Twelve

Ji Su's mind conjured up again the eight-pack abs beaded with water and that unspeakable part; his fingertips curled slightly.

Any guy would envy a body like that — but he was born premature, with constitution issues from the start; no matter what he did, he could never build muscles that came anywhere near perfect.

And that part...

Ji Su couldn't help glancing down at himself, an indescribable tangle of feelings stirring in his chest.

As a straight man, it was only natural to have a certain competitive instinct in that department; he'd always thought his own measurements were fairly impressive among guys, but today had truly opened his eyes...

"Su Su, what's wrong?" Qiao Jin asked with concern. "Why does your face look so red?"

"Ah?" Ji Su came back to himself, tugged at his collar as though to cover something. "Nothing, I just feel a bit hot."

"The weather is warming up, but it's not quite air-conditioning weather yet." Qiao Jin offered considerately. "How about you go out to the balcony and get some air?"

Ji Su rose accordingly. "Okay, I'll go stand on the balcony for a bit."

He stepped out onto the balcony, leaning his back against the door as he typed out his reply.

Mengmeng: [Like...]

Mengmeng: [shy cat.jpg]

The other side seemed to have been waiting for his reply, and answered instantly.

G: [Really?]

Mengmeng: [Really!]

Mengmeng: [Senior's so big...]

Above the WeChat chat window, "the other party is typing..." kept flashing on and on, and only after quite a while did a new reply pop up.

G: [You mean?]

Ji Su was baffled; instinctively he glanced back at his own sent message, and his eyes flew wide open.

Help! How had he dropped those key characters?

Mengmeng: [Muscles!]

Mengmeng: [I mean senior's muscles are so well-developed!]

G: [Not bad.]

Ji Su jabbed hard at his phone screen with one finger — putting on what act?

Sending a video zoomed in on abs like that — wasn't that deliberately showing off his body, hoping to win Mengmeng's admiration?

Ji Su pressed his lips together, deciding to secure a small favor for himself.

Mengmeng: [Senior has such a great body, how did you train it?]

G: [Didn't really train.]

Ji Su: "..."

Liar — how could a body like that come without deliberate training?

G: [Usually play ball and run, didn't deliberately train.]

Ji Su's mouth pulled downward; he was starting to lose interest in chatting with this scumbag.

Just then, another message came from the other side.

G: [If you want to see abs in the future, just tell me.]

Ji Su blinked — was this scumbag measuring a nobleman's heart with his own petty one?

Mengmeng: [Okay!]

Mengmeng: [cat covering face.jpg]

Ji Su gave a cold little laugh. Next time I'll make you film your face too, let's see what you really look like beneath that mysterious veil.

G: [Mengmeng is very obedient.]

Ji Su stared at his phone screen, decided he would find a chance to look at ten or eight guys' abs, just to spite the scumbag.

Wait—

He's not Qiao Jin — he's a straight man, why on earth would he go look at other guys' abs?

Ji Su shook his head, flinging the strange thoughts out of his mind.

Speak of the devil, and he appears — Qiao Jin knocked on the Balcony door from inside the Dormitory. 'Susu?'

Ji Su turned and stepped back, letting him out.

"How'd it go, did the scumbag send you abs pics?" Qiao Jin asked in a lowered voice.

"He did." Ji Su silently handed over his phone. "There's a video, see for yourself."

Qiao Jin took the phone and opened the video.

A few seconds later, he blurted out: "Oh my god! The scumbag has a body this good?"

"That's enough." Ji Su raised a hand, trying to stop him from watching further.

Too late — Qiao Jin launched into a triple exclamation: "Holy shit holy shit holy shit!"

Ji Su took his phone back. "Keep it down."

Qiao Jin was still in shock; after a long moment he squeezed out a precise appraisal: "That thing is huge!"

Ji Su: "..."

"No — do I just not understand this world anymore?" Qiao Jin wore a baffled expression. "The scumbag has hardware like this, and he's doing online dating? Being a scammer?"

"Who knows?" Ji Su thought it over seriously. "Maybe because his face is especially ugly?"

"That's the only explanation." Qiao Jin nodded, then couldn't help adding another comment. "Based on my experience reviewing countless films, his girlfriend's going to have a lot to handle in the future."

Ji Su silently turned off his phone screen, not picking up that thread.

It was none of his business anyway...

*

Time slipped by, and it was Friday again.

Ji Su had originally planned to treat his roommates to a big meal on Saturday, but Qiao Jin suddenly learned that Zhou Yang's birthday was tomorrow, and his plans were thrown into disarray.

"Ahhh Su Su I'm done I'm done!" Qiao Jin was so anxious he was pacing back and forth in the dorm. "I actually got Zhou Yang's birthday wrong, I haven't prepared anything!"

"Calm down, Xiao Qiao." Ji Su soothed him gently. "There's still time, plenty enough to put together a gift."

Qiao Jin stopped short. "That's exactly what I'm anxious about — what should I give him?"

Ji Su thought for a moment. "He likes basketball — how about a pair of basketball shoes?"

"Good idea, but not special enough." Qiao Jin picked at his fingers. "And I can't get limited edition shoes on short notice; anyone can give regular shoes."

"How about a pair of headphones?" Ji Su continued. "Then every time he games he'll think of you."

Qiao Jin shook his head. "The headphones he's wearing now were a gift from Gu Zhao; he treasures them, he definitely won't wear the ones I give him."

Ji Su offered several more ideas in quick succession, but every single one was rejected.

'Then I really don't know what else to give.' He sounded a little helpless. 'But don't rush — I'll think it through with you, slowly.'

As he spoke, the phone on the desk buzzed.

Ji Su picked up the phone and opened WeChat.

G: [Are you out of class?]

Mengmeng: [Just finished, practicing piano~]

G: [Have you eaten dinner?]

Ji Su propped his chin on one hand and decided to ask the scumbag for his opinion on the gift.

Mengmeng: [Senior, my roommate wants to give his crush a birthday gift — what do you think would be good?]

G: [Him?]

Ji Su's heart gave a jolt, and he sat up straight without meaning to.

Mengmeng: [Typo! It's her, not him!]

G: [Anything works.]

Mengmeng: [Huh? That's so casual...]

G: [If the other person likes her, anything works. If they don't, nothing will.]

Ji Su: '...'

He was speechless at first, but staring at the words in the chat box, he found himself agreeing more and more.

'Xiao Qiao.' Ji Su turned his head. 'Just get Zhou Yang a watch — I remember there's a watch shop in the mall near School.'

Qiao Jin hesitated: 'But—'

'If Zhou Yang has feelings for you, he'll wear it.' Ji Su explained. 'If he doesn't, no birthday gift is going to change that.'

Qiao Jin froze for a few seconds, then lit up with understanding: 'I get it now!'

It was not the gift that was special — it was the person giving it.

'Aaah, Su Su baby, I love you so much!' Qiao Jin lunged at him excitedly. 'You're a little love genius — give me a kiss!'

'I decline.' Ji Su laughed, pushing him away with one hand. 'There's not much time — go buy the watch first.'

Qiao Jin: 'Together, then!'

Ji Su stood up, then decided to reply to the message first.

Mengmeng: [Got it, thanks Senior!]

Mengmeng: [Going back to practice piano, talk later~]

G: [Remember to eat dinner.]

Ji Su put away his phone, suddenly feeling that this person was really strange.

Whether it was telling him not to try to please people, or this time cutting straight to the heart of the matter — clearly a clear-headed, intelligent person — how could he have fallen so far as to become a scumbag catfish online?

*

Early the next morning, Qiao Jin got up and started picking out clothes, getting ready for Zhou Yang's birthday party that evening.

After choosing his own, he busied himself picking out an outfit for Ji Su.

Ji Su was long used to being fussed over — as long as no one tried to put him in a dress, anything went.

At six that evening, the two took a cab into the city center.

Following the address Zhou Yang had given them, they made their way to the private room, guided by a server.

Qiao Jin stepped into the noisy private room first, and Ji Su followed him in.

'Qiao Jin, Ji Su.' Zhou Yang spotted them first, immediately rising to greet them. 'You made it!'

The others turned toward the door; when their gazes landed on Ji Su's face, the room fell into a strange hush for a moment — then burst into a wave of exclamations.

Gu Zhao, seated in the shadows at the far end of the room, lifted his eyes as well.

Ji Su stood in the doorway, the corridor light behind him falling across his slender, upright figure and casting a dreamy halo around him; on that pure, delicate face, a perfectly measured smile curved his lips.

Like a porcelain doll on display in a shop window — beautiful, yes, but lacking a certain sense of reality.

Gu Zhao looked away, his long-boned hand idly turning the wine glass.

'Zhou Yang, when did you get to know someone this good-looking?' A boy slung an arm around Zhou Yang's shoulder. 'Introduce us, quick!'

Ji Su introduced himself: 'Hello, Ji Su, Architecture Department.'

'Architecture Department?' The boy suddenly remembered something. 'Oh, I know! You're that Ji Su who charms both guys and girls!'

Ji Su: '...'

Was that supposed to be a compliment?

'I've heard so much about you, pleasure to meet you!' The boy extended his hand. 'I'm He Yi Ming, same class as Zhou Yang.'

Ji Su reached out and shook his hand politely.

'Hey? Am I invisible?' Qiao Jin waved from the side. 'Did I walk out wearing an invisibility cloak today?'

Zhou Yang quickly added: 'This is Qiao Jin, also from the Architecture Department.'

'Pleasure to meet you!' He Yi Ming shook hands with Qiao Jin too. 'No need to stand around — let's go sit inside.'

Ji Su picked a seat toward the back, and only after sitting down realized who was across from him.

A handsome, cold face half-hidden in the dark; the high bridge of his nose was split into two planes by the light and shadow, his features rendered all the more sculpted and deep.

Ji Su glanced once, then dropped his gaze and quietly played with his phone.

Suddenly, a sweet female voice sounded beside his ear: 'Senior Gu Zhao, may I add you on WeChat?'

Ji Su quietly lifted his lashes and glanced across, expression unchanged.

A pretty girl stood before Gu Zhao, phone in hand, her flushed face full of shyness.

But Gu Zhao didn't so much as lift an eyelid, and coldly returned four words: 'Didn't bring my phone.'

Ji Su gave a slight start, vaguely feeling that this low voice sounded a little familiar.

But before he could think it through, the girl said again: 'Then could you give me your WeChat ID, Senior?'

Gu Zhao, sparing of words: 'Don't remember.'

Now the girl's face went even redder — whether from anger or something else — and she turned and hurried out of the private room.

The next second, Ji Su watched helplessly as the person across from him pulled a phone out of his trouser pocket.

Ji Su: '...'

Gu Zhao, the campus heartthrob, could lie through his teeth just as smoothly as Mengmeng...