Chapter 20 – Taking pictures
Translator: Xena
Proofreader: Wint8
Chen Xiangsui took a few deep breaths. Just like when he watched Cheng Yinian wear black stockings last time on video call, there were inexplicable heart palpitations again at this time.
There was obviously nothing new about walking around in just underwear inside a boys’ dormitory. Chen Xiangsui has seen it all after staying here for so many years. But just now, when his gaze swept past the faint outline of Cheng Yinian’s black boxers looming underneath his clothes and his legs still glistening with droplets of water, he felt so embarrassed that he couldn’t bring himself to look any longer.
He stood by the balcony railing, letting the wind blow through him for a long while. After much deliberation, he concluded it must be the aftereffects of seeing Cheng Yinian in women’s clothing too often.
As a result of that, he’d find himself constantly staring at Cheng Yinian, who was dressed as a man in real life. During class, he’d just space out watching him. Back in the dorm, he’d occasionally stare at Cheng Yinian while eating. Even Lu Yan couldn’t resist teasing him. “Xiangsui, tell me, which country sent you as a spy to monitor our Yinian’s every move?”
“None.” Chen Xiangsui hesitated for a moment and really couldn’t think of an appropriate reason to explain himself. “I just want to watch Yinian.”
“Ok, I won’t bother your lovey-dovey time.” Lu Yan chuckled twice and continued to stuff rice into his mouth. However, Cheng Yinian, who was on the sidelines, was in a hurry to retort. “Lu Yan should just eat more and talk less in the dorm room.”
Lu Yan looked dissatisfied. “What? Ask Xu Zitang. Who can’t see that Xiangsui is especially attentive to you? Anyone unaware would think you’re his girlfriend. I’m speaking based on facts here.”
At this point, Lu Yan seemed to have something else in mind. “Right, Xiangsui, when are you planning to meet up with your online girlfriend?”
“No plans yet.” When Chen Xiangsui said this, his gaze couldn’t help but fall on Cheng Yinian. They obviously see each other every day.
I don’t know what his reaction will be when he discovers that Age, which he values so much, is actually me. It would probably be very difficult for him to accept. Chen Xiangsui thought.
Cheng Yinian, standing nearby, couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief upon hearing this answer. If Chen Xiangsui knew that the girl he liked so much was him, he’d probably break down on the spot.
Lu Yan sighed in disappointment, only to be attacked by Xu Zitang beside him. “The real boyfriend isn’t in a hurry, while you’re the one rushing ahead.”
“He’s my roommate after all. Look how clueless Xiangsui is, what if he gets tricked by some scheming woman?”
The bad woman himself chimed in and said, “He’s almost 20 years old. He’ll judge things for himself.” All things considered, if Lu Yan and Xu Zitang got involved in this incident for that reason, it would be a major headache for him.
Without waiting for anyone else to say anything, Chen Xiangsui changed the subject first. “Yinian, are you free this afternoon?”
“I’m free this afternoon, what’s up?”
Chen Xiangsui pointed to the digital camera on his desk. “I’d like to take you out for a photo shoot.”
……
Chen Xiangsui glanced at the photo of Cheng Yinian in a maid outfit on his phone’s lock screen. He felt that this wasn’t helping him shake off the lingering side effects, which was why he decided to snap a picture of the real Cheng Yinian and keep it on his phone for more frequent viewing.
He specially chose today. The weather has warmed up slightly, and the sun’s rays will set at a time when it wouldn’t be too cold. He brought Cheng Yinian to the school lake. Recently, a new bridge was built in the middle of the lake. Many people liked to take pictures there as it was a great spot for the scenery.
It wasn’t quite the usual dismissal time yet, and there weren’t many people on the bridge. Chen Xiangsui asked Cheng Yinian to stand in the middle of the bridge and pose. However, Cheng Yinian wasn’t very experienced with photoshoots. After thinking for a long time, he could only come up with a few simple poses.
“It doesn’t matter, I think it looks great.” Chen Xiangsui pressed the shutter.
The school bell rang out across the campus, and the crowd around them began to swell. Many people passing by the bridge noticed them taking photos. Cheng Yinian felt somewhat awkward and grew increasingly uncomfortable. Finally, he gestured to Chen Xiangsui from the bridge. “I think we’re about done here. What about you?”
“If you think so, then let’s stop here for now.” Chen Xiangsui put down his digital camera and walked towards Cheng Yinian. “Come take a look at the pictures.”
Cheng Yinian rushed over to look at Chen Xiangsui’s camera screen and got a real taste of what straight male photography techniques were—occasionally being able to see one or two decent shots was already a blessing.
He couldn’t help but chuckle twice. “What’s wrong?” Chen Xiangsui couldn’t help but ask upon hearing him.
“Nothing, it was a pretty fun shoot.” Cheng Yinian hesitated for a moment before saying, “Can I take some for you too?”
Cheng Yinian, who could usually only manage to sneak-shot a few photos secretly, desperately needed some clear shots of Chen Xiangsui’s face.
“Okay.” After saying that, Chen Xiangsui handed over his digital camera to Cheng Yinian. The latter waited until the crowd thinned out before instructing Chen Xiangsui to start posing. Looking at Chen Xiangsui through the lens, he saw how the other person seemed clumsier than him. His only attempt at a pose was simply making an expressionless scissor sign with his fingers, which made Cheng Yinian chuckle to himself. “You can just stand.”
“Okay.” Chen Xiangsui was extremely obedient. Sure enough, he stood upright like a statue, and was so stiff that it was as if he wasn’t on the same wavelength as his surroundings.
Cheng Yinian looked helpless. He tried to find some angles that were somewhat passable, and only then did he snap a few photos. Chen Xiangsui looked at his work and seemed quite satisfied. “You take pictures very well, but I don’t think I’m suited for this.”
“It’s fine, I’ll try again next time.”
While listening to Cheng Yinian, Chen Xiangsui transferred the photos from the camera to his phone. After some careful selection, he set one of Cheng Yinian’s photos as his lockscreen wallpaper. When they were about to step into the dormitory building, Cheng Yinian couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity, “Why did you decide to come take photos with me?”
“Because I wanted to see more of you.” Chen Xiangsui said without batting an eye. “If I put the photos on my phone, I can look at them whenever I want.”
Cheng Yinian paused, his gaze drifting away in embarrassment. “What are you talking about? You see me almost every day.”
“It always feels like it’s not enough.” Chen Xiangsui said with deadpan seriousness, as if explaining the reason for today’s software glitch.
Cheng Yinian’s gaze strayed farther away, then he lamented almost imperceptibly, “You really are an…”
Idiot.
……
“Is the final exam tomorrow?” The moment Cheng Yinian opened the dorm room door, he saw Lu Yan sitting at Xu Zitang’s desk, flipping through notes while complaining, “I really can’t stand it. Are you two finally back? Have you done your revision?”
Cheng Yinian shook his head. Before he could begin frantically thinking of a countermeasure, Chen Xiangsui beside him responded with quick reflexes, “If there’s anything Yinian doesn’t understand, I’ll teach you.”
“There are probably a lot of things I don’t know.” Cheng Yinian spoke awkwardly. He rarely paid attention in class and spent his free time gaming instead. He was clueless in almost every subject, merely copying lecture slides verbatim without grasping their true meaning.
“Never mind.” After saying that, Chen Xiangsui moved Cheng Yinian’s chair and placed it next to his table. “Have a seat.”
Chen Xiangsui helped Cheng Yinian review until late at night. He explained almost every question he didn’t understand in great detail. When Cheng Yinian still didn’t quite grasp it after the explanation, he would simply nod as if he understood perfectly because he felt too embarrassed to ask Chen to repeat it.
The dorm room lights had already been turned off when the two of them decided to stop to rest for a while. “Tired? Wanna close your eyes and rest for a bit?” Chen Xiangsui couldn’t help but ask when he saw the weary look on the other person’s face.
“A bit.” Cheng Yinian was about to rest his head on the desk, only to find it covered with spread-out books and notes, leaving no suitable spot to rest his head. Chen Xiangsui noticed his movements. “You can rest your head on my shoulder for a while.”
Cheng Yinian hesitated for a moment. He wanted to say that he wasn’t sleepy, but the other person had already raised his hand gently and let his head rest on his shoulder. “Don’t push yourself; you’ve learned so much already. You’ll do fine on the exam tomorrow.”
“…Hmm.” Cheng Yinian felt like a small bubble had been poked in his heart. He couldn’t help but glance at Chen Xiangsui’s face out of the corner of his eyes before quickly closing them. At first, Cheng Yinian had felt inexplicably tense, but perhaps due to the exhaustion brought by studying all night, he had drifted off to sleep without realizing it.
“Yinian?” After a long while, Chen Xiangsui whispered the name softly in Cheng Yinian’s ear. Seeing no response, he finally confirmed the other had fallen asleep.
He didn’t want to wake Cheng Yinian up, so he looked up at Cheng Yinian’s bed and thought for a moment before deciding to try carrying him on his shoulders. Although his movements were very light, he still couldn’t avoid a few huge movements. Surprisingly, Cheng Yinian seemed to be sleeping very well.
So oblivious to being moved, Cheng Xiangsui thought, have to be more careful.
He crept up the bed ladder before finally laying Cheng Yinian gently onto the bed. His gaze fell upon the neatly folded pajamas at the bedside and only then did he realize that Cheng Yinian was still wearing his outdoor clothes.
Chen Xiangsui hesitated for a moment then carefully slipped the coat off Cheng Yinian’s shoulders. As he began unbuttoning the shirt, a large expanse of skin on the other man’s chest came into view. His hands froze, and he instinctively looked away.
He didn’t understand what was wrong with him, and why he was having such inexplicable reactions to a same-sex roommate he’d lived with for over a year. The only explanation he could come up with was that the aftereffects of the crossdressing photos were too overwhelming, and he had yet to desensitize himself to them.
Chen Xiangsui took a deep breath and buttoned the other’s shirt back up one by one. He climbed down the bed ladder and went back to his own bunk bed to lie down, and actually didn’t fall asleep as quickly as before.
……
Cheng Yinian slowly opened his eyes in bed and reached out to tug at the bed curtain that Chen Xiangsui had failed to close properly earlier.
It’s so hot.
His hand unconsciously rested on his chest which made his thoughts spiral beyond his control. Although he couldn’t understand why Chen Xiangsui didn’t help him change into his pajamas, at least Chen Xiangsui didn’t have to mistake his burning face for a fever and take him to the hospital overnight.
Maybe he was worried about waking him up? Cheng Yinian thought that even though he woke up the moment he was placed on the bed, he still didn’t know how Chen Xiangsui had managed to carry him up there.
He closed his eyes and suddenly realized that falling asleep again wouldn’t be so easy.
The author has something to say:
A chapter that feels a bit pointless and yet somehow necessary (lighting a cigarette)
