Chapter 177
A few days later, Jin Fei, with his sharp insight, noticed something interesting—whenever Su Bin looked at that person, there was a melancholic glint in his eyes, almost like a little dog yearning to be petted! Occasionally, he would even flash a nervous smile, probably lost in some “fantasy”…
Once Jin Fei confirmed that Su Bin’s crush was on Allen, he silently lit a candle for him in his heart.
Why on earth did Su Bin have to fall for Allen of all people?
That person, though living in this world, seemed to exist like an aloof, untouchable entity. Describing him as a “thousand-year-old iceberg” wouldn’t even be an exaggeration. Even though Jin Fei had lived with Allen for a year, they had only exchanged a few casual nods.
Su Bin wasn’t the sun, and at best, he could be considered a small heater. Trying to melt the “iceberg” was as reckless as a moth flying into a flame—it was a fool’s errand.
But Jin Fei, despite his thoughts, wouldn’t force his subjective opinions onto Su Bin. As a bystander, he had no right to judge someone else’s feelings—whether it was right, wrong, or worth pursuing.
To distract Su Bin, Jin Fei started coming up with excuses to take him out—whether it was grocery shopping or attending social parties—he couldn’t let Su Bin stay cooped up, lost in his own thoughts.
There’s a classic saying about love: The person who falls in love first is always the loser.
In the past, Su Bin had lost at the starting line, and Jin Fei could still use his emotional intelligence to help him turn the game around. Now, however, it seemed like there was no way for Su Bin to win. All Jin Fei could do was ensure that Su Bin didn’t lose too badly.
Su Bin was truly grateful for Jin Fei’s thoughtfulness.
It was true. Ever since returning to this world, Su Bin had struggled every morning, caught between the reality and the dreams. He would repeatedly experience the immense joy of knowing that Allen was alive, mixed with the sadness of realizing that Allen didn’t love him at this moment. If this continued, Su Bin would either explode in silence or start to spiral into something more obsessive and unhealthy.
At the same time, Su Bin forced himself to stop stalking Allen, not trying to please him but rather striving to act as naturally as possible.
He reminded himself that seeing Allen every day was already a blessing. He should take it slow and not be too greedy.
A month passed in the blink of an eye, and life had become quite peaceful and harmonious.
Allen didn’t end up changing rooms, and there was no friction regarding the only potential source of conflict—the “shared bathroom.” In fact, Su Bin rarely even bumped into Allen there.
One couldn’t help but admire that Allen had excellent habits when it came to his routines and cleanliness. He went to bed early, woke up early, enjoyed doing cleaning, and was always quiet. Even his footsteps were soft, as if he was trying not to disturb anyone.
But despite Su Bin’s “restraint,” Allen remained on high alert. In fact, he seemed even more wary of Su Bin now, paying close attention to his behavior.
The reason? It was because of some strange “details.”
For instance, before Su Bin moved in, Allen would always dry off after a shower in the bathroom and then go back to his room to change. Used towels would be casually tossed onto the marble countertop and then thrown into the laundry basket or washing machine the next morning.
Though Allen was a bit of a neat freak, he still allowed himself some casualness in his private space.
But after Su Bin moved in and started sharing the bathroom, Allen noticed something: On the first day, Su Bin had washed his towel for him and replaced it with a fresh one in the spot where Allen would normally leave it.
Though Su Bin’s actions were considerate, having a stranger handle his personal items made Allen uncomfortable at first.
This was also why Allen had mentioned to Yang Chengzhe that he wanted to switch rooms. It wasn’t that he disliked Su Bin, but he simply wasn’t used to it.
There were many other small incidents too, like when it rained and the umbrella would appear prominently in the entryway—only Allen knew where it was supposed to go. Or when Allen’s favorite boots, which had gotten dirty, would suddenly be shining again, without him even touching them.
And there was the hand cream. Su Bin had put a bottle of hand cream by the sink, one that had been used up before Su Bin moved in but hadn’t been replaced because Allen hadn’t had the time. Allen often used hand cream because the hand sanitizer he used had drying effects on his skin.
…
These little things made Allen stop and think every time. Su Bin had never mentioned them, but apart from him, no one else would do these things.
Sometimes, Allen would feel a bit dazed, wondering how someone he had only known for a month, and with whom he had little interaction, could understand him so well.
It was a strange feeling, like being completely seen—or rather, known by someone. And this feeling, coming from a roommate, made Allen feel oddly uncomfortable.
But as with anything, you get used to it over time. After the initial awkwardness, those small, subtle actions gradually started to feel warm, enjoyable, and comfortable.
Once, Allen bought bacon and lettuce and made sandwiches at home. As he carefully sliced the bread with a knife, Su Bin stood nervously behind him, watching him intently.
Allen was uncomfortable being stared at and finally asked, “Why are you watching me… Do you want to eat with me?”
Su Bin shook his head and earnestly looked at him, saying, “Let me help you cut!”
Allen: “…”
Before he could even refuse, Su Bin had already started washing his hands and preparing to help. Allen, helpless, handed him the knife. Su Bin clearly sighed in relief when he took it from his hands.
After that, whenever Allen was in the kitchen, Su Bin would always find an opportunity to help, especially when it came to knives. The moment he saw one, Su Bin would act very nervously.
Once, Allen decided to roast some potatoes. Su Bin volunteered to help. Allen went to the living room to take a call, and when he returned, he found that Su Bin had cut up an entire bag of potatoes—an entire kilogram—on the countertop in just a minute.
Though Su Bin’s “knife skills” were good, Allen couldn’t help but facepalm when he saw the mountain of chopped potatoes. He had only wanted to cut four or five for roasting.
Though Allen couldn’t bring himself to scold the well-meaning Su Bin, he casually asked, “Why are you always helping me?”
“Because I’m afraid you’ll get hurt.” Su Bin answered without a second thought. After he said it, though, he seemed to realize something and lowered his head, saying nothing more.
Allen saw the trace of sadness on Su Bin’s face, and honestly, for a moment, he felt a little touched.
Because of his hemophilia, Allen had been carefully taken care of by those around him since he was young, with a strict ban on touching sharp or dangerous items. However, this kind of care always made him feel like he wasn’t strong enough.
As a result, after his health improved, Allen moved to M City. He didn’t hire a servant or a nanny but instead tried to live independently.
He wanted to live like a normal person, and he resented any care born from sympathy or pity, even though those people had kind hearts.
Su Bin’s answer made Allen think of the days when he was being taken care of, but Su Bin was different from those people. Su Bin didn’t know about his hemophilia, so his words likely came from genuine concern.
At first, Allen preferred to believe that Su Bin was just a “helpful person” who treated everyone the same.
But he gradually noticed that Su Bin’s “care” for him was different from how he treated the other two roommates.
For example, though Su Bin often cooked for everyone, he never helped Joe or Fly cut potatoes, nor did he wash their towels, clean their shoes, prepare umbrellas, or buy hand cream…
Moreover, Su Bin interacted with the other two naturally, as if they had been friends for a long time—teasing, laughing, and joking—while with Allen, he was always careful, and his kindness felt almost sneaky, as if he feared being caught.
Though Allen had grown used to Su Bin’s “serving,” he couldn’t fully accept it.
He believed Su Bin was kind and meant no harm, but he didn’t believe that Su Bin’s actions were completely without reason or intention.
…Did Su Bin like him? Maybe it wasn’t that simple.
Allen didn’t like the feeling of being kept in the dark. Still, he had to admit one thing—Su Bin had certainly captured his attention.
Standing by the railing on the stairs, Allen watched Su Bin, who was arguing with Jin Fei in the living room. When Su Bin noticed Allen’s gaze, a brief flash of nervousness crossed his face. He tried to hide it, but it didn’t escape Allen’s sharp eyes.
—Hah, I always catch you when you slip up.
With Halloween approaching, Jin Fei was discussing attending a masquerade ball with Su Bin.
If it had been in the past, Su Bin would have been uninterested. He wasn’t fond of such events. But in the past month, in an effort to distract himself, he had been following Jin Fei around to different parties, getting used to attending social gatherings.
It was just a way to pass the time, and it didn’t matter where the party was. Besides, Sun Yujie would be there, and they could chat.
In comparison to the previous life, where he had struggled to accept that Sun Yujie was gay, this time their friendship developed much more smoothly. Perhaps it was because of their similar experiences in love that made them connect so well. Their relationship was even better than in the past.
“Remember to prepare a handsome outfit and a mask. You might have a chance at some romantic encounters!” Jin Fei teased, fully aware that Su Bin had already set his sights on someone.
Just as Su Bin was about to retort, he caught sight of Allen standing by the stairs. Allen’s burning gaze was fixed on him, seemingly analyzing something… His heart immediately leapt to his throat.
“Hey? Allen!” Jin Fei noticed Allen too. Considering Su Bin’s feelings, he instinctively invited him, “There’s a Halloween party this weekend. Want to come with us?”