After the Beautiful Omega Was Targeted by His Straight Roommate - Chapter 38

Recently, influenced by a cold air mass from Siberia, the city had experienced another sharp drop in temperature, fully entering the bleakness of midwinter.

Perhaps because of the cold weather, business at the bar had slowed down a bit, becoming especially quiet during the day. After delivering a round of drinks ordered by customers, Tao Ran returned to the bar counter, where several waiters had gathered for a bit of idle chatter.

Tao Ran scanned the group and, seeing that Xu Jiali was there, walked over with his tray.

“Tao Ran, come here, come here! Everyone is just chatting,” Xu Jiali said enthusiastically, bringing Tao Ran into the circle.

Like Tao Ran and Xu Jiali, these young men were all university students working part-time. Being of similar age and coming from different universities, they always had an endless supply of gossip and news to share.

Tao Ran stood beside Xu Jiali just as the group finished one topic. At that moment, another waiter approached from the back. Seeing them gathered at the bar, his expression became excited, and he hurried over with a spring in his step.

He looked around mysteriously to ensure no one else was listening, then spoke eagerly, “Guys, I have some shocking news!”

This instantly piqued everyone’s curiosity. “What is it?”

“I was in the staff room just now and accidentally overheard the conversation between Xiao Fei and the manager. Xiao Fei resigned.”

Everyone looked surprised. Xiao Fei was also a student worker, but he was not a waiter; he was one of the dancers on stage. He had been dancing there since the bar opened, but his popularity had been average until a short dance video filmed a week ago unexpectedly went viral online. Many netizens had come specifically to see him, and he had jumped to become the bar’s most popular resident dancer.

Word was that Xiao Fei’s hourly wage had recently risen to over two thousand yuan. Why would he suddenly resign with such a great earning opportunity?

Everyone began to speculate.

“Did another bar poach him?” “Or is it just too cold in winter to dance in those little crop tops?” “Oh, you’re all just guessing blindly,” the waiter whispered, lowering his voice further. “I heard that his roommates and classmates saw that viral dance video.”

“His roommates are all straight guys and extremely homophobic. Xiao Fei is the refined type who likes makeup and dressing up, basically a Xiao Ling. Conflicts between gay and straight viewpoints often lead to tension.”

“His roommates really did not like him. After finding out he was dancing at a bar, they secretly told the counselor, and the counselor informed his parents.”

“Xiao Fei’s parents are very traditional and conservative. When they found out their son had changed so much at university, they went to the school to cause a scene, claiming the school’s unhealthy atmosphere had corrupted their son.”

“Under the pressure, Xiao Fei had no choice but to resign.”

Shocked by the reason, the group fell silent. Someone finally spoke up to defend him. “Damn, those straight roommates are messed up. What does him dancing at a bar have to do with them? Reporting it to the counselor, are they not just jealous of the money he is making?”

“It really feels like there is a wall between straight guys and gay guys. My roommates are straight, too. Even though we get along okay, I’ve never dared to tell them I’m working at a gay bar.”

“Me too. It is better not to say anything if you can help it. A gay student in our department was isolated by his roommates before.”

In the middle of the conversation, the manager suddenly walked over from the back. Seeing the crowd of waiters chatting away, he quickly interrupted them.

“Hey, hey, hey! It is working hours. What are you chatting for?” The manager commanded with an unhappy look. “Even if there’s no business, do not just stand around. Go, go, go! Wipe the bar counter clean. And you guys, there’s trash at the booths, go clear it out.”

The group scattered immediately. Xu Jiali and Tao Ran took a broom and a mop to a specific booth.

Xu Jiali watched Tao Ran’s back as he swept the floor, several times wanting to speak but hesitating. The scene from a few days ago, when a drunk Tao Ran ran into Qi Yuxiao and Jiang Zhao, was still fresh in his mind. Xu Jiali was still relieved that he had reacted in time to hide the fact that Tao Ran was working at a gay bar.

However, he was not sure if Tao Ran knew that Qi Yuxiao already knew he was working at a bar.

So, Xu Jiali called out to the focused Tao Ran, “Um, Tao Ran.”

Tao Ran turned his head and heard Xu Jiali ask, “How much do you remember about what happened at the subway station when you were drunk the other night?”

At the mention of that night, Tao Ran instinctively thought of the embarrassing incident where he climbed into the wrong bed, but that had not happened at the subway station.

Tracing his memory back further, the background of the subway station emerged, and other details gradually became clear. While recalling, he said to Xu Jiali, “That night, after you ran back to the bar, I met Xiao Tian.”

“What?” Xu Jiali’s voice rose sharply, his heart instantly leaping into his throat. “Did Qi Yuxiao and Jiang Zhao see him?”

Tao Ran answered truthfully, “Qi Yuxiao did not, but Jiang Zhao did.” He tried to remember the details. “Xiao Tian saw me sitting alone at the subway entrance and came over to say hello. Then Jiang Zhao rushed up from somewhere and grabbed Xiao Tian’s hand aggressively. I do not know what he was trying to do.”

Xu Jiali thought, “…”

The subsequent events were a blur. Tao Ran frowned, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not retrieve the memories. He looked at Xu Jiali and asked, “Is something wrong?”

Xu Jiali said honestly, “I just heard about Xiao Fei and got a bit worried. After all, I heard Qi Yuxiao is a homophobic straight guy.” He paused, skillfully skipping over Tao Ran’s sexual orientation, and continued, “I’m just worried that if he knows you’re working at a gay bar, he might have a problem with it.”

Noticing Tao Ran’s startled expression, he quickly added, “But do not worry, he should not know yet. When he and Jiang Zhao asked me which bar we worked at that night, I did not give the specific name.”

“And fortunately, the one you met was Xiao Tian. With Xiao Tian’s rugged looks, a typical straight guy would not easily recognize that he is gay.”

Tao Ran’s heart, which had been hanging by a thread, settled slightly, but not completely. Qi Yuxiao did not know he was working at a gay bar for now, and his precarious straight guy status was protected once again.

However, he also knew he was working at a bar in this area. There are no secrets in this world. What if he was spotted by Jiang Zhao or Qi Yuxiao again while coming or going from work?

Actually, on the day he first lied, Tao Ran had a faint feeling that the lie would eventually be exposed. But he hoped that day would come later.

Lately, he had been sleeping with Qi Yuxiao. The single beds in the dorm were narrow, so they almost always slept huddled together, breaking Tao Ran’s long-standing habit of sleeping flat on his back.

Just as Qi Yuxiao had predicted, his sleep quality was gradually improving, and his insomnia had quickly gotten better. When they woke up and looked at each other every day, Tao Ran noticed that Qi Yuxiao, having had enough sleep, looked noticeably more refreshed.

The treatment was effective, but the contact was truly intimate. If Qi Yuxiao found out he was gay one day, would he find it disgusting? So disgusting that he would distance himself despite his sleep disorder?

Tao Ran still really hoped Qi Yuxiao’s sleep disorder would be cured soon. So if that day truly had to come, he hoped it would be after Qi Yuxiao had fully recovered.

It could not be discovered now. Tao Ran became worried and asked Xu Jiali, “How many days are left on our contract?”

“About ten days or so. Just endure a bit longer,” Xu Jiali understood the deeper meaning behind the question. “Since we do not need to pay compensation anymore, just think of it as earning some pocket money for yourself.”

“Mm,” Tao Ran nodded. He could get through it if he just endured a little more.

Xu Jiali suddenly thought of something and changed the subject. “Speaking of which, did you not say you created some accounts to post your artwork a few days ago? How are they doing?”

“Oh,” Tao Ran suddenly remembered. “I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t looked since I posted.”

The two looked around to make sure the manager was not in sight, then temporarily set aside their cleaning tools. Tao Ran opened a short-video app on his phone and handed it to Xu Jiali.

Xu Jiali looked at his work and the data for likes, saves, and views with a serious expression. He said in surprise, “Hey, I noticed your account traffic is pretty good! Every piece has several thousand views.”

Finding that Tao Ran had posted three videos at once after creating the account, Xu Jiali reminded him with experience, “It is better not to update so many pieces at once. The platform might easily flag you as a marketing account and limit your traffic.”

“Mm-hmm,” Tao Ran listened with focused attention.

“Your anatomy drawings are really good,” Xu Jiali praised generously. “This quality could definitely become a viral video.”

“It is just,” Xu Jiali frowned as he looked closer. “Your titles are too honest. For anatomy drawings, it is better to make them a bit more suggestive.”

“Suggestive?” This was truly beyond his knowledge. Tao Ran was dazed. “Suggestive of what?”

“For example, your first piece: a man’s back, showing off defined back muscles, and a firm posterior wrapped in suit pants. That is very suitable for being suggestive.” Xu Jiali opened the comment section and found that the netizens’ comments did not disappoint him. He handed the phone back to Tao Ran. “For what exactly suggestive means, you can check your comments.”

“Okay,” Tao Ran took the phone back. Just as he was about to look, he spotted the manager popping up again from the corner of his eye.

He shivered with nervousness and put the phone back in his pocket with forced calm. The two of them picked up their brooms and continued clearing trash as if nothing had happened.

He would have to find some free time to continue learning about being suggestive later.

By the time the cleaning task was finished, it was nearly 5:00 PM. Xu Jiali quickly put the tools away. “Tao Ran, I have to go back to school in a bit. I won’t be coming in tonight.”

“Oh, okay,” Tao Ran replied naturally.

Today, Xu Jiali had an evening class he could not skip, so he had to attend. As per usual, Tao Ran would have to go back alone tonight.

Xu Jiali specifically reminded him, “Do not drink again tonight, and be careful on your way back to school.”

“Okay.”

10:00 PM.

It was time for Tao Ran to get off work. After changing out of his uniform and packing his things, he was about to leave, only to be held up at the bar entrance.

Outside, the night was dark and the wind was howling. A light, drizzling rain had begun to fall. The temperature was very low, and as Tao Ran reached the doorway, a sudden gust of cold wind made him shiver.

He pulled his jacket tighter and fished an umbrella out of his backpack.

Fortunately, he had checked the weather forecast today, which said it might rain, so he had packed an umbrella in his backpack.

Just then, the phone in his pocket vibrated. After zipping up his backpack, Tao Ran opened his phone. It was a message from Qi Yuxiao.

Qi Yuxiao: [Where are you now?] Qi Yuxiao: [It’s raining outside. I’ll come pick you up.]

Tao Ran’s first reaction upon seeing the message was guilt. He couldn’t let Qi Yuxiao pick him up! If he really came, wouldn’t his secret about working at a gay bar be discovered?

Tao Ran replied cautiously: [No need, I have an umbrella.]

Qi Yuxiao: [The rain looks like it’s going to get heavier. It’s hard to walk even with an umbrella.]

Tao Ran: [It’s fine, it’s just a short walk. I won’t get wet once I’m in the subway or on the bus.]

To get Qi Yuxiao to drop the idea, Tao Ran told a panicked lie: [Actually, I’ve already reached the subway entrance. I’m about to head inside!]

Qi Yuxiao: [Really?]

Tao Ran: [Chick nodding.jpg]

Qi Yuxiao: [Image] Qi Yuxiao: [I’m at the subway entrance right now. Where are you?]

Tao Ran: ???

In disbelief, Tao Ran tapped on the image Qi Yuxiao had sent. It was taken from inside a car. The wipers weren’t on, and the windshield was covered in beads of rain, making the dark, rainy night outside look hazy and surreal. But he could still just barely see that the subway entrance was completely empty.

Tao Ran was shocked: [Why are you there?]

Qi Yuxiao: [Passing by.]

Huh? Is it really such a coincidence? Tao Ran blinked in a daze.

Qi Yuxiao: [I picked you up from here last time when you were drunk. You usually take the subway from this station to get back to school from your job, right?]

It was an easy enough deduction. But was Qi Yuxiao really just “passing by”? His lie had been exposed in an instant; Tao Ran felt awkward and guilty, not knowing how to reply for a moment.

A minute passed.

Qi Yuxiao: [If you don’t want me to go over there, that’s fine. While the rain is still light, hurry over to the subway entrance.] Qi Yuxiao: [I’ll wait for you.]

Seeing those last three words, Tao Ran felt a slight stir in his heart. His roommate was truly a person of great boundaries; knowing he didn’t want to reveal his workplace, he didn’t press him further. Since Qi Yuxiao was waiting at the subway entrance, Tao Ran didn’t have to worry anymore, so he typed a reply.

Tao Ran: [Okay, wait for me for a bit. I’ll be there very soon.]

Qi Yuxiao: [No need to rush. I won’t leave until you’re here.]

Even though Qi Yuxiao said that, Tao Ran still held his umbrella and jogged toward the subway station. The cold wind blew the rain sideways against him, dampening his face. The front of his clothes got a bit wet, and his pant legs were splattered with water.

Finally seeing the corner of the subway entrance in the distance, Tao Ran felt a surge of relief and picked up his pace. A solid black sports car was parked quietly by the roadside, letting the rain wash over it.

Tao Ran wasn’t entirely sure if it was Qi Yuxiao’s car. He approached hesitantly and peeked toward the window. But the windows had privacy tinting, and he couldn’t see inside. Just as he was about to walk around to the front, he heard the dull thud of a car door closing.

A tall young man stepped out of the car, holding an umbrella. The top half of his face was shaded, but his thin lips were set in a straight line, and his jawline was sharp and handsome. He walked with steady steps, cutting through the dark curtain of rain toward Tao Ran.

Qi Yuxiao walked over and opened the passenger door for him. He glanced at Tao Ran and immediately frowned. “How did you get so wet? Get in the car, quickly.”

For some reason, Tao Ran was slightly dazed. His heart had picked up speed without him noticing. Coming back to his senses, he felt a bit strange about his reaction, but he simply nodded and ducked into the car.

There weren’t many cars on the road due to the rain, and Qi Yuxiao’s car drove all the way back to school without any obstacles. He parked the car in front of the dormitory. “Go up and take a hot shower first. Be careful not to catch a cold.”

Tao Ran looked at him. “Do you have something else to do?”

“Yes, just a small matter,” Qi Yuxiao answered.

Tao Ran asked again, “Are you coming back to the dorm tonight?”

The corner of Qi Yuxiao’s lips curled into a very shallow arc. “I am.”

“Then come back early. It’s getting colder outside,” Tao Ran said. After his well-wishes, he opened the door, unfurled his umbrella, and waved to Qi Yuxiao.

Back in the dorm, the lights were still on. Zhuo Qiang and Su Jialiang were still at their desks.

“Hey, Tao Ran’s back! Is it freezing out there?” Zhuo Qiang looked up from his phone and immediately noticed Tao Ran was only wearing a hoodie. “Why are you dressed so lightly?”

“Is it light? I don’t really feel it.” Perhaps it was because he had jogged to the station, and after that, the heater in Qi Yuxiao’s car had been very warm, so Tao Ran didn’t think it was that cold.

To refute Zhuo Qiang, Tao Ran lifted the hem of his hoodie to show him. “I’m wearing a fleece-lined hoodie.”

Su Jialiang had just come out of the shower. As the moisture evaporated from his skin, his teeth chattered from the cold. Hearing Tao Ran, he found it even more unbelievable. “It’s already winter, and you’re not cold?”

Zhuo Qiang made a judgment: “The kid probably has frost-induced delusions.”

Su Jialiang reminded Tao Ran, “I’m finished, you should go shower too. Really, don’t catch a cold.”

Knowing his roommates were concerned, Tao Ran felt a warmth in his heart. “Okay.”

By the time he finished showering, the dorm had quieted down. Zhuo Qiang and Su Jialiang were already in bed, though the lights were still on. Qi Yuxiao had also returned and was sitting at his desk looking at his phone. Hearing him come out, he looked up slightly. “Finished?”

“Mm.”

“Drink this.”

Tao Ran followed his gaze and saw a thermal container on Qi Yuxiao’s desk. “What is it?”

“Ginger soup to keep the cold away,” Qi Yuxiao said. “I had the auntie at home cook it.”

Tao Ran froze. “The ‘small matter’ you mentioned earlier… was it to get this for me?”

“Yes.”

The ginger soup hadn’t even reached his stomach yet, but a warm current was already flowing through Tao Ran’s body. He pursed his lips and smiled. “Thank you.”

While Tao Ran drank the ginger soup, Qi Yuxiao went to the bathroom to shower. By the time he came out, there was no one left at the desks. Qi Yuxiao went to turn out the lights and climbed onto the bed.

With just a slight lift of his eyelids, he could see the scene inside the bed curtains. It was a sight that made his chest overflow with satisfaction.

Tao Ran was lying on his bed, waiting for him obediently.

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