Chapter 6: Doctor Bottom x Celebrity Top

Over there, Jing Chi had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Here, Feng Qinghan picked up his phone and stared at the contacts list. After a moment of hesitation, he finally made the call.

The line connected immediately. “Hey, Dr. Feng, what made you think to give me a call?”

Feng Qinghan listened to the familiar voice laced with its usual teasing sarcasm, and a flicker of warmth and nostalgia appeared in his eyes.

His fingertips drummed lightly on the armrest of his chair as he softly called out, “Dad.”

Father Feng was caught off guard by his son’s rare gentleness and swallowed the mocking remark he’d had ready.

Instead, he began turning things over in his mind. “What’s going on, son? Have you finally come around and decided to come back and take over the family business?”

Feng Qinghan fell silent.

He thought back to his previous life, when he’d returned home of his own accord to take charge of the company. Father Feng had stared at his callused hands with clear distress, even as he stubbornly lectured him: “You insisted on studying medicine, and look—here you are, back to inherit the company anyway.”

He had been deeply depressed at the time, and it was Father Feng who had encouraged him through that difficult period. His father had also thrown his full support behind him in his battle against Lu Shichen. Unfortunately, he’d placed his trust in the wrong people and ended up losing everything.

That was when Father Feng had suddenly fallen gravely ill. He hadn’t even been able to see his father one last time.

It was also why, later on, he’d gone to any lengths to destroy Gu Bai and Lu Shichen.

“Fine, I let you take over the company, and now you’re being stubborn with me.” Father Feng let out a deep sigh.

Feng Qinghan lowered his gaze. In a quiet voice, he said, “You know why I chose to study medicine.”

Father Feng’s breath hitched. With earnest concern, he replied, “Qinghan, I know how hard it was for you when your mother passed from that brain tumor, so I didn’t stop you from pursuing medicine. But in the end, you still have to come back and take over the family company.”

“I’ll take over the company,” Feng Qinghan said, “but not right now. And I didn’t study medicine just because of Mom.”

He spoke those last two words so softly that they were almost a whisper, and his eyes drifted downward.

Before Mother Feng’s death, Feng Qinghan had simply been calmer and more steady than his peers. But losing someone who loved him so dearly had been a devastating blow to the eighteen-year-old boy he’d been. After that, his personality had turned utterly cold—distant and aloof from the world.

He had come to believe that if he never let anyone get close, he wouldn’t have to endure the pain of loss.

“Out with it, then,” Father Feng said, brushing past the heavy topic with forced lightness. “What do you need from your dad this time?”

Feng Qinghan recounted what had happened to him at the bar.

“Who the hell dares to target you so brazenly?”

Father Feng was livid. He didn’t even want to imagine what might have become of his son if that scheme had succeeded.

Feng Qinghan, by contrast, remained perfectly calm. A few measured words were enough to soothe his father.

“I understand,” Father Feng said. “I’ll have someone take care of it.”

He wanted to say more, but he knew his son’s temperament all too well—arguing would be pointless.

Just before they hung up, he heard Feng Qinghan’s slow, deliberate words:

“Dad, make sure you find time to get a checkup.”

“You’re my only family left, after all.”

The warmth in those words left Father Feng momentarily stunned. But hearing such obvious concern in his son’s voice filled him with joy. “I know, I know,” he replied.

“You know your dad will always be your strongest backer.”

The call ended, but Feng Qinghan still clutched his phone tightly, unable to pull himself back to the present. He gazed quietly out the window at the night sky.

Maybe this rebirth wasn’t so bad after all.

He could reclaim what he’d lost before.

He could make up for what he’d missed.

~~~

Jing Chi slept straight through until noon, when his manager’s relentless calls finally jolted him awake.

After washing up, he leisurely picked up the phone, holding it a safe distance from his ear based on hard-earned experience.

Sure enough, the same old tirade erupted. “Jing Chi! What the hell is wrong with you? You still haven’t made it to the company?”

Jing Chi dug at his ear and replied with feigned guilt, “Aw, Brother Liu, my phone must’ve glitched or something—I didn’t get any of your calls. I’ll be there in a bit; just hold on, okay?”

“You’d better show up soon, or else…” Brother Liu growled through gritted teeth.

Jing Chi rolled his eyes. “Aw, Brother Liu, my phone’s acting up again. Gotta hang up.”

Without another word, he ended the call.

“Host, aren’t we offending him a little?”

The System popped up out of nowhere.

“Yo, you’re back,” Jing Chi said with a wave of his hand. “Nah, don’t worry. I’ve still got some value to him, so he won’t cut me loose that easily.”

Jing Chi wandered into the kitchen and was surprised to find a breakfast waiting on the table.

Who would’ve thought? Guy’s got a face like ice, but a heart that’s not half bad.

Jing Chi put his things in the microwave to heat up, then ate while scrolling on his phone.

The System watched him with his breakfast, wanting to say something but ultimately choosing to stay silent.

As Jing Chi browsed his phone, he quickly spotted a trending topic on the hot search list: a report about Star Night Bar, under Ming Shi Group, being implicated in drug trafficking.

If he remembered correctly, that was the name of the bar they had gone to that day.

“This has to be Feng Qinghan’s doing,” Jing Chi stated with absolute certainty.

The System looked at him with eyes full of admiration. “Host, you’re amazing.”

Then it relayed everything it had overheard at Feng Qinghan’s place the previous day, recounting it in full detail to Jing Chi.

“I never imagined he could have such a tender side,” Jing Chi remarked with a sigh. “Fine, I suppose I can ease up on my prejudice against him a bit. After all, it’s not easy for him either.”

The System glanced at its Host, who was still eating, and wisely chose to remain silent.

Meanwhile, the bar’s closure due to the drug scandal had caused Ming Shi Group’s stock to plummet.

A sharp slap echoed crisply through the quiet office.

“I handed the company over to you not long ago, trusting you could handle it, and now you’ve caused this massive screw-up? Didn’t I tell you to keep a low profile during this period? But no, the moment you get a taste of power, you start acting lawless and offending the Feng Corporation.”

Father Lu stared coldly at the man beside him.

At this point, Lu Shichen had only recently taken over Ming Shi and wasn’t yet the figure who would fully control the company later on. He still hadn’t completely secured his footing.

The man flicked his tongue over his injured lip, suppressing a surge of ferocity and resentment as he stared silently at the floor.

“You’d better stay in line for a while, or I’ll have to reconsider your position as heir,” Father Lu warned.

Lu Shichen’s hands at his sides clenched into tight fists. Though dissatisfied, he didn’t dare show it. He merely lowered his head in apparent obedience and murmured, “Understood, Father.”

Once Father Lu had left the office, Lu Shichen looked at the text from Gu Bai on his phone, complaining about why he had gone after Feng Qinghan—now Feng wouldn’t even respond to him.

He called, but no one picked up.

All his pent-up rage boiled over, and with a crash, he smashed his phone against the floor.

“Feng Qinghan, Feng Qinghan—why is he everywhere!”

He muttered to himself, his eyes brimming with violence. “I won’t let you off that easily.”

~~~

Jing Chi strolled into the company at two in the afternoon, utterly relaxed.

The moment he entered the manager’s office, a folder came flying straight at his face. Jing Chi’s eyes turned icy as he sidestepped it effortlessly.

He hooked the corner of his lips into a smirk, though his gaze held no mirth. “Brother Liu, what’s got you so fired up?”

An ordinary person wouldn’t have reacted in time. Jing Chi eyed the angular folder now on the floor, his expression growing even colder.

Brother Liu acted like it was nothing and pointed accusingly at Jing Chi. “I called you at twelve-thirty. Do you know what time it is now?”

“There was traffic on the road. Sorry about that.”

Jing Chi walked right in and sat down in the guest chair. Propping his chin on his hand, he tilted his head slightly and fixed Brother Liu with a calm, unwavering stare.

His words offered an apology, but there wasn’t a shred of sincerity behind them.

For a fleeting moment, Brother Liu sensed an aura of absolute authority emanating from Jing Chi. He shook his head, dismissing it as his imagination.

“Fine, I’ll let it slide this time. Just sign this contract, and we’ll call it even.”

Brother Liu pulled out the contract and tossed it onto the table beside Jing Chi.

Jing Chi prodded it with a finger, glanced over a couple of pages, then tossed it back. Under Brother Liu’s watchful gaze, he slowly uttered two words: “Not signing.”

“Host, that’s two million,” the System reminded him quietly.

“I know. Just watch,” Jing Chi replied calmly.

Brother Liu could scarcely believe Jing Chi would refuse. “What did you say? You think you’re still the old Jing Chi? It took a ton of effort on my part to land you this variety show gig—and it even has Ye Shumo in it.”

Ye Shumo, this year’s Film Emperor.

If Jing Chi hadn’t known the man’s true motives, he might have bought the act.

Frowning, Jing Chi put on a heartbroken, troubled expression.

“Brother Liu, I really can’t do it. The things that happened recently hit me too hard. I… I want to quit the industry.”

He let out a deep sigh, his eyes filled with profound desolation, as if he had truly been shattered by the blows.

Hearing this reason, Brother Liu believed it somewhat. His expression softened, and he began to persuade in earnest, like a patient elder.

“If you quit now, that’ll count as breaching your contract. You’d have to compensate the company—and do you even have that kind of money?”

Jing Chi heard this and lowered his head, shaking his head as if he were deflated.

“How about this? As long as you participate in this program, the remuneration you earn will count as your breach of contract fee.”

Brother Liu said understandingly, though in reality, he was scheming shrewdly.

He figured that after this program, Jing Chi’s career would be over anyway, so there would be no need for him to quit the industry on his own. That two million could probably never be scraped together even if they sold him off, so it was better to do a favor now and let the kid sign smoothly.

This was exactly the sentence Jing Chi had been waiting for, but he still put on a conflicted and hesitant expression. Finally, as if he had made a profound decision, he compromised:

“Alright then, Brother Liu. I’ll sign.”

But once he entered the program, if he performed too well, they couldn’t blame him.

“You only need to sign for the first episode. Get ready, since you’ll enter the variety show in three days.”

Brother Liu said contentedly, holding the contract in his hand.

After leaving the company, the System asked, “Host, aren’t you afraid he’ll go back on his word?”

Jing Chi waved his hand indifferently. “It’s fine. I’ve already recorded it anyway.”

.

At night, the moon hung high in the treetops, with flecks of starlight dotting the night sky.

Feng Qinghan stood at the door and looked up at the light emanating from the villa. He finally had the feeling that there was one more person in the house.

It didn’t feel particularly great, but it wasn’t bad either.

He pushed open the door and walked into the living room, where he saw Jing Chi sprawled carelessly on the sofa playing with his phone. His shirt had slid up from his unrestrained movements, exposing the young man’s lean, fair waist.

Feng Qinghan uncomfortably averted his gaze. He cleared his throat lightly to make his presence known.

“You’re back!” Jing Chi heard the sound, his eyes lit up, and he immediately tossed his phone aside, asking enthusiastically, “What are we having for dinner?”

Feng Qinghan glanced at him while unbuttoning his collar and said indifferently, “I’ve already eaten.”

“Ah?”

He watched as the young man’s face fell, and Jing Chi complained to him, “I specially waited for you to come back.”

In truth, Jing Chi had just been too lazy to move, but he hadn’t expected to unintentionally wait until Feng Qinghan’s return.

“Alright then. Still, thanks for the breakfast this morning.” Jing Chi opened his phone and began ordering takeout.

A flicker of doubt crossed Feng Qinghan’s eyes. “Breakfast?”

He suddenly remembered something and explained faintly, “Oh, that was something I found expired from yesterday this morning. I left it on the table for a moment and forgot to throw it away.”

Jing Chi: “……”

That’s right—that was exactly what the System had hesitated to mention that morning.

“You wanted to poison me? Hmph, Brother, I’m so heartbroken.”

Jing Chi pulled a long face, realizing he’d been overly hopeful again. But it had only expired by a day—eating it should be fine, he consoled himself.

Feng Qinghan had just discovered that a single person’s expressions could be so vivid. A hint of amusement flashed in his eyes.

Jing Chi, however, poked angrily at his phone, oblivious to Feng Qinghan entering the kitchen.

It wasn’t until a savory aroma wafted from the kitchen that Jing Chi twitched his nose. He immediately dropped his phone and headed toward the source of the scent.

By the time he arrived, Feng Qinghan had just placed the freshly cooked noodles on the table.

“Is this for me?” Jing Chi asked suspiciously. “It won’t be expired again, will it?”

He blurted out his inner thoughts without thinking.

Feng Qinghan paused in wiping his hands when he heard this. He lifted his eyes slightly, his tone cooling a few degrees. “You can choose not to eat it.”

Jing Chi knew when to quit and quickly flashed a brilliant smile. “I’ll eat! I’ll eat! Brother made it for me—I’ll finish every bite, not even leaving a drop of soup.”

This time, Feng Qinghan ignored him and headed straight upstairs.

Jing Chi took a tentative bite with lingering suspicion, but to his surprise, it was quite delicious. He slurped it down eagerly, polishing off the entire bowl in short order.

“Why is he suddenly being so nice to me?” Jing Chi wondered curiously.

After all, this man had previously said that Jing Chi should handle the cleaning and cooking.

Yet he hadn’t done a thing and had even gotten a free meal cooked by Feng Qinghan.

The System guessed, “Maybe he investigated your background and felt sympathy for what you’ve been through?”

“Hm? When did he investigate me?”

“Just yesterday,” the System replied.

“Fine, I’ll grudgingly accept that explanation. Otherwise, I’d think he fell in love with my handsome face.” Jing Chi said narcissistically.

After tidying up the kitchen, Jing Chi went to the study and knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Feng Qinghan looked up at the young man before him, recalling the information he had someone look into.

That report merely dispelled Feng Qinghan’s suspicions about any connection between Jing Chi and Lu Shichen.

Sympathy? He might have felt a trace of it, but it was negligible. After all, if they were talking about misery, hadn’t his own previous life been miserable enough?

There was nothing pitiable about it. Relying on sympathy was useless if one didn’t resist.

“Brother, I’m heading to a variety show in three days. Don’t miss me too much.”

Jing Chi poked his head through the door, grinning at Feng Qinghan as he made his report.

Having him as a boyfriend was pure bliss. Look how thoughtful he was.

Feng Qinghan didn’t spare him a glance, merely giving a faint “Mm.”

Jing Chi pouted, finding the man utterly boring.

He was just about to close the study door when the voice from inside suddenly asked, “Why do you insist on being my boyfriend?”

Why, of course it was for the mission.

Jing Chi didn’t dare voice that thought aloud. If he did, Feng Qinghan would probably pack him up and toss him out on the spot.

Instead, Jing Chi sauntered over to stand before Feng Qinghan’s desk. He planted his hands on the surface and leaned in close.

Feng Qinghan looked up, and those clear, moonlit eyes reflected Jing Chi’s own figure.

A handsome face right there within reach—now was the perfect moment to strike.

Without hesitation, Jing Chi swooped in and planted a quick peck on Feng Qinghan’s cheek. He pulled back just as swiftly, bolting for the door while calling out his confession:

“Because I like you, obviously!”

The door slammed shut with a bang.

Jing Chi leaned against it from the outside, exhaling in relief.

He had to hand it to himself—his quick thinking was genius-level. Clearly, he was a natural at this romance business.

In the study, Feng Qinghan frowned and rubbed at the spot on his cheek where Jing Chi’s lips had brushed.

He loathed when others invaded his personal space, yet this kiss hadn’t repulsed him like the last one. It was merely… unfamiliar, this kind of intimate contact.

Realizing the peculiar shift in his own reactions, his expression turned icy in an instant.

To explain such an anomaly, Feng Qinghan chalked it up to some damage from his rebirth—something must have gone wrong inside him.