After The Beautiful Woman Moves Into The Jock's Dorm Room - Chapter 91

Chapter 91: “Going out to eat with Lu Xiao, aren’t you afraid your boyfriend…”

The moment Lu Xiao finished speaking, his peripheral vision caught sight of Shen Qingyu. He took off the black hat on his head, completely exposing his frostbitten red ears and cheeks. His eyes, usually carrying a hint of wild defiance, now looked innocently foolish.

Shen Qingyu stopped in front of him, the white steam of his breath misting in the cold air. His gaze swept over the round snowman behind Lu Xiao, which only needed its final decorations.

“Why did you take off your hat?” Shen Qingyu raised his chin slightly, his tone flat but with a subtle, teasing edge.

Lu Xiao hesitated for two seconds before confessing, his voice husky from the cold: “The hat is warm, but it makes me look stupid.”

Shen Qingyu couldn’t help it, a tiny curve appearing at the corner of his mouth. So this guy did have some self-awareness.

“What are you laughing at?” Lu Xiao straightened his face, trying to regain some presence.

“Nothing,” Shen Qingyu averted his gaze, letting it rest on the snowman. “I just think your snowman… is quite unique.”

Hearing this, Lu Xiao felt a surge of pride. “It’ll be even cuter once I put the eyes and nose on.”

Shen Qingyu raised his phone, quietly capturing the scene. Lu Xiao looked at his focused profile, the satisfaction and excitement of being validated welling up in his heart, almost overflowing like effervescent soda.

“Does this snowman deserve an invitation to your home?” Lu Xiao started asking for a reward.

Shen Qingyu glared at him: “I don’t want your snowman. You can leave.”

Lu Xiao immediately surrendered. “Fine, fine, fine, I won’t go to your place. But you can buy me a meal, right? I still haven’t eaten.”

Shen Qingyu knew very well that Lu Xiao wasn’t short on money for a meal, and he knew Lu Xiao simply wanted to spend more time with him. However, facing Lu Xiao, who had specifically come over to build him a snowman, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

“What do you want to eat?” Yang Yu had transferred the money for the meal to him last time, asking him to treat Lu Xiao back when he had time. “How about Japanese food?” As he spoke, he checked his phone for famous Japanese restaurants, thinking he could return Lu Xiao’s favor for Yang Yu and settle that matter.

“I don’t want Japanese food.” Lu Xiao flatly refused. “When I was coming over, I saw a Yunnan rice noodles shop outside your complex. Let’s eat there.”

Shen Qingyu was surprised: “Okay. Are you sure?” He mentally calculated the cost. If so, wouldn’t he have to treat Lu Xiao to dozens of bowls of rice noodles to use up Yang Yu’s money?

“What’s with that look?” Lu Xiao pouted, displeased.

Shen Qingyu explained: “I just didn’t expect you’d want to eat that. Let’s go then. There’s a really good rice noodle shop nearby, I’ll take you to try it.” He paused, then added, “But I can only guarantee that the shop is clean and sanitary. I can’t guarantee the taste will suit you.”

At school, Lu Xiao rarely ate at the cafeteria, complaining that the food wasn’t good. Whenever he ordered takeout, it was always from private kitchens or high-end restaurants. Shen Qingyu naturally assumed he wouldn’t be accustomed to a humble street eatery like this.

Lu Xiao waved his hand, dismissing the concern: “It’s fine.”

He nimbly attached the accessories to the snowman, even magically producing a small red scarf and carefully tying it around the snow figure’s neck. The dull snowman instantly came alive.

He brushed the snow off his hands, grinned, and leaned closer to Shen Qingyu, lowering his voice: “How about it? Do you like me more now?”

Shen Qingyu frowned, pushing away his approaching face: “Don’t say things like that.”

Afraid that Shen Qingyu was genuinely angry, Lu Xiao quickly said: “Let’s go then. You lead the way.”

Shen Qingyu glanced back at the snowman, storing the final image on his phone. While he was taking pictures, Lu Xiao watched, even advising him on the best angles. Shen Qingyu thought, With your terrible straight-guy photography skills, how dare you advise me?

The main road of the complex had been cleared of snow, but thick piles remained on the side of the road.

Lu Xiao suddenly bent down, grabbed a handful of snow, and clenched it tightly in his palm until his knuckles turned white. Then, he opened his hand and offered an irregularly shaped snowball, marked with his fingerprints: “Here.”

Shen Qingyu hesitantly touched it, unexpectedly feeling the residual warmth of Lu Xiao’s palm on the snowball. That warmth made him pause slightly. The snowball quickly melted in his palm.

He offered a tissue: “Wipe it off quickly. Aren’t you cold?”

Lu Xiao remained motionless: “You wipe it for me. My hands are frozen.” He then held up his hand, his movement difficult. “Really, I’m not lying.”

Shen Qingyu stared at his palm, sighed helplessly, and resignedly pulled out a tissue to wipe his hand, muttering a complaint: “Why go to the trouble of clenching a snowball? So childish.”

“Only I’m childish, you’re not,” Lu Xiao looked at him with lowered eyes, a hint of tenderness in his gaze.

“At least I’m more mature than you.”

Shen Qingyu crumpled the soaked tissue and accurately tossed it into a nearby trash can, earning praise from Lu Xiao: “Your aim is good enough for basketball.”

He knew Lu Xiao was just joking, so he didn’t bother responding. However, as they passed a residential building, he suddenly stopped.

“What’s wrong?” Lu Xiao asked.

Shen Qingyu briefly looked confused and said it was nothing.

Song Yu’s apartment was in this building… The last time he had contacted Song Yu was a few days ago. At that time, Shen Qingyu had declined his dinner invitation because Cheng Che was back. They hadn’t contacted each other since, and now, suddenly thinking of him, Shen Qingyu felt a slight sense of subtle complexity.

On an impulse, Shen Qingyu took out his phone. Simultaneously, a message from Song Yu appeared in the center of the screen:

【Song Yu: You’re with Lu Xiao.】

Shen Qingyu shivered all over, as if a chill had enveloped him. He looked up, vaguely spotting Song Yu’s window and a blurry figure that seemed to be looking down, their eyes meeting across the distance.

【Song Yu: Don’t be scared. I was hanging clothes and happened to see you.】

The window was pushed open, and Shen Qingyu’s vision cleared. He saw a white shirt hanging near the window, looking freshly washed.

【Song Yu: Where are you two going?】

Under Lu Xiao’s urging, Shen Qingyu had to continue leading the way, typing as he walked, his fingers slightly stiff in the wind, making his actions slow: 【To eat.】

【Song Yu: Oh, going out to eat with Lu Xiao, aren’t you afraid your boyfriend will find out?】

Shen Qingyu instantly felt guilty: 【He helped me with something, and I’m treating him to a meal, that’s all.】

【Song Yu: Then did you forget that I helped you too? When are you treating me to a meal?】

【Song Yu: There’s no time like the present. Today will do.】

【Song Yu: What are you two eating? Rice noodles?】

Shen Qingyu was very surprised. How did he know?

【Song Yu: Looks like you’ve brought many people to eat rice noodles there.】

Shen Qingyu was momentarily speechless.

【Shen Qingyu: Because that shop is very good.】

【Song Yu: Oh, okay. I know.】

Shen Qingyu soon found out exactly what Song Yu “knew.”

As he and Lu Xiao sat down at a window seat in the rice noodle shop, the wind chimes at the entrance jingled crisply. Song Yu, wearing a dark down jacket, his figure slender and refined, walked in silently. At this speed, he must have been sending messages while descending the stairs.

The shop owner immediately recognized two familiar faces and smiled genuinely: “Together again today? Take a seat together then.”

Lu Xiao frowned, sensing something was off. It was clearly his first time here, so why did the owner sound so familiar with him?

He suddenly realized something. He quickly turned around, froze for a second when he saw Song Yu, and then his expression darkened considerably.

He wanted to confront Song Yu right then and there, but he suppressed his anger, pulling out a chair and sitting down with a rough movement that startled the owner, who thought a troublemaker had arrived.

Shen Qingyu offered the owner an apologetic smile.

Lu Xiao shot a hostile glance at Song Yu, who was walking straight towards them. His voice was quiet but full of animosity: “With so many empty seats, is it necessary to squeeze into one table?”

Song Yu acted as if he hadn’t heard, his gaze briefly sweeping past Lu Xiao and landing directly on Shen Qingyu, treating Lu Xiao like noisy background air. He naturally sat down in the empty seat opposite Shen Qingyu, his tone calm: “The usual?”

At that, Lu Xiao exploded. He clenched his fist tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. Suppressing his rage, he fixed his gaze on Shen Qingyu: “What’s the meaning of this? You two come here often? Shen Qingyu, you said you were treating me to a meal. What is this?” He deliberately emphasized the words “treating me.”

“We live in the same complex. We run into each other occasionally,” Shen Qingyu tried to explain, feeling a throbbing pain in his temples. “I’m paying. What do you want to eat? Join us. You’re both… friends.”

“Who’s friends with him!” Lu Xiao practically spat the words through clenched teeth, glaring fiercely at Song Yu.

He had always considered Song Yu to be merely a roommate he hadn’t interacted much with. On a good day, he might greet him, but only if he was in a good mood. This was the case before, but now that he realized the two of them had “little secrets” behind his back, he instantly found Song Yu offensive.

Could Song Yu also like Shen Qingyu?

Lu Xiao frowned, then realized the truth. But immediately, a sweeping sense of crisis washed over him.

Only then did Song Yu slowly turn his attention to Lu Xiao. “No one asked for your opinion.” His voice wasn’t loud, but it pierced Lu Xiao’s anger like an ice pick.

A vein throbbed on Lu Xiao’s forehead. He abruptly leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, closing the distance between them and Song Yu.

Song Yu didn’t even twitch an eyebrow. He simply tapped the tabletop lightly with his knuckles and calmly addressed the slightly flustered owner holding the menu: “One serving of the signature Crossing the Bridge Rice Noodles, please.” He completely ignored Lu Xiao’s provocation, and this complete dismissal infuriated Lu Xiao more than any retaliation would have.

Shen Qingyu felt a headache. He took a deep breath and pressed down on Lu Xiao’s tense arm: “Lu Xiao!”

Lu Xiao turned back, seeing Shen Qingyu’s tightly furrowed brow and the helplessness in his eyes. The blazing anger felt like it had been doused with cold water. “You order for me. I don’t want the same as him.”

Shen Qingyu sighed in relief and quickly ordered two servings of rice noodles, just wanting to end the awkward situation as soon as possible. He suddenly realized that his moment of cleverness was actually quite foolish. Lu Xiao seemed to be this volatile no matter who he was with, whether it was Cheng Che or Song Yu.

His personality was naturally like this, easily ignited.

Shen Qingyu rubbed his temples, thinking that no matter what, he must never let such a suffocating situation happen again.

Lu Xiao was probably suppressing his anger, or perhaps he was genuinely hungry. He picked up his chopsticks and was about to start eating. Shen Qingyu instinctively warned him: “Be careful, it’s hot. The soup is very hot.”

That one simple line of concern instantly changed Lu Xiao’s expression from dark to sunny. He smugly glanced at Song Yu, then clumsily blew on the food and began to eat.

Suddenly, beneath the table, Shen Qingyu felt his knee being gently touched by something.

He slightly froze. It was Song Yu.

Shen Qingyu didn’t dare to look up, a faint heat creeping up his earlobes. He pretended nothing had happened, lowering his head and quietly eating his rice noodles. The delicious soup now tasted somewhat bland.

Lu Xiao was completely oblivious, secretly happy about Shen Qingyu’s earlier concern. He even proactively picked up a slice of ham from his own bowl, intending to put it in Shen Qingyu’s bowl: “Here, take this. It’s good…”

Before he could finish his sentence, under the table, Song Yu’s leg brushed against Shen Qingyu’s calf again, this time without immediately retreating. It lingered for a moment, carrying a persistent warmth.

Shen Qingyu’s body stiffened. He abruptly pulled back his leg, avoiding the touch.