Can You Believe It? I Ran into My Ex on a Dating Variety Show - Chapter 16

He Xingzhi stepped aside. “Come in.”

This time, Shi Yu did not bring any disinfectant. He had only needed it the first time because the space had not been used yet. Now that he and He Xingzhi were the only ones using this bathroom, he did not need to sanitize it; his instincts could accept this level of contact.

He Xingzhi followed him in gloomily. “Why are you not using your disinfecting supplies anymore?”

Shi Yu walked straight to the bathroom door. As he pushed it open, he looked back at He Xingzhi and asked, “Do you need to use the bathroom too?”

He Xingzhi had not realized he was following so closely. Once discovered, he stiffened his neck, crossed his arms, and said, “I need to brush my teeth, wash my face, and go to sleep.”

Shi Yu immediately stepped back out and made a gesture of invitation. “Would you like to go first?”

He Xingzhi took a few steps back, looking disgruntled. “You go first. That way, I will not finish only for you to disinfect everything all over again.”

Shi Yu did not argue and went inside, closing the door. Through the frosted glass door, a silhouette was visible from a close distance. He Xingzhi’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His throat felt dry and itchy, so he coughed twice and went to get some water.

He Xingzhi returned from the living room with two bottles of strawberry milk. By the time he got back, Shi Yu was still showering. This man was obsessed with cleanliness; every shower lasted at least thirty minutes. He had to wash every detail from head to toe, even though he was not actually dirty.

He was not only demanding of himself but also of He Xingzhi. Back when they first started dating, every time things escalated toward adult activities, He Xingzhi had to shower and get himself perfectly clean before he was allowed on the bed. Afterward, they had to wash again and change the bedsheets and pillowcases. Sometimes, even changing the sheets was not enough; if Shi Yu detected a lingering scent, he would insist that He Xingzhi carry him to the guest bedroom to sleep.

He Xingzhi gave a cold snort. Only someone with a good temper like him could put up with such a high maintenance person. If Sister Kelly were here to hear that, she would probably roll her eyes to the ceiling. If He Xingzhi had a good temper, then there were no people with bad tempers left in the world.

Another half hour passed. He Xingzhi was starting to feel sleepy, yet Shi Yu had still not emerged. He finally walked over and knocked on the door, saying crossly, “Did you die in there or something?”

With a click, the bathroom door opened. Shi Yu poked his head out, staring at He Xingzhi. His eyes were large, moist, and full of luster. A casual glance from him was enough to make one’s heart race.

“W-what is it?” He Xingzhi’s eyes involuntarily drifted from Shi Yu’s beautiful face down to the exquisite line of his collarbones. Water droplets clung to his skin, sparking a flare of intense jealousy in He Xingzhi.

“My pants fell on the floor and got wet. Could you please go to my room and get me a new pair? They are in the suitcase. There is only one suitcase in the room; you will see it as soon as you walk in.” Shi Yu’s small mouth opened and closed as he spoke. Seeing that He Xingzhi had not moved, he pressed his lips together slightly and asked, “Can you?”

He Xingzhi snapped out of it, cursed himself inwardly, and turned to leave.

While waiting, Shi Yu’s gaze fell upon He Xingzhi’s toiletries left in the bathroom. The red cup looked very familiar because Shi Yu had a blue one at home. Originally, they were a pair of couple cups. They had bought them at a supermarket for five yuan a pair when they were first preparing to move in together.

He had not expected that after three years, He Xingzhi would still have this cup. Shi Yu reached out, wanting to touch it, but just then, the sound of the door opening echoed from outside. He Xingzhi was back with the pants. Shi Yu withdrew his hand and looked away.

“Knock, knock. Open up. I got the pants.”

Shi Yu opened the door a crack and extended a snow-white hand to take the clothes from He Xingzhi.

“Why is it a whole set?” Shi Yu shook them out and found that He Xingzhi had brought him a complete set of casual pajamas.

He Xingzhi scratched his ear, acting nonchalant. “Do you not have obsessive-compulsive disorder? Would it not bother you to wear mismatched clothes?”

Shi Yu: “Thank you.”

He Xingzhi rubbed the back of his ear. “There is another bottle of milk in my room. I grabbed an extra one. Take it and drink it when you come out.”

Shi Yu: “Thank you.”

He Xingzhi thought for a moment and added harshly, “But this does not mean I have forgiven you. I am only doing this because I am too kind hearted, do you understand?”

Shi Yu: “I understand.”

He was acting so obediently that He Xingzhi felt even more frustrated. He found his cigarette case on the nightstand. Just as he was about to light one, he remembered Shi Yu disliked the smell of smoke and silently put the lighter down.

Wait, I was the one who got dumped. Why do I still care about an ex-boyfriend’s feelings?

A surge of suppressed anger rushed to He Xingzhi’s head, and he lit the cigarette anyway. He lay on the bed, puffing out clouds of smoke.

When Shi Yu came out, he immediately smelled the tobacco. He frowned, looked at He Xingzhi, and asked instinctively, “Did you not quit smoking?”

Before becoming an adult, He Xingzhi had been a rebellious youth with years of smoking under his belt. He had quit for Shi Yu. Later, because of Shi Yu, he had started again.

The resentment in He Xingzhi’s heart reached its peak at that question. He raised his eyebrows and said in a careless tone, “What does it have to do with you? Are you so bored that you want to manage your ex-boyfriend’s business now?”

Shi Yu knew he had no right to interfere. He lowered his eyelashes and said softly, “I am sorry. I overstepped.”

This weightless, cotton-soft apology made He Xingzhi feel as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly.

After Shi Yu left the room, He Xingzhi remained in the same position. He held the cigarette in his mouth but did not puff, letting it burn until the lengthening ash fell and burned his hand. Only then did he snap back to his senses.

“Hiss.”

“Damn it!”

He Xingzhi stubbed out the cigarette and irritably ruffled his red curly hair. It was already curly, but he made it even messier, looking like a curly-haired dog that could not get its owner’s attention. He paced around the room with no way to vent his anger.

Shi Yu took his wet clothes to be washed. After washing them, he waited for them to dry. While passing through the living room, he saw Su Jingxi.

Su Jingxi was drinking milk. Seeing him, he immediately handed Shi Yu a fresh bottle. Shi Yu looked at the heavy bottle in his hand. It was strawberry milk. He Xingzhi had also told him to drink milk just now.

He actually used to dislike this flavor. He preferred the pure taste of regular milk. But because He Xingzhi always drank it, they had occasionally unlocked new ways of drinking it. Like pouring it on his collarbone to drink. Like having a deep, lingering kiss right after drinking it. Like pouring it on other parts of his body.

After many times and a long period of time, Shi Yu had gone from merely accepting the flavor to actually liking it.