Chapter 20: Living together?

“Damn! Iai Slash! Helm Breaker! Argh! I missed!”

“Help! Bai Yao, lure the monster away!”

“When did you get carted? You didn’t even say anything.”

To be honest, playing games with Bai Yao wasn’t very fun.

The guy was cold enough in real life, but in games, he wouldn’t say a word.

He didn’t even speak when he died.

“I don’t know…”

Qiu Ye looked at Bai Yao, seeing him leaning forward with a tense expression, staring at the screen.

His mouse clicks were rapid, and the keyboard clattered.

The character in the game seemed to have ADHD, rolling all over the place before getting sent flying by the monster.

“How am I dead? I dodged!”

No wonder he wasn’t talking; he’d completely locked up.

Bai Yao usually only played management sims.

He could handle Paradox’s grand strategy games with no problem, but asking him to play a high-difficulty action game like Monster Hunter right away was asking a lot.

The character was like a turtle, everything was a beat too slow.

Besides, the computer was trash and lagged.

He wanted to buy a new computer.

A 5060 Laptop with the National Subsidy seemed to cost over 6,000 yuan now?

It had only been a few days since he got the System, and Bai Yao’s material desires were shooting up…

A few days ago, with a monthly budget of 1,500 yuan, he wouldn’t spend more than ten yuan on a meal.

After necessary expenses, there was almost nothing left for the month.

He would feel physical pain over spending even one extra yuan of his hard-earned savings.

Getting money was too easy now.

Though it wasn’t a lot, it still tempted his nerves like a devil.

It was like making quick money through illegal channels or gambling—addictive and warping his values.

Bai Yao shook his head vigorously and slapped his cheeks with both hands to wake himself up.

But everything was exchanged for his soul!

If this continued, he was afraid he’d become a high-class Futanari with D-cup breasts!

Qiu Ye watched Bai Yao with a strange expression.

He saw Bai Yao slap his cheeks, bite his nails in frustration, and tilt his head with a girl-like look of distress… every movement had a touch of cuteness.

It helped that Bai Yao was already fair-featured, so it didn’t feel too out of place.

‘Was Bai Yao always like this?’

Anyway, during class, he always looked indifferent and never spoke to anyone.

“Want a late-night snack?”

“A snack? Probably not.”

“If you’re worried about gaining weight, we can go running together tomorrow morning.”

Right, there was also that long-term exercise quest.

30 minutes of exercise would earn him 100 yuan.

But the side effect was unbearable… Body Improvement.

It was clearly turning his physique into that of a girl’s.

“I’m not hungry.”

Despite saying that, Bai Yao had only eaten some grilled squid and one skewer of tenderloin for dinner.

Now that the topic of a late-night snack had been raised, his stomach actually started to ache with hunger.

He rubbed his stomach, got up, grabbed clothes from the wardrobe, and headed for a shower, planning to sleep through the hunger.

Seeing Bai Yao leave, Qiu Ye kicked his legs up and ordered a burger set for himself.

He set his phone aside and continued playing Monster Hunter.

Within 10 minutes, Bai Yao finished his shower and returned to the dorm with his bare legs exposed.

He stood in front of the mirror, picked up the hairdryer to dry his hair, and looked at himself.

At first glance, it didn’t seem different from before.

But there was a faint hint of a girl’s silhouette and posture appearing in his body.

His thighs had even gotten a bit thicker… but they looked more aesthetic than his previous stick-thin legs?

Bai Yao frowned and turned to see Qiu Ye.

The guy was stroking his chin, scanning him up and down as if performing a scan.

It made Bai Yao shiver; a chill ran down his spine.

‘What the hell! Is he a leg man? Go look at women’s legs!’

Disgusted, Bai Yao instinctively pressed his legs together and turned his back to Qiu Ye, quickly pulling on his pants.

He couldn’t run around the dorm with bare legs anymore.

Even right after a shower, he had to be fully armed and properly dressed.

“Are you sick?” Bai Yao couldn’t hold it back.

“Do you have the medicine?”

Bai Yao was speechless at the childish response.

“Have you seen those femboy streamers online? They’re super popular, and I think you’d be perfect for it!”

Bai Yao’s eyelid twitched as he refused without hesitation.

“I will never be a femboy in this life!”

He dried his hair halfway and scrambled into bed, pulling the curtains shut.

“Sleeping so early? It’s only 10:00 PM.”

“I’m sleeping!”

Inside the small, dark space blocked by the curtains, Bai Yao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He had liked small, dark environments since he was a child.

Once, he hid in a wardrobe for a nap, making his family think he was kidnapped.

They spent the whole afternoon searching for him in a panic, and he got a good beating afterward.

He plugged his phone in and stretched, relaxing his tense nerves.

He thought back to the 100 yuan he earned today; he felt a bit unwilling yet lucky.

Qiu Ye’s food arrived.

The rustling sound of the takeout bags caught Bai Yao’s attention.

He rubbed his stomach, put in earplugs, and turned toward the wall, trying to ignore the temptation.

The earplugs were uncomfortable, feeling strange in his ears.

But they did block most of the noise.

Suddenly, Bai Yao’s nose twitched.

He caught the scent of fried chicken, and his stomach finally let out a growling protest.

‘So hungry…’

[The happy days of living with your crush are here!]

While he was starving, the System suddenly triggered a quest, making Bai Yao flinch.

[Although Qiu Ye doesn’t know your feelings yet, and although you simply lust after his body… you must seize this grand opportunity of living together!]

[Just watching him isn’t enough! Have you played Galgames? It’s time to work hard on raising his Affection Level! The System will assist you throughout the process—providing necessary aid!]

‘I don’t even know what I feel for him! And who the hell lusts after his body?!’

Bai Yao rolled his eyes.

He waited for a moment, but since no quest requirement or reward appeared, he frowned.

The next second, the bed curtain was pulled back.

He was so startled that he didn’t dare move, fearing the System’s ill intentions toward Qiu Ye would be discovered.

“Not asleep yet, right?”

Qiu Ye stood by the bed, peering in through a gap in the curtain.

He only saw a thin, frail shoulder facing away from him.

“Want some? Hungry? Doesn’t it smell good?”

He held out a fried chicken drumstick.

“I’m full. There’s one leg left. Do you want it?”

“…”

“Really? It’s still hot. Fragrant, crispy, and tender.”

To be honest, it really did smell good…

“It’s on me.”

Bai Yao swallowed his saliva several times before finally turning around to glare at Qiu Ye.

It wasn’t just resentment over the food; it was because he didn’t want to interact with Qiu Ye, yet Qiu Ye kept pushing closer.

He hadn’t been this popular before.

He was just an ordinary male college student.

Why was this guy being so nice to him?

“Fine, I’ll eat it! Take it down first; don’t get it all over the bed.”

“Got it!”

Having dragged Bai Yao down into the abyss of late-night snacking with him, Qiu Ye walked away satisfied.

If I’m getting fat, we’re getting fat together!

“By the way, staying up all night?”

[Of course you’re staying up all night! Men are like brothers-in-arms who have been through the trenches together after a night of gaming! He will remember the wonderful night spent with you for years to come!]

[Pull an all-nighter with Qiu Ye. Reward: 100 yuan]

“No, I’m sleeping after I eat.”