“I’m just worried he won’t dare to show up.”
“I’m just worried he won’t dare to show up.”
“I’m just worried he won’t dare to show up.”
“…”
This single sentence looped endlessly—in Yu Xi’s ears as he frantically lifted weights.
Yu Xi did not particularly like weight training, mainly because he hated the sticky feeling of sweat all over his body. He rarely stepped into the gym voluntarily. Every week, it took Guan Zifan urging him relentlessly before he grudgingly went in, with Guan Zifan watching to ensure he maintained a physique that looked slim in clothes but muscular when bare—perfect for the camera.
But in the past few days, Yu Xi had changed completely. He took the initiative with fitness, staying disciplined and practically living in the gym. During breaks, he picked outfits with Xiao Chen, and even skincare and expression management made his daily routine. He was impeccably polished every day.
When Guan Zifan finished his company work and came to find Yu Xi, he saw exactly this image of intense dedication to exercise.
“What’s gotten into you lately?” Guan Zifan set down his briefcase, grabbed a drink from the fridge, twisted off the cap, and took a big gulp before asking Yu Xi, who was doing cardio on the treadmill.
Yu Xi wore headphones and was lost in his workout, offering no response.
“Thinking of switching to a muscular hunk image?” Guan Zifan asked again.
Still no answer.
Clearly, Yu Xi’s headphones blocked out all external noise.
From what Guan Zifan knew of him, ordinary music could never captivate Yu Xi like this. Only when he encountered a style he truly loved would he crank the volume to max, immersing himself completely without any distractions.
Guan Zifan walked over to Yu Xi. “What are you listening to? You’re so engrossed?”
He removed one earbud and popped it into his own ear.
Then…
Guan Zifan: “…”
The earbud looped the same sentence infinitely.
“I’m just worried he won’t dare to show up.”
“I’m just worried he won’t dare to show up.”
“I’m just worried he won’t dare to show up.”
“I’m just…”
“…” Guan Zifan stared in disbelief. “No way, Yu Xi, are you sick or something?”
Yu Xi finally stopped the treadmill. After the cardio, steam rose from his body. He panted for a while before replying, “What’s the big deal? Yi Chen’s joining the show too. You think I’d let him outshine me on the live stream? No chance!”
Guan Zifan’s expression was a mix of exasperation. “…So these past few days, picking outfits, doing makeup trials, skincare, working out, practicing expressions—all just to not get outdone by Yi Chen?”
“What else?” Yu Xi replied matter-of-factly.
Guan Zifan: “Is it really necessary?”
Yu Xi: “Isn’t it?”
“Yu Xi, sometimes I really can’t follow your logic.” Guan Zifan couldn’t hold back. “You’re facing a rival, not meeting an ex-lover.”
Yu Xi: “…”
Guan Zifan: “You’re competitors pushing each other to improve, not lingering exes with unfinished feelings.”
Yu Xi: “……”
Guan Zifan: “You’re going on a variety show to work, not to see who lives better!”
Yu Xi: “…………”
“You don’t need to compete head-to-head with Yi Chen. Sure, rivals can drive progress in some areas, but obsessing too much offers no real gain for you. It messes with your mindset and isn’t good for your future…”
Yu Xi’s gaze began to wander.
Guan Zifan: “Are you even listening to me?”
Yu Xi silently put his earbuds back in, walked to a nearby exercise machine, and curtly ended the conversation with Guan Zifan.
Unmanageable.
Truly unmanageable.
“…” Guan Zifan let out a long sigh.
He knew Yu Xi really, really hated Yi Chen.
It wasn’t just because Yi Chen had parachuted into the industry and dominated the charts. Nor solely because they were both Alphas, repelling each other by nature.
Sometimes, hating someone didn’t need much reason.
—From the very first time they met Yi Chen, Yu Xi had acted strangely.
Guan Zifan couldn’t quite describe the feeling at the time. Yu Xi, mid-interaction with fans, suddenly froze like he’d been filled with lead. His expression control vanished, his face twisting unnaturally as if he wanted to flee, yet his eyes glued themselves to Yi Chen.
Thus, photos captured Yu Xi brushing past Yi Chen with a look of clear loathing.
The incident blew up back then, hitting hot searches multiple times with all sorts of rumors, but Yu Xi never responded directly. He just kept sniping at Yi Chen indirectly.
At first, Guan Zifan worried Yi Chen’s team might exploit it for hype. With their combined traffic, even casual mentions could stir massive waves of public opinion. But Yi Chen stayed silent, accepting all of Yu Xi’s jabs without retaliation.
What brought their mutual animosity into the open was a competitive performance show half a year ago.
In the finale, they were grouped together to perform a stage on a set theme.
During preparations, Yu Xi and Yi Chen erupted into fierce arguments, each sticking stubbornly to their views.
The finale was live-broadcast, capturing the entire spat. Even the director intervened to mediate for the show’s sake, but neither budged. Right up to the stage entrance, they were still arguing, with no unified opinion.
Everyone thought their performance was doomed, expecting a disaster. The director prepped emergency fixes, resigned to ending his variety directing career.
But on stage, without any rehearsal, they pulled it off perfectly, blending their ideas seamlessly.
Except Yu Xi kept a stony face throughout. Once offstage, he vanished, refusing to stay near Yi Chen or attend the wrap party where Yi Chen was present.
That’s how their “arch-enemies” reputation spread. No one dared put them on the same stage again.
Both were stubborn. No need to force it and ruin a perfectly good show.
For this variety show, perhaps the most troubled beyond Yu Xi was the director of Weekend Go Where.
With Lin Qiang arrested and out, he needed a replacement. Thinking Yi Chen surely wouldn’t agree since Yu Xi was already in, the director jokingly polled him on Weibo about filling the spot. To his shock, Yi Chen agreed without hesitation. Netizens screenshotted it instantly, announcing it worldwide and leaving no room for backtracking.
“Hope everything goes smoothly.” The day before the guests officially met, the director prayed inwardly.
“Hope everything goes smoothly.” Xiao Chen murmured while packing luggage.
Tomorrow was the live-streamed preview episode of Weekend Go Where. Guan Zifan had planned to go with them, but the night before, he got a last-minute business meeting invite requiring travel. He handed the task to Xiao Chen, repeatedly instructing: “Watch Yu Xi for me. Don’t let him say anything crazy on the show.”
“Don’t let him share the frame with Yi Chen. Pull him away at the first sign of freakout.”
“I’m not around these days, so no scandals, got it?”
Xiao Chen said “Got it” verbally, but inwardly, he felt empty.
Could he really control Yu Xi’s mouth?
The next day, Xiao Chen and Yu Xi rose early and drove to the designated location.
At the venue entrance, fans from various groups were already camped out. Yu Xi stepped out calmly, waving to them.
[Holy crap!]
[Yu Xi looks so different today!]
[Fully decked out, our fish is so handsome!!!]
[Our fish really takes this show seriously!]
Today’s outfit was the one Yu Xi had painstakingly selected from dozens of options.
Custom-tailored coat, slim-fit pants, even accessories chosen with precision for perfect accents.
Xiao Chen eyed the 38-degree outdoor heat, sweating profusely. He handed Yu Xi water and whispered, “Bro, long sleeves in this weather—aren’t you hot?”
Yu Xi didn’t answer. Expression unchanged, he smiled warmly, full of energy as he greeted fans, interacted, signed autographs, took photos. Only when the crowd thinned did he chug several gulps of ice water. “Damn, it’s so hot!!!”
“…” Xiao Chen asked, “Want to change?”
For the preview live stream, to not lose to Yi Chen, Yu Xi had prepped five or six outfits in the car. It hadn’t started yet; they could still fetch one.
“No.” Yu Xi refused firmly. “Today, I must outshine Yi Chen.”
Xiao Chen didn’t respond right away. His gaze suddenly locked onto something, staring intently in one direction.
“What’s up?” Yu Xi followed his line of sight.
Yu Xi: “…”
Though the pre-meet live stream hadn’t started, for editing footage later, the production arranged separate entrances for guests. They only converged at a small plaza before the main hall.
Peering through the crowd, Yu Xi spotted Yi Chen.
Same coat, same pants, even similar accessory styles.
Yi Chen clearly saw Yu Xi in the distance too. His steps and movements paused noticeably.
Yu Xi: “…”
Yi Chen: “…”
Fans on both sides: “…”
Frontline fans glanced at their own support signs, then the rivals’, then back to Yu Xi and Yi Chen in nearly identical outfits, deep in thought.
First, rule out the stylists moonlighting for double pay.
Yu Xi styled himself for shows; fans often saw his casual, quirky mixes. Yi Chen did too, favoring his own taste outside formal events.
Second, rule out any reconciliation between Yu Xi and Yi Chen.
Impossible. Absolutely impossible. How could they make up?!
They were set to feud for life!!!
With wrong answers eliminated, only one truth remained.
So, only one possibility.
It must be a directive from their agencies!
Weekend Go Where was live variety, and this was the preview—setting the tone. No matter their private beef, they needed surface harmony on air.
For work’s sake.
Matching outfits maximized the “bromance” vibe.
Got it.
The companies meant well; fans wouldn’t undermine it. Save the fights for after the show!
Thus, the fans, seconds ago in tense standoffs, instantly warmed up.
“Hey, sisters, you all look gorgeous today!”
“You too! Come on, spots here—squeeze in! We’re all family!”
“Fate brings us together. Our fish needs your family’s care these days.”
“Got it, mutual support all around.”
In this friendly, harmonious fan vibe, Yi Chen and Yu Xi finally reacted.
Yi Chen approached Yu Xi first, straightening his collar and reattaching a crooked accessory.
“Meet again.” Yi Chen lightly pinched the lapel, voice soft and low.
As he went to pull away, Yu Xi suddenly grabbed Yi Chen’s wrist.
“Hey.” Yu Xi eyed Yi Chen’s slightly trembling fingertips and chuckled lightly. “What are you pretending to be?”
He knew Yi Chen too well. No matter how calm his face, physiological reactions betrayed him. When tense, Yi Chen’s fingers always quivered faintly.
So?
Why was Yi Chen nervous?
Yu Xi gave a gentle squeeze, shoving Yi Chen’s fingertips right in his face, ruthlessly exposing his emotions.
Yi Chen’s expression barely shifted. Instead, he used Yu Xi’s grip to clasp his wrist in return, effortlessly pulling him close to whisper in his ear.
“And you?”
This close, Yi Chen naturally felt Yu Xi’s shaky breath and erratic heartbeat.
He released his hand. “What are you nervous about?”
Yu Xi sneered, his gaze slicing like knives over Yi Chen before he turned and walked off.
Only when the crowd thinned did Yu Xi slow his pace.
His palm burned hot, the skin-on-skin contact not fully faded.
He and Yi Chen.
They had broken up long ago.
After Yi Chen returned to the country, work had brought them face-to-face a few times, more or less.
But damn it, freaking hell—
Why did seeing an ex still make him nervous?!
