My straight roommate is so good

“Hey, don’t be so formal. Come in, come in! I was just wondering why you two were standing out here chatting at the door!” Qin Shuhan smiled, welcoming the two kids inside.

Ling Jianshu’s mother wore a light floral dress and had a gentle smile on her face, exuding a calm and graceful demeanor. His father was in a neat white shirt and dark trousers, radiating a warm and caring presence. Despite the traces of age on their faces, one could still see the charm they had in their youth. They must have been quite attractive when they were younger, which explained how Ling Jianshu ended up with such striking looks.

“We were just doing some psychological preparation before entering,” Ling Jianshu said naturally, pulling Qiao Song inside.

When his parents saw Qiao Song, their eyes lit up. He had a delicate face, looked obedient, and was dressed in a soft white sweater—he perfectly embodied the image of a clean-cut, model student.

“Qiao, now that you’re here, just treat this place like your own home. Since you’ve come, you might as well stay here,” Ling Li said with a warm smile, inviting them to sit on the couch.

“No, that would be too much trouble for you. I was thinking of finding a short-term rental,” Qiao Song replied politely.

“That’s a waste of money! It’s not easy to come here for a part-time job. Just stay with us; the guest room is just sitting there,” Qin Shuhan insisted, frowning disapprovingly. “Look how skinny you are! Jianshu is so strong; he probably weighs twice what you do. I’ll make sure you have plenty to eat!”

Qiao Song had heard from Ling Jianshu that his parents were physicists, and he had expected them to have a strict demeanor, but they were surprisingly down-to-earth, just like ordinary parents—if anything, even more approachable and gentle.

How nice…

Growing up in such an environment, Ling Jianshu was truly fortunate…

“By the way, you’ve been on the train for a few hours; you must be hungry. We’ll eat early today. Your dad has already prepared the ingredients; I’ll just cook them up,” Qin Shuhan said with a smile.

“In our family, everyone has their role: I prepare the ingredients, your aunt does the cooking—nobody eats for free,” Ling Li added with a laugh.

“Then I’ll be in charge of washing the dishes,” Qiao Song chimed in.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Ling Li agreed without hesitation, eliminating any false pleasantries, which made Qiao Song feel more relaxed.

“I’ll wash them with him,” Ling Jianshu said, feeling reassured that Qiao Song was adapting so quickly to his family’s environment.

“You should wash more since his hands are meant for playing piano; they need to be well cared for,” Ling Li remarked, making everyone laugh.

“Uncle, I’m not that precious,” Qiao Song smiled, his demeanor brightening. He seemed more endearing and likable than when he first entered.

The atmosphere during dinner was particularly pleasant, free from the rigid rules of silence. While eating, they chatted casually, creating a warm and inviting family environment.

“Qiao, eat more! Boys your age need to eat well to grow,” Qin Shuhan encouraged.

“Thank you, Auntie. The food tastes amazing. I just have a naturally small appetite, so eating too much isn’t good for my digestion,” Qiao Song said, taking small bites, radiating a pure and innocent aura.

Ling Jianshu’s parents felt delighted as they watched this clean and handsome young man; he and their son were two very different types of attractive—one tall and sturdy, mature and composed, and the other delicate and quiet.

As parents, they saw their son as still a child, unable to appreciate the wildness and youthful energy that others might see. Meanwhile, they found Qiao Song’s pristine and charming demeanor quite appealing.

Qiao Song realized it had been a long time since he had sat down for a family meal like this. Even though he usually had little appetite, he ended up eating a bit more than half a bowl tonight.

After dinner, Qiao Song kept his promise and went to wash the dishes in the kitchen, with Ling Jianshu following him inside.

As he stood by the sink, Ling Jianshu approached from behind, his long arms wrapping around his body as he took the dishes from his hands.

“Put on some gloves; don’t use the dish soap. I’ll wash. You just dry the plates,” Ling Jianshu said, still unconvinced.

“Ling Brother, I can wash them myself,” Qiao Song insisted, not feeling that his hands were so delicate; after all, it wasn’t like he was soaking them for a long time. Wearing gloves to wash dishes was no problem at all.

“Just do as I say and move aside,” Ling Jianshu gently pushed him to the side.

“Ling Brother.” he didn’t argue, complying and moving to dry the plates. “Did I cause trouble for Uncle and Auntie by coming here?”

“Huh?” Ling Jianshu was surprised by the question. “Why would you think that? Can’t you see how much they like you?”

“Am I being a bit too forward?” Qiao Song suddenly felt a bit guilty about fitting into the family so quickly. Would it come off as impolite? Would they think he was too self-important?

“You’re quite polite! My parents aren’t the type to suffer in silence. If they thought you were rude or didn’t like you, they would’ve sent you away by now,” Ling Jianshu replied straightforwardly.

Hearing his words, Qiao Song felt a sense of relief.

“Uncle and Auntie are so very nice,” he couldn’t help but smile.

He had never received such affection, even from his own parents.

“Exactly, so don’t overthink it,” Ling Jianshu said, reaching up to dab a drop of foam onto Qiao Song’s nose.

Qiao Song paused, dumbfounded as he felt the foam resting on his nose. It was…

So incredibly cute, Ling Jianshu couldn’t help but think.

“Ling Brother, stop messing around,” Qiao Song said, a little helplessly wiping the foam from his nose.

“Making you smile is quite fun,” Ling Jianshu grinned.

Qiao Song let out a soft huff, and while Ling Jianshu wasn’t looking, he quickly scooped some foam from the sink and splashed it onto his face.

“Hey! You’re retaliating, aren’t you?” Ling Jianshu skillfully restrained his wrists.

“Hey! Ling Brother! You’re just fighting back!” Qiao Song exclaimed, squirming as he waited for more foam attacks from him.

Ling Jianshu looked at him, who had shut his eyes tight, like a little white rabbit caught by a beast, unable to struggle and just pretending to be dead, waiting for the beast to devour him.

He leaned in closer, suddenly recalling that day in the car, watching Qiao Song sleeping with his eyes closed, his long eyelashes, tiny nose, and…

He wondered how soft those lips might be.

With Qiao Song’s eyes closed like that, he really looked like he was waiting for a kiss.

Even the slight upturn of his lips seemed to be inviting one. He stared at those rosy lips, swallowing hard, his waist instinctively bending closer, allowing him to see Qiao Song’s face, his lips… 

Qiao Song’s lips—anyone who had observed them closely couldn’t help but want to kiss them, right?