Who Wants to Be the Affectionate Cannon Fodder?! [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 17

Yu Lin seemed to be genuinely provoked. After seeing Xie Zhizhang off, he ran seven or eight laps around the building by himself, then performed a full set of military boxing in the living room, nearly shattering the antique vase Lin He had bought just a few days ago.

In the end, it took Lin He dragging him to the bathroom for a shower to finally get him to settle down.

Listening to the pitter-patter of water from the bathroom, Lin He noticed the stack of test papers on the desk. He sat in Yu Lin’s chair, picked up a paper, and flipped through it casually.

Compared to Yu Lin’s half-hearted answers from months ago, his reading comprehension responses now showed a bit of sincerity, even if they still strayed far from the standard answers.

For instance, when a question asked about the significance of a “kite” to a protagonist and his friend, Yu Lin understood that it represented the protagonist’s glory and his way of proving himself to his father. However, he could not fathom why the friend would risk everything to protect that “kite” for him.

He had even childishly written in the final line: I don’t like this story, and I like Amir even less.

Looking at the small handwriting that nearly pressed through the paper, a trace of a smile appeared in Lin He’s eyes.

“This is also good,” he whispered to the empty living room.

After his shower, Yu Lin wandered upstairs barefoot, his hair still dripping wet. He let himself fall onto the bed, sprawling out like a giant star.

The wet hair immediately left a large damp patch on the bedding. When Lin He followed him up and saw the mess, the smile in his eyes was completely overtaken by helplessness.

“Lin Zhou, get up and dry your hair,” Lin He said.

Yu Lin turned his head away, pretending he hadn’t heard a thing.

Lin He was nearly moved to frustrated laughter by this “ostrich burying its head in the sand” behavior.

But he did not keep nagging. Resigned to his fate, he grabbed the hairdryer, plugged it in, and sat by the bed. He adjusted the airflow and temperature to a medium setting and aimed it at Yu Lin’s messy, wet hair.

His fingers slid into the strands, gently combing them through. His fingertips unintentionally brushed against Yu Lin’s earlobe; the boy flinched slightly but made no sound.

The whirring of the hairdryer masked Yu Lin’s gradually steadying breath. Lin He looked down, gazing at the boy’s delicate profile. His eyes slid past the bridge of a pert nose and lingered for a few seconds on the soft, small curve of his upper lip.

Spring had turned to summer, and the indoor temperature had become stifling.

Lin He tried to look away, but his gaze landed on the hem of Yu Lin’s hiked-up pajama top. A section of his waist was exposed to the air; the small of his back dipped inward, forming two curves that invited imagination, appearing as if they would fit perfectly.

His thumb almost moved to press down on that spot as if possessed, but a moment before contact, he snapped back to his senses and pulled away.

Lin He felt the gland at the back of his neck throb twice, seemingly stirring in sync with its master’s chaotic emotions.

He suddenly switched the hairdryer to its highest setting. The sudden roar of the motor startled Yu Lin, waking him instantly. He looked around dazed and called out, “Brother?”

“Mm.”

Lin He gave a short response, his fingers moving more roughly through Yu Lin’s hair to finish drying it quickly. Then, without a word, he unplugged the dryer and walked out.

Yu Lin tilted his head, staring at his brother’s retreating back in confusion. He thought to himself: What is wrong with my brother? Is the Lin Corporation going bankrupt early?

System 007 said mockingly: “Maybe he’s just irritable because he’s entering his Rut.”

Yu Lin: “?”

On the morning of Yu Lin’s college entrance exams, Mother Lin wore a green silk qipao to see him off. She even forced the father and son to wear modified mandarin jackets, claiming it would bring good luck.

Lin He, with his tall stature and outstanding temperament, stood out exceptionally well at the school gates. He drew constant stares from surrounding parents, and some even mistook him for an internet celebrity there to stage a photoshoot.

However, Lin He remained unruffled. He watched Yu Lin stroll leisurely into the exam hall, then drove the two elders back home while listening to Mother Lin remark, “My baby’s calm attitude really reflects my own style back in the day.”

Yu Lin truly did not have many thoughts about the exam. While other candidates were frantically reviewing materials before entering, he stood alone under a tree yawning. His only thought was how he was going to treat himself to a massive meal at his brother’s expense after the four sessions were over.

The four exams flew by. When he walked out of the hall the next afternoon, Yu Lin hardly remembered a thing. He followed a group of girls toward the exit, listening to them discuss the morning’s English listening section and the difficulty of the afternoon’s physics problems. When they debated whether a chemistry multiple-choice question had two possible answers, he felt as if they hadn’t even taken the same exam.

Xie Zhizhang was at a different test center. He sent a message saying he felt he did quite well and that the questions were smooth. He believed he could get into the medical department at University A as he and Lin He had agreed. He went on to say how grateful he was to both brothers; if not for them, he might be washing dishes in a restaurant somewhere right now.

Yu Lin skimmed the message and casually asked if he wanted to have dinner tonight.

Xie Zhizhang replied quickly with a voice message: “I want to stay with my grandmother tonight. Let’s do it in a few days. I’ll treat you, okay?”

Yu Lin agreed immediately.

He stood at the school gate and looked around, spotting Lin He standing under the shade of a tree by the roadside.

The summer sunset came late, and at five o’clock, the sun was still blazing. Golden light filtered through the leaves, landing on Lin He’s handsome face. His thick eyelashes cast a shadow, and his peach-blossom eyes were tinted amber. He was breathtakingly handsome.

Yu Lin shouted “Brother!” and sprinted through the crowd, slamming into Lin He’s chest like an arrow.

But before he could even hug him, he realized Lin He’s body temperature was alarmingly high.

Yu Lin looked up at the piercing blue sky, wondering if it was just because of the summer heat. Looking at Lin He’s expression, a faint, almost imperceptible crack had appeared on his normally cold face. His brow was furrowed, and there was a restless, impatient irritation in his eyes.

However, Yu Lin did not pay it much mind. He tossed his backpack to Lin He and dragged him toward the car, asking, “What are we eating tonight?”

Lin He did not react at first. It was only after Yu Lin repeated himself that he said belatedly, “Seafood. I booked a restaurant.”

“Mm,” Yu Lin fell silent for a moment.

Lin He glanced at him and guessed his concern. “It’s a buffet. Eat as much as you want. There’s Australian lobster the size of your arm.”

At that, Yu Lin excitedly leaned in, his shoulder bumping Lin He’s forearm. “Brother, if I were an Omega, I’d definitely be arrested immediately for endangering public safety.”

Lin He looked at him suspiciously: “?”

Yu Lin continued, “Because the moment I saw you, my heart would beat so hard the ground would shake for miles.”

Lin He rubbed his eyes helplessly: “Where do you learn these things?”

Yu Lin blinked: “The love letters people write to Xie Zhizhang? How did you guess so fast?”

Lin He: “…” Was that really hard to guess?

The restaurant Lin He booked was located at the top of a commercial building by the river. From the window, one could overlook most of the night scenery of City A. Elegant classical music echoed softly, and the dim brown lighting felt both vintage and intimate.

However, Yu Lin’s eating habits were decidedly out of place here.

Piled in front of him were five or six Australian lobsters, five or six king crabs, and a massive plate of mantis shrimp and geoduck. The stack was so high Lin He could barely see where the boy was.

Yu Lin dissected the crab legs with the precision of a master butcher. With a snip and a pry of the crab fork, the plump, tender meat was removed from the shell and devoured like a storm cloud sweeping away the land. His expression while peeling the crab was serious, as if he were performing art on a specimen, yet he ate like a hamster. The contrast was immense.

Lin He did not care for food that required peeling. He grabbed some cooked dishes and sat across from Yu Lin, watching him feast.

But perhaps because the restaurant lacked ventilation, the air felt stifling and dry. Before long, he began to feel restless. A wildfire seemed to be burning in his chest.

His mouth was parched. Lin He drank several glasses of iced water, but it failed to suppress the dryness in his throat. He rubbed the bracelet on his wrist, staring at Yu Lin’s agile wrists to try and distract himself, only to find the feeling even harder to bear.

At this point, there was no way Lin He didn’t know what was happening to his body.

“I have something to take care of; I’m going back first. You can go back to our parents’ place later, or go find Xie Zhizhang,” Lin He said calmly before standing up to head out of the restaurant.

Yu Lin was caught off guard by the sudden turn of events. He didn’t understand why his brother was leaving in the middle of a perfectly good meal. He didn’t even finish his peeled lobster and chased after him instead. “Brother, what’s wrong? Why should I go back to our parents?”

When he got close, he realized the heat coming off Lin He was scorching, as if it were about to wrap around him through the air.

“Why are you asking so much? Just keep eating; don’t let it go to waste.” Lin He stepped into the elevator and quickly pressed the button to close the doors. But just as they were about to shut, Yu Lin suddenly forced his way in.

“You…” Whether it was because of the enclosed space or something else, Lin He felt a bout of dizziness. His vision blurred into afterimages. He leaned against the elevator wall to steady himself, only to meet Yu Lin’s stubborn gaze.

“Are you feeling unwell?” Yu Lin reached out and felt Lin He’s forehead. He was startled by the burning temperature. “Brother, are you sick?”

Lin He did not speak. He stared fixedly at the floating numbers on the display, hoping the elevator would reach the ground floor quickly.

There should be spare suppressants in the car; they could solve the immediate crisis.

The elevator doors opened, and Lin He stepped out. Not knowing what was happening, Yu Lin grabbed his hand and pulled back with force. He had intended to pull him back, but Lin He seemed to lose his footing and collapsed directly toward him.

His glands felt as if they were burning. Hot sweat broke out on his forehead, and his vision was blurred by the rising heat. Lin He leaned against Yu Lin’s shoulder, taking several shallow breaths. His shoulders heaved with heavy breathing, and his back arched. From Yu Lin’s perspective, he could see the smooth, beautiful flow of muscles, like a leopard.

“Brother?” Yu Lin called out tentatively. “What is actually going on?”