Zhao Luyuan pressed down on Chen Jiashu's shoulder and switched the phone to speaker mode.
Chen Jiashu took a deep breath and answered the call.
"Hello."
There was a half-second of silence on the other end before Jiang Wanwan's gentle voice came through.
"Jiashu, why did you take so long to answer?"
She seemed completely unaware of the tension in the dorm room, even letting out a light laugh.
"Did you fall asleep? I'm already at the delivery station, and those two boxes of books are really heavy. When are you coming over? I'm waiting for you here."
Chen Jiashu looked at the screenshot of the Moments on the table, not responding.
"Jiashu?"
Jiang Wanwan's voice softened even more.
"Are you feeling unwell? If you're not feeling well, it's okay to come a bit later. I can wait."
Zhao Luyuan's forehead veins throbbed.
Her words sounded considerate, but she hadn't considered that Chen Jiashu might not want to go at all.
"No need to wait."
Zhao Luyuan spoke directly into the phone.
The other end fell silent.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Chen Jiashu's roommate."
Jiang Wanwan's tone turned wary: "Why do you have Jiashu's phone?"
"It's on speaker, he's right here."
"This is between Jiashu and me, what does it have to do with you?"
"It originally had nothing to do with me," Zhao Luyuan sneered, "but when you have a boyfriend and still string along my roommate, using him as free labor, it becomes my business."
Jiang Wanwan fell completely silent.
After a few seconds, she asked, "What are you talking about? Stringing along?"
"Zhao Yuxuan, you've been dating for over a year. Do I need to read out your anniversary photos for you?"
This time Jiang Wanwan didn't immediately refute.
She clearly didn't know that everything had already been uncovered.
"You're investigating me?"
The gentleness in her voice faded significantly.
"What right do you have to investigate my private life?"
"We're just bored, taking an interest in a fellow student's academic progress," Zhao Luyuan said. "After all, some people claim to prioritize their studies, yet manage to juggle romance and learning, while also employing a free mover."
Zhou Shuhang added, "Can't really call it employment, since at least employment involves payment."
Jiang Wanwan raised her voice.
"I never forced Jiashu to help me! He did it willingly, we've been classmates since high school. Is there a problem with friends helping each other?"
"Helping each other?"
Zhao Luyuan asked, "What have you done for him?"
"I..."
"Remind him to wear more clothes when it's cold? Even a weather app can do that."
"Why are you so unpleasant?"
Jiang Wanwan's voice began to tremble, as if she were deeply wronged.
"Jiashu, I've always considered you my best friend. Are you really letting your roommates humiliate me like this?"
The conversation circled back, placing the blame squarely on Chen Jiashu.
"Wanwan."
He finally spoke.
"Have you really been dating Zhao Yuxuan for over a year?"
Jiang Wanwan was silent for a moment.
"My feelings are my private matter. I was planning to tell you at the right time."
"Why did you block me from seeing your Moments?"
"I was afraid you'd be upset if you saw it."
"Then why did you still ask me to buy cakes, save seats, and move things for you?"
"Because we're friends."
Jiang Wanwan answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Yuxuan is usually busy with Student Union work, and his family's factory often needs his help. I didn't want to bother him with trivial matters."
Zhao Luyuan laughed.
"So your boyfriend is busy, so you bother the spare tire. Zhao Yuxuan handles the romance, and Jiashu handles the after-sales service?"
"Can you not be so vicious with your words?"
"I'm just reciting your division of labor."
Chen Jiashu looked up, his voice a bit hoarse.
"Then why did you always tell me you didn't want to date now, and that I should wait?"
"When did I tell you to wait?"
Jiang Wanwan immediately retorted.
"I only said I didn't want to consider these things for now. You chose to wait. Jiashu, I always thought you were good to me because we've known each other for years. Now you're questioning me as if I owe you something."
Those "let's talk later," "it's still early," "let it be," which once sounded hopeful, now turned out to be nothing more than Chen Jiashu's own wishful thinking.
Zhou Shuhang spoke calmly.
"Never giving a clear answer, but never refusing the help. Enjoying the pursuit while keeping the option of just being friends. Indeed, nothing owed."
"If you insist on misinterpreting it this way, there's nothing I can do."
"And every time, you agreed to help on your own. I never forced you. Did you help me just because you wanted me to be your girlfriend?"
Chen Jiashu was taken aback by the question.
With one sentence, she turned her concealment into Chen Jiashu's impure motives.
Just as Zhao Luyuan was about to curse, Lu Yibei raised a hand to stop him.
Arguing further was pointless.
"Jiang Wanwan."
Lu Yibei spoke into the phone, "Zhao Yuxuan is your boyfriend, right?"
"Yes."
"Chen Jiashu didn't know before, right?"
"I just hadn't had the chance to tell him."
"You knew he liked you, right?"
Silence again on the other end.
Lu Yibei didn't give her a chance to continue dodging.
"Three questions are enough. You don't have to like him, and you can date someone else, but hiding it from him while enjoying his efforts isn't fair."
"Do you four really think it's fun to gang up on a girl?"
Jiang Wanwan's voice was already tinged with tears.
"I didn't do anything wrong. Jiashu helped me willingly. Now you're digging through my Moments and accusing me on speakerphone. Don't you think that's too much?"
Chen Jiashu closed his eyes.
"Get Zhao Yuxuan to help with the books."
"What?"
"Don't ask me for help anymore."
After saying that, Chen Jiashu hung up the phone.
The dorm room fell silent again.
As the phone screen dimmed, he seemed to lose all his strength, slumping back in his chair, staring blankly.
"Am I really that stupid?"
"A bit," Zhou Shuhang said.
Zhao Luyuan glared at him, "Is that how you comfort someone?"
"Continuing to be deceived would be stupid."
Lu Yibei reached out and patted Chen Jiashu's shoulder.
"Come on, it's just a girl. The future is still bright, no need to dwell on this. Just learn from it."
Chen Jiashu gave a bitter smile.
"I've been learning since high school, and now I'm in my sophomore year. This lesson took a while."
"At least you finally let it go." Zhao Luyuan deleted all the screenshots. "Let's go out for a good meal tonight, my treat."
"You said that last time too, and we ended up splitting the bill."
"This time I'll cover a bit more."
Chen Jiashu finally managed a small smile.
Just then, his phone rang again.
It wasn't Jiang Wanwan.
It was an unfamiliar number.
The four of them exchanged glances.
Zhao Luyuan turned the speaker back on, and Chen Jiashu answered the call.
"Chen Jiashu?"
The voice on the other end was a young man, not particularly polite.
"I'm Zhao Yuxuan, Wanwan's boyfriend."
Zhao Luyuan mouthed "figures" to the others.
"What do you want?" Chen Jiashu asked.
"Wanwan just called me crying, saying the four of you ganged up on her and went through her private stuff."
Zhao Yuxuan said coldly, "She's just one girl, and you guys are a bunch of men bullying her. You must feel really proud."
"Did she tell you why she got scolded?" Zhao Luyuan asked.
"And who are you?"
"One of the so-called bullies she mentioned."
"Cut the crap," Zhao Yuxuan's tone grew heavier, "I'm in the Student Union External Relations Department. You guys come to the Student Union Office tomorrow at noon and apologize to Wanwan in person, and we'll let this go."
Zhao Luyuan chuckled in disbelief.
"Since when did the Student Union become a courthouse?"
"Come or don't, it's up to you."
"And if we don't?"
There was a muffled sound of a car door closing from the other end.
Zhao Yuxuan paused for a couple of seconds, then said, word by word:
"No need to wait until tomorrow."
"I'm already downstairs at your dormitory. Come down."