On Friday, Ning Guiqu obediently sat next to Lu Yuan during class, refraining from making idle chatter. At mealtime, he followed Lu Yuan’s lead, eating whatever Lu Yuan chose.
In the afternoon, when there were no classes, Lu Yuan went out on an errand. Ning Guiqu didn’t ask at all and only reminded him via WeChat: [Can you be back by 6:30 pm?ω]
Lu Yuan replied with a simple “Mm.”
Lying on his dorm bed, phone in hand, Ning Guiqu no longer found Lu Yuan aloof! Especially that “Mm” – the more he looked at it, the more he liked it.
Unable to contain his joy, he messaged his alt account: [Genius Xiao Qu loves Lu Yuan so much! Loves the aloof penguin so much!]
After sending it, Ning Guiqu poked the protagonist shou.
[Classmate Xu Zhi, how’s the kitten doing?]
Xu Zhi quickly sent Ning Guiqu a picture of the kitten sleeping in a round cat bed with its eyes closed. So cute!
Xu Zhi: [The kitten’s appetite improved today. He is very coquettish. I named him Yuanyuan.]
Yuanyuan.
As expected of the protagonist shou, even the name he chose was cute. And so kind-hearted. How could he compete with the protagonist for a man four years later?
Ning Guiqu scolded himself, then replied to Xu Zhi: [Such a cute name]
Xu Zhi: [You’re welcome to come see him anytime]
Ning Guiqu decided against it.
As a minor villain, he’d better not get too entangled with the main couple. Finding someone to adopt the cat was already pushing it. Ning Guiqu had actually considered taking the cat home if the protagonist shou refused.
He didn’t remember where home was, but Li Mu, who supposedly grew up with him, would know. However, asking Li Mu would surely lead to getting pestered.
Now it worked out – the protagonist shou was super kind!
He was fake-kind, while the protagonist shou was truly kind. Worthy of being the main character indeed!
[Xu Zhi is sooooo nice! The cat will surely be happy with him!] Ning Guiqu’s overflowing joy spilled onto his alt account again.
Ning Guiqu lounged in the dorm all afternoon. By nearly 6 p.m., Li Mu was constantly urging him. Ning Guiqu brushed him off, saying it wasn’t time yet.
Lu Yuan returned at 6:10 p.m. As soon as he arrived, Ning Guiqu scrambled up from the bed, “Lu Yuan, you’re back?”
Like a little wife waiting for her husband’s return.
Obviously, Lu Yuan had the same thought. As soon as he closed the dorm door, his ears were already turning red. He gave a soft “Mm.” When Lu Yuan raised his eyes to look at Ning Guiqu, he awkwardly averted his gaze.
He saw the venting on the secret account this afternoon.
Ning Guiqu… said he loved him. So bluntly! He felt he shouldn’t be playing the role of Ning Guiqu’s fake boyfriend anymore. Ning Guiqu seemed to have fallen hard for him.
Lu Yuan followed Ning Guiqu out of the dorm with heavy steps. By chance, they encountered Shi Wen at the bottom of the building, carrying takeout. Shi Wen stopped them, suspicious. “Xiao Qu, you said I didn’t need to bring you food. So you’re going to eat with Lu Yuan. You deliberately waited for Lu Yuan to return before going out to eat, and Lu Yuan, you specifically came back to eat with Ning Guiqu. When did you two become so close?”
Lu Yuan’s brows furrowed.
Were he and Ning Guiqu already this close??
Ning Guiqu replied seriously, “We’ve always been quite close. You just haven’t paid much attention to me.”
With one sentence, Ning Guiqu successfully diverted Shi Wen’s focus. Feeling slightly guilty, Shi Wen said, “I haven’t been paying enough attention to you.”
Lu Yuan: “……”
Ning Guiqu continued, “It’s alright. I understand you. I’ll go buy you your favorite cream puffs.”
Shi Wen felt even more guilty, “Xiao Qu, you’re so kind. Buy plenty, and get a tiger skin cake too.”
Of course, Genius Xiao Qu is kind! Ning Guiqu nodded.
Shi Wen left, humming a tune.
After Shi Wen left, Ning Guiqu explained to Lu Yuan, “I didn’t mean to mislead Shi Wen. It’s just that what we’re doing tonight can’t be known by a fourth person!”
Lu Yuan’s lips twitched slightly, his tone cold, “You don’t need to explain to me. After tonight, I won’t help you with this kind of thing again.”
Ning Guiqu understood.
After all, Lu Yuan was straight. A straight man acting as a boyfriend to another man would indeed be a bit hard to accept.
Ning Guiqu: “I’ll make it up to you!”
Lu Yuan couldn’t be bothered to respond.
Just don’t fall for him, that’s all.
Li Mu was already waiting for the two at the Mao Buli Restaurant, standing outside to ensure they found the private room he’d reserved. When Li Mu saw Ning Guiqu and Lu Yuan walking side by side, his brows furrowed again.
“What gives you the right?” His opening words were hostile.
Afraid that Lu Yuan might be driven away by Li Mu, Ning Guiqu hurriedly whispered, “Because I love him!”
Li Mu’s eyes widened.
“Xiao Qu, you! You’re not this kind of person. How can you say you love him just for his sake?”
After speaking, Ning Guiqu’s face also reddened. He had no choice. He hoped Lu Yuan wouldn’t mind.
Lu Yuan’s heart skipped a beat at this resounding declaration. Was Ning Guiqu using this absurd situation to express his true feelings?
Lu Yuan wanted to leave. But since he was already pretending to be Ning Guiqu’s boyfriend, he might as well see it through.
Li Mu continued to glare fiercely at Lu Yuan.
After entering the private room, Li Mu didn’t even order a dish. When the waitress came, Li Mu only asked for three glasses of water and took his time ordering.
Ning Guiqu: “……”
Ning Guiqu was a bit hungry. He deliberately did not eat, just to mooch a meal.
Lu Yuan sat next to Ning Guiqu, while Li Mu sat across from them. Li Mu slammed his cup on the table, “Are you really his boyfriend?”
“Yes, he really is,” Ning Guiqu quickly chimed in.
Li Mu stared at Lu Yuan. “I want to hear him say it!”
Lu Yuan felt so awkward that his scalp tingled. What kind of elementary school confrontation was this?
Lu Yuan reluctantly hummed an affirmation.
Li Mu leaned back on the sofa, crossing his legs, and eyed Lu Yuan like a gangster, “So you’re really Xiao Qu’s boyfriend, huh.”
Lu Yuan drank a glass of water to ease his discomfort.
Ning Guiqu interjected timely, “He really is. You said before that if I had a boyfriend, you’d stop pursuing me. You won’t be a homewrecker.”
Li Mu narrowed his eyes, fixating on Lu Yuan, “But he has no feelings for you. I don’t see any burning love for you in his eyes.”
Lu Yuan held his forehead, regretting his decision.
He really shouldn’t have softened his heart! How much better it would have been to refuse Ning Guiqu outright?
Ning Guiqu immediately answered for Lu Yuan, “He does! He does have feelings! He just has a cold personality, but he’s very gentle with me. Last night, when I was cold while sleeping, he even warmed the bed for me.”
Lu Yuan froze, turning his head to look at Ning Guiqu in disbelief.
Ning Guiqu leaned close to Lu Yuan’s ear, whispering extremely softly, “Keep covering your forehead. Don’t let him see your eyes.”
Li Mu slapped the table, displeased. “What are you whispering about? He’s that considerate?”
Full of doubt.
Seeing Lu Yuan covering his forehead again, Ning Guiqu spoke earnestly, “Yes. He’s really very considerate. He is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. That’s why you can’t see it.”
Lu Yuan closed his eyes.
He really… shouldn’t have agreed to Ning Guiqu’s request!
Li Mu’s brows furrowed again. He put one foot down, crossed his arms, and stared intently at Lu Yuan, whose eyes were hidden behind his hand. Then, he suddenly turned to look at Ning Guiqu.
Ning Guiqu instantly hugged Lu Yuan’s arm, saying sincerely, “We really are in love!”
Half of Lu Yuan’s arm had already gone numb.
Li Mu glared at the loving couple, gritting his teeth, “I don’t believe it. I’m going to your dorm tonight.”
Ning Guiqu: ?
Ning Guiqu released Lu Yuan’s arm, not understanding but wary, “What are you going there for?”
Li Mu: “To see if he’ll warm your bed! Don’t worry. I’ll just stay in your dorm, and I won’t do anything. If he’s really that considerate…”
Li Mu clenched his jaw, saying solemnly, “I’m willing to back off.”
Ning Guiqu: “……”
Lu Yuan: “……”
Although Ning Guiqu wanted Li Mu to stop pestering him, he knew Lu Yuan definitely wouldn’t do such a thing.
Ning Guiqu politely refused, “That’s not appropriate, is it? What if something goes missing from our dorm, and you’re blamed for it?”
Li Mu snarled, “I’ll compensate for everything!”
Ning Guiqu: “……”
“But my roommate might not be okay with you coming.”
Li Mu picked up his phone, “It’s Shi Wen, right? I’ll contact him.”
Ning Guiqu was surprised, “You have his contact?”
Li Mu smirked while tapping his phone screen, “I’ve added him before. But that guy’s tight-lipped, wouldn’t reveal anything about you.”
Well done, Xiao Shi! His efforts in helping Xiao Shi rank up weren’t in vain!
Ning Guiqu was secretly pleased.
The next second, Li Mu turned off his phone and looked up. “He agreed.”
Ning Guiqu was shocked.
Lu Yuan was still covering his forehead, silent. In fact, he had mentally checked out a while ago.
Ning Guiqu struggled to speak. “He… he just agreed?”
That quickly??
Li Mu: “In this world, there’s nothing money can’t solve quickly.” Then Li Mu asked Lu Yuan, “Tell me, how much money would it take for you to leave Xiao Qu?”
Lu Yuan’s spirit had already departed.
The Genius Xiao Qu spoke on his behalf. “One hundred million.”
Li Mu replied without hesitation, “Too much, I don’t have that.”
With that, Li Mu finally ordered food, but only for himself, not letting Ning Guiqu or Lu Yuan order. Li Mu was extremely irritated now.
But Ning Guiqu wasn’t picky and had a good appetite. He was starving!
Lu Yuan didn’t eat a single bite.
During the meal, Li Mu mocked Lu Yuan. “This guy looks cold-hearted. Apart from his face, he’s worthless.”
Ning Guiqu thought the worthless one was Li Mu himself.
Ning Guiqu actively defended Lu Yuan, “He’s taller than you, more handsome, studies better, and is very self-disciplined. If Lu Yuan is worthless, what about you?”
Li Mu: “……”
Li Mu was infuriated by Genius Xiao Qu!
Lu Yuan was mortified by Ning Guiqu!
“Enough, Ning Guiqu,” Lu Yuan finally spoke.
Ning Guiqu obediently fell silent.
Li Mu grew jealous again.
Lu Yuan raised his eyelids and said, “Going back to the dorm is impossible. We don’t need to prove our… affection to you. Who do you think you are?”
Ning Guiqu tugged at Lu Yuan’s shirt hem, signaling him to say less.
Li Mu exploded again.
“Because Xiao Qu and I are childhood sweethearts! Oh please, I don’t believe Xiao Qu could like someone as rude as you. There’s not a shred of love for Xiao Qu in your eyes!”
“There is, there is. Really, there is,” Xiao Qu, the parrot, chimed in again.
Li Mu: “I’ve decided I’m going to your dorm tonight. If you don’t let me, is it because he hasn’t warmed your bed? You’re hiding something. Xiao Qu, I won’t give up on you!”
As Lu Yuan’s expression turned impatient and he was about to speak, Ning Guiqu stuffed a piece of meat into Lu Yuan’s mouth and sincerely told Li Mu, “He really did warm my bed. If you see it tonight, will you believe it? Will you give up on me?”
Li Mu nodded.
“If you’ve both slept together, what reason would I have to doubt?”
Lu Yuan chewed the braised pork in his mouth, warning Ning Guiqu with his eyes.
Ning Guiqu held Lu Yuan’s arm, looking at him with starry eyes, “Then let’s show him how much we love each other. Just endure for one night.”
Lu Yuan: ??
After leaving the restaurant, Lu Yuan was still questioning his life choices.
Ning Guiqu walked beside Lu Yuan, slowing his pace and keeping an eye on Li Mu ahead. He lowered his voice, “Sorry to trouble you to sleep with me tonight. I’ll make it up to you!”
Lu Yuan: “……”
Lu Yuan also spoke quietly, “You never told me the price would be this high.”
Ning Guiqu said seriously, “You saw how things developed. But we’re both boys. Sleeping together once is no big deal.”
But Lu Yuan felt that even for boys, it was a big deal!
Ning Guiqu was gay! And still stubbornly interested in him.
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