If this had happened before, Ji Zhi definitely would have given it to Jiang Yaolin. After all, he had no use for such things himself.
However, when it came to this collar, Ji Zhi had no choice but to refuse—
Because the collar wasn’t his. It belonged to Fu Huixu.
He didn’t even want to imagine Fu Huixu’s reaction if he handed it over and Fu Huixu found out.
Ji Zhi hurriedly spoke up. “No way.”
“I’ve thought it over, and I still want to keep it as a collectible. Besides, don’t you already have something similar…?”
He realized the contradiction in his words right away. After all, he’d just claimed he didn’t like it.
Strangely enough, though, Jiang Yaolin didn’t press the issue.
Ji Zhi first assumed he hadn’t noticed. But he quickly figured out why Jiang Yaolin had dropped it.
Jiang Yaolin let out a regretful sigh. “But it’s not the same.”
“All right, Bro. You really do like it, huh…”
Ji Zhi: “…”
It was over. The other guy now thought he was one of those people who loved something but couldn’t admit it.
Still, Ji Zhi figured it was better than the alternative of the collar actually being taken. He decided to just roll with it.
His silence only solidified Jiang Yaolin’s suspicions.
Jiang Yaolin did think this particular collar held more sentimental value for Ji Zhi. But if Ji Zhi liked it enough to want to collect it, there was no way he could just snatch it from him.
He sighed inwardly with regret. Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, the flush that had been fading from his cheeks began to creep back. “Bro, if you like it that much, I’ve got more at home…”
Jiang Yaolin knew he had a real talent for acting. It wasn’t just the endless praise from top directors since he was a kid, or his swelling fanbase. It was also how he effortlessly landed roles that others fought tooth and nail for.
And yet, in front of Ji Zhi, he could never put on a proper performance.
He’d originally planned to use those items for some Ji Zhi merch. But now, every time he pictured them, the image that popped into his head first was Ji Zhi wearing them.
Jiang Yaolin’s heart pounded wildly. His thoughts were spiraling out of control, and a faint heat was building in his sinuses. He quickly told Ji Zhi he needed to hit the washroom, then bolted into the one attached to the lounge.
He twisted the faucet on at random, splashing cold water on his face over and over until he finally calmed down.
After roughly wiping his face, Jiang Yaolin instinctively moved to check his reflection and fix his hair. But just then, he caught a faint noise from outside the door.
Ji Zhi was getting ready to leave.
Realizing that, Jiang Yaolin forgot all about the mirror. He rushed out of the washroom.
Sure enough, there was Ji Zhi at the door, fiddling with the handle like he was about to head out.
Ji Zhi heard the footsteps behind him and turned around. He found Jiang Yaolin standing right there.
An awkward silence fell. Just as Ji Zhi debated speaking up, Jiang Yaolin grabbed his wrist. “Bro, where are you going?”
Ji Zhi faltered. “The school just messaged me about something urgent, so I didn’t have time to tell you…”
Of course, Ji Zhi was lying.
He wanted to get out of there because he was afraid Jiang Yaolin would keep pushing that dangerous topic. The guy’s reaction had totally caught him off guard.
To play it safe, Ji Zhi had planned to slip away first and text Jiang Yaolin from downstairs.
He just hadn’t expected Jiang Yaolin to come out so fast.
Ji Zhi had braced for questions, but to his surprise, Jiang Yaolin actually loosened his grip a little. “Got it, Bro.”
Ji Zhi felt a flicker of confusion. Then he followed Jiang Yaolin’s gaze and understood immediately.
The other man’s eyes were locked on his neck. His attention was still fixed there.
Ji Zhi: “……”
Clearly, this whole thing had hit Jiang Yaolin hard.
For Ji Zhi, though, it was actually a stroke of luck. His excuse had been a total throwaway—if Jiang Yaolin had asked to see those screenshots right then, he wouldn’t have had time to react.
Ji Zhi took the opening and hurried off.
Jiang Yaolin wanted to follow, but the moment he stepped into the hallway, he spotted some staff members heading their way.
All their focus was on him. They didn’t even notice Ji Zhi scurrying off to the side.
Spotting Jiang Yaolin about to leave, they called out enthusiastically. Then one pushed forward a shy-looking young woman. “Teacher Jiang, this is your fan. She wants an autograph…”
They’d all interacted with Jiang Yaolin before, to varying degrees, and they knew he had a great personality. So they were always extra friendly with him.
Jiang Yaolin glanced at the shy employee. She was a new face—probably an intern.
By the time he’d finished greeting everyone and signing the autograph, Ji Zhi was long gone.
Jiang Yaolin trudged back to the lounge, a little disappointed. But when he thought about the lingering warmth under his fingertips, his face heated up and his pulse quickened.
Since Ji Zhi liked that stuff, he’d have to study it properly. That way, they’d have more to talk about…
Jiang Yaolin grabbed his phone and dove into some searches. The dry text and uninspiring images nearly made him quit a few times. But every time he pictured Ji Zhi in their place, his enthusiasm surged right back.
After scrolling for a bit, something occurred to him. He switched over and opened Ji Zhi’s fan forum.
Thanks to Jiang Yaolin’s constant moderation and the game’s surging popularity, Ji Zhi’s forum had more members than even the protagonist’s. Follower counts were climbing too. With the new gameplay dropping, fresh users poured in every day. Some didn’t know the rules and either posted CP ships or trashed Ji Zhi to vent about the game or their lives.
As the forum admin, Jiang Yaolin made daily patrols, booting out anyone who crossed the line.
He hadn’t checked in yet today, so there were already a few hundred new posts piled up.
He skimmed through them one by one.
Practice had made him efficient these past few days. He flew through most of it. But one post made him freeze. Then his brows furrowed.
When his manager walked in, he found Jiang Yaolin deep in some search.
At first, the manager assumed it was Ji Zhi stuff. But a glance at the phone screen made him pause too.
Ji Zhi got Fu Huixu’s messages while riding back to the dorm in a cab.
[Fu Huixu: Sorry, Baby. Meetings all day—only just got my phone.]
[Fu Huixu: Baby, that lock’s tricky. You can’t undo it alone. I’ll take it off when I get back.]
Reading them, Ji Zhi breathed a silent sigh of relief. Good thing he’d had Jiang Yaolin put the collar back on. Otherwise, Fu Huixu definitely would’ve gotten suspicious.
Ji Zhi hadn’t been back at the dorm long when Fu Huixu showed up.
Exhaustion had blurred his memory of the night before. He only vaguely recalled getting back to the dorm, eating with Ji Zhi, and crashing. He’d woken at four in the morning and rushed to the company, leaving no time to dwell on it.
Only after wrapping up work and seeing Ji Zhi’s texts did the details start coming back. Last night’s scenes replayed in his mind.
Fu Huixu had wanted everyone to know Ji Zhi was his. He’d even fantasized about others seeing him in the collar. But that was all before last night.
The moment he’d seen Ji Zhi actually wearing it, a fiercer possessiveness had ignited inside him—
He didn’t want anyone else seeing Ji Zhi like that.
Unfortunately, he’d passed out before he could remove it.
Learning that Ji Zhi had gone to his internship still wearing it—and to the company, no less—had left Fu Huixu on edge.
Thankfully, when he got back to the dorm, Ji Zhi was wearing a shirt that covered most of the collar. That eased his mind considerably.
As he undid the clasp for Ji Zhi, Fu Huixu asked, “Baby, did anyone else see it…?”
Ji Zhi: “No.”
His answer was so straightforward that Fu Huixu didn’t doubt it for a second.
Fu Huixu didn’t stick around long. Once the collar was off, he had to head back to the company.
After Fu Huixu left, Ji Zhi let the dorm manager know and met up with Chen Xingwen for a cafeteria meal—the first in ages.
Chen Xingwen eyed Ji Zhi’s bare neck and tsked curiously. “I was gonna study how to get that thing off…”
Ji Zhi: “……If you wanna play with one so bad, I’ll buy you a nine-ring puzzle.”
Chen Xingwen burst out laughing. “Nah. I don’t want some brain-teaser stealing time I could spend alone with my goddess.”
Ji Zhi knew full well that Chen Xingwen’s “alone time” meant holing up behind his bed curtain to binge anime. He nodded along. “Sure. Aren’t you about to make that final installment payment? If you’re short, hit me up. Don’t go back to eating every other day.”
Chen Xingwen gazed at him, touched. “Best bro ever. You ever need anything, just call. Hell, I’ll be your son if you want.”
Ji Zhi had been about to tease him, but then he remembered the other three knew about his situation. He might actually need Chen Xingwen for some cover down the line.
After saying goodbye to Chen Xingwen, Ji Zhi headed back to the dorm to rest.
He had classes the next day, but only in the morning. His afternoon was free.
He’d already knocked out this week’s live stream quota. Chen Xingwen had classes all day, so no hanging out.
Over lunch, Ji Zhi mulled his options for the afternoon: head to the trainee base, or hole up in the dorm to study?
His phone rang just as he was debating.
He pulled it out and saw it was Jiang Yaolin calling.
That struck him as odd. Out of the three, Jiang Yaolin called the least—voice messages were more his style.
A vague sense of foreboding stirred in Ji Zhi’s gut, but he steeled himself and answered.
From the other end came Jiang Yaolin’s usual voice, light and trailing upward at the end. “Zhi Zhi, I’m right outside your school right now…”
Ji Zhi blurted out, “Are you outside our school? Has anyone else seen you? Is your manager there?!”
What the hell? How had Jiang Yaolin suddenly shown up at their school?
What if someone else spotted him?
Just the thought of Jiang Yaolin being seen by other classmates was enough to propel him straight to the top of the trending searches. Ji Zhi tensed up in an instant.
His tone faltered as another crucial issue suddenly dawned on him. “What did you call me?!”
