Fishing-Type Beauties Will Never Love Crematorium - Chapter 17

After school, the four roommates ate together. Luo Xin and Wei Yan were still in line for their food.

Chen Qingtang looked at Shen He, who had changed his clothes and was sitting beside him, and asked with an intriguing expression, “Did you change your clothes?”

Shen He was cleaning his utensils, eyes fixed straight ahead. “Yeah.”

He was quite candid about it.

Chen Qingtang rested his head on one hand, looking at him with interest. “Why the sudden change?”

Shen He replied, “I just wanted to.”

Chen Qingtang added a hint of a smile to the end of his sentence. “Oh, is that so?”

He leaned in close to Shen He’s ear and whispered, “I thought it was because of me.”

A soft puff of air brushed past, making Shen He’s ear tingle. He pulled back slightly, his hand tightening on his chopsticks. With an unchanged expression, he asked, “Is the scent on me still disgusting to you?”

Chen Qingtang feigned deep thought. “May I take a smell?”

Shen He gave a cold hum.

Chen Qingtang leaned in slowly. As the distance closed, he noticed Shen He’s body tensing up completely.

Five inches, four inches, three inches.

Chen Qingtang arched an eyebrow and stopped at that distance. “Where should I smell?”

It sounded like he was asking a piece of cake—from where should I begin to eat you?

Shen He remained sitting straight, looking at the bowl on the table while still holding his chopsticks, though his breathing became shallow and light. “Anywhere is fine.”

Chen Qingtang scanned him up and down. “The neck?”

He then saw, exactly as he hoped, the veins in Shen He’s neck bulge instantly. They even twitched. Ah, what a cute reaction.

A smile bloomed in Chen Qingtang’s eyes. “Would that be too presumptuous?”

Shen He lowered his eyes. “No.”

Chen Qingtang gave a wicked warning: “Then I am coming in?”

Shen He hummed. Even though Chen Qingtang had not reached him yet, Shen He felt the skin on the side of his neck facing Chen Qingtang begin to heat up, accompanied by an inexplicable itch. Glancing at the boy leaning in, Shen He held his breath.

Time seemed to slow down and stretch. He felt like a prisoner waiting for an executioner. Shen He was prepared.

The next moment, Chen Qingtang lowered his head and took a sniff of his shoulder area. He was smelling the fabric.

Then, with a light smile, he commented, “Just like before, it smells great.”

Shen He was momentarily stunned. It took several seconds for him to give a hum, after which he lowered his head and began shoveling large bites of food into his mouth.

Chen Qingtang returned to his original posture, barely holding back a laugh. Was this guy actually looking forward to having his neck smelled? It would have been abnormal for him to smell someone’s neck for no reason; that would have been far too intimate. Regardless, Chen Qingtang had confirmed one thing: Shen He did not loathe or reject him even after learning his sexual orientation.

As he shoveled rice with his chopsticks, Chen Qingtang savored Shen He’s reaction. What exactly does this person think of me?

Just then, his phone vibrated. It was a message from Chu Xi. He did not know what Chu Xi had been busy with lately; they had not talked in days.

Chu Xi: “Debate club is having a dinner party this weekend. You coming? I am taking count.”

Chen Qingtang: “Boring. Not going.”

Chu Xi: “Come on, come on! Do you not think this is a perfect opportunity to be alone with Shen He?”

Chu Xi: “Drink a little, then the two of you can leave early; heh heh, you know?”

Chen Qingtang paused. Fine.

He suddenly realized his approach had been slightly wrong. He should not be guessing or pondering what Shen He was thinking—that was putting the cart before the horse and leaving himself in a passive position. What Shen He thought should be actively displayed by Shen He himself, while he continued to present himself. That was Chen Qingtang’s consistent path and strategy.

He turned his phone face down on the table and asked Shen He, “Debate club is having a dinner party this weekend. Are you going?”

Shen He looked at him directly. “Are you going?”

Their gazes met, intertwining under the dim, warm light.

Chen Qingtang smiled. “Do you want me to go?”

Shen He’s lips moved, but he hesitated to speak.

Chen Qingtang’s eyes curved into crescents. “Just kidding. Of course I am going. How about you?”

Shen He: “I am going.”

Last semester, Shen He was very active in the debate club because he enjoyed the feeling of intellectual clashes. This semester, however, he rarely attended, often even skipping meetings. Since that debate on “Is love at first sight just attraction to looks,” Shen He had realized something: he did not actually like debating.

The sense of resonance Chen Qingtang had brought him was something Shen He had never experienced with anyone else. It had acted as a wake-up call, making him realize he had simply been trying to seek resonance through the activity of debating. Therefore, if Chen Qingtang was not in the debate club, it was meaningless to him.

Chen Qingtang beamed. “Then let us go together?”

Shen He: “Yeah.”

—

The dinner was in the evening at a restaurant two blocks away from the school. Chen Qingtang went with Shen He, but the two were silent the entire way. Seeing Shen He stay quiet, Chen Qingtang could not be bothered to speak either. In his past life, he had always been the one initiating topics; he had been the one maintaining their relationship, and it had been exhausting. In this life, Chen Qingtang wanted to be as comfortable as possible. As for whether Shen He was comfortable, he could not care less.

By the time they reached the private room, half the members had already arrived. Chu Xi was sitting next to a tall guy, smiling shyly and glancing at him with lively, curious eyes. It was the first time Chen Qingtang had seen him like that. He stood at the door for two seconds, took out his phone, and snapped a photo of the pair. He would send it to Chu Xi later; he would definitely be happy.

When Chu Xi looked up and saw him, he waved him over. “Over here!”

He had reserved a seat for Chen Qingtang right by the window for ventilation. Chen Qingtang ignored Shen He and headed straight for it. Once he sat down, the chair next to him was pulled out. Shen He sat beside him, quite naturally.

Chu Xi winked at Chen Qingtang and whispered, “Did you two come together?”

Chen Qingtang hummed, playing with his utensils out of boredom.

Chu Xi: “Not bad. He is still willing to be close to you after finding out you are gay. That means there is definitely a chance for you two.”

Chen Qingtang replied nonchalantly, “We will see.”

He still did not know what Shen He was thinking. Shen He was a good person by nature; even if he loathed gay men, he would give basic respect to this special group. He just could not accept being targeted by a gay man; it did not necessarily mean he was discriminatory.

Chen Qingtang caught a glimpse of Shen He out of the corner of his eye and leaned toward Chu Xi. “Did you order alcohol?”

Chu Xi: “Obviously.”

Chen Qingtang: “High proof?”

Chu Xi narrowed his eyes. “What are you planning?”

Chen Qingtang smiled. “Doing a good deed.”

Shen He was most honest after drinking; he would spill everything. He did not need much—just a drink or two would do. Chen Qingtang tugged on Chu Xi’s sleeve. “Remember to toast me later. Make it a few rounds.”

Chu Xi did not understand the strange behavior. “Why? You are not a drinker.”

In the past, Chen Qingtang had almost never touched alcohol.

Chen Qingtang: “Just do it.”

Chu Xi waved his hand dismissively. “Sure, sure.”

Chen Qingtang sat back, satisfied. Suddenly, someone patted his shoulder. Chen Qingtang turned back to see a sunny, gentle, handsome guy smiling at him.

Qin Liang: “Hello, my name is Qin Liang. We were on the same team for the debate at the start of the semester. Do you remember me?”

Chen Qingtang thought for a moment and then offered a polite, apologetic smile.

Qin Liang said gentlemanly, “No worries. It is not too late to get to know each other now.”

He extended his hand toward Chen Qingtang. Just as Chen Qingtang was debating whether to shake it, a shoulder suddenly nudged Qin Liang’s arm away. Shen He, holding the utensils he had just scalded with hot water, began placing them one by one in front of Chen Qingtang.

Chen Qingtang and Qin Liang both looked at him. “?”

Shen He stared only at the utensils, expressionless. “It is more hygienic if scalded.”

Chen Qingtang arched an eyebrow. “Thank you.”

Qin Liang pulled back his hand, which had been hanging in mid-air, and laughed. “You did great in that last debate. Why have I not seen you at the club meetings lately?”

Shen He suddenly handed Chen Qingtang a paper cup. “Drink some water.”

As Chen Qingtang took the half-cup of water, he gave a dismissive answer to Qin Liang: “Been busy.”

If Shen He was not going, why should he bother?

Qin Liang looked regretful. “Is that so? I have been looking forward to seeing you—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Shen He handed Chen Qingtang something else. “Do you want this?”

This time, it was a stack of napkins.

Qin Liang had been interrupted repeatedly. Even Chen Qingtang, slow as he was, sensed something. He did not take the napkins from Shen He; instead, he narrowed his eyes and peered at him, his gaze filled with a touch of interest.

Shen He’s hand remained stubbornly held out in mid-air. “Do you want them?”