After being moved to tears by the sworn enemy's pheromones - Chapter 87

Shen Jin, flushed with embarrassment and anger, couldn’t help but emphasize, “Puppies can eat seafood,” but before he could finish, Gu Yu’s expression turned cold, and with a sharp “Oh,” he stuffed a shrimp ball into Shen Jin’s mouth. Only then did Shen Jin realize he’d fallen into a trap. Off to the side, Qin Zhu could no longer stand it. “Someone used to brag in the dorm about being undefeated for six years in front of his juniors in middle school. That wasn’t dog barking, was it?”

“… Damn.” Shen Jin gritted his teeth and shoved Gu Yu in the chest. “Tell him, wasn’t it true that I said I was undefeated?”

Gu Yu didn’t even lift his eyelids. “How could a senior as great as you lie?”

Shen Jin immediately raised an eyebrow and looked at Qin Zhu, but Gu Yu didn’t stop teasing. “Since I always pretend to lose, it’s impossible for the senior to ever lose. There were a few times I had you pinned down and immobilized, but in the end, didn’t you still win?”

This was indeed true.

“…” But Shen Jin was still unwilling to admit defeat. “Wasn’t it because you couldn’t stand properly?”

“Mhmm,” Gu Yu responded, “I only started learning how to walk in my teens. How could I stand steadily?”

The bubbling hotpot was a stark contrast to the icy expressions of the two roommates. Xu Tingyun slowly put down his chopsticks. “… Have you shown off enough? Believe it or not, I’ll dump sulfuric acid into your ‘river of love’ right now.”

“… Who’s showing off?” Shen Jin pouted and tried to wriggle out of Gu Yu’s affectionate embrace, but the other remained unmoving like a mountain, even taking the time to cook more meat and kelp, stuffing it into Shen Jin’s mouth.

“Mm.” Shen Jin couldn’t escape, so he grumbled, repeating, “I hate you.”

Gu Yu pretended not to hear, but Qin Zhu heard him loud and clear. “… This guy is bullying you already, and you’re not even giving him a comeback like ‘I hate you too’?”

But Gu Yu calmly stated, “I’m afraid someone with a pure, fragile, sensitive glass heart might take it seriously.”

“?” Qin Zhu felt his scalp tighten. “Who are you calling pure, fragile, and sensitive?”

Shen Jin was good at all sorts of things—smoking, drinking, fighting, swearing—he’d even been to shady internet cafes two years before any of them. But Gu Yu’s expression didn’t change as he replied, “I’m talking about Shen Jin.”

The person in his arms almost bit him, but Gu Yu didn’t make any attempt to dodge. “Once you bite me, you can’t be mad anymore.”

Shen Jin paused for half a second, lowered Gu Yu’s arm, and muttered, “In your dreams. I… I’m still going to be mad.”

Gu Yu said nothing, continuing to slowly cook more meat.

Shen Jin sat fuming, and aside from occasionally urging Gu Yu to hurry up, he focused on eating, which led Xu Tingyun to glance at Qin Zhu. “Why did you have to open your mouth and ask that question?”

Qin Zhu raised his hands in surrender. “Damn it, these lovebirds… If I’d known, I wouldn’t have gotten involved.”

Without realizing it, they had been sitting for quite a while—college boys have notoriously big appetites, and the food on the table was gradually disappearing. Suddenly, Shen Jin noticed something. “Why aren’t you eating?”

Gu Yu answered calmly, “Busy feeding the pig.”

“…” Shen Jin was so angry that he didn’t have time to respond before Xu Tingyun’s gleeful laughter rang out. “Dear child, the dog doesn’t even have the energy to bark anymore. How are you going to survive the next few decades?”

“I’m not surviving.” Shen Jin bit off a piece of meat from Gu Yu’s chopsticks and grumbled, “I’ll leave early, get buried in a feng shui spot in the back hills of the school, and scare people from time to time.”

It was meant as a joke, but Shen Jin suddenly felt a chill behind him, and Gu Yu’s arm tightened around him.

“Can you shut your damn mouth?” Qin Zhu pointed his chopsticks at him, and Xu Tingyun chimed in, “Exactly. When I’m 80 years old, lying in the ICU arguing with an 18-year-old, I’ll have to rely on you to catch them for me—”

“Alright, alright, my bad, I’ll shut up.” Shen Jin apologized to his roommates but turned towards Gu Yu. “I was just joking. No matter what, I’ll live 10 years longer than you two—then I’ll be the one crying the loudest when the white-haired sends off the black-haired.”

Qin Zhu flipped Shen Jin off with an international gesture of friendship before tossing some potato skins and vegetables into the pot. “It’s pretty cold today. Are you planning to sleep in the dorm?”

This winter was likely the coldest in over a decade for City C, with temperatures approaching freezing. The dorm’s heater was also barely functioning, but Shen Jin responded firmly, “Of course.”

He was so resolute that Qin Zhu and Xu Tingyun thought Gu Yu would at least maintain his coolness for three more seconds, but surprisingly, Gu Yu immediately interrupted, “Of course?”

Shen Jin tilted his head. “Why not?”

“… There’s no reason why not,” Gu Yu lowered his head and picked up a piece of yam, finally putting it into his own mouth.

Seeing Shen Jin get up to tidy the bed he hadn’t slept in for some time, Gu Yu added, “I just wanted to remind the senior that, from a physiological perspective, an alpha’s average body temperature is about 0.5 to 0.7 degrees higher than an omega’s.”

Shen Jin was puzzled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“…” Gu Yu continued eating and simply said, “It means the senior lacks common knowledge.”

The food in the pot was soon almost finished, and by the time everyone was full, Xu Tingyun had nearly cleaned the table.

He glanced at Gu Yu and started to realize the gravity of the situation. “… You’re not planning to go back either?”

Gu Yu didn’t even bother answering. “Is there an unopened toothbrush?”

“… Qin Zhu frowned, “Someone gave me a box after filling out a questionnaire, but now I kind of wish I had used it to unblock the drain.”

“Thanks.” Gu Yu accepted it without hesitation. Qin Zhu reluctantly dug out the toothbrush from the cabinet. “Shen Jin’s cup is the gray one on the far right with the English logo. Don’t mix them up.”

Gu Yu nodded, getting up to wash up, and deliberately said in Shen Jin’s direction, “Why does the senior still want to fight me for the pink bunny-patterned one?”

Shen Jin immediately jumped down from the lofted bed to cover his mouth. “I bought it… just bought it!”

Before their two roommates could even react to what they were talking about, Shen Jin pushed Gu Yu out onto the balcony and quickly shut the door.

They messed around for at least half an hour before finally finishing their wash-up. Gu Yu climbed up the ladder and naturally warmed the bed, while Shen Jin crawled in from the foot of the bed. Just as he managed to get in, Gu Yu reached over and pulled him into his arms.

“What are you doing…” Shen Jin tried to pull away, but Gu Yu quietly held him tighter without a word.

Though Shen Jin wanted to struggle, he had to admit that Gu Yu’s breathing against the crook of his neck had a certain calming effect.

The familiar dorm room and the warm body temperature of the alpha were like a double-layered comfort, making it easy for him to melt into that softness, like sinking into a bathtub full of warm water, with the heat seeping into the spaces between his bones, filling him with an immense sense of comfort.

The small, cozy bed offered an even stronger sense of security. Gu Yu held him close, adjusting his position over and over as if he wanted Shen Jin to fit even more snugly into his burning chest.

“Cold?” The alpha’s voice was like a fire crackling in the hearth. “Tell me if you’re cold.”

“… Not cold.” Shen Jin stubbornly wiggled. “Little pigs have a body temperature 2 degrees higher than alphas. You’re a little pig.”

Unexpectedly, Gu Yu admitted, “Mm… I’m a little pig.”

Even after their heated argument during the day, Gu Yu asked, “Senior, can you tell the little pig how to stop making you angry?”

Since they started dating, the two had rarely argued over trivial matters.

In Shen Jin’s imagination, the cute little young master would silently sulk after a fight, with a cold face, while he would take the initiative to act cute and beg for forgiveness, and the two of them would quickly make up, hug, kiss, and fall asleep together. 

For instance, if he ran back to the dormitory to eat hot pot today, Gu Yu shouldn’t have shown up. 

Anyway, Shen Jin would soon realize his mistake, run back to kneel on a washboard, and might even pack up a meal of three dishes and a soup for Gu Yu. 

However, reality turned out to be completely different. 

The proud, arrogant little academic genius was even willing to admit he was a little pig—Shen Jin couldn’t bear it any longer and finally relented: “Alright, forget it, there’s no need to coax… it wasn’t even your fault today. Hurry up and go to sleep.” 

Gu Yu instantly quieted down, as if he had no objections. 

The next moment, Qin Zhu, who was the last to finish washing up, returned to the room, raised his hand, and tapped on the footboard of Shen Jin’s bed: “Hiding outsiders and still fussing about it, you’ll be executed after the autumn harvest.”

The two beds were side by side. Shen Jin stuck his head out, deliberately provoking: “Jealous? Execution is fine, just bury us together.”

Qin Zhu cursed under his breath, turned off the lights, climbed into bed, and then chatted with Xu Tingyun for a while about games. The dormitory gradually quieted down.

In the darkness, Shen Jin nervously listened to his roommates’ movements. After much difficulty, when Gu Yu finally fell asleep, he thought, “Now I can sneak over for a quick kiss.”

But at the moment their skin touched, he froze, noticing something inexplicably wet on Gu Yu’s cheek.

“…?” Shen Jin muttered in confusion, “Since when did you start drooling in your sleep?”

He had never had this problem before, which made Shen Jin suspicious. He pulled up his sleeve to wipe it off, but suddenly, a force grabbed his wrist, and Gu Yu’s low voice broke the silence: “…I’m not drooling.”

“…You’re not asleep?” Shen Jin was dumbfounded, but Gu Yu suddenly let go of him, turned over, and said nothing.

Shen Jin was stunned for at least five or six seconds before he suddenly propped himself up and tried to turn Gu Yu’s shoulder: “…Were you crying?”

Gu Yu barely moved, but it was obvious he was wiping away tears: “No, senior’s just dreaming.”

Even though there was a risk of waking up his roommates, Shen Jin panicked and immediately sat up, intending to touch Gu Yu’s face.

But Gu Yu was more stubborn than he expected. He shrank completely toward the wall, his arm firmly blocking Shen Jin like an impenetrable barrier. Not only could Shen Jin not reach him, but Gu Yu’s voice also remained low.

“Forget it, senior doesn’t need to worry about me.”

“Forget it, it’s no big deal.”

“Anyway, just forget it…”

Gu Yu wiped the tears from his face with his palm, and like a nimble feline, he again dodged Shen Jin’s attempt to pat his head.

A lightbulb went off in Shen Jin’s mind, and he seemed to understand: “What I meant by ‘forget it’ just now was—”

It turns out Gu Yu didn’t want to hear him say “forget it.”

Shen Jin hadn’t even thought of how to explain when Gu Yu interrupted him: “Just what?”

“You don’t even plan to let me comfort you anymore?”

“You just think it’s whatever, not a big deal.”

“You’re planning to brush it off this time, and then next time too, and in the end, when we break up, you’ll just tell me ‘forget it,’ right?”

After saying this, Gu Yu’s voice was full of grievance: “You left without even telling me, and now you’re not even letting me comfort you. I guess you’re done with me.”

Shen Jin didn’t mean that at all, but faced with Gu Yu’s teary voice, he couldn’t defend himself and found it both amusing and exasperating.

He wanted to laugh but also felt heartbroken, quickly explaining while trying to forcefully turn Gu Yu’s shoulders for a hug.

They were at an impasse; Gu Yu had been as stubborn as a mule, refusing to budge, until Shen Jin started coughing from the cold. Only then did Gu Yu pause and silently turn around to cover Shen Jin with a blanket.

Under the warmth of the down comforter, Shen Jin blinked: “…I wasn’t coughing on purpose, I’m just naturally frail.”

“…” Gu Yu didn’t respond but hugged him tightly, as if trying to squeeze him to pieces.

Shen Jin cooperatively nestled into Gu Yu’s arms, reaching out to gently wipe the lingering moisture from the corner of Gu Yu’s eye: “How can you cry over something like this, silly?”

Gu Yu had said this to comfort him many times before, but now Shen Jin was finally learning to use the alpha’s tenderness himself.

“…” Gu Yu remained silent for a long time before muttering in a voice as soft as a mosquito, “It’s all your fault, senior.”

“Okay—it’s all my fault, all my fault.” Shen Jin comfortingly stroked from Gu Yu’s tear-streaked eyes to his prominent brow bone. “What I meant by ‘forget it’ earlier was just that I knew I was in the wrong. You didn’t need to come and comfort me. I would’ve gone back to apologize after eating hot pot. How could I not want you?”

Even though he explained it clearly, Gu Yu shook his head and tightened his embrace: “But if I hadn’t come, you’d probably be crying by now.”

As if wanting to prove his point, Gu Yu asked again, defiantly: “Wouldn’t you?”

“…” Shen Jin opened his mouth, joking, “Not necessarily… At most, I’d just delete my browser history and prepare to jump off a building to say goodbye to this cold world.”

The cold winter night made him snuggle closer to Gu Yu.

In that moment, he suddenly realized that he might not be able to fully deny that, deep down, he had always been humble and self-deprecating.

The broken windows theory says that when you walk into a clean and undamaged room, you naturally want to take care of it. But when faced with a shabby house with a broken window, people unknowingly treat it with indifference.

He often felt like that broken window—already damaged, so losing a few more pieces wouldn’t matter, and there was no need to be cherished.

With the kind of parents and family he had, how could he possibly care about a little argument with his boyfriend? As long as Gu Yu was willing to accept his apology and continue being good to him, it was already more love and care than he ever expected.

He thought, maybe someone like him wasn’t suited to love others.

Any slight from the other person could cut him deeply, bleeding from within, painfully, yet even he himself wouldn’t notice.

But now it seemed Gu Yu didn’t see it that way.

To Gu Yu, Shen Jin was a precious, unbroken treasure, like those cute omegas who grew up being cherished by everyone around them, and he deserved to be pampered unconditionally.

“I told you it wasn’t your fault…” In the darkness, Shen Jin unconsciously gripped Gu Yu’s shirt, feeling a bit bitter. “How could there be an alpha like you?”

Before Gu Yu could answer, Shen Jin hugged him tightly and asked, “No matter how many fights we have in the future, will you always come find me like you did today?”

Deep down, he felt he was being unreasonable, but Gu Yu quickly composed himself, suppressing his sobs and answering earnestly: “Yes.”

The simple word fell into Shen Jin’s heart like a spark, filling his chest with warmth: “Really?”

“Really,” Gu Yu, now calm and mature again, said softly. “Even if we fight in the future, I won’t raise my voice at you like today.”

But when he mentioned Shen Jin “running away from home,” his voice still carried some tension: “But you have to promise me, you won’t just run off without saying anything and leave me behind again.”

“Come on, really, no one’s abandoning you—” Shen Jin realized nothing he said was getting through, so he rubbed against the alpha’s chin. “You’ve already said this, so if we ever argue in the future, I’ll definitely win. How could I be the one to run?”

He “pushed his luck” even more by teasing, “Little Strawberry looked really cute when you were crying just now… If I’d known, I would’ve recorded it.”

Then he tilted his head up and kissed the wet corner of the alpha’s eye, gently patting the alpha’s obedient back over and over until the aggrieved alpha was finally soothed. His partner held him tightly, but only muttered six words: “I absolutely did not cry.”

Of course, even though he didn’t admit it, Gu Yu was still shaken inside. He thought, if it weren’t for how gentle and tolerant his senior was, he would definitely have become the worst alpha in the world.

“Shen Jin.” So, he couldn’t help but say, “How about after we get married, all my assets go to you?”

“…?” Shen Jin was a bit stunned. “Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?”

“…I don’t even know,” Gu Yu honestly replied, “but everything goes to you.”

Shen Jin laughed so hard that the bed almost started shaking. “Alright, I see you’ve mastered the art of making me happy. From now on, whenever I’m upset, just say this and I’ll feel better right away.”

Jokes aside, Shen Jin still pursed his lips in concern and continued, “I’ll never make you cry again, okay?”

In the dim moonlight, the two tentatively leaned closer for a kiss, but they both forgot that their dorm room wasn’t a private apartment. Just a few seconds later, Qin Zhu’s voice suddenly broke the silence: “That’s so cheesy—why don’t you just give him your life too?”

Shen Jin jumped in surprise and came back to his senses. “When did you wake up?”

“I’ve been awake for a while,” unexpectedly, it was Xu Tingyun who answered. “Probably since Gu Yu asked you whether you were crying. I couldn’t hear too clearly—although, I was the one who told him you were in the dorm. At least let me stand between you two at the wedding, okay?”

Shen Jin felt so ashamed he wanted to disappear on the spot, but Qin Zhu kept pressing, “With the two of you being such hopeless romantics, what could you even fight about?”

Only a few faint shadows remained in the dorm. Shen Jin pressed himself closer to the warm nook of the alpha’s neck, sheepishly taking a while to respond, “We didn’t really fight over anything serious…”

The dorm’s late-night chat atmosphere suddenly took hold, and their roommates couldn’t stop themselves from bombarding them with questions. Shen Jin had no choice but to vaguely explain that the reason he and Gu Yu argued was really quite simple.

It all started because he hadn’t smoked in several days, and early that morning, he couldn’t resist sneaking out to the balcony for a cigarette. The wind was strong there, so the smoke dispersed quickly. He bet that since Gu Yu had been exhausted from his last night of part-time work, he wouldn’t wake up so early.

But Gu Yu was always such a light sleeper—he could always sense it and find him whenever he wasn’t by his side. 

Faced with the biting cold wind and the lingering smell of smoke that hadn’t quite faded, Gu Yu stood in silence for a few seconds before turning and walking away. Shen Jin hurried to catch up, but found it hard to explain how difficult it was for someone who had smoked for years to quit completely and suddenly.

In their argument, Gu Yu had said some harsh words, not understanding what the point of smoking was. He asked how long Shen Jin intended to stay sick in such cold weather and said he didn’t want to care about him anymore.

Shen Jin knew Gu Yu was just worried and anxious, but he was at a loss for how to respond kindly after being scolded like that. Instead, he answered each of Gu Yu’s non-questions one by one.

He said, “Maybe smoking doesn’t mean much, but I’ve been a delinquent for years. It’s not like you just met me.”

“The doctor didn’t say I had some incurable illness. Whether it’s ten days or half a month, or three years or five years, I’ll recover eventually. It won’t take long.”

“If you don’t want to care about me, you don’t have to. I’ll survive just fine, even if I’m left on my own. I’ll live to 90, hobbling my way through the 800-meter fitness test.”

Gu Yu stood silently in the kitchen after listening to Shen Jin finish, quickly setting the washed vegetables aside. Instead of continuing to cook, he turned and went to the study.

They stayed in a stalemate for a long time, with neither saying a word.

Later, when Shen Jin saw his roommates preparing for hot pot, he grabbed his phone and keys and left without even telling Gu Yu where he was going.

But after walking just a few steps downstairs, he started wondering if it was too late to turn back and apologize now.

His rational mind told him not to act so recklessly.

But today, Gu Yu had been so harsh. He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to properly smooth things over, so he chose to avoid it for the time being.

If Gu Yu hadn’t suddenly shown up at his dorm room door later, Shen Jin probably would’ve stopped being stubborn and rushed home right after eating hot pot, let alone lying here now, whining and demanding to be comforted.

*

After Shen Jin roughly recounted the argument, Qin Zhu showed no mercy: “They say even an impartial judge can’t settle family disputes, but in this case, it’s clearly all your fault, Shen Jin. Your junior was so worried about you—if you’d just said a few soft words, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“…” Shen Jin hissed. “Not gonna lie, sometimes I wonder if the two of us are actually brothers.”

“Seems like you haven’t grasped the father-son dynamic between us,” Qin Zhu teased as he called over to Gu Yu, “You’d better not listen to him, okay? I’ve been smoking even longer than he has, and quitting is no big deal. It’s just a matter of whether you want to or not. Next time this punk smokes again, just send him back to me, and I’ll break his legs.”

“You son of—” Shen Jin flared up for a few seconds, then quickly softened and wrapped his arms around Gu Yu’s waist, explaining, “Don’t listen to him, quitting smoking is really hard… I didn’t mean to do it on purpose.”

But Gu Yu only heard what he wanted to hear: “Senior Qin Zhu already said it’s easy. I think you’re just trying to annoy me on purpose.”

Shen Jin felt like he’d been tricked. “What happened to unconditionally pampering me and giving me all your assets?”

The bed frame creaked as the two of them probably started wrestling under the covers. Qin Zhu couldn’t take it anymore. “Anyone have the dorm manager’s number?”

Xu Tingyun replied, “I suggest calling 110 directly.”

The dorm still carried the lingering aroma of hot pot broth as the group bantered and chatted about all sorts of things, from the latest animated film to family gossip they heard during the Lunar New Year, and even the upcoming Valentine’s Day in-game event. Suddenly, Qin Zhu remembered something and said, “That event is ridiculous. I don’t know what the game designers were thinking… Everything except the profile frame costs money. It’s why He Senzhou insisted we pair up in-game, just to do the tasks and get that stupid frame.”

Shen Jin temporarily let Gu Yu go and asked curiously, “So did you end up with him or not?”

 

“Hell no,” Qin Zhu replied. “Who was the idiot that deleted me from his game friends to duo with someone else?”

 

It was easy to see that He Senzhou’s romantic journey was going to be a rocky one.

 

Qin Zhu didn’t seem to have any intention of accepting his apologies or taking him back. “Forget that he’s an alpha and I’m a beta. He’ll definitely go for graduate school in the future, and I’ll just keep playing games. We were never meant to be on the same path.”

 

“…Stop bringing up things that shouldn’t be mentioned,” Xu Tingyun realized what Qin Zhu was alluding to, but Qin Zhu went on as usual, bluntly asking, “What about you, Gu Yu? Are you planning to apply to T University as well?”

 

After all, in the field of engineering, T University’s standing in the country was undeniable. For students like He Senzhou and Gu Yu, this wasn’t just a future goal; it also felt like a way to make up for some regrets from the college entrance exams.

 

Gu Yu answered truthfully, “Although it’s still early, I’ve indeed been considering it.”

 

“But T University is in the north,” Qin Zhu thought for a moment. “I plan to stay in the south for game commentary in the future. Shen Jin has all sorts of health issues, especially with his lungs. If you go with him, will he be okay?”

 

The northern climate is harsh, and respiratory issues are more common there. Shen Jin couldn’t even handle the light breeze in C City, let alone the cutting northern winds. But Shen Jin didn’t think it was a problem. “Don’t scare the kid. He can go wherever he wants. I can sell myself to support him.”

 

Gu Yu tugged at him, “Who are you planning to sell yourself to?”

 

“Little Gu, want to buy me? I’ll give you an 80% discount for being an old customer,” Shen Jin playfully leaned closer, and Gu Yu took the opportunity to pinch his cheek. “Whether I get in or not is another story. That’s just one of my thoughts.”

 

“You have other plans?” Shen Jin looked at him disapprovingly. “What, are you planning to earn 2,000 yuan a month and sleep under a bridge like me?”

 

“Not a bad kind of kidney-theft romance,” Gu Yu, as if he had thought about it before, looked down at him. “Doesn’t the senior like Cantonese cuisine? I could try applying to H University’s graduate program across fields. It’s just across from Guangzhou and Zhuhai, and traveling between the two is convenient. Plus, isn’t your favorite esports team based in Guangdong?”

 

The other three were a bit surprised. Setting aside the difficulty of switching to H University for a master’s degree, the financial cost alone would be much higher. Qin Zhu nearly sat up, “He also likes hamburgers, pasta, and sukiyaki. Why don’t you just aim to unify the world?”

 

Shen Jin quickly punched Gu Yu in the chest, “Yeah, I have tons of favorite teams. FTG is in Beijing, and I even know someone in their youth training team.”

 

Sensing Shen Jin’s restlessness, Gu Yu pressed down on his wrist, soothingly saying, “There are many options. I’m also quite interested in business. We have plenty of time to think about it.”

 

He used the word “we,” and Shen Jin understood what he meant. “Business? Are you sure you like that? Any sensible person knows they shouldn’t let love affect their academic direction, or they’ll regret it later.”

 

“I’m sure,” Gu Yu replied thoughtfully. “In third grade, I made my first money trading toys. The uncles and aunties at the tobacco factory always said I was the smartest.”

 

“…I think they meant to say you were the cutest,” Shen Jin cupped his face. “My aloof engineering heartthrob shouldn’t change majors for me. You should go wherever you want. A real man’s ambition is boundless, you know?”

 

No one could argue with Shen Jin’s words, but Gu Yu pulled him closer and said softly, “Let the others have their boundless ambition. I just want to make money and take you to eat delicious food.”

 

The dark night amplified the sound of their heartbeats. Shen Jin’s face reddened as little fireworks of joy burst in his chest. “…No ambition.”

 

“Mm,” Gu Yu, utterly lacking ambition, continued, “How about I make cheese shrimp balls for you tomorrow?”

 

“How about I make cheese shrimp balls for you tomorrow—” Qin Zhu and Xu Tingyun both heard the sentence clearly and repeated it in unison. Shen Jin wished he could throw his phone charger at the two of them. “Aren’t you going to sleep?”

 

Xu Tingyun whined, “I can’t sleep unless I get cheese shrimp balls.”

 

Qin Zhu exaggeratedly chimed in, and Shen Jin, helpless, agreed to let them join in on the fun tomorrow. Only then did the two settle down.

 

“Make sure to poison the shrimp balls,” Shen Jin instructed Gu Yu. “I’ll wash the dishes tomorrow. Now go to sleep.”

 

To this, Qin Zhu remarked, “Just washing the dishes? Don’t forget to lick the floor clean too.”

 

If it weren’t for the cold winter, Shen Jin probably would have dragged Qin Zhu out of bed to fight.

 

Gu Yu quietly whispered to Shen Jin, “I’ll put double the cheese in yours,” finally satisfying him. Shen Jin snuggled into Gu Yu’s arms and soon fell asleep from exhaustion.

 

After a while, Xu Tingyun’s voice broke the silence of the dorm room. “Is he asleep?”

 

“…Yeah.” Gu Yu also heard the sound of Qin Zhu turning over. “How come neither of you is asleep?”

 

“Can’t sleep. I’m still thinking about how we lost that game after breaking three lanes,” Qin Zhu mumbled some nonsense, then suddenly asked in a low voice, “…Oh, right. Shen Jin said there’s a small chance he might need surgery. Is that true?”

 

Gu Yu’s voice grew heavier upon hearing that. “…Yeah, it’s probably more than just a small chance.”

 

“The doctor has already given some advice. I think we’ll wait until we can get an appointment with the best specialist at the Second Hospital and then take him.”

 

“I knew it. It’s definitely worse than he’s letting on,” Qin Zhu nearly lost his breath, “Otherwise, you wouldn’t be in such a rush… Quitting smoking, was that doctor’s advice too?”

 

“…No,” Gu Yu answered softly. “The doctor said it’s not directly related to smoking, but cutting back wouldn’t hurt. He doesn’t really smoke much anymore… It’s me who’s been pushing him too hard.”

 

“Don’t,” Xu Tingyun said, “Qin Zhu takes full responsibility for his actions. He means it.” Then he asked, “Do you two have enough money? Shen Jin would never ask us for help, but if you don’t, let us know. We’ll figure something out.”

 

After thanking him, Gu Yu assured them that they had enough. On the other side, Qin Zhu, rarely serious, added, “When he goes in for surgery… call us so we can go too.”