The Academic God Becomes an Internet Sensation After Joining a Dating Show - C29 - The Kiss

Their thoughts drifted in the quiet space between them. Eyes met under the dim light, and something restless stirred—difficult to keep in check.

Qing Lin’s clear eyes glistened with moisture, lips slightly parted, his stillness serene as moonlight.

Shen Xuzhi’s gaze traced the line of his forehead, eyes, and nose, lingering at last on those vividly red lips.

His heart pounded, and that single word of affirmation steadied something deep inside him.

The fire he had just doused with cold water blazed up again. He wanted to lift that chin, pry his lips open, and devour their delicate softness.

Shen Xuzhi’s dark eyes brimmed with affection.

He leaned in and got closer.

As the distance closed, Qing Lin’s eyes narrowed slightly, his head tilting back just enough, youthful and dazzling.

“Mr. Shen.”

Qing Lin was still gazing at Shen Xuzhi, eyes hazy, his voice calm and cool like still water.

“I think… I’m a little sleepy.”

His cheeks were still flushed, eyelids heavy as though they could barely stay open. Yet he didn’t draw back, looking for all the world like someone waiting to be kissed.

Shen Xuzhi let out a soft chuckle, followed by a quiet sigh. His hand slid to the back of Qing Lin’s head, fingers threading through the fine strands of hair, the pads pressing lightly against his nape in an intimate, ambiguous caress.

The alcohol had fully taken hold; he was truly and completely drunk.

Shen Xuzhi could think of a thousand excuses to kiss him, but in the end decided he didn’t need to take advantage of someone in this state.

Right now, Qing Lin seemed too fragile, like something resting in his palm that might shatter at the slightest touch.

It was fine.

There was still time. He could repay himself twice over later.

“Mm, good boy,” Shen Xuzhi murmured. “Shall we sleep, then?”

Qing Lin nodded.

He wasn’t the kind to get loud or reckless after drinking; once drowsiness set in, all he wanted was sleep.

Qing Lin closed his eyes.

Shen Xuzhi remained seated at the edge of the bed, silent for a long moment, until he decided he still wanted a little sweetness. Indulging himself, he brushed back the fringe falling over Qing Lin’s forehead.

Qing Lin felt the warmth of his palm, hot, steady, comforting.

The room was already dim, yet now it seemed wrapped in that same warmth. Still, he didn’t open his eyes.

He wasn’t sure if it was sleepiness or a feeling of safety.

Then, a kiss, searing yet gentle, landed on his forehead.

The sensation was oddly wonderful.

A pleasant scent, a touch that felt anything but unpleasant, warm breath brushing his cheek like a teasing whisper, and a low, steady voice by his ear.

He thought it might give him a very good dream.

“A goodnight kiss,” Shen Xuzhi whispered. “Goodnight.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

Qing Lin slept soundly.

A little alcohol really was good for sleep; when he woke, there was only a lingering heaviness clouding his thoughts.

Propping himself up on his elbows, he sat halfway upright and pushed the blanket down a little.

From across the bed, Shen Xuzhi stood at the table, making coffee.

Sunlight streamed in, fine and warm, gilding the coffee table until it glowed; the little flowers arranged there seemed to bloom quietly in the light. Shen Xuzhi, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows, blended seamlessly into that serene picture.

Qing Lin made no sound, just watched him quietly, his expression calm.

The hazy, intimate fragments from the night before felt blurred, almost unreal.

After a pause, he finally spoke slowly. “Good morning, Mr. Shen.”

Shen Xuzhi looked up just as he finished making the coffee and saw Qing Lin already awake. Carrying the cup over to the bed, he leaned down, one hand braced on the mattress, and in an effortless motion, brushed a kiss against Qing Lin’s cheek.

“Morning.”

Qing Lin: “…”

Qing Lin: “?!!”

Straightening up as though nothing had happened, Shen Xuzhi set the cup on the bedside table. “I’ll go get breakfast.”

And then he left.

Qing Lin just sat there, momentarily frozen in shock.

Wait.

Did he just get kissed out of nowhere?

He touched his cheek without thinking, the memory of that warm, soft pressure instantly making it burn.

What was that supposed to mean?

Before long, Shen Xuzhi returned with breakfast, setting up the tray in front of him and placing the dishes one by one.

Qing Lin kept his gaze fixed on him the whole time, one hand still pressed to his cheek, eyes full of shock and disbelief at what he had just did.

Only then did Shen Xuzhi say casually, “Oh, you told me last night to give you a good morning kiss.”

“You’re lying.” Qing Lin’s face flushed again, his voice flustered and almost urgent. “I never said that.”

Shen Xuzhi smiled.

Tsk.

The kid remembered and he wasn’t easily fooled.

Watching that faint smile, Qing Lin felt his own expression falter. Embarrassment crept in, heat rising to his cheeks on its own. Yesterday… yes, he’d accidentally eaten liquor-filled chocolate, insisted on taking a bath, clung to Mr. Shen to have him wipe him down, answered every question in a daze, and it seemed that Mr. Shen had been coaxing him the whole time. Before bed… maybe… maybe… there had been a forehead kiss.

He couldn’t remember clearly.

No way… had he really said something like that?

Qing Lin swallowed.

…He’d already troubled Mr. Shen enough, being rescued, being taken care of, and the filming hadn’t even gone smoothly.

Shen Xuzhi sat down beside the bed, his smile gentle, though inwardly he thought:
I should have tasted those lips all over last night. Playing the gentleman was a mistake.

Regret.

But Qing Lin still felt that even though he had received Mr. Shen’s care, he wasn’t foolish enough to believe in something as ridiculous as a morning kiss.

Mr. Shen was definitely lying.

Shen Xuzhi noticed the disbelief, and the faint wariness, in Qing Lin’s eyes. He opened the lid of the thermos, poured out some chicken soup, and said, “Yesterday, part one of ‘Follow Heart’ ended, and Director Hong introduced part two, which will have us playing newlyweds throughout the entire recording of the next segment.”

“Newlyweds?” Qing Lin repeated.

Shen Xuzhi nodded and set the soup in front of him. “It’s said to be a completely new concept. We’ll be traveling with a real celebrity couple, and until the trip is over, no one outside the production team can know that we’re pretending.”

Qing Lin understood the rules, though he couldn’t see what that had to do with the kiss.

“For pairing with the real couple, the production team had me draw lots. I got Liu Xin and Zhang Nanyin.”

Liu Xin and Zhang Nanyin.

That was a nationally beloved couple, famous even outside the entertainment industry. Not just for their sweetness, but also because of…

“Mm,” Shen Xuzhi said, “the ones the internet calls the ‘kiss-obsessed couple.’”

Qing Lin: “…”

Mr. Shen’s uncanny luck struck again.

“They’re variety-show naturals, great at creating on-screen chemistry. If the crew asks for something, we can’t look stiff, or we’ll give ourselves away. So, I thought…we should practice. Get used to it first.”

Qing Lin: “…”

Qing Lin’s thoughts stumbled over themselves.

That’s ridiculous.

His cheeks were still warm from the morning kiss. “You’re not seriously saying that kiss just now was… practice, are you?”

Shen Xuzhi’s dark eyes studied him for a long moment, calm and unflinching, before he finally nodded.

It’s unbelievable.

Can someone really be this unbearably cute just by saying words twice?

“You didn’t perform very well just now,” Shen Xuzhi said. “I only kissed your cheek, and you reacted so strongly. What’s going to happen during filming?”

Qing Lin blinked, both annoyed and flustered. “That’s because you didn’t tell me beforehand!”

Shen Xuzhi paused, expression perfectly serious, then pointed to the side of his own face. “Now I’ve told you. So… come kiss me.”

Qing Lin: “….”

Qing Lin froze.

Shen Xuzhi had probably just finished his morning routine before coming over. He wore Western-style trousers and shoes, and a white collared shirt buttoned neatly, the subtle prominence of his Adam’s apple catching the light. Leaning a slender hand against his cheek, he looked at Qing Lin with a relaxed, effortless ease.

Watching Shen Xuzhi behave so effortlessly, so naturally, Qing Lin couldn’t help but lower his gaze, his ears tinged with heat. Did it really have to come to this?

“…Let’s just wait until filming…”

Shen Xuzhi’s chest tightened slightly at the refusal, though it didn’t seem to bother him much. If anything, it made him look forward to the filming even more.

Qing Lin hadn’t expected the program to be so… dramatic. Outdoor survival was one thing, but now they were tasked with acting like a married couple.

Even knowing the reason behind the kiss didn’t make him feel better. If anything, it left him with a strange, suffocating warmth.

“I’ll eat first,” he said, lowering his eyelids.

Shen Xuzhi settled beside him, quietly observing as Qing Lin ate, each bite measured and deliberate. He was so neat, so slow, so precise—almost elegant.

There was a faint, kitten-like quality to him: the way he stuck out his tongue to taste, chewed with careful attention, and occasionally licked his lips. Every movement was quietly tantalizing.

Finally, Shen Xuzhi spoke, slow and coaxing, the low timbre of his voice threading into the air between them. “How did it feel… me kissing you just now?”

Qing Lin stirred his porridge absentmindedly, noting to himself that, in truth, it didn’t feel bad.

For a moment, his heartbeat seemed to pause, only resuming once the warm lips had lifted from his cheek.

He sipped the chicken soup with an almost calm expression. “You did that all of a sudden… of course, it was shocking.”

Shen Xuzhi smiled. “But you said yesterday that you’d thought about kissing me.”

Cough! The soup went down the wrong way, the oil lingering briefly in his throat.

Qing Lin coughed, and Shen Xuzhi immediately handed him a glass of water, then reached for a napkin to help wipe his mouth.

His fingers brushed lightly against Qing Lin’s lips through the napkin, while his other hand rested on Qing Lin’s shoulder, gently clearing away stray droplets.

Every spot he touched seemed faintly tinged with color, a soft warmth that left a lingering flush.

Qing Lin pushed him away gently. “I’ll do it myself…”

Shen Xuzhi let go. Qing Lin lowered his head, pressing the napkin to his lips, his mind still echoing Shen Xuzhi’s earlier words. Indeed… he had said that.

He crumpled the napkin into a small ball, holding it in his hand, then looked up with a quiet seriousness. “It’s not that I don’t want to… and it’s not like it’s impossible if it had to happen. Besides… it’s just a kiss on the face. It wouldn’t be a big deal anyway.”

His small, serious face said it all, so earnestly obedient that it almost seemed formal.

“Oh?” Shen Xuzhi leaned back in his chair, legs crossed lazily, tilting his head with a teasing smile. “Then kiss me now.”

Qing Lin: “….”

What kind of reasoning was that?

Shen Xuzhi leaned forward slightly, adding fuel to the fire. “It’s just a kiss on the face, after all.”

Qing Lin somehow caught the unspoken question in Shen Xuzhi’s eyes, “You’re not afraid, are you?”, and in an instant, his competitive streak ignited.

It was as if a pure, shy boy had just been dared to press his lips to another man’s face.

“Yeah,” he said, voice steady, though a faint heat crept into his cheeks, “what’s the big deal about men kissing on the face?”

Men were strong-willed by nature.

Qing Lin drew a slow, steadying breath, regaining his composure. His gaze was calm, almost indifferent, though his long, dark lashes quivered slightly as he lifted his eyes. With a serene, refined expression, he said quietly, “Come over.”

Shen Xuzhi raised a brow but made no move, leaning back against the chair. His tie sat perfectly straight, a faint smirk tugging at his lips, every ounce of restraint only made him more alluring.

Qing Lin tilted his chin just a fraction. “If you don’t come over, how am I supposed to kiss?”

Shen Xuzhi leaned forward slightly, legs crossed lazily, watching him with amused, playful interest.

Qing Lin admitted it. He had been provoked.

In a heartbeat, he pushed himself up from the bed, hands bracing on either side of Shen Xuzhi’s chair. He moved toward him with startling speed, leaning forward, tilting his head back, warm breath brushing against Shen Xuzhi’s nose.

His waist arched gracefully, forming a delicate curve as he leaned in, the loose hospital gown slipping slightly to reveal the pale, faintly flushed skin beneath the low V-neck. His eyes were cool yet mesmerizing.

Shen Xuzhi’s body stiffened. One hand gripped the armrest; the other rested lightly on Qing Lin’s slim waist. The pose was impossible to categorize, like a mischievous fox slipping into your arms while radiating undeniable authority.

Qing Lin paid no attention to the hand on his waist. He squinted his amber eyes, quietly studying Shen Xuzhi’s face.

That face… it was really handsome.

He’d thought so the first time he’d seen it on a billboard towering over the city. If he could, he would sketch it, capture every line.

“Where… should I kiss?” Qing Lin murmured, genuinely weighing the perfect spot, but to Shen Xuzhi, it sounded like a teasing whisper.

The boy before him was impossibly beautiful, his pale eyes drawing Shen Xuzhi in completely. His gaze roamed over every feature, brows, eyes, nose, lips, hardly lingering on just the side profile.

It felt like the kiss was about to land—

“Hi! We’re here for a surprise filming visit! We heard Qing Lin is awake and wanted to check in!”

The door burst open. Livestream cameras swiveled toward them, and Su Mingxuan stepped inside, announcing their sudden arrival.

[Qing Lin! Mom’s here to see you! Are you okay, my Xiao Lin? Everything alright?]

[Heard that Shen Laoshi is inside.]

[Yeah, Ah Zhi is in there! Reports say he rescued Qing Lin, and now he’s taking care of him in the hospital.]

[Ahhh, is this the live “ShenLin in the hospital” version?! No lewd stuff! We can’t have that!]

[What a sudden live stream! If anything embarrassing happens and it gets broadcast… that would be so awkward! (Quick! Show me, show me, show me!)]

Meanwhile—

Qing Lin had been tucked neatly back into bed, wrapped snugly in the blankets His expression was a little dazed, not quite matching the look of someone who had just woken up.

Shen Xuzhi stood beside the bed, back to the camera, one hand resting on his waist, the other rubbing his forehead in mild frustration.

Su Mingxuan’s gaze flicked toward Qing Lin. “Ah, Qing Lin… you look quite well…”

Before he could finish, Shen Xuzhi’s sharp, almost dagger-like glance sent a shiver down Su Mingxuan’s spine, goosebumps rising instantly.

Quickly, Su Mingxuan redirected. “…but I guess you should rest a bit more. We’ll leave for now, don’t want to disturb Qing Lin’s rest.”

He hurriedly ushered the crew out of the room.

[Ahhh!! We didn’t get any footage! Why did they leave?!]

[Hahaha, they were threatened earlier! Go complain to An-an! Dumb couple!]

[Shen Laoshi and Xiao Lin definitely have something going on!! Are they kissing? Flirting? I guess he interrupted them, and Shen Laoshi got angry!]

[I need to see it! Why are you such a coward? What are they doing in there? Go back and record! I have to know!]

Once the door clicked shut, Shen Xuzhi finally exhaled, sweeping his bangs back irritably. The sudden noise had startled him earlier, prompting him to scoop Qing Lin back into bed and wrap him fully in the blankets.

Although he genuinely enjoyed Qing Lin’s yielding gesture, the pose was far too suggestive and bound to draw attention. If it were recorded, it would almost certainly become a reason for netizens to mindlessly criticize Qing Lin for flirting and trying to climb the social ladder.

And what was this “surprise filming” nonsense? Of all times, why did it have to happen now?

Shen Xuzhi considered himself thoroughly unlucky. The perfect moment they’d just shared had been completely ruined. They should have already kissed.

He sighed helplessly, bending over with his tie hanging loosely, and carefully loosened the blanket he had wrapped too tightly around Qing Lin. His expression remained indifferent, almost cold as usual, but a faint trace of disappointment lingered in his eyes.

After tidying up, Shen Xuzhi said, “I’ll go out first…”

At that moment, he felt a tug. The tie around his neck was suddenly pulled by the person on the bed, drawing him forward into a dry, warm breath.

Instinctively, Shen Xuzhi supported himself, drawing Qing Lin into his arms and then felt a slightly cool kiss land on the side of his face.

Huh?

Shen Xuzhi froze.

He had assumed what was lost was gone forever, yet when it did, he felt bewildered throughout the entire beautiful experience.

Qing Lin had genuinely kissed Shen Xuzhi on the face, making a heart-fluttering “muma” sound.

He seemed genuinely proud, as if to prove that he wasn’t the type to get shy from a simple kiss on the cheek. That was why the tone at the end of his words lifted, light and sparkling.

“Kissed.”