For Lu Rulu, the 8,000 yuan he got back from his ex-girlfriend felt like free money—like he could just scatter it on the street and still be happy. He decided to use it for something meaningful, like treating his bros to a trip. Besides the guys from “Did Brother Yun Bend Today?”, he also invited Duan Yezhou—after all, without Duan Yezhou, there wouldn’t even be that 8,000 yuan.
Duan Yezhou asked: 【Besides us, who else?】
【Unbendingly Straight: The campus flower and campus hunk, plus their boyfriends. (lights cigarette)】
【OneBowlOfWildVeggiePorridge: D*mn, that spicy?】
【OneBowlOfWildVeggiePorridge: Then I gotta go see for myself.】
Lu Rulu even chipped in a bit of his living expenses and found a farmhouse inn with rave reviews, planning to have everyone stay one night.
On the day of departure, they met at the parking lot. The first to arrive was Duan Yezhou, still in sportswear and a baseball cap, looking fresh as h*ll.
“Morning, Brother Yun.”
“Morning. Eaten yet?”
“Nope.” Duan Yezhou yawned, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. “So sleepy.”
“You went clubbing last night, didn’t you? I saw your Moments.”
“Yeah.” Duan Yezhou stretched his neck. “Didn’t even want to go, but my teammates dragged me.”
“For real?” Lu Rulu dragged out his tone. “You sure looked like you were enjoying it.”
“Nope,” Duan Yezhou said earnestly. “I’m a good student.”
Lu Rulu snorted. “Being a good student and clubbing don’t clash.”
They bantered idly until a few minutes later, Xu Ning and Chu Cheng arrived.
Duan Yezhou had heard some gossip about the school’s “flower” and “hunk.” He thought Xu Ning got the “school flower” nickname because he looked girly, but seeing him now—Xu Ning’s face really was beautiful, though not in a feminine way. There was something of the classical young noble about him, with a lean but not weak build, the kind who looks slim in clothes. Beside him, Chu Cheng had neat short hair and sharp features, but looked like he had a bit of a temper.
After introductions, Chu Cheng asked: “How come Brother Lan and Qin Shu aren’t here yet?”
Lu Rulu said coolly: “Bet it’s Little Love letter being lazy in bed, acting all cutesy, and Brother Lan can’t bear to wake him. Sharp-eyed me already sees through everything.”
Xu Ning suggested: “Want to give them a call?”
Chu Cheng put Qin Shu on speaker. “Where are you guys? Don’t tell me you haven’t even left yet!”
“We left, we left, almost there—I can already see the campus security uncle.”
Lu Rulu said, “Then hand the phone to him.”
Qin Shu: “…Sorry, we’re leaving now!”
“I knew it!” Lu Rulu roared. “Can you not be on time for once?! You’re wasting our youth!”
Xie Lanzhi’s voice cut in: “And who was half an hour late last time?”
Lu Rulu switched faces instantly, becoming the picture of a caring roommate: “Life’s full of surprises. Everyone be patient, be tolerant. They’ll be here soon.”
Chu Cheng said, “We’re all patient. You’re the only one yelling.”
Duan Yezhou chuckled. This group was pretty entertaining.
Xie Lanzhi and Qin Shu didn’t keep them waiting long. Qin Shu even brought breakfast for everyone. Duan Yezhou took one look at Xie Lanzhi and muttered under his breath: “F*ck, he’s ridiculously handsome.”
“No sh*t,” Lu Rulu said. “How else would he be campus hunk?”
“And Brother Qin’s amazing too, turning Brother Lan gay.”
“Oh, that wasn’t him. Brother Lan bent on his own.” Lu Rulu leaned in excitedly. “And it was Brother Lan who chased after Little Love letter first—bet you didn’t see that coming!”
Duan Yezhou grinned. “666. Didn’t see that coming.”
There were six of them total, only Lu Rulu and Duan were single and straight. Xie Lanzhi drove an SUV, Lu Rulu took the wheel, and Duan Yezhou naturally claimed shotgun.
They ate and chatted on the road, mostly centered on Duan Yezhou since he was the newcomer. He was the type who, if he wanted, could blend in with strangers in minutes, so the conversation was easy and natural.
Chu Cheng, eating a corn dumpling Qin Shu brought, said to Xu Ning: “This is pretty good. Try it.”
Xu Ning took a bite from his hand, smiling. “Yeah, tasty.”
Qin Shu enthusiastically recommended: “The xiaolongbao are amazing too!”
Lu Rulu, tortured by the smell of food, complained: “Hey, does anyone remember there’s a Brother Yun in the driver’s seat?”
Qin Shu pulled a face like he’d seen a ghost. “Huh? There’s someone driving? I thought our car was self-driving.”
Xie Lanzhi added, “You remembered right.”
A vein popped on Lu Rulu’s forehead. “F*ck, whose money are we spending here? Doesn’t your conscience hurt?”
Duan Yezhou held a dumpling to his mouth. “Here, Brother Yun, take one.”
Lu Rulu kept his eyes forward, teasing: “Pretty smooth move there. Must’ve fed lots of girls before. Ah—”
“Wrong. I’m usually the one being fed.”
Xu Ning suddenly said: “Oh, I’ve actually heard of Little Duan before.”
Chu Cheng: “From who?”
“Classmates. Our school and the sports academy often have socials.”
“What the f*ck, why didn’t I know?!” Chu Cheng glared at him. “You’ve gone before?”
Xu Ning hurriedly soothed: “No, no, just what I heard.”
Duan Yezhou tilted his head back to glance at them. “What’d they say about me?”
“That you’re fun, and really popular with the senior girls.” Xu Ning smiled.
Duan Yezhou chuckled. “Well, I don’t have a girlfriend now. Though yeah, I do prefer older girls.”
After over an hour, the chatter died down.
Xie Lanzhi leaned back with his eyes closed. Qin Shu leaned against him gaming. When the match went badly, Qin Shu whined: “Brother, help me, their assassin killed me three times already. I’m so mad.”
Brother Lan stayed unmoved, eyes shut. “Am I your booster?”
Qin Shu bumped his head against Xie Lanzhi’s shoulder. “Brother—”
“Play yourself.”
Qin Shu checked—everyone else was busy with their own thing. He leaned in and whispered in Xie Lanzhi’s ear: “Hubby.”
Xie Lanzhi’s lips curved. He opened his eyes. “Give me the phone.”
Meanwhile, Chu Cheng and Xu Ning were watching a horror video with shared earbuds. Chu Cheng kept getting jumpscared, shouting “f*ck” and squeezing against Xu Ning.
Xu Ning sighed. “If you’re scared, why watch?”
“’Cause everyone says it’s a must-watch for real men.”
Xu Ning chuckled. “You’re still a real man without it.”
Chu Cheng looked awkward, but insisted: “Of course. I’m very manly. Some things—I just let you win.”
Lu Rulu cut in, mocking: “Ooooh, so you’re a real man, huh?”
Qin Shu choked on water. Xie Lanzhi patted his back. “What are you imagining now?”
Qin Shu looked righteous. “Shipping couples isn’t ‘imagining.’ That’s called creating content.”
Duan Yezhou’s cap was low over his eyes, but he laughed with the rest.
“You’re not asleep, Little Duan?” Lu Rulu asked.
“Nope.”
“Then you saw, right? Two couples and one dog. Being the dog is my profession.”
Duan Yezhou said, “No wonder you dragged me along—didn’t want to get abused alone. You tricked me into the slaughterhouse.”
“Not gonna lie, I want to start a Straight & Single Dogs Protection Association. You’ve got potential. Wanna be vice president?”
“Got a salary?”
“Yeah. One donut a day.”
Duan Yezhou snorted, amused. “Deal.”
Qin Shu ruthlessly exposed him: “Don’t mislead the kid, Brother Yun. Little Duan could get a girlfriend anytime. He’s single by choice, totally unlike you.”
Even Chu Cheng sided with Qin Shu: “Dogs come in different breeds.”
Lu Rulu wailed: “My mentality’s collapsing!”
After two hours, they reached the farmhouse inn at the mountain foot. Fresh air, rows of greenhouse veggies, ponds of chickens and ducks—advertised as “organic and pure,” though who knew if it was a scam.
The pre-ordered dishes were ready, simple homestyle fare but surprisingly good. Chu Cheng wolfed down two big bowls of rice, eating so fast it sped everyone else up too.
Lu Rulu huffed, “Xu Ning, didn’t you say you’d help Chu Cheng break his habit of rushing meals? He’s still the same.”
Xu Ning gazed at Chu Cheng chewing meat with sparkling eyes, face saying “so cute.” “He’s usually fine. He’s just really hungry now—can’t help it.”
Qin Shu, eating at 1.5x speed, finally burped and looked at his bowl in distress. “Can’t finish.”
Xie Lanzhi slid his bowl over. “Give it here.”
Qin Shu promptly dumped the rest in. “Thanks, Brother.”
Duan Yezhou ate even more than Chu Cheng, but with such good manners it looked almost elegant.
After lunch, they rested half an hour, then split into pairs. Xu Ning and Chu Cheng went hiking with a basket, saying they’d pick mushrooms. Xie Lanzhi and Qin Shu grabbed fishing rods. That left only Lu Rulu and Duan Yezhou, staring at each other.
Lu Rulu asked, “What do you want to do? Brother will accompany you.”
Duan Yezhou raised a brow. “I want to nap. Brother Yun, coming?”
Back when his bros were still straight, Lu Rulu used to joke like this often. Now that they all had boyfriends—male ones—he’d quit. Hearing Duan Yezhou throw it back at him, he almost missed it. And since he was tired from driving, he slung an arm over Duan Yezhou’s shoulder: “Of course! Young Master Duan asks, I must serve well tonight!”
He’d booked three rooms—any idiot could guess the pairings.
In their room, Lu Rulu flopped onto the bed. “F*ck, I’m dead tired.”
Duan Yezhou asked, “Want me to loosen you up?”
“Do it! And don’t hold back just ’cause I’m a delicate flower.”
Duan Yezhou slipped off his jacket, flexed his wrists. “Here I come, delicate flower.”
He knelt over Lu Rulu and pressed his neck. “This pressure okay?”
Lu Rulu hissed. “Ow, lighter!”
“I’m not even pressing hard. You that fragile?” Duan Yezhou looked innocent.
“You sports guys’ ‘light’ and normal people’s ‘light’ aren’t the same!”
Duan Yezhou laughed. “Alright, I’ll go gentler.”
With lighter pressure, Lu Rulu groaned in pleasure, eyes closed.
“Your shoulders are stiff too. Want me to stretch you?”
“Sure.”
Duan Yezhou grabbed his arm and yanked it back suddenly. Lu Rulu’s head shot up as he howled at the ceiling, loud enough to set the yard dogs barking.
Afterwards, exhausted but refreshed, Lu Rulu lay there pondering life. Duan Yezhou casually got on the bed too. “Brother Yun, scoot over.”
Lu Rulu relished the carefree feel of two guys crashing together, sighing, “Being straight is great. You can sleep next to hot dudes anytime and it’s no big deal.”
Duan Yezhou chuckled. “Well said.”
Lu Rulu rolled over. “Little Duan, the world’s tough. We’ve gotta hold the straight-man bottom line. We can’t bend too!”
Still on his phone, Duan Yezhou said: “Relax, Brother Yun. The straight won’t bend, and the bent won’t straighten.”
“Good!” Lu Rulu was fired up. “Then we’ll guard the honor of straight men!”
They napped till dusk. The others came back—Xu Ning and Chu Cheng without mushrooms but with a basket of mystery wild fruit; Qin Shu and Xie Lanzhi with three fish, each named, though Chu Cheng thought the names sounded oddly familiar.
The sunset was ablaze, clouds like fire. Xu Ning pulled out his camera. “Let’s take a group photo.”
The farmhouse hostess volunteered to shoot, even tried to pose them like a tourist group, but of course got ignored.
The boys stood shoulder to shoulder, backs to the burning sky, facing the camera with bright, youthful smiles.
Another novel completed!!! Thank you to all the readers who joined us on this journey and supported my translations, it really does mean a lot!!! <3 If you enjoyed the translations and the novel, please make sure to give the novel a good rating and review on Novelupdates or donate on Ko-fi or Paypal <3P.S. Go check out the other amazing novels being translated on this site :))
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