Below that narrow, slender waist was…

Jian Yixun had never really been the type to hold grudges.

That afternoon, he’d chatted with his “online romance partner,” then been dragged off by friends to play pool, and had long since forgotten the minor unpleasantness with Xu Shuche in the meeting room.

It was only now, upon seeing him, that he remembered it again—but more than anything, he was concerned about what was going on with him.

Xu Shuche was already fair-skinned to begin with, but now his face was pale from the cold.

His lips trembled slightly, making it obvious he was freezing.

The red mark on Xu Shuche’s wrist from earlier in the afternoon inexplicably popped back into Jian Yixun’s mind, making him click his tongue in irritation.

Xu Shuche seemed to misunderstand that “tsk.”

The eyes that had been bright with a hint of expectation instantly dimmed, and he shrank back slightly.

“Aren’t you cold?”

Jian Yixun rummaged in his pocket for his keys.

“Don’t you know to ask a friend for help?

You’re just standing here like an idiot—your lips are about to freeze purple.”

Xu Shuche moved his lips and said softly, “I don’t have any friends.”

Jian Yixun’s hand shook as he searched for the keys.

He wanted to slap himself twice.

How could he be so bad at talking?

He really deserved it.

He’d already been feeling guilty about what happened in the afternoon, and now that guilt instantly skyrocketed.

“I didn’t… I didn’t mean to attack you,” Jian Yixun hurriedly tried to fix things.

“I just—I, ah—sorry, Senior.

It’s my fault.

I never think before I speak.”

An apology he’d agonized over all afternoon came out just like that, effortlessly.

Xu Shuche froze.

“What?”

“This afternoon.”

Jian Yixun finally pulled out his keys.

Under the white glow of the emergency light, the keychain glinted.

Xu Shuche noticed it was a SpongeBob making a crabby patty.

“This afternoon I was really rude and made decisions for you without asking,” Jian Yixun said.

“My attitude was awful.

I really had no manners.

If you’re still angry, you can scold me—I’m fine with that.”

Xu Shuche raised his brows slightly, surprised.

His first impression of Jian Yixun had been that of a smelly straight man—hot-tempered, foul-mouthed, and full of macho arrogance.

The kind of idiot straight man whose pride mattered more than his life, who would rather die than bow his head and admit fault.

The exact type Xu Shuche had found most disgusting since high school.

Yet now, Jian Yixun was actually apologizing on his own initiative.

And his attitude was so sincere.

It made Xu Shuche feel a little embarrassed instead.

As Jian Yixun opened the dorm door, Xu Shuche finally reacted.

“You live across from me?”

“I only found out today that you live across from me,” Jian Yixun said, covering his mouth as he looked at the dust drifting out of the room.

“My home’s in City B.

I can go back after class, so I basically don’t stay in the dorm.”

Xu Shuche gave an “oh” and watched him turn on the dorm light.

The warm yellow glow chased away the cold darkness, inexplicably making Xu Shuche feel a bit warmer.

Holding his laptop bag, Xu Shuche stood at the doorway and carefully looked around the entire room.

He noticed one bed covered with a dust sheet and a desk with barely any personal items, clearly showing that its owner didn’t live here often.

As he took in the furnishings, he slowly walked inside.

The graduate dorms at University B were very well equipped.

They were double rooms with a private shower and a small kitchen.

To Xu Shuche, the dorm was his home.

And now, he felt like he’d stepped into someone else’s.

While Xu Shuche was observing the dorm, Jian Yixun was observing him.

For some reason, he thought of a stray cat he’d taken home years ago.

It had probably looked just like this—huddled outside the doorframe, cautiously sizing up everything inside, before lifting its tail and walking in as if inspecting its new territory.

“Pretty cold, huh?”

Jian Yixun blew on his hands and hung his trench coat by the door.

“Sit wherever.

I’ll go boil some water for you.”

The dorm door closed softly, shutting out the cold autumn night.

Xu Shuche set down his laptop bag and sat stiffly at the desk.

“My roommate is also from City B,” he said.

“But he stays in the dorm more.

He usually only goes home on weekends.”

A cup of freshly boiled water was placed in front of Xu Shuche.

White steam curled upward, fogging a thin layer over his lenses.

The cup also had SpongeBob printed on it.

Looking at the cheerful yellow square faces on the cup wall, Xu Shuche’s lips curved almost imperceptibly.

“Is your roommate not here?”

Jian Yixun poured himself a cup of hot water and sat across from him.

“He doesn’t live in the dorm either?”

Xu Shuche’s fingers unconsciously curled inward.

He lowered his head slightly.

“I don’t know.”

Jian Yixun was usually very talkative.

He’d had a whole bunch of questions ready.

But the moment he lifted his eyes and met Xu Shuche’s gaze, those words jammed up in his throat, unable to come out.

“Thank you,” Xu Shuche said.

“About this afternoon—sorry.

I was too emotional too.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

Jian Yixun clicked his tongue again.

“I didn’t mean to be fierce with you, and I wasn’t bullying you.

I just sometimes don’t have my brain with me.

That’s my problem.”

Xu Shuche couldn’t help but laugh.

The fact that Jian Yixun could so openly admit his own stupidity made Xu Shuche realize he wasn’t some self-important idiot straight man.

He was more like a big, clumsy, foolish puppy.

Xu Shuche didn’t smile often.

He was usually cool and detached, his expressions rarely fluctuating.

But when he smiled now, the frost lingering between his brows seemed to slowly melt, and even his pale complexion looked a bit rosier.

How could there be a guy who smiled this well?

Jian Yixun had seen plenty of guys who grinned like monkeys, baring their teeth.

This question surfaced in his mind out of nowhere.

His brain seemed frozen by the cold wind from earlier, unable to think, only able to stare dumbly at him.

“What are you looking at me for?” Xu Shuche asked.

“You’re… pretty good-looking.”

Only after saying it did Jian Yixun realize something about his words felt off.

He grabbed his hair awkwardly.

“I—I mean, I…”

“It’s okay.”

Xu Shuche slowly finished the water in his cup.

“Thank you for the hot water.

I’ll get going.”

Jian Yixun snapped back to his senses.

“You’re leaving?

Where are you going?”

“Out to find a hotel.”

Xu Shuche rubbed his brow, looking tired.

“I’ll make do for the night and get the key from the dorm supervisor tomorrow.”

Jian Yixun panicked.

His cup clanged heavily onto the desk.

“Why are you going to a hotel this late?”

His movement was too sudden.

Xu Shuche jumped in fright, instinctively shrinking back and staring at him with wide eyes.

“Why are you fierce again?”

This counted as fierce?

Jian Yixun found it both funny and exasperating.

In the basketball team, which one of them didn’t shout and yell like they were in the Monkey King’s mountain?

Whoever yelled louder won.

He never imagined that today, he’d be labeled “fierce” twice by the same person.

“I don’t mean that.

I just think it’s unsafe to go book a hotel so late,” Jian Yixun said.

“Just stay here for the night.

Figure out how to get back to your dorm tomorrow.”

Stay here?

Xu Shuche frowned slightly.

He didn’t have a problem with that, but…

Jian Yixun remembered something else.

“But you can only sleep on my bed.

My roommate still comes back pretty often, so it’s better not to take his bed.”

Xu Shuche asked instinctively, “What about you?”

“Me?”

Jian Yixun looked at him as if he’d asked something strange.

“I’ll sleep with you.

The bed’s pretty big.

Two people is no problem.”

Xu Shuche felt that his expression must look terrible.

His sexual orientation was different from others’.

If he slept in the same bed as Jian Yixun, then…

“Forget it.

You’ll be uncomfortable squeezing in with me,” he said.

“There’s no reason for the host to be cramped.”

Jian Yixun let out an “hey.”

“What host or not?

What kind of hotel can you book this late?

It’s freezing outside and you’re underdressed.

Don’t argue with me.

Just take it as my apology for this afternoon.”

Xu Shuche didn’t even get the chance to say what he wanted.

He was usually slow and methodical in both speech and action.

This was the first time he’d met someone who did everything so fast and forcefully, like a machine gun.

By the time he came back to his senses, Jian Yixun was already rummaging around for spare pillows and blankets.

Forget it.

Since things had come to this, he might as well shower first.

Xu Shuche was pushed into the bathroom by Jian Yixun.

He let out a heavy sigh.

He’d realized he liked men during the summer of his third year of middle school.

Since then, he’d never had close physical contact with boys his age.

Suddenly running into a social menace like this today was really too much for him to handle.

The other occupant of this dorm seemed to have obsessive-compulsive tendencies.

All the shampoo and body wash bottles were neatly lined up on the rack, even their nozzles facing the exact same direction.

A towel was folded tidily on top of the washing machine.

Beside it sat a pot of healthy-looking succulents.

Xu Shuche withdrew his gaze and undressed.

He turned on the shower, patiently adjusting the water to a comfortable temperature.

Just as he raised his hand to take off his glasses, he heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

“Senior, I found some spare pajamas for you, I’ll bring them in—”

The bathroom door was knocked once, then suddenly pushed open.

A roomful of hazy steam rushed out all at once.

Xu Shuche wasn’t wearing his glasses.

He squinted toward the doorway.

“What?”

“I—I mean… sorry, I meant to knock, but this door—it just—”

Jian Yixun felt all the blood in his body rush to his face.

The steam hit him head-on, nearly suffocating him.

Through it, he could clearly see Xu Shuche’s bare, slender body.

A long, somewhat frightening scar slanted across his shoulder blade, adding a broken beauty to his back.

Xu Shuche was really thin.

The kind of thin where it looked like one hand could wrap around his waist.

And below that narrow waist was—

Jian Yixun had never known someone could be this pale.

In the mist, it was as if he were almost transparent.

His face felt hot enough to fry an egg.

He tossed the pajamas onto the rack beside him.

“Senior, I put your clothes here.

Remember to put them on.”

With that, Jian Yixun turned and left.

The bathroom door slammed shut behind him.

He let out a long breath, then glanced down at himself with a grim expression.