Jiang Yaolin lowered his gaze to look at Ji Zhi, a plea shimmering in his eyes.
Now that they were alone together in this private space, Ji Zhi just wanted to wrap things up and leave as soon as possible. He nodded, taking the out Jiang Yaolin had offered. “I’ve been really busy these past couple of days. I’ll get back to you once things settle down.”
“That’s great.” Jiang Yaolin’s eyes curved into a smile, making his already striking features glow even brighter.
Even though Ji Zhi considered himself a straight guy through and through, he couldn’t help but pause for a moment. He suddenly understood why Jiang Yaolin’s radiant smiles occasionally trended on social media.
With Ji Zhi’s promise secured, the gloom that had clouded Jiang Yaolin’s face vanished completely. Still, remembering that their earlier conflict had stemmed from the game and his celebrity status, Jiang Yaolin decided not to bring it up again.
But then he recalled that male voice he’d overheard back then. He’d been frantic to ask about it at the time, but Ji Zhi hadn’t answered. Now, with the perfect opportunity, he spoke up. “Bro, whose voice was that with you earlier?”
“Don’t you live alone? Or are you staying in a dorm now? Was that your roommate?”
Having heard that Ji Zhi was an intern still in school, Jiang Yaolin leaned toward the latter possibility.
Ji Zhi had almost forgotten about it himself. Only now, with Jiang Yaolin bringing it up, did it come back to him. “Actually, I’ve been staying in the dorm lately. That was my roommate.”
He figured he’d use the dorm curfew as an excuse to slip away, so he admitted it outright.
Ji Zhi could feel Jiang Yaolin’s gaze lingering on him. He wasn’t sure if the other man was checking for lies, but after studying him for a moment, Jiang Yaolin let the topic drop.
Jiang Yaolin looked at Ji Zhi. “Bro, seeing you in real life feels like a dream.”
As if struck by a sudden idea, he pulled out his phone. “Oh, right, Bro—we could take a photo together, yeah?”
“I’ve only ever taken pics with your plush dolls and body pillows before…”
Being asked for a photo by a celebrity left Ji Zhi with mixed feelings.
He knew full well that if he didn’t agree, Jiang Yaolin would pout and wheedle until he gave in. So he quickly said, “Sure.”
“But don’t post it anywhere or share it online.”
Jiang Yaolin agreed instantly. “Of course!”
He didn’t want to show it off to anyone else anyway. Sure, he was dying to brag, but posting online risked deepfakes.
What if someone swapped his face in the photo with Ji Zhi for someone else’s?
He knew he’d do it himself if he saw a pic like that.
Jiang Yaolin had no intention of seeing anyone else standing beside Ji Zhi. He decided he’d just print a few copies—one for his bedside, one in the safe, and the digital version on his phone for constant access.
Ji Zhi had no idea what was going through Jiang Yaolin’s mind. He simply watched as Jiang Yaolin fiddled with the phone camera and started snapping photos of them.
Ji Zhi had no clue where Jiang Yaolin had come up with so many poses. There were intimate ones with their fingers laced together, and shy, hesitant ones where Jiang Yaolin leaned lightly on his shoulder.
After the couple shots, Jiang Yaolin took several solo photos of Ji Zhi too. The reason was straightforward.
“Bro, I haven’t seen you in this outfit before. I want to snap some to admire and maybe commission fanart from~”
It wasn’t until Ji Zhi seized the chance to mention that it was getting late and he needed to get back to school before curfew that Jiang Yaolin reluctantly put his phone away. “Bro, let me walk you out.”
Ji Zhi came up with an excuse. “No need. My boss is still waiting for me. We already arranged for her to drive me back.”
“It’s been planned since this morning. I can’t bail on her.”
Jiang Yaolin looked disappointed.
Even as he saw Ji Zhi off from the lounge, Jiang Yaolin watched his retreating figure with lingering reluctance.
If he hadn’t promised Ji Zhi to act like strangers outside—to avoid messing with his work—Jiang Yaolin would have followed right then.
By the time the manager returned to the lounge with the assistant, they found Jiang Yaolin brimming with energy.
The manager blinked. “…The custom merch came back that quick?”
“I saw Bro! He’s working here too!”
The manager’s eyes widened.
Having spent most of his time glued to Jiang Yaolin’s side, the manager had heard plenty about “Bro.” It had started with talk of the game character, but it had evolved into obsessing over the real person—and buying endless merch.
Even though the manager wasn’t a fan himself, he was intimately familiar with Ji Zhi’s face by now.
The guy did have a distinctive look. Still, the manager racked his brain and couldn’t recall seeing anyone matching that description around the base.
But hearing Jiang Yaolin’s words, the manager went on high alert. He immediately checked the lounge cabinets, already planning to inspect the trunk later for any hidden stowaways.
The manager had been a fan of Jiang Yaolin’s mother first. When he became her son’s manager, he’d been thrilled—serving the child of his idol seemed pretty great. Jiang Yaolin’s parents had stellar reputations in the industry. At first, the manager had been relieved that the kid seemed to take after them in personality. But soon enough, he’d realized Jiang Yaolin wasn’t quite as straightforward as he’d thought. Sometimes, the manager even found him downright unsettling.
Now, though, they were in it together—one’s success was the other’s, and so was their downfall. The manager often had to turn a blind eye.
He’d seen Jiang Yaolin’s fanatical obsession with Ji Zhi firsthand, so he figured anything was possible.
Jiang Yaolin didn’t notice the manager’s actions. He was still savoring his time with Ji Zhi. “He’s interning as a translator. If I pretend not to speak the language now, could I request Bro as my interpreter?”
The manager shook his head. “Interns can’t handle interpreter duties for the mentors. They use full-time pros.”
Jiang Yaolin deflated instantly. “…So there’s really no way for us to stick together all the time?”
Watching his reaction, the manager breathed a silent sigh of relief.
For one thing, Jiang Yaolin seemed back to his normal self. For another, he hadn’t done anything criminal like kidnapping—just pondering legitimate options.
Finally free from Jiang Yaolin’s lounge, Ji Zhi slipped his black-rimmed glasses back on and checked the time. More than three hours had passed.
Figuring Yao Shan was probably done backstage by now, he sent her a message to check.
With no reply from Yao Shan, Ji Zhi wasn’t worried. He found a spot to rest.
He’d been a little concerned earlier that someone might have glimpsed him without his glasses, but it seemed everyone’s attention had been fixed on those two arguing trainees. No one had noticed him. Ji Zhi let out a quiet breath of relief.
A little while later, Yao Shan replied.
They agreed to meet at the entrance to the filming base. Ji Zhi arrived first and soon spotted Yao Shan’s figure approaching.
Yao Shan looked apologetic. “Sorry, I was tied up helping the production team investigate the incident. I did notice you weren’t with me earlier, but I figured you were still somewhere in the base, and the director was pushing hard…”
The two trainees’ argument had escalated to blows, so of course the production team had to look into it. With an overseas trainee involved, Yao Shan had naturally pitched in.
She’d seen Ji Zhi vanish amid the chaos but assumed he’d gotten separated and was still around. So she’d gotten swept up in the director’s urgings and helped out.
That kept her busy for over three hours. Everyone stuck to their stories, and they’d nearly come to blows again, forcing the team to separate them into different rooms for the time being.
Ji Zhi understood completely. “No worries. How’d it turn out?”
At the mention of it, Yao Shan sighed. “Ugh, it’s complicated. Turns out the overseas trainee was the one playing the victim. He got hold of a staffer’s phone to frame the other guy. We’ve tracked down that staffer now.”
“Their rankings were close, so that’s why he resorted to that. He’s definitely off the show. Official announcement coming soon. But since their fight dragged in other trainees, those issues are under investigation too…”
Remembering how the overseas trainee had tried to pin it on her translation error, Yao Shan rubbed her temples.
Ji Zhi was stunned. He hadn’t expected the overseas trainee to be the real culprit.
Since Yao Shan had driven herself, she had Ji Zhi hop in and dropped him off at school.
In the car, Ji Zhi glanced at the message from Jiang Yaolin and sighed inwardly.
He’d hoped this chance would let him shake off Rank 1 and No. 3. Instead, he’d exposed his real identity.
For now, though, he’d have to play it by ear.
The next few days passed in a blur of calm busyness for Ji Zhi.
Even after his identity came out, the three of them were all swamped, so most of their interactions stayed online.
Ji Zhi was tied up all week and only managed to meet Chen Xingwen on Saturday.
They met at Ji Zhi’s dorm again. Neither had felt like going out this week, so Ji Zhi suggested ordering takeout and eating there.
When Chen Xingwen arrived at the dorm, he seemed awkward—nothing like the guy who’d been over countless times before.
“What if Fu Huixu comes back suddenly…”
That was his old worry.
They used to order takeout together all the time, but only before Fu Huixu moved in.
“It’s fine,” Ji Zhi said confidently. “He’s at a family birthday celebration today. Won’t be back till tonight.”
Fu Huixu had mentioned it both online and off, so it stuck in Ji Zhi’s mind.
Not to mention, with Fu Huixu’s family birthday throwing him into a whirlwind, his messages to Zhi Zhi had inevitably slowed.
Today, he’d left early, and so far, Ji Zhi had only gotten a few sparse ones—
【Top Fan No.1: Baby, I’m tied up today, so I might not reply right away】
