My Roommate is a Gloomy, Sensitive Guy Who Cries Over Everything - Chapter 40

Chapter 40: The Deity That Shines Upon Me

Lin Zhiyu’s brows were damp with sweat, and his lips were parted as he panted. Suddenly realizing the position he was in, he stealthily closed his legs, facing the clear, wicked face in the video call.

After holding it in for a long time, he could only manage one curse: “Bastard!”

Lin Rangchuan listened expressionlessly, the movements of his hand only growing faster, his fingers rhythmic and agile. Being scolded only fueled his desire. If one were to look only at his face, it was cold—like a predator lying in wait in the snow—with no hint of the lewd acts he was committing.

Lin Zhiyu just watched him, his breathing becoming ragged. He pulled out some tissues to clean up, and when he got off the bed, he pulled up his pants, the fabric catching briefly against his backside.

The window was open, and a cold breeze blew in. Lin Zhiyu’s legs were so weak he couldn’t stand, so he collapsed back onto the bed. Arching his neck, he watched the brilliant fireworks scatter and bloom from an upside-down perspective—it had a unique flavor to it.

Lin Zhiyu reached out as if to touch the falling sparks, let out a soft whimper, and asked, “Are you at home?”

Lin Rangchuan gave a low “mhm.” The image of the boy trying to catch the fireworks felt like the boy was catching him, carefully receiving the falling sparks and fluids.

The veins at Lin Rangchuan’s temples throbbed slightly. He exposed himself fully, wanting Lin Zhiyu to see the depths of his desire clearly. Unlike before, when he hid and veiled it, he now stared directly at him.

Lin Zhiyu didn’t even realize he was looking—looking thoroughly at something that made his heart tremble.

Tonight, Lin Rangchuan’s dark obsession reached its peak. If it weren’t for the phone screen between them, Lin Zhiyu might have been pressed down by the back of his head and kissed right then and there.

Lin Zhiyu’s eyelids flickered. Where did that thought come from? In all their physical encounters, Lin Rangchuan had never done anything that crossed the line too far.

The feeling came back again.

Lin Zhiyu lay there like a corpse, leaving the window open and the fireworks visible, letting his body cool down. It felt quite good.

“Wife, close the window.”

Lin Zhiyu’s eyes moved as he turned on his side to meet the gaze of the person in the video. “Why don’t you come over and close it for me?”

“Do you want me to go?” Lin Rangchuan smiled, leisurely cleaning himself up and tossing the tissues on the floor with casual arrogance.

To be honest, Lin Zhiyu didn’t quite dare to agree; Lin Rangchuan wasn’t hiding anything.

Lin Rangchuan frowned. “Why won’t you take me away? You can take me away whenever you want. The other end of the leash is in your hand.”

The cold wind kissed his cheek, slipped down his collar, and stirred against his chest. Lin Zhiyu wasn’t sure if he was really listening; he just lay on his side, and once the feeling subsided, he felt revitalized. Staring at that dark silhouette, curiosity bloomed in his heart.

“Chuan, what does your room look like?”

Lin Rangchuan tied the drawstring of his pants and, without a word, panned the phone around the room.

It was unexpectedly large. However, there was very little trace of life. The wardrobe doors were new, the desk was spotless with no scratches or marks, and the bed was as tidy as a hotel room. It made Lin Zhiyu wonder if he was lying—it didn’t feel like his room at all.

He didn’t say that, though. Instead, he cupped his face. “Wow, your room looks so comfortable.”

Lin Rangchuan only smiled.

They chatted idly for a while. Lin Zhiyu was getting sleepy, but just as he was about to drift off, Lin Rangchuan’s voice rang in his ear as if he were right there: “Close the window, or you’ll catch a cold.”

Lin Zhiyu found the voice annoying and tried to cover his ears, but the other man repeated it tirelessly, sentence after sentence. Finally, he woke Lin Zhiyu up. He slid off the bed and closed the window. After taking two steps, his body stiffened. Something sticky was still there. He couldn’t go to sleep without a bath now.

There was no bathroom upstairs; in this old house, the only one was on the first floor. It was a common design flaw, but one couldn’t ask for too much from an old building.

The stairs were wooden, creaking with every step. Lin Zhiyu moved quietly, but it was useless.

The door opposite the stairs opened. Xue Rong stood there with a flashlight, not shining it directly in her son’s face but letting the beam hit the floor with his feet. “Where are you going? Didn’t you just wash?”

Lin Zhiyu’s cheeks were flushed. “I sweated, I felt uncomfortable. I’m going to wash again. Mom, why aren’t you asleep yet?”

“With fireworks that loud, how could I sleep?”

Xue Rong went out, saying she would set the hot water for him. Lin Zhiyu followed closely behind her. She was still looking after him personally, just as she had when he was a child.

As he got closer, Lin Zhiyu let his guard down. Suddenly, Xue Rong turned around. “Why is there a smell on you?”

Lin Zhiyu’s mind went blank for a split second before his quick-witted brain kicked into gear. “Eating yogurt. I accidentally spilled it on myself.”

Xue Rong: “…”

She wasn’t a young girl anymore, but she gave him some face, looking at her hot-blooded son. “I told you to find a partner, but you didn’t believe me. It’s so easy to find one in college.”

Lin Zhiyu blurted out, “The ones I find now are all guys. They’re all I’m around.”

He didn’t know which part of that touched a nerve with Xue Rong. “Guys? What’s so good about guys? They’re all short-lived ghosts.”

Lin Zhiyu: “…”

…

After his bath, Lin Zhiyu was overcome with exhaustion and fell fast asleep. He woke up early the next day to go to town with Xue Rong to buy supplies. With only a few days until New Year’s Eve, today was the last day for the market fair.

Lin Zhiyu wandered the streets, holding a candied hawthorn stick. At school, a stick of candied strawberries cost fifteen yuan; here, it was only five.

“Xiao Yu, do you like this jacket?” Xue Rong pointed to a jacket that looked very cool. The style wasn’t quite right for him, and just as Lin Zhiyu was about to shake his head, Lin Rangchuan’s face flashed in his mind.

It would suit his boyfriend perfectly.

But he couldn’t blow his cover yet. Lin Zhiyu walked over. “This size is a bit small.”

Xue Rong measured it against him. “How is it small? It looks just right. Try it on.”

Lin Zhiyu refused to try it. “It’s just small. Get a different size. Oversize is the trend now.” He grabbed her arm. “Mom, buy it for me. Just this size.”

Xue Rong couldn’t resist his acting, so she gritted her teeth and bought it, giving him a glare in the process. The jacket wasn’t cheap. After paying, she didn’t dwell on the cost but immediately made him put it on. Sure enough, it was too big, hanging off him like it was catching the wind.

Xue Rong slapped him. “Such a spendthrift. Even buying clothes makes me worry.”

Lin Zhiyu was tough and didn’t mind the pain. He grinned and continued shopping, wearing the clothes meant for Lin Rangchuan. “Mom, look how good it looks.” He twirled around and skipped.

Xue Rong didn’t want to look. “…”

At noon, they found a random restaurant for lunch. Lin Zhiyu messaged Lin Rangchuan, telling him his mom bought him a jacket. He thought saying it that way would make him happy, but a moment later…

[Lin-ge: Is it on you?]

Lin Rangchuan was no ordinary person; he saw through it instantly.

[Xiao Yu: Well, obviously.]

If he hadn’t been afraid of being caught, he definitely wouldn’t have spent Xue Rong’s money.

[Xiao Yu: Anyway, I can’t wear it, so I can only give it to you. The tags are off, so it can’t be exchanged.]

Not long after, Lin Rangchuan transferred some money over.

[Lin-ge: Give our mom a nice meal.]

At that moment, Lin Zhiyu felt a sense of reality—that Lin Rangchuan truly lived in this world.

…

Ning Xingzhou hadn’t shown up for the last two days, so the chores fell back on Lin Zhiyu. He felt a bit melancholy about it. However, he was soon swept up in the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

Every household was out shopping, buying things, and putting up spring couplets. When neighbors met, they pulled out their phones to transfer red envelope money. According to their local custom, anyone unmarried could receive a red envelope. After a lap around the village, Lin Zhiyu’s pockets were bulging.

Qin Rui also video-called him. Lin Zhiyu showed him the village’s fire dragon performance. “If I weren’t so busy here at home, I’d want to experience the atmosphere over there.”

He saw Qin Rui’s large villa, decorated with lanterns and couplets, but it was quiet outside. The city was empty during the New Year. Qin Rui, being impulsive, said, “How about I head over?”

Lin Zhiyu waved him off, saying maybe next time. “I might have to go out to find Brother Lin.”

He wasn’t even pretending anymore. The closeness between the two made Qin Rui feel uneasy, as his own brother ignored him for his friends.

“You’re quite heartless to me,” Qin Rui said, disgruntled.

“I miss him,” Lin Zhiyu laughed. Behind him was a brilliant fire dragon and the sound of cheering.

Qin Rui had actually grown used to it. “So I’m just expendable then.”

“How could you be? I think of you and mention you often. I even told my mom that you’re a new friend I made in college.” Lin Zhiyu gave him a formal finger heart.

“Fine, save your sweet talk for others.”

They exchanged a few more pleasantries and hung up. Lin Zhiyu switched to the other chat.

[Xiao Yu: Are you still busy over there? I want to video call you.] [Lin-ge: Not yet. We have guests.] [Xiao Yu: Oh, then I’ll wait.]

Lin Zhiyu, being sensitive, asked another question.

[Xiao Yu: Are you spending the New Year at home?] [Lin-ge: Yes.] [Xiao Yu: I should have time to visit you.] [Lin-ge: No rush.]

This was too strange. Given Lin Rangchuan’s personality, he would never say something like that. Lin Zhiyu didn’t want to push, but his heart was in his throat.

[Xiao Yu: You don’t get along with your family, so why aren’t you video-calling me this time?] [Xiao Yu: If you’re hiding something from me, you’re in trouble.] [Xiao Yu: What kind of guests? Are they a threat? Will they hit you?] [Lin-ge: I’ll tell you later.]

As expected! Lin Zhiyu’s heart hung in suspense. He was worried, but being so far away, he was powerless.

[Xiao Yu: You can’t fight during the New Year, okay?] [Lin-ge: What happens if I do?]

Lin Zhiyu’s heart skipped a beat. [If you fight, your face will change and you’ll get ugly.] [Xiao Yu: I like handsome guys.]

“Brother Lin” didn’t respond; the “Senior” account came online.

[Senior: You said you weren’t into looks.] [Xiao Yu: I am, now that I have a boyfriend.] [Xiao Yu: And fighting is bad luck, you know.] [Xiao Yu: You haven’t given me a New Year’s red envelope yet, boyfriend.]

Lin Rangchuan chuckled at his phone and sent another message.

[Lin-ge: Wife, you just showed me how many red envelopes you got. It’s so many you don’t even want them anymore.] [Xiao Yu: Other people’s are theirs; yours is yours. I want yours. I like yours.]

Lin Rangchuan’s heart suddenly jolted.

“Xiao Yu, what are you doing over there? Come take a picture!!” Yu Hechang called from a distance.

Lin Zhiyu put away his phone and spent half an hour taking photos with them. Xue Rong was nearby chatting with some older folks. That wasn’t Lin Zhiyu’s circle. He looked away, his eyes reflecting the light. After watching the performance, he went to the bonfire. These were self-organized by the villagers; next was a barbecue, and everyone would stay up together to welcome the God of Wealth after midnight.

Lin Zhiyu made a small fire for himself, the flames reflecting a red glow on his cheeks. Ning Xingzhou walked over, seemingly wanting to say something flirtatious. He was banking on the fact that Lin Rangchuan wasn’t there, that he was on good terms with Xue Rong, and that Lin Zhiyu wouldn’t dare cause a scene.

Who said he didn’t dare? Lin Zhiyu picked up a sturdy stick from the fire and raised it. Ning Xingzhou paused, then nonchalantly took a turn and went to talk to someone else.

After driving the man away, Lin Zhiyu’s phone buzzed for a long time. He checked it; it was Alipay, with the sound of falling gold coins constantly ringing out. The amounts weren’t small. Covering one ear, he squatted to the side and sent a voice message.

“Thank you, hubby~”

Lin Rangchuan pressed the phone to his ear as if the boy were right there. “Happy New Year, wife.”

…

In contrast to the festive New Year atmosphere, Lin Rangchuan’s home felt more like an unlucky funeral.

Song Yaju entered the kitchen, sweating cold, to pour water for the people in the living room. She smiled apologetically. “After the New Year, on the third day, we can definitely get enough money for you. Really. Everyone, today is such a great day—it’s not right to come debt-collecting on a holiday.”

Su Zhengxiang also stood up and brewed tea for them, treating them like guests. “Yes, yes. Give us a few more days, and we will definitely have the money. We’ll even give you a good meal.”

The leader of the group was the same person who had cornered Lin Rangchuan in City H. He lit a cigarette and blew the smoke in Su Zhengxiang’s face. “There’s nothing we can do. We have no money for the New Year, so we had to bring some brothers over to your house for a meal.”

Lin Rangchuan came out of his room, his tall figure partially submerged in the shadows. Su Ying heard the noise and looked up, calling out softly, “Brother.”

The leader also smiled. “Oh, Brother Lin, out to see the show?”

Lin Rangchuan scanned the people in the living room, his breathing calm. Every step he took carried an intense pressure. Everyone’s eyes were on him, their breathing changing with his every move.

Song Yaju immediately put down the kettle and walked to her eldest son’s side. “Xiao Chuan, please help.”

The words were a plea, but the look in her eyes was one of pure hatred. Of course she hated him. After all, this group had been waiting outside. Song Yaju thought as long as they didn’t open the door, it would be fine. If they dared to break in, even better—she’d have a chance to call the police and have them detained. In short, they could have had a good New Year.

But Lin Rangchuan had opened the door and invited them in. Su Zhengxiang was so scared he didn’t dare come out of his room. Su Ying had stayed by his brother’s door, refusing to go anywhere until Song Yaju dragged him away.

A lackey nearby offered Lin Rangchuan a cigarette. He didn’t take it. “I’m quitting.”

“Oh? You’ve found someone.”

Lin Rangchuan smiled but said nothing. From their conversation, Song Yaju sensed something. But before she could think deeper, her gaze shifted. She met Lin Rangchuan’s scrutinizing, warning look, and all her thoughts vanished.

The group didn’t stay long; they were just there to intimidate the family. And with Lin Rangchuan there, nothing could be escalated. They agreed on the third day of the New Year for the repayment. The group came in maliciously and left laughing.

Su Zhengxiang looked ten years older in an instant. He threw a pillow and, once the door was closed, his cowardly temper flared. “Look at your son. He won’t even let us have a good New Year. I told you he was a jinx, but you didn’t believe me. I, Su Zhengxiang, raised him for years, and he’s never even called me ‘Dad.’ Now he won’t even help pay back some money—he’s getting back at us. Is he even human? He’s an ungrateful wolf.”

Song Yaju only cried. Su Ying’s eyes widened, and he stopped him. “Dad, how can you say that about Brother!”

Lin Rangchuan had no expression as he watched the family crying, screaming, and threatening to hang themselves. He felt immensely satisfied. He lazily added, “Crying on New Year’s… truly bad luck.”

Lin Rangchuan leaned over, his mockery complete. “It’s over. You’re going to have a terrible year.”

This infuriated Su Zhengxiang even more. Song Yaju broke down mentally. “Lin Rangchuan, shut up!”

Su Ying was caught in the middle, unable to comfort his father. He walked to his brother’s side. “I…”

Lin Rangchuan didn’t seem to see him as a person. He gave him a glance and looked away. Su Ying met his cold gaze, his lips trembling, unable to offer a single word of persuasion.

Just then, Lin Rangchuan’s phone screen lit up. Su Ying’s pupils gradually dilated as he saw his usually cold brother show such a dark, obsessed expression. It was as if he were looking at the deity that shone upon him.