My Roommate is a Gloomy, Sensitive Guy Who Cries Over Everything - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: His Boyfriend Couldn’t Be a Psycho, Right…

Despite the words spoken, the embrace did not loosen; instead, it grew warmer. Lin Rangchuan buried his entire body against him, shielding him so thoroughly that not even the wind could penetrate.

The only air Lin Zhiyu could breathe was the warmth emanating from Lin Rangchuan.

His eyes sparkled in the darkness. In the unidentifiable surroundings, only the facial features before him were clear.

“Lin Rangchuan, look up at me first.”

Sensing a movement, Lin Rangchuan raised his gaze to meet him. He watched Lin Zhiyu’s lips move. It was a long moment before the sound followed.

“Let’s give it a try.”

After a pause, Lin Zhiyu added, “It’s not that big of a deal. Let’s try it. If you feel it’s not working out, we’ll part ways.”

Lin Rangchuan’s eyes flickered. Lin Zhiyu frowned slightly at a sharp pang of pain and pinched the man’s arm. “Just don’t cry if I leave later.”

Stating it this way made it seem as though Lin Zhiyu was charitably granting him an opportunity—a narrative Lin Rangchuan could more easily accept.

Lin Rangchuan suddenly curled his lips. His dry throat seemed to tear open, emitting a low, murmuring laugh filled with a sort of self-destructive pleasure. He let go. Lin Zhiyu’s suspended legs dropped; his knees were weak the moment they hit the ground, and he had to lean on the other for support.

Lin Rangchuan’s face was calm now, as if the person who had just been acting frantic wasn’t him. “Have you thought this through?”

Lin Zhiyu had always thought quite clearly. He wasn’t the one overthinking things, but Lin Rangchuan likely hadn’t received much kindness in his childhood, so he didn’t understand what genuine goodness was. Perhaps what he perceived as kindness or love felt like a burden to Lin Rangchuan.

Yet, even knowing this could drag him into the depths of darkness, Lin Rangchuan accepted it greedily. After all, Lin Rangchuan had been the one to take the initiative from the start, even if his methods were questionable.

Lin Zhiyu stood on tiptoe to see his face better in the dim light. “Of course. I was interested in you to begin with. Let’s just try.”

Lin Rangchuan’s heart was racing, but he remained steady on the surface, though the slight trembling of his arms betrayed his nerves. “I only recognize one person.”

Lin Zhiyu repeated: “You can try.”

In the refraction of the weak light, a hazy glimmer appeared in the corners of his eyes. Lin Zhiyu pulled him down by the neck. “Don’t cry.”

Lin Rangchuan looked at him with watery eyes. “I’m not.” If no tears fell, it didn’t count.

Lin Zhiyu laughed inwardly and suddenly leaned closer. “How much are the paintings you gave me worth? If I sold them to a gallery?”

Lin Rangchuan answered instinctively, “About two or three hundred thousand yuan.” He then turned cold instantly. “What, have you already planned your exit? I can give you more than just that…”

“Then you can paint for me for a long time, right?” Lin Zhiyu smiled brightly.

Lin Rangchuan bent down to pick up the backpack, dusting it off. After a pause, he replied in a low, husky, emotional voice, “Yes.”

The roasted sweet potatoes had long since gone cold and had rolled on the ground. They were dirty, but luckily they were wrapped in a plastic bag. Lin Rangchuan was about to throw them away, but Lin Zhiyu snatched them back. “They’re not dirty! Back in my hometown, we used to bury them directly in the soil to roast them. They were so fragrant…”

“Yes. Fragrant.” Lin Rangchuan’s voice was very low, his eyes fixed solely on him.

Lin Zhiyu paused. He had many questions, but now wasn’t the time. There would be plenty of opportunities later.

At the entrance of the small courtyard, Lin Zhiyu looked around, still feeling lingering fear from the earlier scene. “They won’t come back to stalk us, will they?”

“No.” Lin Rangchuan slung the bag over one shoulder and entered. “I will protect you.”

Lin Zhiyu looked at him; Lin Rangchuan looked very reliable in profile. He hummed and pressed closer to him.

Once inside, Lin Zhiyu asked, “How much do you owe?” Generally speaking, if Lin Rangchuan worked hard, he should be able to pay it back.

“Over three million.” It was too cold outside; Lin Rangchuan took out a hot towel to wipe Lin Zhiyu’s hands. “It’s not my debt. I’ve only paid back over a million. I haven’t paid the rest.”

“Your mother’s debt?”

“Something like that.”

Lin Zhiyu was momentarily stunned. Lin Rangchuan hung up the towel and turned to him. “Anything else you want to ask?”

Truly, this was the treatment after “making it official.” Yesterday, Lin Rangchuan was still being awkward and refusing to share a bed, responding to everything with “I’m not worthy,” exuding an aura of inferiority and gloom.

Now, Lin Zhiyu just shook his head, peeling the sweet potato bit by bit. “Take a bite.”

“Why isn’t there any corn?”

Lin Rangchuan’s tone was fragile and disappointing: “Sold out.”

“Next time then,” Lin Zhiyu said naturally.

Lin Rangchuan, however, believed that today was today and next time was next time. He stood up to check the fridge for corn, but was immediately caught by the hem of his jacket.

“Be good,” Lin Zhiyu said casually, giving him a relaxed glance.

Lin Rangchuan sat back down immediately, his movement stirring the air. Lin Zhiyu’s palm pressed against his thigh, and the sweet scent of potato approached as a light kiss was pressed to the corner of his mouth.

Lin Rangchuan’s breath fanned against his cheek. Lin Zhiyu saw the rare flicker in his eyes and his blushing ears, and he burst out laughing.

Halfway through the laugh, his mouth was covered. Lin Zhiyu blinked his large eyes. Lin Rangchuan’s kiss brushed the tip of his nose, his breathing utterly disordered.

“I’ll make sure you have it tomorrow morning.” I won’t make you wait.

…

This day felt like a dream to Lin Zhiyu. In less than a week since meeting the “Senior” in person, they were already in a relationship. The process was so smooth he could hardly believe it.

Because the relationship was still unstable, Lin Zhiyu suppressed the urge to announce it to the world, especially since the situation with Qin Rui hadn’t been resolved. Lin Zhiyu valued friendship; having lacked a father figure since childhood, friends were half of his life. This required a long-term plan.

Still, the thought of being “off the market” made him toss and turn in bed with joy.

Lin Rangchuan had a meeting tonight. Lin Zhiyu got up and walked out in his slippers, thoughtfully leaving him some space. But before long, Lin Rangchuan walked in with his laptop, frowning slightly. “Why are you leaving?”

“Don’t you have work?” Lin Zhiyu had just logged into a game.

“It doesn’t conflict,” Lin Rangchuan said coldly as he sat down.

Lin Zhiyu witnessed Lin Rangchuan’s clinginess once again. Before and after dating, he was like two different people.

The sound of the meeting was hypnotic. Lin Zhiyu didn’t know when he fell asleep; he only woke up slightly when he felt himself being picked up. “What are you doing?”

Lin Zhiyu’s forehead rubbed against Lin Rangchuan’s chin. The voice from above was puzzled: “Going to sleep.”

“It’s fine here, why move around?” This was the master bedroom; logically, he should have moved in long ago. Lin Zhiyu buried his head, seemingly oblivious to the implications of his words: “The bed is bigger here.”

Lin Rangchuan’s arm muscles tightened instantly, his breathing hitching. “But the bed on my side is more crowded.”

Lin Zhiyu’s brain couldn’t keep up. “Isn’t that uncomfortable?”

“But you’ll hold me.”

Lin Zhiyu opened his mouth, looked at him once, then again, and wrapped his arms around his neck. “Fine, you’re so clingy.”

That word made Lin Rangchuan’s nerves tighten; a slight tug would send tremors through his mind. During a few spare minutes after his meeting, he had actually searched for “how to be a good boyfriend.” Unfortunately, the results were no different from what he usually did, or even worse. But he had hit almost every “red flag,” including being too clingy.

Being too clingy, leaving no room to breathe, would shorten the life of a relationship. Lin Rangchuan worried about this while also sneering at it, telling himself he wouldn’t be as immature as other young couples, yet secretly he was the clingiest of all.

As he carried him to his room, Lin Zhiyu, still half-asleep, toyed with the tag on his collar. When he was placed on the bed, a kiss was pressed to his cheek. He snapped his eyes open.

“I’m not that clingy.”

With that, Lin Rangchuan laid out the mattress on the floor, intending to sleep there tonight.

Lin Zhiyu: “…”

His boyfriend couldn’t be a psycho, right? He lay down worriedly, covering his eyes with his arm. He hadn’t slept well these past two days, remaining in a half-awake state until he fell into a warm embrace and finally drifted into deep sleep.

…

Lin Zhiyu didn’t quite know how to “date,” especially when the other person was a “normal” person with a somewhat abnormal mindset. He figured it involved dates, holding hands, hugging, and doing things they liked together to build affection.

However, Lin Rangchuan was busy—extremely busy. Word was that after finals, he had to return to the main campus in City A for the winter break. Since he had participated in a game project late last year, he seemed to be one of the key members.

Although Lin Zhiyu studied Computer Science, his freshman courses didn’t yet involve professional knowledge, so he only had a vague understanding. He even needed Lin Rangchuan to tutor him. It felt different from when he asked the “Senior” for help. Lin Zhiyu felt a bit insecure and prone to overthinking, worrying if others would find him annoying. But Lin Rangchuan was different; he could be annoyed by him forever.

After lingering in bed, Lin Zhiyu got up. There was corn for breakfast; the living room was filled with its sweet aroma. Lin Zhiyu skewered a cob with a chopstick and handed the other to Lin Rangchuan.

“Do you have time to see me on New Year’s Day?”

Lin Rangchuan mimicked his “wife” and gnawed on the corn. “I do. I’m in charge of photography.”

Lin Zhiyu sensed something unusual; he was good at detecting signs of being loved. “They said you should never take this kind of job. Is it because of me?”

Lin Rangchuan didn’t speak, waiting to see if a touched expression would appear on Lin Zhiyu’s face.

“I know it’s because of me. You didn’t come on the second day of the sports meet when I didn’t have an event.” Lin Zhiyu began digging up old scores. “You really scared me then. Why couldn’t I recognize your voice?”

Lin Rangchuan wiped a kernel from the corner of Lin Zhiyu’s mouth with his thumb. “Because I smoked. Why do you think I did that?”

Lin Zhiyu sensed a dangerous aura approaching and picked up on something, but didn’t say it. “Can you smoke less?”

Lin Rangchuan didn’t seem to think it was a big deal. “I can.”

Lin Zhiyu knew how hard it was to quit. “That easily?”

Lin Rangchuan sat opposite him, his gaze pinning him down, both casual and serious. “Whenever I smoke, if you call me, I won’t smoke anymore. Starting today, for the first time.” In this regard, Lin Zhiyu could trust him completely; Lin Rangchuan could be truly ruthless with himself.

…

Tonight was the performance. Lin Zhiyu had to rush to school early to meet the others. Lin Rangchuan wanted to go along, but Lin Zhiyu strictly forbade him, telling him to finish his work at home first. Otherwise, Lou Chen would have a major problem—disappearing for three days during New Year’s had driven the man crazy, and he had practically begged Lin Zhiyu for help.

Lin Rangchuan had no choice but to agree. Out of his “wife’s” sight, his gaze darkened for a moment as he reached for his phone. “Can I install an app?”

Lin Zhiyu, while being hugged, asked, “What is it?”

“A GPS tracker.” Lin Rangchuan sighed deeply. “Your ‘Senior’ could voice chat with you constantly. Can’t I just install a tracker?”

Lin Zhiyu was incredulous was he even competing with that? “…What happens if I don’t? Is it necessary?”

Lin Rangchuan kept him pinned, his tone flat: “Nothing will happen. I just won’t be able to ‘see’ you.”

Lin Zhiyu was silent for a moment. “Then install it.”

Because of the app installation, he left ten minutes late. After Lin Rangchuan dropped him off at the rehearsal, someone happened to see them. “How did you come together?”

Since the two of them walking together was too eye-catching, Lin Zhiyu almost blurted it out but checked himself. “A chance encounter.”

Minutes later, he received a text from Lin Rangchuan. [Lin-ge: Why a chance encounter? Can I continue to ‘encounter’ you by chance later?]

Within a second, Lin Zhiyu realized this app might do more than just track location. But he thoughtfully didn’t expose him; Lin Rangchuan was just insecure. [Xiao Yu: Bring two lunches if you have time at noon, for me and Yu Hechang.] [Xiao Yu: Love you~]

Lin Rangchuan, who had wanted to say something else, deleted and edited his draft, staring at that last line for a long, long time. [Lin-ge: I miss you so much.] [Xiao Yu: Where are you?]

Before the rehearsal started, Lin Zhiyu tucked his phone away and slipped around to the back of the stage. Sure enough, he saw Lin Rangchuan dressed in black, standing in a dark corner, his hair stirred by the wind. His eyes were both deep with affection and eerie.

Lin Zhiyu approached, his body half-merged into the darkness. A moment later, he was pulled into a tight embrace, Lin Rangchuan’s head bowing to nuzzle against him. They shared a long, inseparable hug. As their chins brushed, Lin Zhiyu could see the sharp, beautiful jawline of the man as he leaned in for a kiss.

Despite doing nothing else and the constant noise outside, Lin Zhiyu’s cheeks flushed. They were being intimate in public, yet hidden from view. Lin Zhiyu straightened his clothes and asked softly:

“Does your app have a listening function too?”

“Is that so?” Lin Rangchuan looked surprised. “I wasn’t quite sure when I was developing it.”

Lin Zhiyu seemed to believe him, or perhaps he didn’t, as someone was calling roll. Lin Rangchuan regained his calm expression and patted his simple “wife’s” head. “Go on. I’ll bring your lunch at noon.”

…

There were many performances, and only two rehearsal slots, both of which had been used. Around noon, Yu Hechang finished his exam and came to find him for lunch. Just as Lin Zhiyu was about to say they didn’t need to go to the cafeteria, a girl called out: “Lin Zhiyu, Senior Lin is looking for you.”

When Yu Hechang received his lunch box, he was flattered: “There’s one for me too?”

Lin Zhiyu secretly thought this was the “friend benefit” of his new relationship. He hoped that when he announced it, Yu Hechang would be able to accept the fact that Lin Rangchuan was his boyfriend.

The girl holding props asked curiously, “Is Senior Lin here to see the posters?”

Lin Rangchuan said flatly, “No. I’m here for a ‘chance encounter’.”

Lin Zhiyu: “…” Yu Hechang: “?”

Since he was there, Lin Rangchuan, maintaining his responsible boyfriend image and professional spirit, went to check the poster print quality. The two found a quiet spot to sit. From Lin Zhiyu’s angle, he could see Lin Rangchuan working. His aura and stature stood out from the crowd; his skin was pale, his lips a faint red, and his eyes gazed at the prints like a machine. He showed no pride in his work nor joy at being complimented; he seemed entirely detached.

Lin Zhiyu suddenly thought of the name Song Yajun, recalling Xue Rong’s terrible evaluation of the person, who seemed to have some connection to Lin Rangchuan. He opened the lunch box while thinking.

Today’s meal was eel, soy sauce chicken wings, black bean spare ribs, and blanched lettuce—very homey and full of “wok hei.” Yu Hechang hadn’t eaten eel in a long time. He poked around with his chopsticks. “Why is your bowl full of eel while I only have two or three pieces?”

Lin Zhiyu felt a small surge of joy at this double standard. Under the vast blue sky and bare branches, he said calmly:

“Because he’s my boyfriend.”

Yu Hechang kept poking. “Even if he’s my own father, he can’t…” Then he froze. “Huh?!”

The chicken wing fell from Yu Hechang’s mouth. “Then what about your ‘Senior’?”

Lin Zhiyu was still chewing and planned to swallow before speaking, but Yu Hechang had already filled in the blanks. “You’re two-timing? Well, as long as you’re happy. I still support you, but if you get caught…”

Lin Zhiyu laughed so hard he nearly choked.

…

On the other side, a boy was sticking up a poster. “Senior Lin, look at the effect.”

“Very beautiful.”

The boy nodded. “I was afraid the colors would be dull when printed, but it looks just right.”

“Very eye-catching.”

“Yeah, yeah.” The boy looked up, only to realize Senior Lin wasn’t looking at the poster at all, but toward Lin Zhiyu. Lin Zhiyu was fair-skinned; the sunlight on his face made him look bright, beautiful, and infectious.

“Who told you to look?”

The voice, cold as frozen ice, felt like a bucket of freezing water. The boy snapped out of it instantly. “Uh… I…”

Lin Rangchuan asked nonchalantly, “Do many people here like him?”

“Quite a few,” the boy thought. Aren’t you one of them?

Lin Rangchuan’s finger brushed the surface of the poster. He said emotionlessly:

“Can you give me a list of names?”