Chapter 1: My Roommate Might Be a Pervert

The sun shower poured down from the dense clouds, and the salty sea breeze billowed the sails.

 

The ship’s horn blared long and loud, startling a flock of seagulls that flapped their wings and scattered from the railings.

 

Lin Chuji stood by the floor-to-ceiling window inside the cabin, reached out toward the mirror, and forced a stiff smile as he began talking to himself.

“Hello, my name is Lin Chuji, I’ll be your roommate for the next seven days.”

“Hello, this is a gift I prepared for you.

Please take it.”

“Hello, I… you…”

 

A notification popped up on his phone, interrupting his practice.

 

He tapped it open—it was a reply from an online customer service agent about his return request.

[Sweetie~

We made the doll exactly according to the picture you provided.

It’s just that the color is a bit darker, the mouth a bit crooked, the nose a bit flatter.

You’re definitely being too strict.

I think it’s at least eighty percent similar~

Besides, our shop has always had a no-return, no-exchange policy once the product is made~]

Flowery nonsense, all lies.

 

Lin Chuji sent over the buyer’s photo—a hideously deformed thing—and began typing with a calm expression.

[The actual product differs too much from the picture.

According to Article 55 of the Consumer Rights Protection Law, this constitutes false advertising and fraud.]

[I’m a senior lawyer with fifteen years of experience, currently on vacation.

It’s really unpleasant to run into this kind of situation while ordering a gift for a child.

Two options: return for a refund, or remake and resend.

Otherwise, I’d be happy to spend some time taking your shop to court.]

[Friendly reminder: your previous deceptive reply will also be used as evidence in court.]

[The compensation isn’t much—just triple the price plus my emotional damages.]

It didn’t matter.

Online, you can be whoever you want to be.

 

Just as he was passionately typing away, a beep came from the door—someone swiping their keycard.

 

The moment the door pushed open, Lin Chuji’s fierce confidence vanished instantly.

 

All the social scripts he had prepared were forgotten completely.

 

He pulled back the curtain and darted sideways onto the balcony like a frightened rabbit.

 

Footsteps echoed crisply inside the room.

 

Listening to the sounds, he belatedly realized how sneaky he was being.

 

A greeting wouldn’t kill him.

He’d paid 8,888 for this seven-day island tour, so technically half the room was his.

What was he hiding from?

 

But showing himself now would be even more embarrassing—he’d have to explain himself.

 

The wind by the sea was strong, blowing up under the hem of his shirt.

 

Lin Chuji’s already pale skin looked like wet paper—damp, sticky, and not a place to linger.

 

He planned to wait for the person to leave before sneaking back in.

 

But his roommate didn’t seem to want to go out again.

 

Ten minutes later, a sincere voice came from inside the room: “Hey buddy, you didn’t fall into the toilet, did you?”

 

Lin Chuji stood expressionless in the wind.

 

“Or do you need me to bring you toilet paper?

Don’t be shy.

Just say the word.”

 

The other person had a standard youthful voice, with a laugh at the end—impossible to tell if it was genuine concern or teasing.

 

Lin Chuji covered his ears and played dead.

 

“No way.

His suitcase is right here.

Where’d he go?”

 

The lounge chair creaked as the person stood up.

 

“He talks too much.

Might as well poison him mute.”

 

Lin Chuji saw the customer service agent’s instant retreat and refund approval, smiled in satisfaction, and looked up through the gap in the curtain.

 

The young man had an impressive height, a straight nose, and large sunglasses covering most of his face.

 

His wheat-colored arms, exposed by his short sleeves, showed firm muscles and an undeniable strength.

 

He wore casual flip-flops that matched his island-style shorts perfectly, exuding an air of vacation ease from head to toe.

 

He really did look like an outgoing, easygoing person.

 

But for a social phobic, rooming with a social butterfly for seven days would be hell on earth.

 

Better to avoid meeting him altogether.

He needed to switch rooms immediately.

 

Just as he was thinking that, Lin Chuji saw the guy circle around the bathroom door, look disappointed, and then turn toward the balcony.

 

He watched him come closer and closer until his fingers rested on the edge of the curtain and slowly pulled it open an inch.

 

Close enough to see the texture of his clothes.

 

Lin Chuji’s heart stopped.

 

Help.

This was the ultimate social disaster.

 

Not only would he have to say hello, but he’d also have to explain why he’d been standing on the balcony like an idiot for ten minutes, turning himself into a fool in the wind.

 

“Don’t come any closer.

One more step and I’ll knock you out,” Lin Chuji threatened telepathically, hoping Buddha would perform a miracle.

 

Right then, the curtain lifted another fraction.

 

At that critical moment, Xie Yan’s phone buzzed in his pocket.

 

He casually glanced at it, then walked back to the lounge chair, flopped down, and answered.

“I’m on the ship.

Haven’t seen my roommate yet.

Just a white suitcase in the room.”

 

Lin Chuji breathed a sigh of relief.

His palms were instantly soaked with sweat.

 

“What did you just send me?”

Since the room seemed empty, Xie Yan put it on speaker.

 

On the other end, a joking voice teased, “What could please my bro?

Only something exciting and stimulating—forced bondage play, perfect for late-night indulgence.”

 

The tone was full of innuendo.

 

Lin Chuji hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but those keywords alone instantly painted a picture in his mind.

 

Tangled ropes, deep red marks, pale lips, cold sweat dripping from pain, and intermittent moans.

 

He leaned against the wall and clicked his tongue inwardly.

This social guy’s hobbies are pretty wild.

 

“Then I’ll have to savor it,” Xie Yan said, used to his friend’s nonsense.

 

He opened the mini-program link he’d received—it contained methods for tying up crabs in various ways and cooking techniques.

 

There was a communal kitchen on every deck of the ship, and he had just brought a basket of fresh crabs onboard.

 

He saved the link and laughed, “Okay, I’ll do it once my roommate arrives.

I just don’t know if he likes being tied up like that.”

 

Lin Chuji stared at him in disbelief.

 

Did you just say that?

Are you sick?

What normal person likes being tied up with ropes?

 

“I really want to join you two.

See you in a couple of days.

Remember to take lots of photos and send them to me…

Sailing the sea feels amazing… do whatever you want…”

 

The ship was leaving the harbor, and the signal was fluctuating.

 

The voice on the other end crackled in and out, only random words coming through.

 

Lin Chuji’s expression darkened completely.

 

Bad people really do attract each other.

 

“Can’t hear you clearly.

We’ll record a video tonight and send it to you.

Gotta go.”

 

Communication was too difficult.

Xie Yan replied perfunctorily and hung up.

 

Record a video???

 

The departure horn sounded in the distance, each blast more mournful than the last.

 

It was like the tolling of a fateful death knell.

 

Lin Chuji looked warily at the guy on the lounge chair—someone who kept dancing across the line of propriety—his expression complicated.

 

He absolutely, definitely needed to stay far away from this pervert.

 

***

 

Near evening, the rain stopped.

 

Xie Yan still hadn’t seen his roommate, so he grabbed his DSLR and went out again.

 

He took the elevator to the top deck and started randomly composing and capturing shots.

 

This was his way of relaxing—shooting people, objects, and scenery.

 

The seaside sunset came just in time.

 

Xie Yan captured a few satisfying shots, then turned his lens—the frame fixed on a figure in the distance.

 

He leaned on the railing, his eyelashes lowered, the sunset casting a soft glow across his nose, but the base color of his eyes was cold.

 

The wind blew freely, the fabric clinging to the boy’s slender back, revealing a smooth, clean waistline.

 

His temperament was like a sudden bamboo flute in a mountain stream—ethereal, distant, highly inspiring to someone with a creative urge.

 

“It’d be a shame not to shoot him,” Xie Yan said to himself, adjusting his camera and walking in that direction.

 

Lin Chuji didn’t notice the approaching person.

 

He was still typing on his phone, checking three times for typos before hitting send.

[lark]: I’ll pay extra for another room.

Can I move there by myself?

[lark]: That way my original roommate gets a room all to himself too.

He’ll be more comfortable.

 

If I run off myself, I can’t let that pervert get bored and go tie someone else up.

That would be too immoral.

 

“The rooms are all full.

If you really aren’t satisfied with your roommate, your only option is to convince passengers from another room to swap with you,” the tour leader replied via voice message, sounding very troubled.

 

Lin Chuji had met him before boarding—a tall, sturdy man.

 

He latched onto that lifeline and asked again: You’re pretty good at fighting, right?

 

“Of course.

Why?”

The tone was very proud.

 

Then if he’s forced into anything, he shouldn’t be at a disadvantage either.

[lark]: How about you go live with him?

I can sleep in your staff room.

You won’t lose out.

 

“No way.

I can’t afford an ocean-view room.

And if you change your mind later and report me, I’d lose my job.”

 

The tour leader refused, then tried to comfort him: “You two are both recent graduates.

Same age group, what problems could you have?

Why not just try one night first?”

 

Nothing worked.

Lin Chuji started getting a headache.

 

He didn’t make a habit of gossiping about others behind their backs, and he had no evidence to support his claims.

His reasons really weren’t sufficient.

 

But having unintentionally heard about his roommate’s niche hobby—what if he really did force himself on him…?

 

He was still dazed when his left shoulder was gently tapped from behind.

 

A faint scent of citrus wrapped around him in the wind, cutting through the surrounding salty dampness—fresh, clean, instantly loosening his stiff back.

 

Lin Chuji turned his head gently, only to crash into a pair of eyes staring straight at him.

 

The comfort vanished immediately.

 

“Hey, friend,” Xie Yan said warmly.

 

What a small world.

This ghost won’t leave me alone.

 

Lin Chuji’s expression darkened as if he were heading to a funeral.

 

People bustled all around, noisy and lively, which only highlighted the awkward stillness in this spot.

 

Seeing his guarded look, Xie Yan spoke up generously again: “I noticed you from over there.

You have a strong on-camera presence and great aura.

So I wanted to take a few photos of you.

Is that okay?”

 

He lifted his camera to show it.

 

Lin Chuji shook his head, refusing.

 

“I’m pretty good at photography.

Let me show you some of my previous work, and you can decide,” Xie Yan said, scrolling rapidly through the playback buttons on his camera.

 

After some landscape photos, a slew of male model underwear shots flashed by in a blur.

 

Some of them featured highly intense poses—kneeling on the ground, bold and avant-garde.

 

He loved taking photos.

After the college entrance exams, he had nothing to do, so he picked up some gigs to earn extra money.

His expression remained perfectly composed.

 

But Lin Chuji, still reeling from the earlier shock, took another sharp breath.

 

His face frosted over.

 

After a long pause, he finally spoke his first sentence: “You want to shoot me with that kind of scale?”

 

Xie Yan kept scrolling forward, explaining casually, “You don’t have to undress.

Those were for work.”

 

Lin Chuji didn’t believe a single word.

 

It all connects now.

What a fake, two-faced scheme.

First pretend to have boundaries to lower my guard, then tie me up at night and shoot even more explicit photos and videos.

You’ve really mastered the art of gradual escalation.

Are you going to sell them online too?

 

“But they’re pretty good, aren’t they?

Want to give it a try?

If you hesitate much longer, the sunset will be gone.”

Xie Yan’s smile was relaxed.

 

Given the terrible impression already formed, Lin Chuji stepped back, his back against the railing, his entire body screaming rejection: “No pictures.

I have zero interest in your hobbies, tastes, or personal orientation.”

 

Each word was deliberate, heavily emphasized.

 

He didn’t spell it out purely out of basic courtesy to save the other’s dignity.

 

“What orientation?”

Xie Yan picked up on the hint and looked up at him.

 

Looking closer, he realized this friend was genuinely very beautiful.

 

Slightly curly hair, thick eyelashes, light-colored pupils—the kind of face that both boys and girls would like.

 

He’d clearly been bothered like this many times before, which was why he seemed to misinterpret every action as persistent flirting.

No wonder he was so guarded.

 

Xie Yan also stepped back, creating a polite social distance.

 

“Don’t misunderstand.

I’m not trying to harass you.

And believe me—I’ve shot so many male models.

I didn’t feel a thing.

I really don’t like guys.”

 

He met Lin Chuji’s gaze openly, without a hint of guilt.

 

Lin Chuji’s face was taut as he tried to gauge how much truth was in those words.

 

Xie Yan turned serious.

“If I have even a fraction of improper thoughts about you, I’ll…”

 

He stopped mid-sentence.

 

A seagull brushed past Lin Chuji’s shoulder and darted away.

 

Xie Yan’s gaze followed it downward.

 

The already open collar had formed into messy folds, revealing a long, pale neck and a large expanse of cool white skin.

 

The sharp, cold collarbone extended smoothly to a rounded shoulder, making one want to follow that line from the shoulder down, glimpsing the waist half-hidden beneath the shirt.

 

Under the wind’s caress, the lines grew clearer and more tempting, drawing the eye closer for a better look.

 

Lin Chuji noticed the other’s unguarded stare, frowned, hesitated for two seconds, and then snapped, “What are you looking at?”

 

Xie Yan realized he had inexplicably spaced out.

He gave an awkward little cough.

 

Lin Chuji turned to leave.

 

“Hey,” Xie Yan said, swiping open his phone and calling out to stop him.

 

“Let me finish.”

 

Afraid of being misunderstood again, his tone unconsciously grew heavier, each word firm and emphatic.

 

“If I have even a fraction of improper thoughts about you, I, Xie Yan, will run naked around this deck three times in front of you and then jump into the sea.”

 

Lin Chuji: “……”

 

“I just recorded that.”

Xie Yan smiled, his eyes bright.

 

He pulled up his QR code and held it out.

“If you still don’t trust me, add me on WeChat.

I’ll send you the recording, and you can do whatever you want with it.”

 

Lin Chuji: “……”

 

You crafty, scheming pervert.

Might as well just kick him into the sea right now.

 

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