Long Aotian, You Actually Stayed the Night!!!

"Long Aotian, your smile is so sleazy."

"Ah! Oh, right." Hearing this, Long Aotian stopped, though he didn't know why he had been prone to flashing such villainous grins lately.

"Let's get back to our topic. Someone like Kushida Kikyo is very complex. She enjoys the pleasure of interacting with others and is adept at using her charm and influence to make new friends."

"She hopes to achieve certain goals through these friendships, such as elevating her social status or acquiring more information."

"Don't be fooled by how warm and sincere Kushida Kikyo appears when interacting with others. She has a hidden side; she vents her emotions when no one is around—like when we went outside the dorms last time. She might even betray her own class to achieve her ends, which shows that in certain situations, she might sacrifice friendship for personal gain."

"Society is the same way. Everyone has two sides: good and evil, or if you prefer, benefits and drawbacks."

"Do you know why Class D is called a collection of 'defective products'? Of course, I'm not insulting you, don't misunderstand."

Fearing that Sakura might take it the wrong way, Long Aotian quickly added the last few sentences.

"I don't know."

Sakura shook her head. Since this was perhaps too profound for her, or because she had little experience with friends, it was normal for her not to understand.

"The real reason is that they don't know how to hide it. Of course, some are truly foolish, while others are smart but fail to conceal their own malice or flaws, sometimes even magnifying them."

"Naturally, no one is perfect. I have my own issues, too. So why wasn't I assigned to Class D? Because they don't know; they only assume my ability is high enough that I should be in Class A."

"For example, Horikita Suzune has undeniable strength, but her personality is aloof. She confuses being alone with being superior, believing that the existence of others is a hindrance, leading her to consider only herself and reject everyone else."

"Kushida Kikyo is skilled at socializing, but she doesn't treat people with sincerity."

"Ayanokoji Kiyotaka is even called the most defective product in Class D by the homeroom teacher. He is emotionally numb, devoid of feelings, and views everyone as a tool, stopping at nothing to achieve victory."

"These traits are obvious to anyone, yet their academic ability is exceptionally strong, and their strength is not to be underestimated."

"Because their behaviors and personalities are so overt, they can be easily exploited or countered."

Long Aotian pointed at Sakura and said, "Take you, for example. If I were to use my old methods to deal with you, you would be in a miserable state. I would exploit your social anxiety and timid nature, using your idol influencer incident to threaten you into doing my bidding. Because of your personality, you wouldn't even resist, allowing me to extract even greater value from you."

"Kushida Kikyo is different. Her personality would lead her to find ways to break free from control, or even reach the point of counter-threatening."

"For such a rebellious spirit, you have to strike fast—either root them out completely or lure them into an even deeper abyss with a larger trap."

"Of course, there is no true definition of good or bad personality; people only label things as 'bad' when it harms their own interests or safety."

ps: The school's class placement is not defined solely by academic grades, but also by personality, behavioral patterns, and various other factors.

"Ah! Me?"

Sakura was completely bewildered; the only thing she understood was that Long Aotian said he would threaten her to deal with her.

"It's nothing, it's nothing."

Seeing that Sakura's brain might be overheating, Long Aotian walked gently to her side, slowly extended his firm, warm palms, and rested them lightly on her temples.

He massaged them gently, using just the right amount of pressure—neither too forceful nor ineffective.

It was better not to keep talking; even he felt like he was starting to spout nonsense.

"Feeling better?"

Long Aotian watched as Sakura's brows gradually smoothed out and asked softly.

"Better." Sakura nodded, closing her eyes to slowly enjoy Long Aotian's technique.

A moment later, just as Long Aotian was about to pull his hands away, Sakura subconsciously grabbed them. She opened her eyes, a faint blush appearing on her face: "Massage a little longer."

Long Aotian froze for a second, then smiled and continued the massage.

After a while, as if gathering her courage, Sakura spoke up, "Aotian, can you not leave tonight? Stay and keep me company?"

Long Aotian was startled; he hadn't expected her to say that. Looking at her expectant eyes, he nodded as if under a spell.

Seeing Long Aotian agree, Sakura's face was filled with joy.

Long Aotian felt a bit awkward; he had never stayed the night in a room with a girl before.

"You must be hungry. I'll go make something to eat." Long Aotian broke the silence and headed to the kitchen, with Sakura following behind, curiously watching his busy figure.

Long Aotian opened the fridge and found there weren't many ingredients, but he did his best to piece together a few dishes. As he cooked, he stole glances at Sakura. Seeing her resting her chin on her hands, watching him with sparkling eyes, his heart couldn't help but flutter, and his movements quickened.

Before long, a simple meal was ready. The two sat at the dining table, the atmosphere becoming somewhat subtle. Long Aotian started by sharing some lighthearted anecdotes from his past life, and Sakura giggled, the tense atmosphere gradually dissipating.

After the meal, Long Aotian returned to his dorm to shower and brought his laptop over.

The two sat on the floor watching TV on Long Aotian's computer. Without realizing it, Sakura leaned on Long Aotian's shoulder and fell asleep. Watching her peaceful sleeping face, a warm current flowed through his heart. He gently carried her to the bed, tucked her in, and stood guard by the bedside, contemplating the shift in their relationship and secretly resolving that no matter what the future held, he would protect the girl before him.

Night fell, and the two lay side by side on the bed. Sakura tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Sensing her unease, Long Aotian whispered, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Sakura replied, leaning closer to him, and a subtle atmosphere began to spread through the room.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window. Long Aotian woke up and looked at Sakura, who was still fast asleep, a strange emotion welling up in his heart.

He knew that after this night, their relationship had grown closer. He climbed out of bed on tiptoe to prepare breakfast for Sakura.

Long Aotian busied himself in the kitchen, trying his best not to make a sound. Just as breakfast was nearly ready, Sakura woke up.

She walked into the kitchen, dazed, and seeing Long Aotian's back, her heart was filled with warmth.

"Morning," Sakura said with a yawn.

"Morning. Go brush your teeth and wash your face first, then come eat breakfast," Long Aotian said as he set the food on the table.

Before long, the two were happily eating breakfast; it was truly heartwarming!

ps: Thanks to user 11329739 for the gift of love.