WAYCAV Chapter 48

In the quiet hallway, Su Zhiyan stood in the stairwell wearing a loose shirt and pajamas, video chatting with his sister.

“Ge, why aren’t you wearing the pajamas I bought you!” Su Zhiyao’s face was practically pressed against the screen, her dissatisfaction aimed directly at Su Zhiyan.

“…” Su Zhiyan fell silent for a moment. “Your taste is too unique. I don’t dare wear them.”

“What kind of excuse is that!!” Su Zhiyao pouted. “You just don’t want to wear them!”

“Having a brother with no taste is really annoying.” Su Zhiyao propped her chin, glancing around behind Su Zhiyan. “Where is this? Where’s Shen-gege?”

Su Zhiyan’s heart tightened for no reason, but his expression didn’t change. “He probably went back to the room first.”

“Probably? Aren’t you two staying together?”

“I don’t know, not sure.” Su Zhiyan’s tone was cold. “He’s probably having another episode.”

It had been nearly two hours since they returned from the buffet, and Su Zhiyan still couldn’t find him. He wasn’t replying to text messages either.

Su Zhiyan’s mood hadn’t been great today to begin with, and now it was even worse.

“Okay, Gege.” Su Zhiyao could tell he was in a bad mood and smiled sweetly. “Can you come home next week? Dad and Mom said they’ll both be home next week. Let’s have dinner together~”

“I also bought some really delicious cookies. It’s a brand my friend recommended. They’re super buttery and smell amazing. Really super tasty!”

Cookies…

Su Zhiyan remembered the cranberry cookies Shen Nianjing had fed him before class last week.

At that time, Shen Nianjing had looked at him with bright, expectant eyes, but he had been annoyed by the dream evolution and didn’t take a single bite.

That box of cookies was probably handmade by him too.

Su Zhiyan’s eyes fixed on Shen Nianjing’s little bear avatar and he didn’t speak for a long time.

“Ge, Gege~ Su Zhiyan!!!!”

Su Zhiyao shook her phone wildly, trying to awaken her brother’s limited brotherly love. “Pay attention to me!”

“Ah, sorry.” Su Zhiyan snapped out of it. “I spaced out.”

“I’ll definitely come home next week.” He said. “I’ll also buy you those mung bean pastries from that shop you love.”

“Yay yay!” Su Zhiyao cheered up. “Then you should rest now. Goodnight, Gege. See you next week~”

The video call window showed the call had ended.

Su Zhiyan opened his notes app and picked a simple brush style.

The stairwell was completely empty at this hour. The overhead white light glowed weakly, making the already unheated space feel even colder.

Su Zhiyan tucked in the corner of his shirt and found a clean spot to sit down.

He didn’t want to go back to his room right now, and he didn’t want to go to the warm lobby to interact and socialize with people he knew or didn’t know.

In the silent stairwell, he sat alone in the corner, the faint light from his phone screen reflecting on his face as he drew an increasingly complete bear.

After almost half an hour, he put away his phone and prepared to leave, but heard footsteps behind him.

The noise was particularly conspicuous in the quiet stairwell.

Su Zhiyan froze, turned around and looked back.

Zhang Chang stood behind him with no expression on his face.

Su Zhiyan stared at him for a moment, then turned away and stepped down to open the door.

“Su Zhiyan.”

Zhang Chang spoke, his voice trembling slightly.

Su Zhiyan kept his hand on the door handle without turning around.

Zhang Chang jumped down the stairs in a few steps and stood behind him.

“About what happened this afternoon…” he said in a low voice. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

Su Zhiyan replied indifferently.

Zhang Chang laughed self-mockingly. “So what? I only want to apologize to you.”

His tone was extremely arrogant, filled with the same absolute self-centeredness and confidence he used when judging others.

Su Zhiyan frowned. “Oh.”

He moved to open the door.

“There’s something I should tell you.” Zhang Chang suddenly spoke faster.

“Qu Fangming is gay, and he’s a famous player in the Literature Department.”

“After he saw you talking to me at the school gate, he kept pestering me to help him create opportunities.”

“The mixer before was one, and this hot spring trip is another.”

Su Zhiyan turned around, rarely willing to look Zhang Chang in the eye. “If you came here specifically to tell me this, thank you.”

He had been suspicious about the room assignments today. Qu Fangming had repeatedly hinted they should share a room, and after Su Zhiyan refused, Qu Fangming’s prearranged plans hadn’t been adjusted in time, which was why that ridiculous scene happened at the room door today.

Su Zhiyan just didn’t expect that the mixer was also part of it.

“Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m telling you this?” Zhang Chang stared at him.

Su Zhiyan paused. “Why would I ask? You already told me, didn’t you?”

Zhang Chang: “…”

He laughed awkwardly, rubbing his neck. “Fine, that’s just how you are.”

He looked at Su Zhiyan again and said seriously, “I agreed to help him because I wanted to see you ‘go astray.'”

He said it without any guilt, just laying out his past thoughts to Su Zhiyan like that.

Su Zhiyan looked at him quietly, not saying a word.

“Sometimes my thoughts and ideas are pretty despicable.” Zhang Chang spread his arms, his posture very open. “But this is me, just like you said, this is the unique me that belongs to my own growth stage.”

“I was jealous of you, so I wanted to see you get played with by a gay, especially by that fuckboy¹ Qu Fangming.”

Su Zhiyan looked away, his right hand unconsciously touching his stomach.

He felt nauseous.

“But now, I’m not jealous of you anymore.”

He looked at Su Zhiyan seriously, a slight smile appearing in his eyes. “I want to pursue you.”

Su Zhiyan’s eyebrow twitched, his nausea worsening. Before he could refuse, the door suddenly opened.

A warm breeze carrying a strawberry fragrance gently embraced him. A thick wool coat fell on Su Zhiyan’s shoulders, the remaining warmth from the clothes continuously sending him comfort.

Su Zhiyan looked up in surprise.

Shen Nianjing stood at the door with a cold face, his gaze sharp and cold, making Su Zhiyan’s heart skip a beat.

But that gaze was directed at Zhang Chang behind him.

Zhang Chang was still smiling slightly. “What, are you angry?”

“Who are you to him?”

His tone was frivolous, as if being caught during a confession scene was something very amusing.

It was indeed very amusing. Zhang Chang crossed his arms, his eyes sweeping over Shen Nianjing’s gloomy expression and landing on Su Zhiyan’s face.

Qu Fangming’s existence made him understand that catching up to and surpassing someone who had become his obsession wasn’t interesting.

Conquering them was the real thrill.

But this thrill… it seemed like many people wanted it.

Zhang Chang looked at Su Zhiyan with undisguised interest.

This gaze was very rude, full of voyeuristic intent.

Su Zhiyan frowned and couldn’t help but turn around and rush out the door.

Only Shen Nianjing and Zhang Chang were left in the stairwell.

Shen Nianjing stood quietly by the door, looking at him with heavy eyes.

He was tall and naturally outstanding among the boys. His gaze carried oppressive weight as it looked down, making Zhang Chang feel uncomfortable.

“What, you’re not even his boyfriend yet, but you’re already marking your territory?” Zhang Chang laughed. “Just like Qu Fangming said, you’re a creep lusting after your friend.”

“But he probably hate gays. Too bad, you won’t get any advantage either.”

Probably stimulated by Shen Nianjing’s disgusted and contemptuous look, Zhang Chang spoke without restraint, his words vulgar, but Shen Nianjing didn’t even frown.

His indifference only made Zhang Chang more agitated.

Why.

What exactly did these smart people have going for them!

Why did they always look down on others from their high horses!

He sneered coldly. “What’s with that look? Want to fight?”

“You can’t beat me.” Shen Nianjing said.

Zhang Chang’s expression suddenly changed.

The next second, a punch landed directly on his face with solid force, knocking him to the ground.

“Fuck!” Zhang Chang’s face slammed hard against the ground, the pain leaving him speechless.

Shen Nianjing pinned his shoulders firmly, his tone unpleasant. “If you and that Qu Fangming harass him one more time, I don’t mind putting you through the same disciplinary process as Fang Yu.”

Zhang Chang had been struggling but froze at this, slurring, “What did you say?”

“Get your ears checked if they don’t work.”

Shen Nianjing suddenly laughed. “Sorry, I just really like making friends.”

“I have friends in every college and every grade. Some of your business isn’t as airtight as you think.”

Shen Nianjing’s smile disappeared.

“If you want excitement…” he lowered his voice, “wouldn’t making it to the news be exciting enough?”

“Shen Nianjing, you fucking—!” Zhang Chang roared.

–

Shen Nianjing returned to the room with a cold expression.

The room only had the hallway light and a floor lamp on, exactly the same as when he left. Su Zhiyan was nowhere to be seen.

His heart tightened slightly. “Su Zhiyan?”

He had clearly seen Su Zhiyan walking toward the room from the corner of his eye.

Shen Nianjing opened the balcony door. Outside there was nothing but the cold night wind, no other trace.

It was unnaturally quiet.

Frowning, his breathing quickened as he thought of the outdoor terrace. He turned and strode toward the door.

“Click.”

A faint sound came from the bathroom.

His steps halted abruptly as small noises suddenly amplified in his ears.

Shen Nianjing’s frown relaxed, and he strode over and yanked open the bathroom door.

Su Zhiyan was bent over the sink dry heaving, still wearing his coat.

His face was flushed, red from his neck to his ears. His eyes were watering from the strain as he gripped the sink tightly, clearly suffering.

Shen Nianjing walked forward and gently patted his back.

Su Zhiyan still had his head hanging over the sink, his hands gripping the counter so tightly they turned white.

Shen Nianjing picked up a glass, filled it with water, and brought it to his lips.

“Open your mouth,” he said.

Su Zhiyan glanced at him sideways, then looked away again, not touching the glass of water.

There was still unresolved resistance in his red eyes.

Shen Nianjing softened his tone. “Rinsing your mouth will make you feel better.”

After saying this, he tilted his hand slightly to make it easier for Su Zhiyan to rinse.

Su Zhiyan took a deep breath and slowly looked at the water-filled glass. Shen Nianjing brought the glass closer.

The rim pressed against his lips, which were slightly red from discomfort, leaving a shallow mark.

Su Zhiyan gulped down a few mouthfuls of water, then spit it into the sink following Shen Nianjing’s back-patting rhythm.

“Feeling better?” Shen Nianjing asked gently.

Su Zhiyan couldn’t speak. He closed his eyes and nodded.

Shen Nianjing looked at his profile tenderly. After seeing him recover, he took his wrist and led him to sit on the sofa, pulling out a bottle of strawberry-flavored soy milk from his backpack and inserting a straw.

“You ate too much greasy food tonight, that’s why you felt sick and nauseous.”

He braced his hand against the sofa and leaned forward slightly, handing the soy milk to Su Zhiyan. “This isn’t too sweet or milky. It’s perfect for when your stomach feels uncomfortable.”

Su Zhiyan looked down and sipped the soy milk in small mouthfuls.

Shen Nianjing watched him with deep eyes.

He was actually very angry right now.

Partly angry at himself for not finding Su Zhiyan sooner, and partly angry at those idiots who didn’t know how annoying they were.

After deciding to pursue Su Zhiyan, he was already a bit worried about Su Zhiyan’s potential discomfort with sexuality. Now great, waves of idiots came crashing down, completely muddying the originally clear water.

It was as if disgusting Su Zhiyan was their stimulant.

Maggots never realize they’re unwanted. If anything, rejection excites them more.

Shen Nianjing suspected Zhang Chang was exactly that type of person.

He thought about this, and his expression couldn’t help but become gloomy.

This sudden, disgusting incident was like a deep black needle burned by fire piercing his skin. The wound was insignificant, but very uncomfortable.

He regretted not punching Zhang Chang a few more times. It would be best if he couldn’t get out of bed for a few days to properly learn his lesson.

Frowning, he stared blankly, looking very stern, his whole body radiating a gloomy aura.

Su Zhiyan relaxed, and only then noticed that the coat he was wearing belonged to Shen Nianjing.

And Shen Nianjing was only wearing a thin black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, looking completely unbothered by the cold.

Su Zhiyan looked at Shen Nianjing, his staring suddenly paused.

Shen Nianjing’s right hand knuckles were bruised, as if he had just punched something hard.

He looked up. Shen Nianjing’s expression was tense, anger probably still simmering uncomfortably in his chest with no outlet.

Shen Nianjing was angry for his sake.

After realizing this, an inexplicable emotion rose in Su Zhiyan’s chest.

His eyes flickered with thought.

Shen Nianjing was still cursing in his mind, also worried about what disgusting things Zhang Chang might have said to Su Zhiyan if he hadn’t appeared at the stairwell in time.

That person’s morals was already very extreme.

Disgusted by gays…

Shen Nianjing took a deep breath, forcing himself to face this matter directly.

If Su Zhiyan really was disgusted by gays, he could completely understand.

But… Shen Nianjing’s mood hit rock bottom.

Something cold lightly touched his arm.

Shen Nianjing came back to his senses and looked down to find it was Su Zhiyan’s phone.

On the phone was a little bear with a silly smile, full of comforting energy.

He suddenly looked at Su Zhiyan.

Su Zhiyan kept his head down, his whole body wrapped in his coat.

“The profile picture you wanted, I drew it for you.” Su Zhiyan didn’t look at him, but his voice was gentle, like he was coaxing a child. “Don’t be upset anymore.”