Chapter 14

The waiter brought over a bowl of noodles and placed it in front of the cutest-looking Yu Mi.

“Eat, eat, eat! Qi Ge, you eat first.” Chen Ziming pushed the bowl in front of Qi You’an, but before Qi You’an could even smell it, he pulled the bowl back in front of Yu Mi, hurriedly grabbed chopsticks, and shoved them into Yu Mi’s hand. “Eat, you eat first!”

At the same time, he was desperately giving him a look, signaling him to shut up and stop talking nonsense.

This senior Qi was impressively tall, estimated to be about 1.9 meters, with a muscular build from years of working out. If he flipped the table and started a fight, he could punch Yu Mi into corn mush, and Chen Ziming was worried he wouldn’t be able to stop him.

Yu Mi hurriedly stuffed noodles into his mouth, one mouthful after another.

The waiter quickly brought over the remaining two bowls of noodles, and all three of them started eating.

Yu Mi ate mouthful after mouthful, the noodles covered in thick mashed potatoes, and after a few bites, he was choking.

Qi You’an picked up the teapot on the table, poured him a cup of water, and handed it to him.

Yu Mi gulped down several mouthfuls, finally managing to swallow, then lowered his head and continued eating.

Chen Ziming was observing Qi You’an’s expression, trying to judge if he was angry.

The dining table fell into an awkward silence.

Until Qi You’an’s phone on the table started buzzing.

Yu Mi glanced over and saw the caller ID: “Little Brother.”

He has a brother?

Qi You’an had already answered the call, saying, “Lele.”

Then he put down his chopsticks and listened intently to his brother.

Yu Mi couldn’t help but start speculating, wondering if a fortune teller had said Senior Qi might not have descendants, and his parents, worried he might die young, had another child?

His feelings were complicated, and he felt it was impolite to speculate about someone else’s family, so he stopped his thoughts in time.

By this time, Qi You’an had already ended the call, and Yu Mi hadn’t heard what he said.

Chen Ziming, trying to ease the atmosphere, casually asked, “You have a brother? How old is he?”

“He’s in middle school,” Qi You’an replied. “I also have a sister, she’s in high school.”

“Wow, you have three siblings?” Chen Ziming was a bit surprised. “Your house must be lively.”

Qi You’an nodded.

Yu Mi, silently eating his noodles, thought, so they had a sister first, then a boy…

Chen Ziming, full of curiosity, asked, “Are your brother and sister well-behaved?”

Qi You’an: “They’re very well-behaved, very good.”

He didn’t even use the word “very,” but “extremely.”

Chen Ziming was full of admiration: “That’s very fortunate.”

Qi You’an sped up his eating.

Yu Mi was worried if something was wrong at home.

Fortunately, after finishing his meal, Qi You’an said, “My roommate is starving, I need to bring him some food.”

Yu Mi thought, thank goodness.

Qi You’an stood up: “You guys take your time, see you.”

Chen Ziming maintained a smile: “See you.”

Then he forcibly lifted Yu Mi’s hand, helping him wave goodbye to the senior.

Only after Qi You’an’s figure disappeared did Chen Ziming let out a big sigh of relief.

“Oh my god! What were you saying? I was really afraid he’d hit you! I was so nervous, he’s so tall, he could punch you into corn mush! Thank goodness his brother called, the warmth of family dissolved his anger.”

“I didn’t know!” Yu Mi was sweating profusely. “I left my brain at home, I…”

He lowered his voice: “When I came out to my family, my dad also said our family would be without descendants… Just now, when he mentioned that word, I reflexively… Oh my god, what did I say?!”

“It’s okay,” Chen Ziming said. “He didn’t hit you, so it should be fine. But his family is really superstitious, it’s the 21st century, how can they still believe in that? Hey, when your family found out you liked guys, did they say they wanted another child?”

“No,” Yu Mi said. “My parents love me very much. After a sleepless night, they said as long as I’m happy, that’s all that matters, and told me to find a handsome one.”

His parents were still back home helping him find a quality partner.

Yu Mi muttered softly, “I think, compared to dying young, being gay and not having descendants is easier to accept…”

He thought, the senior is so young, being labeled as dying young from a young age is really unlucky.

His parents, worried he’d die young, had a sister and a brother for him… He must have some thoughts about it, right?

Chen Ziming stirred the noodles in his bowl: “Even though I’m straight, I agree, being able to live well is more important than anything. So, do you think he’s gay?”

Yu Mi started recalling the person’s every move and gesture.

“I… can’t say for sure.”

Chen Ziming lowered his voice: “Isn’t there something called gaydar? You—”

Before he could finish, his arm was suddenly grabbed.

Chen Ziming let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered: “Ah!!”

Yu Mi looked at the returning Qi You’an and stood up with a start.

“Sorry, senior! I was wrong!” He apologized sincerely, “I said the wrong thing, I’m sorry!”

Qi You’an picked up the sports bag he had left on the chair.

“It’s okay.” He raised his hand and ruffled the junior’s golden short hair. “Kids say the darndest things.”

Yu Mi’s mind went blank, and he instinctively asked, “Senior, you… don’t have a girlfriend, right?”

Qi You’an shook his head: “No.”

Yu Mi felt relieved, thank goodness… thank goodness he didn’t cause a big mess.

Qi You’an gently pressed his shoulder: “Sit down and eat.”

Then he left again.

“He’s definitely gay!” Chen Ziming said firmly, “He ruffled your hair! A straight guy definitely wouldn’t ruffle another guy’s hair like that, you see, I’ve never ruffled your hair, right?”

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Yu Mi was flustered, “Ruffling hair doesn’t mean anything…”

After a few more bites, he suddenly felt a sense of despair.

“It’s over…” Yu Mi said with a mournful face, “What if he starts questioning his own sexual orientation because of what I said?”

*

Qi You’an was questioning his own sexual orientation.

Well, not really questioning.

After all, he had never had feelings for any guy.

Of course, not for any girl either.

But today, what Yu Mi said was a perspective he and his family had never considered. For over twenty years, his parents had lived in constant anxiety, always worried he might suddenly pass away, and thus they were especially attentive to him, cautious about everything concerning him.

Even after having a sister and a brother, this worry hadn’t lessened much.

And he himself…

He had always wavered between “how could such a superstitious thing be true” and “maybe I really won’t live long.” On one hand, he didn’t believe in fate, on the other, he lived cautiously, afraid of dying unexpectedly.

He had never considered whether he might be gay.

Could it be that the junior was right?

For a moment, countless complex thoughts exploded in his mind, and he was somewhat absent-minded, bumping into two trees on the way back without snapping out of it.

Until he returned to the dormitory.

As soon as he opened the door, He Wenrui shouted, “You dog, you got another opportunity!”

Qi You’an’s thoughts were interrupted: “Huh? What opportunity?”

“Dream of Three Lives!” He Wenrui said indignantly, “You got it while sleeping on a newbie’s bed, it’s infuriating! Get off their bed, a bunch of people are watching you sleep.”

Qi You’an handed him the food, then looked at his computer screen.

On the screen was a very festive golden circle, instantly lifting his spirits.

All thoughts of life, death, straight, or gay were temporarily set aside.

He generously said, “Today’s meal is on me.”

Then he sat down and wiggled the mouse, finding himself bombarded with hundreds of private messages, countless people telling him to get up.

There was a crowd gathered around his bed, watching him sleep.

Perhaps they were too bored from waiting, some had started performing tricks, while others were typing jokes.

Even though Qi You’an had been through a lot, he had never seen such a scene.

He opened the chat with Tian Nuo Nuo and saw the other person’s message, so he quickly replied.

[Private Chat] What Are You: Thanks, I’m really sorry… I got another opportunity at your place, what a mess. #Joy

[Private Chat] Tian Nuo Nuo: Left for a bit, and chaos ensues!

Oh, he wasn’t there.

So Qi You’an got up to take a shower.

When he came out, he saw Tian Nuo Nuo had replied.

[Private Chat] Tian Nuo Nuo: Now that you’re back, get off my bed! #Knock

[Private Chat] What Are You: Left for a bit, be right back!

[Private Chat] Tian Nuo Nuo: Why did you disappear again?! (╯‵□′)╯

Qi You’an, drying his hair, smiled and replied with a towel on his head.

[Private Chat] What Are You: Here.

Then he spoke up in the nearby chat channel.

[Nearby Chat] What Are You: So many people… #Shocked.

Seeing him appear, everyone got excited and told him to get off.

[Nearby Chat] What Are You: No.

Everyone immediately called for the room owner.

Although Yu Mi had added several new beds at home, no opportunities had been triggered on the other beds. So everyone still wanted to sleep on the bed the fortune teller had been on.

[Nearby Chat] Ninth Page’s Ideal City: [Tian Nuo Nuo] Control him! #Crying

[Nearby Chat] I Am Yuan Zhi Sheng: [Tian Nuo Nuo] Control him! #Crying

[Nearby Chat] Bully Meow Meow: [Tian Nuo Nuo] Control him! #Crying

Yu Mi, although in front of the computer, was busy editing his apology to the senior on WeChat.

He wrote and deleted, unsure of what to say, glanced at the screen, saw the flood of crying messages, and quickly dealt with the game situation.

[Nearby Chat] Tian Nuo Nuo: [What Are You] Bro, get up, or I’ll dismantle the bed.

The next second, the fortune teller got off his bed, and someone else immediately lay down on it.

Yu Mi controlled his character to leave, planning to find a quiet place to continue AFK.

Then the fortune teller messaged him again.

[Private Chat] What Are You: You’re really my lucky star.

Yu Mi, troubled by the apology, wasn’t in the mood to respond, and continued to look at his chat history with the senior.

—They didn’t have any chat history.

Last time, he also apologized to the other person.

Yu Mi propped his head up, sighed helplessly, thinking, why do I keep causing trouble?

He opened Qi You’an’s Moments, and the other person occasionally updated with posts, sharing pictures of school cats, plants, strange trash cans he encountered on the road, and some street scenes, interspersed with a few selfies.

Yu Mi looked through them one by one.

The other person seemed to prefer cool-toned filters, making all the pictures look gloomy, giving off a melancholic vibe…

It made Yu Mi feel heavy-hearted.

He didn’t know how much time had passed when a ding sounded in his headphones, indicating a new email in the game.

Yu Mi looked up at the computer, grabbed the mouse, opened the email, and casually glanced at the content. It seemed to say he had achieved something for helping others, and they specially rewarded him with a kitten.

The attachment icon was also a cat’s head.

Yu Mi was pleasantly surprised, a task that gives a kitten?

He casually added the cat to his inventory, bound it, and continued looking at Qi You’an’s Moments.

He looked until it was past eleven, and even after taking a shower and lying in bed, he was still looking.

The dormitory lights were already out.

The roommates were each lying in bed, playing on their phones and chatting.

Chen Ziming, lying opposite Yu Mi, casually said, “Do you think that senior Qi might not be able to sleep tonight because of what you said?”

Yu Mi was about to speak when Qi You’an messaged him.

He switched to the chat page.

Qi You’an asked, “Do you like guys?”

Yu Mi’s mind went blank with a loud bang.

He pulled up the blanket, covered his face, and let out a muffled wail under the covers—

“I don’t know if he can sleep, but I definitely can’t sleep now!”