He set himself up—and had to find his own way down.
Chi Zhan was just about to speak when Qi Song interjected coolly, “He doesn’t have a place to stay. I’ll take care of it—no need to trouble him.”
Chu Xingxiao completely ignored Qi Song’s words, his eyes still fixed on Chi Zhan with an expectant look.
“Gege, am I being a bother to you?”
Qi Song also looked at Chi Zhan.
Now the ball was in Chi Zhan’s court.
“……”
What the hell is this, a cat-versus-dog showdown?
***
These two had always gotten along decently—he had no idea why things were suddenly so tense tonight, like one of them had stolen the other’s wife. Chi Zhan felt a headache coming on. He couldn’t afford to favor either side.
Just then, Qi Song’s phone buzzed again. He glanced at the screen—it looked like something urgent.
“Go take care of it. I’ll handle things here.”
Qi Song hesitated for a moment, his eyes sending a warning to Chu Xingxiao not to try anything. Then he turned to Chi Zhan.
“I’ll be tied up for the next few days. Won’t be checking messages.”
“Got it. I won’t bother you.”
“Even if I won’t be checking texts…” Qi Song’s gaze softened, voice dropping so only the two of them could hear, “I can still take calls.”
Then he left.
Chu Xingxiao was clearly annoyed that Qi Song had just openly flirted with Chi Zhan right in front of him, but he kept his expression in check. When he saw Chi Zhan about to close the door, he quickly clung to him like glue.
“Get in already,” Chi Zhan said, clearly exasperated. He couldn’t stay mad at Chu Xingxiao even if he wanted to. He was about to ask why the guy hadn’t called or knocked, but then remembered—his phone had been left at home. “And where’s your manager in all this?”
Chu Xingxiao replied innocently, “It’s my day off. I’m not answering anyone’s calls.”
“……”
“You’ve got work tomorrow, don’t you?” Chi Zhan tested the waters. “Shouldn’t you be getting some rest?”
“I’m going to the office with you tomorrow. No other plans.”
Great—his test just got turned right back on him.
As they spoke, Chi Zhan suddenly caught a whiff of something delicious and remembered with a jolt—
Crap, he’d left the soup on the stove. Had it boiled dry?
“It’s fine,” Chu Xingxiao reassured him. “It needs a long simmer to bring out the flavor.” He checked the time, turned off the stove, and ladled out a bowl of golden, steaming broth. “Here, try my cooking.”
Chi Zhan had never seen a soup like this before. Curious, he asked, “What is this?” and took a small sip.
The taste hit him like a revelation.
It was divine. Absolutely divine.
Chu Xingxiao, however, remained mysteriously tight-lipped, not revealing the name. He just watched him drink with a smile.
“Is it good?”
Chi Zhan’s empty bowl said it all.
Chu Xingxiao had a small bowl himself, then stopped, handing Chi Zhan a second serving. Just then, Tao Ran messaged with a tempting photo of grilled meat. Chi Zhan fired back with a picture of the soup.
Tao Ran replied with three exclamation points: Wow! Is that Buddha Jumps Over the Wall?! I wanna try it too!
Chi Zhan was stunned.
Tao Ran: But you should probably go easy. A friend of mine had some once and got nosebleeds for three days—it’s way too nourishing.
“……”
He cast a sidelong glance at Chu Xingxiao—who was still putting on his innocent puppy act, completely unaware that his wolf tail was practically hanging out.
“You’re sleeping on the couch tonight. No negotiation.”
“……”
His plan foiled, Chu Xingxiao looked at Chi Zhan with visible grievance. But Chi Zhan remained unmoved. One case of letting the wolf into the house was already one too many.
With ruthless decisiveness, Chi Zhan tossed him a quilt. Chu Xingxiao wilted on the spot but didn’t protest. It was late, and he obediently curled up with his blanket to sleep.
But in bed, Chi Zhan found himself wide awake, tossing and turning with a strange restlessness.
…Maybe it was psychological.
He drank some water and felt a little better, but still couldn’t sleep. Bored, he picked up his phone and started scrolling aimlessly. Eventually, he left a five-star review for the virtual boyfriend service he’d used before.
Not long after, the customer service responded.
Customer Service: Dearie~ Looks like you were very satisfied with X! Here’s a short feedback survey—complete it and receive a small surprise gift~
Chi Zhan opened it. The questionnaire asked for thoughts on X’s performance and any suggestions for improvement.
What’s there to comment on?
Customer Service: This helps us serve you even better in the future! The industry’s so competitive now—everyone’s working hard to excel~ If you think X could improve in any area, don’t hold back! We’ll strive for perfection next time!
Even virtual boyfriends were this cutthroat now?
Customer Service: Got your survey, dearie~ Here’s your gift: a free Sleep Companion voucher. Check your messages~
Chi Zhan opened the link—it was for a complimentary sleep-assistance session.
Customer Service: We guarantee results—place an order, and we won’t stop until you’re asleep~
…Why did that sound so questionable?
He clicked into it. The voucher assigned a random attendant. “Can I choose?”
Customer Service: Dearie, all our other attendants are off duty, but I’ve checked with X—he’s willing to take this one for you~
“……”
They were literally separated by a single wall. Did they really need to make this so formal?
The next second, X sent him a message: Hello, requesting sleep-assistance service?
A voice call request popped up on his screen.
Chi Zhan had no idea what game Chu Xingxiao was playing, but he answered. The voice on the other end was surprisingly professional.
“Good evening. Is this 54349? I’m your sleep attendant for the night—X. I’ll be accompanying you until you fall asleep.”
…54349?
Chu Xingxiao could really sell the act when he wanted to. Hearing that familiar voice, Chi Zhan actually started to feel sleepy.
“Why aren’t you asleep yet?”
There was a soft rustling sound—pages turning.
Chu Xingxiao’s tone was serious.
“This is my job. Until you fall asleep, I won’t rest.”
And he sounded…legit.
