13 I’m Naughty
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Cen Wu was sleeping soundly, his eyelashes fluttering gently with each breath. Xie Guilan wasn’t sure if he might suddenly lose his temper, so he didn’t wake him and let him rest like that.
Xie Guilan switched on the desk lamp and sat at the worn-out desk to work on some exercises. The boy’s slender back was straight and tall; he wore a black T-shirt that made his pale, long arms look even colder and more delicate, his wrist bones protruding subtly.
It wasn’t until after eleven at night that Cen Wu rubbed his eyes and woke up, still drowsy and blinking as if from a dream.
“The young master is awake,” Xie Guilan noticed his gaze and stood up, walking over to the bedside.
Cen Wu froze for a moment, suddenly realizing where he was. His sleepiness vanished instantly as he quickly sat up and stammered, “S-sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
Since arriving in this world through the book, Cen Wu hadn’t slept much. He was exhausted, and though Xie Guilan’s bed was clean and carried a faint, cold scent, he had fallen asleep just like that.
“It’s alright,” Xie Guilan lowered his eyes, unreadable if he was angry or not. “Did you need me for something, young master?”
Back then, if Cen Wu accidentally slept in Xie Guilan’s bed, Xie Guilan would have exploded in rage, feeling it was the worst humiliation of his life. Now, there was only a pale, flustered face.
He wouldn’t even scratch — he was like a cat that dared not extend its claws.
Cen Wu’s lips moved slightly, about to speak, when suddenly the door to the shack was thrown open.
Xie Shangjing had been at the club playing with others but heard that his father had been taken to the hospital. Irritated beyond measure, he left early.
His face was full of cold anger. When he opened the door and saw Cen Wu, he paused, then said through gritted teeth, “What are you doing here?”
Cen Wu shivered at his fierce expression.
Behind Xie Shangjing were several others: Chu Zijian and two more Cen Wu didn’t know—definitely wealthy second-generation elites from their circle.
Xie Shangjing’s sudden outburst drew their curiosity as they leaned in to see what was going on.
They saw Cen Wu sitting on Xie Guilan’s bed, his hair messy, his pale ears flushed red, his clothes disheveled. Startled by Xie Shangjing, his eyes were glistening wet.
Xie Shangjing’s already grim face darkened further as he glared coldly at Cen Wu. “Explain.”
Damn.
The rich kids were stunned. They had come with Xie Shangjing to play snooker and never expected to stumble upon this scene. Was this some kind of caught-in-the-act scandal?
“Second young master...” Chu Zijian was dumbfounded but quickly pointed at Xie Guilan. “Did you force him?”
Cen Wu: “...”
No, guys, what is going on here?
“W-wait!” Cen Wu quickly spoke up, luckily prepared, grabbing a chemistry exercise sheet beside him and said angrily, “I came here to copy homework. What are you yelling about?”
Xie Shangjing remained cold-faced. “Copy homework?”
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“What else?” Cen Wu replied with a sour tone, clearly displeased, turning the tables. “Are you the teacher?”
Xie Shangjing was speechless.
He had wanted to lecture, but then he remembered Cen Wu’s second-to-last rank and fell silent for a moment.
In a way, Cen Wu felt humiliated by his silence.
Xie Shangjing never saw Xie Guilan as human, and he thought the same of Cen Wu. He looked skeptical and lowered his expression. “Fine. Then what about that night at the bar?”
“I heard you fought Wang Yue for him?”
Cen Wu immediately looked at Chu Zijian, who nervously waved his hands, denying it. Who would slander him? He never said that.
Although his uncle was the manager of a shipping company under the Xie Group, Xie Shangjing didn’t think much of him. His only boss was Cen Wu, and he would never betray him.
“I... I went to the bar to hang out,” Cen Wu pinched himself secretly, looking up with reddened eyes as if deeply wronged. “He deliberately disgusted me, and you’re defending... defending him?”
Xie Guilan sat beside him, having witnessed the secret pinch and the feigned tears. His mouth twitched involuntarily.
Afraid his crying wasn’t believable enough, Cen Wu covered his face and sobbed, the corners of his eyes revealing the red and wet gaze. When Xie Shangjing wasn’t paying attention, he winked at Xie Guilan.
Xie Shangjing was always high and mighty even in relationships. He hated tears and frowned. “Who’s defending him? Why are you crying?”
Cen Wu: “...”
Such a hopelessly straight male tone.
“I’m leaving.” Cen Wu rubbed his reddened eyes and headed out. Xie Shangjing clicked his tongue irritably, following behind.
With Cen Wu here, he couldn’t make a move on Xie Guilan. After all, Cen Wu was someone he liked, and he didn’t want Cen Wu to see his overly violent side.
The others followed out as well.
Chu Zijian was sulking. At the doorway, he raised his leg to kick the shack door where Xie Guilan was, but before he could, Xie Guilan pushed him coldly.
“Damn, you dare push me?” Chu Zijian staggered but didn’t settle the score since his boss had left.
Xie Shangjing went upstairs to change. They went to the recreation room. Chu Zijian grumbled and cursed, complaining to Cen Wu, “He actually pushed me!”
“You... why are you cursing him?” Cen Wu frowned.
Chu Zijian looked incredulous and complained aggrievedly, “Second young master, he pushed me first!”
Cen Wu: “You’re not dead yet.”
Chu Zijian: “...”
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—
After everyone left, the corner of Xie Guilan’s mouth twitched slightly as he suddenly felt how ridiculous this was. What was this even about?
With Xie Shangjing still around, Cen Wu was acting coquettishly toward him. He knew Cen Wu wasn’t actually dating Xie Shangjing. Cen Wu was just a poisonous charm wrapped in honey, spinning everyone around his finger.
When Xie Shangjing went upstairs, Cen Wu quickly messaged Xie Guilan, knowing his slight obsession with cleanliness.
There was no way he’d accept someone else sleeping in his bed.
[Cen Wu: Sorry, I’ll pay for the sheets. Transferring you 1,000 yuan, note: Sorry!]
[Xie Guilan: No need, it’s worthless.]
[Cen Wu: Please accept it, I beg you.]
While transferring money, Cen Wu suddenly realized why Xie Guilan stayed with the Xie family—because Song Lingwei needed treatment, and if she wanted to live, he couldn’t stop her.
But Xie Guilan had no money.
Wouldn’t it be easier if Cen Wu gave him money?
He hadn’t fought Cen Xiao for the family estate or nearly harmed his parents. As long as Xie Guilan didn’t hate him too much, the Cen family wouldn’t go all out against him.
Xie Guilan pursed his lips, about to refuse again, but then saw Cen Wu send another message.
[Cen Wu: I forgot if I used the blanket or not, so consider that I did. Here’s another 2,000.]
[Cen Wu: I’m really terrible, so cruel. How could I do that?! Here, let me make it up.]
He even sent a sticker of a cat fainting, with the caption “Overwhelmed by my own cruelty.”
Xie Guilan: “...”
His brow twitched. How did this guy calculate? No wonder his math score was lower than chemistry—only 12 points.
[Cen Wu: Transferring 5,200 yuan to you. A voluntary gift.]
Xie Guilan: “...”
He stared at the transfer for minutes before letting out a cold laugh. He never expected Cen Wu to go through such a long detour just to confess to him.
Such a direct way of pursuing, even throwing money at someone… no wonder so many fell for it. Luckily, he’d already seen through it and would never fall into this smooth-talking con artist’s trap.