Hearing this, Luo Jingshu slowly revealed a smile, his eyes cold and detached. “He doesn’t like me,” he said.
Mrs. Luo’s smile instantly froze, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. “If he doesn’t like you, why did he follow you into your room?”
He even draped his own coat over you.
Luo Jingshu lowered his gaze, a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his lips. “Perhaps he just pitied me.”
Mrs. Luo felt something was off, but Luo Jingshu’s expression seemed genuinely disappointed. Could it be that Xiao Cheng was really acting out of kindness?
“Regardless, it’s good that he’s helping you.”
“Did you exchange contact information with him?”
Luo Jingshu said nothing, and Mrs. Luo took this as a confirmation.
“Since you exchanged contact information, make sure to stay in touch and build a good relationship with him.”
Only then did Luo Jingshu lift his eyes to look at Mrs. Luo, his gaze icy and distant. “Just friends?”
Mrs. Luo thought he agreed with her suggestion and smiled even more brightly. “If it progresses further, that would be even better…”
Before she could finish, Luo Yuan chimed in. “I don’t think Xiao Cheng is not someone who is easy to approach, Jingshu. You shouldn’t keep a cold attitude; it might push him away.”
Mrs. Luo considered this. Given how indifferent Luo Jingshu was in front of them, he might very well be just as cold to Xiao Cheng.
She had an idea. “You could also pass Xiao Cheng’s contact information to Yuan Yuan. After all, you’re both young men, and everyone’s friends.”
Luo Yuan’s heart leapt with joy, though his face was shy. “I’d like to, but I’m not sure if Xiao Cheng would agree.”
His expression made it seem more like a marriage proposal than a simple friendship.
Luo Jingshu stood up, having had enough of their ridiculous behavior. He leisurely said, “Sorry to disappoint you.”
“I don’t have his contact information.”
Mrs. Luo’s expression darkened immediately, and even Luo Yuan looked awkward and unsure what to do.
Luo Jingshu was done listening to them and, ignoring Mrs. Luo’s further shouting, turned and left.
He had long seen through their shamelessness.
——
Meanwhile, when Xiao Cheng and Xiao Ziyue arrived home, they ran into their mother, Mrs. Xiao, coming down the stairs.
Mrs. Xiao, whose maiden name was He and whose given name was An, had been known for her beauty in her youth and still looked well-preserved, appearing no older than thirty.
Seeing her children come in, Mrs. Xiao smiled. “Did you have a good time tonight?”
Xiao Ziyue ran up to her and linked arms with her mother. “It was nice, but it’s a pity we didn’t see…”
She had intended to mention Luo Jingshu but noticed her brother seemed distracted. She couldn’t help but complain about him to their mother.
“My brother is such a stickler for rules. I’m worried he won’t find a partner in the future.”
Mrs. Xiao shook her head with a smile. “When the time comes, fate will take care of it.”
Besides, Xiao Cheng was only eighteen, and there was no rush for romance.
With this distraction, Xiao Ziyue forgot about Luo Jingshu, and Xiao Cheng missed the chance to learn the full story.
After receiving Mrs. Xiao’s concern, Xiao Cheng felt uneasy, unsure of how to respond.
Once back in his room, he sighed wearily.
Even though he tried not to think about the original owner of his body, he felt guilty whenever he was cared for by Xiao’s parents.
He wasn’t the original owner and didn’t deserve their concern.
He wondered where the original owner had gone and if he might one day wake up in his old world.
Xiao Cheng didn’t know.
Thinking about these things felt like a heavy stone on his heart. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep, and his fingers unconsciously reached for his phone.
He wanted to share his troubles with someone, but after scrolling through his social media, he did not find anyone suitable.
He couldn’t talk to people who knew the original owner, as it might reveal his true identity.
It seemed his only option was Nian Nian, but they had just met today, and their relationship wasn’t close enough to burden him with his worries.
Xiao Cheng typed “Are you there?” into the chat box but second-guessed himself and almost deleted it. However, he accidentally hit send.
The chat box now displayed the lonely “Are you there?” with a distinctly straightforward tone.
Luo Jingshu looked at the message on his phone, not intending to reply. After a quick glance, he prepared to delete it but saw the chat box update with “Typing…”
He watched as this message appeared and disappeared for three minutes, and Xiao Cheng did not send any additional messages.
It was clear that Xiao Cheng was quite conflicted.
Eventually, Luo Jingshu sent a reply with an emoji—a fluffy rabbit with big eyes and tiny stars.
[Nian Nian: Are you having trouble sleeping, Brother Cheng?]
Xiao Cheng ultimately decided not to burden Nian Nian with his troubles. Just as he had resolved to let it go, Nian Nian replied to his message.
Xiao Cheng felt an inexplicable sense of embarrassment, but was charmed by the cute sticker Nian Nian sent.
He even mentally inserted Nian Nian’s face into the sticker.
[Xiao Cheng: Yeah, I can’t sleep.]
That should be fine, right?
He was worried his tone might sound a bit cold, but after searching his phone, he couldn’t find a single sticker to match his mood.
Xiao Cheng thought for a few seconds and then saved the sticker Nian Nian sent earlier.
Cute stickers achieved!
Luo Jingshu, expressionless, sent another cute sticker back, [Brother Cheng, if you can’t sleep, you can chat with me.]
Xiao Cheng had now received two stickers and replied happily to Luo Jingshu’s message.
[Xiao Cheng: Sure.]
This time, he sent out the first sticker Nian Nian had sent.
At this moment, Xiao Cheng didn’t yet know the term “sticker thief.”
Luo Jingshu was momentarily speechless, but after a while, he silently shared a full set of stickers with him.
[Nian Nian: These stickers are all so cute, for Brother Cheng.]
Xiao Cheng felt like he had discovered a new world, his eyes practically dazzled by the array of stickers. He saved all of them and added them to his collection.
From now on, he would send a cute sticker every time he spoke to avoid seeming cold.
Not knowing how long they chatted, Nian Nian suddenly sent him a voice message.
Xiao Cheng hesitated momentarily, held his phone to his ear, and gently played the message.
“Brother Cheng, good night~”
Nian Nian also lowered his voice, the microphone close to his mouth. Xiao Cheng could clearly hear the slight rise in his tone, with a hint of a husky sound and nasal quality, as gentle as a lover’s whisper.
Xiao Cheng silently saved the voice message and replied: [Good night.]
[Sweet dreams.]
Nian Nian was a very gentle person.
Luo Jingshu, who had been praised for his gentleness, deleted their chat history, finally erasing all those stickers from his screen.
Damn, that was eye-watering.
Luo Jingshu couldn’t help but curse inwardly.
He rarely regretted his actions, but at that moment, he deeply regretted it.
If he could, he wished he had never sent that sticker.
No, perhaps he shouldn’t have replied to Xiao Cheng’s message at all.
Fuck.
Luo Jingshu cursed again.
——
Xiao Cheng slept soundly through the night and woke up refreshed. The first thing he did was grab his phone to wish Nian Nian a good morning.
It was then that he realized he had unintentionally sent a lot of stickers the night before. It hadn’t seemed too noticeable last night, but his screen was filled with a single rabbit sticker this morning.
A bit eye-watering.
Xiao Cheng belatedly wondered if Nian Nian found him annoying.
Even the cutest things can become tiresome if overdone, right?
Xiao Cheng hesitated over the stickers and then decided to use a simple emoji from the input options.
[Xiao Cheng: Good morning (-o-)／]
This looked neither too stiff nor too glaring.
Perfect.
Nian Nian seemed to be busy, replying to his message only around mid-morning.
[Nian Nian: Good morning, Brother Cheng.]
Xiao Cheng was playing a game with Jiang Zihe, wearing headphones. He didn’t hear his phone ring until the screen lit up, signaling Nian Nian’s reply.
Jiang Zihe was still chatting loudly, so Xiao Cheng removed his headphones, unlocked his screen, and saw the message.
[Xiao Cheng: Just waking up?]
[Nian Nian: Yeah, I wonder if there’s still breakfast.]
Xiao Cheng deleted his original message asking if Nian Nian had eaten breakfast and typed instead: [There should be something to eat in the kitchen. Go look for it; skipping breakfast isn’t good for your stomach.]
Luo Jingshu was momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
Any considerate person would offer to buy breakfast, but Xiao Cheng just suggested he find something in the kitchen?
If Mrs. Luo had genuinely not left him breakfast, there might not be anything in the kitchen.
Luo Jingshu replied briefly, noticing Xiao Cheng’s replies seemed less enthusiastic than the night before. His expression grew even colder.
[Nian Nian: What’s Brother Cheng doing?]
The game was over, and Xiao Cheng finally had a moment to reply to Nian Nian.
[Xiao Cheng: Playing a game.]
Luo Jingshu didn’t care much; what could be more fun than a game?
[Nian Nian: Well, Brother Cheng, enjoy your game. I won’t disturb you.]
Xiao Cheng’s dull brain finally clicked. Was Nian Nian upset because he hadn’t replied quickly?
Xiao Cheng didn’t think it was odd that Nian Nian might be upset over a delayed reply. He explained:
[Xiao Cheng: The game isn’t that fun. I’m done playing.]
[Xiao Cheng: I’m not busy. What are you doing, Nian Nian?]
Luo Jingshu glanced casually and suddenly noticed a flower pot on the balcony that had finally started to bloom. Perhaps it had bloomed since last night, but neither he nor Xiao Cheng noticed.
He took a photo of the flower and sent it to Xiao Cheng.
[Nian Nian: Brother Cheng, look.]
Xiao Cheng first noticed the hand in the photo: distinct knuckles, pale skin over the bones, neatly trimmed nails, clean and beautiful.
He stared at the hand briefly before noticing the green bud underneath.
[Xiao Cheng: What kind of flower is this?]
Luo Jingshu answered casually, intentionally including his fingers in the shot, making it hard for Xiao Cheng to miss.
Xiao Cheng didn’t understand plants and considered himself a plant killer. Anything he planted would die.
[Xiao Cheng: Remember to water it regularly.]
Luo Jingshu: …
He typed slowly, [Oh.]
Is that all?
No praise for his hand?
Luo Jingshu’s face twisted into a cold smile. Xiao Cheng was probably destined to be single forever.
Ugh.
