Chapter 29 Part 1: A Mark Left Behind

Lin Chuji looked down at the desk drawer.

Inside was indeed a small transparent box tied with a ribbon.

Four plump snow-skin mochi sat in their compartments, their colors warm and delicate, the craftsmanship exquisite—clearly the work of a skilled hand.

He hadn’t eaten breakfast and was already hungry, so he was really craving them.

“I…

I want to sneak one,” Lin Chuji whispered.

“So bold?

Not afraid of getting caught?”

Xie Yan said this, but his hand was already reaching over to help him open the box.

Lin Chuji watched the professor writing on the board with his back turned and mustered his courage.

“It’s fine.

I’ll just stuff it all in my mouth at once.

Just one bite.

I won’t get caught.”

Xie Yan’s heart skipped a beat.

He had a vague sense of foreboding.

Lin Chuji did have a tendency for socially disastrous situations to keep happening.

At least today, from the moment he stepped into this classroom, all sorts of things had already happened.

But Lin Chuji was tempted by the food and couldn’t think about it.

His eyes fixed on the professor’s direction, and he suddenly shoved the mochi into his mouth.

Xie Yan kept watch for him, unable to hide his smile, and whispered, “Hurry up, you’re about to get caught.”

Lin Chuji wolfed it down, nearly choking.

It was the first time he had been this bold—he must have been possessed.

But the soft, chewy texture exploded in his mouth, smooth and tender, the filling fresh—it was so delicious he felt like he was ascending to heaven.

Xie Yan watched his little actions, took out a water bottle from his bag, and handed it over.

“Don’t choke.”

Lin Chuji mumbled a thank you.

Luckily, he hadn’t been caught.

He’d have to resist eating the rest until after class.

“Delicious, really delicious,” he praised, savoring the lingering taste.

Xie Yan was about to say something when he saw his phone vibrate with a group message.

He opened it and messages started popping up.

[Shen Yinan]: Oh, looks like the argument is over and you’ve made up.

You’re already eating together.

[Shen Yibei]: It’s so good, but you didn’t buy any for us.

[z]: It’s limited.

One per person.

[z]: But you went to queue at five or six in the morning.

I thought you were buying it to win over a girlfriend?

You’re using it to win over Lin Chuji?

[Shen Yinan]: Wow, five in the morning~~~~so diligent~~~~

[Shen Yibei]: You said you didn’t know how to do it, but look at you.

Pretty capable, huh.

[Crab Boss]: How do you guys know?

[Crab Boss]: You’re both in early classes too, right?

Do you have clairvoyance?

[Shen Yinan]: If you don’t want people to know, don’t do it.

[Shen Yibei]: You two are sitting so conspicuously in the first row of a two-hundred-person lecture hall.

What do you think?

He had forgotten that the surroundings were full of scouts.

Xie Yan muttered a curse under his breath.

Lin Chuji turned his head, saw his hesitant expression, and whispered, “What’s wrong?”

Xie Yan didn’t say anything.

He just logged onto the forum.

Sure enough, a post at the very top had been highlighted in red.

It had only been up for ten minutes but already had over two hundred replies.

Very lively.

Xie Yan tilted his chin, signaling him to look.

Lin Chuji forgot about the lecture, took the phone, and scrolled quickly.

But as the content unfolded, his expression grew darker.

[Title: Sisters, the tragic CP is alive again!

Xie Lin is real!

Come in and ship!]

[Main post: Here’s what happened.

Today, sleepy and groggy, I came to this godforsaken early class and actually saw XY in the first row of the architecture department’s lecture hall!!

Why would a medical student be here?

There’s only one reason—to save a seat for his wife!!!

I was right.

Not only did he answer attendance for LCJ, he also seriously took notes for him (what a dedicated top, coming early so his wife could sleep in a bit longer).

Then, after his wife arrived late, he handed over a heartfelt handwritten love letter AND prepared Fou Ji’s snow-skin mochi!!!!

Too much, too much, aaaaah, I’ve passed out from shipping.

All you straight guys out there, take notes!]

Lin Chuji: “…….”

A love letter?

That was an apology letter.

You guys are crazy for shipping that.

The comments updated rapidly.

19L: On-site witness.

Xie was really making a big show of it, practically announcing he was waiting for Lin.

He looked all cold at first, but the moment Lin appeared, he changed completely, smiling all dreamy.

23L: Medical student.

He has no class this morning.

He could have slept in, but he actually woke up before seven?

24L: Replying to above.

Not just seven.

Fou Ji’s pastries require queuing at five or six in the morning.

That’s true love.

36L: Don’t these two both have girlfriends?

Straight guys pretending to be gay?

37L: Since school started, no one has actually seen them.

Schrödinger’s girlfriends.

42L: Girlfriends are a distraction.

Roommates are true love.

Got it.

67L: Who still writes handwritten letters these days?

68L: I was sitting five rows behind them.

I couldn’t read the words, but it was definitely a fairly long handwritten letter.

Even vaguely, you could see the surging affection.

70L: Can you queers stop stringing girls along?

Just get together already.

82L: To be fair, they’ve clarified multiple times.

You’re the ones forcing this narrative.

Now you’re blaming them for being gay?

You’ve said everything.

Hilarious.

103L: Latest update.

LCJ snuck a bite of a snow-skin mochi while the professor’s back was turned.

Couldn’t help but sneak a photo.

Below was attached a candid shot of his side profile.

Long eyelashes, slightly curved neck, cheeks puffed out slightly—it softened his usual cool demeanor, making him more vivid.

138L: I declare myself a fan of Chuji’s looks.

This is way too beautiful.

151L: Wuwuwu, a heavenly face.

He shouldn’t be gay.

When will they break up so I can get in line?

172L: Even I, a girl, admit defeat to that beauty.

188L: But sneaking a bite of dessert is just too cute, hahahaha.

And Xie Yan beside him holding a water bottle ready.

These two are killing me.

Lin Chuji didn’t want to speak.

Even the urge to anonymously go online and explain had vanished.

The snow-skin mochi in the drawer didn’t smell appetizing anymore.

He kept lowering his head, wanting to dig a hole and disappear.

“Student Lin Chuji, can you tell us the answer to this question?”

The professor had only just started the semester and only remembered this one name, so he called on him.

Lin Chuji forced himself out of his chaotic thoughts, his face full of confusion.

What question?

Which one?

What are you asking about?

“Pick C,” Xie Yan whispered the answer.

“…Pick C,” Lin Chuji repeated uncertainly.

Really?

You can answer an architecture question too?

The professor stared at them for a moment and laughed.

“You’re Xie Yan, right?

Since you have such a talent for architecture, why not get a double major?

You really are China’s best roommate—taking attendance, taking notes, delivering food, and even answering questions?”

Lin Chuji’s face turned bright red.

He listened so attentively in every class, and just ten minutes of distraction and he got caught red-handed.

He lowered his head and apologized quietly, “I’m really sorry.

It won’t happen again.”

“I was talking about Xie Yan.

Why are you apologizing?

Is this how roommates help each other?” the professor asked with a smile.

The entire classroom burst into laughter.

Lin Chuji’s head was practically buried in the desk.

He wanted to die, wanted to die, really wanted to die.

When the bell rang, he tucked the letter into his book, hugged it to his chest, and rushed out of the classroom with his head down.

He couldn’t stay a second longer.

He had to run.

Xie Yan saw his panicked state, collected the pastries for him, and strode out after him.

With his long stride, he caught up quickly and laughed.

“Why are you running so fast?

Is there a dog chasing you?”

“You’re the one chasing me…

If I don’t run, do I want the classmates to stay and watch the show?”

Lin Chuji was wearing a sweater today.

If he had a hood, he would have pulled it over his head to hide his face completely.

Xie Yan found it amusing.

He waved the pastries and said in a mock-complaining tone, “You ran so fast you forgot these.

All that early morning effort for nothing.”

Only then did Lin Chuji remember.

He apologized again.

“I was too flustered.

I didn’t notice.

Give them to me…

I’ll eat them all in one go now.”

Xie Yan, afraid he would hide back home out of embarrassment again, thought for a moment and said, “If you really feel bad, how about you come with me somewhere after your five o’clock class?”

“How do you know I have a five o’clock class?”

Lin Chuji caught the key point.

Xie Yan looked at him for a moment, smiled, and admitted, “What else?

Of course, I memorized your schedule to hunt you down.”

Lin Chuji opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say.

After a few seconds of hesitation, he said, “You just memorized it… you could have just downloaded it and saved it to your phone, to refer to.”

Xie Yan: “…….”

Lin Chuji, you idiot.

Is that the point?

“Wow, Fou Ji’s snow-skin mochi.

Can I have one?”

Shen Yinan appeared out of nowhere.

“Wow, today’s hot trending topic on the forum—snow-skin mochi.

Do I have the honor of tasting it?”

Shen Yibei’s eyes were glued to the little box, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Lin Chuji walked even faster toward the next teaching building.

He said quickly with his head down, “Eat them.

You can have them all.

I don’t want any.”

Xie Yan watched his flustered retreating back, holding back a laugh.

He turned to look at the two gossipy faces and couldn’t help but say, “It took so much effort to make up with him, and you just have to make jokes and find amusement, don’t you?”

Shen Yinan rolled his eyes wildly.

“…Fine, fine, I’m not worthy.”

Shen Yibei lightly slapped himself.

“…Right, right, it’s my fault for having a mouth.”

Xie Yan: “……Go to a mental hospital.

Seriously.”

📚 Also on NHV Novels

Desert Island Romance

Boys LoveComedyModern Setting

Read Now →
Not interested