After exchanging farewells with everyone from Panda Live, the next time they’d meet would be in Province A.
Everyone replied to the messages—except for Seven. But just as Chi Zhan was settling into the car, his phone buzzed.
It was a message from Seven: a link prompting him to enter an address.
Chi Zhan sent back a question mark.
WT-Seven: I have a gift I want to send you.
Chi Zhan quickly replied, saying it was far too generous and really unnecessary. But Seven merely sent back a smiling emoji.
WT-Seven: I’ll be troubling you again in the future.
Though Seven’s tone was calm as ever, he somehow had a way of making it impossible for Chi Zhan to refuse. In the end, he filled in the form.
Secretary Chi: That’s my home address.
WT-Seven: Patting the kitty’s head.jpg
Chi Zhan’s eyes lit up as if he’d discovered a new continent. Seven used this meme set too?
WT-Seven: Kitties are both adorable… and annoying, aren’t they?
Chi Zhan: …Why do I get the feeling there’s a hidden meaning in what you just said?
Still, a Seven who used cat-head memes… was unexpectedly cute.
Adorable!
When Chi Zhan finally returned home, exhaustion washed over him. All he wanted was to sprawl out on the couch and never move again. The roses that had once stood vibrant in their vase were now wilted. Tomorrow, he’d have to dust, clean, water the plants—
Wait a second.
Why was the place so clean? It looked like someone had been tidying up daily.
Chi Zhan was puzzled for a moment, then quickly understood.
The robot vacuum had launched itself right on schedule, circling the living room in a meticulous cleaning routine. Clearly, the cleaning program Zhou Yanxing had set that morning was doing its job.
“System?” Chi Zhan called out a few times, but got no response. Relieved, he let it go.
He turned on the TV. An entertainment show was airing—a singing and dancing performance. Onstage, a young man in a blazing red jacket looked like a streak of lightning across the night sky: cool, sharp-eyed, clutching an electric guitar as he rapped a song Chi Zhan couldn’t quite follow. Still, it was unexpectedly catchy.
The fans below were screaming their lungs out. Chu Xingxiao’s high notes carried powerful breath control, his voice so resonant it seemed to shake the screen. The energy he exuded was nothing short of contagious, and in that moment, Chi Zhan finally understood why he was so popular.
What stood out the most was the beauty mark beneath his left eye—a single mole that looked like a teardrop. Chi Zhan couldn’t tell if it was makeup or real. Originally, Chu Xingxiao gave off that typical rebellious, bad-boy vibe. But with that single beauty mark, everything changed.
Every blink felt like he was sending electric jolts your way.
Captivating.
It made Chi Zhan think of Seven.
Their beauty marks—one on the left, one on the right.
But their temperaments couldn’t be more different.
Just as he was watching intently, his phone rang.
“Chi-Chi, are you home?” Tao Ran’s voice came through. “I wanted to get together sometime, but things have been crazy lately. How about next weekend? I’ll come to Province A and we’ll hang out properly.”
Chi Zhan agreed readily and asked if something had come up.
“That old place of mine—I’ve already arranged for someone else to move in. But he doesn’t have the key…”
Chi Zhan offered, “Just give me his contact info. I’ll reach out.”
He dialed the number. After three rings, the call connected.
“Hi, I’m your neighbor. Your previous landlord, Tao Ran, left the key with me. If you need it, you can come by tonight.”
“What a coincidence, I’m actually right at the door.”
The voice on the other end was that of a young man—pleasant and smooth.
“Could you open it for me?”
As soon as he finished speaking, there came a knock at the door.
Chi Zhan paused, then stood to open it.
Leaning casually against the wall, the boy was still on the phone. He hadn’t hung up yet.
When he saw Chi Zhan, his eyes curved into a grin. “Hello, gege. I’m your new neighbor—Chu Xingxiao.”
***
He looked nothing like the flamboyant, untamed heartthrob from the television performance. No eye-catching red jacket, just a plain white hoodie—one that even had a cartoon graphic of a dog sticking its tongue out. His hair was messy and soft, with a little tuft stubbornly sticking up at the crown. He looked every bit the average college kid.
Completely unthreatening.
Chi Zhan nodded. “I’m Chi Zhan. Come on in.”
Despite the sudden encounter with a trending idol, Chi Zhan wasn’t a fanboy and didn’t get overly excited. Besides, the guy was technically a colleague—they both worked for the same company. There was no need for theatrics.
Chu Xingxiao responded cheerfully. Chi Zhan asked about his preferences, then went to the kitchen and poured him a glass of juice.
“Your last landlord is a friend of mine. He got assigned to a project out of town, so he left the key with me. I assume you’re aware?”
Chu Xingxiao nodded.
Chi Zhan stepped into the bedroom to retrieve the key.
All the apartments here were under Zhou Rui Group and located close to company HQ. With tight security and high privacy, most employees preferred living here.
Chu Xingxiao glanced around. The place felt warm and lived-in—clearly, the occupant was clean, tidy, and very organized.
Chi Zhan returned and handed over the key.
Chu Xingxiao accepted it with a polite, “Thank you.”
Most people naturally form a good impression of someone who’s genuinely courteous. At the very least, it left a favorable first impression.
“Gege, do you work at Zhou Rui?” Chu Xingxiao pointed at the work badge on the desk. “I happened to see it. I’m actually an artist with Zhou Rui too. I used to be based in Province B, but the company’s launching a new variety show, so they called me back to HQ for performance training.”
Chi Zhan gave a neutral “Mm,” sitting at the far end of the couch, keeping a sizable distance between them.
He wasn’t surprised that Chu Xingxiao had moved in next door. Just a while back, he’d heard about fans stalking him. If they tracked down his residence, things could get messy fast. Living close to the company was definitely safer.
Chu Xingxiao took a sip of the juice and his eyes lit up.
“Hey, what brand is this? It’s really good.”
“…Just some generic supermarket juice. Ten yuan a jug.”
“Oh.” The popular idol blinked, looking a bit sheepish as he scratched his head. “My manager usually doesn’t let me drink this kind of stuff—says it’ll make me gain weight.”
Chi Zhan finally took a good look at him.
Most people looked sloppy in hoodies, but not Chu Xingxiao. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and even in casual wear, his physique was impressive. It must’ve been hot, because he’d rolled his sleeves up to the elbows, revealing toned forearms. He sat with his legs stretched out on the couch, the lines of his legs long and sleek.
