The class group chat dissolved by Tian Peng was gone. The other official class group with teachers present was muted for everyone—and even if it weren’t, no one dared speak freely there.

But lacking a casual space to chat was inconvenient. By afternoon, whispers circulated about creating a new group.

During the break after the first evening class, vice monitor Chen Xiaohong approached Lin Shu. "Recreate the class group," she urged. "Add everyone. I don’t have time for this nonsense."

Ironically, Lin Shu’s first act as monitor was building that very group. First person added? Su Nuan. He pinned a "green admin badge" on her—and his own status flipped to yellow.

Beyond the main group, a smaller cadre chat existed for planning. Lin Shu wasn’t included. He had no clue. The PE rep ignored class duties anyway—just leading events during Sports Day. Convincing others to sign up? That fell to the monitors.

Next up: Culture Festival prep. Just thinking about it gave Lin Shu a headache. He buried himself in homework, pushing distractions away.

Peeking at his phone between classes, he saw 99+ notifications. Scrolling through chats, the main topic was the ex-monitor. Transferring schools without warning and dissolving the group? *Overly sensitive*, they murmured. *Acting like kids, not high schoolers.*

Midway through the final evening class, Su Nuan slung her backpack over her shoulder, carried her chair beside Lin Shu, and opened her physics textbook. Her index and middle fingers pressed the bridge of her nose in a mock glasses-push. "Class is about to start."

"Feel like a teacher yet?"

"Not even a little."

"Then let’s fix that."

Su Nuan wanted to spoon-feed him every detail—but her meticulous explanations only deepened Lin Shu’s fatigue after a night of homework. His eyelids grew heavy. He dozed off. *Mission accomplished.*

"Pay attention," Su Nuan hissed, twisting the flesh on his thigh.

They stayed in the classroom until lights-out. A few resident "study addicts" flicked on desk lamps to keep reading—including the vice monitor. The room brightened just enough to see faces.

"Make do here?" Lin Shu suggested.

"No. Either total privacy or pitch black. No more interruptions."

Their plan collapsed. Backpacks shouldered, they descended the dim stairwell—only landings had lights. Su Nuan shook her head.

"Not dark enough. Too many people passing by."

*Typical*, Lin Shu thought. *We complain the school’s too cheap—streetlights are scarce and dim—but now we can’t find true darkness anywhere.*

"The sports storage room," Su Nuan pointed. "Absolutely deserted. And terrifyingly dark."

"Seriously? This is overkill."

"Don’t underestimate kissing. We can’t fail again. Eliminate every outside factor."

Lin Shu unlocked the creaking iron door. Su Nuan stepped in first, phone flashlight cutting through dust motes. He shut the door behind them.

"Let’s begin," Su Nuan said, pocketing her phone.

Lin Shu reached blindly toward her voice. His palm landed on something soft.

"Where... is this?"

Bewildered, he squeezed gently to confirm. Then traced upward to find her face, her lips.

"Mmmph—"

Su Nuan stifled a cute whimper.

One hand climbed to her shoulder; the other dipped to her hip. *Ah. So that’s where I’d touched.*

"Sorry."

"It’s fine... Just hurry. The air’s stale."

Breakfast kisses by the loft window had fresh breezes. Here, the first-floor dust hung thick.

Lin Shu cradled Su Nuan’s face, seeking her lips. Sightless, he misjudged the distance.

He leaned in—and their lips met directly.

In utter darkness, touch sharpened. Teeth clicked. Scorching breaths warmed each other’s skin.

Lin Shu pulled back instantly. "That counts as success, right?"

"Barely," Su Nuan breathed, licking her lips. "Too short. Whether performing for Gu Chu Chu or filming proof—we need duration. Since our first drill worked... why not practice more? Master advanced techniques. Leave her speechless. You won’t want this dusty dungeon twice, will you?"

"Definitely not."

Lin Shu gripped the back of her head with one hand, her chin with the other. He found her lips again. Like holding his breath underwater, he pressed clumsily until lungs burned. They broke apart gasping.

Usually, Su Nuan tapped his back first—tiny fists begging release.

Addictive. Minds blanking. Instinct taking over.

A pitch-black room. A girl yielding in his arms. Evil thoughts crept in. No flushed cheeks visible. No words exchanged. Only skin on skin, bodies tangled.

Lin Shu inhaled Su Nuan’s scent—a sweet shield against the warehouse dust.

His movements grew rougher. Unable to see her face, he imagined it... and slowly, that face changed...

*Was this what they meant by "all cats are grey in the dark"?*

Su Nuan melted against his chest, arms locked around his waist, legs trembling.

A distinct bulge pressed against her lower belly.

"Hah... hah..." Lin Shu wiped his mouth. "We’ve drilled enough. Let’s stop."

One more second, and he’d lose control.

"Mm." Su Nuan’s weak reply was a whisper. She hung from him like a doll.

Lin Shu’s phone flashlight pierced the gloom as he unlocked the door. Fresh air flooded in. He secured the lock, then glanced at Su Nuan.

Even in the dim night, her flushed skin and burning ears were unmistakable.

"Don’t look at me now," she mumbled, hands covering her face.

"I won’t. Let’s go home. It’s late."

*Ten minutes just kissing?* Time vanished in training.

Su Nuan climbed onto the bike’s crossbar without asking. "My legs are jelly. Can’t pedal."

Lin Shu’s body hadn’t calmed. It pressed against her back—and grew more insistent at the contact.

*She must’ve noticed earlier. During practice.*

"Back there," Su Nuan murmured, voice small. "Were you thinking of someone else? Your sister? Did you imagine me as her?"

The bike swerved dangerously. Lin Shu nearly veered into the drainage ditch. *How did she know?*