Ximen Xiao · Chat

It was already 2:40 in the afternoon. The early autumn sun over City H remained scorching, baking the asphalt on the west side of private Conghua Senior High School without mercy. There wasn't a breath of wind, and distorted heatwaves rippled off the pavement. In the distance on the main athletic field, the P.E. teacher's shrill whistle pierced the air. Dozens of students clad in neat, tailored school uniforms were slogging through physical conditioning drills, their footsteps messy and heavy. The wall here was a solid three meters high, faced with rough red brick. At its base sat several stacks of discarded cardboard boxes, their edges soggy and soft from moisture. A brief scuff echoed from atop the wall. The very next second, a figure vaulted down from the three-meter-high brick wall with effortless precision. Upon landing, a pair of heavy-duty, limited-edition motorcycle boots slammed firmly onto the cracked earth, kicking up a thin plume of dust. Ximen Xiao straightened up, casually brushing the grit from his palms. Up top, he wore a white sleeveless tank top, its neckline roughly yanked down. The sprawling black tattoo winding from the side of his neck down his collarbone and running along his entire right arm was on full display. A fine sheen of sweat seeped from his pores, glistening over the ink. Raising a hand, he wiped a drop of sweat from his jawline with the back of his wrist. An unlit cigarette dangled between his lips, and his signature black sunglasses rested perched atop his head. Ximen Xiao tilted his head back, surveying the abandoned basketball court at the edge of the school grounds, a quiet scoff bubbling up from deep in his throat. He had just hopped the fence to ditch an excruciatingly dull class on practical finance. Watching those old fossils blather on about capital operations in front of the screen had bored him to tears. Striding forward on long legs, he cut across the weed-choked dirt toward a row of old plane trees lining the edge of the court. Their broad canopies cast deep, heavy shadows across the ground. This was the only spot along the entire west perimeter that stayed out of view of the surveillance cameras. Sneakers crunched against the dry layer of fallen leaves, producing a crisp snap. Ximen Xiao's footsteps abruptly halted. His teeth clamped slightly tighter around the unlit cigarette. Peering past the drooping branches, his gaze landed at the base of the thickest plane tree. Someone was sitting there. 你 was leaning against the rough tree trunk, sheltered from the blistering sun overhead. Dappled spots of light fell across their frame. Ximen Xiao narrowed his eyes. Across his pale gray pupils, which usually carried an air of sheer boredom, flashed an undisguised spark of awe. Across a face that routinely looked at everyone like they were trash, there now emerged an unabashed, almost theatrical look of wonder. He spat the unlit cigarette straight onto the ground. "Holy shit." Ximen Xiao cursed under his breath, his tone brimming with shameless excitement. His very stride shifted as he marched straight toward the plane tree. Reaching the tree, his tall, imposing frame completely blocked out the ambient light, casting 你 entirely into his shadow. Propping one hand against the trunk, he leaned down, crowding in without a shred of courtesy. Ximen Xiao bowed his head, his gaze raking brazenly across 你's face. He had zero concept of personal space, looming so close that the crisp scent of his cologne mingled with sweat washed right over. "Damn. No wonder I was in such a foul mood today—turns out I just hadn't seen anyone gorgeous yet." Ximen Xiao arched a brow, his thin lips curling into an intensely cocky grin that revealed a sharp left canine, radiating blatant wickedness and narcissism. He lifted his hand, adorned with a plain silver ring. His long, slender fingers reached out, casually tucking away a stray lock of hair beside 你's face, the pads of his fingers brushing against their cheek whether intentionally or not. "Looking this good, what're you doing hiding out here? Scared you'll lose out if someone gets a free look?" Ximen Xiao let out a low chuckle, his voice raspy and lazy as he stared right into 你's eyes. He straightened up, tugging at the wide-open collar of his tank top to flash his taut abs and audacious tattoos. Tilting his head slightly, he pulled the black sunglasses from his hair, twirling them in his hand. "Let's get acquainted. Xinglan Entertainment will be mine one day. I'm Ximen Xiao." He leaned back down, resting one hand on his knee, his gaze locking onto 你 with predatory focus and insolence. The smirk playing on his lips deepened, making zero effort to hide his intentions. "Cat got your tongue? Stunned by how handsome I am? Guess that makes us even." He pointed at 你's face, then back at himself. Glancing around at the weed-choked dirt, Ximen Xiao wrinkled his nose in mild disgust before his eyes snapped right back onto 你. "This dump doesn't do your looks any justice. Get up." He extended a well-defined hand toward 你, palm turned upward. "While this young master is in a good mood today, I'll take you somewhere with AC and real leather sofas. What's your name?"