The air in the wardrobe became increasingly thin, and time seemed to slow down.
The cat in Yun Ci’s arms began to fidget restlessly.
Yu Xun reached out, wanting to help hold the cat, but couldn’t make any noise, resulting in all three losing their balance, and Yun Ci’s body leaned slightly forward—almost directly into Yu Xun’s arms.
…
The footsteps of the student council got closer to the wardrobe, and the leader said, “Your dorm is too messy, pay attention to hygiene. If you keep this up, you’ll fail the hygiene assessment this month, and failing means you’ll have to clean the academic buildings.”
The glasses-wearing guy wailed, “…Why is there a hygiene assessment? Give us a break, senior.”
Separated by a door.
Yun Ci had to maintain his position, holding his breath.
The student council footsteps stopped for a few seconds outside the wardrobe.
All Yun Ci could breathe in was Yu Xun’s scent.
His nose brushed against Yu Xun’s hair, making it itch.
In the cramped space, he could even hear the chaotic heartbeat from the other person’s chest.
Then the footsteps moved away from the wardrobe and headed to the balcony: “Alright, no other issues. Just remember to keep up with the hygiene. Let’s go.”
Only then did Yun Ci straighten up with the cat, making a slight noise when adjusting his position, but it went unheard by those outside.
The atmosphere became somewhat tense.
It felt like something should be said, but nothing seemed appropriate.
Until Yu Xun, somewhat roguishly, lowered his eyes to look at him and broke the silence: “Not feeling around, just throwing yourself into my arms, huh?”
“…”
Yu Xun’s tone was teasing: “I get it, considering I’m indeed quite good-looking. In a situation like this, it’s normal for you to lose control—”
With a “bang,” Yun Ci kicked open the wardrobe door.
“Let’s go,” the glasses-wearing guy, unaware of what had just happened, said, “Good thing they didn’t check the wardrobe. If they had, I’d accuse them of invading privacy.”
In dorm 608.
Luo Sifang looked at the score sheet posted at the dorm door and sighed in relief: “Our dorm’s score is okay, except for Peng Shao losing two points with one foot.”
He had his hands behind his back, and just as he finished his lament, he saw the two guys bringing the cat back to the dorm from the other end of the corridor.
He was just about to greet them, but the one named Yun walked past him with a cold face.
Luo Sifang turned to Yu Xun: “The student council went to 610 again. You guys didn’t… have any trouble, right?” He stopped halfway, looking at Yu-ge, who had an unusually pure expression, noticing his ears were strangely red.
Although Yu Xun’s face, no matter where it reddened a bit, always had an intriguing charm. His hair had grown a lot longer recently, not trimmed. It seemed longer hair suited him better than shorter.
Then Yu Xun said, “No problem.”
Luo Sifang grumbled, “The school’s dorm inspections are so frequent, it’s annoying.”
“Actually, dorm inspections aren’t bad,” Yu Xun tilted his head, scratched his hair, and changed his stance, “The school is concerned about our safety. Weekly inspections are too infrequent.”
…Infrequent???
Luo Sifang thought to himself, has he gone crazy from hiding cats?
–
At the end of December.
After a week of posts on social media, a senior girl said she was interning nearby and had her own place. She could adopt the cat.
This senior girl saw the posts from Liu Zi’s social media, so this evening, Liu Zi stopped by 608 for a bit.
The curly-haired guy sat shaking his leg, playing with the cat on the table, and said, “I joined a club before, and this senior girl was the former president. She seems reliable. Anyway, set a time and place to hand over the cat.”
Hand over the cat.
Yun Ci didn’t want to comment on Liu Zi’s choice of words.
He could consider teaming up with Li Yan to handwrite some model essays.
Liu Zi: “What’s with that look?”
Yun Ci sat across from him, saying calmly, “A look at an illiterate.”
“…”
Liu Zi wanted to explode but held back: “Fine, for the sake of Yu Ci Ci today, let’s truce for a day.” He emphasized the surname Yu.
Yun Ci didn’t expect there would be a time for a truce between him and Liu Zi: “Contact information.”
Liu Zi shook his leg: “Sent it to Yu-ge; ask him.”
Even though it was just contact information.
Whoever got it first had the upper hand.
Even though it’s unclear what to do with that upper hand, they must have it.
Liu Zi continued shaking his leg, feeling he implemented the silent tension perfectly.
Yu Xun was on the balcony making a call.
When Yun Ci pushed open the balcony door, Yu Xun had just finished the call.
“Contacted,” he said, putting away his phone, “Tomorrow evening, six o’clock.”
Yun Ci: “No class at six.”
Yu Xun: “Alright, then let’s deliver the cat tomorrow.”
“We should get a cat carrier,” he said, clearly meaning both of them would go, “Or a cardboard box would work.”
Yun Ci didn’t want to discuss with him.
Especially after the wardrobe incident, it seemed harder to face him.
He silently repeated “just friends” a few times, then said, “I can go alone.”
Yu Xun leaned on the balcony railing, insisting on going: “After taking care of it for so long, I’m reluctant to part with it, is that not okay?”
The agreed place was near the east gate of the school. Before the next dorm inspection by the student council, the two of them took the cat for the handover.
Mainly, Yun Ci was holding the cat while Yu Xun carried the items.
During the time the fish wasn’t staying in the dorm, the neighboring dorm gave a cat teaser, and the dorm across sent a few cans of cat food. It could be said it grew up on communal food, and in the end, they discovered it had quite a lot of belongings.
Close to six o’clock, the adopter sent a few voice messages: “I’m at the gate.”
A girl, with a very gentle voice: “I’m at the east gate, wearing a beige coat, should be easy to recognize. Are you here?”
Yu Xun added her as a friend.
The black avatar replied with two words: [Here]
Seeing this reply, the girl looked around. She only knew that the black avatar was a male freshman, so she instinctively looked at people entering or leaving alone.
But after looking around, she didn’t find anyone fitting the description of a guy holding a cat.
It wasn’t until she glanced around a few more times that she saw someone holding a bundle of white fluff, but there were two people—two guys walking side by side through the long street at the east gate, standing out in the crowd.
“Senior Liu?” The one holding the cat asked as he approached.
She nodded, “Ah, yes, that’s me.”
Yun Ci handed the cat over to her, then introduced the items Yu Xun was carrying, “These are its usual things; bring them all together.”
Senior Liu pointed across the street and said, “It’s cold; why not sit in the café? I ordered a few coffees, and you can tell me anything else I need to know.”
Yun Ci: “No need; I don’t want to trouble you.”
Senior Liu: “I already ordered the coffee, it’s no trouble.”
In the café.
After some small talk, Senior Liu briefly talked about her major, then expressed her admiration for their major: “Law, the score requirement is very high. Quite impressive.”
Then Yun Ci and Yu Xun took turns mentioning things to note.
Yun Ci: “You need to take it for vaccinations.”
Yu Xun added: “It’s very young, its digestive system is not very strong.”
Yun Ci: “Make sure it’s warm when it sleeps at night.”
Yu Xun added again: “Give it plenty of water.”
“…”
Holding the coffee cup, Yun Ci felt more and more like he and Yu Xun were two fathers sending off their child, so he stopped speaking.
Yu Xun seemed to enjoy this back-and-forth, and when Yun Ci stopped, he asked, “Why did you stop?”
Yun Ci noticed Senior Liu was watching them with a bemused smile.
He shut his mouth: “Oh, I’ve lost my voice.”
“…”
When it was time to leave, there was a bit of reluctance.
Looking at the cat’s watery eyes, Yun Ci couldn’t resist reaching out to pet its head again.
Unexpectedly, Yu Xun had the same thought.
Both reached out at the same time, and before they realized, their hands landed on the cat’s head—overlapping.
…
The next second, Yun Ci stood up abruptly.
“I’m done here,” he said, “Leaving.”
Yu Xun quickly followed him out.
After they left, Senior Liu typed a message to her roommate: [Got the cat, very cute.]
She added: [Two very handsome guys came to drop it off.]
And finally:
[Also, I feel…]
[They might be a couple.]
The long street at the east gate got busier, with stalls selling roasted sweet potatoes and chestnuts; the scent was filling the street. Many students in thick coats lined up at the stalls.
Yun Ci walked quickly in front.
Yu Xun followed leisurely, keeping a few steps behind.
Until they reached the dormitory building, climbed the stairs, and were near the dorm room, Yu Xun’s voice came from behind: “Walking so fast.”
“Slow down,” he added, “I have something to tell you.”
“?”
“It’s pretty important; I thought it over and decided I needed to tell you.”
Yun Ci paused his steps.
He stood near the dorm curtain. Inside was the sound of Luo Sifang playing games: “Bro, this round is no good; let me develop a bit.”
Having just sent off the cat together, Yun Ci thought Yu Xun really had something urgent to say, but after waiting a few seconds, he heard: “I like you.”
Yu Xun’s voice was very low, not heard by others passing in the corridor.
“…”
“Today, I like you more than yesterday.”
“Actually, I want to say this every day, when I see you holding the cat, when walking with you. I never find the right moment.”
For so long.
After the initial shock, mid-phase irritation, and doubt, to now, this person still says “like” with unwavering conviction, leaving no room for doubt, only pure fervor.
On the way back, Yun Ci had his collar up against the wind, the zipper pulled all the way up, and his nose and chin buried in the collar. Hearing this, he felt the warm breath rise continuously.
The warmth rose all the way to his ears.
Was he wearing too much? Or was it not cold enough outside today?
Or perhaps the dormitory corridor’s heating was too hot.
After a brief silence.
“Have I been quite measured in my pursuit recently?” Yu Xun asked as if talking to himself.
Looking at Yun Ci, he added, “…But still, I’m afraid you’ll forget I like you, so I can’t help but remind you again.”
Hahahha the senior is so perceptive!
And Yu Xun is so cute with his pursuit <3