My Roommate is a Gloomy, Sensitive Guy Who Cries Over Everything - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: A Fatal Attraction for Lin Zhiyu…

A figure slowly stepped out from the deepest shadows, looking entirely out of place amidst the bustling shops energized by the arts festival.

The milk tea shop was packed. As the manager came out to help shake the drinks, Qin Rui sensed something and looked over. He saw a dark, striking figure stand out in the crowd for a moment before casually opening the counter partition and entering the staff lounge in the back.

Qin Rui went to the back to move some water. The lounge door was merely a decoration, covered only by a curtain. From inside came a series of dull, heavy thud-thud-thud sounds—the sound of something being smashed. Because of the chaos outside, the noise was swallowed by the crowd, unnoticed by anyone else.

But Qin Rui was sensitive to such sounds. Standing at the back, he lifted the curtain with one hand and peered through the gap.

He saw Lin Rangchuan’s broad shoulders slightly hunched as he held a hammer, striking the table repeatedly. There was something beneath it, but it was too small for Qin Rui to see clearly. His other hand was holding a phone on speaker, and the volume was quite high.

A clear, slightly annoyed voice drifted from the phone—likely someone who had been waiting too long and couldn’t help but complain. Lin Rangchuan could almost visualize Lin Zhiyu’s vivid expressions on the other end.

“Where did you go?”

“The milk tea shop. Handling some business. Won’t be long.”

Lin Rangchuan’s tone was gentle, even as he looked down at the smashed fragments of the memory card with a gaze as cold as if he were looking at a pile of trash.

“Oh, you’re at the shop? Then bring me two cups of milk tea—anything is fine, as long as it’s hot…” Lin Zhiyu paused, then added, “Yu Hechang wants an iced one.”

Lin Rangchuan threw the debris into the trash and asked neurotically, “What is your relationship with him? Why should I bring him one?”

“He’s my childhood friend. What’s wrong with looking out for him? He’s keeping me company right now. Where are you?”

Faced with Lin Zhiyu’s rapid-fire questioning, Lin Rangchuan hid the hammer. “Ten minutes.”

Lin Zhiyu teased, “Five minutes.”

To his surprise, Lin Rangchuan agreed.

Lin Rangchuan put his phone away and glanced toward the curtain, which fluttered in the breeze. He put on an apron, a mask, and a hat—covering himself completely—and wordlessly joined the milk tea production line.

Qin Rui suddenly noticed an extra person. He looked over, still wondering who the man had been talking to on the phone. The voice had been familiar and male, but he hadn’t listened long before walking away.

“Xiao Yu isn’t here today,” Qin Rui noted.

Lin Rangchuan glanced at him. “He wants to drink.”

As Qin Rui was mulling over the meaning of those words, he heard the man murmur, “He insisted I bring one for his childhood friend.”

Just as he finished speaking, a sudden low-pressure aura radiated from him, making the hot shop feel several degrees cooler.

“But I’m being obedient… Please seal these for me.” Lin Rangchuan’s expression returned to normal, even showing a hint of politeness. “Thank you.”

Qin Rui took them instinctively, his face showing impatience, though he couldn’t do much since the livestream was running. Unexpectedly, he heard the man beside him speak again: “Xiao Yu is afraid of the cold. In this weather, he likes hot drinks.”

Lin Rangchuan packed them into the shop’s latest designer bags. “He’s actually very fond of acting spoiled.”

Qin Rui watched as the cold drink was tossed carelessly into a plain transparent bag, while the hot one was placed in the beautiful designer bag. Then, Lin Rangchuan leisurely removed his apron and left the scene.

“…”

…

The backstage lounge was crowded. Lin Zhiyu sat on the edge of a table in his oversized jacket; since the chairs were piled with clothes, the table was actually cleaner. Seeing Lin Rangchuan, he hopped down lightly, though he felt a bit shy about getting too close. “I’ve been waiting forever.”

His tone was still complaining. Lin Rangchuan looked down at him, his gaze heavy, watching as Lin Zhiyu was completely enveloped by his own aura.

Lin Zhiyu gave the cold drink to Yu Hechang, who took it and ran off immediately. His own was hot, and he held it in his palms, feeling the warmth. But after a moment, Lin Zhiyu placed the cup in Lin Rangchuan’s palm, wrapping his own small hands around the man’s large hand, which was still holding the tea.

“Why are you wearing so little? Your hands are so cold.”

Lin Rangchuan smiled. “I’m not cold. I’m very hot.”

Lin Zhiyu paused. “Don’t tell me you have a cold and want me to take care of you…” Perhaps thinking of Lin Rangchuan’s abs, his face turned red. “I mean, it’s not impossible.”

Lin Zhiyu’s eyes were bright, and as his body warmed up, his face became soft and flushed. He was the type of person who naturally evoked pity and made it impossible to say no—the kind of face built for a little bit of trouble. Yet at the same time, he was very independent and fit for a leadership role.

Lin Rangchuan should have felt respect for him, but his mind was full of the image of Lin Zhiyu in the dark grove, panting with red-rimmed eyes, small and tucked into his arms.

“Excuse me, sorry to interrupt.”

A girl holding a camera approached with a strained smile. It looked like she had done a lot of mental preparation to work up the courage to speak. “Can I take a photo with you?”

Lin Zhiyu pointed to the man beside him. “With him?”

Lin Rangchuan was a year ahead of Lin Zhiyu, with better skills, higher grades, and naturally more fame. Lin Zhiyu instinctively moved to give her a spot, but Lin Rangchuan pulled him back.

The girl shook her head, her heart racing. “I want a photo with both of you together.”

Only children make choices; adults want it all.

So the three of them took a photo. Afterward, Lin Zhiyu spoke to the department head and left the backstage area while sipping his tea. Still thinking about the photo, he said with interest, “We don’t have any photos together.”

The “photo walls” were all individual pictures of Lin Zhiyu. Aside from that composite family photo, there wasn’t a single picture of Lin Rangchuan on the desks, in laptop files, in phone albums, or in the corners of the house. He seemed to exist outside the realm of the living, like a gust of wind that would vanish if one weren’t paying attention.

Lin Zhiyu caught a vague sense of this and immediately grabbed Lin Rangchuan’s cold fingertips. “No way. Starting today, I’m going to take pictures of you too.”

Lin Rangchuan looked at him. “I don’t like being in the frame.”

“Why?”

“I look ugly in photos,” Lin Rangchuan said flatly. “I’m not photogenic.”

Lin Zhiyu stepped ahead and stood in front of him, cupping his face. “What a handsome face this is, and what a beautiful body. I was attracted to you the moment I saw you.”

Lin Rangchuan asked coldly, “Just the face?”

Lin Zhiyu blinked. “Well, that’s one of the perks. My partner has to be handsome and cool. I like beautiful things.”

He spoke so clearly that Lin Rangchuan felt a surge of heat in his heart. “Then you’d better like it for a long time.”

As they reached the entrance, there was no one around. The cold night wind was blocked outside, as if they were in a separate world. Lin Zhiyu stood on tiptoe, pulled Lin Rangchuan’s neck down, and leaned in.

The cheek that had been chilled by the wind experienced a moment of soft contact. With a light mwah sound, he gave him a small kiss. Lin Zhiyu whispered warmly in his ear, “Is this okay?”

He seemed to be born with the ability to love, making it impossible not to sink in. How lucky.

After speaking, Lin Zhiyu didn’t let go. He quietly lowered his heels but kept his arms around the man’s neck. He could hardly feel the other’s breath as they stared at each other from inches away. Lin Rangchuan’s dark pupils reflected his own face, creating a sense of eerie beauty. Lin Zhiyu wasn’t afraid at all; instead, his heart beat even faster.

The next second, Lin Zhiyu was swept off his feet. He felt a flash of alarm but quickly wrapped his arms around Lin Rangchuan’s shoulders, his fingers playing with the short hair at the back of the man’s head. With just that little provocation, the stagnant cold wind became restless again.

Impressive, Lin Zhiyu thought, his face flushing.

…

Inside the bathroom, Lin Zhiyu was placed on the sink counter. He patted Lin Rangchuan’s arm. “I haven’t finished my homework…”

In a relationship, once it reaches a certain point, everything is on the table. Lin Zhiyu was mentally prepared, but they had been together for less than a month and things were moving fast. He felt they needed to slow down.

Lin Rangchuan stood before him like a block of wood. His arms were long, and he easily rubbed the protruding bone of Lin Zhiyu’s ankle until it was warm.

“I want to lick.”

He said it openly and naturally, as if it held no erotic connotation. Unfortunately, Lin Zhiyu couldn’t handle it; the moment he did, his body would go soft, and he really had to rush his homework tonight. He jumped off the sink. As Lin Rangchuan pressed his shoulders to stop him, Lin Zhiyu had a sudden idea and kicked him.

The kick was quite hard, but Lin Rangchuan didn’t budge. After a few minutes of silent staring, Lin Rangchuan finally spoke slowly: “I don’t want to call you ‘Baby’ anymore.”

What? Because he wasn’t allowed to lick, he was throwing a tantrum now?

Lin Zhiyu got a bit angry too and gave him a push, though he didn’t move. Just as he was about to pinch him, he heard Lin Rangchuan say, “Can I call you ‘Wife’?”

“…?”

Lin Zhiyu didn’t agree. After showering, he came out with a towel over his head, surrounded by mist. Seeing the silhouette of the man working in the living room, he walked over and stepped on his thigh with a bare foot. “Go shower.”

After speaking, he paused on his way back to his room. After a final moment of struggle, he entered Lin Rangchuan’s room, flopped onto the bed, and felt a wave of sleepiness. Homework? What is homework?

But he didn’t sleep soundly. Turning over in the middle of the night and not feeling a warm body, he opened his eyes. With messy hair, he sat up halfway, the blanket sliding off his shoulders. He could vaguely see a figure sitting at the desk. Rubbing his eyes, he thought it was an illusion, but it was real. He crawled to the foot of the bed and saw Lin Rangchuan using his laptop.

The screen was filled with text—it was his homework.

Even though Lin Rangchuan’s back was to him, he could already smell the scent approaching from behind, making his entire arm go numb. He wanted to speak, but because “Wife” hadn’t been approved, he chose silence until he heard the soft, sleepy voice from behind.

“Is it done yet?”

Lin Rangchuan lowered his voice. “No.”

Lin Zhiyu rolled his eyes behind his back. “Hurry up and come over. Are you throwing a tantrum at me now?”

Lin Rangchuan let go of the mouse. He remained with his back turned, but his hand slowly slid down. Because the lights were off, it was hard to see, but the familiar movement made Lin Zhiyu’s scalp tingle.

His voice was slightly cold. “When have I ever thrown a tantrum at you? It’s not finished.” His voice trailed off with a hint of self-deprecation, sounding as pitiful as if he’d been abandoned.

He hadn’t expected his wife to be so hard-hearted. Another kick came—a light one. Lin Rangchuan’s shadow didn’t even flicker. Lin Zhiyu threatened, “If you don’t sleep now, don’t ever sleep again.”

Lin Zhiyu was certain he wouldn’t disobey. It felt as if in some past scene, it had been exactly like this. They were born to meet again; a sense of destiny that they should have been together long ago.

Lin Rangchuan didn’t turn off the computer. Even though he wasn’t finished, he lifted the covers and lay down beside him. He didn’t brush Lin Zhiyu off; he comforted him as usual, coaxing him to sleep. He could disregard himself to offer Lin Zhiyu everything he needed.

They had slept in this bed many times. Lin Rangchuan habitually patted Lin Zhiyu’s back. With such a small person’s breath fanning against his chest, what more could he want?

But the next second, his wrist was moved away and tucked under Lin Zhiyu’s collar. Lin Zhiyu unbuttoned his shirt bit by bit, revealing the faint lines of his chest. Then, he slowly pressed Lin Rangchuan’s head down, adjusting his own sleeping position so Lin Rangchuan could lick more comfortably.

“Lick and then go to sleep. Be a good husband.”

Lin Zhiyu had been stuck on that final homework and didn’t want to do it, and with rehearsals and social media management piling up, he’d left it for last. But in Lin Rangchuan’s hands, it was as simple as one plus one.

At the same time, he felt that Lin Rangchuan was quite pitiful in certain ways. The contradictory emotions of pity and admiration for the strong collided within him—and directed at the same man, it was a lethal combination. It made him impossible to peel away; a memory that could never be forgotten, carved into his soul.

“Ouch—don’t bite too hard. I don’t want to wear a band-aid.” Lin Zhiyu grabbed the man’s hair. His sharp chin felt itchy and warm against the hair, but then he let go and stroked the back of Lin Rangchuan’s head.

From his chest to his stomach, he was licked all over. Lin Zhiyu just left his shirt off and, covered in Lin Rangchuan’s fluids, fell into a deep sleep in his arms once more.

…

The next morning, Lin Zhiyu was eating the breakfast buns Lin Rangchuan had made when Lou Chen called Lin Rangchuan away. Although their studio was at the main campus, the manager had rented a temporary place nearby, with Ning Xingzhou paying the rent.

There had been an accident: Ning Xingzhou was in the hospital.

Lou Chen shared the “fun” news while Lin Zhiyu listened in. “I went to see him. Not hospitalized, just some bruising on his cheekbone, the corner of his mouth, and the back of his head. No concussion. He went back this morning, but he can’t handle the work, so he needs you to go over.”

Lin Rangchuan gave a flat response. Lou Chen had long disliked Ning Xingzhou. After all, while Ning Xingzhou wasn’t the mastermind behind kicking Lin Rangchuan out back then, he certainly wasn’t on their team. Now he was hypocritically inviting Lin Rangchuan back only because of an unfixable problem and a desire to avoid hiring a high-paid expert.

Of course, there were also leftover issues from the old team; it was complicated. But since Lin Rangchuan chose to go back for the money, Lou Chen would naturally play along.

Lin Zhiyu licked a ring of milk from his lip and instinctively checked his phone. He found that Ning Xingzhou’s muted chat had been bumped to the top. This time, he didn’t ignore it but clicked in.

[Ning Xingzhou: It’s Sunday. Do you have classes? If not, do you want to come see me?]

[Ning Xingzhou: I’m injured.]

Lou Chen was still rambling: “By the way, it looked like he jumped, but we don’t know the specifics. Anyway, when are we leaving? Do you want to go see him?”

Lin Rangchuan took the cup his wife had used, filled it with milk, and drank it himself. “Sure.”

Hearing this, Lin Zhiyu decided not to go. Lin Rangchuan finished the milk. Lin Zhiyu felt a craving again and vainly poured a large cup of cold milk; he couldn’t finish it after half a cup, so Lin Rangchuan finished what his wife had left.

Lou Chen watched them share the cup of milk with such intimacy. “Wait a second… are you two long-lost brothers? Xiao Yu’s surname is Lin, yours is Lin… you’re both Lins.”

Lin Zhiyu was also curious and glanced at Lin Rangchuan, who only smiled. “Having our bloodlines meld within the body… it feels very good.”

Lin Zhiyu felt a sudden chill down his spine. Lou Chen also had a strange expression at the “crazy” remark.

As he was leaving, Lin Rangchuan seemed to remember something. “Wife…”

Lin Zhiyu glanced at Lou Chen, who had gone to start the car and didn’t hear. He gave him a look. “What?”

“There’s a class this morning for the last elective. Wife, do you have time?”

“You’re so handsome. If I sub for you, the teacher will definitely notice.”

“They won’t. You look a lot like me.”

Lin Zhiyu’s mouth twitched. “…”

In the end, he agreed. Lin Rangchuan asked again, “Want to go to the cafeteria at noon?” He seemed incredibly clingy, unable to leave for a moment.

Lin Zhiyu nodded. “I’ll pick you up then.”

Lin Rangchuan finally smiled and got into the car with Lou Chen. In the car, Lou Chen looked at him. “Seriously, it’s like you two are dating.” Before he could finish, Lin Rangchuan held out his palm.

Lou Chen glanced at it. “What?”

“He held my hand to wake me up today.”

“…” Lou Chen slammed on the brakes. Having heard this much, he’d have to be an idiot not to understand. “You… What about your family?”

Lin Rangchuan’s face darkened instantly. “What are they to me? Isn’t a debt enough to torture them?”

…

Lin Zhiyu debated in front of his closet before finally putting on Lin Rangchuan’s jacket to go to class. During roll call, he felt very guilty as he answered. The teacher checked his name off without looking up; he seemed to have passed.

But for some reason, throughout the two classes, the students around him kept glancing over. It felt to Lin Zhiyu as if he had already been branded with Lin Rangchuan’s name. Or perhaps, after this elective, whenever Lin Rangchuan’s name appeared on the school forum, Lin Zhiyu’s would inevitably follow. Of course, as someone who didn’t use the forum, he didn’t know about any of this.

The elective was boring—something about philosophy—and Lin Zhiyu couldn’t understand it. He took out his phone to play. Ning Xingzhou was still tirelessly messaging him. He ignored most of it until he saw one:

[Ning Xingzhou: It’s strange. I was attacked in an alley. There happened to be no surveillance. Someone put a sack over my head. My valuables were all there, but the memory card in the Polaroid is gone.]

[Ning Xingzhou: It’s really strange, don’t you think, Xiao Yu?]

Lin Zhiyu scratched his finger and finally replied.

[Xiao Yu: Did you see the person who attacked you?]

[Ning Xingzhou: No. He attacked from behind.]

[Xiao Yu: Are you going to call the police?]

[Ning Xingzhou: It wouldn’t do much. No surveillance, and the person wore gloves, so there won’t be fingerprints.]

[Ning Xingzhou: But maybe… a police report would be for peace of mind.]

[Xiao Yu: Oh.]

Lin Zhiyu didn’t want to think the worst, but without evidence, he shouldn’t be suspicious.

[Ning Xingzhou: Are you coming to see me?]

[Xiao Yu: Maybe.]

Lin Zhiyu threw his own words back at him. Ning Xingzhou sat on the bed and gave a low laugh, which caught the attention of Lou Chen nearby. “We’re here handling things for him, and he’s just sitting there laughing.”

Ning Xingzhou got out of bed and poured them each a glass of water. “I’m really sorry. This wasn’t supposed to be your job. I planned to talk about some business with you, but now it has to be delayed.”

Lou Chen said, “It’s not a big deal. We can talk when we go back to the main campus.”

Speaking of which, Ning Xingzhou asked, “I remember Lin Rangchuan is a native of City A. I am too, though I moved my residency there later. We can meet up anytime then.”

Lou Chen didn’t catch the implication. Since I’m a local too, why not invite me? Why only Lin Rangchuan? Does he have a thing for him?

The work was minor. It was finished before lunch. Lou Chen went back first, but Lin Rangchuan didn’t leave. Ning Xingzhou’s face hurt whenever he made an expression. He stared at the man before him, seemingly trying to drive him away with his eyes. After all, Lin Zhiyu would be coming to chat with him soon; it wouldn’t be good to have a third party there.

“Not going to lunch with Lou Chen?”

Lin Rangchuan entered and took off his jacket, revealing a dark gray turtleneck underneath. His fingers crushed an unlit cigarette, the scent of tobacco lingering on his fingertips, making him look sophisticated and elegantly repressed.

He looked at Ning Xingzhou with a half-smile. “I’m waiting for someone to pick me up. What are you waiting for?”