It Turns out that I am Beautiful, Strong and Miserable [Quick Wear] - 39

 

ITOTIABSAM | Landlord Tenant | 39

The umbrella had a lace-edged light-colored canopy, adorned with scattered flowers in pink and white. Gu Cong couldn't quite understand why a supermarket near the hospital would stock such a style. Perhaps that's why it was left behind, lying there all alone until now.

As he prepared to pay. He was expecting a possible refusal, Gu Cong had already started scanning the vicinity for other supermarkets. However, in the next moment, the young man unexpectedly reached out and took the umbrella, calmly opening it. "Let's go."

Having experienced various extravagant styles during his time as a celebrity, including over-the-top outfits and accessories, Gu Cong knew the importance of using an umbrella to easily shield himself from prying eyes—except for human toddlers.

1101: This includes you.

If it was Xie Ye’s alternative self, he might have been nervous on the spot.

The weather wasn't particularly scorching, but a big man carrying a floral umbrella down the street would naturally attract attention from those nearby.

Fortunately, Gu Cong, having been a campus heartthrob for many years, not only felt no awkwardness or constraint but even, after walking for a couple of minutes, took the initiative to lean towards Xie Ye: "I want some too."

This section of the road is prone to congestion. Following the navigation app's suggestion, the two of them have to walk a few streets and then take a taxi. Grateful for the fact that the other person has carried a lot of things for oneself, Xie Ye raised his hand, lifted the umbrella higher, and moved slightly in the direction of Gu Cong.

Now, the tall man standing under the lace floral umbrella became two.

More curious passersby looked over, but the atmosphere under the umbrella strangely became more relaxed than before. The hand hanging on the right side moved, and the black-haired young man seemed to be in a good mood, taking the initiative to say, "Give me one."

Gu Cong: "Huh?"

Xie Ye: "Let me carry it for you."

"Forget it, forget it. You just got out of the hospital, and I'm afraid you'll faint again." Being ranked first in every physical examination, and good at playing basketball, this weight is nothing for Gu Cong, light and fluttering.

He meant well, caring for the other person. Unexpectedly, as soon as the words fell, the black-haired young man turned his face to the side, facing away, and the fingers holding the umbrella handle tightened.

—Angry.

What's there to be angry about being taken care of?

Despite not understanding it in his mind, Gu Cong gave the most genuine response with his body. He quickly found a bag containing only two pieces of clothing and a towel, carrying it with one hand. He lightly bumped Xie Ye's shoulder.

The slender-eyed young man, disturbed, looked over impatiently, resembling a cat with raised beastly pupils.

"So tired, so tired, quickly help me." With an exaggerated tone, Gu Cong extended his long arm, handing the bag to Xie Ye's hanging hand. "Xie Ye? Mr. Xie? You're the best."

To avoid awkwardly bumping into the other's arm, Xie Ye had to stop. Such clumsy acting – if he believed it, he would feel sorry for the experiences of the previous world's Best Actor.

But Xie Ye had to admit, he was pleased.

The corner of his lips subtly curved, the black-haired young man remained silent. He only extended an index finger, hooking the bag away from Gu Cong's hand.

Even though 1101 knew very well that its host had no extra thoughts in his heart, it couldn't help but think that Mr. Xie had great potential to be seductive.

The cool touch, clearly not belonging to himself, brushed by like a dragonfly skimming the water's surface – subtle yet distinctly present, impossible to ignore.

Rubbing the outer side of the index finger where the young man couldn't see, Gu Cong cleared his throat and found something to say, "Anyway, let's go to the supermarket later since it’s on the way."

Xie Ye decisively replied, "No."

The supermarket was crowded, and he had never liked crowds.

... Forty minutes later, Xie Ye, holding the floral umbrella and a bag of clothes, stood expressionless at the supermarket exit.

When it came to acting cute and coaxing, he probably could never match Gu Cong.

Although in the eyes of 1101, Gu Cong merely repeated a few sincere eyes, it’s host softened.

Waiting outside was the only compromise that Xie Ye could accept after much consideration. He looked good and was thinner than the average person, inevitably attracting various non-malicious glances.

Without the shade of the sun umbrella, the residual memories of his alternative self reflexively screamed to escape, but Xie Ye lowered his gaze and successfully suppressed it.

 Last time, he endured hard not be hospitalized and suppressed the desire to vomit, setting a good precedent. Now, this body was gradually becoming more obedient.

Of course, it was a gradual process.

With the absence of the other person, Gu Cong inexplicably lost the sudden desire to explore the supermarket. Hastily buying ingredients that he could handle easily, he quickly paid and retrieved the stored items. At a glance, he noticed the bored young man standing in place.

As he approached, Gu Cong realized that the other's forehead was covered with a thin layer of sweat, seemingly unnoticed until now.

The supermarket had strong air conditioning, far from being considered hot. However, Xie Ye seemed oblivious to it all. He lifted his eyelids and casually looked at Gu Cong, saying, "So slow."

Gu Cong suddenly felt a bit regretful.

He should have considered the other person's character, someone who usually orders groceries for delivery. Perhaps it wasn't just about liking quietness but also an aversion to crowded places.

However, at the same time, the young man didn't leave or retreat to a corner. Instead, he stood there, seemingly disdainful but honestly waiting for him. In that moment of realization, an uncontrollable feeling of warmth surged in Gu Cong's heart.

"I'm sorry." Stepping forward quickly, Gu Cong assured, "I'll definitely be faster next time."

Xie Ye: "There won't be a next time."

Gu Cong wasn't upset, just smiling, "Who knows."

After spending several days in the hospital and returning home, Xie Ye felt a subtle discomfort. 

The sunlight streamed in through the almost floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the entire room brightly, making him doubt if he had entered the wrong door.

More importantly, all the mirrors of various sizes in the room were gone, and the scattered glass shards had been cleaned up. The vacant space felt a bit strange. Gu Cong explained while changing shoes, "I did a simple cleanup when I came back to get my clothes. I didn't throw anything away; they're all in the cardboard box on the balcony."

"In fact, occasionally changing the style is not bad. In a few days, I'll go to the morning market and buy two pots of green plants. How about bamboo? My mom used to grow some in water and it’s very clean."

For the alternative self, home had always been the safest place, especially after the aversion to food and drastic weight loss. He almost never went out anymore, always confirming in places within his line of sight that he hadn't gained weight like those nightmares that struck in the late at night.

The outside was inherently unsafe, so not having mirrors and needing to be cautious didn't bother him much. But home was different. When the safe place no longer felt safe, this body quickly gave a stress response.

Fingertips pinched into the palm, Xie Ye restrained the slight trembling of his limbs. "Gu Cong."

The young man busy arranging the shopping bags looked up. "Hmm?"

Then, Xie Ye saw himself in the bright pupils of the other person—two small versions of himself, blurry but vivid.

"Nothing." Shaking his head, Xie Ye put on the rabbit slippers placed by the door. "I'll head back first."

Gu Cong, puzzled: "Oh, then rest well. I'll call you out for dinner later."

Xie Ye made a vague sound in response.

Once back in the bedroom, several crescent-shaped blood marks were clearly visible on his palm. The nails were neatly trimmed, indicating the amount of force he had used.

Shortly after, Xie Ye's phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.

It was Gu Cong: "I'm sorry for changing the layout of the house without asking."

【If you're not comfortable, I'll change it back immediately.】

【It'll be quick, I guarantee it'll be back to normal by the time you wake up.】

1101 couldn't help but applaud someone for their keen observational skills.

【Keep the curtains closed.】 With fingertips still stained with a bit of red, Xie Ye lowered his eyes, leaning against the door as he typed. 【The rest... is unnecessary.】

There was no mirror better than Gu Cong's eyes.

During the days in the hospital, Xie Ye's Y-Station account hadn't been updated. Apart from the normal comments urging for updates, there was a string of comments saying, "So unique? I like it."

Gu Cong also hadn't had much time to browse Y-Station recently. At first, he thought he had missed some trend. Curious, he searched and found out that this phrase came from Guan Chen's mouth.

What's even more absurd is that there were CP fan edits in the recommended section titled "Big Anchor X Little UP."

Sitting cross-legged on the sofa, Gu Cong, who had just finished tidying up the room, stared at the title on the phone screen for a long time. Finally, unable to resist the inner temptation, he clicked on the video silently.

Although they had never officially interacted, in the eyes of outsiders, Guan Chen and Xie Ye did exchange a few words online. The former's collection attracted attention, and the latter's praise. Paired with Guan Chen's low and smiling voice saying "I like it," with a sweet background music playing in the background, it did seem like something was going on.

... Seriously.

Not even a single serious dialogue, and weren't they excited about "roommates and UP" before?

Slowly realizing that he seemed to be "jealous" of a stranger on the other side of the internet, Gu Cong shook his head, forcefully slapped his face, feeling like there was something wrong with his brain.

However, when he called Xie Ye out for lunch at noon, his brain seemed to short-circuit. He blurted out, "If you're on Y-Station, do you know Guan Chen?"

"Used to know him," Xie Ye frowned, using chopsticks to separate the white sauce in the small bowl of refreshing salad. He took a small bite of the cabbage in Gu Cong's hand. "Are you his fan?"

Many guys of the same age as the other person would know Guan Chen.

They used to know each other before. 

Simple words, but when combined, they carried a special meaning. Completely different from the expected answer, Gu Cong was momentarily stunned. Following Xie Ye's lead, he said, "Oh, my roommate really likes him."

"Give it up. I'm not going to help you get an autograph." Signaling with his eyes for the other person to grab a cherry tomato, Xie Ye puffed his cheeks, chewed slowly, and coldly responded.

Gu Cong: "Do you really dislike him?"

Xie Ye honestly replied, "Yeah."

As if a heavy stone had been lifted, Gu Cong's heavy stomach suddenly felt relieved. He almost wanted to rush to the comments of that CP fan video and expose the truth.

Of course, it was just a thought.

Seemingly casual, he asked, "Why? He seems quite popular among guys. My roommate watches every game."

1101 inexplicably detected a hint of a tea flavor.

"But your current roommate is me." Annoyed that the other person always mentioned the protagonist, Xie Ye looked up and emphasized, "I dislike Guan Chen."

Not because the other person rejected the confession from his alternative self.

Everyone has the right to choose their romantic partner, but under no circumstances should the other person expose the confession from his alternative self on WeChat to the public. Even if it was unintentional, it undeniably caused harm to himself.

A simple "Sorry, I'm a beauty fanatic" easily reignited his  face reveal scandal that his alternative self had finally settled. People's focus shifted back to his face and body, and the comments section under the video was filled with unfriendly mockery from toxic fans.

At the same time, the protagonist who lived in the same city as Xie Ye suddenly sneezed violently.

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Author's note:

Jealousy from both sides, yes.