My Roommate is a Gloomy, Sensitive Guy Who Cries Over Everything - Chapter 49

Chapter 49: I’m the One Who Decides!

Lin Zhiyu dried his hands and walked over to link his arm with Lin Rangchuan’s. “Why did you suddenly come looking for me? You left Brother Lou over there all by himself?”

Lin Rangchuan looked at him expressionlessly.

You took nearly half an hour just to use the bathroom, and you’re asking me why I came out? Does your husband seem that uncaring to you?

It was a good thing he came, otherwise, he wouldn’t have seen that scene just now. Truly spectacular. He wondered what would have happened if he had been a few minutes later. Of course, even if something had happened, he wouldn’t blame his wife; he’d blame that bastard.

Lin Rangchuan’s gaze fell on Lin Zhiyu’s rosy lips. “Use the bathroom. Accompany me.”

“Oh, wait, what?” Before Lin Zhiyu could react, he was pulled into a stall. The stalls in this high-end restaurant were pristine, and the air held a faint scent of bitter orange blossom.

Once the door closed, they were in a cramped space. Lin Zhiyu’s back was pressed against the door, his heels slightly lifted. He had a small frame; when held in Lin Rangchuan’s arms, his face was almost entirely buried in the other’s chest.

He felt a bit panicked. “What are you doing?”

“Doesn’t this feel like an affair?” Lin Rangchuan chuckled nonchalantly.

Lin Zhiyu froze, staying still in his embrace like a stunned cub. Lin Rangchuan smelled faintly of citrus body wash and the clean, natural scent of a deep rainforest—his original scent.

Knowing Lin Rangchuan lacked a sense of security, Lin Zhiyu quieted down. Lin Rangchuan’s lips curled slightly as he buried his face in the crook of Zhiyu’s neck.

“Wait, wait a minute…”

Lin Zhiyu was shy about being intimate in a place like this. He kept his head down, his profile as gentle and white as a soft cloud. The ink-dark curve of his round eyes was captivating, like a highlight skillfully dabbed onto a clean watercolor painting, bringing the whole image to life.

Lin Rangchuan seemed like a predator lured by the scent of meat. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, almost compulsively.

Once his wife had calmed down, Lin Zhiyu’s tense body gradually relaxed. He raised his hands to hook around Rangchuan’s neck. He felt a kiss on his temple, like the faint itch of a leaf tip brushing past.

Their warm breaths intertwined. Lin Zhiyu lifted his eyelids as his chin was gripped. His upper lip was kissed gently, the other sucking and tasting it repeatedly, opening his lips with a gentle invasion. Lin Zhiyu felt his bones turning soft under the kiss. He had to part his teeth to breathe, and when he tried to push the other away due to lack of air, he lacked the strength; it looked more like he was acting spoiled.

There were footsteps outside, accompanied by the sound of laughter and conversation. Lin Zhiyu didn’t dare move an inch. He held his breath, letting Lin Rangchuan kiss him again and again until their skin temperatures merged, inseparable.

Sensing his wife’s tension, Lin Rangchuan stopped. After observing for a moment, he placed his hand on the door handle. Lin Zhiyu, terrified, grabbed his wrist and warned him with his eyes.

Lin Rangchuan whispered in his ear, “We are men.”

Lin Zhiyu glared back fiercely: Two men walking out of one stall? What will people think!

Lin Rangchuan let go of the handle and instead wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist, rubbing his ear. “Listen, they’re leaving.”

Lin Zhiyu gave a distracted “Mhm.” Suddenly, he was pressed down by the shoulders to sit on the toilet lid. He asked silently: What now?

Immediately after, Lin Rangchuan knelt on one knee between his legs, lowering his head to kiss the vulnerable, sensitive skin of his neck below the earlobe. This position made it impossible for Lin Zhiyu to dodge. As they rubbed against each other, the fire in both of them flared up simultaneously.

“That’s enough!”

“I’m helping my wife cool down. Don’t move. Shh… it’s not soundproof here. If you’re too loud, people outside will hear you.” Lin Rangchuan methodically undid the button of his wife’s trousers. “Let me see if it’s better. Is it still swollen? I’ll check.”

“Are you insane…”

Lin Zhiyu was no match for his strength. Trying to hold up his pants was futile. He stared down at the crown of Lin Rangchuan’s head, his face impossibly red. The bathroom was brightly lit; every fold and detail was clear. Lin Rangchuan felt a surge of chaotic emotion and, losing himself in the moment, leaned down closer.

Lin Zhiyu instantly closed his eyes, grabbing Rangchuan’s hair and pulling upward with force. His other hand covered his own mouth. His eyes grew damp with a physiological reaction, and a muffled hum caught in his tight throat.

…

In the private room, Lou Chen had been eating alone for ages and couldn’t wait any longer. Both their phones were here, so he couldn’t contact them. He got up to leave and ran into Ning Xingzhou in the hallway, who had just finished his gathering. They locked eyes. Fortunately, Lou Chen’s phone rang, breaking the awkwardness, and they both tacitly avoided greeting each other.

Lou Chen planned to head to the bathroom to find them. He took the call while walking. “How can I talk to you? They aren’t here. I’ll call you back.”

Ning Xingzhou noticed Lou Chen was in a hurry and suddenly spoke: “They haven’t returned yet?”

Lou Chen: “You saw them?”

Ning Xingzhou didn’t want to answer, but Lou Chen wouldn’t let him go. “Where did you see them?”

“…”

Lou Chen: “Did you kidnap them?”

Ning Xingzhou rolled his eyes. “The bathroom.”

“Oh. And what if I don’t see them there?”

Ning Xingzhou grew irritable. “What does that have to do with me!”

“How is it not? You were the last one to see them!” Lou Chen dragged him along to the bathroom without another word. A quick look confirmed no one was at the sinks.

Just as he was about to interrogate Ning Xingzhou, the sound of a toilet flushing erupted from the last stall. The door opened, and Lin Rangchuan walked out. The three of them stood face to face in a bizarre, silent atmosphere. Lin Rangchuan looked them up and down. “You two?”

Lou Chen finally let go. “I was looking for you. Where’s Xiaoyu?”

Lin Zhiyu poked his head out from behind Rangchuan, trembling slightly, using a smile to mask his bitterness. His lips were vivid red and nearly swollen, and his cheeks were flushed. Even a fool could tell what had just transpired.

Ning Xingzhou stomped out in a rage. “A bunch of psychos.”

Back in the room, Lou Chen felt aggrieved. “You guys even share a stall to take a dump. You’re isolating me!”

Lin Zhiyu felt guilty; he really had neglected him over the last few days. Just as he was about to offer some compensation, Lin Rangchuan spoke calmly: “Stop acting.”

He poured a glass of juice and a glass of hot water for Lin Zhiyu. By the time Lin Zhiyu finished the juice, the water was at the perfect warm temperature.

“Did you enjoy your meal just now?” Lin Rangchuan asked Lou Chen.

A meal costing several thousand, nearly ten thousand yuan. Lou Chen gave a sheepish smile. “It was good. Actually, it wasn’t even that delicious, the ingredients were just fresh. It’s not as good as that small noodle shop across from our middle school.”

Mentioning the past piqued Lin Zhiyu’s interest. “Did you guys go out to eat together every day back then?”

Lou Chen said, “Not exactly. Brother Lin was quite poor then. He actually worked at that shop.”

“What about the paintings?”

Lin Rangchuan had been learning to paint since he was a child, working part-time to save money for classes. When he was truly broke, he would scavenge trial classes. Because of his young age and high talent, he even got discounts on fees.

“At first, he had no reputation. His teacher hung his work in an exhibition hall for free, and his fame gradually grew.” It so happened that Lou Chen’s parents were in the exhibition planning business. Everything was a perfect coincidence. His eyes were full of admiration. “Pretty impressive, right?”

Lin Zhiyu smiled, but his eyes were full of heartache. He put himself in Rangchuan’s shoes; if he had wanted to learn painting, Xue Rong would have supported him with everything she had. But Lin Rangchuan, at such a young age, had only himself to rely on. No one had been there to lift him up.

…

Lin Zhiyu played in A-City for a day, and then “played” for another day. He was lying exhaustedly in bed when a ringtone jolted him awake. He checked the phone—it was Xue Rong. Terrified, he ignored his aching body, cleared his throat to make sure he sounded normal, and answered.

“Coming back tomorrow?”

His mother’s voice carried a hint of authority. Lin Zhiyu bore it with difficulty, acting a bit dazed. “Huh?”

“What ‘huh’? What date is it? You’re still not back? Are you planning to wander around forever? Xiao He is here; who else is there to play with you? Is it that young man who came to give gifts, the one named Lou Chen?”

Lin Zhiyu’s backside hurt, and his brain felt like mush from being worked too hard. He couldn’t think straight and just followed her lead: “Right, right… it’s him. I came to his house to play…”

“Seven days is enough. Hurry home. Come and unwrap the gifts at home; don’t you love unwrapping things the most?”

Lin Zhiyu gave a vague mumble of agreement.

After hanging up, he lay on the bed like a corpse. The blanket had slipped down, revealing his bare upper body covered in marks of varying shades. It looked frightening, as if he’d been mistreated.

The door clicked. Lin Rangchuan stood in the shadows, smiling at him, holding a bowl of silver ear and lotus seed soup.

Lin Zhiyu’s heart skipped a beat. He gestured, “Why are you standing at the door? Come in.”

“I was afraid that if you saw the light, you wouldn’t be able to explain things to your mom.” Lin Rangchuan set the food down, still watching him with that smile. It was slightly eerie.

Lin Zhiyu rested his head on Rangchuan’s thigh. “Oh, don’t be like that. I’m planning… well, when you’re free, you should accompany me back to the countryside, okay?”

“I’m telling you, my mom knows your mom. She might even know you.”

Lin Rangchuan remained calm, showing no surprise. “Maybe. She might not remember me; I was small then.”

Lin Zhiyu tilted his head. “So that means we met when we were little, right?”

Lin Rangchuan pinched his nose. “Guess.”

Lin Zhiyu didn’t guess. Even if Lin Rangchuan told him, he wouldn’t remember. He always felt like he was missing a segment of memory; he’d have to ask Xue Rong to find out.

He slowly sat up, feeling as if his joints had been reassembled, and sat stiffly on the bed to eat. Lin Rangchuan was checking bus tickets for him.

The latest bus from A-City to Ning County was at 4:30 PM. Then Lin Zhiyu would have to take another bus back to the village—a trip that took an hour and a half. Lin Rangchuan hesitated for a moment before picking a prime midday slot.

Lin Zhiyu saw this and leaned over, one shoulder higher than the other. “I don’t have to go back tomorrow. The day after is fine, too. Just a few days later.”

Lin Rangchuan kissed the corner of his wife’s mouth, which tasted faintly of lotus seeds. “I’m busy tomorrow.”

Lin Zhiyu: “Where are you going?”

“The studio.”

Tomorrow he had to go to the studio for the final acceptance work—specifically, the project contract he signed with Ning Xingzhou. After it ended, he’d have to consider whether to renew. To them, Lin Rangchuan was essentially no different from an outsourcer.

Lin Zhiyu got excited. “Can I come with you? I’ve never seen it, and I’m a computer science student too.”

“I never said I couldn’t bring family.”

Lin Rangchuan booked the ticket for the afternoon of the day after tomorrow, letting his wife stay with him a little longer.

The studio was located in an innovation park near A-University. There were many famous big companies there, as well as seniors from A-University who had started their own businesses. Each building looked like a three-story villa. Lin Zhiyu had a sudden thought: Lin Rangchuan’s villa could also be converted into a studio. As for a place to live, they could buy somewhere else.

In just a few minutes, Lin Zhiyu had planned out their future once again.

The door wasn’t closed. There weren’t many people inside; most had probably gone home for the New Year. Then came a chorus of “Hello, Brother Lin.” His boyfriend’s status here was evident.

Lin Rangchuan: “Want something to drink?”

“Anything is fine.”

“Sit here and wait for me.” Lin Rangchuan pulled out his ergonomic chair.

Lin Zhiyu felt a bit constrained and nodded. “Okay.”

After Lin Rangchuan left, the people across from him looked over curiously. Most gave friendly glances, except for one person on the side who stared intently, which was infuriating.

Lin Zhiyu didn’t hold back; he tilted his head to meet the gaze. Oh, a little perm. Round eyes, quite large, a baby-faced type—he looked very young.

Tang Yan retracted his gaze and rolled his eyes. He wasn’t that good-looking. He thought someone brought personally by Brother Lin would be something special.

“Oh, who are you, Brother Lin? We’ve never seen him bring anyone here before.”

Lin Zhiyu didn’t know the politics here yet and said cautiously, “I’m his junior, the kind with a pretty good relationship.”

The others withdrew their gossiping gazes with disappointment. “I see.”

Lin Rangchuan returned with fruit juice and set it by Lin Zhiyu’s hand. Tang Yan, observing carefully, said sweetly: “Brother Lin, I’m stuck on this part. Can you help me look at it?”

Lin Rangchuan was notoriously difficult to approach. He didn’t even give face to Group Leader Ning Xingzhou. Since special methods didn’t work, one could only try the conventional way. Luckily, Lin Rangchuan usually responded to work-related requests.

Lin Rangchuan took a look; it was content from the project he was in charge of. “Wait a moment.”

Tang Yan was delighted. This method really worked. There were plenty of others in the studio who wanted to hook up with Lin Rangchuan, but he never even acknowledged them.

He was the smart one. He had fallen for Lin Rangchuan’s photo on the bulletin board back in freshman year. When he saw the real person, he was hooked. Then, in a heartbeat, Rangchuan applied for a major transfer and went to that “godforsaken” mountain area. Tang Yan almost followed him, but his family practically had to drag him back to cure his “love brain.”

He had joined this studio just to get a good reputation and happened to encounter the returning Lin Rangchuan. He then did everything possible to join his project, which gave him these recent opportunities to speak to him up close.

Tang Yan waited for Lin Rangchuan to come and teach him, but the next second, Lin Rangchuan said to the girl across from him, “Go take a look.”

“Oh, okay!”

Turning around, Tang Yan saw Lin Rangchuan talking to Lin Zhiyu in a low, soft voice.

Tang Yan: “…”

Now the project isn’t urgent? Watering your ‘junior’ is more important than the deadline? You’ve got a lot of nerve.

His gaze was one of blatant resentment. Lin Zhiyu flicked a glance over. Tang Yan immediately straightened up with a stiff face, looking professional; he didn’t want to lose ground in front of a love rival.

When it came time for the meeting, Ning Xingzhou’s office and the conference room were on the second floor. Leaning half his body over the railing, Lin Zhiyu met Ning Xingzhou’s eyes. Ning Xingzhou gave what he thought was a cool, arched-eyebrow smile. Lin Zhiyu silently mouthed two words at him: Poseur.

Ning Xingzhou turned away with a dark face. Lin Zhiyu nearly died laughing.

When Tang Yan saw this: Who is he trying to seduce with that bright smile!

Lou Chen arrived just in time, looking travel-worn and sweaty despite the winter. He didn’t have time to greet Lin Zhiyu and hurried upstairs for the meeting.

The first floor was left with only a few assistants, as even Tang Yan had gone up to the meeting. With nothing to do, Lin Zhiyu began to look around the house. He found a backyard with a fish pond full of lively fish. There was fish food nearby; he fed them a few handfuls, then sat on a swing in the small yard. A cold wind blew him back inside, where he happened to hear the sound of a table being slammed in the conference room on the second floor.

Holding his hot coffee, he stood downstairs looking up blankly, looking like someone watching drama out of boredom.

Not long after, the conference room door opened, and Lin Rangchuan emerged leisurely. He smiled, “Wife?”

Lin Zhiyu: “I was worried about you.”

Lin Rangchuan repeated: “Worried about me.” Saying it out loud seemed to feel very good.

Lin Zhiyu didn’t know what he was so happy about. He scratched his eyebrow, accidentally plucking a hair. “Did things not go well with Ning Xingzhou?”

Lin Rangchuan gave a nonchalant “Mhm,” as if he didn’t care at all.

“Then why did you come down?”

Lin Rangchuan: “If I’m there, Lou Chen doesn’t perform well.”

“?”

“I have a suppressing effect on him.”

“…” Are you playing a video game?

Lin Rangchuan took a box of peanuts from the cupboard. “He said it himself.”

Lin Zhiyu’s mouth watered. He was fed a few, noticed some sunflower seeds, and started cracking them. “So, what’s the issue?”

Lin Rangchuan actually didn’t like talking about these things; he felt it radiated negative energy to his wife. He frowned with a bit of annoyance.

Lin Zhiyu nudged him. “Tell me, tell me. Keeping it in isn’t good. Don’t you know? Right now…” He stood on his tiptoes and whispered in Rangchuan’s ear, “Right now, I’m your wife.”

Lin Rangchuan struggled to control his heartbeat and temperature. He felt hot-headed, wanting to do something right here that they had done at the villa. This is a villa, too, even if it’s not mine.

Lin Rangchuan said calmly: “It’s not a huge problem. He wants to breach the contract.”

Lin Zhiyu frowned. “Ning Xingzhou?”

“Mhm…”

The situation was actually more complex. The game project Lin Rangchuan took over was a collaboration with another company. The current results didn’t meet their expectations, requiring various modifications, cleaning, and restructuring. This all required time and money, but it happened to coincide with the critical point of Lin Rangchuan’s contract renewal.

It was common knowledge that the contract wouldn’t be renewed. Ning Xingzhou didn’t like Lin Rangchuan—everyone could see that. The project could continue, but Lou Chen said the commission needed to be increased by a point or two. Ning Xingzhou refused, saying they could stop working and not renew, but since the project wasn’t finished, the payment would be halved, and the commission points in the contract wouldn’t be honored.

In a small studio like this, legal matters weren’t mature. There were many loopholes in the initial contract. It was a mess of “he-said, she-said” that could only be settled through bickering.

Lin Zhiyu didn’t understand most of it, but he caught the keywords: “He doesn’t want to pay? That won’t do! He has to pay! I’m going to go settle the score with him.”

Lin Rangchuan grabbed his angry wife’s wrists and pulled him into his arms. “Don’t be in a hurry. Let Lou Chen handle it; he has experience. This money isn’t just mine.”

Lin Zhiyu was still unhappy, shouting that he wanted to stand up for his husband. “The money must be returned! If Lou Chen can’t handle it, then add me—I can try too. And if you’re interested, let’s open our own studio. It’s not like we can’t afford it. If we can’t hire people, we won’t for now. Just the three of us, plus Brother Qin—he’s a third-generation rich kid, he can help give some advice. In short, you have me. Don’t be afraid of them bullying you.”

In the spacious villa, the wind came and went freely, cold and heavy, yet it couldn’t blow away the warmth in Lin Rangchuan’s heart. His eyes grew moist, and he wiped them dry against his wife’s palm. “Mhm. I’ll listen to my wife.”

The meeting ended on a bad note. Ning Xingzhou grabbed his coat and strode out, whether to find a lawyer or to clear his head. Lou Chen also had a dark face, swearing at the dozen or so people in the studio, calling Ning Xingzhou shameless and exposing his past scandals. Everyone was as quiet as cicadas in winter.

After venting, Lou Chen calmed down and took a sip of tea. “How did Xiaoyu find time to come today?”

Everyone began to speculate about Lin Zhiyu’s identity. Is he really just a junior?? Tang Yan was also full of suspicion.

Lin Zhiyu twitched his lips and scratched his cheek. “I just came to take a look.”

Lou Chen set down his teacup. “Alright, I’ll handle that mess first. I’ll fight him to the end; I have plenty of time!”

A man stood up and offered a cigarette. “Lou Chen, don’t be angry. We’re all collaborators. Harmony brings wealth.”

Lou Chen took it, his anger subsiding, and everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. Lin Rangchuan also had one. There was a smoking area here; it was common for everyone to have one when the pressure was high.

A few people leaned against the railing to catch the breeze and blow away the tension from earlier. Lin Zhiyu stayed by Lin Rangchuan’s side. Lin Rangchuan would only smoke after getting permission. He remembered Lin Rangchuan had a significant addiction, but he had never smoked in front of him. “You’re quite ruthless with your quitting.”

Lin Rangchuan: “Because if I smoke, I can’t kiss you.”

Lin Zhiyu’s face turned beet red, and he turned to look at the scenery.

Tang Yan watched from behind, angry yet trying to maintain a smile. Lin Rangchuan got a boyfriend just by going to the mountains??? If he had known, he would have followed him. But now… he adjusted his state and was about to walk over when Lin Rangchuan glanced at him and frowned.

Tang Yan immediately lost his nerve and stood by Lin Zhiyu instead. This made Lin Rangchuan’s expression look even more like the King of Hell. He braced himself and tried to strike up a conversation with Lin Zhiyu, talking about some nonsense before slowly getting to the point. “Brother Lin, I’m definitely on your side. After all, everything I’m using right now was taught by you. I can’t leave you.”

Lin Rangchuan didn’t react, treating him like air.

Tang Yan’s mouth twitched. He glanced at Lin Zhiyu and forced himself to say, “Wherever you go, I’m going too.”

A cold wind brushed past Lin Zhiyu’s eyes. He took the cigarette from Lin Rangchuan’s hand and held it to his own lips. Smiling in a way that was both cool and playful, he tilted his head toward Tang Yan.

“I’m not his junior. I’m his boyfriend.”

Tang Yan’s face froze. “…”

Lin Zhiyu added: “Whether he opens a studio or hires people… I’m the one who decides.”