TT Chapter 5. What Are You Drinking

Pei Yiyao hadn’t expected to see that person again at the dance. What was his name?

Ting Ting?

Suddenly, he remembered the moment he had opened the door that day. It had been early afternoon. Sunlight poured in through the half-open window, brushing aside the thin sheer curtain, and landed softly at the boy’s feet.

“You can call me Ting Ting.” That line had stuck with him.

Which was probably why he never caught his surname. All he remembered was Ting Ting. He had looked so small, wrapped in oversized clothes, the collar so wide it couldn’t even hide his collarbones.

Like a child sneaking around in grown-up clothes.

But now he had taken on a completely different form. Standing at the center of the stage under the lights, he was brilliant and commanding. That piece he had just played was nothing short of wild. Bold, sharp, and loud enough to shake the room.

So which one was the real him?

Pei Yiyao kept watching, curiosity creeping in.

On the other side of the room, Yang Shulin had already upgraded Chen Ting’s nickname from “Ting Ting” to “Ting ge,” bubbling with excitement. All eyes were still on Chen Ting, the way stars gather around the moon.

But Chen Ting wasn’t interested in staying any longer. After returning the things he had borrowed, he waved to the others and turned to leave. He had only taken a few steps when something seemed to cross his mind, and he circled back to Zhou Cheng and Su Luo.

He leaned in and said something quietly to them.

As soon as they stepped out of the venue, Yang Shulin couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“What did you say to them just now? Zhou Cheng’s face turned green! I swear, I almost died laughing!”

Chen Ting shrugged. “I just told them I recorded the conversation that day.”

“You have a recording?!”

“Of course not. I was just messing with them.”

Yang Shulin was completely convinced. Once again, he reminded himself that if there was one person you should never mess with, it was Brother Ting.

That night, news of the dance exploded across N University’s social feeds. But none of it reached Chen Ting, who had already gone to bed by nine.

Yang Shulin, on the other hand, was too excited to sleep. At eleven, he practically sat up from the grave, suddenly remembering their original target. Pei Yiyao.

Had Pei Yiyao actually shown up? Opinions varied. Some said they saw him, but most people hadn’t. Before long, everyone came to the same conclusion: Pei Yiyao was impossible to get close to.

Since the start of the semester, he hadn’t joined any clubs or activities. Outside of his roommates, no one had even managed to start a conversation with him. As for getting his WeChat or sharing a meal? That was pure fantasy.

As for the rumor, Yang Shulin really did write a full-length exposé, complete with side-by-side English and Chinese. The campus paper couldn’t publish it. It was too bold, so he just posted it to the student forum. Anyone who read it would know.

Zhou Cheng and Su Luo were probably shaken by Chen Ting’s “I have a recording” remark. The two of them stayed completely silent and unusually well-behaved. Two or three days later, Yang Shulin heard from a friend in another department that Su Luo had been sulking and seemed to have fallen out with Zhou Cheng again.

But that had nothing to do with Chen Ting anymore. He couldn’t have been more relieved to cut ties with them completely. The only thing bothering him now was that people had started confessing to him.

“Not bad, Ting Ting. Looks like you’re about to get yourself a partner.” Yang Shulin patted him on the shoulder. If this worked out, Chen Ting would be the first one in Dorm 423 to stop being single.

“But I feel nothing at all,” Chen Ting muttered, slumped over the desk. “If anything, I kind of want to become a monk.”

“Ting Ting, what’s wrong with you? No, wait. Ting ge, come on. Someone confessed to you. Isn’t that supposed to be a good thing? Why are you talking about becoming a monk?” Yang Shulin stared at him.

Chen Ting said slowly, “I seek refuge in the Buddha. My heart belongs to the mountains and rivers.”

Yang Shulin stared at him in silence.

Chen Ting added, “I just want to be free.”

“Girlfriends are adorable,” Yang Shulin tried again.

“I’m adorable too,” Chen Ting replied.

Yang Shulin had no words.

After thinking about it for a while, Yang Shulin realized Chen Ting had a point. What happened yesterday really was a rare sight. That “explosive drummer” version of him was probably like some special move with an insanely long cooldown. Most of the time, he was just like this. Calm, quiet, and impossible to predict.

So those girls who confessed to him… which version of him were they even into? And if Chen Ting had to change himself to match what others liked, then he wouldn’t be Chen Ting anymore.

“Maybe you should go find a boyfriend instead,” Yang Shulin joked.

“Fair point,” Chen Ting said and sat up

“No no no no no,” Yang Shulin waved his hands in panic. “I was joking!”

“I was joking too,” Chen Ting replied, eyes wide with innocence.

Yang Shulin felt completely drained. He was starting to believe he might never understand his roommate’s sense of humor.

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Five days after the dance, Chen Ting finally sent a message to Pei Yiyao, asking when he’d be free so he could return the clothes.

The cold freshman didn’t reply.

But Chen Ting wasn’t in a hurry. He went on with his life as usual. It happened to be another weekend. Yang Shulin was off attending an event with the press team, so Chen Ting headed to the library alone.

N University’s library was huge. Besides its massive collection of books, it also had a café, a multimedia study area, a fitness room, and all kinds of other amenities.

Chen Ting didn’t care much about the rest, but he had never forgotten the cake from the café on the ground floor. The place had only opened in the past couple of years. It was small, just about the size of a classroom and tucked away in a corner, but the flavors more than made up for its location. The bookshelves inside were lined with two full rows of Junji Ito and the Kyogokudo series, which made Chen Ting completely lose himself every time.

According to Yang Shulin, the café owner was a senior from the archaeology department. He was notoriously elusive and never showed up in person. Apparently, he had already moved on to grad school, which was located on the old campus. Yang Shulin had tried several times to track him down for an interview but never managed to catch him.

But Chen Ting could always tell when the owner had been around, just from the taste of the cake. Only the ones made by the owner himself were that good. By the time he got to eat them, the man had already disappeared again.

Today was no different. The moment Chen Ting tasted that bittersweet flavor, the kind that left a touch of sweetness after the bitterness faded, he knew the owner had worked his magic once more. He immediately looked up toward the glass display case, and his eyes lit up when he saw the last slice of chocolate cake still waiting inside.

There was no one else in the café, so Chen Ting wasn’t worried about anyone taking it before him. He slowly finished his slice, then walked up to the counter, planning to order another piece to go. But before he could speak, the bell above the door rang, and a light breeze slipped into the room.

He turned instinctively toward the sound, and saw someone he hadn’t expected at all.

Pei Yiyao.

Today he was wearing a black trench coat, the sleeves pushed up just enough to reveal his lean forearms. His legs were still as long and straight as ever. In just a few strides, he brought the October chill with him as he stopped beside Chen Ting.

“One Americano.” His voice was low.

Chen Ting looked at him, thinking maybe the guy hadn’t recognized him. Or maybe he had already forgotten him. He hesitated, wondering whether to say something first, but Pei Yiyao suddenly turned his head.

“What are you drinking?”

“Hmm?”

“I asked what you’re drinking.” His expression stayed cold, but there was no sign of impatience.

“I’m good. I just came to pick up a slice of cake.” Chen Ting quickly responded, then added, “I can get it myself.”

He was a regular here, and the staff knew him well enough that he didn’t need to explain. The server gave him a knowing nod and brought out the final slice of chocolate cake from the display.

Pei Yiyao glanced at the cake, which was still giving off its thick, sugary scent. Then his eyes shifted to the short, curly-haired boy beside him, settling on the crumb of cake still clinging to the corner of his mouth.

Ting Ting today didn’t feel quite the same as the one from the dance night.

“Do I have something on my face… ah.” Chen Ting squirmed under his stare, lifted a hand to touch his cheek, and sure enough, found the crumb. His face immediately turned red.

Pei Yiyao remained calm. Without a change in expression, he said to the server, “Add a glass of milk.”

Chen Ting forgot his embarrassment and quickly said, “Let me pay. I haven’t thanked you yet for lending me your clothes that night.”

Ting Ting, do not back down. So what if he’s one-eighty-seven? One-eighty-seven still doesn’t change the fact that he’s an eighteen-year-old little bean sprout. Long, long ago, back when he was just a fertilized egg, you were already… forty-seven centimeters tall.

That forty-seven-centimeter height difference could not be ignored.

But Chen Ting had overlooked one thing. He had cash. The other guy had a card. A new student discount card, no less, and today happened to be its final day of validity.

Fifty yuan. Not too much, not too little. Just right.

As they walked out of the café with the milk and cake, the evening wind stirred a memory. Chen Ting found himself thinking again about the mortifying moment when he hadn’t been wearing pants. He stole a glance at Pei Yiyao beside him and couldn’t help asking, “Um… did you see the text I sent?”

Pei Yiyao lifted one hand to sweep back his coat and tucked it into his pocket, holding his coffee in the other. He looked at Chen Ting and asked, “Text?”

Chen Ting nodded. “Aunt Ruan gave me your number. She told me to return the clothes to you directly.”

Pei Yiyao understood right away. “I just changed my number,” he explained.

Chen Ting gave a small smile. “Oh, I just wanted to ask when you’d be free. If you’re free now, I can give it to you.”

“Keep it for now.” Pei Yiyao turned him down unexpectedly. After a few more steps, he stopped. “I’m heading this way.”

The path ahead split into two, each leading to a different dorm area.

Chen Ting said goodbye, watching as he walked away, then turned and made his way back to his own dorm. The whole thing felt a little surreal. It was strange how he had run into Pei Yiyao out of nowhere.

Still… why the milk?

It definitely couldn’t be because of his height.

The freshman probably was just a nice person.

Unaware that he had just been handed a “nice guy” card, Pei Yiyao was still replaying the encounter in his head. He had come to the library looking for a book. But when he was leaving and happened to spot Chen Ting, something had pulled him toward that café.

Maybe it was because someone at home had been nagging him too much lately.

Just as he was thinking about it, Pei Yiyao felt a breeze sweep past him. He looked up and saw Chen Ting, who should have been walking the other way, running ahead at full speed.

In the sunset, his curls danced in the wind. He looked every bit the picture of playful charm.

But Chen Ting had not noticed him. He had suddenly changed direction and taken off running to avoid someone chasing after him.

The girl was a freshman. She was actually very sweet, beautiful, kind, and generous. She said she had fallen for Chen Ting at first sight during the dance. But the moment Chen Ting spotted her, all he wanted to do was run.

Because she stood at 173.5 centimeters tall. Barefoot.

When she confessed yesterday, she even said that from now on, she would be the one to protect Ting Ting.

Ting Ting had been touched. But in the end, he still chose to turn her down.