Chapter 9: Hand Control is Not a Disease 2

At this very moment, the boy Ji Yuenian had been thinking about had just left the library. 

Glancing at the darkening sky, he headed to the school cafeteria, ordered a bowl of tomato and egg noodles with double cilantro for dinner, then began his journey home.

The chilly night wind howled, sending shivers down one’s spine, while the bright moon cast its silver glow, stretching his lonely shadow long behind him.

Suddenly, something brushed against his pant leg.

He looked down to find a little creature crouched at his feet, staring up at him with wide eyes.

Jiang Chi knelt down and handed the pre-packed chicken leg to the blue-and-white cat, smiling softly. 

“Here, eat.”

“Meow!” 

The cat let out an excited cry upon seeing the chicken leg, then licked it a few times before tearing off chunks of meat and swallowing them.

“Jiang Chi?” 

Suddenly, an entirely out-of-place male voice came from nearby. 

Jiang Chi stood up and turned toward the sound.

Under the moonlight stood a boy in a thin white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing strong, muscular arms. 

He held a gray package in his arms and grinned when he saw Jiang Chi.

“You’re here? Perfect.”

In just a few strides, Ji Yuenian was right in front of Jiang Chi. 

The overwhelming smell of alcohol and spicy noodles emanating from him seemed almost tangible, making Jiang Chi’s stomach twist involuntarily as he took a step back.

But Ji Yuenian grabbed his wrist and shoved the package into Jiang Chi’s hands. 

“Don’t leave. I know you can’t stand me, but at least take this first.”

“It’s the T-shirt from last time—same style, same design. If you’re still not satisfied, call me. Show me the receipt, and I’ll refund you in cash.”

“I always keep my word-if I say I’ll compensate you, I will!”

“Stay away from me!” 

Before Ji Yuenian could finish, the blue-eyed boy suddenly snarled, like an enraged little lion, his entire body radiating fury. 

Even his beautiful, sapphire-blue eyes, usually as clear as a starry sky, were now bloodshot, making him look terrifying.

Ji Yuenian froze.

What was wrong with him? 

He hadn’t even hit him—why was he acting like Ji Yuenian had killed his father?

Seizing the moment of distraction, Jiang Chi gritted his teeth, shoved Ji Yuenian away, and fled without looking back, leaving Ji Yuenian standing bewildered in the wind.

“What the hell? What’s his problem?” 

Ji Yuenian muttered as he watched Jiang Chi’s retreating figure.

“I didn’t hit him, didn’t insult him—why the hell is he running? I don’t get it at all!”

Originally, Ji Yuenian had planned to return to his rented apartment to stream after dinner with his friends. 

He’d already skipped two days, and any more would be pushing it.

But when he saw that the T-shirt he’d bought days ago as compensation had arrived, he decided to pick it up on the way. 

Then, while leaving campus with the package, he happened to run into Jiang Chi and thought he’d hand it over directly.

But now, this was the result…

“Meow~” 

A soft cat call caught Ji Yuenian’s attention. 

He looked down to see a blue-and-white striped cat crouched on the ground, staring tearfully at his shoes.

“Blue-White, you’re here too? Then does that mean…”

Ji Yuenian seemed to recall something and suddenly looked around, but didn’t find the person he expected to see someone who would “casually take a photo.” 

Just then, Lanbai meowed at Ji Yuenian, signaling him to look at his feet.

Lifting his foot, Ji Yuenian saw a clump of minced meat mixed with dirt pressed into the soil beneath his shoe. 

It vaguely resembled what used to be a chicken leg.

His lips twitched. 

No wonder the cat was so agitated.

“Alright, little guy, don’t be mad.” 

Ji Yuenian crouched down and patted the cat’s head. 

“Once I win this school heartthrob election, I’ll buy you a roast chicken.”

He paused, then jabbed the cat’s head with his finger and threatened, 

“Stay away from that guy from earlier these next few days. Don’t eat any chicken legs he gives you. If I catch you again, I’ll turn you into hot pot!”

*    *    *

Meanwhile, outside the school, at the foot of a residential building.

Jiang Chi leaned heavily against the wall, his body hunched over. 

His mask was off, and beads of sweat rolled down his cheeks from his forehead. 

He braced his hands against the wall, gasping for breath.

After a long while, the sweat on his forehead subsided, and he finally caught his breath. But the pungent smell of alcohol and spices still lingered faintly, making Jiang Chi frown involuntarily.

Jiang Chi had mysophobia—a hereditary trait from his father. 

But there was one difference: while his father’s case was mild, Jiang Chi’s was severe.

Pulling a tissue from his bag, he wiped away the traces of vomit at the corners of his mouth, then glanced indifferently at the half-digested noodles and stomach acid at his feet.

He put his mask back on, his deep blue eyes dark and unfathomable, like stars in the night sky enough to unsettle anyone who met his gaze.

Pushing open the door to return home, he saw his slightly portly yet upright father sitting on the living room sofa, reading the financial newspaper.

Jiang Chi changed into clean slippers at the entrance and walked straight to his bedroom with his bag.

Hearing the noise at the door, Jiang’s father set down the newspaper and looked up, immediately spotting his son. 

He smiled and waved. 

“Xiao Chi, you’re back?”

Jiang’s father had always been deeply concerned about his son. 

Jiang Chi had been clever and well-behaved since childhood, but due to his severe mysophobia, he rarely interacted with others—even his parents. 

Over time, he developed an isolated personality.

In recent years, Jiang’s father had been so worried about this that he was losing hair.

“Dad,” Jiang Chi greeted politely as he approached.

Jiang’s father shifted his gaze from the newspaper to his handsome son, sighing inwardly at how the tiny boy from back then had grown so tall.

He motioned for Jiang Chi to sit and handed him a cup of lightly brewed tea. 

“How’s school lately?”

“Fine. My grades are steadily improving in all subjects.” 

Jiang Chi accepted the tea but didn’t drink it, setting it on the table instead. 

“Have you been getting along with your classmates?”

Jiang Chi shook his head.

Seeing this, Jiang’s father sighed inwardly but kept his expression neutral. 

“Xiao Chi, society runs on connections. Once you step into the real world, you’ll need to learn how to network—just like your old man.”

“Making more friends now will benefit you in both career and love. You should take a page from that Ji family kid’s book.”

“I know, Dad.”

“You’re already in your second year of high school. I’ve seen your grades-they’re excellent. But grades aren’t everything. 

As your father, I still hope you can act like a normal high school student-skipping class, climbing walls, surfing the internet, online dating….. these are all things your dad did back in the day.”

“Dad, what exactly are you trying to say?” 

Jiang Chi interrupted, his blue eyes fixed on the other man.

His father chuckled awkwardly before finally speaking his mind: “Have you thought about getting a girlfriend?”

“No plans for that,” Jiang Chi shook his head.

“Really? Xiao Chi, it’s perfectly normal at your age. Feel free to be honest-your mother and I aren’t old-fashioned. We’d never break you two up for ‘affecting your studies.””

“I know you’re the school heartthrob, incredibly popular. Plenty of girls at school have crushes on you. No need to hide anything.” 

“Really, there’s no one. I don’t like girls…” 

Jiang Chi paused, realizing his words could be misinterpreted, and corrected himself: “I’m not interested in them.”

“Then recently, in your class or at school, has anyone left a particularly strong impression on you?” 

His father adopted a roundabout tactic, probing indirectly.

Jiang Chi thought for a moment, subconsciously frowning before answering: “Yes.”

Hearing this, his father’s eyes crinkled with amusement. 

You little brat, trying to play mind games with your old man? 

You’re still green.

“No need to say who-your dad understands. Just tell me, what kind of person is she in your eyes?”

“He’s a…” 

Jiang Chi’s mind flashed to that carefree figure. 

His brows furrowed slightly as he searched for the right words.

“A person with absolutely no sense of boundaries.”