I’ll Still Love You Even If You’re a Man - Volume 3 - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

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In a matter of months, the days were slowly getting shorter and slowly getting colder . Winter was indeed upon the world . The wind was beginning to get a little too cold . Mai Ding was trying to close the window, and with every breath, he could see the mist forming . “I can’t believe that winter is already coming . It’s so cold . ” Mai Ding said, as if talking to the bare trees outside his dorm .

It felt like it was just yesterday that the two men met .

An Ziyan was at his desk writing something . Mai Ding, realizing that An Ziyan did not respond, went up to him and hugged him from behind, resting his chin on An Ziyan’s shoulder . “I’m so bored . What are you writing?”

“Writing a report . ”

“Why are you doing a report?” Mai Ding asked innocently .

“We have to hand it in tomorrow . Don’t you have to do so too?”

It was only then did Mai Ding finally realize that he had homework to complete . He had totally forgotten about it! He rushed to his room wanting to retrieve his materials, but when he entered the room, the entire place was in darkness and he saw a group of guys surrounding Li Ming on the computer . He knew what they were watching from the sound that was coming from the video . He turned on the lights and one of the guys turned and told Mai Ding, “Do you also want to watch it?”

“He’s not interested in such things . You looking for something?” Li Ming asked .
“Ya, just some pen and paper . But seeing you guys watch these low level videos, I can’t help but say a few words . My dear comrades, it’s time to stop such behavior . Let’s do something more worthwhile with our lives . Perhaps organize something for the school? What about small tuition groups? Or maybe start a club?”

If you were outside Mai Ding’s room, you would have seen him being thrown out of his own room . Then his pen and paper would have been flung outside after that .

Mai Ding went back to An Ziyan’s room and complained to him about the boys watching porn in the room .

“That’s normal for guys . ” An Ziyan remarked, showing no response whatsoever .

“That’s not true . I do not watch such stuff and see, I turned out fine . ”

“No wonder you turned out to be this scrawny weird kid . ”

“That's not true! Who said masturbation would strengthen the body? So now I know why you have such skills in bed . You must be studying those types of videos every day, right?”

“I don’t see you complaining when you are at the receiving end of those skills . ”

Mai Ding blushed . He has this weakness . Whenever someone talked dirty to him a little, he would not know how to respond . He was, after all, just an innocent guy living amongst not-so-innocent people . He tried his best to change the topic . “Let me copy your homework . ”

“No . ” An Ziyan responded, preventing Mai Ding from taking his work .

“You petty asshole, just let me copy . Besides, we are not even from the same class . No one will find out . ” Mai Ding protested .

“I won’t be in cahoots with you . ”

“You make it sound like it’s a sort of crime . C’mon, on the account that you are like a husband to me, let me copy? Don’t be so heartless . ”

“Don’t even try acting so close to me . ”



“What do you mean by that? We are close . Quick lend it to me, or else it'll be too late . ”

“No, unless…” An Ziyan purposely baited Mai Ding .

Mai Ding frowned . “What is it now? You want me to be your housemaid for another month? I will definitely not agree . I will also not agree if you want me to wear some kinky outfit or wear some cat ears . No can do!” It seems like the one who is providing these suggestive propositions was Mai Ding himself .

“I want you to sing for me . ” Obviously, An Ziyan himself was bored .

“What???!!!” Mai Ding shouted incredulously . It was fortunate the An Ziyan ducked just in time else Mai Ding’s saliva would have rained on him . But, An Ziyan looked like he was serious with the request . In his mind, Mai Ding thought that he might as well just eat some shit in front of An Ziyan, but he decided to say it out loud . AnZiyan might just ask him to do so . Who knows what he is not capable of doing . ‘Okay you can stop pulling my leg . I like Chinese songs and you prefer English ones . You won’t like the song that I will sing . So let’s cut you some slack and you just lend it to me? Both parties will be happier that way . ’
An Ziyan shook his head, waiting for his song .

Mai Ding was feeling ill at ease . In his mind, a battle was going on . He didn’t know which was more important, his grades or his reputation . “If I do sing, you have to promise not to laugh at me, or else I will hate you for life . ”

An Ziyan nodded in agreement .

“If you look at me, I won’t be able to sing . ” After saying that, Mai Ding stood behind An Ziyan . He cleared his throat before he began . Singing was definitely not his forte . Even the first note he produced was already out of tune . He was, of course, unaware of this . And with great gusto, he sang:
Love . . . So that’s your form
When you look at it up close,
you will not understand what you see .
As for me, even after inspecting it from all angles,
I couldn’t fathom what it was about .


Yet you, in just one second,
have effortlessly captured my heart .
How should I describe the emotions inside me?
If you understood me, my past desires,
you would have gone the distance with me and be the light in my life .
You knew that I was still waiting, waiting for some lost love .
People thought that I had grown accustomed to my own solitude,
but you saved me from that lonely life .
You brought me back out to the light .
All this while, I was just hoping against hope .
Trying to find a soul mate to share my life story with .
But loneliness will find me eventually .
Will you continue to give me that hope?

When Mai Ding was done, he sighed in relief . At least it was over . “Now can I have your homework?”

An Ziyan passed the report to Mai Ding, but Mai Ding realised that An Ziyan was trying to stifle his laughter . He pinched An Ziyan, and said, “You are too much . Didn’t you promise that you won’t laugh at me? I already told you I can’t sing . I really hate you . ”

“It was indeed true that it was not very nice . ”

“Can’t you say something nice for a change? I want you to console me . ”

“It’s ok, you are just tone deaf . ”

Mai Ding decided to ignore An Ziyan and swore never to sing in front of An Ziyan ever again . While copying An Ziyan’s report, a thought came to his mind . “Hey, Christmas is coming” he mumbled to himself .

Thinking that Mai Ding was just mumbling to himself, An Ziyan would, of course, not respond .

“An Ziyan . I want all the current Fantasy movie DVDs as my Christmas present” . A direct but difficult request .

“I’m not Santa Claus . ”

“You are rejecting my request a little too fast . You should at least try your best to do so . ”

“I will need to go back home during the Christmas break . ”

Mai Ding considered what he said for a while . It is true that one should spend some time with the family during Christmas . It was the right thing to do .  What’s so fun about two guys around a Christmas tree anyway? Mai Ding was trying to console himself but no matter how hard he tried, he was still a little upset . “Well, you can go back home but I still want my present . ”

“Go find your Santa Claus . ”

“I’m not Santa Claus’s lover . ”

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To be continued . . .