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This proximity, which could breed endless ambiguity even between strangers, was especially potent for two individuals with secrets.
He Tiao was genuinely moved; he had a request for Chi Yizhen.
Chi Yizhen was also genuinely moved, but he needed to restrain himself because he felt he couldn’t bear the responsibility.
Instead, continuing with the program allowed them to be unrestrained, and everything could be covered by the script.
But now, was it too much? He clearly felt He Tiao’s breathing becoming heavier. The scalding breath sprayed onto Chi Yizhen’s earlobe, as if it could make Chi Yizhen’s heartbeat tremble. It quickly triggered a warning in his brain, prompting him to swiftly make a move to escape.
However, it was too late. The moment Chi Yizhen released his grip, He Tiao directly hooked his waist and stood up, causing Chi Yizhen to fall onto him again, and he had to cling tightly to him.
Chi Yizhen was startled, and the shock was evident on his usually composed face.
The transition from a temporarily blank screen to a full screen of exclamations in the livestream room took only three seconds.
[I’m going to die, I’m going to die!]
[Is this something I can watch? Sob, sob, sob. This is perfect for college students! It hasn’t reached that level yet, but I’m already screaming!]
[My roommate asked me why I’m exhibiting atavism…]
Feeling the warmth of He Tiao’s palm, Chi Yizhen wanted to react, but as he was about to say something, He Tiao threw him onto the sofa.
This time, the sofa had changed to a large beanbag style. It claimed to have no fixed shape, but there was still a form to it. The characteristic was that it was difficult for a person lying on it to sit upright.
When Chi Yizhen was thrown down, he bounced a bit, but He Tiao immediately pressed down on him.
[My face is so red!]
[Is this what couples do? My partner and I don’t do this!]
[Who understands? My husband is just a silly dog without this kind of dominance.]
[E God, the fateful E God, I never expected you to have this side…]
[So what did Chi Yizhen say in his ear just now to make someone so reserved act like this…]
[Is there even a need to ask?… Definitely something in that direction!]
He Tiao didn’t actually press down; instead, he stood on the ground and bent down, looking at Chi Yizhen, who was lying on the beanbag, causing Chi Yizhen to shudder.
Chi Yizhen: “What’s wrong with you?”
He Tiao leaned close to his ear and said, “What do you mean by ‘what’s wrong’?”
He asked very seriously, with an expression that resembled an inquisitive student, eagerly awaiting the correct answer from Teacher Chi Yizhen.
Chi Yizhen made a noise, instinctively wanting to look at the camera, but he was blocked by He Tiao.
The livestream showed only He Tiao’s back in the quiet room with the dim night light casting shadows on the wall, created by the bouquet of flowers that Chi Yizhen had bought.
The long leaves resembled strokes in a painting, as if Chi Yizhen’s words just now had brushed onto He Tiao’s heart.
He wasn’t angry. Instead, his heart raced. Encountering Chi Yizhen seemed to derail the life plan he had carefully laid out.
But as adults, it was normal to feel this way around April 19th.
Moreover, he and Chi Yizhen hadn’t reached the final step. Just a bit of touching, a bit too much, seemed to make He Tiao feel as if he had touched the other person’s soul. It was like the night-blooming cereus that only bloomed on that night; except for He Tiao, no one knew about Chi Yizhen’s painful sobbing.
But even He Tiao, who had made Chi Yizhen happy, didn’t know what kind of despair was hidden behind his sobbing.
It seemed to be more than just surface-level devastation—there were deeper, unknown secrets.
Secrets that kept drawing He Tiao to look at him.
The more he looked, the deeper he fell.
Just like now, he had no idea how intense his gaze was. Even his hands couldn’t help but caress Chi Yizhen’s cheek.
[Can we have more camera angles?!!]
[Did they just kiss?! Sob, sob, sob, Xianggua, you’re too much! I thought paying viewers were esteemed super VIPs! What’s wrong with me wanting to see a kiss below the neck!]
[Ah, our E God, showing off the perfect head-to-shoulder ratio, feels like I could be…]
[Chi Chi’s long legs, wuwu… perfect! At this quiet moment of the night, it’s a pity not to click on anything.]
[Tomorrow is a day off! Damn it, I wanted it to continue!!]
[It’s said that they’re broadcasting an unreleased interview, summarizing each day after they finish work…]
[I want to see the interview from the day they kissed in the car… E God’s blushing earlobes still linger in my heart, making me loop that part on the website countless times.]
[Just be satisfied; real couples don’t kiss much…]
Chi Yizhen had now snapped out of it. Taking advantage of He Tiao blocking the camera, he also reached out and touched He Tiao’s face.
Starting from the perfect jawline, he finally pinched He Tiao’s chin and whispered in a low voice, “You didn’t get up that day.”
Saying such things in this situation felt somewhat embarrassing.
Chi Yizhen’s boldness made He Tiao instinctively turn his face away, but Chi Yizhen, being the stronger one in this scenario, took advantage: “But it’s okay, you did well.”
He Tiao held onto Chi Yizhen’s hand, saying, “I wasn’t quite clear-headed that day.”
Chi Yizhen nodded. He did not know, but at that time, he was so out of it, feeling like his whole body was on fire, he had no idea.
“Just forget it, don’t dwell on it,” Chi Yizhen reassured him.
He tilted his head and rubbed against He Tiao’s shoulder, like an affectionate cat. “Anyway, you look impressive in my eyes now.”
He Tiao didn’t believe that statement at all. After all, at this moment, Chi Yizhen was full of teasing smiles, akin to the surface of a lake shimmering under moonlight, radiating nothing but playful mockery.
He Tiao had never felt so defeated, yet there was a rare hint of desire for victory.
He asked, “What do you plan to do tomorrow?”
Chi Yizhen yawned, glanced at the camera again, and once tonight was over, he could finally relax on his day off.
He Tiao inquired, “Sleep, right? Since it’s a day off.”
Chi Yizhen covered his eyes with his hand. In the dim light, his lips formed a beautiful shape, appearing incredibly soft.
He Tiao knew that feeling. Each touch seemed to resonate through his soul, leaving him in a hazy consciousness, ready to sink.
Suddenly, he hoped there wouldn’t be a break. He wanted these days to continue.
The fifteen days of the dream-like reality split into five or three days felt like sporadic electric shocks. He couldn’t imagine pulling away and facing Chi Yizhen again.
Should I just be straightforward?
[Damn it, what are these two talking about in secret?]
[Why did they take off their microphones now?! I want to hear!]
[I thought there might be something indescribable…]
[This is a livestream! Even seeing them kiss would be good enough!]
Chi Yizhen said, “I’m so tired. Shouldn’t we sleep?”
His voice carried a sense of weariness, adding several layers of tenderness to this silent night. Unable to resist, He Tiao lifted him and placed him on the bed.
The sudden lift caused Chi Yizhen to reluctantly open his eyes. He asked He Tiao, “Addicted to acting?”
Without replying, He Tiao placed Chi Yizhen on the bed and joined him, pulling him into his arms.
[Damn it! Am I not watching an idol drama?]
[Modern idol dramas don’t have this kind of naturalness. Ai, did Chi Yizhen mistakenly choose the wrong profession when he acted in heterosexual idol dramas before? I feel like now is the right direction.]
[The atmosphere is so good… This couple makes me want to fall in love…]
Chi Yizhen didn’t sleep for long. After the program crew closed the livestream, the staff knocked on the door.
It was 3 AM, and it was quite cold outside. The hard-earned five days of rest, especially after staying up for the past few days, prompted the neighboring neighbor, Liu Rumen, to quickly leave, wrapped in a thick coat.
The director said, “Come early the day after tomorrow. We’ll start on time.”
Chi Yizhen yawned, “Then let’s just come tomorrow. Otherwise, I might fall asleep right here.”
Both he and He Tiao belonged to the type without assistants. The adjacent pair was surrounded by staff, but Chi Yizhen only received a thick coat.
It wasn’t meant to belittle them, purely because the other side was a star-studded team.
The director said, “Sure, but both of you discuss it. Even if one of you comes back to broadcast first, you need to have a good reason.”
He even glanced at He Tiao, “For example, your husband going out for drinks with friends.”
Chi Yizhen, wrapped in his coat, glanced at his phone’s new messages while joking, “My husband doesn’t have friends to go out for drinks with.” Knowing what he was thinking, he laughed, “His alcohol tolerance is not good.”
For a moment, the director couldn’t tell if he was still acting, turning to look at He Tiao, “Really?”
He Tiao: He initially thought of bringing his luggage back, but he found there was nothing worth bringing. Anyway, he would be coming back tomorrow.
At this moment, the corridor was bustling with activity. Staff members were heading out in groups to have supper. Someone asked Chi Yizhen if he wanted to take a taxi home. Chi Yizhen was about to ask if it would be reimbursed but heard He Tiao say, “Take my car.”
Chi Yizhen turned, “Do you have a driver?”
He Tiao fell silent.
Chi Yizhen said, “Don’t say things that aren’t true. I’ll take a taxi.”
Chen Linan did ask Chi Yizhen if he wanted him to pick him up, but at such a late hour, Chi Yizhen felt it was unnecessary. Looking at Chen Linan’s wife’s posts on WeChat Moments, she was at home. Chi Yizhen, in his current situation, didn’t want to cause trouble between husband and wife.
He Tiao said, “There will be in the future.”
Chi Yizhen smiled, and the passing staff members couldn’t help but look at them as if they were indeed a couple.
Chi Yizhen patted He Tiao’s shoulder and didn’t continue the conversation. He just smiled at He Tiao, “I’ll leave first.”
People were coming and going in the corridor, and Chi Yizhen didn’t even bring a suitcase. There was a feeling of going home for a day after a week of school. Suddenly, he found it amusing, slinging his single-shoulder bag.
The next second, He Tiao walked up and asked, “Not taking me along?”
Chi Yizhen replied, “Carpool?”
He Tiao nodded.
Chi Yizhen: “Let’s go.”
The taxi driver in the early morning was quite chatty, perhaps because he saw these two people taking a cab from the dilapidated old city late at night. He asked, “Did you just finish work?”
Xianggua’s variety show popularity wasn’t that widespread, and in the dimly lit surroundings, you couldn’t really make out what these two people looked like.
Chi Yizhen responded with a nod.
The taxi driver said, “It’s not easy for young people to work nowadays. Are you two a couple? Going to the same place.”
Chi Yizhen replied, “No, just colleagues.”
He and He Tiao sat in the back seat. Chi Yizhen held his phone, reading messages from the work group, growing even more tired.
He Tiao stared out the window, although there wasn’t much to focus on. It hadn’t been many days, but the live broadcast had stretched an ordinary day into what felt like fifty days. He even had the illusion that he had been with Chi Yizhen for fifty days.
Colleagues.
Chi Yizhen was indeed good at acting.
He Tiao lowered his eyes. In the dim light, his loneliness went unnoticed.
In fact, he felt it was a bit too fast.
But in an instant, he understood the unreasonable love that gamers used to flood the screen with.
It was like him sitting here now. He could reach out and touch, but there was no reason to.
The car stopped at the entrance of the residential area. It was late at night, and there were hardly any people around. Chi Yizhen got out of the car first.
But as soon as he got out of the car, he felt an intense gaze.
Chi Yizhen looked over, and under the banyan tree, there stood a tall figure in a high-necked sweater and a long windbreaker. There was no sign of dust on him, as if he had been waiting for a long time.
Seeing Chi Yizhen getting out of the car, he calmly walked over.
Sheng Xin pushed his glasses and revealed a smile. “Long time no see, Ah Zhen.”
But his smile didn’t last long. Another man got out of the taxi.
Sheng Xin, of course, recognized who this was—the man who lived together with Chi Yizhen on the variety show.
He Tiao also saw Sheng Xin.
Sheng Xin: “Isn’t this your colleague? Are you two…”
The taxi stopped under another banyan tree. At this moment, He Tiao stood in the shadow of the streetlamp, still giving off an air of elegance even in the dim light.
Chi Yizhen asked, “What are you doing here?”
Before he could finish his sentence, He Tiao reached out and embraced him. The low, pleasant voice sounded clearly in the silent night. “Aren’t you tired? We should go back to sleep.”
—
Chi Yizhen never expected to encounter Sheng Xin here.
In a moment of face-to-face confrontation, he instinctively wanted to leave. Even He Tiao, who was holding him, felt it.
Anger and heartache surged like a tidal wave. He Tiao hugged him tighter, leading him away.
However, Sheng Xin, who had come all the way here, wasn’t so easily dismissed. He took a step forward, trying to grab Chi Yizhen’s hand, but it slipped through his fingers.
He Tiao said, “Sir, please show some restraint.”
The entrance of the residential area in the early morning was deserted. Even though it wasn’t far from the bustling city center, at this hour, only a few cars sporadically passed by.
The light from the streetlamp was not very bright, and the greenery along the road was overly lush.
The dim yellow light created a clear boundary for the few people standing there.
He Tiao stared at Sheng Xin, his body firmly shielding Chi Yizhen. Anyone looking at them would think, “Their relationship is unusual.”
Sheng Xin sneered, “Restraint?”
In Chi Yizhen’s eyes, he was still a complete scoundrel in refined clothing, even without a suit and tie. Despite seemingly responding to He Tiao’s question, his gaze continued to roam freely over Chi Yizhen’s body, like dampness on a southern wall that couldn’t be shaken off, reappearing after being wiped away.
At this moment, he even wanted to reach out and touch Chi Yizhen’s face, but Chi Yizhen slapped his hand away.
Sheng Xin then smiled and gave He Tiao a meaningful look. “Who are you?”
He Tiao replied, “I am his…”
He wanted to say “boyfriend,” but Chi Yizhen had just confirmed in the taxi that they were merely colleagues.
But Chi Yizhen seemed to have no attention on this side at all.
He was looking at Sheng Xin.
Sheng Xin wasn’t as tall as He Tiao, and unless dressed strategically, it was challenging to hide the shortcomings of his figure.
Not to mention the facial features that held no appeal for Chi Yizhen, especially when obscured by glasses.
Even if he had no grievances with Sheng Xin, he felt no attraction to someone who had little appeal beyond their clothing.
Chi Yizhen said, “Are you sick?”
After uttering these words, he pulled away from He Tiao’s embrace, grabbing He Tiao’s hand. “Let’s go.”
Sheng Xin asked, “Are you cursing at me?”
His tone sounded strangely pleased. “Ah Zhen, you actually cursed at me.”
Is he really sick?
At this moment, Chi Yizhen, who had been broadcasting all day, was at his most exhausted. How could he have anticipated encountering such a lunatic right at his doorstep?
As they turned away, He Tiao asked Chi Yizhen, “Don’t we need to call the police?”
Chi Yizhen was in a bad mood. He wondered why Sheng Xin, who was supposed to be recording a program with You Yuxing, would show up here.
Just as Wen Chuanjuan also appeared, could this guy be here to cause trouble?
Chi Yizhen asked, “For what reason?”
After saying this, he sighed irritably and, with a bit of concern for He Tiao, added, “What did you say just now?”
He Tiao sighed.
They entered the residential area, and when they turned the corner, He Tiao glanced back. Sheng Xin was still standing in the same spot, his gaze following Chi Yizhen as if he hadn’t noticed He Tiao at all.
Perhaps due to the aftermath of the live broadcast, Chi Yizhen found it challenging to control his emotions without the presence of a camera.
“Cousin, you… No.”
He shook his head. “Sorry, I’m too tired.”
He released He Tiao’s hand, increasing the distance between them.
“You shouldn’t have said that.”
He Tiao replied, “I’ve seen the news about you and him.”
The late-night residential area was quiet, but there were still night owls with their lights on, not yet asleep.
The greenery in the neighborhood was lush, and the sound of crickets could be heard as they passed by. For a moment, Chi Yizhen felt like he was still in The apartmentbuilding.
Chi Yizhen nodded. “And then?”
The original host’s affairs had been thoroughly turned over, but some things were challenging to face alone.
Moreover, he was currently in a solo fight.
Sign a contract with a company.
Manager Xiao… the talent show, perhaps.
No idea if Tianheng would accept him. Even though both were trashy, melodramatic short video platforms, at least behind Qiyi Entertainment was the support of Queer Entertainment.
Lost in thought, Chi Yizhen completely ignored that the person next to him might not be from the same residential area.
When they got into the car earlier, He Tiao had said it was just one road.
“He’s still bothering you now?”
The words “bothering you” seemed a bit awkward coming from He Tiao, and his voice became even deeper.
Chi Yizhen didn’t hear clearly. “Hmm?”
He Tiao clarified, “He’s already registered with You Yuxing, yet he’s still coming to find you.”
Chi Yizhen’s hands were in his coat pockets. He still had lingering fears of Sheng Xin’s madness and glanced back.
He really didn’t know how Sheng Xin found this place. Clearly, the live broadcast didn’t capture the neighborhood at the beginning, no hints at all. Sheng Xin…
But this guy has always been crazy, and finding someone is not a difficult task for him.
Now that Sheng Xin suddenly returned from another variety show recording location, Chi Yizhen had a bad premonition. He felt that the upcoming program might not go smoothly.
Isn’t You Yuxing insistent on having this lunatic? Shouldn’t they keep a closer eye on him now?
Better to focus on catching your lunatic than creating a trap to involve me.
Relieved that Sheng Xin hadn’t followed them, Chi Yizhen sent a message to Zhang Miya on his phone while responding to He Tiao.
“He might not only be coming to find me but also to sleep with me.”
Chi Yizhen was straightforward, leaving He Tiao unsure of how to respond.
Instead, Chi Yizhen chuckled. “Sorry, Mr. He, didn’t mean to scare you.”
He even patted He Tiao’s shoulder, devoid of any romantic implications and instead carrying a hint of brotherly camaraderie.
Suddenly, He Tiao felt that “Mr. He” didn’t sound as good as “cousin” or “husband.”
A wave of loss surged up, and in the quiet night, just before Chi Yizhen mentioned going to his apartment building, He Tiao said, “When you asked me how much for a night before, were you planning on compensating me somehow?”
Chi Yizhen was caught off guard by this question right after sending a message. He made a sound of hesitation and couldn’t help but glance up and down at He Tiao.
He thought, with this appearance and my current job, I might have to work until the end of time.
A smile played on his lips, carrying a subtle ambiguity under the apartment building’s lights. He made He Tiao quite uncomfortable, who coughed awkwardly.
Chi Yizhen apologized sincerely, “I’m sorry; I thought I was dreaming at that time.”
“But Mr. He, you’re not short on money. Otherwise, by the time the payment for the program arrives, I would’ve…”
Before Chi Yizhen could finish, He Tiao covered his mouth.
The warmth of the palm against his lips, in any usual program, Chi Yizhen could boldly flirt.
But now, not in a program, with no all-seeing cameras and no hidden microphones tucked in their collars. All that surrounded them were the night’s insects and distant sounds of a TV from someone’s home.
And each other’s breath.
Chi Yizhen could only grab He Tiao’s hand, but He Tiao reached back and held Chi Yizhen’s hand.
He seriously told Chi Yizhen, “You don’t need to give me money.”
Chi Yizhen smiled. “Then what do you want?”
He Tiao said, “Can you…”
He actually wanted to ask, “Can you be with me?”
Being an otaku who enjoys reading shoujo manga, He Tiao’s girlish feelings and appearance were completely at odds. He had even participated in planning the marriage process for the top players in the Star Trail game, a game under his management.
Now he realized that expressing himself was a difficult task.
He wanted to prepare thoroughly, not be hasty in such a situation.
Chi Yizhen deserved a better confession.
Chi Yizhen looked at He Tiao, wondering if he had forgotten about something he couldn’t do back then?
But that was really impossible. It was too profound, and who would forget an encounter with a high-quality paper cutout person?
This might be the only time in my life to experience this.
No, absolutely not.
He Tiao asked, “Can I stay at your place for a night?”
Chi Yizhen: “Hmm?”
He Tiao felt utterly embarrassed, not expecting to be so awkward.
What kind of reason was this? It made him appear impatient and suspicious, and quite foolish.
Chi Yizhen said, “Sure.”
He asked He Tiao, “Don’t you want to go home? Is there someone at your place?”
With a teasing tone, he continued, “Aren’t you afraid of being misunderstood?”
He Tiao still felt that this was too inappropriate and shook his head. “Forget it; you can ignore it.”
Seeing He Tiao constantly looking at the entrance of the residential area and hearing him mention the news, Chi Yizhen asked, “Are you worried that Sheng Xin will come to find me?”
He Tiao appeared tall and handsome on the surface, with a demeanor of being a considerate homebody. Occasionally, he could even impress Chi Yizhen on the show.
Now, with a touch of awkward and clumsy concern, Chi Yizhen found it quite comforting.
“It’s okay, Sheng Xin has had that kind of personality since he was in his teens. Even if he wants to sleep with me now, it wouldn’t be that exaggerated.”
His tone was plain, as if every word of those gossip shared by netizens was a thing of the past, and the pain was now inconsequential.
Yet, at this moment, there was a hint of sorrow between his brows, brought about by the surging memories, almost making him pour out his emotions to He Tiao.
“Do you fear it?” He Tiao asked.
Chi Yizhen shook his head. “I don’t have much to fear anymore.”
He smiled again, saying as he was about to leave, “See you tomorrow.”
He Tiao nodded.
Chi Yizhen asked, “Are you from the same residential area as me?”
He Tiao nodded again, thinking, your house is still mine.
Du Binbai had really done a good deed this time.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t return home openly now.
Chi Yizhen said, “Then I can come a bit later tomorrow.”
He Tiao nodded, “See you tomorrow.”
Chi Yizhen added, “If you really don’t want to go back, it’s okay to come to my place.”
Probably sensing He Tiao’s helplessness, Chi Yizhen continued, “Just kidding. Oh, by the way.”
After pondering for a moment, he advised He Tiao, “Outside of the show, it’s better not to have a relationship with me. Sheng Xin is a small-minded person with many tricks. I don’t care; I’m already at the bottom, but your career is still on the rise.”
“Take care of yourself; that’s more important.”
Chi Yizhen smiled, “But Mr. He, you’re already very capable, much more than him.”
When he is radiant, even in dim lighting, it’s enough to intoxicate anyone.
Both the audience in the live broadcast room and those who shared on Weibo have mentioned this. He Tiao also had to admit that Chi Yizhen’s current aura easily captivated people, especially when he explained things to ensure He Tiao wouldn’t be implicated.
He Tiao blurted out, “I almost said I was your boyfriend just now…”
Chi Yizhen waved his hand, “It’s a good thing you didn’t. Otherwise, that guy would have gone crazy again. There’s no need for you to sacrifice yourself to clear things up for me.”
He Tiao asked again, “So, you don’t plan on finding a boyfriend?”
This question seemed a bit odd at this moment, given that they had just finished a show, and their eye contact carried a hint of deep emotions.
However, the “act” was not necessary at this moment. The eye contact quickly shifted away, as if both were avoiding a sudden, palpable tension.
Chi Yizhen replied, “No, I won’t. I don’t want to drag anyone down.”
Actually, he was afraid. After all, they would eventually part ways, and compared to the charming paper cutout person in front of him, any feelings for others would be inadequate.
But, still, it’s better to let it go.
He Tiao asked, “What if that person can surpass Sheng Xin’s position?”
He asked earnestly, his face displaying a sincere affection, as if he wanted to break through all of Chi Yizhen’s hesitations.
Chi Yizhen shook his head, “My brother couldn’t achieve that. Forget it. Even if there is such a person, it has nothing to do with me.”
After saying this, Chi Yizhen sighed, “I’m really tired. I’m going upstairs.”
He Tiao watched his figure go away and then turned to make a phone call, “Hello, yes, I’ll come over now.”
He thought to himself, relationships matter.