Give Me a Hug

Chapter 22: Basketball

Xie Jiaran was taken to the Science Building by Liang Sunian, and upon entering the classroom, they immediately drew attention.

One of the boys joked with him, "Liang, what's up with you? Others bring girls to class, but you bring a roommate. No matter how straight you are, this is over the top."

Liang Sunian casually draped his arm over Xie Jiaran's shoulder and replied nonchalantly, "What's wrong with bringing my roommate? I like bringing him. Do you have a problem with that?"

"That's right~" Xiao Chi chimed in, running over to join the fun. "Besides, this roommate isn't just any roommate. He's worth more than ten girls put together!"

Liang Sunian said, "Stop talking nonsense."

Xiao Chi obediently covered his mouth, "Got it!"

"Liang Ge, there are two empty seats over here," Chen Wenyao called from the front row, next to Liu Maomao in a bright pink sweatshirt.

Xiao Chi extended an invitation, "Xie, come sit with us!"

Before Xie Jiaran could respond, Liang Suniang declined on his behalf, "No, thanks. I just showered and don't feel like sitting with you stinky guys right now. Maybe next time."

"What???" Xiao Chi widened his eyes in disbelief, "Liang Ge, are you rejecting me? You've never rejected me before. Don't you love me anymore?"

"Maybe next time. The teacher's here."

"...Jerk!"

Xie Jiaran followed Liang Sunian to the back corner by the window. The window was half-open, allowing a breeze to sweep in and coolly brush his face.

However, classmates kept glancing at him and Liang Sunian, making him uncomfortable. He tried to remember the three former roommates Liang Sunian introduced him to but eventually felt so uneasy he laid his head down on his arms, hiding half of his face.

The childlike gesture made Liang Sunian smile.

"Sleepy?" he asked.

Xie Jiaran said no, offering an excuse, "Just bored."

Liang Sunian chuckled, spinning a pen deftly between his fingers with one hand, while the other hand slid under the desk to hold Xie Jiaran's right hand.

Hidden in the corner, no one noticed.

"If you're bored, just sleep," he said. "Class will be over when you wake up."

Xie Jiaran felt a sense of familiarity. In high school, the couple who sat in front of him would secretly hold hands under the desk during class.

His eyelashes fluttered quickly, and he buried his face deeper into his arms.

"Isn't this a bit too obvious?" he asked. "What if the teacher calls on us?"

"Don't worry, he won't," Liang Sunian said with a smile. "Our teacher is very understanding. He said long ago that we could bring family members to his class."

After a pause, he added, "And we wouldn't have to answer any questions."

Xie Jiaran stayed silent.

He tried to process being called "family" and after a long moment, muttered a muffled "oh," closing his eyes and burying his face completely in his arms.

As a roommate and "family member," he slept through two classes in the law course, waking up groggy and unresponsive to Liang Sunian's questions, nodding absentmindedly.

He only realized what he had agreed to when he found himself at the indoor basketball court.

"But I don't know how to play basketball," he said, bewildered, holding a brand-new basketball.