Chapter 24 Part 1: The Straight Guy Conversion Manual

Lin Chuji wanted to find a crack in the ground to hide in.

He had lost count of how many times he had been publicly slapped in the face since the start of school.

Would anyone believe that the candy in Xie Yan’s hand and the one in his own mouth weren’t the same kind?

The transparent wrapper with the orange hard candy, combined with the orange flavor in his mouth—hard to convince anyone otherwise.

Looking at the Shen brothers’ indignant expressions, they had clearly concluded that both came from him.

Unable to explain, Lin Chuji decided to play dumb, quickly swallowed the remnants in his mouth, and looked up at the sky.

“Xie Wan?

Why are you here?”

“What’s this about a 1.77-meter, dark-skinned, small-eyed sister-in-law?”

“Lin Chuji, you gave him the last piece of candy?”

Three people, three mouths, all speaking at once about three completely different things—so noisy.

This kind of chaos was perfect for onlookers.

Zhao Heng propped his chin on his hand and watched the show.

“Hey, can you take turns?

Or should we find a place to eat and talk slowly?”

You might as well just send me to be reincarnated on the spot.

Lin Chuji wasn’t keen on sitting at the same table to eat in this chaotic situation.

He felt his temples throbbing.

His gaze fell on the hard candy that had rolled away on the ground, and he felt his cheeks burning—pain.

Seeing Shen Yinan still staring at him, his eyes demanding an explanation, he could only quietly explain, “He had low blood sugar from training too long, so I gave it to him.”

Xie Yan nodded in confirmation.

“Yeah, I haven’t eaten yet.”

He was about to bend down to pick it up when Lin Chuji, ashamed and angry, tugged at him.

“Forget it.”

It’s already embarrassing enough.

Leave the corpse a white shroud.

Shen Yinan had an expression that said “I could kill you two annoying lovebirds for making me part of your show,” but with so many people around, he held back from exposing them.

“Oh, so you gave your last piece of candy to Boss Xie?”

Zhao Heng was very good at grasping the main point.

“…It’s because I gave it to him that there was no last piece of candy,” Lin Chuji struggled to argue.

“Please pay attention to the logical order.”

Xie Yan helped him out.

“Stop teasing him.”

Her brother actually has such a gentle side towards an outsider.

Xie Wan nearly let out a scream of delight, but maintained her cool-girl composure on the surface, her expression wonderfully conflicted.

She first looked at Lin Chuji with great satisfaction for five seconds—fair-skinned and handsome as a sister-in-law, indeed even more stunning than in the video.

Then she reluctantly looked away and turned back to Xie Yan.

“You need to explain.”

“First you explain.

School hasn’t started for a few days.

What are you doing here?”

When Xie Yan said this, he finally looked like an older brother, his tone quite serious.

“Surprise.

If you’re not happy, forget it.”

Xie Wan had now returned to the cool, aloof manner of the last video call.

“Since Wanwan is here, let’s find a place to eat.”

Shen Yinan took her bag and said to Zhao Heng, “You go to the cafeteria.

We have a little sister to look after, so we won’t join you.”

Zhao Heng nodded and stopped gossiping.

“Okay, you go ahead.”

Lin Chuji couldn’t help looking at Xie Wan several times.

She was a pretty girl, looked about thirteen or fourteen, probably still in middle school.

Weren’t there any adults at home?

Her parents didn’t care about a minor running this far?

“I want to walk with Brother Chuji.”

Xie Wan was a serious face-connoisseur.

Usually, she only held back from arguing with her brother because she liked looking at his face.

“He doesn’t talk much.

Don’t bother him.”

Xie Yan pulled her back and asked quietly, “You came secretly.

Did you tell Auntie Cheng?”

Xie Wan lowered her head, her expression unchanged.

“No.

I feel uncomfortable.”

Lin Chuji didn’t want to pry too much into other people’s family matters, but he was genuinely curious, his gaze lingering on the siblings.

Although an older brother could be like a father, this level of control was really strong.

Xie Yan had a headache.

He called out to Shen Yinan, “You talk to her.

I can’t handle her.”

“Ah, Wanwan must have missed you… anyway, school hasn’t started yet…”

Shen Yinan had even thicker rose-colored glasses than her actual brother.

He took her backpack and put it on.

“Don’t mind him.

What do you want to eat?

Brother Shen will treat.”

Xie Yan curled his lip.

“I wonder who’s really spoiling her.”

Lin Chuji looked at Xie Yan, wanting to say something but holding back.

“What do you want to say?”

They were walking slowly behind.

“Nothing.”

Lin Chuji had a belly full of questions but swallowed them out of politeness. “Your curiosity is written all over your face.”

Xie Yan found it amusing and explained, “Auntie Cheng is my mother’s former subordinate.

I asked her to help take care of Xie Wan.

This kid thinks that because I came to Jing City for school, I’ve abandoned her and given her away.

She’s been in a sulk with me all summer, and it’s still going on.”

“But she still came to find you, which shows she’s very attached to you,” Lin Chuji analyzed.

“So I said she’s a tsundere.”

Xie Yan looked at the girl’s back ahead, his voice lowering a bit.

“I also thought about staying in Mist City for college, but the schools there really aren’t as good as Jing University.

Besides, Xie Wan will also want to get out in the future.

I thought it over carefully and still chose here.”

That was a very mature way of thinking.

But Lin Chuji keenly sensed that, in all these words, there was no mention of their parents’ involvement.

Xie Yan had said before that his parents were police officers, which was also the source of Zhan Wanqiu’s praise for his family values.

But at this moment, it felt off.

Had they died in the line of duty?

It couldn’t be that tragic.

He didn’t dare ask.

Lin Chuji said softly, “Choosing a college while considering your sister—you’ve already done better than most people.”

“Because both parents are gone.

If I didn’t want her, no one would.

She’s really scared,” Xie Yan said, his tone unchanged.

Having it said so casually, Lin Chuji’s heart skipped a beat.

Damn, just as I guessed.

How do I respond to this?

Previously, the Shen brothers had mentioned that Xie Yan occasionally sleepwalked because of trauma—so this was the root cause.

Under that outgoing, cheerful exterior hid such a scar.

Suddenly he seemed pitiful.

But come to think of it, the sleepwalking seemed to have only happened that first time he tied Lin Chuji up, which meant it wasn’t frequent.

In that case, Xie Yan was already very strong.

Oh my god, thinking back to how I complained in front of him about my parents being too controlling—it’s like complaining to a quadriplegic about how annoying walking is.

That’s basically a flex.

I really deserve to slap myself twice when I think about it in the middle of the night.

Lin Chuji was caught up in his own thoughts, head lowered, mind racing.

Xie Yan glanced at him, instantly read his expression, and stopped him.

“Don’t pity me.

I don’t need it.”

“No… no pity… that’s not what I meant…”

The more flustered Lin Chuji got, the more his words tangled, making things worse.

He really didn’t know what to say.

He hated that he didn’t have a third piece of candy to offer in comfort.

He had a narrow social circle and was encountering this situation for the first time—completely at a loss.

Xie Yan saw his nervousness and teased, “If you really care, first think about how to help me explain the whole 1.77-meter, dark-skinned, small-eyed sister-in-law thing.

After all, I lied for you.”

Lin Chuji was stuck again.

He hesitated.

“Why don’t you just admit it?

You’re an adult.

Dating should be fine, right?”

Xie Yan curled his lip slightly, looking like he was enjoying the show.

“Fine.

Then please confess to her for me later.”

Lin Chuji thought about how hard it was for him to take care of his sister, so he should share the responsibility.

He mustered his courage and said, “Leave it to me.”

But when they sat down in a small private room at a restaurant near the school, Xie Yan and the Shen brothers went to the back to pick out a fish, leaving Lin Chuji alone with Xie Wan—he realized it wasn’t simple.

Neither of them was talkative.

They looked at each other, then looked away—a classic socially anxious face-off.

Xie Wan was just an online hype queen.

Now, sitting in front of her idol, she tried to look calm on the surface but was very nervous inside.

“Brother, I saw your school’s forum.

You have a partner?”

Lin Chuji was amazed.

She even follows the forum.

Middle schoolers these days don’t get enough summer homework.

He opened his mouth.

Anyone with a bit of social awareness could tell this girl wanted to set them up.

So he might as well say yes.

He nodded carefully.

“Yes.

Your brother has one too.”

“A 1.77-meter, dark-skinned, small-eyed girl—just from the description, I already don’t like her,” Xie Wan pouted, muttering.

“But trying to break them up behind her back would be pretty low, wouldn’t it?”

Lin Chuji thought her values were pretty good and nodded.

“Yes.”

Xie Wan hummed and made up her mind.

“Then I’ve decided to meet her this afternoon.

I’ll tell her to her face that I don’t like her.

The sister-in-law I have in mind is someone else.”

Lin Chuji didn’t dare ask who that “white moonlight” sister-in-law was.

You siblings are both equally brave.

If someone in a relationship is this disliked by their boyfriend’s little sister, won’t they get beaten up?

He cleared his throat.

“You’d better discuss it with your brother.”

He also needs to find someone who fits the description to pretend.

“How long have you been with your partner?”

Xie Wan looked at him, cutting straight to the chase.

“Can you break up?”

Lin Chuji had no idea either and started making things up.

“Probably… not?

We’re childhood sweethearts.

We’ve known each other since we were little.”

Xie Wan played with her little smartwatch, sulking, and stopped talking.

Lin Chuji looked at her nervously, wondering if he had said something wrong, laid it on too thick.

“How many days are you staying?”

He desperately tried to make conversation.

“Does it make a difference how many days?

You already have a partner.”

Xie Wan was succinct, her expression miserable.

Lin Chuji: “……”

Generation gap.

This must be the insurmountable five-year generation gap.

“Would you like some tea?

I’ll pour for you.”

“No.

My tears are about to run dry.

A little water won’t help.

You already have a partner.”

“…You’re sitting right in the draft.

How about we switch seats?”

“No.

My heart is cold, my head is full of wind.

You already have a partner.”

Every sentence Lin Chuji painstakingly squeezed out got shot down.

Xie Yan probably had about eight hundred layers of filter when it came to her.

Was this a tsundere?

This was clearly a dagger in her mouth, poison in her eyes.

Just sitting here, he was already being pierced by a thousand arrows.

Lin Chuji said dryly, “Then I’ll let you know when I break up.”

When Xie Yan entered the room, he saw them sitting across from each other, not talking, the silence so thick you could hear a pin drop.

Lin Chuji was hunched over, frantically tapping on his phone—the screen almost broken.

Leaving him alone with Xie Wan really was too much.

He pulled out the chair next to him and sat down, smiling as he teased, “Did you explain it to Wanwan?”

Lin Chuji looked up from his phone, the tips of his ears red.

“Probably… maybe… perhaps…”

Xie Wan humphed, very dissatisfied.

“No manners,” Xie Yan scolded.

Xie Wan looked up, her expression resentful.

“What’s wrong with you?

Why didn’t you tell me that Brother Chuji has a childhood sweetheart partner?

So annoying.

I went on and on on WeChat last time and embarrassed myself.”

“Childhood sweetheart?

Partner?”

Xie Yan caught the keywords and raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Lin Chuji, the only pit you have is Qin Yi.

You made that up?”

Mentioning your heartless ex-boyfriend would have been more palatable.

Exposed again, Lin Chuji’s cheeks flushed.

He called out his name, “Xie Yan!”

He suspected this guy was deliberately teasing him—first letting him spout nonsense, then delivering the killing blow.

Really annoying.

Xie Yan couldn’t hold it in and laughed.

Xie Wan, who had been slumped over the table, suddenly revived.

Her eyes lit up.

“Made up?

So there’s no such person?”

Xie Yan chose a seat by the window and sat down lazily.

“No.”

Xie Wan took a deep breath, her heartbeat slowly accelerating.

She said slowly, “Then the 1.77-meter, dark-skinned, small-eyed girl…”

“Also doesn’t exist.

It was an excuse to avoid classmates forcing a CP on us.”

Xie Yan saw her excitement about to burst and stopped her.

“I’m telling you the truth only because I’m afraid you’ll overthink it.

Not because I want you to turn your brother and your brother’s roommate into the main characters of your little mental drama.

We’re both straight.

Stop it.

Thanks.”

Lin Chuji looked at him indignantly.

If you were going to spill everything, why did I bother making up stories?

Xie Wan nodded, a mysterious smile on her face.

“Got it.

Straight guys.

Got it.”

Lin Chuji felt a chill run down his spine.

It was like that anonymous account on the forum had suddenly materialized and appeared right in front of him.

The Shen brothers happened to walk in, heard the last sentence, and started making things up.

“Let me tell you, straight guys are the best to ship.”

Lin Chuji’s expression cracked again.

It’s over.

Originally there were two die-hard fans determined to defend them.

Now there’s another.

Won’t they turn the world upside down?

Thanks to the forum, in just a few days, he had learned about the key elements of shipping male-male CPs.

But he had still been naive.

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