YJDNY - 56

After the door closed, Xiang Ge finally raised her head.

She was gasping for air after being smothered by him. She slapped his hand, which was still gripping her wrist.

“Are you a puppy? You just came at me biting!”

Zhou Xingyan stood by the bed, looking down at her with his head bowed, and released her. “Why are you back?”

Xiang Ge caught her breath, wiped her mouth, and glared at him. “You don’t want me back?”

Zhou Xingyan leaned down again, his palm pressing against the bed, and nibbled on her lower lip. “You didn’t tell me in advance.”

Xiang Ge wanted to say that she had planned to, but after sending that text last night, she lost the face to reply.

She licked the corner of her lips, swaying her head and body backward slightly.

But Zhou Xingyan straightened up, tilting his head with an understanding look. “So your text last night meant ‘I’m coming back’?”

Xiang Ge went all out, rolling her tongue and licking the roof of her mouth. She glanced at him sideways. “It meant ‘I’m coming back, get ready to be slept by me.’“

Zhou Xingyan lowered his lashes and chuckled softly. “Alright, let me prepare.”

Xiang Ge lazily rolled her eyes at him and flopped back onto the bed. As soon as her head touched the pillow, she scrambled up again, kneeling on the bed and leaning forward. “Who did you bring home?”

“College roommates,” Zhou Xingyan said, grabbing the back of her head and moving closer. Xiang Ge exclaimed, “Your friends are still waiting outside.”

“Hmm, let them wait.” His voice was low.

Xiang Ge smiled and pushed him away. “How can you be like this?”

Zhou Xingyan clicked his tongue, slowly straightening up. He pulled over her suitcase, laid it down, opened it, and randomly took out a piece of clothing, handing it to her. “Go wash your face and change your clothes.”

Xiang Ge hummed, taking the clothes from him, unfolding them, and shaking her head. “This won’t do.”

Zhou Xingyan raised an eyebrow. “Just wear anything.”

Xiang Ge widened her eyes. “This is my first appearance in front of your college roommates; my image must be perfect.”

Zhou Xingyan looked at her, his gaze traveling from her forehead, brows, nose, chin, and down to the collarbone revealed by her pajama neckline. He nodded. “You’re perfect no matter what. Go ahead.”

Xiang Ge showed a pleased expression, throwing him a flirtatious glance before hopping off the bed into the bathroom.

Later, Xiang Ge still picked out a loose shirt herself, discarding the sweater Zhou Xingyan had chosen. Before leaving, she tugged on Zhou Xingyan’s hand. “How does your roommate’s personality compare to yours? Is he easy to get along with?”

Zhou Xingyan thought for a moment and replied seriously, “I think I have a better personality.”

Xiang Ge let out a sound, clicking her teeth twice, her voice crisp. “Then your roommate’s personality must be terrible.”

Zhou Xingyan tapped her head, pressed the door handle, and pulled her out.

In the living room, Liang Shengxi sat on the sofa, only showing the back of his head. “What does she look like without makeup? I don’t know.”

Tao Yuan was sitting facing the bedroom door. When he saw her come out, he closed his mouth.

Liang Shengxi waved his arms around dramatically. “But that aura, that face—it’s like Nie Xiaoqian from Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio .”

Zhou Xingyan leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, listening silently.

Xiang Ge tilted her head and took a couple of steps toward the sofa.

She deliberately softened her steps; her wool slippers made no sound on the floor.

Reaching the back of the sofa, she leaned forward, one hand resting on the backrest, her voice soft. “Brother Liang Shengxi, I’m not surnamed Nie.”

Liang Shengxi was startled, turning his head abruptly and nearly falling off the sofa.

Xiang Ge rested her chin on her hand, smiling brightly at him.

Liang Shengxi exhaled deeply and shook his head. “Little fairy sister, you’ve gone bad under Zhou Doctor’s influence.”

When Tao Yuan entered the bedroom and looked up, this little beauty’s head was already nestled in Zhou Xingyan’s embrace. Under the bright living room lights, Tao Yuan couldn’t help but exclaim loudly, jumping up from the sofa and extending his hand to Xiang Ge. “Sister-in-law, hello, I’m Tao Yuan, your boyfriend’s brother who doesn’t treat brothers like people.”

Xiang Ge was amused and shook his hand. Zhou Xingyan walked over, tossed two pairs of slippers, and pulled Xiang Ge to sit on the sofa.

Tao Yuan also sat down, hands clasped under his chin, looking mysteriously at Xiang Ge. “Sister, have I seen you somewhere before?”

Zhou Xingyan gave him a cold glance and casually threw a pillow at his face.

Just then, Lin Xiuran emerged from the kitchen, smiling at them. “Any dietary restrictions?”

Lin Xiuran’s family was in the catering business, and his cooking skills were heavenly. Zhou Xingyan, who once couldn’t even make fried rice, had transformed into a decent cook thanks largely to Lin Xiuran.

Tao Yuan and Liang Shengxi once agreed that if they were women, their first choice for a boyfriend would be someone like Lin Xiuran.

And Zhou Xingyan? He topped the list of absolutely ineligible candidates, with no runner-up.

The two cooks were busy in the kitchen while the three awaiting food chatted at the dining table. As the dishes were nearly ready, Liang Shengxi and Tao Yuan went downstairs to buy drinks.

Xiang Ge had drunk until almost dawn the previous night and only had airplane food all day. Her stomach was still uneasy. Seeing the drinks on the table triggered a reflexive gag.

Everyone froze. Tao Yuan opened his mouth, let out a sound, but couldn’t speak.

In the silence, the other three emotionlessly turned to Zhou Xingyan.

Xiang Ge felt she should follow the majority and turned to look at him too.

“...”

Zhou Xingyan raised his eyes slightly, glancing at her. “Why are you looking at me?”

“You look good,” Xiang Ge quickly responded.

“...”

Tao Yuan and Liang Shengxi simultaneously retracted their gazes, raising their glasses and clinking them together with a crisp sound. “Ah Yuan, happy single life.”

Tao Yuan remained expressionless. “Wish you happiness.”

“You’re happier than me.”

“Screw you, I don’t want to be happy.”

They hadn’t seen each other for a long time, and the atmosphere was high. After one beer, Liang Shengxi’s face was already red. Hanging his arm around Tao Yuan’s neck, he waved his fingers mysteriously and told Xiang Ge, “Ah Yuan is the wine emperor among us four.”

By now, Tao Yuan had taken off his floral coat, revealing a black T-shirt with golden skull embroidery underneath. He looked very punk, very nostalgic, very much the nightclub prince.

Xiang Ge was relieved to find that there was someone in their dorm who could hold their liquor well. Ten minutes later, Tao Yuan finished his third bottle and collapsed face-first onto the table with a loud thud.

Then he lifted his head and shouted tearfully, “Demacia!!”

“...”

Xiang Ge was dumbfounded.

Zhou Xingyan went to the bathroom. Lin Xiuran, seeing the other two drunkenly chatting nonsense, laughed. He took out a cigarette, holding it unlit.

Xiang Ge raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised.

Lin Xiuran gestured. “Shall I go to the balcony?”

Xiang Ge blinked. “No problem.”

Lin Xiuran leaned forward, casually passing her the cigarette box, taking one out.

Xiang Ge took it, her red lips biting it, and accepted the lighter he handed over, thanking him. With practiced movements, she lit it.

Just as it was lit, a pair of slender, handsome hands reached out from behind her, fingertips pressing against her lips, pinching the cigarette and pulling it away.

Xiang Ge let out an “Ah” and raised her eyes.

Zhou Xingyan held the cigarette, his dark eyes narrowed, looking down at her.

Xiang Ge was seated with her back to the bathroom and didn’t see him approach, but Lin Xiuran could see him.

She cast a resentful glance at the man sitting opposite her, who was laughing so hard his shoulders shook. He stood up, dragging Liang Shengxi, who was still shouting, “My backdoor maneuver can perfectly initiate a team fight,” and Tao Yuan, who had started ranting about professors being perverts, toward the door. “I’ll take these two back.”

Zhou Xingyan grunted, walking to the door, watching them clumsily put on their shoes. Xiang Ge helped open the door, escorting them to the elevator before returning.

Zhou Xingyan stood at the doorway, the cigarette in his hand half-burned, the tip glowing faintly, flickering on and off.

Xiang Ge batted her eyes, moving closer ingratiatingly, and kissed his lips.

Zhou Xingyan pinched the cigarette between his fingers, his voice low and calm. “Gained some new skills, huh? Hmm?”

Xiang Ge pouted. “Your roommate gave it to me.”

“He intentionally gave it to you.”

“Why would he intentionally give it to me?”

Zhou Xingyan suddenly laughed, casually stubbing out the cigarette on the marble countertop and looking down at her.

The dining room and kitchen were brightly lit. Zhou Xingyan stood against the light, his dark eyes slightly unfocused, with a faint scent of alcohol mingling with a trace of tobacco in the air.

Xiang Ge suddenly felt the atmosphere turn a bit ambiguous. She licked her lips and looked up.

The surrounding atmosphere seemed to heat up as well.

Zhou Xingyan seemed oblivious, calmly looking at her and speaking slowly. “Smoking after a meal is equivalent to smoking ten cigarettes at other times.”

Xiang Ge: “...”

Xiang Ge: “???”

“After a meal, gastrointestinal movement increases, blood circulation speeds up, and the toxic substances in cigarettes more easily enter the body.” He tilted his head slightly, leaning back a bit. “Besides, smoking affects women’s menstrual cycles. Do you really want to ruin yourself?”

“...”

You motherfucker is a devil?

Xiang Ge stared at him blankly for a few seconds, her expression fading. Her eyeballs rolled up dramatically, her lower lip curling slightly upward, blowing out a breath that ruffled a few strands of hair.

Zhou Xingyan’s lips were pursed, but the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curve into a faint smile.

As Xiang Ge rolled her eyes back, she caught it just in time.

She slightly raised her chin, looking at him with raised eyebrows.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that this person was doing it on purpose.

Xiang Ge frowned in displeasure, moved closer, tiptoed, and draped her arm around his neck.

Her soft body pressed closely against his, fingertips lightly rubbing the skin of his neck, her breath hot against his earlobe.

She hooked her arm around him, lowering her voice. “Is there anything we can do after a meal that won’t harm our health?”

Zhou Xingyan was silent for a moment, then calmly said, “Take a walk.”

Xiang Ge: “............”