022. Going Dark
“That boss turned green with envy, haha!”
“Wow! You brought back so much for just a hundred bucks! Wen Yang, did you go shopping or something?”
“That’s amazing! You really are something!”
Ning Chu was clutching an enormous plastic bag stuffed to the brim with all sorts of figurines and trinkets, so much so that it obscured his view, forcing him to tilt his head awkwardly to see where he was going.
His mouth was running on a constant stream of flattery, making Wen Yang bashfully scratch the back of his head.
“You’re so awesome! Let’s go again next week! Time to restock!”
Even though they didn’t really ride any attractions this trip, Wen Yang was still over the moon, his face beaming with a smile that wouldn’t quit.
Ning Chu stole a glance at his expression and felt even happier.
This outing, even with bus fare and snacks, only set them back about a hundred bucks, yet they came back with a haul of little trinkets that made Wen Yang happier than a kid in a candy store.
If they had just splurged on roller coasters or swings, the three of them would’ve easily burned through a hundred bucks in one go—now that’s what you call a steal!
And when they had some free time, they could always set up a stand at the school square to sell the extra trinkets, who knows, they might even make some cash back.
Laughing and chatting, Ning Chu walked to the dorm door, turning to signal Wang Jie to open it.
“I can’t; you open it.”
“Uh-huh.”
Wang Jie looked as deflated as a balloon. This trip to the amusement park had drained every ounce of his energy.
He fished out his keys just to find that when he twisted the doorknob, the door swung right open.
“Didn’t you lock up when you left?”
Ning Chu asked with confusion, already barging in with his mountain of goodies. He dropped the stuff, raised both hands like a cat stretching, and let out a lazy yawn.
Returning to the dorm felt just like coming home~
Sure, the place was always a mess, with unpleasant odors wafting in the air, but compared to the anxiety outside, the dorm was way more comforting.
“Slap!”
“What the heck!” Ning Chu cried, rubbing his little backside as he turned around. “Are you crazy?!”
“Don’t block the door,” Wen Yang said helplessly from outside. “It’s boiling out here.”
Honestly, Ning Chu’s little backside was quite the handful, soft and squishy.
“Ugh! Turn on the AC! I’m taking a nap~”
Ning Chu raced to find the remote, only to suddenly realize something, glancing up at the air conditioner blowing cold air.
His brain went blank for a second when the back door swung open, revealing Zhang Shaoqing with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, peeking into the room. “Where’ve you guys been? Can’t see anyone during the day.”
“You’re back so early?”
Seeing Zhang Shaoqing, Ning Chu’s playful demeanor instantly faded as he scrutinized his expression.
Not bad, although Zhang Shaoqing usually had a sour face before heading home, he didn’t seem to carry any heavy, grim vibes now that he was back.
Ning Chu relaxed—his biggest fear was that this guy would come back all moody and turn into a villain.
“Did you miss me after not seeing me for a whole night?”
“Get lost.” Ning Chu rolled his eyes at Zhang Shaoqing’s slick comments and turned to Wen Yang, asking, “Are you napping this afternoon?”
With the temperatures soaring near forty degrees, after spending the whole morning out while keeping an eye on unfamiliar surroundings and cheerleading for Wen Yang, he felt utterly spent.
“Aren’t you napping? I…” Wen Yang initially wanted to stick to his plan and head to the coffee shop, but recalling the heat outside and feeling the sweat and exhaustion, he changed his mind. “Let’s shower and take a nap instead. I’m drenched in sweat.”
“Then I’ll go first!”
Ning Chu grinned; he was glad to hear such a responsible reply, noticing how Wen Yang was getting more considerate.
If it had been before, Wen Yang would’ve chosen to go out on a date without a second thought.
He was committed to turning Wen Yang into a clueless old virgin with zero interest in women!
He had to let him know there were way more fun and interesting things in this world apart from girls.
As Ning Chu entered the bathroom with a change of clothes, Wen Yang sauntered to the balcony, yawning and leaning against the railing, fiddling with his phone as he waited for Ning Chu to finish.
“Don’t smoke next to me,” he shot a glance at Zhang Shaoqing, who was puffing away nearby, scrunching his brow. “What’s going on with you and Ling Ling?”
Zhang Shaoqing, who had been wearing a playful grin, suddenly turned dark as soon as his childhood crush was mentioned.
He averted his gaze with a nonchalant reply, “Nothing’s going on.”
Wen Yang felt a headache coming on. “If she doesn’t like you, just find someone else. There are plenty of girls out there.”
“Did she tell you?” Zhang Shaoqing suddenly whipped his head around, his eyes narrowing dangerously at Wen Yang. The jealousy and possessiveness he felt for Ling Ling were bubbling over.
The girl he liked didn’t give him the time of day, while she was all over Wen Yang, and Wen Yang had never even thought about Ling Ling.
His breath hitched a bit heavier, his eyes reddening slightly, fists clenching involuntarily.
Wen Yang sensed something was off but nodded anyway. “She messaged me last night, saying you confessed to her.”
“……”
Suddenly, the bathroom door swung open, and Ning Chu emerged, hair wet and hands rubbing his head, walking right out.
But as soon as he stepped onto the balcony, he keenly sensed the tension in the air.
Feeling uneasy, he glanced nervously at Wen Yang and then at Zhang Shaoqing, whose expression was contorted. His heart did a flip.
What the heck! What’s going on?!
I just wanted to take a shower! How did Zhang Shaoqing turn into a brooding villain out of nowhere?!
Ning Chu’s brain quickly played through all the plot points related to Zhang Shaoqing and promptly broke the awkward silence on the balcony. “Wen Yang, I’m done! You should hurry and shower and nap too.”
“Okay.” Wen Yang, crisp and decisive, noticed he’d stirred Zhang Shaoqing’s emotions and quickly exited down the stairs.
Once Wen Yang went in to grab his change of clothes, Ning Chu finally faced Zhang Shaoqing.
What’s up with this?
Perhaps he’d left an impression of a close confidant on Zhang Shaoqing, as Zhang’s lips twitched, and after a moment of hesitation, he sighed. “I confessed last night. Got turned down.”
Why would you confess out of nowhere!
She clearly sees you as an older brother!
Ning Chu’s face paled. “Why didn’t you let me know ahead of time?”
You can’t approach a character in a story like you would a normal person, plus Zhang Shaoqing’s feelings were already teetering on the edge of darkness.
What if his failed confession triggered something in Zhang Shaoqing…?
Ning Chu had originally planned to take Zhang Shaoqing step-by-step to woo Ling Ling after military training, turning their story into a romance game.
Ning Chu silently struggled for a moment, rubbing his wet hair with a towel. “Don’t panic; let’s… let’s think of another way.”
He tried to calm Zhang Shaoqing’s eager, anxious emotions.
“Besides, Ling Ling isn’t even dating anyone right now, we’re not in a hurry.”
He was just worried this guy wouldn’t be able to contain himself and, like in the story, would directly resort to some underhanded scheme to take control.
Girls are usually pretty defenseless around friends and family, and nine times out of ten, Zhang Shaoqing would succeed.
