Chapter 49: Not the Protagonist
The freshly tied half-ponytail came undone, fifteen minutes of effort wasted.
The loose strands tickled his cheek. Min Zhi reached out, tucking the stray hairs behind Xi Leng’s ear, then cupped his face, deepening the kiss.
The forgotten hair tie lay somewhere on the floor.
Xi Leng suspected that Rong Xingyi’s rambling words had become a prophecy, he was indeed selling his body, receiving far more benefits than mere fan service.
His doubts about the mysterious landlord’s identity vanished with this kiss. He had already discovered his hundred-thousand-yuan painting, plus this practically free luxurious apartment, any further investigation would only unearth a debt he couldn’t repay.
Moreover, he didn’t resist the feeling of kissing this person.
Actually, Min Zhi should be the one at a disadvantage.
Would it hurt again this time?
The phone in his pocket buzzed, and Xi Leng suddenly snapped back to reality.
He hurriedly took a step back, taking out his phone. This time, Rong Xingyi only sent a text message, asking when he was coming home.
Followed by an anxious: 【Did you secretly run away again!!】
He replied with a “soon.” There was another person waiting to be dealt with, his lips wet and red, Xi Leng’s handiwork, his usually sharp eyes now hazy and unfocused.
Xi Leng’s throat tightened, and he opened his mouth to speak.
His own lips were in a similar state, freed from the hot entanglement, the cool air felt especially stark.
Min Zhi looked at him for a while, then suddenly lowered his head, rubbing his chest.
“Still hurts, but it’s better, bearable.” Min Zhi looked up again, he was the one in pain, yet he was also the one smiling playfully and joking. “Perhaps it was because you pushed me last time that it hurt so much.”
“…”
Xi Leng was silent for a moment, unsure how to end tonight’s drama, the repeated loss of control was beyond his ability to calmly handle.
After some thought, he could only, like before, use a buzzkill to put an end to all the ambiguity: “Then I’ll be going now.”
“Mm-hmm.” Min Zhi seemed unconcerned, changing the period to a comma. “See you tomorrow night.”
After returning home, washing up, and calming down, he realized that Min Zhi said “tomorrow night,” not “tomorrow”?
“…”
The next day was August 31st, the day before Rong Xingyi started school.
He didn’t run off today, surprisingly obedient, staying home with Xi Leng and preparing his school supplies.
Rong Xingyi had no objections to transferring schools, letting Xi Leng make all the arrangements. But it wasn’t until now that he learned that Xi Leng actually wanted to send him to a boarding school!
That was unacceptable!!
Xi Leng’s reason was simple: “Haining International School is too far from here, and from Mom’s place. Traveling back and forth every day would take two hours by subway and walking.”
“Didn’t they say the school has a shuttle bus? They pick up and drop off students regardless of where they live.” Rong Xingyi’s face crumpled, his dimple disappearing. “At most, an hour and a half, I can memorize texts on the way!”
“And also…” Rong Xingyi’s mind only worked this fast at times like this, “Didn’t you say Min Zhi-gege’s manager’s kid also goes to the elementary school there? I can just take their car, and evening self-study is optional, I can leave early.”
Xi Leng was unmoved: “Just say you don’t want to go to school, you can save me some money.”
“I do, of course I want to go to school…” Rong Xingyi softened his tone, starting to act coquettishly, “Ge, please! Please! I don’t want to attend day school just to play…”
“Then why?”
“It’s… that…”
Rong Xingyi refused to say it directly, beating around the bush.
“I can’t live without Ban Li, and Ban Li can’t live without me.”
“Right, let’s talk about this. You’re the one who wanted the cat, right? But I’m the one who cleans up after it every day, am I not?”
“I… I wash the dishes! And I do chores!”
The brothers’ disagreement continued until evening.
Sulking, after dinner and washing the dishes, Rong Xingyi locked himself in his room.
Not long after, Xi Leng heard the doorbell from his upstairs studio.
Preventing Rong Xingyi from getting to it first, he quickly went downstairs, already anticipating the person at the door.
It was Min Zhi, coming over as promised last night.
“See you tomorrow night” wasn’t just empty words.
Min Zhi even brought a few bottles of liquor, holding them up and showing them: “You probably haven’t tried these before.”
“I haven’t.” Xi Leng said. “The ones we had at the bar last time were the best I’ve ever had.”
“How did they taste?”
“Not as good as beer.”
“The ones you had at the beach after spending the night there?”
“…” Xi Leng awkwardly changed the subject. “Come in.”
The two, who had shared an intimate moment last night, met again tonight, their interactions still as natural and harmonious as friends.
Practice makes perfect, kissing too, no matter how conflicted or troubled, what happened, happened.
Xi Leng had barely managed to process it.
Min Zhi glanced at Rong Xingyi’s room, the door tightly shut, and asked: “Is Xiao Yi asleep?”
Xi Leng nodded: “Mm-hmm.”
Min Zhi then said: “Then let’s go upstairs.”
Going to the empty second floor seemed a bit too suggestive, Min Zhi might even push his luck and suggest locking the door and going to the loft. Xi Leng quickly pulled the reins, leading him to the sofa in the living room: “It’s fine, it won’t disturb Xiao Yi here, he’s sulking, he won’t come out even if we call him.”
Of course, he wasn’t suggesting Min Zhi, the idol, should call him.
Thankfully, Min Zhi didn’t deliberately misinterpret it, not interested in the 15-year-old lightbulb, he sat down directly, seemingly enjoying their time alone together.
“What’s wrong with him?” Min Zhi casually asked, “He’s starting school tomorrow, right? Doesn’t want to go?”
“…No.”
Sharing his worries with others felt unfamiliar, strange, and uncomfortable. Xi Leng paused, then, turning his head and seeing that Min Zhi was still staring at him, said: “He doesn’t want to live at school.”
Like fan, like idol. Min Zhi said casually: “Then let him commute, Lao Zhu can pick him up and drop him off, it’s just a detour, he doesn’t mind.”
Xi Leng pressed his fingers against his temples, not responding.
Sending Rong Xingyi to boarding school was naturally for safety and convenience. He knew that Rong Xingyi had been singing and dancing recently, most likely wanting to audition, but the show wouldn’t start filming until the end of the year, those few months of practice weren’t necessary, practicing on weekends was enough. Besides, he was just an amateur, a few months of cramming wouldn’t compare to those who had received professional training.
Anyway, in Xi Leng’s opinion, it was pointless. Going to practice for hours after school, not only inefficient, but it would also affect his studies the next day. Rong Xingyi was too young, too impulsive, and unwilling to tell the truth, hence their current stalemate.
Min Zhi, observing Xi Leng’s expression, readily changed his words: “Then let him stay here for now, it’s not up to him anyway, he can switch to day school later if he wants.”
He opened a bottle of wine, casually selling out the little fan: “He asked me, so I helped him out, don’t worry about it.”
Xi Leng paused for a moment, thinking that Rong Xingyi didn’t seem to have gone out today, and asked keenly: “When did you two become friends on WeChat?”
“He asked Jackson, then added me. He wanted to persuade me to be a vocal mentor for ‘Shining Boys.’” Min Zhi picked up his glass, looking at Xi Leng pointedly. “Your didi is much more proactive than you.”
Xi Leng hummed in acknowledgment: “He’s very outgoing.”
“Outgoing people talk too much.” Min Zhi played another word game. “But I like quiet ones.”
“…”
Xi Leng didn’t know how to respond. Min Zhi handed him a glass of wine: “Try this.”
“…Okay.” Xi Leng nodded, taking a sip, seemingly realizing he was being too quiet, and awkwardly started a conversation. “Tastes good, what is this?”
Xi Leng had a question, and Min Zhi would answer.
The alcohol gradually took effect. Xi Leng leaned back comfortably on the sofa, his head resting on his messy, curly hair, looking at Min Zhi.
“If this world were a movie, or a TV show,” Xi Leng casually asked, “do you think you’re the protagonist?”
Min Zhi was usually confident, proud, and self-important, but he didn’t answer this question for a long time.
Until Xi Leng asked again: “Do you think you are?”
Min Zhi turned his head, meeting his gaze, answering with another question: “Then do you think you are?”
Xi Leng answered truthfully: “I’m not.”
“Then neither am I.”
“…” Xi Leng was silent, a thousand words weighing down his heart, in the end, he could only sigh softly, “You can’t just decide that you’re not the protagonist.”
“If I’m the protagonist, then I can decide, can’t I?” Min Zhi said brazenly, his tone domineering, “I’m the protagonist, I make the rules, and I want you to be the protagonist with me.”
The topic strayed further and further.
The two argued about whether it was the protagonist or the director and producers who had the final say in a movie, a bunch of meaningless chatter, ending with Min Zhi declaring that since he was both the protagonist and the investor, he had the final say.
Fine.
Xi Leng was at his wit’s end, his monthly quota of words depleted. His mind was also a little fuzzy, the side effects of the alcohol kicking in, his cheeks flushed, his head dizzy, he just wanted to sleep.
Since Min Zhi chose to sit on the carpet, he made himself comfortable, lying down on the long sofa, raising an arm to block the glaring crystal light above.
“Hey, Xi Leng.” Min Zhi called out to him.
“Xi Leng?” He called again.
Min Zhi leaned against the back of the sofa with one hand, his face hidden in the shadows, his eyes gleaming in the darkness, looking down at him.
Xi Leng’s breath hitched, his drowsiness instantly disappearing.
Min Zhi had clearly had quite a bit to drink, high-proof liquor, but it didn’t show on his face, appearing as usual at first glance.
It was just that Min Zhi’s words had become noticeably fewer. He silently looked at Xi Leng for a while, then took his hand, turning it over and over, like discovering a new toy.
A painter’s hand, slender and well-proportioned, fair and long.
Very beautiful.
Until Xi Leng couldn’t help but call out: “Min Zhi…”
His mind went blank, accidentally omitting the “ge.”
Fortunately, Min Zhi didn’t seem to mind, suddenly lowering his head, bringing Xi Leng’s hand upwards.
Then gently kissing his cool fingertips.
Min Zhi then stared at those eyes, his gaze almost obsessive.
He twirled a strand of Xi Leng’s curly hair around his finger.
Like in the countless dreams he had of Xi Leng, dreams had no logic, neither did he.
Lost in thought, he heard his own random question: “If you keep growing your hair, will it become long, wavy hair like a doll’s?”
