Chapter 46: The Scrutiny of a New Roommate

“Well, you guys head back to the dorms first. I still want to get more familiar with the surroundings.” Xia suddenly paused as they reached the dormitory building, smiling as he addressed the three.

An intense hunger had been stirred within him by the increasingly alluring scent constantly emanating from Su Mian. He urgently needed to hunt for other “food” to alleviate this unbearable craving.

Otherwise, his identity would be exposed right after entering campus, which was far from his intention.

Lu Yang remained full of enthusiasm. “I still have time, and nothing planned for the evening. How about I accompany you…?”

“There’s no need,” Xia politely interrupted him, his smile impeccable. “You’ve already taken great care of me today. I can just wander around by myself; I was actually hoping for some alone time.”

Hearing this, Lu Yang didn’t insist further. He simply reminded him, “Alright then, just make sure you remember the way back to the dorm. If you forget, give me a call.”

On the way back to the dorm, Lu Yang showered praises. “This new roommate is really something else. He brought us gifts on the very first day, quite thoughtful.

I only realized he’d already paid the bill when I went to settle up; he did it when we weren’t looking.”

As Su Mian listened, that strange feeling still lingered in his mind. He chimed in, “Yeah, let’s add him to the dorm group later, and we’ll transfer him the money.”

Lu Yang nodded. “That’s exactly what I mean. Even if he comes from a good family, we should interact with him like we always do. Keeping things natural will make our friendship last longer.”

Su Mian hesitated for a moment before voicing his feelings. “But… I always get a strange vibe from Xia. I can’t quite pinpoint what it is, though.

Maybe I’m overthinking it, or perhaps it’s just a difference in how foreigners express themselves?”

The oblivious Lu Yang looked utterly confused. “Strange? What’s strange? I think he’s perfectly normal!”

Su Mian offered an awkward laugh. “Perhaps… it really is just my imagination.”

Just then, the usually taciturn Qin Xuan spoke, a rare occurrence. His voice was calm. “From the restaurant to the dorm building, a total journey of seventeen minutes, Xia’s gaze fell on Su Mian seventy-six times.

That’s an average of over four times per minute. Moreover, while walking, he consciously maintained a parallel distance of less than half a meter from Su Mian, a distance far smaller than the normal social safety zone.”

“And that’s just within those seventeen minutes. I haven’t even factored in the time we spent eating.”

Su Mian was taken aback, never expecting Qin Xuan to be so observant, let alone to state his findings so directly.

Lu Yang rubbed the back of his head, a look of horror spreading across his face. “Holy crap! Old Qin, now that you mention it… could Xia actually be into guys?”

Hearing the words ‘into guys,’ Su Mian couldn’t help but think of Xiao Moyuan. A strange unease stirred within him, and his ears felt faintly flushed.

Qin Xuan adjusted his glasses, analyzing calmly. “The possibility is low. Lu Yang, when you enthusiastically clapped his shoulder earlier, the micro-expressions at the corners of his mouth and between his brows showed a fleeting flicker of aversion and stiffness.

If his sexual orientation were male and he had feelings for Su Mian, he typically wouldn’t show such obvious repulsion towards normal physical contact from other males without clear romantic signals.

His reaction aligns more with characteristics of ‘misandry,’ though he concealed it very well.”

Su Mian and Lu Yang’s gazes toward Qin Xuan shifted, filled with surprise and a hint of admiration.

They never imagined that Qin Xuan, usually a man of few words, possessed such astounding observational skills.

Lu Yang gave a thumbs-up. “Amazing, Old Qin, you’re like Sherlock Holmes incarnate! But… if he’s misandrist, why is he still so outwardly friendly towards us, especially towards Mianzi?”

A glint flashed across Qin Xuan’s glasses. “Friendliness can be faked.”

Lu Yang grew even more perplexed. “Then what’s his angle? If he dislikes men, why force himself to socialize with us? Is he trying to build connections in college for future convenience?”

Qin Xuan stated calmly, “Judging from his attire, demeanor, and the gifts he casually presented, his economic background is quite superior.”

“For him, the benefits of maintaining superficial social ties with us are far less than the comfort and freedom he’d enjoy living off-campus by himself.”

“His choice to live in the dorms and his deliberate proximity to us undoubtedly point to a more specific objective.”

Lu Yang felt his brain about to overheat, and waved his hand. “Alright, alright, stop beating around the bush. I just want to ask the most crucial question: if he really dislikes men, why would he specifically try to get close to Mianzi?

Even though our Mianzi has somewhat delicate features and a slight build, he’s still a genuine man!”

Su Mian felt even more insecure, almost afraid to meet Lu Yang’s eyes. ‘A genuine man?’

He wasn’t even sure of that himself anymore.

Qin Xuan’s gaze subtly swept over Su Mian’s neck and wrists, which were more slender than those of his male peers. He then adjusted the frames on his nose, ending the conversation. “I don’t know. Insufficient information, unable to deduce.”

Lu Yang breathed a sigh of relief. “Exactly! You’ve said all this, but you can’t really explain anything, and it’s all just your speculation.

Anyway, college life is long. What kind of person Xia truly is will naturally come to light once we’ve spent more time with him.”

Qin Xuan said nothing more, reverting to his usual silence.

He himself found it somewhat strange. As an ‘observer’ accustomed to detached spectating, he had spoken an unusual amount today.

He ought to maintain an unwavering rationality toward everything.

Su Mian also agreed with Lu Yang’s final statement.

There was indeed no need to overthink things now. Time would reveal Xia’s true nature.

***

Back in dorm room 304, Su Mian almost impatiently climbed onto his bed. With a swish, he pulled his bed curtains shut, isolating himself in his small, private space.

He needed some time to process the changes happening to his body and the recent discussion about Xia.

In the dim light, he retrieved the necklace Xiao Moyuan had given him.

The cool metal chain and the pendant, adorned with tiny diamonds, shimmered faintly in his palm.

He hesitated for a moment, then carefully put it around his neck. The chain’s length was perfect, the pendant resting precisely between his collarbones, and its cool touch made him shiver slightly.

He picked up his phone, adjusted it from several angles, and finally took a picture—only capturing the area below his collarbone, clearly showing the necklace’s position and a small section of his pajama neckline.

He deliberately avoided showing his face or any features that might reveal his gender.

[Sweetheart Marshmallow: image.jpg]

[Sweetheart Marshmallow: Big brother’s necklace, I’m wearing it now~ Doesn’t it look good? I really love it! (Kitten nuzzle.gif)]

After sending the message, he waited somewhat nervously. Not long after, his phone lit up.

[Yuan: Mm. It suits you well.]

[Yuan: Wear it. Don’t take it off.]

Those simple words, however, stirred a subtle sweetness in Su Mian’s heart.

He replied with an obedient emoji, his fingers unconsciously caressing the pendant on his chest.

However, when he prepared to remove the necklace for sleep.

‘Damn it, how do I unfasten this necklace?’

“What’s going on?” he mumbled, not daring to pull too hard for fear of breaking it. After fiddling with it for a while, he finally gave up.

‘Looks like I’ll have to sleep with it on tonight.’

He touched the necklace, which felt as if it had merged with his skin. He was somewhat perplexed but didn’t dwell on it, assuming the clasp design was simply unusual or that he hadn’t found the trick to it.

Late into the night, only the steady breathing of the three occupants remained in the dorm room.

Su Mian, wearing the necklace, gradually drifted into sleep amidst a complex and inexpressible swirl of emotions.

***

After an unknown amount of time, the dorm room door was gently pushed open, and Xia returned.

He carried with him a trace of the night’s coolness and a faint, almost imperceptible, deliberately washed fragrance, meant to conceal a deeper scent.

His movements were utterly silent, disturbing no one.

He stood in the center of the dorm room, his light blue pupils seemingly able to pierce the darkness, accurately falling upon Su Mian’s bunk.

He silently approached Su Mian’s bed, quietly tilting his head back to gaze at the tightly drawn curtains, as if he could penetrate the barrier and see the person sleeping peacefully inside.

Even though he had just completed a ‘hunt’ and satisfied his appetite, the sweet fragrance still wafted faintly from Su Mian’s direction, stirring his most primal desires as a blood kin.

The blood he had just consumed now seemed so mediocre and bland in comparison.

He couldn’t help but inhale deeply, his eyes filled with inquisitive and greedy curiosity.

What secret truly lay hidden within the blood of this ‘human’ named Su Mian?

Why did he possess such a pure and potent allure?

Merely the scent he unconsciously exuded was enough to utterly captivate him. If only he could truly taste it… what an exquisite delight that would be?

The thought made his fingertips tremble slightly with excitement.

He suppressed the urge to immediately pull back the bed curtains, instead standing like a statue in the darkness, gazing for a long time.

He possessed ample patience. This unique ‘prey,’ he was determined to acquire and savor slowly.

After all, a prey’s blood was most delicious when their desires were at their peak.

As the night deepened, the necklace around Su Mian’s neck, catching the faint light filtering through the window, occasionally flashed with an almost imperceptible luminescence that then infiltrated Su Mian’s body.