Cross-dressing to Seduce My Straight Roommate - Chapter 9

“Dismissed!”

At the instructor’s command, the crowd on the field instantly scattered, surging in all directions like seawater. Some rushed toward the convenience store, others dashed to the cafeteria, while Pei Xi slowly trudged over to the shade beneath a nearby tree.

Today’s sun was scorching, as if trying to melt everyone. The ground temperature had long surpassed forty degrees, turning the earth into a giant griddle.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves, casting dappled patterns on his face. The searing heat left him feeling irritable.

His back was already soaked with sweat, the camouflage uniform clinging unpleasantly to his skin—damp and stifling. He hated this sticky, sweaty sensation and wished he could dash back to the dorm for a shower immediately. But after standing at attention all morning, he was utterly exhausted and couldn’t muster the energy to run.

Leaning against the tree trunk, Pei Xi closed his eyes slightly. The prolonged exposure to the sun had left him a bit dizzy, with a throbbing sensation at his temples.

“Third Brother.”

Zhai Jiarui’s voice came from beside him.

Pei Xi slowly opened his eyes to see Zhai Jiarui handing him a bottle of water.

“Why did you come over here?” Zhai Jiarui glanced at him, frowning. “You look terrible. Could it be heatstroke?”

“Thanks.” Pei Xi took the water, unscrewed the cap, and gulped down several mouthfuls. The cool mineral water slid down his throat, bringing a wave of relief. “It’s just too hot, a bit suffocating.”

Zhai Jiarui was about to say more when Lin Shaojun and Lu Li walked over, carrying a few ice pops. “Let’s go get some cold noodles later. This weather is unbearable—I’ve lost my appetite…”

Mid-sentence, he caught sight of Pei Xi’s face and abruptly fell silent. “Damn, Pei Xi, what’s wrong? You look awful. Is it heatstroke? Do you need to go to the school clinic?”

Pei Xi shook his head. “It’s fine. It’s just the heat. Standing under the sun all morning was a bit too much.”

Lin Shaojun glanced at his slender frame and quickly handed him an ice pop. “You clearly don’t exercise much normally. This kind of high-intensity training must be brutal for you. Why not ask the school clinic for a sick note?”

Pei Xi replied weakly, “I’ve made it this far. A few more days won’t hurt.”

He had never been one for exercise, and after the college entrance exams, he had completely let himself go—lying down whenever possible, never sitting if he could avoid it, and panting after just a few flights of stairs.

In contrast, his three roommates standing before him were clearly regulars at the gym. Even their loose camouflage uniforms couldn’t hide their well-defined muscles.

Pei Xi glanced down at his own scrawny physique, feeling a pang of shame.

Zhai Jiarui said, “Don’t push yourself. A few classmates in our section have already gotten sick notes from the clinic.”

Pei Xi fell silent for a few seconds but still refused their suggestion. His body was simply too weak, and he had originally planned to use this military training as an opportunity to build some stamina.

He had endured so many days already—he wasn’t about to give up at the last moment.

Lu Li stood to the side, his gaze lingering on Pei Xi’s face for a few seconds before speaking. “You and Zhai Jiarui head back to the dorm to rest first. Old Lin and I will pack some food and bring it back to eat together.”

Zhai Jiarui agreed readily. “Sounds good.”

Pei Xi opened his mouth, about to say, “Won’t that be too much trouble for you?” But Lu Li and Lin Shaojun had already made the decision, and Zhai Jiarui urged him to hurry back to the dorm to rest. He had no choice but to silently accept their kindness.

The sun was blazing, and the popsicle in Pei Xi’s hand quickly began to melt.

A gentle breeze blew in waves, carrying waves of heat, while the cicadas chirped incessantly.

Pei Xi walked beside Zhai Jiarui, chatting idly with him. His head still felt a bit dizzy, but it was much better than before.

When they reached the dormitory building, they saw a boy standing at the entrance. He looked somewhat awkward and uneasy, nervously watching the people coming and going around him.

Upon seeing them approach, the boy visibly grew more nervous. Summoning his courage, he took the initiative to speak to them: “H-hello, are you Lu Li’s roommates? I’ve seen you walking together often.”

Lu Li…?

Pei Xi was momentarily taken aback.

Zhai Jiarui raised an eyebrow, his gaze falling on the crumpled piece of paper in the boy’s hand. He asked indifferently, “Is there something you need?”

The boy’s face flushed bright red instantly, and he stammered, “Um… I, I want Lu Li’s WeChat. Could you give it to me?”

Pei Xi looked at the shy boy before him and suddenly understood—he had taken a liking to their roommate.

He felt an indescribable emotion stirring inside him. A boy…?

Zhai Jiarui’s attitude was clear: “Sorry, without Lu Li’s permission, we can’t give out his WeChat to anyone.”

The boy’s face clearly showed disappointment, his expression falling completely. “I knew it…”

He also knew it wasn’t very polite to ask others for Lu Li’s WeChat like this, but he had been asking around for a while and hadn’t managed to get Lu Li’s account. Even though the school forum and confession walls were filled with posts about Lu Li, he hadn’t found any contact information. That’s why he decided to ask in person.

He had waited under the dormitory building for a long time but hadn’t seen Lu Li. However, he recognized Pei Xi and Zhai Jiarui’s faces, so he decided to try asking them if they could give him Lu Li’s WeChat.

He had probably guessed they would refuse, so he had prepared a note and handed it to Pei Xi, who seemed more approachable. His voice carried a pleading tone: “Then, could you please give this to Lu Li for me? It has my contact information on it.”

Afraid Pei Xi might refuse, he clasped his hands together and looked at him pitifully. “Please, please.”

Pei Xi felt a bit at a loss, but Zhai Jiarui took the note for him and said calmly, “We’ll pass this on to Lu Li for you, but we can’t guarantee whether he’ll add you or not.”

The boy immediately beamed, his eyes lighting up. “Thank you!”

As if afraid the two might change their minds, he turned and ran off, faster than a rabbit.

Pei Xi: “…”

It seemed his thinking was too conservative.

He hadn’t expected Ningcheng to be so accepting of same-sex relationships.

Was this really okay?

After the boy left, the two continued walking toward the dormitory. Pei Xi followed behind Zhai Jiarui, his mind still lingering on what had just happened.

Zhai Jiarui seemed accustomed to such situations, but noticing Pei Xi’s distracted expression, he couldn’t help but chuckle. “What’s wrong? Are you shocked?”

Pei Xi was already feeling dizzy from the sun, and now his mind felt even more muddled. He asked blankly, “Lu Li… is he gay?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he bit his tongue. The question seemed a bit presumptuous.

Zhai Jiarui, however, didn’t seem to mind. He thought seriously about Pei Xi’s question and replied with certainty, “Probably not. Lu Li doesn’t seem like a gay guy at all—straight as they come, a certified straight man.”

Pei Xi nodded, not daring to ask further.

He also felt that Lu Li didn’t seem like someone from his circle at all.

The aura of a straight man practically radiated from him, as if he had “I’m straight” written on his forehead.

Besides, even if a guy confessed to Lu Li, that wouldn’t prove Lu Li was gay, right?

Pei Xi returned to the dormitory with a troubled expression.

Zhai Jiarui immediately turned on the air conditioner. Cool air rushed out from the vent, and Pei Xi stood beneath it, letting out a long sigh of relief. The sticky, uncomfortable feeling on his skin finally eased a little. He quickly picked out a set of pajamas from his wardrobe and rushed to the bathroom.

He took off his military uniform, which was practically dripping with sweat.

Hot water from the showerhead poured over his face, and Pei Xi finally felt like he was coming back to life.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, Lin Shaojun and Lu Li had already returned.

Several takeout boxes were laid out on the table. Besides food, they had also brought back milk tea and watermelon.

Seeing him emerge from the bathroom, Lin Shaojun waved him over, then opened a box of cold noodles and slurped up a mouthful, mumbling, “I’m starving.”

Pei Xi took the last empty seat and said shyly, “Thank you.”

Zhai Jiarui pulled a slip of paper from his pants pocket and handed it to Lu Li. “A classmate we met downstairs in the dorm asked me to give this to you. He said it has his contact information on it.”

Lu Li took the slip of paper without even glancing at it, casually crumpled it into a ball, and tossed it into a nearby trash bin.

Pei Xi looked at him in shock, his expression somewhat dazed.

Zhai Jiarui glanced at him and couldn’t help but laugh. “See? I told you he wouldn’t add him.”

Lin Shaojun, who had been focused on eating his noodles, watched Lu Li’s casual gesture and didn’t even have time to stop him. He even considered fishing the crumpled paper out of the trash to take a look. “What was that?”

Zhai Jiarui explained briefly, “We met a classmate downstairs in the dorm, and he asked for Lu Li’s WeChat.”

He added specifically, “We didn’t give it to him, of course. Then he asked if I could pass this note to Lu Li, and I agreed.”

Lin Shaojun clicked his tongue, abandoning the idea of rummaging through the trash. He teased half-heartedly, “How can someone so young have such poor judgment?”

Lu Li continued eating without changing his expression, his demeanor as calm as ever, as if none of this had anything to do with him.

Zhai Jiarui looked at him curiously. “The one who asked me to pass the note was a guy.”

Lin Shaojun shrugged. “That’s not surprising. Our Brother Lu’s charm works on both girls and guys.”

Zhai Jiarui said, “Oh?”

Pei Xi took a big bite of rice, quietly listening to their conversation.

“Lu Gou was quite the celebrity at our old school. After all, our Young Master Lu is handsome, gets top grades, and his family background is impeccable—basically stacked with every advantage.” Lin Shaojun spoke between bites, his tone slightly exaggerated. “So many people had a crush on Lu Gou that his WeChat got flooded. When they couldn’t add him, they started writing him love letters. His desk drawer ended up stuffed with letters every single day.”

Zhai Jiarui raised an eyebrow. “That exaggerated?”

“There’s more.” Lin Shaojun grew even more animated, spilling amusing stories from Lu Li’s high school days. “You know what the funniest part was? His stationery would often vanish for no reason—pens, erasers, rulers—just disappearing mysteriously. He had to borrow from classmates every day.”

“Cough—” Pei Xi, who had just taken a sip of juice, nearly choked.

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