For many male protagonists in anime and light novels, a love triangle is that bittersweet cliché.
But in Lu Huai’s eyes? This scene held zero romantic tension. Still… someone *was* suffering.
Just him.
…
The open door.
The girl standing there.
Her gaze—suddenly sharp, radiating an aura Lu Huai had never felt.
Like opening the freezer on a freezing winter day to grab an ice cube for pain.
Bone-chilling cold.
Meanwhile, the slightly older girl lounged against the sofa back, watching Lu Huai and Yan Ningning with amused curiosity.
Su Xiangrong’s twinkling eyes, that sly smile… Lu Huai keenly sensed she was already spinning a nonexistent drama in her head.
Like his perfectly simple relationship with Yan Ningning…
A brief silence hung in the air.
Then—
“Who is she?”
Yan Ningning’s icy stare landed on the flustered boy beside her.
Straight out of a TV drama: the “caught cheating” scene.
The helpless, speechless “scumbag boyfriend” act…
Lu Huai felt utterly bewildered. *This isn’t it at all!* So why was his heart racing?
No idea. Just… tense. Like a director whispered:
“Lu Huai. Break down. Now.”
And he did.
A simple answer. Yet his words stalled.
“She’s…”
“Hey, Lu Huai~ Didn’t you say your girlfriend wasn’t coming?”
Su Xiangrong cut in with a lazy, teasing grin before he could finish.
Like a scheming mistress thrilled to be “exposed,” no denial—just drama.
She stood up!
(Not that she *was* that role. This plot belonged nowhere near his life.)
“???”
Lu Huai stared at Su Xiangrong—bold for him, locking eyes with such beauty…
“Wh-what… girlfriend…?”
Yan Ningning’s cheeks flushed crimson.
Like a kettle seconds from boiling.
Her panicked eyes darted like a startled forest fawn, momentarily forgetting Su Xiangrong’s mischief.
Seeing her fluster, Lu Huai steadied himself. To stop the spiral, he sighed: “She’s our new housemate…”
“Huh?! Housemate?!”
She struggled to process this stunning, uniquely charismatic girl’s presence.
“Little brother Lu Huai, spoiling my act so soon? Can’t you see I’m *helping* you?”
“…” Outwardly silent. Inwardly screaming.
*Fantasizing again? After knowing Yan Ningning this long, I’d never play along…*
And Su Xiangrong? Clearly teasing *him* too.
Anyone thinking this was a chance to bond with the young rapper for some “older sister-younger brother” fluff needed a reality check.
Zero reason to trade Yan Ningning’s trust for Su Xiangrong’s games.
“What’s with ‘older sister, younger brother’…”
Yan Ningning regained composure.
She glanced between them. Lu Huai repeated firmly:
“A tenant. Living here.”
“Oh… I see…”
Su Xiangrong rose, approaching them.
Height-wise, barely taller than Yan Ningning—but her maturity carried quiet authority.
“I’m Su Xiangrong. A rapper sharing this space with little brother Lu Huai~”
“Rapper? Seriously?”
Yan Ningning shot Lu Huai a distrustful look. First impression? Not great.
(Whether due to the teasing… hard to say.)
“More or less…”
Lu Huai nodded softly.
“You two seem *very* close~”
Su Xiangrong grinned, arms crossed under her chest, bold outfit on full display. Yan Ningning’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Not really…”
“Of course we are. Childhood friends.”
Lu Huai’s quiet murmur vanished unheard.
Clearly, he held zero authority here.
(Though his name was on the household registration. Not theirs.)
“Oh? *Childhood friends*?”
Su Xiangrong’s smile widened, eyes glinting with mischief.
Yan Ningning blushed faintly but lifted her chin.
“You could say that. But *you*—a rapper choosing to co-rent? That’s odd…”
“Odd? This is just underground rapper life. Don’t I look the part? Want a sample?”
“…Pass.”
Yan Ningning wisely declined. *If ‘rapper’ means freestyling on demand, does ‘physicist’ mean building a nuke?*
“Um…” Lu Huai tried to steer talk to dinner. Standing between two beautiful girls? Agony.
His face felt drier by the second. Uglier with every breath…
But—
“If you make music late, won’t it disturb Lu Huai’s rest?”
“How thoughtful~ But recording’s at the label. This place? Just for sleeping.”
Lu Huai turned quietly and slipped away.
Glanced back.
Perfect. No one noticed he’d left the group chat.
They kept arguing!
“Why rent a high schooler’s place if you have a label?”
“None of your business. I paid rent—don’t I deserve a shower?”
“How is it none of my business? I’m his *good friend*! I protect his space!”
Lu Huai sat on the sofa, phone in hand. Screen glowing.
Still unnoticed.
“Heh. You don’t even sound sure. Since when do ‘good friends’ get that much say?”
“You—!”
“Wait till you’re his *girlfriend*, little sister~”
Strangely calm, Lu Huai searched “Su Xiangrong.”
No matches.
Tried “AKA Su Mi.”
Nothing.
*How underground is she? Buried.*
No wonder she needed a room…
“Who you calling ‘little sister’?!”
“Compared to me? You *are* one. Weird—don’t people like being called young?”
“But where are your *eyes* looking?!”
Flustered anger.
Lu Huai, now an outsider, thought clearly:
That “little”… targeted *that* area.
Yan Ningning’s figure? Actually quite nice for her age.
(He never *stared*… but dinner outfits were… revealing. Hard not to notice.)
Su Xiangrong? First glance said enough.
Plenty for everyone. Zero reason to compare.
*Do girls really do this? Like guys comparing in restrooms? …Okay, maybe they do.*
“Hehe~ Don’t be sensitive. You’re young. Still growing.”
“None of your business! Lu Huai—Huh? Where’d you go?!”
Outmatched, flushed Yan Ningning finally spotted the boy who’d vanished minutes ago.
“…Done talking?”
Lu Huai turned helplessly toward her.
“Why talk to *her*? She’s *your* tenant. Come eat at my place!”
Lu Huai blinked.
“Your place…?”
“Or am I your chef now? Fine. Do whatever.”
She stormed off—uncharacteristically fierce.
Lu Huai had no clue how she flipped so fast.
Bewildered. Unanalyzable.
As Yan Ningning vanished down the hall,
Lu Huai shot Su Xiangrong one meaningful glance.
Silent message sent.
(She wasn’t stupid.)
Su Xiangrong shrugged.
“I said *nothing*. Are high schoolers this extra now? More than me, a rapper? Thought she was a top idol.”
“…No dinner.”
Lu Huai murmured the cold truth.
“Why? Wait—” Su Xiangrong’s eyes widened. “*She cooked for you?!* You should’ve said! I’d have welcomed her on my knees! Any chance left? Underground *and* starving? I’m doomed! Don’t look so pitiful, good little brother… Sister hasn’t eaten all day…”
Lu Huai leaned back on the sofa.
Stared at the ceiling lamp.
His dull life suddenly splashed with unfamiliar color.
Unreal. Uncertain.
…He opened a food delivery app.
What a “heavenly start”: beautiful tenant descends from the sky, chases off the cook on day one.
How *interesting*.
And those tattoos…
Reminded him of a line:
*“You drink, smoke, fight, inked up—but you’re a ‘good girl’? Where’s the good part?”*
*“Right here: I don’t even know you.”*
