Note: This chapter is Redone on 7 / 27 / 2025
Link for character illustration:
https://ko-fi.com/hannibal52661/gallery
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Volume 1 Chapter 22: Blackened
"Haha~ that shopkeeper's face turned green!"
"You brought all this back for just a hundred yuan! Wen Yang, were you restocking for a store?"
"You're amazing! I'm not surprised though—it's you, after all!"
Ning Chu hugged an enormous plastic bag in his arms, so full of various trinkets and stuffed toys that it completely blocked his line of sight. He had to tilt his head just to see where he was walking.
Compliments flowed from his mouth like a stream, nonstop praise that left Wen Yang scratching the back of his head in slight embarrassment.
"You're incredible! We have to go again next week—do another restock run!"
Even though they hadn't really ridden any rides on this trip, the flattery still filled Wen Yang with happiness, a smile glued to his face.
Ning Chu glanced back at him and felt even more pleased.
They'd only spent about a hundred yuan total—bus fare, snacks, the ring toss game—and not only had they walked away with a huge haul of decorations, but Wen Yang was overjoyed to boot.
If they'd bought tickets for something like a roller coaster or a giant pendulum ride, it would've cost that much just for one round for the three of them.
This was a steal.
Next time they had free time, maybe they could even set up a stall in the campus square and sell off the extra toys. They might make their money back—maybe even profit.
Still laughing and chatting, they arrived at the dorm door. Ning Chu turned and signaled to Wang Jie beside him.
"I'm kinda tied up here—can you open the door?"
"Sure."
Wang Jie looked like a wilted vegetable. That trip to the amusement park had drained all his energy.
He fished out the key and was about to unlock the door—but the knob turned with a click. It wasn't locked.
"Wait, we didn't lock the door when we left?" Ning Chu asked in confusion.
He was the first to step inside, arms still full of loot. After dropping everything on the desk, he raised both arms and stretched like a lazy cat, letting out a long yawn.
Back in the dorm—it really did feel like coming home.
Sure, it was always a mess, filled with random junk, and there was that slight musty smell hanging in the air…
But after the unease of being outside, the dorm still felt like the most comfortable place in the world.
Smack!
"Ow! What the hell?!" Ning Chu clutched his butt and whipped around. "Are you crazy?!"
"Don't block the door," Wen Yang replied from behind, looking slightly amused. "It's boiling outside."
Not gonna lie—Ning Chu's butt was pretty soft. Surprisingly nice to slap.
"Tch! Fine, I'm going to turn on the AC and taking a nap~"
Ning Chu skipped over to grab the remote, but something suddenly occurred to him. He looked up at the air conditioner, which was already humming softly, cold air blowing.
Wait a second.
At that moment, the back door creaked open. Zhang Shaoqing walked in, cigarette dangling from his mouth, glancing casually at the others. "Where'd you guys go? I haven't seen you all day."
"You're back already?" Ning Chu asked in surprise.
The moment he saw Zhang Shaoqing, his playful attitude dropped a notch. He scrutinized the guy's face, looking for any signs of a dark transformation.
Luckily, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Even though Zhang Shaoqing had looked a little grim before heading home, now he seemed fairly normal—not radiating villain energy or anything.
Ning Chu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. His biggest worry was that something at home would trigger Zhang Shaoqing and push him into full-on villain mode.
"Miss me after just one night?" Zhang Shaoqing grinned, all slick charm.
"Piss off."
Rolling his eyes, Ning Chu turned back to Wen Yang. "Are you taking a nap this afternoon?"
With temperatures nearing 40°C, and having spent the whole morning out while constantly staying on guard and keeping Wen Yang entertained, Ning Chu was completely wiped out.
"Probably," Wen Yang replied. His original plan was to meet a girl at a café off-campus, but after feeling the oppressive heat and sticky sweat clinging to his body, he changed his mind. "Gonna take a shower and nap. I'm too sweaty."
"Dibs on the shower!"
Satisfied, Ning Chu beamed. Wen Yang was getting easier to manage by the day.
A few weeks ago, he would've ditched them without hesitation to go on his date.
But now? He was choosing naps and hygiene over women.
Perfect. Time to double down on his efforts—to train Wen Yang into a pure, woman-proof old virgin!
He had to show him that there were so many fun, interesting things in this world besides women.
When Ning Chu stepped into the bathroom with his change of clothes, Wen Yang wandered out to the balcony, yawning as he leaned against the railing. Phone in hand, he scrolled idly while waiting for Ning Chu to finish showering.
"Don't smoke next to me," he muttered, glancing at Zhang Shaoqing, who was puffing away a few steps away. Frowning slightly, he asked, "What's the situation with you and Ling Ling now?"
Zhang Shaoqing had been wearing his usual smug, devil-may-care grin, but the moment Wen Yang brought up his childhood friend, his expression darkened.
He turned his head to the side and replied with feigned indifference, "Nothing's going on."
Wen Yang rubbed his temple, already getting a headache. "If she's not into you, just move on. There are tons of other girls out there."
"She told you that?" Zhang Shaoqing suddenly turned his head sharply, eyes locking onto Wen Yang's with a dangerous glint.
That familiar surge of jealousy and possessiveness churned violently inside him.
The girl he liked most had zero interest in him, yet she was constantly thinking about Wen Yang.
And the worst part? Wen Yang never even took Ling Ling seriously.
His breathing grew heavier. His eyes reddened slightly. His fists clenched unconsciously.
Wen Yang noticed the shift in his mood, but still nodded. "Yeah. She messaged me last night. Said you confessed."
"..."
Just then, the bathroom door opened with a click, and Ning Chu emerged, hair still dripping wet.
Towel raised over his head, he scrubbed at his hair as he walked, only to stop abruptly at the edge of the balcony.
He immediately sensed something was off.
A quick glance at Wen Yang, then at Zhang Shaoqing—whose expression had twisted into something unreadable—and Ning Chu's heart shot straight into his throat.
Oh no. What the hell is going on?!
I was gone for like ten minutes—how did Zhang Shaoqing already start turning into a villain?!
His mind raced through every plot point he'd ever written about Zhang Shaoqing, and he quickly blurted out something to defuse the tension.
"Wen Yang, I'm done showering. Hurry up and wash up too, then take a nap!"
"Alright," Wen Yang agreed without hesitation. He realized he'd accidentally stirred up Zhang Shaoqing's emotions, so he took the easy way out and left the balcony to fetch his change of clothes.
Once he was gone, Ning Chu turned to Zhang Shaoqing with an inward sigh.
What the hell happened now?
Maybe it was the lingering image he'd given Zhang Shaoqing as a "close confidant," but as their eyes met, Zhang Shaoqing hesitated for a moment before his lips parted, and he sighed.
"I confessed last night, and she turned me down."
Why the hell would you confess now?!
She's clearly always seen you as just a big brother!
Ning Chu's face turned slightly green. "Why didn't you tell me beforehand?!"
Characters in hentai novels never followed logical, real-world behavior—and Zhang Shaoqing was already someone with a lot of repressed darkness inside.
If that rejection pushed him over the edge...
Originally, Ning Chu had hoped to turn this into a slow-burn romance sim after military training. He'd planned to help Zhang Shaoqing win Ling Ling over step by step.
But now?
Ning Chu was silent for a few seconds, then muttered while still toweling his hair, "Don't rush. We'll... we'll think of something."
He tried his best to soothe Zhang Shaoqing's increasingly volatile emotions.
"Ling Ling doesn't have a boyfriend right now anyway, so there's no need to hurry."
What he really feared was that Zhang Shaoqing might lose patience and, just like in the original plot, resort to drugging her and forcing himself on her.
Girls often let their guard down around close friends or family. If Zhang Shaoqing really decided to go down that path...
There was a good chance he'd succeed.