The Gloomy Overseas Student Rewards His Hubby With Some Thirst Traps - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Predator and the “Sissy”

Yu Yanshuang caught a nap in the library.

It was the only place he could truly rest. The white noise of rhythmic typing mixed with the rustle of turning pages made it incredibly easy to fall asleep.

As for studying?

Having been rushed abroad on short notice, his English wasn’t yet up to par. Furthermore, because his departure was finalized so late, he had been forced into a major he had zero interest in: East Asian Languages and Civilizations.

He didn’t want to learn it and couldn’t understand it, but the University of Chicago was notoriously competitive. Seeing the library packed with students, Yu Yanshuang was already beginning to worry whether he would fail his classes and never graduate.

Rubbing his numb arm, he put his books back on the shelf and prepared for work.

The only job he’d managed to land on campus was as a kitchen hand in the school cafeteria. The hourly wage was low—only $17.50—but working in the back meant he wouldn’t be seen by other Chinese international students. It was less humiliating, even if the labor was grueling.

When he arrived at the cafeteria, it was already bustling. Yu Yanshuang put on a disposable hairnet and began sorting the trash.

“No! Yu, what are you doing—”

The chef’s words cut off mid-sentence. He had seen Yu Yanshuang’s delicate face pulled tight; though his black eyes stared back coldly, it looked as if the boy might burst into tears if another word was said.

The chef’s tone softened instantly. “Yu, you just threw away the vegetables I just prepped. These over here are the ones that need to be cleared.”

Yu Yanshuang looked strangely at the black trash bag. Those withered, dried-out leaves were actually for use? He honestly didn’t recognize what kind of vegetables they were.

Awkwardly, he apologized and reached in to pull them out.

“God! No!” the chef stopped him hurriedly. “Forget those. Just keep cleaning.”

Apologetic, Yu Yanshuang dragged the heavy black trash bag further into the kitchen, scanning the tables for anything else that needed to be cleared.

Suddenly, a sigh sounded behind him. His back stiffened instantly, and he instinctively lowered his head.

Under the harsh white lights of the kitchen, his stray hairs cast a large shadow over his pale face, making him look even more gloomy.

It was always like this. Ever since the mix-up was discovered, everyone in the Yu family would sigh the moment they saw him.

When he returned to his biological family, those two—parents plagued by gambling and domestic violence—had expected him to cook and do laundry. When had Yu Yanshuang ever done such chores?

When he had nearly burned down the kitchen and broken the washing machine, he had heard the same disappointed sighs behind him.

Once the two of them realized Yu Yanshuang actually had no money, his biological family kicked him out as well.

Thinking of this, Yu Yanshuang felt a surge of hatred for the world again. For instance, why couldn’t they have trained him on what to clear before he started? Why blame him for throwing away the wrong thing? Is there a law saying everyone has to recognize every type of vegetable?

His movements became aggressive as he hurled trash into the bins, as if the bags were the people who had sighed at him.

…

After a busy afternoon, Yu Yanshuang finally had time to sit in the cafeteria’s back garden, chewing on cold bread. His stomach was beginning to ache.

He checked his phone and was surprised to find his “blonde beauty” persona account flooded with messages.

[This info was so worth it! Cyan really showed up to the party!] [Hey! Next time you have news like this, tell me first! I’ll pay top dollar.]

Aside from those, there were latecomers who were annoyed they hadn’t bought the info earlier. Now, they couldn’t find a way into the party. After all, any party Cyan attended was guaranteed to be packed the moment word got out.

Parties Cyan attended were strictly “invite only” via social circles. At the door, people would check IDs and ask whose friend you were. Of course, the check wasn’t usually that rigorous; it was mostly to filter out people who weren’t bold enough to crash.

Yu Yanshuang stared at the messages, stunned. Cyan actually went?

But he’d heard Cyan say he wouldn’t go with his own ears!

At a drinking session like this, someone like Cyan would surely drink too much. It would be perfect if he lost his composure! If Yu Yanshuang could film a humiliating video, he’d see if Cyan could still act so high and mighty.

He quickly scrolled through his contacts, looking for someone to get him in.

He was already prepared to sneak in; he was the type to lie through his teeth and claim to be a friend of so-and-so. Luckily, with his pretty face, no one ever questioned him.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He’d received a message from his roommate offering to take him.

[Yu, sorry about this afternoon. I didn’t think you’d be back. There’s a party tonight to help you relax. Cyan will be there! Interested? Also, I have a deal I want to discuss with you.]

The message was three hours old. Yu Yanshuang quickly replied: [OK. You there yet?]

As he finished his bread, he waited nervously for a reply. In these three months, it wasn’t that Yu Yanshuang hadn’t been to parties where Cyan was present. However, once inside, he would always hide in the shadows. He knew if those wealthy international students recognized him, they would mock him and expose his fallen status.

Usually, Cyan would just greet everyone on the first floor, have a drink or two of whiskey, and then head to the top floor to hang out with his elite inner circle.

Consequently, Yu Yanshuang had never managed to film anything. This time, however, was different. People in the “Cyan Daddy” group were bragging that Cyan was staying downstairs with everyone and seemed a bit tipsy.

Ding!

The moment his phone buzzed, Yu Yanshuang opened it. His roommate had sent the location and told him to hurry.

Yu Yanshuang smirked. He wasn’t worried about his roommate harming him. Garcia was gay—a “bottom,” specifically—and had a thing for Yu Yanshuang. Even after learning Yu Yanshuang preferred women, Garcia hadn’t given up. At worst, he’d try to get him drunk to see if something would happen.

Unfortunately for Garcia, back when Yu Yanshuang was a young master in China, he had spent plenty of time in bars. His alcohol tolerance was staggering.

He decided to go all-in and called an Uber to the destination.

…

Arriving at Rodney’s mansion, he was met with deafening music.

It was nearly 10:00 PM, and the atmosphere was reaching its peak. Yu Yanshuang spotted his roommate, Garcia, standing in the cold wind wearing a sexy, sheer cutout shirt and tight pants. His exposed skin was adorned with sparkling diamond studs in his lips, ears, and nose.

“Garcia, why did you come out to meet me?” Yu Yanshuang was a bit taken aback; their relationship wasn’t exactly close.

Garcia gave a brilliant smile and winked. “Why didn’t you dress up?”

He glanced at Yu Yanshuang, who was dressed entirely in black. His black hair was a bit damp and messy. Compared to the others who looked like they were attending a gala, Yu Yanshuang’s simple look made him easy to overlook, despite his beautiful face.

But… his looks were exactly Garcia’s type. In fact, Garcia occasionally wanted to change things up. Someone like Yu Yanshuang would surely be gentle in bed, asking with a cold face if it hurt or if he should go easier… Garcia’s thoughts began to drift.

Yu Yanshuang, meanwhile, wanted nothing more than to stay low-profile so he could hide in a corner and wait for Cyan to make a fool of himself. If Garcia stayed by his side, he’d draw too much attention.

“Don’t frown. I’m not saying you look bad; you look good in anything,” Garcia said quickly. “Come on, it’s cold. I brought you here to relax and to talk about a way to make some money.”

At the mention of money, Yu Yanshuang’s expression finally improved. “What is it?”

The Yu family paid his tuition and basic living expenses, but to maintain any shred of his former lifestyle, he had to take odd jobs and find other “avenues.”

“You know the guy I’m dating is loaded. Today, he saw your photo…”

Yu Yanshuang’s expression turned icy. “I don’t like men.”

“Of course, of course! I’m just thinking—you pretend to agree to go to dinner with him, and then I’ll ‘catch’ you together. He’ll pay me a huge breakup fee to keep quiet. 70% for me, 30% for you,” Garcia said rapidly.

Garcia could feel his current date was getting bored; he might as well squeeze him for all he was worth before the breakup.

“50/50,” Yu Yanshuang said without hesitation.

Garcia narrowed his bleached eyebrows, seemingly considering it.

They bypassed the long corridor and entered the villa through a side door. The thumping music hit them like a physical force.

Yu Yanshuang instinctively looked toward the center of the room. In the dim, flickering lights, amidst a sea of eccentric outfits, the golden-haired Cyan was still the most eye-catching person there. He wore a simple white shirt with the top few buttons undone, revealing his collarbones.

He sat casually in the corner of a sofa, his long legs slightly bent. His sleeves were rolled up, showing off the beautiful lean muscle of his arms as he rested them on his knees. His large hand loosely gripped a glass, the veins on his fingers prominent as he exerted a slight pressure. A large ice sphere slowly swirled in the dark-red whiskey.

Staring at the whiskey, Yu Yanshuang felt a strange thirst. He tilted his head slightly so his hair covered half his face and leaned against the bar near the entrance, picking up an unopened beer.

He pressed the cap against the edge of the bar and slammed his palm down.

Clack.

The cap tumbled to the floor, and a fine white foam bubbled from the bottle. Yu Yanshuang took a sip. So bitter.

Rodney was indeed wealthy, serving Rochefort 10 to the crowd. Cases of the stuff were stacked in the corners and brought to the bar continuously. Expensive whiskeys and cocktails were being handed out like water. It seemed everyone was ready to go wild because of Cyan’s presence.

Yu Yanshuang used the act of drinking to hide his gaze, staring shamelessly at Cyan. In the dim light, Cyan’s pale skin and sharp features looked even more striking. It was rare to see him looking so relaxed and pleasant; usually, he was the picture of cold austerity.

He definitely looks like he’s getting drunk.

Garcia was startled by Yu Yanshuang’s practiced, decisive movements. He realized that trying to take advantage of Yu Yanshuang by getting him drunk was going to be impossible. The boy wasn’t as sheltered or reclusive as he looked; he had clearly been a regular in the nightlife scene back in China. Those movements were not those of a “good boy.”

Garcia licked his lips, finding the currently indifferent Yu Yanshuang incredibly sexy. He couldn’t help but agree: “Fine, 50/50. Tomorrow afternoon, you must come back to the dorm and get in touch with him, okay?”

The room was too loud, so Garcia leaned in very close, speaking almost directly into Yu Yanshuang’s ear.

Even though Yu Yanshuang pulled away in time, his sensitive ear turned red from the warm breath. He looked down at Garcia, intending to tell him to back off, when he suddenly felt as if he were being locked onto by a predatory gaze.

He followed the sensation. Across the dancing, chaotic crowd, his eyes met Cyan’s.

Cyan wasn’t hiding it. He was staring back with gray, deep, and chillingly aggressive eyes.