Chapter 27: Competitors
The very next evening, He Siming brought the freshly washed bedsheets and duvet cover back to the dorm and changed them. That basically confirmed he was moving back in.
Yao Shule and Li Yizhou were both very surprised.
Back in his freshman year, He Siming often didn’t stay in the dorm, and by sophomore year he practically never came back at all. The last time he’d stayed seemed to be about two weeks ago—he’d spent just one night before disappearing again. That was his usual pattern.
But this time, it wasn’t just about changing the sheets. He had also moved his computer and the books he used most into the dorm.
Yao Shule stared at the twenty-four-inch suitcase by his feet and said in a changed tone, “Are you… coming back to live here long-term?”
He Siming replied, “It’s gotten cold lately, and there’s a lot going on at school. I’ll stay in the dorm for now.”
Ding Yan rushed over as soon as he heard the news. “Old He, Old He! If you’re coming back to live in the dorm, won’t that leave me as the only one living off campus? That makes me seem kind of lonely.”
He Siming shot him down. “We’ve always lived separately. Don’t drag me into this.”
Ding Yan shamelessly persisted. “Heh, no. I’m dragging you into it. Maybe I’ll move back too. No one eats meals with me—it’s lonely.”
He Siming said, “Don’t. I’m busy. Go mind your own business. Stop sticking to me all day—go date someone, spend your money.”
Ding Yan, who suddenly felt thoroughly rejected by He Siming: “……” Busy with what? And he wasn’t some hopeless romantic—what dating?
He Siming moving back into the dorm wasn’t really a big deal, and his reason was perfectly reasonable.
Jiang Rong was actually happy about it. At this point, he was even glad He Siming had things to do at school, because he’d realized he was inexplicably craving He Siming’s pheromones. With He Siming living in the dorm, he could be exposed to them anytime, which helped him focus better in class.
When He Siming didn’t live in the dorm, he wouldn’t attend all his classes either. Most courses he didn’t really need to sit in on. He was genuinely busy—sometimes he’d be eating lunch when a professor would suddenly call him into a meeting, or the student union would need him, or something personal would come up. Then he’d vanish for an entire afternoon or even the whole day, and it was rare to see him at all. As a result, Jiang Rong had very few chances to smell his pheromones—especially since He Siming hadn’t tutored him at all this week.
Starting this week, all courses were entering midterm exams, and Jiang Rong began to feel anxious for no clear reason.
He Siming hadn’t tutored him last week, and although Jiang Rong studied based on the key points He Siming had organized for him, he was still worried he wouldn’t do well.
It was the weekend, and he’d finally gotten to sleep in. He spent an entire afternoon in the library, and now it was only a little past nine in the evening, yet he was already getting sleepy again.
Not only sleepy—also anxious. No solution in sight.
As a Beta who had always been grinding hard, he suddenly developed the urge to give up.
He didn’t want to grind anymore. It was too exhausting.
He felt so stupid. After studying for two months, he’d only learned this little. He might not even pass the midterms.
Without realizing it, Jiang Rong fell back into a spiral of self-loathing.
He sat at his desk for a long while, accomplishing nothing, lost and confused. Learning so many courses within two months was truly overwhelming.
He Siming was chatting with Tang Yucheng about forming a team to develop a new piece of software. Starting a company itself was easy enough, but the new software needed a design proposal, and only after approval could development officially begin. He had already rejected several proposals—none had any highlights, and none would be competitive on the market. He still needed to keep thinking.
When the conversation wound down, he turned his head and noticed Jiang Rong propping his head up, spacing out, fingers unconsciously twirling the ends of his hair. One look was enough to tell he was troubled by something.
Yao Shule had gone next door to look for Liang Dongdong. Li Yizhou was wearing headphones and playing games, occasionally cursing his teammates for being idiots.
He Siming stood up to get a cup of water. As he passed Jiang Rong, he reached out and touched his cheek.
Jiang Rong jolted upright at the touch, lowering the hand that had been tugging at his hair.
He looked at He Siming with a blank expression. “What is it?”
Seeing how sleepy he was, nodding off, He Siming said, “If you’re tired, go to bed. Sleeping while sitting isn’t comfortable.”
It really wasn’t that early anymore—this was indeed Jiang Rong’s usual bedtime.
Jiang Rong yawned, sleepy tears welling up in his eyes.
He decided to give up for once. “Okay.”
If he did badly, then so be it. He’d only been studying for two months. It wasn’t the teacher’s fault—the student was just too dumb. With only two days left, no amount of cramming would bring him up to his classmates’ level.
Now that Jiang Rong was close to He Siming, his body didn’t feel uncomfortable. He still got sleepy easily, but that was already much better than when He Siming didn’t live in the dorm.
Yao Shule came back from next door and started chatting with Li Yizhou about the upcoming midterms.
Li Yizhou had completely forgotten about them. “Holy crap, I totally forgot there were midterms. Is it still possible to review now?”
“Reviewing is impossible,” Yao Shule said nonchalantly. “Just tell me—only two days left. Which subject can you even review?”
He pointed at the row of professional textbooks in front of him. No matter how you looked at it, there was no way to finish reviewing them all.
“Only two days—out of forty-eight hours, you still have to subtract twenty hours of sleep.”
Li Yizhou said, “If you put it that way, you also have to subtract time for eating, taking dumps, walking, and attending classes. That leaves even less time to study.”
Listening to them talk, Jiang Rong—who had just managed to calm down—started feeling anxious again, his face instantly falling.
He trudged dejectedly toward the washroom to get ready for bed.
He Siming followed behind him to wash up as well.
Jiang Rong had just finished brushing his teeth when he saw He Siming standing behind him, done washing up but not leaving.
He Siming didn’t move. He raised a hand and wiped the water off Jiang Rong’s face. “Worried about the midterms?” Even washing his face hadn’t cleared his sleepiness—was he really that tired?
Jiang Rong nodded. “Yeah. I’ve only gotten through half of the key points you organized for me.”
A new major took time to explore; it wasn’t possible to absorb everything that quickly.
He Siming hummed thoughtfully, then suddenly leaned close to Jiang Rong’s ear and whispered in a bewitching tone, “Want me to go steal the exam questions for you? I can hack the teacher’s computer.”
Jiang Rong thought he was serious, and his sense of morality began to waver. “Th-that… is that okay?”
He Siming blinked at him, a smile hidden at the corner of his lips. “So, do you want the questions or not?”
Jiang Rong looked at him with a complicated expression, instantly forgetting his anxiety over the midterms. His expression became much livelier.
He said hesitantly, “Th-that wouldn’t be good, right?”
Seeing that Jiang Rong seemed to be seriously considering it, He Siming was delighted inside but kept a straight face, saying solemnly, “If you really want them, I can reluctantly help you out. How about it?”
Jiang Rong struggled for a moment. “N-never mind.”
He Siming flicked his forehead with a finger. “Idiot.”
Jiang Rong realized He Siming was just teasing him and elbowed him lightly. “You’re bullying me again.” Still, a smile returned to his face.
He Siming smiled as he pinched Jiang Rong’s waist and secretly kissed behind his ear. “Go to sleep. Stop thinking about it. It doesn’t matter what score you get—it doesn’t count toward your GPA anyway. Midterms are just to check whether you’ve been studying seriously. Final exams and regular grades are what count toward the GPA.”
Jiang Rong’s ear tingled from the kiss. “Got it.” He was about to head back into the room, but He Siming didn’t let him go, his hand still holding his waist. “What is it?”
He Siming said, “Let me smell what toothpaste you’re using.”
Jiang Rong replied, “Just ordinary mint.” Earlier, Jiang Rong had thrown away all the personal items old Jiang Rong had used before, including the sheets and duvet cover. He’d only kept some clothes. Afraid the roommates would notice such drastic changes, he’d quietly swapped everything out while they weren’t in the dorm. Thankfully, Yao Shule and Li Yizhou were both pretty oblivious and hadn’t noticed the small details.
He Siming said, “I don’t believe it. I’ll taste it myself.”
Jiang Rong lifted his chin slightly. “How are you going to taste—”
He Siming pinched his chin and kissed his slightly cool lips, his tongue pushing deep, entwining with his in a lingering kiss.
Jiang Rong: “……” He really shouldn’t have asked.
The kiss made Jiang Rong feel very comfortable. The lime-scented pheromones gently wrapped around him. But—there were roommates outside. They could come in to wash up at any moment!
He was always the first to wash up and go to bed each night. Yao Shule usually came in second.
He patted He Siming and said urgently, words muffled, “He Siming, someone—”
Only then did He Siming let him go, smiling. “I know.”
Jiang Rong’s eyes widened. He covered his mouth and didn’t dare speak loudly. “Th-then why did you still kiss me? And for so long!”
He Siming only smiled and said nothing. Seeing that the worry on Jiang Rong’s face was gone, he didn’t explain further and kissed his lips once more.
“Alright, no more kissing. Did you figure out what flavor my toothpaste is?”
Jiang Rong didn’t want to answer him at all. “Good night!”
With a face flushed red from the kisses, he left the washroom.
Just as Jiang Rong pushed the door open, Yao Shule was about to come in. “Is the water that cold? Why is your face so red after washing?”
Jiang Rong was startled—he’d nearly been caught. He hurriedly explained, “Maybe I scrubbed too hard and rubbed my face red.”
Behind him, He Siming let out a low laugh.
Yao Shule said, “You really went at it hard, huh? Not afraid of scrubbing your skin raw.”
He Siming added, “Yeah, pretty strong.” Starting to bite people now.
Jiang Rong: “……”
Wrapped in He Siming’s lime-scented aura, Jiang Rong returned to his bed, cocooned himself in the blanket, and quickly fell asleep under that good-night kiss.
After Yao Shule came out of the washroom, he wanted to ask Jiang Rong whether he’d go to the cafeteria to buy breakfast tomorrow morning—he was craving red bean buns but couldn’t get up early. Just as he was about to lift Jiang Rong’s bed curtain, He Siming stopped him.
“Jiang Rong’s asleep.”
Yao Shule didn’t think much of how timely He Siming appeared.
He still tried to lift the curtain. “That fast?”
Knowing Jiang Rong hadn’t been feeling well lately—especially after taking on a part-time job, looking tired, pale, and emotionally unstable—He Siming suspected it had something to do with him hitting his head earlier.
“He always sleeps early,” He Siming said.
Yao Shule replied, “That’s true. Looks like I won’t be getting red bean buns tomorrow.”
Li Yizhou said, “Just get up early yourself. Ever since Jiang Rong started working part-time, he doesn’t get up early anymore. Part-time jobs really are exhausting.”
Yao Shule said, “Seems so.”
He Siming said, “I get up early. I’ll buy breakfast for you guys tomorrow. Don’t make Jiang Rong do it.”
Yao Shule exclaimed, “God He, it was the right choice for you to move back!”
He Siming didn’t let them off. “Everyone go to bed early. The day after tomorrow is midterms.”
One sentence—instant kill. Both of them fell silent, anxiety setting in.
God He really knew how to hit where it hurt.
Yao Shule felt that Dorm 519 had entered a honeymoon phase. Even though midterms were torturous, they got to eat breakfasts bought by God He in the morning, have extra dishes at lunch, and occasionally go out to eat together in restaurants off campus at night. Every meal was on He Siming’s tab—it was getting embarrassing how much they were eating.
Exam week actually passed quickly. Every day, as soon as you opened your eyes, there was another exam.
Jiang Rong finished his exams, and thanks to the key points He Siming had organized for him, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He felt he probably hadn’t done too badly—at least he should pass, right?
After a week of tension, his nerves finally relaxed.
There was also another piece of good news. On Friday, the school turned on the heating. As soon as you entered a building, it was warm. Jiang Rong experienced indoor heating for the first time in his life.
After finishing the last exam on Friday, they got out early. It was around four-thirty, not yet dinnertime.
Li Yizhou was going home for the weekend. Yao Shule had plans to hit a bar with Liang Dongdong to relax. As soon as the exam ended, he rushed back to the dorm to change clothes and get dressed up. That left only He Siming and Jiang Rong, strolling leisurely out of the classroom together.
He Siming had changed quite a bit lately. He used to chat more with everyone, but now he was rarely seen and mostly walked around with his roommate.
Over time, people stopped bothering them.
Jiang Rong had a part-time shift at six, so he planned to go straight to the cafeteria to wait for dinner.
He Siming grabbed his hand. “Want to eat something else?”
Jiang Rong asked, “What would we eat? There’s only an hour and a half—will that be enough?”
He Siming said, “We don’t need to go out. I’ll have someone deliver it to the dorm.”
He’d been eating with Jiang Rong a lot this week and noticed how lightly he ate every day, barely touching meat. In just a week, his face had noticeably thinned.
Even though He Siming had taken them out to eat twice recently, it hadn’t helped much—Jiang Rong still didn’t have much appetite.
Jiang Rong nodded. “Okay.”
They walked slowly through campus. The sun had already set, and the sky was growing dark.
The wind scattered ginkgo leaves across the ground.
Jiang Rong caught one drifting down in front of him—a bright golden leaf with clear, intact veins. It was beautiful.
Holding it up, he asked He Siming, “He Siming, is this leaf pretty?”
With his hands in his pockets, He Siming looked at Jiang Rong’s clear, bright eyes. Light fell across his face, his brows relaxed, his mood light.
“It’s very pretty,” he said. “The one you picked is the most distinctive.”
Jiang Rong handed him the leaf. “For you.”
He Siming took the ginkgo leaf. “Thanks?”
Jiang Rong asked, “Can it count as payment for dinner?”
He Siming replied, “Dinner needs something else in exchange.”
By now, Jiang Rong was used to his tactics. “Oh.”
He Siming toyed with the leaf between his fingers. “Not going to ask what the exchange is?”
Jiang Rong snorted softly. “Not asking.”
He Siming laughed.
He got a phone call and, after answering it, told Jiang Rong to head back to the dorm first while he went to pick up dinner.
With the heating on, the dorm was warm. Jiang Rong obediently sat in his chair and waited for He Siming to return.
During the week He Siming stayed in the dorm, life had been more comfortable. Smelling He Siming’s pheromones made Jiang Rong feel at ease.
However, because classmates were always around, physical contact had decreased a lot—aside from being pinned in the washroom for a ten-minute kiss before bed. The classrooms and library were cold without heating, so they chose to study in the dorm instead.
When He Siming returned, he was carrying two bags—one insulated bag with dinner and another bag of clothes. Jiang Rong’s attention went straight to the insulated bag.
He set the dinner on the desk. Inside the elegant containers were beautifully prepared dishes.
Besides the light, refined dishes, there were also two steaming bowls of soup.
Jiang Rong was impressed. “This is way too lavish.”
He Siming said, “Yeah. Eat up—you still have a part-time shift later, don’t you?”
Jiang Rong really was hungry. Because of the exams, he hadn’t eaten any snacks all afternoon.
He took the chopsticks and rice He Siming handed him. The food smelled wonderful—light and refined. The cafeteria’s heavy, greasy dishes couldn’t compare at all.
Jiang Rong didn’t even like going to the cafeteria anymore. Surrounded by the gentle aroma of the food, this was the most satisfying meal he’d had in two weeks.
Before, he’d been forcing himself to eat. Now, he was full.
The portions delivered from the restaurant were generous—more than enough for two people.
Seeing him stop eating, He Siming asked, “Done?”
Jiang Rong shook his head. “I’m so full. This restaurant’s food is amazing—no grease at all, but still really flavorful.”
Seeing how sincerely Jiang Rong praised food—just like he praised him—He Siming couldn’t help smiling. “Mm. When I’m not around, you can order for yourself. I have a lifetime membership card there—free.”
Jiang Rong hesitated. “Is that okay?”
He Siming said, “I don’t go often anyway. If I don’t use it, it’s a waste. Just think of it as helping me eat.”
Jiang Rong nodded. “That does make sense.”
He Siming finished off the remaining food—his appetite was bigger than Jiang Rong’s.
After eating and resting for a bit, Jiang Rong had to head to his cafe job. Once he finished this week, he’d be able to buy a thicker down jacket.
Just as Jiang Rong was about to put on his own down jacket to head out, He Siming stopped him. “Wear mine. Yours is too thin.”
Jiang Rong felt embarrassed—he was already eating and taking so much. But it really was cold at night, and even if he refused, He Siming would find a way to make him wear it.
So he obediently put it on. “Okay.”
Wrapped in He Siming’s oversized down jacket, surrounded by so much pheromone—he liked it.
He Siming bent down and zipped it up for him. “By the way, I have an early flight tomorrow morning. I’m going on a business trip.”
Jiang Rong froze, then asked anxiously, “How long will you be gone? What kind of trip?”
He Siming explained, “A teacher gave me a last-minute task. There’s a small issue with his project, and he needs me to help out—technical stuff. It could be short or long. If things go smoothly, three or four days. If not, maybe a week.”
The smile Jiang Rong had from eating good food faded. “That long?”
He Siming boxed him in by the desk and asked, “You’ll miss me?”
Jiang Rong curved his lips and nodded honestly. “Yeah. I don’t want you to go.”
His pheromone disorder needed He Siming’s pheromones to soothe it. What was he supposed to do if He Siming wasn’t around?
Seeing how honest he was, He Siming stopped teasing him and kissed the corner of his mouth.
“We’ll keep in touch on WeChat,” He Siming said.
Jiang Rong picked up the canvas bag with his work uniform. “Then I’m heading to work.”
He Siming replied, “Mm. I’ll come pick you up tonight.”
“Okay.”
Late at night, there weren’t many people ordering coffee. Jiang Rong could occasionally sit and rest, but his thoughts drifted to what he’d do while He Siming was gone. It felt even worse than when He Siming didn’t live in the dorm.
Ding-ling-ling. Someone else came in.
“One iced Americano.”
The manager was a workaholic. As long as it wasn’t a day off, he usually stood at the counter to help greet customers.
“Oh? Student Song is here.”
The person who entered was a young man wearing a long coat.
Song Yuening was the chemistry department’s campus heartthrob. He could make a lab coat look like runway fashion. Compared to He Siming, he had a different kind of handsomeness.
Jiang Rong had seen Song Yuening the past couple of days. The manager had introduced him before, so Jiang Rong asked, “Senior, sugar as usual?”
Song Yuening replied, “Yeah—you remembered?”
“I did,” Jiang Rong said.
Song Yuening sat on a high stool, watching Jiang Rong make the coffee, chatting with him casually.
Soon, the coffee was ready.
It was also just about time for Jiang Rong to get off work.
Ding-ling-ling.
The café’s wind chime rang again.
This time, the person who came in was the manager’s favorite—Campus Heartthrob He. When the door opened, a gust of cold air swept in. He wore a light gray wool coat, looking like a top supermodel stepping off a runway.
Jiang Rong happened to be handing the coffee to Song Yuening. “Senior, your coffee.”
Song Yuening smiled. “Junior, can I add you on WeChat?”
He Siming, who had just walked in, happened to hear Song Yuening talking to Jiang Rong. He walked over, carrying the chill of the night with him, his expression dark.
The manager secretly filmed a short video of Campus Heartthrob He walking toward Campus Heartthrob Song.
He knew it—there were lots of girls in the group chat who loved watching this kind of thing.
