Mutual Crush

Jiang Yun is a university student from a wealthy family who harbors a secret crush on his senior roommate, Lin Yufei. Lin Yufei is a disciplined athlete from a humble background, raised by his grandfather after being abandoned by his mother. Jiang Yun’s feelings are complicated by a bizarre psychosomatic condition: he begins to lactate whenever he sees Lin Yufei. Initially, Jiang Yun suffers in silence while living in a dorm with three roommates who mock him for his fair skin and quiet demeanor. When he overhears Chen Qi, Lu Wei, and Yu Yuanzhe insulting him, Lin Yufei intervenes violently, defending Jiang Yun and forcing the bullies to back down. Lin Yufei then helps Jiang Yun move into his own dorm room, claiming it is because Jiang Yun’s mother paid for the better accommodation, though his actions suggest deeper affection.

Once living together, Jiang Yun’s condition worsens due to proximity. He becomes increasingly embarrassed, hiding wet patches on his clothes and avoiding physical intimacy. Lin Yufei notices Jiang Yun’s discomfort but misinterprets it as shyness or cleanliness issues. The two bond with their other roommates, Zhang Yiqi and Qi Jinlin, who are also in a romantic relationship. During a night out, Lin Yufei reveals that he has feelings for someone but refuses to name them. Later, while carrying a drunk Jiang Yun back to the dorm, Lin Yufei accidentally kisses him. When Jiang Yun confesses his strange medical condition in tears, fearing rejection, Lin Yufei does not recoil. Instead, he expresses fascination and acceptance, stating that he likes the condition and does not want it cured.

Despite this acceptance, Jiang Yun secretly moves out to escape his symptoms and visits a doctor, who finds no physical abnormalities. He also cuts off financial support to Yu Yuanzhe, who had previously accepted his family’s charity. Lin Yufei goes abroad for training, and Jiang Yun waits for his return. When Lin Yufei comes back early, he confronts Jiang Yun about the move-out. During their reunion, Jiang Yun discovers his condition has temporarily vanished but returns when Lin Yufei kisses him. Lin Yufei reaffirms his desire to stay with Jiang Yun and declares his intention to marry him. The couple’s past is revealed through a phone call from Li Liran, a man Lin Yufei previously helped due to a misunderstanding about skin hunger syndrome. Lin Yufei publicly rejects Li Liran and confesses that he fell in love with Jiang Yun on their first day of school, when Jiang Yun helped his grandfather sell oranges.

The story shifts to summer vacation, where Lin Yufei stays with Jiang Yun’s family. Jiang Yun’s mother, having divorced Jiang Yun’s father after he tried to force Jiang Yun into heteronormativity, warmly accepts Lin Yufei. She gives him a red envelope and asks him to call her Mother, which he does tearfully, healing his childhood trauma of maternal abandonment. The couple spends the summer together, with Lin Yufei helping Jiang Yun’s grandfather and working part-time. They visit their friends Zhang Yiqi and Qi Jinlin, who are facing family rejection. The group watches the sunrise together, symbolizing hope and resilience. Jiang Yun’s condition persists but is managed through Lin Yufei’s acceptance and care. The narrative concludes with the couple solidifying their relationship, supported by their friends and Jiang Yun’s mother, moving toward a future together despite external challenges.