A social phobic can also fall in love.

Sundays were always busy at the spicy hotpot restaurant, and their group found themselves blocking the aisle in the ingredient selection area.

Yan Tingmo tried to step aside, only to see Qi Xing brushing past him, picking up a tray and tongs as he began selecting ingredients. His cold, detached demeanor made it clear he didn’t even register Yan Tingmo’s presence.

“Mo Zai,” Zhang Miao tugged lightly at his sleeve. “Have you finished choosing your ingredients?”

Snapping out of his thoughts, Yan Tingmo glanced at his tray, which held only a few vegetables. “Not yet.”

“Then hurry up.” Zhang Miao cast a wary glance at the imposing Qi Xing and said quietly, “We’ll go ahead and grab a table. Come join us when you’re done.”

Yan Tingmo nodded and reluctantly added the beef meatball he’d been debating about into his tray.

The ingredient area was packed with people, and though he wanted to pick some greens, Qi Xing was standing near the vegetable section, making him hesitate.

After a moment of indecision, he was about to head to the scales to weigh and pay when someone called out to him.

“Senior Yan!”

Turning his head, he saw Gu Beinan, who hadn’t appeared in front of him for quite some time.

He seemed thrilled to see him. “Senior Yan, are you here for spicy hotpot too?”

Holding his tray, Yan Tingmo was tempted to retort: What else could I be doing here—attending class? Instead, he replied, “Yeah.”

“You too?”

Gu Beinan smiled. “Yeah, my friends recommended this place. They said it’s really good, so I thought I’d give it a try.”

Yan Tingmo nodded. “It is. The food here is delicious.”

The two chatted casually, each holding their trays as if oblivious to their surroundings.

Qi Xing, exuding an aura of suppressed fury, reached out and shoved past Gu Beinan. His voice was icy. “You’re blocking the way.”

Gu Beinan turned to look at him and responded sharply, “There’s plenty of space. Can’t you go around?”

Qi Xing’s reply was even sharper. “You’re taking up most of the aisle. Should I step on you to get through?”

Gu Beinan’s face darkened. “You…”

“I’m done,” Yan Tingmo interjected in a low voice, not wanting to get caught in the middle of their argument. “I’ll head over first. You two take your time.”

Qi Xing tilted his chin, looking down his nose at Gu Beinan. Gu Beinan glared back, too annoyed to continue the quarrel.

After quickly paying for his food, Yan Tingmo found his three roommates near the bowl counter.

They sat in a row, looking unusually solemn, as if in the middle of an international summit.

“This can’t go on,” He Shiyang said.

“But what can we do?” Zhou Wen sighed. “he has already broken up with Qi Xing. If Qi Xing wants to cause trouble, we’ll just have to deal with it as it comes.”

“Uh…” Zhang Miao asked in confusion, “Then why did we run earlier? Was that part of ‘dealing with it as it comes’?”

He Shiyang shot him a glare. “Don’t talk.”

Zhang Miao pouted, feeling wronged, and fell silent.

After a moment of hesitation, Yan Tingmo slowly joined them, sitting down across from his roommates.

Was it his imagination, or did the atmosphere always shift whenever he appeared? His roommates immediately stopped their conversation and began scrolling through their phones as if nothing had happened.

Lowering his gaze, he stared at the patterned tablecloth, lost in thought.

As the restaurant grew busier, diners began to share tables due to the lack of space.

Their table, meant for six, seated the three roommates on one side, while Yan Tingmo sat alone on the other side. The seat next to him remained empty.

“Senior Yan, can I sit here?” Gu Beinan approached their table after paying, smiling politely.

Looking up, Yan Tingmo blinked at him in mild confusion. Gu Beinan’s smile widened, radiating cheerfulness.

“Is it okay?” Gu Beinan asked again when he didn’t reply immediately.

Just as Yan Tingmo was about to say yes, someone slid into the seat to his right. He froze for a moment and turned to look.

It was Qi Xing.

Qi Xing’s expression was cold, and he didn’t spare him a glance.

For a second, he was surprised, but then he thought it made sense. They’ve broken up, not broken off completely. Sitting at the same table to eat wasn’t a big deal.

Internally, he nodded in agreement with himself, oblivious to Gu Beinan’s frustration—his clenched jaw, barely suppressed anger, and the three roommates’ stunned, expressionless faces.

The table, now holding five people, had only one empty seat left. Gu Beinan, who had planned to politely sit beside Yan Tingmo, hadn’t anticipated Qi Xing’s unpredictable move.

This was a miscalculation.

“Excuse me, is this seat taken?” A customer approached, having finally spotted an open spot amid the crowded restaurant. Smiling, he asked, “If not, can I sit here?”

Gu Beinan’s smile was tight and forced. “Sorry, this seat is taken.”

The customer nodded in understanding and moved on.

Under the curious gazes of those nearby, Gu Beinan sat down reluctantly. As he did, his eyes fell on the wheelchair tucked into the corner by Zhang Miao.

“Whose wheelchair is that?” he asked with concern. “Did someone get hurt?”

The comment hit a sore spot. Zhang Miao looked at him gloomily. “Yeah. Mine.”

“How badly are you hurt?”

“Not too bad. Just a fracture.”

“…” Gu Beinan smiled awkwardly. “Senior, you’re quite funny.”

Zhang Miao thought to himself, You’re the one who doesn’t get it.

Sitting pressed against the wall, Yan Tingmo was flanked by the frosty Qi Xing on one side and the overly chatty Gu Beinan on the other.

What a strange arrangement, he thought, wishing he could meld into the wall and disappear. At least that way, he wouldn’t have to face the tension.

“Ahem,” He Shiyang cleared his throat, holding up a water jug. “Anyone want water?”

The five people at the table responded with a unanimous “Yes,” and then stared at him expectantly.

He Shiyang’s hand paused as he held the water jug, but he eventually poured everyone a cup of plain water.

The group drank quietly, and soon, the hotpot that Zhang Miao and the others had ordered arrived at the table.

The rich, spicy aroma filled the air, making Yan Tingmo involuntarily swallow hard.

It… it smelled really good.

Feeling embarrassed, he touched his stomach, then turned his head toward the wall, hoping the sight of it would somehow quench his craving.

Fortunately, the hotpot he had ordered arrived shortly after. Because Qi Xing’s presence was so overwhelming, for some reason, he blurted out, “Do you… want to share?”

The ever-cool Qi Xing was momentarily stunned. He turned slightly to look at him.

Yan Tingmo, clearly embarrassed, blushed deeply, his eyes darting everywhere except toward him.

“I…” Qi Xing acted as though he was reluctantly considering it. “I suppose I could.”

Sitting nearby, Gu Beinan overheard this and leaned in to whisper, “Senior, I’d like to share too.”

This left Yan Tingmo in a bit of a bind. He hadn’t ordered much, just enough for one person. Offering to share with Qi Xing had been a subconscious move—a momentary slip of the tongue. Words once spoken couldn’t be taken back. But now, with another person wanting to join in, he worried he’d end up with nothing to eat.

“Well…” Zhang Miao interjected, “If you don’t mind, you can share with us.”

Gu Beinan immediately backtracked. “No need, senior. My order should be ready soon.”

Zhang Miao didn’t press further and simply picked up his chopsticks to eat.

Meanwhile, Yan Tingmo took two pairs of disposable chopsticks from the holder, handing one to Qi Xing and keeping the other for himself.

Qi Xing accepted the chopsticks, opened the wrapper, broke them apart, and wordlessly handed them to him. Then, he took a new pair for himself and repeated the process.

The smoothness of this action left Yan Tingmo momentarily dazed. He blinked, feeling as though he’d been transported back to the past.

Back then, Qi Xing had always done the same thing—preparing chopsticks for him. Even after all this time, it seemed to have become a habit for him.

Qi Xing had already started eating. Noticing that Yan Tingmo was staring blankly at his bowl, he frowned and said, “What are you thinking about? Eat.”

“Oh.” Yan Tingmo obediently picked up a piece of lettuce and quietly began eating.

An invisible barrier seemed to form between the two, isolating them from everyone else at the table.

Feeling excluded, Gu Beinan’s teeth ached as he watched. He had heard snippets about their story but hadn’t pieced it all together. From what he knew, it was a romance between the prestigious student council president and the famous, unattainable flower of A University. They were an enviable couple, admired by everyone. But after less than three months, the relationship fell apart when the senior broke up with the president.

Since it was the senior who initiated the breakup, it must have meant he didn’t love Qi Xing anymore. And if he didn’t love him, that meant there was a chance for him, right?

Unconcerned about appearances, he liked Yan Tingmo purely for his looks. It wasn’t some grand, long-standing affection—just the shallow attraction of a face enthusiast.

Still, watching them today as an outsider, he couldn’t help but feel that something was off.

It felt strange. He looked again.

When Qi Xing’s hotpot arrived, the two began eating their respective meals as though nothing had happened earlier.

But then, in the next moment, Gu Beinan felt an ache in his eyes. Qi Xing was picking mushrooms from his bowl and placing them into Yan Tingmo’s.

Yan Tingmo looked up, lips curved in a faint smile. “Thanks.”

Qi Xing didn’t stop there. He added beef rolls, corn sausages, and potato slices to Yan Tingmo’s bowl. Yan Tingmo’s face turned bright red as he gently poked Qi Xing with his index finger. “Stop it. If you keep going… you won’t have any left.”

“Ugh…” Gu Beinan rubbed his face, which felt a little itchy. Was he growing a vinegar jar? (Jealousy, perhaps?)

Yan Tingmo ate in small bites. After a while, he asked Qi Xing, “Don’t you dislike spicy food?”

Qi Xing paused for a moment before replying softly, “You have to get used to it.”

Yan Tingmo didn’t quite understand. If he didn’t like it, why force himself? For example, he himself didn’t like sweets and had never felt the need to compromise his preferences for anyone.

If you don’t like something, you don’t like it—there’s no need to change for no reason.

Qi Xing didn’t elaborate further. His hotpot was medium spicy, and despite his lips turning red and sweat forming on his forehead, he didn’t stop eating.

Feeling a pang of concern, Yan Tingmo silently pushed his water glass toward him. “Stop eating. Drink some water.”

Only then did Qi Xing put down his chopsticks. He picked up the glass, took a sip, and used two napkins to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Standing up, he said, “I’m done. I’ll head out first.” With that, he left without looking back.

Like a gust of wind, he stayed briefly and disappeared just as quickly.

Retracting his gaze, Yan Tingmo finally turned his attention to his three previously ignored roommates.

They all stared at him with teasing smiles, but there wasn’t a trace of malice in their expressions.

Yan Tingmo: “…”

“Let’s go back to the dorm,” Zhang Miao said, then turned to ask Gu Beinan, “Want to join us?”

“I’ll pass,” Gu Beinan replied. “I still have something to do. You guys go ahead.”