After the Beautiful Omega Was Targeted by His Straight Roommate - Chapter 34

Qi Yuxiao: “?”

Tao Ran knew he was giving an irrelevant answer. He lowered his eyes guiltily, swallowed, and explained, “It is just some very ordinary part-time work. Yes, that is how it is.”

Qi Yuxiao did not speak. Tao Ran’s heart leapt into his throat, and he could not help but steal several glances at him. Qi Yuxiao’s hand remained around Tao Ran’s waist. After a moment of silence, he asked, “Is it far from the school? I can drive you there.”

“No, no,” Tao Ran hurriedly waved his hand in refusal. “I am going with my classmate.”

Another long silence followed. Qi Yuxiao’s searching gaze drifted over Tao Ran as if weighing the truth of his words. For the guilt-ridden Tao Ran, it felt like a slow execution. Finally, Qi Yuxiao spoke in a low voice, “Fine.”

Tao Ran breathed a sigh of relief, pried Qi Yuxiao’s hand away, and quickly stood up from his lap. “Then, I will head to work now.”

Tao Ran’s gaze shifted slightly from Qi Yuxiao’s eyes to the dark circles beneath them. He spoke up again, “Wait a moment.”

Qi Yuxiao watched as Tao Ran climbed the ladder to his own bed. Instead of sitting down, Tao Ran hunched over and reached into his bedding, dragging something out. A familiar, bright yellow figure appeared.

Tao Ran brought the SpongeBob SquarePants plushie down. Once he was standing steadily on the floor, he handed it to Qi Yuxiao with both hands. “This is for you.”

Qi Yuxiao was stunned, not reacting for a moment. Tao Ran grabbed a corner of SpongeBob and held it under Qi Yuxiao’s nose. His voice was clear and soft as he asked gently, “Smell it. Has it become fragrant again?”

The toy indeed gave off a faint scent of chamomile. Qi Yuxiao nodded. “Mm.”

Tao Ran: “Your bed was empty when you left. I was afraid it would be lonely, so I took the liberty of bringing it into my bed. You do not mind, do you?”

Qi Yuxiao: “It was your toy to begin with. You can take it whenever you want.”

“Yes. After sleeping with me for over a week, it has become fragrant again.” Tao Ran rubbed SpongeBob’s head and handed it to Qi Yuxiao once more. “It is perfect for you to use now.”

Qi Yuxiao’s gaze fell briefly on the plushie before returning to Tao Ran. Tao Ran’s face was clean, and his lips pulled into a shy smile, a shallow dimple appearing on his cheek. His eyes were sincere and pure. Qi Yuxiao’s throat tightened; a corner of his heart was struck and collapsed softly. The gloom in his heart dissipated bit by bit upon touching Tao Ran’s smile.

However, Qi Yuxiao did not realize the gravity of the situation. Tao Ran’s life was now almost entirely consumed by his part-time job.

Ordinarily, Tao Ran would stay in the dorm whenever he had no classes. Now, it was difficult to see him there all day. According to Tao Ran, business at the job was very good lately, so the boss asked him to help out whenever he was free. Even so, Tao Ran returned to the dorm promptly at 10:30 PM every night. He could not rest even then, as he had to complete major-related assignments before he could finally shower.

Coming out of the shower, Tao Ran saw Qi Yuxiao standing on the balcony. He peeked into the dorm; the lights were on, but no one was down there. Zhuo Qiang and Su Jialiang had already gone to bed to play on their phones.

Tao Ran looked at Qi Yuxiao again. His eyelashes, damp from the bathroom steam, fluttered as he asked, “Do you want to hug?”

Qi Yuxiao indeed had that thought. But seeing the exhaustion written all over Tao Ran’s face, he could not bear to disturb him. “No need. Go and rest.”

But his roommate was far too kind. Tao Ran, deeply concerned about Qi Yuxiao’s sleep, raised his soft, misty eyes and watched him earnestly. “Will you be unable to sleep without a hug? Should we hug anyway?”

Qi Yuxiao’s heart stirred. After a few seconds of internal conflict, he decided to follow his heart and accept Tao Ran’s friendly assistance.

Over the next few days, whenever Tao Ran finished showering at night, Qi Yuxiao would be waiting on the balcony for him. While their roommates were in bed with their curtains drawn, they would embrace on the balcony. However, it never lasted long—only ten minutes.

Theoretically, ten minutes was not enough for Qi Yuxiao to absorb a satisfying amount of the fragrance, but ten minutes was Tao Ran’s limit. Balancing classes and work during the day left him exhausted by nightfall. He was already nodding off by the time he finished his shower.

Moreover, they remained silent during every embrace. Tao Ran was obedient and still, letting Qi Yuxiao touch and scent his hair and neck. The air was quiet, and Qi Yuxiao’s embrace was warm. Gradually, Tao Ran’s mind would grow heavy. His head would lean against Qi Yuxiao’s shoulder, and he would fall asleep standing up.

Zhuo Qiang and Su Jialiang, seeing how hard Tao Ran was working, were curious about what kind of job he had. But Tao Ran always brushed them off with vague excuses.

Once, after Tao Ran accidentally let a detail slip, Qi Yuxiao learned that the job was a thirty-minute commute by bus and subway. He offered to pick Tao Ran up at night, but Tao Ran refused without a second thought. Because the intake of fragrance was insufficient, the dissatisfaction in Qi Yuxiao’s heart grew day by day, turning into a bottomless black hole.

During that long week, the only time he felt satisfied was the night Tao Ran returned thirty minutes late. Tao Ran arrived at 11:00 PM. The dorm lights were already out. Qi Yuxiao stood on the balcony, his tall figure immersed in the night as he felt the cold wind. He noticed the dorm door unlock through a crack in the glass door.

Tao Ran pushed the door open carefully. Seeing it was pitch black, he assumed his roommates were asleep and kept his footsteps light. After finding his pajamas in the wardrobe, he tiptoed to the glass door. Noticing the crack, he pressed against the frame and squeezed himself out.

Finally on the balcony, Tao Ran was about to sigh with relief when he turned and walked straight into a solid chest. He jumped, his pupils trembling until he heard Qi Yuxiao’s voice, chilled by the night wind, “It is me.”

Tao Ran had clearly not recovered. Because he had jogged back to the dorm, he was still breathless. His lips were parted slightly, showing a deep pink line, as he looked at Qi Yuxiao with damp, bright eyes. He was covered in a layer of sweat. His temples were wet, and a bead of sweat rolled down his jawline, hanging precariously at his chin.

Qi Yuxiao’s eyes were darker than the night sky. He used the pad of his thumb to gently brush Tao Ran’s chin, wiping the sweat away. It felt like crushing a bead of condensed fragrance; the chamomile scent exploded in the air, more intense than any previous day—even though they had not yet embraced.

With the familiar scent filling his breath, a look of satisfaction appeared in Qi Yuxiao’s eyes. He asked softly, “Why are you so late tonight?”

Tao Ran finally recovered from the fright and explained in a small voice, “Things were busy tonight. The bus back to school had already stopped running, so I had to walk. I walked faster because I wanted to get back quickly.”

Since he intended to shower, Tao Ran had already taken off his jacket and left it on his desk. He wore a somewhat slim-fitting long-sleeved shirt, revealing a large portion of his fair collarbone. Because of the jog, he was covered in sweat. The thin, soft white fabric was damp, clinging to his body. A sliver of moonlight fell on the balcony floor, making his slender waistline appear faintly visible.

Qi Yuxiao’s breathing hitched slightly. His gaze moved slowly from Tao Ran’s waist to his face. His face and neck were also covered in a thin layer of sweat, giving off a fine, moist luster like high-quality porcelain. Qi Yuxiao’s gaze grew heavy. He felt a sudden hunger stir within him.

For some reason, the sweat made Tao Ran smell exceptionally fragrant—not like before, but a delicious, mouth-watering sweetness. Qi Yuxiao’s eyes darkened further. Then, he heard himself swallow.

Tao Ran looked at him and said, “You are still waiting for me. Let me take a shower first, and then we will…”

Before the word “hug” could be uttered, Tao Ran’s arm was grabbed, and he was suddenly pulled into a warm embrace. Tao Ran instinctively shrugged his shoulders, trying to push against Qi Yuxiao’s chest. He shook his head slightly in resistance, saying softly, “I cannot hug yet. I am sweaty.”

Qi Yuxiao lowered his head and brushed against the skin behind Tao Ran’s ear. His nose felt a hint of moisture from the sweat there. Qi Yuxiao showed no sign of distaste; instead, he continued to press and nuzzle against that delicate skin.

That area was very sensitive. Small currents of electricity made Tao Ran’s back feel numb. He shrank back suddenly, finding Qi Yuxiao’s behavior strange tonight. Tao Ran’s eyes were confused and helpless, his voice trembling slightly as he tried to wake him, “Qi… Qi Yuxiao?”

“Just let me hold you for a while.”

Qi Yuxiao’s arms tightened around his waist. He rubbed his cheek against the sweat on Tao Ran’s neck without reservation. After a long time, he asked, “Can I?”

Tao Ran: “…”

Although Qi Yuxiao was asking, his actions allowed for no resistance. He was more forceful than ever before. Tao Ran still minded the sweat, and his heart was beating fast. “But I am still sweaty.”

“It does not matter. I do not mind,” Qi Yuxiao’s voice was low and raspy as he pulled back slightly. His gaze fell on the two exquisite collarbones revealed by Tao Ran’s collar, the skin covered in a layer of fine, crystalline sweat. The fragrance drifted from there incessantly, forming a dense web. It was so intense it was almost suffocating.

But Qi Yuxiao adapted well. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he desperately suppressed the urge to lick the sweat off those collarbones. That night, Qi Yuxiao felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.

But it was only that night. Afterward, Tao Ran returned to the dorm on time. In the cold weather, a person does not sweat easily unless they are overdressed or exercising heavily. However, the threshold had been raised again that night. The ten-minute hugs could no longer soothe the desire surging in his body.

Qi Yuxiao sent a message to Jiang Zhao.

Qi Yuxiao: [Is Zhao Kaiyun dead?] Qi Yuxiao: [When is he going to do the thing he was supposed to do?]

Jiang Zhao replied helplessly: [Brother, you beat Zhao Kaiyun into a pulp. You have to give the man time to recover before he can film a video.] Jiang Zhao: [If he films a video with a bruised and swollen face, it will look like someone is holding a gun to his head to make him apologize. Who would believe it?]

Qi Yuxiao clicked his tongue and turned off his phone in frustration.

After working at the bar for ten consecutive days, Tao Ran had saved a substantial amount of money. Although it was still far from the compensation amount, it was a good start.

One morning after class, Tao Ran bought lunch and returned to the dorm. After eating, he was about to get ready for the bar. Just as he was about to leave, his phone rang. It was Xu Jiali. Thinking Xu Jiali was rushing him, Tao Ran said, “Jiali, I am about to leave the dorm.”

Instead, a scream came from the other end, “Tao Ran! Tao Ran! Good news!”

Tao Ran’s eardrums were nearly shattered. He held the phone away, rubbed his ear, and brought it back. “What happened? What good news?”

“We do not have to pay the money!” Xu Jiali’s voice was ecstatic. “Zhao Kaiyun wrote a handwritten confession and apology, and even filmed an apology video! He admitted his mistakes to the school. We do not have to pay him!”

“???” Tao Ran’s eyes widened in shock. “Really?”

“Yes! I do not know what got into that guy, but he actually admitted his faults and begged us to be magnanimous and forgive him. I guess he knows what is good for him, though I still will not forgive him,” Xu Jiali said indignantly. “My birthday wish this year is still for that piece of trash to vanish from the Earth!”

Tao Ran was surprised at first, but he soon calmed down. It was not purely a joyful event; it was just everything returning to normal, as the compensation had been an unmerited disaster for him anyway.

“Yes, me too,” Tao Ran said. “I will not forgive him.”

Xu Jiali: “But we still have to go to our part-time job. Hurry over!”

“Okay, I am coming.”

Tao Ran put on his shoes and opened the door, running straight into Qi Yuxiao, who had just returned.

“Qi Yuxiao, you are back,” Tao Ran greeted him.

“Mm.” Qi Yuxiao looked down at him. Seeing him ready to go out, his brow furrowed slightly. “You are still going to the part-time job?”

Tao Ran nodded. “Yes.”

Qi Yuxiao’s frown deepened. He could not help but ask, “Is the compensation not cancelled already?”

Tao Ran was stunned for a moment. He realized, “Oh… so you knew.”

Qi Yuxiao: “Mm.”

The time for the job was approaching. Tao Ran was in a hurry and did not have time to talk to Qi Yuxiao for long, so he spoke quickly, “It is true that I do not have to pay anymore, but the part-time job must continue. After all, I signed a two-month contract with the boss.”

Tao Ran checked the time on his phone again and said hurriedly, “I have to go now.”

Qi Yuxiao’s brow tightened. Watching Tao Ran’s hurried departure, he felt another surge of frustration.

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