[The first volume of the print edition is now available! Thank you for supporting the official release!]
Transfer student and school tough guy, impossibly cool bottom (Zhai Yao)
Top boss at the school, aloof, calculating, and aggressively straightforward top (Shen Heng)
# A story about what happens when one boss meets another...
Zhai Yao transferred from one garbage school to another. On his first day, he left his classmates stunned.
Zhai Yao was pale and delicate-looking, with a slim build. He hardly seemed like the guy from the rumors who could take on ten people at once.
But the moment he entered the classroom, he walked straight to the back, kicked the desk in the corner, and dropped his bag.
The boy who had been reading with his eyes lowered looked up, his expression cool. "What is it?"
Zhai Yao glanced at the name on his textbook and tapped the desk twice with a bent finger. "You're Shen Xing, right? ...Move over."
He didn't notice how terrifyingly quiet the room had become.
Great. The new kid had picked a fight with the school's biggest boss on his very first day.
The boss stood up with a cold laugh and swiped Zhai Yao's bag into the trash can. "It's Heng."
*
Zhai Yao and Shen Heng became deskmates.
Zhai Yao thought his new deskmate was both shady and pretentious. Not only did he fight dirty, he was always carrying around a book. But when the grades came in, the two of them stood side by side in last and second-to-last place. In the end, he was just a poser who thought he was hot stuff.
Then, by chance, Zhai Yao went to Shen Heng's house and saw a whole wall covered in award certificates.
Shen Heng sat beside his grandfather, who had dementia, patiently answering his repeated questions as he cooked a three-dish, one-soup meal, his lean arms bared.
He shot Zhai Yao a cool glance. "Come eat."
Zhai Yao grinned and leaned closer, narrowing his eyes. "Well, aren't you domestic?"
Shen Heng looked at Zhai Yao's pale neck, then looked away. Only his earlobes turned a little red.
*
For a while, Zhai Yao thought Shen Heng was a poor little thing, dragged down by life and reduced from an all-around academic genius to a delinquent.
So even when Shen Heng pinned him against the wall in the stairwell and locked the door behind them, Zhai Yao still smiled as if he were trying to save a wayward youth. "Want to kiss me? Get your ranking into the top 100 first."
Shen Heng's breathing was unsteady, his gaze dark and deep.
"If I get first place, can I get on top of you?"
[Cover used with permission ^3^]
[Reader's Guide]
1. First love for both leads, one-on-one romance, happy ending.
2. No kissing until they're both eighteen.
3. The story leans toward realism. It's not pure feel-good wish fulfillment.
4. Smoking is bad for your health. The main characters will quit later.
5. They save each other and influence each other, growing stronger step by step. They're not perfect, and both have flaws.
6. The story takes place at a very poor high school. At first, both teachers and students have given up, but later they all grow together.
7. Please be civil. Discussion and suggestions about the plot are welcome (O); insults toward the characters or author are not (X).
8. Please don't mention characters from other stories in this story's comments, or this story's characters in other authors' comments. No derailing (X).
☆ ★ ☆
Check out my ongoing story, Keep Your Hands Off!
Guiding, controlling academic genius top (Lu Shiwen)
Short-tempered, tsundere, fluffy-animal-obsessed bottom (Jiang Di)
Jiang Di, the tough guy at No. 4 High, is notorious for his vicious streak and bad temper. Nobody in the old town dares to mess with him.
But no one knows that in private, he absolutely adores fluffy animals!
One day, Jiang Di went to the City God Temple. He walked to a corner with a cold expression, looked around, then silently reached into his pocket as if pulling out a baton, and took out...
A cat treat.
Jiang Di: "Tiger, do me a favor and eat a bite. Just one bite."
The fat orange cat across from him, "Tiger," turned away disdainfully and presented him with its rear end.
If anyone else had done that, Jiang Di would have pinned them down and beaten them up. But faced with this bad-tempered cat,
Jiang Di: So cute. I want to pet it.
Just as he reached out to stroke the cat, only to get bitten by Tiger, a low, pleasant voice came from nearby.
"Come here, kitty."
Jiang Di scoffed. Hah, as if. Tiger wasn't the kind of cat who'd just go with anyone!
But Tiger let out an unbearably cutesy meow, ran to the man's feet, and affectionately rubbed against his pant leg.
The man's slender fingers scratched under Tiger's chin. His deep, shadowy gaze turned to Jiang Di, and the corners of his lips lifted slightly.
"Good kitty."
Jiang Di: Damn cat licker.
*
Jiang Di was extremely annoyed by the transfer student named Lu Shiwen.
Not because he'd stolen the spotlight with his perfect grades and handsome looks the moment he arrived, but because he had stolen Tiger's affection on his very first day!
And he'd seen Jiang Di acting like an idiot while petting a cat!!
One evening, beneath the fiery red phoenix trees at the City God Temple, Jiang Di stopped Lu Shiwen as he came to feed the cats.
Lu Shiwen: "What is it?"
Jiang Di said coldly, "I need to shut you up and get rid of you."
Lu Shiwen stood completely still, looking at him calmly without a trace of fear.
Jiang Di rolled up his sleeves, ready to show Lu Shiwen what real terror looked like.
The next second, Lu Shiwen grabbed him and pinned him against a tree, then leaned in and planted a light kiss beside his lips.
Jiang Di: ?!!
Lu Shiwen: "There. You're shut up."
*
Everyone thought Lu Shiwen was a gentle, polite, top student and a heaven-sent prodigy. Only Jiang Di knew he was a shameless beast in human clothing!
On a midsummer night, Jiang Di was held at the desk and forced to finish the last hard problem, his earlobes scarlet.
Lu Shiwen patiently coached him. "Read the question carefully, hold your pen steady, and don't shake."
Blushing, Jiang Di pinned down the hand misbehaving beneath the desk. Breathing raggedly, he gritted his teeth and cursed:
"You... damn it! Keep your hands off!"
☆ ★ ☆
Check out my next story, I, the School Ghost Story, Will End It All
Seemingly sickly and pale, but actually crazed and bloodthirsty beauty bottom [Xiao Wang]
Pretends to be gentle and considerate, but is actually a seriously twisted evil god top [Gong Zhan]
A transfer student arrived at Yude Middle School.
Pale, sickly, and devoid of vitality.
Xiao Wang: "Hello, everyone. My name is Xiao... *cough cough cough*" (spits out a mouthful of blood)
1.
In a restroom late at night, a boy with half his head missing smiled eerily. "I... found... you..."
Xiao Wang pulled out a two-meter-long scythe from behind his back and sliced off the boy's other half.
He stuck out his tongue and licked the blood on his hand. "Mm. I found you. Poor thing."
Xiao Wang: Malice +1, one more month to live
2.
In the hills behind the school, a dead dorm supervisor carried a lantern made from a human head, searching for students who had stayed out late.
Supervisor: "You're out past curfew..."
Xiao Wang struck, then headed down the mountain carrying two head-lanterns.
Xiao Wang: Malice +1, one more month to live
3.
In an empty classroom, two more people suddenly appeared halfway through a game of Four Corners.
Senior girl A: ?
Senior girl B: ?
Junior girl C: ?
The summoned female ghost: ?
Why is there one extra person?
Xiao Wang: "*cough cough cough* ...Sorry."
The female ghost's soul scattered into nothing.
Xiao Wang: Malice +1, one more month to live
Xiao Wang was delighted. He'd get to live a few more days.
*
Xiao Wang is a monster who can only stay alive by continually gathering malice.
He's cold, bloodthirsty, and has no principles when it comes to staying alive.
He thought he would wander the world like this until his life ended. But when he fainted from weakness, a pair of warm arms caught him from behind.
Class president Gong Zhan asked with concern, "Are you okay?"
Xiao Wang pushed Gong Zhan away.
Humans. Worthless humans.
Later, Xiao Wang realized that the human Gong Zhan was everywhere.
When he coughed up blood, Gong Zhan brought him blood-building soup.
When he was injured, Gong Zhan tended to his wounds with tender care.
When a lack of malice made him go cold all over, Gong Zhan held him close and warmed him with his body heat.
Xiao Wang knew something was very wrong. His frozen heart was beating faster, and the strange feeling left him breathless.
Then, while cutting fruit, he accidentally made a tiny cut on Gong Zhan's finger...
Malice +50, one more year to live
Xiao Wang: "?"
Gong Zhan let the tenderness fade from his eyes and gave a playful smile. "Tsk, you found me out."
Thorny rose vines wrapped around Xiao Wang's hands and feet, while the thorns left streaks of blood across his body.
Gong Zhan radiated enough malice to destroy the world. He lifted Xiao Wang's chin and bent down to lick the blood from his neck.
Gong Zhan: "...You taste so sweet."
☆ ★ ☆
Theme: Deep inside everyone is a seed of kindness. When they meet the right person, it can blossom into the most beautiful flower.
2024.2.21——2026.2.20
Heng Yao, carrying the cage and walking the dragon:
Seeing the words is like seeing the face.
Hello, hello! Heng Yao, long time no see~ Happy New Year! Happy New Year! Happy every year~ Baby Heng Yao will be cute and happy for a long time!
When I started writing, I looked through the countdown diary and found that we have known each other for 731 days. I wanted to write something when it was exactly seven hundred days old, but life was always in chaos, so it was delayed until today. But it's okay, some feelings can be seen more clearly if they settle for a longer time - such as my love for you and "You Try Again".
Speaking of which, our meeting was not a grand one. On February 21, 2024, I came across a tweet on Weibo, and in the accompanying picture, the words "Try being fierce again" came into my eyes. At that time, I had stopped reading novels for a long time and had no interest in anything. My life was like a layer of frosted glass. But the title of the book was inexplicably interesting, the subject matter happened to be my favorite, and it was really boring. On February 27, I clicked on it.
Looking back now, that night when I clicked on a novel with nothing to do, it was probably the best decision I made that year.
I read the story of Zhai Yao and Shen Heng very slowly. It's not that it doesn't look good, it's that it's so good that I couldn't bear to read it in one sitting. You write he in a tone, but there is always some sourness between the lines, just like life itself - it is obviously sweet, but when you chew it, you taste a little bitter. I especially like the family lines in it, the kind of bond that is engraved in my bones, which made me cry and laugh at the same time. It also reminds me of a saying: "Growth is like a green-skinned orange, swallowing sourness along the way."
That year, I was not having a good time. I was diagnosed with depression because of some incidents on campus. Every day I feel confused and my emotions are like riding a roller coaster. Most of the time I just stay in my room sleeping and in a daze. I feel like life is hopeless, I really feel like that. But at that time, I met Zhai Yao and Shen Heng, their families and friends, and the world of laughter and tears, bitterness and sweetness in your writing.
Did you know? Words can really empower people.
Reading your articles, I often feel that - not the story, but the things hidden under the story, which are also reality: those moments when you grit your teeth and move forward, those moments when you are supported by love, those sour things that you swallowed, finally grow into a piece of candy one day.
After that, I liked this novel more and more. Think about producing more food every day and let everyone know about it. This year 2026, the news of the pre-sale of physical books is finally here. When I saw the word "pre-sale", I was stunned for a long time - it was hard to describe the feeling, like something I had loved for a long time could finally be held in my hands, like a secret I had always cherished was finally seen by the world.
As for you, you carry the cage and walk the dragon.
I like your words, and even more so, your sincerity. I will always remember your comfort and concern during my saddest time. You said that you were very happy that your words could heal everyone. You said that you were glad that you could get to know everyone by writing stories. In fact, what I want to say is that I am also very lucky - lucky that I clicked on that article out of boredom that day, lucky to meet Zhai Yao and Shen Heng, lucky to know such a sincere story writer.
You said, we are readers and writers who make each other successful.
But for me, you and Heng Yao are the people who brightened my lean years.
Seven hundred and thirty-one days. From when I knew your name, to when I fell in love with your story, to now - as I write these words at this moment, I am no longer the me who sat in my room in a daze two years ago. Although there are still bitter moments in life, and although growth is still like a green-skinned orange, I have learned to swallow the sourness and wait for the sweetness to return.
I think it all started because of that February, because of that novel, and because of you.
You and this book are like a belated monsoon that meets my great famine years. From then on, there was light in my world.
I hope it gets better and better no matter how bad it gets. I hope your story will be seen by more and more people. I hope we can keep going and go through many seven hundred days.
And I will always be the reader who met you in February and was healed.
Thank you for carrying the cage and walking the dragon. Thank you, Zhai Yao, Shen Heng, and the world of laughter and tears.
The happiest thing for me is to be Hengyao and your reader
2026.2.20
Please let us go on and be happy=⩌⩊⩌=
"I just went back to study in the morning. Just a few things..." This is a big bug for the author~
Let's celebrate! The physical book will be available to everyone on February 14th. See you there.
[Orange candy] Got it [Purple candy] kswl [Purple candy] kswl
It's great. Everyone is happy. I had snot and tears when I saw it. I was really sad in the middle. Fortunately, they met each other, met the right person, and met their own light.
[Purple sugar]kswl[Purple sugar]kswl
Bought a specially signed physical novel! I really like the author's writing style!
Let me start by saying don't scold me. To be honest, it's pretty good-looking, but can I be fair? Although it's green tea attack, I don't want to watch Shou suffer all the time, and it feels like everything can get better as long as there is attack. It's a bit unrealistic. There are too few descriptions of Shou. Gong's inner monologue, this way Gong is not three-dimensional enough, I feel like I can intersperse Gong's perspective, so I don't have to watch Shou being deflated and uncomfortable all the time😊 And why does Gong always want to be pornographic? I can't do it anymore. It's really a bit greasy to see those mature words spoken.
Little Tiger Tooth
Dreaming [Chinese Dream Core]
Heart of a Wolf, Lungs of a Dog
The Story Isn't Over [Extra Collection]
What Could a Country Dog Possibly Be Up To?
Get Your Hands Off Me!
I, the Campus Ghost Story Terminator
Cutting Words of Love
What Could the Class Monitor Possibly Be Up To?
Come Aboard
2024.2.21——2026.2.20 Heng Yao, carrying the cage and walking the dragon: Seeing the words is like seeing the face. Hello, hello! Heng Yao, long time no see~ Happy New Year! Happy New Year! Happy every year~ Baby Heng Yao will be cute and happy for a long time! When I started writing, I looked through the countdown diary and found that we have known each other for 731 days. I wanted to write something when it was exactly seven hundred days old, but life was always in chaos, so it was delayed until today. But it's okay, some feelings can be seen more clearly if they settle for a longer time - such as my love for you and "You Try Again". Speaking of which, our meeting was not a grand one. On February 21, 2024, I came across a tweet on Weibo, and in the accompanying picture, the words "Try being fierce again" came into my eyes. At that time, I had stopped reading novels for a long time and had no interest in anything. My life was like a layer of frosted glass. But the title of the book was inexplicably interesting, the subject matter happened to be my favorite, and it was really boring. On February 27, I clicked on it. Looking back now, that night when I clicked on a novel with nothing to do, it was probably the best decision I made that year. I read the story of Zhai Yao and Shen Heng very slowly. It's not that it doesn't look good, it's that it's so good that I couldn't bear to read it in one sitting. You write he in a tone, but there is always some sourness between the lines, just like life itself - it is obviously sweet, but when you chew it, you taste a little bitter. I especially like the family lines in it, the kind of bond that is engraved in my bones, which made me cry and laugh at the same time. It also reminds me of a saying: "Growth is like a green-skinned orange, swallowing sourness along the way." That year, I was not having a good time. I was diagnosed with depression because of some incidents on campus. Every day I feel confused and my emotions are like riding a roller coaster. Most of the time I just stay in my room sleeping and in a daze. I feel like life is hopeless, I really feel like that. But at that time, I met Zhai Yao and Shen Heng, their families and friends, and the world of laughter and tears, bitterness and sweetness in your writing. Did you know? Words can really empower people. Reading your articles, I often feel that - not the story, but the things hidden under the story, which are also reality: those moments when you grit your teeth and move forward, those moments when you are supported by love, those sour things that you swallowed, finally grow into a piece of candy one day. After that, I liked this novel more and more. Think about producing more food every day and let everyone know about it. This year 2026, the news of the pre-sale of physical books is finally here. When I saw the word "pre-sale", I was stunned for a long time - it was hard to describe the feeling, like something I had loved for a long time could finally be held in my hands, like a secret I had always cherished was finally seen by the world. As for you, you carry the cage and walk the dragon. I like your words, and even more so, your sincerity. I will always remember your comfort and concern during my saddest time. You said that you were very happy that your words could heal everyone. You said that you were glad that you could get to know everyone by writing stories. In fact, what I want to say is that I am also very lucky - lucky that I clicked on that article out of boredom that day, lucky to meet Zhai Yao and Shen Heng, lucky to know such a sincere story writer. You said, we are readers and writers who make each other successful. But for me, you and Heng Yao are the people who brightened my lean years. Seven hundred and thirty-one days. From when I knew your name, to when I fell in love with your story, to now - as I write these words at this moment, I am no longer the me who sat in my room in a daze two years ago. Although there are still bitter moments in life, and although growth is still like a green-skinned orange, I have learned to swallow the sourness and wait for the sweetness to return. I think it all started because of that February, because of that novel, and because of you. You and this book are like a belated monsoon that meets my great famine years. From then on, there was light in my world. I hope it gets better and better no matter how bad it gets. I hope your story will be seen by more and more people. I hope we can keep going and go through many seven hundred days. And I will always be the reader who met you in February and was healed. Thank you for carrying the cage and walking the dragon. Thank you, Zhai Yao, Shen Heng, and the world of laughter and tears. The happiest thing for me is to be Hengyao and your reader 2026.2.20 Please let us go on and be happy=⩌⩊⩌=
"I just went back to study in the morning. Just a few things..." This is a big bug for the author~
Let's celebrate! The physical book will be available to everyone on February 14th. See you there.
[Orange candy] Got it [Purple candy] kswl [Purple candy] kswl
It's great. Everyone is happy. I had snot and tears when I saw it. I was really sad in the middle. Fortunately, they met each other, met the right person, and met their own light.
[Purple sugar]kswl[Purple sugar]kswl
Bought a specially signed physical novel! I really like the author's writing style!
Let me start by saying don't scold me. To be honest, it's pretty good-looking, but can I be fair? Although it's green tea attack, I don't want to watch Shou suffer all the time, and it feels like everything can get better as long as there is attack. It's a bit unrealistic. There are too few descriptions of Shou. Gong's inner monologue, this way Gong is not three-dimensional enough, I feel like I can intersperse Gong's perspective, so I don't have to watch Shou being deflated and uncomfortable all the time😊 And why does Gong always want to be pornographic? I can't do it anymore. It's really a bit greasy to see those mature words spoken.
Heng Yao, please be happy forever!
[Purple Sugar] kswl big sale