Reverse Domestication chapter 81

Can I ask for another reward after?

On the other side, Qi Yanbai regretted leaving as soon as he stepped out. He was like someone with OCD who worried that they hadn’t locked the door or turned off the stove as soon as they left the house. He would take a few steps and then stop, unable to resist the urge to turn back and check for any oversights.

However, the phone at the training center kept ringing, urging him to hurry back. Qi Yanbai was torn, but he clenched his teeth and resisted the urge to turn back, taking a taxi to the training center.

When he arrived at the school, the parents of the student hadn’t left yet. A middle-aged man, burly and strong, was holding a knee-high child and standing in the lobby of the training center, banging on the reception desk.

“If there are no spots, just say there are no spots. Didn’t you hire a teacher from the Paris Academy of Fine Arts? I knew it was a lie from the start—”

The man seemed used to giving orders, and as he spoke, he had an air of arrogance. He sprayed saliva all over the reception desk, causing the receptionist to frown repeatedly, but she didn’t dare to show any signs of disgust.

He became more and more loud. Initially, he criticized the training center for pricing their courses too high and aggressively promoting Qi Yanbai’s classes. But later on, he even began to doubt Qi Yanbai’s qualifications, claiming that the entire training company engaged in false advertising, using the Paris Academy of Fine Arts as a gimmick for false enrollment.

Uninformed parents nearby formed a small circle, with some trying to mediate and others just spectating. The saleswoman who advertised the classes was feeling overwhelmed, and it wasn’t until she saw Qi Yanbai from a distance that she welcomed him like a long-lost relative, quickly pushing through the crowd to reach him.

“Teacher Qi, Teacher Qi,” the young woman said repeatedly, “I’m sorry for disturbing you while you’re on leave, but…”

She wore a troubled expression and cautiously pointed to the man behind her, saying, “He’s been causing a scene, and we don’t know what to do, so we wanted you to come and prove that you haven’t resigned.”

Qi Yanbai was impatient when he left home, but now that he was at the training center, his “Teacher Qi” persona reemerged. Although he still felt a bit impatient deep down, he didn’t show it and nodded, agreeing.

However, handling complaints was always tedious and time-consuming. The parent didn’t seem to believe it even after Qi Yanbai explained the situation in detail. He kept demanding to see academic credentials and employment contracts. When those requests were denied, he threatened to call the police to investigate “fraud.”

Qi Yanbai was particularly sensitive to the word “police” now, fearing that he might actually summon the police. He had no choice but to restrain himself, patiently explaining. It took over two hours of the parent’s relentless pestering before the parent finally declared that he wanted to withdraw from the course and get a full refund.

Qi Yanbai was infuriated by the parent’s attitude. Trying to restrain his anger, he turned to the receptionist, saying that if necessary, they should deduct it from his salary and refund the parent, quickly dismissing him.

He said this and was about to leave, but he was stopped by a parent who had come to pick up their child. They bombarded him with questions about their child’s progress in class.

This was a daily annoyance for teachers, and Qi Yanbai was used to dealing with it. But today, he was in a hurry to get home, and he had even less patience. He answered a few questions briefly, and his expression began to change.

Another teacher who was helping maintain order, seeing Qi Yanbai’s unusual expression, couldn’t help but take the initiative to step forward and resolve the crowd. At least he managed to divert the parents’ attention away from Qi Yanbai.

With someone else’s help, Qi Yanbai finally freed himself and left the training center. As he walked out of the door, he felt sweaty and didn’t know if it was due to haste or anger. He hurriedly checked the ride-hailing app on his phone, trying to suppress the surging unease in his heart.

It’s fine, Qi Yanbai tried to convince himself. He had locked Lu Ye up tightly, and the house was securely closed. He didn’t just take the keys; he even took Lu Ye’s phone. There was no way for him to escape so quickly.

But knowing it was one thing, being concerned was another. Lu Ye had a history of trying to “disappear without a trace” once, and Qi Yanbai still had lingering fear to this day.”

Qi Yanbai’s “normal state” around Lu Ye had been completely disrupted overnight, and he had become even more irrational than before, to the point of almost being unreasonable.

The ride-hailing driver had been pressured by him throughout the entire journey, and when they finally arrived at their destination, Qi Yanbai let out a sigh of relief. It felt like a near-death experience.

“Seventeen yuan in total, may I—”

Before the driver could finish speaking, Qi Yanbai in the back seat had already hurriedly exited the car and rushed into the building’s entrance. Worried about being ditched without payment, the driver stuck his head out of the window and let out an “hey!,” but before he could say anything, a notification appeared on his phone confirming the payment.

Driver: “…”

Who is this person? The driver wondered, did they forget to turn off the gas stove at home or something?

Qi Yanbai was unaware of the driver’s inner thoughts. He rushed up the stairs three steps at a time. When he reached the apartment’s door, he was still panting heavily. He stood there for a couple of seconds, struggling, before finally reaching out and unlocking the door.

The sensor lock recognized his familiar fingerprint, and the lock automatically popped outwards, emitting a smooth mechanical sound as it did so. Each sound struck Qi Yanbai’s heart like a hammer.

The heavy door automatically opened a narrow gap. Qi Yanbai stepped inside with a single stride. His heart felt like it was suspended in mid-air, pounding loudly.

He removed his shoes and hurriedly walked further inside, reaching the bedroom door. Only then did he notice the person sitting on the bed. His heart fell back to the ground with a clatter, raising a cloud of dust.

In the bedroom, Lu Ye had awakened at some point. He was half-leaning against the headboard, his right leg bent, and a hardcover art book was resting on his thigh. He was studying it attentively.

The indoor lighting was dim in the evening, and at some point, Lu Ye had turned on the bedside lamp. The newly replaced light was bright, effortlessly outlining Lu Ye’s clear profile. It bathed him entirely in light, capturing every detail with clarity, making him appear vivid and real.

“He is still here”. Qi Yanbai breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as though a heavy weight had been lifted off his chest. He thought, “He hasn’t left.”

“Back already?” Perhaps hearing the commotion outside, Lu Ye said casually. He continued to look at the page until he finished, then placed the book on the bed, raising his head to glance at Qi Yanbai.

Qi Yanbai, who had run all the way from the first floor, was still catching his breath, his collar half open, his sweaty bangs sticking to his forehead. He looked somewhat disheveled.

“Why the rush?” Lu Ye didn’t want to add to his psychological stress at this moment, so he smiled and comforted him gently. “I’m not going anywhere.”

He reached out his cuffed left hand, motioning for Qi Yanbai to come closer.

Qi Yanbai, who hadn’t quite regained his composure yet, found himself obeying Lu Ye’s words almost instinctively. He walked barefoot towards him.

Lu Ye pushed the blanket and the art book aside, sat on the edge of the bed, and then took Qi Yanbai’s hand to guide him to sit beside him on the bed. He reached out and wiped the sweat from Qi Yanbai’s forehead.

Lu Ye wasn’t surprised by Qi Yanbai’s current state. Ever since witnessing Elvis, Lu Ye had suspected that Qi Zhe might have some kind of underlying psychological issue, which could be affecting these kids. They seemed more emotionally sensitive than usual, prone to fixating on certain things when exposed to specific stimuli.

Now that the atmosphere was relaxed, Lu Ye was deliberately soothing Qi Yanbai’s anxieties. He smiled and said, “You’ve rushed back so quickly. Earlier when you left, you didn’t even leave me with anything to keep me busy. You even took my cigarettes. Fortunately, there’s an art book on the bedside table, or I’d be bored to death.”

He paused for a moment and then continued, “Yanbai, next time you go out, leave me some entertainment, okay? It’ll help pass the time.”

Qi Yanbai’s mind was still a bit hazy from the encounter outside, and he didn’t quite register what Lu Ye meant. He blinked slowly, and his response was delayed. He finally nodded in agreement, though he wasn’t sure if he had heard the words correctly.

Lu Ye gave his hair a light stroke, caressing his neck with his fingertips. This gesture was calming, and Qi Yanbai felt as if he were being embraced by warm water, making his whole body soft and relaxed, almost as if his bones had turned into mush.

“You like this, don’t you?” Lu Ye touched his face gently, insinuating something with his gaze. “But next time, don’t take my cigarettes.”

This was the second time Lu Ye had mentioned “next time.” However, Qi Yanbai still didn’t react, just smiling slightly and saying, “Okay.”

“Also…” The atmosphere was perfect now, and Lu Ye felt the timing was right. He gently moved his wrist, making the iron chain tinkle, and casually said to him, “Can you extend this a bit so I can get off the bed and walk around?”

The previously ambiguous atmosphere dissipated slightly. Qi Yanbai opened his eyes, fixedly looking at Lu Ye.

Lu Ye was aware that this was a sensitive issue, but he had no intention of backing down. He raised an eyebrow, looking Qi Yanbai directly in the eyes.

“Is it not possible?” Lu Ye lowered his gaze, his tone soft as he asked, “It’s just that it’s too tight, and it’s uncomfortable.”

This was tempting, Qi Yanbai thought.

But as he looked into Lu Ye’s eyes, felt his soothing touch, and smelled the faint bitterness of tobacco on him, he found it impossible to refuse.

His inner turmoil lasted for only a moment, and in less than half a second, he surrendered completely. He couldn’t bring himself to refuse this request.

He wanted to continue being with Lu Ye like this, and he also wanted to keep receiving this soothing and patient comfort. To ensure that Lu Ye would always look at him with such eyes, he was willing to compromise on the risk.

So, he didn’t refuse, didn’t negotiate with Lu Ye, he just leaned forward slightly and gave Lu Ye a kiss on the corner of his lips.

“All right,” Qi Yanbai said softly, “Can I ask for another reward after?”