Chapter 1 + Extra (END)

A new pc app called「 Boyfriend Finder」became incredibly popular. As its name suggests, it was a software designed to help search for a boyfriend and at the same time, it also had a specified partner program.

Seeing was believing. Bai Dian never used this software and had only heard of it. Taking advantage of his free time today, he downloaded this software and planned to use it. This was the app’s introduction: [Boyfriend Finder] was created and designed by a netizen for gay men in search of lovers. You can enter relevant criteria and the system would automatically match the ideal boyfriend for you. This software can also calculate various matching scores for the lovers who have left. More functions will be presented to you when using this software.

Ehh, the app seemed very high-end and fun. Bai Dian clicked on the relevant comments casually, and found that the rating reviews were quite high.

Comment No. 1: Thanks,BSA. I’m already together with my lover

Comment No. 2: After heeding BSA’s advice, my lover and I fought less

Comment No. 3: Super powerful! Great function! Thumbs up!

　　

It had a 99.999% positive rating. It was quite reliable.

The app was downloaded successfully with a prompt from the computer.

Bai Dian was eager to try it so he clicked it open.

The app’s background was pure black, it only had a voice prompt. Bai Dian was glad his computer wasn’t muted, or else he would have thought there was something wrong with the software.

It was comparatively a mechanical male voice, who’d only speak one word at a time.   [Welcome to ‘Boyfriend Finder.’ This app supports voice commands. You can try features such as ‘Find Me a Boyfriend,’ ‘Test Compatibility,’ and the cheekily named ‘Chrysanthemum Manual: Your Guide to a Better Love Life.’ More features are under development.]

Since it was voice recognition, naturally, lazy people would rather speak directly to give orders.

“I want to look for a boyfriend.”

With a beep, the system said again: [First, please place your right thumb in the box for fingerprint scanner.」

=皿= There was actually a fingerprint scanner. Bai Dian only remembered that he had collected his fingerprint when he took the subject one examination of the driving school, and he used an inked one at that time. Unexpectedly, he just had to directly touch the screen, a qualitative leap in science.

When prompted, Bai Dian hesitantly placed his right thumb on the designated area.

“Fingerprint collected. Name: Bai Dian, Date of Birth: August 19, 1992. Please confirm if this information is correct.”

Bai Dian was utterly gobsmacked. Whoever designed this software was an absolute genius—truly top-tier work!

Caught up in his amazement, he didn’t respond right away. The system, however, wasn’t as patient.

“Please confirm.”

“Yes, yes, it’s correct.”

“Your boyfriend search is beginning. Please answer the system’s questions within 10 seconds. Partner preference: top or bottom?”

It seemed the system was now in matchmaking mode. Bai Dian quickly selected an option.

“Top.”

“Please describe your ideal partner’s traits in detail. For example: dominant and sly, gentle and caring. Feel free to get creative with adjectives.”

Bai Dian racked his brain, hesitating slightly. If only there wasn’t a time limit, he could’ve really thought it through!

“Sunny and energetic.”

“Preferred age range?”

“Between 23 and 26.”

“What’s your ideal marital status for the partner? Single, married, or divorced?”

Under his breath, Bai Dian muttered, “What a ridiculous question.”

To his surprise, the system’s voice recognition picked up his comment flawlessly.

“Please answer the key term.”

With no choice but to comply, Bai Dian went with the obvious. “Single, of course.”

“Preferred profession?”

“Probably a student.”

“Regarding intimacy frequency, what is your ideal expectation?”

“Why is this even a question…” Bai Dian grumbled to himself, but the system effortlessly caught his muttering again.

“Please answer the key term.”

Since this was a freeform question, Bai Dian answered honestly: “I wouldn’t mind every day, but if I’m not feeling well, once or twice a week is fine.”

“What’s the most romantic phrase you’d want to hear during a confession?”

This one was easy. Bai Dian had modest standards—he didn’t need anything overly poetic or grand. “I like you,” he said without hesitation.

“Questions completed. Analyzing and searching…”

The system had randomly generated its questions, which was a blessing; otherwise, Bai Dian might’ve been answering for hours. He propped his chin up and watched the computer screen display an endless loading animation. Just as boredom began to set in, a cheerful ding snapped him back to attention.

“Search complete. Ideal boyfriend is being generated…”

“What the—?!” Bai Dian exclaimed, so startled by the result that he toppled right out of his chair.

When Yang Zhuo walked into the room, he found Bai Dian sitting on the floor with a thoroughly panicked expression plastered across his face.

“Why are you on the ground? It’s too hot to be sitting there.”

Realizing how ridiculous he looked, Bai Dian quickly scrambled to his feet. “Nothing, nothing. I just lost my balance for a second.”

Yang Zhuo approached, handing him a plastic bag. “Here, I brought you dinner.”

“How much do I owe you?”

“No need. Roommates are supposed to help each other out.”

Bai Dian muttered under his breath, “You’ve helped me so many times I probably owe you a mountain of debt by now.”

Bai Dian sat back down at his desk, relieved that the application window had minimized when he accidentally brushed against it. Luckily, Yang Zhuo hadn’t seen anything. If he had… Bai Dian didn’t even want to think about how he’d explain it.

With his cheeks puffed out like a hamster, Bai Dian chewed on a mouthful of rice, his gaze fixed intently on Yang Zhuo’s back. What kind of dumb luck is this? How could it match me with Yang Zhuo of all people?

As he stewed in frustration, Yang Zhuo’s voice cut into his thoughts.

“Bai Dian, have you heard about this trending app called ‘Boyfriend Finder’?”

Bai Dian’s mind raced, and he quickly feigned ignorance. “Nope, never heard of it.”

Yang Zhuo turned around, giving him a meaningful look. “Want to give it a try? You’re about the right age to start dating.”

The fact that Bai Dian was gay was something Yang Zhuo had known for a while now. As for how he found out—it was thanks to an awkward incident. One time, while borrowing Bai Dian’s computer, Yang Zhuo accidentally opened a folder containing gay adult videos.

The file had resumed playback from where it had last stopped: mid-climax. Bai Dian could still vividly recall the excruciating mix of embarrassment and mortification he felt that day. It was also the day he officially came out.

“I like guys. If you want to hate me for it, then hate me,” Bai Dian had blurted out, voice tense and defensive.

Yang Zhuo, however, had simply ruffled Bai Dian’s hair with a grin and said, “We live in a modern, inclusive society now. Big bro would never hate you for that.”

So when Yang Zhuo casually suggested helping him find a boyfriend, Bai Dian snapped back, “Worry about your own love life, will you?” He then buried his face in his dinner, gnawing on a chicken leg to avoid further conversation.

Later, when Bai Dian emerged from the shower, he spotted Yang Zhuo slinging a backpack over his shoulder, clearly about to head out. Glancing at the clock, Bai Dian frowned—it was already 9 p.m.

“You’re going out this late?” he asked.

Yang Zhuo paused at the door and replied, “Yeah, the campus beauty needs my help with something.”

The door clicked shut, taking Yang Zhuo and his retreating figure with it. Left alone, Bai Dian felt a pang of annoyance well up inside him. His expression soured as he slumped back into his chair.

“Traitor! Ditching me for a pretty face,” he muttered bitterly. Then, with a huff, he reopened the “Boyfriend Finder” app.

[Welcome to ‘Boyfriend Finder.’ This app supports voice commands. You can try features such as ‘Find Me a Boyfriend,’ ‘Test Compatibility,’ and the cheekily named ‘Chrysanthemum Manual: Your Guide to a Better Love Life.’ More features are under development.]

Fueled by irritation, Bai Dian spat out, “Find me a boyfriend!”

There has to be someone else besides Yang Zhuo, he thought stubbornly.

Many of the questions were ones he had already answered during his previous attempt, but he answered them again according to his current mood. The app also presented a few new questions—ones that became increasingly… bold.

“Are you open to your partner having specific kinks during intimacy?”

What kind of absurd question was this? Instead of rejecting it outright, Bai Dian muttered to himself, “Well, that depends on the kink, doesn’t it?”

The system immediately responded enthusiastically:

“Examples include S&M, bondage play, outdoor escapades…”

Before it could list any more, Bai Dian hastily interrupted. “Stop! That’s too much for me.” He may have been open-minded, but those were way too extreme for his taste.

“I can’t accept that.”

“How about verbal teasing or trying out challenging positions?”

Is this thing seriously AI-driven?! Bai Dian thought, exasperated.

“That… I guess I don’t mind,” he admitted.

“Which part of your body is most sensitive to touch?”

His ears flushed a deep red as he instinctively reached up to pinch his earlobe.

“E-earlobe…”

“What a sensitive little guy you are.”

“Shut up! Are there more questions?” Bai Dian barked, his patience wearing thin.

“Search complete. Ideal boyfriend is being generated…”

[Match #41969: Yang Zhuo. Third-year computer science major at A University, City A. If satisfied, the system can initiate a video call. For more photos, please ask the individual directly.]

After answering all the questions, Bai Dian couldn’t help but feel like he’d just completed a bizarre survey. Yet somehow, despite the changes in his answers, the result was still Yang Zhuo.

“Please answer the key term.”

“No thanks,” Bai Dian grumbled, then promptly closed the app.

He powered off the computer and went to bed early. Normally, he would drift off to the rhythmic clacking of Yang Zhuo’s keyboard in the dorm room. But with Yang Zhuo out, the silence felt oddly unsettling.

Staring at the ceiling, Bai Dian found his thoughts circling back to Yang Zhuo. The computer competition was coming up soon, yet Yang Zhuo wasn’t preparing for it. Instead, he was off charming the campus beauty. What an irresponsible guy…

Bai Dian felt that “Boyfriend Finder” was completely unreliable.

Normally, Bai Dian and Yang Zhuo ate together, but when Bai Dian asked Yang Zhuo what they were having for lunch, Yang Zhuo responded apologetically, “Sorry, I’ve got lunch plans with Xiao Hua. Let’s do dinner instead.”

He rushed off after saying that, leaving Bai Dian to stew in his frustration.

What’s so great about the campus flower anyway? Why can’t the campus heartthrob have his moment?

After lunch, Bai Dian returned to the dorm. Feeling bored, he opened the “Boyfriend Finder” app again. He seemed to have completely forgotten his earlier skepticism about its reliability and was now treating the app like a game to grind through.

……

—Profile #41969: Yang Zhuo, third-year student at A City University, Computer Science major. If satisfied, the system will initiate a video call. For more photos, please inquire directly with the user.

“This database is terrible. Why is it just this one guy?”

—Suggestion not accepted.

“Okay, change my preference to a 30-year-old mature professional type.”

—Searching… Ideal boyfriend generating… No match found.

“Then how about a married 40-year-old sleazy uncle type?”

—Searching… Ideal boyfriend generating… No match found.

Bai Dian rubbed his temples in frustration. “This thing is definitely bugged.”

The moment he mentioned “bug,” the system seemed to take it as a personal insult and started to repeat itself, almost indignantly.

—No match found. No match found…

Left with no other choice, Bai Dian shut the app off.

……

When Bai Dian woke up groggily, he realized he had fallen asleep slumped over his desk. His forehead felt cold and stiff.

Then he heard a familiar voice nearby.

[Welcome to ‘Boyfriend Finder.’ This app supports voice commands. You can try features such as ‘Find Me a Boyfriend,’ ‘Test Compatibility,’ and the cheekily named ‘Chrysanthemum Manual: Your Guide to a Better Love Life.’ More features are under development.]

“Test compatibility,” said the voice, right by his ear.

It sounded like… Yang Zhuo?

—Both parties, please place your right thumb on the designated squares for fingerprint scanning.

Someone grabbed Bai Dian’s hand, and he could clearly feel Yang Zhuo’s warm, firm grip. Bai Dian’s mind raced—was Yang Zhuo taking this chance to cop a feel?

—Fingerprint scan complete. Names: Yang Zhuo, Bai Dian. Calculating compatibility… Results generated. Analysis: Birth date compatibility 100%, facial features compatibility 100%, overall compatibility 100%.

Before Bai Dian could fully process what was happening, his earlobe was pinched, causing him to jolt awake.

“What are you doing?!” Bai Dian clutched his ear, his face turning bright red.

Yang Zhuo, completely unbothered by being caught, casually pointed at the screen. “Look, we’re a perfect match—100%.”

Of course it’s 100%! I’ve been running this stupid app over and over, and it’s always you! Bai Dian fumed internally. The screen indeed displayed their flawless match, and while a small part of him felt secretly pleased, he still refused to admit it.

“The app must be broken.”

“How could it be? Didn’t all your previous tests come back with me too? Seems pretty accurate to me.”

Yang Zhuo, already familiar with the app’s layout, opened the history log. Thanks to him, Bai Dian learned for the first time that the little flower icon on the side could be clicked to view a complete record of past answers.

“Sensitive to earlobe touches, huh? Let me test that again.” Yang Zhuo reached out with a mischievous glint, and Bai Dian immediately assumed a defensive stance.

“Yang Zhuo, don’t you dare! I hate guys who get all handsy!”

“But you clearly like cheerful, sunny types, don’t you?”

Yang Zhuo didn’t give up and made another attempt, only for Bai Dian to retaliate by biting down on the soft flesh between his thumb and index finger.

He hadn’t bitten hard, but seeing Yang Zhuo wince slightly, Bai Dian quickly released him. Sure enough, there was a deep imprint of teeth marks left behind.

“Go back to flirting with your campus flower,” Bai Dian muttered under his breath, his voice lacking conviction. Then, as if trying to cover his embarrassment, he added, “I’ll… I’ll go get some ointment.”

It was just a joke! Bai Dian berated himself internally, annoyed at how overboard his reaction had been.

Yang Zhuo grabbed Bai Dian’s arm, pulling him with surprising force into his embrace. Bai Dian looked up and was immediately caught in a deep, swirling gaze.

“I like you.”

“Huh?” (⊙_⊙)?

Yang Zhuo shrugged helplessly.

“Though I’d prefer to say ‘I love you,’ since that’s what you want to hear, I’ll settle for this…”

His earlobe was dampened by the tip of Yang Zhuo’s tongue, and Bai Dian shuddered, going limp in his arms. The warm breath that followed seemed to make his ear tingle, as if it could give birth to something. Bai Dian could hear Yang Zhuo’s steady voice.

“I like you.”

“Aren’t you dating the campus flower?”

Yang Zhuo sighed. “Her computer broke, so I went to help her fix it. Are you jealous?”

Bai Dian wanted to reply arrogantly that he wasn’t jealous, but then felt it was too pretentious. So he just admitted, “A little.”

“What’s your answer?”

…

“You’re not answering? Does that mean you’re tacitly agreeing?”

“Mm…”

 

—Extra—

The night before Yang Zhuo left for a competition, since he was staying elsewhere, Bai Dian was playing the role of a devoted partner, packing his bags for him.

While Yang Zhuo was in the shower, Bai Dian noticed that his computer was still on. Thinking that Yang Zhuo would probably go to bed early to rest, he decided to help him turn it off.

The screensaver disappeared, and before him was a dizzying array of data. Bai Dian couldn’t understand most of it, but the file titles were still legible.

Boyfriend Finder 20140524 Latest Updated Version.

When Yang Zhuo emerged from the shower, he found Bai Dian glaring at him with an intense look, almost as if he were about to devour him. Yang Zhuo glanced down at himself, his body firm and muscular—Bai Dian being attracted to him was only natural.

As Yang Zhuo smugly displayed his muscles, Bai Dian bent down, clicked the mouse, and the sound of the Recycle Bin clearing echoed through the room. Bai Dian had just deleted a file.

“Xiao Dian, why did you delete my competition entry for tomorrow? It took me a lot of time to get it to this point. I fixed some bugs and added new features to the old version. I’m sure this will win!”

“Just forfeit.”

Bai Dian climbed onto the upper bunk and buried his head in the pillow, sulking. So Yang Zhuo had been scheming all along. Honestly, if he liked him, why didn’t he just say it directly instead of going through all this trouble?

Bai Dian finally understood that no matter what he answered, it would always be Yang Zhuo—he had been tricked.

Yang Zhuo, still stunned, stared at his computer. His heartbeat slowly returned to normal as he congratulated himself for being a lucky and manipulative guy.

O(╥﹏╥)o

Fortunately, one of his teammates still had a copy.

END.