Are All You Straight Men Like This? - Chapter 17.1

Early Friday morning, Ye Ran got out of bed.

The group was scheduled to depart for the Lianwu Mountain villa at 9:30 AM sharp. According to the President, there would be a “nine-planet alignment” next month. Given that the Astronomy Club lacked any actual equipment or tools, they would all watch the livestream together then. As the saying goes, “sharing joy is better than enjoying it alone.”

By the time Ye Ran reached the meeting point, it was just after nine o’clock.

Ye Ran and Shen Shi were each carrying a single backpack. They spotted the Vice President waiting by the bus. She was a very gentle girl, and upon seeing them, she ushered them to board first. “Is that all the luggage you brought?”

Ye Ran: “Hmm? Is it too little?”

He had spent a long time agonizing over how to streamline his pack the night before.

“Haha, everyone else brought suitcases,” the Vice President said.

The bus was a 33-seater and the heater was already running. Many people were already seated in the front rows. Some girls called out to them: “Hi, Ye Ran! Shen Shi! You’re here?”

The Astronomy Club had a great atmosphere. After a few activities, everyone had become somewhat acquainted.

Ye Ran nodded with a smile. “You guys arrived so early.”

The girl’s name was Jiang Yuan, a student from the nearby School of Liberal Arts. Wearing glasses and munching on potato chips, she said, “I’ve got ‘Elementary School Spring Trip Syndrome.’ I barely slept last night.”

As soon as she said this, the boys and girls around her chimed in in agreement.

“I didn’t expect our President to be so generous. He actually rented a villa!”

“I get excited just thinking about going up the mountain. Yesterday, Nan-nan and I went to the supermarket and bought a ton of marinated meat. I’ll show off my skills for you guys later.”

“Holy crap, I bought some too! I even bought fresh produce!”

A group of people huddled together excitedly. Ye Ran blinked. Behind him, Shen Shi noticed his slight hesitation, leaned down, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Shen Shi had just woken up, so his tone was a bit lazy and tired. As his warm breath brushed against Ye Ran’s neck, Ye Ran took an unnatural step forward. “I didn’t know we could bring our own food.”

He gripped his cotton jacket with his fingers. He didn’t know why, but lately, whenever Shen Shi spoke to him, he would lean in very close.

…No, no, no! His senses must be playing tricks on him. Shen Shi probably just leaned in because he couldn’t hear him clearly. He tried to steady his breathing, his ears feeling a bit hot.

Shen Shi gave a low “Mm,” took the backpack from Ye Ran’s hand, and stuffed it into the overhead luggage rack. “It’s fine. Villas like this usually provide food; we can buy more when we get there.”

His gaze swept over Ye Ran’s earlobe. Acting as if nothing had happened, he said, “Let’s sit in the front.”

The front of the bus felt fewer vibrations. Although Ye Ran didn’t get motion sickness, he hadn’t slept well the night before and wanted to catch up on sleep.

Not long after they sat down, Yu Ting arrived carrying several large bags. The moment he entered the cabin, there was another round of boisterous greetings. Yu Ting was in his element, taking snacks from everyone as he moved to sit in the row behind Ye Ran and Shen Shi.

“You two got here so early?” He ate a piece of French bread while shedding his down jacket. “It’s way too cold today. I bet it’s below zero out there.”

Outside the window, the sky was pitch black. Thick layers of dark clouds hung low, churning as if gathering rain.

Yu Ting pulled out his phone. “It’s raining at Lianwu Mountain—light rain turning to moderate. Not bad; the stars are clearer after it rains.”

“If the rain doesn’t stop today, we’ll just extend the stay and watch them the day after,” the Vice President laughed.

The cabin was noisy with conversation. The front rows were full, and the heater hummed loudly. Close to 9:30 AM, the last two people boarded the bus.

Ye Ran heard the Vice President’s slightly confused voice: “You didn’t bring any luggage?”

He looked up and saw Lin Ziqian and Liang Feng.

Lin Ziqian was dressed glamourously in Doc Martens and long trousers. He smiled lazily, casting a casual glance at the cold-faced Liang Feng behind him. “We’re sharing.”

Liang Feng said nothing, walking straight past him to sit in the very last row. Lin Ziqian went silent for a few seconds, tucked away his smile, and followed.

As he passed Ye Ran, he suddenly stopped. Remembering something, he gave Ye Ran an interested smile and asked, “Do you get motion sickness?”

“Hmm?” Ye Ran was startled. “…No, I don’t.”

“You don’t?” Lin Ziqian drawled, slowly glancing at Liang Feng, who was staring coldly at them. “I’m feeling a bit carsick. How about we swap seats?”

He stared at Ye Ran, his gaze meticulously scanning every contour of Ye Ran’s face. He smiled and said, “My seat is right next to Liang Feng. Sorry, my motion sickness is really bad; I might vomit.”

“Once I start, I can’t stop. If I sit in the back, I might pass out from vomiting.”

The surrounding voices gradually quieted down. Several club members turned their heads, their eyes full of gossip.

Ye Ran slowly frowned. He could hear a hint of malice beneath Lin Ziqian’s weak-sounding words. What was Lin Ziqian doing? Wasn’t Liang Feng his boyfriend?

He had absolutely no desire to get involved in this couple’s drama. He shook his head directly and said, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t carsick just now, but I am now.”

“If you’re really that sick, you can sit in the front passenger seat.”

Lin Ziqian’s smile faltered. He looked at the usually mild-mannered and good-tempered Ye Ran. Just as he was about to speak, a low, cold, and calm male voice interrupted him.

“Are you done talking?”

He instinctively looked down. In the seat next to the aisle, Shen Shi calmly lifted his eyelids. Half-light and half-shadow fell across his face, but couldn’t reach his deep, cold black eyes. His expression was faint, yet it inexplicably gave Lin Ziqian a chilling sense of crisis.

In an instant, Lin Ziqian swallowed his words. “Fine then. I’ll just stay carsick.”

“You could also just not go,” Shen Shi said emotionlessly. “No one is forcing you.”

Yu Ting added in a loud enough volume to be mocking, “Exactly. I didn’t see you being this active before. The moment you hear we’re going out to play, you show up pretty fast.”

The last bit of a smile vanished from Lin Ziqian’s face. A few seconds later, he gave an unidentifiable scoff and sat down next to Liang Feng with his legs crossed, amidst Liang Feng’s shocked and angry stare.

The atmosphere in the front rows was silent for a moment before the noise resumed.

Liang Feng looked around. They were in the very back, separated from the crowd in front by two or three empty rows.

“What are you doing?” he asked in a low voice, his teeth gritted. “Are you looking for trouble?”

Lin Ziqian lazily pulled a lady’s cigarette from his pocket, the thin stick spinning nimbly in his hand. “Creating an opportunity for you. Unfortunately, it didn’t work.”

“I told you, I don’t need you meddling in my business!” Liang Feng whispered, nearly exploding with rage.

Lin Ziqian acted as if he hadn’t heard. “A bit difficult to handle. Your ‘new love’ has someone watching over him. Let me think… when we get to the villa, maybe I’ll privately ask him to swap beds. I don’t know if they’re singles or doubles yet; I’ll improvise when we get there—”

“Lin Ziqian,” Liang Feng turned his head sharply to look at him. The sleepless nights had left his eyes bloodshot, making him look dark and terrifying, completely erasing his previous youthful charm. “…I’m telling you one last time: stay out of my business.”

“We’ll mind our own business.”

“That won’t do,” Lin Ziqian’s expression remained unchanged, smiling casually. “After all, we’ve had so many years of feelings. If I can give you a hand, of course I will. Once the two of you are actually together, I’ll naturally break up with you. Ah, Liang Feng, how are you going to thank me?”

Liang Feng looked at him as if he were looking at a madman. After a long silence, he squeezed out a sentence through his teeth: “Stop being crazy… Ye Ran isn’t gay. There’s no chance for us.”

Lin Ziqian was stunned. The cigarette in his hand fell to the floor with a click. A few seconds later, he burst into a fit of absurd laughter, laughing so hard he almost cried. His words came out in fragments: “What did you say? Ye Ran… isn’t gay?”

Ye Ran wasn’t gay? Where did Liang Feng get that conclusion?

He looked at Liang Feng’s intentionally evasive gaze, finding it hilarious. Gradually, he saw the gloom and discouragement on Liang Feng’s face. Lin Ziqian slowly stopped laughing, suddenly feeling a bit bored. He asked softly, “Hey, if he doesn’t even like men, why do you still like him?”

Just because of that face?

“None of your damn business,” Liang Feng replied viciously.

Lin Ziqian went quiet. A few seconds later, he smiled and murmured to himself, “Not gay… is he?”

The rest of the journey was peaceful. As they approached Lianwu Mountain, it began to rain.

Massive dark clouds pressed down, the wind howled, and the clouds roared and churned. Cold rain pitter-pattered against the bus windows. The world was shrouded in darkness.

The driver turned on the lights. Ye Ran took off his eye mask and glanced out the window.

“Such heavy rain,” he yawned. “How much longer until we arrive?”

Shen Shi handed him a bottle of water and checked the time. “About ten minutes.”

No one took the earlier interlude to heart. Ye Ran took the water from Shen Shi and thanked him softly. Shen Shi lowered his eyes to look at him, his gaze sweeping over the red flush around his eyes from sleeping.

The bus had been arranged by the manager of the mountain villas and could take them directly to the complex. As a 5A-rated tourist spot, once the rain stopped and the clouds cleared, Lianwu Mountain was a misty, beautiful sight, with peaks looming in the fog like the hem of an immortal’s robe. Therefore, even in the off-season, many tourists came to visit.

The villa complex was currently brightly lit. Commercial management meant the facilities were well-equipped, featuring leisure, entertainment, living, and play areas. The moment they stepped off the bus, everyone was stunned by the magnificent sight.

Yu Ting’s linguistic system was temporarily muddled. “I thought… ‘mountain villa’ meant a lonely little cottage where we’d have to build our own fire and shiver at night clutching a broken heater…”

“Haha,” the President laughed like a Maitreya Buddha. “That’s not the case. It’s not like we’re broke.”

Yu Ting: “…Ugh.”

A manager waiting at the hotel entrance stepped forward and politely led them to their villa.

“There are twenty vacant rooms in the villa, all of them singles. if you need anything else, you can call the front desk; we will send dedicated staff to serve you.”

After mentioning a few precautions, he left the excited crowd to themselves.

The villa had three floors. The second and third floors were guest rooms. The first floor was massive, even featuring a rockery with flowing water. The girls stayed on the second floor, and the boys on the third.

After a two-hour drive, everyone was a bit tired. They had a casual meal at the buffet restaurant at noon and then spent the afternoon resting and gathering energy for the party that night.

At seven o’clock, everyone set out for the gathering hall on time.

The boys came down quickly, sitting on the sofas waiting for the girls. “Is everyone up?”

Several girls, arm-in-arm and wearing delicate makeup, were coming downstairs. “We just slept for a bit. Chen Jun, were you guys playing games at noon? we could hear the noise upstairs.”

The boy named Chen Jun cried out in protest. “The one shouting the loudest definitely wasn’t me!”

They were about to say more, but upon catching sight of Shen Shi on the sofa, their voices softened. One of the girls nervously tucked back a stray lock of hair, lowering her head under the teasing gaze of her companions.

“I’ve called the front desk. Our private room is on the first floor of the hall—it’s a large one,” the President said, walking in with his phone. “Let’s go; they’ve finished cleaning it.”

The villa complex was interconnected with corridors leading directly to the hall. The moment they pushed open the main doors, a gust of wind swept past, and icy rain pitter-pattered onto the ground, splashing everywhere. The sky was dark and gloomy, the clouds churning.

“My god, it’s raining this hard?” “It’s freezing.”

Several girls shivered and hunched their shoulders, not daring to linger for a second as they rushed into the rain-shielded corridor. The boys followed closely behind.

Ye Ran followed Shen Shi. Shen Shi, wearing a baseball cap with the brim pulled low over his messy black hair, suddenly stopped and asked him, “Are you cold?”

“I’m okay. I wore a lot of layers,” Ye Ran said.

Shen Shi nodded. His eyelids lifted slightly, sweeping over Lin Ziqian and Liang Feng, who were standing not too far behind Ye Ran.

“You walk in front,” he said, his tone devoid of any extra emotion.

Ye Ran was silent for two seconds. He lowered his eyes and said, “Okay.”

He caught up with the main group. Shen Shi followed unhurriedly behind him, his tall, upright frame blocking all gazes from behind.

They soon reached the gathering hall, which was crowded with people.

The large room the President booked could hold nearly dozens of people. U-shaped leather sofas lined the walls, and the coffee tables were already set with fruit, snacks, and drinks. The disco ball flashed with colorful spots of light, sweeping across every corner of the room.

Several girls were fully revived and immediately went to the console to pick songs. Yu Ting took off his coat and used a tissue to wipe his hair. “Shit, is that why you wore a hat?” He looked at Shen Shi with envy. “What a show-off.”

Shen Shi was too lazy to talk to him. The door was pushed open again, and the latecomers, Lin Ziqian and Liang Feng, walked in. They seemed to be looking for seats. Shen Shi narrowed his eyes, his gaze deep and inscrutable. He suddenly spoke: “Stay here and don’t move.”

Yu Ting: “?”

He was just about to go to the next table to drink. Several boys in the club were party animals; they’d already started setting up the alcohol, and their finger-guessing games were in full swing.

“Whoa—!”

There was another burst of laughter and noise. The atmosphere was officially peaking. Several boys were jeering: “You lost, you lost! Drink, drink, drink—hurry up! If you’re a man, do it fast!”

“Chen Jun, are you really this weak?” “Lost three rounds in a row! You’re here for charity! Hahahaha!”

Ye Ran smiled as he passed their table. Looking up, he saw Shen Shi watching him. Shen Shi’s expression was casual; he hadn’t taken off his baseball cap, which pressed down on his messy hair. The flashing lights swept over his features, but it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Ye Ran stopped for some reason. After a few seconds, he walked over and sat in the seat Yu Ting had vacated. “Do you want a drink?”

The drinks were in aluminum cans labeled as sparkling water. They could be used as mixers or for the girls to quench their thirst. Shen Shi reached out and took one.

Pshh. The ring pull was popped, and the sparkling water sizzled.

Nearby, there was another burst of excited, noisy laughter. Even the President was joining in.

Ye Ran withdrew his gaze and unintentionally spotted Lin Ziqian in a corner. Lin Ziqian was smiling with his chin resting on his hand. Liang Feng, beside him, seemed to be talking to him, but Lin Ziqian didn’t respond. Instead, he was playing finger-guessing games with several boys, draining his glass every time he lost.

Several boys were getting excited and started joking with him. The atmosphere became increasingly harmonious. Yu Ting was in his element, weaving between the bar and the tables; with a simple move, he could drink anyone under the table.

“This bastard must be counting cards!” a boy accused with a thick tongue.

Several other “victims” spoke up simultaneously: “Stop it, Yu Ting! Get lost!”