Chapter 23: The School Bus

It wasn’t peak hours for the mall yet. With few people around, the vibration of the phone inside the mascot suit was particularly prominent.

Wen Xi locked eyes with the person in the dog suit. She casually tapped a few characters on her screen and hit send. Sure enough, the phone opposite her buzzed again.

Wen Xi’s expression instantly became intriguing. She truly hadn’t expected to run into Cheng Si here in such a ridiculous fashion. No wonder he had suddenly asked those boundary-crossing questions on StarChat; he had seen everything.

Wen Xi curled her lips and took a step toward him. The mascot instinctively took a step back.

“Hiding from me again?” Wen Xi said. “Since you’re working here, why didn’t you tell me on StarChat?”

Cheng Si heard the dissatisfaction in her voice and was forced to stop in his tracks. “You were with someone else,” he said in a low, muffled voice. “If I had said something, it would have interrupted your date.”

Wen Xi scoffed. “Then should I be thanking you?”

Cheng Si fell into a brief silence. She didn’t deny it was a date.

“That person,” Cheng Si hesitated, finally asking the question that had been eating at him since he saw them together, “Is he your ‘dog’ too?”

Because of the oversized mascot head, his expression was hidden, and his voice was as heavy as ever. Yet, for some reason, Wen Xi heard a trace of dejection and embarrassment in his words—so much so that she felt a fleeting urge to explain. But she quickly dismissed the thought; she had no obligation to explain anything to him.

“Are you questioning me?” Wen Xi asked.

Cheng Si’s body stiffened. His throat felt dry, making the smiling face of the dog costume look particularly pathetic. He wanted to say no, but the truth was he was drowning in jealousy. He even dazedly wished she hadn’t discovered it was him, so he wouldn’t have to reveal such an unpleasant side of himself.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to say,” Cheng Si said dejectedly. He really had no right to ask. Why seek out more pain?

Wen Xi licked her lips. This version of Cheng Si made her feel strangely irritable. She glanced toward the milk tea shop; Lu Xianyan’s order was being packed, and he would be back soon.

Just this once, Wen Xi thought. She would explain this one time and indulge his offense once more. She would make sure to pay him back double for this later anyway.

“No, no, and no,” Wen Xi said three times in a row. “Is that answer satisfactory?”

“Then you and him…”

Before he could finish, Wen Xi interrupted: “It’s just a business deal. Not a dog, not a boyfriend. No kissing, no marking, no relationship beyond that.” She gave a light smirk and looked at him calmly. “Is that clear enough?”

It was more than satisfactory. Cheng Si stared at her blankly, unable to believe he had received such an unexpected answer—mostly because the things she listed were the exact questions he had asked her the day they met after her transfer.

A moment later, the heart that had been soaked in cold water began to warm up rapidly, beating with a fierce, eager rhythm. Falling for Wen Xi was simply too easy, even if it had already happened countless times.

“Then… then today…” Cheng Si stammered, his tone becoming hopeful. His fingers moved unconsciously inside the suit.

Wen Xi didn’t know whether to call him stupid or clever. If she hadn’t found him here, he might have carried that gloomy mood until their next meeting. But he was clever enough to seize every opportunity to push for a promise.

“Next time,” Wen Xi said helplessly. “I really have things to do today.” Tonight, she’d have to deal with Xu Linshen, and he wasn’t easy to brush off.

Just as she finished, Lu Xianyan walked over with the milk tea. Wen Xi took a step back and stopped talking.

“I didn’t know what you’d like. I thought about ordering one of everything, but my gut told me you wouldn’t like the waste,” Lu Xianyan said, handing her the drink. “White Peach Oolong Thick Milk Tea. Try it.”

Wen Xi thanked him and poked the straw in. The peach aroma was rich, and the silky texture made it mellow and sweet.

“Is it good?” Lu Xianyan asked. “Yes,” Wen Xi smiled meaningfully. “I like thick milk tea.”

Despite saying so, she only took one sip before holding it out to Cheng Si. “Sorry, I can’t drink anymore. Can you dispose of this for me?”

Cheng Si dazed at her and didn’t take it. Lu Xianyan, thinking it was a hassle, spoke up: “Why bother him? There’s no trash can nearby. It’s fine if you can’t finish it, I’ll—”

You wish! Cheng Si’s body reacted faster than his brain. He snatched the tea from Wen Xi’s hand and lowered his head. “I know where the nearest trash can is. I’ll handle it.” He then turned and ran off before Lu Xianyan could finish.

Lu Xianyan watched the clumsy, comical silhouette run away. “Why is that guy acting so… ‘dog-like’?”

“Who knows,” Wen Xi laughed softly. “Maybe it’s just his nature.”

Cheng Si ran all the way to the locker room. He pulled off the mascot head and gloves, holding the drink with both hands. He forgot to even use the cup sleeve; his palms were red from the ice, but he refused to let go. After staring at the tea for a few seconds, his ears turned red as he put his mouth around the straw Wen Xi had used.

That night, Wen Xi went back to the Wen family home with Xu Linshen. He didn’t tell her the details of his talk with Li Xiao, but he seemed to have calmed down. He no longer showed the same aggression toward Lu Xianyan.

“Xiao Qi,” Xu Linshen called out as she headed to her room. “Move back to the main house, okay?” Wen Xi paused. “But won’t Sister-in-law be back often?”

“Don’t worry about her,” Xu Linshen sneered. “She won’t be coming home anytime soon.” Wen Xi recalled the headlines about a certain male star being kept by an Omega socialite. The news hadn’t been suppressed quickly enough.

“Come home,” Xu Linshen repeated. “I’ll be home often too. I promise nothing embarrassing will happen. I’ve even learned a few new recipes you like.”

Wen Xi stood on the wooden stairs, looking at him sideways. “I think I’ll pass.” “Reason?”

“I’m used to Scented Sea City,” Wen Xi said, acting troubled. “And I’m an adult now. Living with my brother would be… inconvenient.” Xu Linshen’s face darkened. “Inconvenient for living with me, or inconvenient for going to nightclubs?”

Wen Xi wasn’t surprised he found out. “If I say both?”

Xu Linshen’s expression soured. It had been a long time since Wen Xi spoke to him with such rebellion. “Who did you go to the club to see? You told me you were drinking with Luo Wanran… you’ve learned to lie to me?”

“Where’s the lie?” Wen Xi retorted. “You didn’t ask where I was drinking.”

Xu Linshen’s temple throbbed. Just as he was about to blow up, Wen Xi said airily: “It’s your fault. You protected me too well. I don’t know anything. I’ll probably be easily scammed in the future.”

She wasn’t lying. She truly didn’t understand love, so when Cheng Si baited her with his clumsy methods, she fell for it. A single pathetic look from him made her heart soften. A kiss made her lose control. The scent of his pheromones made her want to mark him and make him hers forever.

She decided she needed to find a way to try it “completely,” the way Cheng Si had described.

Xu Linshen was speechless. He didn’t know how to respond to her mindless complaint. After a moment, he asked, “So you went to the club just out of curiosity?” “What other reason could there be?” Wen Xi asked back.

Xu Linshen frowned. He told himself not to be angry, as she seemed as obedient as ever. But the thought that Lu Xianyan had been at the club, sabotaging the cameras so no one knew what he did, made his hatred for the man grow. He didn’t want a brother-in-law who saw Wen Xi as prey.

“Don’t go again. Those places aren’t safe,” he said, dropping the subject.

Wen Xi didn’t feel like playing along anymore. She gave a perfunctory agreement and had the butler change her bedding. She exchanged contact info with Lu Xianyan and set a time to see Lu Yinzhi next week.

By the time Wen Xi finished her busy streak, it was early October. The school organized its annual three-day autumn field trip. Participation was optional, but the school required those attending to take the school bus and stay in assigned hotels to ensure safety and management.

Wen Xi had never attended before—she found them troublesome—but this time, she changed her mind. Her forced suppression of her rut was causing physical side effects, leaving her on the edge of irritability. With Xu Linshen watching closely, she had no chance for deeper contact with Cheng Si to relieve the tension.

Twenty-five students signed up—a record high—because no one expected Wen Xi to go.

The “Sugar Overload” group chat was in a frenzy. [Sunlight Lin: Sisters! Can someone confirm? Class 7 is going to the beach, right? Swimsuits?!] [Yes, yes! The teacher said if we’re lucky, we can see whales spraying rainbows!] [Wait, is Wen Wen going just for the whales?] [Yeah, she loves whales.] [Forget the whales! The point is seeing Wen Wen in a swimsuit! I’m hyperventilating!] [I’ve never seen her in a swimsuit! She never goes to swim class!]

At 9:00 AM, the Class 7 students gathered at the gate and boarded the bus. Wen Xi sat by the aisle. Perhaps because other students were too intimidated to ask her to move, the seat next to her remained empty. She caught sight of Cheng Si sitting diagonally in front of her with Jiang Shuo. She closed her eyes to rest.

“Want to play a game?” Jiang Shuo nudged Cheng Si. “No.” Cheng Si kept glancing back. Wen Xi was sleeping, looking quiet and out of place in the rowdy bus. She looked lonely. He felt an impulsive urge to sit next to her.

But he just thought about it. Since the mall, Wen Xi hadn’t reached out. In school, they remained distant. He could only wait.

“It’s a two-hour drive. If we don’t play, we sleep,” Jiang Shuo yawned. “Why are you here anyway? You never come to these.” “I just felt like it.”

Jiang Shuo snorted. “Are you sure it’s not because of Wen Xi? Aren’t you curious why she’s here? I heard she never comes either. There must be something up. I bet…” Jiang Shuo leaned in, gesturing for Cheng Si to listen. “I bet she’s seeing someone!”

Cheng Si snapped his eyes toward him.

“Look at those two in the back,” Jiang Shuo whispered. “They didn’t come last year. This year they’re a couple, so they came. In our school, parents hate non-matching statuses. They’re probably sneaking around because their parents disapprove, waiting for this trip to go wild. I’m telling you, Wen Xi is the same. I just don’t know who…”

Jiang Shuo kept rambling, but Cheng Si froze. Wen Xi had opened her eyes and was staring at them—specifically at how close Jiang Shuo was to him.

Cheng Si realized Jiang Shuo was practically leaning halfway into his seat. He reached out and shoved him away. Jiang Shuo nearly hit the window. “What the hell?! Why’d you push me?”

Cheng Si said blankly, “You’re an Alpha. Don’t lean so close.” Jiang Shuo: “…”

“What’s with you? I was just whispering!” “No.”

Jiang Shuo laughed in frustration. “I’m sitting right next to you! How far can I get? If you’re so brave, go sit somewhere else!” Cheng Si had been waiting for this. “Fine.”

Jiang Shuo watched as Cheng Si “searched” for a seat and walked straight to the only empty one—next to Wen Xi. He then asked her a question that made everyone’s jaw drop:

“Wen Xi, can I ‘do’ it with you?”

(Note: In Chinese, “坐” (sit) and “做” (do/make) are homophones. Cheng Si meant “sit,” but the phrasing was ambiguous.)

The bus went silent. Jiang Shuo’s eyes nearly popped out. Lin Yang’s fingers shook as she live-blogged: [Lin: AHHHHHH! The dog asked Wen Xi if he could ‘DO’ it with her in front of everyone!!! I’m dead!]

Cheng Si realized the ambiguity. Under Wen Xi’s teasing gaze, he stammered, “I mean… can I sit next to you?”

Wen Xi didn’t answer immediately. She just moved her legs toward the aisle to let him in. Cheng Si exhaled and said “Thanks.” The space was tight. As he stepped in, he seemed to trip and lunged toward Wen Xi. He caught himself by bracing his knee on the seat, barely avoiding crushing her.

From certain angles, it looked like he was sitting on her lap. [Lin: HE DID IT! THEY’RE DOING IT! HE’S ON TOP!]

“S-sorry, I didn’t see…” Cheng Si stood up, face scarlet. Wen Xi said calmly, “It’s okay.”

Cheng Si looked back to see what tripped him but saw nothing. He went to sit down, but Wen Xi’s foot suddenly appeared beneath his. He tried to pull back to avoid stepping on her, lost his balance, and fell toward her again, one long leg landing across her lap.

[Lin: AHHHHHH! Up and down! He’s so good at riding!]

After falling twice, Cheng Si was red-faced with embarrassment. This time, Wen Xi kindly reached out and held his waist. She looked up at him, a faint smile in her voice:

“Do you really want to sit on me that badly?”