Chapter 16: TORTURE·A·LIVE

TORTURE·A·LIVE

At that moment, the bell signaling the end of class rang out.

“Well, that’ll be all for now—I’ve got things to do.” The homeroom teacher picked up his teacup and walked toward the door.

The homeroom teacher, apparently heading to another class, gave a brief explanation before quickly leaving the classroom.

As the door closed, the classmates sprang into action. With ten minutes left before the next class, the space around Ling Yu filled instantly—even though time was so limited. After all, she looked like a middle schooler with near-perfect features, though her true age was unknown even to Qing Xukong.

“Uh… um, Ling… Ling…”

“Just call me Ling Yu.”

“Are you from around here?”

“No, I only moved to this city recently.”

Listening to Ling Yu’s conversation with others, Qing Xukong exhaled in relief—she’d actually been listening to him after all. Why couldn’t she have just done this from the start?

“Oh, really? All by yourself? Isn’t that hard to get used to?”

“Not really—I’m staying temporarily at Qing Xukong’s place.”

Wait—that’s an alarming piece of information she just revealed! Qing Xukong tried to stop her, but it was too late.

“W-what?! You live in Qing Xukong’s house?!” Some of the boys nearby wailed, glaring at Qing Xukong like wolves.

“A boy and a girl living under the same roof… By the way, Qing Xukong lives alone, right?” The girls nearby burst into exclamations, staring at Qing Xukong with incredulous expressions.

“No, it’s not like that,” Qing Xukong tried to explain, but his voice vanished into the chaotic noise.

“What’s your relationship with Qing Xukong? Why are you staying at his place?”

“Come on, come on—is Qing Xukong secretly kinder than he looks?”

“He’s pretty, isn’t he? It might sound weird calling a guy that, but he’s genuinely refined. Honestly, I’m a little jealous.”

“Aaaaaaahhhhh!” The girls around them screamed in unison.

Qing Xukong understood: the torture had begun. He was the man nailed to the cross, Ling Yu the chief judge, and the rest the jury.

“Hey, cut it out—you’re causing trouble.” Mocheng stepped in.

“Mocheng…” Qing Xukong had never felt so moved.

“So, just tell me alone. By the way, how far have you gotten? You haven’t already…” Mocheng smiled brightly at Qing Xukong.

It seemed he’d merely gained one more juror—no one cared whether Qing Xukong lived or died.

“Hmm… relationship? For now, it’s just cohabitation. Why I’m staying at his place is complicated… but honestly, he’s kinder than he looks. Even though he always says no, he still accompanies me shopping, carries my bags—never mind that, he pays the bills too. As for his appearance, I’d say it made me fall for him at first sight…”

“Stop… stop… not this part!” Qing Xukong pleaded with his eyes, staring at Ling Yu.

Ling Yu paused, looking at Qing Xukong with confusion.

“Shopping together… and he pays? That’s unexpectedly manly.”

“Wait—if two people go shopping together, isn’t that basically a date?”

“And what’s this complicated situation you mentioned?!”

The crowd around them had descended into chaos. Some stared at Ling Yu in despair; others glared at Qing Xukong with hatred. Either way, Qing Xukong had become the class’s undisputed center of attention—all thanks to some divine being.

“Damn it, living with a girl that cute—it’s just… just…”

“So Qing Xukong has a hidden side? Cold outside, warm inside? Honestly, I’m kinda attracted.”

“It’s all a misunderstanding! Everything’s a misunderstanding!” Qing Xukong shouted. But the interrogation showed no sign of ending.

“Quite the commotion, Qing Xukong—what happened?” A girl entered the classroom. Her face might not match Ling Yu’s, but she held an advantage in figure—her honey-blonde hair reached her shoulders, and her green eyes sparkled with curiosity. She was one of Qing Xukong’s few friends: Zhong Yuxin. Today, she’d apparently been delayed for some reason, and it was clear she had no idea what was going on.

“Ah, Zhong Yuxin, you’re here! Qing Xukong… Qing Xukong has finally… come into his own!” Mocheng choked out, turning to Zhong Yuxin.

“Huh? What’s going on?” Zhong Yuxin looked around at the crowd and Mocheng, bewildered.

“I can’t explain it right now—I’ll tell you properly later,” Qing Xukong cut in before Mocheng could make things worse.