The dorm room once again fell into a long silence. Chi Shuyi reacted quickly, he immediately slung an arm around Bai Zhou’s shoulders and, with the tone of a host, smiled and said,
“Sounds good. I was planning to invite everyone anyway. It’s usually just Zhouzhou and me at home, it does get a bit quiet. If everyone comes over this weekend, it’ll be livelier for him too.”
“Sure, we’ll definitely be there,” Fu Linshen said, his gaze locked so hard on Chi Shuyi’s hand resting on Bai Zhou’s shoulder that it could burn a hole through it, while the person in question seemed utterly oblivious.
Chi Shuyi raised his brows slightly, feigning a bit of surprise. “I was inviting Zhouzhou’s dormmates for dinner, does President Fu also plan to join us?”
Tch! Can he be any more of a green tea?!
Fu Linshen ground his teeth, took a deep breath, and turned to Bai Zhou with a faintly disappointed look, “Zhouzhou, you didn’t invite me?”
“Of course, come along! Everyone’s welcome.”
Bai Zhou, being considerate as ever, quickly diffuse the tension, silently giving himself a thumbs-up inside. Another successful assist.
(System: …)
Fu Linshen, satisfied by that answer, raised his brows in provocation toward Chi Shuyi, his eyes filled with smug challenge.
Chi Shuyi sneered inwardly at how childish Fu Linshen was.
“Then how about I come pick Zhouzhou up early on the weekend? We can go grocery shopping together.”
For some reason, Chi Shuyi had a strange obsession with grocery shopping. During the half month Bai Zhou stayed at his place, they went to the supermarket together practically every other day.
Naturally, Bai Zhou had no objections and nodded obediently.
Outside the little war zone, Tang Mingyuan muttered: “So… no one’s going to ask him what he wants?”
“Bro, we’ve still got a class meeting later,” Fu Linyi, who had barely spoken the entire time, suddenly said an unmistakable attempt to send the guests off.
Fu Linshen: … Betrayed by his own brother.
Hearing that, Bai Zhou remembered that they did have a meeting later. He nodded in agreement,
“Shuyi-ge, President Fu, you two can head back. I don’t have anything else to take care of here.”
Shuyi-ge. President Fu.
That brutal contrast hit Fu Linshen right in the chest again.
So what then?! The other day at the banquet, when he held his hand and even squeezed it, was that all just his imagination?!
Fu Linshen gave Bai Zhou a wounded look, only to be met with Bai Zhou’s blankly innocent eyes.
“I’m Fu Linshen,” he said.
Bai Zhou blinked. He knew that.
Before Fu Linshen could say anything else, Chi Shuyi interrupted, “Alright then, we’ll head back first. I’ll come pick you up this weekend.”
“Mm-hmm.”
The two left one after another, and the dorm instantly felt much quieter. Tang Mingyuan, straddling his chair, finally felt like he could breathe again.
“Xiao Zhou, you and President Fu know each other?”
“Not really. We just met once at a banquet. Someone was bothering me, and he helped me out.”
As Bai Zhou answered, he pulled out a bottle of floral mosquito repellent Chi Shuyi had bought him and set it on the desk.
It was summer, lots of mosquitoes. A few days ago, when he and Chi Shuyi came back from the supermarket, he’d gotten a couple of bites on his leg and ankle.
Before school started, Chi Shuyi had stuffed several bottles of repellent and mosquito patches into his bag.
“Oh? You’re a mosquito magnet too?” Tang Mingyuan asked.
“Yeah, I got bitten a few days ago and it still hasn’t gone down.”
Bai Zhou rolled up his pant leg miserably, pointing at the reddish marks on his ankle. “I was only outside for a little while.”
“Ah, it’s fine. Uh, next time just walk with me, mosquitoes love me. They’ll bite me instead,” Tang Mingyuan said, suddenly flustered as he noticed the pale skin and faint red marks that looked… suspiciously like hickeys.
His gaze went skittering away as he stammered through his offer.
“No need, I brought plenty of stuff. We can share..” Bai Zhou smiled as he displayed his neatly lined-up “anti-mosquito spray.”
“Want to go for a walk together?”
Fu Linyi suddenly cut in, interrupting their chat, “The class meetings in an hour. We can take a stroll first.”
“Great idea!” Tang Mingyuan jumped up right away.
Bai Zhou packed a few pens and notebooks into his small backpack, “We can head straight to the meeting after.”
The campus was bustling with people. The three of them wandered around to get familiar with the route between the dorm and the teaching building.
Bai Zhou noticed that Fu Linyi didn’t talk much, it was mostly him and Tang Mingyuan chatting. Occasionally, Fu Linyi would say a few words, but he seemed quite different from the sharp-tongued “Y” in the group chat.
The class meeting was for the whole department. The advisor gave a brief speech about school and military training, then dismissed them to collect uniforms.
The members of “Fengsha Crossing” (Wind and Sand Crossing) didn’t show up until night, dragging a suitcase into the dorm.
Chen Feng had just arrived, and it was Fu Linyi who opened the door. He seemed to have completely forgotten the awkwardness from the freshman chat group and greeted with a bright smile,
“Long time no see, Linyi-ge! You’re still the same, always so sharp-tongued. I hadn’t even met you in person yet, and you’d already roasted me.”
As he spoke, he reached out as if to loop his arm around Fu Linyi’s but Fu Linyi dodged with a frown.
“Have we met?”
Instead of being offended, Chen Feng gave a look that clearly said I knew you’d act like this, “You’re not still mad that I left without saying goodbye, are you?”
Hands on his hips, he continued, now with a mock-adorable tone, “Linyi-ge, don’t be mad~ I’ve been working so hard abroad, all just so I could come back sooner.”
But Fu Linyi looked at him like he was something filthy, stepping back a few paces with a baffled expression, “What nonsense are you spouting?”
Tang Mingyuan: … Wow, this dorm’s really something else.
He and Bai Zhou quietly retreated to their desks like two nosy little raccoons. At some point, Bai Zhou even snuck chips out of his bag and handed them under the desk to Tang Mingyuan.
Crunch!!
The loud sound drew both people at the door’s attention. Tang Mingyuan’s hand holding the chip went hot.
He swallowed nervously and forced a grin, “Wanna share?”
Friendly fire! Only Bai Zhou survived. He immediately slid lower in his seat, half-hidden by the desk, only his round eyes peeking out curiously.
“No, thanks. I’m not used to that kind of food,” Chen Feng replied politely.
Tang Mingyuan shrugged, stuffing it into his own mouth. Honestly, even if he’d said yes, I’d kinda hate to share, those were from Bai Zhou!
“Linyi-ge…” Chen Feng started again.
“Call me that one more time and I’ll call the police. That’s sexual harassment.”
Fu Linyi’s voice was cold and flat, his black eyes entirely devoid of emotion and he looked dead serious.
“I… I just…” Chen Feng bit his lip, eyes reddening as if deeply wronged.
Fu Linyi didn’t seem to notice. Instead, he turned and hauled Bai Zhou who was still quietly enjoying the show, out from behind the desk.
Bai Zhou blinked in confusion, utterly lost.
“Let’s go. Dinner.”
“Huh? Who, me?” he asked, bewildered as Fu Linyi pulled him along.
“You said you were hungry just now.”
Bai Zhou, who’d been too busy eating melon to remember: Did I?
“Wait, wait, I’m coming too!” Tang Mingyuan said, quickly stashing away the chips before scrambling after them.
Chen Feng, left behind with teary eyes, looked around, no one comforted him. His expression darkened.
He was good-looking, came from a rich family, everywhere he went, people adored him. But now? Fu Linyi ignored him, and those two nobodies did too?
“I haven’t properly introduced myself yet. I’m Chen Feng, Linyi and I grew up together but I went abroad a few years ago.” He sniffled, looking pitiful but trying to seem strong.
“I’m Tang Mingyuan, and this is Bai Zhou.”
Bai Zhou peeked out from behind and waved, “Hi!”
Chen Feng smiled softly, his expression gentle, reminiscent of Chi Shuyi’s, though less refined.
Not wanting to make things awkward on the first day, Tang Mingyuan asked, “Wanna go to the cafeteria with us?”
Chen Feng’s smile brightened a little. “No, it’s fine. Our housekeeper brought me food later. Linyi, want to join me? Remember when we used to—”
“I will call the police.” Fu Linyi’s tone was icy.
As tension rose again, Bai Zhou instinctively tried to slip back toward his “melon buddy,” but Fu Linyi caught his wrist first.
That movement drew Chen Feng’s attention toward the “civilian.” He opened his mouth but before he could say anything, Fu Linyi dragged Bai Zhou out the door.
“Your military training uniform’s on your bed,” Tang Mingyuan said quickly, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire and followed them out.
Once everyone was gone, Chen Feng stomped his foot, furiously slamming his suitcase onto the floor.
If his father hadn’t forced him to butter up Fu Linyi, he’d never have stooped to live with these nobodies!
The cafeteria was packed, Fu Linyi and Bai Zhou got in line far ahead of Tang Mingyuan.
While following him, Bai Zhou busied himself replying to Chi Shuyi’s texts.
A new contact had also messaged him, Fu Linshen.
As soon as Bai Zhou replied, Fu Linshen would stop. Then the typing bubble appeared again.. typing… typing… over and over.
Fu Linyi seemed to say something beside him but it was so noisy that Bai Zhou didn’t catch it. He looked up, puzzled. “Hm?”
The clear innocence in his eyes was almost too pure. That single questioning syllable was enough to make someone’s heart skip.
Fu Linyi averted his gaze, leaned closer, and murmured by Bai Zhou’s ear, his warm breath brushing against the boy’s pink earlobe.
“I really don’t have anything to do with him.”
Then, glancing at Bai Zhou’s phone screen, he accidentally caught a glimpse of his older brother’s chat.
Leaning even closer, he quietly read out the message that had just popped up from Fu Linshen,
“That day when you held my hand and squeezed it, what did that mean?”
✦ ✧ ✦
Vynellia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
(≧▽≦)ﾉ☕ coffee!
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Green Tea Bun (1)Chapter 2 · Green Tea Bun (2)Chapter 3 · Green Tea Bun (3)Chapter 4 · Green Tea Bun (4)Chapter 5 · Green Tea Bun (5)Chapter 6 · Green Tea Bun (6)Chapter 7 · Green Tea Bun (7)Chapter 8 · Green Tea Bun (8)Chapter 9 · Green Tea Bun (9)Chapter 10 · Green Tea Bun (10)Chapter 11 · Green Tea Bun (11)Chapter 12 · Green Tea Bun (12)Chapter 13 · Green Tea Bun (13)Chapter 14 · Green Tea Bun (14)Chapter 15 · Green Tea Bun (15)Chapter 16 · Green Tea Bun (16)Chapter 17 · Green Tea Bun (17)Chapter 18 · Green Tea Bun (18)Chapter 19 · Green Tea Bun (19)Chapter 20 · Green Tea Bun (20)Chapter 21 · Green Tea Bun (21)Chapter 22 · Green Tea Bun (22)Chapter 23 · Green Tea Bun (23)Chapter 24 Part 1 · Green Tea Bun (24)Chapter 24 Part 2 · Green Tea Bun (24)Chapter 25 · Green Tea Bun (25)Chapter 26 · Green Tea Bun (26)Chapter 27 · Green Tea Bun (27)Chapter 28 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (1)Chapter 29 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (2)Chapter 30 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (3)Chapter 32 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (5)Chapter 33 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (6)Chapter 34 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (7)Chapter 35 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (8)Chapter 36 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (9)Chapter 37 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (10)Chapter 38 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (11)Chapter 39 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (12)Chapter 40 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (13)Chapter 41 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (14)Chapter 42 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (15)Chapter 43 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (16)Chapter 44 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (17)Chapter 45 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (18)Chapter 46 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (19)Chapter 47 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (20)Chapter 48 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (21)Chapter 49 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (22)Chapter 50 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (23)Chapter 51 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (24)Chapter 52 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (25)Chapter 53 · The Fake Young Master in an ABO Novel (26)Chapter 54 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (1)Chapter 55 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (2)Chapter 56 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (3)Chapter 57 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (4)Chapter 58 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (5)Chapter 59 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (6)Chapter 60 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (7)Chapter 61 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (8)Chapter 62 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (9)Chapter 63 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (10)Chapter 64 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (11)Chapter 65 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (12)Chapter 66 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (13)Chapter 67 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (14)Chapter 68 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (15)Chapter 69 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (16)Chapter 70 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (17)Chapter 71 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (18)Chapter 72 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (19)Chapter 73 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (20)Chapter 74 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (21)Chapter 75 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (22)Chapter 76 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (23)Chapter 77 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (24)Chapter 78 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (25)Chapter 79 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (26)Chapter 80 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (27)Chapter 81 · The Poor Little One at the Noble Academy (28)Chapter 82 · Apocalyptic Lord (1)Chapter 83 · Apocalyptic Lord (2)Chapter 84 · Apocalyptic Lord (3)Chapter 85 · Apocalyptic Lord (4)Chapter 86 · Apocalyptic Lord (5)Chapter 87 · Apocalyptic Lord (6)Chapter 88 · Apocalyptic Lord (7)Chapter 89 · Apocalyptic Lord (8)Chapter 90 · Apocalyptic Lord (9)Chapter 91 · Apocalyptic Lord (10)Chapter 92 · Apocalyptic Lord (11)Chapter 93 · Apocalyptic Lord (12)Chapter 94 · Apocalyptic Lord (13)Chapter 96 · Apocalyptic Lord (15)Chapter 97 · Apocalyptic Lord (16)Chapter 98 · Apocalyptic Lord (17)Chapter 99 · Apocalyptic Lord (18)Chapter 100 · Apocalyptic Lord (19)Chapter 101 · Apocalyptic Lord (20)Chapter 102 · Apocalyptic Lord (21)Chapter 103 · Apocalyptic Lord (22)Chapter 104 · Apocalyptic Lord (22)Chapter 105 · Apocalyptic Lord (24)Chapter 106 · The Real World (1)Chapter 107 · The Real World (2)Chapter 108 · Extra 1