The wind on the rooftop was strong, chilling one's heart to the bone.
Having lost ten points for sticking out his tongue, Lu Yan was sulking. His eyes fixed fiercely on Xia Miao's back, as if he wanted to tear her apart and swallow her whole. But then he remembered—he hadn’t reached a hundred points yet, so he couldn’t eat her.
He couldn’t hit her, couldn’t scold her. This woman kept threatening him with point deductions, leaving him no choice but to stew in silent anger, squatting on the ground while his gaze followed her movements with a venomous glare.
Xia Miao stood atop the administration building, where the view stretched across nearly the entire campus. She raised her camera and snapped a few photos of the distant scenery, but none of it seemed special enough to meet Fang Keai’s requirements.
Frustrated, she turned around, and the camera lens happened to land on the crouching boy.
Lu Yan was in a foul mood. Seeing her facing him, he tugged open the gap in his bandages and bared his teeth at her—razor-sharp fangs capable of crushing her bones.
Xia Miao lowered the camera, studied him for a moment, then walked over and crouched beside him, reaching out to touch his face.
Lu Yan had braced himself for a punch, but after a long wait, all he felt were her gentle, probing fingers. The light touch sent shivers down his spine, making his scalp tingle.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Xia Miao withdrew her hand and asked, "Do you know any iconic spots around the school? I need to take photos for a club assignment."
Lu Yan blinked blankly. "Iconic spots?"
"Places where, just by looking at a photo, people would instantly recognize it as Red Moon Academy!"
A glint of intelligence flashed in his eyes. "I know a few places."
Xia Miao brightened. "Where? Take me there!"
He tilted his chin up with a scoff, his haughty demeanor mirroring hers. "And what’s in it for me?"
She pouted. "I’ll give you points."
"Like I care about points." Lu Yan stood up, his lean figure silhouetted against the light, exuding a roguish charm. He radiated an air of disdain, drawling, "Points mean nothing to me."
Xia Miao saw right through him. She jumped up suddenly, and his instincts kicked in—his arms wrapped around her, holding her against him.
It was the first time he’d been this close to a girl. The curves of her body pressed against his, and the boy froze, barely daring to breathe.
"Y-you—what are you doing?" Lu Yan stammered, flustered. "Xia Miao, have you no shame?"
She looped her arms around his neck, her voice sweet and syrupy. "Lu Yan, dear Lu Yan, please take me there. You’re my favorite person in the whole world, you know?"
His body burned hot, his palms sweating where they held her. "D-don’t talk to me like that! It’s not proper!"
"Lu Yan, take me there, okay? Please?"
He retreated step by step, yet his arms stayed glued around her, unable to pull away. His back hit the railing, and the cold wind sent a shiver through him.
"Fine! I’ll take you, I’ll take you! Happy now?"
Xia Miao immediately dropped the act, but when she noticed he couldn’t meet her eyes, curiosity got the better of her. Tentatively, she reached into his hood and touched his ear.
"So hot!"
Lu Yan stubbornly retorted, "I just have a fever!"
Xia Miao shot him a glance, then slid her hand to his chest. "Something’s pounding in here!"
"That’s just… my left and right ventricles fighting!"
The more embarrassed he got, the more her curiosity flared. A strange scent reached her—something burnt, like the aroma of overbaked cookies.
Following the smell, she leaned closer, nuzzling against his neck and accidentally knocking off his hood. His messy black hair spilled into the sunlight, unruly and unkempt, with one particularly stubborn strand swaying in the breeze.
Lu Yan strained to pull his neck back, but Xia Miao was faster.
She took a deep breath against his collarbone. "Lu Yan… you smell so good."
Bang. His mind short-circuited, leaving him an empty shell at her mercy.
Xia Miao noticed his flushed neck, and in that instant, his shyness rubbed off on her. Realizing the situation, she tried to climb down.
But the boy’s arms locked around her like steel.
His slender hands, elegant yet strong, veins prominent against his pale skin, held her firmly without hurting her.
"My—my arms are numb. Can’t move right now."
Xia Miao buried her face in his shoulder, her own cheeks burning. "Oh," she mumbled awkwardly.
His voice was rough. "Then… just a little longer?"
She tightened her arms around his neck, too embarrassed to lift her face. "Only for a bit."
In the end, they stayed on the rooftop, braving the cold wind for half an hour.
An hour later, Lu Yan led Xia Miao to the school cafeteria’s kitchen. "This is the Conjoined Twins’ favorite spot. They love cooking—all these tools are theirs. One look, and everyone’ll recognize it!"
The walls were lined with neatly arranged kitchenware of all shapes and sizes, including over a dozen types of cleavers. Xia Miao snapped a few photos and reached out to touch the gleaming tools, but Lu Yan quickly grabbed her hand.
"These are sharp! No touching!"
He dragged her to the back of the teaching building, where a vibrant flowerbed bloomed unnaturally lush, as if fed by some mysterious fertilizer.
"This is the Old Gardener’s pride and joy. He buries his ‘special compost’ here. People see these flowers and immediately think of him."
Xia Miao reached out again, but the seemingly harmless flowers twitched, their petals parting slightly like gaping jaws. Lu Yan snatched her hand back.
"Why are you so handsy? No touching!"
Next, he hauled her to the school’s garbage dump—a reeking pit of rot strong enough to knock a person out. Gripping her hand tightly to prevent her from stumbling in, he announced,
"This is the Headless Woman’s domain. One whiff, and people scream and run for their lives."
This time, Xia Miao had zero desire to touch anything. She huddled close to Lu Yan, pinching her nose shut.
Lu Yan, like an eager young boy seeking praise, couldn't hide a hint of pride. "These are all their favorite things, and they’re unique to Crimson Moon Academy—the most representative spots, just like you said. Pretty great, huh?"
"What about you?"
Lu Yan: "Huh?"
"What’s your favorite thing?"
Facing Xia Miao’s curious gaze, the boy was reminded of the times she’d looked at him with those sparkling eyes. Her reflection flickered in his dark, clear pupils, and before he knew it, his throat tightened.
The next second, he turned his face away, muttering stubbornly, "There’s nothing in this world worth liking!"
Xia Miao: "Minus ten points."
He cracked instantly. "Alright, alright, fine! I like you, okay? I like you! Stop deducting points—any more and I’ll be in the negatives!"
