“The boss’s face turned green! Ha ha!”

“We got all this for a hundred yuan! Wen Yang, did you go shopping wholesale or something?”

“That’s incredible! You really are something!”

Ning Chu held an enormous plastic bag in both arms. It was packed full of all kinds of little ornaments and figurines, blocking his view so completely that he had to tilt his head just to see where he was going.

He kept showering Wen Yang with compliments and praise until Wen Yang got a little embarrassed and rubbed the back of his head.

“You’re amazing! Let’s go again next week! We’ll stock up!”

They hadn’t really done much on this outing, but with all that praise, Wen Yang was still overjoyed, a smile spreading across his face that he couldn’t hold back.

Ning Chu glanced back at his expression and immediately grew even happier.

Including the bus fare, snacks, and ring toss, the whole outing had cost just over a hundred yuan. In return, they’d brought home a pile of little ornaments—and Wen Yang was so happy he was walking on air.

If they’d just bought tickets for something like a roller coaster or a giant swing, one ride for all three of them would’ve cost over a hundred yuan. What a steal!

When they had some free time later, they could set up a stall in the school plaza and sell the extra ornaments. Who knew? They might even make some money back.

Laughing and chatting, Ning Chu reached the dorm room door and nodded to Wang Jie beside him, signaling for him to open it.

“My hands are full. Can you open the door?”

“Sure.”

Wang Jie looked completely drained. The trip to the amusement park had used up every last bit of his energy.

He took out his key and was just about to unlock the door when he turned the handle and found that it opened right away.

“Did we forget to lock it when we left?”

Ning Chu asked, puzzled, then carried his pile of things into the room first. He set them down, raised both arms, and stretched his body into an arch, yawning lazily like a cat.

Coming back to the dorm felt just like coming home~

The dorm was always a mess, with no order to it at all, and there was even a faint smell in the air. Still, compared to the unease he felt outside, the dorm was definitely more comfortable.

“Smack!”

“What was that for?!” Ning Chu spun around, angrily covering his little butt. “Are you crazy?!”

“Don’t stand in the doorway.” Wen Yang stood outside, looking helpless. “It’s boiling out here.”

Ning Chu’s little butt really did feel nice to the touch—soft and springy.

“Tch! Turn on the AC! I’m taking a nap~”

Ning Chu turned and ran to look for the remote, but then he suddenly realized something and looked up at the air conditioner, which was already blowing cold air.

His mind went blank for a moment. Just then, the dorm’s back door opened, and Zhang Shaoqing, a cigarette between his lips, poked his head in and looked at them. “Where’d you all go? I couldn’t find anyone around in broad daylight.”

“You’re back already?”

The moment he saw Zhang Shaoqing, Ning Chu stopped fooling around and studied his expression.

So far, so good. Zhang Shaoqing had always looked gloomy before going home, but now that he was back, there didn’t seem to be any new, dangerous air of gloom about him.

Ning Chu breathed a sigh of relief. He’d been most afraid that something would happen to Zhang Shaoqing at home—that he’d come back a different person and turn into a villain.

“Miss me while I was gone?”

“Get lost.” Ning Chu rolled his eyes at the smooth-talking Zhang Shaoqing, then turned to ask Wen Yang, “Are you taking a nap this afternoon?”

The temperature was nearly forty degrees. He’d spent the whole morning outside, staying alert in unfamiliar surroundings while constantly trying to keep Wen Yang happy. He was already exhausted, body and mind.

“Maybe I won’t. I…” Wen Yang had planned to go to the café off campus that afternoon, but thinking of the heat outside, so fierce it could warp the air, and feeling the sweat and exhaustion clinging to him, he changed his mind. “I’ll take a shower and a nap. I’m soaked in sweat.”

“Then I’m going first!”

Ning Chu heard the answer he wanted and smiled until his eyes narrowed. Wen Yang was getting more and more obedient and sensible.

Before, Wen Yang would’ve chosen to go out on a date without a second thought.

Keep at it, and maybe I can turn Wen Yang into an old virgin who couldn’t care less about women!

He had to show him that there were plenty of fun and interesting things in the world besides women.

Ning Chu took a change of clothes into the bathroom. Wen Yang, yawning repeatedly, headed out to the balcony and leaned against the railing, fiddling with his phone as he waited for Ning Chu to finish showering.

“Don’t smoke next to me.” Wen Yang glanced at Zhang Shaoqing, who was right beside him, blowing out clouds of smoke. Frowning slightly, he asked, “What’s going on between you and Lingling now?”

Zhang Shaoqing had been wearing a carefree smile, but the moment Wen Yang brought up his childhood friend, his expression darkened.

He turned his head away and replied, sounding completely indifferent, “Nothing’s going on.”

Wen Yang could only sigh. “If she doesn’t like you, move on. There are plenty of girls out there.”

“Did she tell you?” Zhang Shaoqing suddenly turned to look at him, his dangerous gaze fixed on Wen Yang. Jealousy and possessiveness toward Lingling surged through him.

The girl he loved most wanted nothing to do with him and only had eyes for Wen Yang, but Wen Yang had never paid Lingling any mind.

His breathing grew heavier without him realizing it. His eyes were growing red, and his fists clenched tighter.

Wen Yang noticed something was off, but still nodded. “She messaged me last night. She said you confessed to her.”

“……”

The bathroom door suddenly swung open. Ning Chu stepped out with his hair dripping wet, both hands raised as he roughly rubbed it dry.

But as soon as he stepped onto the balcony, he sensed that something was wrong.

He nervously glanced at Wen Yang, then at Zhang Shaoqing’s twisted expression, and his heart leapt into his throat.

Holy crap! What’s going on?!

I only took a shower! How did Zhang Shaoqing start showing signs of turning into a villain?!

Ning Chu’s mind raced through Zhang Shaoqing’s story arc, and he immediately spoke up to break the tense atmosphere on the balcony. “Wen Yang, I’m done. Go take a shower and get some sleep.”

“Okay.” Wen Yang didn’t hesitate. He realized he’d upset Zhang Shaoqing, so he took the opening to leave.

Once Wen Yang went inside to grab a change of clothes, Ning Chu turned to Zhang Shaoqing.

What’s going on?

Maybe because Ning Chu had given him the impression of being a roommate he could confide in, Zhang Shaoqing met his questioning gaze, moved his lips, hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “I confessed to her last night. She turned me down.”

Why would you confess to her out of nowhere?!

She clearly sees you as a big brother!

Ning Chu’s face turned green. “Why didn’t you—you should’ve told me first.”

You couldn’t expect the characters in a smutty novel to think like normal people. Besides, Zhang Shaoqing had always been repressing a darkness inside him.

What if being rejected pushed Zhang Shaoqing over the edge…?

Ning Chu had planned to wait until after military training, then help Zhang Shaoqing win Lingling over step by step, turning this smutty novel into a dating sim.

Ning Chu fell silent for a moment, then continued drying his hair with a towel, troubled. “Don’t panic. We… we’ll figure something out.”

He tried his best to calm Zhang Shaoqing’s impatience and agitation.

“Lingling doesn’t have a boyfriend right now, anyway. There’s no need to rush.”

He was just worried Zhang Shaoqing wouldn’t be able to wait and would choose to drug her and take her by force, just like in the story.

Girls usually let their guard down around friends and family. There was a good chance Zhang Shaoqing would succeed.