That evening, sounds of excitement that made Shi Wen jealous echoed through the dormitory.

“We won again!”

“When did you get so good? Be honest, were you holding back when you played with Xiao Shi and me last time?”

“No, I was just unfamiliar with the game at that time. I haven’t played for a long time. I just studied some strategies today.”

“But I studied game guides, too! I even watched tutorials. You must be a natural talent!”

Ning Guiqu’s endless praise for Lu Yuan filled the dorm room. Under the constant stream of compliments, Lu Yuan’s confidence grew with each game.

The only one displeased was Shi Wen.

“Xiao Qu, I want to play with you guys too.”

Ning Guiqu spared a moment to reply, “It’s not that we don’t want to play with you. Your rank is just too high.”

Shi Wen: “…”

Shi Wen opened his chat with Li Mu. Li Mu messaged him a few days ago about ranking up together, but Shi Wen didn’t reply. He… admittedly had some homophobic tendencies. Now, Shi Wen thought, Xiao Qu and Lu Yuan seemed far more likely to be gay.

Li Mu hadn’t actually done anything wrong. Why did he suspect Li Mu was gay? So, after convincing himself, Shi Wen went to play games with Li Mu again.

As another round ended, Lu Yuan noticed it was almost eleven o’clock. He planned to stop, but when he turned his head, he caught sight of Ning Guiqu’s bright, eager eyes. So he asked, “It’s almost eleven. Do you want to keep playing?”

Of course, Ning Guiqu wanted to play!

“Yes, but give me two minutes. I need to reply to a message.”

Lu Yuan grew suspicious.

Reply to a message? Who could this fickle gay be messaging?

Lu Yuan wanted to peek at Ning Guiqu’s phone, but Ning Guiqu’s privacy screen prevented him. Lu Yuan tried to inconspicuously lean closer to Ning Guiqu, when suddenly his own phone lit up.

It was the account Ning Guiqu used specifically to rant.

[Lu Yuan is sooooo awesome! Genius Xiao Qu is really impressed!]

Lu Yuan was surprised.

So, Ning Guiqu’s urgent message was to praise him on his alt account?

[I hereby declare penguins the best creatures in the world!]
[I love penguins!!]

Lu Yuan’s ears inevitably turned red.

Ning Guiqu clearly loved him but refused to accept his confession. It must be because he rejected him too many times in the past. He needed to work harder to make Ning Guiqu feel his love! However, the matter of the alt account left Lu Yuan feeling uncharacteristically troubled. He had to find a way to resolve this issue.

Lu Yuan played two more rounds with Ning Guiqu and lost the last one. But Ning Guiqu no longer cared because they had won many times, and he was now a high-ranking Diamond player!

So when Lu Yuan slept in his bed again, Ning Guiqu said nothing. However, he still hid his phone, knowing Lu Yuan would try to steal it!

Watching Ning Guiqu tuck his phone under the pillow, Lu Yuan sighed softly, “Ning Guiqu, I won’t take your phone. Phones emit radiation, don’t keep it under your pillow.”

Ning Guiqu corrected Lu Yuan’s choice of words, “You mean steal.”

Lu Yuan: “…”

Lu Yuan could only suggest, “Set a password. Even if I steal it, I won’t be able to unlock it.”

Ning Guiqu considered this, then took a deep breath as realization struck, “You know my phone password!”

The foolish Ning Guiqu had finally realized this fact.

“You unlocked it in front of me when you were drunk.”

Ning Guiqu hesitated, “Then what? Did I show you anything after unlocking it?”

Lu Yuan lied calmly, “After unlocking it, you secretly played on your phone by yourself.”

Ning Guiqu sighed in relief.

So, Ning Guiqu secretly changed his phone password. Only after changing it did he dare place his phone where Lu Yuan could see it. Ning Guiqu lay in bed and cautioned, “My phone shows battery usage in the background. If you crack my password in the middle of the night, I’ll know!”

Lu Yuan: “…”

Lu Yuan pulled Ning Guiqu, who was guarding against him like a thief, into his arms. As if venting frustration, he said, “I get it, Ning Guiqu.”

Ning Guiqu panicked. What was Lu Yuan doing? He was sleeping in Lu Yuan’s arms!

Ning Guiqu’s heart raced. However, there was a third person in the dorm, so he didn’t resist much. He looked up and saw Lu Yuan’s chiseled jaw.

Admittedly, although Lu Yuan had stooped to stealing his phone, his looks were still on point.

Ning Guiqu gently bumped his head against Lu Yuan’s chin, like a rabbit scratching its ears. Lu Yuan held Ning Guiqu tighter, pressing Ning Guiqu’s nose against his chest.

The atmosphere was unbearably intimate.

The ambiguous mood really went to Ning Guiqu’s head. Lu Yuan’s scent was genuinely pleasant. And this! This! Lu Yuan even had pecs! They were somewhat firm.

But he heard that men’s pecs were supposed to be soft.

But Lu Yuan’s figure was too impressive! Lu Yuan already had great features. He was tall with long legs, and it seemed he might even have abs. Ning Guiqu had accidentally seen them before. Now, he apparently had pecs, too!

Ning Guiqu now even wanted to touch them, to feel what they were like. His lustful nature wasn’t just for show!

However, Ning Guiqu had the desire but not the courage, so he could only dare to imagine.

Ning Guiqu maintained this position silently for a while, staring at a certain part of Lu Yuan, then nervously whispered, “Why don’t we just live together as life partners?”

Lu Yuan ran his hand through Ning Guiqu’s hair, rejecting him directly. “No, I want to kiss you.”

Ning Guiqu’s face turned bright red, but since Lu Yuan couldn’t see his expression, for the sake of Lu Yuan’s amazing body, Ning Guiqu chose to compromise, “Then how about I reluctantly let you be family that can kiss?”

Lu Yuan refused again, “No, I want to do even more outrageous things.”

Ning Guiqu’s head spun from the impact of Lu Yuan’s beauty. Thinking that if it wasn’t too outrageous, he might let Lu Yuan do it, so he asked, “What things?”

Lu Yuan now felt that Ning Guiqu might be a bit too agreeable. Glancing down, he could only see Ning Guiqu’s eyes staring straight ahead. Perhaps he was… suffocating Ning Guiqu?

Lu Yuan loosened his arm slightly.

Ning Guiqu didn’t move an inch.

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. This was Ning Guiqu voluntarily throwing himself into his arms. If he was dazed, so be it. Lu Yuan even sniffed Ning Guiqu’s hair, smelling the familiar scent of shampoo. It smelled good.

“What things? You haven’t said yet. I can agree if it’s not too outrageous.”

Seeing that Lu Yuan didn’t answer, Ning Guiqu couldn’t help but urge him.

Lu Yuan sighed softly, then pinched the back of Ning Guiqu’s neck.

Ning Guiqu shuddered all over.

Only then did Lu Yuan say in a low voice, “Think in a more vulgar direction. It’s not appropriate to talk dirty with you right now.”

???

!!!

Vulgar direction?

Talk dirty?

Ning Guiqu wasn’t some ignorant kid. He no longer thought about Lu Yuan’s amazing body. He lifted his bright red face in disbelief, stammering, “Y-you don’t mean that kind of thing, do you?”

Lu Yuan didn’t confirm or deny. But for this kind of thing, Ning Guiqu understood with just a hint!

Ning Guiqu was flushed with heat. He pushed away Lu Yuan’s arm and curled up in the corner by himself. It was too scary! He didn’t know how to do that kind of thing!

Ning Guiqu listened to the game sounds coming from Shi Wen’s side, and his heart gradually calmed down.

Living together as life partners was truly too difficult. But for that kind of thing, Ning Guiqu turned over again, poking Lu Yuan’s arm, and mumbled with a red face, “Maybe we should forget it. I don’t know how, and I’m too lazy to learn.”

Lu Yuan was surprised for a second, then said softly, “You lie down, I’ll do the learning.”

Ning Guiqu was steaming again, but his expression was strange. He looked at Lu Yuan’s face, then at his chest. Finally, he heard Lu Yuan laugh, bringing him back to reality.

Ning Guiqu pulled the blanket down abruptly, muttering, “What are you laughing at?”

Lu Yuan hugged Ning Guiqu tightly through the blanket, “I’m laughing because we’re not even together yet, and we’re already talking about these things. Ning Guiqu, isn’t this flirting?”

Ning Guiqu: “…”

After a while, Ning Guiqu’s voice came from under the covers.

“Mind your manners! I’m going to sleep. And don’t lift my blanket.”

Then—

Lu Yuan pulled Ning Guiqu out from under the covers.

Ning Guiqu and Lu Yuan stared at each other. Lu Yuan hugged Ning Guiqu again, “Good night, Ning Guiqu.”

Ning Guiqu was back in his old position. He blinked, wide awake, thinking Lu Yuan’s body was really amazing!

That night, Ning Guiqu even dreamed about Lu Yuan.

He dreamed that Lu Yuan let him touch his chest and abs!

But in the dream, Ning Guiqu didn’t touch. Instead, he lifted his own shirt, saying disdainfully, “I have these too.”

Ning Guiqu was frantically trying to make his dream self touch, just once to feel what it was like! But the dream Ning Guiqu was too ungrateful! He just wouldn’t touch.

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

As Ning Guiqu was cursing in his dream, he felt his face being patted repeatedly, then heard his phone ringing. Ning Guiqu opened his drowsy eyes.

In front of him was Lu Yuan, patting his face.

“Awake? Turn off your ringtone yourself. Otherwise, you’ll accuse me of stealing your phone again.”

Ning Guiqu: “…”

Ning Guiqu stared at Lu Yuan’s flat chest. Sure enough, from the outside, you couldn’t tell at all that Lu Yuan had pecs! Lu Yuan didn’t tease Ning Guiqu or forcibly hug him this time.

But Lu Yuan noticed Ning Guiqu’s face was red and that his gaze was fixed on a certain part of him.

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow.

As Ning Guiqu turned off his phone’s ringtone, he also saw an important message. It was from Xi Zhi, and it was sent at one o’clock in the morning.

[Classmate Ning Guiqu, I asked Song Huai. He said he could go to the gym to play basketball at 1 p.m. But I’m not sure if Lu Yuan will go. You can come and check.]

Ning Guiqu was momentarily confused.

“Could go play basketball” – it seemed as if the protagonist gong was being urged to play by Xu Zhi. But the process wasn’t important; what mattered was staking out the protagonist gong at 1 p.m.!

Ning Guiqu replied with a “thanks” and went to wash up.

After finishing, he quickly changed his shoes. However—

Ning Guiqu looked up to find Lu Yuan gazing down at him. Even after being caught, Lu Yuan didn’t avert his eyes. Instead, he softly said, “Let’s wait for Shi Wen to leave before we go. I have something to tell you.”

???

They had to wait for Shi Wen to leave???

While tying his shoelaces, Ning Guiqu asked, “Can’t you tell me now?”

Lu Yuan replied cryptically, “No.”

??

Ning Guiqu felt something was off. Could he want to talk about what happened last night? He looked at Shi Wen, who was brushing his teeth, and said seriously, “I’ll only be life partners with you.”

Lu Yuan hummed pleasantly in response.

Ning Guiqu: “…”

Strange, very strange.

When Shi Wen finished getting ready, he was surprised to find his two roommates still there. “Were you waiting for me?”

Usually, either Ning Guiqu left first, then Lu Yuan, with him last. Or Lu Yuan first, then Ning Guiqu, and him last again. Sometimes, when the two were on good terms, they’d leave together.

In any case, they’d never waited for him.

Shi Wen felt touched, even wondering if he’d dawdled this morning.

Ning Guiqu felt guilty; saying no would hurt Shi Wen’s feelings! He glanced at Lu Yuan, who caught his look and bluntly said, “No.”

Shi Wen: “…”

Ning Guiqu: “…”

Shi Wen’s warm feelings evaporated. “Then why aren’t you leaving? Having a private meeting?”

Ning Guiqu: “…”

Fortunately, Shi Wen didn’t ask any more questions and left with his backpack. After the door closed, Ning Guiqu sighed like an old man, “Lu Yuan, your emotional intelligence is a bit low, you know.”

Lu Yuan stretched his legs and tilted his head. “But my IQ shouldn’t be low.”

Ning Guiqu narrowed his eyes. Lu Yuan, when did he become so narcissistic? Once men become narcissistic, they easily turn sleazy.

But Lu Yuan wasn’t sleazy.

Moreover!

He rarely spoke nonsense.

So—

Genius Xiao Qu successfully came online, “What are you trying to express?”

Lu Yuan’s lips still held a faint smile, parting slightly as if about to say something wicked.

The next second—

Lu Yuan’s pleasant voice reached Ning Guiqu’s ears, “Do you want to see this?”

Lu Yuan pointed to a certain area.

Ning Guiqu was stunned for a second, then abruptly stood up from his chair, his fair face turning red once again.

“No!” Ning Guiqu’s eyes widened as he strongly denied.

Lu Yuan maintained his composed demeanor, slightly raising his head to look directly into Ning Guiqu’s panicked rabbit-like eyes, and continued, “If you agree to date me, I’ll let you see.”

Ning Guiqu inhaled sharply.

What! What did he just hear!

To prove he had no inappropriate thoughts, Ning Guiqu stared straight back into Lu Yuan’s eyes, putting on an appropriate smile, “There’s nothing to see. What you have, I have too.”

“Is that so?” Lu Yuan drawled, making Ning Guiqu’s heart race uncontrollably, until he finally couldn’t keep it up and averted his gaze from Lu Yuan.

Ning Guiqu plopped back down on the chair, turning to pack his backpack, pretending he didn’t hear anything.

“Ning Guiqu, are you sure you don’t want to look?” Lu Yuan continued to entice him.

Ning Guiqu: !!!!

Ning Guiqu’s mind was in chaos.

Yes. He was curious about that part of Lu Yuan, after all! After all, last night, he had let his imagination run wild, and he was gay! Being curious was normal.

Ning Guiqu stuffed his books haphazardly into his bag, his voice equally jumbled, “Let me think about it.”

He didn’t outright refuse.

Lu Yuan chuckled softly.

That laugh brought Ning Guiqu back to reality, his mind clearing slightly. What… what did he say?

It’s fine, it’s fine, he was just thinking about it, he hadn’t agreed to anything.

Ning Guiqu glared at Lu Yuan suddenly.

“Maintain your penguin persona!” Meaning, don’t laugh.

Lu Yuan also stood up and grabbed his backpack. Lu Yuan was nearly half a head taller than Ning Guiqu, and standing next to him, Ning Guiqu felt as if he was enveloped by Lu Yuan.

How did he never notice before how well-built Lu Yuan was??

Ning Guiqu hesitantly raised his eyes, dazed.

The laughter in Lu Yuan’s eyes hadn’t diminished as he hummed in response.

Ning Guiqu: “…”

Ning Guiqu took a deep breath and shouldered his backpack. Huh, why was his backpack so heavy?

Ning Guiqu frowned but didn’t dwell on it.

He took two steps, stopping before reaching the dorm door. He had to seriously tell Lu Yuan something.

Lu Yuan also stopped.

Ning Guiqu looked up and seriously said, “I’m like this because my oral stage¹口欲期 (kǒuyùqī) means “oral stage” or “oral phase.” This term, used in psychology, describes the first stage of psychosexual development in Freudian theory, typically occurring from birth to around 18 months. During this period, an infant’s primary source of interaction and pleasure is through the mouth – through activities like feeding, sucking, and putting objects in their mouth. wasn’t satisfied! It’s a psychological condition, just like you having an extra chromosome. So, let’s not poke at each other’s scars in the future.”

Lu Yuan answered irrelevantly, “Ning Guiqu, do you agree? If you agree, I’ll let you see.”

Ning Guiqu: “…”

Ning Guiqu dashed out of the dorm with his overly heavy backpack, leaving behind one last sentence: “I’ll think about it!”

Lu Yuan closed the dorm door.

He felt that Ning Guiqu might soon be his. Sure enough, Ning Guiqu, as a gay man with a fickle nature, was quite lustful, too.

TL Notes

• 1
  口欲期 (kǒuyùqī) means “oral stage” or “oral phase.” This term, used in psychology, describes the first stage of psychosexual development in Freudian theory, typically occurring from birth to around 18 months. During this period, an infant’s primary source of interaction and pleasure is through the mouth – through activities like feeding, sucking, and putting objects in their mouth.