The Effects of the Everyone's Favorite Buff

Shen Yu called out to the system.

What happened to me just now?

[Host, System doesn't know~]

Then you at least know what I did, right?

[He Lin tried to molest you, so you beat him up. Then Lu Xianchang and the others barged in, and you hit Lu Changfeng too.]

Shen Yu's heart sank completely.

It wasn't that he was afraid of He Lin and Lu Changfeng causing him trouble, but... what if Luo Ningsang found out? If he did, he'd definitely keep a close eye on him again. How was Shen Yu supposed to secretly stir up trouble then?!

Feeling the soft bed beneath him, Shen Yu finally came back to his senses. Lu Changfeng had carried him into a large room. Its layout was much like the one Lu Xianchang had taken him to, but it wasn't the same room. It was probably the one next door.

A private doctor who had been waiting stepped forward, treated the wound on his palm, and examined him.

Lu Changfeng sat quietly to one side, watching him. His gaze lingered on Shen Yu's face for a long time.

He had seen a photo of Shen Yu taken during his school days. His long blue hair was gathered behind him, and he wore a school uniform purchased through a school-wide order. He stood in a corridor holding a book. Many people passed by, but none could obscure him. Shen Yu was looking up at the scenery outside the window, his eyes full of longing.

Xu Yao had taken the photo.

She was a member of the school's photography club. She would pick out attractive sights around campus to photograph, then compile the pictures and post them on the school's public account as a way of promoting the school.

She had happened to pass by that day and taken the photo, then included it in a collection on the public account titled "You in Your Youth."

She kept a copy for herself, had it printed and laminated, and placed it deep inside a drawer. It was like a young girl's cherished secret, one she wanted no one to know or hear about—not even the person in the photo.

Lu Changfeng had seen the photo on the public account.

At the time, he had only glanced at it a couple of times and thought nothing was different.

But now, he watched Shen Yu lean against the headboard, his eyes lowered as the doctor treated his wound. He had only loosely covered his neckline, and whenever Lu Changfeng closed his eyes, he could recall that slightly suggestive scene.

Click—

The sound of the door opening interrupted his recollection.

Lu Xianchang came in carrying a black backpack. After meeting Lu Changfeng's eyes, he immediately looked away. Perhaps because he was worried about Shen Yu, he did not freeze up as he usually did. Instead, he went around Lu Changfeng and sat down beside Shen Yu's bed.

The doctor had just finished treating the wound. After instructing Shen Yu to keep it dry, he left.

Lu Xianchang took the doctor's place. Without a word, he rummaged through his bag for some ointment and carefully applied it to the scars on Shen Yu's other hand and neck.

Shen Yu could sense that he blamed himself.

"Brother Xian."

Lu Xianchang's hand paused. "Mm, I'm here. What is it?"

"Can you not tell him about this?"

Shen Yu didn't say who, but Lu Xianchang knew perfectly well.

"No."

Unsurprisingly, he was turned down.

Shen Yu pursed his lips, then looked over at Lu Changfeng. It wasn't that he wanted to look his way; the man's gaze was simply too scorching to ignore.

Don't tell me he's fallen for me too?

Damn system.

[Host, why are you cursing me again?]

You've got the nerve to ask?

[That's how the Everyone's Favorite Buff works. Everyone who meets you develops feelings for you, and those feelings gradually change as they spend time with you.]

The one who drugged me... could he have wanted to...?

Shen Yu's pupils contracted sharply, and his lips parted. For a moment, he couldn't get a single word out.

[Yes, host, it's love~]

*...*

He found it hard to accept, and his expression was grim.

Seeing him like this, Lu Xianchang thought it was because he had refused him. He wavered inwardly. Nothing serious had happened, after all. If he didn't tell Brother Luo... surely nothing too bad could happen?

The gaze from across the room was too conspicuous to ignore. Shen Yu couldn't help looking up, meeting the hot, turbulent emotions in Lu Changfeng's eyes before he had time to hide them.

!

Shen Yu was startled. But when he tried to get a better look, he found that the man had already brought his emotions completely under control.

Lu Changfeng wore the kind, caring expression of an elder concerned for a junior. Only he knew how much emotion of a different kind lay hidden behind his eyes.

Lu Xianchang was entirely unaware of their exchange of looks. His brows were knitted tightly, and his fingertips rubbed together unconsciously. He knew Luo Ningsang was thinking of Shen Yu's safety. If he told him what had happened today, Shen Yu would have even less time to go out and get some air. He had seen how downcast Shen Yu was when confined to the hospital—he only wanted him to be happy.

But if he didn't tell Luo Ningsang, and Luo Ningsang remained unaware, what if that man set his sights on Xiao Yu again and made another move? Xiao Yu was only a seventeen-year-old youth, after all. How could he possibly outwit those old foxes who had spent years in the business world? What if he didn't get there in time? What would Xiao Yu suffer?

The two thoughts clashed repeatedly in his mind, and Lu Xianchang remained unable to decide.

At that moment, Lu Changfeng spoke.

"How about letting Xiao Yu stay by my side? Xiao Yu was injured at the Lu Family banquet, so as the host, I failed in my duty. If he stays with me, he won't have to go through anything like this again. Even if those people have such intentions, they'll have to weigh their own standing first and consider whether they're qualified to face me."

Lu Changfeng's tone was full of self-reproach and a desire to make amends. Lu Xianchang, whose back was to him, naturally couldn't see the dark gleam that flashed through his eyes.

Shen Yu hadn't even had time to refuse.

Lu Xianchang settled the matter. "It's decided, then."

Then he thought about how Lu Changfeng was only treating Shen Yu so well for his sake, and felt even more like a terrible person. He had abandoned him, then come running back once he had made something of himself. And because he couldn't get past that hurdle, he couldn't even look him in the eye.

As Lu Xianchang thought about it, his guilt grew stronger.

"Changfeng... you really don't have to go this far."

His voice was tinged with bitterness and anguish.

Shen Yu didn't know what had happened between the two of them. Seeing that he was about to fall into Lu Changfeng's hands, he opened his mouth, but Lu Xianchang's next words stopped him.

"Since that's settled, if Xiao Yu doesn't want to tell Brother Luo, we won't tell him. How about we make this a little secret between the two of us?"

Lu Xianchang reached out and pushed up the corners of Shen Yu's pursed lips.

Lu Changfeng, however, felt something stir. There was no overwhelming flutter, only a slight tremble somewhere in his heart.

A little secret.

The two of them had once shared little secrets too. Memories swept in like a gentle breeze, dispersing the mist around his childhood. Those memories he had been unwilling to recall broke out of their cage once again.

Little Lu Xianchang climbed in through the windowsill outside the third floor. The scent of soil and flowers clinging to him swept through the room's delicate fragrance of books, paintings, bamboo, and ink.

The boy's eyes were bright. He pulled a carefully protected new-model game console from inside his clothes and pressed it into Lu Changfeng's hands. Seeing him stare blankly, he tapped him on the head. "What are you thinking about? I went to all the trouble of climbing over the wall to get this for you. Come on, play! Once Dad gets back, you won't be able to."

"...Won't you get caught doing this?" Little Lu Changfeng was a little worried.

"What are you afraid of? If neither of us tells, who'll know? This is our little secret." Little Lu Xianchang puffed out his chest, looking as cocky as if heaven came first and he came second. "Don't worry, I sent all those servants away. Call me 'brother,' and I can get you anything you want! Go on, what do you want next time?"

Little Lu Changfeng believed him.

The two of them had a great time playing in the room and agreed that Lu Xianchang would bring him a different game next time. But that very evening, they were caught red-handed. They exchanged bewildered looks and were dragged before a snitch called modern technology—the surveillance camera in Lu Changfeng's room.

Lu Changfeng was put in confinement.

Lu Xianchang got a beating.

But after exchanging miserable looks, the two of them burst into happy laughter.

How wonderful it was.

That was what Lu Changfeng thought.

But they could never go back.