Xu Shuyan was lost in thought when her arms suddenly felt empty. Lin Yi sat up, her pajamas disheveled from sleep, the fair skin at her collar flushed red. She tossed the phone into Xu Shuyan’s lap. “I’m going to take a shower.”
“Hm?” Xu Shuyan also sat up slowly, a half-smile on her face as she looked Lin Yi up and down. “Didn’t you already shower?”
“…I got sweaty, so I’m washing again!”
After saying that, Lin Yi muttered, “Why am I even explaining this to you,” then stripped off her pajamas and threw them at Xu Shuyan, snapping, “Hurry up and get back to your own bed and sleep!”
Lin Yi’s body wash was a birthday gift from Xu Shuyan. It was Chanel’s Gabrielle, a very high-end fragrance.
When Lin Yi received it, she looked at the gift, then back at her, and couldn’t help but say, “Xu Shuyan, you’re so cheap! You bought body wash so you could use it too once I left it in the dorm, right?”
Xu Shuyan was so annoyed she laughed, feeling her good intentions had been completely misunderstood. She swore on the spot that if she ever used that body wash, she was a dog.
Lin Yi: “You said it!”
Xu Shuyan was stubborn: “I said it!”
That very night, Lin Yi used the body wash and deliberately rubbed up against her, asking, “Doesn’t it smell good? Xu Shuyan? Tell me, does it smell good?”
It did.
Xu Shuyan caught the pajamas Lin Yi had thrown at her face, thinking to herself that it was a testament to her own good taste. She’d picked out such a wonderful fragrance from a thousand options, one that even her love rival couldn’t get enough of.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lin Yi slip into the bathroom.
The sound of the water started abruptly, as if to cover something up, and hot, dense steam seeped out from under the door.
Xu Shuyan lowered her gaze. The video on the phone hadn’t ended; it had switched to a new scene and position. Outside the window was a sunset, the colors and composition so beautiful it could be called a work of art.
Xu Shuyan found Lin Yi truly annoying. She didn’t have the eyes to see the art beyond the performance, only seeing the surface-level lust. She completely failed to understand what the director was truly trying to express, which was surely a deep analysis of human nature and social reality.
Then she saw the main characters kissing as they entered the bathroom.
It seemed someone had come home, so to cover up the amorous sounds, they turned the water on full blast, getting soaked as they kissed. They were clearly in a legitimate relationship, yet it was filmed to feel like a secret affair.
Xu Shuyan heard the sound of water in her left ear, and the sound of water in her right. Different bathrooms-one on the screen she could see, the one beside her she could not.
She leaned against the headboard, her fingertips pinching Lin Yi’s pajamas. She wondered what position Lin Yi was in right now, sitting or standing, if she was feeling pleasure or discomfort, if she would cry out…
Damn!
Why the hell was she imagining this?!
As if electrocuted, Xu Shuyan flung Lin Yi’s pajamas away, then fumbled to turn off the video. She dove onto her own bed and pulled the covers all the way over her head.
But her heart was pounding.
The director of this stupid movie wasn’t nearly as profound as she’d thought! It was just a straight-up porno! It was a drug! An aphrodisiac! It was a trap set by Lin Yi to make her fall from grace!
Sleep!
So when Lin Yi came out of the bathroom, she saw Xu Shuyan lying perfectly still and serene in bed, as if she were being prepared for burial.
Lin Yi called to her, “Xu Shuyan?”
No sound.
She glanced at the video’s progress bar.
It was near the end.
Lin Yi nodded in understanding.
Got it. Post-nut clarity.
As a good roommate, love rival, and business partner, she thoughtfully turned off the lights, thinking gleefully, Don’t thank me too much, Xu Shuyan!
Yan Qi was a strict captain. She drilled them on the choreography for the new album over and over until it became muscle memory, etched into their DNA. They could instantly perform the corresponding moves the moment any part of the song played.
Except for Chen Yuan.
She truly had no talent for singing and dancing. No matter how hard she tried, she would always fall behind or forget the moves.
After the group practice ended, Yan Qi kept her behind for a private lesson. Chen Yuan sat obediently beside Yan Qi and said softly, “Thank you for your hard work, Captain.”
Lin Yi watched them, green with envy, and volunteered, “Actually, I can teach her too!”
Xu Shuyan was grabbing a bottle of water to drink. The hell you can, she thought. You have to go to the small practice room with me to learn the choreography for our duet stage. But what came out of her mouth was, “I can too!”
“You two, go to Studio Two upstairs,” Yan Qi said, thankfully the only clear-headed one among them. “Teacher Zhang is waiting for you.”
Teacher Zhang was the choreographer for “No. 89757.” His efficiency was top-notch; he’d choreographed all the moves within twenty-four hours and sent a demo to Xu Shuyan and Lin Yi. He was here this time to fine-tune the details.
Lin Yi sighed in dismay. “Alright.”
She called out, “Number 1105 Xu Shuyan, with me!”
Xu Shuyan nearly spat out a mouthful of water.
Just as the fans had guessed, this stage performance was story-driven. Lin Yi played the master, and Xu Shuyan played the robot. To help them get into character, both the vocal and dance coaches had suggested they could try a little cosplay.
At the time, Lin Yi had nodded seriously. “I understand, Teacher!”
Xu Shuyan had wondered when her comprehension skills had gotten so sharp. She understands? What does she understand? Now she saw Lin Yi smiling at her from the doorway. “My little robot, didn’t we agree? One command from me, one action from you?”
Xu Shuyan: “…”
Resisting the urge to curse, she set her water bottle down in front of the mirror. “Coming.”
Lin Yi pretended to wipe away tears. “So obedient.”
Xu Shuyan: “…Get lost.”
That wasn’t the end of it. Lin Yi seemed to get addicted to ordering her around. During a break, she sprawled on the sofa like a lord and commanded, “Number 1105 Xu Shuyan, pour me a glass of water!”
“Xu Shuyan, help me throw out the trash.”
“Xu Shuyan, you cook when we get back tonight. I’m craving beef bowl.”
“Xu Shuyan, rap for me to cure my boredom.”
“Xu Shuyan-”
Xu Shuyan couldn’t take it anymore. “I’m not a nanny robot!!!”
Lin Yi tilted her head and looked at her innocently, her eyes curving into a smile like a mischievous kitten full of bad ideas. “You could be.”
Xu Shuyan: “…”
Uncouple! Uncouple us right now!
