Chapter 14: Let the Storm Rage Even Fiercer

Xu Qing was surprised to see so many of the elders below raising their hands; she felt the situation slipping further out of her control. But there was nothing she could do about it. Well, the leadership had said that the decision would be left to the elders present. Since all the elders here had agreed to let Lin Xiao stay, she would simply carry out their wishes.

“Since the decision has been made, Lin Xiao will remain for the time being. All of you, please go back and rest,” she said.

One after another, the elderly residents of the nursing home departed. Sun Zhiyuan, of course, was no exception. Unlike the others, he was Lin Xiao’s roommate and thus had more opportunities to interact with him. He had thought Lin Xiao might be expelled, but now it seemed things were taking a different turn. Perhaps that was for the best—it would add a little spice to their otherwise uneventful lives.

When Sun Zhiyuan returned to the room, he noticed Lin Xiao wasn’t there. However, the sound of running water came from the adjacent bathroom. So the kid was showering—he seemed to appreciate cleanliness.

Lin Xiao, perhaps having heard the commotion outside, realized Sun Zhiyuan was back. After standing under the cold water for so long, he didn’t feel chilled at all. In fact, there was still a restless heat coursing through his body, especially around his lower abdomen, where a persistent warmth refused to subside, making a certain part of him excessively active. Lin Xiao found it exasperating. Was it possible that the food he’d eaten earlier had invigorating properties? This was a nursing home full of elderly men and women—wasn’t that a little risky?

He understood that at this rate, showering would do little to curb his agitation. He quickly dried himself, got dressed, and stepped out. The moment he emerged, he caught Sun Zhiyuan eyeing him with a suggestive grin. Lin Xiao couldn’t suppress a shiver. Did this old man have designs on him?

“Brother Sun, don’t look at me like that. You’re scaring me!”

Sun Zhiyuan burst into laughter. He realized keeping Lin Xiao here really might be a good idea. The younger folks in the nursing home, like Xu Qing, would never dare speak to him this way. Usually, if someone did, he’d have smacked them right away. But today, he had no intention of doing so.

“How do you know I’m looking at you that way unless you’re looking at me the same way?”

Startled, Lin Xiao instinctively took a step back. Could this old man actually be planning to…? He thought, “I can’t do this!”

Seeing Lin Xiao’s reaction, Sun Zhiyuan found the whole situation even more amusing.

A mischievous smile crept over Sun Zhiyuan’s face as he walked slowly toward Lin Xiao, each step seeming to press on Lin Xiao’s chest. Lin Xiao’s mind began to conjure up scenes not fit for children. Was this old man really going to throw decency to the wind? And who would take the initiative, anyway? Disgusted by his own imagination, Lin Xiao scolded himself. He felt utterly powerless to resist. Should he try to run? But escape seemed impossible. If resistance was futile, should he just accept his fate? No way—he would rather die than submit!

At last, Sun Zhiyuan stood in front of Lin Xiao, clearly enjoying the quick succession of emotions flashing across Lin Xiao’s face.

“Boy, is your whole body feeling overheated?”

Lin Xiao paused at the question, relieved that the old man hadn’t actually laid a hand on him. That was a close call. He wasn’t sure what Sun Zhiyuan meant, but after thinking a moment, he nodded.

“You’re really something—eating whatever’s put in front of you. And those old folks were completely fooled by your appearance, forgetting that those foods aren’t meant for people at your level. Even though Liu Jiao helped you neutralize most of the energy, so it won’t harm you, if you don’t find a way to release it, you’ll remain uncomfortable.”

Lin Xiao realized his restlessness must be due to what he’d eaten earlier. Hearing this, he asked instinctively, “Brother Sun, how do I release it?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Lin Xiao wished he could slap himself. Wasn’t he just inviting trouble? Sure enough, Sun Zhiyuan’s smile grew even more unsettling.

“Since you’re asking so sincerely, I’ll be merciful and tell you. If you want to release and absorb that energy, follow me. Otherwise, you can forget about sleeping tonight.”

With that, Sun Zhiyuan strode out first.

Realizing his misunderstanding, Lin Xiao let out a breath of relief—at least, for now, his chastity was safe. Besides, the discomfort in his body was becoming unbearable. Since Sun Zhiyuan claimed he had a solution, it was best to deal with the problem. Otherwise, he really might not get any sleep tonight. It was exhausting to keep holding back.

With that, Lin Xiao hurried after him.

Sun Zhiyuan led him to the nursing home’s courtyard, where Lin Xiao was surprised to find a proper track and field—much better than the one at his own school.

While Lin Xiao was still wondering why Sun Zhiyuan had brought him there, the old man spoke up. “What are you standing around for? Start running.”

Lin Xiao quickly caught on: his current condition was simply an excess of energy. Running would help him burn it off. Why hadn’t he thought of such a simple solution? He must have been too rattled by the old man to think straight.

“All right, let’s run!” Lin Xiao started jogging around the track. To his surprise, Sun Zhiyuan ran alongside him. Lin Xiao didn’t mind—if the old man wanted to run, so be it.

Though Lin Xiao didn’t look heavy, years of part-time work had kept him fit. After four laps, he was surprised at how his body felt. He’d run before; four laps wasn’t his limit, but by then he’d usually feel tired. Today, though he’d worked up a good sweat, his body felt nothing but comfort—not the slightest fatigue. It was as though the energy inside him was gradually being absorbed.

He felt stronger than before.

It was already hot in June, but Lin Xiao didn’t care. He kept running, letting his youth and sweat pour out onto the track. Five laps, six laps…

Soon he had run ten laps at a respectable pace. In the past, he’d have collapsed from exhaustion, but now, though he felt a bit weary, he could keep going.

The only thing that irked him was how Sun Zhiyuan had stayed with him the whole time, never hurrying nor lagging, finishing ten laps without even breaking a sweat.

“Boy, am I the ninety-nine-year-old here, or are you? You run like a turtle! Is that all you’ve got?”

Lin Xiao: o(▼皿▼メ;)o

Say what you want, but don’t say I’m not up to the task!

Lin Xiao’s competitive spirit flared. He refused to believe he couldn’t outrun a ninety-nine-year-old man!

With that, Lin Xiao picked up the pace.

Let the storm rage on!