My Roommate is a Gloomy, Sensitive Guy Who Cries Over Everything - Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Don’t Open It, Don’t Open It, I Beg You!

Smoking is for posing; coughing is reality.

Tang Yan turned and left with a dark expression, leaving the onlookers stunned. After all, in certain circles, seeing a gay couple wasn’t an everyday occurrence.

Lin Rangchuan didn’t like his wife being stared at like an animal in a zoo. He pulled him into the restroom. Lin Zhiyu was coughing so hard the corners of his eyes were red. His cheeks were cupped by Rangchuan’s hands, and his lips were kissed, gently transferring air between them.

Once Lin Zhiyu calmed down, he sniffled and looked at Lin Rangchuan, who was smiling at him. “Don’t smoke if you don’t know how.”

“…” Lin Zhiyu remained silent, turned to wash his hands, and then splashed water all over Lin Rangchuan’s face.

Lin Rangchuan didn’t dodge; he almost looked like he enjoyed it.

“Didn’t you see that guy had designs on you?” Thinking about how much “tofu” might have been swiped from Lin Rangchuan when he wasn’t looking, Lin Zhiyu felt very angry.

It took Lin Rangchuan a long time to realize what he was talking about. That ugly person standing next to my wife?

“I don’t even know his name.”

Lin Zhiyu thought to himself: How can someone be this blind? “He’s your colleague.”

“I don’t have colleagues, I only have a wife.” Lin Rangchuan simply didn’t place anyone other than his wife in his eyes.

In the past, Lin Zhiyu wouldn’t have believed such sweet talk. He gently hooked his arm into the other’s, standing on his tiptoes with wide, round eyes. “Do you even treat your ‘wife’ as a human being?”

Lin Rangchuan was confused. “Is there a misunderstanding? If I’ve done something wrong, I can change.”

For some reason, this attitude made Lin Zhiyu feel that if he suddenly said he liked women, Lin Rangchuan would undergo gender reassignment surgery without a second thought. Of course, that was just a metaphor.

“Then can we… not do it tonight?” Lin Zhiyu was truly out of options. His heart felt numb just thinking about how Lin Rangchuan might torment him on their last night. “At least let my backside have a rest.”

They were in the restroom, taking advantage of the privacy to “discuss” some rather indecent topics. Lin Rangchuan stroked his neck—long and slender like a white swan. He hadn’t intentionally left marks there, but below the collarbone, it was a different story.

“Wife, you’re going back tomorrow.” Lin Rangchuan added, “We won’t see each other until school starts. That’s half a month.”

Before Lin Zhiyu could speak, Rangchuan leaned down and gently rubbed his cheek against his wife’s palm. “Am I the only one who wants you?”

The bright but not piercing light from the window hit Lin Rangchuan’s eyes. His pupils were as black as a deep abyss, yet moist and swirling like a whirlpool.

“Then just once tonight, okay?”

As if possessed, Lin Zhiyu nodded.

Lin Rangchuan looked troubled. “Then remember, wife, you have to make it up to me.”

…

That night, Lin Zhiyu lay half-undressed on the bed, his beautiful silhouette faintly visible, sensitive areas glowing with a slight flush.

His head bumped against the headboard rhythmically, but each time Lin Rangchuan’s palm was there to cushion it, before he was dragged back by the ankles. This repeated several times until Lin Zhiyu sobbed muffled tears. Only after his tears were licked away did he regain some sensation.

It was like being submerged in warm water after being frozen to the point of numbness. Lin Zhiyu never expected that after getting a taste of “meat,” Lin Rangchuan would be like a mad dog—even with a leash, he would desperately charge forward.

But Lin Zhiyu was the master; he held the chain to Lin Rangchuan’s body. Even if he pulled back and the other stopped, the chain was made of iron—the skin would be rubbed raw, yet Lin Rangchuan seemed fearless of the pain.

In the end, it was Lin Zhiyu who felt bad. The moment he reflexively loosened the lock on the chain, he was the unlucky one. Specifically, his backside.

Lin Rangchuan leaned down to lick, tasting their combined scents. He looked up: “Is it comfortable?”

Lin Zhiyu’s eyes were hazy with mist, gasping for breath, unable to speak. How could being pampered not feel good? He just didn’t want to admit it, or Lin Rangchuan would push his luck.

Lin Rangchuan stayed in position and took a photo with his camera. Lin Zhiyu covered it, snapping: “What are you doing?!”

“I can’t stand being apart.”

“?”

“Leave me something to remember you by, wife.” Lin Rangchuan kissed his eyelids, kissing Lin Zhiyu until he turned soft and agreed to anything.

It had to be said, from the first time being monotonous to now being able to control his pace, Lin Rangchuan’s progress was incredibly fast. By the end, Lin Zhiyu couldn’t tell who was “training” whom.

The night was gradually obscured by thick fog. There was no moon, just a deep, abyssal darkness. Lin Zhiyu drifted off for a dozen minutes, then woke up again after a shower—both exhausted and strangely alert.

His cheeks were burning. While Lin Rangchuan was showering, he checked the photos on the phone. They were very… direct shots. Too shameful. Without hesitation, he deleted them all and, to be safe, cleared the “Recently Deleted” folder.

Shoot, shoot, shoot. You pervert.

Before he could put the phone down, a WeChat voice call startled him.

Song Yajun? Calling at this hour? Something must be wrong. Since she was Lin Rangchuan’s biological mother, Lin Zhiyu braced himself and answered.

“Xiaochuan, it’s Mom.”

Lin Zhiyu froze. Her voice was quite gentle. Had she changed?

Song Yajun sounded humble: “I just wanted to ask… is there any extra money? The family can hardly hold on anymore. You lived here for years, after all; this is your home. How about this: next time you come back, I’ll change your room. You can have any room you like. Or bring your little boyfriend—Xiaoyu, right? The family won’t object… Just look into it…”

Lin Zhiyu had to interrupt: “Auntie…”

His voice was hoarse beyond recognition. He cleared his throat. “Auntie, it’s me. Lin Rangchuan is showering.”

Song Yajun let out a very faint “tch,” which Lin Zhiyu caught. Then her voice became gentle again: “Oh, it’s Xiaoyu. Help me persuade Xiaochuan. His uncle got into a car accident tonight; we’re all at the hospital. Those debt collectors have no conscience—they’re trying to drive us to our deaths. Please beg Xiaochuan for me. Just borrow a little, just a little. Or like before, whatever he can give.”

“Car accident? Hospitalized?” Lin Zhiyu was shocked. This involved lives, but it wasn’t his call to make. “Alright, when he comes out, I’ll tell him.”

“Okay, thank you. Please help. He only listens to you now. I know it; he’s never listened to anyone since he was a child. I don’t know why he listens to you, but it proves he really likes you…”

Lin Zhiyu pursed his lips, interrupting slightly: “Auntie, the fact that Lin Rangchuan likes me isn’t a reason for you to use me.”

“…”

Song Yajun let out a heavy sigh, likely keeping her volume down because she was in the hospital. “Fine. Just ask him for me. Any amount is fine. Like before, okay? I won’t oppose you two anymore. These past few days, those people have tortured me enough.”

Lin Zhiyu murmured: “I’ll try.”

After hanging up, he thought it over. It wasn’t hard to understand that Lin Rangchuan wasn’t completely cutting them off; he was “dangling a carrot,” giving them small amounts here and there to keep the three of them acting like lapdogs. It was quite insulting, but Lin Zhiyu felt no obligation to pity them.

The bathroom door opened, and Lin Rangchuan walked out in a loose robe, his chest muscles and lingering “love marks” visible through the front.

“Mhm? My phone.”

Lin Zhiyu explained what happened. Lin Rangchuan showed a thoughtful expression and first messaged Song Yajun: How much? Then he made a phone call. His movements weren’t rushed at all—in fact, they were somewhat arrogant.

The call lasted ten minutes. Lin Zhiyu, nearly dead with exhaustion, couldn’t hear clearly. As he was falling asleep, Rangchuan finished and he asked: “How is it? Is it life-threatening?”

Lin Rangchuan shook his head. “The debt collectors went today. Su Zhengxiang happened to come home and saw them, so he turned and ran. My mom and Su Ying were inside, and he was just going to leave them. He ran into the street and got hit by a car. Broke his left leg. Nothing serious. Those debt collectors actually sent him to the hospital.”

Lin Zhiyu: “…”

After describing it, Lin Rangchuan doubled over in laughter until tears came out. Lin Zhiyu was a bit spooked. Rangchuan stopped laughing and kissed his forehead tenderly. “It’s fine, wife. I just thought it was hilarious. Don’t you?”

Lin Zhiyu felt okay about it. “As long as it’s not life-threatening.”

Just then, the phone lit up.

Song Yajun: 50,000.

Lin Zhiyu’s brow twitched. “Are you really going to give it to them?”

Lin Rangchuan’s lips curved. His handsome face looked quite “kind,” losing its gloom, but what he said was bone-chilling: “Mhm. If they die, the game is over.”

He wanted Song Yajun to live every moment in fear. Death is the most comfortable escape in this world. That would be too easy for them.

Lin Zhiyu: “But aren’t you helping them pay off the debt?”

“They don’t come to me every month; only when they’re desperate. Human instinct is to fear death—she won’t dare gamble. And even if they pay it off, nothing changes,” Lin Rangchuan said. “I’m just using a little bit of money to buy them decades of living in terror. It’s a soap opera worth watching.”

This made Lin Zhiyu get goosebumps. “If I offend you, will I die a horrible death too?”

Lin Rangchuan hurried to comfort him: “No, no! No matter what my wife does to me, I will accept it with joy.”

“I really love you.” Lin Rangchuan leaned down to kiss his lips, their breaths entangling.

The next afternoon, after a light meal, they headed to the high-speed rail station. Lin Rangchuan saw him off, his face expressionless the whole time. The station was crowded and hot. Lin Zhiyu took off his coat, his cheeks red, and gave Lin Rangchuan a quick kiss. “Alright, when you go to the hospital to watch the ‘show’ later, be careful. Don’t let anyone actually die, okay?”

Lin Rangchuan’s unhappiness was written all over his face, but he forced a smile. “How does my wife know I’m going to the hospital? What if I don’t go?”

Lin Zhiyu rolled his eyes. “You’ll go.”

Lin Rangchuan’s chest felt swollen with bittersweetness. He lowered his head and hugged him tightly. “Yeah, my wife knows everything.”

Lin Zhiyu knew what he wanted to hear: “I’ll miss you.”

Before he left, Lin Rangchuan stuffed a business card into his hand. “For Auntie Rong. If she wants investment, have her contact me.” It was a professional, off-white card with “Lin Rangchuan” printed clearly in large letters.

“So sudden? You’re interested in my mom’s tailor shop too?”

“Whatever our mom wants, I can give. No need to let outsiders interfere.”

Lin Zhiyu nodded, half-understanding that he was referring to Ning Xingzhou. He laughed. “Okay, I’ll mention it. Actually, Brother Qin mentioned it too, but he suggested moving to the city center. Unfortunately, my mom was reluctant even to move to the town.”

Lin Rangchuan took a relaxed view: “Then stay in the town. When people get older, they shouldn’t have to scramble and toss about.”

Lin Zhiyu said: “I think so too.”

Buying a house in the city center was one thing, but Xue Rong preferred rural life—free, simple, and filled with the scent of wheat fields rather than the noise of the city. Lin Zhiyu didn’t push the idea. There was a difference between needing something and wanting it. He’d deal with it later; currently, his pockets were quite empty…

…

Lin Zhiyu got motion sickness on buses and high-speed rails, especially when he wasn’t feeling 100%. After notifying Lin Rangchuan and Xue Rong that he was on the train, he slept all the way home.

When he arrived, Xue Rong was sitting in the main hall sewing shoe soles. She seemed unfazed by the cold, though her hands were red.

“Mom!” Lin Zhiyu shouted with full vigor, his voice echoing through the house.

Xue Rong nearly dropped her tools. “You brat, you scared me!”

“Hehe! I bought these for you, and some snacks. All A-City specialties.”

Xue Rong gave them a cursory glance. She didn’t act overly enthusiastic, but she took them all back to her room carefully. Lin Zhiyu went to the kitchen to look at the fish. It was so fat! He never knew a carp could grow that large.

“Was it fun?” Xue Rong asked while slicing fruit for him.

Watching the fish, Lin Zhiyu said excitedly: “Fun!”

“You stayed out so long, people would think you’re in a relationship.”

Lin Zhiyu’s hand shook, nearly dumping the whole bag of fish food. “You can tell? If I were in a relationship, I’d definitely tell you first.”

Xue Rong waved her hand. “No need. I advocate for free love. If you like a girl, give it a try. Don’t young people nowadays date several people before settling?”

“You should watch fewer short videos,” Lin Zhiyu thought. If Lin Rangchuan heard that, he’d go crazy.

Xue Rong knew him like the back of her hand, smiling: “So there really is someone?”

Lin Zhiyu: “Guess.”

“Then there is.” Xue Rong said with certainty.

In the honeymoon phase, Lin Zhiyu couldn’t hide it even if he wanted to. “Can I bring… them over next time to see you?”

“Meeting the parents so soon?” Xue Rong’s hand holding the plate shook.

Lin Zhiyu used a bamboo pole to probe how deep the bottomless pit was. “I’m afraid you won’t like them.”

Xue Rong put her hands on her hips. “Is your mother that kind of person? When have I ever discriminated against anyone?”

Lin Zhiyu thought: This might be the first time you discriminate against someone.

Speaking of which, Xue Rong said: “School is starting soon. After the summer break, if you really like her, bring her over. I won’t mind. If she doesn’t like me, I can move out immediately; I’ll even give her the bed.”

Lin Zhiyu was amused. “What are you talking about?”

…

After resting at home for a few days, Yu Hechang found out he was back and boisterously dragged him to the town for KTV. “Work’s finally done! Fast, fast, fast! Let’s play our fill before school starts.”

Lin Zhiyu wasn’t a killjoy. He got up and left immediately. Just the two of them, two microphones. They sang until they were exhausted.

On the way back, they passed a night market snack stall. Out of the corner of his eye, Lin Zhiyu saw someone selling beads. He crouched down and touched a few. An old man smiled: “Very cheap, one yuan per bead.”

Lin Zhiyu used to be a vendor himself. “Too expensive. Give me a discount.” He recalled Xue Rong’s tone—don’t be shy, confidence is key. “It’s late. I’ll take all the red agates you have left. Give me a cheaper price and you can pack up early.”

The old man laughed. ” I recognize you, Xue Rong’s son. I’ll give you a discount. How many do you want?”

Fine, he was riding on his mother’s coattails. Lin Zhiyu said: “Fifty cents.”

“Aiyoh, I won’t even make back my cost.”

“It’s not that expensive. You’ll make a profit at fifty cents.” Lin Zhiyu touched them again, flashing a big white-toothed smile. “I’m in a relationship; it’s for my partner. Give me a discount, Grandpa.”

The red agate beads were secured. On the way back, Yu Hechang asked: “What are you buying those for?”

“I told you, for my partner.”

Yu Hechang couldn’t stand him.

Back home, after a shower, Lin Zhiyu lay in bed and received a message from Lin Rangchuan.

Brother Lin: Bought something for you. Tracking says it should arrive tomorrow. Xiaoyu: What is it? Brother Lin: You said you’d make it up to me.

“…” When? But his curiosity was piqued. He asked again what it was.

Brother Lin: Something to eat. Brother Lin: Something you like.

Oh, probably one of those big snack gift boxes. Lin Zhiyu didn’t press further.

He woke up with a start the next morning and indeed saw the delivery notification. It happened that Xue Rong was heading out today. A new delivery station had been built at the village entrance, and all packages were piled there. Lin Zhiyu was too lazy to go out, so he shouted.

“Mom!” “What is it?!” “Pick up a package for me!”

Xue Rong was used to it. “Got it. What kind of package?”

“I’ll send you my phone’s last digits in a bit.” Lin Zhiyu said groggily, “It’s snacks. You can just open it there and take whatever you like.”

“Aiyoh, did you buy it, or did ‘that person’ buy it?”

Lin Zhiyu mimicked her tone: “Right, right, right! ‘That person’ bought it!!! It’s to show respect to you.”

Xue Rong left. Lin Zhiyu slowly lay back down. Why don’t humans hibernate? He drifted back to sleep until noon. When he woke up, he checked his phone.

Brother Lin: Did the package arrive? Xiaoyu: Yup, asked my mom to pick it up.

There was a rare silence from the other side, then a screenshot was sent.

Brother Lin: Wife, it’s a ‘small toy.’ Xiaoyu: ??? Xiaoyu: You said it was something to eat! Brother Lin: It’s for your ‘other mouth’ to eat.

Damn it!

Just then, he heard the door opening downstairs. In a life-or-death moment, Lin Zhiyu scrambled out of bed and dashed downstairs, his slippers nearly flying off. He looked up to see Xue Rong standing in the hall with the box. He froze.

“Mom!”

Xue Rong turned around. “I’m opening it, I’m opening it! Don’t rush me. What’s the hurry? Your slippers are flying.”

“No, NO!!! Don’t open it! Don’t open it!” Lin Zhiyu wailed, begging her.