Ensnared by My Vampire Roommate

5

Here’s the translation of the fifth chapter of your novel, keeping the style and flow consistent with the previous chapters:

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**Chapter Five**

Jiang Banxu and Ding Song were both members of the department's volunteer association. The association didn’t have many different types of activities, mostly scheduled medical outreach programs. Jiang preferred the fixed schedule because it fit better with his busy life.

Ding Song, on the other hand, loved socializing. He had joined several clubs and had only signed up for the volunteer association to spend more time with Jiang.

As the semester drew to a close, social events for many clubs had started ramping up. The volunteer association was one of the few with fewer gatherings, only holding one dinner at the end of the semester after the outreach programs had wrapped up.

Everyone saw this final gathering as a last hurrah before buckling down for exams, so the atmosphere was lively. After dinner at a hotpot restaurant, the group moved to a karaoke bar to play board games. By the time everyone was exhausted and the event ended, it was almost 11 PM.

Jiang’s life was typically very busy, so an occasional social event was a way for him to relax. He had enjoyed himself that night.

Everyone had been drinking. After saying their goodbyes, some called cabs, others called for designated drivers, and a few had family members pick them up. In no time, the group had mostly dispersed.

At this hour, there were no more buses. Jiang and Ding Song lived in different directions, so Jiang was planning to call a cab to go home.

But Ding wouldn’t hear of it.

Jiang had a low tolerance for alcohol and got tipsy after just one drink. He had only had a glass while singing karaoke, but it was enough to slow his reactions.

Ding had drunk far more than Jiang, but his alcohol tolerance was much higher, and he was still sober. Remembering the story Jiang had told him about being followed by some thugs, Ding crossed his arms and pulled his tipsy friend back. “No way. Absolutely not. You know cabs can’t get into your neighborhood. How can you walk home by yourself like this?”

Jiang, being groggy and easygoing in this state, didn’t resist once Ding explained.

Ding quickly called two other boys from their outreach group, and together, they hailed a cab and escorted Jiang home.

The cool breeze during the ride cleared Jiang’s head a little, and by the time they reached the entrance to his apartment complex, he was mostly sober again.

Jiang thanked the guys who had brought him back. They were all from the same outreach team, and since Jiang was the team leader who often took on extra responsibilities, they quickly told him there was no need to be so polite.

As they were about to leave, Jiang spotted Ying Tiao approaching from a distance, dressed in black. His tall figure seemed to appear out of nowhere in the night, making the two boys with Ding Song instinctively take several steps back.

“Wait, wait, wait—there’s someone up ahead, right? That’s not the stalker you were talking about before, is it?” one of the boys asked, gripping Ding in fear.

Ding quickly recognized Ying and waved his hand dismissively. “No, no, no, that’s not a stalker. That’s Banxu’s roommate.”

“Oh… oh,” the boys said, both letting out sighs of relief.

Jiang was surprised to see Ying out so late, but ever since he’d convinced himself that his roommate was just socially anxious, he no longer felt the same fear. In fact, he even thought that he should be the one to take the initiative in making his shy roommate feel more comfortable.

Standing on his tiptoes, Jiang waved at Ying, who naturally noticed him.

As Ying approached, Jiang introduced him to his classmates. “This is my roommate, Ying Tiao.”

Ding Song didn’t need an introduction, but the other two boys, standing awkwardly a few steps away, forced smiles and said, “Hello, nice to meet you.”

Ying nodded slightly in response, but his attention quickly shifted back to Jiang. His expression changed ever so subtly.

The sweet scent of Jiang’s blood was absent, masked by the unpleasant smell of alcohol, which immediately irritated the vampire.

After saying their goodbyes, the three boys left together, one of them still nervously glancing back over his shoulder every few steps.

“Hey, Ding, are you sure that guy is really our team leader’s roommate? He doesn’t seem… human,” one of the boys whispered, gripping Ding’s arm.

The other boy rubbed his arms as if warding off a chill and whispered, “My mom says the time between 11 PM and 1 AM is when the ‘yin’ energy is strongest. What if we really did just see a ghost? Should we go back and save our team leader?”

Ding shuddered at the thought, then slapped the boy’s arm. “Ah! Don’t say things like that in the middle of the night!”

The boy looked at him, both innocent and scared. “But why was his face so pale? I saw it. Even his hands were white.”

Ding, who had already discussed this with Jiang, responded confidently, “Banxu said it’s because he’s socially anxious. He doesn’t like going outside, so he’s pale from staying indoors.”

“...”

Meanwhile, Jiang and Ying walked toward the building, one behind the other.

The surroundings were pitch-black and eerily quiet. Jiang wasn’t walking fast, but for some reason, Ying remained a step behind him the entire time.

Ying didn’t make a sound, not even footsteps, so Jiang was only aware of his presence through the faint shadow that hovered behind him and the unmistakable sensation of a gaze fixed on the back of his neck. Jiang couldn’t help but wonder if something was stuck to him.

The atmosphere felt strange and unsettling.

As they entered the building, Jiang hesitated for a moment, then couldn’t resist glancing back.

Ying looked up just as he did, and in that split second of eye contact, Jiang could’ve sworn Ying’s eyes were blood red.

Startled, Jiang quickly turned his head back around, assuming it was a trick of the light caused by the alcohol.

As the tension grew, Jiang broke the silence, trying to make conversation. “...So, uh, why are you getting home so late?”

They had reached the elevator by then, and Ying stepped forward to press the button.

At this hour, the building was practically empty, and when the elevator doors opened, they stepped in. The bright lights inside made Jiang feel instantly safer.

He took advantage of the well-lit space to sneak another glance at Ying’s face, confirming that his eyes were their usual dark color.

So it was just his imagination after all.

Relieved, Jiang told himself it was just his poor alcohol tolerance making him see things.

“I was working late at the office,” Ying answered, replying to Jiang’s earlier question.

Jiang was visibly surprised by the answer.

Honestly, he had assumed his roommate didn’t even have a job, considering how he barely left the house. Hearing Ying casually mention “working late” sounded oddly out of place.

*I really misjudged him,* Jiang thought, feeling a little embarrassed for jumping to conclusions.

“You seem surprised,” Ying observed, clearly paying attention to Jiang’s expression. As he spoke, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his employee badge, handing it to Jiang. “I’m a full-time employee at Wu Group, but I usually work remotely.”

Jiang glanced briefly at the badge, noticing the ID photo was particularly handsome.

It was a bit awkward, though. Staring at someone else’s ID for too long would be rude, and Ying’s earnest explanation had already made Jiang feel somewhat guilty for underestimating him.

“Oh, I see. Wu Group has a high entry bar. That’s really impressive,” Jiang said with a smile, politely declining to take the badge. Ying pocketed it again.

Wu Group was a reputable company. Working there made Ying’s life seem much more grounded than Jiang had initially assumed.

Jiang took a deep breath and reminded himself not to overthink things anymore.

...

The next few days were uneventful. Most of Jiang’s elective classes were wrapping up, so he had more free time to visit his grandfather at the hospital.

His grandfather’s rehabilitation had been showing positive results lately. The strength in his affected limbs had improved, and his speech was clearer than before.

When Jiang heard his grandfather successfully string together a few clear words, he was so happy he nearly cried.

Five years ago, Jiang had been kidn*pped and went missing. The police had been unable to find him, and everyone had assumed he was dead.

Jiang Weirong, who valued Jiang more than his own life, had suffered a stroke from the shock of the ordeal. His illness had only worsened over the years, and Jiang had always felt guilty about it. No one wanted his grandfather to recover more than he did.

One morning, just after waking up, Jiang received a call from the hospital informing him that his grandfather had developed a sudden fever during the night.

Jiang broke out in a cold sweat and rushed to the hospital. Fortunately, the situation wasn’t too serious. The nurse had taken his grandfather outside for some fresh air the day before, and the extended exposure to the cold had caused him to catch a chill.

The doctor had already administered medication, and Jiang’s grandfather’s temperature was under control. Only then did Jiang breathe a sigh of relief.

After leaving the hospital room, the nurse hurriedly apologized to Jiang.

She was just as upset as he was, repeatedly saying it was her negligence. She had seen how happy Jiang Weirong had been outside the day before and thought it would be fine to stay out a little longer, never expecting it would lead to this.

The nurse

had been Jiang’s neighbor when he and his grandfather lived in the school district. She was kind-hearted and had offered to help care for Jiang’s grandfather at a reduced rate, easing much of the financial burden.

Jiang, not wanting her to feel guilty, reassured her that everything was fine and that it was enough that his grandfather was okay now.

After his grandfather’s fever subsided, Jiang told the nurse to go home and rest, while he decided to stay at the hospital for a few days to keep an eye on things.

Before, his busy school schedule had kept him from staying overnight, as he couldn’t sleep well at the hospital and would feel too tired the next day. Plus, the hospital was quite far from campus, making it easy to be late for morning classes.

But now that most of his classes had ended, Jiang could study and review at the hospital, so he packed some essentials and settled in for a few days.

To avoid worrying his roommate, Jiang sent Ying a message on WeChat, explaining that he would be staying at the hospital for a few nights and might occasionally return home during the day to pick up some things.

After sending the message, Ying didn’t respond.

Jiang ended up staying at the hospital for three nights. During the day, he went to class if he had any, and when he didn’t, he stayed with his grandfather. Sometimes, Ding Song would drop by to keep him company.

On the fourth night, at around 11 PM, Ying Tiao silently arrived at the hospital.

By that time, most of the lights in the hospital were off, and the hallways were dimly lit, with only a few night lights casting a soft, yellow glow. The entire neurology ward was quiet and peaceful.

Vampires were exceptionally skilled at moving without being detected. Ying made his way to Jiang Weirong’s room without making a sound.

The room had three beds, but only two were occupied, including Jiang’s grandfather’s. The overhead lights were off, and both patients were already asleep. Jiang had drawn the privacy curtain around his grandfather’s bed and was sitting on the empty bed next to it, studying under the reading light.

When Ying entered, Jiang was facing away from him, resting his elbow on the bed’s edge and using his hand to prop up his head. He had fallen asleep.

It wasn’t a restful sleep, as his head kept nodding forward, and his other hand still held a pen.

As he drifted deeper into sleep, Jiang’s elbow gave out, and he nearly fell forward.

In the blink of an eye, Ying moved from the doorway to Jiang’s side, catching his head in his hand.

Jiang, too tired to stir, didn’t even twitch his eyelashes.

Ying’s cold palm quickly absorbed the warmth of Jiang’s face, and the vampire stared for a moment in uncharacteristic surprise.

Jiang’s skin was soft and smooth, an unfamiliar sensation to the vampire.

His face was small, and in Ying’s pale, slender fingers, it looked especially delicate and fragile.

With Jiang’s head resting in his hand, Ying could feel the faint pulse of the blood vessels in his neck.

Ying’s gaze fixated on that spot, and his throat bobbed slightly.

As a vampire, he had wanted to taste Jiang’s blood from the moment they met.

The longer he resisted, the stronger the urge became. And after several days of not being able to smell Jiang’s blood, Ying’s self-control had reached its limit.

His fangs instinctively extended, the urge to bite overwhelming.

Vampires could drink from a human’s neck while they slept, using their saliva to numb the wound and heal it quickly. The human would never know what had happened.

Warm, steady breaths fell against Ying’s hand. His expression remained cold, but his gaze lingered on the dark circles beneath Jiang’s eyes.

After a long moment of silence, Ying’s fangs slowly retracted, and the red in his eyes faded back to normal.

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