The little young master in front of him was clearly refusing to answer!
Shen Yuan leaned forward, the warmth of his breath almost brushing against Xu Yan's face.
"Why aren't you answering me?"
Xu Yan instinctively leaned back, averting his gaze to avoid looking into Yin Yin's striking cat-like eyes.
He was afraid that if he looked too closely, he might catch a glimpse of something ugly within himself.
Shen Yuan, feeling bolder, took another step forward. He reached out, pinched Xu Yan's cheek, and forced him to turn his head.
Xu Yan's cold, indifferent eyes landed on him. Because of their position, Shen Yuan had to tilt his head slightly upward.
For some reason, he was the one who blushed first.
Xu Yan… was really, really good-looking.
His mother had been famous in the capital for her beauty. She was also once Yin Shan's first love. But for reasons unknown, she had ended up marrying a scholar with the surname Xu instead.
That was why Xia Han insisted that Xu Yan was an illegitimate child.
But Shen Yuan, who knew the full story, understood the truth. After breaking up, Xu Yan's mother and Yin Shan had remained just friends. There had never been any boundary-crossing, so the rumor of Xu Yan being a secret love child was completely baseless.
Xu Yan had simply inherited all of his mother's beauty.
His features were breathtakingly delicate and handsome. His calm, glass-like eyes always seemed to stir something deep inside people. And yet, his quiet, distant aura made him difficult to approach.
Though he was still growing, his presence already carried the grace of a noble gentleman.
And right now, that flawless face was being pinched by Shen Yuan's fingers, leaving behind a faint red mark.
Perhaps feeling cornered, Xu Yan frowned slightly. After a long pause, he finally uttered a single, soft syllable.
"Hurts."
[Energy absorption: 3%]
Shen Yuan jolted in surprise, immediately withdrawing his hand as if he had just touched fire.
His heart pounded wildly, as if ten little deer were running rampant inside his chest.
He had never felt like this before.
His heart was beating so fast it felt unnatural—like some kind of illness.
Nervously clutching the hem of his shirt, he thought about asking D3, but he had no idea how to even phrase the question.
Luckily, Shen Yuan hadn't forgotten his villain role.
And what should a big villain do?
Of course—after bullying someone, he needed to leave a harsh parting remark!
Thinking quickly, he straightened his posture, narrowed his round eyes, and shot Xu Yan a sidelong glance.
He had no idea that, to everyone else, he didn't look intimidating at all.
Instead, he resembled a tiny kitten trying its best to bare its fangs.
With a triumphant huff, he declared, "Remember this. That's what happens when you mess with me."
As Shen Yuan pulled away, the faint scent lingering around him faded as well, leaving behind a strange sense of emptiness in Xu Yan's heart.
Catching sight of the young master's smug expression, Xu Yan lowered his gaze, pressed his lips together, and nodded slowly.
To Shen Yuan, however, it looked like reluctant obedience—mixed with a touch of grievance.
He blinked in surprise.
It almost felt like he had just risen as the next great villain in history.
Wait, no!
Shen Yuan shook his head, trying to rid himself of such ridiculous thoughts.
Xu Yan was the one who hit me first!
"Satisfied now?"
A voice suddenly came from behind.
Shen Yuan was still caught up in his own thoughts, so he responded without thinking. "Satisfied."
"Are you ready to go back to sleep then?"
Shen Yuan was just about to nod when he noticed Xu Yan's odd expression. He seemed like he wanted to say something but hesitated.
That's when Shen Yuan took a second look around.
Every single one of his forty-five classmates was staring at him with amusement.
His body instantly stiffened, as if drenched in cement. Slowly—very slowly—he turned his head.
The strict, expressionless face of the homeroom teacher filled his entire field of vision.
The teacher let out a cold laugh, scanning the two of them before making a quick decision.
"Xu Yan, Yin Yin—stay after school to clean the classroom."
He paused for a moment before adding in a warning tone, "If I catch you two talking in class again, you'll both stand at the back for the entire period!"