Chapter 21 Part 2: The Princess, the Bodyguard, and A Hotel Room

It was dark ahead.

Lin Chuji unconsciously quickened his pace, getting closer to him, and said softly, “When I ran into him yesterday, I was genuinely happy to reunite with a childhood playmate.

Until I saw that painting with the chain.

It made me very uncomfortable.

I felt an involuntary discomfort in my heart.”

Xie Yan turned to look at him.

In the dim light, from his hurried steps, he could see the resistance in Lin Chuji’s eyes.

This rich kid really has a lot of quirks: randomly hugging people, picky eating, fear of the dark, and so delicate.

Hard to please.

He reached out and grabbed Lin Chuji’s wrist again, saying quietly, “Scared of the dark, aren’t you?

Then walk faster.

I’ve got you.”

Lin Chuji looked down, watching Xie Yan’s fingers wrap around his own.

His skin was a bit rougher than Lin Chuji’s, like the marks left from doing a lot of chores.

But pressed against his wrist, it brought an inexplicable sense of security.

He let the other lead him, paused for a few seconds, then continued to confess what had happened earlier.

“And just now, he knocked and gave me a glass of milk.

I thought it was strange.

I knocked it over.

I also dabbed some of the spill with a tissue to take back and see if it might be drugged.”

Xie Yan didn’t respond, unsure whether to praise his caution or his belated awareness.

Seeing that Xie Yan wasn’t speaking, watching his back as he had come all this way in the middle of the night, Lin Chuji added, “Thank you for coming.

Really.

Other than my parents, no one has ever been this worried about me.”

They had almost reached the first floor, where the lights outside were visible, everything around growing brighter.

Xie Yan promptly let go of the slender wrist, took two steps out of the stairwell, then turned to look at him.

“Don’t overthink it.

I just didn’t want anything to happen to you.

I promised your mother.

I don’t want any accidents.”

“Of course I know that.

What else could I overthink?”

Lin Chuji raised his voice slightly.

“Would I mistakenly think you like me?”

Xie Yan gave him a half-smile.

Lin Chuji seemed to feel a sense of self-incrimination and hastily explained, “I’m not that narcissistic.

I wouldn’t think that.”

Xie Yan curled his lips and nodded.

“Then that’s good.”

“Let’s go back to the dorm.

It’s past one,” Lin Chuji said, lazily kicking stones by the roadside, taking his time, looking very leisurely.

Xie Yan walked beside him like a bodyguard—tall and broad, even his shadow was a full size larger than Lin Chuji’s, making Lin Chuji unable to resist stepping on it.

“How childish,” Xie Yan said.

“I just turned eighteen.

I’m not that old,” Lin Chuji retorted.

True, he’s young, but his nerve has grown—he’s got a comeback for everything now.

They didn’t speak again, quickly circling back to the terrace behind the dorm, intending to get back to their room quickly.

Xie Yan looked up, about to climb over, but found that the door inside had somehow been locked.

It had been open when they left.

Lin Chuji looked at him, confused.

“Isn’t this the way?”

Xie Yan lifted his chin and said mournfully, “The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

The secret path is blocked.”

Lin Chuji stared at the locked door, worried.

“So we can’t get back?

We’ll have to sleep on the street?”

Xie Yan hadn’t expected the dorm manager to outsmart him in the middle of the night either.

He was a bit frustrated, but quickly came up with a new idea.

“Let’s find a hotel for the night.

Did you bring your ID?”

Lin Chuji: “……”

That sounds a bit strange.

Though it wasn’t the first time they’d stayed together as roommates, the two of them purposely going to a hotel together right now felt very awkward.

“Did you bring it?”

Xie Yan asked again.

“Yes,” Lin Chuji said, his voice as soft as a mosquito’s.

Xie Yan thought Lin Chuji looked like a princess and the pea type; he couldn’t bear to make him stay at a cheap hotel.

He detoured a bit and chose a nearby five-star hotel with the best environment.

When the two stood at the front desk to check in, Lin Chuji was still a bit dazed.

“Would you like a king bed or twin beds?” the receptionist asked politely, but her gaze involuntarily showed a gossipy expression—two handsome guys coming to get a room together in the middle of the night was truly exciting.

Xie Yan was more straightforward.

“Twin beds.”

The receptionist nodded, took their IDs, and entered the information.

“Alright.

The room fee and deposit total 2,500 yuan.

Who’s paying?”

Xie Yan thought to himself, Taking the princess and the pea to a hotel is really expensive.

One night here cost as much as two of his paid photo shoots.

The cruise trip had used up all his earnings from that period.

He had just paid Xie Wan’s tuition and room and board.

Yesterday’s birthday dinner was another expense.

Money had been tight lately.

But he was a bit older; as the older brother, he should take care of him.

So he held up his payment code.

“Charge me.”

Lin Chuji looked up at him.

Not wanting to take advantage, he said quietly, “Let me pay.

I’m the reason you couldn’t get back to the dorm.”

Xie Yan turned his head and smiled.

“If you want to put it that way, you could have stayed at Qin Yi’s.

I’m the one who dragged you out.

It’s my responsibility.”

The receptionist rarely saw two people going back and forth like this when getting a room in the middle of the night.

She politely asked again, “So whose card should I charge?”

Xie Yan took the payment scanner, waved it over his own phone, and said, “Alright.

That’s settled.”

Lin Chuji really felt bad.

He had troubled Xie Yan too many times, repeatedly adding to his burden.

Besides…

He looked up and saw a familiar figure walk in through the door, a very beautiful girl on his arm.

Lin Chuji covered his face with his hand, panicking, and whispered, “Xie Yan!

Xie Yan!

At the door, look at the door!

It’s Zhao Heng!

What do we do, what do we do!”

Xie Yan was stunned.

Of all the places to run into someone.

He was infected by Lin Chuji’s nervousness.

With quick hands, he threw his jacket over Lin Chuji’s head and pulled him into his embrace, the movements so smooth they were almost practiced.

But after doing all that, he realized something was off.

“Wait, why are we hiding?

What’s wrong with getting a room openly?”

Lin Chuji’s vision was pitch black.

He blinked slowly.

Right, what are we hiding from?

We just couldn’t get back to the dorm and had to find a hotel for the night.

It’s all because the forum likes to stir things up and I got caught up in the panic.

But if he lifted it now, it would really look like he was trying to hide something.

Meanwhile, Zhao Heng had already noticed them.

He strolled over, surprised.

“Boss Xie, you’re… ah, got it.”

He had a girl on his arm too.

The two pairs looked at each other, understanding.

Xie Yan was quite calm.

He nodded and teased, “You’re still out wandering this late?”

Zhao Heng lifted his chin, giving him a “same to you” look.

“Aren’t you too?

Hey, the girl in your arms is pretty tall.

And she’s wearing military training uniform.

From our school?”

Xie Yan hummed in agreement, pulled the person closer to his chest, and started making things up.

“A northern girl.

Eats well, grows fast.”

Lin Chuji: “…….”

He marveled at how quickly Xie Yan’s mind worked—he could make up lies on the spot.

But he really was having trouble breathing, so he reached out and pinched Xie Yan’s waist, hinting that he should hurry up and leave.

“Sir, your room is on the 12th floor,” the receptionist said, handing over the keycard.

“What a coincidence.

Same floor as us.

Want to go up together?”

Zhao Heng grinned and walked to the elevator, pressing the button.

Xie Yan had no choice but to put his arm around Lin Chuji’s waist and awkwardly move toward it.

Why is it that every time these two get together, something new happens?

“The girl in your arms… so covered up, can she see?”

Zhao Heng gestured to the jacket over the head, wanting to reach out and lift it.

“Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable to leave it on?

It’s so hot.

Won’t she suffocate?”

Lin Chuji was breathing hard, his cheeks flushed, his vision dark—he really was about to suffocate on the spot.

Xie Yan held him and dodged, smiling.

“His face is allergic.

Doesn’t want to be seen.”

Zhao Heng watched their intimate actions and asked curiously, “When did this happen?

On the cruise, you were both single.

A month and a half later, you’re both in relationships?

Did you have a double date?”

Lin Chuji heard his name and went rigid.

Xie Yan stared at the slowly descending floor numbers, thinking to himself that today he was really having bad luck with elevators.

He patted Lin Chuji’s back, his tone nonchalant.

“You’re holding a pretty girl yourself and you still have time to ask about me?

Stop gossiping and mind your own business.”

“Fine, but since she’s from our school, I’ll find out eventually,” Zhao Heng said, glancing at Lin Chuji a couple more times, noting the features, and confidently said, “Trying to hide it?

With a height close to 1.8 meters, there aren’t many who could catch your eye.”

Lin Chuji: “…….”

He couldn’t even imagine how disastrous it would be when gossipy Zhao Heng found out that person was actually him.

After a long wait, the elevator finally opened with a ding.

Xie Yan pulled him along, holding him close as they entered, without a word.

Zhao Heng found his brevity strange.

He stared meaningfully at the person in Xie Yan’s arms again.

He just felt that the figure was very familiar, but he truly couldn’t recall any girl of that height.

He couldn’t even think of a suspect.

When the elevator doors reopened, Xie Yan whispered, “Hold onto the jacket.

I’m going to carry you.”

Seeing that Lin Chuji had covered his head completely, he bent down and lifted him, then turned to inform Zhao Heng, “We’re leaving now.

He’s not feeling well.

Get some rest.”

“Sure, sure.

Take your time.

The night is short.

I won’t disturb you.”

Zhao Heng took a photo of their backs with his phone, clicked his tongue, and sent it to the group chat they had made on the cruise ship.

[z]: Guess who I ran into at the hotel?

[z]: 1:30 AM, our Boss Xie brought a girl to get a room.

Tsk tsk tsk.

[z]: Carrying her in his arms, so sweet.

I’ve been shown up.

[DontWannaBloom]: Huh???

Boss Xie is so wild.

[dori]: Hmph.

Men.

None of them are any good.

[DontWannaBloom]: Military training uniform?

A freshman from our school?

School just started, how did he move so fast?

[Shen Yinan]: Him?????

At a hotel???

[Shen Yibei]: Him?????

Got a room with a girl???

[Shen Yinan]: How dare he!!!

[Shen Yibei]: What a player!!!

Xie Yan finally got into the room, bent down to set Lin Chuji on his feet, and lifted the jacket for him, revealing a flushed face.

Lin Chuji was already pale, and after being covered for nearly ten minutes, his whole body had practically turned a light pink.

His breathing was rapid, his lips slightly parted, the bite mark on his neck darker from the heat.

In this setting, it was particularly provocative.

“I can barely breathe,” he said, showing a hint of his crimson tongue.

Xie Yan looked down and looked at him intently.

If Qin Yi saw him like this, what would he do?

Lin Chuji stared back blankly, mumbling, “What are you looking at me for?

Your phone seems to be vibrating.”

Xie Yan was dazed for two seconds, then slowly looked down.

It was a video call from Shen Yinan.

He clicked his tongue, aimed the camera at himself, and put it on speaker.

The Shen brothers looked at his face, which increasingly resembled that of an utterly despicable playboy, and their simultaneous roars burst through the screen.

“We see right through you, Xie Yan.

We never thought you’d be such a two-timing piece of shit!”

“How could you cheat while Lin Chuji is away!

I’m calling the cops!

The vice squad is coming to arrest you!”

Xie Yan: “…….”

Lin Chuji: “…….”

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