Chapter 58

As the Spring Festival drew near, the crew members were all rushing to wrap up their work and hurry home for the New Year. After discussing it with Jian Jinzhao and the others, Wen Chaosheng unanimously decided to schedule the wrap-up banquet for after the holiday.

It was that time of year again when every major company held its unavoidable annual gala. As the top star in Quansheng Entertainment’s artist department, Xi Zhui was destined to be swept up in such social obligations.

And so, the moment the wrap-up banquet concluded, his management team whisked him straight back to Haishi City.

The bulk of the crew gradually departed Heng City, each heading to their respective destinations.

Left on his own, Wen Chaosheng received an enthusiastic invitation from his cousin Song Ting to join the family for New Year’s Eve dinner.

Over the years, he had been living overseas, and his relationship with his parents had grown distant, veiled by a thin layer of estrangement—not to mention the Song family relatives he barely saw.

Given his personality, showing up would only breed awkwardness.

So Wen Chaosheng politely declined and returned to his rental apartment in Haishi City with Kuai Kuai.

The spacious flat was utterly empty at the moment. Every room door was locked tight, leaving the place so silent that the drop of a pin would echo.

Wen Chaosheng messaged the landlord on WeChat and learned that the tenant in the leftmost unit had moved out at the end of their lease. With the end of the year approaching, no new renter had come along yet, so it sat vacant for now.

As for the two households on the right, their occupants had both gone home for the holidays.

Fortunately, Wen Chaosheng had long grown accustomed to the rhythm of solitude. He leisurely changed the bedsheets and duvet cover, then gazed out the window at the LED poster wall that hadn’t changed at all. His mood was no longer as heavy as it had been when he first returned to the country—

The movie had wrapped successfully.

His relationship with Xi Zhui was no longer stiff and awkward. Instead, they had forged many new memories, enough to warm the years ahead.

Night fell, and the massive poster wall outside blazed with glaring light.

In the past, Wen Chaosheng probably would have ignored dinner altogether. But now, as he stared at “Xi Zhui” on the poster, he recalled the other’s daily refrain on set:

“Wen Chaosheng, remember to eat.”

“…”

Fine.

It was time to eat.

Even if he was alone, he needed to eat properly.

Wen Chaosheng opened the food delivery app and carefully ordered several dishes.

Haishi City’s winters were rather cold, and something was wrong with the apartment’s air conditioning—the warm air wasn’t coming through properly.

He didn’t want to lounge around inside bundled in a heavy coat, so he wrapped himself in the quilt for warmth instead. Shuffling over to the desk, he sat down and prodded the little turtle’s hard shell.

“Kuai Kuai, do you want to come out and play?”

“…”

Kuai Kuai had long since settled into his temperature-controlled habitat. Though he wasn’t hibernating, he lay there listless, barely stirring.

Seeing that Kuai Kuai was ignoring him, Wen Chaosheng sighed. “All right, then.”

He had no further plans for entertainment. Wrapped in the quilt, he simply sat there in a daze, waiting for the delivery while staring longingly at the little turtle.

Ding-dong.

The doorbell rang even sooner than expected.

With no one else in the rental, Wen Chaosheng didn’t bother with appearances. He shuffled toward the door in small steps, still swaddled in the quilt. “You can just leave the delivery at the door. Thanks.”

“…”

No response came from outside.

Ever cautious about safety, Wen Chaosheng waited a moment before opening the door to claim his dinner. What he saw there completely exceeded his expectations—

Xi Zhui, who should have been at the company gala, had suddenly appeared at the door of the rental apartment.

Most striking of all, he carried an exquisite birdcage in one hand. Inside was a plump, glossy-feathered myna bird.

At that moment, the myna was flapping excitedly up and down. “Boss is here! Boss is here! Jaaay!”

Xi Zhui gave the cage a skillful shake. “Shut up. You’re being a nuisance.”

The myna in the cage fell instantly silent. “…Bad person.”

Wen Chaosheng’s astonished gaze darted up and down as he slowly processed the scene before him. “Huh?”

Xi Zhui was looking at him too—

The other man had the quilt haphazardly wrapped around himself, and it seemed on the verge of slipping off.

His slightly tousled curls framed a pair of unusually bright and lively eyes, unobscured by glasses—like a small animal hunkered down for winter.

Xi Zhui nearly burst out laughing. “Are you using the quilt as a turtle shell? Is it that cold?”

Wen Chaosheng’s face flushed red. He hastily clutched the quilt and straightened up. “Xi Zhui, how did you know I live here?”

He had never shared his Haishi City address with the man.

He had figured that after filming wrapped the day before, the soonest they’d meet again would be at the wrap-up banquet after the New Year. He hadn’t expected to see him again so soon!

And for the other man to come looking for him, no less!

Xi Zhui offered the excuse he had prepared in advance. “I needed to ask for your help with something, so I got your address from Song Ting.”

What he hadn’t anticipated was how close this place was to his company. Unable to wait for the gala to end, he had rushed over with the birdcage in tow.

Wen Chaosheng asked, “What is it?”

Xi Zhui didn’t rush to reply. Instead, he arched a brow. “Aren’t you the most polite person around? I’m already at your door—aren’t you going to invite me in?”

“…”

That jab at his politeness had Wen Chaosheng pinned. Awkwardly, he stepped aside. “My place isn’t very big.”

Ignoring all that, Xi Zhui strode inside with Black Boss.

After taking a careful look around, he realized it was a shared rental. A flicker of heartache creased his brow. “How could you…”

Wen Chaosheng misunderstood and hurriedly interjected with some embarrassment. “It’s Spring Festival break right now—the other three units are empty. You don’t have to worry.”

If any roommates had been around, he never would have let Xi Zhui in so casually.

“The entryway connects to the kitchen and small dining area—all public spaces. The second room from the left is mine.”

Wen Chaosheng offered the stiff introduction, then asked uncertainly, “…Do you still want to come in?”

Xi Zhui had never intended to leave. “Mm.”

Wen Chaosheng temporarily draped his quilt over the back of a chair in the common area. “I’ll go pour you some warm water in the kitchen.”

With no other tenants around, he had recently moved his small electric kettle to the kitchen for use.

Xi Zhui picked up the quilt. “You shouldn’t leave personal items in the common area. I’ll put it back in your room for you.”

Wen Chaosheng didn’t refuse. “Thanks.”

Xi Zhui showed no compunctions about being a “guest” and headed straight for the bedroom.

The myna in the birdcage began flapping again, mumbling indistinctly.

Xi Zhui temporarily set the cage down beside Kuai Kuai’s temperature-controlled habitat. He leaned down and instructed, “No noise for now. Behave yourself, and I’ll let you out later.”

Black Boss proved remarkably perceptive, flapping its wings twice before falling quiet again.

Xi Zhui straightened up and surveyed the cramped suite: one bedroom, one bath, all in plain view.

At the moment, a fist-sized gap in the bedroom curtains let in the glaring neon light from outside.

“…”

Xi Zhui’s gaze sharpened. Something about that sliver of a view felt oddly familiar.

He strode forward and yanked the curtains open with one smooth motion.

Swish!

In the next instant, a massive, complete poster wall of himself filled his vision.

At the same time, hurried footsteps sounded from behind. “Xi Zhui! Don’t—”

Wen Chaosheng trailed off, frozen in place.

It had only hit him once he reached the kitchen: from the bedroom window, Xi Zhui’s poster was visible. He had rushed back to stop it.

Unfortunately, his warning came too late.

“…”

Xi Zhui turned around. Seeing the lingering tension on Wen Chaosheng’s face, the question in his heart suddenly found its answer.

The other man had chosen this cramped rental not just because it was close to his company, but because opening the window gave a direct view of his poster?

“Wen Chaosheng, what are you panicking about?”

Xi Zhui raised a hand to cover his smile and slowly approached the stunned Wen Chaosheng. “So, from your place, you can open the window and see my poster? Hm?”

Wen Chaosheng’s eyes darted evasively as he stammered out an excuse. “I only found out after I moved in.”

The smile tugging at Xi Zhui’s lips wouldn’t fade. Unable to resist teasing, he said, “Is that so? You really have no talent for lying.”

The previously lackluster air conditioner suddenly hummed to life, blasting out waves of hot air. Wen Chaosheng distinctly felt the heat surging to his face; he wanted nothing more than to find a hole to crawl into.

Ding-dong—

Thankfully, the doorbell rang again. Someone called from outside, “Delivery!”

“I’ll—I’ll go get it.”

Wen Chaosheng seized the excuse to flee and spun on his heel.

He had rushed here in a hurry just moments ago; now he fled with equal haste.

Xi Zhui watched his panicked retreat, his laughter growing all the more uninhibited.

He glanced sidelong at his perennial poster on the company outer wall, then pulled out his phone. He fired off a message to the team group chat:

“After the New Year, have the promo department switch the outer wall posters to a rotating display—all my photos.”

The instant he sent it, a uniform row of replies popped up:

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

Finally, Xiao Chao mustered the courage to ask: “Brother Xi, is your concussion still acting up?”

After all, as Quansheng Entertainment’s golden signboard, the operations department had begged and pleaded with Xi Zhui for ages before reluctantly securing permission to use that single photo for public display.

When they later asked to swap in new ones, he had shot them down without mercy—even sharply critiquing such flashy, superficial promo tactics. Who were they showing it to, anyway? Acting wasn’t something you honed through public exhibitions.

“…”

Either the sun had risen in the west, or Xi Zhui’s head injury truly hadn’t healed!

Faced with the synchronized skepticism from his assistant and team, Xi Zhui merely smiled faintly. He had no intention of explaining himself to these single folks.

Instead, he dropped a generous red envelope into the chat with a note: “Make it happen.”

Everyone snatched it up in seconds and fell back into line: “Got it, Brother Xi.”

When Xi Zhui looked up again, he saw Wen Chaosheng standing hesitantly in the bedroom doorway, takeout bag in hand.

Amused, he said, “Not coming in?”

“I am.”

Wen Chaosheng set the delivery bag down on the room’s sole desk, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

Black Boss in its cage caught the scent of food and started muttering again. “Bird wants out! Bird wants out!”

Wen Chaosheng’s attention was drawn to the myna bird. He bent down to peer at it. “Black Boss, do you still remember me?”

Black Boss gripped the bars with its claws and tilted its head close. It immediately flapped its feathers in excitement. “Hello! Hello! Miss you! Miss you!”

Wen Chaosheng was overjoyed, the faint embarrassment from being caught earlier completely forgotten. “Xi Zhui, it seems like it still remembers me!”

“Mynas have exceptional memories to begin with. Not to mention, you raised it for several months.”

Xi Zhui took the chance to sidle closer to Wen Chaosheng. He opened the birdcage while pressed against his side. “Come on out, but no flying around.”

Black Boss, accustomed to freedom, immediately poked out of the cage and flapped its wings.

It first flew to Xi Zhui’s shoulder and swayed back and forth for a couple of steps. Then, without the slightest shyness, it hopped over to Wen Chaosheng’s shoulder. Its feathers puffed up all over in delight.

“Hello~ Miss you miss you~ jaaay!”

“Hello, baby.”

Wen Chaosheng carefully and tenderly stroked Black Boss’s little head. “You’ve grown so much. You’re even handsomer than when you were small.”

Black Boss looked immensely pleased. It tilted its little head back to show itself off. “Handsome! Handsome! Thank you!”

“Silly bird, showing off again.”

Xi Zhui secretly gave Black Boss a thumbs-up in his heart for cozying up so well. Seizing the moment, he told Wen Chaosheng, “That’s actually why I came to see you today—for it.”

Wen Chaosheng didn’t catch on right away. “Hm?”

Xi Zhui explained, “I promised my mom I’d take her on a trip to Thailand in a couple days. It’ll be at least a week.”

He reached up to tease Black Boss and finished laying out his reason. “The exotic pet shop where I usually board it—the owner’s out of Haishi City for New Year’s—so I don’t trust leaving Black Boss with anyone else. I was hoping you could look after it.”

Xi Zhui paused, then cleverly brought up the other pet as well. “It can stay with Kuai Kuai. Would that be okay?”

Wen Chaosheng saw no reason to refuse. “Sure.”

He had been worried about being bored at home alone over New Year’s. Having Black Boss around to chat with sounded fun.

Xi Zhui’s eyes gleamed as he pressed further. “Then every day after that, could you update me on how it’s doing on WeChat? Would that work?”

Wen Chaosheng blinked. “Yeah, no problem.”

Xi Zhui was pleased with his easy agreement. His gaze shifted to the takeout. “What’d you order for dinner?”

“Just regular food.”

Wen Chaosheng answered honestly, then ventured, “Have you eaten?”

Xi Zhui looked at him. “I had a bit at the company New Year’s party, but I’m still hungry. Mind if I snag some of your dinner?”

Wen Chaosheng nodded.

He always ended up wasting food when eating alone anyway.

The bedroom had only one chair, which wasn’t enough for two. They pulled the book desk away from the wall and sat side by side at the foot of the bed.

Black Boss had already scampered down from Wen Chaosheng’s shoulder. It now perched on the edge of the heated terrarium, occasionally dipping its head down and pecking at Kuai Kuai’s shell with its beak.

Kuai Kuai was a bit more lively this time, poking its little head out now and then—only to pull it right back the instant the beak swooped in.

Wen Chaosheng watched them intently, baffled by whatever game the two little guys were playing.

Xi Zhui handed him the chopsticks. “It’s fine—they love roughhousing like this. Eat up before the food gets cold.”

Only then did Wen Chaosheng tear his eyes away and start eating. True to form, he was the quiet type who never talked with food in his mouth.

Xi Zhui didn’t rush to chat either. Instead, he simply kept the man across from him company, slowly enjoying their dinner.

When the takeout boxes were nearly empty, Xi Zhui ventured a question. “You’re back in the country this year for once—aren’t you going to the Imperial Capital to spend New Year’s with your uncle and aunt? Or are they coming to find you?”

“…”

Wen Chaosheng set down his chopsticks, his thoughts turning to his unresolved tension with Wen Chunshen. “No, I’m not going back.”

Back then, Wen Chunshen hadn’t just opposed his relationship with Xi Zhui because they were both men—he’d also disapproved of Wen Chaosheng halting his career for Chang Ming’s sake.

Their clashing views had sparked more than one argument between father and son. In the end, neither could convince the other, and their relationship had frozen solid.

No sense going back over New Year’s and ruining everyone’s mood.

After the holiday, when he had time, he’d meet up with Song Xuelan alone.

Xi Zhui could tell Wen Chaosheng didn’t want to dwell on it and smoothly changed the subject. “I’m not going back either. After New Year’s, I’ll fly straight from Haishi City to meet my mom at the airport in Thailand.”

“Mm.”

“So how are you planning to spend New Year’s Eve tomorrow?” Xi Zhui glanced around the cramped bedroom. “Just holing up here by yourself?”

“…”

That was exactly Wen Chaosheng’s plan.

He didn’t know many people in Haishi City. Jian Jinzhao was one of the few he was close to, and beyond that… well, there was Xi Zhui.

Wen Chaosheng couldn’t help glancing at the man beside him. A flicker of hope stirred deep inside, but he held back from blurting out an invitation.

Suddenly, the man beside him called his name. “Wen Chaosheng.”

Wen Chaosheng snapped back to attention. “Yeah?”

Xi Zhui set down his chopsticks and looked at him earnestly. “New Year’s Eve tomorrow night—let me keep you company. We’ll spend it together, okay?”