Are All You Straight Guys Like This Chapter 17

Friday morning, Ye Ran got up early.

At 9:30 a.m., they were set to depart for the villa at Lianwu Mountain. According to the president, there would be a rare planetary alignment next month—nine stars in a row. Since the Astronomy Club didn’t own any equipment, they’d all just watch the livestream together.

A fine excuse for “shared joy is better than joy alone.”

When Ye Ran and Shen Shi arrived at the meeting spot, it was only a little after nine.

Each carried a backpack. They spotted the vice president waiting by the van.

The vice president was a gentle-looking girl. Seeing them, she waved and said cheerfully, “You two only brought that little bit of stuff?”

“Mm? Too little?” Ye Ran asked.

He had spent a long time last night agonizing over how to pack his bag as efficiently as possible.

“Haha, everyone else brought suitcases,” said the vice president.

The bus had thirty-three seats and was warmly heated inside. Many people were already sitting up front. A girl greeted them, “Hi, Ye Ran, Shen Shi, you’re here!”

The atmosphere in the astronomy club was great. After several events, everyone was on friendly terms.

Ye Ran smiled and nodded. “You guys came really early.”

The girl’s name was Jiang Yuan. She was from the literature department next door, wore glasses, and was munching on chips. “Elementary-school spring outing syndrome—I barely slept last night.”

As soon as she said that, the people around her all voiced their agreement.

“Can’t believe our president is so loaded, he rented an actual villa!”

“I get so hyped just thinking about going up the mountain. Yesterday, Nan Nan and I went to the supermarket and bought a ton of marinated meat. I’ll show off my cooking skills for you guys later.”

“D*mn, I bought some too! I even got fresh seafood!”

Everyone clustered together, excitedly chatting.

Ye Ran blinked. Shen Shi, behind him, sensed something off and leaned down slightly to ask, “What’s wrong?”

He had just woken up, his voice was low and lazy, carrying a faint warmth that brushed against Ye Ran’s neck. Ye Ran unconsciously stepped forward a little. “I didn’t know we could bring our own food.”

His fingers tightened around his down jacket at his sides. For some reason, lately, whenever Shen Shi talked to him, he always leaned in very close.

…No, no, no!

He must be imagining it.

Shen Shi probably just didn’t hear him clearly, that’s why he leaned so close.

Ye Ran tried to steady his breathing, feeling his ears grow hot.

Shen Shi gave a soft “Mm,” then took Ye Ran’s backpack and placed it in the overhead compartment. “It’s fine. Usually, places like that provide food. We can buy more when we get there.”

His gaze swept briefly over Ye Ran’s earlobe as he said casually, “Let’s sit up front.”

The front seats of the bus shook less. Although Ye Ran didn’t get motion sickness, he hadn’t slept well last night, so sitting in front would help him nap.

They had just settled in when Yu Ting boarded, lugging several bags.

As soon as he stepped on, the bus was filled with cheerful greetings again. Yu Ting fit right in, taking snacks from several people before sitting in the row behind Ye Ran and Shen Shi.

“You two came so early?” he said, biting into a French roll and taking off his puffer jacket. “Man, it’s freezing today, must be below zero.”

Outside, the sky was dark and heavy, thick clouds hanging low like they were about to burst with rain, constantly roiling and shifting.

Yu Ting took out his phone and checked it. “Lianwu Mountain has rain, light turning to moderate. Not bad. After it rains, the stars will be clearer.”

“If it keeps raining today, we’ll just extend our stay and go stargazing the day after,” the vice president said with a smile.

The bus was noisy and warm, the heater humming loudly. Around 9:30, the last two people boarded.

Ye Ran heard the vice president’s slightly puzzled voice: “You didn’t bring any luggage?”

He looked up and saw Lin Ziqian and Liang Feng.

Lin Ziqian was dressed stylishly—Martin boots, slim pants—and wore a lazy smile as he gave a sidelong glance at Liang Feng, who followed behind him with a cold expression. “We’re sharing.”

Liang Feng said nothing, brushed past him, and went straight to the back row.

Lin Ziqian stood still for a few seconds, his smile fading, then followed after him.

As he passed Ye Ran, he suddenly stopped, as if something occurred to him. With a faintly amused smile, he asked, “Do you get carsick?”

“Mm?” Ye Ran blinked. “…No.”

“No?” Lin Ziqian drawled, his tone slow and teasing, his eyes flicking lazily toward Liang Feng, who was glaring coldly at him. “I get carsick. Why don’t we switch seats?”

He looked Ye Ran over, his gaze tracing every contour of his face, before smiling again. “My seat’s right next to Liang Feng. Sorry, I get really bad motion sickness—I might throw up.”

“Once I start, I can’t stop. If I sit in the back, I might pass out from it.”

The chatter in the bus gradually quieted.

Several club members turned around, curiosity written all over their faces.

Ye Ran frowned slightly. From Lin Ziqian’s tone—half-whining, half-provocative—he caught a hint of malice.

What was Lin Ziqian playing at?

Wasn’t Liang Feng his boyfriend?

He had no intention of getting involved in that couple’s mess. He simply shook his head and said, “Sorry. I didn’t before, but now I do get carsick.”

“If you really can’t handle it, you can take the front passenger seat.”

Lin Ziqian’s smile froze.

He stared at the usually mild-tempered, soft-spoken Ye Ran, just about to speak again—

When a low, calm male voice suddenly cut through the air.

“Are you done talking?”

Instinctively, Lin Ziqian looked down.

In the aisle seat beside him, Shen Shi had lifted his gaze. The shadows of the bus half-shrouded his face, his dark eyes unreadable and cold. His expression was faint, but something in it sent a chill crawling up Lin Ziqian’s back.

For a moment, Lin Ziqian swallowed his words. “…Fine. I’ll just be carsick, then.”

“You could also not go,” Shen Shi said flatly. “No one’s forcing you.”

Yu Ting chimed in, his tone neither loud nor soft, dripping with sarcasm. “Yeah, funny—we’ve never seen you this enthusiastic before. Say ‘trip,’ and suddenly you’re first in line.”

Lin Ziqian’s smile disappeared completely.

A few seconds later, he let out a quiet, ambiguous snort, then, under Liang Feng’s furious and flustered stare, crossed his legs and sat down beside him.

The tension in the front row hung for a moment, then the bus returned to its noisy chatter.

Liang Feng glanced around—they were sitting at the very back, two or three rows away from the others.

“What the h*ll are you doing?” he hissed, teeth clenched. “Are you looking for trouble?”

Lin Ziqian lazily pulled out a slim lady’s cigarette from his pocket, rolling it deftly between his fingers. “Just trying to make an opportunity for you. Too bad it didn’t work.”

“I told you already—I don’t need you meddling in my business!” Liang Feng said in a low, almost furious voice.

Lin Ziqian acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing. “Tsk, kind of tricky, huh? Your new crush’s got someone watching over him. Let me think—once we get to the villa, maybe I’ll find a chance to switch rooms with him in private. Not sure if it’s single rooms or doubles, we’ll just have to play it by ear…”

“Lin Ziqian,” Liang Feng suddenly turned his head. The sleepless nights of tossing and turning had left bloodshot veins crawling through his eyes, making his face dark and terrifying, completely erasing the youthful gentleness he once had. “…I’ll say it again. Don’t interfere in my business.”

“Let’s stay out of each other’s way.”

“No can do,” Lin Ziqian’s expression didn’t change, he smiled lazily, almost playfully. “After all these years together, of course I’ll help you if I can. Once you two really get together, I’ll naturally break up with you. Ah, Liang Feng, how will you thank me then?”

Liang Feng looked at him as if he were looking at a madman. After a long silence, he finally forced out his words through clenched teeth: “Stop being crazy… Ye Ran isn’t into men. There’s no way between us.”

Lin Ziqian froze. The cigarette in his hand slipped from his fingers with a soft click and fell to the ground.

A few seconds later, he suddenly burst into laughter—wild, unrestrained laughter, tears nearly spilling from his eyes, his voice breaking from how hard he laughed. “What did you just say? Ye Ran isn’t into men?”

Ye Ran isn’t into men?

Where the h*ll did Liang Feng get that conclusion?

Lin Ziqian stared at Liang Feng’s deliberately evasive eyes and laughed even harder, unable to stop.

Gradually, as he looked closer, he caught the shadow and quiet despair in Liang Feng’s expression. Lin Ziqian’s laughter died down. He suddenly felt a flicker of boredom.

Softly, he asked, “Hey… if he doesn’t even like men, why do you still like him?”

Just because of that face?

“None of your d*mn business,” Liang Feng snapped viciously.

Lin Ziqian fell silent. After a few seconds, he gave a faint chuckle and murmured to himself, “Not into men… huh? Is that so?”

***

The rest of the trip passed uneventfully.

As they neared Lianwu Mountain, the sky broke open with rain.

Thick black clouds pressed heavily from above, wind howled through the mountains, and icy raindrops slammed against the bus windows with sharp, relentless pitter-patters. The world outside was dim and colorless.

The driver turned on the headlights. Ye Ran took off his eye mask and glanced outside.

“What a downpour,” he said with a yawn. “How much longer till we get there?”

“About ten minutes,” Shen Shi said, handing him a bottle of water.

No one gave much thought to the earlier confrontation. Ye Ran accepted the water from Shen Shi with a soft “thanks.” Shen Shi lowered his eyes, his gaze lingering briefly on the faint redness under Ye Ran’s eyes from sleep.

The bus was arranged by the villa’s management—it could take them directly to the villa complex.

Lianwu Mountain, a 5A-rated scenic spot, became breathtakingly beautiful after rain. When the clouds cleared, mist would rise, cloaking the peaks in ethereal haze, like the flowing sleeves of an immortal’s robe.

Even in the off-season, it drew plenty of visitors.

By the time they arrived, the villa complex was brightly lit. The place was highly commercialized, equipped with leisure areas, entertainment zones, and scenic walkways. The moment they got off the bus, everyone was stunned by the magnificent view.

Yu Ting’s language skills seemed to short-circuit. “I thought ‘mountain villa’ meant a tiny cabin in the woods—where we’d have to start our own fire and huddle under a broken heater all night…”

The president laughed, round and jovial like a Buddha. “It’s not that bad. We’re not broke.”

Yu Ting made a noise of disgust. “…Ugh.”

A manager, already waiting at the entrance, came up politely to guide them.

“There are twenty available rooms in the villa, all singles. If you need anything, call the front desk—we’ll send someone right away.”

After listing a few reminders, he left them to explore on their own.

The villa had three floors. The second and third floors were guest rooms; the first floor was spacious, complete with rock gardens and a trickling indoor waterfall.

Girls stayed on the second floor; boys, on the third.

The two-hour ride had left everyone tired. After a light buffet lunch, they spent the afternoon resting up for the evening party.

At seven o’clock sharp, everyone gathered to head to the event hall.

The boys came down first, lounging on the sofas, waiting. “You all ready?”

A few girls, arms linked and makeup carefully done, descended the stairs, laughing. “We only slept a bit. Chen Jun, were you guys gaming at noon? We could hear you upstairs.”

The boy named Chen Jun immediately protested. “Hey, the one yelling the loudest wasn’t me!”

The girls were still teasing him when one of them happened to glance at Shen Shi sitting on the sofa and instantly lowered her voice. Her hand brushed nervously through her hair as her friends shot her teasing looks.

“I called the front desk already,” the president said, walking in with his phone. “Our private room’s ready—it’s a big one on the first floor of the hall. Let’s go.”

The villa complex was interconnected, with covered walkways leading directly to the event hall.

As soon as they pushed open the doors, a strong gust of wind swept through. Cold raindrops splattered against their feet, sending up sprays of water.

The sky was dark and churning with clouds.

“Holy cr*p, it’s pouring.”

“It’s freezing!”

The girls hunched their shoulders against the cold and hurried into the sheltered corridor. The boys followed close behind.

Ye Ran trailed after Shen Shi. Shen Shi wore a baseball cap, the brim shadowing his dark hair. Suddenly, he stopped and turned slightly.

“Cold?” he asked.

“I’m fine—I dressed warm,” Ye Ran said.

Shen Shi nodded faintly, lifting his lashes just enough for his gaze to flick toward Lin Ziqian and Liang Feng, who were walking not too far behind.

“Go ahead of me,” he said calmly, his tone giving away nothing.

Ye Ran was quiet for two seconds, then gently lowered his eyes. “Okay.”

He fell in step with the larger group. Shen Shi followed at a measured pace behind him, his tall, upright figure cutting off all sightlines.

…

They soon arrived at the party hall, which was crowded.

The large room the president had booked could hold nearly dozens of people. U-shaped leather sofas lined the walls, and on the coffee tables, fruits and drinks were already laid out. Lights twinkled in multicolored patterns, flashing across every corner of the room.

Several girls, fully energized, immediately went to the karaoke station to pick songs.

Yu Ting removed his coat and wiped his hair with a tissue. “D*mn, that’s why you wore a hat?”

He looked at Shen Shi with envy. “So pretentious.”

Shen Shi ignored him. Just then, the door to the private room opened again, and the tardy Lin Ziqian and Liang Feng walked in. They seemed to be looking for seats. Shen Shi narrowed his eyes, his gaze dark and unreadable, then suddenly spoke: “Sit here. Don’t move.”

Yu Ting: “?”

Yu Ting had been about to head to the neighboring table for drinks. A few guys in the club had already gotten into the spirit, playing drinking games, laughing loudly, throwing dice and doing finger-guessing games with gusto.

“Whoa—”

Another round of laughter erupted. The energy skyrocketed. Several guys shouted: “Lost! Lost! Drink! Drink! Come on, if you’re a man, drink up!”

“Chen Jun, are you that bad?”

“Three losses in a row—doing charity at the table, hahaha!”

Ye Ran passed by their table, unable to stop himself from smiling. When he looked up, Shen Shi was watching him. Shen Shi’s expression was lazy, his baseball cap still on, dark messy strands of hair falling down. The flickering lights traced across his features, but nothing betrayed what he was thinking.

Ye Ran stopped for a few seconds, then walked over and sat in the spot Yu Ting had vacated. “Want a drink?”

The drinks were canned sparkling water, good for mixing with alcohol or just for the girls to quench their thirst.

Shen Shi reached for the can.

Pftt.

The tab popped open, and the carbonated water fizzed.

Nearby, the boisterous laughter continued. Even the president got caught up in the fun.

Ye Ran’s gaze flicked around, accidentally catching sight of Lin Ziqian in the corner. Lin Ziqian propped his chin on his hand, smiling, while Liang Feng beside him seemed to be speaking—he didn’t respond, instead playing finger-guessing games with several guys, downing a full drink whenever he lost.

The other guys got excited and started joking with him, the atmosphere growing ever more convivial. Yu Ting flitted around the bar and tables, casually pouring drinks so skillfully that the others were completely at a loss.

“This b*stard’s counting cards!” one guy shouted, tongue lolling.

Several “victims” chimed in at once: “Stop it, Yu Ting! Back off!”

A window in the room opened onto the rain outside.

A sudden flash of lightning split the sky. Under the rolling black night, cold, violent raindrops pattered like soybeans against the windowsill, leaving streaks of water.

Amid this warm, lively chaos, Lin Ziqian, legs crossed, suggested, “Let’s play a different game. Just chugging is boring.”

“Yeah!” a few drunken guys eagerly supported. “Play something harder—Yu Ting knows everything anyway.”

“D*mn? That’s just because I’m smart!” Yu Ting laughed and cursed.

Ye Ran’s heartbeat quickened. He glanced at Lin Ziqian across the table. Lin Ziqian was leaning sideways, speaking to Liang Feng with a sly, teasing smile. Liang Feng’s eyes were downcast; his expression was unreadable, unmoving.

“Wanna play?” a low, cold voice sounded beside him. It was Shen Shi—calm, precise, like a shard of ice dropped into boiling water.

Ye Ran snapped back to attention and looked at him.

Shen Shi had taken off his coat, wearing a black sweatshirt. He had also had a couple of drinks. His expression was lazy, tired, almost indifferent, and he looked up at Ye Ran quietly. “If you don’t want to play, we can leave.”

They were very close. For a moment, Ye Ran thought he smelled alcohol—a soft, lingering scent drifting from Shen Shi’s dark strands of hair.

Whoosh—

The room erupted again in laughter.

Yu Ting had won another round, and even the smiling president had been forced to drink a lot.

“Someone stop Yu Ting! This is unplayable!” a guy wailed, throwing down his cup.

“Can’t play anymore—if we keep going, we’ll all be drunk to death.”

Yu Ting’s face flushed red. He was tipsy and fearless: “I’m saying it—everyone here is a little brother!”

The statement immediately provoked outrage. People dragged him off the sofa, holding him down and hitting him.

Yu Ting laughed heartily. Amid the commotion, Lin Ziqian, smiling faintly, spoke: “Nope, Yu Ting’s too smart. These drinking games are nothing to him.”

“Exactly!” one guy agreed begrudgingly. “Kick him out! We don’t need smart people!”

Lin Ziqian propped his chin on his hand, smiling wider. He lowered his head, twirling the slim cigarette in his fingers, stretching out each word as he looked at the half-drunk glass bottles on the table.

“If you ask me… we should play games purely based on luck. No matter how good Yu Ting is, he can’t control luck.”

After a brief pause, everyone agreed. “Right! D*mn, why didn’t I think of that?”

“I don’t believe he can escape this!”

Yu Ting sensed something wrong and sat up. Meanwhile, some curious girls had gathered, asking, “What game? Can we play?”

“Truth or Dare,” Lin Ziqian said with a faint laugh. “—It’s only fun with a lot of people.”

He lifted his head, but Ye Ran across the table remained indifferent, talking quietly with Shen Shi. Shen Shi lowered his gaze slightly, listening patiently, the brim of his cap shading his eyes from the flashing lights, revealing the sharp, pale profile of his face.

They were sitting very close, as if they’d formed a little world of their own.

Hiss—

Lin Ziqian withdrew his gaze in boredom and kept turning the cigarette in his fingers.

Spin the bottle—simple, crude, easy to play.

All the club members joined in, boys on one side and girls on the other. The overhead lights spun out beams of color, adding fuel to an already feverish atmosphere.

Outside, the rain came down harder. Lightning streaked across the dark clouds, showing its jagged head and tail.

Amid a round of cheers, Ye Ran straightened up. The brown glass bottle spun on the table—once, twice, several times—then finally stopped, pointing straight at the club president.

The president laughed. “Me, huh?”

Lin Ziqian was the one who’d spun the bottle. As the spinner, he could choose Truth or Dare for the president. Propping his chin on his hand, he smiled lazily. “I’m not into dares, so let’s go with truth.”

Casually, he asked, “President, do you like any boy or girl?”

The moment he said it, the air cooled a little. Everyone knew about his orientation, and about his thing with Liang Feng—but no one expected him to say it so directly.

The president froze for a second, then laughed. “I like girls.”

A chorus of teasing erupted, swallowing the awkwardness. Lin Ziqian’s smile deepened. He lifted his head lazily, his gaze skimming across the table to where Ye Ran sat.

Ye Ran was sitting in the shadow where the light couldn’t reach, taking a sip from his drink.

His fingers, pale and slender, held the aluminum can. His pupils were clear black—calm and gentle even under such circumstances, radiating a soft, mild air.

He gave a quiet click of his tongue, a faintly amused smile tugging at his lips.

The second round began. This time, the president spun the bottle. It pointed at a girl. He didn’t make things hard for her, only asked her to name her favorite celebrity.

Everyone booed, complaining that his question was too boring.

A drunken boy slurred, “Truth or dare’s gotta be spicy, man!”

So, the questions that followed got bolder, and bolder still.

“Is someone here your crush?”

“When was your first time?”

“Who’s your most hated classmate?”

“Who do you dislike the most here?”

“Kiss Wang Jie next to you! Ohhh—!”

…

The atmosphere reached its peak. After another spin, the bottle finally pointed to Lin Ziqian again.

The smile at the corner of his mouth was now completely unrestrained. He straightened up slowly, listening as a shy girl asked, “What kind of boy do you like?”

“Someone like Liang Feng,” he answered without hesitation.

“D*mn, you two really are a couple—!”

“Wish you eternal love and happily ever after, hahaha!”

“No wonder you’re always together, there’s something going on, huh~”

Amid the good-natured teasing, Lin Ziqian caught sight of Liang Feng’s tightly clenched fists. In a voice so low it was almost a whisper, he murmured, “Liang Feng.”

“—This time, you’d better listen carefully.”

He reached out and lightly touched the bottle.

Everyone fell silent in unison, watching tensely as the brown bottle spun faster and faster.

Clack—clack—

Under all those watching eyes, it slowed down like a motorcycle running out of gas.

The long neck trembled once, twice, then came to rest—pointing toward the corner of the couch.

Yu Ting, who’d been joking about being able to drink anyone under the table, twitched instantly. He looked up, meeting the cold, dark, and openly hostile eyes of Shen Shi across the sofa.

Those eyes, shadowed by his fringe, were full of a simmering chill.

“Ah…” In that strange, deathly silence, only Lin Ziqian’s unaffected laugh could be heard. “So it’s Ye Ran.”

Boom—!

Thunder cracked overhead.

The rolling clouds split open under a flash of lightning, and rain poured down in sheets like a dam had burst.

Lin Ziqian’s voice rang clear in the pause that followed.

He asked, “Ye Ran, are you straight?”