What if My Roommate Finds Out I Write Danmei? - Chapter 17
Chapter 17: 17L – Delightful News and Happiness
The small black room was truly a small black room. As Pang Zaiyuan pulled the black door curtain closed, the last bit of light in the small black room disappeared. Ning Wenru fell into total darkness, and there was no difference between opening his eyes and closing them.
How could a prestigious large hotel have a small black room that wouldn’t let any light through?
If a stranger led Ning Wenru to the small black room, he would definitely escape immediately, but Pang Zaiyuan was a good Chinese roommate who understood and tolerated his unknown little hobbies, and moreover, Pang Zaiyuan was his young reader fan! From the moment they got out of the car, Pang Zaiyuan had been holding Ning Wenru’s hand, and even now his right hand was still being held in Pang Zaiyuan’s pocket. Although he could see nothing, the warmth felt at his fingertips was very reassuring.
Ning Wenru eagerly asked, “What is the small black room for? Is it for playing ‘screech in a haunted house’ and then making a confession? Or is it for petting scary little animals, or perhaps escape rooms?”
“None of those,” in the quiet darkness, Pang Zaiyuan’s voice sounded particularly clear and loud. “Have you played the game ‘Close Your Eyes’ before?”
“I haven’t?” Ning Wenru was drowning in confusion. He was just a tech geek who occasionally wrote code; video games were far removed from him.
Pang Zaiyuan’s voice line was soft: “Then I’ll teach you. The game rules are, you listen to my instructions, and move accordingly to what I say.”
“Okay.” Seeing nothing, everything was unknown. Ning Wenru felt somewhat anticipating, eager to try, yet also sensed some fear. If Pang Zaiyuan wanted him to touch slimy snakes or toads or whatnot, then this experience would still be quite disgusting.
But since Pang Zaiyuan had said he was going to take him to see a cool confession, it should probably not be too scary.
While Ning Wenru was wildly guessing, the right hand that Pang Zaiyuan had been holding the whole night was thrown away. Ning Wenru reached out and groped around in the air, but he couldn’t feel anything, as if Pang Zaiyuan had left.
“Now we begin.” Pang Zaiyuan’s voice rang out from nearby. Ning Wenru instantly felt like he’d found a main pillar of support, and without meaning to, he started walking towards him, groping forward. Then he heard Pang Zaiyuan say: “Stop. Turn around five times in place.”
“Alright. 1… 2… 3… 4… 5!” Ignorant of the reasons, Ning Wenru turned around five times in place, spinning himself until he was dizzy. Only after turning did he discover that he had completely lost his sense of direction, and could no longer find where he had just entered!
In other words, he was now completely unable to escape from the small black room!
Ning Wenru suddenly understood what Pang Zaiyuan’s purpose was for making him walk in circles. To make himself dizzy, to make himself entirely entrust safety and surprise, and to gamble with absolute trust.
In the small black room, it seemed as though his world had become as if only Pang Zaiyuan remained.
After Ning Wenru finished walking in circles and steadied himself for a while, his head no longer dizzy, he heard a soothing and melodious waltz played within the small black room. Then, his right hand was accurately grasped.
“Can you see?”
“Yes.” A wave of warmth spread around Ning Wenru’s ear, as if his ear were right at the edge of Pang Zaiyuan’s mouth. Whether it was an illusion or not, just now it seemed as though he had been touched by something warm and soft. At such a close distance, Pang Zaiyuan’s magnetic deep voice was infinitely amplified, sounding even more gentle and pleasant amidst the soothing waltz music: “I’m wearing special glasses that allow me to see at night. Now I am the confessor, you’re responsible for experiencing it.”
“Okay.” Apart from tightly holding Pang Zaiyuan’s right hand, Ning Wenru didn’t dare to move randomly at all. Pang Zaiyuan’s lips were right by his ear. Ning Wenru didn’t know what position Pang Zaiyuan was in now, fearing that in a moment of carelessness he would touch places he shouldn’t.
Next, Ning Wenru felt his right hand being pulled, and then heard Pang Zaiyuan say: “There are no obstacles ahead, follow me.”
“Mm-hmm.” Ning Wenru was led step by step by Pang Zaiyuan, following Pang Zaiyuan’s guidance around two corners, feeling the temperature in the small black room drop, his body somewhat cold. Then, Ning Wenru received orders to sit still in place.
After sitting down, he felt that this sofa was very soft. Ning Wenru reached out with his hand and touched a blanket.
His right hand was released, and then his ankle was grasped, his sneaker being removed. Ning Wenru said, feeling very embarrassed, “I could also remove my shoes myself.”
Ning Wenru bent down as he spoke, preparing to remove his other shoe himself, but his head bumped into something hard.
His head was gently kneaded by warm large hands, hearing Pang Zaiyuan say: “I’ll do it, don’t move, listen well, experience it fully.”
Ning Wenru felt in an instant that he seemed like a child, his face reddening, momentarily not understanding why Pang Zaiyuan wanted to remove his shoes. Soon, his other foot’s sneaker was also removed, and his two lower legs were inserted into thick pants.
“Stand up!”
Ning Wenru stood up at the sound, and the thick pants were pulled up from the knees. It seemed Pang Zaiyuan was also helping him adjust his clothes, tucking his top inside his pants. Pang Zaiyuan’s hands moved from the back waist to the front, straightening out all of Ning Wenru’s clothes. Then Ning Wenru’s abdomen felt the sensation of a tightening rope—it was Pang Zaiyuan tying his belt for him.
Ning Wenru’s waist couldn’t withstand tickling at all. In the darkness, he couldn’t see anything; having lost his vision, all other senses were infinitely magnified.
Sensing Pang Zaiyuan hugging him gently just now to adjust his clothes at the back waist, they were so close, and while adjusting his pants, Pang Zaiyuan was still moving around, in the suddenly plummeting cold, Pang Zaiyuan’s warm breaths occasionally blew onto his face. Ning Wenru imagined Pang Zaiyuan’s usually stern and cold face softening as he lowered his head, and his heart began to thump heavily.
Don’t challenge the patience of a gay who is striving to be upright! If this continues, he’ll get hard!
Fortunately, Ning Wenru didn’t need to endure for long, as the thick pants were soon put on. Immediately after, a heavy coat wrapped around his back, and hearing the sound of a zipper, Ning Wenru thought he was fully dressed, but another coat was wrapped around him.
“You’ve just had a fever, so wear a few more layers,” Pang Zaiyuan explained in a soft, deep voice.
People with good voices are always right! Before long, several more pieces of clothing were wrapped around Neng Wending’s body. Although he couldn’t see, he still felt himself being bundled up like a penguin.
Neng Wending’s head wasn’t spared either. A fluffy hat was pulled securely over his head, and he was also made to wear a scarf, wool gloves, earmuffs, and a mask, truly equipped for battle. In the end, Pang Zaiyuan had Neng Wending sit down again and put a pair of shoes on him.
The time it took to put on shoes was much longer than the time it took to take off shoes. A faint sensation continually came from his insteps, as if Pang Zaiyuan was tying shoelaces to secure them. After putting on one foot, Neng Wending tried lifting his leg and discovered the shoes were a bit heavy, not like the sneakers he had just taken off.
“Don’t flail around,” Pang Zaiyuan said. “These are skates.”
“!!!” Neng Wending jumped in fright. “You’re taking me skating? But even with my eyes open, I won’t be able to skate!”
This tech otaku Neng Wending could list his athletic abilities on one hand. He only knew table tennis, badminton, and basketball, which were sports that rarely made him “fall flat on his face.” With in-line skating and skateboarding, he had “fallen flat on his face” several times, even injuring his hands to the point of breaking skin, and hadn’t played these since then.
“Real ice.” Pang Zaiyuan’s reply was very concise. “I’ll take you. Don’t be afraid.”
After a while, Pang Zaiyuan finished helping him put on his shoes and made him wait for a moment. Then, Ning Wenru’s body became light, as his waist and knees were held and lifted. He felt like he was being carried in a princess carry.
Immediately afterwards, a blast of cold air suddenly hit him straight on. Fortunately, there was a mask, or Ning Wenru would have been instantly frozen.
“We’re here.” Just as Pang Zaiyuan finished speaking, Ning Wenru felt himself being put down, and the blades of his skates touched the real ice. In an instant, Ning Wenru couldn’t stand anymore. Luckily, Pang Zaiyuan’s hands didn’t let go, and his body was also very solid, reliable, allowing Ning Wenru to hold on tightly.
Must hold on tightly to him, or a moment of carelessness will definitely result in falling on the street!
“Don’t be afraid,” At this moment, the waltz music in the small black room had changed to another piece, becoming more lively. Pang Zaiyuan’s voice also seemed to carry some cheerfulness: “I’m pulling you, the clothes are very thick, no fear of falling.”
Upon hearing this, Ning Wenru knew Pang Zaiyuan was joking with him.
Yes, as soon as he entered the skating rink, he, this chubby big penguin, had tightly clung to Pang Zaiyuan, shivering. Now even Ning Wenru wanted to joke about himself!
Although he was still a bit afraid of falling and also afraid of making Pang Zaiyuan, who was supporting him as a prop, fall, Ning Wenru still bravely straightened his body and loosened his grip on Pang Zaiyuan a little.
“Are there no people on the skating rink?” Ning Wenru was afraid of bumping into others and making them fall too.
Pang Zaiyuan replied, “There’s nobody, it’s cleared, we can play freely.”
cleared! so rich!
“Now let’s start, I’ll take you, follow me.” Pang Zaiyuan took Ning Wenru’s hand and slowly slid out first!
As Pang Zaiyuan slid out, a fiery red glowing light appeared under his feet!
This beam of light seemed to flash past like lightning in the sky, but its glow was soft and relatively dim, allowing only a vague view of the cold-emitting ice, as well as one of Pang Zaiyuan’s legs.
While pulling Ning Wenru along, Pang Zaiyuan also taught him how to skate: “Bend both legs, lean your body forward, center of gravity below, keep both feet slightly apart and move them together…”
Ning Wenru tightly held Pang Zaiyuan’s hand without letting go, doing as he was instructed. In front, it was all dark, he could only see the red glow under Pang Zaiyuan’s feet. Ning Wenru was still a bit worried, afraid of crashing into obstacles and falling flat. However, there were several times when his body lost balance and was about to fall, Pang Zaiyuan could promptly lift him up. Gradually, Ning Wenru stopped being afraid.
Although he could only see red lights flashing under Pang Zaiyuan’s feet, nothing else was visible, making it impossible to see even inches in front. But with Pang Zaiyuan leading, Ning Wenru still glided very happily, a smile lifting his face. Holding hands with Pang Zaiyuan, it seemed as if they could feel each other’s pulse even through the gloves. Without fearing to fall or collide with the guardrails, he entrusted his physical safety completely to Pang Zaiyuan.
Before long, Ning Wenru mastered the techniques of skating straight and turning. To the cheerful rhythm of the waltz, Ning Wenru smoothly flew across the skating rink.
Pang Zaiyuan seemed to have noticed this as well, and he began to skate faster, simultaneously. Ning Wenru discovered that the skates on his feet also began to give off light, emitting a soft purple glow!
“Let’s go drawing?” Pang Zaiyuan stuffed a remote control into Ning Wenru’s other hand and said: “Press the first button, and the glow under your feet can leave an imprint. The second button allows you to change colors.”
Ning Wenru accepted the remote control, feeling around for the buttons and pressing them. As he skated, two streams of soft purple light left imprints on the ice! And Pang Zaiyuan clearly also pressed the button, now drawing a square circle with Ning Wenru on the skating rink, and said: “Now I’m letting go, you can skate freely within the circle, there are no obstacles.”
Then, Pang Zaiyuan’s hand really let go, but Ning Wenru had already mastered the technique of figure skating, and also knew that Pang Zaiyuan was watching him not far away, so at this moment he wasn’t even scared. Ning Wenru happily and freely flew through the red circle, his feet drawing one dazzling color after another, forming a disorderly painting.
The vivid impromptu painting of light appeared on the white ice of the small black room, gleaming with light, illuminating a soft haze of diverse colors, beautiful and ethereal. Ning Wenru, growing tired as he drew, because he had already been bundled up like a big penguin, didn’t fear the cold as he sat on the edge of the square circle, appreciating his own artwork.
And Pang Zaiyuan was also drawing. He skated on the smooth red surface to the front of Ning Wenru, gliding out the words “I like you” on the ice. Then, circling around Ning Wenru once, he skated out a red heart, followed by a smooth turn that created a long arrow with a red glow.
“Do you like it?” Pang Zaiyuan’s voice rang out.
Bands of colorful lights shimmered on the ground, and Ning Wenru could faintly see Pang Zaiyuan sitting beside him.
“Yes, it’s very cool,” Ning Wenru smiled. “But you drew it wrong. It should be an arrow connecting two hearts together.”
Pang Zaiyuan sprang up in response, and next to Ning Wenru, he added another heart. He asked, “Can we now?”
“Correct!” Ning Wenru couldn’t help but give Pang Zaiyuan a thumbs-up. Then Pang Zaiyuan indicated they could take glow-in-the-dark photos, and he took many glow-in-the-dark shots of their messy drawing, the “I love you” Chinese characters, and the two hearts’ signatures.
Ning Wenru sat and rested for a while, and suddenly he realized the significance of tonight’s game. When he had lost his sight, in this dark skating rink, Pang Zaiyuan was his only source of light, his only dependence.
If Pang Zaiyuan and his girlfriend played this game together, the girlfriend who had lost her sight would rely on Pang Zaiyuan even more, and she would enjoy feeling taken care of even more. Pang Zaiyuan’s role as a guide in the small black room would be infinitely amplified, and both parties’ emotions would be elevated.
Not only that, Ning Wenru could also feel that when Pang Zaiyuan’s girlfriend grew old and became physically incapacitated, Pang Zaiyuan would still take care of her attentively, just like how he had armed Ning Wenru from head to toe like a giant penguin earlier. It was like how he had acted as a reliable and omnipresent handrail when skating, allowing the girlfriend to safely entrust her body and mind to him.
In such a dazzlingly meticulous and lively way to confess, Ning Wenru’s heart well up with a wave of complicated emotions, for the time being unable to say what feeling it was. In short, it’s just that for the third time tonight, he envied Pang Zaiyuan about to get his girlfriend!
Because Pang Zaiyuan was not only unusually generous, but also very good at putting effort into confessing!
“Tired? It’s almost 12 o’clock, time to wash and sleep.” Pang Zaiyuan said, pulling Ning Wenru up.
“Okay.” Ning Wenru nodded in response.
Turning back, he saw the lights come on, the skating rink’s fluorescence go out, his impromptu drawing and Pang Zaiyuan’s confession drawing all disappeared. Ning Wenru let out a long sigh and smiled, thinking in his heart, even though Pang Zaiyuan belonged to others, since they had experienced such a wonderful experience before, he felt quite satisfied.
Ning Wenru, stepping out of the skating rink, decided that tonight he’d soak in a warm bath, tidy up his thoughts and sleep well, rest up, and prepare tomorrow to dismantle the robots and pack up before heading out to participate in inter-provincial competitions.