When the black commercial vehicle stopped outside the men’s dormitory of Linzhou University, the sky had completely darkened.
The streetlight at the dormitory entrance cast a cold white glow. A few flying insects circled the lamp cover, and in the distance, the noise of the basketball court could still be heard.
It was as if everything on campus was completely cut off from Lin Jianqing’s chaotic mood right now. Everything at the university was normal.
Lin Jianqing sat in the passenger seat, holding several paper bags in his arms, and hadn’t gotten out of the car for a long time.
The paper bags had brand logos he didn’t recognize. The paper was very stiff, and the edges even carried a special fragrance. Even just holding them made it clear that the items inside were expensive.
And not long ago, those things had been worn on his body.
Thinking of this, Lin Jianqing’s expression turned slightly unnatural.
“We’re here.”
Shen Huaixue rested one hand on the steering wheel and turned her face to look at him.
The interior of the car was dark; only the light from outside fell through the windshield, cutting her profile into half brightness and half shadow.
She seemed to be in a good mood, but Lin Jianqing didn’t like this expression on her face. For some reason, he felt that Shen Huaixue’s good mood was built on his pain.
Like a hunter who had finally dragged its prey back to the cage—the door wasn’t closed yet, but the hunter was already savoring the sight of the prey having nowhere to run.
“I know.”
Lin Jianqing responded in a low voice, then reached out to unbuckle his seatbelt. The sound of the belt retracting was especially loud in the quiet car.
Shen Huaixue didn’t speak immediately, but her gaze paused on the paper bags in his arms.
“Take good care of the clothes.”
Lin Jianqing’s movements faltered slightly.
“Mm.”
“Don’t damage them.”
“…I know.”
Hearing this, Lin Jianqing felt a flicker of anger rise in his heart.
He wanted to ask: if she was afraid he would damage them, why force him to take them back to the dorm? Wasn’t it strange for a guy to bring women’s clothing back to his dorm?
But in the end, he didn’t say those words. Saying them would be pointless.
Besides, he didn’t want to keep lingering with Shen Huaixue under the dormitory building right now.
Students were coming and going everywhere. Although the sky was already dark and people probably couldn’t see clearly who was in the car, Lin Jianqing still felt instinctively unsafe.
He didn’t want to be seen getting out of Shen Huaixue’s car, and even less did he want to be seen holding these items in his arms.
How embarrassing.
“I’m going back first.”
Lin Jianqing pushed open the car door.
The evening breeze rushed in, dispersing the faint perfume smell inside the car. As soon as he got out, Shen Huaixue’s voice came from behind him.
“I’ll contact you tomorrow.”
Lin Jianqing turned his head.
“Tomorrow?”
Shen Huaixue looked at him, her tone as natural as if she were reminding him of the most ordinary thing.
“It’s written in the contract. Apart from your class time, you have to coordinate with my arrangements. Also, isn’t tomorrow a day off?”
Lin Jianqing was momentarily at a loss for words. He had almost forgotten about this.
Or rather, he hadn’t forgotten—he just hadn’t wanted to think about it.
The contract had already been signed. From the moment he put down his name, the relationship between him and Shen Huaixue had changed.
No longer just boss and intern, nor just a problem he unilaterally wanted to avoid.
He had become Party B under the contract, the person who needed to “coordinate” according to Shen Huaixue’s words.
Lin Jianqing hugged the paper bags tighter, his knuckles turning white from the pressure.
“Got it.”
That was all he said.
Shen Huaixue looked at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled.
“Don’t make that face. It’s not like I’m going to eat you.”
Lin Jianqing didn’t reply.
Because he didn’t know whether that statement was a lie. In a sense, Shen Huaixue really wouldn’t eat him.
At least the contract didn’t include the worst things: no physical relationship, no forced cohabitation, no being on call 24/7.
If he looked on the bright side, she just seemed to need him to wear those clothes, pretend to be someone, and keep her company for a while.
Like an absurd part-time job whose content was to play her white moonlight.
Ridiculous, but at least not the worst it could be.
Lin Jianqing could only think this way; otherwise, he was afraid he wouldn’t even have the strength to return to the dorm.
“I’m leaving.”
Lin Jianqing didn’t look at Shen Huaixue again. He turned and walked toward the dormitory building, holding the paper bags.
Shen Huaixue sat in the car, not leaving immediately. She watched Lin Jianqing’s back through the car window.
The men’s dormitory entrance was crowded. Occasionally, someone passing by Lin Jianqing would glance at him subconsciously.
The clothes he was wearing today were the ones she had picked for him. Although she had tried to choose something not too exaggerated, the delicate look still clashed with the typical casual wear of college students.
Especially since Lin Jianqing was holding several paper bags, his head down, looking like he wanted to disappear into the crowd immediately.
But the more he wanted to vanish, the more attention he drew.
Shen Huaixue watched him, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. For some reason, she really liked this look of Lin Jianqing—clearly unwilling, yet forced to cooperate with her.
Like a small animal that had been forced to wear a collar.
Not yet truly tamed, but at least the collar was already fastened.
“Slow and steady.”
Shen Huaixue murmured to herself.
Then she started the car again. The black commercial vehicle slowly drove away from the dormitory area. But on the way back, Shen Huaixue felt a strange heaviness in her heart.
She had originally planned to act cold and aloof in front of Lin Jianqing, so that she could make some lewd demands of him.
But when she saw his cute face that made her want to bully him, she inexplicably wanted to make him angry—or even… make him cry.
Meanwhile, Lin Jianqing kept his head down all the way back to the dorm. From the lobby to the elevator, and from the elevator to the hallway, he tried his best to avoid everyone’s eyes.
Fortunately, at this hour, most people in the dorm were out eating or attending evening classes, so the hallway wasn’t very busy. Also, quite a few guys liked to wear women’s clothing… At least, as long as his roommates didn’t see it.
When Lin Jianqing reached the dorm door, he didn’t open it right away.
He stopped first and listened carefully to the sounds inside.
Silence. No voices, no keyboard clacking, no roommate muttering curses while gaming.
Only then did Lin Jianqing pull the key from his pocket and quietly open the door. The dorm was indeed empty. Seeing the empty room, he finally let out a sigh of relief.
The moment the door closed, he seemed to shed all his strength, leaning against the door for a while.
He looked down at the paper bags in his arms, then at the clothes he was wearing—obviously not his own—and his expression gradually became complicated.
If someone had been in the dorm just now, he probably wouldn’t have known how to explain.
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