PTCQT Chapter 7

For students, when it comes to gatherings, it’s usually either hot pot or barbecue, nothing much else.

The summer night market is bustling, with the aroma of cumin drifting in with the warm breeze, making people very hungry.

Du Xin headed straight for one of the stalls, where two tables were pushed together to make one.

“The barbecue at this place is really good, Shen Chun, you should try it too. If you like it, we can come here often,” Du Xin suggested. “Go ahead and order.”

“Hey, Du Xin, we haven’t even started eating yet, and you’re already advertising. You should ask for advertising fees from the owner,” joked one of the guys.

The owners were a couple, and the wife, wearing an apron, seemed very familiar with Du Xin and was very enthusiastic. “Of course, we should. Later, I’ll add two more skewers of lamb for you.”

“That’s a great supplement to replenish your body, we need to make sure our dear Du doesn’t get too weak,” joked Luo Can.

The group burst into laughter, with Shen Chun unable to hide his amusement. Meanwhile, as they placed their orders, the owner’s wife glanced around and said with a smile, “The Student President is also here. Are you a new student? I haven’t seen you before.”

“No need to be so formal,” Xie Baiyuan interjected.

“This is our new junior, Shen Chun. Handsome, right?” Du Xin said, patting Shen Chun on the shoulder.

“You have quite the presence, very handsome indeed. Come often in the future, I’ll give you a discount,” the owner’s wife smiled.

“And here’s another perk.”

“Owner, you didn’t even notice me the first time I came, but our junior brother was noticed right away. How can we judge someone’s barbecue enjoyment by their appearance?”

“I’m wounded in the soul too.”

“This treatment is the same as our Student President’s.”

“I’ll give you a discount too, alright?” The owner’s wife confirmed the order with a smile. “Make sure to include plenty of chili.”

“Any dietary restrictions?” Du Xin turned to ask.

“None.”

“None, we eat anything,” they replied.

Others chatted in pairs and groups, but Xie Baiyuan remained silent. Shen Chun glanced at him meaningfully and said, “I like spicy food a lot. Could you please ask the owner’s wife to add a quarter more chili for me?”

“Sure, noted,” the owner’s wife said with a smile before leaving.

Du Xin clicked his tongue. “Shen Chun, you’re from the south, and you like spicy food?”

“I’m actually from this city. I just have a strong taste preference,” Shen Chun chuckled.

“Heavy taste and no pimples, so envious,” the guy across exclaimed. “Look at my face, all these acne marks are from eating spicy food.”

“Then stop eating, all the spicy dishes will be mine,” his friend next to him remarked.

“No way, the fact is already there. How can I deprive my taste buds?” the guy chuckled.

No matter how impressive their academic achievements were, once they got to know each other well, they weren’t much different from the average group of guys.

Only Xie Baiyuan glanced thoughtfully at Shen Chun. He disliked the lingering smell of food in his dormitory, and Shen Chun had never brought his meals back to the dorm even once. Xie Baiyuan had only occasionally seen him in the cafeteria, with a plate full of braised pork ribs. The cafeteria lady’s hands seemed steady, not even trembling a bit, as if she wanted to pour the entire pot for him. With three or four side dishes, it perfectly matched a guy’s appetite.

However, among the three or four dishes, there wasn’t a trace of chili to be seen. If he truly likes spicy food, there were plenty of Sichuan-style dishes in the cafeteria.

Interestingly, Xie Baiyuan himself was the one who enjoyed spicy food. The dishes here generally lacked enough spiciness for his taste, but few people could discern his preferences, and he didn’t want to make a big deal out of this particular hobby.

Plate after plate of barbecue was served, sizzling with oil and heat, tempting everyone’s taste buds. A dozen bottles of beer were also brought out. Although alcoholic, for guys, one bottle per person wouldn’t get them drunk; they were simply treated as beverages.

With the beer, the atmosphere became livelier. The portions of the meat skewers weren’t large to begin with, so one or two skewers per person would quickly be devoured.

In such settings, Shen Chun wasn’t overly particular. Wrapping some pork belly in lettuce was just a matter of one or two bites.

Although the taste wasn’t exceptionally refined, it was still decent, as Du Xin had claimed.

As they ate and chatted, the conversation flowed more freely. Luo Can picked up a freshly served lamb skewer and placed it in front of Shen Chun, saying, “Here you go, the extra spicy lamb skewer you wanted.”

The lamb smelled delicious indeed, but the layer of chili covering it almost drowned out the meat. Shen Chun could handle some spiciness, but he was truly not fond of anything overly spicy.

Self-inflicted misery…

Xie Baiyuan, watching Shen Chun’s slightly resigned yet forced smile, found it somewhat amusing. So, this guy wasn’t as composed in the face of everything as he seemed.

Xie Baiyuan took the lamb skewer and said quietly, “Give it to me.”

His voice was low, his movements natural. However, being at the center of everyone’s attention, Luo Can paused and asked, “Even the president likes spicy food?”

“Yeah,” Xie Baiyuan replied.

“There’s still some left on the plate. Baiyuan, why are you taking the junior’s? That’s a bit too much,” Du Xin joked.
Xie Baiyuan hesitated for a moment. He had intended to help Shen Chun out, but this gesture might appear as intentionally bullying the newcomer to others. He couldn’t just drop the stick he picked up, nor could he retreat.

Shen Chun lowered his head and chuckled softly. This chuckle looked particularly mischievous to Xie Baiyuan, but before Xie Baiyuan could react, Shen Chun spoke up, “The owner is too generous with the seasoning. This is too spicy for me to handle. Thanks, President, you’re quite something.”

His words sounded like praise, but Xie Baiyuan couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was off.

The awkward atmosphere dissipated, and another guy laughed, “I thought our junior here was the type to have half a bowl of noodles and half a bowl of chili. Turns out, he can only handle the spiciness like us northerners.”

“Yeah,” Shen Chun replied helplessly.

“I remember the president is from the south, right? People from there seem to be able to handle spicy food exceptionally well,” another guy chimed in.

Xie Baiyuan wore gloves, finding them convenient for skewering food, but during meals, it was easy to accidentally touch his lips. While he had a preference for cleanliness, he wasn’t so meticulous as to remove all the meat from the skewer one by one. Naturally, he ended up with some residue on his lips.

Shen Chun held his cup, absentmindedly sipping beer, but his gaze was fixed on Xie Baiyuan.

Compared to the other guys, Xie Baiyuan’s actions were much more refined. Even when eating the lamb skewer, each movement seemed imbued with a serious intent. When the bright red chili touched his lips, he merely furrowed his brows slightly and casually wiped it away with a tissue. Although the traces disappeared, his lips were left with a vivid redness, emitting a hint of allure that was rarely seen.

Xie Baiyuan felt a twinge of something, but when he turned to look, he found Shen Chun clinking glasses and drinking with others, not paying attention to him.

Must be his imagination.

After the meal, everyone was inevitably feeling a bit bloated, even Xie Baiyuan. However, Shen Chun seemed completely unaffected.

The group returned to their dorms, chatting and laughing along the way, dispersing as they reached their respective rooms. Shen Chun was the first to open the door to their dorm, and then Xie Baiyuan asked from behind, “Didn’t like the place?”

There were plenty of dishes served, but Shen Chun ate very little. However, with so many people around, few paid attention to how much he ate. Only Xie Baiyuan noticed that he only moved occasionally, giving the appearance of eating without actually consuming much.

“No, it suited my taste,” Shen Chun replied, stepping aside to let Xie Baiyuan enter first. “I just don’t have the habit of eating much at night.”

This body would inevitably age, and appearance would change along with it. But to maintain a pleasing appearance, one must cultivate good habits from a young age. Otherwise, even he himself would despise his own reflection.

Xie Baiyuan glanced at him in surprise, yet there was also a sense of inevitability. It indeed took a considerable amount of self-discipline to sculpt such a well-toned physique. And to possess such self-discipline was already halfway to success for a young person.

“You ordered extra spicy, but I suppose it wasn’t for yourself,” Xie Baiyuan said as he put on his shoes. “How did you know I like spicy food?”

Perhaps it was because of Shen Chun’s thoughtfulness earlier, or maybe a meal truly could make people more familiar with each other, but Xie Baiyuan couldn’t help but speak up.

“And how did the president know I don’t like spicy food?” Shen Chun looked at him with a smile, asking.

The door closed behind them, shutting out the noise from the hallway and leaving them in quiet solitude. Xie Baiyuan’s gaze met Shen Chun’s, and whether it was due to the spiciness or not, his heart raced inexplicably. “I…”

Even though he had told himself not to get involved with straight guys, the kind of concern that couldn’t simply be brushed aside persisted. If he didn’t care, why would he pay attention to what a freshman liked to eat?

Thinking back now, he realized he knew many of Shen Chun’s habits. He rarely touched sugary drinks, opting instead for water, and at most, he only dabbled with alcohol. Xie Baiyuan had seen cigarettes in his drawer, but he hardly ever smelled smoke on him. Though the pack had been opened, it seemed like he had barely touched them since then.

Even without early classes, he was accustomed to going to bed and waking up early. His movements in the morning were always light. Often, when Xie Baiyuan woke up, he found Shen Chun’s side of the bed empty. Occasionally, if Shen Chun slept lightly and made more noise, Xie Baiyuan would groggily peek over, only to receive a soft apology.

His clothes and shoes were never strewn about, and even used items were neatly organized. There was never any odor about him, making it very comfortable to be in the same space with him.

Though they didn’t spend much time together and their relationship wasn’t particularly close, Xie Baiyuan found himself with these incredibly clear memories. It was as if he had been unconsciously observing the person in front of him all along.

If one isn’t concerned, who would pay attention to these details? Perhaps…

“I’ve noticed occasionally. President, you add a lot of chili to your noodles, and I’ve heard from other seniors that you’re from the south, so I figured you must like spicy food,” Shen Chun said with a smile.

“I see,” Xie Baiyuan replied, with a hint of difficult-to-ignore disappointment.

“President, are we going to stand at the door forever?” Shen Chun looked at the slightly dazed person in front of him and asked.

“Sorry,” Xie Baiyuan snapped out of his reverie, his expression returning to its usual coldness, but his movement as he turned away seemed somewhat hurried.

Shen Chun couldn’t help but think of a rabbit whose tail had just been stepped on as he watched Xie Baiyuan take his clothes and disappear into the bathroom.

[Host, Xie Baiyuan’s heart rate was quite high just now.] 521 reported.

[Signs of heart disease at such a young age, how pitiful.] Shen Chun chuckled.

[No, the protagonist’s health is fine.] 521 clarified.

The increased heart rate and hormone levels are clearly signs of attraction. If the protagonist likes the host, once the host responds, the mission will basically be accomplished. However, the system can’t directly interfere with the host’s love life, so it’s too early to say.

[Oh, it could also be from eating too much spicy food.] Shen Chun chuckled.

521: [Oh, I see.]

That’s also possible.

[Of course, can I still fool you?] Shen Chun affirmed.

521 felt like it might need to do a comprehensive check of its core data. There must be something wrong with it.

 

 

 

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