After the Beautiful Omega Was Targeted by His Straight Roommate - Chapter 26

That evening, under Zhuo Qiang’s guidance, Tao Ran spent over ten minutes editing a text message to Zhou Qi. He finally sent a polite refusal for the class team-building event.

Tao Ran: [Sorry, Monitor. Our dorm planned a two-day trip to another city this weekend and we won’t be back by Saturday night, so I won’t be able to join the class outing.]

About half an hour later, Zhou Qi replied: [Alright, hope you have a great time.]

The night wind was bone-chilling. Zhou Qi stepped out of the hotel looking utterly disheveled, his back shivering from the cold. After replying to Tao Ran, his pale lips trembled as his stiff fingers took a screenshot of the chat and sent it to someone.

Zhou Qi: [Image] Zhou Qi: [He’s not going. I did my best.]

Ten seconds later, the other party replied.

Zhao Kaiyun: [Damn, what use are you? I’ve spent so much money on you, yet you can’t even handle a small task. Raising you is worse than raising a dog.]

One could imagine the sender’s fury just from the text. Zhou Qi felt only relief that he had waited until leaving the hotel to send the message.

He bit his lip and replied hurriedly: [I’m sorry, I didn’t think it through. I’ll find another way; I can definitely get him to come out.] Zhou Qi (cautiously): [Then the class outing on Saturday, will you still come?] Zhao Kaiyun: [Get lost.]

To prepare for this trip, Tao Ran did plenty of research and even ordered some hiking gear from a shopping app. His heart was full of anticipation, and he couldn’t resist sharing the news with Dr. Chi.

Upon hearing the news, Dr. Chi expressed great relief.

Dr. Chi: [Congratulations on finally being willing to take a step into the outside world! (clapping) (clapping) (clapping)] Dr. Chi: [University students should see more of the world while they have free time. Don’t wait until you start working to regret it.] Tao Ran: [Why can’t I go once I start working? (confused) (confused)] Dr. Chi: [After coming home from work every day, you won’t even have the strength to hang yourself, let alone think about travel.] Tao Ran: [(sweating) (sweating)]

Dr. Chi was in a good mood. As a result, he sent Tao Ran another “gold coin” burst, telling him to let loose and have a good time.

Qi Yuxiao had originally suggested driving, but because Su Jialiang suffered from extreme motion sickness, the plan was scrapped. Ultimately, the four of them unanimously decided to take the high-speed rail.

Saturday arrived quickly.

The train ride took two and a half hours. Having bought early tickets, they arrived in City A by 9:00 AM. Their first task upon landing was to take a taxi to the hotel to check in. They had booked a chain hotel with a great reputation. According to Su Jialiang, the facilities and hygiene were excellent. The only downside was—

“I’m very sorry,” the hotel receptionist said apologetically. “There’s been a surge of tourists in City A recently. The hotel was fully booked last night, and it’s too early for guests to have checked out yet, so we can’t check you in just yet.”

No one had anticipated this.

“Can we store our luggage here first?” Qi Yuxiao asked. “Certainly,” the receptionist nodded.

They left their bags at the hotel and began their city tour. City A was an ancient city with a long history and deep cultural roots. In half a day, the four of them visited two historic sites in the old district, one museum, and checked into three “influencer” spots, tasting many local delicacies along the way.

By 4:00 PM:

“I can’t go on, I can’t do it,” Zhuo Qiang panted, slumped half-limp against Su Jialiang. “If we walk any further, I feel like my legs are going to fall off.”

“Stop clinging to me,” Su Jialiang said, swatting Zhuo Qiang’s hand off his shoulder. “Who was the one yesterday swearing they’d be a ‘Special Forces’ tourist and see every single sight in one day?”

Zhuo Qiang’s voice was weak with regret: “Who knew the attractions here were so big? You walk and walk and never reach the end.”

“Are you tired?” Qi Yuxiao turned his head and asked Tao Ran softly. “A little,” Tao Ran nodded honestly.

Actually, his legs had been aching since they finished the museum, but seeing everyone else so energetic and enthusiastic, he didn’t want to speak up and spoil the fun. He had grit his teeth and persisted until now.

He silently thanked Zhuo Qiang for being the first to say he was tired.

Qi Yuxiao spoke up: “The hotel should be ready for check-in now. Let’s go back and rest. We have the night climb up Mount Suyun tonight, so we need to save some energy.”

Zhuo Qiang: “Great!” Su Jialiang: “Fine.” Tao Ran: “Yes!”

Tao Ran finally caught his breath and silently thanked Qi Yuxiao too.

The four took a taxi back to the hotel. Zhuo Qiang, who had handled the booking, collected the other three’s ID cards and handed them to the front desk together.

The receptionist processed the check-in and respectfully handed over two cards with both hands: “Here are your room cards, gentlemen. Please keep them safe. Enjoy your stay.”

“Thanks.” Zhuo Qiang took the cards and naturally handed one to Qi Yuxiao. “Here, this one is for you and Tao Ran.”

Tao Ran froze, turning to Zhuo Qiang in surprise. “How many rooms did we book?”

Zhuo Qiang and Su Jialiang had been in charge of the hotel. Tao Ran had only heard them say they found a good place, but he never asked about the number of rooms or the bed types.

“Two, obviously,” Zhuo Qiang said, puzzled. “Is it a twin room?” Qi Yuxiao asked. “No,” Su Jialiang answered. “When we booked, the twin rooms were all gone. Only king rooms were left, so I booked two of those.”

“What is with you two?” Zhuo Qiang looked at Qi Yuxiao and Tao Ran with a strange expression. “You two seem so close usually; is it just a ‘plastic’ friendship? We’re all guys, can’t you handle sharing a bed?”

“No,” Qi Yuxiao’s expression remained neutral. He reached out, took the card from Zhuo Qiang, and said casually, “Thanks.”

Zhuo Qiang scratched his head, even more confused. Usually, Qi Yuxiao was quite arrogant. Why the sudden politeness?

The two rooms were on different floors. Zhuo Qiang and Su Jialiang’s room was on the 4th floor, so they arrived first. As the elevator doors opened, Su Jialiang looked past a clearly dazed Tao Ran and said to Qi Yuxiao, “We’re going to sleep then. Hit the dorm group chat if you need anything.”

“Understood.”

Once the two stepped out, the doors closed. Zhuo Qiang couldn’t shake the weird feeling. “I feel like those two are acting strange, especially Qi Yuxiao.”

A thought flashed through his mind. “Wait, I forgot! Qi Yuxiao moved out because he’s a bad sleeper. Is he one of those neurotics who can’t stand another living, breathing creature near him when he sleeps?”

“Damn, I didn’t think about it. I just thought two rooms for four people was perfect,” Zhuo Qiang said regretfully, tapping his head. “I bet he’s unhappy about it.”

Su Jialiang countered: “You’re overthinking it. Even though he moved out, hasn’t he been sleeping in the dorm lately?” “I guess so.” “And besides,” Su Jialiang recalled the moment he last spoke to Qi Yuxiao. He had noticed the corner of the other’s mouth twitch ever so slightly, as if he were trying hard to suppress a smile.

Su Jialiang concluded: “I actually think he looked pretty happy.” “What?” “Like he was secretly enjoying it.” “What is he enjoying?” “Who knows?”

Qi Yuxiao and Tao Ran’s room was on the 7th floor. When the elevator doors opened, Qi Yuxiao stepped out, but Tao Ran stood there lost in thought.

“Tao Ran, we’re here,” Qi Yuxiao reminded him. “Ah? Oh.” Tao Ran snapped out of it and hurried out before the doors closed.

“What’s wrong? You’ve been spacing out,” Qi Yuxiao said, his gaze dropping to Tao Ran’s profile. “Do you mind sleeping in the same bed as me?” “No, no,” Tao Ran quickly shook his head. “How could I?”

They stopped at their door. “Is that so?” Qi Yuxiao looked at him with a faint gaze. “You looked quite shocked when you found out we were sharing.”

Qi Yuxiao’s eyes were narrow and sharp, his irises dark and his expression cool. When he looked at someone, there was always an underlying sense of scrutiny, as if any pretense would crumble under his gaze. Even though Tao Ran knew Qi Yuxiao hadn’t discovered he was a “fake” straight man yet, being watched like that made his heart race with guilt and nervousness.

Tao Ran’s palms were slightly sweaty. In a soft voice, he said, “I… I was just afraid I’d disturb your sleep.” Qi Yuxiao let out a small chuckle. “What is there to worry about?”

With a beep, Qi Yuxiao opened the door and slid the card into the slot. The lights flickered on. He scanned the interior and commented, “The environment is decent.”

Tao Ran looked around too. The room wasn’t huge, but it had everything, and the decor was brand new. “I think so too,” he agreed.

They put their luggage on the sofa. Qi Yuxiao asked, “Are you sleepy? Want to take a nap?” Seeing Tao Ran’s confusion, he added, “The night climb doesn’t start until midnight. It takes about two hours to reach the summit, then we camp. It’ll be crowded on the weekend, and with all the noise, you won’t be able to sleep in a tent. Better to get some sleep now.”

Tao Ran realized: “Oh, I see!” He had no experience with night climbing. When he heard the others wanted to rest, he thought they were just tired from the day’s walking. “Okay, let’s sleep for a bit.”

“You don’t mind anymore?” Qi Yuxiao asked suddenly. His expression was casual, making it hard to read his true emotions. Tao Ran blinked, looking a bit dazed. “Mind… what?”

Qi Yuxiao stepped around Tao Ran and sat on the edge of the bed. He suddenly reached out, hooked his arm around Tao Ran’s waist, and easily pulled him onto his lap.

Startled, Tao Ran found himself sitting on Qi Yuxiao’s thighs, his hands instinctively resting on the other’s shoulders. They had gone from a polite social distance to an intimate, seamless contact. Qi Yuxiao seemed to have a high body temperature; his warmth and scent washed over Tao Ran, making him feel momentarily lightheaded.

Qi Yuxiao’s deep voice sounded very close: “I suggested sleeping together a few days ago, and you refused.”

Tao Ran remembered he had been quite firm in his refusal back then. But that was because he was inexperienced. It was his first time acting like a straight man, and he thought being cautious was the right move.

His brain worked overtime to find an excuse. He murmured softly, “That… that was because I thought the dorm beds were too small. Wouldn’t it be weird for two people to sleep there when it’s so cramped?” As he spoke, he managed to convince himself, gaining a bit of confidence. He looked up at Qi Yuxiao, seeking validation.

Qi Yuxiao raised an eyebrow. “So you mean, if the bed is big, we can sleep together?”

Tao Ran pondered this for a moment. Based on Zhuo Qiang and Su Jialiang’s reactions earlier, they seemed to think it was perfectly normal for two guys to share a bed. So, Qi Yuxiao had been right back then. There was nothing to be weirded out about. Two guys really can sleep together.

Thinking this, Tao Ran looked at Qi Yuxiao again, his eyes firm. “I suppose so.” “I see,” Qi Yuxiao said, a hint of a smile spreading in his eyes. Tao Ran didn’t quite understand. “Hmm? See what?”

“Nothing.” Qi Yuxiao hooked his arms under Tao Ran’s legs, lifted him up, and placed him in the middle of the soft, white bed. “Go to sleep.” “Oh.”

Just as Tao Ran lay down, a pair of hands pulled him over, and he was tucked into Qi Yuxiao’s embrace. Qi Yuxiao held him tightly, yet used a polite, inquiring tone: “Is it okay if I hold you while we sleep?”

Under the covers, Qi Yuxiao’s body radiated heat like a natural furnace. In this late autumn weather, he was incredibly appealing to the cold-sensitive Tao Ran. Thus, Tao Ran felt no discomfort with this posture.

He complied obediently, “It’s okay.”

The two huddled together on the plush bed, their bodies pressed close. Tao Ran’s cheek was against the other’s chest, feeling Qi Yuxiao’s breathing gradually become steady and deep. Sleep hadn’t come for him yet, and his mind wandered.

Su Jialiang and Zhuo Qiang must be in the same bed too, right? Do they sleep like this as well?

Support