CHAPTER 89: GETTING A PIERCING

Jian Ci licked his lower lip in delight, savoring the smoky almond flavor. It wasn’t as sweet as he usually preferred, but it was good enough to make his eyes brighten. Yu Xi, noticing his satisfaction, pulled his plate back.

Jian Ci only grinned, scooping a spoonful of ice cream from his plate and holding it up to Yu Xi’s lips. "Ah," he said playfully.

Yu Xi leaned forward without hesitation, eating from the same spoon. The taste was brain-numbingly sweet, almost overwhelming, but he didn’t hate it. In fact, he relished it, because it gave him another chance at an indirect kiss with Jian Ci.

"You like it?" Jian Ci asked, his tone teasing.

"I do," Yu Xi replied, his gaze flicking toward Jian Ci’s parfait, the spun sugar catching the light like crystal. "But let me take another bite."

Jian Ci was more than happy to share. He scooped from his parfait and fed Yu Xi again, watching with satisfaction as Yu Xi nodded. "It’s so sweet," Yu Xi said, "but good."

"Why do you like sweet things?" Yu Xi asked curiously.

Jian Ci shrugged. "I don’t know. Wei-ge said it might be because of my ailment. I tend to crave sweets and eat a lot."

"Oh, okay," Yu Xi murmured, filing the detail away.

Then, without warning, Jian Ci’s foot nudged Yu Xi gently under the table. His smile was sly as he asked, "You fought Vigil?"

Yu Xi blinked, confused. "Who?" he asked, his brows knitting together.

Jian Ci leaned forward, his spoon tapping lightly against the rim of his parfait. "The guy you fought with at the exam," he said, his tone edged with curiosity.

Yu Xi took another spoonful of his midnight chocolate, savoring the bitter richness before replying calmly, "Oh, that. It wasn’t a fight. I just told him to leave me alone."

Jian Ci frowned, his brows knitting. "What happened?"

Yu Xi explained everything—the way Vigil had provoked him, the words exchanged, and how he had simply stood his ground. Jian Ci’s expression darkened with each detail, his jaw tightening. "That punk," he muttered, visibly pissed off.

Just then, Jian Ci’s communicator chimed. He checked the screen. It was a message from Jian Wei. A video file blinked at him. He opened it, watching the recording of Yu Xi’s so-called "fight." His eyes widened, then narrowed. From what Jian Rui had said, he thought Yu Xi had given Vigil a proper beating, but this was nothing. "So what was Senator Kael-Ren making a fuss over?" Jian Ci muttered, baffled.

"You should have beaten him black and blue," Jian Ci said firmly.

Yu Xi smiled faintly. "Then I might get expelled before even getting accepted into the academy. We wouldn’t be able to go to the same academy."

Jian Ci’s mood shifted instantly, his legs swinging beneath the table, brushing against Yu Xi’s. His grin returned. "You were thinking about me."

Yu Xi’s eyes softened. "Who else would I be thinking of?"

Jian Ci lowered his head, his smile so bright it seemed to light up the entire rooftop restaurant.

***

Jian Ci and Yu Xi followed through on their plan. When they got home, they slipped quietly into Jian Wei’s lab. The room smelled faintly of chemicals and polished steel, its shelves lined with instruments that gleamed under the sterile lights.

Jian Wei had banned everyone from entering without his permission after something went missing the last time. At that incident, Jian Rui had looked more guilty than the rest, though Jian Wei never found proof.

Yu Xi glanced around nervously, his voice low. "Can you really do it?"

Jian Ci opened one of the cabinets, rummaging through vials and tools with casual confidence. "I can. Just relax."

Yu Xi frowned. "Have you done this before?"

"No," Jian Ci admitted, pulling out a small kit. "But I watched a video. It seems simple enough."

Yu Xi’s stomach twisted. He didn’t trust Jian Ci at all with this. He turned, deciding to make a run for it, but Jian Ci was quick. He stepped in front of him, blocking his path with a grin. "Wait, wait. Where are you going?"

Yu Xi stiffened. "Nowhere."

"Are you changing your mind?" Jian Ci pressed.

Yu Xi shook his head. "Change what mind? I just don’t trust you with this. I would rather get a professional to do it."

Jian Ci placed his hands firmly on Yu Xi’s shoulders, pressing him down into the chair. His voice softened, coaxing. "Little Xi, trust me. It’s just a poke, and we will mbe done. Now sit."

Yu Xi sighed and sat down reluctantly, shoulders slumping as though he were a teen girl resigned to her fate after her best friend convinced her to dye her hair green at a sleepover. His expression was caught somewhere between resignation and disbelief.

Jian Ci, however, was brimming with energy. He gathered all the tools with a flourish, muttering, "We need this, and that, and this," as he arranged them neatly. Pulling on gloves, he wheeled over a tray and then dragged a chair closer, settling in with the confidence of someone who had done this a hundred times. "Don’t be nervous," he said lightly, disinfecting Yu Xi’s earlobe with practiced motions.

Yu Xi wasn’t nervous, not about the piercing, at least. His eyes were fixed on Jian Ci’s face, which hovered inches away. The warmth of Jian Ci’s breath brushed against his skin, sending a tingling sensation down his spine. Jian Ci’s lashes were long enough that Yu Xi could count them, one by one, and the closeness made his chest tighten.

Jian Ci stuck his tongue out slightly, concentrating as he tried to figure out the placement for the piercing. Yu Xi’s lips curved into a faint smile, his gaze unwavering.

Suddenly, Jian Wei’s voice cut through the air like a blade. "What the hell are you doing in here?"

Jian Ci glanced over, utterly unbothered. "Nothing. I am giving Yu Xi a piercing."

Jian Wei’s eyes widened. "And you let him do that to you?"

Yu Xi: "..." His silence said everything.

Jian Wei tsked loudly, his arms crossed as he stood in the doorway. "I banned both of you from entering my lab, yet you snuck in anyway."

Jian Ci didn’t flinch, his chin lifting defiantly. "We didn’t take your stuff, so why should we get banned?"

"I don’t care," Jian Wei shot back, his tone sharp. "You have caused trouble in the past, and I won’t have it happening again."

Jian Ci rolled his eyes, refusing to back down. "Come on, just let me finish and we will get out of your hair."

Jian Wei exhaled through his nose, clearly irritated, but finally said, "Fine." He stood there, watching them with narrowed eyes.