This faint response made Qianyu's taut shoulders suddenly relax, as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted.
"Alright," he sighed with relief, a slightly helpless smile playing on his lips as he surveyed the room, which looked like it had been hit by a hurricane, and spread his hands, "So now, we face a more realistic problem—this room, we can't sleep in it tonight."
Dong Xiang followed his gaze, the shattered glass littering the floor glinting coldly in the moonlight, and a biting wind whistling in.
She frowned slightly, the blush on her face from their recent conversation not yet fully faded.
"Come to my room," she said suddenly, her voice returning to its usual coolness, as if the intense emotions from just now had never happened, though the blush on her earlobes betrayed her, "You sleep on the sofa."
She quickly added, turning and walking out, her steps betraying a subtle haste, as if she wanted to escape this ambiguous and chaotic scene.
He Xi Qian Yu watched her back disappear through the doorway, paused for a second, then smiled silently. He carefully stepped around the glass shards on the floor and followed her, heading towards the door that emanated a warm light.
At least, he wouldn't have to spend the night with cold wind and glass shards.
...
The night passed without a word.
The faint light of dawn filtered through the gaps in Dong Xiang's room curtains, gently waking the room.
He Xi Qian Yu had spent the night curled on the sofa, his neck a bit stiff. He sat up, a thin blanket smelling faintly of soap sliding off him—Dong Xiang had clearly put it on him in the middle of the night.
He looked at the single bed; the covers were meticulously neat, and he heard the faint sound of water from the bathroom.
The water stopped, and Kirishima Touka walked out, dressed in her neat school uniform, her short hair still slightly damp, a few playful strands clinging to her smooth forehead.
She saw that He Xi Qian Yu was already awake and paused almost imperceptibly, her gaze quickly sweeping over him, then dropping swiftly as if burned when it met his lazy smile. Her long eyelashes concealed her momentary fluster as she walked directly to her desk to pick up her school bag.
"Morning," her voice carried the slight hoarseness unique to waking up, sounding even cooler than usual.
"Morning," Qianyu stood up and stretched, his joints making a slight cracking sound, "The sofa is very comfortable, it just tests the length of one's neck."
He deliberately rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze catching the faint blush that hadn't quite faded from the edge of her earlobe.
Dong Xiang didn't respond, and that hint of red seemed to deepen a little. She picked up her school bag, her voice calm: "I'm leaving."
"Wait," Qianyu called out to her, his voice softening, "The first floor is still under repair, it's not easy to walk through, and it's dusty."
He pointed to the vague clamor of noise coming from downstairs, "Go out through the back alley, I'll take you."
Dong Xiang seemed to want to refuse, her lips moving. Just then, the faint shouts of Koma Enji and the clanging of tools from downstairs confirmed He Xi Qian Yu's words.
She finally just pursed her lips and said softly, "...As you wish."
The two went downstairs, one after the other. The stairwell leading to the first floor was blocked by thick dust-proof plastic sheeting. They turned towards the back kitchen and pushed open the iron door normally only used for deliveries.
The back alley was narrow and quiet, the cool morning air carrying a hint of damp moss. The sunlight could only slant into a small section of the alley entrance, casting their shadows intertwined.
The alley was very quiet, quiet enough to hear each other's breathing.
Dong Xiang was the first to walk out the back door, standing in the bright patch cut out by the morning light. He Xi Qian Yu followed, gently closing the door behind him.
The two stood side by side in the silent back alley. The alley wasn't long; a few steps would take them to the street outside.
"You can stop here," Dong Xiang spoke first, her voice exceptionally clear in the quiet alley. She pointed to the alley entrance a few steps away, "The main road is just outside."
"That won't do," Qianyu's voice was right by her ear, like a warm morning breeze, "If I say I'll take you to the school gate, then it's the school gate. The back alley entrance doesn't count."
He lowered his head slightly, his gentle smile locking onto her violet eyes, which held a hint of surprise and annoyance. They were so close, he could clearly see his own reflection in her pupils.
Dong Xiang's cheeks rapidly warmed. She instinctively tried to step back, but her heel hit the doorframe, forcing her to turn her face slightly, avoiding his intense gaze. The blush on her earlobes spread to the side of her neck.
Just then, several girls in the same school uniform walked to the alley entrance, chatting and laughing. Their eyes instantly caught sight of the slightly intimate pair in the alley—Dong Xiang, with her face slightly turned and cheeks flushed, and a handsome man gazing down at her, their proximity inviting speculation.
"Eh? Isn't that Touka-chan?"
"Wow, who's that guy? He's so handsome!"
"Are they… on a date?"
Surprised and curious whispers drifted over.
Dong Xiang's body instantly stiffened, the color draining from her face, leaving only mortified embarrassment. Her fingers clutched her school bag strap so tightly her knuckles turned white, wishing she could disappear on the spot.
She was least accustomed to being the center of attention, especially in such a suggestive situation.
He Xi Qian Yu's smile remained unchanged, but his gaze naturally shifted to the alley entrance. He gave the girls a slight nod, offering a polite, shallow smile, as if to say, "Please do not disturb."
The girls felt a bit awkward under his gaze and quickly walked away, nudging each other.
The alley fell silent again.
Dong Xiang remained frozen, her cheeks so red they almost dripped blood, a tide of humiliation engulfing her. She kept her head down, not daring to look at him.
"If you don't leave now, you'll really be late," his voice, tinged with helplessness, diffused the awkward atmosphere.
"...Idiot," Dong Xiang uttered two words very softly, her voice trembling slightly, like an annoyed reprimand. She turned and walked quickly towards the alley entrance.
On the way to school, both remained silent. The blush on Dong Xiang's face hadn't faded, and her heart still pounded, but she no longer deliberately avoided him, simply keeping her head slightly lowered, looking at her own feet.
Finally, the school gate came into view, the surging crowd of students like a giant whirlpool.
"This is far enough," her voice was very soft, "You… go back quickly." She didn't want to experience another spectacle.
He Xi Qian Yu stopped, reached out, and brushed the damp strand of hair on her forehead, disheveled by the morning breeze, behind her ear, his fingertips subtly grazing her still-hot earlobe.
Dong Xiang's body trembled slightly, his figure clearly reflected in her violet eyes. She suddenly turned and quickly plunged into the crowd at the school gate.
...
"...What are you worried about?" Slaughter hummed in the depths of He Xi Qian Yu's consciousness, with a hint of confusion, "...You could have brought her with you..."
"...No one can stop us..."