ARBRMW : Chapter 43

“Chen Xu, let’s go out during National Day?” Zhu Yaoyuan suggested.

He and Chen Xu were both locals, but aside from attending classes together, they hadn’t hung out during holidays. Now that they were friends, it seemed like a good idea to spend some time together and strengthen their friendship.

“Tang Zhen, are you coming?”

Tang Zhen sat up in bed, looking a bit troubled. “Sorry, I have to work.”

Zhu Yaoyuan sighed, “I figured. I almost didn’t ask.”

“Are you really that short on money? I don’t see you spending extravagantly,” Zhu Yaoyuan remarked, noting that Tang Zhen rarely bought anything expensive and usually ate in the cafeteria, sticking to vegetarian dishes.

Tang Zhen was silent for a moment before responding, “I have two younger sisters. My parents want them to start working as soon as possible, but I want them to continue their education.”

This response left Zhu Yaoyuan surprised. He had vaguely understood that Tang Zhen’s hometown was quite poor but didn’t realize he had two younger sisters.

“How old are your sisters?” Zhu Yaoyuan asked, seeing that Tang Zhen was open to discussing this.

“They’re twins, both thirteen,” Tang Zhen’s expression softened as he mentioned his sisters.

“You’re a good brother,” Zhu Yaoyuan remarked with admiration.

Tang Zhen smiled bitterly and shook his head. He didn’t see himself as a good brother. Because he was effeminate and had a different sexual orientation, people in his hometown often pointed fingers at him, and his sisters were bullied as well. Even though same-sex marriage had long been legal, their impoverished and backward area was like a place stuck in the last century, unable to accept his “strangeness.”

He used to think he was a monster until he met a great teacher who told him he was not strange at all and encouraged him to see the world beyond his small town. This teacher’s words had given him the courage to be himself and strive to leave his hometown. His teacher had been right; the world was much bigger than he had imagined, and those old problems no longer mattered as much.

“Where’s your hometown?” Chen Xu turned to ask Tang Zhen.

“You probably haven’t heard of it. It’s a small county in M City, Y Province. My home is in an even more remote village. I attended high school in the county, and every Sunday, I had to wake up before dawn to walk two hours to school,” Tang Zhen spoke of his hardships lightly, as if they were just a normal part of his life.

But to Zhu Yaoyuan, who grew up in the city, this was shocking.

“Walk… two hours?” Zhu Yaoyuan couldn’t imagine having to wake up so early for school when he struggled to get up for an 8 AM class.

He looked at Tang Zhen again, feeling like he was seeing him in a new light. This wasn’t a fragile person; this was a tough, resilient individual. Zhu Yaoyuan felt a sense of inferiority in comparison.

Glancing at Wu Bin’s empty bed, Zhu Yaoyuan recalled how Wu Bin was always on edge, feeling inferior because he was from the countryside. No matter what happened, even if someone just asked him to pick up a fallen broom, Wu Bin would lash out, thinking it was because they looked down on him for being from a rural area. But Tang Zhen, also from the countryside, never acted this way. Wu Bin despised Tang Zhen for being effeminate, but Zhu Yaoyuan thought Tang Zhen was much more of a man than Wu Bin.

Chen Xu remembered that the Si family was involved in charity work, helping children in poor areas go to school and building hope schools. If Tang Zhen’s hometown was so poor, it might qualify for aid. He decided to talk to Secretary Jiang about it. If the conditions met the criteria, they could help. If not, he could anonymously sponsor Tang Zhen’s sisters’ education himself.

“After all that, Chen Xu, are you going or not?” Zhu Yaoyuan hadn’t forgotten his invitation.

“I can’t, I have something to do,” Chen Xu declined.

Zhu Yaoyuan looked at him in surprise. From his observations, Chen Xu was either attending classes, studying in the library, eating in the cafeteria, or staying in the dorm. He didn’t seem to have much of a social life. How could he be unavailable?

“Do you just not want to go out with me?” Zhu Yaoyuan asked suspiciously.

“I really have something to do,” Chen Xu said earnestly.

“What is it?” Zhu Yaoyuan persisted.

“Getting married,” Chen Xu replied.

There was a brief silence before the dorm erupted in laughter.

“Hahaha…”

Tang Zhen laughed so hard he pounded the bed. “Hahaha… Xu-ge, you’re joking!”

“It’s true,” Chen Xu said seriously.

But his seriousness only made it funnier.

“Hahaha, you’re so serious when you joke. It’s hilarious,” Zhu Yaoyuan laughed until his stomach hurt.

Chen Xu felt helpless. Even when he told the truth, no one believed him.

“Alright, I get it. You don’t want to go out with me, so I won’t force you,” Zhu Yaoyuan said, clutching his waist, seemingly having laughed too hard.

“Xu-ge probably has a date during the holiday. You’re so clueless,” Tang Zhen remembered that Chen Xu had a boyfriend. During the holiday, his boyfriend would likely want to spend time with him. Just thinking about it made Tang Zhen envious. He also wanted a caring boyfriend.

“Huh? When did you start dating?” Zhu Yaoyuan looked at Chen Xu curiously. What had he missed?

Chen Xu thought about explaining that he hadn’t actually started dating but remembered he was going home to get married. That was more than just starting to date; it was a step into marriage.

“Um, for a while now,” Chen Xu said vaguely.

Tang Zhen shot him a teasing glance. He had suspected as much before. Chen Xu’s boyfriend looked at him with such possessiveness. If this were an ABO world, Chen Xu would be covered in his boyfriend’s scent!

Zhu Yaoyuan’s interest was piqued. He moved closer and asked, “Is your girlfriend pretty? Do you have a picture?”

Chen Xu gave him a look and said, “It’s not a girlfriend.”

Zhu Yaoyuan was momentarily confused, “Huh?”

“You’re an idiot. Xu-ge has a boyfriend,” Tang Zhen said loudly from his bed.

Zhu Yaoyuan gasped and leaned back. He hadn’t noticed that Chen Xu was gay!

He looked at Chen Xu carefully, realizing for the first time how delicate Chen Xu’s features were. His porcelain-white skin made him look more beautiful than handsome. Usually, Chen Xu’s demeanor was cool and composed, making him seem particularly impressive, hence the nickname “Xu-ge.”

Realizing that both his roommates, Tang Zhen and Chen Xu, were gay while he was a straight man, made him feel out of place. Was Wu Bin… straight too?

Now, Zhu Yaoyuan wasn’t so sure.

“What’s with that reaction?” Tang Zhen asked, dissatisfied with Zhu Yaoyuan’s response, which seemed like he couldn’t accept Chen Xu being gay.

“It’s not… I was just surprised. Chen Xu didn’t seem gay at all,” Zhu Yaoyuan scratched the back of his head.

Chen Xu himself wasn’t sure if he was gay or not. In both his lives, he hadn’t dated or liked anyone, so it was hard to say.

However, considering he agreed to a sham marriage with Si Ye and even imagined kissing Si Ye, he wasn’t that straight either.

“It does seem a bit surprising. Xu-ge is so tough, not delicate at all like us bottoms,” Tang Zhen remarked. Chen Xu was too rough to be a bottom, wasting his pretty face and curvy body.

“Why am I a bottom?” Chen Xu asked, knowing the term from Tang Zhen’s frequent complaints about wanting a dominant partner.

Tang Zhen looked at him for a while before saying, “Don’t you have any self-awareness?”

Chen Xu’s boyfriend was much more dominant in every way. Did Chen Xu still think he could top his boyfriend? That was a scary thought for Tang Zhen. This “little bottom” was destined to be the one receiving.

Tang Zhen shook his head, looking at Chen Xu with pity.

Chen Xu thought about it. Although he was only 1.78 meters now, he would grow to 1.82 meters as he had in his previous life, which wasn’t short. Why couldn’t he be the top?

This question lingered until he went home and saw Si Ye, realizing Tang Zhen was right.

Uncle Zhong told him Si Ye wanted to discuss wedding plans, so he went to the third floor. He knocked, but there was no response. The door wasn’t locked, so he pushed it open and peeked in, hearing the sound of running water. Si Ye must be in the shower. Since Si Ye had called for him, Chen Xu felt comfortable walking in.

He wasn’t unfamiliar with this room, having slept here a few times. He remembered how comfortable the big bed was.

As he looked around, a painting caught his eye. Seeing what it was and recognizing the artist, his face suddenly turned red.

It was the drawing he had made of Si Ye draped in a towel, signed and dated by him. Si Ye had framed it and hung it openly in his bedroom.

Footsteps behind him snapped Chen Xu back to reality. He turned to tell Si Ye to take down the painting, but upon seeing Si Ye, his mind went blank, and his face turned crimson.

Si Ye had just finished his shower. His wet black hair dripped with water, his brows sharp and cold.

His dark eyes were like polished obsidian, bright and clear. Water droplets trailed down his chiseled nose, disappearing beneath his Adonis belt.

Stunned for a moment, Chen Xu quickly turned away, but the image was etched in his mind.

Si Ye had a classic physique that looked slim in clothes but revealed defined muscles when undressed. As an art student, Chen Xu greatly appreciated Si Ye’s body.

It was a stark contrast to his own: more robust, taller, and filled with masculine allure, making Chen Xu’s heart race and face flush, even feeling parched.

He licked his dry lips, pressing a hand to his pounding heart, his ears burning red.

Si Ye’s initial surprise was replaced by amusement. He leaned down and whispered in Chen Xu’s ear, “After we get married, you’ll move in with me. You’ll have to get used to this sooner or later, so why not start now?”

Before Chen Xu could process Si Ye’s words, he felt Si Ye’s hands on his shoulders, turning him around. Remembering Si Ye’s state of undress, he instinctively shut his eyes.