Chapter 15: Help Me

Hearing his own name, Ji Zhi instinctively turned his head and looked in the direction the voice had come from.

Only then did he notice a young man sitting in the store, staring at him in astonishment.

After a brief moment of eye contact, Ji Zhi quickly sensed that something was off.

He had assumed it was an acquaintance or classmate calling his name, but upon looking over, he realized the voice belonged to a complete stranger.

Ji Zhi was certain this man wasn’t from any of his major classes.

As for the large general lectures, there were so many people—how could this guy even remember his name?

Could it be that the man wasn’t calling “Zhi Zhi” for him, but for that cross-dressing live stream account of his?!

Realizing this, Ji Zhi’s heart jolted in alarm. He didn’t even have time to explain to the sales assistant before turning on his heel and bolting.

Ji Zhi guessed the young man must have watched his streams or was a fan, but right now, he had no time for chit-chat.

For one thing, he didn’t want to get involved with fans in real life. For another, Duan Zhao could show up to find him at any moment.

What if the young man said a few more words and accidentally spilled something about Zhi Zhi to Duan Zhao?

Duan Zhao was already hyper-focused on whether Ji Zhi’s streams had any other Top Fans. If he learned about Zhi Zhi, he’d surely follow that trail, digging into the other accounts and their top spenders…

Sure enough, Ji Zhi hadn’t run far before he collided with Duan Zhao, who had come chasing after him.

Duan Zhao eyed the fleeing Ji Zhi with puzzled brows. “Don’t run.”

“What’s wrong?”

He had just shaken off that middle-aged man in a hurry to find Ji Zhi, only to have Ji Zhi come running out at the exact same moment.

Duan Zhao felt a twinge of confusion.

Had the sales assistant in the store wronged him somehow?

Ji Zhi stammered, “I accidentally wandered into the women’s clothing store earlier. It felt a bit awkward, so I don’t want to go back.”

“Let’s check out some other places. We’ve been looking at stuff for me for so long—I want to help you pick something out too…”

Seeing that Duan Zhao was heading straight toward the women’s store, Ji Zhi felt his guilt reach an all-time high.

He was terrified of Duan Zhao running into that stranger, so he wanted to lead Duan Zhao away from this powder keg.

Duan Zhao saw no trace of grievance in Ji Zhi’s expression, so he didn’t press the issue. Instead, he led Ji Zhi off to browse elsewhere.

The sales assistant and the young man were left stunned as they watched Ji Zhi suddenly dash away.

The young man started to give chase, but his girlfriend had just emerged from the fitting room with another sales assistant. She pouted and clung to his arm like a spoiled child. “Qingyang, I’ve picked out my clothes. Next, I want to go to that restaurant…”

“Wait!” The young man shook off her grip in a fluster and hurried out after Ji Zhi.

But by the time he stepped outside, there was no sign of Ji Zhi anywhere.

His girlfriend’s face soured as she saw the young man return with a look of regret. She asked tensely, “What’s with that expression? Did you see someone?”

Her anxiety was well-founded.

The young man in front of her was Fu Qingyang, a scion of a wealthy family. He was handsome and generous with his spending, but his flaw was his wandering eye—he changed girlfriends every two or three months. She had only recently snagged the position, dragging him along for this shopping trip.

While she had been in the fitting room changing, she came out to find Fu Qingyang no longer waiting in his original spot. Instead, he had moved to the sofa near the store entrance.

This being a women’s clothing store, she was deathly afraid he had spotted some other girl and was already plotting to replace her.

“No, I think I just saw the girl from my cousin’s phone wallpaper. I wanted to say hi, but she bolted.” Fu Qingyang still looked puzzled as he recalled the scene. “Am I that scary?”

“Why do you remember your cousin’s wallpaper girl so clearly?” His girlfriend pressed, still simmering with jealousy.

Fu Qingyang absently touched his face. The reason he remembered her so vividly was, of course, his cousin.

Fu Qingyang’s cousin was Fu Huixu. Unlike the idle Fu Qingyang, Fu Huixu was the designated heir to the Fu family, highly regarded and thrust into company training right after coming of age.

Being two years older and having grown up together, Fu Qingyang was the only one among countless cousins who could get close to Fu Huixu.

While Fu Qingyang had started dating in middle school, he’d never seen Fu Huixu with anyone romantically. He had figured the guy would just wait for an arranged marriage. But to his shock, at a recent family banquet, he had overheard Fu Huixu sending a voice message to someone, calling them “Baby,” and the phone wallpaper showed a girl’s photo.

Fu Qingyang had pinched himself several times to confirm he wasn’t dreaming.

The girl on the wallpaper was indeed stunning, but Fu Qingyang had barely glanced at her twice before Fu Huixu noticed and pocketed his phone, clearly not wanting him to look further.

Fu Qingyang’s curiosity was piqued for once. After some prying, he had only managed to sneak a peek at her name—it seemed to be Zhi Zhi.

Fu Qingyang trailed off into silence.

So her name wasn’t Baby after all, yet Fu Huixu called her that. There was definitely something going on!

Were they already dating?

Was Zhi Zhi his future cousin-in-law?

He remembered Fu Huixu’s reaction to his questions: a shift from his usual aloofness to extreme wariness. “You like her too?”

Fu Qingyang blinked.

He did like Zhi Zhi’s looks, but how had Fu Huixu picked up on it so sharply this time?

“Too”?

So Fu Huixu really did like her as well.

Seeing Fu Huixu’s guarded expression, Fu Qingyang dropped the subject. After all, with Fu Huixu defending him like a hawk, there was no useful info to be had.

Still, the itch was unbearable. He desperately wanted to look into this Zhi Zhi. But knowing Fu Huixu’s temper, if he found out Fu Qingyang was snooping on his little girlfriend behind his back, Fu Qingyang would probably end up in the hospital for a while.

Not to mention, Fu Huixu was the next family head. Fu Qingyang had no desire to anger him—in fact, he wanted to stay on good terms.

Fu Qingyang had assumed the next time he’d see Zhi Zhi would be when Fu Huixu brought him home, giving him a chance to casually ask how they got together. He hadn’t expected the opportunity to arrive so soon.

Having been seated on the sofa near the entrance the whole time, Fu Qingyang had spotted the newcomer the moment he entered.

The more he looked, the more familiar the guy seemed.

If only the hair were a bit longer, and he was wearing a skirt…

He looked just like Zhi Zhi.

But the person in front of him was clearly a guy!

Fu Qingyang’s doubts flipped again when he heard the sales assistant call the newcomer “miss.” He couldn’t help but think it really was a girl.

He decided to test the waters by calling out.

To his surprise, the reaction was explosive—the guy glanced at him and immediately turned tail and ran.

That convinced Fu Qingyang it had to be Zhi Zhi himself. Why else react so strongly to the name and bolt?

Zhi Zhi’s looks matched the photo pretty closely too—not catfishing at all.

As for the short hair, Fu Qingyang recalled dating a tomboyish girl back in middle school. Maybe Zhi Zhi had switched up his style recently?

The height was a bit taller than expected, though…

Fu Qingyang spiraled into self-doubt and suspicion about Zhi Zhi.

Was he really that terrifying? Or was Zhi Zhi some fugitive on the run, hence the overreaction to his name?

If it was the latter, Fu Huixu probably didn’t know—otherwise, why set a fugitive as his wallpaper, hoping to catch Zhi Zhi for a reward?

Fu Qingyang had dated plenty of girls, but someone as peculiar as Zhi Zhi was a first. His mind raced with wild guesses.

The more he thought, the stranger it got. He hurriedly pulled out his phone to message Fu Huixu.

【Fu Qingyang: Huixu, I saw Zhi Zhi】

But after sending, Fu Qingyang spotted a glaring red exclamation mark.

Fu Qingyang fell silent.

Right—he’d forgotten. Fu Huixu had blocked him ages ago for constantly prying about Zhi Zhi!

Whatever. Grandpa’s birthday banquet was in a few days, and Fu Huixu was sure to attend. He could tell him then.

In the time that followed, Ji Zhi stayed on high alert, glancing around cautiously. Fortunately, he didn’t run into the young man again.

Duan Zhao’s voice sounded in his ear. “What do you want to help me pick out?”

Ji Zhi had nearly forgotten about it—after all, he’d only brought it up as an excuse at first.

But since Duan Zhao had asked, Ji Zhi racked his brain and ventured carefully, “…Eyeglass frames?”

Duan Zhao raised a brow. “Sure.”

The two soon arrived at a counter selling eyeglass frames.

The crystal chandelier’s glow refracted off the mirrored display cases, casting countless fine golden threads that danced along their outlines.

The sales assistant waxed poetic about the options, but to play it safe, Ji Zhi selected a pair similar to the ones Duan Zhao was already wearing.

Ji Zhi had intended to hand the glasses to Duan Zhao, but unexpectedly, Duan Zhao didn’t reach for them. Instead, he said, “Put them on for me.”

Helping him try on glasses wasn’t a big deal, so Ji Zhi agreed without hesitation.

Accommodating Ji Zhi’s height, Duan Zhao sat in the black velvet fitting chair, allowing Ji Zhi to carefully remove his current frames.

Duan Zhao could feel Ji Zhi’s warm breath brushing past his ear. The loose T-shirt Ji Zhi wore gaped open as he bent down, revealing his collarbone gleaming like cold glaze under the store lights. A small hollow pooled with shadow there, rising and falling with each breath.

Further down…

He glanced sidelong at their surroundings. The sales assistant had been sent away, so no one else was around to see.

Ji Zhi clearly hadn’t noticed, oblivious to how close they were—their breaths mingling in the air.

A single tug on Ji Zhi’s wrist, and he’d tumble right into his arms…

Duan Zhao’s lips curved in a faint smile. “Next time, before we kiss, you’ll have to take off my glasses for me too.”

Ji Zhi froze.

How did Duan Zhao even think of that?

Thank goodness no one else heard.

Without the glasses to shield his eyes, Duan Zhao’s gaze sharpened, intense and piercing. Yet as he spoke those words, his eyes crinkled with amusement, fixed intently on Ji Zhi.

Ji Zhi hurriedly fitted the new frames onto him, then gestured for Duan Zhao to check the mirror.

The pair he’d chosen was unremarkable—modeled after Duan Zhao’s current ones—so they looked much the same as before.

Duan Zhao seemed to really like it and bought it right away.

Finally, dinner time rolled around, and Duan Zhao led Ji Zhi out of the mall.

Their purchases had already been loaded into the car ahead of time, so Duan Zhao took Ji Zhi to another restaurant that matched his tastes.

After dinner, Duan Zhao dropped Ji Zhi back at school.

Seeing that they were truly on the road back to campus, Ji Zhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Duan Zhao spoke up suddenly. “The time was still too short.”

“Have you ever thought about moving out? I own a place nearby, and I could have a driver take you to and from school.”

Ji Zhi refused. “No need. That would be too much…”

Between sending away Ji Zhi and sending away Fu Huixu, he chose the latter.

He could afford to wait.

Fu Huixu would be moving out soon anyway.

Duan Zhao smiled. “Fair enough. At your age, you should enjoy more of campus life.”

“But if you make new friends, let me vet them for you. Not everyone who approaches you has good intentions, after all. I can help you figure that out.”

His tone was light and casual, masking the regret beneath it.

Ji Zhi said nothing.

If Duan Zhao hadn’t tried to check his WeChat earlier, he might have almost believed it.

Duan Zhao had bought so many things for Ji Zhi that he couldn’t carry them all.

Duan Zhao wanted to have the driver deliver them straight to Ji Zhi’s dorm, but Ji Zhi wasn’t sure if Fu Huixu was already back there.

He wasn’t wearing his black-rimmed glasses right now and worried about being recognized, so he refused in a hurry.

In the end, Ji Zhi only took half the clothes and a food box.

Duan Zhao eyed the remaining items and said considerately, “I’ll bring these next time.”

Ji Zhi quickly said goodbye and left.

Ji Zhi hurried off, and Duan Zhao watched his figure vanish from sight before finally turning away.

To avoid drawing too much attention, Ji Zhi had Duan Zhao park at the school’s south gate. It was a longer walk to the dorms, but fewer people came through there—especially at night.

Once inside through the south gate, Ji Zhi found a quiet spot to slip on his glasses.

With the frames hiding his face, he no longer had to sneak furtively across campus, glancing over his shoulder in fear of recognition.

Before heading to the dorm, Ji Zhi detoured to the cafeteria to meet Chen Xingwen.

On the drive back, he’d already texted Chen Xingwen ahead of time to wait for him at the third cafeteria. They usually talked in Ji Zhi’s dorm, but with Fu Huixu there now, they’d switched spots.

Fortunately, the cafeteria was sparsely populated at this hour—a perfect place to chat.

There, Ji Zhi found Chen Xingwen waiting hungrily.

Thanks to Ji Zhi’s heads-up, Chen Xingwen had skipped dinner, holding out for the food Ji Zhi promised to bring.

Seeing Ji Zhi approach without a scratch on him, Chen Xingwen’s heart eased a little.

He still felt a chill remembering that midday phone call. His mind had blanked out completely under the barrage of questions. Even after hanging up, it took him ages to snap out of it—until his dormmates dragged him into a game.

The thought that Ji Zhi had faced the guy head-on made Chen Xingwen worry all over again.

He wanted to grill Ji Zhi on what had happened that day, but Ji Zhi thoughtfully cut him off: eat first.

After all, if Chen Xingwen learned who the top two on that list were, he might lose his appetite entirely.

Chen Xingwen eyed him skeptically. “No way…”

He’d already come to terms with number one being Fu Huixu. What could be more earth-shattering than that?

But the tantalizing aroma wafting from the takeout boxes won out. Chen Xingwen was starving anyway, so he dug in.

The smell alone was irresistible, and after the first bite, his eyes nearly welled up. “How can food taste like this? Where’d you eat—heaven?”

Ji Zhi replied, “A City, just below heaven. But it’s a members-only private restaurant. We couldn’t get in anyway, and everything’s ridiculously expensive.”

Chen Xingwen deflated a bit, then caught on. “That guy took you?”

“He’s…”

Ji Zhi glanced around. No one was nearby, but he lowered his voice anyway. “Duan Zhao.”

Chen Xingwen paused. “……That name rings a bell. Never figured he’d share it with someone we both know.”