Chapter 67: Can’t the buff just have an on/off switch?!

Chapter 67: Can't the buff just have an on/off switch?!

While Jing Yi, a male actor, was watching a sweet comedy in the private cinema, Li Mingzhi, a male comedian who was on set, had also finished his schedule. After the opening ceremony, he still needed to cooperate with online promotions and would join the crew in a couple of days.

Since his debut, his career had been on a smooth trajectory, and now he was a somewhat famous comedian.

"Sister He, I won't be going back tonight. I'm going to the hotel to find Jing Yi, so you don't need to pick me up tomorrow morning."

His agent, He Ping, nodded: "Alright, wear a mask, and I'll take you there."

"No need," Li Mingzhi waved his hand: "I want to sneak in and give Jing Yi a surprise."

The set wasn't far from the hotel where Li Wenzhao was staying, so He Ping didn't insist and left after a few reminders.

Li Mingzhi politely bid farewell to the crew. Shortly after he left, Ke Minghua caught up with him, "Mingzhi, are you done for the day?"

Li Mingzhi glanced at him: "Yes."

"It's still early, want to grab a meal together?" Ke Minghua smiled: "I've been wanting to apologize for what happened before. I hope you can forgive me."

Li Mingzhi hadn't given the previous incident any thought and shook his head: "No, I have something else to do, maybe next time."

"Are you going to see Mr. Li?"

Li Mingzhi was taken aback: "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing," Ke Minghua smiled: "Your brother is such a rare and influential figure. I don't think I've mentioned it before, but Mr. Li is my idol. If possible, I'd like a chance to meet him."

Li Mingzhi blinked: "Ah, didn't my brother come today? He even took a group photo with us earlier, didn't you see him?"

"..."

Ke Minghua was momentarily speechless. How can this dense young master not understand a simple hint? Anyone else would have eagerly facilitated a meeting with Mr. Li.

With such low emotional intelligence, it's a wonder he's survived in the entertainment industry. If he keeps being this naive, he'll surely face difficulties in the future.

Ke Minghua took a deep breath and smiled: "What I mean is, I want to personally meet Mr. Li. But you know, I'm just a small figure, Mr. Li probably doesn't even know who I am, and I likely can't meet him. Mingzhi, we're friends, right? Could you help me out?"

Li Mingzhi realized that this person wasn't here to catch up or have a meal; his real intention was not what it seemed.

Isn't this too obvious? Does he think I'm an idiot?

Understanding this, Li Mingzhi immediately took a big step to the side, creating distance: "You've misunderstood, I'm not going to see my brother. I'm going to see a friend, the one who came to visit me on set last time, you've met him before."

That was the butler who had pretended to be a sponsor last time.

Ke Minghua lowered his eyes and smiled, not pressing further, "Alright, I won't bother you then. Goodbye."

Ke Minghua turned and left without hesitation.

Li Mingzhi scratched his head in confusion. Did he really leave? Just moments ago, he was so eager to meet his idol, and now his enthusiasm has cooled off so quickly. It's hard not to suspect he had some ulterior motives.

Well, it doesn't matter.

Li Mingzhi looked away and picked up his bag. He had found some interesting little things for Jing Yi, which are sure to catch his eye when he delivers them later.

·

In the hotel.

Jing Yi was watching a comedy sketch, laughing so hard he was shaking, then suddenly sneezed.

Li Wenzhao: "...?"

Jing Yi rubbed his nose, "Who's the little troublemaker bad-mouthing me?"

After saying that, he sneezed twice more in a row.

Jing Yi was getting worked up. Just as he opened his mouth to complain, he heard the rustling of fabric beside him, and his forehead was lightly touched by someone.

Jing Yi rolled his eyes upward, "Are you trying to calm me down?"

Li Wenzhao withdrew his hand, "You have a fever. Don't you feel unwell?"

Jing Yi touched his face and then looked at the screen in front of him, "No way, who gets all worked up from watching a comedy sketch?"

Li Wenzhao, seeing that he still didn't get the point, reminded him, "You probably have a cold."

Jing Yi: "...?"

On second thought, he had been feeling a bit off since morning. At that time, he thought it was just grogginess from staying up late, but now it seemed like the early signs of a cold.

Jing Yi pursed his lips and smiled, "So it's the virus that's got it out for me."

Li Wenzhao didn't want to engage with his banter and turned off the TV, "Stop watching, go rest."

Jing Yi stared at the remote control, dissatisfied, "It's just a little cold, no need to fuss. I can fight off this little virus, I'll be fine after a nap."

Li Wenzhao stared at his face, "Your eyes are all red. You sure you can take on the virus?"

Jing Yi ran to the bathroom to look in the mirror and indeed found his eyes watery and red, his skin slightly warm. It looked... somewhat serious.

He touched his face and sighed, "Why'd the cold virus pick me in the dead of winter? Don't they hibernate?"

"Go rest," Li Wenzhao ruffled his hair a bit, "I'll have Fan Ming bring some medicine."

Jing Yi: "It's too late, let's take it tomorrow."

On a cold winter night, he didn't want to bother Secretary Fan with running around.

He really was a thoughtful young butler, always looking out for his employees.

Because of the cold, Li Wenzhao gave up his master bedroom bed, tucked the young butler in, adjusted the air conditioning to a comfortable level, and tucked in the corners of the blanket.

Jing Yi moved comfortably, "Pat, pat."

Li Wenzhao was taken aback, looking puzzled.

Jing Yi lifted his chin, pressing the blanket that had gathered at his shoulders, "You have to pat when tucking in the blanket."

Li Wenzhao then raised his hand and patted Jing Yi's forehead twice, "Like this?"

Jing Yi frowned, "...That's more like a seal."

The young butler's eyes were getting redder, and Li Wenzhao softened his voice, speaking gently, "Rest well, take the medicine later before you sleep."

Jing Yi nodded and hummed, curling up in the blanket, being extremely obedient.

Li Wenzhao got up and left.

Jing Yi squirmed under the blanket, unable to sleep. He was still excited, his mind filled with the hilarious skit he had just watched.

He turned to his side, carefully hiding inside and scrolling through his phone.

Coincidentally, as soon as he picked up his phone, a message from Old Jing popped up.

[Old Jing]: Jing Yi, when did you have a friend with the surname Su?

[Your Jing Grandpa]: ?

What friend with the surname Su? He already had enough trouble with Shen Shubai around. If another person with the surname Su showed up, would the Li family even be able to handle it?

[Old Jing]: A man with the surname Su came to our house today and asked me a lot of strange questions.

[Your Jing Grandpa]: What did he say?

[Old Jing]: He asked if you had been acting strangely recently and if our family had any hereditary diseases.

Jing Yi: "..."

Mystery solved. It was Shen Shubai.

Jing Yi frowned. Shen Shubai was really not going to drop this, even going so far as to visit the Jing family privately.

He wondered what Shen Shubai had let slip to Old Jing.

[Your Jing Grandpa]: What did you say?

[Old Jing]: What else could I say? It was practically an insult. I chased him out with two broomsticks.

[Your Jing Grandpa]: You're the best, Old Man! [Cat shoulder massage.jpg]

[Old Jing]: No big deal. Just focus on your work and take good care of the young master of the Li family. If that Su guy comes again, I'll chase him out again. [My fist is as big as the sky.jpg]

Jing Yi pursed his lips, feeling a bit guilty for not living up to the expectations of Old Jing—not only had he failed in his duties as a butler, but now Li Wenzhao was the one taking care of him.

It was completely backwards.

[Old Jing]: Also, what's with your nickname? It's not serious at all. Change it. Who are you trying to be the grandpa of? What will the young masters of the Li family think if they see it?

Jing Yi: "..."

This wasn't his fault. The nickname was registered by the original Jing Butler. He wasn't the one who came up with such an outlandish name; he just hadn't bothered to change it.

After some thought, he decided not to defy Old Jing and casually changed it on his phone.

[Long Sleep, Lazy to Get Up]: Got it.

[Old Jing]: ...

Just as the conversation reached this point, Jing Yi suddenly heard the sound of the door handle turning. He was startled and quickly stuffed his phone under the pillow, pretending to close his eyes.

As soon as Li Wenzhao entered the room, he saw the blanket on the bed moving restlessly. The young butler clearly wasn't resting properly and was up to something again.

"Get up and take your medicine."

Jing Yi opened his eyes and sat up, "So fast."

Did Secretary Fan grow wings or something?

Li Wenzhao handed him a cup of warm water, "The hotel front desk sent it."

Jing Yi quietly swallowed the pill. Li Wenzhao gestured for him to continue resting, turned off the main bedroom's ceiling light, leaving only a soft, dim wall lamp, "The fever reducer has a sedative component, you should sleep first. If the fever hasn't subsided when you wake up, I'll take you to the hospital."

Jing Yi effortlessly slid under the covers, "Don't worry, with the help of scientific medicine, dealing with a little virus is no big deal."

He was too optimistic; not long after taking the fever reducer, Jing Yi fell into a deep sleep, his body temperature rising, his cheeks flushed, and his forehead covered in sweat.

Jing Yi woke up drowsily, watching the ceiling twist and spin, then heavily press down, seemingly squeezing out all the oxygen. He felt like he was suffocating.

Uncomfortable...

His mind grew foggy, and in his daze, the door was pushed open, a familiar scent approached, and Jing Yi fell back asleep, reassured.

·

·

9 PM.

Li Mingzhi arrived at the hotel, his backpack stuffed with small gifts he had brought for Jing Yi.

He had gotten Jing Yi's room number from Fan Ming and took the elevator straight to the top floor.

However, as soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw a figure standing at the door of a distant room.

The silhouette and profile were quite familiar, but the attire was a bit too revealing—only a pair of shorts on the lower body, revealing straight calves, barefoot on the carpet, and a semi-transparent shirt on the upper body, with the scenery inside faintly visible.

Li Mingzhi: "?"

What kind of steamy situation was this, and he had stumbled upon it firsthand.

...

In the quiet, deserted corridor, Ke Minghua shivered in the cold.

After returning, he had someone inquire about Li Wenzhao's room number and sneaked up to the top floor alone at night. He knew that Li Mingzhi's achievements were all due to his strong background, in other words, from that powerful man.

Ke Minghua had no background; he had made it this far entirely through his own efforts and luck.

Ordinary people marveled at his glamorous identity and fame, but when encountering a natural talent like Li Mingzhi, he could only tuck his tail and hide.

Getting close to Li Wenzhao was his most precious opportunity to climb into the upper class, allowing him to strut through the entertainment industry like Li Mingzhi.

Ke Minghua rubbed his arms and calves to warm himself up manually, tidied his hair, and raised his hand to knock on the door.

"...Ke Minghua?"

The sudden voice startled Ke Minghua, his heart skipping a beat. He turned his head to see Li Mingzhi slowly approaching with a small backpack.

Ke Minghua: "..."

Damn, why now of all times?

Li Mingzhi looked at his attire, then at the room number in front of him, immediately understanding his purpose, his expression cooling, "So this is why you came to me, to ask about my brother?"

Ke Minghua hunched his shoulders. He had dressed specifically for Li Wenzhao, and being stared at like this by someone else was too much for his sense of shame: "What's it to you, anyway?"

Li Mingzhi frowned: "Do you know what you're doing?"

Ke Minghua turned his face away: "I don't need you to interfere."

"My brother isn't into men," Li Mingzhi said with a stern face. "If he sees you dressed like this, do you think you'll still have a career in the entertainment industry?"

Ke Minghua's cheeks flushed: "Impossible."

He had someone look into it. Li Wenzhao is worth billions of dollars, and at twenty-nine, he has no romantic rumors. If he doesn't already have someone he likes, then he must like men.

Clearly, from the information he found, Li Wenzhao falls into the latter category.

That's why Ke Minghua had the guts to do this.

He trusts his own research more than Li Mingzhi's words.

"Li Mingzhi, this is between me and your brother. Stay out of it," Ke Minghua said, shivering, and glared at Li Mingzhi before turning to knock on the door.

"I won't let you knock!" Li Mingzhi stepped forward to stop him.

Ke Minghua raised his hand to block, his bent knuckles hitting the door panel... The next moment, the door swung open.

Ke Minghua's face lit up with joy, "Mr. Li..."

His voice abruptly stopped.

Li Mingzhi looked inside and also fell silent.

His older brother's clothes were in disarray, his hair a bit messy, his lips and brow tense, his expression serious, holding a human-shaped thing in his arms.

Li Mingzhi: "?"

Where did this human-shaped thing come from?

Before he could get a clear look, Li Wenzhao came out holding the person, "Did you drive?"

Li Mingzhi nodded dumbly: "Yes..."

His older brother: "To the hospital."

Li Mingzhi instinctively turned and ran towards the garage, running while in shock, his older brother, his older brother... had someone in his room!

Which little imp managed to climb into bed, even faster than Ke Minghua?

Li Mingzhi was dying of curiosity.

If it weren't for his older brother's terrible expression, he really wanted to peel back the face of the person in Li Wenzhao's arms to see who it was.

Ah, he was going to have a sister-in-law.

After taking his older brother to the hospital, he would have a good chat with his second and third brothers. This big scoop was finally something he got to enjoy alone, fresh and hot.

Let the second and third brothers envy him, hahaha.

·

At the hotel entrance, Ke Minghua was completely stunned.

Li Wenzhao was cradling someone in his arms, wrapped in a thin blanket, slender and frail, but judging from the attire and the fluffy head, it was indeed a boy.

The information was correct; Li Wenzhao indeed preferred boys, but he had arrived too late.

Li Wenzhao's careful and cautious movements made it clear that the other person meant a lot to him.

Dressed like this and standing in the hallway, Li Wenzhao seemed not to notice, striding away briskly.

·

·

Jing Yi woke up again; it was already noon the next day. He had slept groggily, unaware of his surroundings.

The strong smell of disinfectant in the air was overwhelming. He opened his eyes and saw Li Wenzhao sitting by the bed, looking down at something...

"What are you doing?"

Jing Yi: "Huh?"

Where did this duck sound come from?

Hearing the noise, Li Wenzhao's expression softened slightly: "Don't talk, your fever just broke."

Jing Yi swallowed, his mouth dry, and tried to speak, but all that came out was a duck-like quack.

He quickly closed his mouth.

...Ugh, getting sick made him sound like a duck.

It felt like the virus had beaten him down, leaving him defenseless.

Li Wenzhao called the doctor, and after a series of checks, Jing Yi's fever had subsided, his hoarse voice was just a side effect of the cold, and some medicine would fix it.

Soon after being discharged, Jing Yi was taken back to the city center house to recuperate.

After a severe cold, he felt weak all over. He slept for a while in the car to regain some energy, and upon returning home, he curled up in the secondary bedroom, ready to take a shower and then comfortably nestle in bed.

As he closed the door and started to undress, there was a knock from behind, "Don't shower for too long, be careful of fainting."

Jing Yi opened his mouth: "Quack..."

"Got it."

After a quick shower, Jing Yi changed into his pajamas, picked up the dirty clothes on the floor ready to stuff into the washing machine, and suddenly paused...

Two minutes later, Jing Yi dropped the messy clothes all over the floor and opened the door.

Li Wenzhao had just poured out the freshly boiled water to warm it, and was peeling pills one by one according to the doctor's orders, with tiredness in his eyes.

The young butler had suddenly come down with a high fever, and he had stayed at the hospital all night, early in the morning he took a call from Liang Jing to discuss the launch of a new project, and after handling several complicated documents, he was already very tired.

He would go back to sleep for a while after Jing Yi rested.

Click, the door of the secondary bedroom was hurriedly opened.

Jing Yi stood at the doorway with wet hair, wearing only thin pajamas.

Li Wenzhao frowned and turned up the room temperature a bit, "Why didn't you dry your hair?"

"I dried it, it's half dry."

Li Wenzhao walked over and glanced at it. The ends of his hair were dry, but the tips still held a bit of moisture. "Why are you out here?"

Jing Yi looked up, his dark eyes meeting Li Wenzhao's, his pale lips slightly pursed. "Eldest young master, can I borrow your phone to order a delivery?"

Li Wenzhao was momentarily stunned, then handed over his phone. "What do you need?"

Jing Yi leaned slightly forward. "My phone seems to have been left at the hotel."

Li Wenzhao raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Jing Yi pursed his lips obediently. "My phone."

Li Wenzhao: "..."

Jing Yi liked to use his phone before sleeping, and when he got sleepy, he would casually tuck it under his pillow.

Last night, his fever came on so suddenly that he fell into a coma. Li Wenzhao probably didn’t notice that he had hidden his phone.

Jing Yi lowered his head and tapped the screen, but Li Wenzhao stopped him. "No need. Fan Ming is handling the checkout; he’ll check if anything was left behind. He’ll bring over some nutritious food later; you can ask him for it."

"What if he forgets?"

Li Wenzhao looked down at him, firmly stating, "He won’t."

Looks like Fan Ming is a real jack-of-all-trades as a secretary. Jing Yi nodded, glanced behind Li Wenzhao, then quickly turned and slipped back into the room.

"Wait."

Jing Yi: "..."

"Come here and take your medicine," Li Wenzhao chuckled. "What are you running for?"

"I’m not running. I just want to sleep enough first before taking it."

Li Wenzhao gave a cold laugh. "Hmm, I believe you."

Jing Yi: "..."

Reluctantly finishing the medicine, Jing Yi, exhausted from his illness, yawned and noticed the dark circles under Li Wenzhao’s eyes, guessing he hadn’t slept well either. After a moment of hesitation, he extended an invitation. "Eldest young master, want to take a nap together?"

Li Wenzhao raised an eyebrow in surprise, then nodded after a moment. "Alright."

Jing Yi blinked suspiciously. It’s just a nap; what’s with the eldest young master’s expression?

But soon, Jing Yi understood.

Because Li Wenzhao followed him into the guest bedroom.

"..."

Li Wenzhao started to take off his coat.

Jing Yi sat on the edge of the bed, posture obedient, not daring to move.

He hadn’t made it clear that napping together meant sleeping in separate beds.

Li Wenzhao unbuttoned his cuffs and collar, his tone casual. "You have a cold; it’s easier for me to take care of you if we sleep together."

Jing Yi looked thoughtful: "Aren't you afraid my virus might take root in you too?"

Li Wenzhao smiled with a boss-like demeanor: "I exercise regularly; my physique isn't that fragile yet."

"..."

Jing Yi felt dissed.

Li Wenzhao removed his outerwear, and Jing Yi, feeling his face heat up, simply climbed into bed, turning his back to Li Wenzhao and curling up under the blanket.

"Sleep is sleep, who's scared of who?"

Li Wenzhao chuckled lightly, lifting the blanket. Jing Yi only felt the bed slightly shake, and then there was an undeniable heat source behind him.

"...mumbling incoherently..."

"Not sleeping, what are you mumbling about?"

Jing Yi's chaotic thoughts were startled away, and he quickly closed his eyes.

"Goodnight, sleep tight."

"..."

Initially thinking that the first real cohabitation would be too nerve-wracking to sleep, Jing Yi once again underestimated the effect of the medication, and soon he was breathing steadily, deeply asleep.

After a while, Li Wenzhao opened his eyes, leaned over to touch Jing Yi's forehead, confirmed the temperature was stable, slightly turned towards Jing Yi, and closed his eyes.

·

After an unknown period, Jing Yi woke up from the heat.

He slowly opened his eyes, and in his line of sight was Li Wenzhao's serene sleeping face.

He had been by the bedside before sleeping, but upon waking, he had somehow rolled into Li Wenzhao's arms, gently held by Li Wenzhao's outstretched arm. The room was warm, making him feel all cozy.

Li Wenzhao hadn't woken up yet, and Jing Yi didn't disturb him, lying quietly.

He finally understood why novels and TV dramas always show the protagonist gazing fondly at their loved one's sleeping face.

If the object was Li Wenzhao, he would look too, not just look, but also like it very much.

In his impression, Li Wenzhao always had a cool, collected demeanor, strong, calm, supporting the entire Li family single-handedly.

But the sleeping Li Wenzhao was quiet and gentle, his thin lips slightly pursed. Jing Yi's gaze involuntarily fell there, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly. He still remembered the softness of those two skins...

A soft breath escaped his lips.

Jing Yi was stunned: "...?"

Li Wenzhao opened his eyes.

Jing Yi was dumbfounded: "..."

Li Wenzhao looked at him for a while, then laughed heartily, his chest shaking with laughter, "Your inner thoughts are quite risqué, the original's tolerance is so high, it's not fair to my pirated version."

"..."

Jing Yi's grip tightened, nearly tearing the quilt apart.

Ahhhh, his inner thoughts were exposed again!

Damn it, can't this ability have an on/off switch?!

Li Wenzhao rarely felt this happy, and hearing the young butler's curses made him laugh even harder.

Jing Yi raised his hand to cover Li Wenzhao's mouth: "Laugh again and I'll end you."

Li Wenzhao was so amused that he couldn't stop laughing.

The young butler acted tough, but his gestures were as soft as paw pads—how could Li Wenzhao not laugh?

"..."

Once he stopped laughing, Li Wenzhao hugged Jing Yi: "I like you just as much as you like me. Hearing that makes me really happy."

Jing Yi shyly lowered his eyes: "Time to get up."

Li Wenzhao lazily lay back down: "Wait a bit longer." It was rare to hold the young butler in such an intimate setting, and he couldn't get enough of it.

Jing Yi moved slightly, about to speak, when his stomach growled loudly.

"………………"

Li Wenzhao looked down and sighed regretfully: "Let's get up. Fan Ming is probably almost here."

Jing Yi buried himself deeper in the blanket, hiding his face: "You go ahead. I need a minute."

Li Wenzhao: "A minute for what?"

"...To calm my hunger and get back to normal."

"..."

·

Whether it was Li Wenzhao's doing or Fan Ming's perfect timing, as soon as Jing Yi finished washing up and changing clothes, the doorbell rang.

"Mr. Li, here's your dinner."

Li Wenzhao opened the door: "Come in."

Fan Ming walked in with steaming dishes. Jing Yi pursed his lips, "Secretary Fan..."

No words came out, just the movement of his lips.

Fan Ming: "?"

Jing Yi raised his round eyes to look at Li Wenzhao.

Li Wenzhao turned to act as the translator: "He's asking what dishes you brought."

"..." No matter how many times he saw it, Fan Ming was still shocked by their telepathic communication. After a few seconds, he listed the dishes, "Some mild and nourishing dishes: shrimp tofu, pan-fried yellow croaker, winter melon and old duck soup, black truffle and porcini mushrooms, and Sichuan fritillary bulb and rock sugar pear soup."

Jing Yi swallowed hard and craned his neck: "Hurry, let's eat!"

Li Wenzhao, always attentive, brought over the bowls and chopsticks, dished out some rice for Jing Yi, and then muttered to himself: "Eat the fish later, have some soup first... Don't eat too much shrimp... What's with the attitude? Do you want to take medicine for a few more days?"

"..."

Fan Ming was completely stunned.

In his shock, he suddenly remembered something and reached into his pocket: "Jing Butler, I think this is your phone. I found it at the hotel last night."

Jing Yi happily took it and gave Li Wenzhao a thumbs-up gesture.

Li Wenzhao turned his head and said, "Thank you, Secretary Fan."

Fan Ming was speechless: "..."

It took him a moment to find his voice: "You're welcome."

Five minutes later, Fan Ming stumbled out of the Li family estate in a daze. His phone rang, and he took it out to look.

[That jerk Zou]: When are you coming back? Dinner is ready. [Picture][Picture][Picture]

Fan Ming paused for a moment, then replied: [Guess what I'm thinking?]

[That jerk Zou]: ...?

Fan Ming chuckled to himself, feeling like he was going crazy.

[Fan Ming]: A smart guy like Secretary Zou, and you can't even read my mind?

[That jerk Zou]: ...