Lin Zhi instantly looked innocent.
Song Mian released his face, and Lin Zhi squatted down. Song Mian squatted with him. Lin Zhi tilted his head, frowning. “Why mess with the supernatural out of nowhere?”
Song Mian calmly countered, “Why not?”
It wasn’t not allowed.
Lin Zhi asked, “Whose soul are you summoning?”
Song Mian paused for a few seconds, his eyes flickering, throat itching. He asked softly, “Are you jealous?”
Lin Zhi jerked his head aside, roughening his voice. “No! Just curious—can’t I ask?”
Song Mian stayed quiet.
A few seconds later, Lin Zhi glared at Song Mian indignantly. “And here I thought of you as a bro—you learn soul-summoning and your first thought isn’t to resurrect me!”
Lin Zhi shot to his feet and started toward his bunk, but Song Mian grabbed his arm.
Song Mian pulled Lin Zhi back into his embrace, pinning him against the wall corner so he couldn’t move. Song Mian cupped his face. “Gonna go cry again?”
Lin Zhi’s eyes went wide round, signaling he absolutely wasn’t crying.
Song Mian explained softly, “No one else—just yours. In the memories I have, I never succeeded until death. The only time it worked was when you became my doll.”
Song Mian spoke lightly with downcast eyes, skipping other details. Lin Zhi’s chest suddenly tightened. He blinked. “Really?”
Song Mian: “Yeah.”
Lin Zhi pulled down Song Mian’s hand and buried his head against Song Mian’s chest.
Sigh.
“Why the sigh? Think I’m useless?”
“How could I? I’m touched.” Lin Zhi nuzzled against Song Mian’s body, even headbutting his shoulder.
Lin Zhi’s every meal and carrot hadn’t gone to waste—Song Mian grunted, forced to lift Lin Zhi’s face. “Are you a puppy?”
Lin Zhi let Song Mian hold his face, obediently saying, “If you say so. Let’s move to that house you bought outside school tomorrow.”
Song Mian: “Because you’re touched?”
Lin Zhi deflated. “No—because I can’t show my face in the dorm anymore.”
Song Mian puzzled: “What’d you do?”
Lin Zhi flushed with shame. “Don’t ask.”
Song Mian rubbed Lin Zhi’s cheek. “Aren’t you afraid it’ll be unsafe to move out with me?”
Lin Zhi fell silent.
Song Mian actually thought Lin Zhi wasn’t quite thinking straight at the moment, but he didn’t remind him again. Instead, he let go and pulled out his phone for Lin Zhi to record a voice message.
Lin Zhi obediently recorded one, promising that he would definitely move out with Song Mian tomorrow—for the baby!
After the chat, Lin Zhi went back to sleep alone. Not long after, his bed sank as Song Mian came over again. Lin Zhi refused. “I want to sleep by myself.”
Song Mian piled some clothes from outside onto the inside of the bed and squeezed in with Lin Zhi. “I think the pregnant you needs me by your side.”
The dorm wasn’t too quiet at eight-something, but Song Mian’s deliberately lowered voice still made Lin Zhi tense.
“Don’t say that word!”
Song Mian hugged Lin Zhi into his arms again. “Even if I said it, no one would believe it. They’d just think we’re both idiots.”
That was true.
But he was really pregnant!
Lin Zhi huddled in Song Mian’s arms, looking depressed. “They all say I’m gay.”
Song Mian piled on. “I think so too. Zhi Zhi, you like me.”
Lin Zhi’s face turned bright red as he covered his ears, but he didn’t deny it.
Song Mian continued, “Even if we’ve done everything together, you’re still a straight guy. Baby, I know—you’ve got that straight guy complex.”
Lin Zhi felt like he was being mocked.
He glanced at Tong Xu’s spot and leaned close to Song Mian’s ear to earnestly defend himself. “It’s not a complex. To be honest with you, I-I’m actually kinda homophobic. But you’re my bro, so I don’t phobia you.”
Song Mian’s ear grew wet, his heart itching even more, but all he could do was pinch Lin Zhi’s palm.
Song Mian said, “Zhang Yao’s already in jail. He might never get out in this lifetime.”
Lin Zhi was both confused and shocked. He had no idea why Zhang Yao was brought up now. But at this outcome, he sat up on the bed in doubt. “What for?”
Song Mian’s expression was calm. “Surgery failed, temper flared up, and he assaulted someone.”
Lin Zhi was skeptical. “Is that really it?”
Song Mian’s pupils were serious. “That’s exactly it.”
Lin Zhi couldn’t help but lean in for another hug.
“You’re telling me this now to make me even more touched, huh?”
Song Mian looked suspicious. “Not at all. Wasn’t it because he left some trauma on you that time?”
Lin Zhi shook his head innocently.
Though he’d guessed wrong, Song Mian felt even more relieved.
Lin Zhi said, “He used to be a real straight guy, but now with the surgery failing, maybe he’s not anymore. Or maybe it’s just to gross me out, but whatever.” Lin Zhi bumped his head against Song Mian’s chest again to show his happiness.
This time, it wasn’t hard.
“Back in high school, there was this guy from my deskmate’s neighborhood who ran off with another guy. They became the talk of the whole complex. I don’t want to be talk either. And I’ve been a straight guy for twenty years—how could I possibly like men?”
Song Mian said, “You didn’t run off with me in high school, and you’re not running off with me now. You’re just becoming my husband.”
Zhi Zhi husband!
Guys like them with big macho egos just couldn’t handle that kind of talk—it made their ears go soft.
“But I’m the one giving birth!”
“I won’t push you.” Song Mian’s voice softened a lot, then he changed the subject. “The bed’s so small, full of clothes—I’m sleeping really cramped right now.”
“Then why’d you come over?”
Song Mian: “To keep my husband company.”
Lin Zhi just couldn’t resist that sweet husband talk, especially from someone like Song Mian. He burrowed into the covers and muttered, “You’re breaking character. Cool guys don’t do this.”
“Cool guys can’t catch a husband.”
Husband, husband, husband.
He just kept calling him husband!
The next morning, Lin Zhi woke up holding Song Mian and immediately regretted it! He pondered how to tell Song Mian he wasn’t moving out after all, but by noon, Song Mian was already packing luggage. Lin Zhi squatted nearby. “I—”
Song Mian glanced at him, lips curving with wicked amusement. “Want to hear the recording?”
Lin Zhi was annoyed.
Song Mian finished packing his own stuff and moved on to Lin Zhi’s.
Tong Xu knew exactly what was up and deliberately said loudly to Zhu Muyun, “Looks like it’ll just be the two of us in the dorm from now on.”
Zhu Muyun was reluctant to see Lin Zhi go.
“Zhi Zhi, why are you moving out?”
Lin Zhi looked at the ceiling and pointed at Song Mian, signaling Zhu Muyun to ask him.
Zhu Muyun: “…….”
They moved out at night, under cover of darkness and wind. Lin Zhi harbored a sliver of hope, but after arriving at Song Mian’s new place and tidying up a bit, he lay on the sofa and opened the forum.
Immediately, his vision went black. The thread 【CP Thread: Cotton Paper Factory (Mian x Zhi CP Central)】 was pinned on the homepage again!
With a featured photo.jpg
Our shipped CP is turning real—they moved out of the dorm overnight with suitcases! Finally cohabiting!!!
Comments: 【Holy crap, so blatant? Kiss already so I can see! Husband carrying all the luggage, Zhi Zhi you’re such a little wife!】
Comment: 【Obviously pregnant and can’t carry it. Didn’t you see Zhi Zhi rubbing his belly from behind?】
Comment: 【Kinda don’t wanna ship anymore. I was here for bromance…… They’re going legit.】
……
Lin Zhi read these messy comments with heartache. How could this be?! He wanted to reply that it wasn’t like that! But his account was tagged as “suspected main subject,” so Lin Zhi went to the kitchen to find Song Mian instead.
Song Mian had prepared the place thoroughly, from pots and pans to full furniture sets—everything imaginable. Now, he was bizarrely studying a cookbook.
Lin Zhi said earnestly, “Put it away. You gonna cook from now on? Let’s just get takeout. I’m pregnant—I ain’t your guinea pig.”
Song Mian’s gaze turned dangerous as he glanced at Lin Zhi.
Lin Zhi grinned and changed his tune, rubbing his hands. “You’re researching, so can I borrow your phone?”
Song Mian’s heart stirred. “Checking up on me?”
“Nah,” Lin Zhi said honestly. “Just need your forum account for a sec.”
Song Mian was succinct. “Pocket.”
Lin Zhi fished it out. As he started to leave, Song Mian added, “Wait, come with me downstairs to buy groceries.”
Lin Zhi didn’t want to be the guinea pig. “No!”
He bolted!
Song Mian’s temple throbbed. He went out and saw Lin Zhi innocently fiddling with his phone on the sofa again.
Song Mian let it slide.
Lin Zhi unlocked Song Mian’s phone with the passcode and navigated straight to the school forum post. Once there, he typed: 【Come on, how is Zhi Zhi a little wife? If anyone’s pregnant, shouldn’t it be Song Mian? Does Zhi Zhi even look pregnant?!】
His reply got noticed fast.
Who Stole My Takeout @Nursing Carrot: 【Nursing Carrot, what’s your relation to Carrot King? Alt account? You wouldn’t be Zhi Zhi for real, would you?】
Carrot King was Lin Zhi’s handle; Nursing Carrot was Song Mian’s. Lin Zhi just noticed Song Mian’s forum name was carrot-related too!!
Lin Zhi played it cool: 【No relation】
Who Stole My Takeout: 【I don’t get it—with their height and build difference, how do you and Carrot King see Zhi Zhi as the top?】
He saw it with both eyes.
Nursing Carrot @Who Stole My Takeout replied: 【It’s a fact】
As Lin Zhi replied to Who Stole My Takeout, a new comment mentioning him popped up.
Not Cute At All commented: 【Hold up! This Nursing Carrot account looks like Song Mian’s?】
Not Cute At All commented: 【Link: 2023 Freshman Military Training Excellents: Huang Yaoyao @Watermelon No Seeds, Zhang Xi @Clear Stream, Xu Chao @I’m Xu Chao, Song Mian @Nursing Carrot】
Lin Zhi’s pupils dilated.
Holy shit!
After 【Not Cute At All】’s comment, replies flooded in with exclamation marks and shocked emojis.
Lin Zhi’s heart pounded. He didn’t dare look anymore, guiltily set the phone down, and ran to Song Mian with a dopey smile. “I’ll go buy groceries with you.”
Song Mian eyed him. Lin Zhi widened his eyes to look innocent.
Song Mian guessed instantly. “What’d you do with my phone?”
Lin Zhi shook his head vigorously.
“N-Nothing!”
Cute.
Song Mian’s lips quirked up. He set the cookbook aside. “Let’s go.”
Lin Zhi followed behind Song Mian with a troubled expression.
What now? It’d be fine, right? Online and real life don’t connect, do they?!
