— Ye Ran feels like his straight roommate might be… flirting with him.
*
【Conscientious, gentle, polite art-department little-angel shou × aloof flower, calculating, self-bent, teasing gong】
His “straight” roommate is a campus celebrity — a god-tier figure in the university town. Handsome, quiet, distant — he’s the well-known aloof flower everyone admires from afar.
Love letters pile up until his hands go soft; his admirers are countless, and they come in both genders.
Feeling troubled, Ye Ran calls up his childhood friend to complain.
After listening, the friend instantly understands: “Got it. You want to chase him.”
Ye Ran: “?”
Friend: “I support you.”
Ye Ran: “……”
Friend: “I’m super experienced in this kind of thing. I’ve chased plenty of hotties — you can tell right away if they’re into you once you confess.”
Chasing someone, after all, only comes down to a few approaches:
- Show concern and care
- Be attentive in every detail
- Be gentle and thoughtful
……
Ye Ran struggles to explain: “Actually…”
The friend, enlightened again: “Ah, I see. You don’t get it yet.”
He gives examples: “When he’s sick, you take care of him — buy medicine, bring water — that’s showing concern. When he needs something, you help right away, always keeping an eye on his social media — that’s being attentive. When he’s sad or upset, you comfort him — that’s being gentle.”
Ye Ran stays silent for a long while.
Then, gathering his courage: “What if… he’s the one doing all that to me?”
Friend: “?”
Ye Ran’s ears flush red, his voice soft: “He… he lets me wear his clothes, join the same club as him, takes me traveling with him… and… and…”
Friend urges impatiently: “And what else?”
Ye Ran: “When he got drunk, he hugged me and slept with me.”
Friend: “Tsk.”
Friend: “Sneaky straight guy.”
Friend: “Pah — devious top.”
……
Ten minutes later.
Friend: “Plane tickets booked.”
Ye Ran: “Huh? You’re coming back to the country?”
Friend: “Yep.”
“Romance is always most fun when you’re watching someone else’s.”
Reading Notes:
- Slice-of-life; written in memory of my own college days.
- The gong is cunning and teasing, but only teases the shou.
- The pre-relationship tension and post-relationship sweetness are about equal — I love that silent, unspoken ambiguity before the window paper is pierced.
After starting university, Ye Ran is assigned to a mixed dorm. His roommate Shen Shi is a campus heartthrob — handsome, quiet, and considerate, which quickly earns Ye Ran’s admiration. Living, eating, and attending classes together, their feelings subtly change with time. The story’s characters are vivid and realistic; the tone is light and humorous. It gently explores family, friendship, and love, resonating easily with readers. Definitely worth a read.
