Chapter 6 So Clingy

Chapter 6 So Syrupy

Chi Luoxi's drowsiness was completely jolted awake.

He clutched his phone, glanced at the time in the upper right corner—it was already past midnight.

Back in the mountains at this hour, everything would be silent, with every household's lights off. Chi Luoxi had only stayed up this late because he had a lot of chores today and played some games afterward.

Chi Luoxi: Mr. He, are you still awake?

How could He Angxiao possibly be asleep at this hour?

The city's nightlife was just getting started, neon lights flashing, the noise still going strong.

Although he wasn't the type to indulge in nightclubs like some trust fund kids, his life was fast-paced, his work piled up sky-high. Emails, messages, the phone screen seemed perpetually lit.

Plus, he had some trouble sleeping and often needed melatonin to finally fall asleep around one or two in the morning.

Eleven or twelve at night was just another part of his workday evening for him.

He Angxiao's reply was terse: Still early.

Chi Luoxi thought to himself, geez, even rich people have it tough. Back in the mountains, after dinner he'd take a walk, and grandpa would urge him to go to bed. By eight or nine, the whole village was dead quiet.

Now at the club, because he had chores, he slept a bit later, but he'd still be out like a light by ten. So Mr. He said it was still early—making money really wasn't easy.

Chi Luoxi said, concerned, "Mr. He, you should get some rest. I noticed the other day you looked like you had dark circles."

He Angxiao: "…………"

Dark circles? He hadn't even noticed them himself.

He Angxiao put down his phone, stood up for some reason, walked to the mirror, leaned in, and carefully examined that flawless face, always looking a little tired.

Hmm... maybe a little.

This Little Digger is quite observant.

A strange feeling crossed He Angxiao's mind.

This Little Digger, acting all innocent and pure, while using these seemingly casual little gestures to care for him and tease him.

Playing hard to get?

Chi Luoxi had no idea about all the complicated thoughts running through his head. After sending that thoughtful message, it really was getting late. He had to get up early tomorrow to clean.

So he decided to end this unexpected conversation. Chi Luoxi said sweetly, "Mr. He, I need to sleep. Good night."

He Angxiao played that soft, drowsy voice a few times without meaning to. Tsk, the voice really was quite pleasant.

But letting him say good night just like that—that'd be letting him off too easy. This Little Digger, what did he take his WeChat for? An emotional dumping ground? Send whatever he wants and then run off?

Mr. He: You're treating my WeChat like a junk drawer.

Chi Luoxi had just put his phone back by the pillow, ready to lie down. Hearing the vibration, he picked it up again and saw this message. Was Mr. He mad?

Chi Luoxi: [Crying] Sorry, Mr. He. I thought this was your alt account, and you wouldn't see it...

He Angxiao pressed on: Just a 'sorry' is all you've got?

Frankly, He Angxiao just wanted to see how this weird Little Gold Digger would play his next move.

Really cliché tactics—using innocence to grab attention, then coming on to him all flirty. Was this standard procedure in this line of work? But He Angxiao had to admit, this little fool had definitely caught his attention.

Apology wasn't enough, so what now?

Chi Luoxi held down the voice button and said in a soft, sweet voice: "Then... Mr. He, why don't you come over? I'll sing for you, whatever you like. Come on."

Chi Luoxi thought he was being smart now—getting Mr. He to spend money.

If Mr. He could come and play, maybe order a bottle of wine, wouldn't he get some commission? That'd speed up his debt repayment, even if just a little bit?

He Angxiao listened to this voice message. Tsk, so flirty.

That deliberately soft voice—a clumsy attempt at seduction.

There it was—the fox's tail finally showed.

He Angxiao shot it down without mercy: Don't even think about it. I'm swamped with work.

That little spark of hope in Chi Luoxi's heart went out with a puff.

Failed.

He was a bit sad, not because He Angxiao rejected his invitation, but because he realized he no longer had anyone to send game links casually.

Chi Luoxi had no choice but to play *Carrot Fantasy* again.

Bai Man often came back really late. The club's working hours were irregular, especially for her—sometimes she'd be taken out for late-night snacks by guests or had other events, coming back at two or three in the morning was common.

Once, Chi Luoxi had also worked very late cleaning a private room.

He went out through the back door of the staff passage, circled around to the secluded, dimly lit path on the side of the club building, hoping to take a shortcut back to the dorm.

At the corner of the path, under a half-dead locust tree, he saw two figures pressed together, blending into the shadows.

By the faint light of a distant streetlamp, Chi Luoxi recognized one of them—a slender figure in tight leather jacket—as Bai Man. The other was a man taller and sturdier than her, face unclear, only a blurry outline visible.

They were making out like nobody was watching.

Chi Luoxi quickly lowered his head and scurried past like a startled rabbit.

He wasn't stupid. After working at the club for so long, with what he'd seen and heard, plus having a phone to search online, he could see everything.

Chi Luoxi had long vaguely understood the hidden, even sordid side beneath the club's glamorous, bustling surface.

Those guests who came and went, spending lavishly, wanted more than just a few drinks or songs. Chi Luoxi felt what they wanted and what they paid had nothing to do with him.

The kind aunties and uncles in the cleaning department often complained privately on his behalf, cursing Manager Yang and He You for being heartless, for tricking honest kids like him.

Chi Luoxi himself thought so too. Where was Brother Chunsheng? If he had found him directly back then, would he have been tricked into coming here?

Though Chi Luoxi couldn't see the face of the man kissing Bai Man, he could sense a murky, chaotic aura of various desires emanating from him.

That aura made Chi Luoxi feel very uncomfortable, even nauseous.

Chi Luoxi thought, if he had to do that kind of thing with someone with such a dirty aura, he'd rather wash dishes, mop floors, and scrub toilets at the club for life.

Fortunately, his reputation from that one swing still lingered. The club people were afraid he'd cause more trouble and weren't sure what his deal was, so for now, no one had dared to force him into anything.

Manager Yang called him into the office again and asked how he was coping. Did he still want to earn more money and pay off his debt sooner?

Chi Luoxi hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice, "...I think I'm doing a bit better."

Manager Yang: "That's right. Look on the bright side, kid. It's no big deal. Tonight, you and Bai Man will accompany the guests in the Dijing private room. There are some very important guests inside. Be smart and learn from Bai Man on what to do. You don't need to talk much, just smile more and pour drinks. The most important thing is... don't spill anything on the guests."

Chi Luoxi: "...But what if someone touches me? I can't guarantee I won't react."

Manager Yang: "What about someone like Mr. He?"

Chi Luoxi: "...I could put up with that."

Manager Yang was frustrated: "If every guest were like Mr. He, people would be lining up for him. Don't you want to pay back your debt?"

Chi Luoxi said, "I do."

Manager Yang said, "Wanting alone isn't enough."

At that moment, an unexpected figure showed up.

He Angxiao.

White shirt, black trousers pressed to perfection, no tie, the top button of his shirt undone, revealing a hint of defined collarbone.

His hair was neatly combed, his face expressionless, his features appearing particularly deep and sculpted under the soft corridor light.

A wolf in sheep's clothing, a smooth-talking scoundrel, with a 'stay away' vibe.

He walked straight toward Chi Luoxi, but even though he saw him, he turned his head to the waiter guiding him and said, "I'm looking for Chi Luoxi."

Such a poser.

Chi Luoxi, as if he'd been saved, ran over with the joy and anticipation of a puppy seeing a bone: "Mr. He, weren't you very busy? How come you have time to come here?"

Manager Yang was also taken aback, obviously not expecting He Angxiao to suddenly appear and specifically ask for Chi Luoxi by name. She reacted quickly, bowing and scraping to He Angxiao: "Mr. He! You're here! Xiao Chi, go with Mr. He right away! Take good care of Mr. He!"

He Angxiao ignored Manager Yang's fawning and simply jerked his chin toward Chi Luoxi: "Follow me."

He didn't ask for any of the top VIP rooms. Instead, he chose a small private room that was relatively remote, simply decorated, and the most basic one. The sofa wasn't particularly soft, and the sound system was average.

He walked in, casually sat down in the middle of the sofa, crossed his long legs, and lounged like he owned the place.

The waiter asked what drinks they wanted.

He Angxiao waved his hand: "No need. No drinking today, just here to listen to some songs."

On purpose, he ordered no drinks and picked the worst room. He Angxiao wanted to see whether this little gold digger, who had been scheming to latch onto him and even tried to seduce him yesterday, would get disappointed and show his true greedy colors when faced with a guest who was obviously stingy and not worth much.

Only the two of them remained in the room.

Chi Luoxi wasn't overthinking it. He only knew that Mr. He had come, and he didn't have to go to Dijing.

Besides, Mr. He had a very clean vibe, and it felt nice being around him. As for not ordering drinks? Drinking is indeed harmful to health; it's good that Mr. He doesn't drink. The room being small and lame? No big deal; he just came to sing anyway.

Far from showing any sign of being discouraged, Chi Luoxi was grinning from ear to ear, his face radiating genuine happiness. He looked at He Angxiao like he was his long-lost brother.

He proactively walked over to the karaoke screen, working it like a pro, and turned his head, eyes sparkling as he asked He Angxiao, "Mr. He, what song would you like to hear? I can sing a little bit of everything!"

He Angxiao watched his carefree, happy demeanor and somehow the urge to mess with him faded a bit. "I won't order a single bottle of wine today. You're wasting your time."

Chi Luoxi was browsing the song list and didn't look up, replying, "Drinking's bad for you. Good thing you don't drink, Mr. He. How about I get you some fruit? Fruit comes with unlimited refills, and it's all quite fresh."

As he spoke, he actually walked to the coffee table, used a fruit fork to pick up a neatly cut piece of watermelon, and held it up to his mouth.

He Angxiao: "…………"

He looked at the watermelon at his lips. Had this little gold digger's game become so advanced it looked natural? He bit into the watermelon. "...Aren't you supposed to be singing? Sing then."

He Angxiao had a mean streak.

He thought that since Chi Luoxi dared to mess with him like that, using those clumsy and bizarre methods to try to get his attention, he had to teach the kid that life isn't that easy, that not every rich guy is an easy mark.

He, He Angxiao, was the gold digger's worst nightmare—sharp-eyed, cold-hearted, and an expert at exposing fake acts.

Chi Luoxi had no idea about these inner thoughts.

Seeing that He Angxiao didn't like the fruit, he ate a few more pieces himself and happily picked up the microphone.

No cleaning, no dealing with gross guests and their nasty vibes, and he could sing—how awesome was that?

Chi Luoxi was a little shy at first. He sang a few popular, upbeat songs to get the party going. But He Angxiao just leaned back on the couch, absent-mindedly tapping his fingers on his knees, showing little reaction.

After singing for a while, Chi Luoxi switched songs. This time he chose a few gentle, soothing love songs, even a little sad.

The songs weren't high-pitched, suiting his clear voice well.

Chi Luoxi's voice, amplified and polished by the sound system, showed its unique texture even more. It wasn't the flashy kind refined by training and technique, but pure and raw, like water over stones in a stream.

When he sang those tender lyrics, his voice would carry a hint of tenderness, like morning mist in a forest, wrapping around everything.

He Angxiao had initially just closed his eyes to rest, but as he listened, he felt his nerves slowly unwinding in the clear and gentle singing.

All the work pressure, annoying emails, meetings, and fake smiles he had to keep up—all of it seemed to fade away for a while.

It felt as if he had truly been transported to a natural mountain forest far from the noise, where only the wind and birdsong existed.

After several consecutive days of high-intensity work and poor sleep quality, He Angxiao was on the verge of physical and mental exhaustion.

At this moment, drowsiness overtook him uncontrollably, like a tidal wave.

At first he tried to resist, sitting up straight and wanting to drink some water to refresh himself, but his eyelids grew heavier and his consciousness fuzzier.

Chi Luoxi's singing seemed to carry a kind of calming magic, pulling him into a warm, deep sleep.

When he regained consciousness, it was because the constant temperature set by the air conditioner in the room had made him a bit cold. He shivered and woke up.

He Angxiao opened his eyes, momentarily disoriented, not knowing where he was.

A few seconds later, his memory returned.

He suddenly sat up straight and found a piece of clothing draped over him—an ordinary black hoodie, with a faint scent of laundry detergent.

He Angxiao frowned and pulled off the hoodie.

There, Chi Luoxi was sitting on the nearby sofa, his back to him, slightly hunched, head down, holding his phone with both hands, looking focused, his fingers swiping rapidly on the screen, muttering under his breath: "This way... this way... oh, I missed one!"

He was playing Carrot Defense.

The light from the screen illuminated the soft contours of his face and his long eyelashes, his expression one of complete absorption.

Sensing that he was awake, Chi Luoxi turned his head, saw that He Angxiao was sitting up, and his eyes immediately lit up. He put down his phone, leaned in, and asked, concerned, "Mr. He, you're awake? Is the AC too cold?"

He Angxiao: "…………"

He looked at Chi Luoxi's clean and innocent face so close, and the first thing that came to his mind wasn't, *How did I fall asleep?*

But rather—

"Did you drug me?"

Chi Luoxi was startled by the question. "No, Mr. He, why would I drug you? You must be really tired from work, and that's why you fell asleep, right?"

He Angxiao didn't say anything, just stared at him, feeling suspicious and uneasy.

He had always been very particular about sleep and had trouble falling asleep. The firmness of the mattress, the height of the pillow, the temperature, humidity, light, and even the airflow in the room—if anything was off, he'd toss and turn, let alone in a noisy, unfamiliar environment on an uncomfortable sofa.

Yet today, he had actually fallen into such a deep sleep so easily?

He Angxiao checked his watch. He'd even slept for quite a while? It was simply unbelievable.

Had he been slipped a sleeping pill? It didn't seem like it. Besides, he didn't feel any different physically; in fact, after waking up, his energy was surprisingly good, and the fatigue of the past few days had dissipated.

Could it really be that this little gold digger's voice had some kind of magic? Could it have sung him to sleep?

He Angxiao suddenly felt that things were getting out of his control.

Wasn't he supposed to be the gold digger nemesis? How was he being beaten by this little fool? Could he have actually found his own nemesis?

This thought made He Angxiao feel both absurd and flustered. He abruptly stood up, not caring about his image, grabbed his coat, and hurriedly said to Chi Luoxi, "I have something to take care of," before leaving without a backward glance, almost fleeing.

Leaving Chi Luoxi standing alone in the private room, blinking at the door that had been slammed shut.

Why did Mr. He seem scared away?

But he soon brushed that doubt aside.

Chi Luoxi remembered something more important. He had accompanied Mr. He for a few hours. Even though no alcohol was ordered, there was still the room fee and the fruit platter fee, right? Could he get some commission?

He ran to the front desk and asked expectantly, "Sister, has Mr. He's room been settled? How much commission can I get?"

The front desk sister was checking the bills. She looked up at him, pointed at the computer screen, and said, "Little Chi, you weren't logged in.

Manager Yang didn't put you on the record. Mr. He only paid the minimum room charge and the fruit platter; no drinks were ordered. You have no sales, so no commission."

So Chi Luoxi had worked for hours, the room cost money, the fruit cost money, but he was the most dispensable, practically free.

Author's Note:

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That bad Peacock He, such terrible behavior.

Little Radish is such a good guy.

In the next chapter, our Little Radish will ask He Angxiao for money.

Little Radish: Damn it, I spent my time too.