The Clingy Coquette and His Straight Roommate - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The New Roommate

Bo Jingshi was still wearing the suit from his meeting. The black fabric complemented his hair and eye color perfectly, but his expressionless face made his features look cold and stern.

Not far away, someone approached with a suitcase and waved. Bo Jingshi saw him, but continued typing a message to a client on his phone as he walked over.

The black stray hairs across his forehead cast faint shadows over his brow, and his entire being radiated a “do not approach” aura of cold detachment. Because of his exceptionally outstanding appearance and temperament, he attracted many gazes—and many ill-timed flutters of the heart.

Just as Hua Die was about to tease his friend, a person cut across the path between them. A young man carrying a backpack approached, his delicate face flushed with nervousness.

“Um, I, well…”

The boy was a freshman, his face carrying that specific naivety and greenness unique to newcomers. Bo Jingshi finished replying to his client and took a moment to lift his gaze. “Yes?”

Bo Jingshi’s facial contours were cold and deep, his gaze like a thin, sharp blade—indifferent and piercing. The boy was startled by this unadorned look; he forgot his rehearsed speech and began to stutter: “I, well…”

“Get to the point.”

“I noticed you as soon as I started school, Senior. Could you give me your—”

At the same time, Bo Jingshi reached an agreement with his client; the negotiation had gone smoothly. He put his phone away, brushed past the boy without a change in expression—intentionally maintaining a wide social distance—and dropped a cold sentence.

“I know.”

Hua Die recalled the expression on the boy’s face, who looked like he was about to cry, feeling both pity and amusement.

Bo Jingshi’s homophobia was famous. He was good-looking and exceptionally capable; a casual cold glance from him was full of a masculine, hormonal aura. Like an unattainable iceberg, he was the “Dream Top” for many gay men.

No matter how bad Bo Jingshi’s attitude was or how biting his rejections were, there were always people who thought they were special—who thought the iceberg would be moved by them or melt for them.

Unfortunately, Bo Jingshi was as straight as a straight man could be. Moreover, he had a bad temper, was antisocial, hated trouble, and detested socializing. In his eyes, their “affectionate” behavior was no different from harassment, making him increasingly repulsed by that community.

“But brother, the dorm you moved into this time doesn’t seem great either. One of your new roommates is a junior named Yu Lan. He’s a design student, and supposedly, he’s gay too.”

“How do you know?”

Hua Die was the “social butterfly” of University A. Unlike Bo Jingshi’s antisocial nature, he loved socializing and had great connections, which was why they could form a studio together. Bo Jingshi handled the tech, and Hua Die handled the networking—a perfect match.

“No way, man, you don’t know Yu Lan?” Hua Die found it hard to believe. “His fame isn’t less than yours. On registration day, he went viral across the school just because of his superior face. For a while, people from other schools came just to take photos of him to upload to social media—100% viral. The school had to tighten security because of him… For that period, the school forums, confession walls, and local short-video feeds were all about him. You seriously didn’t know!?”

In the era of viral traffic, anyone slightly beautiful could gain a following, especially someone who was both good-looking and highly educated. Many media companies tried to scout him, and talent scouts wanted to make him a star. Some lamented that he should debut as an idol; his unique aura and perfect face would “slaughter” the current entertainment industry.

Once Hua Die started gossiping, he couldn’t stop: “The key is that he appeals to both men and women. He’s ‘bent’ many straight guys. In one debate competition, he mesmerized the opposing debater so much that the guy’s sexual orientation went haywire. I also heard he loves turning straight guys gay—it gives him a sense of achievement. You didn’t know, right? He also just moved into this dorm. His original roommates were straight, but he walked around the dorm every day with his arms and legs exposed, wandering around without pants, deliberately flirting. Those roommates couldn’t take it anymore and made him switch.”

“But so what? Plenty of ‘Tops’ are still willing to date him, even if they’re just being played…”

Bo Jingshi frowned. His face was naturally cold, and a frown made him look impatient. Hua Die shut his mouth and summarized all the rumors into one sentence: “You have to be careful.”

“In summer, it’s normal to show your arms and legs. If his roommates were turned gay because of that, it only proves their willpower is pathetic and their ‘love’ is cheap,” Bo Jingshi said indifferently. “The streets are full of people showing their arms and legs. Is that person supposed to fall in love with them one by one?”

Hua Die froze. He wanted to say more, but Bo Jingshi interrupted. “Enough. I know what I’m doing. What you’re worried about won’t happen.”

Hua Die was, of course, confident in Bo Jingshi. Bo Jingshi was extremely cold and had no hobbies. When they were students, all his energy was on academics; as partners, all his attention was on projects. To Bo Jingshi, the world was a programmed routine—it didn’t need rest, only operation.

What really surprised Hua Die was that Bo Jingshi indeed still hated that community. Even talking about it casually made him look like he couldn’t stand it. What if the new roommate really had thoughts about him? Wouldn’t Bo Jingshi be miserable?

His friend’s words had clearly affected Bo Jingshi. This was his second time switching dorms. The first time was because there was a gay man in the dorm—one who had inappropriate thoughts about him.

Recalling the unpleasant memory of being harassed, his frown deepened, and his expression while waiting for the elevator became heavier.

Hua Die patted his shoulder in sympathy. “You’re a senior, just bear with it. The graduate school recommendations come out in late September. You’ll only be in school for half a semester. Then you can stay at the studio; it’s quiet there, no one will harass you.”

“I’ll leave you here. I have to go to lunch with a freshman girl.”

As a senior, requesting a dorm change felt like taking up school resources. Many seniors had already moved out for internships. Bo Jingshi didn’t want to trouble the counselor further with private matters. He gave a grunt of acknowledgment.

Bo Jingshi had asked the counselor for his roommates’ class schedules in advance. He hated trouble and socializing, and he didn’t want to deal with a tedious “welcome new roommate” scenario, so he specifically chose a time when everyone should be out.

Walking down the dorm hallway, with bright lights casting long shadows, he knocked on the door before opening it. As expected, no one answered.

He absent-mindedly inserted the key into the lock. The moment the door opened, the sunlight slanting in felt like a cup of milk splashed in his face—his eyes were suddenly met with a large patch of white.

Bo Jingshi had miscalculated. Someone was in the room.

The person was changing clothes as he pushed the door open. Bo Jingshi only managed to catch a glimpse of a snowy-white waist before it was completely hidden beneath the hem of a short-sleeved shirt. Sensing the door opening, the person looked up in surprise.

The dorm curtains were only halfway drawn. Standing at the boundary of light and shadow, he possessed a divine sense of beauty. The halo of light from outside the window illuminated his exquisite, jade-white face. Perfect bone structure, excellent skin; he had natural shadows around his eyes, and his thick, dark, curled lashes made it look like he was wearing heavy makeup.

Most eye-catching were those sapphire-blue eyes.

He was extremely vivid, with an “aggressive” kind of refinement, but his clear, pure eyes and the aura flowing around him gave him an air of unsophisticated innocence. It was a contradiction. Like a natural gemstone without any impurities.

This “sapphire” was wearing a baby-blue T-shirt. The light color made his snowy skin look pinkish-white, full of youthful energy. He curled his lips into a smile, his sapphire eyes sparkling, revealing two cute little canine teeth.

Bo Jingshi stood there dazed.

His normally calm and efficient brain stopped functioning. He was like a program infected by a virus, stalling after data corruption. Consequently, he didn’t notice the other person approaching enthusiastically, ready to help with his luggage. When he realized, he reacted like a beast whose territory had been invaded, violently pulling his suitcase away.

The suitcase wheels made a sharp screeching sound on the floor. Yu Lan’s nerves twitched at the sound, and he lost his footing, staggering backward. A chair was in the way; with a thud, he knocked it over and fell to the ground.

“Ah…”

Yu Lan’s voice had a uniquely soft tone, and his whimper of pain carried a sense of acting cute that could melt a person’s bones. That cry was like a water-soaked feather, drilling into Bo Jingshi’s eardrums and stirring them. His spinal cord felt numb, his brain felt an electric shock—his whole body felt wrong.

Fine dust drifted in the air, shimmering in the slanting sunlight. Yu Lan sat on the floor, his snowy face filled with shock and fear, his eyes watery and panicked. He looked exceptionally innocent.

He called out tentatively: “Senior…”

Yu Lan knew he was getting a senior as a new roommate today, but he didn’t expect to run into him while he was alone. He was supposed to have class, but he had enough credits and had gone to drop a course because it started too early and he liked to sleep in.

It would have been fine if Yu Lan hadn’t spoken, but the moment he did, Bo Jingshi’s expression changed completely.

At this moment, Yu Lan’s shorts were bunched up to the base of his thighs. His legs were plump and fleshy, the wave-like snowy skin at the base of his thighs tinged with pink. His hand resting on his knee wasn’t bony but long and beautiful, his knuckles and nails a healthy pink. Perhaps because he wasn’t immediately helped up, Yu Lan looked aggrieved. He was so pale that when his face turned red from distress, he looked even more pitiful, as if he were holding back tears. Even without trying, it made people want to coax him.

Bo Jingshi suddenly understood the “straight guys turned gay” that Hua Die had mentioned. Yu Lan was indeed beautiful; the commotion during registration was no exaggeration. Even a straight man like Bo Jingshi had to admit this was a refined, flawless beauty.

But why dress like this in the dorm? Why was everything pink? Why…

Why was it so hot?

Bo Jingshi couldn’t explain this abnormality. He rarely had such emotional fluctuations—burning and uncontrollable. His fingers tightened on the suitcase handle, then loosened. His body reacted before his brain; he took half a step forward, hesitating whether to help him up.

“I don’t like other people touching my things,” he said. He felt that wasn’t quite right, so he added, “And I don’t like other people touching me.”

Though he was explaining, his attitude was more like a negotiation. His cold features made the lack of expression look even more indifferent. Instead of making Yu Lan feel better, his explanation made the boy’s face turn pale.

Bo Jingshi realized his words were harsh, but he didn’t know how else to explain. Contemplation made his brow furrow tighter, and his face looked even more stern. His naturally fierce looks became sharper; his gaze was full of pressure. As his footsteps approached, Yu Lan backed away in fear.

One of his slippers had fallen off. As he backed away, his heel scraped the floor and his knees drew closer together. His snowy, plump legs moved constantly, turning pink where they rubbed together. In a static state, his legs had the beauty of an artwork; in motion, they possessed a certain eroticism.

Bo Jingshi couldn’t shift his gaze. His breathing became heavy and erratic; the feeling of losing control grew stronger. To avoid committing a stupider act, he pulled his suitcase out of the room like he was surrendering.

He didn’t forget to close the door behind him.

Yu Lan was still sitting on the floor. He seemed to be hated again. But his actions just now weren’t improper or impolite; on the contrary, his active help was met with cold words.

I don’t like other people touching my things. I don’t like other people touching me.

If Bo Jingshi didn’t like it, he could have just said so. Yu Lan wouldn’t have pestered him. Why be so mean? And make such a terrifying face.

The more he thought about it, the more wronged he felt. Because his skin was thin, any strong emotion made his body turn pink. One of his knees had a blue bruise—likely from just now. It was currently thumping with pain. He was a very delicate and sensitive person who couldn’t stand even a little pain, but just now, fearing he would make the other person angry, he had bitten his tongue and endured it without making a sound.

Despite being so careful, he was still treated poorly. Recalling that cold, heartless face and thinking about sharing a room with someone so fierce, Yu Lan began to feel uneasy. Looking at his bruised skin, his face drooped with grievance, and his eyes gradually grew moist.

He hated him.

Yu Lan hurried to catch the elevator. He had been moping in the dorm for quite a while, and the side effect of his low mood was forgetting the time for class. He had another class coming up.

He wasn’t good at exercise. Running all the way made his heart throb with a dull pain, but no discomfort compared to the fear of being late. The elevator was just ahead. Just as he was about to celebrate, he saw that cold face inside the elevator. His steps faltered, and his expression turned confused.

The overhead lights in the elevator illuminated Bo Jingshi’s still-cold face, outlining his features. In the shifting light and shadow, he was expressionless, like a cold black statue. In the two seconds Yu Lan was dazed, the elevator doors began to close. He was still a short distance away, and Bo Jingshi clearly had no intention of holding the door for him.

If it were before, Yu Lan’s delicate and vengeful nature would never have allowed him to ask for help from the man who just bullied him. But he only had two minutes until class, and the room was on the 5th floor. Taking the stairs was impossible, especially since he was already exhausted.

He ran toward the door in a panic. Because of the exercise, his eyes and the tip of his nose were circled in pink. He looked very anxious, running and shouting as if about to cry: “Senior! Senior! Wait for me! Me too! I—”

Yu Lan’s urgency did not infect the “ice statue” inside. Bo Jingshi remained still for a long time. The elevator’s interior and the hallway were separated by light and shadow, as if they were in two different worlds. The moment the doors closed, that distant face vanished.

Yu Lan stared blankly at the closed doors. The discomfort of the exercise made his chest ache, and many emotions surfaced at once. His tear ducts felt sore, and his small, full lips pursed in grievance. His moist eyes widened, glaring at the door as he whispered a soft curse: “Bad man!”

Just as the words left his mouth, the elevator doors opened.

Yu Lan kept his head down the entire time after entering the elevator. He suspected Bo Jingshi had heard that “bad man.” Being caught red-handed badmouthing someone made him extremely ashamed, but he thought righteously that he wasn’t wrong. Although Bo Jingshi had pressed the button for him at the last second, Bo Jingshi had been mean to him earlier.

Even so, seeing that cold, heartless face from the corner of his eye made him shrink back. The elevator rose slowly. The classroom was near the elevator exit, so he wouldn’t be late. Once the weight was off his heart, he looked at Bo Jingshi expectantly. Just as he moved half a step closer, Bo Jingshi moved a step forward as if he couldn’t tolerate it.

Back in the dorm, he hadn’t felt it, but now in the enclosed space, a faint, lingering fragrance swirled around. It wasn’t strong—very light—but exceptionally alluring, making one want to get closer to investigate and find the source. But this impulse was abnormal. Bo Jingshi didn’t think he had special fetishes, let alone an obsession with a scent. But his new roommate made him feel very strange. This wasn’t normal.

He tilted his head to glance at Yu Lan, then frowned and looked forward again. Bo Jingshi kept as much distance as possible, practically shrinking into the corner with his brow furrowed and jaw tightened, looking disgusted—as if Yu Lan were some filthy virus he’d catch if he got too close.

Because of the distance between them, the elevator seemed exceptionally spacious. Yu Lan thought he might smell bad, so he lifted his arm to sniff, but there was only the scent of body wash. The body wash he used wasn’t strong; it was a classic domestic brand with no irritating scent.

He didn’t stink…

The elevator reached the 5th floor. The “disgusted” Yu Lan walked out with a drooping face, surrounded by a lingering gloom. Because his head was down, Bo Jingshi couldn’t see his face, but he could feel the low mood. Because Bo Jingshi was tall, he could see the boy’s snowy, round earlobes. The ears were slightly pointed, like a little elf’s, and had somehow turned a beautiful pale pink.

He looked even more wronged and more pitiful.

Until the doors closed, that strange fragrance did not dissipate. Bo Jingshi remained silent, and an ill-timed thought flashed through his mind.

His ears would be perfect for piercings.

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