The Coveted Gloomy Beta Roommate Chapter 53

Chapter 53: True Colors: “Lin Mo, What Are You Doing With My Clothes?”

The cedarwood pheromones grew richer, almost suffocating.

Maybe Ji Chen is sick, Tang Xingye couldn’t help thinking.

The old Ji Chen wouldn’t feel pain, nor would he lose control and release such an obvious scent. The Alpha’s body temperature was abnormally high, and even his breath carried a scorching heat.

Tang Xingye’s fingertips gripped Ji Chen’s Adam’s apple, clearly feeling it bob—faster and faster.

Ji Chen’s eyes widened slightly, looking at Tang Xingye’s angry expression in surprise.

Seeing the Alpha pause, a flash of astonishment in his eyes, Tang Xingye thought he had grabbed his weakness and threatened viciously, “I’m serious.”

The Alpha’s skin was shockingly hot; Tang Xingye’s fingertips tingled from the heat.

Ji Chen’s chin brushed past Tang Xingye’s hand. The skin contact seemed smoother and more delicate than he had imagined. Pain radiated from his neck, and Ji Chen paused.

Then, a smile of indecipherable depth appeared on his lips. So that’s it. How interesting.

“Still laughing?” Seeing the Alpha’s faint smile inexplicably tightened Tang Xingye’s chest. He increased the pressure, his thumb pressing against Ji Chen’s artery.

Ji Chen coughed twice and grabbed the slender, pale wrist with a backhand grip. “Squeeze any harder, and we’ll be on the social news headlines tomorrow.”

“…I didn’t use force. What are you pretending for?” Tang Xingye looked at Ji Chen suspiciously, face full of disbelief, but didn’t let go.

“Your hair swept against me. It tickles.”

Ji Chen looked at him.

Too close.

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Tang Xingye’s hair hung down, black ends brushing against porcelain-white skin, itching like a seduction.

Worse, he was only wearing a loose shirt. The collar was open, revealing a large expanse of cold white skin marked with ambiguous red traces.

Ji Chen’s gaze fell uncontrollably on his lips—pale pink, glistening with moisture, slightly parted like a silent invitation.

Tang Xingye seemed unaware of the danger. He glanced at his hair, pursed his lips, lay down, and turned his face to look at Ji Chen, face-to-face. “Is this okay now?”

This face-to-face position was a bit dangerous for a Beta.

Ji Chen wanted to retract his arm, but Tang Xingye pressed right up, grabbing his wrist bone and pinning it. Just as his leg tried to move, Tang Xingye pressed that down too, commanding, “Don’t move. Sleep.”

To be honest, the movement was very fast and precise. If this technique hadn’t been used on him, Ji Chen would have applauded the improvement.

But now he only felt his throat tighten.

A Beta’s body temperature was on the lower side. Pressing against him felt like cool jade, but his breath was hot, spilling onto the side of his neck, triggering waves of subtle shivers.

Ji Chen lowered his eyes to look at him, voice raspy and deep. “Like this… how am I supposed to sleep?”

“If you can’t sleep, close your eyes and play dead. If that doesn’t work, roll onto the sofa.” Fingers still clasped Ji Chen’s wrist, but the grip loosened subtly.

Ji Chen didn’t speak again. Tang Xingye’s eyelashes trembled. “Do the pheromones keep you awake?”

“No.” Tang Xingye had no interest in telling Ji Chen his secret.

The overflow of cedar pheromones from the rut actually made him feel very comfortable. It soothed his faintly heating gland, but something seemed missing—it needed to be filled in together.

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“Lying again.” Ji Chen’s tone was certain.

“Believe it or not,” Tang Xingye let go and closed his eyes. “Say another word, and I’ll stuff your mouth with gauze.”

Ji Chen shut up, staring at Tang Xingye for a long time until his breathing became long and steady.

Tang Xingye could tell Lin Mo and Lu Zhi his secrets; Ji Chen felt a subtle sense of exclusion.

Lin Mo wasn’t accepted by Tang Xingye as Ji Chen imagined. Staring at the red dot, his gaze shifted to Tang Xingye’s empty bed, flat and piercing to the eye.

Intercepted again. The previous interactions felt like luck, like he just happened to be there when Tang Xingye needed someone.

Tang Xingye only looked at him when he needed him.

When Tang Xingye woke up, Ji Chen’s complexion wasn’t good, looking like he had slept poorly.

Just squeezing in a bed with a Beta, is it that bad?

Tang Xingye was in great spirits. He glanced obscurely at Ji Chen—surely he wasn’t impotent after one heavy injury?

Sensing the unkind gaze, Ji Chen: “……”

What exactly is Tang Xingye looking at?

Ji Chen looked up at him. “What do you want for breakfast? Or are you eating back at school?”

“Eat,” Tang Xingye spat out the first word, paused, then said, “…Mantou (steamed bun)?”

He used to have no habit of eating breakfast. Waking up meant rushing to part-time jobs, then classes—no time to eat. Yet now he had been trained into a breakfast habit by Lu Zhi and the others.

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He didn’t know whether to thank them or grit his teeth over the extra expense.

After eating and changing clothes, Tang Xingye went back to school for class.

Ji Chen had no classes and leaned lazily on the sofa, scrolling through his phone.

Bored, he swiped through social media until a post titled [Drunk Alphas should just be buried (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻] caught his eye.

The poster’s ID was a string of garbled letters, but the tone was inexplicably familiar. Ji Chen’s finger paused, and he clicked into the profile like a ghost possessed.

[Can Alphas in ruts consciously wear inhibitor patches? (｀へ)ノ Releasing pheromones in public, do they want chemical castration?]

[This dorm is unbearable. Being a tall Alpha, amazing huh? Being rich, amazing huh?]

[The things those guys in class do are a mess. Tsk, that’s not how you do it. Ah forget it, they won’t understand even if I say it!]

[Working is shit! Low pay, lots of work. If the colleagues weren’t nice, I’d probably quit.]

Ji Chen stared at the screen, his lips slowly curling into a meaningful arc.

The impatience and disdain in these words were all wrapped in a familiar tone—coldness mixed with harshness, and harshness hiding an imperceptible awkwardness.

He clicked on a post and zoomed in. The mirror inside reflected a blurry passing silhouette. The light was dim, but one could vaguely make out the slightly pursed lips and cold brows.

So… he actually complains secretly.

…

In the evening, after class, Tang Xingye went to the lab. Around the corner, he met Qiuqiu.

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The Shiba Inu wagged its tail and rushed over to greet him impatiently. Tang Xingye’s expression softened instantly. He squatted down, rubbing its head, a smile unconsciously lifting his lips.

“So good, running over as soon as you see me.” Tang Xingye went to the cabinet in the rest area to get some snacks for it.

The automatic door opened. Tang Xingye paused and looked up. Lin Mo stood at the door, posture as straight and rigid as a cold sculpture.

Lin Mo raised his dark eyes to look at him. “You’re back.”

The sentence was flat, but it gave Tang Xingye a weird feeling.

He scrutinized Lin Mo’s face. There were dark circles of fatigue under his eyes. His expression was cold, but his brows revealed a suppressed restlessness—like he was bound by something invisible, or enduring something to the limit.

Tang Xingye hesitated. “Mn.”

Lin Mo was organizing the reagent cabinet up high, his movements slower than usual. His gaze fell on the red marks looming on the back of Tang Xingye’s neck—like plum blossoms in the snow on his cold white skin.

As Tang Xingye brushed past, a faint scent of cedar hit him. The Alpha’s wrist trembled imperceptibly, and a glass bottle made a crisp clinking sound on the metal rack.

“Careful—”

Before the voice fell, the dark brown reagent bottle tilted and fell. Tang Xingye reacted instinctively, rushing forward to catch it, while Lin Mo also turned sharply.

They crashed into a full embrace. Tang Xingye’s nose hit the other’s collarbone, instantly triggering a sour pain.

He pushed Lin Mo, covering his nose and taking a half-step back, but his wrist was suddenly seized.

Lin Mo’s fingers were shockingly hot. That distinct, bony hand was rubbing his wrist bone with abnormal force, thumb unconsciously pressing the skin on the inner wrist.

Like a desert traveler touching oasis water, waves of pleasure washed over him. Lin Mo’s breathing became a bit chaotic, the blood in his entire body flowing in excitement.

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“Lin Mo?” Tang Xingye tried to pull his hand back, his tone carrying obvious displeasure.

The Alpha’s pupils shrank suddenly. As if startled awake, he let go, taking the reagent bottle with a panic in his movements.

“Thanks.” Lin Mo retreated two steps, stopping only when he hit the cabinet.

He actively kept his distance from Tang Xingye, taking a tissue from his pocket to wipe the place where his fingers had just touched Tang Xingye.

Tang Xingye sneered at the sight. He sniffed his sleeve—who knows where he picked up the smoke smell that offended this guy? Disdaining him again.

Just a bit of smoke smell, was it necessary? He inhaled second-hand smoke and didn’t say anything.

The rest area fell into a weird silence.

Lin Mo maintained his cold mask on the surface, but only he knew the surging thirst churning inside. The impulse rushing through his veins almost burned through his reason, tearing at his emotions.

His medicine ran out. His mind was filled with that patch of soft skin.

He put the tissue in his pocket, rubbing it repeatedly with his thumb, as if this could relieve the bone-deep itch coming from deep within his skin.

He lowered his eyes, voice hoarse beyond measure. “Where did you put the materials from last time?”

Lin Mo found an excuse to leave; otherwise, he might do something irreversible in the next second.

“On the desk in the dorm.” Tang Xingye rubbed his reddened wrist, answering grumpily, completely failing to notice the Alpha’s abnormality.

Lin Mo left the lab hurriedly. He walked quickly through the corridor, faster and faster, until it almost became a run.

Tang Xingye was speechless, staring at his retreating back. Couldn’t even stand being in the same room with him.

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Lin Mo stared at Tang Xingye’s clothes on the rack, still exuding a sweet fragrance. His gaze moved to the small square piece of fabric—that was the most intimate item, emitting the richest scent.

The fragrance enveloped him like misty rain, blinding his senses, making him dizzy. His bewitched brain took the clothes down.

This was madness.

Lin Mo knew clearly how hopeless his behavior was, but Tang Xingye’s scent was here—a faint fragrance, an irresistible sweet pleasure.

Having kissed those soft red lips, felt that soft touch, tasted that flavor so sweet it made one foolish. The skin-to-skin contact simulated by soft fabric was far inferior; no matter how much he rubbed, it wasn’t enough. It only served as a solace.

He buried his face deep into it, inhaling deeply, letting out a sigh that was almost satisfied.

Like a restless snake finding a resting place, greedily absorbing the residual warmth.

Tang Xingye fed the last piece of jerky to Qiuqiu, and his fingers suddenly froze in mid-air—wait, the materials Lin Mo wanted weren’t on the desk! They were by his pillow!

His diary was hidden under the pillow. Tang Xingye tried hard to recall the scene from the night before last.

Did he hide it well? Was a corner sticking out?

Lin Mo wasn’t the type to rummage through other people’s things, but what if he got curious and pulled it out?

Tang Xingye’s brain buzzed. His external image was a positive, hardworking young man; even his close friend Shen Qing didn’t know his true face—how dark and extreme he was.

His secrets, his deepest malice, were all in that diary. Not even Lu Zhi or Zhou Lin knew.

Being hated and isolated by roommates was serious but not terrifying. But if Lin Mo discovered he cursed him to have bad luck and get in a car accident, and told others…

And that he took revenge on his roommates, did so many bad things… If these secrets were dissected and shown to everyone…

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Just to be safe, Tang Xingye smeared some floral water on his wrist. The strong peppermint scent pierced his nose instantly. Confirming the smell was stimulating enough, he walked quickly toward the dorm.

On the way, Tang Xingye prayed Lin Mo didn’t see the notebook on the desk and just left.

Walking up the stairs, the corridor lights didn’t turn on. It was dim. The dorm door not far away stood silent, no light leaking from inside.

Tang Xingye breathed a sigh of relief. He stepped lightly, put his hand on the doorknob, and suddenly heard a thick panting sound by his ear.

Lin Mo hadn’t left?

Tang Xingye’s heart fell into an ice cave, hands and feet going numb.

Taking two deep breaths to prepare for Lin Mo’s anger, he gently opened the door.

The dorm was empty.

Did he mishear the sound just now?

Tang Xingye scanned the dorm and didn’t see Lin Mo. Good thing Lin Mo left; someone who loved studying so much wouldn’t linger in the dorm for no reason.

Tang Xingye picked up the pillow. His diary lay quietly in its original spot.

Thank goodness. No one found my secret.

His nose caught a peppermint-scented pheromone carrying a scorching heat. Tang Xingye’s vigilance rose again.

He looked sharply at the balcony. Was Lin Mo there?

A bad premonition floated up. Tang Xingye looked at the empty dorm; the door to the balcony was closed.

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Confusion, unease, and suspicion churned.

An incredible guess suddenly appeared in his mind. Like Pandora’s box, silently urging Tang Xingye to open the door quickly.

After hesitating for a moment, Tang Xingye opened the door.

The scene before him made his mind go blank.

Lin Mo had left his jacket aside casually. His meticulous collar was open, and his slender fingers were tightly gripping one of his shirts.

The clothes were pressed against the Alpha’s high nose bridge. Lin Mo’s shoulder blades heaved violently with heavy breathing, and the gland at the back of his neck was flushed an abnormal red.

“You… what are you doing with my clothes?”

Tang Xingye looked blank, his voice hesitant.

Like a paused video suddenly resuming, Lin Mo’s body went stiff. He turned his head in slow motion. Those usually calm eyes were now overflowing with sticky desire.

Tang Xingye met Lin Mo’s gaze.

Lin Mo’s expression was no longer that of indifferent righteousness. It was filled with a sickly, almost painful obsession, staring burningly at Tang Xingye without blinking.

The beast, starving and impatient, tore off its disguise, revealing a hideous, thick true face to the white lamb. Pheromones rushed to erupt.

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[Crack] Nothing happened, Mr. Censor.