Chen Jing watched as Rong Shu walked over, one hand hooking onto one serving of takoyaki while the other held another portion in his palm. “Isn’t it enough that you eat by yourself? You’re even packing some to bring back for a late-night snack?”
Rong Shu pulled a chair over with his leg, sat down, and nodded. He placed the portion in his palm on the table, pushed it toward Chen Jing, and then stabbed a bamboo skewer into one of the takoyaki balls. “Here, I’ll give you half!”
Chen Jing thought to himself, ‘If you wanted to treat me, why didn’t you just give me that portion directly?’ “Thanks!”
“Oh, come on, why so formal?”
Chen Jing: “…”
Rong Shu smiled, skewered a ball, and popped it into his mouth. His cheeks puffed out as he chewed, and his charming, peach-blossom eyes squinted in satisfaction. “Tastes pretty good!”
After speaking, he couldn’t help but pat the bag containing the other portion beside him.
Chen Jing noticed his actions. “So, is that other portion for yourself or… never mind, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”
Rong Shu raised his hand and patted Chen Jing on the head. “Jing, why do you think Grandpa Xiao Ming lived to be ninety-nine? ^_^”
Chen Jing pushed his hand away with a look of disdain. “I’m not asking anymore, I’m not asking anymore! I don’t know anything, I’m still a kid. Please, brother, spare me. I’ll go get the noodles!”
He jumped up and ran off to fetch the noodles. Rong Shu smiled as he watched Chen Jing bring the noodles back and place them in front of him. “Our Xiao Jing is so considerate. Whoever marries you in the future will definitely be very happy, right?”
Chen Jing’s face flushed at his words, and he almost spilled the noodles he had just brought over. “Brother, I’m begging you, please spare me! I promise I won’t snoop around anymore. QAQ.”
“Good boy, this takoyaki is your reward.”
Rong Shu skewered a takoyaki and placed it in Chen Jing’s bowl. Chen Jing stared at the takoyaki hanging on the edge of the bowl, feeling like he’d have a psychological shadow every time he ate takoyaki in the future.
Everyone thought Rong Shu was good-looking, smart, and had a great personality, always smiling and appearing kind-hearted. But those who knew him well understood that while he was indeed good-looking, he had reservations about his so-called kindness.
After finishing the meal, Rong Shu stood up to pay. Chen Jing took out his phone. “I’ll transfer you the money!”
Rong Shu raised an eyebrow but didn’t refuse. He grabbed the other portion of takoyaki from the table. “Let’s head back.”
“Aren’t we going to walk around a bit?” Chen Jing was a bit surprised that he was so eager to leave.
Rong Shu lazily shook his head. “Let’s go, I’m tired.”
Chen Jing nodded and didn’t say much more. But on their way back to school from the night market, he suddenly said, “People from the North Campus probably have to stay in the dorms, right? How are their dorms assigned? It can’t be by class, can it?”
Rong Shu smiled and glanced at him. Chen Jing felt a sudden unease. “…If it’s by class, then in our class, your dormitory is the only one with an empty bed, right?”
“Yes, that’s right!”
Chen Jing instinctively glanced at the takoyaki in Rong Shu’s hand…
Damn, I was careless!
On the way back, Chen Jing didn’t say another word. It wasn’t until they reached the dormitory building that Chen Jing hesitated before waving his hand at Rong Shu. “If anything comes up, message me.”
The words seemed abrupt, but Rong Shu understood what Chen Jing meant. Smiling, he raised his hand and ruffled Chen Jing’s hair. “Alright.”
As he watched Rong Shu head upstairs, Chen Jing sighed, unable to help but wonder how the Omegas who adored Rong Shu would react if they found out that their beloved campus heartthrob was actually an Alpha with a penchant for cold and ruthless personas.
The thought actually made him look forward to it a bit.
When Rong Shu reached the final step, he noticed the light in his dorm room was on.
The nameplate, which had previously only had his name on it, now had a second name: Shen Huaixiu.
Rong Shu lightly tapped the new name with his finger, his smile both attractive and audacious.
He reached out to push the door open. As the door swung open, he saw an Alpha standing by the bed, in the middle of changing clothes. The Alpha’s upper body, though lean, was not weak. Beneath the pale skin were well-defined, powerful muscles—sleek and strong without being overly exaggerated.
Anyone would have to admit it was a stunning sight.
Noticing Rong Shu’s straightforward gaze, Shen Huaixiu quickly pulled down the black shirt he was halfway into, covering the impressive view. Rong Shu, feeling a bit regretful, remarked, “What a coincidence, you’re staying in this room too!”
Sitting on the bed, Shen Huaixiu nodded in acknowledgment.
Rong Shu wasn’t surprised by his cold response. Noticing the cup of lemon tea he had brought back from the classroom in the room, he walked over and placed the takoyaki next to it. “They say lemon tea and takoyaki go well together. I’m treating you, no refusals allowed.”
After speaking, Rong Shu didn’t wait to see if Shen Huaixiu had anything to say. He simply grabbed the silver satin bathrobe hanging nearby and headed into the bathroom.
Shen Huaixiu stared at the takoyaki on the table, a flicker of something unreadable in his black eyes.
As Rong Shu opened the bathroom door, the scent of another person hit him—a cold, sharp smell with an underlying hint of blood that made his scalp tingle. He glanced up at the mirror, seeing the flush on his own cheeks. Gently, he stuck out his soft, pink tongue and licked his lips, the corners of his mouth lifting in a smile that seemed to be naturally etched into his face—beautiful, yet with a hint of something sinister.
Warm water cascaded down, and Rong Shu squinted his attractive peach blossom eyes. The cat ears on his head, now wet, twitched uncomfortably, causing him to frown slightly. One hand unconsciously pressed against the wall as he bit his lower lip, a soft, ambiguous sound slipping out.
In the warm, steam-filled bathroom, the intense scent of roses surged, mingling with and overwhelming the lingering hint of blood in the air.
Sitting outside, Shen Huaixiu suddenly turned his head toward the bathroom. His usually emotionless black eyes showed a flash of surprise, quickly replaced by a deep, unreadable look.
Rong Shu finished his shower and pushed the door open, stepping out with a silver satin bathrobe casually worn on his body. His pale, smooth skin was exposed, but he seemed completely unaware, gently toweling off his short hair. His sensitive cat ears twitched repeatedly in irritation.
As the bathroom door opened, the faint rose scent wafted out, becoming an alluring aroma.
Shen Huaixiu glanced briefly at him before standing and heading for the door. Rong Shu paused, looking over at him. “You’re going out this late?”
“Yes,” Shen Huaixiu responded briefly before opening the door and leaving without further explanation. Only after the door closed did the strange tension in his heart begin to dissipate.
Rong Shu gripped the towel in his hand, a mischievous gleam in his dark eyes as he turned to look at Shen Huaixiu’s desk. The takoyaki and lemon tea that had been sitting there were now gone, the empty packaging lying forlornly in the trash can.
His smile widened, and in an exceptionally good mood, he slipped back into the bathroom, planning to apply another layer of body lotion. He was determined to keep smelling nice.
Shen Huaixiu stood outside the door for a moment before walking downstairs. After the school merger, he was the only one placed in a class on the South Campus, while everyone else was grouped into independent classes, even their dorms were separate.
The early spring night was a bit chilly, perfectly quelling the inexplicable heat that had risen within him.
“Boss, Boss, it’s really you!” Jiang Huan let out a yell as he ran over, carrying a bunch of items. He dumped them into Shen Huaixiu’s arms with a clatter. “Here, these are all from the brothers. We were worried you might not adjust well being here alone!”
It was obvious that Jiang Huan had shown up just to deliver these things to him.
Shen Huaixiu instinctively caught the items in his arms, frowning slightly as he asked, “Did you guys climb over the wall to get out?”
Jiang Huan’s expression immediately froze. “It was—just this once, really, Boss. We won’t do it again, I promise. We’ll listen to you and won’t act recklessly here like we did back there. But we were just curious, you know, since we’re new here. I swear, just today! I’ll go back and warn them!”
The tension in Jiang Huan’s voice was obvious. Shen Huaixiu glanced at him. “It’s late. Head back. Thanks.”
Seeing that he accepted the items, Jiang Huan quickly broke into a smile. “Okay, okay, I’ll go back now. But Boss, why are you wandering around so late? Who’s your roommate? Are they easy to get along with? If not, maybe you could switch over to our side. We could be together and—”
“No need to switch. Just go back.” For some reason, when Jiang Huan mentioned his roommate, the scene he had glimpsed earlier flashed uncontrollably in Shen Huaixiu’s mind. Although it was just a brief look, with his heightened Alpha senses, it left a strong impression.
Not wanting to dwell on it, the irritation he had just managed to suppress began to resurface.
Noticing Shen Huaixiu’s expression darken, Jiang Huan didn’t dare say more. He quickly said goodnight and turned to run off.
But despite leaving, he couldn’t help but feel worried. He decided he would find out who their boss’s roommate was. How could anyone dare make the boss leave the room so late at night?
That was just too much!
Shen Huaixiu stood there for a while, holding the pile of items. Fortunately, it was already late, and the vast campus of Federal No. 1 Middle School was quiet, with only the sounds of cicadas and the rustling of the wind breaking the silence.
Finally, as the agitation in his heart faded, Shen Huaixiu headed back with the things.
As the door opened, the sweet, heady scent of roses hit him, instantly undoing all the effects of the half-hour he had spent cooling off in the cold wind outside.
Hearing the noise, the person who had been lying in bed sat up, letting one slender, pale leg dangle over the edge. “Where did you go?”
The boy’s voice was soft, with a hint of husky warmth. Shen Huaixiu, avoiding eye contact, walked past him and placed the items he was carrying on the table. “Come down and eat.”
Behind him, there was the sound of rustling, and soon the boy, who had been sitting on the bed, shuffled over in his slippers, bringing that sweet rose scent with him. A slim, pale hand reached out and gently opened the bag as the boy chuckled softly. “Did you go out just to buy these?”
Shen Huaixiu’s gaze swept over the hand, and the full image of it formed in his mind. The boy’s hand was pale and slender, with smooth, rounded nails that had a lovely pinkish hue. Under the light, it resembled the finest mutton-fat jade adorned with peach blossom petals—flawless yet carrying a touch of allure.
Feeling uneasy, Shen Huaixiu tried to shift away from Rong Shu, but as he turned his head, he caught a glimpse of the boy’s silver satin bathrobe, half-open and slipping off one shoulder. The robe revealed a smooth, rounded, and pale shoulder. His black hair was tousled from lying down, no longer neatly in place, with a slight flush at the corner of his eyes. His high nose bridge and slightly parted, full, red lips completed the image…
Shen Huaixiu abruptly turned away and headed towards the bathroom. “I’m going to take a shower.”
Rong Shu, who had just skewered a piece of tofu with a toothpick, tilted his head and looked at Shen Huaixiu’s tall, retreating figure. Puzzled, he asked, “Didn’t you just shower?”
How did he get dirty so quickly?
Author’s note:
Rong Shu: Is it because of me?
