After The Beautiful Woman Moves Into The Jock's Dorm Room - Chapter 35

Chapter 35: “Didn’t You Miss Me?”…

It was only during the final exam review week that Lu Xiao finally picked up a book to study.

Shen Qingyu seriously doubted if his last-minute cramming would actually be useful.

To Shen Qingyu’s shock, Lu Xiao actually managed to barely pass.

On the way home after the exams and packing, Shen Qingyu felt a little lonely. He had grown accustomed to the lively dorm, where someone would respond whenever he spoke. It was hard not to feel lonely in the quiet of his own home.

The first two days of the holiday, Shen Qingyu spent in a daze, too lazy to cook for himself. He ordered takeout after waking up, eating twice a day, and occasionally going downstairs for a short stroll.

He even started considering finding a summer job.

That evening, Shen Qingyu was lying on the sofa watching a horror movie, the projector displaying the eerie scene magnified several times on the wall.

But Shen Qingyu wasn’t scared; he had never believed in ghosts.

Thinking of the dorm group chat, which had been silent for several days, Shen Qingyu tapped out a message asking what they were all doing.

Cheng Che was the first to reply, sending a group photo of him and his family having dinner out. Shen Qingyu could feel the harmonious and warm atmosphere of their family through the screen.

Having grown up in a loving environment, gentleness and sunniness were Cheng Che’s core nature.

Shen Qingyu zoomed in on the photo. Cheng Che had both arms draped over his parents’ shoulders, the whole family looking joyful.

It was clear his features resembled his mother’s more, especially when he smiled. And his parents looked like the kind of friendly, easy-going elders.

This involuntarily made Shen Qingyu think of his deceased family.

Teary-eyed, Shen Qingyu replied to Cheng Che with an emoji.

Soon after, Song Yu also sent a picture. Shen Qingyu was a little surprised, as he had assumed Song Yu wouldn’t bother to reply.

It was a photo of frozen dumplings.

The sadness that had just welled up in Shen Qingyu was soothed by this picture.

Why does Song Yu look even more pitiful than me? At least he had ordered a very lavish dinner, while Song Yu was only eating frozen dumplings?

Truly two “lone wolves.”

Shen Qingyu messaged him privately, sending him a comforting note.

The two chatted briefly. Shen Qingyu was about to ask him if he wanted to meet for a meal tomorrow when the doorbell suddenly rang.

Who could be looking for me at this hour?

Shen Qingyu instinctively paused the movie and shuffled over in his slippers.

He stared for a few seconds when he saw a familiar figure through the peephole. His eyes welled up, and after blinking hard to confirm it wasn’t his imagination, he slowly opened the door.

“You…” Shen Qingyu looked at him with a complex expression.

Lu Xiao was holding two bags of snacks and had an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth. The moment the door opened, he awkwardly removed the cigarette and hid it in his palm.

“What took you so long to open the door?” Lu Xiao craned his neck, noticed the dark interior of the room, frowned, and said, “Did you have someone hiding in here?”

Shen Qingyu: “…”

“Why are you here?”

Lu Xiao said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, “Didn’t you miss me?”

Shen Qingyu: “?” Did Shen Qingyu himself even know about this?

“How do I not know that I missed you?” Shen Qingyu helplessly invited him in and found him a pair of slippers.

“Stop pretending,” Lu Xiao grinned teasingly. “You asked in the group chat what I was doing, isn’t that the same as saying you missed me in the group chat?”

It can be interpreted that way?

Shen Qingyu rolled his eyes. “I clearly asked ‘What are you guys doing,’ not ‘What are you doing.'”

Lu Xiao’s excuse was completely baseless. He coughed a few times. “Is that so? Then maybe I misread it.”

“So you came all the way here just because of that?” Shen Qingyu found it incredible.

“Yeah, you’re bored staying alone anyway.”

Though shocked, Shen Qingyu didn’t find this absurd coming from Lu Xiao.

“Why don’t you turn on the light at home?” Lu Xiao looked around, satisfied only when he confirmed there were no other men in the house. He plopped down on the sofa and patted the spot next to him. “Come sit.”

“I was watching a movie,” Shen Qingyu pointed at the projector screen opposite.

Lu Xiao suddenly had a bad premonition. “What movie?”

“A ghost movie,” Shen Qingyu said flatly.

Lu Xiao fell silent.

Shen Qingyu sat cross-legged on the sofa, hugging a cushion.

The movie resumed, and Shen Qingyu watched intently. He had seen this movie once before, so this was a second viewing, and he wasn’t scared at all.

Eerie wails occasionally echoed in the pitch-dark living room. Lu Xiao’s Adam’s apple bobbed several times. He dared not look at the screen but was afraid of being mocked by Shen Qingyu if he found out, so he could only sneak glances at Shen Qingyu with his peripheral vision.

How could the normally delicate Shen Qingyu be so brave? Daring to watch a horror movie alone in the dark!

Shen Qingyu’s image in Lu Xiao’s mind instantly grew taller.

Lu Xiao had carelessly set the snacks he bought on the floor. Shen Qingyu bent down to feel for them, accidentally bumping Lu Xiao’s thigh.

“!!!” Lu Xiao shuddered all over, nearly jumping up from the sofa. “What are you doing!”

His voice broke several times at the end, and the shaky pitch made Shen Qingyu find it a little amusing.

“I’m getting something to eat. Why are you reacting so strongly?” Shen Qingyu ripped open a bag of chips. “Want some?”

Vivid, thick blood mysteriously oozed from a rotting corpse. Lu Xiao’s stomach churned just from a quick glance.

How can Shen Qingyu eat anything while looking at these images?!

“No, I don’t want any,” his voice was somewhat weak.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Shen Qingyu was eating chips, making a loud crunching sound. Combined with the movie playing, it gave Lu Xiao the chilling feeling that a cannibal was right beside him.

“W-What’s wrong with me?”

“You’re acting strange.”

Lu Xiao fell silent again.

The movie reached its climax, and Lu Xiao’s entire heart was suspended in mid-air.

Shen Qingyu tilted his head to look at him, vaguely noticing that his body seemed to be shaking.

“?”

A thought flashed through Shen Qingyu’s mind.

Wait a minute!

Could Lu Xiao be afraid of ghosts?

Huh???

He usually acted like a fearless “I’m the coolest guy” “tough guy,” but he’s afraid of ghosts?

Shen Qingyu wasn’t convinced. He quietly turned up the volume of the movie a bit.

Sure enough, amidst the waves of screams, Lu Xiao’s body shook even more violently.

Shen Qingyu even noticed his upper body tilting towards him.

He smirked inwardly. He never thought Lu Xiao, an almost six-foot-three “hunk,” would be so scared by a horror movie that he was shrinking next to him.

The more Shen Qingyu thought about it, the harder it was to hold back his laughter. Finally, after Lu Xiao’s arm pressed tightly against his side, he burst into sharp laughter.

Lu Xiao was startled by the laughter. His arm immediately wrapped around Shen Qingyu, his body trembling. “What are you laughing at!”

Shen Qingyu pressed the pause button and turned on the lights. “Are you scared?”

Lu Xiao sneered dismissively. If he wasn’t pressed against Shen Qingyu, sweating cold, and his voice wasn’t trembling, Shen Qingyu might have been fooled by his pretense.

“Me, scared? That’s hilarious.”

“Not really scared?” Shen Qingyu smiled with ill intent. “Then I’ll turn off the light and continue watching.”

Lu Xiao’s hand blocked him. “Wait!”

“?”

“Don’t watch it.”

“Why? Aren’t you not scared?”

“This one isn’t good.”

Shen Qingyu nodded thoughtfully. “I see. Well, alright then…”

Lu Xiao thought he was listening, and his tense upper body was about to relax, when he heard Shen Qingyu continue, “Then let’s switch to another one. I’ve seen one that’s even scarier!”

Damn it! Can you stop pausing when you speak!

Lu Xiao felt like he was about to have a heart attack!

“That’s enough!” Lu Xiao yelled in exasperated frustration.

This low roar not only failed to scold Shen Qingyu but made him find it even more amusing.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Qingyu widened his innocent eyes, staring straight at him.

Under the gaze of those eyes, Lu Xiao was speechless. He turned his head away awkwardly, his ears flushed, and then whispered, “I’m not scared. I just think the movie’s sound effects are too loud. It startled me. Just turn the volume down a bit…”

“Ooooh~” Shen Qingyu’s eyes were full of playful teasing.

Lu Xiao waited and waited, but Shen Qingyu didn’t turn off the light or continue the movie. He looked over in confusion.

He saw Shen Qingyu close the unfinished horror movie and switch to a stand-up comedy variety show.

Lu Xiao: “?” This is…

“Let’s not watch it. Let’s watch something funny instead,” Shen Qingyu said.

The sound of fireworks seemed to burst in Lu Xiao’s ears. He felt his heart being hit by something, becoming soft.

He thought, Shen Qingyu is so good to me. He loves me so much.

With Lu Xiao there, Shen Qingyu felt much livelier.

Only…

Shen Qingyu glanced at the time and said, “It’s ten o’clock. Aren’t you leaving?”

“What’s the rush? Are you going to sleep?”

“Is whether I’m sleeping the main point?” Shen Qingyu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “The main point is that it’s ten o’clock.”

Lu Xiao turned to him, heavily pressing his hand on his head, his tone dangerous. “What, use me and then run?”

Shen Qingyu: “?” Where did that come from!

“I mean, it’s ten o’clock. If you don’t go home, won’t your family worry?” Shen Qingyu patiently explained.

A flicker of unnaturalness crossed Lu Xiao’s expression. “Who would worry?”

“Your…” Shen Qingyu was about to say “parents,” but suddenly remembered the family argument he had accidentally overheard at the hospital that day. He hesitated and said, “Your dad.”

Lu Xiao snorted coldly. “He won’t worry about me. He gets home later than I do.”

“…Alright.”

“But you,” the corner of Lu Xiao’s mouth curved into a faint arc, “care about me.”

“Yes, yes, yes. That’s right.”

“I’m leaving now. Don’t you go crying alone.”

Shen Qingyu was startled and retorted, “When did I cry…”

Lu Xiao just smiled without answering.

Shen Qingyu felt his cheeks heating up. He lightly touched his face, then quickly urged Lu Xiao to go home.

It wasn’t until the door closed and the entire living room returned to silence that Shen Qingyu tilted his head back, biting his lip.

Shen Qingyu thought, so he saw it when he came in.