That evening, Jiang Xu, who wasn’t in the dorm, posted another link to the group chat.

[What’s More Touching: Roommate Friendship or Gay Love?]

This time, Jiang Xu didn’t need to call to remind them. Shi Wen had already seen it and called Lu Yuan over to look. Meanwhile, Ning Guiqu was sitting in the bathroom, taking a shower.

Although he couldn’t walk, not bathing wasn’t an option. He had Shi Wen bring him a stool and help him to the bathroom to wash. Ning Guiqu really didn’t bother Lu Yuan all the time.

Lu Yuan scrolled through the forum, his mood rather complicated.

[Content: First, let me clarify, I’m not intentionally stalking or being a creep! I was just going to class normally when I saw a tall guy carrying someone on his back. The guy’s figure and style were quite nice, so I hurried over to take a look. And wow, his face was super handsome too! At the time, I didn’t know Lu Yuan, I just knew this guy was damn good-looking. He was carrying someone… with their head tightly covered by a hood. I initially assumed it was a guy! I just meant to take one photo to share the handsome guy I’d encountered with my roommates. Who knew, just as I snapped the pic, the person hiding their head suddenly peeked out. Damn! Although it was blurry, he was really good-looking too! A pretty handsome guy! When I shared it in my roommate group chat, my roommate immediately recognized them. They’re roommates! But are they really just roommates or a couple?! Are there roommates this intimate?]
[I’ve attached the candid photo I took. I censored the other guy’s face. He seemed like he didn’t want to be photographed]

Comments: [Image.jpg. OP, you’re being a bit redundant. I have a high-res photo of the other guy. His name is Ning Guiqu, I’ve been wanting to recommend him! He’s really good-looking, why doesn’t our forum ever mention him?]
[Image.jpg. I have one too, taken in the cafeteria. So why don’t you post the uncensored version? We want to see!]
[+1 to wanting to see]
[+100086 to wanting to see]

OP: [Photo.jpg. Here it is!]

Comments:

[Doesn’t anyone else think Ning Guiqu is really cute?! In the photo OP posted, he has this sneaky kind of cuteness! I think he didn’t want to be recognized as the one Lu Yuan was carrying, but OP! Hahaha you captured it perfectly.]
[Xiao Qu does look pretty good. But OP, you must be from another department, right? In our Computer Science department, we’re all straight guys, this is normal. Don’t link everything to being gay. Xiao Qu injured his leg, so Lu Yuan carried him to school. Don’t twist everything in that direction.]
[But I think they’re full of gay vibes! In that photo OP took, Ning Guiqu is holding tight to Lu Yuan’s neck, isn’t that an intimate gesture? Don’t tell me all you straight CS guys are like this]
[I’m just a passerby! Although I didn’t take photos, I saw them too. I even saw the guy on his back constantly whispering in Lu Yuan’s ear! With my years of experience shipping couples, they definitely have something going on!]
[Although I’m not in the same class as Ning Guiqu and Lu Yuan, we’re in the same dorm building. They didn’t seem that close before. But something strange happened. I often run into Ning Guiqu when getting water, he usually gets two bottles, the other for Lu Yuan, he’s even helped Lu Yuan dry his blankets. Ning Guiqu is too nice to Lu Yuan, and Lu Yuan doesn’t seem to appreciate it. But just a few days ago, maybe longer? I haven’t been constantly observing them. I noticed their relationship suddenly improved! Eating together, going to and from class together. A while back, Lu Yuan was talking to a roommate about starting a company, that roommate was Ning Guiqu. So they must have something going on in private.]

…

Because the forum wasn’t real-name based, whether Ning Guiqu and Lu Yuan’s relationship was roommate friendship or gay love became a topic of heated debate, with the thread growing longer and longer.

Both sides even had valid points.

Shi Wen spoke up from his seat, “I also think something’s off with you guys. What they’re saying is just a small part of it. You even sleep with Xiao Qu at night. If they knew about that, I bet even those who think you’re just good roommates wouldn’t believe it anymore. Why do you sleep with Xiao Qu at night? Just because he’s scared?”

Lu Yuan stared at his phone and hummed.

Shi Wen wasn’t so easily fooled. He turned around, facing Lu Yuan’s back.

“You stay with him because he’s scared? If I got scared reading a horror novel, would you stay with me?”

Lu Yuan felt disgusted hearing Shi Wen’s words. Of course not!

At the same time, Ning Guiqu wouldn’t be scared of him anyway!

The veins on Lu Yuan’s hand stood out as he gripped his phone. He even opened the candid photo taken by the original poster, zooming in on Ning Guiqu’s face.

His eyes were shifted to the right, his expression somewhat panicked, as if checking if anyone was sneaking a look. He did look cautious. But inexplicably, Lu Yuan saved the image.

“Xiao Lu, would you stay with me?” Shi Wen asked again after waiting a while without an answer from Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan raised his eyelids, his eyes full of disgust.

Shi Wen: “…”

Damn, he shouldn’t have ask!

Lu Yuan turned off his phone and spoke gloomily, “Ning Guiqu and I are just normal roommates.”

Shi Wen scratched his head.

Is that so?

He didn’t think it seemed that way at all.

“But why—”

“There is no why.” Lu Yuan stood up, his icy voice tinged with a hint of threat.

Shi Wen, suddenly chilled and frightened, felt even more that Lu Yuan was difficult to get along with. Only Xiao Qu wasn’t afraid of being frozen by the iceberg. Just then, a loud voice burst from the bathroom, “Xiao Shi, I’m done showering! Can you help?”

Shi Wen let out a relieved sigh and was about to get up when Lu Yuan suddenly walked to the bathroom door and went in.

Shi Wen: !!

He called for me!!!

After entering, Lu Yuan didn’t notice anything wrong. Ning Guiqu was still sitting on the chair. His clothes had been changed to pajamas, which were white with a rabbit printed in the middle. Because he just took a shower, his face was still dewy and slightly flushed.

He really did look like a rabbit spirit.

The rabbit spirit Ning Guiqu also looked surprised. “Lu Yuan? Why are you here?”

Lu Yuan bent down to support Ning Guiqu, glancing at him without a word.

Ning Guiqu understood and leaned on Lu Yuan’s shoulder, saying heavily, “I called for Xiao Shi. I must have mixed up and called your name instead. I’ll treat you to another meal tomorrow.” He mentioned Lu Yuan’s name too many times lately, and he made such a mistake. But Ning Guiqu still felt he had called for Xiao Shi.

It’s a pity there was no recording.

Lu Yuan naturally noticed the frustration in Ning Guiqu’s eyes. But!

Ning Guiqu looked so cute fresh out of the shower, with a sweet scent about him. Lu Yuan’s mood wasn’t quite so bitter anymore.

Lu Yuan supported Ning Guiqu but stopped at the bathroom door without moving.

Ning Guiqu was confused.

Lu Yuan spoke impatiently, “The incident of me carrying you to school is on the university forum.”

Ning Guiqu’s expression said “I knew it.”

“Of course. You’re so famous. They didn’t guess who you were carrying, right?” Ning Guiqu raised his eyebrows, seeming pleased with his own cleverness.

Seeing Ning Guiqu so smug, Lu Yuan thought he’d soon be upset. Lu Yuan said ambiguously, “Go see for yourself.”

After they came out, Shi Wen was still observing Ning Guiqu and Lu Yuan. He saw Lu Yuan support Ning Guiqu to the bed, then sit down again.

He really, really felt something was off between those two!

Shi Wen privately messaged Jiang Xu, expressing his suspicions.

Jiang Xu replied: [? Are they making out or holding hands in the dorm?]

???

Shi Wen: [Don’t talk nonsense. No, I saw the link you posted in the group chat. I am just asking. But Lu Yuan denied it, said they’re just roommates]

Jiang Xu: [He denied it and you still think they’re together? You’re so straight, I wouldn’t expect you to suspect them. Could it be you’re gay too?]

The message was recalled a second after being sent.

Soon, another message came through.

[He denied it and you still think they’re together? You’re so straight, I wouldn’t expect you to suspect them. Could it be you’re gay?]

Shi Wen didn’t notice any difference. But this question made him hesitate to guess anymore. Indeed, he was overthinking! They were just close! Close straight guys are all like this.

Shi Wen replied, “No, I was overthinking,” and went to play games with Li Mu.

After lying down, Ning Guiqu planned to check out Lu Yuan’s gossip. But as soon as he opened it, he knew something was wrong. The more he read, the more distressed his expression became.

He also opened a candid photo of him and Lu Yuan.

He had pushed his hoodie back a bit, and he was probably checking if anyone had noticed him and Lu Yuan. He swore! He only looked around three times, about three seconds each time. Just nine seconds of exposure, and they managed to catch this shot!

Moreover, the photo made Xiao Qu look sneaky and shifty, perfectly showcasing his loser status. He had thought the forum would depict Lu Yuan getting involved with a loser, but surprisingly, some comments praised his looks and called him cute.

Ning Guiqu was baffled.

But now he finally understood why Lu Yuan seemed strange in the bathroom earlier. The forum really suspected he and Lu Yuan were together! So, would Lu Yuan still sleep with him tonight?

What if Li Mu came tonight?

Just as Ning Guiqu thought of Li Mu, Li Mu sent a screenshot.

[Damn! Look at you being such a licking dog!]

Ning Guiqu: “……”

How was this related to being a licking dog??

Ning Guiqu probed: [Are you coming over tonight?]

Li Mu: [Trying to gather intel? Not telling you, Licking Dog Xiao Qu!]

Ning Guiqu: “…”

Li Mu, you big idiot!

Ning Guiqu sighed again.

He sent a barrage of complaints to his “alt account.”

From the stupid forum to the big idiot Li Mu. Then he blasted the school! Finally, he pitifully prayed that Lu Yuan would sleep with him tonight.

Lu Yuan’s phone kept flashing.

After seeing the uncultured Ning Guiqu, Lu Yuan’s irritation disappeared.

He wasn’t bothered about him and Ning Guiqu being on the forum. It was all speculation and nothing real. He was just irritated… Lu Yuan vaguely knew what was bothering him. He wasn’t an idiot, and he understood his own heart. But Lu Yuan thought it impossible.

Lu Yuan stared down at his phone.

Seeing Ning Guiqu full of anxious complaints, Lu Yuan felt that he was not so kind-hearted because he was now in a cheerful mood.

Moreover, Ning Guiqu proactively messaged him to explain: [Sorry, I didn’t expect to be photographed. It’s caused you to be misunderstood as being with me. Li Mu saw it, too. Will you still sleep with me tonight? It’s okay if not. I shouldn’t have let you carry me to school (^～^)]

[CryingCat.jpg]

After reading Ning Guiqu’s understanding explanation, Lu Yuan opened his other WeChat.

[555¹555 “(crying)”. 555 (pinyin: wǔwǔwǔ) represents 呜呜呜 (pinyin: wūwūwū) the sound of tearful crying, but it is not towards the feeling of sadness, but more of pitiful please please please! I really can’t do without Lu Yuan! Please sleep with me! Sleep with me! Sleep with me!]
[Cold aloof penguin come to my bed, cold aloof penguin come to my bed, cold aloof penguin come to my bed]
[Why is the idiot Li Mu such an idiot! Why am I such a coward! I want to explode, to destroy everyone! I can’t do it, I can only destroy my little bear. Bear, don’t worry, you’ve been with me for so long, I won’t destroy you. Ahhhhh! Let a monster come and squash Li Mu flat!]

Lu Yuan couldn’t help it, he let out a muffled laugh. Given Ning Guiqu’s mental state, even if Lu Yuan wanted to hold it against him, he really couldn’t. Lu Yuan thought Ning Guiqu was actually quite cute.

Lu Yuan replied: [I’ll sleep with you. But you can’t have any other intentions. If you do, I won’t accompany you.]

Ning Guiqu’s message came lightning-fast.

[I won’t! I won’t! I’m a gay guy with a straight man’s card!]

A smile spread across Lu Yuan’s eyes as another WeChat notification flashed.

[Hahaha Lu Yuan agreed! Hahaha even if I had other intentions, Lu Yuan wouldn’t know! Hahaha! Lu Yuan, you big smarty!]

Lu Yuan: “……”

TL Notes

• 1
  555 “(crying)”. 555 (pinyin: wǔwǔwǔ) represents 呜呜呜 (pinyin: wūwūwū) the sound of tearful crying, but it is not towards the feeling of sadness, but more of pitiful