UCTOOT CH149.1

Laser lights dazzled in kaleidoscopic hues. When Shi Shu pushed open the door, Liang Yucai grabbed the Coke from his hand: “You came out for karaoke, and you’re still drinking this? Are you an otaku or something?”

The private lounge was dimly lit, with classmates of both genders sprawled haphazardly across the couches. In Shi Shu’s hands were two clear plastic bags filled with Coke, lemon soda, iced lemon tea, and grape Fanta.

“Taking care of your stomach, Teacher Shi?” Yao Wenbo asked, his ears flushed red from drinking. “You actually went out to buy soft drinks?”

Shi Shu: “I don’t drink.”

Shi Shu tugged at the cuff of his T-shirt; the AC in the karaoke room was cranked low.

Across the sofas, people were strewn in chaotic clusters. His fellow sports majors were singing and dancing amid a loud cacophony of sound and flashing lights. A boy and girl were huddled close together, whispering in low tones, thick with the flirtatious haze of mutual attraction.

Shi Shu: “I want to head back to the dorm.”

Yao Wenbo was busy eyeing two girls on the other side of the mixer, his QR code displayed on his phone: “Why go back now? We haven’t had half our fun yet!”

To go back to sleep. Is that a crime?

At a loss for words, Shi Shu picked his way over to an unoccupied corner of the sofa and sat down. Department mixers like this were a rare occasion, a precious chance for jocks to socialize with girls, and the room was awash in flirtatious laughter.

While Shi Shu sat in the corner sipping Coke and chatting with his roommates, the door swung open. Four or five tall young men clad in tailored suits filed inside, wearing light makeup with styled hair, instantly detonating a heavy cloud of cologne across the room.

Shi Shu: “Who are they?”

The room fell into a brief hush before a girl pushed through the crowd: “You’re here? Come in, take a seat! I called them over!”

Seated near the door, Shi Shu heard one of the young men smile, his voice remarkably smooth and pleasant: “Hello, everyone. I brought the guys over. Shall I sit by you?”

Shi Shu had no idea what was happening.

A collective gasp of “Holy crap! Amazing!” erupted in the room from guys and girls alike, pure pandemonium. Several handsome men scented with cologne settled down beside the girls to share drinks.

“What’s the deal?” Shi Shu asked.

Liang Yucai exclaimed in excitement: “Can’t you tell? Models!”

“Mod—?”

“Male models! Male hosts, get it?”

Shi Shu had seen the meme while scrolling short videos: “The legendary male hosts? But why are you so hyped? Yao Wenbo told me you’re gay. Are you?”

“I said I’m not, stop questioning me, okay?” Liang Yucai was already busy inspecting the lineup. “Who do you think is the best-looking?”

“…………”

You.

The hosts sat down with seasoned familiarity, mingling effortlessly with both guys and girls. One slipped off his suit jacket to reveal a gray vest; when a hand reached under his clothes, instead of stopping it, he guided it deeper beneath the fabric.

Shi Shu glanced once and immediately looked away: “When are we heading back to campus? I trained all day, and I haven’t even claimed my daily login reward in my mobile game.”

Crack. Yao Wenbo popped the tab of a soda can and shoved it into his hands: “Brother Shi, just clutch your kindergarten juice boxes all the way until graduation, letting your youth rot away.”

“…”

Yao Wenbo drifted to seats closer to the girls. With thumping music, flickering laser lights, and figures swaying continuously, Shi Shu set down his half-finished can of Coke. The longer he watched, the less he felt he belonged, especially when a girl tried striking up a conversation with him, prompting him to bolt straight up.

Time to step out for fresh air.

Society might be open-minded these days, but if Ms. Bo Mo ever caught wind of this, there would be hell to pay.

Laser beams glinted off the floor tiles by the exit. Shi Shu grasped the door handle to pull it open, only for someone on the other side to push it at that exact moment.

Their fingers brushed against each other. It was a pair of lean, slender hands with faint veins visible beneath the skin. Shi Shu looked up to see a man in a tailored suit, impeccably groomed hair, standing tall with a dot of laser light resting on the bridge of his straight nose, his downcast eyes cool and detached.

Another host?

This one is easily the hottest.

The thought surfaced in Shi Shu’s mind, and he let go of the handle immediately, stepping aside.

The man stepped aside as well, gesturing for him to pass.

Shi Shu slipped past without a word, a trace of lingering warmth remaining on his fingers from their touch.

Wait, do guys in this line of work really look this good now?

He smells amazing…

And not like an overpowering, choking cologne either, but subtle and crisp.

Putting the encounter out of his mind, Shi Shu strolled outside for a few minutes, logged into his mini-game to claim his rewards, and reread today’s chat logs with his parents.

Before heading back to the private room, he swung by the restroom. Yao Wenbo was blowing up his phone with texts; just to mess with him, Shi Shu lingered inside. Moments later, the crisp click of leather soles echoed across the tile.

Looking up, Shi Shu froze for a second when he recognized the figure.

The man wore a suit whose price tag Shi Shu couldn’t even begin to guess. Approaching the sinks, he rinsed his hands under the running tap, looking impeccably polished, a world apart from rowdy college athletes.

Shi Shu rarely paid attention to other guys, but this man naturally drew the eye. Darkening his phone screen, he heard a calm, measured voice: “Are you a guest from room A8?”

Realizing the man was addressing him, Shi Shu answered, “Yeah. What’s up?”

The thought of him being a host felt a little strange.

“I noticed you earlier.”

The man raised his eyes slightly: “Heading back now?”

“…” Shi Shu wasn’t sure how they had ended up talking.

Under normal circumstances, one guy didn’t randomly strike up a conversation with another unless there was a reason.

Shi Shu deduced the answer in one second: “Did you lose your way?”

The KTV venue was massive and labyrinthine; Shi Shu had nearly gotten lost looking for the restroom himself and had deliberately memorized the turns. He said naturally, “Come on, follow me.”

Xie Wuchi seemed about to say something, but held back.

Instead, he fell into step behind Shi Shu.

The room was still deafeningly loud. Shi Shu paid no further attention to the man behind him. Yao Wenbo was drinking with Liang Yucai and Yao Ye, hollering at the top of his lungs: “Damn it, you drank that much, don’t you dare throw up in the dorm tonight! I’m not wiping up after you!”

“Look who’s talking with your baby tolerance.”

The atmosphere had dialed up to an even wilder fever pitch. With a limited number of hosts, they fluttered between people like social butterflies. Bodies swayed to the bass in sultry dances, enough to make one’s eyelids burn just looking.

Yao Wenbo grabbed a bottle of mineral water from the table and shouted, “Shi Shu, want to go? I’m definitely winning this time.”

Shi Shu got the message: “Again?”

“Come on, let’s go!” The boys were riding high on adrenaline.

Shi Shu picked up a bottle of water and twisted off the cap. Out of the corner of his eye, the host who had followed him in didn’t head toward the crowded side, but instead settled onto the sofa right beside Shi Shu.

Since the classmates had hired them to entertain the whole room, Shi Shu didn’t overthink him sitting nearby.

Yao Wenbo opened his bottle, assuming a ready stance. Several classmates turned to watch, expecting some epic spectacle.

Instead, Yao Wenbo simply crowed, “I’m definitely faster than you!” and the boys tipped their heads back to chug water.

Shi Shu didn’t hold back. In under ten seconds, he crushed the plastic bottle flat and slammed it onto the table: “Done!”

Yao Ye and Liang Yucai erupted in a chorus of “Holy shit!”, while Yao Wenbo flopped back onto the couch: “Damn it all.”

Shi Shu: “I only used half my power.”

“Stop flexing!”

College dorms were constantly breeding absurd competitive streaks over the dumbest things: who ran faster, who ate more, who was taller. Often, after dinner together, they would each grab a cup of boba and silently race to see who finished first.

Four jocks standing on a street corner chugging milk tea in complete silence and crushing their cups within fifteen seconds happened way too often.

The group burst into laughter. His throat chilled with water, highlighting his boyish, handsome features, Shi Shu turned and sat down, only to find the host watching him intently.

Xie Wuchi said, “You drink water remarkably fast.”

“…”

Shi Shu brushed it off with a perfunctory nod. Leaning back on the couch, the other man initiated conversation instead: “I’m Xie Xun. How should I address you?”

Shi Shu didn’t quite get his conversational angle, but answered anyway: “Shi Shu.”

Yao Wenbo and Liang Yucai were busy arguing over their match analysis with flushed faces. Shi Shu tugged at the collar of his T-shirt.

Draped in shadow, Xie Wuchi studied his features with an assessing gaze.

Shi Shu: “Why are you staring at me?”

The music pounded as laser lights spun in kaleidoscopic spirals. In a smooth, pleasant tone, Xie Wuchi said, “Your eyelashes are very long.”

“?”

His tone was gentle and unhurried, picking up topics with practiced ease, very much like a seasoned host skilled in socializing. Shi Shu lightly touched his eyelids: “They’re alright, I guess.”

“Much longer than average. How old are you?”

When someone gave a decent first impression and acted politely, Shi Shu had no problem chatting. “Adult age, anyway.”

“I can tell.” He paused. “I should be a few years older than you. You and your roommates are quite entertaining.”

A clean, subtle scent lingered in the air. Silence descended for a moment. Just as Shi Shu ran out of things to say, Xie Wuchi spoke again: “What is the name of this song playing right now?”

He could sense it.

The guy was deliberately looking for excuses to talk to him.

Shi Shu listened for a few seconds.

“No idea.”

Hosts were there to entertain and provide emotional validation; assuming the man was just trying to do his job, Shi Shu patted Yao Wenbo’s shoulder: “Sit over there.”

Drunkenly, Yao Wenbo slurred, “Huh? What for?”

Shi Shu: “To chat.”

Yao Wenbo plunked himself down beside Xie Wuchi: “What did you ask earlier? The song name? Let me pull up Shazam to identify it—”

Xie Wuchi: “The song changed.”

“Oh, oh, my bad.”

Shi Shu pointed out: “The song didn’t change.”

“Then I must have misheard.” Xie Wuchi smoothly shifted the topic without missing a beat: “Are you students from the sports university next door?”

Before Shi Shu could reply, Yao Wenbo cut in: “No, no, we’re from Tsinghua!”

Yao Wenbo raised a cocky brow; as the saying went, when you’re out on the town, your credentials are whatever you claim them to be. Shi Shu twisted open his water and took a sip, saying nothing.

Xie Wuchi smiled: “Your academic performance is that impressive too?”

Shi Shu tightened the cap. What does that have to do with me? Yao Wenbo is spewing pure nonsense, why look at me?

The room was loud and chaotic, colorful lights swirling into a dizzying glare as an energetic classic hit blasted over the speakers. Shi Shu pulled out his phone to check next week’s schedule and read texts, when that clean, crisp scent drifted into his nose again.

A shadow leaned in, nearly draping over him.

Xie Wuchi had drawn close. Not just his scent, but his sharp features were inches away. He reached for a drink on the table, a luxury watch peeking from beneath his tailored cuff, long fingers resting against the rim of a Coke can.

“I prefer not to drink alcohol right now. May I have this?” he asked.

His voice was low, carrying a faint, magnetic texture.

Holding his phone, Shi Shu zoned out for a split second.

He could tell whether another guy was good-looking or ugly, but it had never stirred any sensory reaction in him.

Yet right now, with that straight nose, fiercely striking brows, and dark pupils gazing at him with polished refinement, the man seemed to invade his personal space without ever feeling crass; especially paired with that top-tier host visage.

Why does a guy this ridiculously good-looking need to lean this close to another guy?

Do you have a problem?

Shi Shu: “Go ahead.”

“Thank you.”

Even his voice has that intentional sultry register.

The kind of man who radiated seductive allure without the slightest shame.

Did you have to radiate it so aggressively? Fine, you are hot, I give you that.

In a single second, Shi Shu’s mind drifted everywhere, from his wristwatch to wondering what his name was again, before the thoughts scattered like smoke.

“Could you open it for me? I injured my hand a few days ago, so it’s a bit inconvenient,” Xie Wuchi said.

Shi Shu took the Coke, hooking a fair, slender finger into the tab to pop it open.

“Thank you.” Taking a sip, Xie Wuchi asked, “Do you come here often?”

Shi Shu: “No, rarely ever.”

“Then what do you usually do?”

Shi Shu: “Just normal athletic training. Nothing special.”

Xie Wuchi gazed at him and smiled: “Do you enjoy playing badminton? You seem very athletic.”

Before Shi Shu could answer, Yao Wenbo cut in: “I love playing! Want to set up a game sometime, bro? National first-class athlete, no joke. By the way, I’m Liang Yucai, nice to meet you!” Liang Yucai was actually the first-class badminton athlete.

Liang Yucai barked: “What the hell are you doing?”

Yao Wenbo was notorious for impersonating his roommates.

Xie Wuchi replied mildly, “I haven’t played much lately.”

Yet Yao Wenbo was already rambling about string tension. The more Liang Yucai listened, the more outrageous it sounded: “Say that again if you dare!”

Within minutes, Liang Yucai was in a headlock tussle with Yao Wenbo. Xie Wuchi shifted to the side, settling even closer to Shi Shu.

“…”

Shi Shu had zero interest in men.

It was just that subtle scent teasing his nose again, remarkably clean and pleasant. After a heavy bass drop in the music, Xie Wuchi’s voice murmured close by: “Does it feel too loud? If you aren’t used to noisy environments, your ears will hurt.”

His tone was natural and easy, as if talking to an old friend.

Shi Shu: “It’s lively, I don’t mind.”

Xie Wuchi asked casually, “How often do you usually come?”

Shi Shu countered: “Do you work here?”

Xie Wuchi: “If you wish to interpret it that way, you can.”

Because of the ambient noise, Xie Wuchi leaned closer, his voice brushing against his ear like a whisper.

Now that his occupation was on the table, Shi Shu stated bluntly: “You can go chat with them. You don’t need to entertain me; I don’t need services.”

“Is that so?”

Leaning back into the cushions, Xie Wuchi swept a glance over the surrounding revelry: “I am somewhat tired tonight and have no desire to entertain guests. Seeing that you were easy to talk to, I came over to treat this corner as a sanctuary.”

“…”

I knew it. Why else would one guy cling to another guy like this?

Xie Wuchi: “Am I bothering you?”

“No.”

“Then may I stay here?”

Shi Shu: “Sure. I just didn’t get why you kept striking up conversations with me.”

Xie Wuchi studied him for a long moment, then broke into another very amicable smile.

Now that his motive was clear, Shi Shu’s wariness and discomfort faded. They planned to stay until ten before heading back to campus; dorm curfew was at eleven with power and water cut, so they needed time to shower.

The room was bustling with games of cards, dice, Truth or Dare, dancing, and filming clips. Bursts of wild laughter erupted as someone took a Dare penalty. The male hosts were all handsome; whether straight or not was anyone’s guess, appearing equally game with either gender.

Right across from him, someone proposed that a host kiss another guy. While claiming he was straight, the host kissed the guy without batting an eye.

Shi Shu looked away immediately.

Yao Wenbo sighed in awe: “They totally earn every penny of that paycheck.”

Shi Shu had never seen such scenes before: the hosts had zero qualms about being touched or embraced by men or women, completely uninhibited.

Shi Shu stole a glance at the man seated beside him.

Theoretically speaking, he was the exact same.

Except Xie Wuchi sat on the couch with his jacket off, looking far more impeccably tailored than the rest. Shi Shu wasn’t old enough to appreciate high-end suiting, but one thing was clear: they all dressed dignified and sharp, looking stoic on the outside while radiating temptation.

And he definitely gave off the vibe that entering this industry would haul in millions.

It was getting messy, and Shi Shu didn’t want to linger, calling over his roommates.

The boys chorused, “Bail, bail, bail!” grabbing their coats.

Shi Shu rarely visited bars, spending his free time on athletic tracks. Finally leaving, Xie Wuchi stood up: “Heading back to school?”

Shi Shu: “Yep, time to go.”

Xie Wuchi pulled out his phone: “Would you like to add WeChat so I can transfer the money for the drinks to you?”

“No need, it’s nothing.” Yao Wenbo was patting down his pockets for keys: “Where’s my student ID? Did you bring keys? Did you?”

Shi Shu: “I have them, I have them.”

“Let’s move, let’s move.”

Shi Shu walked toward the door. Xie Wuchi followed at an unhurried pace like seeing off a guest, continuing to chat: “When will you come next time?”

Shi Shu: “Probably rarely.”

Xie Wuchi: “Then how about exchanging contact info?”

Shi Shu: “Uh?”

Holding the door open for him, Xie Wuchi said, “I enjoyed chatting with you. I play badminton occasionally, but never have anyone to play with. Can we be friends?”

Shi Shu tapped his fingers against his phone: “Well…”

Before he could stammer out an excuse, Xie Wuchi lowered his eyes: “Do you have prejudices against my profession?”

“Huh? No, you…” Shi Shu choked on his words.

Xie Wuchi held out his QR code: “Add me.”

“…”

Late autumn winds swept through dry leaves along the street. Shi Shu and his roommates emerged from the dark corridor into the chilly air, Xie Wuchi walking beside him.

A front desk staff member spotted Xie Wuchi and looked ready to speak, but froze in place the moment Xie Wuchi raised a subtle hand.

While Shi Shu hailed a cab, Xie Wuchi stood beside him: “The weather is cooling down; make sure to wear more layers.”

Liang Yucai shot several glances at him, then at Shi Shu.

Shi Shu thought to himself that male hosts truly knew how to provide customer service, seeing clients all the way into their ride.

“Yeah, yeah, sure, sure, okay.”

The taxi pulled up. Xie Wuchi opened the door for him, then closed it: “Goodbye.”

As the car drove off, his roommates exploded: “Holy crap, who was that guy? How did he latch onto you?”

Shi Shu pulled his hood up, flattening the hair over his ears: “Probably one of the guys called over to entertain us.”

Liang Yucai: “Damn, he was gorgeous. Did you add him?”

Screen light illuminated Shi Shu’s brow as he stared at the new, empty chat window in his WeChat: “Just casually added him.”

Liang Yucai warned, “Be careful. These hosts have at least hundreds of clients on their Moments, all designed to fleece money. They’re drink pushers for KTVs: flirting with you, stringing you along so you come back and run up the tab, taking a cut of the alcohol sales.”

Shi Shu: “Isn’t that just a romance scammer?”

“Pretty much. Just watch your back,” Liang Yucai said. “That one was the hottest of the bunch; his contact list probably has thousands of clients.”

Shi Shu had planned to just let him sit dormant in his contacts; he didn’t like deleting people as it felt impolite.

“Whatever. He’s a guy; how could he possibly have any appeal to me?”

“Keep your guard up!” Liang Yucai insisted. “These guys usually swing both ways, fleecing men and women alike, you hear? If he wants your cash, it’s only a matter of when he feels like it. They’re dangerously manipulative.”

Swings both ways?

Before Shi Shu locked his screen, two characters popped up in the chat:

[Xie Xun]

Providing his name for the contact note.

The cab stopped at the campus gates, and the group walked inside in lively chatter, still buzzing with the intoxicating rush of the night’s nightlife.

Tossing his phone on his desk, Shi Shu washed up, returning in pajamas to towel-dry his hair.

Before sleeping, he checked his phone. Xie Wuchi had sent a new text:

[It will rain tomorrow. Remember to take an umbrella when you head out.]

“…”

A bit odd, but Shi Shu sent a sticker in reply.

Sure enough, rain fell the next day. Having agreed to tour a temple together, the four boys braved the downpour, getting drenched to the bone, chorusing endless “Holy crap!”s every time they stepped into a foul puddle.

His dorm mates were great guys. When the four of them were together, they could do the dumbest things without anyone being a buzzkill, which made it a blast.

Yao Wenbo remained silent, entirely obsessed with analyzing the night before: “Brothers, I swear that girl last night was into me. When I grabbed the fruit platter, she stared at me several times. Tsk, a missed opportunity.”

Liang Yucai: “I’m starving. Let’s grab some scenic-spot overpriced cold noodles.”

Yao Ye: “Right, right, totally makes sense.”

Climbing stone stairs in the rain, Shi Shu checked his phone under a tree: “Who’s texting me?”

Xie Xun.

[Photo]

[Eating lunch alone]

A grilled chicken breast and vegetable salad. Inconvenient to type, Shi Shu replied via voice message: “You eat cleaner and plainer than us sports majors.”

With that, Shi Shu locked his screen, leaving it untouched for hours. After hiking the mountain with his roommates, he only replied on the bus ride back to campus.

Shi Shu usually played ball on the sports grounds and rarely set foot in bars; he was destined to share only a one-time encounter with a certain host. Throughout the following week of classes, Shi Shu maintained his easygoing approach: if a message popped up, he casually replied with a line or two.

Still, given Liang Yucai’s warning, Shi Shu kept an eye out for suspicious behavior.

Fortunately, their chats centered purely around daily meals, weather, and routine, without any overt schemes.

Typing a reply took zero effort.

Shi Shu favored real-life friends, rarely chatting with anyone online.

Friday evening around seven or eight, Shi Shu had just returned from the courts, showered, video-called his parents, and stepped out toward the supermarket near the campus gates to restock hand soap for the dorm.

Right then, an audio call chimed from Xie Xun.

Preceded by a text: [I am outside your campus gates]

Shi Shu answered: “Hello?”

Xie Wuchi: “It is quite lively near your university.”

Ambient clamor filtered through the speaker. Shi Shu asked, “What’s up? Is something going on?”

“I heard the night market near your sports university is quite famous. I haven’t had dinner yet, so I came over for a stroll. Do you have any recommendations for good food around here?”

Shi Shu asked which gate he was at; he happened to be nearby.

Shi Shu walked toward the exit: “There are plenty of great spots. What kind of food are you in the mood for?”

On a Friday night, the area outside the campus gates was blazing with lights. Beyond the dense rows of restaurants, the sidewalk was packed with street food carts: cold noodles, jianbing, skewers, stinky tofu, pickled vegetable flatbreads, steam billowing beneath incandescent bulbs amid milling crowds.

Shi Shu intended to spend a couple of minutes giving directions, only to turn and spot a tall figure beneath the tree shade, dressed in a black cashmere sweater, smoothing his tailored cuffs. Catching sight of Shi Shu, the man smiled: “What a coincidence, you happened to be right near the gates?”

Shi Shu had nothing urgent going on: “What do you want to eat?”

“I am not sure; I am not familiar with this area. Are you busy right now?”

Shi Shu: “Not busy. I just need to grab hand soap from the store later.”

Xie Wuchi: “Then could you accompany me for a walk through the market from end to end?”

Shi Shu realized the man was remarkably adept at making small, low-effort requests that were hard to refuse.

“Let’s go.”

Shi Shu turned around. The area outside a university was sacred ground, filled with endless couples and friends strolling, laughing until their stomachs ached, chatting freely.

The evening air was brisk as the temperature dropped. Xie Wuchi walked shoulder to shoulder with Shi Shu: “Are you a local?”

Shi Shu yawned: “No, just studying here.”

Xie Wuchi: “Your roommate claimed you were from Tsinghua.”

“…” Shi Shu grumbled, “He talks nonsense everywhere he goes. But how did you find this place then?”

Xie Wuchi: “The classmates sitting near you confessed everything.”

Shi Shu laughed twice, turning his profile: “This Lanzhou beef noodle spot is great. If you tell the owner, he piles on plenty of beef.”

Xie Wuchi: “Sounds tempting, but I would like to look a bit more.”

Shi Shu pointed to the other side: “The chicken claypot over there is amazing, but usually people share it in groups; a single person can’t finish that portion.”

Xie Wuchi: “Have you eaten dinner?”

Shi Shu: “Ate ages ago, it’s already eight or nine. How come you’re only eating now?”

Xie Wuchi: “Oh. I just woke up.”

Passersby brushed past them, several students turning to check them out. Shi Shu asked, “What kind of sleep schedule is that?”

“I work the night shift.”

At those words, Shi Shu paused in his tracks, his occupation flashing across his mind once again.