Chapter 41: Hot Kiss

On the television, the female lead was held in the male lead’s arms as he whispered sweet nothings to her. The playful teasing in his voice was so sweet it made one feel embarrassed.

Ji Chenxuan was left speechless by Xiao Chi’s words. The light from the TV projection hit his face, casting alternating shades of blue and red. “I was talking about in front of others. There’s no one else here now!”

“No, no,” Xiao Chi replied, shaking his head like a scholarly old man, “As the saying goes, ^[1]“A sage is not ashamed of his shadow, but a gentleman is cautious in his solitude” conveys the idea of integrity and self-discipline. It means a virtuous person has nothing to hide and … Continue reading’A sage is not ashamed of his shadow, but a gentleman is cautious in his solitude.’ Even if no one else is around, you still have to control your desires!”

Xiao Chi sat cross-legged on the sofa, his eyes darting around, but he refused to look at him.

Ji Chenxuan was frustrated with his own words, feeling like he’d shot himself in the foot. His big toe hurt terribly, and his lips twitched in pain. “What nonsense is that? Since when did you get so cultured?”

Only then did Xiao Chi turn his head to look at him, his long lashes fluttering. “I read books every day. Everything you say, I remember.”

His expression clearly said—I’m super well-behaved and obedient, praise me!

Ji Chenxuan leaned back on the sofa, motioning for him to come closer with a serious face. “Move your face closer, I’ll give you a certificate of merit.”

Xiao Chi squinted at him. “I don’t read much, don’t try to fool me.”

This guy was getting harder to fool!

Ji Chenxuan was almost laughing with anger, but he had another trump card: “I demand to exercise my VIP privileges.”

Sure enough, Xiao Chi was stumped. He scratched his head, unable to think of a reason to argue, and slowly moved closer. “You’re so cunning, always using this trick…”

Ji Chenxuan was secretly pleased, but kept a serious expression. “Who told you to tease me first?”

“I didn’t—”

Xiao Chi’s defense was instantly cut off as Ji Chenxuan pressed down on him, trapping him between his arms and the back of the sofa.

Unlike their previous brief kisses, this time Ji Chenxuan’s kiss was full of intensity, fiery and passionate.

Beneath the cool skin, the oil inside was boiling, burning through the rushing blood to scorch the organs, while the heat of passion spread through the thin lips, surrounding and enveloping Xiao Chi without scalding him, only gently embracing him.

Ji Chenxuan’s lips, soft yet rough, rubbed against his, and he could even feel the deep texture of his lips.

The unfamiliar sensation made Xiao Chi widen his eyes, like a puppet controlled by the other, unsure of what to do.

Ji Chenxuan slightly pulled back, his gaze fixed on Xiao Chi’s flushed lips. His voice was hoarse, as seductive as the final notes of a cello: “Close your eyes.”

Xiao Chi subconsciously followed his command, not only closing his eyes but also tightly pressing his lips together.

Then he heard Ji Chenxuan laugh softly in helpless amusement. “Open your mouth a bit, really…”

Xiao Chi, confused, muttered a soft “ah” and immediately found his chance taken. Ji Chenxuan slipped in, and though he couldn’t quite describe the feeling, it was like a shy but hungry little animal finding new food. In his mouth, Xiao Chi felt the gentle sucking, greedy yet cautious.

It was a bit ticklish, a bit embarrassing, and before he knew it, their breathing was out of sync. Their shadows stretched by the hallway light, overlapping on the wall. They were stuck together like two clams with their shells removed, exposing the pearls hidden deep within their hearts.

Ji Chenxuan gripped his shoulder tightly, his palms sweating with heat as he repeatedly moved down, his hand lingering on his arm through the shirt, in an intensely affectionate motion.

It was an incredibly long kiss, yet somehow it felt so brief that neither of them could react in time.

Ji Chenxuan slowly lifted his head, their rapid breaths hitting each other’s faces, hot enough to make their faces flush and hearts race. The drummer in his chest pounded, thump-thump-thump, wishing the whole world could hear it.

“…Are you done? Can I open my eyes?” Xiao Chi asked softly, his voice curious and timid, like a chick freshly hatched.

Ji Chenxuan looked at his flushed cheekbones, his trembling eyelids, and the lips reddened from being kissed. He let out a low, satisfied sigh, then couldn’t help but chuckle. “Of course, you can…”

Xiao Chi quickly opened his eyes. His pupils were dark and bright, shimmering like spring water, reflecting Ji Chenxuan’s image in them.

Ji Chenxuan felt a slight stir in his heart and couldn’t resist asking, “What does it feel like?”

Xiao Chi stroked his chin, smacking his lips as if savoring the moment. “It’s a strange feeling.”

“…Strange?” Ji Chenxuan instinctively thought that he wasn’t going to hear anything sweet, but he still couldn’t help but ask, “What’s strange about it?”

Xiao Chi furrowed his brow, thinking for a while, before suddenly coming up with a comparison. “It’s like a kitten sucking on its mother’s milk, hungry and urgent, unable to even open its eyes.”

“…………” Ji Chenxuan, now compared to a kitten, instantly turned sour.

“Can you say something nice for once?”

“What’s ‘something nice’?” Xiao Chi blinked innocently. “Give me an example.”

“Like when I say I…” Ji Chenxuan started, then paused, his tongue circling around his mouth, abruptly stopping. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. “You’re not deliberately setting me up, are you?”

Xiao Chi stared with wide, round eyes, still wearing that innocent, almost helpless expression. “What are you talking about?”

“……” Ji Chenxuan stared at him for a long while, unable to find any flaws in his act, so he could only give up in frustration.

He was becoming more and more unable to figure out what was going on inside Xiao Chi’s AI-like head.

Maybe… he was becoming more and more like a real human?

Ji Chenxuan stopped overthinking and rubbed Xiao Chi’s head. “It’s getting late, you should go to bed.”

“Okay, got it.” Xiao Chi obediently nodded.

As Ji Chenxuan left, his footsteps gradually fading as he headed upstairs, Xiao Chi finally turned his gaze away from his retreating figure. He grabbed the neglected carrot-shaped pillow, buried his face in it, rolled around on the large sectional sofa a few times, and laughed like a cat who had just stolen some dried fish…

—

April 20th was the day that Liu Bing had arranged for Xiao Chi to meet the renowned figure in the music industry, Master Rong Shan.

Speaking of Master Rong Shan, he was indeed a well-known figure with a great reputation, and was extremely sensitive about his image.

When he was young, he once had a falling out with another colleague, which led him, in a fit of anger, to shave his head. For many years after, he refused to grow his hair back. However, he later made a name for himself in the music industry, and younger generations began to respectfully call him “Master.”

With Liu Bing’s connections and considerable effort, as well as a large sum of money, he barely managed to persuade the other party to agree to meet Xiao Chi.

The meeting was arranged at a high-end private club in the city center. To show his sincerity, Liu Bing personally went to pick up Master Rong Shan, while Zhou Tong was sent by Ji Chenxuan to drive and wait for Xiao Chi downstairs at the Ji residence.

Under Liu Bing’s prior instructions, Xiao Chi dressed up in formal attire. Once in the car, he couldn’t help but peek into the rearview mirror.

Zhou Tong chuckled softly. “Don’t worry, no one looks better than you.”

The black flying car stretched its wings, cutting through the air with a smooth line, before disappearing into the sky above the villa district.

Bored, Xiao Chi leaned against the car window, watching the bustling pedestrians and the busy traffic below. The towering buildings on both sides sped past, and he nearly fell asleep.

But as the buildings grew taller and the noise on the road grew louder, he was awakened.

“What’s going on?”

The car, which had been flying smoothly, suddenly dipped its nose. Zhou Tong furrowed his brow. “Looks like there’s been an accident up ahead. They’ve temporarily grounded flights. See? All the cars ahead have landed.”

The flying car gently descended onto a designated runway, slowing down sharply and inching forward like a snail. Xiao Chi craned his neck to look ahead and saw that the cars were tightly packed, wedged together in the heat, their forms distorted.

Zhou Tong called Liu Bing. On the other end, Liu Bing lowered his voice, urging them to find another route. “We can’t afford to be late.”

Zhou Tong sighed and flipped through the navigation system. The smart navigation kept repeating the same thing: “Please activate flight mode.”

“If I could fly, I’d be flying already…” Zhou Tong glanced at the rearview mirror helplessly. “It’s a huge traffic jam. What are we going to do?”

“How far is it to the club?”

“Hmm, almost three kilometers.”

Xiao Chi quickly calculated the distance and time, then made a quick decision, rolling down the car window. “It’s not that far. I’ll run there. I should make it in time.”

“Huh? You’re going to run there?” Zhou Tong was startled. “No way, that’s too dangerous.”

“It’s fine, I’m really fast!” Xiao Chi nimbly climbed out of the car window and planted his feet on the ground. “You don’t need to worry about me. I can get there on my own.”

With that, he shot forward like an arrow, weaving through the narrow gaps between cars.

Zhou Tong stared dumbfounded as Xiao Chi disappeared from sight, unable to help but think: if this guy left the entertainment industry and entered the sports world, he might become famous there too!

—

This private club was located in the busy city center but was decorated with a classic, elegant charm.

The private room was very quiet. A vintage clock stood against the wall, its pendulum swinging back and forth. The time had passed 10:50.

Master Rong Shan left the private room and went to the smoking area on the other side of the hallway, where he answered a video call invitation.

In the video, a young, handsome face appeared, and Xiao Chi immediately recognized him—Lu Sheng, the popular young star who had just been nominated for Best Actor at the Baiming Film Festival.

“Master Rong Shan, it’s me. Long time no see. I hope you’re doing well.”

“Is there something?” Rong Shan guessed what the other party was about to say, quietly waiting for him to speak.

“The matter I mentioned last time—I’m wondering how you’ve been considering it. This time, the Tianyu Group is heavily promoting ‘The Celestial Fairy.‘ I’m determined to secure the full endorsement. I know that in the past, you created under Tianyu, but later they supported your competitors and abandoned you. You’ve always wanted to settle the score with Tianyu. If you work with me, I guarantee that Tianyu will see you in a new light.”

Rong Shan remained expressionless, his voice calm. “This time, I’ve already promised someone else.”

“That newcomer?” Lu Sheng laughed lightly. “After all, a newcomer is still a newcomer. They rise quickly, but it’s hard to maintain stability. In every aspect, they’re no match for me. Besides, you haven’t officially signed with them, right?”

Rong Shan ran his fingers around the rim of his teacup, speaking slowly, “But I’ve already given my verbal agreement. If word gets out, people will say I’ve gone back on my word.”

—

He returned to the private room, holding his teacup.

Liu Bing had just finished a phone call. The gloomy and anxious expression he had worn a moment ago instantly shifted to one of enthusiastic warmth as he saw Rong Shan enter.

“Sorry, Master, for keeping you waiting. They got stuck in traffic, but Xiao Chen will be here soon.”

Master Rong Shan held his teacup, gently blowing the tea foam away. His eyelids drooped as he impatiently said, “Mr. Liu, it’s been so long, and you’re still using traffic as an excuse? The flight should have already landed. A new, up-and-coming star like him doesn’t even have the decency to respect me?”

“How could that be?” Liu Bing smiled and poured him more tea. “There are still ten minutes before our agreed time. We arrived too early. Xiao Chen is a person who keeps his promises. He won’t make you wait long.”

Master Rong Shan shot him a cold glance. “I hope so. If he’s not here in ten minutes, I’ll have no patience for you so-called big stars playing hard to get!”

Liu Bing suppressed his irritation and forced a smile. “You’re too harsh, Master.”

—

Meanwhile, Xiao Chi was still running down the road. The club was just around the corner, and as he relaxed his tense nerves, he took out his Gemini terminal from around his neck, ready to send Liu Bing a message.

Just as he turned the corner, a speeding truck came barreling toward him. The tires slid in a puddle, and the driver honked madly, the high-pitched sound nearly deafening pedestrians!

Xiao Chi’s gaze froze. Ahead of the truck, a girl in a red dress had just walked halfway across the street and was knocked to the ground in fear as the massive vehicle sped toward her!