Chapter 11

After replying to the post, Su Bin felt a huge burden lifted off his shoulders, and he slept dreamlessly until dawn.

When he woke up, still feeling groggy, he coincidentally ran into Allen, who had just finished using the bathroom. Su Bin wanted to greet him in a friendly manner, but he noticed an eerie expression on Allen’s face.

“Michael,” Allen called him by his name without saying good morning.

Su Bin stood frozen in place… What’s going on?

Allen solemnly declared, “There’s something I must explain to you from beginning to end.”

Su Bin, barely awake, asked, “What is it?”

“It’s about the issue I mentioned regarding the cleanliness of the bathroom,” Allen said.

“Ah?” Su Bin remembered Allen writing about it on a note, and he had followed the instructions. What could be the problem?

Allen gestured for Su Bin to follow him into the bathroom and pointed at the mirror. “The sink is close to the mirror, and when you brush your teeth, water splashes onto it, leaving white stains. So, after brushing your teeth, you must use disposable tissue to wipe it.”

Su Bin was dumbfounded… Was he really expected to pay attention to such a minor detail?

After saying this, Allen stared at Su Bin expressionlessly. Su Bin quickly responded, “Oh, I understand.”

Allen then pointed out a few similar places, including the toilet seat. He explained that when urinating or flushing the toilet, water droplets could splash out, and those tiny water particles were invisible to the naked eye. But according to Allen’s “data,” these droplets could reach a radius of half a meter, so every time the toilet was used, it had to be wiped…

“Oh…” Su Bin’s mind was already blown!

Then, Allen opened the door of the built-in cabinet and pointed to a row of cleaning supplies, explaining how to use them—disposable gloves, non-woven disposable cloths, disinfectant, bleach, fiber hair dissolver, alcohol swabs, lubricant (?)… What the hell! Was this a bathroom or a laboratory? Why were there so many strange things? He wasn’t carrying any viruses, was it necessary to clean so thoroughly?

However, who could tell him what that “lubricant” mixed in with all those cleaning supplies was really for?

Before he could even imagine, Allen tactfully asked, “Is your girlfriend in China?” Allen had heard it from Yang Chengzhe. “When you miss her, you’ll need this.”

“…” Damn it! Su Bin felt like he was about to catch fire, then stiffened and turned into stone…

“No need to be embarrassed, it’s a physiological need,” Allen added without expression, then said, “But remember to disinfect afterward and handle those fluids properly,” Allen hinted with a glance at Su Bin’s crotch, “…It would be troublesome if they mixed with hair and potentially caused a clogged drain.”

“…” Su Bin was so embarrassed that he didn’t know what to say!!

“I take out the bathroom trash every day. That’s all, it’s quite simple, right?” Allen finally finished explaining.

…It wasn’t until now that Su Bin truly understood what Yang Chengzhe meant when he said Allen had an obsession with cleanliness!

Su Bin realized he was wrong. Yesterday, explaining the rose wine wasn’t the most talkative Allen had been in front of him; it was now!

He had been feeling guilty last night, thinking that Allen was a considerate person… Considerate my ass, these demands were too demanding!

“Michael,” Allen looked at Su Bin with a serious expression and said, “Tell me you understood everything and promise that you can do it, can you?”

Su Bin: “…”

When Allen said the last sentence, it wasn’t just a casual “did you understand,” it was more like a master issuing orders to a servant, not expecting any refusal but waiting for the other person to respond with, “Yes, my master, I’m willing to serve you”…

Su Bin wouldn’t say that, of course, but he was still drawn into that scenario by Allen’s tone and presence, obediently replying, “I… promise.”

Allen nodded approvingly, saying, “Very well.”

Su Bin: “…”

It was only after Allen left that Su Bin gradually snapped out of it. Then he started to question himself, why did he act so obedient just now? And wasn’t Allen supposed to switch rooms with Yang Chengzhe soon? Why did he have to make such a serious declaration for just a few days? And why did he have to promise to Allen? This was ridiculous!

But even though he thought that way, Su Bin didn’t dare to say such things. After all, the room switch was between Allen and Yang Chengzhe, and if Su Bin brought it up first, it might seem like he had a problem with Allen and was urging him to move out…

In fact, Su Bin was willing to understand and accommodate Allen’s obsession with cleanliness. After all, it could be considered a psychological condition, and Allen was like a patient. As a normal person, it was perfectly fine for Su Bin to show some tolerance and understanding towards a “patient” like Allen… But what did Allen’s superior attitude earlier mean?!

Feeling frustrated, Su Bin washed his face and brushed his teeth, then begrudgingly carried out the cleaning tasks assigned by Allen. The former took him a minute, while the latter took ten minutes… Damn it, was the bathroom meant for washing or to be washed?!

The distance that had drawn Su Bin and Allen closer due to the steak dinner seemed to have widened again due to the cleanliness issue.

However, even though Su Bin was frustrated, he didn’t want to keep dwelling on this matter. Considering that Allen would soon be moving out, he would try his best to fulfill his “promises” in order to avoid conflicts.

During class in the afternoon, Su Bin sat next to Sun Yujie, and during the break, they discussed the steak they had eaten the previous night. Su Bin praised it highly.

Sun Yujie was tempted and said, “Was it really that good? Let’s go together next time!”

Su Bin was taken aback and exclaimed, “Are you serious? You’ve been in M City for two years and haven’t been to the restaurant I just mentioned? My roommate said their steak is famous!”

Sun Yujie looked embarrassed and said, “I usually order Chinese takeout… or eat at Subway or Pizza Hut.”

Su Bin couldn’t help but mock, “You’re such a homebody. Don’t just stay in the dorm playing games, go out more with friends!”

Sun Yujie scratched his head and replied, “I don’t have many friends to hang out with.”

Su Bin: “…”

Sun Yujie told Su Bin that in their class, there were only seven Chinese students, including one from Taiwan, three from Hong Kong, and the remaining three were Sun Yujie and two other girls. The Taiwanese and Hong Kong students had their own circles within the department, and the mainland Chinese students had their own circle as well. Among the students in the same year, Cheng Ang was considered the representative of the mainland Chinese students, equivalent to the student union president in Chinese universities.

Cheng Ang had a high reputation among mainland Chinese students. Not only was he good-looking, but his family background in China was also powerful. He was an all-A student and a top performer in finance. Therefore, single Chinese girls in the M department would flock to him, and he would receive invitations to parties from girls in other majors at M University for various reasons…

Sun Yujie’s face lit up when he mentioned Cheng Ang. Previously, Su Bin thought they had some conflict, but now it seemed that he was completely mistaken. As for whether they were rivals in love, it was hard to say. After all, with Cheng Ang’s qualities, there were bound to be many rivals.

“Does Cheng Ang live close to you?” Su Bin remembered the encounter with Cheng Ang shortly after they went downstairs that day.

“Yeah, we live in the same student apartment, but he doesn’t live in a shared apartment. He has a single-person apartment.” Jason lived in a three-bedroom student apartment, and his two roommates were foreigners. But Jason didn’t cook, so he didn’t spend much time in the common areas and had little interaction with his roommates.

During lunchtime, Sun Yujie took Su Bin to GREGGS and pointed to a tray of freshly baked filled pastries, saying, “You know, this thing is called ‘su bing’ in Chinese.”

Su Bin took a bite and said, “Isn’t this a baked turnover?… The taste is good, but is this tiny thing supposed to be filling? It’s more like a breakfast item!”

“You didn’t have enough, just buy another one. I recommend the chicken filling.” Sun Yujie finished his palm-sized pastry in small bites and looked satisfied.

Su Bin was speechless. “Is this all you eat every day? No wonder you’re so slim.”

Sun Yujie bought a cup of coffee and drank it while saying, “It’s enough to replenish energy…”

They had no classes in the afternoon, and Su Bin thought about his grand plan. He asked Sun Yujie where he could buy “gold and silver jewelry” nearby.

Sun Yujie looked at Su Bin with confusion. “What do you need it for?”

Su Bin whispered to him, “I want to buy an engagement ring for my girlfriend.”

Sun Yujie’s eyes widened in astonishment, but soon his surprise turned into admiration and longing. “Your girlfriend is so lucky. I envy her!”

Su Bin felt something was off. Wasn’t Sun Yujie supposed to punch him and then look at him in awe, saying, “Su Bin, you’re amazing” or “Su Bin, you’re such a good man”? Why would he envy his girlfriend? If anything, he should envy Sun Yujie for “having” a girlfriend, right?

Before Su Bin could think further, Sun Yujie excitedly exclaimed, “For buying an engagement ring, we should go to Tiffany & Co. I know there’s one near M&S. I’ll take you there!”

The two of them arrived at the store, and Su Bin received a briefing on the romantic stories associated with Tiffany & Co. and the symbolic meaning of their different series of engagement rings. Soon, he felt that it was a perfect fit… As he listened to the sales consultant’s explanations, Su Bin daydreamed about the moment he would put the ring on Chen Xiaotian’s finger, promising her a lifetime of love and care, with tears welling up in her eyes as she moved into his embrace…

“Thank you, Su Bin. I love you…”

“I love you too, Xiaotian…”

“Let’s get married!”

“Mmm~!”

As romantic music played in the background, Su Bin was snapped out of his daydreaming by the conversation about his girlfriend’s ring size. He realized he didn’t know it and was unsure how to proceed. Su Bin didn’t want to ruin the surprise by asking her directly, as he knew his girlfriend was intelligent and would likely guess his intentions.

His friend, Sun Yujie, suggested calling her to ask, but Su Bin rejected the idea. Instead, he decided to focus on exploring the styles and prices of the rings first. With the assistance and recommendations from the store attendant, Su Bin settled on a tapered platinum ring from the Harmony series, which would cost around 20,000 RMB.

Doing some quick calculations, Su Bin realized that he could save up for the ring without much pressure. If he worked for ten months, earning 170 PDS per month, and subtracted the cost of living expenses, he would be able to afford it. The workload would be manageable, as he only needed to work for at least eight hours per week, equivalent to just one day.

As Su Bin was contemplating his choice, he noticed Sun Yujie gazing dreamily at a display case filled with relatively simple and elegant men’s rings. Curious, Su Bin asked him what he was looking at and jokingly asked if he planned to buy one for himself.

Although Su Bin teased his friend, he found himself also looking at the rings and imagining which one would complement the ring he had chosen for Chen Xiaotian. He considered the possibility of it being a wedding ring, but he quickly dismissed the idea, realizing the financial burden it would bring. Instead, he decided to buy a simple silver ring for himself, which would only cost a couple hundred yuan.

While Su Bin was lost in his thoughts, Sun Yujie murmured beside him, “I wish one day I could receive such a gift.”

Su Bin couldn’t help but cough and express his concern. He didn’t think it was appropriate to expect a woman, even a future partner, to buy such an expensive item. Sun Yujie agreed with a bitter smile, expressing a sense of unspoken disappointment and frustration. “It’s always unrealistic,” he said.

Observing the dejected expression on Sun Yujie’s face, Su Bin suddenly felt a pang of pity for his friend. He tried to comfort him by suggesting that he could find an extremely wealthy sugar mama girlfriend, implying that it wasn’t entirely impossible.

Sun Yujie looked at Su Bin with a sorrowful gaze, filled with indescribable bitterness. Su Bin was taken aback by his friend’s expression and couldn’t comprehend the depths of his emotions.

Just then, Su Bin’s attention was drawn to another ring in a different display case. It was a beautiful gold and platinum ring adorned with white diamonds and blue gemstones. The ring had a wide band with several “X” motifs encircling it, creating a stunning and dazzling effect.

For some reason, as Su Bin looked at this ring, his mind wandered to Allen. He envisioned Allen’s noble and extravagant aura, his profound and mysterious temperament, his pale and slender fingers, and his dark and edgy fashion style, usually clad in black or gray.

Allen didn’t seem to wear much jewelry, but Su Bin thought that a ring like this would be a perfect accessory for him. However, he quickly dismissed the thought, realizing that it could potentially enhance Allen’s already captivating and enigmatic allure. Worried about where his thoughts were leading, Su Bin immediately stopped his imagination.

 

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