Chapter 24: Guardian

Suddenly feeling the weight of another person on him, Ji Chenxuan froze as if someone had pressed the pause button. He stiffened awkwardly, his hands unsure of where to go, swallowing the words that were about to escape his mouth.

Xiao Chi noticed his muscles tense up and patted his back. “What’s wrong? Is it because I’m too heavy? Maybe I should sit back down.”

“It’s nothing.” Ji Chenxuan hurriedly grabbed the hem of his shirt, one arm wrapping around his waist and pulling him in gently. When their eyes met, Ji Chenxuan slightly lowered his gaze to avoid revealing his flustered thoughts.

He coughed lightly, patted the sofa. “Put your leg here, and I’ll give you a massage. Roll up your pant leg.”

“Oh.” Xiao Chi obediently bent one leg and placed it on the sofa, rolling his pant leg up to his knee. He looked over curiously. “You can do this? Does it work?”

“It helps relax the muscles. Otherwise, you’ll feel worse tomorrow,” Ji Chenxuan said as he maintained his hold around Xiao Chi’s waist, gently squeezing his calf with the other hand.

Xiao Chi’s leg was long and straight, his skin smooth and flawless with not an ounce of excess fat. In contrast, Ji Chenxuan’s fingers were rough, and when he pressed on Xiao Chi’s calf, it lightly scratched and itched.

“You… don’t push yourself too hard tomorrow,” Ji Chenxuan’s gaze lingered on the pale skin of Xiao Chi’s calf, and his palm felt soft to the touch, making Ji Chenxuan’s heart race uncomfortably.

He felt the urge to say something to distract himself. “You should sometimes pay attention to other people’s expressions, to distinguish what’s the truth and what’s exaggeration. Also, sometimes you come off as too sharp. Doesn’t that make others seem incompetent? People will start to resent you.”

While massaging, Ji Chenxuan muttered these words, trying to instill some sense of self-awareness in the idol who seemed detached from reality.

Xiao Chi yawned lazily. “Ah, you humans are really complicated. More complicated than my program…”

Unnoticed, Xiao Chi had draped his arm around Ji Chenxuan’s neck, his eyelids half-closed as he nodded off, sleepiness overtaking him. His upper body swayed, and then he leaned into Ji Chenxuan’s chest, resting his head awkwardly and drifting off into a light sleep.

“Hey, wake up… Are you already asleep?”

The warm breath brushed against his ear, and Ji Chenxuan was left holding a human-shaped pillow, not daring to move. The weight was pressing on his leg, and his thigh was starting to go numb.

As Xiao Chi slept soundly, Ji Chenxuan took the opportunity to openly admire his peaceful face. The young man in his arms was calm and obedient, like a soft and gentle lamb. The warm light from the lamp above cast down, illuminating his long, curled eyelashes.

Ji Chenxuan continued holding him gently, carefully, as if cradling a jar of honey, reluctant to let go.

After a long pause, he couldn’t help but lean in, stealing a light, fleeting kiss on Xiao Chi’s lips.

The distance between them was so close that there was no gap at all, yet Ji Chenxuan still felt a slight shyness, as if there was a clumsy drummer inside his heart, drumming loudly in his ears.

Xiao Chi was oblivious to it all, always obedient to Ji Chenxuan. If he were to suggest that their relationship take a further step, perhaps this person wouldn’t refuse…

This thought suddenly flashed in his mind, and it immediately took root, uncontrollably blossoming within him.

Ji Chenxuan stared at Xiao Chi’s serene sleeping face, sighing self-deprecatingly. If this was how things came about, then what was the meaning?

Watching over him like this, sooner or later, one day…

He sat still for a while, then carefully lifted Xiao Chi’s leg and carried him into the bedroom, tucking him under the covers.

At the door, he glanced back one last time, gently closing the door behind him, and the bedroom was instantly plunged into darkness.

Xiao Chi’s messy hair spread across the snow-white pillow, his body curling up in the blanket as he turned in his sleep. He pulled the blanket tightly around him, murmuring faintly, “Ji… Chenxuan…”

—

The devilish training program tailored by Liu Bing had swiftly reached its final day.

Despite the intense training, Xiao Chi still maintained his relaxed, effortless demeanor, completely shattering any preconceived notions others had about young idols. If the main player was this composed, who would dare complain among the supporting players?

Everyone around him was working hard, afraid of being the one who held the group back.

Apart from Xiao Chi, the current top contender for the Star Show competition, Fang Zichang, was also undergoing closed training at the Hailan Cube Hotel.

As a multi-talented contestant, Fang Zichang had dominated the second round of voting, decisively crushing the second-place contender without giving them a chance to rise.

There had already been media reports revealing that Fang Zichang came from a wealthy family. He had struggled academically in school, pouring all his energy into music and almost being expelled due to failing multiple courses.

Fortunately, he had undeniable talent in music, and with the backing of his family’s wealth, he received extensive training—private tutors, marketing, and promotion—all were taken care of. At a young age, with his handsome looks, he had already garnered a large fanbase online before the competition even started.

Fang Zichang had prepared extensively for the Xingxiu competition, determined to win.

After investigating his competitors, he thought his victory was practically guaranteed. However, he never expected that a dark horse would emerge halfway through the competition.

Even more unexpected was a scandal about fake and real singers, which stole a large portion of the attention that should have been his!

On the internet, some people even started placing bets on Xiao Chi’s ranking.

Under his gray avatar, there was curiosity about what he looked like—was he as beautiful as an angel or as ugly as a monster?

The more mysterious he was, the more attention he drew.

The Cube’s guest room building and training center were connected by a distinctive sloping corridor, lined with a long red carpet. On both sides of the walls, two water-glass windows allowed the light to shimmer like ripples flowing down a stream when night fell.

This symbolized the rise of men and the flow of water downwards.

Fang Zichang and his manager walked up the sloping corridor, with Wen Anran by their side.

“Brother Wen, thank you so much for introducing me to Master Shang Quan. I didn’t know that Master Shang would be invited as a judge for the finals. I’ve been worrying about it, because the two judges behind me are both familiar faces, but I had no connections with the judges myself. This puts me at a disadvantage.”

“Heh, it was nothing,” Wen Anran said, lightly brushing the crystal cufflinks on his suit sleeves, offering a polite smile. “No need to thank me. Once you sign with Huanyi, you’ll be my junior. It’s only natural that I help you. Besides, your father has invested in my films and has always taken care of me, so I’m just returning the favor.”

The group walked through the sloping corridor and arrived at the largest performance hall in the training center, ready for their final rehearsal before the competition.

The door to the performance hall was tightly shut, and two large, expressionless security robots stood at the entrance, blocking their path.

“Let us in, we need to use the performance hall.”

“Sorry, respected guests.” The security robots remained unmoving, speaking in a flat, emotionless tone. “The performance hall has been booked by another guest and is temporarily closed to the public.”

“Booked by someone? Who moved so quickly?” Fang Zichang muttered, casting an annoyed glance at his manager.

The manager wiped the sweat from his forehead and stepped forward, asking, “How many hours did someone book it for? How about we rest for a while and come back later?”

The security robot replied in a stiff tone, “The performance hall is booked for the entire week and is temporarily unavailable to the public. Please make a reservation for next week.”

“What? A whole week? Are you kidding? Isn’t the rental fee charged by the hour?” The group exchanged confused glances, even Fang Zichang, the rich second generation, was surprised by such a large-scale booking.

“Is the guest who booked the performance hall by any chance surnamed Ji? Or maybe Xiao?” Wen Anran suddenly asked.

“Sorry, I cannot disclose the guest’s information.”

Seeing the thoughtful expression on Wen Anran’s face, Fang Zichang furrowed his brow slightly. “Brother Wen, do you know some inside information? Please, share it with me.”

Wen Anran’s dark eyes shifted slightly as he smiled and said, “It’s not exactly insider information, but I’ve heard some rumors within Huanyi. It’s not that I’m hiding things from you, but I worry that if you knew, it might affect your confidence and hinder your performance in the finals. That wouldn’t be my fault, would it?”

“Brother Wen, now that you mention it, how can I pretend I didn’t hear?” Fang Zichang’s heart skipped a beat, his brow furrowing in concern. He pulled Wen Anran aside and asked repeatedly, “Is it about other contestants?”

“Exactly, do you know about the mysterious person in tenth place?” Wen Anran pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and exhaled a cloud of smoke. His deep-set eyes hid behind the grayish mist, his gaze flickering in and out of focus.

“I know him of course!” Fang Zichang snorted, irritated. At twenty, full of youthful vigor and ambition, he couldn’t hide his distaste. “The media has been hyping him up like he’s the next big star. I listened to that song, and it’s nothing special, just average at best. What’s there to rave about? Hmph! He’s all mysterious, acting like there’s something to hide. What’s he trying to pull?”

“Well, his singing is decent, but compared to you, it’s certainly average,” Wen Anran said, offering a light compliment before changing the subject, “But there’s one thing where you’re no match for him.”

“What’s that?”

Wen Anran smiled but didn’t speak. He gestured toward the luxurious performance hall and leaned in to whisper, “I can only tell you, he has strong backing within Huanyi, very powerful backing, even capable of influencing the results of the finals.”

Fang Zichang froze, his eyes widening in disbelief. His voice suddenly rose in surprise, “How could this happen?”

“Ssh, keep it down, I’m just guessing. Don’t take it too seriously. I believe the judges of the Star Show competition are sharp-eyed, and they’ll never let any backstage manipulation overshadow your talent. But, if the result doesn’t go your way… don’t be too disheartened. It’s not your fault.”

Fang Zichang wasn’t reassured in the least. His anxiety grew, “So does this mean I’m just running along as a side character? My future is riding on the Star Show competition!”

Wen Anran sympathetically patted his shoulder, “You’re too naive, kid. You don’t know how to play the game, but there’s plenty of that going on behind the scenes. It’s a pity, though—you’ve made it all the way through the second round purely based on your talent. I really feel bad for you.”

Fang Zichang fell silent, lowering his head, seemingly lost in thought.

—

A week of intense training passed quickly, and that afternoon, Ji Chenxuan and Xiao Chi left the hotel to rest for a day in preparation for the upcoming finals of the Star Show competition.

The night before the competition, Ji Chenxuan personally cooked a meal for them.

Warm lights, candlelight, red wine, and soothing piano music created an atmosphere as intimate as a romantic rendezvous.

The two sat at the table, gently clinking their glasses. Xiao Chi, who had only been allowed to drink a little, held his glass with both hands, savoring every sip carefully.

“If you win the championship in tomorrow’s competition, I’ll give you a gift. What would you like?” Ji Chenxuan played with the wine glass, leaning back in his chair. In the soft glow of the candlelight, he looked at Xiao Chi with gentle eyes.

Xiao Chi smiled, “What a coincidence, I have a gift prepared for you as well.”

“Oh? What is it?” Ji Chenxuan raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Xiao Chi grinned mysteriously, “It’s something you’ve always wanted.”