The Slacker Academic Always Gets Caught (SLACKER)
Chi Ning wasn't sure how he ended up hiding behind the carved pillar on the second floor with Qin Heng, eavesdropping. By the time he regained his senses, a wired earpiece was already in his ear.
The earpiece was connected to a small black box with an antenna. He and Qin Heng shared it like college students splitting a pair of headphones to listen to music.
The equipment was oddly advanced.
Where did it come from?
Chi Ning's fury turned into bewilderment.
He adjusted the earpiece and whispered, "Where did you get this equipment? It's as sophisticated as something from a spy movie."
Qin Heng paused, hesitating between telling the truth—"This is gambling den equipment"—or a lie—"This is a magician's prop from a card house"—before ultimately choosing the former.
"Godfather gave it to me."
It was the truth, but slightly evasive, a masterful dodge.
Chi Ning lowered his head and took a bite of the egg tart, forgiving Qin Heng's ambiguity.
After all, he had his own secrets from Qin Heng and had even used him as a shield—tit for tat.
...........
Downstairs.
Sun Boxing had already moved to Shen Minyi's side, standing uncomfortably close.
Listening to the rustling of clothes through the earpiece, Chi Ning casually plucked a grape from the tart and popped it into his mouth.
Eavesdropping with snacks—how delightful.
Shen Minyi's deliberately lowered voice came through: "Sun Bowen, what has your father been up to lately?"
Sun Boxing replied softly, "I'm not sure. The Chi family's Laboratory has tightened security recently. My father won't take me in anymore, and the study where the data is stored has a password lock that changes weekly. I can't get in."
Shen Minyi clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Sun Boxing hurriedly added, "Brother Minyi... The Chi family has reclaimed their shares. What's your plan? Didn't your father say whoever could bring down the Chi family would—"
"Shut up," Shen Minyi snapped sharply but quickly softened his tone. "Do you have any way to find out about Chongning Bio's recent research projects? I don't need detailed data, just a general direction."
Chi Ning frowned.
There was something manipulative about this line of questioning.
Has reading too much of The Thick Black Theory and Game Theory lately made me see everyone as sly and cunning?
In the earpiece, Sun Boxing let out a faint hum, followed by increasingly frequent sounds of fabric rustling.
Chi Ning then heard a muffled "Brother Minyi" caught in someone's throat.
Before he could discern what the two were up to, his ear suddenly stung. He covered it and turned to Qin Heng, "Why did you yank the earpiece out?"
Qin Heng stiffened his neck. "It ran out of battery."
That sneaky bastard surnamed Shen is unbelievable—how did the conversation escalate to kissing?
Qin Heng thought before stealing a glance at Chi Ning's lips.
Chi Ning's lips were a pale cinnamon color, only turning vivid when he ate spicy food. Now, with crumbs of egg tart crust clinging to the corner of his mouth, they looked... sweet.
Qin Heng's Adam's apple bobbed.
Under Qin Heng's intense stare, Chi Ning reluctantly handed over the last egg tart on the porcelain plate. "Here, have it."
Look how desperate he is—his eyes were practically glued to it.
Qin Heng silently accepted it. Even as he ate, his mind raced. The Little Wolf howled inside: [Look at you, so pathetic! If you’re bold enough to snatch the egg tart, why not just take it straight from Chi Ning’s mouth?!]
The little lamb kicked its hind leg, sending the wolf cub flying. [How rude of you.]
Chi Ning was still trying to recall Sun Boxing’s father, oblivious to Qin Heng’s internal animal drama.
..........
Downstairs, the banquet was in full swing—glasses clinking, laughter and small talk blending into a dizzying cacophony.
Chi Ning rubbed his fingers, feeling the sticky sugar glaze from the egg tart. Pausing mid-step, he bypassed the main hall and turned into a nearby restroom.
As cold water ran over his hands, it finally clicked—Sun Boxing’s father was Sun Bowen.
A graduate degree holder, Sun Bowen was his own father’s buddy, the kind who’d drink beers, grill skewers, and shoot the breeze with him. Later, he apparently left the research institute to travel the world with his wife.
If that were true, things just got complicated.
He couldn’t just waltz up to his dad without evidence and say, Hey, Dad, your buddy’s son is a sneaky little snake! He’s trying to steal our research data.
That wouldn’t fly.
Chi Ning finished washing his hands and absentmindedly held his fingertips under the hand dryer.
The machine whirred to life, snapping him out of his daze.
When Chi Ning refocused, he locked eyes with Shen Minyi, whose lower face was dripping with water on the other side.
Shen Minyi remained unflinching under Chi Ning’s gaze. He scooped another handful of water to rinse his mouth, spat it out, and then asked, “Did you know all along?”
Chi Ning thought for a moment and countered, “Know what?”
That you allowed the photos to be taken? That my parents seized the opportunity to acquire shares in the chaos? Or that you and your father ended up empty-handed, trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice?
Heh, actually, I did know all of it.
Shen Minyi stared into those clear eyes, luminous under the light, but his mind drifted back to the words “Brother Shen” before they had even entered the banquet.
What a shame, he thought. If only Chi Ning and Sun Boxing had swapped places—if Chi Ning had liked him the way Sun Boxing did—he wouldn’t be here now, rinsing his mouth.
Shen Minyi’s gaze darkened. A sudden suspicion toward Chi Ning flared in his chest.
He pressed, “That day I came to find you—did you know the paparazzi were outside taking pictures?”
Maybe Chi Ning was just like him, deliberately letting the whole thing unfold.
Chi Ning understood now.
He scoffed and turned the tables. “So that’s why the great Young Master Shen gifted me a gold medal—you already knew the paparazzi were outside, and it was all an act? Then the ones who slandered me must’ve been under your orders too?”
He paused, his voice trembling slightly. “No wonder no one retracted the article no matter how many calls I made.”
Quick! Shen Minyi, say something! Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to hold back his laughter! Those TVB actors were truly impressive—no matter how melodramatic the plot, they never broke character. Such professionalism.
Shen Minyi’s heart clenched.
Listen to that quivering tone, so full of grievance.
From the moment he’d first met Chi Ning, the boy had been a model student. The most rebellious thing he’d ever done was skip evening self-study to play basketball after securing his early admission.
That article had been written so crudely, so disgustingly—how much had it hurt Chi Ning to read it?
“Don’t take it to heart. The paparazzi just wanted to boost sales,” Shen Minyi said diplomatically.
He wasn’t a fool. Chi Ning might have been too naive to react in time, but Chi Baichuan and Chen Mingxian were both shrewd. They had seen through the situation at a glance.
After they swiftly seized the shares, the reports were retracted. Looking back, the Chi family’s reaction had been so fast that the Shen family missed their chance to take control of the situation.
In the end, the initiative slipped from their grasp.
Shen Minyi suppressed his frustration and finally asked, “What’s your relationship with Boss Xu’s adopted son?”
Chi Ning took in his jealous expression and felt sick to his stomach.
He quickly recalled Qin Heng’s kindness in his past life and the moment he had rejected Qin Heng’s first confession because he was too busy.
He blinked but said nothing, though the tips of his ears turned red.
Shen Minyi had always thought the worst possible outcome was Chi Ning burying himself in academia and never falling in love with anyone in his lifetime.
But now… the boy remained silent, yet his eyes and the curve of his lips were soft with a smile and his ears flushed red.
Shen Minyi panicked.
Dealing with Sun Boxing had been a necessary act, a means to an end—he needed someone like that as his inside man. The Shen family wasn’t like the Chi family, where brothers stood united. If he lost this fight, his fate would be far from pleasant.
But Chi Ning was different. Even if the Chi family fell, he could always protect him.
Shen Minyi dug his nails into his palm, his breathing uneven, as if a piece of his heart had been hollowed out. “Do you… even know what it means to be Xu Jiahao’s adopted son? How is he any different from the lowest class of shady businessmen?”
Chi Ning thought Shen Minyi was being ridiculous.
So what if it was a disreputable profession? As long as it wasn’t illegal, what did it matter?
Does everyone in the world have to be born into wealth? Does having money make you superior?
He had just been cheered up by three egg tarts, but Shen Minyi's words instantly reignited his fury.
What absolute garbage.
Forget his past life—even in this lifetime, was Shen Minyi's scheming to investigate the Chi family's research direction and using them as a stepping stone to fight for inheritance any more "upper-class"?
Constantly throwing around terms like "lowest class," "shady business," and "thug," yet still acting like he's some kind of elite?
Disgusting.
Chi Ning's face had gone pale.
He felt sick.
Seeing Chi Ning silent and pale-faced, Shen Minyi grew remorseful, thinking he might have been too harsh. "I just think you should—"
Chi Ning straightened his back with a hint of confusion on his face. "What gives you the right to lecture me?"
Shen Minyi choked.
He truly had no standing.
Outwardly, they were the sons of rival families. In private, he and Chi Ning weren’t even close enough to be called friends.
He wanted to voice the hidden emotions in his heart—but he couldn’t.
Chi Ning scoffed lightly. "Shen Minyi, you do realize what tonight’s banquet means, don’t you? The entire elite circle of Yangcheng City is here."
Everyone knew this was about drawing lines and forcing people to pick sides.
Chi Ning withdrew his hand that was now dry from the hot air dryer.
If Shen Minyi were any kind of man, he’d fight his brother head-on instead of lurking like some sewer rat.
He shot Shen Minyi a glance and turned to leave.
That single glance was the spark to the fuse.
Shen Minyi’s mind buzzed and the volcano in his chest erupting instantly.
He grabbed Chi Ning’s wrist and shoved him into a bathroom stall. "Do you really like him? Since when? Just because he drove you home late one night?"
Chi Ning was speechless.
Shen Minyi must have some screws loose—probably a few mental screws missing.
To fight for inheritance, he pretended to be straight, trying to trick some society girl into marriage. Claimed to like him, yet stood by while the paparazzi smeared him with filth in the papers.
Chi Ning struggled half-heartedly but couldn’t break free.
Shen Minyi reached past him to unlock the stall door and pushed him inside.
Chi Ning glanced up.
The banquet hall’s privacy measures were solid—the bathroom stalls were fully enclosed, with no chance of hidden cameras.
Good.
Chi Ning twisted Shen Minyi’s fingers where they gripped his wrist and, before the other could cry out, clamped a hand over his mouth.
Shen Minyi was half a head taller and not exactly frail, but his combat skills were mediocre. As the eldest son, between academic competitions and political maneuvering, he’d never had time to train.
Chi Ning let out a cold, satisfied laugh. "I’ve been wanting to say this—you make me sick."
He drove his knee up, slamming it straight into Shen Minyi’s stomach, forcing out a muffled groan. With his mouth covered, only a faint sound escaped between fingers.
Chi Ning said, "Never thought I’d have to use this move on you."
Old grudges and fresh fury merged into that single knee strike.
It felt exhilarating.
When Chi Ning released him, Shen Minyi immediately doubled over while coughing hoarsely as he braced himself against the toilet tank, gasping for breath.
He rasped, "How could you—"
"How could I?" Chi Ning yanked Shen Minyi upright by the collar with both hands before smoothing out the wrinkles in his suit. "Don’t look so pathetic—it’ll be hard to explain when we go out. You can’t possibly tell people the Chi family’s second son beat you up in the bathroom, can you?"
How humiliating would that be?
Chi Ning wiped away the moisture from his face using Shen Minyi's clothes.
He lifted his eyelids, gazing up at Shen Minyi's eyes from below while still wearing that obedient expression, soft as a cloud that could be kneaded at will.
Yet the words that came out were like a venomous dagger: "Young Master Shen, there may be no surveillance in the stall, but there's a high-definition camera right by the sinks outside."
"You were the one who pulled me in here—the cameras caught it all. Think carefully about what you say when we step out."
Shen Minyi's Adam's apple bobbed, his expression bordering on madness. He had originally thought keeping Chi Ning in the Laboratory was harmless, but now he reconsidered.
He should lock the boy away, chain him up, and keep him in a villa.
Things were slipping out of his control.
"Chi Ning..." Shen Minyi rasped, "When did you learn to fight?"
"None of your business." Chi Ning pushed open the stall door and walked out, leaving it slightly ajar behind him before heading to the sink to meticulously scrub his hands.
As he washed, a twinge of regret surfaced.
Why did it have to be his brother's birthday party today?
Had it been someone else's event, he wouldn't have needed to spare the host's dignity—he could have bagged Shen Minyi's head, stomped on his chest, and beaten him senseless.
Chi Ning scrubbed his fingers until they turned red before turning to leave, only to be blocked by Qin Heng at the entrance.
He seemed slightly drunk as his cheeks flushed and held a stack of name cards.
Chi Ning glanced down—the first one read [Ms. Dong Lanzhi], followed by [Miss Shen Xichun] further down.
Quite the popular one.
The Shen Family must be desperate to cozy up to Xu Jiahao. Failing to latch onto Boss Xu, they're now using their daughters to get to Qin Heng?
How pathetic.
Chi Ning tried to sidestep Qin Heng, but the man grabbed his wrist.
Qin Heng hung his head, pitifully rubbing the red marks Shen Minyi had left on Chi Ning's wrist, and said, "How could you go into the stall with him?"
Chi Ning froze.
Qin Heng continued, "You went in, and I had to stand guard outside for you."
How could this be?
The stall door had been banging loudly—what exactly were they doing inside? He'd wanted to yank it open and demand answers, but feared that would be too rude and unlikable, so he'd restrained himself.
Didn't you say you weren't planning to date anyone?
He knew full well how much Chi Ning detested Shen Minyi—nothing would have happened between them. But still...
Chi Ning found him amusing. "Are you drunk?"
Qin Heng replied, "No, just wine and champagne."
Chi Ning suddenly understood.
Mixing drinks—definitely drunk.
He reached up to adjust Qin Heng’s loosened tie before coaxing him like a puppy. "Raise your arm."
Qin Heng lifted his arm.
The suit was worn carelessly and sleeves rolled up to the elbows, revealing two muscular forearms.
Chi Ning chuckled, feeling a petty urge to provoke Shen Minyi. If Shen Minyi could be unhappy, he’d be happy.
Taking advantage of Qin Heng’s dazed state, he lifted his arm and asked, "Whose arm is this?"
Qin Heng: "Mine."
Chi Ning nodded. "Right."
To avoid being overheard by those in the stalls, he leaned close to Qin Heng’s ear and whispered, "Take a sip. It’s sweet."
Qin Heng stared fixedly at the nape of Chi Ning’s neck, catching a glimpse of fair skin disappearing into the burgundy shirt. Suddenly, he felt that even if poison were smeared on his arm, he’d still take a sip
Damn, he’s really good-looking.
Qin Heng pressed his lips to his own arm with a soft, audible smack.
Shen Minyi, curled up in the first stall, couldn’t see outside but could hear the faint sounds.
Blood rushed to his head in an instant.
Chi Ning—how the hell could Chi Ning take the initiative to kiss Qin Heng? Damn it!
Chi Ning found this version of Qin Heng far more endearing than his usual sharp-witted self. Guiding him back toward the banquet hall, he fibbed, "Come on, I’ll take you to a private room to rest and sober up."
He paused, then asked, "Why didn’t you put away your name cards properly?"
Qin Heng blinked, then obediently tucked them into his pocket.
Chi Ning: "..."
You’re oddly compliant, huh?
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