“Who told you to act like a mad dog? I’m not as strong as you. Don’t you know your weight could suffocate someone?” Fei Cheng got up and straightened his clothes. “Stop pouncing on me like my dog, Big Black.”
“You!! Cheng-cheng, are you looking for a beating? Comparing me to your dog? Dammit, if I don’t teach you a lesson today, I’ll write my name backward!” Yu Qing, wearing only a long-sleeved shirt, briskly rolled up his sleeves.
Cheng Yifei walked past him and asked airily, “Who are you teaching a lesson?”
Yu Qing: “...”
Fei Cheng burst into laughter. “You wimp. Remember to write your name backward.”
Yu Qing wailed, “There’s no justice! Brother Cheng, I call you ‘Brother’ too. Can’t you stop taking sides with this shorty?”
“Screw you! You’re the short one! Your whole family is short!” Fei Cheng crumpled another ball of tissue and threw it at him.
Seeing that the two were about to start another round of chaos, Cheng Yifei asked expressionlessly, “Are we eating dinner or not?”
“Eating...”
Fei Cheng and Yu Qing stopped immediately and obediently put on their shoes.
During evening self-study, Fei Cheng keenly sensed someone in the back row staring at him with ill intent. Using his peripheral vision, he noticed it was Liu Yucong.
He was a bit puzzled. To be honest, although Liu Yucong and his group still pulled small stunts to harass him lately, it was obvious they weren't as enthusiastic about it as before. In a war of attrition, people eventually grew tired or bored.
Yet tonight, Liu Yucong seemed to have been set ablaze again. But Fei Cheng hadn't even interacted with him recently—where was this anger coming from?
He thought about it for a few seconds before deciding to ignore it. Whatever came his way, he would deal with it when it happened.
After self-study, Fei Cheng, Cheng Yifei, and Yu Qing went out for a late-night snack before returning to the dormitory. The room was lit by a single small bulb mounted on the wall by the door; its orange light was dim and weak.
The area near the bathroom was essentially shrouded in darkness. Fei Cheng’s bed was outside the reach of the light, so he didn't notice anything unusual at first.
It wasn't until he finished washing his feet and climbed into bed that he realized something was wrong. Why was the quilt so heavy?!
He knelt on the bed, only to feel a biting chill beneath his legs. He reached out to touch the mattress—it was soaking wet and freezing!
He leaped off the bed instantly, shoved his feet into his shoes, and grabbed his pillow, taking it to the light by the door to inspect it.
The pillow was wet?
He could practically wring water out of it.
What the hell?
Seeing him standing at the door with his pillow, Yu Qing joked, “Where are you going with that? Planning to sleep outside?”
Fei Cheng ignored him, his brow furrowed as he scanned his roommates. Several pairs of gloating eyes quickly averted their gaze the moment they met his, their owners pretending to make their beds for sleep.
He carried the wet pillow back. As he passed Liu Yucong’s bed, he saw the boy sitting against the wall, looking at him with a triumphant smirk. Fei Cheng’s fingers tightened; he wanted to hit someone.
Cheng Yifei turned on his flashlight and aimed it at Fei Cheng’s bed. He found the quilt and mattress completely drenched. There was even a puddle on the floor beneath the bed, clearly having dripped down from above.
“The pillow’s wet too?” he asked, looking at the pillow in Fei Cheng’s hand.
“Yeah.” Fei Cheng threw the pillow back onto the bed and took the flashlight from Cheng Yifei to inspect the damage. Dammit, someone must have poured at least two buckets of water on his bed!
Those bastards! The quilt was soaked through, which explained why it was so heavy. How was he supposed to sleep tonight?
Yu Qing came over and frowned as well. He reached out to touch the wet quilt and brought his hand to his nose to sniff. “Smells like laundry detergent.”
It was likely water left over from washing clothes.
Fei Cheng turned and glared fiercely at Liu Yucong.
“What? You want to fight?” Liu Yucong sat up straight, his face full of provocation.
Fei Cheng suppressed his temper. “You poured the water.”
“Which eye saw me do it? Who saw it? Dammit, you’d better have evidence before you open your mouth!”
Fei Cheng was about to explode when a hand pressed down on his shoulder. Cheng Yifei glanced at Liu Yucong and said to Fei Cheng, “Sleep with me tonight.”
Fei Cheng: “...” He was still furious!
Cheng Yifei looked at Liu Yucong and said, “I think some people know the consequences of soaking my things.”
Liu Yucong’s expression flickered. He muttered a curse and leaned back against the wall, his face hidden in the shadows, unreadable.
Yu Qing let out an "Ah-oh." "Looks like you’ll have to squeeze in with Brother Cheng for the rest of the week. I’m on the top bunk; there’s no way two people can fit up there."
Fei Cheng looked at Cheng Yifei. Swallowing his irritation, he whispered, “Sorry for the trouble, Brother Cheng.”
“Lights out soon. Go wash your face.” Cheng Yifei tilted his chin, signaling him to hurry.
Fei Cheng turned away, his fists still clenched tight.
Yu Qing helped him set his pillow aside and shook out the quilt, complaining, “Cotton quilts are heavy as hell once they soak up water. It’s only Tuesday. How about you take my top bunk and I squeeze in with Cheng-cheng for a few nights?”
Cheng Yifei: “No need. You’re too fat.”
Yu Qing: “...” How is 171cm and 60kg fat?!!!
A single bed only 1.2 meters wide was quite a tight fit for two teenage boys. Fei Cheng slept on the inside while Cheng Yifei took the outside; they brushed against each other every time they turned.
It had been many years since Fei Cheng had shared a bed with someone, and he felt incredibly awkward.
“Brother Cheng, you won’t fall off, will you?” Fei Cheng asked worriedly, seeing how close to the edge Cheng Yifei was sleeping.
“I won’t.”
Fei Cheng gave a small "oh" and pulled up the quilt. Strangely, Cheng Yifei’s quilt had a faint scent of lemon.
He took a stealthy sniff. He wanted to bury his head in the covers but didn't dare; he wanted to turn over but was afraid of bumping into Cheng Yifei. In the end, he could only stare up at the slats of the top bunk. “Brother Cheng, are you cold?”
“No.”
Fei Cheng felt the thickness of the quilt and murmured, “I think I’m going to be cold.”
Cheng Yifei turned to face him. “Can you just sleep quietly?”
Fei Cheng: “...” *I can’t sleep with someone right next to me, man!*
Cheng Yifei turned back around, his back to him.
Fei Cheng didn't dare move much because they were sharing one quilt, and shifting around would let in the cold air.
The lights were out now. Many people were still whispering. Since Cheng Yifei was ignoring him, he could only try to eavesdrop on the others to pass the time.
As the room grew quieter, Fei Cheng’s eyelids became heavier and heavier.
Cheng Yifei wasn't used to sharing a bed either. He was having an even harder time falling asleep than Fei Cheng. After holding one position for too long, he couldn't take it anymore and turned over, only to find himself unexpectedly face-to-face with Fei Cheng’s sleeping profile. The proximity nearly gave him a fright.
His eyes had adjusted to the dark. Aided by the faint light from outside the dormitory building, Cheng Yifei could vaguely make out the contours of Fei Cheng’s features.
He thought to himself: *This guy is actually quite well-behaved when he’s asleep.*
Cheng Yifei watched for a while before withdrawing his gaze. He lay on his back, waiting for sleep to come.
The whistling winter wind outside harmonized with the rising and falling snores within the dorm.
Just as he was about to drift off, he felt a tickle at the crook of his neck. Something had pressed against him, and a hand had draped itself over his waist!
Even though the touch was warm, it made him snap his eyes open. He looked down to see Fei Cheng. It seemed Fei Cheng was trying to shrink himself down to curl into his arms.
His forehead was tucked against Cheng Yifei’s neck, his hand was wrapped around his waist in a hug, and their chests were pressed close together.
Cheng Yifei: “...”
He gently moved Fei Cheng’s hand away and used his fingers to push against the boy's head, trying to nudge him back to the inner side of the bed. He was taking up too much space! If he kept burrowing outward, Cheng Yifei really would fall off the bed.
“Cold...” Fei Cheng, muddled with sleep, let out a soft grumble as he was pushed away.
Cheng Yifei’s hand paused. He knew Fei Cheng was very sensitive to the cold; he had sneezed several times today.
He hesitated for a moment, then shifted Fei Cheng further inward and lay down a bit deeper himself. He turned on his side, hesitated again, and was just about to pull Fei Cheng closer when he realized he didn't need to have a mental struggle. Following his instincts for warmth, Fei Cheng reached out and hugged Cheng Yifei. With his forehead against Cheng Yifei’s chest and his breathing steady, he fell into a deep sleep.
It took a long while before Cheng Yifei finally rested his hand on Fei Cheng’s back. The two of them huddled together under the quilt for warmth.
The night passed without dreams.
Cheng Yifei was woken up by the sound of running water and teeth being brushed. He frowned before opening his eyes.
Even in winter, they had early morning self-study. They had to be in the classroom by 6:20 AM. At that hour, the sky was barely beginning to brighten, so the dormitory lights would turn on at 6:00 AM to remind them to get ready.
Cheng Yifei tried to move his legs to get up, but he found his body felt heavy, as if he were pinned to the mattress. Puzzled, he pulled back the quilt to find Fei Cheng, his cheeks flushed from sleep, with half his body draped over him, arms still wrapped around him in slumber.
Only then did he remember they had slept together last night.
Aside from the third of the room still lingering in bed, everyone else was getting up. Cheng Yifei lay there for ten seconds before patting Fei Cheng’s back under the quilt. “Fei Cheng, get up.”
Fei Cheng burrowed further into his arms and continued to sleep. The bed was so comfortable he couldn't bear to leave it.
Cheng Yifei was speechless for a moment. He continued to pat his back. “Fei Cheng, you’re going to be late for class.”
Late?!
Fei Cheng opened his eyes irritably. Why was it so dark?
He fumbled around under the quilt for a while before slowly poking his head out. The light made him squint. He looked at the face in front of him with a groggy expression. The two were very close, barely half a knuckle’s width apart.
***
