PTCQT Chapter 8

Xie Baiyuan loves spicy food. The southern region, being humid, is conducive to consuming spicy food as it helps expel dampness. However, City A is in the northern region where the diet tends to be slightly heavier on oil, salt, and chili, making it easy to develop internal heat.

As a result, Xie Baiyuan may appear ordinary on the outside, but inside, his mouth feels like it’s on fire, burning and tingling.

Fortunately, he usually speaks less, reducing the frequency of his speech, so it’s not particularly uncomfortable.

“President, it might be quicker to apply some medicine if your mouth is blistering,” Shen Chun, seated opposite, manipulating the characters on the gaming interface, remarked.

After a night of drinking and a satisfying meal, even the half-grown youngsters didn’t have the energy to play games. However, such activities were always available, and after becoming acquainted that night, they invited him to join their gaming sessions.

Shen Chun had experience with many games. Although the character names might have changed, they were mostly similar. With his keen dynamic vision and quick reflexes, he adapted as if he were a seasoned player.

Upon hearing his words, Xie Baiyuan’s hand paused momentarily. He had been on a killing spree with his mage, already scoring five kills, when Shen Chun’s character’s execution key was pressed.

“Stealing our president’s penta-kill, junior brother, impressive!”

“Getting a penta-kill for our president is as easy as eating and drinking, this is called modesty, you understand nothing.”

Voices echoed through the earpiece, followed by a chorus of disapproving clicks from the others.

Alcohol intoxicates the heart: Thanks for the president’s modesty.

Xie Baiyuan didn’t have his microphone on. He silently maneuvered his character back to a safe position and then glanced at Shen Chun. He didn’t think this person was intentionally stealing kills; he just asked, “What do you mean?”

He was referring to the blister in his mouth. How did this person know about it?

“I saw you examining your mouth in the mirror this morning,” Shen Chun looked up and chuckled.

It’s quite normal for most people to examine their mouths in the mirror to see where a blister might have formed, and it’s not a big deal if someone sees it. However, when Shen Chun witnessed this behavior, an inexplicable restlessness crept into Xie Baiyuan’s mind. He unconsciously swiped his fingers, then suddenly a voice came through the earpiece.

“President, I didn’t mean to steal your buff! Why did you stop hitting at the last moment?”

Long Road Ahead: It’s okay.

Xie Baiyuan’s skill was indeed formidable. Even if there were mistakes in a game, for him, winning beautifully wasn’t too difficult a task.

The word “victory” appeared, and Xie Baiyuan returned to the team, saying “Next time” before leaving the group.

There was an immediate lament in the team.

“President, if you leave, we’ll have to kneel down, come on, let’s play another round!”

“Shen Chun, do you want to continue playing together?”

“Junior brother, your support skills are really good.”

Alcohol intoxicates the heart: I have class soon, maybe next time.

Shen Chun exited the game, glanced at his class schedule, then got up. However, as he walked to the door, he looked at Xie Baiyuan, who seemed to have something on his mind, and said, “President, you’re in the dorm. Do you want me to bring back some medicine for you after class?”

“No need, I have plans this afternoon,” Xie Baiyuan declined.

“Alright then,” Shen Chun closed the door and left.

Alone in the room, Xie Baiyuan had exited the team but remained on the game interface. Despite Shen Chun playing support, his rating was high. In the last game, Xie Baiyuan, playing as a fragile character, felt safer and more comfortable than usual.

However, whether it was playing games or asking him to buy medicine, it was all just part of dormitory and friendship etiquette. Others would do the same and offer reminders, but Shen Chun’s attentiveness was unique. It was just a regular act; he was overthinking things.

Xie Baiyuan also packed up and headed to the library. On his usual spot, during his freshman year, there used to be many gifts, slightly fewer in his sophomore year, and now hardly any. It wasn’t that no one wanted to give him gifts; he simply refused to accept anything given to him, and eventually, they were either taken away by the cleaning staff or thrown away as trash, leaving his spot clean over time.

However, today, he noticed an additional cup on the table. Xie Baiyuan furrowed his brows slightly and softly asked the girl next to him, “Is someone sitting here?”

Although the library operated on a computer-based seating system, it was common practice to occupy an unclaimed seat when there were none available. Xie Baiyuan had missed his morning class, so it was understandable that others had taken his spot.

The girl widened her eyes, showing a hint of shyness but trying to maintain composure as she said, “No one.”

Oh, the senior spoke to her! It wasn’t in vain that she rallied her roommates to grab seats early in the morning.

“Okay, thank you,” Xie Baiyuan replied and sat down. As he attempted to move the cup aside to make room, he noticed a piece of paper tucked underneath it.

The handwriting was delicate, and the message seemed warm-hearted: “President, chrysanthemum tea can help clear internal heat.”

Xie Baiyuan glanced at the note but didn’t even bother to move the cup. Instead, he simply pushed it aside and took out his books to study.

Xu Ze had been observing Xie Baiyuan’s actions since he arrived. He watched as Xie Baiyuan noticed the cup, asked about it, and then saw the note. His nervousness intensified, but when Xie Baiyuan nonchalantly moved the cup aside as if he hadn’t noticed anything, Xu Ze’s heart plummeted like a kite with a broken string.

Xu Ze had heard about Xie Baiyuan’s way of handling things—all gifts were uniformly declined. He thought that offering a cup of chrysanthemum tea to help alleviate internal heat wouldn’t be a big deal, but when he was still rejected, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of disappointment.

Xie Baiyuan, how could he ever look at someone like Xu Ze?

Xie Baiyuan didn’t think much about the chrysanthemum tea incident. He simply carried on with his tasks as usual, then packed up and left when the library closed. There were only a few people left by then. As Xie Baiyuan was signing out his books, he glanced at his seat and saw a slender figure picking up the cup that had been left behind.

A… male.

He approached cautiously and left just as cautiously, retrieving his own belongings but feeling as guilty as if he were stealing.

Xie Baiyuan watched as the person, with a habitually lowered profile and slightly overgrown hair, seemed oddly familiar.

“Excuse me, your library card,” the librarian reminded.

“Thank you,” Xie Baiyuan took the book and, as he walked out into the hallway, remembered where he had seen that person before.

The last person he accidentally bumped into… Was he also interested in men? Well, whether he likes him or not doesn’t really matter. If there’s a confession, he’ll just have to decline.

The night outside was pitch black. Xie Baiyuan, carrying his single-strap bag, reached the intersection and recalled Shen Chun’s words. Usually, when he had internal heat, it would subside in a few days without needing medication. But since he had already talked to Shen Chun today, it might be better to go.

Xie Baiyuan changed direction, but upon arrival, he found that the school pharmacy had already closed. If he wanted to buy medicine, he’d have to leave the campus.

He hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to return to the dormitory.

What used to be a solitary dormitory now emitted light when the door opened. Shen Chun was sitting on his bed, playing a game, with voices occasionally coming from his earpiece, creating a lively atmosphere.

“The president is back,” Shen Chun glanced up when he heard the door open.

“Mm,” Xie Baiyuan responded.

“The president is online!”

“These few games have been going smoothly. President, come and lead us to victory!”

“Junior brother, you’re skilled as an archer too. With our combined strength, we’re unstoppable!”

These voices, which used to be perceived as noisy, now seemed lively to Xie Baiyuan. He hung up his bag, intending to take a shower first, but as he turned around, he noticed a small medicine box on the table, along with a mouth spray, specifically for treating inflammation caused by internal heat.

“Did you buy this?” Xie Baiyuan turned to ask. “I said I would get it myself, didn’t I?”

Shen Chun closed his microphone on his end and smiled, “I thought since the president might come back late today and the pharmacy might be closed, I’d just grab it on the way. No need to thank me.”

Thanks to 521’s attentive report, Shen Chun indeed grabbed it conveniently.

“I’ll transfer the money to you,” Xie Baiyuan felt a bit at a loss while holding the medicine box. Inside, his emotions were boiling like hot water, but he had to suppress them on the surface.

When it comes to others’ concern, if he truly doesn’t care, then he doesn’t. But if he does, he finds it considerate.

Sometimes, it’s not about certain actions but about the person themselves. If the person isn’t right, then nothing seems right.

“Okay,” Shen Chun casually replied.

The boiling emotions in Xie Baiyuan’s heart gradually subsided. Shen Chun just saw him as a friend, nothing more.

After transferring the money, Xie Baiyuan watched Shen Chun, who was seriously focused on the screen. Suddenly, he felt it was difficult to stay in this space any longer and turned to enter the bathroom.

As the door closed, Shen Chun propped up his leg and leaned his face against his hand, glancing at the bathroom door with slightly deeper eyes. Getting emotionally involved with him wouldn’t be a good thing. It seemed staying in this dormitory for long wasn’t a good idea.

Moving out was such a hassle, but he still needed to keep his bed. Although avoiding each other wasn’t a solution for feelings, being too close could also cause problems.

From the reports gathered by 521, Xu Ze has already begun trying to pursue Xie Baiyuan. That person seems introverted but has strong resilience.

After showering, Xie Baiyuan, who typically dressed conservatively in a T-shirt and shorts, found himself unexpectedly entertaining a thought as he dried his hair in front of the mirror.

Perhaps he could test Shen Chun’s sexual orientation. He had only speculated before and hadn’t confirmed whether Shen Chun was definitely heterosexual.

As the bathroom door opened, Shen Chun, who had finished two rounds of gaming, set aside his controller. He was now planning his schedule for the semester—getting his driver’s license, preparing for the CET-4 exam, and obtaining various certificates. Since he wanted to excel in life, adding some titles wouldn’t hurt.

As he relaxed his mind, Shen Chun couldn’t help but glance over when he heard some movement. What he saw made him raise an eyebrow slightly.

As a child of destiny, even if the outcome was tragic, Xie Baiyuan possessed exceptionally good looks.

His broad shoulders and narrow waist were self-evident, and his abdominal muscles were well-defined and smooth, not at all bulky or unattractive, but rather very appealing.

Xie Baiyuan had fair skin and usually preferred light-colored clothing. Due to his personality, he often came across as aloof. Now, wearing only shorts, his skin appeared almost jade-like under the light. The cold aura surrounding him hadn’t diminished in the slightest, yet it made people want to do something.

Was it human nature’s inherent desire for destruction? It seemed so, to some extent.

Shen Chun liked men, and he didn’t consider himself a saint. When faced with such beauty, how could one not be tempted?
Shen Chun stopped tapping on the keyboard and rested his chin on his hand, lightly tapping his cheek with his fingers, his eyes fixed on Xie Baiyuan.

There was no lewdness in his gaze; it seemed more like admiration. However, the unreserved stare made Xie Baiyuan nervous to the point where he almost lost his composure, feeling as if his movements were synchronized with Shen Chun’s, and his hair stood on end.

The pale skin that was as jade-like as before now tinged with a faint pink color. Xie Baiyuan forced himself to look calmly at Shen Chun and asked, “What are you looking at?”

Shen Chun glanced at the faint blush and chuckled inwardly. “President Xie, you have some assets. Your figure is really good.”

No moving out, just moving a sledgehammer.[mfn]he’s disagreeing with his idea of moving out.[/mfn]

 

 

 

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