Chapter 2237: Love Caught in the Cycle of Fate 36

Jin Chen rubbed off a glint of moisture on his lips with his fingertip, then kissed his nose tip: "Still annoyed?"

"You're annoying."

Xie Guan glared at him, but the gloom in his eyes had long faded, leaving only a hint of embarrassment and an undisguised reliance.

Jin Chen felt soft-hearted, simply pulled the blanket over to wrap both of them, his palm still pressed against his back.

"Go to sleep," he whispered, lips against Xie Guan's ear, "I'm here."

Xie Guan opened his mouth, but said nothing.

Jin Chen could always easily catch his emotions.

Xie Guan retaliatively bit a shallow mark on his Adam's apple, then lightly licked it with his tongue tip, leaving fine kisses.

"Brother."

The muffled tremor in his skin sounded like a coo, and was instantly answered by the arm that tightened around his waist.

Jin Chen's fingertip drew meaningless circles on his back until the breathing of the person in his arms gradually steadied, eyelashes fluttering as they drifted into sleep.

Outside the window, moonlight silently crept over the windowsill, falling onto the overlapping shadows.

【Detected Villain Heartthrob Value +10, total 100!】

【Detected Villain Blackening Value -5, total 0!】

——

One year later, midsummer.

Police academy welcome day, dappled light filtering through the plane tree leaves danced on the registration form, cicada chirps mingling with distant whistles.

Jin Chen leaned lazily on the plastic chair of the welcome booth, fingertips turning a pen, the silver-gray student council sleeve insignia catching a cold gleam in the sunlight.

He rarely ever personally attended the welcome event, and even acquaintances found it unbelievable.

Several classmates nearby were nudging and winking at each other, someone deliberately raising their voice: "Senior Jin, later there are so many handsome juniors; if you sit here, we'll have dressed up for nothing."

"Exactly, Jin Chen, you usually don't like these events, you go looking for a partner when you have time—how did you break the rule today?"

Jin Chen gave a light chuckle, pen tip against his chin, drawing out the tone: "My significant other…"

Before his words finished, someone suddenly slapped the registration form onto the table.

Knuckle-prominent fingers pressed the edge of the form, a cuff revealing a slice of cold-white wrist.

Jin Chen's gaze followed upward, meeting a pair of clear, lucid eyes.

Xie Guan wore a pure black short-sleeve, his sweat-dampened fringe slightly moist, pursing his lips as he looked at Jin Chen, lashes casting tiny shadows beneath his eyes.

The surroundings fell silent instantly.

Jin Chen suddenly laughed, deliberately drawing a lopsided heart on the form with his pen tip: "Little junior, do you have a partner? Male or female?"

Xie Guan's ear tips tinged red, yet he kept a straight face, enunciating: "Yes… a male."

The surrounding classmates:?

"Scumbag? No."

"We were just talking about your partner!"

"What kind of person is your boyfriend, handsome guy?"

【……】Ling Gun Gun stayed silent, curling up to sip lemonade, sweet and refreshing, perfect for summer.

Xie Guan: "……"

He expressionlessly said, "He's an idiot."

"Oh?" Jin Chen propped himself on the table, leaning forward, lowering his voice.

"Does he know that you were eyed by an upperclassman on your first day reporting to the police academy?"

The student council member sitting beside Jin Chen:???

"Jin Chen, one shouldn't lack morals…"

His reason and friendship were at odds.

Jin Chen chuckled, "You've been wanting to meet my partner, huh? Here."

Jin Chen pulled Xie Guan over, showing him off like a treasure.

"……" Everyone.

"No wonder you insisted on coming! Damn! Shao Huai even said he'd keep his distance today—turns out it's the sour smell of love." The student council member instantly broke down.

Xie Guan's ears burned red, unable to endure being stared at like a monkey.

He snatched the form, turned to leave, but Jin Chen grabbed his wrist.

His fingertip rubbed the thin callus on his palm, Jin Chen suddenly produced, as if by magic, a cup of iced lemon tea from under the table, beads of condensation on the glass, a sticky note attached.

"To the fiercest little junior in the world"

The surroundings burst into an uproar.

Xie Guan gripped the cup, fingertips trembling, then suddenly lifted his leg to kick Jin Chen's shin, but was anticipated and dodged, the other hand hooking his waist to pull him close.

Jin Chen laughed softly against his earlobe: "Who made you refuse my gift? Hmm?"

Xie Guan was dazzled by the sunlight.

Jin Chen's fingertip hooked the back of his collar, like holding a fluffy cat, his voice unbelievably gentle.

"Your dorm key's been prepared; don't lock the door tonight."

The cicadas suddenly clamored, Xie Guan strode away with red ears, and from behind came Jin Chen's leisurely addition.

"By the way, your boyfriend asked me to tell you…"

"He applied for a double dorm, the kind where couples can live together."

The surrounding laughter grew louder.

Beneath the dormitory building.

Shao Huai lazily kicked at the small stones on the road, saw Xie Guan approaching, smiled and moved in to hook shoulders with him.

Jin Chen has already arranged everything in the dormitory; you just need to put your things down. Over there, the welcoming event still has a while, so let me first take you to the cafeteria to eat.

Xie Guan made an acknowledging sound, went upstairs to put away his registration materials, and left with Shao Huai.

On the way, Shao Huai sighed, tilted his head to watch the falling phoenix tree leaves, and said: "Really, that guy Jin Chen usually acts lazy toward everyone, but with you he'd love to bring the whole world to your feet, and he never gets tired of it."

Xie Guan pressed his lips, a hint of softness flickered in his eyes, but his tone remained firm: "He's so annoying."

Shao Huai burst out laughing: "Come on, you two are being lovey-dovey; Xu Yi and I feel inadequate in comparison."

Bringing up Xu Yi, Xie Guan asked curiously: "I heard Jin Chen say you two had an argument recently?"

Shao Huai stopped in his tracks, turned around, and there was Youyou.

Then did Jin Chen tell you the reason?

Xie Guan raised an eyebrow: "How so?"

Shao Huai: "Xu Yi opened his own private clinic this year, much busier than last year; every time I go to find him to hang out, he's always stuck with animals."

"So I went to Jin Chen to think of a solution," Shao Huai said seriously, "otherwise, if this continues, Xu Yi will definitely neglect me."

"And then?" Xie Guan asked.

Shao Huai nonchalantly: "Jin Chen came up with the idea, telling me to wear animal ears when I go find Xu Yi, saying as a pet doctor he'd surely like it."

"Because of this, Xu Yi has refused to sleep with me for half a month."

Xie Guan: "……"

He wiped his face, said nothing.

After eating, Shao Huai took advantage of having no class today and left campus again to find Xu Yi.

Xie Guan slowly strolled around the campus.

The phoenix tree leaves rustled, light and shadow dappled, Jin Chen was walking toward them.

The sunset's light slanted down from behind him, outlining his silhouette with exceptional clarity, even the tips of his hair dyed with a warm golden halo.

Xie Guan stood in place, his heartbeat suddenly skipped a beat.

As Jin Chen approached, he held a smile at the corner of his mouth, but his gaze fell solely on Xie Guan.

"Have you been waiting long?"

Xie Guan turned his face away, shoved the sour plum drink into his hands, "……No."

Jin Chen took the bag, his fingertips lightly brushed Xie Guan's hand back, and he gave a low laugh.

"So thoughtful."

The lingering glow of the sunset fell on both of them, stretching their shadows long and intertwined, as if they could never be separated.

Jin Chen looked at his slightly reddened ear roots and softly said: "Xie Guan."

"Mm?"

"From now on we can be like this every day."

Xie Guan stared, then lifted his eyes to look at him.

Jin Chen's eyes held a gentle light, like a promise, yet also like certainty.

"Together."

Xie Guan's heart raced, his Adam's apple rolled once, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Jin Chen's face.

But Jin Chen knew, this was already his most straightforward response.

He smiled, ruffled Xie Guan's hair, took his hand: "Let's go."

Walking toward the future and rebirth.

……

【Congratulations Host mission completed, reward points, accumulated!】

【Now transmitting to the next world…… transmission successful!】