My Roommate is a Gloomy, Sensitive Guy Who Cries Over Everything - Chapter 48

Chapter 48: I Really Want to Laugh!

Outside, the rain intensified once more. Lin Rangchuan liked keeping potted plants—mostly low-maintenance varieties like Devil’s Ivy and cacti. He liked them, but he lacked patience.

The only flowering one was a Chinese rose, forgotten on the windowsill. The wind and rain beat against it, sending its petals fluttering down.

Through a sliver in the curtains, Lin Zhiyu caught sight of the flower. Amidst the swaying, he couldn’t quite make out its shape, only the blurry, flickering shadow of its color—a deep red.

Even the cold light became hazy and aesthetic, like scattered, brilliant fireworks. Lin Zhiyu suddenly shuddered. It was hot and cramped, buried deep under the covers, drenched in sweat, yet he found himself unable to leave.

He found space to breathe, but it soon turned into a heavy grogginess. The light in his eyes and the shadow of the flower vanished, leaving only flashes of Lin Rangchuan’s face—streaming with tears and sweat, glistening. As it moved past Adam’s apple, there was a peculiar kind of sexiness to it.

Lin Zhiyu didn’t respond with any movement, only reaching out to hazily stroke Adam’s apple. When he was rolled onto his side, the muscles in the arm supporting him bulged, and the red agate on the wrist glowed with a delicate luster.

He reached out to touch it.

Fragmented memories flooded back like the tide. He dreamed of being very small, secretly pleading with his mother at a market stall. He had taken a dozen cheap red agate beads and clumsily strung them together, the knots a messy disaster—a bracelet that was anything but beautiful.

Why did I make this? As the flickering memory fragments played out like a kaleidoscope, Lin Zhiyu remained confused. But his attention was soon diverted again, as he let out a low, mournful hum.

…

Lin Rangchuan had never taken off the red agate bracelet. Just as Lin Zhiyu had said, the beads lacked luster and looked worn—but that was because he had worn them for nearly ten years.

He had never been willing to take it off, cherishing it carefully. Back then, he never dared to hope that person would ever come to his side, and this bracelet was the only memento left to him.

Now, his state of mind was different.

He wept silently, a sliver of mad, pious desire flashing through his heart. He felt aggrieved, yet his movements grew more relentless.

He might be going crazy.

Truly crazy.

Even if it were an illusion, he was willing to sink into it. But the soft heat told him this was all real. It was all within reach—the very thing he had dreamed of, the thing that could make his soul ascend.

He seemed to have lost his mind completely, obsessively repeating a single motion as if possessed. His ears were filled with the rising and falling tones of his wife—sometimes a scream, sometimes a melodic lilt, sometimes a piteous cry.

He had crawled out of a bone-eroding hell, burning with a cracked heart in the eighteen levels of suffering. Just when there was no hope and the future held no visible sunlight, that pitch-black door had opened.

Lin Rangchuan grabbed Lin Zhiyu’s hand and licked the lines of his palm, not missing a single crevice.

“Goodnight, baby.”

“Goodnight, wife.”

Lin Zhiyu was on the verge of fainting, but hearing those words, he responded like a machine being switched on, answering in a weak, breathless whisper: “Goodnight.”

That small gap in the curtains was pulled shut completely. Not a single ray of light filtered in. For the first time, the eerie, gloomy atmosphere of this villa gradually dissipated, giving way to a rare, warm, and intimate night.

…

When Lin Zhiyu opened his eyes, the surroundings were still dark. His heart jolted. His lower body was so numb it didn’t even feel like his own legs anymore. Why is it still dark? Don’t tell me it’s not over yet.

Frightened, he reached out but didn’t feel anyone beside him. The person was probably in the bathroom. Lin Zhiyu felt deaf and blind, his senses nearly gone. He just felt lucky; if things continued like this, he would surely wither away.

Lin Zhiyu had been driven senseless.

From that first moment last night until… he wasn’t sure what happened after he fainted, but when he woke up later, Lin Rangchuan was still going.

His backside told him he hadn’t rested at all.

Lin Zhiyu struggled for only a short while before his eyelids grew heavy again. Lin Rangchuan entered the room just as he drifted off. He stood by the bed, looking at the quiet bundle on the mattress. The sleeping posture was the same as when he’d left, though the figure had curled up slightly more into the covers, half his face buried.

The charging phone on the nightstand buzzed several times. Someone was sending messages—quite a few of them.

Lin Rangchuan had picked up Lin Zhiyu’s phone from the floor; it had been so dead it had shut down automatically. Now that it was plugged in and at 50%, people were already impatient to find his wife.

How popular.

He easily unlocked his wife’s phone. He didn’t care about the others, but the WeChat chat box from Ning Xingzhou at the top was an absolute eyesore.

Ning Xingzhou: I heard you went to A-City. Did Lou Chen find you?

Ning Xingzhou: Is Lin Rangchuan not there? Seems he doesn’t like you that much.

Ning Xingzhou: I happen to be back in A-City too. Want to come out and talk? I think you have a misunderstanding about me.

Lin Rangchuan reached into the covers, stroking his wife’s bare skin. He reached further down with a wicked intent, kissing him several times. After rewarding himself, he slowly replied to this jerk’s messages.

Xiaoyu: Why should we meet?

Ning Xingzhou: We’re from the same hometown, there’s no need for this. Besides, your mom likes me a lot, and I… like you a lot too.

Xiaoyu: It’s inconvenient.

Ning Xingzhou: Where are you?

Xiaoyu: None of your business [Yellow Face Smile Emoji]

It took several minutes for the other side to reply.

No matter what Ning Xingzhou did, Lin Zhiyu had never spoken to him so rudely, whether out of consideration for Xue Rong or his own upbringing. This was exactly what Ning Xingzhou liked about him—and Xiaoyu was the type who, if something happened, would mostly act rather than nag.

Particularly cute.

This person clearly didn’t seem like him. Combined with the fact that Lin Zhiyu was in A-City, he would definitely have sought out Lin Rangchuan.

Ning Xingzhou: You aren’t Xiaoyu, are you? Lin Rangchuan?

Lin Rangchuan switched personalities in a split second.

Xiaoyu: You’re annoying. My boyfriend doesn’t like you. It’s embarrassing to be so clingy. Is being a “licking dog” that fun?

Ning Xingzhou: Lin Rangchuan, are you sick? What are you doing with Xiaoyu’s phone? Give it back to him.

Lin Rangchuan kissed and touched him more to keep his temper from exploding.

Xiaoyu: Why can’t I? What’s wrong with me taking my wife’s phone? You care too much.

Ning Xingzhou: What “wife”?

Ning Xingzhou: That’s really unpleasant to hear.

Xiaoyu: You just can’t call him that. You’re jealous of me, aren’t you?

Ning Xingzhou’s face turned ashen, his fingers trembling with rage as he typed.

Ning Xingzhou: Give the phone back. I have something to discuss with him.

Xiaoyu: ?

Ning Xingzhou: About his mom’s shop.

Lin Rangchuan’s handsome features were illuminated by the faint glow of the screen as he frowned deeply.

Xiaoyu: He’s asleep.

Ning Xingzhou: Who are you kidding? It’s only seven o’clock. You’re telling me he’s asleep?

Xiaoyu: He’s been asleep all day.

Ning Xingzhou: ? What did you do to him?

Xiaoyu: Guess.

Xiaoyu: This is my wife, after all.

Xiaoyu: Actually, don’t guess. Put away your imagination.

Xiaoyu: Oh, what you’re thinking might not be wrong. After all, he is my wife.

He sent several messages in a row, attacking so fiercely that Ning Xingzhou didn’t send another one back.

Lin Rangchuan felt he had done a great job. He crawled back into his wife’s bed to claim his reward. No matter how he kissed him, his wife didn’t wake. He stroked his wife’s cheek, poked it, then rubbed the protruding collarbone for a moment, tracing the circle of a bite mark.

He picked up his wife’s long fingers—well-defined, slender, and elegant. There were calluses on the palm; it was clear his wife usually did housework, though probably not a lot.

But these hands had done so much last night. In the heat of passion, they had cradled his face for a kiss; fingers had brushed his sideburns; in the height of feverish intensity, he couldn’t help but scratch the skin of Lin Rangchuan’s back with his nails, leaving behind masterpieces of red marks. When quiet, they were beautiful and untouched by the world.

Truly a fairy descended from heaven.

Every finger was licked until wet. It was only then that Lin Zhiyu groggily opened his eyes, staring blankly at the other. His soul hadn’t yet returned; it was still wandering over at Lin Rangchuan’s side.

Lin Rangchuan laughed affectionately: “Wife, are you tired? It’s all Hubby’s fault for having too much stamina.”

Lin Zhiyu didn’t even have the strength to glare. His eyes slowly focused, his voice slow: “What time is it?”

“Seven thirty-five.”

Lin Zhiyu frowned: “So early.” Did time go backwards???

Lin Rangchuan soothed him: “It’s already the evening of the second day.”

Lin Zhiyu’s eyes widened, though he didn’t dare move too much: “You mean… I slept for a whole day!”

Lin Rangchuan pressed down on his waist and abdomen, afraid he’d strain something with a sudden movement: “No rush. You can sleep as long as you want.”

True, it was the holidays.

Lin Zhiyu lay back, looking at the ceiling with some discomfort. He had been terrified yesterday, but now he felt nothing special about this villa. Sex was truly a magical thing.

His stomach let out an uncontrollable growl. It was flat, with no fat at all. Lin Rangchuan rubbed it a few times: “Wife, I like you so much.”

What Lin Zhiyu heard as the subtext was: I want you again.

Panicked, he tried to roll over, but it was futile. He was currently no different from someone in a vegetative state: “I’m almost at my limit. Do you want to end up in the news?”

Lin Rangchuan laughed, his eyes dark but no longer with that cold, fake smile. He looked exceptionally handsome. “What news?”

Lin Zhiyu stared dazed, finally reacting: “The news about you doing your wife until he’s sent to the hospital.”

Lin Rangchuan patted his head: “How could I? Your life is more important than mine. I won’t.”

Lin Zhiyu didn’t like that kind of talk: “What do you mean ‘more important than yours’? They’re both equally important.” He pouted, “I’m so hungry, but I’m so tired.”

Lin Rangchuan transformed back into the “virtuous husband” persona: “I’ll help you up to eat something.”

Lin Zhiyu wasn’t doing well. He actually wanted to keep sleeping, but he was too hungry. He rubbed against Lin Rangchuan, acting spoiled for once: “Sigh, so tired. Truly so tired. And a bit numb.”

Lin Rangchuan carefully gave him some water. Lin Zhiyu sipped it slowly. He felt that that place wasn’t quite right; he wanted to go look or wash it or something.

“Did you wash me last night?”

Lin Rangchuan nodded: “I wouldn’t let my wife get sick.”

Lin Zhiyu gave him an appreciative look, but his waist was very uncomfortable: “Did I sprain my back?”

Feeding him porridge, Lin Rangchuan explained patiently: “No, it’s because I was too rough. You lost sensation, and it’s swollen.”

Lin Zhiyu said in alarm: “Then I won’t be broken, will I?”

“I applied medicine.” Lin Rangchuan was also a bit uncertain now. “I’ll check again in a bit. Don’t be afraid, wife. It’ll be fine.”

Because of this, Lin Zhiyu lost interest in eating. But with his stomach lined, he regained some spirit: “I… I can’t walk. Help me, I want to take a shower.”

“I already cleaned everything, wife.”

“I’m sticky, I’m uncomfortable. I want to wash again.” Lin Zhiyu was covered in a layer of sweat and was very much not used to it.

Lin Rangchuan helped him into the bathroom and gave him another rinse. Under the hot water, Lin Zhiyu slowly regained feeling in his legs. He wasn’t as panicked anymore; he had almost thought he was going to be paralyzed.

Who would believe it if someone said they were paralyzed from sex!

Dressed, he sat on a stool. The cushion was one Lin Rangchuan had specifically bought—fleece-lined, cotton-padded, and soft. The moment he sat down, half his soul felt like it was leaving, only to be pulled back by force.

Lin Zhiyu continued eating a pancake. The outside was fried crispy, and inside was beef, green onions, and egg. With one bite, his energy returned. As he ate, he watched Lin Rangchuan, who was handling work, and murmured: “How many times did you do it last night?”

Lin Rangchuan looked up, saying regretfully: “Didn’t use them all. Half a box left.”

Lin Zhiyu: “…Can we negotiate?”

Lin Rangchuan didn’t say yes or no. Considering Lin Zhiyu’s state just now, he knew he would be asked to control the frequency. Or perhaps try some “control,” which also seemed good.

“Mhm, I understand. As many times as my wife says.”

Lin Zhiyu said suspiciously: “You said it.”

Lin Rangchuan smiled even more happily: “Mhm, I said it.”

…

Lin Zhiyu stayed here for four or five days, nearly forgetting about dinner with Lou Chen.

The meeting was at Xiaoyuelou, a place that required reservations; anyone with money could eat there. To make amends, Lin Rangchuan let Lou Chen pick the location. During this time, Lou Chen had called several times and made several appointments, but they had stood him up every time until today.

Lin Zhiyu felt a bit of pain for his boyfriend’s wallet—this meal would cost several thousand.

“Did he make a reservation? Actually, a few hundred per meal is already very good, really.” Lin Zhiyu widened his eyes, hinting that they still needed to buy a house.

“He’s wanted to eat here for a long time,” Lin Rangchuan said calmly, squeezing a pack of cigarettes in his pocket.

“Oh, you guys are here so early?” A somewhat snide greeting rang out.

Lin Zhiyu turned to look and saw Lou Chen riding an electric scooter, stopping shakily next to their car: “…”

He didn’t even take off his helmet, giving a cheeky grin: “Brother Lin is treating me to this. Sister-in-law, don’t worry, he can afford it. He really can.”

Lin Zhiyu pursed his lips and blinked: “Who are you calling sister-in-law?”

“You. Besides you, who else can be our Brother Lin’s sister-in-law?” Likely because of the feast, Lou Chen’s tongue was sweet to the point of madness.

After entering, a manager led a team of waiters to guide them in. Once in the private room, there was no need to order. Each room here had a specific menu, and during reservation, one could choose to contact the chef of the day for changes.

So everything was pre-ordered. This place was very convenient for business talks, saving the awkwardness of ordering in public—a process that tested one’s social intelligence.

The business atmosphere was thick. As soon as Lou Chen sat down, he couldn’t help but talk business with Lin Rangchuan. Even as a sophomore, he had already learned how to make money.

“Look, those few people are still on your side. So we’ll start with some mini-games first. Once we sell them and have a base fund, since you like games, we can consider establishing our own company. No need to cooperate with others—the risk is too high.”

“I’ve dealt with Ning Xingzhou the most. He’s completely untrustworthy and lacks real ability. He’s bound to mess up. Don’t think making games is easy; it’s not like before. You can’t do it without connections.”

“You have me. I have the network resources, and of course, it also depends on what you accumulated for me in the early stages. In short, we’re brothers. I won’t forget you.”

“If you become wealthy, do not forget me.” Lou Chen clinked glasses with him. Lin Rangchuan didn’t want to drink but gave him some face by taking a few sips.

Lin Zhiyu couldn’t get a word in. He just felt that if Lou Chen became an agent in an entertainment company, he would definitely make it big.

The dishes arrived. Lin Zhiyu focused on eating while they focused on talking, and he learned quite a bit of new knowledge.

When the talk turned to opening a studio, Lin Zhiyu turned and asked: “Then do you plan to be in H-City or A-City?”

Lou Chen said without thinking: “A-City, definitely. More opportunities, faster development. H-City is too small; it’s only really suitable for Brother Lin’s painting.”

After he finished, he felt something was off and asked humbly: “Sister-in-law, where do you want to go?”

Lin Zhiyu shook his head: “I haven’t decided. But you guys are a year ahead of me, so if you go to A-City…”

Lin Rangchuan: “I’ll stay.”

Lin Zhiyu turned: “Huh?”

Lin Rangchuan said slowly: “To accompany you until graduation.”

Lou Chen looked at him, then at Lin Zhiyu, and suddenly fell silent. Lin Rangchuan had always acted according to his whims; once he made a decision, no one could sway him except Lin Zhiyu.

Having drunk a lot of water, Lin Zhiyu got up to go to the bathroom. At the end of the hallway, he passed several private rooms, one or two of which had their doors open, completely unaware that he was being watched.

The bathrooms in high-end restaurants used high-end aromatherapy and were spacious and bright. As Lin Zhiyu washed his hands, he glimpsed a flickering figure in the mirror. He turned to see the person pretentiously washing their hands. Just as he planned to leave without greeting, he was called out.

“Did you know that all the messages I sent you were replied to by Lin Rangchuan?”

Lin Zhiyu didn’t see a problem: “I know.”

“If you knew, why didn’t you reply to me? I contacted you to discuss something important.”

Lin Zhiyu curled his lip, somewhat unwilling to talk: “Why do you always bring up my mom when you talk to me?”

“Has Lin Rangchuan ever talked to you about it?” Ning Xingzhou’s eyes were exceptionally sharp. “Even though you’re together, it doesn’t mean you’ll be together forever. Regarding your mom’s hurdle, who besides me can get past it?”

Lin Zhiyu was speechless: “Who do you think you’re looking down on?”

Ning Xingzhou realized his mistake: “Sorry, I spoke too much. Before I came, Auntie Rong discussed the shop with me.”

“She looked for you?” Lin Zhiyu was incredulous.

Ning Xingzhou waved it off: “I asked her. I just gave some suggestions, and she listened. She even said she’d discuss it with you, but probably because you came to A-City, she didn’t tell you.”

Matters like this could be big or small. Lin Zhiyu pursed his lips: “I’ll ask her when I get back.”

“Speaking of which, if I invest, would you welcome me?” Ning Xingzhou suddenly smiled.

“It’s just a small tailor shop, what’s there to invest in?” Lin Zhiyu couldn’t understand. “Isn’t it better to work on your games?”

Ning Xingzhou stared at the marks on his collarbone, feeling a bit bitter: “That’s not necessarily true. In that town, it could be developed into a clothing store. Plenty of people buy clothes. We could do it together. But currently, the shop isn’t big enough and there’s not enough staff. I can supplement that.”

Lin Zhiyu said: “Don’t mess around. Even if it were to change, my mom would only look for me, and I would only look for Lin Rangchuan. I absolutely won’t look for you.”

Ning Xingzhou felt his composure breaking: “Are you really this heartless toward me?”

“Huh? What relationship do we have? How am I being heartless? It’s not like we can’t be friends—it’s you who didn’t want that.” Lin Zhiyu fidgeted with his fingers.

Knock knock.

Unexpectedly, Lin Rangchuan’s voice rang out, incredibly gentle.

“Sorry to interrupt your chat.” Lin Rangchuan tilted his head, “Wife, you’ve been in the bathroom for so long, I came out to find you.”

Ning Xingzhou glanced at him, left without a word, and turned to walk away. Lin Rangchuan didn’t move; their shoulders collided with each other, the atmosphere quite aggressive.

Lin Zhiyu immediately distanced himself from the situation, giving a warning: “I was just chatting with him. There’s nothing between us. Don’t be jealous.”

Lin Rangchuan really wanted to laugh. Not liking him? Yes, not liking him.

But in just those few lines of conversation, he had looked at his wife’s lips six times.

His collarbone three times.

And that hand that was itching to touch his wife’s backside.