The Slacker Academic Always Gets Caught (SLACKER)
It's delicious," Chi Ning said.
Father Chi's heart skipped several beats.
Chi Ning swallowed that mouthful and lowered his eyes, staring at the fragrant tin foil bowl in his hands as he praised, "The saltiness is just right. The noodles haven't dried out from the charcoal grilling. The scallions and minced garlic are perfectly balanced, and the fatty beef slices layered underneath are very flavorful."
When handing it over, Qin Heng had even thoughtfully placed a small wooden heatproof coaster underneath.
He had almost forgotten how good Qin Heng was in their previous life.
During the initial period after returning to being sixteen, whenever he recalled Qin Heng from their past life, his mind would be filled with nothing but lies.
Back then, he even suspected the meals were fake too. There was even a moment when he speculated that Qin Heng's approach might have been motivated by what he possessed.
Fortunately, reason told him that a real estate development tycoon probably wouldn't have much interest in the pharmaceutical industry.
Chi Ning stirred the noodles in his bowl with chopsticks.
Suddenly, he remembered the flavors from those meals delivered in thermal containers.
There was pigeon soup meticulously strained of residue; preserved vegetable pork rolls carefully wrapped around rice and preserved vegetables; and congee with a broth base that clearly had been simmered for at least eight hours.
In the second year Qin Heng started bringing him meals and his stomach problems never acted up again.
Chi Ning blinked and added softly, "Everything tastes really good."
Xu Jiahao was amused as he kept fanning himself vigorously with a small fan. He lifted his chin and gestured toward Qin Heng with his jaw before saying to Chi Baichuan, "Your son sure knows how to flatter. Top students who get Directly Recommended status are different—even their compliments are sweeter."
Chi Baichuan: "…"
His passive-aggressive remark was meant to make Xu Jiahao and Qin Heng back off! Not to make these two preen under the praise!
Father Chi felt a pang of bitterness.
How did it come to this? Was the family chef’s cooking not good enough? Was his son really so easily lured away by a mere fan? How could this be?
This Qin guy was seriously cunning.
Qin Heng met Chi Baichuan’s gaze and smiled. "Good ingredients make any dish delicious. It’s not my doing."
Chi Baichuan choked back a retort.
Between the two of them, they’d covered all the angles—how infuriating.
Qin Heng then brought the prepared snacks originally meant for Xu Jiahao over to Chi Baichuan. "Uncle Chi, I’ll be troubling Chi Ning to look after me from now on. Sorry for the inconvenience."
Chi Baichuan nearly snapped his chopsticks in half.
Chi Ning gave the two of them a fleeting glance.
Chi Baichuan forced a smile, carefully stabbing his chopsticks into the noodles. "Helping each other out is what classmates do. All these brothers of mine—we met in high school and college. Bonds formed when you’re young last the longest. The relationships you make later in life… they’re never as pure."
Qin Heng pretended not to catch the implication, nodding with a smile. "You’re absolutely right, Uncle."
Then he turned and sat back beside Chi Ning, tilting his head to ask, "What else would you like to eat?"
Chi Ning paused mid-slurp.
He glanced sideways, locking eyes with Qin Heng, his mind replaying his father’s words.
In his past life, he hadn’t made any genuine friends. His life had been full of deceit—even the one person he thought was sincere had lied to him.
Were bonds formed in youth really purer and longer-lasting?
Instead of answering, Chi Ning asked softly, "Qin Heng, have you ever lied to me?"
Qin Heng froze.
Chi Ning immediately regretted it. A smooth-talker like Qin Heng, who lied as easily as breathing—of course he had. His polite niceties probably outnumbered his truths.
"Never mind." Chi Ning slurped another mouthful of noodles. "It’s nothing."
Sometimes lies were useful. Like I have someone I like and I spent the money on them—those had solved plenty of problems for him.
Qin Heng pressed his lips together.
Instinctively, he replayed every interaction he’d had with Chi Ning since they met.
Surprisingly… he hadn’t actually lied to Chi Ning. At most, he’d omitted things—hedged with vague half-truths rather than spinning outright fabrications.
Distractedly, Qin Heng shoved a grilled chicken gizzard into his mouth.
Too salty.
Chi Ning was stuffed. He stood up, stretching his legs. "Bro, I’m gonna check if the desserts are ready."
Chi Yang: "Go ahead."
Desserts weren’t the men’s thing—the kitchen had only prepared portions for the younger generation and the ladies in attendance.
By the time Chi Ning returned to the courtyard with a plate of sweets, the gathering was winding down.
Chi Baichuan was proudly showing off the artificial mountain in the yard to his old buddies. "You have to mist this every day. Look at the moss here—so adorable."
Chi Ning glanced at it but couldn’t see what was cute about the fuzzy green stuff.
His dad’s tastes were… unique.
Chen Mingxian grabbed a row of mung bean sweet drinks to share with her sisters and laughed as she scolded, "Look at your dad, so childish."
Her tone was brimming with joy and contentment.
Chi Ning also curved his lips into a smile.
The daylight had completely faded, and the dark sky enveloped all of Yangcheng City.
The courtyard of Chi Manor was lit up, the charcoal fire crackling, with beef bones wrapped in foil sizzling on top.
There was already more food than they could finish.
"Take some home," Chi Baichuan urged the uncles and elders to pack up the leftovers.
Boss Lu staggered drunkenly, slurring, "Can't let it go to waste."
He grabbed six beef bone marrow and stuffed them into a takeout box while muttering, "These are even better than what my chef makes."
Alcohol had dulled the minds of these corporate elites, and with enough drinks, they dared to say anything.
Boss Lu grinned and reached for the shrimp in front of Qin Heng, remarking as he took them, "Kid, you’ve got real skill. Whoever ends up with you is gonna be lucky."
Chi Ning shifted on his small stool, suddenly finding the chair he’d been sitting on all evening a bit uncomfortable.
Boss Lu continued, "So, got any girls you like? You’re an adult now, right? Want me to introduce you to someone?"
Qin Heng swiftly slid all the skewers in front of him into Boss Lu’s takeout box, his movements deft. "Boss Lu, I’m in my last year of high school. Not thinking about that stuff."
Chi Ning glanced at the courtyard lights and felt the chair become comfortable again.
Though it was a bit disappointing to see all the skewers given away. He nudged Qin Heng and whispered, "Save some for us."
Qin Heng didn’t listen, only speaking after Boss Lu had left: "Those were accidentally oversalted."
Chi Ning: "Pfft."
"Fine."
Qin Heng carried the scent of charcoal smoke, a far cry from the "proper gentleman" of his past life. The warm glow of the courtyard lights cast over him, lending him an air of relaxed familiarity.
Chi Ning’s gaze lingered on his sharp nose bridge, but when he looked up, he unexpectedly met Qin Heng’s eyes.
Not far away, Chi Baichuan was still boasting to his brothers about the mushrooms that had unexpectedly grown on the rockery. The voices had been close, but in this moment, they felt distant.
Hazy, as if muffled by a layer of cloth.
The courtyard was spacious, yet Chi Ning felt as though he were trapped in a confined space like a fitting room. He even recalled the time months ago when Qin Heng had pushed him into a fitting room at Mo Yuanzhou’s photoshoot and pinning him against the wall.
Back then, he had only felt confusion, even impatience. But this time was different.
Now, it was as if he were locked in a small, unlit fitting room, his breath burning hot.
"Wh-what?" Chi Ning stammered. "Why… are you looking at me like that?"
The adults were all gone—the fathers gathered around Chi Baichuan, while the Madams led inside by Chen Mingxian.
Only Chi Yang remained by Chi Ning’s side.
Chi Yang watched the scene with a veiled expression, his molars clenched so hard they might shatter.
He didn’t dare interrupt, afraid that if he intervened, his younger brother might have a sudden epiphany.
Going from liking two people to just one.
That would be irreversible.
No interference, no words. At least they were at the Chi family home—surely Qin Heng wouldn’t be bold enough to confess his teenage crush to the host’s youngest son while a guest, right?
Qin Heng curled his fingers slightly. "I…"
Chi Yang stared at him intently.
Qin Heng averted his gaze, pulling out a wet wipe and handing it to Chi Ning. "Here, wipe your hands."
"...Oh." Chi Ning took it and wiped his mouth haphazardly.
He was certain Qin Heng hadn't intended to say that earlier.
Why didn't he continue?
What had Qin Heng originally wanted to say?
As Chi Ning turned to toss the used tissue into the trash, he caught Chi Yang's evasive gaze.
Chi Ning: …
No wonder Qin Heng stopped talking. It must have been something inappropriate to say in front of elders.
Chi Yang smiled cheerfully as he stood up. "I'll call someone to clean this up."
Chi Ning absentmindedly murmured an "oh," his thoughts still lingering on Qin Heng.
What kind of words would be inappropriate to say in front of elders? Tutoring? Definitely not—there's nothing inappropriate about that.
"Study hard"—how straightforward and proper is that?
It couldn't possibly be a confession, right?
Chi Ning's ears turned slightly red, and his gaze wavered.
That shouldn't be possible either. Qin Heng showed no signs of liking him, and besides...
Who said the person who liked him in his past life would necessarily like him again in this one?
The timing of their acquaintance was different; their story might be different too.
Being friends in this lifetime was already good enough.
As Chi Ning pondered this, Boss Lu's earlier teasing words to Qin Heng suddenly echoed in his ears.
"Do you have a little girl you like? If not, can I introduce you to one?"
If the timing was different, could someone's sexual orientation change? Probably not, since orientation is innate.
So who would Qin Heng fall for in the future?
Chi Ning glanced at him.
Qin Heng reached out and pulled a wet wipe from the pack.
Chi Ning froze, licking his lips. "Did I not clean it properly just now?"
Qin Heng: "Mm."
He reached over, clasped the back of Chi Ning's neck, and pulled him forward.
Chi Ning leaned in with the motion, his eyes meeting Qin Heng's directly.
Their gazes locked for a fleeting moment before both immediately looked away.
A cool tissue pressed against the corner of his lips, wiping lightly. The icy dampness made Chi Ning shiver slightly, the chill sending an unexpected tremor through him.
He instinctively tried to lean back, but Qin Heng’s hand on the nape of his neck held him in place. Helpless, he watched as Qin Heng folded the tissue with one hand and tossed it into the nearby trash can.
Chi Ning swallowed as he felt his mouth parched and an odd sensation lingering in his throat as if something foreign were lodged there.
Just as he was about to speak, the scorching palm against his neck loosened its grip.
He froze.
Qin Heng casually picked up the last egg resting on the dimming charcoal fire. It had been left untouched, its unremarkable appearance failing to draw any attention.
As if impervious to the heat, Qin Heng unhurriedly peeled open the small crack at the top into a semicircle, giving the egg a "crown of the head," then placed it on an egg holder and handed it to Chi Ning.
Chi Ning hesitated. "I can't eat anymore."
Qin Heng replied, "Drink the broth inside."
Chi Ning took it and drained it in one gulp. The rich flavor was so intense he nearly swallowed his own tongue.
He heard Qin Heng chuckle softly. "I’ve never lied to you."
Chi Ning’s teeth tapped against the eggshell, biting off a small fragment. His eyes widened slightly and his breath hitching.
Qin Heng watched as he finished the broth.
Then, without the slightest hesitation, he took the egg back, peeled off the shell in a few quick motions, and popped it into his own mouth.
He barely registered the taste as his gaze locked onto Chi Ning’s eyes. As if compelled by some unseen force, he paused for a moment before murmuring softly, "In this lifetime, I’ve never lied to you."
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