Ensnared by My Vampire Roommate

6

Jiang Banxu’s head was placed back on the bed, not exactly gently, causing his eyelashes to flutter as he woke up. When he opened his eyes, he noticed a hand pulling back from his face. Jiang blinked, suddenly much more awake.

He had assumed it was a nurse or doctor reminding him to get some sleep, but when he turned around, he saw that it was Ying Tiao standing behind him. Jiang was startled, quickly pushing the small chair away and standing up.

“Why are you here at this hour?” Jiang’s voice was barely above a whisper, not wanting to disturb the other patients in the quiet hospital room.

Rubbing his face, Jiang couldn’t shake the feeling that the side of his face where Ying had touched him was cold. He glanced at Ying’s hand and asked, “Your hand is freezing. Are you sick?”

“I’m not sick,” Ying replied, without explaining the coldness of his hands. His gaze remained fixed on Jiang’s face.

Standing in front of him, Jiang’s exhaustion was evident. The dark circles under his eyes were more pronounced, and his complexion had paled, lacking its usual healthy glow.

“You haven’t been home for several days. I came to check on you,” Ying said, lowering his voice to match Jiang’s.

Jiang was surprised—and a bit pleased—that his roommate had come to check on him, though the timing was odd.

He smiled softly. “It hasn’t been that long. If Grandpa’s temperature is normal tomorrow morning, I won’t have to stay here overnight anymore.”

Between staying at the hospital and studying for exams, Jiang’s body was feeling the strain.

Satisfied with this answer, Ying nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

Jiang couldn’t help but feel as though Ying was oddly eager to have him back home.

...

The next day, the sun was shining brightly. Jiang sat by his grandfather’s bedside, waiting for the doctor to finish his rounds. When the doctor confirmed that Jiang Weirong’s condition was stable, Jiang finally relaxed.

After thanking the doctor, Jiang turned to his grandfather, who was gently pushing his hand away and shaking his head.

Jiang knew this was his grandfather’s way of telling him to go home and rest, not wanting Jiang to stay overnight any longer.

“I got it, Grandpa,” Jiang said with a smile, squeezing his grandfather’s hand affectionately. “Ding Song is coming over later to help me pack. I’ll have lunch with you before we leave.”

Only then did Jiang Weirong close his eyes and rest, reassured that his grandson wouldn’t overextend himself.

Jiang hadn’t brought much to the hospital in the way of personal items, but he had packed plenty of books, along with clothes and other necessities for his grandfather to take home.

Jiang and Ding Song sat in the room, chatting while they packed. Ding Song perched on a chair, while Jiang sat at the bedside, carefully folding clothes.

“Have you made a decision about the summer internship with Professor Shen?” Ding asked as he packed books into a bag. “I mean, no matter how great the opportunity, your health should come first.”

With exams coming up and the added strain of staying at the hospital, Jiang’s face had grown noticeably paler. The internship would require him to work full days, then squeeze in time for his part-time job and hospital visits. Ding didn’t see how Jiang could handle it all.

“I really don’t think you should do it. Or, if you do decide to intern, at least drop the part-time job,” Ding said with a frown. “If things get really tight, my parents could lend you some money. They’d definitely be willing.”

It hadn’t come to that yet.

Jiang was saving up money mainly out of fear that his grandfather’s condition might deteriorate, and he wouldn’t be able to afford the necessary treatment when it came time for surgery. That was his worst nightmare.

On top of that, the costs of hospitalization, rehabilitation, and hiring a caregiver were never-ending.

Jiang just wanted to save as much as he could in case of emergencies. Borrowing money from Ding’s family wasn’t something he wanted to consider.

“I’ve thought about it these past few days. I’m not going to do the internship,” Jiang said, his hands skillfully folding the clothes as he lowered his head. “My grandfather’s recovery is more important right now, and I need to save money.”

He still felt a little light-headed from the lack of rest.

Jiang was never the type to push himself beyond his limits. He knew how to take care of his body and understood the importance of pacing himself.

Ever the optimist, Jiang added with a smile, “We’re only in our first year. There will be plenty of opportunities to intern in the coming years. Maybe by next summer, Grandpa will be fully recovered, and I’ll be able to focus on the internship.”

The only downside was that he might miss the chance to study under Professor Shen.

Professor Shen was very popular with students, and if Jiang turned down this spot, someone else would surely take it. Who knew what the situation would be next year?

Jiang felt a little regretful about that part, as he and Professor Shen had always gotten along well.

“That’s great. I’m glad you’ve made up your mind,” Ding said, visibly relieved. “Come on, let’s go grab something good to eat!”

...

They lingered at the hospital for a bit longer, and by the time they finished lunch, it was already 1 PM.

It would take at least half an hour to get from the hospital to Jiang’s apartment by bus. Ding had class that afternoon and would have to get off before Jiang to head to the university, meaning Jiang would be walking the rest of the way alone.

“Your face looks terrible. Go straight home and take a nap,” Ding said, worried that Jiang wouldn’t be able to carry both bags. As he got off the bus, he added, “I remember you saying your roommate stopped by the hospital. He seems like a decent guy. Why don’t you text him and ask if he can meet you at the bus stop?”

“There’s no need for that!” Jiang waved off Ding’s concerns. “It’s just two bags. You’d better hurry to class.”

It was almost 2 PM, the hottest part of the day. The sun was glaring down, making the air feel stifling and hard to breathe.

Jiang stepped off the bus and immediately frowned. It was unbearably hot.

He had only walked a short distance before sweat began to bead on his forehead, and his breathing became labored.

He had walked this path under the sun many times before, and carrying two bags wasn’t much for him. But he hadn’t fully recovered from the past few days of sleepless nights, and his stamina was shot.

He stuck to the shade as much as possible, dragging out the normally 10-minute walk to nearly half an hour.

By the time he reached his apartment complex, Jiang was drenched in cold sweat, despite the heat.

He had no idea how pale he looked.

As he approached his building, he spotted Ying Tiao coming out of the elevator. Ying stopped in his tracks when he saw Jiang.

Jiang assumed Ying was heading out and was about to greet him, but before he could raise his hand, his vision went dark, and his entire body went limp.

His mind was still somewhat clear. As he started to collapse, he even tried to position himself so he’d fall onto his bags and avoid getting hurt. But the fall never came. Instead, he was pulled into a pair of cold arms.

His face pressed against the cool, firm fabric of Ying’s shirt, and Jiang’s first thought was how comfortable it felt.

Only then did he realize how feverish his body was. He wasn’t sure if he had heatstroke or was running a fever—likely both.

“You’re sick,” came Ying’s displeased voice. Something about it made Jiang uneasy.

He remembered that Ying had been standing in the hallway a moment earlier, still several steps away. How had he caught Jiang in time?

Even in his dizzy state, Jiang couldn’t rest easy. He forced his eyes open.

His vision was blurry, but this was the first time Jiang had seen Ying in full daylight.

From his position, all Jiang could see was Ying’s arm.

Ying was wearing a dark long-sleeved jacket, even in the heat of summer. Only a sliver of pale wrist was exposed, the skin drawn tight as if under strain.

Ying’s skin was so pale it almost hurt to look at. But as Jiang stared, he noticed something horrifying—the skin on Ying’s wrist was beginning to burn and flake away under the sunlight, turning to ash before his eyes.

Jiang trembled in shock, instinctively trying to lift his head to get a better look at Ying’s face, but his head was quickly restrained by a firm hand. The next thing he knew, he was lifted easily into Ying’s arms.

Jiang, feeling weak and out of it, wanted to struggle, but Ying immediately tightened his grip.

Ying’s strength was terrifying, squeezing Jiang so tightly that his bones ached.

The wind rushed past his ears, and when Jiang blinked again, he realized they were now in the shadowed corner of the building’s hallway.

Jiang was too weak to stand, so Ying didn’t put him down.

His head was swimming, and he felt more disoriented by the second, but Jiang was desperate to see Ying’s arm and face again.

This time, Ying didn’t stop him. He let Jiang groggily cling to his shoulder, trying to examine him.

Ying’s wrist had already healed, the skin flawless. His face, too, was perfect, his expression as

cold and unreadable as ever.

Jiang found nothing unusual and was growing frustrated.

“What’s wrong?” Ying asked, looking down at him.

Jiang frowned, staring seriously at him for a few long seconds before rasping, “Just now… it seemed like… you didn’t have a heartbeat.”

The man’s expression flickered slightly before he let out a soft laugh.

“I do,” Ying said, shifting Jiang in his arms. “Listen again.”

The way Ying held him felt strangely inappropriate, but Jiang’s vision was fading in and out, and he was too weak to care.

With his ear pressed to Ying’s chest, Jiang could clearly hear the steady thumping of a heartbeat.

Normal. Strong.

Relieved, Jiang relaxed completely, finally letting himself pass out.

---

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