Cohabitation

Chu He hugged the humanoid koala and closed the heavy "Principal's Office" door behind him.

"Click."

A soft sound, isolating everything outside.

The world seemed to shrink to just the two of them.

Chu He looked down, only seeing the top of Xia Yao's dark, soft hair and the two slender, snow-white arms wrapped around his neck.

"Ahem, Yao Yao, we're here. Can you get down now?" Chu He ventured, trying to shift his body slightly.

The person in his arms remained motionless. Instead, she nuzzled her cheek against his neck, the cool touch sending shivers down his spine.

She replied in a voice thick with a nasal tone, almost like a sleep-talking murmur.

"No."

Chu He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Are you planning on using me as your personal seat?"

Only then did Xia Yao slowly lift her head. Her large, watery eyes, which had just regained their sparkle, were now clouded with a thin mist, filled with unease.

"You... will run away."

She spoke the three words very softly.

He understood instantly.

In her labyrinth of memories, she had experienced prolonged loneliness and cold. He was the only one who had entered and given her a "warm" embrace.

Now, she was like a drowning person clinging to the only piece of driftwood, how could she possibly let go easily?

"Run?" Chu He's heart softened, and he deliberately used a lighthearted tone to tease, "Where would I run? This entire school is your territory. Can I possibly escape from your grasp, my Principal?"

The title "My Principal" made Xia Yao visibly pause.

She seemed to be processing the meaning of this new term, and the grip of her legs around his waist unconsciously loosened a little.

Chu He seized the opportunity, nodding his chin towards the bedroom and the exaggeratedly large, soft bed.

"Look over there. Are we going to stand here all night holding each other, instead of lying down on the bed?"

Xia Yao followed his gaze to the bed, large enough to sleep three or four people. Her stunning face instantly flushed from the tips of her ears to her neck.

Her body trembled slightly, and the arms around Chu He's neck finally released.

The moment her feet touched the ground, she instinctively grabbed Chu He's shirt hem, like a small animal afraid of being abandoned.

Seeing her dependent and shy demeanor, Chu He's earlier helplessness completely vanished.

Without another word, he bent down and, to Xia Yao's soft gasp, lifted her into his arms.

He placed her steadily onto the soft, large bed.

Looking at the now empty bed, graced by a stunning figure, Chu He felt that tonight might be even longer than he had imagined.

"I'm sweaty, I'm going to take a shower first. You wait here obediently!" Chu He used it as an excuse; he needed some time to calm his racing heart.

"Mm..." Xia Yao lay on the bed, responding softly, but her eyes followed him without blinking.

After comforting Xia Yao, Chu He began to examine the room seriously.

While called the Principal's Office, it was more like a luxurious penthouse suite combining office and living space.

It spanned over a hundred square meters. Upon entering, there was a spacious living room with a black leather sofa, a modern glass coffee table, and a massive desk suitable for small meetings.

Behind the desk was an ergonomic chair that looked expensive, and behind that, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.

Chu He's gaze swept across the bookshelves, his attention immediately drawn to the items displayed.

On the top few shelves were scrolls made of strange materials. Some appeared to be tanned from some creature's black hide, etched with twisted, wriggling dark gold runes; others were strung together with white bones, emitting a visible chilling aura.

Just looking at them made one's scalp tingle.

These items truly suited the taste of an SSS-Class Anomaly's collection.

But as his gaze moved down, he froze.

Beneath those terrifying scrolls, an entire row of... human books was neatly arranged?

And their spines were brand new, clearly indicating frequent reading.

Chu He walked over as if possessed and pulled one out.

Domineering CEO's Contract Sweetheart. Flipping through a few pages gave him a strange sense of familiarity.

Suppressing the odd feeling, he pulled out another book from beside it.

Love Psychology: From Beginner to Master.

The last book had an even more absurd title—How to Quickly Capture His Heart.

So, all this time, this incredibly powerful Anomaly Queen had learned all her knowledge about "love" from these miscellaneous books?

No wonder her behavior was so direct and overbearing!

Kissing means responsibility, wanting to be together all the time, and interrogating someone directly if you don't like them...

Wasn't this the standard plot from Domineering CEO's Contract Sweetheart!

Good heavens!

Chu He inwardly exclaimed "good heavens," feeling like he had uncovered a monumental secret.

However, it seemed Xia Yao's personality was inherently very strong.

A mix of emotions, bordering on laughter and tears, welled up in his heart, but more than anything, it was an ineffable sense of pity.

An Anomaly, who had been alone for who knows how many years and was incredibly powerful, could only clumsily learn and imitate what "liking" was through these crudely made human romance novels.

Chu He was a little curious. How did Anomalies get married and have children in the past? He really had to find a history book about Anomalies to study sometime.

Chu He withdrew his thoughts and stood in the living room, looking back at the large bed in the bedroom.

At some point, Xia Yao had taken off her school uniform and changed into a form-fitting purple nightgown. She was now lying on the bed, her two smooth legs dangling in the air, kicking up and down.

She noticed Chu He's gaze and turned her head. Her pure black eyes stared directly at him, her face adorned with a innocent and unconcealed smile.

Chu He silently swallowed.

It's over. According to the plot development in the books, he was probably doomed today.

He had teleported here at 4 PM, and it was now past 7 PM. Chu He had spent another hour showering!

During this time, any Anomalies who were not chosen for a room had silently left the male and female dormitories. The scene was truly a "Night of a Hundred Anomalies," quite spectacular. They left the dormitories and then, in batches, entered a portal with a black center and faintly rumbling lightning around the edges, leaving the university!

Strangely, they all seemed disheartened yet resigned.

Upon reaching the bed, Xia Yao appeared somewhat nervous yet also expectant. She gently tugged Chu He's sleeve, her eyes full of dependence.

Chu He sat down beside her, clearly feeling her slightly accelerated breathing.

Xia Yao lowered her head and whispered, "I... I just wanted to be closer to you." Chu He's heart warmed. He gently patted her back and softly said, "I know. Rest easy."

The next morning.

"All resident students, please gather on the sports field at 9 AM! Latecomers will be eliminated!"

A cold notification voice echoed in the room.

Chu He struggled to get out of bed, feeling as if every bone in his body had been disassembled and reassembled, especially his waist, which was so sore and weak it felt numb.

He turned his head and looked at Xia Yao, who was still sleeping soundly beside him. Her long hair was messily scattered on the pillow, her sleeping face serene.

On impulse, he leaned over and gently kissed her smooth forehead.

After a simple wash, Chu He made his way to the sports field half an hour early.

The number of people on the field had visibly decreased by a large margin. A rough count revealed only about a hundred countries represented.

The rest, without a doubt, had been eliminated last night.

The surviving players gathered in twos and threes, conversing in English about the bizarre experiences of the dormitory trials the previous night.