Chapter 17: Jealous Puppy

Chapter 17: Jealous Puppy

Ying Li's mind was still processing, but his body was acutely aware that Qi Xie held his wrist tightly.

Qi Xie's hand was large and well-defined, likely capable of encircling both of Ying Li's wrists with a single hand.

Qi Xie seemed irritated now, gripping his wrist with increasing force. The pressure hurt Ying Li, but he didn't resist. Instead, he felt securely anchored, like a lone boat in the open sea that had finally found a safe harbor.

Ying Li opened his mouth, unable to utter a sound.

Qi Xie looked down at him, "Wear your mask properly. Keep your head down."

Ying Li adjusted his mask obediently, lowering his head. Then, he felt something drape over him, enveloping his entire body — it was Qi Xie's jacket.

A faint scent of cedar, cool and pleasing, with a distinctive character.

The crowd parted. The hand on his shoulder held him tight. The only thing Ying Li could perceive was the rhythmic movement of their feet, one in front of the other, as the screams faded away.

The fans were going wild.

"Help!"

"Damn, Qi Xie looks so hot!"

"His boyfriend vibes are off the charts!"

"Did you guys see? The veins on his hands were bulging. So enticing!"

Soon, bodyguards arrived to escort them. Once inside the car, Ying Li closed his eyes, sinking deep into his seat.

Safe at last.

Song Ji Mo furrowed his brows, "Are you okay?"

Even Xie Wen Shi noticed Ying Li's off demeanor, "Brother Li, you look so pale. Are you not feeling well?"

Ying Li opened his eyes, giving a slight shake of his head, "I'm okay, just a bit shaken."

Xie Wen Shi added, "I was scared too. So many fans at the airport today."

It's a good thing Zhang Shao Ling had the foresight to add extra bodyguards, or it wouldn't have been so easy to get out.

"Feeling bad?" Bian Qiao handed over a piece of candy from the back seat, "Have some sugar, it'll help."

Thoughtfully, he'd even unwrapped it. The translucent candy lay quietly in the palm of his gloved hand.

Ying Li paused momentarily, taking it, "Thank you."

Qi Xie glanced over at them.

Seeing Ying Li's ashen face, Shen Yao felt a tug at his heartstrings, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Ying Li forced a smile, "I'm fine."

The candy was citrus-flavored, delightfully refreshing upon the tongue. Sweet without being overly so, it suppressed the lingering bitterness in his mouth, making everything feel significantly better.

The hotel was booked by the organizers, a five-star establishment. All the guests attending tonight's music awards were staying here.

The group boarded the elevator, whose walls were made of a transparent material. Standing on it felt as if you were floating in the air. Anyone with acrophobia would probably be petrified.

Not only was Ying Li unafraid of heights, but he was also drawn to high-altitude thrills. The higher, the more adrenaline surged, and the sensation of weightlessness fascinated him.

In private, he was quite brave, far from the delicate appearance he portrayed.

The heaviness in his heart had eased. Through the clear elevator walls, he looked out with curiosity.

With a chuckle, Zhang Shao Ling asked, “Is this your first time in Shanghai, Ying?”

“Yes,” Ying Li nodded in agreement.

He hadn't traveled much. Nancheng was an inclusive city with a slow pace, ideal for settling down. Once accustomed to such an environment, one becomes indolent, reluctant to leave.

The elevator ascended swiftly, offering an increasingly expansive view. Ying Li was nearly overwhelmed by the beauty, when suddenly his eyes brightened, pointing to a distant towering structure, “Is that the Twin Towers? They're magnificent!”

The Twin Towers are iconic landmarks of Shanghai and currently a trendy hotspot for social media check-ins. On the night of Number's debut, fans crowdfunded a show of support, displaying their names across the towers' screens.

Ying Li had come across that video: a three-hour-long extravaganza. It was genuinely impressive.

“It's even more breathtaking when lit up at night,” Shen Yao glanced out, “We can visit after the award ceremony.”

Ying Li's eyes sparkled, "Really?"

Shen Yao, influenced by his enthusiasm, smiled, "Of course."

Due to the nature of their work, they often traveled across the country. Though they visited numerous places, most of their time was spent working: in practice rooms, backstage, and onstage. Essentially trapped within four walls, sometimes they were so busy they couldn't even lift their heads, let alone appreciate the beauty around them.

Reaching their floor, Zhang Shao Ling checked the time, “Everyone, take a break in your rooms. We'll gather in half an hour. Be punctual!”

Ying Li's room was adjacent to the other members', all of standard suite design. Reportedly, a night's stay here cost almost a thousand, quite generous of the organizers.

On his way back with the room key, Ying Li remembered he still had Qi Xie's clothes. He decided to return them.

He knocked on door 2408, and it quickly opened from the inside.

Perhaps due to lack of rest, Qi Xie's face was pale, yet lacked any trace of sickness. The overhead corridor lights spilled into his eyes like crushed stardust, causing a subtle ripple in his normally placid gaze.

Ying Li felt that Qi Xie appeared less cold than usual.

Handing back his clothes, Ying Li expressed his gratitude, "I truly appreciate your help today. Here's your clothing."

"Wear it," Qi Xie responded without taking it back, adding calmly, "The temperature is dropping."

Ying Li replied, "No need, I brought a jacket."

Qi Xie looked at him, stating, "You didn't bring one."

"I did bring it."

They had a magazine shoot scheduled for the next day and were staying overnight. Having checked the weather forecast, Ying Li knew rain was expected that evening with a significant drop in temperature. That's why he specifically brought a jacket when he left.

But Qi Xie sounded so certain that Ying Li started doubting himself.

He unzipped his backpack to search, and indeed couldn't find it. "Strange, I was sure I brought it. Did I remember it wrong?"

It couldn't be; he distinctly recalled checking before leaving.

Without a word, Qi Xie offered his jacket again.

Still a bit puzzled, Ying Li asked, "If you give this to me, what will you wear? Do you have another jacket?"

"Yes."

Ying Li didn’t decline any further and said, “Thank you. I'll wash it and return it once we’re back.”

A slight movement flickered between Qi Xie's brows, “Try it on.”

“Hmm?” Realizing what Qi Xie meant, Ying Li nodded, “Alright, I’ll give it a try.”

Qi Xie took the backpack from Ying Li's hands, making it easier for him to wear the jacket.

Qi Xie, tall and slender, had a muscular build with particularly broad shoulders. Consequently, his clothes were generously sized. Though Ying Li wasn't much shorter than Qi Xie, perhaps due to their different physiques, the jacket hung rather loosely on him. Zipping it up covered his entire chin.

Ying Li, with his fair complexion, looked even paler with the dark-gray jacket resting against his chin.

With not a trace of makeup on, his features were naturally pristine. When he smiled, his eyes curved like twin crescents, and his entire face was smaller than the span of Qi Xie's hand.

"It suits you well."

Qi Xie stared at him intently, a subtle shimmer swirling within his dark pupils.

"Does it?" Ying Li stretched out his arm, observing, "The sleeves seem a bit long."

Qi Xie slung the backpack over his shoulder and gently grasped Ying Li's wrist, adjusting the sleeve. He did it with a natural ease, as if he had done it countless times before.

Ying Li couldn't help but wonder, who had ever claimed that Qi Xie had a bad temper? He was clearly so considerate and kind. Online rumors were often deceptive, likely twisted or taken out of context by certain individuals.

How could anyone bear to slander such a wonderful person?

After adjusting Ying Li's sleeves, Qi Xie's hand fell to his side, lightly grasping his own as he asked, "What will you do in the future?"

Ying Li: "Hmm?"

Qi Xie elaborated, "You'll be in the spotlight more, not less."

"So, should I cover my eyes from now on?" Ying Li joked, even making a gesture to shield his eyes.

Qi Xie's gaze fixed on Ying Li's hand; slender fingers with faint calluses from years of playing the piano stood out on his fair skin. On his delicate wrist was a faint red mark, made by Qi Xie's pinch moments earlier.

The silky-smooth sensation, akin to touching satin, seemed to linger on Qi Xie's fingertips, prompting him to avert his gaze with restraint.

The number of fans who came to meet him at the airport today was overwhelming. It was the first time Ying Li had witnessed such a spectacle. The camera flashes nearly blinded him through his glasses. No wonder some celebrities immediately wear sunglasses after disembarking – aside from being stylish, they likely wore them for this very reason.

The company had scheduled a tour for Number. After the concert, they would leave for other cities, and similar fan greetings at the airport would undoubtedly occur multiple times. He couldn't always rely on someone to shield him.

Qi Xie suggested, "What about trying to overcome it?"

"Overcome?"

Ying Li had considered it in the past, but adapting to the constant camera focus was a challenge for him.

Even his mentor had once advised him, "Do you plan to remain a background singer forever? You should step onto the stage, and through the lens, let more people see you."

To which Ying Li had replied, "Being a background singer isn't so bad, actually."

His passion for music drew him to Nan University, where he pursued a degree in music to receive a better education. Even if he remained behind the scenes, even if no one witnessed the music he produced, he was determined to stay true to his path.

Ying Li smiled and replied to Qi Xie, "I'll do my best."

When he couldn't avoid the spotlight, he tried his best to appear less rigid.

As he headed to his room, he ran into Shen Yao in the corridor.

Shen Yao, having settled in, was meeting up with the others, "Have you put your things away?"

Ying Li responded, "Not yet. I was just about to head to my room."

The clothing on Ying Li seemed eerily familiar to Shen Yao, especially the subtle patterns on it, which he felt he had just seen.

Racking his brain, a realization struck him, and he asked, "Are you wearing the captain's clothes?"

Ying Li nodded, "Yes, I forgot to bring a jacket, so Qi Xie lent me his."

"I brought a jacket too."

Why didn't he borrow mine?

As this thought crossed his mind, Shen Yao fell silent.

He felt uneasy but couldn't pinpoint why. Seeing Ying Li in someone else's jacket, his initial reaction wasn't to question why Ying Li was wearing another's jacket but why he wasn't wearing Shen Yao's. How peculiar...

Among guys, except for underwear, swapping clothes wasn't unusual, right?

So he couldn't understand why he felt this pang of discomfort.

At that moment, Bian Qiao approached, phone in hand. After ending the call, he walked over, informing them, "We have a rehearsal. Old Zhang asked us to hurry."

Shen Yao reined in his emotions, casually suggesting, "Let's go."

"The captain's jacket?" Bian Qiao also recognized the jacket on Ying Li as Qi Xie's. He chuckled, remarking, "It looks good on you."

Shen Yao gave it another glance.

Does it really look that good?

It is what it is.

If someone's attractive, the clothing doesn’t matter much.

He shrugged and walked away first.

Several steps out, he glanced back and noticed Bian Qiao still deep in conversation with Ying Li, their faces quite close together.

Grinding his teeth, he thought: Why so close? Wasn't Bian Qiao a germophobe? Where did that cleanliness obsession go?

He called out loudly, "Are we leaving or what?"

"Coming," replied Bian Qiao. Turning to Ying Li, he said, "Let's go."

Shen Yao didn't wait and continued on his own. Upon reaching the makeup room, he guzzled down two bottles of water, his prominent Adam's apple bobbing vigorously.

Xie Wen, who was applying makeup next to him, was taken aback, "You're like a thirsty buffalo!"

The description was rustic, but apt, drawing muffled laughter from others in the room.

In the mirror, Shen Yao shot him a glare, revealing several bloodshot streaks in his eyes.

Xie Wen immediately said, "Sorry, I'll zip it."