"...Allergic reaction?"

Shen Mingjin didn't even know when he passed out.

Before he lost consciousness, he only saw the person kneeling in front of him. Their eyes were red—like a rabbit's—shimmering with tears under the light. Their pupils, dark like the deepest pearls, reflected a soft glow.

His eyelids grew heavier, his vision blurred, and then, everything turned black. Even the noise around him faded, like the snapped strings of a violin losing their final echo.

"Shen... Shen Mingjin..."

The only thing left in his ears was Xu Duwan's trembling voice, choked with tears. The next second, Shen Mingjin felt himself being lifted onto someone's back.

The body carrying him wasn't broad—if anything, it felt a bit thin—but it pushed forward with determination. Even in his hazy state, Shen Mingjin felt like he was riding a boat, swaying helplessly in a storm. Strangely enough, no matter how much it rocked, the boat carried him safely to shore.

Wrapped in this inexplicable sense of security, he finally let go of all awareness, his arms hanging limply as Xu Duwan carried him straight to the nearest hospital.

The hospital wasn't a big one, but the emergency doctor took one look at Shen Mingjin's condition and quickly diagnosed it.

"…Allergic reaction?"

Xu Duwan's eyes were still red, as if he had just cried. Hearing the doctor's words, he looked completely lost.

"That's it?"

The moment Shen Mingjin collapsed, Xu Duwan had already imagined a thousand tragic scenarios—incurable diseases, sudden death, even planning when he would follow after him. But now… just this?

"What do you mean, 'just this'?" The doctor frowned in disapproval.

"Severe allergic reactions can be life-threatening. Are you his boyfriend? Why are you acting so indifferent?"

Xu Duwan froze.

His fingers tightened around the edge of the chair, his eyes flickering with unreadable emotions. For a long time, he said nothing.

—

When Jiang Ruoling returned after registering Shen Mingjin for treatment, he was met with an unbelievable sight—Xu Duwan, who would usually glare even at his own father, was now sitting there obediently, getting scolded by a doctor.

He looked just like a scolded rabbit.

"Whoa, what happened here?" Jiang Ruoling raised an eyebrow. "Our dear Duwan, turning over a new leaf?"

"Shut your m—"

Xu Duwan caught sight of the doctor's sharp gaze through their glasses and swallowed his words. Instead, he simply rolled his eyes.

"Not in the mood for you."

The doctor, adjusting their glasses, explained, "From your description, the patient was forced to drink alcohol before he collapsed. He may have an alcohol allergy."

Seeing that Xu Duwan was genuinely worried about the patient, the doctor softened their tone.

"As his partner, you need to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't drink again."

"Don't worry, alcohol allergies are common. He just needs to stay in the hospital for two days to recover."

With that, the doctor scribbled down a few prescriptions for Xu Duwan to collect before moving on to the next patient.

—

"I swear, Duwan, why is your face so red?"

Jiang Ruoling and Xu Duwan had barely stepped out of the consultation room when Jiang Ruoling noticed something odd.

"Are you allergic too?"

"..."

Xu Duwan struggled to pull himself out of the fake scenario of being Shen Mingjin's 'partner.' He felt like he was floating in midair, completely dazed.

After a moment, he decided Jiang Ruoling wasn't worth arguing with. Instead, his expression darkened, eyes narrowing in clear warning.

"Do you want to die?"

His tone was calm, but it was the kind of chill that cut straight to the bone, like a winter wind sharp as a blade.

"Nope, not at all." Jiang Ruoling shivered and rubbed his arms, goosebumps rising.

"You should go check on your 'boyfriend.'"

After a pause, he smirked and added, "Or rather, your ex boyfriend."

Xu Duwan ignored him.

Even if Jiang Ruoling hadn't said it, he would have gone to check anyway.

—

As he walked down the corridor, the cold hospital lights cast a pale glow on Xu Duwan's skin. He looked almost transparent, like a breeze passing through a snowy mountain—something untouchable, something unreal.

After a few steps, he suddenly stopped.

"Where's Gu Zhe?" he asked.

Gu Zhe—the rich kid who had forced Shen Mingjin to drink.

Jiang Ruoling tensed. "Duwan, don't do anything rash."

They hadn't known each other for long, but Jiang Ruoling could tell just from the way Xu Duwan clenched his jaw—he was planning something.

"Gu Zhe's family is just as powerful as yours. And given how your dad thinks… there's a real chance he could end up as your brother-in-law in the future. If you act recklessly, it'll be bad for both families."

Xu Duwan scoffed.

"Why should I care about their reputation?"

He tapped his temple, slow and deliberate.

"Last night, I saw exactly which eye he used to look at Shen Mingjin and exactly which hand he used to touch him."

His lips curled into a smile, but it wasn't comforting. If anything, it was unsettling—like a badly made wooden puppet, its mouth stretching into an unnatural grin.

Jiang Ruoling shuddered.

Gu Zhe was doomed.

—

When Shen Mingjin woke up, Xu Duwan had just returned from outside.

Xu Duwan looked exhausted, like he hadn't slept all night. There were dark circles under his eyes. When he saw Shen Mingjin waking up, he hesitated at the door for a moment, standing awkwardly as his palms unconsciously broke into a sweat.

He lowered his gaze, avoiding Shen Mingjin's curious eyes, and told himself to stay calm, to act mature. Then, taking a deep breath, he mustered the courage to sit beside Shen Mingjin, pretending to be at ease.

"How do you feel?"

Shen Mingjin had been on an IV drip all night, and his allergic reaction had improved a lot. Hearing Xu Duwan's question, he carefully checked how he felt, then nodded and gave a small smile.

"Much better."

"Thank you."

Xu Duwan was stunned for a second. That smile caught him off guard.

Shen Mingjin rarely smiled at him.

Shen Mingjin was born into a well-known antique family in Ning City. Although the family had declined in recent years—his father had no talent in appraising or crafting antiques and eventually lost himself to gambling, secretly selling off many family treasures—his grandfather had managed to hold things together. Because of that, Shen Mingjin still lived more comfortably than most of his peers.

Back then, he was like a noble young master from ancient times—elegant and reserved, always carrying an air of sophistication. But he wasn't old-fashioned. Instead, there was something about him that made people feel he was precious, like an untouchable little deity.

Especially with that silver jade choker he always wore—its simple, antique design gave him a distinct aura, setting him apart from the ordinary students around him.

Meanwhile, Xu Duwan had been a wild child, left to his own devices by his family. He skipped school, climbed walls, got into fights—there was nothing he wouldn't dare to do. Two people from such different worlds were bound to clash when they finally met.

That day, Xu Duwan was standing outside the classroom, being punished for breaking the rules again. The sun was blazing, and he stood there bored, earphones in, listening to music. That's when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone approaching—wearing the school uniform, carrying a stack of books, walking toward the classroom door.

At that exact moment, the song playing in his earphones was a cheerful love song—probably the theme song from some popular romance drama. The intro started playing just as Xu Duwan turned his head, and Shen Mingjin walked into view, stepping in time with the music's beat, as if he had his own dramatic background music.

Ning City First High School's uniform was a black-and-white sports outfit. Because of its loose fit, it didn't look particularly flattering on anyone. Xu Duwan, being slim, had no problem with the top, but his pants were always slipping down due to his narrow waist. He tugged at them absentmindedly while staring at Shen Mingjin, completely mesmerized.

Xu Duwan swore—this was the first time he had ever seen someone make such an ugly uniform look so good.

Somehow, even the awkward color combination of the uniform seemed to suit Shen Mingjin perfectly.

As always, Shen Mingjin wore his silver jade choker. His pale, slender neck curved like a swan's, leading up to a sharp jawline and delicate features. His face was breathtaking, almost unreal. Yet, his eyes held a quiet distance, like a painting too beautiful to touch. There was a faint melancholy in them, but it was as if the summer breeze had scattered it away, leaving him unaffected even by the heat.

Like frost, like snow—pure and untouchable.

Xu Duwan searched his limited vocabulary, struggling to find the right words to describe him.

But Shen Mingjin never even glanced at him. He simply walked past, not sparing him a single look.

Shen Mingjin had been absent from class because he had traveled out of town for an antique auction. Since he had never shown up before, Xu Duwan had no idea that he was actually a classmate.

As Shen Mingjin was about to walk past him, Xu Duwan—whether due to a short-circuit in his brain or the adrenaline rush from his pounding heart—acted purely on instinct. Before he could think, he reached out and grabbed Shen Mingjin's sleeve.

Shen Mingjin's steps halted.

He blinked, then frowned slightly, turning back to look at Xu Duwan with an expressionless face. He didn't say anything right away, as if trying to figure out what this stranger who had grabbed him wanted.

At that time, Xu Duwan was bold, sure—but he was still a teenager who could get embarrassed. Unlike his more shameless adult self, he was still prone to blushing. Being stared at by this "little deity," he instantly felt heat rush to his face. His words tumbled out clumsily, completely exposing how flustered he was.

"Uh… um… you look really good…"

The moment he said it, he wanted to bang his head against the wall. But there was no turning back now, so he forced himself to continue, stammering even more.

"Uh… I just… I just wanted to ask for your name…"

His voice got smaller and smaller until it practically disappeared.

Shen Mingjin stared at him in silence.

He was already annoyed about missing class and didn't appreciate being delayed further. Since this boy had stopped him for no real reason, Shen Mingjin's eyes turned cold as he spoke in a flat, indifferent voice.

"Let go."

Shen Mingjin had always been too beautiful for his own good. If not for the sharp angles of his features, his face might have seemed overly delicate, even feminine. In the past, school bullies had mistaken him for a girl and harassed him.

Now, seeing Xu Duwan's messy uniform, sagging pants, and the phone in his hand—a phone that definitely shouldn't be in school—Shen Mingjin automatically lumped him in with those troublemakers from before.

His frown deepened, but then, as if realizing Xu Duwan wasn't worth his time, his expression smoothed out. His face remained cold, but now there was a subtle, unspoken warning in his gaze.

"…If you don't let go, I will—"

"What? Tell the teacher?"

Xu Duwan blinked, then laughed.

He wasn't afraid of being reported. Worst case? Another punishment. No big deal.

"I've been talking to you for so long. Can't you at least say a few more words to me?"

Thinking for a moment, he added uncertainly, "Isn't that what you good students call 'courtesy'?"

Shen Mingjin didn't respond.

He simply watched Xu Duwan, sunlight filtering through the trees, casting soft shadows over his grinning face. For some reason, something in Shen Mingjin's usually indifferent heart rippled, ever so slightly.

Without a word, he moved.

He placed his book on the railing behind Xu Duwan—then, unexpectedly, leaned in.

Before Xu Duwan could react, he found himself lightly pressed against the corridor railing.

Shen Mingjin's hand brushed over Xu Duwan's wrist, leaving a trail of tingling warmth. Xu Duwan's eyes widened in shock, but before he could process what was happening, Shen Mingjin had already pried his fingers off his sleeve. His gaze lowered slightly, his tone light, almost amused.

"What do you want me to say?"

For the first time, Xu Duwan noticed it—beneath Shen Mingjin's cold exterior, there wasn't a complete lack of emotion. There was indifference, yes, but also a quiet, unreadable distance. His fingers brushed against Xu Duwan's lips for a fleeting second—cool from the morning air—before he leaned in and whispered something.

Then, he pulled away and walked off, never looking back.

No one ever found out what the "Ice Prince" of the school had whispered to Xu Duwan that day.

Even years later, when his friends asked, Xu Duwan refused to tell them.

Why?

Because it was too embarrassing.

Only he knew that in that moment, with their eyes locked, Shen Mingjin had let out the faintest hint of amusement and murmured:

"Next time you stare at me…"

His voice was calm, emotionless—like it had nothing to do with him.

"…remember to wipe your drool."