Wanqing Yongxing Academy, Boys’ Dormitory, Room 802.
“Trust, trust…”
Ji Yuennian lay lazily on the bed, gazing up at the ceiling, muttering softly under her breath.
She had returned to the dorm half an hour ago, and the game with Jiang Chi had also ended half an hour ago.
The whole process of the game was extremely rough, and mutual trust proved to be even harder than she had imagined. Two hours of that game was honestly more exhausting than two hours in bed.
Trust me. Walk forward five steps…
Ji Yuennian couldn’t help but recall Jiang Chi’s words in her mind.
Her feelings toward Jiang Chi were, to say the least, complicated. On one hand, he had always been her childhood nemesis, and she had even tricked him with crossdressing, essentially stealing his beloved—no less than a grudge over a stolen wife.
On the other hand, Ji Yuennian faintly sensed that Jiang Chi harbored a mix of feelings toward her—liking, affection, anger, hatred, calculation—a true palette of emotions all muddled together.
Her male pride warned her to keep her distance from Jiang Chi, to stay far away, and to bury Jiang Chi, along with those two months of gender-bending black history that so damaged her masculine dignity, deep in her heart never to see the light of day again.
Yet her true self, her desires, yearned for Jiang Chi—to have Jiang Chi satisfy her, to have Jiang Chi push her to new heights.
And now, Jiang Chi wanted her to trust him.
Ji Yuennian had no idea what Jiang Chi hoped to achieve with this little “trust” game, but this thing called “trust” really wasn’t so easy!
Especially when it came to trusting a man, a man entangled with her past, a man she had always seen as a mortal enemy.
Even friends and lovers find it hard to truly trust each other—let alone herself and Jiang Chi, unless the two of them were…
A blush bloomed on her delicate face, two adorable red patches rising on her beautiful cheeks. She hurriedly covered her face with both hands and shook her head hard.
Classmate — friend — couple — lovers — spouses.
Taking the excuse of playing a game to invite her out, step by step advancing his “strategy,” gradually deepening their relationship… just like those two-dimensional stories, where the favorite character is absent, but it’s enough to bring home the voice actor or maybe a top cosplayer.
Impossible, impossible! How could Jiang Chi possibly like her? She’d already deceived his feelings before. Besides, besides… she was a real manly man, and if Jiang Chi liked “Ji Qingchan,” then clearly he didn’t have any gay tendencies.
But the more she denied it, the more that idea circled in her mind, refusing to leave.
Creak.
The dorm room door was suddenly pushed open. Ji Yuennian instinctively buried her face into her pillow.
“Old Ji? What are you…?”
Luo Yikang’s surprised voice came from the doorway.
Ji Yuennian froze for two seconds before slowly lifting her head, meeting her roommate’s strange gaze. She cleared her throat twice, “It’s too hot, way too hot. Seriously, this summer is killing me, so hot my face is turning red.”
As she spoke, she picked up the remote control from the desk and turned on the air conditioner.
At that moment, Luo Yikang noticed something odd about his roommate—short hair cropped to the ears, exaggerated pecs, a softened voice. He couldn’t help feeling a bit suspicious.
But thinking of his own experiences over the past two months, he didn’t ask further. After all, everyone had their secrets, and surely no one could be more miserable than him.
Once Luo Yikang set down his luggage, Ji Yuennian also noticed some subtle changes in him—his skin looked a lot paler, there were faint dark circles under his eyes, his steps were unsteady, and even his body carried a faint hint of women’s perfume.
Don’t tell me this guy spent the past two months at some wild party.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be this drained.
Ji Yuennian’s face twitched slightly.
“Hey Luo, how was life in Hawaii? Did you get up close and personal with any pretty girls?”
The moment she said the words “pretty girls,” Luo Yikang’s body stiffened almost instinctively. Disgust and pain flashed deep in his eyes, but he forced a calm front, “Not bad, all the seafood, abalone, and barbecue I could eat, and I even got a suntan.”
“How about I treat you to a 998 spa package, you know, to help you unwind? And we can celebrate the whole 802 crew being back together.”
“No, no.” Luo Yikang waved his hand, turning away, squeezing out a smile that looked even more miserable than crying. “I appreciate it, but I really can’t muster any interest in women right now.”
“Oh right, Old Ji, my good buddy’s transferring this year, coming to our school. She… he also wants to live on campus, in our dorm. In a few days the maintenance team will come by to add a bed.”
Ji Yuennian: ???
*****
The next day, Senior Year 3, Class 2.
“Hello everyone, I’m the new transfer, Liu Yao, from Koerni Muto School in Sunite City, eighteen this year…”
The boy on stage was introducing himself. His dark eyes were bright and spirited, his short hair brushed just to his ears, skin pale as jade, features delicate and well-defined, and his figure well-proportioned. Dressed in a white shirt and jeans, with black sneakers on his feet, he embodied the fresh and handsome vigor of high school youth.
In the back row, Ji Yuennian watched the boy introducing himself. She couldn’t shake a peculiar sense of dissonance—not an ugliness, but a strange kind of beauty.
She’d seen this kind of thing before, in Hu Li.
Thinking of Hu Li, she instinctively glanced toward a certain spot in the front row, just in time to meet a pair of dark eyes looking back at her—it was Hu Li.
The two of them locked eyes for a moment before quickly looking away.
“Xiao Yuanyuan, who are you looking at?” At that moment, a teasing male voice sounded by her ear.
Ji Yuennian shot a glare at the dog of a man beside her and retorted without mercy, “Screw you. Can’t you keep your distance?”
For some reason, Jiang Chi had insisted on sitting next to her in class, and kept leaning in to tease her from time to time, making Ji Yuennian so mad she wanted to punch him right then and there!
“If I stay away, then who’s going to satisfy you in the future.” Jiang Chi said, clicking his tongue teasingly.
Damn it, her fists were itching.
“I’m just looking at my new roommate. With his looks, I bet he’ll be campus heartthrob next year. Just wait, your status is in danger.” Ji Yuennian purposely raised her voice, hoping to get a reaction out of Jiang Chi.
But the guy just replied lightly with an “Oh.”
Hitting a pile of cotton—nothing but frustration.
On stage, the boy finished his introduction, walked down, and sat beside another boy. With a bright, dazzling smile, he patted Luo Yikang on the shoulder.
“Bro, did you miss me?”
Luo Yikang turned at the words. Seeing that handsome face, his body trembled involuntarily, but to others it just looked like excitement.
A small hand pinched the soft flesh at his waist, warning flashing in Liu Yao’s eyes. Luo Yikang jolted, hurrying to say, “Missed you. Missed you so much.”
“Good, good… Bro, let’s ace the college entrance exams together.”
At this, Liu Yao finally released his grip, a trace of satisfaction in his eyes.
When the final bell rang, everyone else filed out, leaving just the members of 802. Led by Ji Yuennian, they warmly welcomed their new roommate and introduced themselves.
Liu Yao sat quietly below, watching these peers introduce themselves one after another. When it was the turn of a certain gentle-faced boy, their gazes met, sharing a moment of tacit understanding.
At last, after summarizing the dorm’s situation, Ji Yuennian slapped her chest and declared:
“Let’s go eat out!”
“To celebrate our new roommate!!”