The library hall was lined with neatly arranged bookshelves. After the power outage, only the light from Lin Qinxu's flashlight remained.
The adrenaline from Yu Deng's earlier extreme maneuvering while doing something mischievous began to wear off.
He reverted to his usual state of being afraid of the dark and ghosts, unconsciously moving closer to the familiar Dr. Lin.
After agreeing to help, Yu Deng felt a little uneasy and emphasized, "But you have to promise me you won't tell the librarian uncle."
"Of course," Lin Qinxu said, his gaze briefly falling on Yu Deng's bulging backpack and the documents in his hand. "The librarian checks the shelves daily and might notice something missing. I'll have him record it as my borrowings instead."
Yu Deng finally felt reassured. "That's good."
Lin Qinxu maintained his gentle smile, his eyes resting on Yu Deng's face, though his thoughts seemed inscrutable.
Yu Deng was beautiful and naive, yet he had been curious about these things from the beginning. Always investigating, but never influenced by them.
He was unlike anyone else.
"Don't worry. With me here, no one will find out," Lin Qinxu said, concealing his musings. His demeanor became even more considerate. "If you're in a hurry to read the materials, you can review them first and then help me prepare lessons."
Yu Deng was quite satisfied with Dr. Lin's attitude and didn't mind him leveraging his small secret to make requests.
[Ding. Side quest (3) from Lin Qinxu triggered: Assist Lin Qinxu in lesson preparation and subtly criticize his abilities.]
[Complete within two hours.]
Criticize? What does that mean? This task feels so abstract.
Yu Deng paused for two seconds, unable to immediately figure out how to proceed, so he simply noted it down.
The fluorescent lights on the ceiling flickered a few times before slowly illuminating the room again.
Lin Qinxu, having successfully coaxed Yu Deng, cheerfully led him to the adjacent hall's teaching materials room to pick out a few reference books.
Five minutes later, Yu Deng followed Lin Qinxu to the front desk on the first floor of the library.
The librarian's gaze shifted from the computer screen to Yu Deng. "Are you done picking?"
"Uh, yes." Feeling guilty after doing something mischievous, Yu Deng didn't dare meet the librarian's eyes. He randomly pulled out a school history book he had grabbed earlier and stammered, "J-just this."
The librarian fell silent for two seconds, seemingly surprised that someone would borrow a school history book.
Lin Qinxu, casually placing an arm around Yu Deng's shoulders, explained calmly, "He's a transfer student and wants to learn more about Guihuai's history."
The librarian stared at them for a few seconds before silently registering the loan.
[Huh? The school doctor has turned over a new leaf? So thoughtful.]
[This is what he should do! If the baby's in trouble, he's obligated to help. And if the baby does something wrong, he'd better cover for him!]
[But the wife still needs to be careful. The school doctor may look gentle on the surface, but he's full of schemes. Our foolish wife trusts people too easily—don't get tricked. (Worried sigh)]
[By the way, is the baby close to piecing together the dungeon's backstory? Amazing!]
"And you, Dr. Lin, what books are you borrowing?" The librarian, after registering Yu Deng's book, turned to Lin Qinxu.
"These." Lin Qinxu took out the teaching references and a file folder, answering with a polite smile, "I'll be substituting for some senior students and want to understand their situation better. May I borrow these?"
"…You may."
The elderly librarian hesitated for a moment before reluctantly accepting the materials and scanning them, avoiding eye contact with Lin Qinxu, as if apprehensive.
"All set. The return deadline is in two weeks." After finishing the registration, the librarian returned to their work.
With that, Lin Qinxu, his arm still around Yu Deng, led him out of the library, his backpack filled with documents.
Outside, the sky had started to darken. The distance between the library and the school clinic was quite long. After a few sluggish steps, Yu Deng became reluctant to walk, his pace slowing to a near halt.
Lin Qinxu stopped in sync with him, offering, "Is your ankle still hurting? I can carry you."
"It's still a little sore."
Yu Deng raised his head slightly, meeting Lin Qinxu's gaze for a few seconds. Lin Qinxu patiently added, "Taking care of my patients and little assistant is my responsibility."
"Oh…"
So, Yu Deng climbed onto his back, and Lin Qinxu also carried his stuffed backpack on his arm.
Once on his back, Yu Deng realized that although Dr. Lin appeared gentle and refined, his back was broad and firm, with solid muscles underneath.
Halfway there, they ran into students just dismissed from their last class. Seeing Lin Qinxu, they instinctively gave him a wide berth, only to notice Yu Deng on his back. Their expressions turned from guarded to utterly stunned.
Unbothered, Yu Deng comfortably rested on Lin Qinxu's back as he carried him all the way back to the office near the school clinic.
The office was tidy and clean. Having been here once before, Yu Deng skillfully found a place to sit and set down his bulging backpack.
As he turned his head, Yu Deng suddenly noticed the clock on the wall and remembered that evening self-study was starting in half an hour.
"Wait, this doesn't work. I still have to go to evening self-study. How can I help you?"
Lin Qinxu paused for a few seconds before asking, "Do you want to attend evening self-study?"
"..." Did that even need asking? Yu Deng replied without hesitation, "Of course not."
"Then I'll excuse you, saying you need to assist me. How about that?"
Yu Deng: "!" Was this really an option? In that case, he wouldn't go. He could always have Lu Yan do his homework for him.
Yu Deng secretly rejoiced for a moment but then thought of another issue. "But I haven't had dinner yet."
"Don't worry. I've already ordered two staff meals. They should arrive soon."
Just as he said this, a kitchen staff member arrived on an electric scooter, delivering two meals.
Staff meals...? Yu Deng stared at the meal boxes on the table, feeling a bit hesitant.
While the cafeteria food was mediocre, it was supposedly safe. Did staff meals count as cafeteria food? Were they safe to eat?
Lin Qinxu noticed his hesitation and reassured him, "Don't worry, the staff meals I ordered are safe. There's nothing unusual in them."
"Unusual...? What do you mean?"
Lin Qinxu paused for two seconds, deciding it was better not to mention anything unsettling before Yu Deng ate.
"Just... not very common." Lin Qinxu refrained from elaborating.
Yu Deng, still a bit confused, cautiously took a bite. Finding that the food tasted normal, he relaxed and continued eating. However, his appetite was not great that evening. He only ate a little before turning his attention to the peach juice that came with the meal. The leftovers were naturally taken by Lin Qinxu.
Buzz. The phone in his pocket vibrated a few times.
Yu Deng knew Lin Qinxu wouldn't mind him using his phone, so he confidently took it out, finding messages from Lu Yan and Zhuang Lin asking if he wanted to join them for dinner.
Yu Deng tapped the screen, declining their dinner invitations and casually informing Lu Yan that he wouldn't attend evening self-study because he had to assist Dr. Lin.
On the other end, Lu Yan seemed a bit hesitant and concerned.
Yu Deng noticed the "typing..." indicator at the top of the chat appearing and disappearing several times. After a few minutes, a message finally came through.
[Lu Yan]: Deng Deng, be careful. I'll come pick you up after evening self-study.
...
After dinner, Lin Qinxu didn't immediately ask Yu Deng for help. Instead, he sat at his desk, writing work records.
Noticing Yu Deng's gaze, Lin Qinxu smiled gently and said, "You've just eaten; it's important to rest a bit. You can do your own thing for now. I'll ask for your help later."
Yu Deng glanced at him a few times, gave an "oh," and dumped all the files from his backpack onto the table.
While Yu Deng began organizing the files, Lin Qinxu lifted his gaze again, watching Yu Deng intently for quite a while.
Yu Deng will eventually need to know everything, he thought. There's no need to stop him. Those two brats probably think the same way, or else Yu Deng wouldn't have shown up in the library.
"..."
It took Yu Deng some time to arrange the documents and files he had sneaked out, organizing them chronologically before starting to read.
He first set aside the documents from the first month after the experimental reform and picked one up to examine.
The document was a record of the reform's implementation effects, detailing the situations in all classes on campus from early morning to late evening.
The data showed that during the first two weeks of implementation, student discipline significantly improved, and both classroom efficiency and test scores were noticeably better than before.
Yu Deng flipped through a few more files, each packed with dense data analyses, theoretical reports, and suggestions for improvement. There were also detailed rules and regulations for the school.
However, after about a month, the records showed that some students began experiencing issues, almost regressing to their previous levels. Meeting records indicated that the leadership had started arguing over how to make further improvements.
The documents were thorough, which meant they contained a lot of information. After going through five or six of them in a row, Yu Deng felt overwhelmed. His mind was a jumble, and he realized he needed a break before continuing.
Yu Deng closed his tired eyes and rubbed his temples. Nearby, Lin Qingxu, who appeared to be busy with work but had actually been keeping an eye on Yu Deng the entire time, finally stopped. After Yu Deng had rested for about ten minutes, Lin Qingxu walked over to him.
"Yu Deng, it seems like you have some free time now. Can you assist me?"
Yu Deng opened his eyes. "Ah, I guess I can..."
[Host, remember to complete the mission.]System 01 reminded him, [The side mission has a time limit.]
"Oh, oh, I know."
Lin Qingxu had already pulled up a chair and sat down in front of Yu Deng, posing as if he were conducting a consultation.
"Let me first get a sense of the class situation. What do you think of the atmosphere in your class?"
"Uh, it's okay, I guess..." Yu Deng hadn't encountered any hostility in his class so far, probably because the top student in the grade sat next to him.
Lin Qingxu lowered his head to take notes. "Are there any classmates who are particularly friendly or particularly unfriendly toward you? For example, those who monopolize your time between classes or interfere with your friendships."
Yu Deng wasn't sure if understanding the class situation included such details, but he answered earnestly.
"I only know Lu Yan. I'm not very familiar with the other classmates, but they seem okay. Sometimes they keep asking me questions about homework. Oh, and some classmates are a bit odd—one tried to hit me with a basketball last time."
Lin Qingxu looked down and asked a few more seemingly normal questions, which Yu Deng didn't quite understand but answered nonetheless.
After finishing the class survey, Lin Qingxu stood up and locked the office door. "Now, Yu Deng, I'll need your assistance with preparing lessons and reviewing some key knowledge points."
Unsure of what was coming, Yu Deng was gently guided to lie down on the medical bed by Lin Qingxu, feeling a bit strange and fidgeting slightly.
"My office bed is always empty. You're the only one who has ever used it," Lin Qingxu explained while lightly patting Yu Deng's back. He then pulled out two restraint straps from the bedside, securing them around Yu Deng's wrists.
The straps weren't tight and didn't pull on Yu Deng. The inner side was even thoughtfully lined with a layer of soft, plush padding.
Yu Deng stared blankly at his restrained hands for a few seconds. "Why are you tying my hands?"
"Because I need you to maintain a relatively fixed posture to assist me. I've adjusted them to be fairly loose."
Lin Qingxu's tone was patient and gentle. He held a book in his left hand, while his right hand moved from Yu Deng's collarbone downward.
He appeared to be reviewing the structure of the human body according to the textbook, but his gaze never once left Yu Deng.
"This is the skin tissue. This is the thoracic cavity. These are the ribs..."
Yu Deng drowsily watched his movements, unable to recall whether biology class required learning this. It never crossed his mind that as a doctor, Lin Qingxu was already extremely familiar with the human body and had no need to review such basic knowledge.
The naïve little student was too slow to realize he was being fooled by such a clumsy excuse.
"I only know Lu Yan. I'm not very familiar with the other classmates, but they seem okay. Sometimes they stick to me to discuss questions, oh, but there are also some strange ones. Last time, someone tried to hit me with a basketball."
Lin Qinxu lowered his gaze and asked a few more seemingly ordinary questions. Yu Deng, not understanding their relevance, answered them all.
After concluding the class investigation, Lin Qinxu stood up and locked the office door. "Next, I'll need Yu Deng to assist me in preparing lessons and solidifying knowledge points."
Yu Deng wasn't sure what was coming next. Confused, he allowed Lin Qinxu to guide him to lie down on the sickbed, feeling a bit unsettled and shifting slightly.
"The sickbed in my office is always empty—only you have ever used it," Lin Qinxu explained while gently patting Yu Deng's back. Then, he pulled out two soft restraint straps from the bedside and secured them around Yu Deng's wrists.
The straps were loose enough not to pull on him, with a layer of plush padding inside for added comfort.
Yu Deng stared blankly at his restrained hands for a few seconds. "Why are you tying my hands...?"
"Because I need you to stay in a fixed position to assist me. I've adjusted the restraints to be loose."
Lin Qinxu's tone was patient and gentle. Holding a book in his left hand, his right hand rested on Yu Deng's collarbone and slowly moved downward.
It seemed as though he was reviewing the human anatomy according to the textbook, but his eyes never once glanced at it. They remained entirely fixed on Yu Deng.
"This is the skin tissue, this is the chest cavity, these are the ribs..."
Yu Deng watched his actions in a daze. He couldn't quite recall whether biology class required learning this. He also failed to realize that, as a doctor deeply familiar with human anatomy, Lin Qinxu wouldn't need to review such basic knowledge.
The naive, clueless student was too slow to realize he had been deceived by a flimsy excuse.
Lin Qinxu's movements were gentle, and he didn't say anything overtly strange. Yet, the light touch made Yu Deng feel an inexplicable sensation.
His already loose school uniform became slightly disheveled, revealing glimpses of snow-white skin.
"Ah, it's much clearer now. Fortunately, I have Yu Deng here," Lin Qinxu said, his hand resting on Yu Deng's waist. Despite his calm words, a trace of obsession flickered in his eyes.
Feeling uncomfortable, Yu Deng shifted, trying to swat Lin Qinxu's hand away or scratch at his slightly itchy skin.
It was so hot...
Yu Deng furrowed his brows, arching his back slightly before curling under the nearby blanket, struggling to cover himself.
He felt... strange.
Curling into the pure white bedding, Yu Deng trembled as he questioned, "Teacher Lin... Is this really necessary for lesson preparation? You said it would be simple…"
He felt so odd... A restless heat spread from his tailbone throughout his body.
Lin Qinxu's breathing grew heavier, but his tone remained composed. "It is simple. Look, you don't have to do anything, right?"
"But, but…" Yu Deng kicked his legs. "I feel so hot."
The human body's anatomy was indeed complex, with various tissues and systems. Lin Qinxu had spent quite some time on him.
"It's my fault. I should've ensured my assistant was comfortable first."
The refined, handsome doctor pulled Yu Deng into a semi-reclining position on the sickbed. His long, slender fingers unbuttoned Yu Deng's uniform with ease, revealing trembling scenery.
Lin Qinxu's fingers, accustomed to handling surgical instruments, were rough in some places.
At this moment, the hands that should have been holding scalpels for delicate operations were holding onto Yu Deng.
It was... equally beautiful, pale pink.
"Mm…"
Surrounded by heat, Yu Deng couldn't muster the strength to push Lin Qinxu away and was quickly drawn into his rhythm.
Lin Qinxu's glasses had been removed at some point, revealing peach blossom eyes that appeared gentle but hid ambition.
The man lowered his head and bit down on Yu Deng's lips.
Warm, wet.
Yu Deng vaguely noticed a hint of mint in Lin Qinxu's breath, perhaps from rinsing his mouth earlier.
But he didn't have the energy to think about it for long, as Lin Qinxu's kisses were heavy, greedily taking every breath.
"I-I don't want you kissing me..." Yu Deng turned his head away, but his body remained in Lin Qinxu's arms, rendering his resistance ineffective.
"You're biting too hard…" Yu Deng tilted his head back, his misty eyes filled with grievance.
"Sorry, I don't have experience, so I'm not very skilled. I'll be gentler."
Yu Deng warily avoided him. "Even gently kissing is not allowed."
Lin Qinxu paused for a few seconds. "Then why was Lu allowed to do so before?"
Yu Deng thought for a moment and replied, "Because he said he's my boyfriend, so that's normal, isn't it?"
Catching the implication in Yu Deng's words, Lin Qinxu summarized, "So it's acceptable if there's a valid reason?"
"Probably…"
Yu Deng dazedly counted on his fingers.
For example, in the last scenario, the butler cleaned off jam for him, the prince was his guide... the werewolf leader and that player, and even in the previous scenario, the deceased husband and stepson all had their reasons.
So it seemed normal to exchange kisses... although they often bit his lips, which he didn't like very much.
Yu Deng feared nothing more than being bitten while being kissed.
"I see…" Lin Qinxu's tone carried a hint of regret, though his actions didn't cease.
After a brief pause, he came up with a reason. "In this case, kissing can increase pleasure. You helped me a lot earlier, so I should return the favor."
Yu Deng raised his head, barely able to process the truth of this claim before Lin Qinxu bit down on his lips again, grinding them carefully.
At some point, Lin Qinxu's shirt had come partially unbuttoned, and Yu Deng lay against his firm chest.
Being served by Dr. Lin brought Yu Deng increasing pleasure. With his lips still enveloped, Yu Deng could hardly endure it. He reached out, intending to push Lin Qinxu away, but the restraints kept him in place.
Yu Deng fiercely commanded, "Lin Qinxu, undo these straps! My hands are so uncomfortable…"
Though the restraints weren't tight, having his wrists bound like this would surely leave them red.
"Alright."
With a click, the restraints were released. However, it didn't help much since Yu Deng was too weak to exert any strength.
"…"
Yu Deng wasn't entirely sure how much time had passed.
He leaned against Lin Qinxu's chest, his legs still trembling lightly. Feeling embarrassed, he dared not look at what he'd left on Lin Qinxu's hands and urged him hurriedly, "Clean it up… quickly…"
But Lin Qinxu didn't leave the bedside.
After a few seconds, Yu Deng looked up, only to see Lin Qinxu's fingers glistening slightly. Lin Qinxu then made a swallowing motion.
Yu Deng's eyes widened. "You…"
Is that even edible?!
Lin Qinxu appeared quite pleased. While not fully satisfied, he was evidently thrilled. "I helped my baby solve a little problem. Isn't it only fair that you satisfy me in return? Just like how you help me prepare lessons, so I make you feel good. Isn't that right?"
Yu Deng, caught up in Lin Qinxu's twisted logic, stared at him for a long while before finally realizing something was off.
"You have no professionalism as a teacher…"
What kind of teacher prepares lessons like this?! His legs were left weak, and his skin had been rubbed red.
Lin Qinxu pondered for a moment. "I'm not a certified teacher, so it's normal for me not to have professionalism."
Yu Deng was stunned by Lin Qinxu's shameless attitude.
"Then you have no medical ethics either." After hurling this accusation, Yu Deng thought for a moment and concluded more comprehensively, "You… you have no morals! You're a pervert…!"
The more Yu Deng thought about it, the more wronged he felt. "Did you trick me again…?"
Lin Qinxu didn't deny it outright. "I clearly asked for my baby's opinion the entire time and was very obedient."
What nonsense… Yu Deng, both embarrassed and angry, glanced down at his disheveled clothes, the reddened skin from coarse fingers, his trembling legs, and the red marks around his wrists.
"You're awful… You've made my legs go weak."
"I'm sorry." Lin Qinxu apologized with a lowered gaze, but his eyes seemed to say, I'll dare to do it again next time.
"I don't care. You lie here and don't move." Frustrated, Yu Deng got up. After thinking for a few seconds, he made Lin Qinxu lie where he had been and grabbed the same restraints to bind him.
Lin Qinxu reminded him, "The padding on the straps can be removed."
Yu Deng promptly tore off the padding from the restraints.
Despite being nearly ten years older than Yu Deng, Lin Qinxu had a significant difference in physique and demeanor compared to him—a ferocious beast versus a little lamb.
But now, the mysterious and unnervingly strong school doctor obediently allowed himself to be restrained in his office, as though a feral beast willingly leashed by a fragile string, even looking quite content about it.
After finishing, Yu Deng stood up unsteadily, shifting from a sitting to a standing position. He confirmed the hospital bed was sturdy and then lifted his foot to press it against Lin Qinxu's chest a few times.
"You need to reflect on yourself. Your lesson preparation is so bad. Asking for my help is one thing, but you've also hurt me."
His delicate face still blushed with a faint pink, his eyes misty at the corners. His fair foot pressed against the man's exposed shirt, beneath which his taut muscles were visible.
Thinking of his mission, Yu Deng, emboldened by anger, mercilessly criticized Lin Qinxu's skills.
"Your hands are too rough; it felt uncomfortable. Your way of kissing me was wrong too... Your... your technique is terrible!"