What if My Roommate Finds Out I Write Danmei? - Chapter 15
Chapter 15: 15L: Delighted to Hear, Pleased to See
Thinking that Pang Zaiyuan is about to have a girlfriend, Ning Wenru didn’t become too crazed.
After all, Pang Zaiyuan is going to have a partner anyway, so why worry about whether he’s gay? The reason for asking this question is probably because I’m afraid that I might take the initiative to do something like the protagonist in the novel.
So, Ning Wenru shrank his shoulders, completely relaxed his body against the back of the chair, and weakly offered a random explanation: “Although what I write are danmei novels about men dating men, they’re just stories, fictional stories. I have absolutely no thoughts about Yue Weijian, and I have absolutely no thoughts about you either. You can rest assured.”
Pang Zaiyuan turned his head in surprise, then immediately turned back forward, staring at the rearview mirror, and said in a low voice: “Absolutely no thoughts.”
“That’s right,” Ning Wenru said with a helpless smile, “I was just worried that after you found out I write danmei novels, you’d find me disgusting and avoid me, so I was very careful to maintain a distance with my roommates and classmates, not wanting to cause you any trouble. Moreover, think about it, even if I am a gay guy, it doesn’t mean every man in the world would like me, right? It’s just like how straight men won’t fall for every girl they meet either.”
Pang Zaiyuan couldn’t sit down anymore, unbuckled his seat belt and panted into Ning Wenru, staring at him fiercely, eyes narrowed, his pitch-black pupils seemingly reflecting a sharp cold light in the darkness. The suddenly approaching figure and enlarged face gave Ning Wenru a sense of oppression like dark clouds looming overhead.
Only the sound of Pang Zaiyuan’s cold question was heard: “Not even a little?”
Ning Wenru, as if he had seen a severe and fearsome drill sergeant, loudly assured him: “Absolutely not! I guarantee it!”
Pang Zaiyuan asked again: “Really?”
Seeing Pang Zaiyuan’s unusually serious expression, from this close distance, Ning Wenru could even count the number of his eyelashes, clearly seeing those blue stubble sprouts.
The warm air Pang Zaiyuan exhaled sprayed onto Ning Wenru’s face, making him feel as if he could sense the warmth of his facial pores opening up. From such a close distance, Ning Wenru even thought Pang Zaiyuan was about to kiss him, his heart pounding wildly and nearly about to leap out as he wanted to cover his face.
Unable to help himself, Ning Wenru shrank back a bit, but behind him was the backrest, leaving no room to retreat. He could only cry out loud: “Absolutely genuine! I indeed see you as a friend, I have no intention to offend you.”
It must be true, even if it’s false it must be true. Pang Zaiyuan is a good person, but if he knew his roommate wrote such unspeakable danmei, and was being coveted, getting spied on every day, that would be another matter.
Although Pang Zaiyuan is very tolerant of danmei, it’s only under the condition of maintaining a safe distance that he’s tolerant. How many reader gay friends have told Ning Wenru their sad stories of BEing with straight roommates and straight schoolmates? Ning Wenru doesn’t want to be thrown out of the car by Pang Zaiyuan right now and kicked to death.
Ning Wenru looked sincerely at Pang Zaiyuan, who had thumped the car. Pang Zaiyuan fell silent, seemingly turning back to sit down because he had nothing to say, hiding his stern profile in the shadows within the car. The glimmer of light from the street lamp allowed Ning Wenru to only see his straight nose bridge, his tightly pursed lips, and his tightly clenched teeth, while his eyes were hazy and indiscernible.
Fortunately, Pang Zaiyuan sat back down, and Ning Wenru sighed with relief.
But in this dark night, the streetlights were dim, the pedestrians on the road were sparse, and the sudden silence in the car became frighteningly awkward.
Ning Wenru pondered for a while, and suddenly had a flash of inspiration!
The reason Pang Zaiyuan is so unhappy now, could it be because Pang Zaiyuan is a narcissist, thinking that everyone who sees him will love him, so he’s unhappy that this gay of his didn’t fall for someone rich with good conditions, devastatingly handsome, and also utterly perfectly proportioned like him?
It couldn’t be seen that he was this kind of person, actually resembling Yue Weijian. Clearly about to have a girlfriend, straight men flirting with gays is simply too sinful!
But Pang Zaiyuan had just been very nice, knowing that he wrote such unspeakable danmei novels and still comforting him, so Ning Wenru boldly broke this eerie silence, cautiously saying: “In fact, your appearance is good and your figure is great, you’re also a very nice person, I really like you too.”
“Oh?” Pang Zaiyuan finally responded a bit.
Ning Wenru promptly handed out a kind card: “You are a very good roommate.”
Pang Zaiyuan coldly asked: “Didn’t you want to screw the sky, the earth, and the roommate?”
Ning Wenru went completely Spartacus, crazed: “How dare you! Absolutely not! This is just the novel’s title and has nothing to do with my reality! You must believe me!”
Pang Zaiyuan made an “oh” sound, then fell silent again.
Ning Wenru sat uneasily in the front passenger seat, and if Pang Zaiyuan hadn’t been such a good person, he would have asked to return to the dormitory long before. Just what was this silence about? The Didi taxi had arrived at its destination and stopped by the roadside, yet even after waiting for so long, it still didn’t drive off.
After waiting a while longer, Ning Wenru asked, “Hey, are we going back to the dormitory? It’s almost 11 o’clock. Are you tired? I can drive.”
“Emotionally exhausted,” Pang Zaiyuan gritted his teeth, his jaw muscles bulging, then said indifferently, “The dormitories will be closed by now, and if you return, your points will be deducted.”
“Yes,” Ning Wenru asked, “Then where are we going? Will we spend the night in the car?”
“A hotel.” Pang Zaiyuan’s words were brief, but his actions were not vague. He turned off the hazard lights and started the car without a word.
Ning Wenru studied Pang Zaiyuan’s expression in the rear-view mirror and noticed that apart from his usual impassiveness, his jaw muscles were clenched and bulging, as if showing that he was currently in a state of great anger. Ning Wenru gave him two puzzled looks, sighed, and then turned to look out the window.
My heart is really weary. We were chatting so amicably just now, but now it’s suddenly turned cold. Straight men’s thoughts are truly hard to guess.
However, the atmosphere in the car only turned cold for a while, for Pang Zaiyuan suddenly spoke up, “I’ve read all your novels and discovered that they all contain a small problem.”
Upon hearing Pang Zaiyuan talk about his novels, Ning Wenru’s attention immediately returned, and he asked: “What problem? I also feel stuck in a rut; the more I write, the more I feel like I’m treading water or even regressing.”
Pang Zaiyuan, while driving, patiently explained in a calm tone: “Although each book’s theme isn’t exactly the same, the plots are too common. If the characters had more substance and the stories were sufficiently cool, they could be improved significantly. Overall, you don’t know how to play.”
“Huh? How to play?” Ning Wenru asked.
Ning Wenru thought he already knew enough tricks and techniques, but it turned out that Pang Zaiyuan, who seemed utterly upright at first glance, actually had hidden depths and was even better at playing than him!
“You spend all day immersed in the laboratory, and the rest of the time is spent writing novels. You haven’t paid attention to the market. Now, changes in the era are happening rapidly every day, and if it’s not novel or cool enough, nobody will pay attention,” Pang Zaiyuan’s analysis was spot-on. “I read your new work, the Imperial General’s Elaborate Confession, and the confessions in the book review section are too ordinary. And today, your date tactics of shopping, watching a movie, and eating are also too old. At a glance, it’s obvious you’re a homebody who doesn’t go on dates often.”
“How did you know that today’s date was made up of shopping, watching a movie, and eating?” Ning Wenru scratched his head embarrassedly.
Pang Zaiyuan was silent.
Ning Wenru shrank a bit, his curiosity about the novel methods Pang Zaiyuan mentioned increased even more. He immediately gave up asking for further explanation and turned to ask instead, “Then what are your suggestions?”
Pang Zaiyuan got on the highway, and with a stylish stomp on the accelerator, he said, “Tonight I’ll show you a new technique for confessing, and teach you how to play.”
His roommate is indeed great!
He can spot the shortcomings in my writing, and even take me to see a novel method of confessing! He’s completely different from those big brothers who ridicule Lei Wen. Such a good roommate, I must cherish him carefully. Ning Wenru decided, I must silently maintain a good distance and absolutely not let my roommate feel troubled!
Moreover, I never thought Pang Zaiyuan would actually read all my writings and all my dark history! Pang Zaiyuan also joined my benefit group, and would analyze the problems in my writing, he must have earnestly read and especially liked my writing to do this. Maybe, Pang Zaiyuan is actually my little fanboy reader!
Treating Pang Zaiyuan as my fanboy, Ning Wenru suddenly relaxed a lot, the corners of his mouth carrying a smile, his mood also soaring to the skies, feeling an inexplicable sense of achievement.