In the third episode of “Dorm Life,” Quentin was still in the state from late September when he had just started building his physical stamina and hadn’t even managed to stick to morning runs for more than a few days.
His hair was still pure black, the golden roots not yet showing. A messy, unkempt mass of fluffy black hair covered his head, making his already palm-sized face appear even smaller.
Walking beside him, Cui Yan couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances. His gaze swept over Quentin’s pointed chin, and he couldn’t help but comment, “Quentin, have you lost weight since you first arrived?”
Quentin had just endured over six hours of continuous rehearsal from 5:30 AM to noon. After a short nap of about ten minutes in the practice room during lunch, he was awakened by Cui Yan, who had also been catching a nap next to him. Cui Yan suggested they take advantage of the quiet lunch break to go work out in the upstairs gym.
Quentin was actually a bit grumpy when woken up, but the gym appointment had been agreed upon earlier. Cui Yan, who woke him, had also only slept for that short while.
And after asking, Quentin learned that Cui Yan’s habit of going to the gym everyday and training never wavered regardless of the tasks assigned by the production team. Come rain or shine, thunder or lightning, he remained consistent.
The extent of his self-discipline made Quentin, a naturally overly competitive king of rolls, feel a rare sense of camaraderie. However, Quentin’s lazy, half-awake appearance contrasted sharply with the energetic, spirited Cui Yan beside him.
As they walked side by side into the gym, they also stepped into the view of the viewers outside the program.
[Quentin! That’s Quentin, right! The one at the entrance!]
[His hair is so thick. Did he just roll out of bed? It’s all messy ww]
[He’s with Cui Yan? This must be right after the first performance teams were formed. They were on the same team, so it’s normal they’d come together.]
[QT looks so sleepy. Rehearsals must be really tough, and he still insists on coming to work out. My heart aches for him qwq]
On screen, the drowsy boy was oblivious to the discussions among the viewers two weeks later. He reached to take a clean towel from the locker by the door and answered slowly, “Among those here to record the show, who hasn’t lost weight? Fang Xu has lost seven or eight kgs, right?”
Their dorm building had a scale at the entrance of each floor. The program crew didn’t force them to weigh themselves or lose weight, but for the sake of looking good on camera, coupled with a subtle sense of competitive spirit, most trainees would step on it when they passed by.
Fang Xu was among those who had lost a lot. The muscles he had painstakingly built before coming to the show were almost all gone. Others weren’t as efficient at shedding weight as he was.
Cui Yan, who knew Fang Xu well, laughed upon hearing this. “That’s just his constitution. He can eat lavish meals every day and not gain weight, but he loses weight very fast. You don’t know that when he first arrived, he was the result of three months of consistent training?”
Quentin thought for a few seconds and honestly shook his head.
“That’s the main reason he’s not keen on coming to the gym. The cost-effectiveness is too low.” Cui Yan looked Quentin up and down, a confident expression on his face. “You’re different. You have a good foundation. A little casual training can yield great results.”
As he spoke, he raised his hand and grasped Quentin’s upper arm, giving it a squeeze. “Hmm… You probably haven’t deliberately exercised much before. Your muscle shape is natural, right?”
Actually, just from a visual inspection, it was hard to tell if Quentin had any fitness habits.
During dance practice in the studio, Quentin would occasionally lift his shirt to wipe sweat, and Cui Yan had taken advantage of those brief seconds to observe Quentin’s abdou.
It was as fair as jade, the skin and flesh taut, rising and falling visibly with his breath, without an ounce of fat.
The waistband of his pants hung loosely below his navel, completely revealing his narrow, slim waistline. The knotted drawstring dangled between his legs, swaying left and right with his slow, unhurried steps.
He had very beautiful abs, the kind that could get a million likes overnight if posted online, and were more than sufficient to serve as reference material for art students.
This kind of muscle, which even hiring a high-end personal trainer might not guarantee, grew on a 17-year-old whose physical stamina was clearly below the passing line. Obviously, there was no other explanation besides being born that way.
Cui Yan silently gauged the contour of Quentin’s upper arm muscle with his palm and continued, “To achieve this effect without ever training before, if you just spend a little time here training every day over these three months, you could even become a top-tier coach at a professional gym after the show ends.”
A trainee who had been dawdling next to them, organizing his towel for a long time, couldn’t help but interject upon hearing this, “Even without training, Quentin could become a top-tier coach at any gym right now.”
The boy glanced at Quentin, then at Cui Yan, and muttered sourly under his breath, “If any gym could afford to hire you two as coaches, girls from all over the country would wear out the doorstep.”
[Stop, my mouth is watering…]
[If those two became coaches,I’d give up hot pot, spicy strips, chips, cola, instant noodles, spicy hot pot, spicy hot pot, barbecue… I’d soak in the gym every day for my 30 kgs of fat!]
[Is it really for your 30 kgs of fat? I’m embarrassed for you (pointing fingers)]
[Cui Yan, don’t just touch! Take his clothes off! Let me have a detailed appreciation of what a top-tier coach’s muscles look like (П▽ㄇ)]
Another fitness enthusiast with a towel around his neck also leaned over, joking with a grin, “How can you only consider girls? We guys like handsome coaches with good physiques too, you know.”
“Good physiques? What counts as a good physique? Does mine count?” The boy who first spoke up deliberately puffed out his chest, patting his sweat-soaked tank top with a slap.
“Pfft, you’ve only trained for a few days, you’re like a scrawny chick. You need to reach our Brother Cui’s level to be considered well-built.”
The boy muttered in dissatisfaction, “Comparing me to Brother Cui is too harsh… Brother Cui, how did you train your chest? Any tips you can share?”
“Pectoral shape definitely depends on genetics. Even my trainer doesn’t have a physique like Brother Cui’s.”
More and more people gathered. The sight of a group of muscular young men in thin tank tops huddled together was simply too impactful.
Fortunately, even the least attractive among them had a 6/10 appearance. Otherwise, this scene of being surrounded by men, piling on more men, would have been mercilessly cut by the editing team with a single snip.
Cui Yan, a regular at the gym, was long accustomed to being watched. Although the crowd was particularly large today, he naturally parted the crowd and, with his nearly 1.9-meter height, easily guided Quentin out with an arm around his shoulder.
He said with a carefree laugh, “For tips and such, I also learned from my coach. After the recording ends and we get our phones back, I’ll share my coach’s contact info with all of you. Today I have to guide a newbie, so no more chit-chat.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a certain “newbie” instantly became the focus of everyone’s attention.
Quentin, who had been yawning just a second ago, snapped back to reality and found himself meeting the eager stares of a group of burly guys.
These iron-pumping youths usually looked decent and well-mannered when wearing sportswear for dance practice. But now, with their tops off and wearing loose tank tops that were almost revealing, huffing and puffing while lifting weights until their muscles were engorged with blood, with a few even having tattoos on their arms, they looked like a gang gathering to cause trouble at first glance.
Yet, they themselves had no awareness whatsoever, squeezing towards Quentin with enthusiastic, beaming smiles.
“Quentin is actually a gym newbie? I couldn’t tell at all!”
“Guiding a newbie? I can do that too! I’ve been training for five years, and used to work part-time at a gym. I have a lot of experience guiding newcomers.”
“Quentin, what do you want to learn? What do you want to train? Shoulders, arms, chest, abs, or legs? We mostly train shoulders, chest, and abs. After all, in our line of work, broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and an inverted triangle physique are the most popular…”
[Help… Isn’t the atmosphere of this episode a bit off…]
[Watching makes me grimace, yet I can’t help wanting to keep watching.]
[What did the production team put in the gym’s air? It feels like with these guys together, the air got hotter…]
[Are they really acting like gym salesmen? Can’t they have a bit of idol baggage and remember they are trainees? Sigh!]
[Wait, did someone just secretly use a fake, higher-pitched voice? Who said that line? It gave me goosebumps…]
The originally sleepy Quentin was jolted awake by their commotion.
“No need. I’ll learn from Cui Yan for a short while,” he said, then added after a pause, “Thank you.”
The burly young men showed disapproving looks.
“Just a short while won’t do. Fitness requires persistence to last longer.”
“Ah, okay, learning from Cui Yan is good too… By the way, will you two come every day from now on? At this time?”
“How come you came dressed like that? The class uniform is fine for dancing, but it’s a bit cumbersome for working out. I have some new tank tops and shorts. Quentin, do you need them? If you do, I’ll bring them tomorrow.”
…….
By the time Quentin and Cui Yan extricated themselves from the enthusiastic fitness group of trainees, another ten minutes had passed.
Of course, this segment of pulling and chatting wasn’t included in “Dorm Life.” The post-production team inserted a SpongeBob “2000 Years Later” special effect, fast-forwarding directly to the part where Cui Yan taught Quentin how to use the gym equipment.
Cui Yan casually picked an empty bench press station and pointed to the barbell bench. “Lie down here first. Today we’ll go through all the equipment in this row. Are you familiar with the bench press?”
Quentin examined the brand-new, clean equipment. “I’ve done it before. I know a little, but I’ve forgotten most of it.”
“Okay, then forget even that little bit you know. We’ll start from scratch.” Cui Yan said seriously. “Fitness movements must be done with proper form. I’ll teach you from the beginning. Remember all the details. Memorizing this is much easier than learning dance. You’ll definitely be fine.”
Quentin obediently sat down at the end of the long bench, then lay back, raising his hands to grip the center of the bar above.
Cui Yan stepped between his knees and used his legs to push Quentin’s knees apart to the sides. “Toes pointing out, thighs open. Feet flat on the floor. Don’t use your legs too much later, don’t rise up on your toes.”
Then he bent over, held Quentin’s wrists and adjusted them outward as he moved them. “Starting position; forearms perpendicular to the ground. Grip the bar firmly. Hmm, maintain this grip width from now on.”
After confirming the starting position, Cui Yan walked to the sides of the equipment and removed the weight plates. “You didn’t have a habit of working out before, so I’ll treat you as a beginner. We’ll start with the empty bar, then slowly add weight later. Is that okay?”
Cui Yan remembered the physical shortcomings Quentin had shown during rehearsals in the practice room. He was a bit worried Quentin might feel embarrassed lifting an empty bar in front of so many people, and was also a little worried Quentin might not even be able to lift the empty bar.
Although the team leader’s muscles were beautiful, his arms were very slender. Cui Yan could even hold the most developed part of his upper arm with one hand.
Considering that Quentin was only 17, used to be in school before, and reportedly with very good grades… It was normal for a good student to neglect exercise. Not being nearsighted was already very good.
Fortunately, Quentin was never one to worry about saving face. His self-esteem never rested on things he wasn’t good at. If you’re not good, practice more. Being bad and still pretending to be strong is just foolish.
Cui Yan looked down at the boy nodding obediently, and his smile grew brighter. “Good. Then start lifting now. Remember, use your chest to exert force… At the highest point, don’t fully extend your wrists. Keep your elbows slightly bent… Yes, then lower it. The barbell should come down to your lower chest position. Don’t let it rest on your chest.”
[Am I here to take a class or watch a variety show? Knowledge is being forced into my smooth brain [dizzy].]
[I give up.Why is the quality of this shirt so good? Not see-through at all? Quentin is lying down and I still can’t see his abs [crying].]
[QT is really well-behaved.His eyes are fixed on the barbell. Whatever Cui Yan says, he does.]
[He’s touching! He’s touching! OMG!! He directly put his hands on the chest?! Is this something I can watch for free?!]
[He’s feeling Quentin’s muscle engagement through the clothes…Don’t interpret everything in that way.]
[Comparing them, Cui Yan really has dark skin. His palms are so big, they seem wider than Quentin’s neck (//>v<//).]
[Ahhhh production team,don't fast forward!!! I want to see the full version!! Don't cut a single second, please [sobbing]. Aren't we VIPs worthy of having bonus footage?]
[One moment they're intimately close,the next both are sweaty and exhausted like this. They skipped at least half an hour in the middle…]
[So,why on earth is the clothing quality so good? Even when soaked with sweat, it's still not see-through. I'm going to complain! Why wear such thick clothes in this hot weather?!]
After completing the full set of training planned for the day, Quentin rested on a bench against the wall. His hair wasn't as fluffy as before, but damp from the intense workout. It appeared darker, clinging to his skin like thick ink.
The contrast between black and white suddenly seized the audience's attention.
He closed his eyes and tilted his neck back, his head resting against the wall, breathing heavily with his mouth open, his lips also stained a moist red.
A bead of sweat slid from his brow bone, along the small indentation at the inner corner of his eye, past the thin eyelid, flushed cheek, narrow cheekbone, and finally dripped from his earlobe into the towel.
The camera only swept across his face briefly, not daring to linger.
The microphone clipped at his collar was muffled by the towel, failing to capture sound clearly and completely, which, on the contrary, let the editing team breathe a sigh of relief.
Otherwise, they wouldn't dare to broadcast it with the heavy pants.
Cui Yan, who was standing in front of the bench, was also sweating, but he seemed much more relaxed than him. His eyes and brows carried a bright smile, so radiant it seemed a bit goofy.
His actions were also quite silly, like any man who had just finished a workout, flexing his muscles at the large mirror on the opposite wall.
His eyes held none of the shrewd calculation of showing off his physique to attract viewers, only satisfaction and appreciation for himself.
[Enough… I just thought Cui Yan looked cool and smart teaching Quentin. The handsomeness lasted less than three seconds before his true colors showed. As silly and goofy as ever.]
[This kind of fitness-loving muscle guy is the easiest to approach.Just praise his physique, and he'll let you touch it. Don't ask me how I know, hehe.]
[But I want to touch the handsome guy lying down next to him even more.I want to become a sweat drop and slide down brother's nose bridge [craving].]
[Cui Yan is really clingy. Even when Quentin went to get a towel and fetch water, he followed. How come he's the same as Xue Mingzhu?]
[He's a bit more restrained than Xiao Xue. Xiao Xue's hands are practically glued onto Quentin's body orz.]
Quentin dragged his soft, exhausted body to get a cup of water and slowly drank a few sips. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cui Yan puffing out his chest at the mirror, and his gaze drifted slightly downward.
He blinked. "Your… chest… has it gotten bigger?"
Cui Yan's eyes instantly lit up, and he nodded seriously. "Yes. After a workout, it gets engorged with blood and swells up. So my clothes are all custom-ordered large sizes from the program team in advance. Otherwise, they'd be too tight."
Quentin hesitated for a moment under his bright eyes, and said tentatively, "Looks like you trained it well. Achieving this must be quite difficult."
"It's okay. It's mainly about controlling my diet. Working out is actually quite enjoyable." The boy laughed brightly, clenched his fist and gave his own chest a couple of light thumps, inviting, "Want to feel it?"
Quentin: "…?"
Cui Yan didn't give him a chance to refuse. He grabbed Quentin's wrist and pressed it firmly against his own chest.
He deliberately relaxed his muscles, and said in a happy tone, "You can squeeze it. I'm not tensing. It's soft!"
Quentin unconsciously moved his fingers. The next second, he saw the other party's eyes grow even brighter, eagerly asking, "How is it? Really soft, right? You've never felt one this big before, have you?"
This kind of smug tone made him sound like his IQ had dropped by ten years. Quentin really hadn't expected that the cheerful, generous, and reliable Cui Yan had this side to him.
He was silent for two seconds, then cooperatively praised, "Mm-hmm."
["Mm-hmm"]
[So indulgent. I'm tearing up.]
[For a moment I don't know who to envy…]
[How come they're so funny? I didn't expect their interactions to be like this. Is this a good pair, friends?]
[But it's great to ship! I just love watching handsome guys be close [propping chin].]
[How come Quentin seems to get along well with everyone? He's clearly not the proactive type either =_=]
[Cui Yan is really easy to please. Quentin's one 'mm-hmm' made him so happy. If my boyfriend answered me perfunctorily like that, I'd definitely get mad.]
[Who could get angry facing Quentin's face?]
[I'm full from shipping. Production team, keep up this quality. I'm going to renew my VIP annual card right now o(*≥▽≤)ッ~]
