What to Do if I Am Noticed by the Straight Guy Next Door?

“Ten minutes,” as Allen had said, was exactly ten minutes. At that very moment, the doorbell rang, right on cue.

Su Bin rushed excitedly to the front, eager to see what the legendary “delivery person” from the custom restaurant looked like. However, as soon as he opened the door, he was taken aback. This wasn’t just one person; it was an entire basketball team! And they were all wearing white uniforms with red and blue stripes on the collar and lapels.

They didn’t greet Su Bin with a friendly smile like ordinary delivery people would and say, “Here’s your meal, enjoy!” Instead, each of them carried a tray, stood tall with their heads held high, and struck a pose as if they were flag bearers…

Su Bin: “…”

Someone timidly stepped back a few steps and let Allen take the lead… It seemed more appropriate for the person who placed the order to receive the delivery, after all.

“Mr. Lewis,” the leader of the group, upon seeing Allen, instantly changed his expression. He nodded slightly, a symbolic gesture representing a bow. “Please forgive us for intruding on your residence.”

Su Bin, who understood about seventy to eighty percent of what was happening, couldn’t help but think to himself, “Am I watching a medieval court drama? What kind of bizarre dialogue is this?”

However, Allen seemed completely unfazed, as if such a scene was commonplace. He slightly raised his head, gesturing for them to come inside.

In front of Allen, everyone put on gloves at the doorstep and took out white caps to cover their heads… The scene changed suddenly, and the flag bearers transformed into restaurant servers in an instant!

Carrying insulated boxes, they followed Allen’s lead without glancing around and came to the only dining table in the living room. They silently set up the table, arranged the dishes, and even placed flowers and candle holders… Once everything was set, they quietly waited by the table for inspection.

Allen glanced around, then raised his hand and flicked his fingers, prompting the leader to take out a small card from his pocket for him to sign.

Su Bin, standing not far away, secretly glanced over and caught sight of a familiar cursive font. However, the signature was quite messy, with extravagant and illegible strokes. He could only make out the initial letter “A,” so it was probably something like “Allen something something”… Come to think of it, Su Bin didn’t know Allen’s full name!

“Mr. Lewis,” as they were about to leave, the delivery person took off their hat, placed their hand on their abdomen, and respectfully said, “We sincerely suggest that if it’s convenient, you should dine at the restaurant to fully enjoy the hundred percent delicious food. Finally, we wish you a pleasant dining experience.”

The group quickly departed, the entire process taking less than five minutes… Su Bin couldn’t help but sigh at how even the delivery service was made so grand. Truly befitting of the name “Royal Kitchen”!

Allen had ordered four portions of the classic Western-style dinner, but unlike in a restaurant, where each dish is served one by one in order, all the dishes were already placed on the table. There were appetizers, main courses, and even desserts.

The appearance of these dishes was exquisite enough to grace the pages of a gourmet magazine, and Su Bin couldn’t resist taking a few photos.

When Jin Fei learned that Su Bin wanted to upload the photos to a campus network, she teased, “You’re in Country B now, why bother with a campus network? That’s so outdated… Hurry up and get a ‘Nonexistent’ account!”

Su Bin knew that Jin Fei was referring to the foreign “campus network” – Facebook. However, he didn’t know many people in Country B, and even if he applied and posted the photos, no one would see them… What’s the point of posting if no one will see them? Is it just for show?

Yang Chengzhe opened a bottle of wine, and each of them poured themselves a glass. After a toast, the dinner officially began.

Before coming to Country B, Su Bin had heard that apart from fish and chips, there were hardly any local specialty foods, and most dishes claiming to be “local specialties” were actually culinary disasters! His experiences over the past few days had fully exposed the lack of culinary culture in this place.

However, on the plates before him, there were no abalone or shark fin delicacies. They consisted of the most common local ingredients such as chicken, lettuce, mushrooms, and fish. But they were beautifully presented and harmoniously paired.

Scooping up a spoonful of chicken salad, it had a subtle flavor but was delicious, whetting Su Bin’s appetite.

He then tasted the creamy grilled prawns and the fish stewed with mashed potatoes, both of which amazed him. These dishes preserved the original flavors of the ingredients while offering a delightful culinary experience… It seemed that Country B did have its share of delicious food. It mainly depended on the skill of the chef. A good chef had the power to turn simple ingredients into delectable dishes!

Su Bin ate to his heart’s content, although he felt a bit disappointed by the small portions of each dish. He hadn’t had enough, and they were already finished… But it was also good in a way as it left a lingering taste.

Seeing Su Bin finish each plate clean, Allen finally regained a smile.

Su Bin also noticed that Allen’s mood had improved, but he always felt that Allen’s personality was difficult to fathom, just like the weather in Country B. It was impossible to predict when it would rain or shine; there were no apparent signs!

There was a dish on the table called “Pan-Fried Beef Tenderloin,” which reminded Su Bin of the incident with the doneness of the fillet steak. He asked Allen to confirm whether what he had eaten that day was truly medium-rare.

Allen admitted it and explained, “A good chef has their own idiosyncrasies when it comes to ingredients. As a diner, we should respect the chef’s whims. So, when I decided on medium-rare for you, it was the best doneness for a fillet steak.”

“…” Well, even though Allen was a bit fastidious and difficult to deal with, his words and actions didn’t make people dislike him. Sometimes, he even earned a bit of admiration from Su Bin.

A complete and satisfying family dinner left the four of them thoroughly content. Although they didn’t inquire about the value of the meal with Allen, they all knew the status and reputation of the “Royal Kitchen.” They also understood that Allen had repaid the favor Su Bin had previously done for everyone by cooking… If it were to be calculated in monetary terms, Su Bin’s effort would still be far from enough.

After dinner, everyone went about their own tasks. Su Bin chatted with Jin Fei for a while and went upstairs to freshen up early. Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered the bathroom, Allen appeared and “cornered” him.

“Michael…”

As soon as Su Bin heard Allen’s serious and formal tone, he knew that it couldn’t be something good!

“I have something to declare to you.”

Sure enough! Su Bin’s heart skipped a beat, and he asked, “What do you want to declare?”

“Just now, the photos you took, please don’t upload them online,” Allen said with a “please.” It was a polite word that B people habitually used in their speech, but Su Bin didn’t hear any sense of “request” from Allen’s words. It was a command.

Su Bin obediently promised, “I won’t post them…”

“Also,” Allen stood at the bathroom door, exerting invisible pressure on Su Bin, “in the future, remember not to take any photos related to me personally. I don’t like being exposed.”

Su Bin nodded obediently, “Oh, I promise I won’t take any.”

In his mind, Su Bin thought, “Boss, I know you value personal privacy. Chengzhe already warned me about it. So don’t worry… If I didn’t know this, I would have already taken photos of you secretly and posted them online for those netizens to ‘beg for attention.'”

Allen was satisfied with Su Bin’s attitude and said cheerfully, “I’m glad we had a chat this evening.”

Su Bin twitched his mouth. Literally, Allen’s words could easily be misunderstood…

To some extent, the way people in Country B expressed themselves was not any easier to understand than the “subtle” languages of China and Japan.

In simpler terms, when a person from Country B said something, don’t foolishly interpret it literally!

Su Bin had once read a post online about a Chinese girl who met a boy from Country B online. No matter what the girl said, the boy would reply with “Interesting” online. The girl thought that the boy was interested in her and got excited. Many years later, when the girl had more exposure to foreign cultures and had the chance to travel abroad, she realized that when people from Country B said “Interesting,” it usually didn’t mean “interesting” at all, but just a casual “hehe.”

So, the conversation between the girl and the boy from Country B could be understood as:

“Hey, let me tell you something, blah blah…”

“Hehe.”

“Hey, let me tell you something else, blah blah…”

“Hehe.”

…

One can imagine the shock the girl felt upon learning the truth.

In the present situation, Allen’s statement was in a similar vein. Although his words could be literally translated as “I’m glad we had a chat,” just by listening to his tone, one could sense that it was just something said casually, like when Chinese people greet each other with “Have you eaten?”—if taken seriously, you’ve lost.

Su Bin gave himself a mental pat on the back for his sensitivity and wit, and answered in a similar manner to Allen, “I’m also glad!” Then he complained in his mind, “Not really happy. Talking with you feels like reporting, and you always find fault, constantly undermining my confidence. It’s nerve-wracking. If I could choose my conversation partner, I would never choose you. Jin Fei is much more fun than you…”

“Is that so?” Allen raised an eyebrow and smiled. “In that case, I’ll make sure to find more time to chat with you in the future.”

Su Bin: “…” Was that statement also just a formality? Why does it sound a bit strange?

Allen: “Alright, Michael, good night.”

Su Bin: “Good… good night.” Did something go wrong?

Without thinking too much, Su Bin called Chen Xiaotian the next morning and described in detail the luxurious dinner that was not exactly a feast. Chen Xiaotian exclaimed, “Your roommate in Country B must be either rich or noble!”

Su Bin replied, “I think so too. The way he speaks and acts, and his attitude towards others, make me feel like he’s a pampered young master.”

Chen Xiaotian suggested, “Why don’t you learn from him?”

Su Bin chuckled and said, “Learn from him? No way! I can’t pull off that kind of demeanor. It would be too pretentious.” It’s asking for trouble…

Chen Xiaotian laughed and asked, “Is that so? Who was the one who initially suspected that the neighbor was a vampire, got scared, had nightmares, and couldn’t sleep?”

Su Bin grumbled with a touch of resentment, “My study abroad life is already challenging enough. Can’t you stop rubbing salt in my wounds?”

Chen Xiaotian couldn’t help but laugh and asked, “And now, do you still feel that way?”

Su Bin thought for a moment and said, “Actually, after spending a few days together, I think it’s not bad…” Although Allen had various picky demands and often misunderstood Su Bin’s intentions, making communication difficult, and he was hot and cold, overall, he wasn’t a bad person… After all, from the incident with the steak and the dinner last night, it was clear that he was good to his roommate.

Besides, Su Bin felt that since they were living together, they should make some compromises if there were any disagreements. If they couldn’t tolerate each other, they could keep their distance. One year would pass by quickly.

“Then… you don’t suspect he’s a vampire anymore?” Chen Xiaotian continued teasing.

Su Bin was taken aback. To be honest, he still hadn’t let go of his guard against Allen. Up until now, he knew nothing about Allen as a person. Even during their conversation last night that lasted for half an hour, Allen didn’t reveal anything about himself.

It’s not that Su Bin enjoys prying into other people’s privacy. He appreciates being a good listener, just like with his friends Chen Xiaotian and Yang Chengzhe, who are more inclined to listen than to talk. But regardless, there is always an interaction during their conversations. For example, when Su Bin talked about his girlfriend, he also learned about Yang Chengzhe’s dating experiences. It’s a mutual process.

However, when Su Bin chats with Allen, there is no sense of equal interaction. Instead, it feels like an interviewee meeting an interviewer, a student with a teacher, a subordinate with a boss, or a servant with a master… Orz (a symbol expressing frustration or despair).

To be honest, Su Bin feels quite timid. Every time he encounters Allen, he feels like he’s enveloped by a strong aura and unknowingly being led by him. So, despite not posting on that cliff thread again, he still doesn’t dare to let his guard down.

Moreover, he was deeply impressed by a reply from a netizen named “I’d rather die than compromise” (liáng tuō dǎ sǐ bù gēng), which roughly suggested that vampires wouldn’t reveal their identities before attacking their prey, just like female ghosts would thoroughly confuse their victims before absorbing their life essence.

Su Bin knows that his imagination is quite unfounded, so he doesn’t dare to tell Chen Xiaotian about it. He’s afraid she would think he lacks courage, so he lies, saying, “I haven’t doubted it for a long time…”

“You, always thinking too much!” Chen Xiaotian laughs and says, “Over there, make more friends if you can. You never know when you might need them, especially someone like your roommate. Building a good relationship with him will definitely have its benefits.”

Su Bin is touched by his girlfriend’s consideration and thoughtfulness. He sincerely says, “Thank you, my dear.” Chen Xiaotian is his belief, the source of his motivation to strive and his biggest pillar of support during his year of studying abroad. For Chen Xiaotian, Su Bin believes he can overcome any difficulties!

Su Bin says excitedly, “I will get along well with Allen!” So what if he’s a vampire? Can he really eat me?