Chapter 66: 39

Chapter 66: 39

Qi Xie played with Ying Li's finger, rubbing it gently against the prominent bones, as if urging something.

Ying Li was once again grateful he'd muted his microphone earlier. Instinctively, he checked Qi Xie's collar mic – it was off too, suggesting it was premeditated.

The hand holding his felt as cold as ice. As onlookers cast glances in their direction, Ying Li tried hard to maintain composure, but he couldn't help but retract his fingers, murmuring, "Don't do this. We're still on air, there are so many people watching…"

"They can't see."

Qi Xie positioned himself to block their curious stares. Half of his face, bathed in sunlight, glowed with a warm golden hue. Sweat droplets trickled down from his jawline, hinting at the sweltering heat.

With over a dozen onlookers, he boldly took Ying Li's hand, utterly unafraid of being noticed.

Qi Xie's slender fingers seemed to be inching their way between Ying Li's. Feeling a sudden jolt, Ying Li said, "Scratch yourself," and pulled his hand away.

Qi Xie hadn't held on tightly, allowing Ying Li to easily withdraw.

Left with an empty palm, the fleeting sensation of warmth quickly faded. Qi Xie silently scratched his hand, hard enough to break the newly formed scabs, revealing the tender skin underneath.

Observing his nearly self-destructive action, Ying

Qi Xie's movements suddenly stilled. His cheeks flushed with a sunburned hue, his lips drawn tight, giving him a stern appearance akin to a monochrome painting. His dark pupils seemed so bottomless that even the sunlight couldn't penetrate them. Ying Li felt a tremor in his breath at the sight.

Qi Xie's Adam's apple bobbed gently as he murmured, "It's so itchy."

An itch that tormented his very soul.

As he scratched more fervently, Ying Li was convinced he would tear the skin on his hand apart. Swiftly, he grabbed Qi Xie's wrist and chastised softly, "Stop scratching."

His tone was unprecedentedly serious. Qi Xie glanced downward, thick eyelashes quivering, a look of disbelief in his eyes, and his ears painted a faint shade of red.

Ying Li's hair shone healthily and lustrously, catching the light and appearing fluffy and irresistibly soft. With strands falling on his forehead, he looked particularly endearing. Qi Xie eyed him for a moment, resisting the urge to lean in and catch a whiff.

Mindful of the camera occasionally panning over, Ying Li didn't make any bold gestures. He lightly traced his freshly trimmed fingernails over the back of Qi Xie's hand and dismissively said, "There, all better. No more scratching."

"Mm."

The sensation was feather-light, almost like a tease. The itch on Qi Xie's hand seemed to intensify, but the knot of discomfort in his heart suddenly unraveled completely. He nodded, washing his hands under the faucet as if nothing had happened moments ago.

Recalling Qi Xie's audacious actions, as well as the time he trapped him in a closet during a live stream, Ying Li felt a twinge of annoyance, saying with a hint of anger, "No more physical advances on live streams. It looks bad if someone sees it."

Lying was difficult for him, always scrambling for excuses and being constantly on edge. Meanwhile, Qi Xie seemed nonchalant, his expression unchanging. How could Ying Li not achieve the same level of indifference?

Qi Xie paused, spotting an ambiguity in Ying Li's words, "So, it's fine if we're not live-streaming?"

What kind of logic was that!

Ying Li forced a smile, replying coldly, "No! Whether we're streaming or not, it's not okay!"

"Mm." Qi Xie tilted his

Ying Li looked again at his neck. That night, not only had Qi Xie slapped him, but he'd also left scratches on his neck.

A delicate, faint scar, much lighter than the ones on the back of his hand, yet long. It stretches from behind his ear to his collar, resembling a red snake, its tongue out, crawling on a flawless piece of jade. It's not exactly ugly, but it's somewhat peculiar.

Being looked at by him made Ying Li feel an inexplicable stickiness all over, quite uncomfortable. "I can't scratch for you. If it's too itchy, scratch yourself."

Having said that, he turned and left. The finger he had touched felt as if a red-hot iron had been plunged into icy water – simultaneously cold and scalding. He hid his hand in his pocket, rubbing and massaging, and it took a while to dispel the strange sensation.

When Qi Xie returned, half of his sleeve was damp and stained with blood, not washed off at all.

Shen Yao's eyelid twitched, muttering to himself, "Why's it taking so long just to wash hands?"

The market was well-sectioned, but due to its vast size, they spent a long time searching for stores selling daily necessities. Along the way, people kept taking photos of them with their phones.

All the way, the dazzling array of goods left one's eyes spinning. Xie Wen was extremely excited, continuously exclaiming, "Wow, there are so many things for sale here, many I've never seen before!"

Song Ji Mo also graciously remarked, "Indeed, it's more interesting than shopping in a mall."

After comparing products in three shops and making their purchase of toiletries, Ying Li looked at the ground marker and said, "The clothing stores are a bit further ahead."

As they walked by, a woman in her forties enthusiastically waved at them, "You young men are so handsome! Need anything? Come have a look!"

"Auntie, we're looking for clothes." Recognizing a familiar accent in her Mandarin, Ying Li inquired, "Are you from Nancheng?"

The auntie's eyes sparkled, "Oh yes, you too?"

Ying Li nodded, "Yes."

The woman exclaimed with excitement, "Ah, Nancheng does produce handsome guys! Are you filming a show?" Switching to the local dialect, she invited them in, "Whatever you need, come in and choose. I'll give you a discount."

"Thank you," replied Ying Li in the same dialect, his eyes curving into crescents.

His voice, when speaking the dialect, sounded soft, completely different from when he spoke Mandarin. It seemed to have a melodious twirl at the end, enchanting the listener's ear, as if dipped in honey - sweet without being cloying.

The comments section was instantly charmed.

[Wow, the Nancheng dialect sounds so lovely.]

[Is it possible it's not the dialect that's lovely but his voice? A beautiful voice makes everything sound good.]

[Awww, his voice gives me this soft and plush feeling, like he's so easy to hug.]

Shen Yao felt a tickle in his ears upon hearing that. After rubbing them, he whispered to Ying Li, "What does 'niang niang' mean?"

Ying Li explained, "It means 'auntie.' It's how we usually address them where I come from."

Shen Yao had a moment of realization. Ying Li smiled, her cheeks lifting into faint dimples. The natural flush from the heat gave her fair face a light pink hue. Her eyelashes, distinct and pronounced, fluttered beautifully with her upturned eyes, making Shen Yao smile in admiration.

Suddenly, Ying Li felt a pinch on his neck. Turning, he saw it was Song Ji Mo.

The moment he was touched, Ying Li stiffened, tilting his neck to ask, "What is it?"

"Your neck has gotten quite sunburned." Song Ji Mo's eyes, reminiscent of peach blossoms, squinted, gesturing with a look.

The back of Ying Li's neck, once pale and translucent, was now reddened by the sun. While he couldn't see it, he felt the burning sensation. He touched it, saying, "It's so hot."

The marketplace was outdoors, and the blazing sun scorched the earth. They had walked without shade. Dressed in long sleeves and pants, their covered skin was spared, but every exposed part was sunburnt.

Ying Li glanced at the others. Xie Wen Shi was actually worse off, his face as red as the horizon's clouds. Shen Yao's back was drenched, his sleeves rolled up. Bian Qiao wore a mask, hiding his face, with damp hair fallen on his forehead, which he brushed aside — his usually neat hairstyle now in disarray.

Even Qi Xie was affected. His normally aloof face seemed to be touched by a soft palette of colors, with a thin layer of sweat on his sharp nose bridge. He appeared less distant than usual.

Ying Li took a deep breath, feeling the intense heat. The itch on the back of his neck persisted, but as he reached to scratch, Song Ji Mo caught his hand.

Song Ji Mo said, eyes lowered, "Don't scratch; it might break the skin."

Ying Li's pupils contracted, "Is it that bad?"

Song Ji Mo nodded, "I told you your skin is delicate. Let's see if we can find some sunscreen later."

"Alright."

Ying Li nodded, resisting the urge to scratch. Just as he was about to speak, something suddenly covered his eyes.

Song Ji Mo swiftly removed it — a wide-brimmed straw hat. Taking it, Ying Li asked, "Who put this on me?"

Song Ji Mo, raising an eyebrow, glanced inside and said, "The captain."

Without thinking, Ying Li looked for Qi Xie and noticed he had entered a shop. His semi-wet shirt clung to his back, faintly revealing the contours of the muscles beneath — broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist.

Xie Wen, also wearing a hat, ran over and said, "This hat looks quite good. We could each get one to shield from the sun."

The hand Ying Li used to hold the hat's brim tightened, "It's decent. Let's go inside."

Song Ji Mo followed closely behind him. With subtle grace, he rubbed away the lingering dampness on his fingertips, then his lips curled into an attractive smile. "You even smell good when you sweat."

Seeing them hot and flustered, the auntie turned on a fan and poured them some tea.

The store was small but stocked a plethora of clothing styles, ranging from apparel for the elderly down to outfits for three-year-olds.

The men's section was to the left. Shen Yao picked up a shirt and asked, "Auntie, may I try this on?"

The auntie replied generously, "Of course, feel free to try anything."

Xie Wen glanced at the garment in his hand, then at the prominent muscles on his frame, "Da Yao, won't this... burst on you?"

"Who said I'd wear it?" Shen Yao gestured towards himself, implying the size wouldn't fit him, then turned to Ying Li, "You should try it on, Ying Li. It would look great on you."

Ying Li nearly choked on his tea, "Me?"

Shen Yao motioned with his chin and pulled him up from his seat, "Go on, trust my taste."

The changing room was basic, separated only by a thick curtain. Pushed inside, Ying Li looked at the shirt, feeling something was off, yet couldn't pinpoint what.

Knowing Shen Yao and the others were waiting outside, Ying Li didn't dawdle. After changing, he drew back the curtain.

Even during the day, the lights in the shop were on. Under the illumination, Ying Li's already porcelain-like skin appeared almost translucent. The shirt was less white than his skin. With his upturned lips and a naturally cheerful expression, his face was breathtakingly gorgeous. But it was the innocence in his eyes that was striking, a hint of moist gleam making one feel that any indecent thought would be blasphemous.

At a loss for words, Shen Yao simply stated, "It looks good... really good on you."

It was just an ordinary shirt. Its design was nice, with a youthful Peter Pan collar and pleats on the front. From the first glance, he felt it was perfect for Ying Li.

Song Ji Mo chimed in, "It does look good. It would suit you."

The saleswoman interjected suddenly, "That's women's clothing."

Ying Li's eyelashes fluttered rapidly, his expression momentarily stunned.

[Da Yao's choice is truly unique, picking a woman's outfit from the bunch is no small feat.]

[Hahaha, I knew it looked familiar! It's a JK outfit!]

[What about the skirt below? Why not wear the skirt?]

Ying Li realized what was amiss. No wonder it felt familiar; Ying Tao loved these kinds of uniforms and had various styles in her wardrobe.

"A young couple tried on clothes earlier and probably forgot to put this back," the saleswoman said with a chuckle. "But it's just a shirt. Men's and women's styles are similar. If you're handsome, anything looks good on you."

Ying Li's face reddened further, "I'll change."

Shen Yao touched the tip of his nose sheepishly, "Honestly, no one would've noticed if it wasn't pointed out..."

Ying Li wasn't particularly picky about clothing; as long as it fit and was comfortable, it was fine. He picked out just two basic t-shirts, and so did the others.

The climate in Hai City was warm. If they washed their clothes at night, they'd dry by morning. Even though the store's prices were low, they didn't overspend.

After clothes, they needed shoes. The director advised them to prepare two pairs: casual shoes and beach sandals. Otherwise, if they got wet during activities, they'd be left barefoot.

Conveniently, this store also sold shoes, so they decided to purchase them here, much to the delight of the saleswoman.

Shen Yao spotted another pair of shoes and, without hesitation, approached Ying Li, "These shoes look good too. What size are you? 40?"

Ying Li looked up, "39."

Shen Yao was slightly surprised and couldn't resist glancing at Ying Li's feet. They were smaller than he had anticipated. He recalled touching them before; they seemed even smaller than his own hand.

His lips felt suddenly dry, prompting him to moisten them, but it only made them feel drier. "This pair is size 39. Want to try them on?"

Xie Wen looked at Ying Li's feet incredulously, "I wear a size 42; your feet are so small."

Qi Xie gazed over without changing his expression. Indeed, they were small. The ankles were slender, and with his hand, he could easily encircle one. He not only had touched those feet but had even licked them, each toe to be precise. No one knew better than him how delicate and beautiful those feet were.

[I, a college girl, wear a size 38!]

[Can someone who's 178cm really have a shoe size of only 39? I can't believe it unless I check myself!]

[The person above seems overly calculating.]

Ying Li went to try on the shoes and, when he unintentionally looked up, found everyone staring at him. Feeling embarrassed, his toes unconsciously curled up.

After trying on just one shoe, which fit perfectly and felt soft and comfortable, he remarked, "It fits quite well."

Shen Yao felt a warm rush looking at him. For a moment, he thought he had a nosebleed. Sniffing, he asked the saleswoman, "Do you have this pair in size 45?"

The saleswoman apologized, "We're out of that size. We only have one pair in size 39 and another in size 44."

Shen Yao clicked his tongue. He had larger feet, but size 44 might work if squeezed in. However, when he turned around, he found Qi Xie already holding that pair of shoes.

With a cheeky raise of his eyebrows, Qi Xie teased, "Captain, you wanted these?"

Qi Xie met his gaze with cool elegance, "Yes, I'm a 44."

Author's Note:

Qi Xie: Got matching shoes with my wife.