After The Beautiful Woman Moves Into The Jock's Dorm Room - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: “Of course it counts, boyfriend.”

Shen Qingyu stopped trying to refuse and obediently set up his newly bought small desk for the meal.

It wasn’t peak mealtime, so the cafeteria wasn’t very crowded. Cheng Che quickly returned, carrying two identical portions of braised rice.

When Cheng Che came back, he saw Shen Qingyu sitting on his bed, not playing with his phone, his hands resting on the bed desk, with a bright little lamp lit. His look of waiting for the meal was absolutely adorable to Cheng Che.

Knowing that Shen Qingyu was too lazy to get out of bed, Cheng Che unwrapped the food and handed it to him, cautioning him to be careful not to spill anything on the bed while eating.

Shen Qingyu nodded emphatically twice, looking like he was saying, “I’m an adult now, and I won’t drop my food when I eat.”

Lu Xiao finally woke up only after Shen Qingyu had finished eating. When he opened his eyes, Shen Qingyu was just getting off the bed, his back to Lu Xiao. He was stepping on the ladder, bending slightly and looking down to ensure his foot was firmly planted. Although this movement was completely normal, Lu Xiao felt that Shen Qingyu was provocatively sticking his butt out with his back turned, which was naked seduction.

Having just woken up, he was already irritable. Now, all his heat rushed straight to his lower abdomen. He closed his eyes in discomfort, the image of Shen Qingyu’s perky butt lingering in his mind.

Shen Qingyu threw away his trash, turned around, and met Lu Xiao’s red-rimmed eyes. “Didn’t you sleep well? Why are there so many blood vessels visible in your eyes?” His tone was slightly worried.

Lu Xiao sneered, threw off his covers, and got out of bed. As he walked toward Shen Qingyu, he proudly thrust his hips forward.

What’s so funny? He’s so weird.

Shen Qingyu pouted, his eyes uncontrollably following Lu Xiao’s movement downwards.

“…”

“?”

He expressionlessly searched for his phone.

“What are you looking for?” Lu Xiao asked curiously.

“My phone.” Shen Qingyu gave a cold laugh. “I’m going to call the police and have you arrested.”

It took Lu Xiao a moment to understand what he meant. He leaned close to Shen Qingyu’s ear, fully displaying his roguish charm, “What’s the reason for the arrest? Concealing a police baton?”

A crack seemed to appear on Shen Qingyu’s face. He angrily pushed Lu Xiao away: “Are you crazy? Go away!”

Lu Xiao was completely caught off guard by the push but wasn’t angry. He chuckled and went to the bathroom to wash up.

Shen Qingyu felt that he had been too nice to Lu Xiao, which was why Lu Xiao was becoming increasingly shameless! His lips moved as he muttered complaints about Lu Xiao.

“What did he say to you?” Cheng Che asked.

Shen Qingyu stiffened for a moment, then waved his hand, saying, “Nothing, it’s not important.” Cheng Che was synonymous with sunshine and gentleness in his mind, and he didn’t want Cheng Che to be corrupted by Lu Xiao.

While Lu Xiao was downstairs picking up takeout, Cheng Che took the initiative to talk to Shen Qingyu.

It started with very normal and casual conversation, but the topic eventually circled back to the kiss that night.

Shen Qingyu’s cheeks flushed. He lowered his slightly red eyelids and fidgeted nervously.

“Did you hate me doing that to you?” Cheng Che’s voice was also tense. Even though he didn’t want to break the harmonious atmosphere between them, he knew he had to take this step.

Shen Qingyu shook his head, “I didn’t hate it.” If he had hated it, he would have resisted immediately.

“We’ve known each other for over half a year. I know you’re like me, right?”

Cheng Che didn’t explicitly use the terms gay or homosexual, but Shen Qingyu understood what he meant.

“I originally thought about how to express my feelings to you, but I was worried that being too overt would put you in an awkward position, so I felt that this way of having a heart-to-heart talk was more suitable…” He paused. Shen Qingyu’s heart stopped, and his breathing became heavy. He could guess what Cheng Che was about to say next.

Shen Qingyu clenched his palms. Besides nervousness and confusion, he felt a trace of… excitement.

“You are wonderful—kind, adorable, and someone who makes it impossible not to focus on you… I’m no exception.”

“Xiao Yu, I like you. Can you give me a chance to prove myself?”

Shen Qingyu was frozen. He didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t without feelings for Cheng Che, and he thought that being with him would be very happy and joyful, but he was a coward. He worried about facing more irresistible forces after getting together, and he also worried that if their feelings faded, they wouldn’t even be friends anymore. Moreover, he hadn’t been in a relationship for many years and was practically a novice at maintaining one.

“I’m not demanding an answer right now. You can take your time to consider… even a month-long trial period would be fine.” Cheng Che adopted a very humble stance, almost a desperate plea.

Shen Qingyu couldn’t stand seeing the sunny, carefree boy from the basketball court bowing so low before him. Caught in a dilemma, a layer of sweat broke out on his forehead. Cheng Che gently wiped the sweat away with his fingertip.

“Don’t rush, Xiao Yu,” Cheng Che softly comforted him. “Even if you reject me, I won’t be angry. I will still treat you well, regardless of anything else, simply because I like you.”

Shen Qingyu felt a warmth in his heart. His eyes glistened with moisture, and his lips fumbled for words. Under Cheng Che’s gentle gaze, the anxiety in his heart seemed to be soothed.

“I…”

“What are you two doing?” Lu Xiao’s cold voice shattered the warm, ambiguous atmosphere.

Shen Qingyu shivered all over, quickly distancing himself from Cheng Che, and stammered, “Nothing.”

Cheng Che cursed Lu Xiao silently. He had to show up at this exact moment, completely ruining the perfect timing.

Lu Xiao’s scrutinizing gaze lingered between the two. He became alert, feeling that they shared some kind of secret.

Shen Qingyu felt extremely guilty. He almost forgot the “accident” he had with Lu Xiao. He treated Cheng Che as a friend, and Lu Xiao as a friend. If the “accident” he had with one of them were to be discovered by the other, it would certainly turn this dorm upside down.

He felt a headache coming on and just wanted to escape this… battleground.

Yes, this was a catastrophic battleground for Shen Qingyu.

“It’s still early. I’m going to the library to study.” Shen Qingyu quickly stood up, haphazardly stuffed a few books into his backpack, and left.

Cheng Che bit down hard on his back molar, glaring at Lu Xiao. However, he quickly rationalized it: this was fine too; it gave Shen Qingyu more time to think clearly.

…

On his way to the library, Shen Qingyu bought some snacks. He had eaten dinner relatively late, and he was afraid he would get hungry later at the library.

Wen University’s library was a century-old building. The school frequently repaired the exterior, but the interior was rarely renovated, so the aging degree inside was quite high. The tables and chairs in the reading rooms were infused with a vintage scent. Many students complained about this, but the school acted as if they didn’t hear, generally ignoring the annual survey feedback.

The study room Shen Qingyu usually went to was full. He walked around for a while before finally finding an empty study room. Just as he pulled out a chair to sit down, a girl opposite him took her bag and left.

The entire table was now for him alone. Shen Qingyu happily hummed a tune in his heart. He was easily satisfied; a small thing could make him happy for a long time.

“Is anyone sitting here?”

Shen Qingyu was wearing headphones and practicing his listening comprehension. He vaguely heard someone ask but didn’t look up, only reaching out a hand to pull his workbook closer, clearing space for the person opposite him.

After diligently completing a practice set, Shen Qingyu let out a long breath and suddenly realized that the person sitting opposite him was Song Yu.

He was stunned for two seconds, then quietly asked in surprise, “When did you arrive?”

Song Yu looked down at his watch. “Half an hour ago.”

Shen Qingyu gave a silly smile: “I was doing a practice set and didn’t notice it was you. How was the interview?” He was still concerned about Song Yu’s interview result, though he believed that with Song Yu’s ability, it would surely go well.

“Barring any accidents, it went well,” Song Yu said cautiously.

Shen Qingyu gave a thumbs-up, his eyes wide, shimmering with excitement: “I knew you could do it!” He was very thrilled, as if the successful person was not Song Yu but himself.

Song Yu smiled faintly. In the quiet study room, his heartbeat was amplified infinitely. Then, Song Yu pulled out a pen and lightly tapped it on Shen Qingyu’s head. “Study.”

After experiencing too many emotional shocks in one day, Shen Qingyu’s mood completely stabilized the moment he saw Song Yu. Song Yu was like his tranquilizer; every time he saw him, Shen Qingyu felt incredibly at peace.

Shen Qingyu opened a page of his notebook and buried his head, writing: “Are you hungry? I have snacks!”

He was quite confident in his handwriting. Since childhood, he had been the boy with the best handwriting in his class—clean, elegant, and pleasant to look at.

Song Yu picked up his pen and wrote under Shen Qingyu’s line of text: “Thank you, but I’m not hungry right now.”

However, next to Song Yu’s fluid handwriting, Shen Qingyu felt his own writing looked like a primary school student’s.

Failing to convince him, Shen Qingyu wasn’t discouraged. He placed the snacks between himself and Song Yu and wrote very generously: “If you’re hungry, feel free to take some. Don’t be shy!”

Song Yu glanced at the note, nodded, and then casually folded the small piece of paper a few times and tucked it into a book.

Shen Qingyu didn’t notice his movement and continued studying.

Several hours later, Shen Qingyu’s head felt dizzy from studying. He stood up to stretch his numb body. He wanted to return to the dorm but felt a little unsure about how to face Cheng Che.

He even considered: Why not give it a try? Cheng Che was so good; whether it ended happily or sadly, he wouldn’t regret it.

But the moment he felt moved, he thought of Lu Xiao again.

Lu Xiao would definitely be angry if he knew he was with Cheng Che.

Shen Qingyu felt he was being too greedy—he was attracted to Cheng Che but also didn’t want to make Lu Xiao sad.

He desperately wanted to vent now but didn’t know who to talk to. If he told Yang Yu, without a doubt, Yang Yu would advise him to “get them both.”

Shen Qingyu deliberately dawdled until the library closed before heading back to the dorm with Song Yu.

There was a shortcut from the library back to the living area that went through a small grove. Originally, there was no path here, but so many students walked through that the school simply paved a path, which saved a significant amount of time.

Song Yu could tell Shen Qingyu was distracted, but he didn’t point it out. He simply reached out and held Shen Qingyu’s arm when he nearly tripped over the stacked stone steps.

Shen Qingyu, still shaken, clutched Song Yu like a lifeline until his feet were firmly planted on the ground before thanking him.

“Something on your mind?”

Shen Qingyu paused, surprised that his emotions were so easily seen through. He mumbled a vague “Mhm,” “I have a bit of a worry.”

“If you don’t mind, you can tell me about it.”

It wasn’t a matter of whether he minded, but rather that Song Yu should mind. After all, no straight man would want to hear the messy stories of his other three roommates.

Shen Qingyu racked his brain for how to disguise the specific details, so he opted for the clumsiest and most simple approach.

“Actually, I have a friend who was confessed to by a classmate he gets along quite well with. He doesn’t know whether to accept or refuse, so he came to me for advice. I don’t have any experience in this area, so I can’t give him sound advice.” Shen Qingyu believed his explanation was flawless.

Song Yu was silent. His steps noticeably slowed down, seemingly contemplating.

“Your friend?”

Shen Qingyu felt a pang of guilt: “Uh, yes, my friend.”

“Does your friend like that person?”

Shen Qingyu thought seriously. “He should like him a little, right? He certainly doesn’t dislike him.”

This time, Song Yu was silent for an even longer time, and Shen Qingyu began to feel nervous.

“Do you think my friend should give that person a try?” Shen Qingyu asked tentatively.

Song Yu gently shook his head. “As an outsider, I can’t offer any opinion.”

Shen Qingyu felt a bit disappointed, but also relieved. If Song Yu had advised his “friend” to get together with that person, he would have felt helpless.

“Okay, you’re right. I’ll tell him to consider it carefully.”

“Mhm.”

“Speaking of which, if you transfer majors, won’t you also need to switch dorm rooms?” This thought suddenly occurred to Shen Qingyu. If he moved to a new major, it would definitely be better to be in a room with people in the same field, since their class schedules would align. It was rare for someone like Shen Qingyu to be mixed with students from other majors.

“Probably,” Song Yu said.

“Ah…” Shen Qingyu drew out the sound, sounding like he was whining. “Then you’ll have to move out.”

Song Yu glanced at him and said, “You don’t want me to leave?”

Shen Qingyu smiled brightly and said, “Of course! We’ve lived together for half a year and are so familiar now. I’ll definitely miss you. It would be difficult if someone difficult to get along with moved in instead.”

Song Yu seemed to chuckle softly. His laugh quickly dissipated with the wind, making Shen Qingyu almost think it was his imagination.

Are we really familiar? Song Yu lowered his thick eyelashes, a trace of gloom flashing in his eyes.

Perhaps not. If you knew that person was me… would you still think that? I’m truly curious.

“Then I won’t disappoint you,” he said softly.

“What?”

“If you miss me, I won’t leave.” He gazed into Shen Qingyu’s eyes, the madness in his heart growing wildly.

It was late, and there weren’t many people on campus. If he did something to Shen Qingyu here, no one would find out.

This thought was quickly dismissed. People were people precisely because they could control themselves. What he needed to do now was control his madness and let it appear at the right time.

Shen Qingyu’s heart thumped violently. He nodded heavily and said, “Okay, that sentence reassures me.”

Talking with him under the evening breeze all the way, Shen Qingyu felt much better. He roughly knew how to face Cheng Che and Lu Xiao.

Upon returning to the dorm, Lu Xiao was playing a game with Chen Qiming. Seeing Shen Qingyu come back, he immediately tossed aside his game controller and eagerly rushed over.

“Why were you out for so long?” he asked with dissatisfaction.

Shen Qingyu put down his backpack: “I went to study.”

“What’s so great about studying?”

“Students who don’t study should not hinder students who do.” Shen Qingyu’s tone was light. “Do you understand, student Lu Xiao?”

“I’d like to hinder you, but you don’t give me the chance,” he complained under his breath.

Shen Qingyu pretended not to hear and walked past him: “Alright, go back to playing your game. I need to wash up.”

“I’m not playing anymore. I won’t play now that you’re back.” He turned around and said cruelly to Chen Qiming, “Go back to your dorm. I’m done playing.”

“Huh? We just got to the boss! Why are you quitting?” Chen Qiming was still hyped up. “Play a little longer, Brother Xiao. Don’t be so heartless!”

Lu Xiao sneered: “I don’t want to play anymore. Maybe tomorrow.”

Chen Qiming reluctantly said, “Fine then. Call me anytime you want to play.”

Lu Xiao shooed him away as if he were chasing a fly. “Go, go, go.”

Chen Qiming threw out a harsh “Jerk!” and left. Lu Xiao was momentarily stunned upon hearing that. His first reaction was to look at Shen Qingyu—he didn’t want to be misunderstood as a jerk—but he found that Shen Qingyu hadn’t even looked at him. Feeling a little angry, he stuck to Shen Qingyu like glue and asked, “Didn’t you hear that?”

Shen Qingyu was washing his face, the thick foam of the cleanser leaving residue on his skin. He rubbed his face: “Hear what?”

“Chen Qiming called me a jerk.”

“Oh, I think I heard that.”

“Don’t you have anything to say?”

“What… should I say?” Shen Qingyu rinsed his face with clean water, looking at Lu Xiao’s face through the mirror.

“Of course you should refute him for me! I’m not a jerk.” Lu Xiao’s expression was awful, looking as if someone owed him money and wouldn’t pay.

Shen Qingyu was helpless: “Why are you so childish? Do I need to refute him for you to not be a jerk? Does it mean you are a jerk if I don’t refute him?”

Lu Xiao was speechless. “You sure are sharp-tongued.”

“…I can’t be bothered to talk to you.” Shen Qingyu applied a simple layer of skincare. When pouring lotion, his hand accidentally shook and poured too much. Not wanting to waste it, he glanced at Lu Xiao and said, “Put your hand out.”

“?”

“Hurry up.”

Lu Xiao obediently opened his palm. He thought Shen Qingyu was going to hold his hand.

Shen Qingyu mercilessly slapped his palm. “The back of your hand!”

“…Oh.”

Lu Xiao reluctantly turned his hand over. Shen Qingyu quickly spread the excess lotion onto his hand. “Poured too much. Sharing some with you.”

Lu Xiao stared at the blob of milky white lotion on the back of his hand for a moment, then rubbed it in quickly. His heart felt soft too, as if it had been moisturized by the lotion.

…

Cheng Che said he would let Shen Qingyu think things over, and he truly never brought up the matter again.

This made Shen Qingyu much more relaxed, and he actively thought about what choice he should make in his free time.

Finally, on the seventh day after the incident, he made a decision that followed his heart.

He proactively asked Cheng Che out. His expression was a little nervous. Cheng Che could see that he had dressed up carefully and already had some guesses, but still dared not fully believe.

“I’ve thought carefully about what you said that day over the past few days.”

“Tell me. I’m listening.” Cheng Che forcefully clenched his hands behind his back, his nails digging deep into his flesh, yet he couldn’t feel any pain.

“I’m not without feelings for you. You’re sunny, handsome, and very gentle to me… it’s impossible for me not to feel anything. But I’m a coward. I’m afraid that we won’t have a good outcome, and we won’t even be friends anymore…” Shen Qingyu closed his eyes. The words he had prepared instantly vanished, and he could only speak his most genuine thoughts.

When Cheng Che heard this halfway through, his face turned pale. He thought he understood what Shen Qingyu meant.

He gave a couple of bitter laughs, lowered his head, bit down hard on his back molar, then compromised and resignedly gave Shen Qingyu a gentle smile.

“But I’ve thought about a lot these past few days, and I still don’t want to give up so easily.”

A light flashed in Cheng Che’s dim eyes. He looked up sharply.

“Let’s do what you suggested. Let’s be together. Let’s try, okay?” Shen Qingyu’s cheeks were burning. After speaking the words he had wanted to say one by one, he slowly opened his eyes and saw that Cheng Che’s eyes were red-rimmed, glistening as if he were about to cry.

Cheng Che could no longer control himself and pulled Shen Qingyu into his arms. His palm moved up and down Shen Qingyu’s back. Only by doing this could he believe that none of this was a dream.

“You…”

“Thank you, Xiao Yu. Thank you for giving me this chance…” Cheng Che was almost crying with joy. At this moment, he was the happiest person in the world.

“But I still want to say that we should be a little low-key…” Shen Qingyu exhaled a breath and explained to him why he had switched dorms back then.

After listening, Cheng Che’s heart swelled with pain for Shen Qingyu. So, he had been treated that way because of his sexual orientation. Fortunately, he was strong and brave and didn’t fall into despair, and fortunately… he had given Cheng Che a chance to meet him.

He felt that everything was the best possible arrangement of fate.

“Okay, I’ll listen to you. We’ll be happy quietly,” he said, cupping Shen Qingyu’s cheeks. A sincere and earnest kiss landed on his forehead.

“So… does this mean we’re together now?” Shen Qingyu’s head was buried in Cheng Che’s shoulder, his voice muffled.

“Of course it counts, boyfriend.” Cheng Che’s voice was incredibly gentle. Shen Qingyu felt like he was about to drown in this ocean of love the next second.

But he was completely willing.

This feeling was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Happiness, sweetness—his heart felt completely full.

“Can you leave the rest of the time to me?” Cheng Che asked. “Since we’re together, even though I’m still on probation, we still need to celebrate.”

“How are we celebrating?” Shen Qingyu asked curiously.

“You’ll know if you follow me.”