Qing Kuang Chapter 96

Published at 10th of May 2023 01:03:02 PM

It was exhilarating.

He didn’t know if it was because he just got out of bed, but right now, Huo Ran felt like he could swallow Kou Chen whole without leaving a crumb behind. 

Not even the pain of their noses bumping suddenly could bring down his high spirits.

But Wei Chaoren could.

AD

Right as their lips touched, the door on the opposite side opened. Wei Chaoren was holding a bag: “Good thing I had to get up to pee, study my ass Kou Chen, you don’t even have your books…”

Huo Ran suddenly snapped out of it, wide eyes staring into Kou Chen’s. 

They looked at each other.

Two seconds later, Wei Chaoren cursed: “Fuck!”

And then the door slammed shut.

Huo Ran pushed Kou Chen away.

Kou Chen put a hand on the door and glared back angrily, but Wei Chaoren was already gone.

“Keep going,” He turned back.

“No, no, no,” Huo Ran pushed him. His high spirits had already been squashed down by rationality. It was early in the morning, in public, in the dorms, in the hallway. Even though the part where the door caved in was a bit of a barrier, it was really too wild. “I didn’t put my shoes on.”

AD

“Fuck off!” Kou Chen glared. “I’m not kissing your feet!” 

“My feet are here,” Huo Ran said. “I just don’t have shoes.”

“Am I kissing your fucking shoes?” Kou Chen hissed.

“I haven’t washed up yet,” Huo Ran turned around and pushed the door. “Fuck?”

“I don’t care,” Kou Chen stuck his face into the back of his head and complained, “I washed up.” 

“The door’s locked!” Huo Ran whispered. He was only wearing a pair of boxers. “Fucking… It’s all your fault!”

“Just knock.” Kou Chen rubbed his waist.

“What time do you think it is?!” Huo Ran glared at him. “The roosters aren’t even awake! You wanna get yelled at by Xu Zhifan? You’re gonna be relying on him for the rest of the semester!”

“The roosters start crowing at three where my grandpa lives,” Kou Chen said. “It’s 5:30 right now… Come to our room, there’s clothes and shoes. I’ll get you a toothbrush too, Chuan-ge always buys them in pairs.” 

“Hurry up then!” Huo Ran ran over. He felt way too exposed like this. “Chaoren’s gonna go back to bed.”

“I bet he’s right there listening to us,” Kou Chen whispered, before knocking on the door.

The men opened the next second, and Wei Chaoren poked his head out.

“Move,” Kou Chen pushed his aside and walked in with Huo Ran. 

The other people in the room were all asleep. Everyone in Huo Ran’s room was all part of their little group, but Guo Zijian was in Kou Chen’s. They were good friends, but not as close as he is to the others. So when Huo Ran walked in wearing in just his underwear, he felt a little guilty, like he was some scumbag escaping out the window after being caught in the act.

Good thing Wei Chaoren knew not to say anything. He handed Kou Chen the bag of books and then went back to sleep.

Kou Chen got out a toothbrush from Xu Chuan’s drawer and handed it to him. 

Printed on the handle was a little girl in a pink dress. Huo Ran couldn’t believe his eyes: “This is Chuan-ge’s?”

“Yeah,” Kou Chen nodded.

“Chuan-ge uses toothbrushes for kids?” Huo Ran still couldn’t believe it.

“He says they’re softer,” Kou Chen laughed. “Cute, right?” 

Huo Ran tested it. It was pretty soft.

But there were also adult toothbrushes with soft bristles. Everyone indeed has an unexpected side to them.

After Huo Ran washed up, Kou Chen was waiting for him outside the bathroom. He handed him a set of clothes and Huo Ran quickly put them on. Kou Chen came back with a pair of shoes: “Socks?” 

“What do you think?” Huo Ran whispered.

Kou Chen found some socks for him.

Huo Ran had never dressed so fast in his life, not even when he was out camping and in a rush to be on his way.

After he put himself in order, he quickly left the room.

“The field?” Kou Chen followed him.

“Mhm.” Huo Ran sighed. “Where else can we go… What’s your problem? Can you not sleep or what?”

“I wanted to experience the life of a straight-A student,” Kou Chen said. “Wake up early to study English or politics or whatever.” 

“Xu Zhifan’s still asleep and dreaming right now,” Huo Ran said.

“I’m trying my best to catch up, aren’t I?” Kou Chen said.

“Okay,” Huo Ran yawned. “I’ll study with you.”

“The field should be empty now, right?” Kou Chen asked as they left the building. 

“Dunno,” Huo Ran said. “Was it empty last time you woke up to practice basketball?”

Huo Ran felt pretty conflicted as they headed towards the field. 

Hanging out with someone so tactless like Kou Chen meant dealing with these sorts of things.

All the way from the dorms to the field, they didn’t see a single soul. It was like they specifically woke up this early to run around the school looking for a place to make out.

What they didn’t expect was that there were actually people at the field. With just a glance, they saw seven or eight people sitting on the stands by the track. 

“Damn, university exams really are soon,” Huo Ran sighed. “They’d have to have woken up at five, right?”

“Haunted building it is.” Kou Chen was very focused on that fact.

Huo Ran turned to look at him.

“Come on.” Kou Chen started walking. “To the third floor, we can even reminisce about our first date there.” 

“That was when I fucking realized you were a mental case!” Huo Ran said.

“Come on!” Kou Chen glared. “Don’t make me carry you over there!”

After that ‘fly for me’ incident, Huo Ran hasn’t been back to the haunted building, nor did he expect that this would happen. 

Someone scared of ghosts, going all that way to the haunted building to kiss someone.

Even though it was still kinda dark out, it was the unmistakable feeling of dawn. Huo Ran even felt a little excited when he started up the stairs of the haunted building.

A couple of indecent thoughts flashed through his head.

They weren’t very clear, but he still moved forward to feel up Kou Chen’s waist. 

Kou Chen jumped, and then he threw his bag of books down and ran up the stairs.

Huo Ran followed him up quietly, and then grabbed his waist again.

Kou Chen glanced back at him before sprinting away.

Huo Ran chased him. 

The floorboards under their feet creaked with every step, worrying Huo Ran a little. It sounded pretty scary.

Kou Chen had already reached the third floor hallway, and he followed it towards the back of the building.

Huo Ran followed close behind him, finally feeling a little scared.

“Fuck,” He started running like there was someone chasing him with a knife. “Kou Chen, if you’re gonna scare me, you’re dead!” 

Kou Chen suddenly stopped and turned around. Huo Ran couldn’t stop in time, so he collided with him.

“Hug Gege,” Kou Chen smiled and hugged him. “It’s okay.”

Reflexively, Huo Ran looked around, seeing as there were still people who liked to hide behind the building and smoke or fight or fool around. They were completely exposed to anyone there.

Although it was only 5:30 am. 

But who knew if there was anyone else crazy like them?

Apparently not.

Huo Ran didn’t even have time to turn back around before Kou Chen’s lips were on his neck.

At times like these, you will find out that your body reacts quicker than your brain. 

His brain finally caught up after he pulled Kou Chen’s head back and kissed him.

At that moment, he felt extremely competitive—he couldn’t let Kou Chen win.

…Why couldn’t he put that mindset towards studying?!

As a seasoned slacker, Kou Chen didn’t have that sort of mindset. He didn’t care who took the initiative, he was happy to respond. 

Their breathing was harsh and loud, like it was going through a megaphone.

Kou Chen used spearmint toothpaste. Huo Ran preferred peppermint, but as their tongues tangled, spearmint tasted particularly good.

Especially right then, in the crisp morning air, light as if it was covered with a veil.

As they ran up the stairs, he had many thoughts. 

But all he wanted to do right then was hug Kou Chen. Hug him tight.

To indulge in this intoxicating feeling.

Kou Chen pushed him into a nearby wall and leaned his whole weight onto him, hands tugging at his clothes.

Huo Ran quickly followed and tugged at his clothes too. 

Kou Chen rubbed along his waist.

Huo Ran pinched his waist lightly.

Kou Chen did the same, but harder.

Huo Ran pinched him again. 

Kou Chen continued pinching him.

Huo Ran wouldn’t admit defeat. He raised his hand and smacked his back before pinching him again.

He did it pretty hard, probably because he was feeling so eager.

Kou Chen hissed in pain, and then he grabbed his wrist and pressed it to the wall. 

Of course, Huo Ran would not admit defeat. He grabbed Kou Chen’s wrist with his other hand and twisted it behind his back.

Amidst all of their eager little movements, the kiss started to develop into a fight.

But strangely, their lips never separated. 

Up until the floorboards beneath them made a sound that was louder than their breathing.

Crack!

They both froze.

“Huh?” Huo Ran’s mouth was occupied, so he could only hum out a syllable. 

“Hmm, hmm,” Kou Chen did the same.

From the situation, Huo Ran deducted that the two hums were different, and that he was trying to say… it broke.

And then they didn’t say anything else. In theory, they should be separating first and looking down to see what happened.

But neither of them moved. 

They didn’t want to.

They wanted to glue themselves to each other with super glue at that moment, so how could they separate?

As Huo Ran was debating whether he should keep going or look down, there was another sound.

Crack! 

This time it was even louder, and accompanied by another sound that he seems to have heard before, like a harmony.

Before he could react, Kou Chen’s body moved, and he gripped his wrist harder.

And then his lips left his.

Not just his lips, Kou Chen’s head also moved away. 

Kou Chen’s face suddenly disappeared from his line of sight.

“Fuck!” Huo Ran reacted fast and grabbed Kou Chen’s head, which was now at his chest.

“Fuck!” Kou Chen grabbed onto his ass. “Don’t move! I’m stuck!”

“I’ll pull you up!” Huo Ran pulled on his head. 

“Are you dumb?!” Kou Chen cursed, and then he couldn’t help but laugh. “Fuck you, are you harvesting carrots? My foot’s stuck!”

The ancient floorboards in the haunted building were weaker than the ones in their building. It was just that barely anyone comes here. Today, after all of their stomping, the floorboard split into two.

Kou Chen’s leg fell through it.

“Does it hurt?” Huo Ran didn’t dare let go of Kou Chen’s head. 

“No, the wood hooked into my pants,” Kou Chen said. “There’s nothing under my foot, I can’t push myself up. Don’t pull, put me down first… Slowly!”

“Okay,” Holding his head, Huo Ran bent down slowly, and Kou Chen’s leg disappeared into the floor. When he felt that he wasn’t going any lower, he asked, “Is this okay?”

“I feel the bottom,” Kou Chen said. “It should be the second floor ceiling. You can let go now, I’ll climb up.”

Huo Ran let go of him and carefully took a few steps back. 

And then he had the urge to laugh.

“Go on, laugh.” Kou Chen looked at him, hands propped up on the floor.

“There’s a good bit of space between the floors? It’s above your knees, right?” Huo Ran bent down and laughed. “Shorty.”

“Fuck off.” Kou Chen slowly got one of his legs out. “Would they make us fucking pay for this?” 

“Hurry up,” Huo Ran became nervous. “Before anyone sees.”

“Mhm.” Kou Chen knelt on the floor as he got his other leg out.

Right as he was about to stand up, Huo Ran said: “What’s the reason for such an act of courtesy, young master?”

“Looking for a beating, are you?” Kou Chen leapt up. 

Huo Ran immediately ran for the stairs. Then he remembered that the floors were flimsy so he slowed down into a jog on tiptoes.

Kou Chen was careful too, seeing as he was the one that had just fallen through. He also tiptoed.

The two of them tiptoed downstairs.

Halfway there, Huo Ran couldn’t help but burst out into laughter. 

Behind him, Kou Chen was also laughing hysterically.

They didn’t even go down the last flight of stairs, they just flipped down from the hallway.

“Ah, fuck.” Kou Chen looked around as he dusted off his pants. Then he picked up his bag, “Nobody’s here, go, go, go.”

They sprinted away from the haunted building and onto the tracks, pretending like they were studying from the books. 

About twenty metres later, they started laughing again.

“Come on,” Kou Chen grabbed his English textbook from the bag. “Time to study. Read.”

“Okay.” Huo Ran took the book. “Let’s find a place to sit. The stands?” 

“The basketball court!” Kou Chen said. “Why the stands? Do you want to see Lin Wuyu?”

“…Are you jealous?” Huo Ran turned his head.

“I can’t be?” Kou Chen said. “Not like it’s the first time.”

“Last time at the basketball tournament, when that girl wanted to talk to me.” Huo Ran looked at him. “Were you jealous?” 

Kou Chen laughed: “Yup. I already liked you then. It felt different than before. If you really started dating that girl, I would’ve been so depressed.”

“Then why didn’t you say anything?” Huo Ran asked.

“I was scared,” Kou Chen smiled. “Scared that you’ll be offended and it’ll make our friendship awkward.”

“Why not that we couldn’t even stay friends?” Huo Ran clicked his tongue. 

“You won’t do that.” Kou Chen rubbed his arm with his own. “You’re kind and soft-hearted. We’ll probably still be friends, it’ll just be awkward.”

“Whew,” Huo Ran ruffled his hair. “If I never said anything, we might’ve missed it.”

Kou Chen put an arm around his shoulders.

There were also people studying at the basketball court. They sat down under the hoops, got their books out, and then began their very first morning study session of their own accord.

Maybe because it felt new, but they actually kept it up for the time of an entire class.

All the way until the other guys came looking for them.

“Damn, look at these lovebirds,” Jiang Lei said. “The motivation!” 

“Let’s go get breakfast,” Xu Zhifan said.

“I wonder if my dad’s also working hard.” Kou Chen stood up. “He does like to get up early to go jogging.”

“He’s gonna be watching our classes from today, right?” Huo Ran asked.

“Yeah.” Kou Chen nodded. 

Old Yuan was a teacher that kept his words. He brought a camera with him to the very first class, and set it up next to the lectern with a tripod.

“What are you recording?” Wu Xiaochen walked over curiously.

“An archive of all our classes for the rest of the semester.” Old Yuan said. 

“Oh, interesting.” Wu Xiaochen looked into the camera and helped him adjust the angle.

Kou Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Good thing Old Yuan was reliable. If the whole class knew of his situation, there was no way he could show his face ever again.

But as for the two words ‘listen attentively’, it was easier said than done.

Kou Chen’s biological clock already felt out of order. Ten minutes into class, he began to feel sleepy. Then five minutes before the end, he felt energetic again. 

He was yawning the whole morning. The only thing keeping him awake was glances at Huo Ran.

He didn’t know what his dad would be like as he watched the videos. Even watching a show with his mom would bore him to sleep.

Maybe he would admit defeat soon.

But when Kou Chen went home for the weekend, he realized that he underestimate his dad.

To have made all the money he did, his dad really wasn’t a weak person.

When he walked through the door, his mom and Kou Xiao were in the kitchen. He hugged Shuaishuai who had pounced at him, and glanced upstairs as he kissed him. “Is dad home?”

“He’s studying.” Kou Xiao pointed upwards and whispered. 

“My son~” His mom ran over to hug him.

“My mother~” Kou Chen hugged her back and patted her back. “Miss me?”

“Not in the slightest,” His mom said. “I’ll be perfectly fine even if you left for ten days, half a month.”

“Why are you hugging me then?” Kou Chen said. 

“I haven’t seen a handsome young man in so long.” His mom let him go and sat back on the couch. “Feels great to hug one.”

Kou Chen laughed. Right after he took his shoes off, he heard his dad’s voice come from upstairs: “Xiaoxiao, come up for a second, I don’t think I understand this bit, you…”

His dad appeared at the top of the stairs, and when he saw Kou Chen, he immediately shut his mouth.

Kou Chen stared at the laptop he had in one hand and the pen in the other, and he couldn’t hold back the laughter that exploded out of him: “Kou Jingcheng! I never thought I would see the day!” 

Chapter end