Are All You Straight Guys Like This Chapter 13

Sunday night, Swan Hotel.

It was only seven in the evening, and guests were already coming and going at the entrance. When Ye Ran got out of the taxi, he happened to see Nie Anrou and her roommates. Nie Anrou waved at him.

“Ye Ran, you came too?”

Tonight was the class dinner. The reservation was for 7:30, but Ye Ran had left early, worried about traffic.

Autumn in the capital grew colder by the day. A fine rain was falling that night, and the chill wind carried icy drops that stung against exposed skin. Even after years of living in the city, Ye Ran still wasn’t used to it.

He wore a hooded sweatshirt with a black padded jacket over it. His skin was pale and smooth, his phoenix eyes narrow and calm. Standing under the hotel’s glowing lights through the misty rain, he gave off a quiet, detached air—until he smiled, and all that distance vanished.

He asked, “Has everyone arrived?”

Nie Anrou stood beside a student council rep, a girl who looked at him curiously and said, with a slight pout, “Not yet. Including you, there are just a few of us so far.”

“It’s still early—gathering’s at 7:30,” Nie Anrou said.

“Yeah, it’s early, but the class officers were supposed to come ahead. Instead, Liang Feng and the others only just left.”

Ye Ran guessed they’d gone shopping for supplies and offered, “Let me help.”

Nie Anrou hesitated, then smiled gratefully. “It’s just some small decorations and a banner. We just need to hang them up.”

The Swan Hotel was lavishly decorated. At the entrance stood bonsai pines and lush greenery. Inside, the lights were bright. After checking in at the front desk, a staff member led them to their private room on the second floor.

A thick carpet lined the hallway. From nearby rooms came the occasional sounds of clinking glasses and toasts. Once they shut the door, the noise faded away.

Nie Anrou opened her backpack—indeed, there were just some trinkets and a banner inside.

The banner, meant for the wall, read: “Class Gathering – 2023 Fine Arts Major, Class 1.”

The trinkets were personalized mini figurines she had custom-made on Taobao, one for each classmate.

Ye Ran’s figurine was a tiny palm-sized boy in a gray hoodie, with a faint blush on his cheeks. Ye Ran chuckled. “This is…”

“In October we took that group photo, remember? I sent it to the shop to make these,” Nie said, a little embarrassed.

Ye Ran turned the figure in his hand. “It’s pretty cute.”

They hung the banner, arranged the trinkets neatly on the entry table, and waited for the others to arrive.

Soon, a group of girls came in, chattering. When they saw the mini figures by the door, they squealed and started searching for their own.

By 7:25, Liang Feng and a few boys rushed in, damp from the rain.

They knew they were late and kept apologizing under the student council rep’s disapproving glare. Nie Anrou smoothed things over helplessly. “Alright, it’s our first class event, so it’s normal to be a bit uncoordinated. Let’s just remember next time.”

The rep muttered, “Seriously, you could’ve said if you’d be late. If not for Ye—”

Nie Anrou cut her off. “Come on, take your seats. I already told the staff to start serving at 7:30.”

Liang Feng looked a bit unhappy but said nothing. “Okay.”

Ye Ran wasn’t close with his classmates. Since he’d arrived first, he quietly sat in the corner, head down, scrolling on his phone.

Then someone sat next to him—it was a group of four boys from the dorm. They were laughing loudly and accidentally bumped his chair. The impact wasn’t hard, but it made him shift slightly.

“Hey, Ye Ran,” one of them greeted.

Ye Ran put his phone away, straightened up, and nodded calmly. “Hi.”

“Everyone’s chatting, why are you still on your phone?”

“Just letting my roommate know I got here.”

“Your roommate…” One boy perked up. “Isn’t your roommate that Shen Shi? I saw his photo on another school’s forum yesterday. Heard his family’s rich, is that true?”

“Really? I’ve seen him a few times, his shoes are super expensive, and his clothes look like those niche luxury brands.”

“D*mn, handsome, smart, rich… people really do get compared.”

Ye Ran didn’t respond. When they kept pestering him, he finally looked up, blinking in confusion. “Huh? What did you say… sorry, it’s too noisy, I didn’t hear.”

“We were asking about your roommate—”

Just then, the waiter started serving the food. Ye Ran’s lips curved faintly into a smile, his voice soft but cutting them off: “Food’s here.”

The first dish was a cold appetizer, Northeastern-style la pi.

The noodles were springy and coated in sesame sauce, light and appetizing.

Swan Hotel’s service was excellent. Reviews online praised the fast pace of the dishes; one wouldn’t have to wait until finishing one dish to get the next.

The boys seemed to ask him more questions, but Ye Ran pretended not to hear, quietly eating amid the lively chatter without a word.

During the meal, some outgoing, sociable boys from the class started small talk, asking where everyone went to school before.

The conversation grew warmer, the air conditioning was turned up high, and everyone gradually shed their jackets, the atmosphere becoming lively.

“I studied in H Province,” said a rather quiet girl, “it’s a big province for the college entrance exam.”

“Haha, me too! Fellow H Province people, we should buy tickets together during holidays.”

“I’m from Haishi, a touristy province. If anyone wants to visit, just ask me, I’ll be a free tour guide.”

…

Somehow, the topic turned to Ye Ran. “What about Ye Ran?”

The voice sounded familiar. Ye Ran looked up and met Liang Feng’s gaze across the table. Liang Feng was with a few of his close friends, and the one speaking was one of them, nudging Liang Feng playfully.

Ye Ran put down his chopsticks and answered, “I’m local.”

“Oh, a Beijing native,” more eyes turned to him. “Do you have siblings?”

“No, I’m an only child.”

“What does your family do?”

Ye Ran paused briefly. “A little business.”

“Are you done with the questioning?” Nie Anrou interjected, changing the topic. She stood and poured drinks for a few girls, smiling: “Ye Ran’s not the only local here, you know.”

Other local classmates chuckled, sharing about their families. In total, Class 1 of the Fine Arts major had twenty students, four from Beijing, each from different districts with varying family backgrounds.

Murmurs arose: “Ye Ran’s family looks rich.”

“Yeah… those shoes, he wore them right when they were released.”

“Beijing folks really have money.”

Though he knew people sometimes made subtle judgments when making friends, Ye Ran still felt uncomfortable. Even though the topic shifted, many eyes remained on him.

He picked up his phone, ready for a breath of fresh air, and casually glanced up, meeting Liang Feng’s gaze across the table. Liang Feng’s expression was hidden in shadow, unreadable.

…

The hallway air was indeed refreshing.

Ye Ran closed the door and headed to the restroom.

The restroom smelled of flowers. A cleaning lady was tidying up. Ye Ran washed his hands; the icy water helped him wake up a bit.

Suddenly, someone emerged from a stall, surprised: “Ye Ran?”

Ye Ran turned. “Yu Ting?”

Yu Ting’s face lit with joy. He walked over to the sink beside him, smiling: “What a coincidence, you’re here too?”

“Yes,” Ye Ran replied with a smile. “Happy birthday.”

Yu Ting froze. “Haha… th-thanks—”

His words faltered, pupils widening. “Y-you… how did you know?”

What the…?

How did Ye Ran know about his “temporary birthday” today?

“Isn’t today your birthday?” Ye Ran asked, vaguely remembering that Shen Shi had also brought a gift.

The two stared at each other silently.

One confused, one shocked.

Yu Ting’s expression shifted from disbelief to sudden understanding, then to furious despair, his eyes widening in anger.

“Yu Ting, are you okay?” Ye Ran panicked, immediately stepping forward to steady his swaying figure. “Did… did you drink too much? Should I call 911?”

“911?” Yu Ting murmured, “What 911? Just beat up Shen Shi and I’d be fine…”

“?” Ye Ran didn’t catch that. “What? Beat up Shen Shi? Okay, I’ll call him.”

Yu Ting quickly grabbed his hand. “No need.”

He spoke with difficulty: “I’m fine, just a bit dizzy. Where are you guys heading next? Maybe we can walk back to school together.”

Ye Ran: “We’re going to a private room on the seventh floor to sing karaoke.”

“Oh,” Yu Ting murmured thoughtfully. “Karaoke, huh.”

They chatted a bit more before parting at a hallway fork.

Yu Ting, full of lingering frustration, paused at the private room entrance. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and feigned a casual demeanor as he pushed the door open.

The room was quiet.

The round table was filled with dishes, most already eaten, leaving only a few leftovers.

Bright lights fell on Shen Shi, who leaned back lazily in his chair, long legs casually bent. Hearing movement, he lifted his eyes—dark pupils calm, with a slight weariness from the alcohol.

“Been gone long?” Shen Shi said. “If your kidneys aren’t well, go see a doctor.”

Yu Ting choked: “…”

You’re the one with kidney problems!

He gritted his teeth and sat down, forcing a smile. “Heh… mainly because I ran into someone I know.”

Shen Shi lazily scrolled on his phone, eyelids lowered. “Oh.”

Not even a flicker of interest!

Yu Ting thought bitterly, Shen Shi really was a heartless man. He didn’t even put him in his eyes.

Did a tool man have no right to speak anymore!?

“You won’t believe this, Ye Ran’s actually at this same hotel.” He paused deliberately, and sure enough, Shen Shi looked up. “His class is having a reunion. They’re going to the 7th floor for karaoke soon. It’s already nine-thirty, are they planning to sing all night? Are they even going back to school?”

The dorms at Beijing University locked at eleven-thirty. As long as you got back before then, it was fine.

But the Swan Hotel was about a ten-minute drive away—once everyone got too hyped up, they might not return on time.

The room fell silent for a few seconds.

A moment later, Shen Shi put down his phone and asked, “Wanna go sing?”

Yu Ting just stared at him, wanting to hear what kind of nonsense would come out of his mouth next.

Shen Shi said, “My treat.”

Yu Ting was utterly heartbroken. “Shen Shi, can you be a d*mn human being for once!?”

Even in seven-degree weather, his heart had never felt this cold!

“You—don’t tell me the only reason you brought me here is because Ye Ran’s here too?” Yu Ting slumped into his chair, pounding the table in anger. “What the h*ll are you pulling? He’s at his own class reunion, and you’ve got to tag along—under the excuse of celebrating my birthday! I’m half a year younger than you, and that alone’s enough trauma to report you for! What’s Ye Ran ever done to you that you have to…”

He suddenly paused mid-rant, his expression shifting from anger to suspicion. Narrowing his eyes, he stared at Shen Shi. “Now that I think about it, that’s kinda weird, huh? You always act all proper in front of Ye Ran. Don’t tell me you and Ye Ran…”

“…have some kind of unspeakable secret!?”

He immediately looked like he’d caught them red-handed, pointing and accusing loudly: “—You two didn’t swear brotherhood behind my back, did you? D*mn it, count me in! Let’s be the three sworn brothers of Peach Garden—you’ll be the eldest, I’ll be the second!”

Across from him, Shen Shi leaned back in his chair, calmly watching him. His dark eyes were lazy and detached, as if he were looking at a drunk idiot.

Yu Ting really was a bit drunk. He shook his head, sucking in a breath of cold air. “D*mn, this liquor’s got a kick. What was I just saying again… Don’t glare at me—glaring won’t make me take it back. I said, uh, I said…”

Shen Shi spoke: “You said you wanted to go to the 7th floor to sing.”

Yu Ting blinked. “I did?”

Shen Shi was already on his feet, tall and straight, casting a shadow over him as he stated firmly, “You did.”

Instinctively, Yu Ting followed him out. “I don’t wanna sing.”

“You do,” said Shen Shi.

“I really don’t wanna sing.”

“You do,” said Shen Shi again.

Yu Ting mumbled groggily, “I—I… yue… I feel like I’m gonna puke…”

“You don’t,” said Shen Shi.

Yu Ting: “…”

Yu Ting: “Shen Shi… yue… for god’s sake, be a decent person!”

Please! Stop tormenting just me!

Author’s Note:

Yu Ting: I’m gonna throw up… yue…

Shen Shi: No, you’re not. (disgusted face)