OEBSAS |Chapter 25

Shao Xian was just about to continue explaining when noisy shouting came from the entrance of the internet cafe.

Several adults stormed in with angry faces, completely ignoring the staff trying to stop them, and walked past row by row as if they were looking for someone.

Shao Xian nudged Qian Wenjie, who was immersed in his game. Qian Wenjie looked at him in confusion.

“A parent came to look for their kid,” Shao Xian said as he stood up. “Let’s go.”

“Wait! I haven’t finished this round yet!”

Qian Wenjie had originally wanted to finish one more round, but seeing the two of them leave so neatly, he had no choice but to log off helplessly and follow them out.

This kind of thing happened often in internet cafes. It was either parents or teachers, specifically coming to catch disobedient kids who liked playing games.

Just as the three of them left the internet cafe, the noise inside instantly grew even louder. The parents’ shouting, the children’s resistance and crying, it was downright headache-inducing.

“Xianxian, you’re still the smart one,” Qian Wenjie said, unable to resist giving him a thumbs-up.

At the level of chaos inside, with chairs being smashed around, he probably would have been accidentally hurt.

Shao Xian didn’t say anything.

“I just don’t get it. We’re just playing a game, not committing a crime. Is it really necessary?” Qian Wenjie couldn’t help feeling a little resentful by association.

Shao Xian said, “For people with weak willpower, it’s easy to get lost in entertainment and lose their ambition, and some even die suddenly in internet cafes. Of course parents would worry. We’re still young. We’ll have plenty of time to play later.”

Qian Wenjie deeply agreed. He’d heard that once you got into university, you could play as much as you wanted without restraint, and by then no one would care about him at all.

“Then I’ll play less in the future and wait until I get into university.”

Shao Xian looked at him with such innocence, and in the end still didn’t give him the reality lesson.

After getting into university, you’ll only be even busier, kid.

The three of them returned to the Shao house and did homework until ten at night. Qian Wenjie went home empty-handed, not even bringing his schoolbag.

Anyway, he had to come again tomorrow, so there was no need to do something extra for nothing.

After Qian Wenjie left, Shao Xian stopped Chen Baizhou, who was about to leave the room.

“I went in by accident,” he tried to explain once more.

Chen Baizhou was stunned for a moment, then broke into a smile, his eyes curving as he said, “Mm, I believe you.”

The boy had exquisite features, and his smile was beautiful beyond measure. Shao Xian felt his sincerity and instantly became completely reassured inside.

He did not want to ruin his image in front of his little friend.

“That’s good then.”

The smile in Chen Baizhou’s eyes grew even deeper. Shao Xian looking so flustered and embarrassed was rare, but very cute.

He left the room and thoughtfully closed the door.

Chen Baizhou often felt that he himself was contradictory. He both hoped Shao Xian would be strong enough to protect himself, and hoped Shao Xian would have a vulnerable side.

Only then would he have the value of existing.

Two years ago, Shao Xian had said he needed him to become an assistant, and he had been desperately working hard ever since. But the harder he worked, the more he discovered his own shortcomings.

Shao Xian was too outstanding. He simply could not help much, and even often needed Shao Xian to protect him.

The feeling of being protected was pretty good, but he wanted to become Shao Xian’s help rather than a burden.

Chen Baizhou had always thought Shao Xian was strong, all-powerful. He admired Shao Xian, looked up to Shao Xian, but he had never known that Shao Xian also had such a cute side.

The way he blushed and explained to him was like a pebble falling into the lake of his heart, stirring up ripples layer after layer.

Inside the bathroom, as Shao Xian washed himself, he suddenly realized something was wrong.

He carefully recalled what had happened just now, and immediately a wave of embarrassment and shame surged up. He clearly remembered the smile on Chen Baizhou’s face when he finally left.

Damn it, all the aura of an older brother was gone!

He was already in his thirties. What had he not seen? Was it really necessary to be this unsettled over some movie scene?

And he had even explained so much to a kid. Was there any need to explain?

The more Shao Xian thought about it, the worse it felt. After hurriedly finishing his shower, he lay directly on the bed, pulled the blanket over himself, and tried to kick all the messy thoughts in his head away.

Thinking and thinking, he gradually fell asleep.

In the dream, there were all dreamy pink bubbles. The pink bubbles tightly surrounded the side of his bed, and he tried to drive them away, only to find that he could not move at all.

Just as he was about to call out, he saw the bubbles spontaneously part to make a path.

Not far down the path, someone slowly approached. His entire body was covered in mosaic blur, so it was impossible to tell what he looked like at all.

“Who are you? What do you want to do?” Shao Xian struggled desperately, but still could not break free of the invisible restraint.

The newcomer did not speak. He only sat down by his bed and silently stared at him for a long time.

Just as Shao Xian’s patience was about to run out, the newcomer suddenly leaned down, and Shao Xian could even smell a trace of cool fragrance.

A very familiar smell.

Then, he did not know where the other person touched, but he only felt a burst of numb tingling rise from his tailbone, instantly reaching somewhere.

The dream ended.

His pants were wet.

Shao Xian covered his face and let out a low howl under the blanket, both mourning his lost innocence and celebrating that he had finally grown up.

The only regrettable thing was that this dream was not worth it at all!

Nothing had even happened, so why, why had he woken up? Too much bullying!

The alarm clock on the desk pointed to two in the morning. Shao Xian got out of bed dejectedly, slowly changed into clean underwear, and threw the dirty pair into the basin in the bathroom.

He was too tired now. He’d deal with it tomorrow morning.

The next morning, Chen Baizhou got up early. After exercising in the courtyard and taking a shower, he found that Shao Xian was still not up.

Aunt Sun came out of the kitchen and smiled. “Young Master Zhou, do you want me to call Second Young Master up?”

Ever since Shao Xian entered middle school, Shao’s father, Shao’s mother, and the eldest young master of the Shao family had rarely appeared at home. Fortunately, Chen Baizhou was there to keep Shao Xian company, otherwise Shao Xian would be far too lonely by himself.

Chen Baizhou replied gently, “Aunt Sun, let’s wait a little longer.”

But he waited half an hour, and there was still no movement upstairs. Chen Baizhou’s gaze darkened. This was not normal.

He got up and walked upstairs. Arriving outside Shao Xian’s room, he knocked on the door.

There was no response from inside.

Fortunately, Shao Xian did not have the habit of locking the door when sleeping at home. Chen Baizhou turned the doorknob and walked in quietly.

The curtains were drawn tightly, and the room was dim and dark.

He approached Shao Xian’s bedside and found that Shao Xian was sleeping extremely restlessly.

The boy was lying on his side, one leg exposed outside the blanket, his face flushed red, his brows tightly furrowed.

Chen Baizhou immediately grew worried. Could it be that he had caught a chill because the blanket had not been covered properly last night?

“Shao Xian, Shao Xian…”

He called several times in a row, but Shao Xian still did not wake up.

What to do? Tell Aunt Sun? Call a doctor?

His mind was in a mess, but his brain was exceptionally calm. He lifted his foot and was about to run outside.

“Baizhou…”

A soft murmur made him stop in his tracks at once.

Chen Baizhou turned back to look. He had thought Shao Xian was already awake, but found that Shao Xian’s eyes were tightly closed, completely unlike someone who was conscious.

Had he only dreamed about himself?

An inexplicable feeling of satisfaction rose in his chest, but Chen Baizhou did not think much of it.

What was most important now was calling the doctor over.

He hurried downstairs, told Aunt Sun about it, and was just about to dial Dr. Zhang’s number.

“Wait a moment,” Aunt Sun pressed down on the phone, her expression seeming a little strange. “I’ll go up and take a look first. If he’s really running a fever, it won’t be too late to call.”

Chen Baizhou did not understand, but he still obediently went upstairs with Aunt Sun.

The two of them opened the room. Just as they stepped inside, they saw Shao Xian charge from the bed straight into the bathroom at top speed.

Aunt Sun was someone who had been through it, and she herself had a son. One look and she knew what had happened.

“Second Young Master is fine. Let’s go downstairs and wait first,” Aunt Sun said with a smile full of the meaning of “my son has finally grown up.”

Chen Baizhou: “…Really fine?”

Could it just be because he urgently needed the bathroom?

He himself had not experienced that kind of thing yet, and he also had not connected that kind of thing with Shao Xian, so he simply had not thought in that direction at all.

Aunt Sun secretly amused herself and said, “Second Young Master has grown up. Young Master Zhou will too in the future.”

Chen Baizhou was only relatively innocent, not stupid.

Combining Aunt Sun’s expression and tone, as well as Shao Xian’s flushed face just now, if he still did not understand, then he would truly be stupid!

His face suddenly turned scorching hot all at once.

If he had not heard wrong, what Shao Xian had called in his dream just now was his name!