Chapter 79: Touch
The crowd dispersed with unfinished curiosity and whispers. The cafeteria remained noisy and chaotic, but the air in this small corner seemed to solidify.
Jiang Yunian stood stiffly in place, crushing the slightly damp tissue in his hand, his heart pounding like a drum. He didn’t look up, yet he could clearly feel the scorching gaze still resting on him, like an invisible net covering him securely with nowhere to hide.
He had never imagined he would see this person again in such a wretched and embarrassing situation.
He thought… they wouldn’t meet again.
And the other party showed no intention of leaving even after the crowd dispersed, nor did he look at the shoe that had been wiped. His gaze, from beginning to end, revolved only around one person.
Neither of them spoke. Just then, an impatient voice broke the silence.
“What’s going on? Taking so long just to get food.”
Qian Cheng walked through the thinning crowd with a frown. First, he glimpsed a patch of soup stain not yet completely dry on the floor, then his gaze swept over the expressionless Qi Yan and Zhou Shu, who was watching the show with arms crossed. He was visibly stunned. Connecting the dots with the commotion just now, he immediately concocted a scenario where his “poor roommate accidentally offended a big shot and was caught red-handed, scared silly.” He cursed silently, Bad news!
He stepped forward, grabbing the dazed Jiang Yunian and pulling him behind himself. It was a bit rough, and his lowered voice scraped past Jiang Yunianâs ear: “Can’t even handle this little thing properly? Nothing but trouble!”
Jiang Yunian stumbled from the pull, lips pressed tight, looking submissive.
After scolding his “little brother,” a social smile immediately lit up Qian Chengâs face. He turned to Qi Yan, putting on a familiar, ingratiating tone: “Cousin, for my sake, don’t hold it against him. He’s my roommate, one of us.”
He called him cousin, but his usual arrogance was nowhere to be found.
Qi Yan didn’t give him this face. His gaze slid from Qian Chengâs arm protecting Jiang Yunian to the movement of him leaning close to whisper in Jiang Yunianâs ear. His eye color deepened, a dark and obscure light flashing in his pupils.
Seeing no reaction, Qian Cheng didn’t feel awkward. He patted Jiang Yunianâs shoulder as if patting a pet cat or dog, with a hint of showing off: “Here, no need for me to introduce the person from the news these past few days, right?”
He pushed Jiang Yunian forward. “Go, shake hands with Young Master Qi, apologize, and we’ll consider this matter settled.”
Jiang Yunianâs body was rigid, his feet rooted to the spot, motionless.
Qian Cheng didn’t expect this soft persimmon, usually so easy to manipulate, to dare disobey him now. He felt he was losing face. Just as he was about to raise his voice, he glimpsed Zhou Shu watching with an amused expression out of the corner of his eye, and sensed an indescribable weirdness between Qi Yan and Jiang Yunian.
“Do you guys… know each other?” Qian Chengâs suspicious gaze swept back and forth between them.
Qi Yanâs lips moved slightly, seeming about to say something.
“No, we don’t.” Jiang Yunian spoke first, blocking the words Qi Yan hadn’t yet uttered.
Hearing this, the playful smile on Zhou Shuâs lips deepened.
Qian Cheng was a bit confused by the situation, but the arrow was on the string. He could only bite the bullet and push Jiang Yunian again, his low voice urging with a hint of threat: “Then hurry up! If we really offend him, neither of us will have a good outcome!”
pushed forward, Jiang Yunian stumbled a step, nearly crashing into Qi Yanâs arms. He managed to stop just in time, eyes lowered as if hesitating, then slowly raised his right hand in resignation.
Qi Yanâs gaze landed on this delicate, fair hand, and the tight corners of his mouth loosened slightly.
Qian Chengâs heart was in his throat, holding his breath, afraid this rumored moody distant cousin wouldn’t give him any face at all. If he got implicated, the loss would outweigh the gain.
However, to his surprise, Qi Yan was unusually cooperative, steadily clasping Jiang Yunianâs hand back.
Qian Cheng instantly sighed in relief, even feeling a bit secretly delighted. It seems this cousin isn’t that difficult to deal with; he still gives me, his ‘cousin,’ some face!
Jiang Yunianâs warm, soft hand was completely enveloped by Qi Yanâs slightly cool, powerful palm. After touching for less than two seconds, Jiang Yunian tried to pull back, but the grip didn’t budge.
Not only did Qi Yan not let go, but maintaining the handshake posture, he naturally lowered his arm. The angle of his body and his wide sleeve cleverly blocked their joined hands, cutting off the view from others.
Because of this movement, Jiang Yunian was forced to take a small step closer to him. The distance between them instantly shortened to a nearly ambiguous degree. The temperature of the other’s palm and the irresistible force transmitted through the back of his hand felt like an electric current. The heat spread rapidly from their touching skin, climbing up to the roots of his ears, turning them a layer of faint red, and threatening to spread to his cheeks.
“Alright, alright, it’s no big deal.” Zhou Shu stepped in at the right time to smooth things over, throwing an arm around the still secretly rejoicing Qian Chengâs shoulder. “Let’s go, let’s eat together, chat while we eat.”
Qian Cheng was eager for a chance to get closer to these two, so he naturally agreed readily. He immediately hooked shoulders with Zhou Shu, walking toward the dining area like brothers.
Once they left, only the two “holding hands” remained.
Jiang Yunian exerted force secretly, unable to break free no matter what. He whispered in angry embarrassment, “Someone’s… Y-you let go!”
Looking at his cheeks stained with scarlet and those eyes bright with annoyance, a trace of successful amusement flashed across Qi Yanâs brow. His fingertips stroked the back of Jiang Yunianâs hand almost imperceptibly before slowly letting go just before the other completely exploded.
His palm suddenly empty, the faint heat seemed to linger. Jiang Yunian quickly retracted his hand behind his back, his heartbeat in chaos. Afraid he would grab it again, he walked quickly to the nearby table, picked up the two trays that had nearly been overturned, and followed Qian Cheng and the others without a sound.
Qi Yan watched his figure, which looked almost like he was fleeing in panic, and followed.
Qian Cheng and Zhou Shu had already found a table. Jiang Yunian silently placed one of the trays in front of Qian Cheng and sat in the empty seat beside him, trying to minimize his presence.
Qi Yan naturally took the seat opposite him.
Throughout the meal, Qi Yan barely touched his chopsticks. From the moment he entered the cafeteria, his eyes never left the person opposite him who wished he could bury his face in his rice to avoid him. That gaze wasn’t sharp, but its presence was incredibly strong, making Jiang Yunian sit on pins and needles, mechanically shoveling rice into his mouth to block everything out.
While chatting about everything under the sun with Zhou Shu, Qian Cheng also noticed Jiang Yunianâs quail-like behavior and Qi Yanâs “meaningful” gaze. Thinking Jiang Yunian was still afraid Qi Yan held a grudge, he cursed his lack of backbone inwardly but smiled and said to Qi Yan, “Cousin, don’t mind him. He’s just like this, timid and shy with strangers. He didn’t mean to offend you.”
Saying that, he glanced at the plain vegetable dishes with little oil in Jiang Yunianâs tray. With a tone of charity, he picked up a piece of fatty braised pork from his own plate, acting as if to put it in Jiang Yunianâs bowl. “Look how thin you are, probably never eaten any good meat, right? Come, come, try this…”
Qi Yan, who had remained expressionless, suddenly lifted his eyelids the moment Qian Chengâs chopsticks extended. His eyes turned abruptly cold.
Almost instinctively, Jiang Yunian shifted his tray to the side, dodging the meat. His voice was low, carrying a hint of resistance: “…I don’t eat fatty meat.”
Qian Chengâs chopsticks hit empty air. He froze, then laughed in annoyance. “Being picky now.” He casually stuffed the meat into his own mouth.
Qi Yan watched his older brotherâs evasive movement, the chill in his eyes dissipating. He picked up his spoon and slowly began to eat the almost untouched meal in front of him.
Zhou Shu took all this in, the corner of his mouth maintaining that knowing and teasing smile.
After eating, most people in the cafeteria had left. Qian Cheng stood up to go to the restroom, naturally dropping a command: “Dump the trays.”
Jiang Yunian obediently hummed an “En,” picking up the two empty trays and walking toward the return station.
Just as he put the plates down and turned around, he was startled by two people standing silently behind him.
Zhou Shu had no time to stay and be a third wheel. He asked, “My wife is in the same dorm as you, right?”
Jiang Yunianâs heart tightened. He immediately shook his head vigilantly, eyes full of defense. “No.”
Seeing his clumsy denial, Zhou Shu scoffed but didn’t expose him. He only said a lazy “Leaving now,” shoved his hands in his pockets, and sauntered away.
Only Qi Yan remained, blocking his path.
Blocked by that tall and upright figure, Jiang Yunianâs heart drummed. He turned his body slightly sideways, trying to squeeze through the narrow gap between the person and the wall, planning to go directly to the restroom entrance to wait for Qian Cheng.
Qi Yan didn’t stop him. But the moment he moved, Qi Yan stepped forward, following unhurriedly behind him.
It felt like being targeted by a very patient beast. It wasn’t in a rush to kill; it simply followed step by step, enjoying the prey’s panic, certain that the target was already in the bag.
Arriving at the restroom entrance, Jiang Yunian paused. A boy happened to walk out from inside, looking at the two blocking the door one after another with a strange expression.
Jiang Yunian turned sideways to make way, his back accidentally brushing against the chest close behind him.
In that instant of contact, it was as if electricity shot through his spine. Jiang Yunian shuddered and dodged against the wall.
The boy who came out was baffled by his overreaction. He gave him a weird look, as if looking at someone mentally unstable, then walked away quickly.
Once that person left, only the two of them remained at the empty restroom entrance.
The person who had been standing behind Jiang Yunian suddenly moved.
Jiang Yunian felt a shadow loom over him from behind, carrying a familiar scent that made his heart palpitate. He wanted to hide, but it was too late.
An arm suddenly wrapped around his waist, pulling him back. At the same time, another hand pressed against the wall beside his face, trapping him completely in his embrace.
A low, husky voice, carrying a longing suppressed for a long time, drilled into his ear, pressing close to his auricle, provoking a fine shiver:
“Ge…”
Jiang Yunianâs body went rigid.
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