After The Beautiful Woman Moves Into The Jock's Dorm Room - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: “Could It Be That You Pity Me?”…

When Shen Qingyu tip-toed back into the room after washing up, Song Yu was already asleep.

This was Shen Qingyu’s deduction.

He lay on the bed, unable to sleep no matter what, with Song Yu’s steady breathing next to his ear.

Shen Qingyu thought he might be a little nervous.

Every time he closed his eyes, the image of Song Yu saying he had someone he liked flashed in his mind.

He found it hard to imagine what Song Yu, with his aloof personality, would be like when he fell in love. Would he become very gentle? Would he be clingy like other couples?

Probably.

In any case, he wouldn’t be hot and cold the way he was with Shen Qingyu.

Shen Qingyu hugged his pillow in frustration and punched it hard.

The Song Yu beside him suddenly turned over, startling Shen Qingyu, who immediately went rigid, holding his breath and cautiously peeking at him.

Wait a minute?

Why am I being so careful?

I haven’t done anything wrong!

Shen Qingyu immediately straightened his back.

The sleeping Song Yu was facing Shen Qingyu after turning over. His brow was furrowed, as if he was having a bad dream.

Before Shen Qingyu could observe him closely, he was pulled into a tight hug.

“!!!”

Song Yu wrapped both arms around him, holding him very tightly, almost seamlessly.

Now Shen Qingyu genuinely didn’t dare to breathe deeply.

What is going on? Shen Qingyu’s mind was covered with question marks. He gently pushed Song Yu, only to be hugged even tighter.

“…”

Song Yu’s skin was warm. The close proximity allowed Shen Qingyu to distinctly smell the clean, fresh scent coming from him.

Shen Qingyu found the scent very familiar, like fresh cold air; taking a light whiff cleared his mind considerably.

But he couldn’t recall where he had smelled it before.

He soon had no time to ponder this, because Song Yu even threw one leg over him.

Shen Qingyu was thus locked in his arms, like a large body pillow.

…Huh?

Could it be that Song Yu really took him for a body pillow?

Shen Qingyu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

He curled up in Song Yu’s embrace for two minutes, during which Song Yu’s words, “I have someone I like,” kept repeating in his mind like a ringing alarm bell.

I can’t let this continue, Shen Qingyu secretly thought.

He tried to wriggle out of Song Yu’s embrace in an extremely awkward position. Even with his good flexibility, he couldn’t help but accidentally brush against Song Yu’s skin.

“Phew—” Shen Qingyu exhaled a breath.

Finally out.

He lay spread-eagled on the bed, turning his head to see Song Yu, who had opened his eyes at some point. His dark pupils were staring fixedly at him, instantly causing Shen Qingyu to break out in a cold sweat.

“!!!”

Even though Song Yu’s gaze was so calm, Shen Qingyu was still startled.

Especially since those eyes showed no trace of sleepiness; he didn’t look like he had just woken up at all.

“You…” Shen Qingyu trembled slightly. “When did you wake up?”

Song Yu knew he had accidentally scared him. His eyes slowly shifted back to the ceiling. He was silent for a few seconds, then pinched the bridge of his nose, and said hoarsely, “Just woke up.”

So he really just woke up.

Shen Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief, still feeling shaken.

“I’m so sorry for waking you up.” Shen Qingyu was surprised by his own words. How could I have woken him up? He was the one who used me as a body pillow! I just happened to accidentally touch him while escaping!

Song Yu remained silent for another two seconds. Shen Qingyu then speculated that he might be this… slightly slow when he first woke up.

Looking at it this way, Song Yu was kind of cute.

“No,” Song Yu clearly looked half-asleep, speaking haltingly like a robot with malfunctioning gears. “Did I… have a bad sleeping posture and bother you?”

So he knows! Shen Qingyu thought indignantly.

“…It’s fine.”

“Sorry.” Song Yu propped himself up and sat, his voice full of apology. “I developed some shadows from living in the basement with my mother before, so I need to hold something to fall asleep.”

He lightly explained why he had mistakenly taken Shen Qingyu for a pillow.

Shen Qingyu instantly felt guilty for his complaint. He lowered his head, feeling a bit self-reproachful. “You used to live in a basement?”

Song Yu didn’t seem inclined to say more, just nodding lightly with an “Mmm.”

Since he didn’t want to talk, Shen Qingyu couldn’t exactly force the story out of him; that would be too inhumane.

“You go back to sleep. I’ll sit outside for a bit.” Song Yu sighed silently, threw off the blanket, and got out of bed.

Shen Qingyu quickly grabbed him. “No, no, you don’t have to. I don’t mind.”

“Really?” Song Yu hesitated. “I can sleep in the living room too.”

How could Shen Qingyu let him sleep in the living room? He even suppressed his shyness and boasted, “Of course it’s true. We’re both guys. It’s fine even if you hold me like a pillow while you sleep.”

“…” Song Yu’s eyes curved slightly, a fleeting smile appearing.

Shen Qingyu himself felt embarrassed after saying this, rubbing the back of his neck. “Anyway, just sleep without worry.”

“Okay,” Song Yu relaxed.

“Mhm.” Shen Qingyu thought secretly, Good thing the lights are off, otherwise, my face, red as a monkey’s butt, would be clearly visible. “You sleep first. I’m a little hungry, so I’ll go eat something outside.”

With the large pile of snacks they bought before coming, plus the ones Song Anran gave them, they still had a lot of things uneaten.

Shen Qingyu sneaked past the other two rooms, noting that neither of them had turned off their reading lamps and neither was under the blanket. They lay on opposite sides of the bed, separated as if getting closer would contaminate them.

The blanket was piled up in the middle, like the “three-eight line” from school days.

Shen Qingyu laughed silently.

These two are something else. They’re roommates, is there really a need to be so repulsed?

Seeing that neither of them was covered, Shen Qingyu crouched down, entered their room, and turned up the air conditioner a few degrees.

Better not let them catch a cold because of this.

He turned on a small ambient light in the living room, sat cross-legged on the sofa, and rummaged through a large bag of snacks until he found what he wanted to eat, then smiled.

Shen Qingyu ate and scrolled through videos. His mouth was full, and he didn’t dare open it to laugh when he saw something funny.

It was past 3:00 AM, but he wasn’t sleepy at all.

Perhaps because the whole day had been so enjoyable, he didn’t want it to end just yet.

Cheng Che wasn’t used to sleeping away from home, so he wasn’t sleeping deeply. He woke up when he heard rustling sounds from the living room. He rubbed his face and walked out of the room.

He then saw a “little hamster” with puffed-up cheeks secretly snacking.

It was occasionally making crisp “crunching” sounds.

The little hamster, Shen Qingyu, was enjoying his video so much that he didn’t notice someone standing behind him, having watched him for quite a while.

Cheng Che harbored mischief. He quietly approached, suddenly raised his hands to cover Shen Qingyu’s eyes, and whispered, “Guess who I am?”

Shen Qingyu’s body trembled. He first smelled Cheng Che’s scent, and then realized his eyes were covered.

“Cheng Che, you’re so childish.”

“How did you know it was me?” Cheng Che stood behind him, resting his head on his shoulder.

The posture looked like Cheng Che was hugging him from behind.

“Because I’m smart,” Shen Qingyu shook his head, a little pleased.

Cheng Che playfully ruffled his head. “Yes, yes, you’re smart.”

“Why aren’t you sleeping?” Shen Qingyu generously offered him the snacks in his hand, which Cheng Che declined with a wave.

Cheng Che countered, “Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“I have insomnia,” Shen Qingyu said glumly. “And then I got hungry.”

“Why the insomnia? Is the bed uncomfortable?” Cheng Che said meaningfully, “I was woken up by a little hamster.”

Shen Qingyu thought of the “accident” that had just happened and muttered, “Maybe.” He paused. “Wait, a little hamster?”

Cheng Che squinted in a smile, his curly hair bouncing as he nodded.

“Are you talking about me?” Shen Qingyu suddenly realized and punched him lightly on the arm.

“Isn’t it? I was sleeping, heard some chattering outside, came out, and it was this little hamster.” He grabbed Shen Qingyu’s fist, held it against his chest, and gently rubbed his prominent knuckles.

Shen Qingyu blushed from his actions.

This, this, this… isn’t this a little too intimate?

However, Shen Qingyu readily accepted it, because he wasn’t averse to “getting intimate” with Cheng Che.

“It does sound like it now that you mention it.” The late hour and the atmosphere were perfect. Shen Qingyu wanted to talk to him more, so he subconsciously brought up his past.

“When I was in school, I lived at my aunt’s house. I would study very late, and when I got hungry, I would sneak out to eat instant noodles.” Recalling that time, which was less than a year ago, Shen Qingyu felt a sense of distance, as if it happened a lifetime ago.

“You lived at your aunt’s house?” Cheng Che frowned slightly.

“Yeah. My parents passed away when I was in middle school, so I’ve been living at my aunt’s.” Shen Qingyu didn’t think he was pitiful, so his expression didn’t show much sadness when recounting the experience.

Cheng Che abruptly tightened his grip, holding Shen Qingyu’s hand even tighter.

Shen Qingyu winced in pain on the back of his hand, gasping. Cheng Che then apologized profusely, quickly letting go and rubbing his hand a few times.

“I’m sorry, did I hurt you?” His voice was actually a little choked up.

Shen Qingyu paused, saying helplessly, “I’m the one who’s hurting, why are you crying?” His tone carried a teasing laugh.

Cheng Che wiped his eye corner, stubbornly saying, “I’m not crying.”

“Could it be that you pity me?” Shen Qingyu joked intentionally. “It’s all in the past, and I’ve long since moved on. Besides, my aunt is very good to me, but she has her own family, so I don’t want to keep bothering her.”

Shen Qingyu’s intention was to express that he wasn’t miserable at all; on the contrary, he had gained a lot of happiness. But unexpectedly, the more he talked, the redder Cheng Che’s eyes became. The teardrops gathered in his slightly downturned puppy eyes, glistening under the lamp.

“Hey, hey, hey, please don’t pity me,” Shen Qingyu was also affected, his voice trembling at the end, but he controlled it as much as possible.

“I’m not pitying you.” Cheng Che pulled him into his arms, his strong hand gently patting his back a few times. “I feel for you.”

He never knew Shen Qingyu had such a past. Even after visiting his home and knowing he lived alone, Cheng Che had never considered this possibility.

The simple sentence made Shen Qingyu’s nose sting and his chest feel muffled, as if stuffed with cotton.

Cheng Che spoke in a gentle whisper, like comforting a child. Shen Qingyu slowly closed his eyes, feeling sleepiness creep in within the warm embrace. This hug… felt like his mother’s hug from when he was little.

“If you’d like, you can come to my house. My parents would definitely love you,” Cheng Che said clumsily.

Cheng Che had a happy and harmonious family. After learning about Shen Qingyu’s past, he especially, especially wanted to share his happiness with him. If they ended up together, that was great, but even if they didn’t. As long as Shen Qingyu was willing, Cheng Che was willing to share his parents’ love with him too.