The Clingy Coquette and His Straight Roommate - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Sense of Morality

Yu Lan struck twice in succession, putting all his strength into it.

His hand throbbed painfully. His naturally fair and pink palm flared with an unnatural red; the skin had even broken, likely scraped by Ke Yisen’s unshaven stubble.

Ke Yisen was most vulnerable to Yu Lan’s aggrieved expressions. Even though his nose was aching from the punch, he found it impossible to be angry with Yu Lan.

“Are you hurt? Let me see.”

“Go away!”

It was a bizarre scene. Yu Lan was clearly the one who had initiated the violence, yet the victim was the one humbly coaxing him, as if Yu Lan were the one being bullied.

The beautiful young boy was surrounded; whenever the man tried to touch his hand, he was heartlessly swatted away with a look of utter loathing. It should have been an annoying display of arrogance, yet because of his excessively exquisite face, it felt exceptionally captivating.

Liao You should have stepped up to back Yu Lan, but he stood there stunned. This was the first time he had seen Yu Lan get physical.

Yu Lan was a delicate person who disliked violence. During the rebellious phases of middle and high school, boys would always get into a few fights, but Yu Lan never did. He felt that fighting made him dirty, and since every action has an equal and opposite reaction, it hurt him to hit others. Thus, he disliked it.

Compared to Liao You’s surprise, Xu Weiqing was completely thunderstruck. Yu Lan looked delicate and radiant, with slender white limbs and a voice that was soft and cute—weak and harmless, easily triggering a male’s protective instinct. Yet, this seemingly soft Yu Lan had been so decisive in his strike. Combined with his aggrieved expression, watery eyes, and accusatory brow, he was unexpectedly “spicy.”

They stood frozen like statues, and it took about thirty seconds before they regained their senses to help.

By then, Yu Lan and Ke Yisen had moved to a corner of the garden near the villa, their entangled silhouettes reflected in the massive floor-to-ceiling windows. The dessert table was perpendicular to the window. As Yu Lan prepared to turn the corner, his foot caught on the carpet. Just as he was about to fall, a powerful arm caught him firmly.

He stumbled into the person’s embrace. Before his first instinct to struggle kicked in, the person’s arm had already looped over his shoulder, a palm clamping down on his shoulder blade, leaving him no chance to escape.

With his hands pressed against the man’s chest and his snowy face flushed pink, Yu Lan dizzily turned his head, his pupils dilating instantly.

Bo Jingshi’s movements were lightning-fast—catching and holding him in one fluid motion. Simultaneously, his other hand didn’t lag behind; he slammed Ke Yisen’s head violently against the glass wall.

Everyone was stunned, including Ke Yisen. Bo Jingshi’s actions were too fast and too ruthless.

By the time Ke Yisen reacted and tried to struggle, he found that no matter how much force he used, only his body below the neck could move. His limbs squirmed like a twisting insect, but his face remained pinned motionless against the glass. The icy hand on the back of his neck was the weapon pinning him in place.

The onlookers, who had intended to intervene or just watch the drama, stopped in their tracks, their expressions shifting wildly. While marveling at Bo Jingshi’s arm strength, their gaze fell back onto him.

Bo Jingshi was still holding Yu Lan. Even while exerting such force with one arm, he shielded Yu Lan perfectly. The smaller Yu Lan was completely tucked into Bo Jingshi’s embrace. Yu Lan’s sleeve had ridden up slightly, and Bo Jingshi’s broad, powerful palm hooked into the edge of the sleeve, gripping his shoulder.

Veins bulged along the back of his hand in smooth, winding lines. Beneath the distinct knuckles, the rounded shoulder was flushed pink; the striking contrast in color created a powerful visual impact. It was domineering and aggressive, saturated with raw hormonal energy.

A lady inside the villa was startled into splashing her drink. The liquid washed down the mirror-like glass wall, illuminating Ke Yisen’s dark and mottled face. Through the reflection, Ke Yisen saw the current posture of Yu Lan and Bo Jingshi. He let out a low laugh: “Senior Bo, what is the meaning of this?”

Someone tried to come forward to mediate, but seeing Bo Jingshi’s cold, aggressive face, they stopped.

Bo Jingshi remained expressionless, suddenly looking down at Yu Lan. Yu Lan seemed frightened; looking up, his face was blank, his lips parted slightly to reveal a tiny gap, looking as if his soul had left his body.

After confirming Yu Lan wasn’t hurt, Bo Jingshi’s eyes softened slightly. His hand on Yu Lan’s shoulder rubbed gently, and only then did he notice the short sleeve had been pulled up by his grip. His long fingers hooked the edge of the sleeve, covering the rounded, exquisite shoulder completely. Only after doing this did Bo Jingshi lift his eyes coldly: “Didn’t you hear him? He told you to get lost.”

“Whatever happens between us is none of your business, right? Or is it, Senior, that you like Lanlan just like I do?”

“Like?”

Bo Jingshi’s lip curled into a hard, cold line. From Yu Lan’s angle, he could see the prominent Adam’s apple, the sharp jawline, and the chilling eyes.

Wrapped in the embrace, Yu Lan felt Bo Jingshi’s shoulder move slightly. Bo Jingshi exerted force with his arm, pressing down hard. Ke Yisen’s face twisted and slid against the glass like a rag. One couldn’t tell how much strength Bo Jingshi was using, but it produced a muffled screech of friction against the mirror surface.

Ke Yisen could no longer maintain his gentle, scholarly facade. He bared his teeth in pain, his hands struggling feebly. No matter how much effort he put in, he couldn’t move his head; instead, his face turned a deep red, his features contorted and savage—looking both ridiculous and pathetic.

“You like him? What have you sacrificed? Your trashy words of ‘like’? Or is it how you watched him get bullied with cold eyes, and now you want him to forgive the person who bullied him?” Bo Jingshi’s fingers tightened, veins bulging on the back of his hand. He asked devoid of emotion, “You give nothing, yet you say you like him.”

“Is your ‘liking’ just bullying?”

Ke Yisen tried to straighten his back to turn around, but his neck was seized by a more powerful, ruthless force, pinning him firmly against a nearby table. The smooth surface of an ashtray on the table reflected his contorted, gloomy face, filled with intense shame, indignation, and burning hatred.

The physical aches combined with the mental torment made him wish the ground would swallow him whole. The melodious music playing in the garden felt like burning blades, mixing with the whispers floating into his ears.

And then, a soft voice joined them. Yu Lan said to him: “I won’t like you. I told you a year ago, don’t waste any more time on me.”

The shocked stares of the onlookers, the scrutinizing gazes, and the faint traces of disdain caused the blood to rush to Ke Yisen’s head. In this clash of males, he had undoubtedly lost—utterly, without a shred of dignity. First, he was slapped in public by Yu Lan; now, he was suppressed by Bo Jingshi with no room to fight back.

The darkest, filthiest thoughts in the depths of his heart began to spread. Ke Yisen wanted to tear off all pretenses, but seeing that serious, exquisite little face, he couldn’t bring himself to say the words.

Ke Yisen turned his gaze to Bo Jingshi: “What, Senior, you’re still not letting go? Are you going to kill me in public?”

“I suppose so. You’re a rich second-gen from Jingzhou, your family is in politics… with your background, you can do whatever you want.”

Ke Yisen was speaking recklessly now, attacking with malice as if his pathetic state was entirely caused by Bo Jingshi’s abuse of power, while he was just a poor, innocent victim.

Everyone’s eyes were on Bo Jingshi. Someone tried to sneak a photo with their phone but was stopped in time. After a few more seconds, Yu Lan, not knowing why he was so nervous, suddenly heard a familiar, low, slow voice from above.

“It’s good that you know.”

Yu Lan looked up in shock. Bo Jingshi’s face was as cold and indifferent as it was in his memory. He saw Bo Jingshi’s lips move: “The fact that I dare to lay a hand on you here means I have nothing to fear. You know I have a terrible temper and am capable of anything. You also know I am very rich.”

“A rich kid like me—if I accidentally kill someone, I can fully afford the settlement.”

Silence.

Many people widened their eyes; someone gasped. Was Bo Jingshi crazy? To say such things openly was incredibly arrogant and daring. Was he really not afraid?

“You motherfu—”

“You don’t seem to understand, so let me put it more simply. I am not a person with a sense of morality.”

Bo Jingshi slowly let go of Yu Lan. Yu Lan stood there dazed, like a fool. Liao You and Xu Weiqing surrounded him on one side, but their eyes were fixed on Bo Jingshi with a mix of shock and confusion.

Simultaneously, Bo Jingshi grabbed Ke Yisen by the back of his collar and threw him with force onto the empty ground two or three meters away.

Gaps and exclamations rang out. As the dust settled, Ke Yisen fell pathetically to the ground, gasping and coughing, propping himself up to stand. Just as he was about to crawl up, the hair on the back of his head was seized violently. The sharp pain from his scalp made his face contort. He saw Bo Jingshi’s ice-cold face; his gloomy, frigid expression under the moonlight looked like a soul-reaping Rakshasa.

Ke Yisen finally knew fear. His eyes were full of terror, his face twisting in pain. Bo Jingshi lifted almost half his body by his hair and warned: “Look closely. Don’t harass him again, or you’ll see this face of mine again.”

The garden was a complete mess.

Hua Die dragged Bo Jingshi to a corner, his head spinning: “Are you crazy? You’ve really lost it! If you really had a problem with Ke Yisen, you could have handled it privately. Doing it so openly—are you afraid people won’t have dirt on you?”

“What the hell are you doing!”

Bo Jingshi stood by a lamp. Suddenly, he looked in a certain direction. Yu Lan, clearly not expecting him to look back at that moment, looked away in a panic. After withdrawing his gaze, Bo Jingshi answered calmly: “Chasing someone.”

Hua Die: “…”

Hua Die: “??”

He couldn’t follow. Before, people said Bo Jingshi had a strange, solitary personality; he just thought Bo Jingshi was a bit cold but a decent guy. But Bo Jingshi had been too abnormal lately. Hua Die racked his brain but couldn’t keep up with Bo Jingshi’s logic.

Hua Die massaged his forehead. Suddenly hearing someone call “Lanlan,” he instinctively looked toward the source and realized that Bo Jingshi had looked over as well. The tangled threads finally untangled in that moment, and the truth surfaced. Hua Die realized: “You’re chasing Yu Lan.”

Bo Jingshi said: “But he doesn’t know I like him yet.”

“…” Hua Die was stunned. “And you just… started chasing?”

“Mm.” Bo Jingshi still wore that cold face, but his words left one speechless. “Tactically, one can be indirect. In love, you can’t. But I have some concerns; I’m afraid he’ll find me repulsive, so I can only chase him secretly for now.”

“He’s so innocent, he probably won’t notice.”

Hua Die was thoroughly confused. Chasing someone you like is fine. But why chase them secretly without letting them know? If Yu Lan doesn’t know Bo Jingshi is chasing him, isn’t it all for nothing?

Hua Die: “Is there any point in chasing him like that?”

“Yes,” Bo Jingshi said. “His existence itself is very meaningful to me.”

By the dessert table.

Liao You rubbed his chin for a long time, still not understanding why Bo Jingshi helped Yu Lan. He nudged Yu Lan’s arm with his elbow: “Since when did you and Senior Bo get so close?”

Yu Lan was eating cheesecake, and the nudge nearly made him choke. He snapped with a displeased face: “Our relationship has always been good!”

Bo Jingshi had bought him desserts and helped him peel chestnuts before, after all.

Liao You’s teeth ached just watching Yu Lan act temperamental. His eyes were moist, his voice was soft, and his anger lacked any real force. When he lost his temper, it didn’t look like anger, but rather like a kitten swatting its paws—all show.

But Liao You knew Yu Lan only looked well-behaved; his actual temper wasn’t small. Many people thought Yu Lan was easy to bully because his anger didn’t look like anger, his warnings didn’t sound like warnings, and even his threats sounded like he was pitifully saying: “Don’t bully me anymore.” Furthermore, Yu Lan had sensitive tear ducts; whenever his emotions were stirred, it showed on his face. Sometimes while arguing with others, before he could even finish a threat, his eyes would unknowingly turn red. But that was indeed his fiercest attitude.

“I can’t be bothered with you!” Liao You said with mock-fierceness. “If you’re really so close with him, go call him over so we can play board games. We’ve been trying to get a group together forever, it’s annoying.”

It wasn’t that they couldn’t find people, they just didn’t want to play with strangers. Liao You had asked his friends for ages, but they were either drinking or flirting and had no time for him.

Xu Weiqing hurriedly said: “I can go ask my friends, they should be finished with pool…”

Yu Lan couldn’t stand being provoked. With moist eyes, he glared back: “Fine, I’ll go!”

When Yu Lan found Bo Jingshi, someone was asking Hua Die if he wanted to play cards. Hua Die agreed readily and politely asked Bo Jingshi.

“No.” The expected answer, a refusal without hesitation.

Hua Die, afraid the other person would feel uncomfortable, added: “He doesn’t know how to play games, so he doesn’t join.”

After the person left, Bo Jingshi said impatiently: “This place is boring. I’m leaving. You keep playing.”

The eavesdropping Yu Lan felt nervous and regretful. If he had known, he wouldn’t have bragged. He didn’t know why Bo Jingshi helped him today, but Bo Jingshi had been very good to him lately, and Bo Jingshi’s image in his heart had changed significantly. Bo Jingshi didn’t know that while he was admitting his delicate roommate was a bit cute, his roommate also thought he wasn’t that bad.

Yu Lan, sulking in the corner, didn’t notice someone approaching. He looked up to see a tall youth standing before him. Broad shoulders, handsome features, cold aura. It was Bo Jingshi.

“What are you doing here?” Bo Jingshi glanced at him, then at the surroundings. Liao You and Xu Weiqing were staring from not far away, clearly up to something.

“I want to play board games, but we can’t get enough people.” Yu Lan bit his lip pitifully, tilting up his exquisite snowy face, his long black lashes fluttering.

Bo Jingshi stared at his lips. He didn’t know what the boy had just eaten, but his mouth was wet and very red, like a ripe berry. His lashes lowered slowly. Bo Jingshi said: “Should I have Hua Die find people for you?”

The beautiful brows immediately furrowed. This answer was clearly not what Yu Lan wanted. He pouted unhappily, looking as if he were angry again.

After a moment, Yu Lan took a step forward, his soft finger hooking Bo Jingshi’s pinky: “Can’t Senior play with me? If you don’t know how, you can learn. I’ll teach you.”

“I’m very good at games.”

The two were very close. Yu Lan’s fragrance mixed with the scent of cheese, weaving into a delicious aroma. His finger was wrapped in a soft touch; the warm body temperature felt as if it were burning through the skin into the blood. Yu Lan’s index finger hooked Bo Jingshi’s pinky; by contrast, Yu Lan’s skin looked even fairer and his hand smaller. They weren’t far apart in age, yet Yu Lan was just small, exquisite, and beautiful in every way.

Bo Jingshi looked at the dark and fair hands. That tiny fist looked as if it could be easily hidden inside his palm, where no one could find it.

Receiving no answer, Yu Lan slowly lifted his face and started acting spoiled again: “Senior…”

The ending sound trailed off, and his body leaned in. Bo Jingshi still couldn’t resist the temptation: “Okay. You teach me.”

The sapphire eyes turned incredibly bright, like stars blooming in the dark night. Yu Lan pushed his luck and hugged Bo Jingshi’s arm, showing his two cute tiger teeth: “Senior, you’re the best!”

As he was feeling smug, Hua Die passed by with his jacket, looking at Bo Jingshi suspiciously: “Why haven’t you left yet?”

Hadn’t he said it was boring and he was going back?

A small head popped out from beside Bo Jingshi’s arm. Yu Lan’s eyes curved with joy: “Senior isn’t leaving. He’s going to play games with me.”

Hua Die raised an eyebrow: “Didn’t you say you don’t know how to play games and you don’t play them?”

Bo Jingshi said: “I don’t know how, but I can learn.”

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