Chapter 40: Please

With the camera gone, Chi Yizhen could finally relax and eat.

The staff had also moved to the other side. Compared to the updates he saw from the other groups on his phone, he and He Tiao were progressing faster.

He Tiao looked at him seriously, one hand holding his phone, while the other unconsciously tapped on the tabletop. His knuckles were distinct, making his hands look like a perfectly drawn character.

Chi Yizhen looked away. “No.”

He Tiao: “That’s good.”

“But,” Chi Yizhen paused, picked up a shrimp, and suddenly didn’t know where to start when he realized it was peeled by He Tiao. This subtle entanglement made him feel restless.

“It’s not a formal persona live stream, you really don’t have to do this.”

He suddenly remembered He Tiao’s tension at the beginning of the live stream and chuckled. “It feels like forcing… something else.”

Chi Yizhen sighed. “I feel like I’m pressuring you too much.”

Their positions were completely different.

He Tiao didn’t need to network. Even if he was tricked by Zhang Miya into coming here, this variety show wouldn’t have any other impact on his future.

Currently, it was even giving Star Trail Game some good publicity, with a positive response.

But for Chi Yizhen, it was different. He lacked money and opportunities.

He needed a lot of exposure and a rapid increase in popularity to get acting opportunities.

With the original owner of this body gone, as a temporary guest, he had an obligation to give an account to the original host.

And this explanation was something he could do, after all, he was just a film emperor.

They were never supposed to have any intersection, and now all the parallels gave Chi Yizhen a strong sense of countdown.

He Tiao: “No pressure.”

He lowered his eyes, and on his phone screen was a new message from Zhang Miya about the show.

There was also a separate settlement for the script that Qi Tianda gave to Chi Yizhen.

Zhang Miya asked He Tiao: I heard you want Qi Tianda to sign Chi Yizhen?

He Tiao didn’t like dealing with people, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t understand the hidden meaning in those words.

It’s just, do you really like him?

He had no intention of answering, but in his peripheral vision, he noticed Chi Yizhen’s tense waist.

Suddenly, he thought of the time when Chi Yizhen had his back turned to him at the sink, as well as the flustered expression when he pressed Chi Yizhen’s waist against the mirror in the fitting room.

This person may appear carefree on the surface, but there were moments of panic as well.

Chi Yizhen: “I’m just afraid of making you uncomfortable.”

He still ate the shrimp that He Tiao had peeled. He was probably really hungry since he hadn’t had lunch. He looked like he was enjoying his meal, unaware that he was unconsciously pulling on the waistband string.

He Tiao: “Do you want me to untie it for you?”

Chi Yizhen: “What?”

He Tiao: “It looks uncomfortable.”

He even reached out his hand, and after some thought, Chi Yizhen didn’t refuse.

After all, their conversation just now seemed a bit awkward, so he agreed with a nod.

Coincidentally, the team from the other side came over to discuss the next procedure with them. As soon as they arrived, they saw this scene.

He Tiao lowered his head and untied the waistband of Chi Yizhen’s outfit. When the wardrobe assistant changed Chi Yizhen’s clothes, they had tied a bow, but it was tied too tightly. It was not as easy to untie as Chi Yizhen had said. It took He Tiao quite a while to untie it.

At first, Chi Yizhen didn’t think much of it.

But as time went on, he couldn’t help but wonder if it was because the restaurant’s heating was too high or if He Tao’s fingers were too warm. The fabric swayed across his waist, almost making him instinctively straighten his posture, which drew a low apology from He Tiao.

He Tiao: “Why is it so tightly knotted?”

Chi Yizhen exclaimed, “It shouldn’t be like this. Xiao Dou said it was easy to untie.”

He Tiao: “Just bear with it.”

Chi Yizhen: “Or forget it, I’ll eat a little less. Aren’t you going to eat?”

He Tiao: “Untie it, then eat.”

The team that was supposed to interject silently passed by, and each of them felt a bit embarrassed.

What’s going on? They were all people who had seen storms in the entertainment industry.

They had seen all kinds of CPs, so why did these seemingly innocent words make people blush?

And we really don’t have a script.

And this isn’t even a formal work setting!!

Unfortunately, if it were recorded, it would be a heavenly treat for fans, and it might even be included in the VIP exclusive section.

Chi Yizhen was a bit speechless as well.

He could sense He Tiao’s persistence, as if there was a strange desire for victory or defeat.

The director called the wardrobe assistant and asked in a low voice, “Was the waistband you gave him difficult to untie?”

The assistant, who had recently graduated from college, happily shook her head. “No, it’s just a normal bow.”

The director frowned. “But then why does He Tiao look like it’s tied in a tight knot?”

The assistant was also puzzled.

Only He Tiao thought to himself: This is going a bit too far. I didn’t expect that tying it again would turn it into a tight knot.

Chi Yizhen was completely unaware, but he still didn’t eat much, feeling that the position was a bit awkward. He gently removed He Tiao’s hand from his waist.

“Forget it, Mr. He, we’ll have to change clothes later anyway.”

He looked at He Tiao with a determined face. “You should eat quickly; it seems like there are many activities this afternoon.”

The tourist flow in the scenic area was not high on weekdays. Chi Yizhen glanced at the bed in the restaurant and felt that the winter sunlight was perfect. It was better to go outside and bask in the sun than to stay indoors with the heater on.

“I hope it’s not something that requires physical labor, like rowing a boat. I just woke up, and I don’t feel like moving after eating.”

He didn’t realize that his tone was already showing signs of drowsiness. He noticed that He Tiao seemed absent-minded, completely unaware that He Tiao was seemingly watching him eat.

The director in the distance said, “Let’s start recording. We can’t waste any time.”

The producer covered his face and said somewhat painfully, “I always feel like there will be a bunch of people saying we have a script again.”

The director said, “Say whatever you want. In the end, the people who want to watch will be happy.”

The rope was finally cut, and the wardrobe assistant was particularly surprised. She felt a pang of regret as she cut it. “I distinctly remember not tying a tight knot.”

Chi Yizhen asked straightforwardly, as he changed into an outfit that matched the style of the Apartment Building Barbecue, “Do I need to compensate you?”

He pointed to the waistband that had already been removed and casually asked He Tiao, “It wasn’t you who tied it in a tight knot, was it?”

Of course, He Tiao didn’t admit it. “No.”

But unfortunately, he was not good at lying. He didn’t realize that his gaze was drifting, and even his ears turned red.

The wardrobe assistant left tactfully.

Before leaving, she couldn’t help but take one last look at the two of them and thought, many people really hope they can turn this act into reality.

It’s a bit too…

Using the term “scheming” to describe Mr. He is a bit strange, as he still looks so honest.

But he’s also too good-looking, making the word “honest” seem too ordinary.

Exactly.

It’s like that kind of crazy desire to attract someone’s attention and get closer to them…

A pure student vibe.

But isn’t he the new rising star chosen by the real gaming tycoon?

Wow, what a stark contrast!

Chi Yizhen: “You’re kidding.”

He Tiao: “I’m not.”

Chi Yizhen changed into a different outfit, which actually wasn’t much different from his usual attire.

A hundred yuan sweater, jeans with ripped holes, fortunately, his socks were relatively long. He seriously doubted whether he would freeze to death going out like this.

Chi Yizhen: “Remember to reimburse me. Mr. He, money shouldn’t be a problem for you, right?”

He said this with a playful tone, almost melting into He Tiao’s heart, stirring up a warm and eager feeling. But in the next moment, Chi Yizhen’s dismissive remark brought him back to reality.

He seemed to realize that this topic couldn’t continue and didn’t pursue He Tiao’s hidden intentions. Instead, he considerately transformed into a caring colleague.

“I’ll come by myself next time, no need for Mr. He to worry.”

Chi Yizhen’s tone was light, even with the crew present, it didn’t seem like a negative rejection.

Instead, it came across as affectionate and playful, making the rejection seem insignificant.

But unfortunately, He Tiao understood.

Chi Yizhen was rejecting him, even though he didn’t explicitly mention it, he was drawing a line.

He Tiao nodded, “You can handle everything privately.”

The latter half of his sentence was particularly serious, “I’ll take care of the live broadcast.”

Chi Yizhen was momentarily stunned, and He Tiao asked in return, “If the show’s reputation is good, won’t you benefit too?”

Chi Yizhen nodded.

He Tiao smiled at him, getting closer but still maintaining a slight distance.

Just then, the crew outside called them to start recording, and He Tiao reached out and held Chi Yizhen’s hand, saying, “Let’s go.”

It had been over an hour since the reading comments segment, but the online discussion about “My Days in the Apartment Building” hadn’t died down for a day.

Early in the morning, Chi Yizhen and Sheng Xin were trending, and now with the addition of the on-screen scene of Chi Yizhen and his current partner He Tiao, people’s imaginations were running wild.

At noon, the paparazzi indulged in a relaxed candy-eating segment, which exploded during the official live reading comments segment.

Many people reposted it on Weibo, causing a lively discussion that almost offended many fans of You Yuxing:

– Can I even handle this? I feel like I’ve been force-fed since I fell into this pit!

– So many fans… so much sweetness… I’m getting dizzy. It’s the first time I’ve seen a paparazzi live stream that I could get addicted to. I thought couple routines on variety shows were already the epitome of daily life, but this transition was so natural. Are these two really not dating?

– What shocked me the most was the reading comments segment! Can someone make a comparison between He Tiao’s performance when he first started the show and his current one? Who said he was socially awkward? How did the aloof gaming expert have such a public breakdown? Is there no justice in the world? My mouth was smiling from ear to ear during this segment.

– I’m so surprised, it feels like He Tiao is taking the lead. Is it just my imagination? He’s treating Chi Yizhen too well. Even though it’s a live broadcast outside the show, it still gives me the feeling of the couple in Apartment Building.

– The way he looks at him… Please confess already, wuwuwu!! I never expected two people who seemed so incompatible to match so well.

– Only ten days left, it’s the first time I hope this variety show becomes a year-long series.

– Has the production team seen our Chi Yizhen? He’s really good!!

– The family’s amusement park opened at noon!! It’s a character development live stream, and we can watch the couple’s daily life again.

The autumn sun was warm, and Chi Yizhen and He Tiao walked side by side along the park’s road.

The program team didn’t give any specific instructions, they just circled the attractions they were going to play on the map.

This time, all expenses were fully reimbursed, with no burden at all.

But the viewers entering the live stream clearly felt that their atmosphere was somewhat different.

Chi Yizhen: “Which one do you want to play?”

He Tiao still felt a bit disappointed, even though his face didn’t show any obvious emotions, he appeared excessively cold in the eyes of the viewers.

He Tiao: “Anything is fine.”

[What’s wrong with E God? He seems a bit down.]

[I feel like he didn’t sleep well, he doesn’t seem to be wearing makeup for the show, and his dark circles are quite noticeable today.]

[Uh… I have a friend who works on Star Track, heard they were called in for overtime in the middle of the night.]

[Help, this man is too career-oriented. He only took half a day off and still has to work?]

Chi Yizhen: “Anything means nothing.”

He shifted his gaze to He Tiao’s face and leaned closer, “You have to choose one.”

He’s really good at acting.

He Tiao thought to himself, it wasn’t the same attitude just now, and he wouldn’t have leaned in like this.

Clear boundaries were set.

He lowered his eyes, almost hitting the camera that was following them, and in the live stream, he exuded deep affection that seemed slightly out of place.

But Chi Yizhen was confident and urged him closer, “Hurry up.”

The park’s map was presented to He Tiao, showcasing various attractions from paddle boats to small trains and haunted houses, the usual offerings at an amusement park.

He Tiao’s gaze fell on the haunted house that Chi Yizhen had been staring at for a while, and under Chi Yizhen’s surprised gaze, he chose the bumper cars.

Chi Yizhen exclaimed.

[This is killing me, it’s definitely on purpose!!]

[Chi Yizhen’s reaction is just like my eight-year-old nephew, hahaha!]

[A script of a quarrel between young lovers?]

[I also… felt like they had a disagreement during the reading comments segment just now.]

[That’s what I thought… It feels like He Tiao really likes Chi Yizhen, but Chi Yizhen…]

[E God… No way.]

[Chi Yizhen is an actor, but He Tiao isn’t.]

He Tiao: “Are you mad?”

The autumn wind was a bit chilly, and Chi Yizhen shrank his neck. The next moment, he was pulled over by He Tiao, and even in a cheap coat, he exuded a high-end vibe.

Chi Yizhen was caught off guard as He Tiao’s inner shirt fragrance hit him in the face.

That was He Tiao’s original clothes, carrying a hint of fragrance from the sea salt bead.

[Damn, damn, damn!!]

[Am I watching a idol drama?!]

Chi Yizhen: “No.”

He Tiao: “Then let’s go to the haunted house.”

Chi Yizhen: “I didn’t want to go.”

He Tiao: “I want to go, I really want to.”

He still lowered his head, getting closer to Chi Yizhen, with a touch of intimate whispering flavor–

He Tiao: “Please.”