Chapter 15: The Real Singer

In the living room, only a floor lamp was on, casting a warm yellow light that formed a circular arc on the rosewood floor.

Xiao Chi sat cross-legged on the sofa under the lamp, holding a pair of old-fashioned knitting needles. The movement of his wrist was projected onto the floor by the light, as nimble as a butterfly flitting through flowers.

Hearing footsteps, his ears twitched slightly, and he immediately turned his head. “You’re back!”

Ji Chenxuan stood at the door, his deep brown coat hanging over his elbow, a corner of a food delivery box peeking out from under the hem.

The wall clock showed it was still before seven. Ji Chenxuan had somehow, without noticing, gotten used to no longer working overtime and returning home on time every day after work.

The rest of the employees at the company were all astonished by this change.

“What are you doing?” Ji Chenxuan handed his coat to the furniture robot, Anna, and walked over holding a milk-colored cake box.

The couch was strewn with a pile of colorful yarn balls, several of them attached to threads that had passed through Xiao Chi’s hands and knitting needles, forming a completed woolen vest in camel and white.

Ji Chenxuan’s gaze slid from the yarn balls to his hands. His brow arched, a half-smile playing on his lips. “Don’t tell me this is your new hobby.”

“Yeah,” Xiao Chi said cheerfully, “I’ve seen people knit all sorts of shapes, and it looks fun, so I wanted to try.”

Xiao Chi seemed to have an enthusiasm for anything new, even something as monotonous as knitting. He pulled the yarn closer, and several red balls of yarn rolled around him, looking like the matchmaking threads of the matchmaker.

“I don’t eat sweets, but the company’s afternoon tea cakes are here. You can have them,” Ji Chenxuan said as he placed the cake box on the coffee table, casually glancing at him. “Can you wear what you knit?”

“Of course,” Xiao Chi put down the knitting needles, eagerly opening the cake box. Inside was a round chocolate Black Forest cake, carefully packaged, with no cream spilling out.

The box had the Red Hall Cake Shop logo on it. Xiao Chi exclaimed, “Isn’t this shop in the west of the city? It’s so far from your company, and they still deliver afternoon tea? Last time I called to order delivery, they said it was out of the delivery range.”

“…Ahem,” Ji Chenxuan said calmly, “Who knows? Maybe they’ve opened a branch.”

“Oh.” Xiao Chi believed every word, and didn’t press the delivery issue any further, focusing on the cake.

Ji Chenxuan changed into casual clothes and turned on the curved-screen TV to watch the news. Xiao Chi sat beside him, once again fiddling with his knitting needles, head lowered, engrossed as if working on a delicate craft.

The financial news host on the TV was talking, but Ji Chenxuan didn’t hear a word. His gaze kept straying to the woolen vest in Xiao Chi’s hands.

Suddenly, Xiao Chi looked up. “Why are you staring at me?”

Ji Chenxuan’s heart skipped a beat, as if caught red-handed doing something sneaky, but his face showed no guilt. He remained calm, like an old man fishing, slowly shifting his gaze back to the TV. “The sweater you’re knitting doesn’t seem to be your size.”

“Of course not,” Xiao Chi replied, “I’m not knitting it for me.”

He switched to finer needles and red thread, expertly stitching a carrot onto the hem of the vest.

For a moment, Ji Chenxuan’s heart fluttered. — Is this for me?

He picked up his coffee, gently blowing on the rising steam, absentmindedly stirring the silver spoon. His eyes still on the TV, he focused on the commercial break. “So, what are you knitting it for?”

“For someone else, of course,” Xiao Chi said matter-of-factly. “I enjoy the service they provide without complaint every day, so I should express my gratitude.”

Ji Chenxuan tried hard to suppress the slight curve of his lips, relaxed his body, and leaned back into the sofa, his hands resting on his knees, with his index fingers lightly touching each other in a casual manner. “Actually, you don’t have to give me anything. Just the thought behind it is enough.”

“That won’t do! Don’t humans value reciprocity?” Xiao Chi finished the last few stitches, carefully tied off the yarn, and shook the woolen vest in his hands. It was narrow and long.

Ji Chenxuan thought for a moment. It was his first time doing needlework, and if it didn’t turn out well, there was nothing to be done about it. It was unwearable, but he still didn’t want to crush his spirit too much.

He extended a hand to Xiao Chi, saying casually, “Since you’ve put so much effort into it, I’ll reluctantly accept it.”

Xiao Chi froze for a moment and then said, “…I knitted it for Anna.”

Ji Chenxuan: “…”

The living room fell into an awkward silence.

“Click-click-click—” The furniture robot, Anna, was outside by the floor-to-ceiling window, stretching its mechanical arm to remove the icicles hanging from the eaves. The weather had been clear these past few days, and many icicles as thick as a small arm had started to melt, with drops of water falling and tapping against the window pane.

Xiao Chi pulled his gaze away from Anna’s cold, mechanical arm and looked at Ji Chenxuan’s changing expression. “Do you want one too?”

“No need!” Ji Chenxuan quickly replied, his voice dry. He turned his face away, picked up his coffee, and took a sip, only to hiss and cough repeatedly from the burn.

“Hey, why are you drinking so fast?” Xiao Chi put the finished sweater aside, quickly swapped the coffee for a glass of water, and gently patted his back while feeding him water. Shaking his head, he sighed, “Good thing I’m here to take care of you. Otherwise, with how clumsy you are, how would you live?”

Ji Chenxuan coughed even harder — Who’s taking care of who? Ah!

“About the sweater, you really don’t want it? Actually, I…” Xiao Chi began.

“No, I don’t.” Ji Chenxuan stressed the words, his face turning slightly red, not sure if it was from the embarrassment of his own overthinking or from being choked by the hot coffee.

“…Oh.” Xiao Chi pursed his lips, holding the woolen vest in his hands. “I’ll go put it on Anna.”

As Xiao Chi walked toward the balcony, he felt Ji Chenxuan’s gaze seemingly on his back. When he opened the door, he turned his head, but Ji Chenxuan was quietly watching the TV show.

It was as though it had all been a figment of his imagination.

Xiao Chi found Anna and gave the command to pause its work. He slowly dressed Anna in the woolen vest, mumbling softly as he did: “Anna, although we’re no longer the same kind, if one day you gain self-awareness, I hope you won’t feel as lonely as I did.”

“We’re both lucky,” Xiao Chi said, patting Anna’s metal head with a smile. “We both met Ji Chenxuan.”

“What are you dragging your feet for?” Ji Chenxuan appeared on the balcony at some point, wearing a bathrobe and leaning against the door, his fingers pressing against the glass of the floor-to-ceiling window with a crisp sound.

“Ah, I’m done.” Xiao Chi activated Anna, letting it resume its work.

Ji Chenxuan paced over to him and without saying a word, threw the bathrobe into his arms, his tone cold. “It’s freezing outside, and you’re not even wearing a jacket. What if you catch a cold and pass it to me?”

“It’s fine, my body is different from yours. I’m very strong,” Xiao Chi said seriously.

“Heh.” Ji Chenxuan sneered, glancing at him. “How strong? A superhero?”

Xiao Chi was about to reply when his ears suddenly twitched. A faint clicking sound reached his ears.

The thick icicles hanging from the eaves gleamed with a silvery glow under the moonlight. Perhaps they had been half-shoveled by Anna, swaying in the cold wind, when suddenly, one broke off and fell!

A faint glow plummeted rapidly through the night, landing directly above Ji Chenxuan’s head!

Xiao Chi’s expression changed in an instant. Without thinking, he rushed forward, pulling the man into his arms with one hand while the other stretched out and caught the broken icicle with precision!

A chunk of ice, as thick as his wrist, was firmly caught in his hand, and icy water streamed down his palm, chilling him to the bone.

When their bodies pressed together, Ji Chenxuan was still dazed. The heat from their close contact was overwhelming, and his heart raced faster, making it nearly impossible to tell whose heartbeat it was.

A faint soap fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose. Ji Chenxuan turned his head slightly, and his lips accidentally brushed against Xiao Chi’s mouth corner—soft and sweet, as if it carried the scent of chocolate cake.

“What…?” Ji Chenxuan froze, unable to move. His hands had no place to rest, and he slightly raised them as if wanting to wrap them around Xiao Chi’s waist, only to abandon the idea.

It wasn’t until he saw the chunk of ice in Xiao Chi’s hand that Ji Chenxuan understood what had just happened in the blink of an eye.

“Be careful overhead.” Xiao Chi guided Ji Chenxuan indoors, carefully avoiding the swaying icicles from the eaves.

After narrowly escaping danger, Xiao Chi still had his arm around Ji Chenxuan’s waist. His long, strong arm held the man tightly, like a steel band, unmoving.

“Are you okay?”

Seeing Ji Chenxuan shake his head, Xiao Chi finally released his hold. The warmth from his chest disappeared instantly, and Ji Chenxuan immediately felt a coldness creeping up his spine. Even after closing the balcony door tightly, he couldn’t retrieve the warmth that had made his heart race.

Ji Chenxuan stared at Xiao Chi’s hand, frowning. “What are you still holding that thing for? Drop it, your hand’s going to freeze off.”

“Oh.” Xiao Chi casually tightened his fingers, and with a snap, he crushed the thick chunk of ice, which shattered into fine powder that scattered across the floor.

Ji Chenxuan was left speechless. “You…” Is this even human?

Xiao Chi calmly brushed the ice shards off his palm. “I told you, I’m very strong.”

…Alright, this guy wasn’t human to begin with.

The TV in the living room had somehow switched to entertainment news.

Tonight, Ji Chenxuan didn’t handle the company matters as he usually did. Instead, he sat on the sofa, distracted, watching TV.

Xiao Chi, holding his carrot-shaped pillow, seemed rather pleased to be watching TV with his roommate.

“Didn’t you say that TV is boring and you don’t watch it? Why are you keeping me company today?”

Ji Chenxuan turned his face slightly and replied indifferently, “So you don’t get lonely and start bothering Anna again, causing another scene like earlier.”

“…”

Xiao Chi stared at him intently, seemingly trying to figure out if there was any truth in those words.

The atmosphere became quite tense, and Ji Chenxuan felt the undeniable gaze on him. His ears, hidden in his hair, subtly flushed red.

No one spoke, and the sound of an entertainment news program host echoed in the living room:  

“The highly anticipated second round of the National Star Talent Competition popularity voting has been heating up over the past few days. Among the most attention-grabbing contestants is a dark horse, Liang Jingsheng. His song Farewell to the Past has been surging with incredible speed, climbing the ranks. Currently, he’s caught up to 15th place and is charging toward the top 10. Now, let’s listen to this internet sensation song!”  

“Huh?” Xiao Chi listened to the familiar melody on the TV, confused. “Isn’t this the song I recorded for the competition that day?”  

Ji Chenxuan froze. “Your song?”  

The two of them listened quietly for a moment. Ji Chenxuan’s frown deepened, and his face darkened like a storm cloud ready to burst.  

Who else’s voice could it be but Xiao Chi’s?!  

And that Liang Jingsheng—what the hell is he?! How dare he?!  

After a while, Ji Chenxuan suddenly stood up and made a video call to his assistant, Zhou Tong:  

“What are you people doing? How could there be such a major mistake with the singer’s identity?! Find that song thief immediately, even if you have to dig them out from the ground!”  

As for his song being stolen, Xiao Chi didn’t show much emotion, as if it had nothing to do with him. Instead, when he heard Ji Chenxuan angrily shouting, he inexplicably smiled.  

He quietly pulled out a pink box hidden beneath a pile of yarn balls. Just as he lifted the lid slightly, he saw Ji Chenxuan turning around and quickly shoved it back.

—

Author’s note:

Little scene:

Ji: “A mere sweater? Do I care about that? Heh.”

Xiao: “You do.”

Ji: “…”