Chapter 47: Drawing Near

Chi Yizhen, in reality, didn’t really want to acknowledge that he heard it. He felt that He Tiao’s implications were on the verge of being revealed by the kiss.

But now, he wasn’t just himself; he was the “Chi Yizhen” in the show, in a relationship with He Tiao, and they were already living together, a firmly established couple.

He could only stare at the fireworks bursting in the distance, his gaze following the boats of visitors moving slowly in the water.

Pretending not to have heard.

【I don’t believe he didn’t hear it! Even though there are fireworks sounds in the broadcast, they’re in a sealed environment.】

【He Tiao’s gaze feels like he’s going to devour someone.】

【This gaze is perfect for cutting into that kind of plot. I never felt he had any sexual tension before.】

【Chi Yizhen’s expression when he was kissed was also very good… these two are definitely going public.】

【It feels like they’ve crossed the line of a romance show, this is definitely a marriage and romance show, haha!】

【I have a vague feeling that E God is definitely up to something.】

Chi Yizhen also felt uneasy. Even though he was looking outside, he couldn’t ignore He Tiao’s gaze, which seemed to pierce through him.

He could only play it up more obviously, picking up his phone to record the descending scenery again and muttering, “It’s really beautiful.”

【I suggest Chi Yizhen watches the replay himself.】

【What’s wrong, Chi Chi, are you feeling nervous too?】

However, Chi Yizhen underestimated the ambiguity brought about by this enclosed space. It was different from acting, with no script and no co-star to improvise with.

He Tiao was sitting right beside him, seemingly blocking out the excitement outside, making Chi Yizhen feel like there was nowhere to escape.

He Tiao said, “Why aren’t you looking at me?”

Just as the fireworks finished, Chi Yizhen exclaimed, conveniently drowning out the sound.

Chi Yizhen responded, “Weren’t you just looking outside?”

Only then did he turn his head, preemptively leaning against He Tiao, avoiding eye contact.

【Darn, this versatile trickster!】

【My aloof husband E God in the live stream has finally fallen! He seems so aggrieved.】

【Can fireworks compare to a husband? Your husband might sleep every day, but this level of fireworks show isn’t an everyday occurrence.】

【Haven’t you forgotten that He Tiao is very wealthy? Watching every day is no problem.】

【Haha, don’t we all love to see this kind of cliché plot where the CEO is chasing after someone?】

He Tiao simply embraced Chi Yizhen, pulling him directly into his arms.

At that moment, it seemed like Chi Yizhen was nestled in his embrace, and the scent of He Tiao enveloped his senses.

It was just…

Too much.

Even though they had slept together before and had been intimate, now, with just a simple embrace, Chi Yizhen felt completely off-kilter.

And yet, he couldn’t struggle.

He took a deep breath, about to say something, when He Tiao gently lifted his face and leaned in, asking, “Are you tired?”

Their noses touched, and even though the production team had crew members filming in other Ferris wheel cabins, they couldn’t capture the precision of this particular cabin.

【What are they doing?!】

【I’m blushing!!】

【If you have the guts, why not just kiss? Why get so close like this? It’s so odd, it’s giving me goosebumps, oh no.】

【This time it’s Chi Yizhen who’s clearly not okay, haha, how the tables have turned.】

Chi Yizhen murmured, “I’m tired. Just the thought of going to work tomorrow makes me miserable.”

He Tiao responded, “Why miserable? Aren’t you acting with your two muscular disciples in a romance drama?”

【I almost forgot about this, why do you remember so clearly, E God?!】

【He’s getting jealous again, again, and again.】

【Muscular disciples? Are you talking about those two actors, haha?】

【President He, come to your senses, you could be a muscular man too (blushing).】

Seizing the opportunity, Chi Yizhen wriggled out of He Tiao’s embrace and almost tearfully asked, “Do you doubt me?”

He Tiao, momentarily caught off guard, asked, “What?”

Chi Yizhen continued, “I can separate my work and personal life.”

As the Ferris wheel cabin touched ground and the park staff opened the door, He Tiao didn’t have a chance to respond. Chi Yizhen seemed upset, leaving with the words, “You’ve changed, husband,” before walking away.

This statement surprised the visitors in the queue behind them. They first glanced at He Tiao’s striking physique and face, then at the departing man, revealing a gossipy expression as they quietly discussed with their friends.

He Tiao watched Chi Yizhen’s retreating figure, tilted his head as if about to say something, extended his hand, then withdrew it, sighing helplessly.

But everyone could tell he was in a good mood.

【The passersby are just like me right now.】

【E God is actually still smiling… I’m sorry, I’m also laughing.】

【Is he joking? Is he laughing?】

【Chi Yizhen really loves to act, the traces are very obvious, but because it’s in a reality show, it feels like a play within a play, how does this happen?】

He Tiao quickly caught up.

It was already late, the streetlights were on, occasionally there were NPCs passing by, and a group of children were laughing loudly as they chased each other.

He Tiao grabbed Chi Yizhen’s hand. “Why do you think I’ve changed?”

Their coats had large cuffs, so even holding hands would be obscured. Chi Yizhen tried to struggle, thinking the cameras wouldn’t catch it, but was caught even tighter.

He Tiao’s former aloof demeanor vanished, replaced with an air of innocence, as if spring had brought endless tenderness, like grass and swallows, landing on his face.

“No matter how many men you work with, I’ll be waiting for you to come home.”

Chi Yizhen: “Big brother, what script are you using? This doesn’t feel right!”

Why are you trying to discredit me?

【Laughing out loud.】

【The counterattack of social anxiety】

【If this show had a segment on first impressions and second impressions, it would be hilarious.】

【He Tiao is starting to get some character now, haha, won’t this damage the company’s image?】

【Hello, gamers are now just hoping for StarTrail to deceive people into registering for the game and going crazy with us.】

Chi Yizhen couldn’t shake off He Tiao’s hand, so he simply swung it.

The two of them walked along the wide avenue, acting like children, holding hands and then trying to shake them off, swinging them high.

Chi Yizhen said, “Acting is acting, life is life, and I can tell the difference very clearly.”

He looked at He Tiao. “He Tiao, what do you say?”

He Tiao was sensitive to how Chi Yizhen addressed him. With the crew filming around them, it should be a situation where Chi Yizhen should be calling him “husband” or “cousin.”

But Chi Yizhen didn’t.

He Tiao replied, “Yes. So, do you really enjoy acting?”

Chi Yizhen responded, “Yes.”

The original host enjoyed it, and although Chi Yizhen didn’t enjoy it as much, he had grown accustomed to the industry.

He Tiao asked, “What kind of role would you most like to play?”

Chi Yizhen smiled and said, “A first encounter where you sell me socks and deceive my poor family into thinking you’re a wealthy second-generation entrepreneur wanting to start a company for me?”

【I think that works.】

【Approved.】

He Tiao said, “I truly like you.”

【E God really has something, he always confesses directly whenever he changes the subject.】

【A true expert match.】

Chi Yizhen shook off his hand again. “Understood. I will work hard.”

He sighed, “I know you still have conflicts with your family, you don’t need to reconcile just for my sake.”

“I love acting and want to be an actor for life. There’s a long road ahead, and there will always be opportunities.”

He said this with a smile, with the background of the camera showing a plane tree adorned with colorful lights, which had become an embellishment to his expression. Many viewers subconsciously took screenshots in the live broadcast.

After all, the current Chi Yizhen looked exceptionally stunning. Facing this face, He Tiao’s mind was in turmoil, not realizing his palms were sweating.

Chi Yizhen, however, was not joking. He laughed and continued walking with He Tiao.

The director hadn’t signaled for them to finish, so they had to keep strolling.

The audience wasn’t tired of watching, but Chi Yizhen and He Tiao were truly exhausted.

Particularly He Tiao, who hadn’t slept much at all. When Chi Yizhen went to buy drinks, he ended up falling asleep on a bench outside.

Chi Yizhen glanced at the crew members and then at his phone. Upon learning that He Tiao had only slept for a little over two hours, he was taken aback.

Sitting down next to He Tiao, he set the hot drink aside and looked at He Tiao, who was still sleeping.

Unable to resist, he took several photos.

【He looks so relaxed.】

【Who wouldn’t be relaxed with such a handsome and devoted boyfriend?】

【I want to steal Chi Yizhen’s phone, I feel like there are so many great photos inside.】

【Oh gosh, it looks like he’s going to post… post on Weibo?】

【In the end, it’s still a business. Switching to someone else’s business, I feel, is a bit too commercial. But for these two, I really can’t wait… gkd】

The weather was quite cold, and He Tiao was dressed as if he’d thrown on whatever was nearby. When a good-looking person does it, it’s called “mix and match,” but when someone less attractive does it, it’s called “sloppy.”

However, both his physique and face were top-notch.

The turtleneck sweater under the white shirt in the photos taken by Chi Yizhen added a sense of restrained flavor. He looked so well-behaved while sleeping, but his long legs had nowhere to go. If someone didn’t pay attention, they might easily trip over them.

Chi Yizhen didn’t wake him up. He checked the schedule set by the production team and realized they couldn’t leave until 9:30.

He then took out the crumpled ticket from his pocket and checked the time for the fireworks show.

“There’s another one in twenty minutes. We can watch it and then go home.”

He glanced at He Tiao. His messy bangs covered part of his eyebrows and eyes, but not entirely, making his facial features seem superior at first glance.

The more you looked, the more appealing he became.

He was like the humanization of a paper figure in Chi Yizhen’s imagination.

Sipping his hot drink, he sighed, “Handsome is handsome. If he were paper, that would be even better.”

The photographer didn’t understand, but the director did, surprised that Chi Yizhen had such a request.

【What? He’s already got a real person, and he still wants a paper one? He doesn’t know how lucky he is!】

【I feel like they’re both like paper figures. Chi Yizhen seems quite detached, maybe because of lack of resources? He Tiao is purely because he used to be out of the limelight… now that he’s in it, he’s a marvel, very two-dimensional. I suggest they make a new romance mobile game and have President He do his own voice acting.】

Chi Yizhen really got into the game.

“Why can’t I choose all five?”

“I want all five men to be mine.”

【Mr. Chi, your idea is quite dangerous.】

【He’s already got such a handsome man by his side, and he wants five more? Totally outrageous!】

Chi Yizhen got deeply involved in the game, even using voice packs, which made the audience in the live stream find it excessively cheesy.

No one had expected him to have such a girlish heart.

“Oh, he sent me flowers and said I’m prettier than the flowers? That’s a bit much, bro.”

Relaxing in his chair, Chi Yizhen waited for the fireworks display, unaware that the person beside him had woken up.

【Mr. Chi, are you completely clueless?】

【He Tiao lying on the recliner… isn’t this better than a paper figure? He’s even sleeping!】

“Invite me to spend the night? How much will that cost me? Oh, this overnight service is just not…”

Before Chi Yizhen could finish, a voice interrupted.

“Why would you need to hire other men for the night when you have me?”

【I can’t believe it, E God, what made you go down this path?!】

【To be honest, it’s quite relatable. Isn’t there a rumor that even the most famous club in our city offers such services?】

【Chi Yizhen is shaking with laughter.】

Chi Yizhen was startled and turned in shock. “When did you wake up? You scared me.”

He Tiao still looked sleepy, his voice hoarse from lack of sleep. “Sorry, I fell asleep.”

Chi Yizhen checked the time. “We’ll watch the last fireworks display and then go home.”

He Tiao nodded.

Just then, it was time.

It was different from the fireworks they saw on the Ferris wheel.

As the fireworks exploded, He Tiao didn’t move. He leaned back and squinted at Chi Yizhen. “Can you come over and sit with me?”

“My dear.”

【It feels like I’m the one exploding, not the fireworks.】

【Did E God ever call Chi Yizhen “my dear” before? It feels totally different now, what’s going on?】

【Who can handle this?!】

Author’s Note:

I’m here—

See you tomorrow—