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Join the ServerXie Yan first took a band-aid and dealt with his wound.
Then he pulled out a chair and slowly opened that book, 100 Little Tricks to Turn a Straight Guy.
He was quite shocked that Lin Chuji had already prepared this.
And he had very rigorously used a tool book.
As a straight guy, of course there was no need to read a book of this type, but know yourself and know the enemy, and you will never be defeated.
Just like the social phobia dating guide Lin Chuji had mistakenly sent him before, as long as he saw through the tricks and responded openly and honestly, treating everything as normal friend behavior, Lin Chuji would understand that he was an iron board that couldn’t be bent.
After all, aside from sexual orientation, Lin Chuji was a bit delicate, gentle-tempered, good-looking, sensitive but considerate of others, and his socially anxious moments were very cute.
Xie Yan was more than willing to be his roommate for four years.
Xie Yan slowly opened the book and sighed.
“Let me see just how crafty this book is.”
“To turn a straight guy, there is a general approach: test the waters.”
“This is predicated on you and the other person being friends.
First, use common interests to get closer, such as scent, clothing, hobbies.
When you have coincidences in every aspect, it means you have begun to slowly permeate his life.”
“Based on this, proceed with the following steps to begin your journey of bending.”
“Be careful not to reveal your feelings prematurely.
If people around you joke, urgently refute and claim to be straight yourself to stand on the same front.”
Scent.
Xie Yan’s gaze fell on these two words, pondering the meaning.
So when Lin Chuji complimented his scent, that was it.
Not only did he compliment it, but he also bought the same flavor of hard candy and secretly gave it to him.
Thinking back, his own clothes seemed to have been imbued with the same scent—he probably used the same laundry powder too.
“Sure enough, he’s following the little tricks to the letter,” Xie Yan muttered to himself, finding it very consistent with the book.
After reading halfway, he turned his head and looked at Lin Chuji’s bed, unexpectedly noticing a sleeping bag in the corner covered by the blanket—very familiar.
He walked closer to take a better look and realized it was the sleeping bag he had bought for camping.
Back then, when Lin Chuji had run into his tent, he had carried him and the sleeping bag back together.
He knew this sleeping bag was his, yet Lin Chuji had kept it.
Xie Yan looked thoughtful.
So from that moment on, Lin Chuji was already restless, showing signs.
Combined with the premise of this book: before confirming that you have successfully turned the other person, you cannot admit it.
No wonder that although he often hugged and clung, said ambiguous things, and did intimate things, since school started, whenever the forum or people around teased them, Lin Chuji would hurry to clarify, afraid that others might discover the truth.
Xie Yan had an epiphany and was completely convinced.
Everything that had happened before was now evidence, all pointing to one conclusion: Lin Chuji had feelings for him beyond friendship and was trying to subtly conquer him.
“Truly, it seeps in silently,” Xie Yan mused, flipping through a few pages and memorizing some little tricks.
At the same time, he also devised a set of countermeasures.
That was, no matter what testing move Lin Chuji made, he would respond with an unflinching attitude—neither refuting nor avoiding suspicion—making him give up in the face of difficulty.
“A straight guy—you think you can just bend him?”
Xie Yan slowly put the book back in its place.
But after he had gone out to eat with Xie Wan and come back to the dorm a second time, waiting until 10:30, Lin Chuji still hadn’t returned.
Xie Yan was worried about Qin Yi causing him trouble.
He thought for a moment and, out of roommate courtesy, sent a message.
[Crab Boss]: Studying so hard?
[lark]: Looking up some materials.
Lost track of time.
I’m getting a late-night snack at the back gate of the school now.
[lark]: I noticed you liked eating squid at lunch, so I bought some to bring back for you.
[Crab Boss]: So observant.
Xie Yan stared at the chat box, lost in thought again.
If only he didn’t like me.
He’d be such a thoughtful roommate.
Such a pity he’s gay.
[lark]: Because I wanted to make you happy.
[lark]: I’ll be there soon.
Ten minutes.
After sending the message, Lin Chuji switched screens to see what Xie Wan had just sent him.
[Zhenzhen]: Brother Chuji, I still want to explain something.
[Zhenzhen]: Although I really do ship you two, if you don’t like the books I gave you this afternoon, just throw them away.
Please don’t be angry.
[Zhenzhen]: My intention was really just to get you to treat my brother better.
He’s always taking care of others, and no one takes care of him.
It’s kind of sad.
Lin Chuji could very much understand, especially after learning about his family situation.
Besides, since knowing Xie Yan, he had been the one doing most of the taking care of Lin Chuji.
It was only right to give back.
[lark]: Of course!
Friends should take care of each other.
I’ll try my best.
[Zhenzhen]: Okay, come hang out with us tomorrow.
I want to go to the amusement park.
[lark]: OK, see you tomorrow.
After replying, Lin Chuji carried the steaming hot takeout and strolled back to the dorm.
He put the food on Xie Yan’s desk, saw that he was still busy, and reminded him, “Eat it when you get a chance, otherwise it’ll get cold.
I’m going to take a shower.”
Xie Yan had been using his computer to edit the photos he’d taken of Xie Wan tonight.
Hearing this, his hand on the mouse paused.
“You’re not eating?”
He watched Lin Chuji head to the bathroom with his pajamas, confused.
Lin Chuji turned back, his eyes very bright under the light.
“I don’t like squid.
I bought it especially for you.”
Especially.
He emphasized the word.
Xie Yan heard him close the door and tapped his fingers on the desk.
So thoughtful.
It smells so good.
Roommates helping each other with takeout—eating a couple bites is no big deal, right?
Can’t be so paranoid about everything.
With that, he guiltlessly unwrapped the packaging, picked up his chopsticks, and slowly started eating.
Lin Chuji didn’t think anything was wrong with his action of bringing a late-night snack.
While showering, he was thinking, Progress, real progress.
Under the influence of the social butterfly, he could now not only communicate normally but even take the next step of showing concern as a friend.
In time, he would surely be like Xie Yan, making a whole bunch of close friends just like him.
While thinking, he reached for the body wash, only to find it was still in his suitcase—empty.
He looked at the shelf and saw a large bottle Xie Yan had brought, with the same citrus scent as his laundry powder.
Lin Chuji hesitated for a few seconds, thinking they were already familiar.
He moved to the bathroom door, opened it a crack, and asked quietly, “Could I trouble you for a favor?”
“What?”
Xie Yan chewed, turned around on his swivel chair, and looked at him.
The crack was narrow, revealing only a little bit of his face and eyes, yet his very pale skin was still clearly visible.
Xie Yan cursed his own good eyesight—with just a casual glance, he could see water droplets slowly sliding down, a single crystal-clear drop, running over his collarbone and falling.
Xie Yan’s hand holding the skewer stopped.
Lin Chuji said sheepishly, “My body wash is in my suitcase.
Could you please get it for me, or let me borrow yours?”
Xie Yan said casually, “Go ahead.
I’m not that petty.”
Lin Chuji nodded, tapped the door closed again, and said, “Thanks.
I’ll use it then.”
He was very polite, and Xie Yan didn’t think much of it.
Until he finished cleaning up the takeout containers, threw away the trash, and happened to come back as Lin Chuji came out of the bathroom with his hair dried.
Probably because he was in the dorm, he was more relaxed than outside.
His hair was slightly messy, the top button of his pajamas was undone, revealing a smooth line of collarbone and the bite mark that had turned a darker color.
Most fatally, as he passed by Xie Yan, he carried a faint citrus scent.
From head to toe, it was as if he had been marked by Xie Yan—just like that ABO book he had seen earlier said.
Faint and ethereal, separated by a distance, carrying the same scent as Xie Yan, it seemed to create a connection between them, making even the molecules in the air feel ambiguous.
In the August summer, the room was indeed a bit stifling hot.
Xie Yan rubbed his forehead with his fingers.
It’s fine.
It’s normal for straight guys to use the same body wash, right?
Very normal.
Don’t overthink it.
Lin Chuji saw this tall figure standing in the doorway and asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.
I’ve decided that starting today, I’m going to live healthy.
Early to bed, early to rise.”
As he spoke, Xie Yan averted his gaze, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and planned to sleep.
Lin Chuji thought he was probably tired from taking care of Xie Wan—thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girls had boundless energy.
He could understand that.
He nodded and said softly, “Then you sleep.
Wanwan said tomorrow she wants me to go to the amusement park with you guys.
I’m going to lie down early too.”
Xie Yan hummed and turned off the room light.
Early to bed, but lying there, he couldn’t sleep at all.
Would Lin Chuji come to his bed again tonight?
He had hinted at it on WeChat.
Would he come?
He missed last night’s clear-headedness.
He shouldn’t have read that book—now his mind was full of uncontrollable strange thoughts.
Back on the cruise ship, Lin Chuji had seen him as an ex-boyfriend.
Certainly not now.
Now he was the one and only Xie Yan.
After all, that book on turning straight guys was definitely aimed at him.
Whether it was the ex-boyfriend or Qin Yi, they were both bent like mosquito coils.
***
Two in the morning.
Xie Yan stared wide-eyed and finally heard movement from the other bed.
The rustle of a blanket being pushed aside, the sound of slippers being put on, then very light footsteps.
Lin Chuji was walking toward him.
He stood by the bed, very familiarly lifted the blanket, lay down sideways, and naturally wrapped his arm around Xie Yan’s waist.
Xie Yan didn’t move a muscle.
Eyes open in the moonlight, he perceived his actions and was amazed.
He turned over, but Lin Chuji only hugged him tighter from behind, even burying his head in the crook of Xie Yan’s neck, his breath falling on the skin in light and heavy bursts.
Testing the waters, this is testing the waters.
A straight guy fears nothing.
Even straight guys sometimes sleep together.
He needed to show Lin Chuji through actions that this was perfectly normal.
No use.
Can’t bend him.
Useless.
Xie Yan turned back to face him, looking down at him for a moment.
As if resolving himself, with an indifferent expression, he reached out and pulled him directly into his arms.
He even whispered very emphatically in his ear, “Sleeping together, totally normal.
Lin Chuji, don’t overthink it.”
Lin Chuji didn’t respond.
Xie Yan thought, You’re not very good at this either.
You dare to act but not to say.
Just holding Lin Chuji, feeling their scents slowly blend together, he closed his eyes, tossed and turned for over two hours, and finally fell asleep soundly.
But Lin Chuji only felt hot.
The summer weather was already stuffy, and after lying like this for a while, he wanted to turn over, to push away the thing clinging to him, but couldn’t get it off.
Like crab pincers, tightly locked on.
Annoying as hell.
He mumbled and reflexively pushed outward, struggling to get up.
But Xie Yan only held him tighter, even moving his palm up to cup the back of his head and press him into his chest.
“Don’t move,” Xie Yan said unconsciously, pulling him back exactly as he was.
Lin Chuji’s mouth and nose were covered by the fabric of Xie Yan’s pajamas, suffocating him awake.
He was a bit disoriented, not knowing in the middle of the night where he was.
He opened his eyes and looked at the scene before him, at a loss.
Why was Xie Yan holding him?
Why was he here?
Why was Xie Yan clinging to him and not letting go?
What the hell was he doing?
Lin Chuji squinted at the person inches away, thought for a moment, and suddenly understood.
It must be that mentioning the sad matter about his parents during the day triggered Xie Yan’s sleepwalking again.
And he had brought Lin Chuji into his bed.
Wow, a new twist after so long.
He carefully pulled the arm from around his waist aside, then stuffed the nearby pillow into Xie Yan’s arms, and wrapped the arms back around it, restoring the original state.
His whole body still retained the body heat from when Xie Yan had been holding him.
Lin Chuji felt strange, a blush still lingering on his cheeks.
He whispered, “Hug this one.
It’s the same.
I…
I’m going back to my own bed.”
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Read : Crow's Golden Fragment
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