Chapter 10 — Once and For All

Luo Zhiyu glances at the broomstick behind the door.

“We’re going to see each other all the time.” — his prediction has been proven consistently.

“Good evening.” Mr. Xu knocks on the door twice, greeting them with a smile, “I hope it’s not a bother to come by at this hour.”

Luo Zhiyu: “Not at all.” Yes, it is.

Jing Ximing sits next to Luo Zhiyu’s bed, squeezing out a friendly, respectable smile.

“So, I will leave the Dormitory 3 inspections to you.” Mr. Xu says, “I’ll go check up on the building next door.”

“Got it, Mr. Xu.” Xiao Yan scans the room and Luo Zhiyu, “I will carry out my responsibilities as a Students’ Association member.”

Mr. Xu leaves, satisfied.

Luo Zhiyu’s hand has rested on the door handle all this time, not letting go even for a moment. He considers the possibility of slamming the door in Xiao Yan’s face.

Xiao Yan rummages through his pocket and brings out his Students’ Association work pass, extending his hand with it dangling from the lanyard. It swings in front of Luo Zhiyu’s eyes.

“Dorm inspection.” Xiao Yan stops the door from closing with one foot, “Luo Zhiyu, fellow student, what are you doing?”

Once Xiao Yan sees through his intentions, Luo Zhiyu regretfully opens the dorm door wide, letting Xiao Yan in. Xiao Yan wears the Students’ Association lanyard on his chest, with a marking clipboard in his hands, and a fountain pen sticking out from his uniform pocket.

He is taller than Luo Zhiyu to begin with, and the blue and white uniform makes his slender legs look even longer. The prescription-less glasses slightly mask the boyish spunk in his eyes — fully putting on an aura that he does not possess at all.

Compared to the guy who was squatting and eating watermelon next to the military training squad, this is almost a completely different person.

Xiao Yan moves the broomstick from behind the door to outside the dorm room, and finally follows Luo Zhiyu inside.

Luo Zhiyu doesn’t have much patience for this kind of thing, but the dorm room is neatly kept — the blanket on the bed folded nicely, no garbage in the garbage can. A half-finished manhua — now he finally understands.

“Hand over the pot and get your points deducted, quickly.” Xiao Yan hurries, “I have other dorms too, don’t get in the way of the Students’ Association doing its job. Go ask anyone in the Students’ Association and they’ll tell you, we’re definitely fair and square, no personal feelings involved.”

The pen nib stops at the column for points deduction, and the holdout grabs at Xiao Yan’s sleeve, hand wrapping around his wrist.

“Bro, can we talk this out?” Luo Zhiyu lifts his head to look at him, “This is my only pot.”

“I’m not in a position to talk things out with you, I’m just here doing my job for the extracurricular credits.” Xiao Yan lets Luo Zhiyu hold onto his wrist, “Luo Zhiyu, have you decided on what to bribe me with?”

“Let’s see what you come up with.”

Luo Zhiyu’s family is well-off, but Xiao Yan’s is more so — he doesn’t need anything and has no weakness. More importantly, there’s the childhood grudge that has been going on since they were three.

Luo Zhiyu doesn’t have anything to offer him; his only option is to make use of their history together.

“I’ll let you bite me back?”

Jing Ximing: “?”

Returning to this topic again on the same day, and after going to health class these few days, Xiao Yan — looking into Luo Zhiyu’s gaze — suddenly spaces out a little.

An omega has played pervert on him twice in one day, and yet the omega himself does not think there is anything wrong with his statements.

Luo Zhiyu takes him zoning out as refusal and gives up on this strategy.

Okay, if appealing to their history doesn’t work, then it’s time to go on the offensive. A negotiation method that they are both used to —

“I have a question.” Luo Zhiyu says, “What are the banned electronics at First Metropolitan?”

Xiao Yan glances at Luo Zhiyu absentmindedly and opens up the dorm inspections memo from the school, reading it out for Luo Zhiyu: “It’s in the new student handbook, did you not read it? Electric fans, rice cookers, all kinds of pots and pans, electric blankets, mini fridges, electric stoves…”

“Okay, this professional fella from the Students’ Association who’s just doing his job, I have fully recognized my mistakes and will self-reflect for sure. Do you accept reports on other students?” Luo Zhiyu straightens up, no longer hiding the pot under the blankets, revealing it and handing it over to Xiao Yan with both hands. “I, too, would like to see the school campus become a better place.”

“Yes.” Xiao Yan’s pen does not stop, deducting a few points on the points column, “You’re planning to drag someone down with you?”

“There are banned electronics at First Metropolitan for a reason.” Xiao Yan says, “It’s not a matter of safety, they are worried that we’ll get distracted from our studies.”

“I understand.” Luo Zhiyu suddenly becomes very cooperative.

“As long as you understand. Okay, spill, who else has a banned electronic device in their dorm, I’ll take care of it together.” Xiao Yan says, “Once and for all.”

“First Metropolitan High School, First Year, Class 3, Luo Zhiyu is reporting Second Year, Class 3, Xiao Yan.” Luo Zhiyu stands across from Xiao Yan, slowly raising his hand, as imposing as anyone, with no trace of the meek, obedient person from just now.

Xiao Yan stops in his writing.

“There’s a mini-fridge in your dorm, you said so yourself this morning.”

“Okay, you can settle things once and for all now.”