Chapter 45 – Exclusive Sweet Romance: The Battle to Save the Campus Heartthrob (07)
Huo Wen saw the police arriving and, to avoid being discovered, didn’t dare follow them. Still, she didn’t walk away empty-handed—at least she had captured photos of Bai Mo, dressed as a girl and stirring up trouble.
“They’re both men—what’s the big deal about getting touched?” she scoffed.
He’s making a fuss over nothing. And if he hadn’t been crossdressing, the pervert wouldn’t have targeted him in the first place. At the end of the day, Bai Mo was just being overly dramatic and pretentious.
With this self-satisfied delusion in mind, she left, feeling oddly content.
What she didn’t know, however, was that as soon as Bai Mo arrived at the police station to give his statement, he openly revealed his real gender.
There was no other choice—his legal identity was being registered, and there was no way to hide it. Not that Bai Mo had any intention of lying to the police in the first place. He had nothing to conceal.
The female police officer handling his statement stared at him with wide, stunned eyes, her gaze sweeping over Bai Mo from head to toe.
Even from the smallest details, Bai Mo exuded a refined elegance. She simply couldn’t believe he was a guy.
In the end, it wasn’t until Bai Mo pointed to his faintly visible Adam’s apple that the officer finally snapped out of her daze. With a slightly dreamy expression, she typed the word “Male” into the gender field of his record.
When the sleazy man found out about this, he immediately started running his mouth.
“If he’s a guy and I’m a guy, then I didn’t commit a crime!” he grumbled indignantly.
The female officer shot him a disdainful glare and retorted coldly, “Harassment has nothing to do with gender. Not only did you harass someone, but you also provoked a public disturbance and disrupted social order…”
By the time Jian Haocang and Bai Mo finished assisting the investigation and were free to leave, the entire afternoon had slipped away.
At six in the evening, the sky was painted in shades of fiery orange and red, the setting sun casting a crimson glow over everything below. Under the scarlet hue, it was difficult to discern the true expressions on people’s faces.
With his real gender exposed, Bai Mo knew he had deceived Jian Haocang first. Feeling guilty and uneasy, he remained silent the entire way back, afraid that the more he spoke, the more mistakes he’d make.
Even more than that, he feared seeing disgust on Jian Haocang’s face.
As they walked in tense silence, Jian Haocang trailed two steps behind Bai Mo. He could tell Mo Mo was feeling down and wanted to comfort him, but Bai Mo kept speeding up, widening the distance between them every time he tried to speak.
It hurt.
But there was nothing he could do.
Maybe… he and Bai Mo weren’t close enough for him to stand by his side yet.
They passed through an entire street in this awkward silence before Bai Mo suddenly came to a stop.
He seemed to be gathering his courage before he turned around, his small face tensed with determination, yet his eyes betraying a hint of panic.
Taking a deep breath, his delicate fingers unconsciously pinched at the embroidered folds of his dress.
Finally, in a voice soft and sweet, he spoke.
“I lied to you. I’m a boy.”
The moment Bai Mo turned around, Jian Haocang forgot to breathe.
He was terrified that Bai Mo would say, “Let’s never see each other again.”
But when he heard Bai Mo’s apology, the tight string in his mind suddenly loosened.
He smiled gently, tucking a stray lock of hair behind the boy’s ear. Cupping the boy’s face in his palm, their eyes met—both seeing the nervousness and care reflected in each other’s gaze.
“I know,” Jian Haocang replied.
Bai Mo froze, stammering, “Y-you… since when…?”
“The first time we met,” Jian Haocang said. “Under the corridor, I saw this.”
His slender fingers brushed against Bai Mo’s fair, delicate neck, stopping at the faintly protruding Adam’s apple.
If one didn’t look closely, it would be easy to miss.
But he had noticed. And he was glad he did.
“Then why didn’t you…” say anything?
Bai Mo bit his lower lip, unsure how to continue the conversation.
But Jian Haocang wasn’t the type to just stand still and wait.
If Bai Mo wasn’t going to take the initiative, then he would.
“Mo Mo is wonderful.” Jian Haocang cupped Bai Mo’s face with both hands, leaving him no chance to escape. “No matter what you look like, I like you all the same.”
After speaking, he pulled his hands away, as if he had just casually commented on the weather.
No one would have guessed that his palms were sweating from nervousness, and he had only retracted his hands so Bai Mo wouldn’t notice.
No one knew Jian Haocang better than Bai Mo.
Even though they were in a different world, even though their appearances had changed, the soul inside was the same—he was still the shy, reserved man Bai Mo knew and loved.
Bai Mo’s confidence returned in an instant.
For his dear old lover, saying something that resembled a confession on just their second meeting was already a huge breakthrough.
His smile bloomed like sunshine, more radiant than the evening glow.
Taking Jian Haocang’s hand in his own, he softly murmured,
“Can I take that… as a confession from you, Brother Haocang?”
“Thunk.”
Jian Haocang’s brain seemed to freeze, as if it had crashed like a malfunctioning computer. His eyes flickered with panic, his body stiffened, and the areas Bai Mo had touched started to heat up, the warmth spreading through his entire body.
“What a coincidence,” Bai Mo sighed dramatically. “I happened to fall for the campus heartthrob of A University. But I heard he only likes girls, so I figured… I probably don’t stand a chance.”
He pretended to be troubled. “I was already thinking about giving up. Maybe one day, I’ll just go along with my family’s arrangements and find someone they approve of to spend my life with…”
“No way!”
The moment Bai Mo mentioned giving up and finding someone else, Jian Haocang’s possessiveness exploded. He pulled Bai Mo into his arms, declaring his sovereignty.
“Who said you don’t stand a chance? As long as you want me, as long as you’re willing, I’m all yours.”
Bai Mo wrapped his arms around Jian Haocang’s lean, muscular waist, feeling the firm contours of his abs beneath the shirt. Even younger than in their past life, even better to the touch—perfection.
The little pervy ferret enjoyed himself thoroughly, while poor Jian Haocang stood frozen stiff, torn between not wanting to push Bai Mo away and worrying if his physique was good enough to satisfy him—caught in a sweet yet torturous spiral of self-doubt and self-affirmation.
At last, Bai Mo’s stomach let out a loud growl. He reluctantly withdrew his hands, gazing at Jian Haocang’s bright red face with his own slightly flushed cheeks.
The awkward tension between two clueless lovebirds was so ridiculous that he couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
And with that laugh—Jian Haocang blushed all the way down to his neck.
“Do you mean it?” Bai Mo asked.
“W-which part…?” Jian Haocang’s brain was still short-circuiting from Bai Mo’s closeness.
He had said so many things—which one was Bai Mo referring to?
“That as long as I want you, you’re mine.” Bai Mo repeated, lifting his head, his bright eyes locked onto Jian Haocang’s. “Do you stand by that?”
“Yes!” Jian Haocang blurted out instinctively.
Seeing Bai Mo’s satisfied smirk, his heart felt like it had been filled with a steaming-hot cup of tea on a freezing winter day—warm, comforting, and overwhelmingly sweet.
“Then I’m hungry.” Bai Mo teased. “Didn’t you say you’d take me for barbecue… boyfriend?”
He deliberately slowed down the last word—boyfriend—dragging it out just enough to make Jian Haocang’s heart explode with fireworks.
If possible, Jian Haocang would have rushed to the nearest fireworks store and set off a whole ten bundles to celebrate.
“Alright, barbecue it is… barbecue…” At this point, whatever Bai Mo said, Jian Haocang would follow—completely embodying the role of a perfect, doting boyfriend.
Meanwhile, Xiao Bobao logged off from the matchmaking channel, only to find the air around the two of them filled with an unusual amount of pink bubbles.
Bai Mo sat in the last row of a fairy tale-themed sightseeing car, one arm hugging the panda plushie Jian Haocang had won for him, the other holding the giant popsicle he hadn’t gotten to eat earlier. The male lead sat beside him, gazing at him with eyes full of adoration.
As the name implied, the giant popsicle was huge, too big to bite down on in one go. Bai Mo took a big chomp—”Awoo!”—only to end up with a white ‘mustache’ around his lips from the melting ice cream.
He glanced down at his lychee milk-flavored popsicle, then shifted his gaze to the red bean melon-flavored one in his boyfriend’s hand—barely touched.
Was it not good? Is that why he hasn’t eaten much?
“Boyfriend, do you want to try the lychee milk flavor?” Bai Mo asked softly.
Jian Haocang’s heart skipped a beat. His eyes locked onto the popsicle that Bai Mo had already eaten a third of, his emotions stirring for no apparent reason.
“Okay.” Would it taste even sweeter because Mo had already taken a bite?
Suddenly, Bai Mo pulled his popsicle away, leaned in, and pressed a kiss on Jian Haocang’s lips. In the process, his “white mustache” rubbed off onto the latter.
Jian Haocang licked his lips.
“Very sweet.”
Bai Mo’s eyes crinkled with laughter. “Right? I told you this flavor was good. Here, since you like it, take a bite~”
He handed over his popsicle, and Jian Haocang took a small nibble, tasting the sweet lychee milk along with a faint trace of Bai Mo’s unique scent.
Xiao Bobao watching from the sidelines leaned back in shock.
“D*mn, Mo, you’re a legend.”
But when she later checked the harassment incident that had happened after she left, her entire panda soul nearly ascended.
“Who the hell are you?! What’s your name?! How much do you weigh?! How many dishes can you handle?! …”
If the police hadn’t already arrested the pervert, she would have personally made him taste the wrath of a rattan whip.
…
Outside of that incident, Jian Haocang was beyond satisfied with today’s date.
He had only planned to get to know Bai Mo better, but who would have thought that they’d end up making things official?
Even as he dropped Bai Mo off at C University and made his way back to A University, he still felt like he was floating on air.
He rubbed his right hand, where the faint scent of lychee milk still lingered.
Sweeter than ice cream. More fragrant than lychee.
“Hehehe…” Jian Haocang chuckled softly, already wondering what breakfast he should bring for the boy tomorrow.
Mo Mo loved to sleep in, but his irregular meals weren’t good for his health in the long run. He’d have to remind him to change that bad habit.
They hadn’t even met each other’s parents yet—there wasn’t even a solid commitment—but Jian Haocang was already thinking far into the future.
…
Meanwhile, Ran Yunyun stood waiting outside the boys’ dormitory, unsure how long she had been there.
Finally, Jian Haocang’s figure appeared in sight. She rubbed her stiff hands and lifted the insulated food container, patiently waiting for him to approach.
“Haocang, I made some sweet soup and brought you a portion. Here.” Ran Yunyun smiled slightly.
But the moment she caught Bai Mo’s scent on him, her sweet expression faltered.
A brief stiffness flashed across her face, but she quickly curved her lips into a bigger smile, covering up her momentary hesitation.
Jian Haocang frowned and took a few steps back.
He was keenly observant, and Ran Yunyun’s subtle change in expression did not escape him.
Before, since she had never explicitly expressed her feelings, he couldn’t directly call it out.
What if she was simply being kind as a friend? Misinterpreting it would be awkward.
But now, her intentions were more than obvious.
And more importantly—he already had a boyfriend.
He couldn’t allow Ran Yunyun to continue harboring false hope.
“Ran Yunyun, from now on, when you make sweet soup or snacks for your classmates, there’s no need to set aside a portion for me. It’s best if we keep our distance. I don’t want my partner to misunderstand.”
Pain that lingers is worse than a clean break—this time, Jian Haocang didn’t stop himself just because she looked hurt.
“Continuing like this will only waste your time and add to my troubles. You’re a great girl—you deserve someone better.”
With that, he told her to head back to her dorm and rest early before turning to go upstairs.
Not once did he look back.