Chapter 48: Sharing the Same Bed

A sudden knock on the door jolted both of them awake.

You Chong moved away from above Lin Hexi, and his expression quickly returned to normal. “It must be them coming back.”

Lin Hexi also sat up from the bed, waiting for a moment but seeing no one push the door open. Noticing that the bedroom door wasn’t even locked, he got off the bed, puzzled, and put on his shoes to go open the door.

There was no one outside. He instinctively looked down at the doorway and saw a box of late-night snacks that had just been delivered. It seemed that, worried about disturbing the people inside, the person who brought the snacks had knocked on the door and left.

Even more puzzled, Lin Hexi bent down to pick up the snacks and turned back into the room.

You Chong, who was sitting on the sofa looking at his phone, looked up when he heard the noise. “Yang Juan said on WeChat that he brought us some snacks.”

Lin Hexi raised the snacks in his hand to show him. “Why didn’t he come in after knocking?”

You Chong was equally puzzled and didn’t say anything.

After setting aside this minor interruption, You Chong picked up Lin Hexi’s phone from the bed. “Unlock your phone.”

After a brief hesitation, Lin Hexi showed a tentative expression. “You really want to delete it?”

You Chong’s gaze was probing. “Why did you save my photo?”

Lin Hexi looked completely justified. “Do I need a reason to save a photo?”

You Chong’s gaze on his face gradually turned pensive. “Typically, in situations like this, there are only two reasons.”

Even someone as thick-skinned as Lin Hexi found it hard to withstand You Chong’s stare. A strange sense of guilt crept into his heart, and his tone softened a bit. “What two reasons?”

The latter gave a faint chuckle, enunciating clearly, “Either you think he looks good, or you like him.”

“So,” You Chong lifted his eyelids, “which one are you?”

For no particular reason, Lin Hexi’s face flushed slightly.

Lin Hexi quickly calmed down, raised his eyes to meet You Chong’s, and spoke without warning, “Of course, I like you—”

Not expecting him to say that so boldly, and unable to discern how much of it was a joke, You Chong’s expression turned a bit more subdued, but his eyes remained fixed on Lin Hexi, and the emotions within them gradually deepened.

Lin Hexi unhurriedly took a breath and finished the second half of his sentence: “—your photos.”

You Chong’s gaze paused briefly before he slowly retracted his intense stare, saying blandly, “Just say what you mean.”

Lin Hexi took his phone, opened the photo album, and showed him the picture. “Doesn’t it look great?”

You Chong remained expressionless. “It’s the person in the photo who looks good.”

While raising his eyebrows with an indifferent expression, Lin Hexi said seriously, “I think the sea and sunset in this photo are really well captured, so I’m planning to paint the sea and sunset from the photo.”

Although he knew Lin Hexi was saying this on purpose, You Chong’s expression still darkened uncontrollably.

Lin Hexi continued, “Don’t worry, I won’t paint you. Before I start painting, I’ll use a clipping tool to cut you out of the photo.”

You Chong glared at him with a cold face. “If you can paint, pigs can fly.”

Unbothered, Lin Hexi smiled and even winked at him. “I’ll give it to you when I’m done.”

You Chong glanced at him. “I don’t want it.”

Lin Hexi, dissatisfied, asked, “Why?”

You Chong narrowed his eyes slowly, his tone full of grudging resentment. “Since you won’t paint me and are even cutting me out of the photo, of course I won’t want it.”

Hearing this, Lin Hexi couldn’t suppress the upward curl of his lips and, feigning reluctance, said, “Aren’t you the one who said my painting skills are too poor?”

Thinking of the painting he had sent under the name of an unfamiliar girl, which You Chong had carefully kept at home, a hint of subtle jealousy crept into his words. “Naturally, my paintings can’t compare to those of art students.” He sighed softly. “If you don’t want it, then forget it.”

Noticing the changes in his expression, You Chong’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. In the end, he spoke with a hint of annoyance, “You said it yourself—finish it and bring it over.”

Lin Hexi’s face brightened instantly, his mood shifting from cloudy to clear in a second, and he responded with a cheerful smile, “Okay.”

After putting the matter of the photo aside for the moment, they remembered the late-night snacks that had been set aside and opened the box to take a look.

Inside were greasy, spicy grilled skewers. You Chong rarely ate such junk food, so most of the skewers ended up in Lin Hexi’s stomach.

Not long after finishing the snacks, Zhou Xuan came upstairs to call You Chong to watch a movie in the living room.

Staying alone in the room was boring, so Lin Hexi thought for a moment and decided to go downstairs as well.

Zhao Du and Yang Juan were adjusting the projection equipment, while Lin Tong was looking down at his phone, searching for highly rated films. “What kind of movie do you guys want to watch?”

Zhou Xuan, who was sitting next to him, casually replied, “Anything is fine.”

Lin Tong looked up at the suggestion, with his face showing a hint of eagerness. “How about a horror movie?”

The other five had no objections.

Only Yang Juan, standing next to the projection equipment, gave a slight, almost imperceptible shiver but still braced himself and didn’t voice any opposition.

Lin Tong continued to look for a good horror movie.

You Chong sat down next to Zhou Xuan, leaving an empty spot on the other side.

Lin Hexi unceremoniously took the last available seat on the long sofa.

Yang Juan and Zhao Du each took seats in the single sofas on either side.

Lin Tong finally settled on a zombie movie. After the movie’s opening credits started, he got up to turn off the lights.

Lin Hexi leaned his body towards You Chong, who was beside him, and asked with a smile in his voice, “Are you afraid?”

The latter glanced at him and countered, “Are you?”

Lin Hexi was naturally not afraid either and was about to say something, but then saw Zhou Xuan, who was sitting beside You Chong, turn his head and look at him with a face full of disgust, his gaze filled with the strong aversion commonly seen in straight men.

Lin Hexi paused slightly, then changed his mind on the spot. In front of Zhou Xuan, he deliberately reached out and wrapped his arm around You Chong’s, his tone playfully rising, “I’m scared. Can I hold your arm?”

Zhou Xuan immediately broke out in goosebumps, his scalp tingling slightly. He forced himself to look at You Chong’s reaction.

He saw that You Chong seemed accustomed to it, allowing Lin Hexi to cling to his arm. Although You Chong didn’t directly respond to Lin Hexi’s words, he also didn’t pull his arm away.

The thought that popped into his head horrified Zhou Xuan, and he couldn’t help but shake his head. When he looked again, Lin Hexi had already let go of You Chong’s arm and was leaning back lazily into the sofa, casually watching the movie playing on the projector.

He glanced over at You Chong once more.

When he noticed his gaze, he turned his face around, slightly raised his eyebrows, and asked, “Why are you looking at me? Is the movie on my face?”

Zhou Xuan clicked his tongue lightly, and finally pulled his gaze away, quietly sighing in relief in his mind.

It seemed that there was something wrong with the late-night snacks, making Zhou Xuan feel like he was having some kind of illusion.

After the movie ended, everyone went upstairs to their respective rooms to sleep.

The pillow that had originally been placed in the middle of the bed had been knocked off during the phone-snatching tussle. You Chong didn’t bother picking it up again and instead, both he and Lin Hexi got into bed on opposite sides, lifted the covers, turned off the lights, and lay down.

For the first half of the night, they each occupied their own side, sleeping peacefully. But in the middle of the night, whether it was due to the rain earlier, Lin Hexi, half-asleep under his half of the blanket, felt that the air conditioning temperature was a bit too low.

He instinctively grabbed the edge of the blanket and tugged at it.

The blanket didn’t budge, so Lin Hexi could only roll himself closer to the middle.

As Lin Hexi’s legs moved gently against the sheets, his knee accidentally bumped into You Chong’s firm thigh muscle.

The sudden warmth spread from his knee, and Lin Hexi, still not fully awake, felt the comfort and rubbed his knee against You Chong’s leg again.

Sensing his restlessness, You Chong lifted one leg and pressed it down on Lin Hexi’s calf.

Lin Hexi was pressed down and unable to move, but his legs instantly became warm. He shifted his upper body again under the blanket, and his arm touched You Chong’s waist.

His fingertips unconsciously lifted the sleepwear on You Chong’s waist, and Lin Hexi’s arm instinctively followed the heat source, wrapping around and hugging the other person’s waist.

His body became warm from head to toe, and he hugged You Chong, snuggled a bit, and contentedly fell into a deep sleep.