After the Beautiful Omega Was Targeted by His Straight Roommate - Chapter 36

Tao Ran’s palms were very tender. Because he was drunk and did not know how to control his strength, he had used his full power with every slap. Consequently, his own hands had quickly turned bright red.

As his consciousness became increasingly hazy, Tao Ran’s reaction time dropped sharply. It took him a long time to process the question Qi Yuxiao had asked.

“It hurts a little,” he finally nodded after a long pause, his voice very low.

Qi Yuxiao wrapped his palm around the back of Tao Ran’s hand, using the pad of his thumb to gently rub the soft skin of Tao Ran’s palm. He whispered, “It will not hurt after a little rubbing.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Jiang Zhao, who had watched their entire interaction, was speechless. He could not help but interrupt them. “Hey, excuse me? Who exactly is the injured party here?” He looked at Qi Yuxiao, his face—marked by two clear handprints—looking utterly pathetic as he complained indignantly, “Qi Yuxiao, please show some concern for the actual and only victim, okay?”

Qi Yuxiao spared a moment to acknowledge Jiang Zhao, glancing at him. “What exactly happened?”

So, Jiang Zhao recounted everything he had seen to Qi Yuxiao. Recalling the man named “Xiao Tian” now, he could not help but feel a shiver of revulsion. “You have no idea how weird that guy was. I thought he was trying to harass Tao Ran at first, but it turns out he is even more delicate than Tao Ran. All that muscle was completely wasted on him.”

Jiang Zhao suddenly remembered something and asked, “Oh, by the way, that Xiao Tian said he and Tao Ran are colleagues working at the same bar. Did you know about that?”

Qi Yuxiao froze, his expression darkening instantly. “A bar?”

“Yeah.” Unaware that he was fueling the fire, Jiang Zhao blinked his large eyes and asked, “Tao Ran did not tell you?”

Qi Yuxiao fell silent. He could not help but recall the few times he had asked Tao Ran about his part-time job, only to receive vague and perfunctory answers. Tao Ran had deliberately hidden the location of his work; he did not want Qi Yuxiao to know he was working at a bar.

Qi Yuxiao’s face grew serious, his brow furrowing deeper. He asked, “Which bar does Tao Ran work at?”

“How should I know?” Jiang Zhao shrugged. “There are tons of bars in this area. Xiao Tian did not say.” Jiang Zhao continued, “But why was he sitting alone at the subway entrance drunk in the middle of the night? That is so dangerous. It is lucky he ran into me.”

As he spoke, Jiang Zhao’s gaze fell on Tao Ran, who was clinging closely to Qi Yuxiao’s side. His head was lowered, his somewhat long, soft hair falling over his forehead. His eyes were misty and unfocused, making him look incredibly docile and innocent. It was as if the person who had just slapped Jiang Zhao twice was not him at all.

Well, Jiang Zhao could not really take credit for “saving” him. After all, being drunk seemed to have unlocked Tao Ran’s hidden potential and boosted his combat stats. The only one suffering was likely everyone else.

“Tao Ran is right here. Why don’t you just ask him?” Jiang Zhao asked, puzzled. He jerked his chin toward Qi Yuxiao, signaling him to ask Tao Ran directly.

However, Qi Yuxiao seemed to have blocked out his signal and did not respond. Jiang Zhao then turned to Tao Ran and called his name.

Jiang Zhao said, “Tao Ran, which bar do you work at? Aside from that gay bar nearby called Jiangnan Love that I do not go to, I am a super VIP at all the others. I will come by next time to support your business.”

Qi Yuxiao’s gaze also fell on Tao Ran’s face, a deep confusion hidden in his eyes. To be honest, working at a bar was not anything shameful; he could not understand why Tao Ran would keep it from him.

Although Tao Ran was drunk, he still maintained a sense of caution. He knew that the two people standing in front of him were Qi Yuxiao and Jiang Zhao. Their shared inquisitive stares placed an unprompted pressure on him. Tao Ran felt instinctively nervous and did not dare look at their faces. His long lashes trembled, and his lips moved as he murmured, “I…”

His voice cut off abruptly. He pursed his lips and shook his head, clearly refusing to answer.

“Huh? What does that mean? You do not want to say?” Jiang Zhao looked at Qi Yuxiao.

This was Tao Ran’s private business, after all. Qi Yuxiao looked at Tao Ran and was about to say something when a defensive shout came from nearby. “Hey! What do you two want?”

Xu Jiali stood at the bottom of the steps two meters away, hands on his hips and panting for breath. On his way back, he had run into a colleague who asked him for a small favor to help fetch something. Xu Jiali thought it would not take long and agreed. However, the colleague’s description was unclear, causing him to search the staff room for much longer than expected, making him twenty minutes late getting back to the subway station.

As soon as he returned, he discovered Tao Ran was no longer on the bench. Instead, two very tall guys were standing there, their figures almost completely surrounding a shorter boy. Even so, Xu Jiali recognized Tao Ran by a corner of his clothing.

Thinking they were dealing with a robbery or sexual harassment, Xu Jiali rushed forward, pushed past the two men blocking the way, and pulled Tao Ran toward him. “Tao Ran, are you okay?”

He looked up angrily, prepared to demand what the two men were doing. But as soon as he saw the face of the person closest to Tao Ran, his voice died in his throat.

“Wait, you are…” Xu Jiali’s rising anger was silently extinguished. Looking at the handsome, familiar face, he blinked. “Qi Yuxiao?”

Qi Yuxiao was very famous at their school, so Xu Jiali could recognize his face. The person next to him was likely his friend, Jiang Zhao. To be sure, Xu Jiali turned to Jiang Zhao, but he was startled by Jiang Zhao’s bright red face. “My god, classmate, what happened to your face?”

Jiang Zhao was almost moved to tears. From then until now, someone had finally shown concern for his injuries. He wiped his face and said bravely, “It is nothing. Just some injuries sustained while being a good Samaritan.”

Qi Yuxiao looked at Xu Jiali, his expression flat. He asked, “Are you Tao Ran’s classmate?”

Xu Jiali was dazed for a moment, wondering how Qi Yuxiao knew Tao Ran. But he quickly remembered—Qi Yuxiao and Tao Ran were roommates.

“Yes, I work part-time here with him,” Xu Jiali said. “Are you guys here for fun?”

“Yeah,” Qi Yuxiao said. “It is late. I will give you both a ride back to school.”

“Really?” Xu Jiali was a bit flattered. “Will that not be inconvenient?”

“It is no trouble. The car is right by the road. He came specifically to pick up Tao Ran,” Jiang Zhao interjected. Then, Jiang Zhao asked casually, “Oh, by the way, which bar do you and Tao Ran work at? I just asked Tao Ran but he would not say.”

“We are at—” Xu Jiali was about to blurt it out when a spark went off in his brain. He was suddenly startled and swallowed the words “Jiangnan Love.”

Under Jiang Zhao’s confused gaze, Xu Jiali’s mind raced as he stole a glance at Qi Yuxiao. Wait, he seemed to recall that Tao Ran’s heartthrob roommate was famously homophobic.

Tao Ran and Qi Yuxiao were roommates who saw each other every day, and they seemed to have a good relationship. But Qi Yuxiao did not know Tao Ran was working at Jiangnan Love, and even while drunk, Tao Ran kept his mouth shut. That meant Tao Ran did not want Qi Yuxiao to know he was working at a gay bar, as it might cause unnecessary trouble.

Realizing he had almost done something stupid, Xu Jiali was practically breaking out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, nothing had happened; he had kept Tao Ran’s secret.

Xu Jiali stuttered for a moment and gave a perfunctory excuse. “Just a bar nearby. It is not a famous place.” He seamlessly changed the subject. “Are we heading back now?”

A deep light flickered in Qi Yuxiao’s eyes, thoughtful and silent. After a few seconds, he replied, “Mm. Get in the car.”

Xu Jiali breathed a sigh of relief. He intended to lead Tao Ran over, but as soon as Qi Yuxiao moved, the quiet Tao Ran also moved, following him step by step. Tao Ran reached out and grabbed Qi Yuxiao’s sleeve, the two of them walking very close together. Qi Yuxiao allowed the gesture, and as he turned to look at Tao Ran, his cold face seemed to soften significantly.

The atmosphere between the two seemed to have its own barrier that outsiders could not penetrate. Xu Jiali paused, scratching his head as a strange feeling lingered in his heart.

Xu Jiali and Jiang Zhao lived in different dormitory buildings, so Qi Yuxiao drove them back one by one. He then found a parking spot near his own dormitory.

It was already 11:00 PM. A full moon hung in the sky, casting a clear glow over everything. The temperature at night had dropped significantly, and a cold wind whistled through the branches, swirling fallen leaves on the ground.

Qi Yuxiao turned off the engine, unfastened his seatbelt, and turned to look at Tao Ran. Tao Ran was leaning against the passenger seat, his thick, curled lashes resting lightly on his face, his sleeping expression quiet and obedient. It made one reluctant to wake him.

Qi Yuxiao hesitated for a while, but seeing that it was late, he leaned over to unfasten Tao Ran’s seatbelt. He then used the back of his hand to gently pat Tao Ran’s soft cheek. After several pats, Tao Ran’s lashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes. His pupils regained a bit of focus—not quite clear, but no longer as vacant as before.

“We’re at the dorm. Let’s talk inside,” Qi Yuxiao said in a low, gentle voice.

Tao Ran had not quite come to. His dark, wet eyes were misty. He looked at Qi Yuxiao blankly and nodded.

Qi Yuxiao stepped out, walked around to the passenger side, and opened the door for Tao Ran. He thought that while Tao Ran was not fully sober, he should be halfway there—at least better than when he first got drunk. However, as soon as Tao Ran stepped out of the car, his balance failed, and he began to fall face-first toward the ground.

Qi Yuxiao reacted quickly, catching him just in time to prevent a tragedy. Seeing that Tao Ran was still dazed from the alcohol, Qi Yuxiao could not help but frown. According to Xu Jiali, the drink they had did not have much of a kick. How could Tao Ran be this drunk?

To prevent him from falling again, Qi Yuxiao reached out and easily took Tao Ran’s hand into his own. Tao Ran’s hand was much smaller than his, with slender fingers and soft skin. Qi Yuxiao could not resist pressing his thumb into Tao Ran’s palm and rubbing it slightly. He told him, “I will lead you.”

Tao Ran did not resist, obediently letting him lead the way.

They returned to the dorm. Zhuo Qiang and Su Jialiang were about to turn out the lights and go to bed; Zhuo Qiang was already halfway up his ladder. Hearing the noise, they both looked toward the door. Seeing Tao Ran and Qi Yuxiao return together, Zhuo Qiang asked, “Why are you two back so late?”

The doorway was narrow and could only fit one person at a time, so Qi Yuxiao let go of Tao Ran’s hand to let him enter first. Tao Ran’s footsteps were light and unstable, swaying back and forth. Without Qi Yuxiao’s guidance, he nearly walked straight into the wardrobe by Su Jialiang’s bed.

Su Jialiang let out a cry of surprise and quickly supported the limp, noodle-like Tao Ran. “What’s wrong with Tao Ran?”

“He’s drunk,” Qi Yuxiao said as he came over to take Tao Ran from him. “You guys go to sleep. I’ll take care of him.”

Su Jialiang scratched his ear and asked, “Wasn’t Tao Ran out working? How did he get drunk?”

Qi Yuxiao had only just found out tonight that Tao Ran was working at a bar, but Tao Ran did not seem to want them to know. So, he made up an excuse. “I ran into him after he finished work. We grabbed dinner and he accidentally had too much.”

Su Jialiang asked worriedly, “Can you handle him by yourself?”

Qi Yuxiao pulled Tao Ran closer. “I can.”

“Ok, then I’m heading to bed too.”

Qi Yuxiao lowered his head and asked Tao Ran, “Do you want to shower, or go straight to sleep?”

Tao Ran thought for a moment and answered haltingly, “Sh-shower.”

Looking at him in this state, Qi Yuxiao was a bit worried. “Can you manage on your own?”

Tao Ran said, “I can.”

“Alright, I’ll get your pajamas for you.”

Qi Yuxiao found Tao Ran’s change of clothes and placed them on the bathroom rack. He also got the body wash and specifically instructed him, “Don’t wash your hair tonight. Do it tomorrow.” Tao Ran nodded dizzily, though it was unclear if he had actually listened.

Fearful of an accident, Qi Yuxiao remained uneasy. After watching Tao Ran enter the bathroom, he stood on the balcony, waiting for him to come out. Fortunately, although Tao Ran was drunk, he still possessed some self-care ability. Fifteen minutes later, the sound of the shower stopped. A few minutes after that, the bathroom door opened.

Clouds of white steam billowed out from the room. Tao Ran walked out in his pajamas. He had obediently avoided washing his hair, but it had inevitably become damp during the shower. A few water droplets hung precariously from the ends of his hair near his forehead.

“Finished?” Qi Yuxiao reached out to brush the droplets from his hair. His gaze fell on Tao Ran’s face, which was still dewy and soft, like a piece of polished white jade.

The faint scent of chamomile drifted through the air—after a hot shower, Tao Ran smelled even more fragrant than usual. Qi Yuxiao’s eyes grew heavy, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as a surge of thirst arose within him. His body instinctively wanted to pull Tao Ran into a tight embrace.

However, given Tao Ran’s condition tonight, Qi Yuxiao’s usually thin conscience flickered. Not wanting to disturb him further, he restrained himself and simply stroked Tao Ran’s cheek. He said raspy, “Then go to sleep.”

“Mm.”

Tao Ran did not linger on the balcony. He turned and entered the dorm. The lights were out and it was quite dark. Fearing Tao Ran might bump into something, it took Qi Yuxiao a few seconds to react before he followed him in.

To his surprise, Tao Ran seemed to be moving normally after his shower. His footsteps were steady, and he could even grip the railing to climb the ladder himself.

However, something was still not quite right.

Qi Yuxiao paused, lifting his gaze in the dim dormitory. After Tao Ran’s foot reached the top step, his body leaned over.

Unexpectedly, instead of climbing into his own bed, Tao Ran turned and crawled into Qi Yuxiao’s bed.

Support