Chapter 41

Bai Siyi took back his phone and didn’t add Huo Xingming on WeChat. He gave Huo Xingming a complicated look, suddenly feeling that he had been too hasty these past two days, accepting Huo Xingming’s advances without thinking.

He wasn’t even sure now whether Huo Xingming was interested in men or women.

Although Huo Xingming had said that he liked men, he had also developed feelings for Bai Siyi when Bai Siyi dressed as a woman.

Moreover, before this, Huo Xingming had indeed given gifts to female streamers.

Although Huo Xingming explained it was all part of his persona and that he didn’t actually enjoy watching female streamers.

If Bai Siyi hadn’t received his gift, he might have believed Huo Xingming’s nonsense!

Bai Siyi locked his phone, stuffed it into his work pocket, and walked toward the factory with an upset expression.

Huo Xingming was still holding his phone, waiting for Bai Siyi to scan it. However, just as Bai Siyi had opened his phone, he suddenly put it away again.

Was Bai Siyi regretting it?

Huo Xingming hurried after him, confused, and asked, “Xiao Bai, aren’t you adding me? Just add me, how will we stay in touch if you don’t add me on WeChat?”

Bai Siyi kept a straight face and answered in a muffled voice, “We’re just ordinary friends. It doesn’t matter whether we stay in touch or not.”

Huo Xingming: “???”

Huo Xingming stopped in his tracks, stunned for a second, then quickly reacted and ran in front of Bai Siyi, blocking his way. He lowered his head to look at him and asked, “Xiao Bai, what’s going on?”

Huo Xingming’s eyes were filled with concern and anxiety. “Why are you suddenly so cold to me?”

Bai Siyi was also somewhat angry. He had finally paid off his debts, and his life was filled with hope again. He had been preparing to accept Huo Xingming and embrace a beautiful relationship.

But now, this guy, Huo Xingming, had left the show and was still being dishonest.

He wasn’t even being truthful!

Bai Siyi stared at Huo Xingming’s face, pursed his lips, and looked quite displeased. “Huo Xingming, are you not being honest with me? Is there something you’re hiding from me?”

Bai Siyi had already made up his mind. If Huo Xingming told him the truth, he would also be open with him and confess that the “Xiaoyang Baibai” account was actually his, and he would even return the five hundred thousand that Huo Xingming had given him.

But if Huo Xingming didn’t say anything, Bai Siyi wouldn’t want to deal with him anymore.

Huo Xingming wasn’t avoiding the question, he just didn’t know what to say.

Had his personal information been exposed?

Did Bai Siyi know his family owned a business center?

Or did Bai Siyi know that he was about to go to an Ivy League university for graduate school?

No way…

Xiao Bai shouldn’t know, right?

Huo Xingming’s gaze flickered, clearly guilty. “I—I’m not hiding anything from you, Xiao Bai. I’ve already told you about my family situation, right? Although, there is one thing I’ve been keeping from you.”

Bai Siyi kept a stern face. “What is it? Tell me. Don’t make me ask twice.”

Huo Xingming nervously said, “Xiao Bai, don’t get angry. Can’t I just show you now?”

Huo Xingming said this while looking around. It was early in the morning, and there were many workers going to work, with people passing by in the factory corridor from time to time.

Huo Xingming’s ears turned slightly red. Embarrassed, he pulled Bai Siyi to a corner by the stairs, made him lean against the wall, then leaned in close, lowered his voice, and said, “Xiao Bai, this is a secret from when I was eighteen. Even my parents don’t know. I’m only telling you, but you must never tell anyone.”

Bai Siyi looked at his shy expression and felt something was off.

Perhaps Huo Xingming had misunderstood his intentions.

Sure enough, Huo Xingming, seeing that no one was around, turned red in the face and lifted his shirt, pulling his pants down slightly, revealing a patch of smooth, firm skin.

Bai Siyi froze for two seconds, then his face turned bright red. He glared at Huo Xingming and was about to speak when Huo Xingming, shyly, said, “Look, I have a tattoo here.”

Bai Siyi: “…”

Bai Siyi, face flushed, looked down and saw a thumb-sized scorpion tattoo on Huo Xingming’s lower abdomen. The scorpion’s tail was long, extending into the black, thick hair.

The sight was quite shocking. Bai Siyi’s face turned even redder, and he was stunned for a while, unable to say anything.

Huo Xingming hadn’t wanted to show Bai Siyi this. He hadn’t even planned on telling him about it.

When he sent Bai Siyi his muscle picture last night, he had intentionally covered the tattoo of the scorpion.

But now that Bai Siyi had discovered his secret and was pressing him for the truth, Huo Xingming had no choice but to show it to him.

Huo Xingming quickly lowered his shirt, looking at Bai Siyi in embarrassment. “When we first met, I had a temporary tattoo on my face. At the time, I thought you didn’t like tattoos, so I’ve been hiding it from you.”

After saying that, Huo Xingming nervously watched Bai Siyi’s face. “Xiao Bai, you’re not going to dislike me because of this tattoo, are you?”

Bai Siyi: “…”

Bai Siyi, red-faced, glared at Huo Xingming speechlessly. Then, he slapped Huo Xingming on the stomach, leaving Huo Xingming dazed.

Huo Xingming, holding his stomach, stared at Bai Siyi in shock. “Xiao Bai, you hit me again.”

Bai Siyi gave him a sharp look and turned to walk away.

Forget it, better go eat breakfast first, Bai Siyi thought. After all, breakfast was more important—without it, he wouldn’t have the energy to work.

Bai Siyi kept a stern face and walked quickly, but his red ears betrayed his inner thoughts.

Huo Xingming, feeling wronged, followed him, still confused about why Bai Siyi had suddenly gotten angry and even hit him.

He had just revealed his secret to Bai Siyi, and he had expected Bai Siyi to shyly compliment his tattoo.

By the time they arrived at the restaurant, there were hardly any people left.

Bai Siyi quickly grabbed some breakfast and sat down to eat, not acknowledging Huo Xingming at all.

Huo Xingming sat across from him, took a sip of soy milk, and glanced at Bai Siyi.

After finishing breakfast, Bai Siyi, seeing Huo Xingming’s confused and wronged expression, thought for a moment and decided that he needed to say something. He couldn’t keep it in. After all, someone like Huo Xingming probably would never guess.

Bai Siyi then stared at Huo Xingming. “Huo Xingming, let me ask you. Do you like women or men?”

Huo Xingming’s eyes widened. “Of course, I like men! Didn’t I already tell you that?”

Bai Siyi looked doubtful. “Are you sure?”

Huo Xingming: “…”

Huo Xingming was a little speechless. He lowered his voice and leaned in. “Of course I’m sure. What, do you want to try it?”

Bai Siyi: “…”

Try what?!

Bai Siyi glared at him. “Keep your voice down!”

What if someone hears us!

Huo Xingming immediately closed his mouth and looked at Bai Siyi with those wronged eyes.

Bai Siyi’s expression remained serious. “But didn’t you give a lot of gifts to female streamers before?”

Huo Xingming looked confused. “No, I didn’t.”

Bai Siyi sneered. This guy still wasn’t telling the truth!

Seeing the look in Bai Siyi’s eyes, Huo Xingming suddenly remembered the gifts he’d given to those anime bloggers and comic streamers. He quickly understood.

Was Bai Siyi talking about those anime voiceover and comic bloggers?

Huo Xingming cleared his throat. “Well, I did give some gifts, but I swear I’ll never give them gifts again!”

From now on, he’d leave such things to his assistant, he needed to make time to be with his partner.

Besides, many of those anime voiceover bloggers and illustrators were otaku girls. Now that he had a partner, he had to consider his partner’s feelings.

Thinking of this, Huo Xingming felt a little proud. He was no longer single, so he couldn’t just casually contact those people anymore.

Huo Xingming pulled out his phone. “I’ll never give them gifts again or contact them. Look, I’ll delete these accounts right now.”

As he spoke, Huo Xingming deleted several of his frequently used accounts.

After seeing this, Bai Siyi’s expression softened a little. Huo Xingming then said, “But, Xiao Bai, can you stop idolizing stars from now on?”

Thinking about how Bai Siyi had gone into debt for some man, he really felt frustrated.

Bai Siyi couldn’t help but laugh. What idol? It wasn’t even a thing.

He nodded. “Sure, I won’t participate in rankings, you won’t send gifts, and we’ll save money together.”

Bai Siyi had been poor before, so he was quite obsessed with saving money.

Right now, all he wanted to do was save money—lots and lots of it. If Huo Xingming wanted to be in a relationship with him, he’d have to save money too. If Bai Siyi found out Huo Xingming was giving gifts to streamers again, he wouldn’t forgive him!

They had cleared things up, and it was time to get to work. They each went to their respective workshops.

Before starting work, Huo Xingming sent the accounts of several voiceover streamers he had been interested in to his company’s assistant, transferring all his unfinished tasks to the assistant. The voiceover artist “Xiaoyang Baibai” was the one he valued the most, so he instructed the assistant to make sure to contact her, and ideally arrange to meet for a meal to talk.

After sorting out these tasks, Huo Xingming got to work, while thinking to himself that once he worked hard over the next couple of months and got the company on track, he could take Bai Siyi to his company and have Bai Siyi work as his secretary!

Of course, if Bai Siyi didn’t want to be a secretary, he could do other things, and Huo Xingming would personally teach him.

Bai Siyi would definitely like him more once he saw him succeed in his career.

Huo Xingming was feeling quite pleased with himself, already imagining a wonderful future.

His only worry was that he had to report to school in three months. He wasn’t sure how to tell Bai Siyi about it.

But he had grown up abroad and was of mixed descent, so if he had to go back, Bai Siyi would definitely understand. The problem was, he didn’t want to be apart from Bai Siyi.

He didn’t want a long-distance relationship!

What if someone else stole the wife he had worked so hard to find?!

Huo Xingming was determined not to let that happen!

He had to come up with a plan—maybe he could get Bai Siyi to go abroad with him!

Meanwhile, Bai Siyi, who had been working and stopped to rest and drink some water, was relaxing by playing on his phone. He had originally planned to check on Huo Xingming, but he was afraid of being caught by his supervisor. After all, Huo Xingming had been seeking him out a lot these past few days, and rumors were already spreading in the factory.

So Bai Siyi held back and sat on a chair by the window, drinking water.

He glanced out the window and was immediately stunned.

There were so many people standing outside the factory, many even holding light boards and banners, saying things like “Bai Xing Yiyi,” “Bai Siyi,” and the like. Without a doubt, it was his fans coming to “see him off” on the day he left the show.

Moreover, his factory’s location had been exposed. During this time, neither he nor Huo Xingming would be able to go out.

Bai Siyi: “…”