“Lemon liqueur?”
Could Chu Xingxiao really be that person?
No—highly unlikely. Their voices were completely different.
But then, had that person somehow come to the company? The thought suddenly crossed Chi Zhan’s mind. The lead he’d been chasing had gone cold halfway through, and to this day, he still hadn’t figured out who made that mysterious phone call.
“Mhm. It’s sweet and tangy, really good,” Chu Xingxiao said. “I usually drink a little when I’m composing to find inspiration.”
“A little boozehound, huh.” Chi Zhan chuckled, then asked casually, “Did you buy it yourself, or… someone else?”
“My manager got it for me,” Chu Xingxiao replied, pausing before asking, “Is there something wrong with that?”
Chi Zhan made a mental note to dig deeper along the manager lead. As he mulled over the possibility, Chu Xingxiao had already opened the takeout rice noodles, unwrapped the chopsticks, and handed them to Chi Zhan.
The rice noodles from downstairs were incredibly popular—flavorful, generously portioned, with a pinch of crunchy peanuts, finely chopped scallions, and a house-made secret sauce. It was a time-honored shop, too. The minced meat was plentiful, and a sprinkling of sesame and chili oil brought everything together. Just one look was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.
“Gege, you eat first. I’m gonna go change real quick.”
Snowflakes had melted the moment he’d stepped inside. His denim jacket was damp, and the hem was nearly soaked through. Under the semi-transparent fabric, the contours of his muscles were faintly visible.
As Chi Zhan held the chopsticks and looked him over, an unbidden thought floated into his mind:
Great body, too.
Another box checked.
The scent of cologne, a fit physique, a bite mark on the wrist…
Chi Zhan was midway through eating when his movements gradually slowed to a halt.
He found it strange. The two people should be entirely unrelated, and none of the clues matched up. So why did his thoughts keep drifting in that direction?
Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Chu Xingxiao peeled off his jacket and stepped into the shower, his motions betraying a restlessness he couldn’t quite suppress.
…Had he been found out?
He really shouldn’t have drunk that bottle today.
Frustrated, Chu Xingxiao raked a hand through his hair. A moment later, he turned the water hotter and tilted his head back. The scene from earlier replayed in his mind.
If he’d tilted his head just a little more—leaned back just a bit—he could’ve “accidentally” kissed Chi Zhan. But his hesitation had cost him the moment; it had slipped through his fingers in an instant.
He was kicking himself.
Especially after being teased about it.
That only made things worse. Chu Xingxiao had zero interest in playing the “shy little boy” card in front of Chi Zhan. The man already saw him as a younger brother. If this kept up, they really would end up with nothing but a brotherly bond.
Just a few days ago, he’d gotten his hands on some “learning material.” When Chi Zhan leaned in earlier and his lips nearly brushed his chin, Chu Xingxiao had instantly recalled all kinds of risqué tutorial clips. He’d nearly betrayed himself on the spot and had to scramble to cover it up.
One side of him—the cold, rational part—kept warning him to keep his distance from Chi Zhan for now, or risk exposure. The other side—the burning, reckless one—craved him. His cousin would be coming to A Province soon for a competition. What place would he have then?
He had no idea what kind of relationship Chi Zhan had with his cousin, but once the man arrived, any chance of getting closer would be slim to none.
No—he had to come up with something.
But what excuse could he use?
As steam fogged up the mirror and blurred his reflection, Chu Xingxiao stared at the plumbing in the bathroom. A moment later, a brilliant idea struck him.
Chu Xingxiao had bought two bowls of rice noodles—it looked like he was planning to eat with Chi Zhan. But Chi Zhan ate slowly, waiting and waiting. When he finally finished the noodles, Chu Xingxiao still hadn’t shown. Instead, a text message popped up.
Chu Xingxiao: Gege, I might not be able to come over for now. Something urgent came up. Don’t wait for me.
Chi Zhan: What happened?
It took a while for Chu Xingxiao to reply: …There’s a major leak at home. Really bad.
How bad? Chi Zhan decided to check it out for himself. Chu Xingxiao lived next door, after all—convenient.
When Chu Xingxiao opened the door, he was still wearing the same T-shirt as earlier, but now he was soaked from head to toe. The moment Chi Zhan stepped inside, his foot landed in a puddle. He froze—but things were even worse further in.
“Both the upstairs pipe and mine burst,” Chu Xingxiao said glumly. “Must be a plumbing issue. I just called the property office—they said someone would come handle it soon.”
The apartment looked like a miniature version of the Water Curtain Cave from Journey to the West. Water trickled steadily from the ceiling, soaking the furniture and electronics. The bedroom was a disaster zone—the bed was completely unusable—and the bathroom pipes were still spraying like fountains. It was a wreck.
Chi Zhan was speechless. Completely stunned.
This was serious. No one could possibly live here now.
He looked at the broken pipe but, having never unlocked the “Plumbing Repair” skill in his life, there wasn’t much he could do. Chu Xingxiao was no better. The two of them just stood there, staring at the devastation in silence.
The property staff arrived quickly and began coordinating with the upstairs neighbor. After a long discussion, the verdict was clear: Chu Xingxiao’s place would need a full renovation. He wouldn’t be able to stay there for the time being.
“Looks like I’ll have to stay in a hotel,” Chu Xingxiao said with a pitiful expression.
He seemed genuinely rattled by the sudden turn of events—completely deflated, lacking his usual energy. If he had ears and a tail, they’d be drooping right now.
“Don’t be so down…” Chi Zhan couldn’t bear to see him like that. An idea popped into his head. “Why don’t you stay at my place for now?”
Chu Xingxiao’s head shot up, eyes brightening—only to dim again a moment later.
“Wouldn’t that be a huge bother for you, gege?”
Chi Zhan thought for a moment.
“It’s just temporary. Besides, with the renovations going on, you’ll need to keep an eye on things. Running back and forth would be a waste of time.”
More importantly, due to both geography and residential policy, there weren’t any hotels nearby. The closest ones were quite a ways off.
And besides…
Chu Xingxiao had been really good to him.
It was just a few days—shouldn’t be a problem.
“But just so you know. I don’t have a guest room. Are you okay with crashing on the couch?”
He glanced over at Chu Xingxiao, mentally gauging whether his sofa could fit him.
