertisements.
A small, familiar light blue object instantly caught my eye.
It’s that hairpin!
The plastic hairpin that Su Xiaoxiao wore!
But its current state... it was broken in two! It lay alone on a few flyers.
Ye Ling gasped and almost screamed in fright.
Broken? How could it be broken? And it appeared in Jiang Lian's mailbox?
The scene in the cafeteria flashed back clearly in an instant. He stiffly praised Su Xiaoxiao's cute hairpin, and then there was Jiang Lian's cold and sharp gaze and oppressive questioning.
...Could it be that Jiang Lian broke the hairpin just because he praised her?
[Hiss!] 778 also let out a sound similar to a gasp. [Hairpin? And it's broken?!]
Ye Ling's first reaction was to close the mailbox door and run away. But just as he was trying to push the mailbox door back in a panic, an idea came to his mind:
Wait...this hairpin is so common, it's everywhere on the street!
Besides, how could someone like Jiang Lian deliberately break a girl's hairpin? It's so cheap... If he hated me, he should have come after me.
Besides, Jiang Lian was a meticulous worker, so how could he have forgotten to close the mailbox door? Perhaps one of those spam ad-slingers accidentally slipped this broken hairpin in there? Or maybe it was just a prank…
This more reasonable explanation calmed Ye Ling's intense heartbeat a little.
Yes, it must be a coincidence! Those random people who stuffed the ads in there did it! Jiang Lian wouldn't do something so boring and horrible, and he certainly wouldn't be so careless as to forget to close the mailbox door!
He convinced himself and even felt that the association he had just made was a little ridiculous.
[Then…what should we do now?] 778's voice was a little bewildered.
[Let it be...stay as it is.] Ye Ling decided to pretend he knew nothing. He just wanted to leave this troubled place as soon as possible.
He looked around cautiously again, then reached out and pushed the two broken pieces of hairpin inward so that they would fall less conspicuously under the flyer.
Then, he carefully closed the silver mailbox door again, and when he heard the sound of it locking, he pressed it twice to make sure it was closed tightly.
He took one last look at the mailbox that had returned to normal, turned around quickly and ran home.
[…Host, you…] 778 seemed incredibly shocked and speechless at the host's "cleaning up the scene" and "thoughtfully closing the door" actions. [You're not taking anything? Were our efforts in vain?]
"It wasn't all in vain!" Ye Ling gasped and retorted, her eyes sparkling. "I saw it all! There were flyers and some unimportant little things in the mailbox. And I closed the door for him! That way no bad guys could read his letters! Didn't you always say you wanted to be a 'caring' pervert?"
[……]778 was defeated by the host's logic.
At the same time, inside the apartment building, in the shadow of the elevator hall.
Jiang Lian didn't actually go upstairs. His tall figure was completely hidden in the darkness of the blind spot of the surveillance camera.
He clearly saw Ye Ling rush to the mailbox, saw his surprise when he found the mailbox was unlocked, saw him reach in, and then his whole body froze as if struck by an electric current.
And when Ye Ling saw the broken light blue hairpin, her face instantly turned pale and her eyes were filled with fear.
"Scared? ...Good."
He saw Ye Ling trying to pull his hand back as if burned, and saw him looking around in fear. This was exactly what he wanted - to make his little tail clearly understand that he should not pay attention to anyone other than himself.
Next, Ye Ling's reaction was beyond Jiang Lian's expectations.
Instead of taking away the remains of the hairpin as a warning, he carefully pushed the two broken pieces inwards. Finally, he even carefully helped him close and lock the mailbox door again.
Jiang Lian was stunned for a moment, then the interest in his eyes became stronger, even turning into twisted excitement.
'You didn't take it?'
"And... you closed the door for me?"
His fingertips brushed lightly against the wall, as if stroking the soft golden hair of his prey.
So cute.
The author has something to say:
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This chapter has been revised to add the story of the hairpin breaking ~ [Rainbow fart]
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