Early the next morning, Su Peng yawned as he got up from An Han's bed.
Sleep after getting drunk had been restless, and combined with the unfamiliar bed, he probably hadn't fallen asleep until around midnight. Yet, by five or six in the morning, he was already awake.
He stared blankly at the ceiling. A faint, delicate fragrance wafted from the bedding, and his pounding hangover headache seemed to ease slightly the moment he caught that scent.
"It smells like An Han… Is it perfume?"
Though he couldn't understand why a guy would wear perfume, somehow it didn't feel strange on An Han at all.
The sound of frantic keyboard clicks and mouse clicks filled the air. Su Peng leaned over the edge of the bed and, as expected, saw An Han sitting at his computer, eyes bloodshot from pulling an all-night gaming session.
The dorm, which had been a chaotic mess of barbecue and beer bottles the day before, was now spotless. The mattress and sheets Su Peng had vomited on last night had already been washed and hung out to dry on the balcony.
"You really didn't sleep at all last night?" Su Peng asked.
Hearing his voice, An Han glanced up briefly before diving back into the intense battle on-screen. "Yeah, didn't sleep."
"You washed the bedding and everything?"
"Yeah. What about it?"
"Nothing… just surprised."
He'd never imagined An Han would be so capable at housework. He'd assumed An Han was just as clueless about chores as he himself was—but apparently, An Han was far more competent in that department.
Rubbing his still-throbbing head, Su Peng shuffled out of bed and walked over to stand behind An Han, rubbing his bleary eyes.
An Han heard the movement behind him and turned his head—only to see Su Peng giving him an apologetic smile.
"I really can't drink anymore. Every time I do, I end up throwing up," Su Peng said helplessly, shaking his head.
"It's fine—I'll clean up after you," An Han replied casually, secretly hoping they could solve their next mission with alcohol again.
Just then, the game ended. An Han stretched with a huge yawn. "Man, I'm dead tired. You didn't even shower before sleeping last night—I bet my whole bed reeks of alcohol."
"I'll treat you to breakfast—how about that?" Su Peng offered quickly, not waiting for An Han to refuse again before heading out of the dorm.
The typhoon from yesterday had already weakened into a light drizzle. Even inside the dorm, the air felt heavy with moisture. At five or six in the morning, before sunrise, the temperature was refreshingly cool and pleasant.
An Han opened both the front and back doors to let in fresh air, then leaned drowsily against the wardrobe, afraid that if he sat or lay down, he'd instantly fall asleep.
He'd woken up at 8 a.m. yesterday, then stayed up all night drinking and gaming. By now, he was running purely on adrenaline from the game.
Just five more affection points to go!
He couldn't afford to crash now—not during this final push!
Maybe he could "do something" over breakfast and finish the task before sleeping?
He forced his brain to stay active—it was the only way to keep himself from dozing off.
About ten minutes later, An Han couldn't hold back another yawn. Arms crossed, head drooping, he half-leaning against the wardrobe, he drifted off to sleep standing up.
...
Su Peng strolled back toward An Han's dorm, carrying breakfast he'd bought from outside campus.
Peering through the open doorway, he saw An Han curled up on the floor, knees drawn to his chest, face buried in his arms.
Su Peng paused for a moment, then stepped inside and quietly closed the door behind him.
"Don't you worry about someone stealing your stuff?" he muttered under his breath.
He set the breakfast down on the desk, but his eyes kept drifting back to An Han.
So… small.
It felt strange to describe an adult man as "small," yet that was the only word that came to Su Peng's mind.
Most of An Han's face was hidden in his arms, leaving only his delicate ears and pale cheeks visible. He wore shorts, and his slender, smooth calves—with their graceful curves—were fully exposed to the air.
The morning sun slowly rose, casting golden light through the balcony and bathing An Han in a soft, radiant glow. He looked like a celestial being descended to earth—utterly beautiful.
So pretty…
Su Peng was mesmerized. Without thinking, he pulled out his phone and snapped a photo.
But then he froze, realizing something alarming.
"I actually think a guy is… pretty?"
To be honest, if you examined An Han's features closely, he wasn't exceptionally handsome—maybe just above average. But there was something captivating about the blend of masculine and feminine qualities in his appearance.
Finally, Su Peng broke the serene scene of morning light and sleeping boy. "Hey, wake up. Eat breakfast, then go to bed."
An Han, who'd been in light sleep, jolted awake instantly. He lifted his head, eyes blurry with sleep and brimming with tears, and looked up at Su Peng with a dazed, pitiful expression.
"You're back…" His voice was hoarse, tinged with sleepy complaint and an oddly alluring vulnerability. "I've been waiting for you for so long…"
"The cafeteria wasn't open this early, so I had to go off-campus to get food," Su Peng replied, his tone softening unconsciously. "Here—I got you meat buns and soy milk."
"Mm."
An Han pushed himself up from the floor, rubbing his eyes with one hand while grumbling, "You really insist on making me eat breakfast…"
"Skipping breakfast is bad for your stomach."
"I know that."
He knew—but he didn't care.
He'd only started eating breakfast after entering university. Back in middle and high school, he never had the habit.
If skipping breakfast really damaged your stomach, he'd have gotten ulcers ages ago.
Sitting at the desk, An Han nibbled drowsily at his meat bun. His head kept drooping forward, then snapping back up—eyes closed, taking another bite, then nodding off again, only to jerk awake moments later.
"Damn it! I bit my hand!" An Han yelped, jumping to his feet.
"Who eats with their eyes closed? Just finish eating and go to sleep already."
The sharp pain jolted An Han fully awake. He quickly devoured both fist-sized buns and scrambled onto the bed.
Burrowed under the covers, sleepiness overwhelmed him.
His little nose twitched slightly—he could still smell the lingering alcohol on the sheets, but beneath it was another scent… something comforting and reassuring.
Before his brain could even identify what it was, his consciousness had already slipped into darkness.
Su Peng stood beside the bed, watching An Han fall asleep almost instantly.
He stayed silent for a long while, just gazing at An Han's peaceful sleeping face. After a long pause, he finally walked back to the computer chair, muttering quietly to himself:
"Something's wrong…"
He'd always disliked overly effeminate guys—especially those K-pop-inspired types—and had never hidden his disdain for "sissy" men in real life.
But now he realized—it wasn't that he hated "sissies." He hated guys who were neither as cute nor as naturally graceful as An Han, yet still tried to imitate girls with exaggerated, affected mannerisms.
If all guys were as adorably delicate as An Han—so effortlessly soft and lovely—he might actually… like them.
"My mind must be seriously messed up!"