Cross-dressing to Seduce My Straight Roommate - Chapter 5

“Knock, knock—”

A gentle tapping at the door broke the silence.

Mu Mu’s soft voice drifted in from the doorway: “Sweetie, time to get up for lunch.”

Pei Xi groggily opened his eyes and mumbled, “Got it.”

After he got up, Mu Mu came in to tidy his room. All his luggage was already placed in the entryway of the living room—an oversized suitcase stuffed full of clothes and daily necessities, along with a backpack crammed with snacks and fruit.

“I’ve packed everything for you. There are clothes for summer and autumn inside, though I only packed two sets for autumn, so I didn’t prepare too many extra.” Mu Mu opened the window to let in fresh air while reminding him, “I only brought travel-sized bottles of shampoo and body wash for you. You can buy more at a supermarket near the school later.”

Pei Xi brushed his teeth sleepily, mouth full of foam, and mumbled vaguely, “Mhm, got it.”

Pei Jin had taken the day off work specially. He had gotten up early to buy a lot of groceries at the market and prepared a lavish lunch for Pei Xi.

Seeing him come out, Pei Jin quickly waved him over to eat: “Dad made all your favorite dishes. I also packed a portion for you—it’s already in your backpack. You can take it out to eat if you get hungry on the way.”

Pei Xi nodded and sat down to eat.

Mu Mu chimed in from the side: “Remember to text Mom and Dad when you arrive at school to let us know you’re safe. If you run out of daily supplies, just buy more. Get along well with your roommate, and call home if anything comes up.”

Pei Jin added, “Come back if you miss home. Dad will send you money for the train ticket.”

Mu Mu served Pei Xi a bowl of soup and said worriedly, “Are you sure you don’t want me and Dad to take you to the school?”

Pei Xi quickly shook his head: “It’s too much trouble going back and forth.”

Pei Jin disagreed: “What trouble? We can go and come back the same day.”

Pei Xi smiled: “I’m not a kid anymore. I’ve outgrown the age where Mom and Dad need to take me to school.”

In the end, Mu Mu and Pei Jin couldn’t persuade Pei Xi otherwise. They saw him off at the high-speed rail station, watching him disappear into the bustling crowd. Their eyes grew slightly moist. Pei Jin patted Mu Mu’s shoulder and said, “Let’s head back.”

The high-speed rail station was crowded, and young faces filled the entire carriage.

Like Pei Xi, they carried heavy luggage, their hearts filled with nervousness and anticipation as they headed toward their dream universities to begin their new lives.

Pei Xi had a window seat. He gazed out at the tourists crowded on the platform, lost in thought.

Just as he was zoning out, his phone vibrated.

[User 10557880 sent a message.]

[User 10557880: Taking the first step requires a lot of courage. You’ve already done great.]

Looking at the message from [User 10557880], Pei Xi couldn’t help but smile. He could imagine how awkward [User 10557880] must have felt while sending it.

After a moment’s thought, he typed out a reply.

[Xixi: I don’t want to leave Mom and Dad.]

[Xixi: I’m a fragile little baby.]

[User 10557880 is typing…]

Pei Xi waited a long time but didn’t receive a reply. He had said those words on purpose.

【User 10557880】 seemed genuinely baffled by him.

A long time passed.

【User 10557880: Then toughen up a bit.】

Pei Xi couldn’t help but laugh out loud. After noticing the odd glances from people around him, he covered his face and turned off his phone.

It seemed that after persistently messaging 【User 10557880】 every day, their relationship had truly improved quite a bit.

At least 【User 10557880】 hadn’t blocked him yet.

Three hours later, he finally arrived in Ningcheng.

The train station was packed with people.

Pei Xi dragged his suitcase out of the high-speed rail station and was hit in the face by a wave of heat.

Ningcheng in September was much hotter than Qiaochuan Island.

The university had a shuttle bus waiting for new students near the exit.

Following the crowd, he finally boarded the school shuttle. The bus was already quite full.

Pei Xi chose a window seat in the corner. A gentle breeze drifted in through the window, brushing against his cheeks and lifting the hair at his temples.

He leaned against the window, closing his eyes for a short rest.

The bus traveled through unfamiliar streets and slowly came to a stop at the entrance of Ningcheng University.

The university gate was grand, with a banner welcoming new students hanging above the plaque.

Pei Xi got off the bus and walked inside, pulling his suitcase behind him.

He first went to the freshman registration office to fill out his enrollment forms, then took the dormitory application to the dorm supervisor and received his room key.

The freshman dormitory was in Zone D. The elevator was crammed with suitcases of all sizes.

The moment he stepped out of the elevator, Pei Xi took a deep, nervous breath.

This was his first time living on campus, sharing a room with people from all over the country. He had never experienced anything like this before. As an introvert, he wasn’t sure how to greet his roommates.

He checked the room number on his form twice before daring to knock lightly on the door.

“Come in.”

Pei Xi slowly pushed the door open. Two people were already inside, chatting as they unpacked. When they saw Pei Xi enter, they greeted him warmly.

“Hey? New roommate?”

“You’re the third one here, so from now on, you’re the third brother.”

Pei Xi was briefly taken aback. He wasn’t used to such familiarity, but he quickly recovered and smiled as he greeted them. “Hello, I’m Pei Xi.”

“I’m Lin Shaojun, and he’s Zhai Jiarui,” said the tall, thin boy wearing glasses as he tidied his bed. He kindly reminded Pei Xi, “There’s a lot of dust on the bed boards. You’d better wipe them down with a towel first.”

Pei Xi nodded. “Thank you.”

The other boy was already wiping down the wardrobe. Hearing Lin Shaojun’s words, he sighed helplessly. “It’s not just the bed boards. The desks, chairs, and cabinets are all covered in dust. A light wipe with your hand leaves a dark gray mark. It’s best to wipe everything down and clean up a bit later.”

Seeing Pei Xi standing awkwardly by his bed, he turned and wiped the desk for him, saying, “You can put your luggage here for now.”

Pei Xi thanked him again. Zhai Jiarui handed him a towel and said, “We’re all in the same dorm. No need to be so polite.”

Lin Shaojun glanced at Pei Xi and said, “Your accent sounds like you’re from the south?”

“Yeah, I’m from Qiaochuan Island.” Pei Xi used the towel to wipe the chair. Just as Zhai Jiarui had said, the dust was thick, and it would take several rounds of washing the towel to clean the desk properly.

Zhai Jiarui and Lin Shaojun were both from the north. They chatted openly and freely, while Pei Xi listened quietly, occasionally getting tangled up by their dialects. From time to time, they would include Pei Xi in the conversation to make sure he wasn’t left out.

Lin Shaojun glanced at his watch. “It’s almost five now. Won’t it be six by the time we finish cleaning?”

“Then we’d better hurry,” Zhai Jiarui frowned and said, “I still need to buy some toiletries. I haven’t even gotten a washbasin yet.”

Lin Shaojun leaned out from his bed and said to Pei Xi, “How about we all grab a meal together later?”

Pei Xi replied, “Sure, I’m fine with anything.”

After Pei Xi finished tidying his bed, he also started helping clean the shared areas of the dorm.

Seeing Lin Shaojun cleaning the last bed, Zhai Jiarui asked curiously, “Is there one more person in our dorm who hasn’t arrived yet? I remember the dorm supervisor said our room was full.”

Lin Shaojun nodded. “Yeah, the person sleeping in this bed is named Lu Li. I know him.”

Zhai Jiarui chuckled. “Hey, what a coincidence! You two are attending the same university, the same major, and even sharing the same dorm room.”

“Right,” Lin Shaojun pretended to look pained and joked, “I’ve been playing second fiddle to him since we were kids. See, I’m even cleaning up for the young master now. When he arrives later, I’ll have to make his bed too.”

Zhai Jiarui asked, “Is he really a young master, or are you two just messing around?”

Pei Xi stepped out onto the balcony, quietly closing the door behind him, and called his mom to let her know he had arrived safely.

“Have you settled everything? Our little treasure is so amazing! Have you met your roommates yet?”

“Yes, two roommates arrived before me. We’re cleaning the dorm now.”

“How are you getting along with them? Are you adjusting well?”

“Pretty good. They’re very friendly and look out for me. We’ve already agreed to have dinner together, and afterward, we’ll look for a nearby supermarket to buy some daily necessities.”

“That puts my mind at ease. If you need more money, just tell Mom, okay?”

“Okay, thanks, Mom.”

Even after hanging up, the smile on Pei Xi’s face hadn’t completely faded.

Before the semester started, he had withdrawn all the tips from his livestreams, keeping only ten thousand for himself and giving the rest to his parents.

Mu Mu and Pei Jin were utterly shocked when they received the money. Their combined annual income didn’t even come close to what Pei Xi had earned in just three months.

They had intended for Pei Xi to keep the money for himself—to spend or save as he pleased—and they would still send him his monthly allowance.

But Pei Xi refused.

He wasn’t someone who spent lavishly. He simply felt more at ease leaving such a large sum with his parents. Besides, he knew they had long been planning to buy a house and hoped this money could ease their burden a little.

Leaning against the balcony railing, he gazed at the evening glow on the horizon and let out a long, deep breath.

He was about to start his new life—leaving his parents’ side for the first time and moving to an unfamiliar city. For him, it was a challenge.

He hoped these four years of university would go smoothly.

“Ding dong—”

[You have a new message. Please check.]

Pei Xi glanced at his phone. It was a notification from Douyin. He tapped to open it.

[User 10557880: Arrived?]

Pei Xi stared at those two words, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips, revealing shallow dimples.

【Xixi: I’ve been here for a while, just finished cleaning up.】

【Xixi: Totally exhausted.jpg】

The weather was lovely today, with the evening glow painting half the sky in shades of red.

Pei Xi leaned against the balcony railing, waiting for a reply.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. The laughter and chatter in the dorm room fell silent as the door was pushed open.

Pei Xi looked up, his curious gaze passing through the window to the doorway.

A boy stood there, dressed in a black T-shirt, dragging a suitcase behind him. He leaned lazily against the doorframe.

The fading sunlight slanted into the room, casting a golden glow over the sharp contours of his profile.

His thin lips were pressed together, his phoenix eyes slightly lowered, his expression indifferent, carrying a hint of coldness that kept others at a distance.

Their eyes met.

Both were momentarily taken aback but quickly averted their gazes.

Lin Shaojun: “You’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for you in the dorm for ages.”

Lu Li responded with a faint “Mm.”

Lin Shaojun pointed to his bed and said, “I’ve already wiped it down for you. You can just make the bed directly.”

Lu Li gave a slight nod, opened his suitcase, and began unpacking his things.

Pei Xi withdrew his gaze, instinctively furrowing his brows.

This new roommate of his, whose bed was right next to his, seemed to have a cold personality, a bit intimidating, and not easy to get along with.

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