Chapter 15 “Sudoku, Rubik’s Cube… Playing with Rabbits.”

Luo Yi uneasily twisted her two fingers together. A thin cloud of red rose across her jade-like cheeks.

She didn’t even dare look at Ye Xiaoyang’s gaze again. If she could, she truly wanted to flee in panic like a short-tailed rabbit surrounded by natural predators.

“Ah hahahaha.” Sun Yiman suddenly burst into loud laughter. Luo Yi was startled quite a bit by her convulsing laughter.

Sun Yiman draped one arm over her shoulder, her eyes full of smiling intent, and asked, “How old are you? Fifteen, right?”

Luo Yi didn’t understand what she meant.

“The ‘holding hands’ you mentioned—it can’t be the kind where the teacher makes you hold hands when crossing the street in elementary school, can it?” Sun Yiman teased. “Or ballroom dancing during calisthenics between classes?”

“I…” Luo Yi didn’t know how to defend herself. It clearly wasn’t that.

But on second thought, she didn’t need to defend herself about this matter. Saying it out loud would only be more embarrassing—being touched on the hand by Ye Xiaoyang and all that…

“Aiya, you’re so pure.” Sun Yiman discovered that this transfer student in front of her was truly too interesting. Just a few words and her face would turn red beyond control.

Thinking this way, the fact that she had felt embarrassed just now when Ye Xiaoyang gave her the coconut milk was also reasonable.

“Come come, next round.” Sun Yiman dealt the cards again.

This time the one who got hit was Ye Xiaoyang.

When dealing with Ye Xiaoyang, of course they would roast him however they wanted. Who told him to usually put on the lofty academic-god airs and sit high above everyone? Now that he had fallen into everyone’s hands, they would definitely make him roll down from the altar. As for whether he could climb back up, that would depend on himself.

“Truth or dare?” Sun Yiman asked.

Ye Xiaoyang pinched the Coke can and slowly played with it. His long fingers tapped against the can body. His black eyelashes covered his eyes, making it impossible to discern the emotions within them.

Finally, he said, “Truth.”

Oh-ho-ho. The group of boys around him lit up with joy.

Clearly Ye Xiaoyang had completely failed to realize just how full of pitfalls the game of truth was.

They only asked such reserved questions to soft girls like Luo Yi. Who the hell wanted to pry into Ye Xiaoyang’s teenage boy secrets? The questions they asked him would naturally be the dirtier the better.

Wang Changze volunteered, “Me, me!”

Just now he had been searching his phone for all kinds of tricky questions. Now he finally had a place to put them to use.

Our pure young man Ye Xiaoyang was currently fantasizing about being asked something like “Is there anyone among the girls present who is your ideal type?” and what Luo Yi’s reaction would be if he nodded in agreement.

Mm, she should blush like a mimosa plant, right?

Wang Changze cleared his throat, held up his phone, and loudly recited, “How many times did you fly plane this week?”

In order to take care of the girls present, Wang Changze deliberately said “plane” instead of the full Chinese term, but everyone was already in high school. Who wouldn’t know what this question meant?

The boys all wore wicked smiles. Although the girls didn’t laugh as unrestrainedly as the boys, they were still very curious.

Only Luo Yi alone sat dazedly among the crowd, blinking her two round black eyes in a way that didn’t fit in with the group.

That expression seemed to say, Oh my god, he’s actually this kind of person?

Collapsed. His entire person had collapsed.

At this moment Ye Xiaoyang truly wanted to fly up and kick Wang Changze’s head away like a ball.

Under everyone’s expectant gazes, Ye Xiaoyang “bang” opened a can of beer, tilted his head back and gulped a large mouthful, then slammed the beer can hard onto the table.

“Eh? Why not answer such a simple question?” Wang Changze said with a grin. “Are you sure you want to skip it? This is really the simplest question.”

Ye Xiaoyang said, “Change it.”

“Alright, the moment you drink we all already know. Anyway it’s not zero times.” Zhou Jiahang was afraid Ye Xiaoyang hadn’t been roasted thoroughly enough and timely jumped out to add another stab.

If during the game earlier the little boat of friendship had only been swaying in a violent storm, then after this sentence was spoken, the little boat of friendship had already hit a reef and sunk.

“Then change the question,” Wang Changze’s smile grew even thicker. “Who did you fantasize about in your head the last time you flew plane?”

Ye Xiaoyang: “…”

Had he fallen into a pit?

Ye Xiaoyang looked toward Luo Yi. Her expression had already changed from the initial daze into terror.

She looked at him at a complete loss, as if looking at a pervert. Even though Ye Xiaoyang hadn’t answered a single word, she seemed to already be able to find the answers to these questions through her rich imagination.

Ye Xiaoyang tilted his head back and took another heavy gulp of beer.

Capsizing in a small ditch—how could he not feel depressed?

“Changing the question again?” Wang Changze pretended to be surprised. “I say, brother, can you still handle it?”

“How is he supposed to answer your questions?” Tang Kunyu said. “Let me ask instead.”

If anyone thought Tang Kunyu had come to rescue Ye Xiaoyang from the water and fire, that must have been an illusion.

He had only pulled Ye Xiaoyang out of the dragon’s pool and then kicked him into the tiger’s den with one foot.

“Which teacher’s movies do you appreciate the most? Please name one.” Tang Kunyu asked with a serious expression.

This “movie,” of course, was not the kind of movie one usually went to the cinema to watch. This “teacher,” of course, was also not the kind of teacher who taught in the classroom on ordinary days. They were all boys—there was no need to pretend not to understand.

Ye Xiaoyang: “…”

A circle of boys laughed as if they had gone mad. However glorious Ye Xiaoyang usually was on the exam field, he was now that awkward.

If it were all boys, it would have been fine. But there happened to be female classmates present. And even if there were female classmates, it would have been fine—except that that certain someone was also present. Ye Xiaoyang would rather die than say a single word.

“Just casually say one. Anyway our Academic God Ye has photographic memory and an excellent memory. Remembering a few code numbers is a piece of cake.” Zhou Jiahang added another deadly stab.

“Zhou Jiahang.” Ye Xiaoyang spoke coldly. “Are you looking for death?”

Hearing this, Zhou Jiahang immediately made an X over his mouth, indicating that from now on he was entering silent mode.

Ye Xiaoyang gulped another mouthful of beer.

The surrounding classmates scrambled to ask questions. Ye Xiaoyang realized he couldn’t let this group of turtle grandsons press him to the ground and rub him.

It was only a game. Why did he have to be so passive?

Just as he was thinking about how to extricate himself, a small hand trembled as it was raised.

Luo Yi hugged her backpack and met his eyes.

She said softly, “Can I ask?”

Luo Yi was the new classmate. Both the boys and the girls would yield to her.

It was rare for Luo Yi to take the initiative like this, so this group of boys no longer competed. She smoothly obtained this opportunity.

Everyone’s gazes instantly concentrated on these two people.

One was a clear and handsome youth. The other was a shy and charming young girl.

Ye Xiaoyang raised his eyes and looked directly at Luo Yi facing him. Under the blazing sunlight, her soft short hair was dyed a brilliant gold. Her small, pale ears were illuminated until they were almost transparent.

Luo Yi pressed her lips together, thought for a moment, then finally asked, “What three things do you like to do when you’re bored?”

“Hai—” Everyone sighed. This question was far too lacking in explosive points.

As expected of a new classmate—too reserved. The rare opportunity to tease Ye Xiaoyang had been wasted for nothing like this.

“Sudoku, Rubik’s Cube…” Ye Xiaoyang’s arms rested on his knees, his hands crossed and cushioned under his chin, as if concentrating on thinking of the third thing.

Suddenly, one corner of his lips curved lightly. He said with a half-smile, “Teasing rabbits.”

Teasing rabbits?

This answer surprised Luo Yi.

It was far too incompatible with Sudoku and Rubik’s Cube, wasn’t it? She had thought he would mention some other game, like Minesweeper or something.

“When did you start raising a rabbit?” Zhou Jiahang asked.

“Not long ago.” Ye Xiaoyang spoke as if it had a nose and eyes. “It’s very well-behaved, very timid, and also very cute.”

Very cute?

Luo Yi’s heart trembled. Did he like using this word to describe things so much?

Last night, he had also said she was very cute.

She discovered that the way Ye Xiaoyang looked at her was very strange.

Straightforward, open, and yet carrying a faint thread of ill intent?

“Really? Do you have photos?” The girls on the side grew curious. “Show us your rabbit.”

“No photos.”

“I want to raise one too!” Another girl asked, “What does it usually eat? I heard rabbits don’t eat carrots.”

“Mm…” Ye Xiaoyang propped up his cheek and said slowly, “It likes to eat candy.”

“Eat candy? Do rabbits eat candy? First time I’ve heard of it.”

“Your rabbit is so special.”

“What breed is it? Little white rabbit? Lop-eared rabbit?”

All kinds of questions were thrown out. It had to be said that girls’ enthusiasm for small animals was innate.

“Is your rabbit male or female?” Li Lingqiu asked. “If it’s female, can you give me one of the baby rabbits when it gives birth?”

Ye Xiaoyang: “…”

“No.” He refused very decisively.

“Why? I heard rabbits are very good at giving birth. One litter has many. Can you raise them all?”

“There’s no why. No means no.”

The noisy voices finally stopped when the next round of cards was dealt.

Everyone ate while playing the game. Time quickly reached two o’clock.

The afternoon activity was organizing a mountain climb. It was only a small dirt slope of three to four hundred meters. Luo Yi could still overcome it.

The scenery at the mountain top was extremely good. The peninsula was surrounded by the lake on three sides. The blue water was leisurely, boat shadows were indistinct, and occasionally flying birds spread their wings and glided across the lake surface.

“Holy shit, so beautiful!” Zhou Jiahang stretched out both arms and embraced the wind.

Luo Yi walked to the railing and looked toward the calm lake surface under her feet. She suddenly recalled a line of poetry and murmured to herself, “Floating light follows the sun’s passage; rippling shadows chase the deepening waves.”

Zhou Jiahang froze on the side. He asked Luo Yi, “What the hell did you just say?”

Luo Yi smiled and didn’t answer. Specifically answering always felt like showing off. She had purely spoken from feeling.

Ye Xiaoyang was leaning against a large rock at the mountain top. He turned his head and saw Luo Yi resting both of her slender, tender arms on the railing.

The wind lifted the hem of her skirt, like swaying lotus leaves.

“You’re so artistic,” Sun Yiman said with a smile. “Zhou Jiahang, learn from her. Don’t just say ‘holy shit’ all day.”

“Unfortunately this person has no culture. One ‘holy shit’ can walk the world.” Zhou Jiahang scratched his head and laughed awkwardly. “But since ancient times, literary youths have loved hooligans, hahaha.”

Ye Xiaoyang rolled his eyes at Zhou Jiahang.

Sun Yiman glanced at Ye Xiaoyang and suddenly had a new discovery: “Are you two wearing couple outfits?”