Lu Yuan originally wanted to go back first, but Ning Guiqu whispered to him, “You can’t leave first. If you do, Li Mu will think we’re not in love! We can’t let our efforts go to waste.”
Lu Yuan: “…”
Lu Yuan had no choice but to stay. Li Mu, who had been walking ahead of them, slowed down and walked beside him, eyeing him warily.
“Why aren’t you holding Xiao Qu?”
Ning Guiqu quickly said, “We need to keep a low profile!”
Li Mu snorted through his nostrils, “I’ll be watching you two closely!”
Lu Yuan took a deep breath. He had endured enough of this situation! If it weren’t for the fact that Ning Guiqu was genuinely suffering from Li Mu’s harassment, he would have even suspected that Li Mu was a plant hired by Ning Guiqu.
When Lu Yuan spoke, his voice was extremely cold, “Ning Guiqu said he doesn’t like you. Don’t you have any self-awareness?”
Ning Guiqu started to panic again.
Why was Lu Yuan provoking Li Mu again?
But this time, Li Mu didn’t explode. He questioned, “You two are so in love, yet you still call Xiao Qu by his full name?”
Lu Yuan: .
Ning Guiqu: !
Ning Guiqu righteously declared, “Everyone calls me Xiao Qu, which makes it special when he calls me Ning Guiqu.”
Li Mu retorted, “How is that special? All your classmates call you Ning Guiqu.”
Ning Guiqu replied seriously, “But what else could he call me? Ququ? It sounds like he’s mocking me behind my back.1“曲曲” (Qu Qu) sounds like “蛐蛐” (qū qu), which means “cricket”. “蛐蛐” can sometimes be used colloquially to refer to someone as small and insignificant. ”
Li Mu finally stopped questioning.
Genius Xiao Qu’s IQ was off the charts!
Lu Yuan also found himself thinking, surprisingly, that Ning Guiqu really couldn’t be called Ququ.
As it was already dark, not many people paid attention to Ning Guiqu and his two companions. After buying the cake, they hurried back to the dormitory.
As they approached the dorm, Ning Guiqu diligently reminded Li Mu, “Shi Wen doesn’t know about my secret relationship with Lu Yuan, so don’t tell him.”
Li Mu snorted coldly, “Do I look like an idiot to you?”
Ning Guiqu inwardly agreed. You do look like an idiot!
As they got closer to Ning Guiqu’s building, Li Mu’s expression grew increasingly sour. When they reached the entrance, Li Mu stopped in his tracks.
Ning Guiqu felt a moment of joy. Was Li Mu leaving?
Li Mu’s tightly pressed lips parted slightly, “If he really treats you well, Xiao Qu, I… I can back off! My only wish is for your happiness.”
Ning Guiqu quickly replied, “He treats me exceptionally well! He even squeezes toothpaste for me.”
“Xiao Qu, did you have to answer me so quickly?” Li Mu fumed again.
Lu Yuan sighed inwardly.
After tonight, he wanted nothing more to do with this childish love drama.
Back at the dorm, Ning Guiqu handed the cake to Shi Wen, who had been sitting downstairs waiting for them to return. As Ning Guiqu gave him the cake, Shi Wen pointed at his phone.
Ning Guiqu nodded.
But Ning Guiqu didn’t look at it because Li Mu had already sat down in Jiang Xu’s spot, next to Shi Wen, with his arms folded, staring at him and Lu Yuan.
Ning Guiqu weakly reminded him, “It’s only just past nine. We won’t be able to sleep yet.”
Li Mu retorted, “I’m not asking you to sleep. I’m observing you two.”
Ning Guiqu sighed.
When Lu Yuan went to the balcony to collect laundry, Li Mu didn’t follow. He stayed behind to play a game with Shi Wen. Ning Guiqu felt guilty and said, “I’m sorry for troubling you.”
Lu Yuan collected clothes without looking at Ning Guiqu. He spoke in a low and cold voice, “After this farce is over, I won’t cooperate with you again.”
Ning Guiqu nodded, “I understand. Lu Yuan, thank you! I’ll definitely find a way to make it up to you.”
Lu Yuan couldn’t even get angry at someone with Ning Guiqu’s temperament. He was flexible, not stubborn, and even somewhat soft-spoken. Although he did vent quite wildly on his alt account, that was just letting off steam privately.
At his core, his personality was still gentle.
Lu Yuan felt he needed to toughen up and develop a heart of stone.
“Don’t think about making it up to me. Just resolve this situation with him quickly.”
Lu Yuan left with the laundry.
Ning Guiqu nodded gratefully.
After showering, Ning Guiqu went to lie on his bed, but Lu Yuan didn’t join him, choosing to sit downstairs instead. Li Mu didn’t urge them to sleep together; he wasn’t some matchmaker after all. His goal was to make sure they didn’t sleep together!
So, Li Mu continued playing games with Shi Wen.
Shi Wen grew more excited as they played and shared with Ning Guiqu, “Xiao Qu, I’ve reached the same rank as you!”
“Oh.” Came Ning Guiqu’s cold response.
Ning Guiqu opened his chat history with Shi Wen again.
[Shi Wen]: Why did he come to our dorm?
[Ning Guiqu]: Why did you let him come to our dorm?
[Shi Wen]: He said he’d bring me the Ultraman family bucket, but I’m not a kid anymore.
[Ning Guiqu]: But you accepted it!
[Shi Wen]: He also said he’d help me rank up, that’s why I agreed. Xiao Qu, what’s he really doing here? He said he’s staying overnight and sleeping with you?]
[Ning Guiqu]: Don’t say such horrifying things. His brain doesn’t work well, don’t think I’m being harsh, you’ll see soon enough.
[Shi Wen]: Really? But his game rank is Glory2I went back to chapter 3 and confirmed that the game does not have a Glory rank. The game is called Legend of Glory, so this may be a typo..
When Ning Guiqu saw the messages again, his teeth itched with anger. He could have given Shi Wen the Ultraman family bucket too, and helped him rank up! Shi Wen was just a lowly Platinum back then, if it weren’t for him, how would he have reached Gold rank?!
Ning Guiqu poked at his alt account.
[Stupid Shi Wen, stupid Li Mu! Stupid family bucket! Except for me and the cold penguin!]
Lu Yuan: “……”
Lu Yuan turned off his phone. Ning Guiqu might as well have cursed him too.
It was past midnight when Shi Wen finally returned to his bed, scrolling through short videos. Ning Guiqu lay in bed, messaging Lu Yuan: [Lu Yuan, remember to come sleep. I’ve left plenty of space for you \^O^/]
Lu Yuan: “……”
After the main lights were turned off, Li Mu switched on a small lamp to observe Lu Yuan and Ning Guiqu. Li Mu still didn’t urge Lu Yuan to rest; he only hoped Lu Yuan would sit downstairs all night!
But heaven wasn’t on his side! Just as Li Mu was thinking this, Lu Yuan climbed up the ladder, lifted Ning Guiqu’s blanket, and lay down beside him.
Li Mu gritted his teeth, sitting in Jiang Xu’s spot, and began to observe the two.
As soon as Lu Yuan got under Ning Guiqu’s blanket, he was enveloped by Ning Guiqu’s scent, mixed with a faint smell of shower gel. Lu Yuan hardly dared to breathe, but even though he was lying on the very edge, he still touched Ning Guiqu’s shoulder.
Lu Yuan whispered, “Sleep on your side, away from me.”
Ning Guiqu turned, facing Lu Yuan. Although their shoulders no longer touched, Lu Yuan could see Ning Guiqu just by turning his head slightly, and he could even hear Ning Guiqu’s soft breathing.
Lu Yuan continued to command, “Face the wall when you sleep.”
This time, Ning Guiqu didn’t turn. Instead, he whispered very softly, “I can’t. Li Mu is watching us. Lu Yuan, my back is already against the wall, I really can’t move back anymore. Just bear with it tonight, I’m sorry.”
Lu Yuan: “…….”
Lu Yuan fell silent.
However—
Li Mu approached them. “What are you two whispering about? Shi Wen, can’t you wear headphones while watching videos?”
Shi Wen protested innocently, “Wasn’t everyone still awake? Xiao Qu, Lu Yuan, are you sleeping? Wait, Lu Yuan, where are you sleeping?”
Shi Wen suddenly sprang up from his bed, shocked.
Lu Yuan felt awkward.
Ning Guiqu continued to speak on Lu Yuan’s behalf, “I got scared after reading a horror novel during the day, so I asked Lu Yuan to keep me company. You can keep watching your videos; we’re not sleeping yet.”
Shi Wen lay back down. “Xiao Qu, don’t read horror novels anymore. If you’re still scared, I can keep you company, too.”
Ning Guiqu mumbled an affirmative.
Shi Wen resumed watching his videos but felt increasingly perplexed. He quickly glanced at the two sleeping in the opposite bed.
Wait, when did Lu Yuan become so helpful?
And Shi Wen looked down.
What was Li Mu doing?
He heard Ning Guiqu say, “We weren’t talking about anything, just about to rest.”
Li Mu then asked, “Why isn’t he holding you while you sleep?”
Ning Guiqu: !
Lu Yuan: .
Li Mu frowned, turning to see the gossipy Shi Wen.
Li Mu spoke again with a sarcastic tone, “I mean, if you’re so scared, why isn’t he holding you while you sleep? Aren’t you good roommates?”
Shi Wen chimed in, “Even good roommates don’t sleep holding each other. That’s more like close gay friends.”
Li Mu pointed behind him. “Don’t talk. Go back to your videos!”
Shi Wen: “……”
Shi Wen lowered the volume of his videos considerably, eavesdropping on the gossip from the opposite bed.
Ning Guiqu finally said, “It’s too hot to sleep while hugging.”
Shi Wen immediately grabbed the air conditioner remote from Jiang Xu’s desk and turned it on. After switching it on, he said eerily, “How about now?”
Ning Guiqu glanced at Lu Yuan, his face flushed.
Lu Yuan looked utterly defeated.
“Ning Guiqu, this is really the last time.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ning Guiqu instantly hugged Lu Yuan’s arm. Half of Lu Yuan’s arm stiffened, and under Li Mu’s watchful gaze, he had no choice but to hug Ning Guiqu who “threw himself into his arms”.
TL Notes
- 1“曲曲” (Qu Qu) sounds like “蛐蛐” (qū qu), which means “cricket”. “蛐蛐” can sometimes be used colloquially to refer to someone as small and insignificant.
- 2I went back to chapter 3 and confirmed that the game does not have a Glory rank. The game is called Legend of Glory, so this may be a typo.
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