Chapter 8: Shared Meal

Chapter 8: Sharing a Meal

Yu Lanzhao’s sprain was severe. By the time Lin Shenshi returned with dinner, his slender, pale ankle had swollen to the size of a small dinner roll.

The boy leaned against the bedrail, his pearly teeth gently biting his lower lip, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. He appeared utterly fragile, yet stubbornly refused to let a single tear fall.

Hearing the door open, those doe eyes, shimmering with moisture, turned toward the sound, like a lost fawn finally finding its way home.

"Xiao Shi..."

His voice was soft and sweet.

Lin Shenshi hurried over. "How did it get this swollen? No, I’m taking you to the hospital."

As he reached out to help Yu Lanzhao off the bed, the boy shook his head. "There’s no need. They'd just tell me to rest it. The medicine will take a few days to work. It’s just..."

Lin Shenshi looked at him.

Yu Lanzhao bit his lip, seemingly hesitant to speak.

Lin Shenshi reassured him, "It’s alright, just say what’s on your mind."

After a moment of deliberation, Yu Lanzhao finally spoke with difficulty, "I’m afraid... I’ll need Xiao Shi to feed me."

His ankle was swollen like a bun, and even the slightest movement sent sharp pains shooting through him. Only by staying still in a reclining position could he find some relief, making it indeed inconvenient for him to eat on his own.

Lin Shenshi agreed without hesitation. "No problem, wait for me a moment."

After all, Yu Lanzhao had sprained his ankle while saving him. Taking care of his daily needs was only right.

Lin Shenshi turned to pull the table closer to the bed, completely unaware of the fleeting, triumphant smirk that flashed in the boy’s eyes.

The takeout box contained two dishes and a soup—one meat, one vegetable. Lin Shenshi first picked up the soup and brought it to Yu Lanzhao. "Drink something warm to soothe your stomach."

His fingers were slender and pale, his nails neatly trimmed and clean. The rim of the plastic bowl pressed against his fingertips, leaving a faint white mark.

Yu Lanzhao licked his lips.

How he wanted... to nibble on Xiao Shi’s fingers...

As the spoon reached his lips, Yu Lanzhao lowered his gaze and took a sip.

Lin Shenshi fed him meticulously—a bite of rice, two bites of vegetables, followed by two sips of soup. Before long, Yu Lanzhao had finished nearly half the bowl.

Worried that the food would grow cold if they took too long, Yu Lanzhao said, "Xiao Shi, you should eat too."

"Alright." Lin Shenshi looked for a second set of utensils but realized the cafeteria staff had only given him one.

"Uh... do we have any extra utensils left in the dorm?"

Yu Lanzhao blinked. "No, we don’t."

Lin Shenshi sighed. "Never mind. Finish your meal first, and I’ll go back to the cafeteria to get another set later."

"There’s no need for that trouble. Xiao Shi can just share mine," Yu Lanzhao said cheerfully. Then, as if struck by a thought, he added, "Unless... Xiao Shi has a hygiene issue and doesn’t like sharing utensils? Or... do you mind me?"

His voice grew softer toward the end, as if convinced that Lin Shenshi was indeed disgusted by him. He lowered his head dejectedly, his thick lashes fluttering.

"......"

Lin Shenshi quickly explained, "No, it’s not that. I was just worried you might not like sharing with others."

Hearing this, Yu Lanzhao lifted his head happily and shook it. "How could I? I could never dislike anything Xiao Shi has used."

With that settled, Lin Shenshi didn’t dwell on it further. He opened the other meal container, picked up the chopsticks, and took a bite.

He ate earnestly, completely unaware of the boy’s intense gaze fixed on his lips.

Lin Shenshi’s lips were well-defined. Warmth from the food had tinted them a deep red, and they moved rhythmically with each chew.

The oil from the stir-fry glossed his lips like he'd applied lip balm, soft and plump, tempting someone to want to take a bite.

To hold them in the mouth, to lick and savor...

The dark intensity in Yu Lanzhao’s eyes seemed almost tangible, surging with desire to devour the young man before him whole.

Yu Lanzhao leaned forward without thinking.

Sensing his movement, Lin Shenshi turned to him. "Do you want to try this dish too?"

Yu Lanzhao paused.

"...Yes, Xiao Shi’s food looks delicious." (And Xiao Shi looks even more delicious.)

"Then I’ll give you some." Completely oblivious to the boy’s hidden thoughts, Lin Shenshi picked up some food from his own container and offered it to him.

Yu Lanzhao took it obediently into his mouth.

With a flick of his tongue, he licked the wooden chopsticks clean.

For the next bite, Lin Shenshi fed himself. Yu Lanzhao watched as the chopsticks that had just been in his mouth entered Xiao Shi’s mouth once again.

Even his own saliva was now being swallowed by Xiao Shi.

It was almost like... they were kissing.

Yu Lanzhao’s gaze darkened.

They continued eating, taking turns, until Lin Shenshi felt full and put down his chopsticks. Turning around, he saw that Yu Lanzhao still looked hungry.

Those dark eyes gleamed brightly as they stared at him.

Lin Shenshi: "......"

Well, who would have thought such a slender boy would have such a big appetite?

He suggested, "Should I go to the cafeteria and buy you another portion?"

Yu Lanzhao withdrew his gaze and shook his head. "The food is enough."

What he truly wanted to devour wasn’t on the menu yet.

*

By the time dinner was over, darkness had fallen completely outside the window.

Lin Shenshi disposed of the trash, and the dorm room entered its evening study session.

Like Lu Yuan, other teachers had also assigned homework.

Having transmigrated into this book alone in this world, Lin Shenshi had to take his studies at the Performing Arts Academy seriously to secure his future. So, he dug into his work.

Before long, it was time to sleep. Lin Shenshi stretched and, out of the corner of his eye, noticed Yu Lanzhao holding onto the wall as he made his way to the bathroom.

"Going to the bathroom? Let me help you," he said, getting up and walking over.

Yu Lanzhao politely declined each time, but Lin Shenshi persisted warmly. After several back-and-forths, the youth finally lowered his head, a shy blush tinting his cheeks, and nodded gently.

Lin Shenshi mused: *No wonder he’s the shòu in an NP spicy novel—this shy and timid demeanor is truly something. If I weren’t a hardcore straight guy, who could resist such unconscious allure?*

*No wonder all the tops in the original story fell for him one by one.*

Lin Shenshi sighed to himself, his feelings complicated as he supported Yu Lanzhao into the bathroom before turning to exit.

Even though they were both men, it was still important to maintain proper boundaries as roommates.

But then...

His shirt hem was tugged cautiously. Yu Lanzhao’s voice was quiet and gentle, tinged with slight confusion: "...Xiao Shi, why are you leaving?"

"What?" Lin Shenshi froze in place.

Surely he didn’t need help with something like using the restroom?

Lin Shenshi blinked in confusion. Yu Lanzhao looked up, noticed his expression, and seemed to suddenly realize something. His pale cheeks flushed crimson, and he quickly lowered his head again.

But his ear tips, flushed scarlet, betrayed his inner feelings.

Lin Shenshi belatedly realized: "Ah... you’re not going to the toilet, but taking a shower?"

The early autumn weather hadn’t fully cooled down yet, and Yu Lanzhao, who was particular about cleanliness, showered daily. But with his sprained ankle today, Lin Shenshi had assumed he’d forgo it—yet here he was, sticking to his habit.

No wonder Yu Lanzhao had repeatedly declined his offer to help earlier—it had all been a misunderstanding.

The youth’s fingers, clenched tightly around Lin Shenshi’s clothes, were white from gripping too hard. After blushing fiercely, his face now took on a flush of embarrassment: "It’s fine... if Xiao Shi doesn’t want to... I can manage on my own."

His slender fingers let go, and his thin body turned away with forced resolve, a hint of tears shimmering in his eyes.

Lin Shenshi: "........."

He blamed himself for not clarifying earlier and offering help rashly. Backing out at the last moment was truly not right.

Steeling himself, he said, "No, it’s just a shower. I’ll help you."

Just this once—if he was careful and ensured that the old freak Lu Yuan didn’t find out, it should be fine.

Besides, since he’d already decided to help Yu Lanzhao escape the fate of being desired by the tops in the original story, situations like this would likely only increase in the future.

This could be good practice.

As Lin Shenshi grabbed the body wash and towel, he turned around to find Yu Lanzhao had already removed his top.

The youth’s back was pale and slender, the bones on either side delicate, like butterfly wings ready to take flight. Above his slim waist, two small dimples nestled just above his hip bones, the smooth lines extending downward beneath the light-colored waistband of his pants, disappearing into what lay below.

Perhaps because the waistband of his pants was too low, just above the light-colored edge, a small section of his underwear was visible.

It was pure white, with the English words "FUCK ME" printed.

"?"

Lin Shenshi couldn’t help but ask, "Ah Zhao, where did you buy your underwear?"

Yu Lanzhao, who was unbuttoning his pants, replied, "At the night market outside the school. Ten yuan for three—cheap but comfortable. I have an unworn pair; if Xiao Shi wants it, I can give it to you."

Lin Shenshi: "...No need."

Probably Yu Lanzhao hadn’t looked closely when buying them, and the printed text was in a curly font that was easy to overlook if not examined carefully.

Tomorrow, he’d have to find a way to get rid of those underwear.

—They were way too provocative.

Lin Shenshi could easily imagine that if Lu Yuan saw those words, even without the stimulus of the "roommate drunken forced encounter" incident, he’d instantly turn into a beast.

In the brief moment he was lost in thought, Yu Lanzhao had finished unbuttoning his pants. His slender fingers tugged at the partially lowered waistband as he said shyly, "Xiao Shi, help me get them off, please?"

His injured foot couldn’t bear weight, making it impossible for him to remove the pants himself.

Lin Shenshi crouched down to help him.

The youth’s feet were so thin that the bones were clearly visible, yet his toes were not shriveled—instead, they were plump and round like shiny pearls.

Once the pants were off, the only thing left on the youth’s body was the pure white underwear with "FUCK ME" printed on the back.

Before Lin Shenshi could say anything, Yu Lanzhao had already turned around and slipped them off, the thin fabric hanging loosely around his slender ankles.

Lin Shenshi focused intently on the task as he picked up the underwear and placed it in the laundry basket.

He stood up to turn on the shower.

"Xiao Shi, aren’t you going to take your clothes off?" Yu Lanzhao asked.

"No, I won’t."

"How can that be? Wet clothes are uncomfortable."

Warm water sprayed down, and at the same time, the youth’s slender arms reached for his chest. His naked body pressed tightly against Lin Shenshi, the heat searing through his clothes and burning against his skin.

Lin Shenshi instinctively pushed back. Yu Lanzhao, already unsteady due to his foot injury, lost his balance from the sudden force. His foot slipped, and he uncontrollably fell backward.

The hard tiled floor made a backward fall extremely dangerous. Lin Shenshi quickly reached out to protect the back of his head, but in his urgency, he also lost his balance.

The two fell together, locked in an embrace.

"Thud!"

"Crash!"

The shelf was knocked over, scattering items everywhere as water continued to pour down.

Lin Shenshi, drenched from head to toe, hair dripping wet, lay pressed on top of Yu Lanzhao.

The youth’s eyes were wide, his lips slightly parted as he stared in shock at his roommate, who was now so close.

"Hello? Anyone there?"

Just then, the dorm room door opened, and someone stepped inside.