The Forbidden Zone of Desire

When Xu Fengqing was in high school, his family kept a close eye on him. He secretly read danmei novels and watched films, and was afraid his family would find them if they checked his phone. So he used his deskmate Si Chi's unused email account to save them.

He didn't just save emails. He also kept a diary, treating the inbox as his private confessional.

The scary part was that the email account didn't belong to his deskmate. It belonged to his deskmate's cousin, Liang Zhijin.

A top academic, a cutting-edge researcher who'd gone abroad years ago.

At some point, Liang Zhijin noticed that his email account seemed to have caught a virus.

Every few days, another scandalous file would turn up. He thought about closing the account, but then he checked the IP address: it was in China.

Liang Zhijin stared at titles like Chaste Uncle Loves Fiercely and Sweet Little Kitten and sank into thought. Approaching it with the mindset of an academic, he opened one of the files.

One day, a colleague borrowed his computer, let out a "Wow," and teased Liang Zhijin for being abstinent on the surface but wild in private, just like a reserved and restrained, yet secretly passionate, Eastern man.

A year later, an email appeared in his inbox that was so normal it was abnormal.

I got into university! Now I finally don't have to save emails anymore. Commemorating the occasion!

Xu Fengqing's heart raced during his very first lecture at university.

The professor for his major was ridiculously handsome: aloof, abstinent, wearing a suit and trousers, shirt garters, and gold-rimmed glasses. Every detail was exactly to his taste.

He imagined 108 different movie scenarios in his head and secretly asked the class's social butterfly about the professor's private life.

Unmarried, just returned from abroad, specially appointed, and orientation unknown?

Xu Fengqing's secret crush began. He deliberately chose seats near Liang Zhijin's, listened to his lectures, and even pretended he'd forgotten his pen so he could get scolded. But, of course, he didn't actually fall into the professor's arms.

After class, he went up to the lectern to ask a question. Unluckily, he tripped and fell into Liang Zhijin's arms. When he tried to get up, his foot caught again and he landed face-first with a smack.

Liang Zhijin's white shirt was rolled up slightly at the forearms. He lowered his eyes, a hint of amusement behind his gold-rimmed glasses. "Student, you don't have to kneel to ask a question. Would you like me to help you up?"

Xu Fengqing's face and neck turned bright red with embarrassment. He scrambled to his feet and fled.

Behind him, Liang Zhijin called out in a cool, clear voice, "Xu Fengqing."

Xu Fengqing turned around and saw Liang Zhijin holding one of his earbuds in his long, elegant fingers. A deep smile lingered on his face. "Your video was playing too loudly."

Later, he had to submit an assignment for his major.

Xu Fengqing entered his email address, and for a moment it felt as if the top of his head had flown off. This was the same account he'd used for over a year... his confessional?

Theme: Stay rational and keep to your path.