My Roommate is a Gloomy, Sensitive Guy Who Cries Over Everything - Chapter 37

Chapter 37: How Am I Supposed to Kiss You Later?

Ning Xingzhou narrowed his eyes, but the swollen pain at the corner of his eye brought him back to reality. He gritted his teeth, glaring at the man before him.

Lin Rangchuan sat with a calm expression, hands folded, long legs lounging lazily. A faint smile played on his lips as he watched Ning Xingzhou, looking like an exquisite portrait. Compared to him, Ning Xingzhou could only be described as a wreck.

The air seemed to freeze into ice. Lin Rangchuan stood up, easily breaking the equilibrium; his eyes held no concern for anything. “He should be at the door soon.”

Ning Xingzhou was crushed by that indifference. His mouth twitched violently as a surge of pain hit him. He took a step forward. “Do you think I don’t know who caused these injuries?”

Lin Rangchuan didn’t retreat an inch. “Who did it?”

“You think I won’t say? Xiao Yu is almost here. If I tell him, do you think he won’t believe me?” Ning Xingzhou’s voice grew louder; the hotel’s soundproofing wasn’t great. “It was you. It could only be you.”

Lin Rangchuan seemed to lack the energy to deal with such a childish person. “And then? Do you have evidence? Even if you say it and he believes you, does that make him yours?”

Ning Xingzhou remained silent.

“Don’t be naive. Even if every other man in the world died, he wouldn’t be yours.” Lin Rangchuan spoke casually, as if immersed in his own artistic world. He paused, then continued with a sense of grandeur, “He is his own person. I am the one who belongs to him.”

Ning Xingzhou coldly grabbed his collar. Just as his fist was about to reach Lin Rangchuan’s cheek…

Click. Lin Rangchuan placed an art knife between them. With a nonchalant glance, he watched as Ning Xingzhou slowly let go.

Ning Xingzhou laughed out of spite. “A sinister villain like you—how could Lin Zhiyu ever like you? You’ll slip up sooner or later. Don’t think you’re so impressive.”

Lin Rangchuan didn’t answer. He walked toward the door, and Ning Xingzhou, gritting his teeth, hurried to follow.

“Listen, he’s not right for you. Even if he truly likes you, you won’t necessarily pass the ‘parents’ test. Letting go now is better for both of you.”

Lin Rangchuan heard something hilarious. “Are you asking me to let go just to fulfill your own wishes with him?”

Ning Xingzhou silently maintained his stance. The things one cannot obtain become the deepest obsessions. He felt he had an advantage: he was the teacher who had first introduced Lin Zhiyu to art.

Ning Xingzhou smirked. “What, are you scared? If you’ve got the guts, call him in right now for a confrontation. Lay it all out, and then—”

His words were cut short. Lin Rangchuan suddenly yanked Ning Xingzhou’s collar, landed a punch, and followed up with a kick. He looked down at the fallen man with icy eyes. “What makes you think you’re worthy of making my wife choose? You aren’t even qualified to be a backup.”

Ning Xingzhou curled up, letting out a low curse. He grabbed something off the coffee table—he didn’t even know what it was—and threw it.

Bang! The heavy object hit the door.

Immediately, there was a pounding on the door and Lin Zhiyu’s anxious voice: “What are you doing? Open up!”

Ning Xingzhou was used to being respected. Having been hit multiple times and fueled by a build-up of frustration, his anger clouded his judgment. He threw a desperate punch at Lin Rangchuan, who was standing by the door.

Lin Rangchuan made no move to defend himself. He simply turned the doorknob.

Consequently, the moment Lin Zhiyu entered, he saw Ning Xingzhou landing a punch on Lin Rangchuan. He instinctively shielded Lin Rangchuan, crying out in disbelief, “Why are you hitting people!”

Ning Xingzhou stood frozen, his anger extinguished and his fist loosening.

Lin Zhiyu distressedly cupped Lin Rangchuan’s face. There was blood at the corner of his mouth and a clear bruise on his cheekbone. “Does it hurt?”

Lin Rangchuan leaned weakly against his wife. “It doesn’t hurt.”

Ning Xingzhou’s arm trembled, and he swallowed hard. Only when he caught the provocative glint in Lin Rangchuan’s eyes did he realize he had been set up.

“Xiao Yu…”

Lin Zhiyu simply glared at him, and Ning Xingzhou fell silent. Although Lin Rangchuan had also hit him, Ning Xingzhou already had injuries on his face, and there was no surveillance in the room. He was defenseless.

Lin Zhiyu helped Lin Rangchuan up, his lips pressed together in displeasure. “Senior Ning, talk things out properly. Why resort to violence?”

Ning Xingzhou’s lips moved, and he suddenly said, “Xiao Yu, he’s not a good person. Being with him will only hurt you.”

Lin Zhiyu looked at him. “What does that have to do with you? Do I have to believe you just because you say he’s not a good person?”

Lin Zhiyu continued, “You say your injuries are from him—should I believe that too? Is my judgment such a fragile, negligible thing in your eyes?”

Lin Rangchuan, who had been hanging his head, slowly looked up at the person beside him, his deep, unfathomable eyes lingering for a long time.

Lin Zhiyu added, “Also, you don’t need to test my mother’s attitude. Coming out is my own business.”

With those words, he essentially drew a line in the sand, and their past rapport vanished.

…

The room door closed. Lin Zhiyu led Lin Rangchuan to the elevator landing where a window allowed a faint light to hit Lin Rangchuan’s profile, making the bruises even clearer.

Lin Zhiyu frowned slightly, then let go. He was unhappy and didn’t want to talk. Lin Rangchuan glanced down at him, not daring to press closer, but his finger hooked toward Lin Zhiyu’s, touching the softest part of his heart.

The elevator doors slid open. There were people inside. Lin Zhiyu decided not to air their “family laundry” in public; it was too embarrassing. So, he didn’t pull his hand away.

They walked out of the hotel just as a bus arrived. They sat in silence for a few stops, hands entwined. After getting off, Lin Zhiyu took him to a pharmacy. Having come here frequently for medicine lately, he was familiar with the owner. She gave Lin Rangchuan a professional check-over, noted the injuries weren’t serious, and chatted while applying medicine.

“How did such a handsome guy get hit?”

The owner’s pressure was moderate, but it still hurt when she pressed down. Lin Zhiyu’s lips were slightly pursed as he watched closely, but Lin Rangchuan remained expressionless, as if he felt no pain.

Lin Zhiyu gave a cold snort from the side. “He deserves it.”

As soon as he said that, he heard the man beside him let out a soft gasp of pain, and the owner sighed, “Oh, did I press too hard? Here, take the rest and apply it yourself.”

Lin Rangchuan’s reaction was flat. “I have no one to help me.”

“Don’t you have your junior here? You’re both men, what’s there to be shy about?” With that, the owner turned to get some anti-inflammatory meds.

Since they were in different majors, and being a same-sex couple was considered shocking, they hadn’t announced it to the world; to outsiders, they were just roommates. Lin Zhiyu didn’t ask where the title “Junior” came from; he just turned to observe Lin Rangchuan’s wounds.

He snorted again, paid, and left with the medicine. Lin Rangchuan, who had looked half-dead a moment ago, stood up and followed him like a haunting specter.

The path was deserted and boundless in its quiet. The streetlights were still broken. Lin Zhiyu looked up and felt there was no hope of them being fixed before the New Year, as the workers had all gone back to their hometowns.

Lin Zhiyu’s pace was inconsistent, sometimes slow and sometimes fast, but the man behind him seemed to predict his movements perfectly, never once bumping into him.

Suddenly, he turned around. “Let me ask you, when he hit you, were you…?”

“Yes.” Lin Rangchuan had one hand in his pocket, his expression neutral.

“Because he likes you, he provoked me repeatedly. He even thought about threatening you to break up with me, perhaps to satisfy his own desires. But I didn’t expect him to be so confident—confident enough to think you would give me up for him.”

Lin Rangchuan let out a slow breath, part sorrowful and part fierce. “Wife, how does he dare? What if he hurt you? What if your family doesn’t like me? His words were so ugly; I feel terrible.”

As he spoke, he moved closer, slowly pulling Lin Zhiyu into a hug and burying his face deep in his neck. “But I know I was wrong. It was wrong of me to make my wife worry.”

Lin Zhiyu’s neck was covered by his dense, warm breath. He clenched his fists but didn’t push him away. He just wanted to see if Lin Rangchuan would be honest. He had initiated the communication; if Lin Rangchuan still refused to cooperate, Lin Zhiyu would have had to give him the cold shoulder for a while and re-evaluate the relationship. No matter how much you like someone, if their character doesn’t measure up, it won’t work.

As it turned out… Lin Rangchuan was honest enough to catch Lin Zhiyu off guard. Since that was the case, Lin Zhiyu would be kind and give them both a way out.

“What are you going to do if this happens again?” Lin Zhiyu stared straight into his eyes.

Lin Rangchuan smiled. “Communicate with you immediately.”

Lin Zhiyu cupped his face. “That’s right. And you can’t hit people in the future; that’s illegal. Use your words, not your hands, or you’ll be the one losing out.” His fingers brushed the bruise on Lin Rangchuan’s cheekbone, and he couldn’t help but feel distressed. “Such a handsome face, now it’s married.”

“They say if your face changes, your luck slips away. Be careful in the future.” Lin Zhiyu thought for a moment, then went to a supermarket before it closed to buy some pomelo leaves. “Use these for your bath tonight to wash away the bad luck.”

“…” Lin Rangchuan looked skeptical. “Okay, wife.”

…

Was it the first day Lin Zhiyu knew Lin Rangchuan wasn’t quite “normal”? Not really. He’d had a vague feeling back when he was dealing with the “Senior,” but it was only confirmed the moment he realized the Senior was Lin Rangchuan.

Ever since he met the Senior online, through their chats and video calls, the phantom Lin Zhiyu had constructed in the depths of his mind had become a physical reality in Lin Rangchuan. Although Lin Zhiyu wasn’t strictly a “face-con,” a truly ugly person would still ruin his appetite. Thank goodness Lin Rangchuan was a total hottie.

As it turned out, the hottie’s brain worked a bit differently. His first reaction wasn’t to flee in fear, but a mix of heartache and curiosity. Based on what Xue Rong had told him about Song Yaju, Lin Zhiyu believed the family was definitely a trigger; he just hadn’t asked, which didn’t mean he didn’t care.

He closed his eyes. Finals were over, but his computer was full of materials for the next semester that Lin Rangchuan had spent nights organizing for him. What else? Oh, the underwear in the basin hasn’t been scrubbed yet. It’s so cold…

Lin Zhiyu mentally prepared himself to message the other person.

[Ning Xingzhou: You want to see me?] [Ning Xingzhou: Fine, Xiao Yu. I don’t want to fight with you.] [Ning Xingzhou: Come see me.]

Ning Xingzhou had said this countless times. Even after being hit, he still insisted, as if he would die if he didn’t see Xiao Yu once. It looked quite pitiful. But Lin Zhiyu felt nothing.

[Xiao Yu: See you at the second-floor buffet hall then.]

After confirming the time, Lin Zhiyu rolled over, closed his laptop, put on his slippers, and went out. Following the light from the bathroom, he saw Lin Rangchuan shirtless, eyes downcast, nonchalantly scrubbing his underwear. The woven cord and red agate beads on his left wrist were soaking wet. Lin Zhiyu felt a bit embarrassed and approached, feigning a protest: “I told you to leave it there, I’ll wash it myself later.”

Lin Rangchuan smiled. “The water is cold.”

Southern universities don’t have floor heating; you rely on your own cold resistance. That was exactly why Lin Zhiyu had been too lazy to wash them. Evading chores is the essence of humanity.

Lin Rangchuan was wringing them out, his knuckles red from the cold. His movements were small, but water still splashed onto Lin Zhiyu’s foot. He flinched, and Lin Rangchuan carefully wiped it away.

“Wife, wait for me outside.” “Can’t I just wait here?” Lin Zhiyu squatted beside him. “I want to watch you.”

Lin Rangchuan met his gaze. After a while, his eyes grew a bit sore, and he leaned his head against his wife’s neck. His fingers were cold, but his body was warm. Fortunately, it was just a few small pieces of cloth. Lin Rangchuan wasn’t cold for long, and Lin Zhiyu didn’t squat for long.

Lin Zhiyu brought out a heater to warm the man’s hands. The hands of an artist are beautiful and precious. “Why haven’t you been painting lately?”

Lin Rangchuan stared at him and noticed his wife had two cowlicks—so cute. “Lazy.”

Lin Zhiyu frowned. “Didn’t you say you have debts to pay? How can you not earn money properly? No inspiration?”

Lin Rangchuan shook his head. On the contrary, he was full of inspiration. But he deeply cherished the time spent alone with his wife. Compared to dying in a world of colors, falling asleep in his wife’s arms was a much more beautiful thing.

“Then paint. I like your paintings; they’re so beautiful.” Lin Zhiyu smiled, holding one of the man’s hands with both of his.

“Lou Chen contacted the gallery staff for tomorrow morning.” Lin Rangchuan felt his wife had a superpower for prediction.

Lin Zhiyu said, “I have an appointment to see Ning Xingzhou tomorrow morning, so you won’t be able to come.”

Lin Rangchuan’s brow furrowed, but he didn’t say anything. Just as he was about to speak, Lin Zhiyu took out his phone and moved the meeting with Ning Xingzhou to the afternoon. “There. Now you must come with me.”

…

The next morning, Lin Zhiyu was pulled from bed by Lin Rangchuan. He changed into a jacket and scarf that matched Lin Rangchuan’s. Ever since Lin Rangchuan discovered Lin Zhiyu liked wearing his clothes, he bought two sizes of everything.

When it came to buying clothes, decorating the home, and organizing, Lin Rangchuan had his own unique aesthetic. Of course, the moment Lin Zhiyu said “I don’t like it” or “It’s inconvenient,” Lin Rangchuan would change it without a second thought.

The gallery owner had come to discuss auction items. A newly established auction house was selecting items for its winter collection, and the gallery had heard early and wanted to try joining the auction ranks. The auction house had extended an olive branch, seeing it as a rare opportunity.

The owner curled a lock of long hair. “They seem to really like your ‘Flowers’ piece. They keep asking for a price. We’re just waiting for a signature before sending it for appraisal.”

Lin Zhiyu instinctively touched his own messy curls. Having slept in during the winter with no classes, they had become even more curly. What ‘Flowers’?

Lou Chen sensibly opened a photo album and handed it to Lin Zhiyu. Lin Zhiyu’s eyes went wide. Lin Rangchuan was bold with color—a vast expanse of different species of flowers filled the canvas, with a high-lighted blank space left in the middle. Looking closely, it was the shadow of a person. It was a very atmospheric piece. Of course, Lin Rangchuan had also painted many rustic, pastoral scenes.

Lin Zhiyu inexplicably thought of the mermaid painting in his room.

After the chat, the gallery head had other business and left early. Lou Chen planned to have lunch there and talk. “Lin-ge, I have to say, you’ve been lazy lately. Shouldn’t you paint more now that you’re in a relationship?”

Lin Rangchuan looked down, his lips pale and cool. “Does my wife want me to paint?”

Lou Chen: “…” What did I just hear!

Lin Zhiyu didn’t even have time to cover his mouth. “Why didn’t you go to the Academy of Fine Arts?”

Lou Chen was quick-witted: “Because his mother wouldn’t let him!”

There was a reason those two were friends. Lin Zhiyu nodded slightly and didn’t ask further. Lin Rangchuan glanced at him. “I didn’t have a choice back then.”

Lin Zhiyu sipped his milkshake. “And now?”

“Now, it’s a time when I won’t be scolded for buying flowers in winter.”

…

After finishing lunch with Lou Chen, the two parted ways. Lin Rangchuan used Lou Chen’s car; actually, they didn’t really distinguish between them since Lin Rangchuan had paid for the car in full but given it to Lou Chen as a “company car.”

At the hotel entrance, Lin Zhiyu didn’t plan to let Lin Rangchuan come up with him. He asked him to wait in the lobby instead. He was holding a newly bought fruit basket—a peace offering. “Just wait for me here. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be down soon.”

Lin Rangchuan didn’t explicitly agree but didn’t refuse either. Instead, he took out a cigarette and asked with a smile, “Wife, can I have a smoke?”

Lin Rangchuan was sitting, while Lin Zhiyu was standing. He looked down at his boyfriend, knowing he was frustrated, but: “You can’t smoke here.”

“I’ll go outside.”

Lin Zhiyu held up one finger. “Only one.”

Lin Rangchuan tilted his neck back, smiling lazily. “But if it’s only one, you probably won’t be done talking.”

Lin Zhiyu looked deep into his eyes and suddenly realized Lin Rangchuan’s pupils were much darker than a normal person’s, clearly reflecting his own face.

Just then, there was a commotion at the hotel entrance. A guest checking in had brought a pet dog. The hotel was pet-friendly and had a dedicated pet elevator, but during check-in, the pet had to be tied at the entrance to avoid affecting other guests.

The puppy wasn’t happy and kept yelping in its owner’s arms. The hotel staff looked on awkwardly but wouldn’t let them in, while the owner was softly and gently coaxing the dog.

Lin Zhiyu was dazed for a moment, finding the scene strangely familiar. Lin Rangchuan touched his wife’s waist, pulling his attention back, and looked at the scene at the door with cold eyes. What kind of dog is trying to steal my wife’s attention now? What should I do?

Lin Zhiyu held his shoulders, letting Lin Rangchuan press against his chest. “I’ll be down quickly.”

“I don’t like the smell of smoke. If you smoke too much, how am I supposed to kiss you when I come down?”