Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The KTV staircase was surprisingly dark because the elevator was broken.

Qi Jing was about to follow downstairs, but before he could take a step, the person beside him suddenly pulled him into a carry.

The voice-activated lights weren't working either. The VIP room was on the third floor. The place looked glamorous from the outside, but the electrical systems inside were old and worn.

Only the rustling of clothes and soft, mingled breathing could be heard.

Qi Jing was often quite docile, but his body reacted instinctively, immediately clinging to Bo Chengyan's shoulders.

His chin rested on the other's shoulder.

His mind was completely blank.

[Each hug counts.]

Bo Chengyan held him with one arm, frowning as he walked downstairs. "What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything..."

Bo Chengyan pressed his lips together slightly. Sometimes he forgot. He tutted quietly. "Must've misheard."

But after hearing that, Qi Jing got goosebumps. The heat from where his nape was being held made him instinctively tighten his grip.

After all, one of the classic openings to ghost stories was: *Did you hear that?*

Around 10:30 p.m.

An actual ghost showed up. 996 had just tried to float in through the car window when the driver raised it.

Its body was squeezed in half.

Qi Jing panicked and reached out to catch the falling half, while the blue slime from another access point forcefully merged in.

"I'm fine."

996, old but energetic, told Qi Jing they could communicate telepathically.

The boy curiously tested it out. "Can you hear me?"

"Of course I can."

996 squirmed, shaped like a giant lima bean, trying to project competence.

"Then can only you hear me? Others won't hear it, right?" Qi Jing asked seriously.

996 waved a hand dismissively. "Impossible! That'd be a bug. The stability where I operate is very high!"

Bo Chengyan shot a sidelong glance at the person beside him in the car. Qi Jing, now eighteen, sat with his head bowed and wasn't speaking.

He seemed upset.

"I'm not angry at you."

The boy looked up in a fluster. "Ah... I—"

Qi Jing felt his hair being lightly touched. Out of habit, he leaned into the touch.

He froze the moment he realized what he'd done.

996 narrowed its eyes and went on unprompted. "Ruan Hang will probably enter the scene in about a week. You've saved up enough money, right?"

"Bo Chengyan dismissed all his 'canaries' around this time."

"Your storyline ends here."

*

From May to July, the temperature gradually rose, and summer slowly approached.

Qi Jing's exam scores were a pleasant surprise—just over 600 points. He was still a little cautious when completing his university applications.

In the end, Bo Chengyan, seeing him like this, brought in a consultant to help him. It took less than two hours to finish.

His years of schooling had finally come to an end.

Or, more accurately, his "college pursuit" had ended.

During this time, Qi Jing was both nervous and uneasy. Bo Chengyan had opened a bank account for him with a million yuan in it.

Holding it left him equal parts ashamed and anxious.

But later, 996, crunching on potato chips at the desk, matter-of-factly stated, "Canaries are *supposed* to take money. Just accept it."

"Did you forget the training materials I showed you?"

Right. The biggest taboo for a canary was developing real feelings for their patron.

Qi Jing gripped the debit card in his hand and suddenly had an epiphany. The corners of his lips curled slightly.

Having money was great!

The boy did a little spin in his room.

But while the weather was clear here, it was raining cats and dogs elsewhere.

In Bo Chengyan's office, a disheveled-looking couple—their skin sallow and clothes ragged—marched in and planted themselves on the sofa without ceremony.

Justice was all they demanded.

The assistant quickly called for an interpreter.

"They say he's their only son, and they'll take him back no matter what."

Bo Chengyan had never felt such irritation. His face darkened as he said coldly, "Ask them who sent them here."

The two wouldn't budge, insisting only that their child be returned—otherwise, they'd go public with it.

Then, the man said something barely intelligible, but the tone was clearly venomous.

"What did he say?"

The translator hesitated, eyes darting nervously. He stammered, "Uh... sw-swear words. Nothing worth repeating."

"Say it."

"I've heard all about it. You've been keeping my boy. He's been ruined by you—who'd marry him now back home?"

The room went dead silent.

About five minutes later.

Lin Se was summoned upstairs urgently and saw Bao Chengyan leaning against the sofa, with two people restrained by security guards across from him.

The man's face was badly swollen, two teeth knocked out, dirtying the sofa.

Blood was dripping steadily.

"Oh, God."

The young man walked over, completely stunned, and muttered, "Bao, we live in a civilized society."

"This is—"

Bao Chengyan lowered his head slightly, flexed his wrist, and lifted his brows, looking downright rebellious.

Lin Se occasionally recalled what he had done in the Bao family...

He gasped.

Madman.

Lin Se turned to give the middle-aged man some first aid. The man tried to shout again, but a security guard grabbed his shoulder firmly.

At least the bleeding stopped.

Basic human decency still applied.

"No, I just read a report recently. Did someone really come tracking him down?" Lin Se, after learning the details from the chief assistant, gaped at the couple on the sofa in amazement.

Honestly, there was no need to beat around the bush.

They were just in it for the money.

"Who sent you?" Lin Se asked curiously.

The two still wouldn't answer, only repeating that there was no justice.

The whole thing was a disaster.

Soon, the security guards escorted them away.

The office was almost empty when a private call came in. Bao Chengyan didn’t avoid Lin Se and answered.

"First, I swear it wasn’t me."

Chen Zhuo was on the balcony admiring the plants, speaking earnestly, "Don't trust me? Check my location. I’m still trapped at the family estate getting nagged about marriage because of you."

A nonchalant voice came through the phone.

"I might cause trouble sometimes, but I’ve never targeted your kid."

Pointless chatter.

Bao Chengyan hung up without a word, his expression calm. His right knuckles were bruised—having knocked out two front teeth, the force was evident.

The chief assistant cautiously asked, "Should we deal with this, boss?"

Lin Se waved a hand, his arms tucked into his white coat pockets. "Leave him be. Get back to work."

Once everyone left,

Lin Se said deadpan, "At this level of pain, you only feel pleasure, don’t you?"

People with thresholds that high were all psychos.

*

Qi Jing had no idea his "parents" had come knocking. He was just packing up his bedroom,

trying to pick out the cheaper clothes.

Honestly, he couldn’t really tell.

996 was eating jelly on the desk but, lacking fingers, flew over to Qi Jing and handed it to him, gesturing for him to open it.

Apple-flavored.

"Can you even taste it?"

In the sweltering summer day, the boy sat cross-legged on the carpet in shorts, carefully peeling back the seal and squeezing the jelly into the other’s mouth.

It was kind of weird—this "system’s" physical form was a translucent slime, already resembling jelly.

Jelly eating jelly.

996 quivered. "Can’t taste, but I get a static-like buzz. It’s... nice."

Qi Jing frowned. It reminded him of something from a recent history textbook.

"..."

"You should eat less of this."

The boy put his snacks away. The admission results would be out in a few days. Qi Jing hadn’t run a fever since the exams ended.

It really had been stress-induced.

He felt like he’d been too much trouble.

His slender fingers sorted through a jewelry box. Qi Jing recalled blearily waking up in the middle of the night to find Bao Chengyan nodding off in a chair, holding his hand.

He spaced out.

"Ouch."

Qi Jing shook his hand and quickly snatched a tissue to press on his fingertip—stabbed by a pin.

Irritated, he still walked over to the large box filled with fancy accessories of all kinds.

He didn’t plan to take any.

They're probably expensive.

His everyday clothes were simple, without price tags, probably nothing fancy.

Those would do.

After applying a band-aid, he decided to continue packing. Just then, a knock sounded at the bedroom door.

"Qi Jing, want some fresh watermelon juice?"

Qi Jing was huffing and puffing, struggling to close the suitcase, which was stuffed full of clothes. 996 chimed in to help, perching on his shoulder, trying to weigh him down.

It murmured, "I want some too!"

"Coming, Auntie!"

After clicking the suitcase shut, Qi Jing hurried over to open the door. "Thank you, Auntie... Huh?"

His voice tapered off, turning uncertain.

Confusion.

Bo Chengyan seemed to have just returned from work, still in his work clothes, though he had taken off his jacket. The crisp, tailored white shirt fit him perfectly.

Qi Jing often had to crane his neck to meet his eyes, even though he had recently measured himself at 177 cm.

Just how much taller was he...?

"Not letting me in?"

Qi Jing blinked, startled, and quickly stepped aside, taking the watermelon juice in the process.

It was cool and sweet.

He took several sips on the spot, leaving more than half.

996 floated over, grumbling.

Qi Jing set the cup on the desk—right behind Bo Chengyan. The man caught his arm, as if suddenly remembering something, and asked, "Have you weighed yourself?"

The room was quiet save for the AC’s hum.

For some reason, Qi Jing felt Bo Chengyan was off today. Unconsciously, he cocked his head slightly.

"What are you thinking about?"

His elbow was still held firmly.

Bo Chengyan propped himself against the desk, his broad shoulders casting a shadow that nearly obscured Qi Jing’s face. His eyes were piercing.

"Tell me."

Qi Jing was pulled forward slightly, his eyes mirroring the other man’s handsome features. He blinked. "Just now? I... I was wondering if you were upset?"

The freshly squeezed watermelon juice wafted a faint, sugary scent.

996 had dove into the cup, squirming precariously, on the verge of falling in.

Qi Jing caught sight of it out of the corner of his eye and panicked, quickly leaning over to steady the cup.

It almost looked like he was falling into his embrace.

The man naturally wrapped an arm around his waist, frowning as he turned to look, but the boy cut in, "It's fine, it's fine! I was just worried the cup might tip over."

The atmosphere grew thick with tension.

It was as if that first strike had chipped away at a decade of self-control.

Biological parents?

Who cared.

Dead and buried.

A shadow crossed his face.

Bo Chengyan didn’t let go, instead lowering his head slightly to study the person in his arms. He mused aloud, "Xiao Jing, have you stopped hugging me lately?"

Qi Jing didn’t know why, but his heart was pounding. The words seemed to echo in his ears, and his wrist was still held firmly.

"You don’t call me 'Sir' anymore, either."

His heart skipped—

Just as Qi Jing was about to hug him, he was tugged up by the scruff. Bo Chengyan frowned at the suitcase and asked, confused:

"Auntie said you were packing. What for?"

His tone was calm.

Qi Jing instinctively tried to step back, but his wrist was held firmly, keeping him in place.

"Ah... well..."

How should he explain? Even though the acceptance letter wasn’t in yet, 996 had said Ruan Hang would appear within a week.

They’d—they’d hook up.

And he’d be kicked out.

Qi Jing bit his lip. He had considered telling the truth—that he wouldn’t be living here anymore—but when he met that darkening gaze, it was like a lamb spotting a predator.

"For college... don’t I have to... live on campus?"

His words stumbled out.

Bo Chengyan seemed to accept this answer, and the atmosphere softened instantly. He absentmindedly traced the prominent bone of Qi Jing’s wrist. "That? Don’t worry. You don’t have to stay on campus."

Qi Jing looked up, trying to explain. "But... the schools I applied to are out-of-state. If I don’t stay on campus—"

"Peking U. was your top pick, no?"

The man glanced down at him, perfectly composed.

"Yes."

"But I might not—"

"You’ll get in."

Bo Chengyan gently released his hand, like resetting their dynamic, steady as ever.

"Peking University... is a hike from Jinjiang Villa, so I thought—"

"I’ll get you a place by campus."

Qi Jing froze.

One by one, his things were unpacked, while he stood by, helpless.

Not exactly.

Basically, the young man was stepping on the scale nearby, his expression betrayed him, anxiously glancing at the suitcase beside him.

"I'll pack it myself."

Qi Jing was about to move when his neck was pinched, and his face was pushed down.

"No need."

"Grew taller, didn’t you?"

Bao Chengyan seemed in his own little world, reaching up to smooth the messy bangs on the other’s forehead.

"What do you want as a college acceptance gift?"

*

Around eight or nine in the evening.

Qi Jing angrily shook 996, who had drunk most of the watermelon juice and was now passed out on the desk, completely "system"-crashed.

What should he do?!

996 slowly woke up, smacking its lips—liquids really hit hard, leaving it numb for so long.

Basically, it had crashed.

"It’s fine, it’s fine." After hearing the general situation, 996 blinked its dot eyes, sitting on the desk to console him.

"The plot always has some deviations. That time with my host… the protagonist went totally sideways."

"But it was fine. I fixed it all." The slime patted its nonexistent chest.

Qi Jing lay sprawled on the desk, legs crossed, mumbled gloomily, "Why does it feel like he doesn’t want me to leave?"

"I might not even get into Jingda."

"I don’t want to see him hook up with someone else. It’s weird."

The boy didn’t notice the slight displeasure in his tone, nor could he identify what this emotion was. He just thought that, as a normal person, no one would like being stuck in the middle of someone else’s relationship.

"You can wait for now. Ruan Hang’s arrival date isn’t set in stone—it might be delayed or moved up. The ‘canary’ role has already fulfilled its role and won’t be erased…"

"Huh?"

996 noticed that the original character information had updated, with two new words under the "illness" category:

—Overstimulated.

*

Bao Chengyan never forgot the private thoughts he had heard at the beginning—his "little bird" had casually mentioned to that person he would leave after finishing university.

Why?

Who taught him that?

Bao Chengyan felt a knot of emotions in his heart, turning them over only to find one familiar end.

—Jiang Xiuyuan.

The next afternoon.

Chen Zhuo never expected Bao Chengyan to ask for his help. By now, he had returned to the capital and had heard a bit about the fate of that fake foster parents.

The whole thing was a bit excessive.

Considering himself on not being overly sentimental, he casually answered the phone, "What’s going on? Not throwing a graduation party for your precious?"

He couldn't resist teasing at least once.

Sometimes, Chen Zhuo envied this old friend. Since they were kids, the other had always been better than him. At first, it didn’t matter—he could brush it off with a "you’re amazing, bro."

But later, it started to feel different.

So when the Bao family had their crisis, Chen Zhuo had felt a secret satisfaction.

What’s the use of being so outstanding? His family’s complicated relationships would drag him down sooner or later.

But strangely enough—

Chen Zhuo also didn’t want to see Bao Chengyan all alone. He enjoyed being useful, as if only then could he come out on top.

"Jiang Xiuyuan from Yuansheng—I heard he’s with you now? I want to see him." The voice on the phone was deep, flat.

Chen Zhuo paused, his brow furrowed, then glanced at the person on the bed.

He arched a brow. "Why him?"

"I just have a few questions for him. What? Unwilling?"

"Not at all."

After hanging up, Chen Zhuo tsked, put on his suit, and walked to the bedside.

He leaned down and patted Jiang Xiuyuan’s face.

The young man blearily woke up, brows furrowed.

"You’ve got lucky. You get to meet your crush."

Chen Zhuo’s tone was full of sarcasm, his expression turning stormy.

*

In a fancy restaurant.

Jiang Xiuyuan was on edge all over. He had done his makeup, covered the marks on his neck with concealer, and even doused himself in cologne.

"What did you want to see me about?"

Chen Zhuo sat there scowling beside him, silent.

Just thinking, *For fuck's sake.*

"What did you say to Qi Jing at the banquet? I know you humiliated him, but later, Yuansheng staff told me he came back specifically and asked for you."

"His phone has your number saved. Why did you add him?"

"Those are the big questions."

Jiang Xiuyuan’s face went pale, frozen.

"I told him to add you. I was just curious about the people around you. That WeChat message history didn’t even have five messages." Chen Zhuo came clean.

But Bao Chengyan barely reacted, just giving the person a glance, still waiting for an answer.

The young man opposite him, his breathing softened slightly, stood up, and bowed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken recklessly back then. I was crude, and he was still so young."

His tone was very serious, his voice barely above a whisper.

Bao Chengyan frowned. "I'm not here to blame you. I just want to know why he went to request you a second time. What did Xiao Jing say to you?"

Jiang Xiuyuan felt a pang of envy at the affectionate nickname—so affectionate—something he’d never known.

Growing up, the words he heard most often were "good-for-nothing."

He zoned out briefly before hurriedly apologizing, then slowly said, "He asked me how baby birds are made."

Bao Chengyan’s expression darkened.

"But I didn’t teach him anything. He believed he was a kept boy, but I don’t think so."

Jiang Xiuyuan quickly waved his hands, earnestly explaining, "The first time, I was out of line, but Qi Jing didn’t hold it against me. He insisted on seeing me again, which is why the club rehired me. After that, I never harassed him on WeChat."

Chen Zhuo was stunned. Wait, he just spilled everything that easily?

So his money was totally wasted, huh?

Bao Chengyan leaned slightly against the sofa, eyelids lowered, his demeanor casual.

"Explain in detail."

"What exactly did Xiao Jing say? Who did he talk to the most? Don’t summarize for me."

Jiang Xiuyuan froze.

This was way over the top.

*

About a few days later, the admission results came out. Qi Jing blankly stared at the screen.

Though he had been assigned to a different major—paleontology.

He didn’t understand.

Is this even useful for government jobs?

Bao Chengyan returned from outside, hung up his coat, and walked into the living room. The boy was clutching his laptop, dazed.

He didn’t know what to do.

He hadn’t studied biology in high school…

Confusion dampened his excitement, leaving him numb until Bao Chengyan reached over and took the laptop from him.

At home, Qi Jing usually wore shorts, though the housekeeper insisted he wear socks. Now curled up on the sofa, he peered up plaintively when his laptop got confiscated.

"It’s fine. You can always switch majors later."

Bao Chengyan didn’t seem too concerned, but his gaze lingered on the boy curled on the couch. He frowned slightly and called sternly over his shoulder, "Aunt Lin, where’s the blanket?"

Qi Jing had actually wanted to say he wasn’t cold—it was already summer-hot, and he didn’t like fluffy blankets.

"Why is it set so low?"

Fifteen degrees Celsius.

Qi Jing suddenly panicked. When Bao Chengyan went to adjust the thermostat, he scrambled over barefoot.

"Wait, don’t—"

This was the first time he had ever tried to stop him.

Bao Chengyan turned to look at him. "Why aren’t you wearing shoes?"

In one motion, he scooped the boy up and adjusted the temperature.

Twenty-four degrees Celsius.

Qi Jing was placed back on the sofa, completely deflated.

But it’ll be too warm.

"No, it won’t."

Bao Chengyan suddenly spoke, looking down at Qi Jing before asking, "Count to three silently."

The boy looked up, puzzled.

[One, two, three.]

Qi Jing honestly didn’t understand, but he obeyed. Just as he was about to ask why, he felt a light pinch on his nape.

Like praise.

That’s how it always felt.

Because whenever Bao Chengyan pinched his neck, his mood seemed to lift.

"I’ll take you to a restaurant tonight. We’ll dine out."

With that, Bao Chengyan went upstairs.

Qi Jing sat on the sofa, looked down at his now-shod feet, then paused for a second.

He promptly kicked them off.

Frowning, he curled back up on the sofa and began researching how to switch majors.

When 996 came back two hours later, the boy on the sofa had curled up small, barely noticeable, taking up almost no space.

"Wake up."

Qi Jing blinked sleepily to find a blanket draped over him. As he stretched out, he took up space again.

"You’re back? What’s the news?"

He had grown adept at communicating telepathically.

996 pulled up an image—a bartender, porcelain-pale, exuding cool detachment.

Qi Jing stared at the floating image and thought, *Gorgeous.*

"Ruan Hang works at Shengyue Bar, but he also works part-time as a waiter at a restaurant. It's a by-reservation-only establishment in Jing City..."

996 tweaked the image some more.

It was a rooftop garden restaurant with beautiful scenery, with a particularly romantic vibe.

"Florence Restaurant."

*

About four or five in the evening.

Qi Jing never expected such a coincidence—Bao Chengyan was taking him to the same place.

He hurriedly picked out clothes in his room, but in his heart, he still felt...

Did he really have to be there?

Ruan Hang was so handsome.

Qi Jing hesitated. He didn’t want to go. Couldn’t they just meet on their own and then send him away?

He took nearly thirty minutes changing clothes.

There was a knock at the door.

Qi Jing was about to respond when Bao Chengyan pushed it open directly. Seeing that he still hadn’t changed, Bao Chengyan frowned and asked, "Why so long?"

People get spoiled easily—it happens gradually.

So much so that the first thing Qi Jing blurted out was, "I didn’t even get to open the door yet..."

Meaning, how could you just come in?

But the moment he said it, Qi Jing himself froze. The entire Jinjiang Villa belonged to Bao Chengyan—what was he even doing?

The young man opened his mouth, wanting to explain.

But it was too late. Bao Chengyan had already stepped out of the room and knocked again.

A strange feeling welled up in Qi Jing’s chest, his heart pounding.

He hurried over to open the door. Bao Chengyan looked down at him and asked calmly, "May I come in?"

His tone remained gentle and cultured.

"S-sure."

Just as Qi Jing turned around, his wrist was caught, and the band-aid was spotted.

"How did this happen?"

"A brooch poked me. I didn’t see it."

At first, it was just a brief exchange.

Qi Jing thought nothing more would come of it, but Bao Chengyan pulled off the band-aid to inspect the wound.

He was led to the table, where iodine was brought out again.

"Why didn’t you disinfect it?"

Once the band-aid was reapplied, the boy stood there confused, unable to make sense of his feelings.

It was just a tiny pinprick wound—it would’ve healed in a few more minutes.

Yet he still checked it.

"Change your clothes. Pick something."

Bao Chengyan pulled out a chair and sat down, gesturing for him to go choose. Qi Jing stood before him in a comfortable T-shirt and shorts, his skin fair, fingers curling slightly.

Like a delicate doll.

Bao Chengyan had once investigated the education conditions in Daliang Mountain—they were terrible. The books Qi Jing had read were mostly outdated textbooks with no supplementary materials.

By today’s societal standards, even elementary schoolers in the city were well-adjusted and confident, let alone high schoolers—some even understood online trends better than adults, their socialization remarkably advanced.

For Qi Jing to have spent two years integrating into the social circles of a first-tier city was already impressive. He was slowly making friends, willing to go out and socialize, growing little by little.

This kind of comprehensive care could, in a way, become addictive.

Those parents might have raised Qi Jing once, but so what? He could raise Qi Jing for ten years, twenty years... even a lifetime.

Completely replacing the past.

The boy bit his lip and spoke miserably, "I don’t really want to—"

Qi Jing was uncomfortable, but at that moment, 996 came crashing through the window.

"I advanced the plot. As long as the aphrodisiac scene happens smoothly at the restaurant tonight, you’ll be unbound immediately."

"Don’t want to what?" Bao Chengyan’s voice was steady.

Qi Jing froze. Did 996 mean there’d be a *one-night stand* tonight? Right when they meet—

What a rushed plot.

"Don’t want to go to that restaurant?"

Bao Chengyan humored him. "Then we won’t. We’ll eat at home."

996 was panicking: "No, no, no! The protagonists are about to meet—it’s the perfect opportunity! Next time might take another ten days or half a month!"

Qi Jing stammered, "N-no, that’s not it."

The man asked gently, "Then what’s wrong?"

"I... I don’t want to go to the restaurant so casually. It looks... fancy. I can’t pick the right clothes."

Qi Jing quickly redirected the conversation.

Bao Chengyan seemed slightly surprised but got up and came over, nudging Qi Jing’s shoulder to guide him to his accessories cabinet, which gleamed.

"It’s just a place to eat. Don't need to dress up."

"People aren’t born into classes—only their actions/behavior are."

"Are you stressed about school?"

Qi Jing sometimes found the other man too serious. Truthfully, since coming here, he hadn't experienced any meanness. He looked up and shook his head.

"Not really."

They locked eyes for a brief moment, as if ensuring the boy wasn’t lying.

"Mm."

*

In the end, they still went to the *Florence Restaurant*, at a window table on the 30th floor—with the best view.

All of Qi Jing’s clothes were delivered routinely. Though no one ever took his measurements, everything fit perfectly. He wondered how they got his sizes right.

He'd gradually filled out, allowing him to fill out his clothes nicely. Paired with his striking features, he naturally turned heads.

"I don’t really know Western dining etiquette…" Qi Jing said with some concern.

In the past, he never dined out—almost all his meals were home-cooked by the housekeeper, strictly healthy/nutritious meals.

"It’s fine. You’ll need to learn someday. I’ll teach you."

Bao Chengyan’s tone was exceedingly gentle.

Qi Jing’s thoughts drifted. He was thinking about how the restaurant would set up the hookup logistics. Would they take him to a hotel?

996 was loudly crunching on bread under the table.

Crumbs scattered.

"..."

Exactly seven o’clock.

The sky darkened outside, replaced by a glittering cityscape—unlike anything in the mountains.

Qi Jing couldn’t help but stare, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly.

It was then that he failed to notice the floor gradually emptying. By seven, there was no one else around.

"Wait, where’d everyone go?"

Bao Chengyan: "Dunno."

"Was the food that bad? Did they all leave?"

"Maybe."

Qi Jing paused, then looked into the other man’s calm eyes. It hit him belatedly—did he reserve the whole place?

"It couldn’t have been bad."

He dismissed the thought.

Bao Chengyan thought for a moment, then simply said, "Come over here."

Qi Jing was puzzled. "But people sit facing each other."

"You don’t know how to eat, do you? Come here."

"There’s no one else around."

Those last words held quiet authority, radiating reassurance.

The waiter, perceptive, tactfully helped without pointing out that there were staff specifically trained to cut steak.

Qi Jing hesitated at first, but his hunger took over. He lowered his head to look at his plate.

He ate each piece as it was cut.

It was tender, a burst of flavor.

996 ached to steal a bite, but with no opportunity, it could only hover helplessly like a specter.

Tracking data shifts.

"No waiting. Eat while it’s hot."

Perhaps Bao Chengyan had initially intended to teach him how to eat Western food, but in the end, he hardly spoke, just kept serving him the entire time.

His face stayed neutral.

Qi Jing got carried away, murmuring, "That looks good too."

The fettuccine alfredo.

Everything was peaceful until a waiter fumbled a wine bottle, spilling red liquid onto Qi Jing’s collar, even dripping onto his lashes.

He blinked, wine-damp and flustered.

Bao Chengyan frowned slightly, watching the staff member bowing profusely in apology. Calmly, he said, "This is indeed your mistake, but the real problem is that I never ordered wine."

"Who instructed you to bring it?"

The mood ruptured.

Annoyance flickered through him—until he felt a warm touch on the back of his hand. Qi Jing’s clothes were badly stained, and a trace of red wine still lingered on the tip of his nose, un-wiped.

"I-It’s fine."

He fought to keep his composure.

Soon, the manager arrived, not only bringing fresh clothes but also clean alcohol wipes and towels.

Qi Jing wiped at the stains halfheartedly, exchanging a glance with 996 under the table.

"Cue the drama."

The waiter was quickly replaced by a young man with a gold emblem on his uniform.

Tall and with sharp features, his demeanor was calm and collected. In no time, he cleaned up with efficient grace.

Politely, he leaned down toward Qi Jing. "Would you like to change? Red wine stains get sticky. If you don’t mind, I have newly purchased clothes—never worn."

A colleague handed over a bag.

Bao Chengyan’s brow furrowed slightly.

But—

"Thank you."

Qi Jing stood up naturally, his nose still wine-spattered, his mouth a tight line. "Th-Then, I’ll head to the restroom first."

*

Time dragged on.

Ruan Hang accompanied the entire time, his sharp brow bone stood out. As he led the way to the restroom, he offered a sincere apology:

"Really sorry about this. My colleague seems not himself today."

He handed over a wet wipe.

Qi Jing said quietly, while 996 floated nearby running scans.

"Name: Ruan Hang"

"Age: 21"

"Personality: Holds grudges."

"Ah, it's fine. He didn’t mean to."

Ruan Hang glanced down at him. *Accidental? How gullible.*

But the moment the other turned away, he resumed his polished customer-service smile.

Qi Jing was painfully aware of his height, as he still had to tilt his head slightly upward. His determination to grow past 180 cm deepened.

"I-I’ll go change now."

Ruan Hang took the stained jacket from him, maintaining a slight bow, his gaze lowered.

"Sorry about the trouble."

Qi Jing wasn’t used to so many apologies, let alone by the actual protagonist. He waved his hands. "Really, don't worry about it."

Ruan Hang smiled gently, watching the other’s back as he left thoughtfully.

Only when the changing room door closed did the young man straighten his posture. He glanced at the mirror, meeting the razor-sharp reflection of himself.

But just then, the pager at his waist went off:

"Get to the 30th floor now!"

"You were supposed to clean up this mess! Where are you?!"

Ruan Hang replied calmly, "I’m waiting for a guest to change."

The voice on the other end remained furious.

"What are you, blind? Can’t tell what’s urgent? The one upstairs is the priority!"

"Hurry up! Xiao Cui’s screwed up again."

Ruan Hang’s expression turned icy, but he still politely let the changing room know before leaving. A muffled "Okay" came from inside.

—*So obedient?*

As he rode the elevator, Ruan Hang recalled last week’s incident. Xiao Cui had connections—just a couple of days ago, he’d been seen schmoozing with a man in a designer suit.

He’d figured they were a thing.

Now, though, it seemed unlikely...

The wine bottle had been uncorked just right, perfectly avoiding that man and soaking only the kid beside him—mostly his face.

Meanwhile, Xiao Cui’s own shirt collar was soaked.

Ruan Hang smirked. *Pretty transparent.*

But the situation on the 30th floor was far worse than expected.

A man leaned casually against his chair, the table laden with freshly opened bottles. Xiao Cui stood nearby, head bowed, fingers trembling uncontrollably.

"Who told you to serve the wine? Speak."

Ruan Hang’s pulse spiked. *This is not my circus, not my monkeys.* He turned to leave.

But the pager static hissed again:

"Come here."

"I'll 10x your pay!"

Ruan Hang turned back expressionlessly. The restaurant’s manager might be a demon, but at least the pay was reliable—usually settled the same day.

He knew his looks were why he still had this job. Why couldn’t Xiao Cui grasp that?

"You love serving wine so much? Then drink it. My treat."

Xiao Cui chugged glass after glass, looking utterly humiliated. To any observer, it was a textbook workplace abuse.

Ruan Hang stepped forward, switching to crisis mode. "Sir, how can we make this right? We’ll make sure—"

Bao Chengyan frowned at him, enunciating each word. "Where is he?"

He was asking about the kid.

Ruan Hang’s mind raced. "Ah, we have someone specially assisting him. He'll need a few more minutes."

Bao Chengyan’s patience visibly thinned.

"Your dining experience is our number one concern. We’ll resolve this before your companion returns."

"We won't ruin your night."

Who knew what had happened in that short absence?

But one thing was clear—this man didn’t want his young friend seeing this scene.

Buying time was the move.

"Tch."

Xiao Cui was at his limit. The liquor was hitting hard. The manager’s eyes locked onto Ruan Hang, the meaning crystal clear.

"You're good-looking, just a few drinks will do."

Ruan Hang: "..."

Ugh, nepotism.

Ruan Hang stepped forward, "I'm truly sorry. Here, let me take his drinks as an apology."

*

Meanwhile, Qi Jing was staying put in the lounge. He had changed his shirt, but it somehow felt scratchy.

"..."

How did he get like this?

996 had already gone up to observe the plot, leaving him alone in the room. To be honest, he was feeling all kinds of ways.

He had been seriously trying to learn the role of a "canary," but the truth was, Bo Chengyan had never kissed him, nor any of that... other stuff from the books.

Logically, he was getting a sweet deal.

But—

Qi Jing couldn't even imagine the concept of "betrayal," because there was no real relationship between him and Bo Chengyan to begin with. He couldn't stop recalling the porn he'd watched.

They went at it like this...

Yes.

His train of thought derailed completely.

Qi Jing was burning up all over. He was freaking out and decided to leave the building on his own.

But just as he stumbled toward the door and pushed it open, a familiar figure blocked his path.

He caught a whiff of booze...

Lightheaded and feverish, Qi Jing still had some clarity. After staring blankly for a second, he panicked and went to slam the door.

But his wrist was grabbed and pulled.

"Why are you hiding here?"