A social phobic can also fall in love.

Qi Xing, of course, had no idea of the internal turmoil raging in Yan Tingmo’s heart. Casually, he carried Yan Tingmo in his arms, strolling leisurely.

Yan Tingmo squirmed slightly, attempting to get down, but before he could act, Qi Xing stopped him.

“Shh, don’t move, you’ll really fall,” Qi Xing said softly. “Besides, there are people watching.”

Yan Tingmo stiffened instantly, his peripheral vision darting to the surroundings.

Not a soul was in sight.

Qi Xing had lied to him!

Angered, he snapped, “Put me down!”

“Not until you answer me,” Qi Xing said with maddening composure. “Once you answer my question, I’ll let you go.”

Face flushed, Yan Tingmo couldn’t bring himself to respond. Truthfully, he didn’t even know the answer himself.

“It seems you’d rather I carry you,” Qi Xing teased shamelessly. “Does this mean you’re okay with me touching you?”

What kind of logic was that?

Yan Tingmo pursed his lips in frustration, burying his face against his chest to sulk.

Qi Xing chuckled, enjoying the moment. Carrying him, he continued walking, ignoring the occasional curious stares from passersby. If anything, those stares only ignited a possessive fire in him. He tightened his grip slightly, holding Yan Tingmo closer, shielding him from the world.

Yan Tingmo, however, was entirely unaware. Instead, he silently hoped Qi Xing would walk faster and find a secluded spot to set him down.

Qi Xing didn’t want to push him too far. Eventually, noticing the increasing number of pedestrians, he glanced at the person pretending to sleep in his arms, his gaze softening. “Asleep?”

The answer, of course, was no.

Yan Tingmo peeked up, his cheek accidentally brushing against Qi Xing’s chest. That brief contact sent a jolt through Qi Xing, awakening a dangerous desire he barely managed to suppress.

“No,” Yan Tingmo replied softly, his voice breaking his spell.

“Mm,” Qi Xing hummed, crouching slightly to set him down.

Yan Tingmo blinked, momentarily surprised, before regaining his composure. Neither brought up their earlier dispute.

Qi Xing suddenly found himself caring less about the answer.

Yan Tingmo would fall for him eventually. He had no doubt about it. Yan Tingmo’s feelings would belong to him alone, and no one else would get close.

He could wait.

The moment Yan Tingmo showed even a hint of affection, he would shower him with all the love he had.

“Still hungry?” Qi Xing’s gaze flicked to the now-cold fries in Yan Tingmo’s hand. “You shouldn’t eat those anymore. Still want something to eat? I’ll treat you.”

Yan Tingmo stared at him wordlessly. Did Qi Xing think he was a bottomless pit? Why was their time together always centered around food?

“I’m not hungry,” he replied, shaking his head. “I’m going back to the dorm.”

“Right now?”

“Mm.”

Looking down, Yan Tingmo lied quietly, “I still have homework to finish.”

Qi Xing was silent for a moment before replying, “Alright, then back to the dorm it is.”

Surprisingly, he didn’t press the matter. This unexpected shift in behavior left Yan Tingmo slightly disoriented. He hesitated in place as Qi Xing, already a few steps ahead, turned back to him.

“Not coming?”

He opened his mouth but said nothing. In the end, he nodded lightly and followed him.

They walked in silence. When they reached the school gates, Yan Tingmo assumed they would part ways. But Qi Xing suddenly stopped and turned to look at him.

“Do you have class the day after tomorrow?”

Caught off guard by the abrupt question, he asked, “What?”

“Are you free the day after tomorrow?” Qi Xing repeated patiently.

Yan Tingmo frowned slightly, thinking it over before answering, “I am.”

He wasn’t sure why Qi Xing was asking, but he only had morning classes that day and nothing in the afternoon.

“Interested in a painting exhibition?”

Blinking in surprise, he nodded. “Yes.”

Qi Xing’s smile deepened. “I’ll come to your dorm at 2 p.m. the day after tomorrow.”

Yan Tingmo didn’t respond immediately, his gaze fixed on him.

Qi Xing looked back at him, calm and unflinching. “Lu Ze’s boyfriend gave him two tickets to an art exhibition. He’s not interested, so he gave them to me.”

“I figured you might like it, so… would you like to join me?”

He didn’t say, go see it together. Instead, he said, accompany me.

The intentions were similar, but the implication was very different.

Yan Tingmo couldn’t possibly miss the underlying meaning.

But this time, he pretended not to understand.

“Sure,” he replied.

What an endearing fool.

No wonder Qi Xing had fallen for him twice over. It wasn’t his fault—it was his irresistible charm.

“Then it’s settled,” Qi Xing said.

“Mm.” Yan Tingmo nodded and asked, “How much were the tickets? I’ll transfer the money to you.”

“No need,” Qi Xing replied, waving him off. “They were a gift from Lu Ze. I didn’t pay for them. Alright, I’m heading back to the dorm now. You should, too.”

Without giving him a chance to argue, Qi Xing turned and walked away briskly.

Yan Tingmo had no choice but to return to his dorm.

When he arrived, the room was eerily quiet. Neither He Shiyang nor Zhang Miao was playing games. But they were nowhere to be seen.

Puzzled, he checked the bathroom, but it was empty.

“Zhou Wen?” He called out softly, glancing around. “Zhang Miao?”

“He Shiyang!”

No one answered.

Standing alone in the center of the room, Yan Tingmo nervously pulled out his phone and dialed He Shiyang.

The most recent call in his log was from him, made five hours earlier. Without hesitation, he pressed the dial button.

The phone rang for a long time. He listened intently, finally hearing the ringtone, Love Is a Transaction, faintly playing on the other end.

The call lasted 40 seconds before it was picked up just before disconnecting.

“Hello, Mo Mo,” He Shiyang’s voice came through faintly.

Yan Tingmo’s heart clenched. He could hear urgency in his subdued tone.

“He Shiyang,” he said quickly, “where are you? I can’t find any of you.”

There was a brief pause before He Shiyang responded, his voice weary.

“We’re at the hospital.”

“The hospital?” Yan Tingmo’s eyes widened. “Did someone get hurt?”

“Yes,” He Shiyang said after a brief hesitation, “but also no.”

“What do you mean?” Yan Tingmo’s anxiety spiked. “I don’t understand!”

“No one from our dorm is hurt, but Li Yinong and Wu Shuang were in a car accident,” He Shiyang explained. “We rushed over and didn’t have time to let you know.”

“Which hospital?” Yan Tingmo asked urgently, already heading for the door.

“The Second People’s Hospital.”

“What about Wu Shuang?” Her parents clung to the doctor, not letting go. “How is my daughter? Is the surgery over? Can I go in and see her?”

The doctor shook his head regretfully. “Wu Shuang’s injuries are relatively minor, but the left side of her face was scraped up to 80%. In the future, she may…”

The sentence was left hanging, and Wu Shuang’s parents’ eyes became vacant, filled with despair.

Yan Tingmo stood at the back of the crowd, silently shedding tears for the two senior students once again.

Both were so beautiful, one had lost her legs, and the other had lost her beauty.

They were unfortunate to lose parts of their bodies, but they were also fortunate in that they had survived, and their parents still held out hope.