Mixed Signals

Xu Yi, who had been feeling drowsy and sluggish after dinner, now couldn’t sleep at all.

Lu Xingyan had passed out after saying those words.

No matter how much Xu Yi asked, there was no response.

But Xu Yi wasn’t so conceited as to think that Lu Xingyan’s ‘liking’ was the romantic kind.

Xu Yi frowned and chose to evade.

As long as he didn’t think about it… he wouldn’t be troubled by it.

He snuggled deeper into Lu Xingyan’s burning embrace.

Taking advantage like this… it was fine.

Before long, he too fell into a deep sleep.

When he woke again, it was already pitch black outside.

But thankfully, the rain had stopped.

Xu Yi felt a bit tired from sleeping, so he sat up and rubbed his temples.

“Awake?” Lu Xingyan opened his eyes. His gaze was much clearer, as if he hadn’t just woken up.

Xu Yi gave a lazy “Mm” and gently touched Lu Xingyan’s forehead.

It was ice cold.

Seems the fever had broken.

Lu Xingyan grabbed his wrist, eyes smiling. “Thanks to your attentive care, the fever’s gone.”

Xu Yi often had fevers that lingered for days, coming and going, so he thought Lu Xingyan was the same. “You should rest well. Since it’s still early, I’d better head home. Squeezing together might make you sick again.”

“No need.”

Xu Yi and Lu Xingyan spoke at the same time.

Li Yuan was stunned.

All three were silent for a second, then Li Yuan raised his hand nervously. “So, you two squeeze together?”

Xu Yi found physical contact with Lu Xingyan very comfortable; that was probably some kind of physiological liking.

But the thought of sleeping face-to-face with Li Yuan made him extremely uncomfortable.

Xu Yi looked at Lu Xingyan, a bit awkward. “I don’t want to catch it from you.”

Lu Xingyan laughed, got up, and wrapped his arms around Xu Yi’s shoulders. Before Xu Yi could react, he pushed him back onto the bed, one long leg pinning him down. “I’m not contagious. I caught a cold from the chill.”

Xu Yi’s round eyes widened beneath him, and his face flushed inch by inch like a startled deer.

A very cute expression.

Lu Xingyan held him tighter. “Big Brother’s fine now. I’ll make your bed for you.”

With that, he casually let go and got off the bed in two strides.

He walked to the balcony, stretched, then went to pull off the bedsheet.

There were still faint water stains in a shape.

“Not dry yet. Looks like Xiao Yi still has to sleep with me tonight.”

Lu Xingyan’s voice sounded quite cheerful.

Xu Yi only lifted his eyes when he heard Lu Xingyan’s voice.

He had been lying in the same position since being pinned down, his whole body burning.

Xu Yi raised his hand and placed the back of it gently on his forehead.

It wasn’t because of a fever.

Then why was his heart beating so fast?

It was too strange.

Lu Xingyan… really had no sense of boundaries.

So annoying.

Xu Yi recalled the words Lu Xingyan had said.

‘I really like you’ and stuff.

For a moment, he wished Lu Xingyan actually liked men.

But.

Lu Xingyan was different from him. Xu Yi had no family, so it didn’t matter what he did.

Xu Yi didn’t think turning a straight guy gay was a good thing.

If Lu Xingyan really had other feelings for him…

He should find a way to nip it in the bud.

Probably because he had lain in bed all day, Lu Xingyan was eager to go out for a good meal.

Li Yuan and Xu Yi disagreed but still had to accompany him.

Before leaving, Xu Yi tossed the jacket from the chair to Lu Xingyan. “If you get a fever again, I’m not taking care of you.”

Lu Xingyan paused, obediently put on the jacket, and even zipped it all the way up.

Xu Yi walked over unsuspectingly and was caught off guard by Lu Xingyan’s nonsense.

“Mm, it still smells like Xiao Yi.”

Xu Yi looked at Lu Xingyan in disbelief, then blushed from his neck to the tips of his ears.

Li Yuan didn’t seem to notice; he just thought it was a gross joke between guys and even laughed a few times.

Because of Li Yuan’s calm reaction, Xu Yi realized that maybe he had been overreacting all along.

Guys often joked like that.

In middle and high school, straight guys always piled on top of each other.

Someone like him, on the other hand, was unlikely to have close physical contact with other guys.

Xu Yi thought he had been overthinking lately.

He was being too sentimental.

He quickly walked to the front, his voice almost trembling as he urged, “I’m hungry, hurry up.”

Lu Xingyan watched Xu Yi’s back and felt uneasy for some reason.

The three arrived at the cafeteria at eight o’clock. There wasn’t much to eat.

So they bought burgers and snacks. Xu Yi carried his burger back to the table first.

At this hour, a group of sports students had just returned from the lighted basketball court. They were still wearing thin athletic tank tops, showing off their muscles.

Xu Yi couldn’t help but take a few more glances.

Not as fair as Lu Xingyan, but this wheat-colored skin wasn’t bad either, shining under the cafeteria lights—quite nice.

But why did he keep comparing them to Lu Xingyan?

“What are you looking at?” Lu Xingyan’s voice came eerily from behind.

Xu Yi paused before answering, “Nothing, just thinking they’re not afraid of the cold.”

“Oh, is that so.” Lu Xingyan’s tone was flat. He sat in the seat between Xu Yi and the sports students.

Perfectly blocking his line of sight.

Xu Yi frowned, displeased.

What did Lu Xingyan mean by that?

They weren’t anything to each other.

Li Yuan also returned with drinks. He sensed something off between Lu Xingyan and Xu Yi, so he didn’t dare say much.

They ate in silence, thinking it was just a small incident.

As they were leaving the cafeteria together, a clear voice suddenly came from behind.

“Hey, classmate!”

Xu Yi instinctively turned around.

Among the group of guys, the youth at the front was holding up his phone and running toward him.

“Can I add you on WeChat?” The guy smiled, a bit goofily.

It was the one who had been drinking water.

Great body, handsome face.

Most importantly.

Xu Yi realized the other was gay.

This was the first time Xu Yi had met a gay guy on campus who dared to ask for his contact info.

He hesitated.

Xu Yi wanted a boyfriend.

Probably not a boyfriend who was clearly straight like Lu Xingyan.

But before he could answer, Lu Xingyan had already stepped in front of him.

“He has a partner.”

Lu Xingyan said ‘partner’.

Xu Yi thought he probably meant a girlfriend, since Li Yuan had also assumed he had a girlfriend before.

Xu Yi wanted to push him away and explain that he didn’t.

But the guy’s gaze shifted upward, locking eyes with Lu Xingyan.

Xu Yi seemed to smell a hint of gunpowder.

“Oh, it’s not you. Why do you care so much?” The guy’s eyes were challenging, as if he sensed the weird tension between them.

Xu Yi was satisfied with the guy’s looks, but Lu Xingyan was not a casual online fling—he was a real friend.

Xu Yi didn’t like the way this guy talked to Lu Xingyan.

Frowning, he pushed Lu Xingyan aside. “Sorry, I’m not interested.”

With that, he pulled Lu Xingyan away.

Li Yuan was dumbfounded. It wasn’t until they left that he seemed to slowly piece things together.

He whispered, “Those phys ed guys seem pretty tough. I heard they got a senior expelled.”

“That guy’s pretty notorious.”

Xu Yi was silent for a few seconds. Indeed, his judgment was still sound.

He had initially thought the guy looked decent, but after a few more words, Xu Yi felt uncomfortable.

“I wonder if they’ll bother Xiao Yi…” Li Yuan voiced his concern.

Lu Xingyan looked back. The guy was still standing there, holding his phone carelessly.

Chatting with someone.

The bluish glow of the screen lit up his face.

It looked a bit sinister.

“He won’t get the chance.” Lu Xingyan’s voice was low.

Xu Yi didn’t respond.

He felt his relationship with Lu Xingyan was pretty awkward right now.

After washing up, the two lay in bed again.

Li Yuan found it strange—they seemed to have argued, but they still insisted on squeezing together.

And they didn’t want to squeeze with him.

Xu Yi and Lu Xingyan lay back to back, neither intending to speak.

But like this, Xu Yi couldn’t sleep at all.

He just closed his eyes, his mind in chaos.

Suddenly, he heard Lu Xingyan turn over behind him.

A warm chest pressed against his back.

Xu Yi pursed his lips, planning to pretend to sleep.

“I suspect my girlfriend has been lying to me all along.”

Lu Xingyan’s voice was chilly.