“A box of brisket fat was all it took to win him over.”
While Bai Yao was in the bathroom, Qiu Ye boasted about his victory.
Chen Zhilong looked toward the balcony and sighed helplessly.
“Why is Bai Yao’s personality becoming so much like a girl’s?”
He vaguely remembered Bai Yao’s old appearance; he had just been a slim guy.
But now, whether it was because he’d gained weight or for some other reason, his body had become soft.
There was a clear layer of flesh on his chest, forming a noticeable curve, and his butt seemed to have grown quite a bit.
Over the past few days, he’d seen Bai Yao using Lin Mingxin’s face masks every day.
It seemed his skin really had improved.
At least the uneven skin tone and acne were gone.
His face was fair and clean, his facial features had softened from the weight gain, and combined with his already decent features, he looked even more like a girl.
Even his personality had become as temperamental as a girl’s.
“Haven’t you noticed Brother Hao has to go to the bathroom to change now?”
Chen Zhilong spoke ill of him behind his back.
“That guy acts all carefree, but he’s actually shy.”
“That’s probably because he sees Bai Yao as a girl. I wouldn’t do that.”
Even if he did, Qiu Ye would never admit it.
If Bai Yao found out, he would surely be furious, rather than hissing and scratching like a cute little kitten.
Bai Yao returned from the bathroom and sat in front of the computer to watch a stream.
‘What are they talking about?’
He looked curiously at Qiu Ye and Chen Zhilong huddled together, feeling a bit nervous.
But noticing their gazes were normal, he felt relieved.
It was fine as long as Qiu Ye didn’t have a big mouth and go around telling everyone he wore women’s clothes — though he wasn’t sure if Qiu Ye had even noticed.
This made Bai Yao feel restless, and he anxiously bit his nails.
“You’re already thinking about the hot pot?”
Chen Zhilong misinterpreted his frequent glances.
“I’ll send a message to ask the Big Star and Brother Hao when they’re coming back.”
“The Real Combat Brother probably isn’t coming back — ” Qiu Ye crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.
“Doing that kind of mess… isn’t he afraid of catching something?”
“It shouldn’t be that bad. I only dated once in high school and broke up after graduation. What about you? Lots of girls must have chased you, right?”
Chen Zhilong spoke as he looked down at his phone to message the group.
“Of course!”
Bai Yao couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Qiu Ye.
This was different from what he’d said before.
Previously, Qiu Ye had said he was a virgin, which had made Bai Yao feel a bit of kinship with him.
“I almost dated one, but the family tore us apart,” Qiu Ye sighed.
“My family was strict. I barely even spoke to girls in high school.”
“And then?”
“Then in my senior year, I just stopped going to school.”
Every time Qiu Ye mentioned this, he had a proud, boasting look on his face, flaunting that he had finally succeeded in rebelling once.
“I just locked the door, put on my headphones, and played on the computer all night, every day.”
Chen Zhilong nodded.
“The Big Star said he’s not coming back.”
“I knew it. What about Brother Hao?”
“He said the team has a dinner tonight, so it’ll just be the three of us.”
Chen Zhilong picked up the pot and went to the balcony to fill it with water.
Qiu Ye’s hand was a bit inconvenient, but he still helped plug in the induction cooker and unpack the hot pot ingredients they’d just bought from the supermarket.
“Bai Yao, come over and wait for the hot pot.”
“Okay.”
Bai Yao stood up and walked forward, taking a folding table from the corner.
He unfolded it near the power outlet and proactively moved everyone’s chairs to the table.
Then, he took out extra disposable chopsticks from their dorm’s takeout stash and handed them out.
Chen Zhilong returned soon, placed the pot on the induction cooker, and added the tomato soup base.
He pulled out some beers he’d hidden in his backpack.
“Bai Yao? Want a bottle?”
Bai Yao instinctively shook his head.
He had some self-awareness.
Right now, he practically had a girl’s slim body, and his looks were quite good.
Although it added style, he still had to be careful about acquaintance crimes when out and about…
But the ones in front of him were Qiu Ye and Chen Zhilong.
He and Qiu Ye were brothers who’d faced life and death together, and Chen Zhilong was usually generous and upright.
More importantly, these two definitely weren’t gay.
“You seem troubled every day. Drinking a bit to drown your sorrows is good, too,” Chen Zhilong casually urged him again.
“Okay.”
Bai Yao agreed this time, took the bottle, opened it, and took a small sip.
This would interrupt his milestone reward for quitting smoking and drinking, but it would prevent the system from giving him another abstract and useless reward next time.
This was actually the fourth time he had ever drunk alcohol.
The first was a high school party, the second was a late-night snack with his best friend from high school, and the third was a barbecue with his cousin a while ago.
The beer tasted slightly bitter.
Its flavor alone wasn’t as good as cola, but it was very refreshing.
A single gulp washed away the summer heat, and his whole body felt a bit lighter.
“Drink less,” Qiu Ye reminded him.
“Okay.”
Paired with various hot pot balls, Bai Yao soon finished two bottles of beer.
He felt a bit lightheaded, and his mind, which usually liked to overthink, unconsciously went blank.
He seemed to suddenly understand why the perverted woman the system mentioned was addicted to alcohol…
Bai Yao didn’t think he was drunk, but his eyes were becoming a bit hazy, and a faint blush appeared on his cheeks.
“Have you seen that new AI from abroad? It’s so cool.”
“By the time we graduate in a few years, we might not even be better than an AI.”
Qiu Ye was talking to Chen Zhilong about AI. Bai Yao couldn’t quite understand it, so he just focused on his food and drink.
The topic soon shifted to games.
“Damn it, I had a 4-star Jhin with full items and an 11-unit board in the final round, but I still lost! I’ll remember this for the rest of my life!”
“Still not as bad as when I was one-away from a Guoshi Wushuang and got robbed by a Duan Yao.”
Bai Yao didn’t really understand the game talk either, so he couldn’t join the conversation.
He just kept drinking and eating meat.
Having drunk a bit much, his blank mind began to feel fuzzy.
He let out a beer burp and looked down, holding his slightly aching forehead.
“I’m going back to sleep…”
“Your tolerance is that low?” Chen Zhilong teased. “It’s only been a few bottles.”
“If you can’t drink anymore, then stop. Go to sleep.”
Qiu Ye reached out and took the remaining half bottle away.
“No… my brisket fat.”
Qiu Ye rolled his eyes, took out the brisket fat, and scooped a large portion for Bai Yao.
“Eat slowly.”
“I need to use the toilet…”
Having drunk too much, Bai Yao really had to pee.
He stood up and frowned as he gauged his state.
Although his head was a bit dizzy, his thoughts and body seemed fairly normal.
He didn’t feel top-heavy, his vision wasn’t blurry or doubling, and his mind wasn’t racing or going crazy.
He was just tired as hell.
‘It’s only been a few bottles, after all. My tolerance isn’t that bad.’
Bai Yao waddled toward the balcony like a penguin.
Seeing this, Qiu Ye quickly stood up and moved to his side to guard him.
“I’m fine. I haven’t drunk that much. See? I’m walking just fine.”
‘Well, your speech is clear, but could you stop swaying while you walk?’
Qiu Ye continued to guide Bai Yao toward the balcony, looking down at his roommate’s expression.
At some point, Bai Yao’s face had turned completely red.
His lips were slightly parted in a silly way, and his gaze was vacant and hazy.
With this cute, dazed look, he felt like someone who could easily be tricked into bed…
Qiu Ye pressed down on Bai Yao’s head.
“Be careful in the bathroom.”
“Okay.”
Bai Yao was about to enter the bathroom but suddenly turned around and looked up at Qiu Ye’s face.
“What?”
“You… this afternoon, I secretly wore — “
Halfway through his unfiltered sentence, Bai Yao suddenly snapped out of it and shook his muddled head vigorously.
“No, it’s nothing. Anyway, if you find out, don’t tell anyone, or we’re done!”
“???”
Qiu Ye was stunned.
He truly hadn’t realized that the girl in the short skirt running through the rain with a mask was Bai Yao. He didn’t understand at all.
What was so serious that they’d have to end their friendship over it?
“Also…”
“Yeah?”
Bai Yao’s voice turned high-pitched and cute as he acted like a spoiled child.
“I want to eat a burger, Qiu Ye. I want a burger, pizza, and ice cream…”
Qiu Ye’s heart instantly softened, and he couldn’t help but let out a helpless smile.
“I’ll buy it, I’ll buy it all…”
“I want lobster… a huge one!”
Bai Yao spread his arms wide to show the size of the lobster.
“Hurry up and use the bathroom, then go to sleep!”
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