My Roommate is a Gloomy, Sensitive Guy Who Cries Over Everything - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: The Sexual Tension is Explosive!

An iron box was pulled from the bottom of the cabinet, seeing the light of day once more. Inside were broken small parts and old photographs—some even stuck together from years of neglect.

Lin Rangchuan didn’t seem to mind. He took the fragments of a photo he had torn up years ago and placed them one by one on a transparent acrylic board, planning a “reconstruction surgery.”

The reason he had kept the pieces was simple: it was the only photo he had of his father, from the one year he could be considered happy.

After assembling and drying it, Lin Rangchuan hung the photo next to the one of Lin Zhiyu in his primary school uniform. Side by side, they possessed a bizarre harmony.

As he stared at them, a faint curl appeared on his lips.

“My family can be complete too, can’t it?”

Lin Rangchuan narrowed his eyes. He picked up a water bottle from the desk, tilted his head back, and took a drink. His peripheral vision remained fixed on the smiling faces of Lin Zhiyu. Water droplets escaped the corner of his mouth, sliding down to his bobbing Adam’s apple.

…

Lin Zhiyu only started his running tasks for the semester after adjusting his schedule. If he had no classes after his 8:00 AM lecture, he’d clip his phone tracker to his pocket and head out. After getting bored with running on campus, he moved his route to the area near the milk tea shop.

As luck would have it, he ran into Qin Rui almost every day. Qin Rui usually wore a tank top, his expression cold and his breathing rhythm incredibly professional—clearly a regular runner.

Lin Zhiyu wasn’t very close to him, but their “frequency” was compatible. After several days of accidental encounters, Lin Zhiyu started making small talk, eventually leading to them agreeing to run together.

Occasionally, Brother Lin would join them, but he never ran alongside them. He’d stay either ahead or behind, buried in a hoodie with headphones on, his face obscured.

In Lin Zhiyu’s impression, Brother Lin was always busy and cold, his silhouette fading into the early morning smog—dim and blurry.

Qin Rui’s first impression of Brother Lin was terrible. He had remarked more than once that the man was “elusive” and “lecherous.”

Lin Zhiyu still didn’t know where that evaluation came from: “He’s lecherous?”

“He hasn’t taken advantage of you?” Qin Rui asked, his tone high and mighty.

Lin Zhiyu shook his head in horror: “I barely said a few words to him. Not even as much as I say to you.”

Qin Rui frowned slightly, then nodded in relief. After their run, they went to get breakfast, finding a seat among the crowd of college students.

After a bite of deep-fried dough sticks dipped in soy milk, Lin Zhiyu felt refreshed. Qin Rui voiced the doubt he’d been harboring lately: “Why are your hours at the milk tea shop so unstable? You don’t even come on weekends when you have no class.”

“I have another part-time job as a chat companion.” Lin Zhiyu’s lips curled upward, radiating a vibrant, youthful energy.

Qin Rui was dazed for half a second by the smile. “So you’re a small-time streamer?”

“No, no, no. I only serve one person.” Lin Zhiyu shared his recent experiences with the Senior, including how the milk tea shop gig came to be.

The more Qin Rui listened, the more he felt something was off: “What’s your daily pay?”

“I can’t tell you that.” Lin Zhiyu’s face instantly stiffened, and he eyed him warily.

Qin Rui replied leisurely: “You treated us to a BBQ the night before last and spent over two hundred, yet you still have money left. I won’t let you treat us next time; we can’t have you spending all your money.”

They took turns paying, so Lin Zhiyu didn’t feel like anyone was taking advantage. “It’s fine, I still have three hundred left over.”

“Your daily pay is five hundred? That much? Your Senior is quite generous.” Qin Rui stuffed half a dough stick into his mouth, his eyes sharp.

“…”

“He definitely has other designs on you,” Qin Rui concluded calmly.

Lin Zhiyu disagreed, speaking quite frankly: “What ‘designs’ could a guy have on another guy?”

“You can know a person’s face but not their heart. Who knows what your Senior is hiding? Some people aren’t ‘gay’…” Qin Rui’s sharp gaze swept over Lin Zhiyu’s face. “But they have no lower limit for things that are… androgynous.”

Lin Zhiyu touched his face, feeling as though Qin Rui was complimenting him.

“No way, the Senior is straight.”

The message was clear, but seeing Lin Zhiyu’s naive expression, Qin Rui was certain this was a “little straight boy” being PUA’d by an online gay man. He was worried sick: “Of course he says he’s straight to get close to you! If he said he was gay from the start, you’d have run a mile away!”

Lin Zhiyu gave him a slightly guilty look, completely ignoring Qin Rui’s life-and-death concern: “If the truth comes out one day, should I break off the friendship?”

Qin Rui never expected him to use the term “break off friendship.” He was so annoyed his eyes nearly rolled out of his head. “I’m telling you this as a brother. No one is good to someone else for no reason. Think about it carefully so you don’t get screwed over without knowing it.”

Lin Zhiyu furrowed his brows, freezing like a glitched computer.

Qin Rui thought he was hesitating—a teachable moment. He nodded and gave reliable advice: “Finish this month, then cut him off.”

Reminded by Qin Rui, Lin Zhiyu thought of those “candid” photos taken of him. A tingle like an electric current ran through him; he was indeed a bit scared. He felt that no matter how over-the-top things got before, “chat companions” and “gaming partners” often played like that, but the secret photos were a bit…

“Okay. I still owe him one ‘benefit.’ After I give it to him, I’ll quit next month.”

Qin Rui nodded with satisfaction, then suddenly frowned: “What benefit?”

“A video call. He wants to see my legs.” This was requested by the Senior last night. He said he was drawing figures lately and hoped Lin Zhiyu could be his reference model.

Qin Rui: “…?”

“No. He’s taking advantage of you.”

Lin Zhiyu laughed: “I won’t show my face. It’s fine. Even if it leaks, no one will know it’s me.”

Qin Rui spoke with deep conviction: “Perverts like that will just print it out and jerk off to your photo. Dicks are terrifying!”

“…” Lin Zhiyu marveled: “You know so much!”

“…………”

…

After the run, Lin Zhiyu went to class. Midway, he messaged the Senior saying he might not continue next month.

The Senior immediately pressed for details.

Lin Zhiyu bit his lip. He stopped walking and stood to the side to type.

[Xiao Yu: I think if our relationship keeps developing like this, it will become very strange. Don’t you think?]

The Senior was silent for a long time before replying with something nonsensical.

[Senior: If I were a girl, you wouldn’t be so resistant, right?]

[Xiao Yu: Why don’t you say if I were a girl, our situation would have turned into an online romance?]

[Senior: Lesbians won’t do.]

“…”

But the Senior was the Senior; he immediately identified the issue.

[Senior: Did someone say something to you today? Babies are usually very good/obedient.]

Lin Zhiyu obediently typed out a line, completely unaware that he was selling out his brother.

[Xiao Yu: A friend from the milk tea shop gave me some examples. He said people like me easily run into perverts—people who are nice on the surface but are actually jerking off to my photos behind my back.]

[Xiao Yu: We’ve never met, so it’s always good to be wary.]

There was a bizarrely long silence from the Senior’s end. Lin Zhiyu waited; he figured if the Senior didn’t reply, he’d leave it at that. To his surprise, the other party actually called him.

Lin Zhiyu answered in a panic. Inside was the Senior’s low, soft chuckle. “You believe what he says? I’m not that kind of person, Baby.”

He actually wasn’t using the voice changer. The voice was the lazy, raspy tone of someone who just woke up, sounding like it had built-in reverb. It was dangerously attractive. Lin Zhiyu’s mind went a bit fuzzy, and his mouth moved without permission: “When are we video calling? Do I need to wear anything specific?”

Lin Rangchuan was buried under his duvet. He opened one eye to look at the photos on the wall. One of them had faded significantly. He slid his hand into the blanket.

A groggy voice sounded: “Shorts and an apron are mandatory. Anything else is up to you.”

“Okay. Can you show me when you’re done drawing? Even a sketch is fine.” Lin Zhiyu added, “If it’s a commission for a client, then never mind.”

Senior: “It’s not a commission. It’s for myself. I might not draw it well.”

“So what? You can draw and make money—that’s already amazing.” Lin Zhiyu always prided himself on professionalism. His tone was gentle, but often he spoke with the natural indulgence of an adult praising a child.

The AC quilt was very soft. Lin Rangchuan’s eyes were slightly red. He bit down on the fabric and let out a raspy “Mm.”

…

After hanging up, Lin Zhiyu clutched his books and headed to a general education class. A message from Qin Rui followed.

[Qin Rui: Did you break it off?]

[Xiao Yu: I’m not going to work this Sunday. I’m going to be his ‘model’ for inspiration.]

[Qin Rui: …]

[Xiao Yu: Just one last time.]

[Qin Rui: Why do I feel like there’s going to be a tenth ‘last time’?]

Lin Zhiyu wondered if Qin Rui was overthinking. Qin Rui was indeed looking out for him, likely afraid he’d be scammed by a gay man—unaware that he was the gay man. Sigh.

[Qin Rui: You’re the first friend I made here. I will save you. I won’t let you follow in my footsteps.]

[Xiao Yu: What about Sister Xinran?]

[Qin Rui: She ships CP (couples) right in front of my face. I don’t acknowledge her.]

[Qin Rui: [GIF: Looking down at phone, smashes it into pieces]]

Lin Zhiyu felt he was being too aggressive and sent a “kneeling to admit fault” sticker, swearing he would never be “infected” by gay men.

Qin Rui swallowed everything else he wanted to say.

…

On Sunday, Lin Zhiyu changed into the shortest shorts in his wardrobe—ones he usually used as pajamas. Next was the apron. Naturally, it was from the shop; he didn’t buy one to save money.

He walked over to adjust the phone stand—the stand was also sent to him by the Senior, a “work tool.”

He had even looked up simple filming techniques online. Lin Zhiyu felt he was incredibly dedicated.

He stood straight in front of the full-length mirror. The shorts were so short that the hem of the apron covered them completely. Beneath the narrow waist were a pair of straight, pale long legs. At first glance, it looked like he was wearing nothing at all under the apron.

Lin Zhiyu curled his toes in shame and looked down to type: “Is it okay if I don’t show my face?”

Although the Senior knew what he looked like, showing his face on camera was a matter of extra pay.

[Senior: Okay.]

[Xiao Yu: Aren’t models supposed to wear something fancy or unique? I just have an apron, shorts, and a T-shirt.]

[Senior: It depends on the need. You are most beautiful at your simplest.]

Lin Zhiyu immediately beamed.

[Xiao Yu: I accept your compliment ^^]

The Senior sent a voice message.

Lin Zhiyu pressed it to his ear.

“I’m getting up now. Wait for me.” The “morning voice” carried a lazy, decadent rasp that made one think of… suggestive things.

As soon as that natural voice came out, Lin Zhiyu’s soul nearly left his body. He loved it. He hadn’t realized he was a “voice fetishist” before.

[Xiao Yu: Okay. Did you sleep very late yesterday?]

[Senior: Mm. A lot of things to do lately.]

[Xiao Yu: Your real voice sounds so good. Can you stop using the voice changer from now on? (Eyes sparkling)]

[Senior: Then can Baby not cancel our contract? Keep working next month.]

[Xiao Yu: I’ll reluctantly consider it. I’m mainly going to be very busy next month.]

There was no more movement from the other side. Lin Zhiyu sat on the floor, spreading his legs slightly. Seeing his ungraceful posture reflected in the mirror, he quickly closed them.

A moment later, the phone buzzed. The Senior sent a photo.

A still image.

No face. From the shoulders down. Upper body bare. Two beautiful hands were unbuckling a belt. The abdominal muscles were clearly defined, the outlines sharp and masculine. The waistband hung loosely on his hips, looking full of power. The sexual tension was simply explosive.

Lin Zhiyu’s gaze gradually lost focus…

The next second, the photo was withdrawn.

[Senior: Sent by mistake.]