Chapter 18 - A Cold Inspection
There was a peculiar, almost ethereal allure to my roommate when he was truly focused. Watching him meticulously solve problems or listen to a lecture with that unwavering, icy intensity was a study in contradictions. On one hand, there was a raw, magnetic sexiness to his profile—the sharp line of his jaw, the way the sunlight from the classroom window caught the pale bridge of his nose. On the other hand, there was a profound, unsettling strangeness that clung to him like a second skin.
By now, I found myself settling into a bizarre state of equilibrium. I had begun to accept this harmless weirdness with a calm that would have shocked my former self. My mind, perhaps as a defense mechanism, had even begun to wander into the realm of the absurd. What exactly was he? An extraterrestrial visitor trying to blend into university life? A ghost tethered to this dormitory? Whatever the truth of his origin, one thing was certain: his blatant disdain for the professors and their mundane curriculum suggested he was an academic overachiever of the highest order, hiding his brilliance behind a mask of bored indifference.
During the mid-lecture break, the atmosphere in the room shifted. The rhythmic scratching of his pen against the paper suddenly ceased. Without a word, his head tilted to the side, and he let it come to rest heavily against my right elbow. The sudden weight was cool and solid. I shifted slightly, my arm trembling under the unexpected contact.
"What’s wrong?" I whispered, looking down at him. "Didn't you sleep well last night?"
From my vantage point, I could see his long, dark eyelashes flutter against his cheek, casting delicate shadows on his skin. He didn't move, his voice muffled as it vibrated against my sleeve.
"You didn't come back yesterday," he said, his tone flat yet heavy with an unspoken accusation.
A wave of nervous heat climbed up my neck. "That... well, about that... I stayed over at a friend's place. I’ll probably be sleeping there for a while longer. He thinks my health hasn't been great lately, so he wanted to take me somewhere else to rest and recuperate..."
"I'm angry," he interrupted, his voice devoid of any actual heat, yet the statement felt like a physical weight in the air.
"Hey, hey, don't be like that," I stammered, trying to inject some levity into the situation. "I'm just moving out for a little bit. Honestly, I was terrified when you weren't around. I ran into... some really horrible things..."
The memory of the previous night—the flayed, red-skinned horrors and the oppressive shadows—flickered in my mind like a grisly film reel.
"Are they dead?" my roommate asked.
I blinked, stunned by the directness of the question. It took me a few seconds to realize he wasn't asking about my friends, but about the entities that had been hunting me. "Ah... yes. They're dead."
He gave a slow, deliberate nod, as if that single fact settled the matter entirely. If they were dead, they were no longer a concern. However, he followed this with a soft, petulant huff. He managed to simultaneously project an aura of utter disdain for my plight while remaining remarkably patient as he reiterated his emotional state.
"Angry," he repeated. "I am angry."
I stared at his face, which remained as calm and unreadable as a still lake. How could someone look so serene while insisting they were fuming? I couldn't help myself; I reached out and poked his cheek.
"Be serious," he murmured, not moving an inch. "I am currently being angry."
"Oh, come on. You have the whole room to yourself now! It’s much more spacious without me cluttering the place up..."
"I waited all night," he said, his voice dropping an octave.
The guilt hit me then, sharp and unexpected. I looked at him, at the way he clung to my arm like a displaced shadow, and the words died in my throat.
"I need to conduct an inspection," he declared, his eyes finally meeting mine with a chilling, possessive clarity.
******
Just as I was suffering the most wretched humiliation at the paws of these beasts—a familiar, high-pitched meow suddenly rang out from above. It was a tiny, milky sound, yet instantly recognizable. This was the very same uninvited guest who had once dominated Ren Xing’s household, driving him to sleep on the sofa while it claimed my embrace for an entire week: the little black cat.
The kitten let out a series of sharp *miao-miaos*, its throat vibrating with a low, rhythmic purr that spoke more of indignation than affection. It looked down upon the scene from its high vantage point before leaping nimbly between the branches of the tree. Despite its diminutive size, the moment it slid down the nearly vertical trunk, the atmosphere shifted. The other dogs and cats, who had been acting with such feral intensity, scattered in an instant. Those crazed dogs began wagging their tails frantically, whimpering as they bolted into the thickets. The older cats, who had formed a menacing semi-circle around me, didn't dare to hold their ground. My soft, delicate, short-legged little savior charged at them with a fierce cry, sending the entire pack fleeing in terror.
Xiao Hei watched the direction in which the dozen or so beasts had vanished, taking a few symbolic, dainty steps in pursuit. Finally, it puffed out its tiny chest and let out a few more authoritative, milky meows, looking incredibly majestic and formidable.
*Holy hell!* I thought, breathless. It turns out love really is unreliable! In a moment of crisis, trusting a member of the People’s Police isn't nearly as effective as trusting a pet! Comrade Ren Xing, it seems our days of happy "bromance" are over. Good day to you, sir!
Ren Xing, for his part, seemed equally finished with our "bromance." He adamantly insisted that he had been "seduced," claiming he needed to hold his ground and not let the mysterious, inexplicable scent clinging to my body turn him into a "dead sissy." That very night, he unceremoniously tossed both me and Xiao Hei onto the sofa.
How pitiful I was! Cast aside so ruthlessly and so soon. Our sweet weekend date was canceled before it even truly began. Instead of a romantic outing, my weekend plans were hijacked by Pi Zhang, who invited me to "haul bricks" at the university hospital currently under renovation. I felt as though I would never love again. To make matters worse, Ren Xing actually sat comfortably in his armchair, cheerfully mocking my misfortune!
When love fades, this is the cold reality...
