Chapter 20: Breaking News: Roommate Scandal

Lin Chuji wasn’t stupid either.

Even though the replies were abbreviated, “LCJ from the architecture department and XY from the medical school” were seemingly obscure but actually transparent.

They might as well have put their full names on the public screen.

Then he thought back to the title: [Question: If my roommate, drunk, hugged me and did some intimate things, and to control him, I bit his neck…]

The imagery was strong.

If he put himself and Xie Yan into that scenario—he wouldn’t be anonymous on the forum telling lies—so it must be that he himself had gotten drunk, lost his mind, used intimate actions to harass Xie Yan, and Xie Yan, unable to bear it, bit his neck in retaliation?

 

Lin Chuji’s back trembled at the thought.

Oh god, what would Xie Yan have thought of him last night?

That he was too forward, too wild?

Would he think it was another hint of seduction?

And now, in everyone’s stares, were they all imagining how Xie Yan had gnawed on his neck?

Disaster upon disaster.

Might as well die.

He couldn’t stay at this school another day.

Lin Chuji covered his eyes with his hand, too embarrassed to face anyone.

 

The fragmented images in his mind earlier suddenly felt real, not like hallucinations but like genuine memories.

It was very possible he had made the first move, and Xie Yan was truly innocent.

Moreover, right now, the most important thing was to confirm what the bite mark on his neck actually looked like.

“Do you have a mirror?”

Lin Chuji asked quietly.

“No,” Xie Yan said, glancing at him and immediately understanding.

“I’ll take a picture for you.”

As he spoke, he unlocked his phone, quickly took a photo of Lin Chuji’s neck, and zoomed in on the bite mark with two fingers.

 

Lin Chuji stared at the photo and fell completely silent.

A deep red mark, shallow tooth indentations—anyone with less than 100-degree vision could see it from ten meters away.

No wonder he was the center of attention now.

“Are you a dog?

You bit so deep,” he muttered, his face flushed.

 

Xie Yan, usually unflappable no matter the joke, now looked a bit embarrassed too.

He lowered his head slightly.

“Can we talk somewhere else?”

 

He hadn’t expected that such a gentle bite could be so destructive.

 

Shen Yibei looked at them, sighing, not knowing what to say for a moment.

Shen Yinan, being more clear-headed, leaned in to analyze: “Wait, why are you two assuming it’s about you?

There’s no evidence to confirm it.

Wouldn’t it be over if you just don’t admit it?”

 

Lin Chuji patted his burning cheeks to cool them down, slowly gathered his thoughts, and said softly, “Does admitting it or not make a difference?

People will only believe their own assumptions, then make up more and more stories, and in the end, even with ten mouths we couldn’t explain ourselves.”

 

Xie Yan fell into thought, wondering how to explain to make this blow over smoothly.

 

Lin Chuji thought for a few seconds and decided that this was primarily his fault for getting drunk and causing trouble first, so he decided to take full responsibility.

He took Shen Yibei’s phone and started typing in the comment section.

[I’m Lin Chuji, a freshman in the architecture department.

If people are guessing that this post was sent by my roommate Xie Yan because of the mark on my neck, let me clarify: I already have a partner.

The bite mark was accidentally left during an intimate moment and has nothing to do with Xie Yan.

As for which classmate posted this and which dorm it happened in, we have no way of knowing.

Please do not associate it with the two of us in any way.

Thank you.]

“You don’t have to do this—” Xie Yan didn’t have time to stop him before he decisively hit send.

 

The Shen brothers were dumbfounded.

So brave, so fearless, so touching.

Sacrificing himself to protect Boss Xie.

This must be love.

No wonder he could bend a steel-straight guy into a mosquito coil.

A direct ball was always the deadliest.

 

Lin Chuji looked up and slowly exhaled.

“Alright, it’s solved.

There won’t be any public opinion or misunderstandings about the two of us.”

 

Xie Yan frowned, looking at the words that drew a clear line between them, and said quietly, “This isn’t really appropriate.

It’ll affect you too much.”

“I just said I have a partner.

We’re adults.

What’s the problem?”

Lin Chuji asked back, his cheeks bright red.

“If I didn’t explain it this way, we’d really be done for.”

 

Xie Yan had no comeback.

Indeed, it was the best way to handle it.

Saying the bite mark was from a mosquito would be an obvious cover-up.

Everyone would only imagine all sorts of improper behavior between them, and the spread of rumors would be even harder to control.

It’s just that… before, he had been looking for substitutes, and now he was directly announcing that he was taken.

In the future, it would probably be even harder for him to find anyone else.

Was that okay?

 

Sure enough, the two girls who had been gossiping earlier came over and asked quietly, “You’re not single anymore?

How did you get into a relationship so fast?”

Lin Chuji was still nervous around strangers, just nodding slightly as an acknowledgment.

“That’s normal.

Good-looking guys are always reserved in high school.

Just curious which sister is so lucky.

So envious.”

The other girl pulled her away, and the two walked off, still whispering.

 

Xie Yan had been defended, but he didn’t feel much joy.

He said flatly, “Going to the cafeteria?”

Lin Chuji grew nervous again.

“Together?

Won’t that draw attention?”

“If you try to avoid suspicion now, your clarification just now will have been for nothing.

Let’s go, let’s go.”

Shen Yinan was still holding the rose bouquet, not daring to give it to either of them, so he kept it himself and pushed them forward.

 

When they reached a slightly less crowded area, Lin Chuji started to review with him.

“Last night, what did I actually do to you…”

He trailed off, afraid he couldn’t handle the fact that he was a bad drunk, and said tactfully, “It wasn’t too outrageous, was it?”

 

Xie Yan looked at his cautious expression, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

“Not too bad.

Just clinging and wanting to be hugged, refusing to let go, and then—”

Lin Chuji reached out and covered his mouth, his ears burning crimson from the sun.

“Alright, you don’t need to say more.

I get it.

I believe your post was telling the truth.

I must have been really annoying, and you were at your wit’s end so you bit me to stop me.”

 

Too naive, too kind.

Xie Yan’s conscience suddenly pricked him.

He had already taken the initiative to clarify things, and here he was, still flogging the corpse.

That was really too much.

He cleared his throat softly and tried to soothe him: “No, it wasn’t that serious.

I had been drinking too, and my head wasn’t clear.

I can’t remember why I did that either.

It was my fault.”

“Huh?”

Shen Yinan leaned in, winking, and poked holes in his lie.

“Oh, really?

Acting up because of alcohol?

You’ve been drunk before and never bit me.”

“When have I ever…”

Xie Yan clicked his tongue, then suddenly stopped.

“You talk too much.”

 

Lin Chuji looked at him with pursed lips.

Now that there was no one around, Shen Yinan still had to stir the pot, grinning.

“Oh my, this bite mark.

Anyone would think you two had been doing something really intense.

And Xiao Lin even used the excuse of getting intimate with his partner—his reputation is ruined.

Boss Xie, shouldn’t you compensate him properly?”

 

He emphasized the last four words, dripping with innuendo.

 

Xie Yan looked helpless.

“Yes, I should compensate him properly, but not the kind of messy stuff you’re thinking of.

Seriously, you should read less of Xie Wan’s novels.

One day you won’t even know you’ve turned gay.”

“I’m very straight.

You worry about yourself first,” Shen Yinan rolled his eyes.

 

Only now did Lin Chuji dare to take out his phone and slowly read the comments under the post.

The tone had indeed changed.

[Aaaaah, I just had my eye on him today, and some wolf cub has already snatched him!]

[She said ‘partner,’ it’s definitely a girlfriend.

What are you all thinking?]

[From my experience of reading extensively, that bite mark—no girl could make a mark that deep.

It has to be a guy!]

[Stereotypes are bad.

She already came out to clarify.

Stop spreading rumors.]

[I just started shipping them and it’s already over…

The body type difference, the skin color difference, biting the neck as a mark…

They really fit some ABO trope.]

Lin Chuji murmured, “I wanted to ask last time too—what is ABO fiction?

What do Alpha and Omega mean?

Aren’t those rays?

What do they have to do with us?”

“Last time?

Which time?”

Shen Yinan was confused.

 

Lin Chuji nearly bit his tongue and mumbled, “Nothing.”

 

He thought for a moment, then tugged on Xie Yan’s sleeve, tilted his head up slightly, and confessed quietly, “Actually, last time when you tied me up, I also posted on the forum…

I thought you were a pervert… but I didn’t want to alert you…”

The more he spoke, the guiltier he felt, and his voice dropped lower.

So he couldn’t really blame Xie Yan—his own first reaction hadn’t been any better.

“What?

There was wrist-tying too!”

Shen Yibei was shocked.

“Unbelievable, unbelievable.

You two are unbelievable,” Shen Yinan wanted to pinch his own philtrum.

“Was that Visitor 7217 they were talking about?”

Xie Yan laughed in spite of himself.

“Yeah, that was me,” Lin Chuji said sheepishly.

 

Xie Yan thought it over and found the coincidence incredibly absurd.

He commented, “The two of us are really a pair of idiots.”

Lin Chuji muttered, “But you were the one who did both the wrist-tying and the neck-biting.”

 

Xie Yan didn’t respond.

His gaze fell on Lin Chuji’s hand tugging at his sleeve—pale, slender, slightly cool.

On such a hot day, his body temperature was still this low.

 

Their eyes met, and they looked at each other in silence.

 

Shen Yinan, sticking to the principle of getting to the bottom of gossip, explained, “I just asked Wanwan.

She said ABO fiction is mainly smut, also called porn literature.

Alphas mark Omegas to make them their possession.

The marking act is… biting the neck.

As for wrist-tying, that’s a form of forced love.”

 

Shen Yibei, who had seen a lot, was still a bit shocked.

“So there’s a literary origin.

You two really play with quotes from the classics.

Unjudgeable.”

“…Then don’t judge.”

Xie Yan looked away from Lin Chuji.

 

Lin Chuji let him go and kept looking at him with a curious expression.

“You’re not really referring to that, are you?

Based on your sister’s novels…”

“Of course not.

I’ve never read any AO fiction.

I’m done for.”

Xie Yan now finally understood what it meant that rumors start with imagination.

His clarification earlier had been right—who could explain this clearly?

 

Lin Chuji couldn’t help laughing.

“I’m just joking.

Why are you getting so worked up?”

 

The two were walking slowly toward the cafeteria when they saw a person standing right in front of them.

He was fairly tall, still wearing those refined rimless glasses and a neatly pressed shirt.

“Brother Qin Yi, you came directly to school to find me?”

Lin Chuji had never experienced this kind of friend making a special trip, and he was very excited.

“Yeah, after I left I remembered we hadn’t exchanged contact information yet, so I thought I’d come and try my luck.”

As he spoke, Qin Yi opened his QR code.

“Scan it.”

 

Lin Chuji’s face showed apology.

“I forgot.

Sorry.

I’ll add you now.”

 

Xie Yan’s expression subtly darkened.

“Has he added you back yet?”

Shen Yinan leaned in to whisper.

“No,” Xie Yan said flatly, lifting his chin slightly.

 

Shen Yinan wanted to laugh but didn’t dare.

“Considering we’ve known each other for years, want me to send you his contact?”

“No need.

We live in the same dorm.

If anything comes up, we both have mouths,” Xie Yan said.

 

Indeed, there was no particular need to add him back.

What required private messaging?

Nothing.

 

As he said this, Qin Yi was smiling and saying, “So, do you have time tonight?

I’ve set up a small table at home to celebrate your birthday.”

“So elaborate?

Sure,” Lin Chuji said, flattered.

 

Xie Yan spoke up.

“Your parents don’t want you to hang out with him.”

Lin Chuji turned his head and asked seriously, “Are you going to tattle?”

“Am I a grade-schooler?

Why would I tattle?”

Xie Yan curled his lip slightly.

“I’m just giving you a friendly reminder.

I won’t be responsible for cleaning up after you.”

Lin Chuji didn’t care.

“It’s fine.

I’ll come back after dinner.

Sorry, I can’t go to the cafeteria with you guys today.”

 

Xie Yan stared at him without speaking.

He really couldn’t find any reason to stop him.

 

Lin Chuji confirmed, “So I’ll go now?”

Xie Yan gave a completely half-hearted smile.

“Go.

Why are you reporting to me?”

 

Lin Chuji found it very strange, but couldn’t pinpoint why.

It really felt like since he had been bitten, he had become property, and even the way Xie Yan looked at him now carried a hint of possessiveness.

 

Qin Yi turned his head and finally noticed Lin Chuji’s neck, the bite mark left uncovered.

He could tell at a glance how that mark had been made.

He hesitated.

“Xiao Chu, your neck…”

“It’s nothing.

My partner bit it.”

Lin Chuji used the same explanation he had given on the forum.

 

Xie Yan looked up casually and stared at him sharply.

But after saying that, Lin Chuji turned and walked away with Qin Yi.

 

Xie Yan stood still.

What does he mean by that?

I really don’t get it.

 

***

 

Qin Yi had rented an apartment off the Qinghua University campus.

It was very close—within walking distance of Jing University as well.

When Lin Chuji followed him home, he saw that, as promised, the place had been carefully decorated: balloons, candles, and some fresh ingredients that hadn’t yet been prepared.

“Have a seat.

I’ll go make dinner,” Qin Yi said.

“Need any help?”

Lin Chuji, even though they had known each other since childhood, couldn’t help being polite.

 

Qin Yi smiled.

“We haven’t seen each other in years—are we strangers now?

Don’t be so nervous.

Treat it like your own home.

Look around.”

 

Lin Chuji nodded and said okay.

He watched Qin Yi put on an apron and go into the kitchen.

 

Lin Chuji sat in the living room for a long time.

Bored, he eventually wandered around, took a few photos of the decorations with his phone, and strolled to a corner.

 

It was a very hidden spot, a blind spot that one wouldn’t notice casually.

There was a niche in the wall with a small painting hanging in it.

The painting showed a little boy in a white sweater, his hair slightly curly and fluffy, eyes closed, eyelashes long.

But what caught the eye first wasn’t his appearance but something else.

He was kneeling on a carpet, chin lifted, exposing his childish neck.

Around his waist was a finger-wide chain—incongruous, visually striking, like he was being kept captive.

The other end of the chain was held by someone unseen; just one glance made one’s heart race.

 

Lin Chuji was stunned.

It really looked a lot like him as a child.

And for some reason, looking at this painting gave him an indescribable discomfort, like forced submission, very unsettling.

He closed his eyes, not wanting to look anymore.

“You’re standing right here.

I suddenly feel like the person in this painting looks a lot like you,” Qin Yi said from behind him.

 

Lin Chuji turned to look at him, murmuring, “Did you paint it?

I heard you got into the Qinghua Art Academy.”

Qin Yi shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of regret.

“Not me.

I couldn’t paint in this style.

A family friend painted it.

I just found it interesting, so I asked for it.”

 

Lin Chuji didn’t feel qualified to comment on someone else’s taste, but he had to admit the craftsmanship was excellent.

So he just nodded slightly.

“Very interesting.”

“Speaking of which, the gift I have for you is also a painting.”

Qin Yi beckoned to him.

“Come see.”

 

Lin Chuji followed and saw a canvas almost his own height uncovered in the center of the living room.

It was also not a painting of the present moment, but of himself around thirteen or fourteen, wearing a school uniform.

The colors were much more vivid than the previous painting, looking more youthful and vibrant, but to someone who could also draw, it was very ordinary.

 

He politely praised, “This is me.

It’s beautiful.

I really like it.”

 

But Qin Yi was not entirely satisfied.

He frowned and said, “I actually didn’t really want to give you this one.

It’s not finished well.

Something’s missing.”

“You put a lot of effort into it.

Thank you,” Lin Chuji said sincerely.

 

Qin Yi’s expression finally relaxed a little.

He smiled and said, “That’s good.

Come eat.”

 

Lin Chuji, having not seen his childhood brother for a long time, was inevitably more talkative.

They ate and chatted while drinking tea, and lost track of time.

When he finally realized, Lin Chuji exclaimed, “Oh no, I’ve missed curfew.

I have to go.”

“Is your dorm strict about bed checks?”

Qin Yi calmly gave his suggestion.

“If not, you can stay the night here.”

 

Lin Chuji thought about last night.

They had also returned to the dorm very late.

Xie Yan said he had carried him and snuck back in through a side path.

It shouldn’t be strict.

He had basic caution around strangers, like when he first met Xie Yan or with the drugging Zhang Ming at the bar.

But the person before him was a brother he had grown up with—there shouldn’t be any problem.

He smiled gently.

“Not strict.

It’s fine if I don’t go back for one night.”

 

Qin Yi’s face lit up with happiness. “Great.

Then I’ll go make up the bed for you.”

 

Meanwhile, on the other side, Xie Yan lay in bed, listlessly playing a game with the Shen brothers, very distracted.

He looked at the time for the fifth time, then at the empty bed across from him. 12:30 AM, and Lin Chuji still wasn’t back.

Was he really planning to stay out all night?

“No wonder your mom is so strict with you.

You really are rebellious,” Xie Yan muttered under his breath, while skillfully destroying the enemy’s minions.

“Lin Chuji still isn’t back?

Why don’t I hear his voice?”

Shen Yinan asked over voice chat.

 

Xie Yan was succinct.

“No.”

 

He had no idea what the relationship between Lin Chuji and Qin Yi really was.

How could he walk around so openly wearing a bite mark from another man?

Was Xie Yan a backup?

Or did Lin Chuji have no feelings for him?

The other guy seemed to have some not-so-innocent intentions toward Lin Chuji.

 

While thinking, Xie Yan expressionlessly got a pentakill and directly pushed the enemy’s base.

“Boss Xie, you’re a bit too fierce today,” Shen Yinan praised.

“Venting his bad mood somewhere else.

If we’d known Lin Chuji had this magical effect, he should stay out every day…”

Shen Yibei mocked mercilessly.

 

Xie Yan couldn’t be bothered with them.

Watching his minions attack the enemy nexus, he said flatly, “I’m tired.

No more.”

 

Shen Yinan stopped him just before he went offline.

“Wait, Lin Chuji wanted me to pass on a message.”

 

Xie Yan was confused.

“Why didn’t he just tell me himself?”

 

Shen Yinan’s tone was like “are you stupid?”: “Because you two still haven’t re-added each other on WeChat.”

 

Xie Yan: “…….”

Xie Yan was so pissed off.

One WeChat contact, had his lungs poked countless times.

So annoying.

“Say it or shut up.

I’m going offline.”

His patience was wearing thin.

“He said, ‘Please tell Xie Yan that I’m staying over at Qin Yi’s place tonight.

If he needs to lock the door, go ahead.

I’m not coming back.'”

Shen Yinan read it very mechanically, but still couldn’t hold back his laughter between the lines.

 

Xie Yan didn’t react much.

“Okay, got it.

Bye.”

Then he expressionlessly logged off the game, got up to brush his teeth, locked the door, turned off the light, and lay down.

 

Fine.

Don’t come back.

Then he won’t come sleepwalking and hug me like a substitute.

It was too hot to be clinging to each other all sweaty anyway.

And after what happened last night, it would be way too awkward.

 

Xie Yan turned over.

Would Lin Chuji go hug Qin Yi?

After all, he didn’t seem to be picky about his substitutes—he’d even flirted with Xie Yan twice while he was wearing a mask.

 

Xie Yan turned back and stared at the ceiling.

No.

The focus isn’t on who Lin Chuji wants to hug.

If he has someone he likes, it’s none of my business.

So where is the focus?

The focus is that Lin Chuji’s parents had repeatedly emphasized not to let him associate with Qin Yi.

From his interactions with her, Xie Yan could tell that Zhan Wanqiu was a very controlling and suffocating mother, but the birthday video also showed that his parents truly loved him.

And as for Xie Yan, she had never even met him yet still trusted him so much, which meant she wasn’t completely arbitrary.

So this so-called neighbor brother must have done something in the past to make them avoid him.

He had promised Zhan Wanqiu to take good care of Lin Chuji.

If something went wrong…

 

Xie Yan sat up abruptly.

Yes, because he had promised his mother, he was responsible for Lin Chuji’s safety.

 

He unlocked his phone, stopped hesitating, and sent Shen Yinan a voice message.

“Ask Lin Chuji for his exact address and apartment number.”

“What, are you going to draw a circle on Baidu Maps and curse him?”

Shen Yinan joked.

“Besides, just ask him yourself.”

 

Xie Yan: “…….”

 

Shen Yinan poured oil on the fire.

“Oh right, you don’t have his WeChat.”

 

Xie Yan ground his teeth, too impatient to beat around the bush.

“Then send me Lin Chuji’s WeChat contact.

I’ll add him myself.”

 

Shen Yinan laughingly forwarded the contact, not forgetting one last jab: “Ooh, finally getting anxious, anxious, anxious.”

 

Xie Yan looked down and tapped the friend request.

He looked again at the empty bed across from him, his mind full of the image of Lin Chuji lying on top of him last night, neck adorned with that ostentatious bite mark.

 

Five seconds passed.

Lin Chuji still hadn’t accepted.

 

Xie Yan frowned, grabbed a jacket, and sprinted out the door.

 

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