"Xun! Xun!"
The urgent calls seemed to come from far away, accompanied by stifled snickering.
"Wake up."
Lin Xun's eyes flew open.
Xie Xie's face filled his vision, twisted with the effort of holding back laughter. One hand clamped over his mouth, his shoulders shook, and tears nearly squeezed from his eyes.
Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi sat farther back. One kept his head down, pretending to read, while the other turned toward the window. Both had suspiciously red ears.
The classroom was far too quiet.
Lin Xun's heart skipped a beat. Slowly, he turned his head.
Ya Li stood beside his desk, still holding her lesson plan with its pale green cover. She leaned forward slightly, watching him at her leisure.
She was close enough for him to catch her faint orchid scent. Unlike the intimate, warm glow of his dream, the woman before him looked gentle and composed, with a slight curve to her lips.
"Did you sleep well, Lin Xun?"
Lin Xun: "..."
Lin Xun opened his mouth. Images of that dim room still lingered in his mind: the black lace dress, the way her fingertip had brushed her red lips, and those soft, husky words.
Am I hot enough for you now?
Superimposed on the dignified, gentle face before him, the memory hit so hard his temples throbbed.
"P-pretty well."
"You were dreaming, weren't you? What about?"
Ya Li tilted her head slightly as she asked.
The images flashed through Lin Xun's mind, and he shivered involuntarily. "Roast chicken," he blurted.
"..."
Xie Xie could no longer hold back his laughter. If they hadn't been in class, he might have laughed hard enough to shake the whole building.
Ya Li straightened and gave Lin Xun a calm glance. "Surely my lesson isn't that boring."
"No, teacher.