He looked like a doll.
Bo Chengyan had looked into it back then. Education on Great Cool Mountain was dismal—nothing but outdated textbooks for Qi Jing, no exposure to anything beyond. By modern standards, even elementary school kids in the city carried themselves with poise. High schoolers were even more worldly, some more savvy about internet memes than adults, highly socialized.
Qi Jing had spent two years blending into the elite urban teen crowd. That was impressive in itself. He was making friends bit by bit, willing to hang out with them, growing steadily.
This kind of total oversight and nurturing could become addictive.
Those parents had raised Qi Jing once, sure. But what of it? He could raise the boy for ten years, twenty… a lifetime.
Overwriting it completely.
The boy bit his lip. In a dejected voice, he started, “I don’t really want—”
Qi Jing still felt uneasy inside, but just then, 996 burst through the window like a cannonball.
【I’ve advanced the plot. Just get through the aphrodisiac scene smoothly at the restaurant tonight, and you’ll be unbound right away.】
“What don’t you want?” Bo Chengyan’s voice was steady.
Qi Jing blinked. Did 996 mean a one-night stand tonight? Right after they met—
What a rushed plot.
“You don’t want to go to that restaurant?” Bo Chengyan asked indulgently. “Then we won’t. We’ll eat at home.”
996 went berserk. 【No, no, no! The protagonists are about to meet—perfect timing, everything aligned! It could be ten days or half a month before another chance!】
Qi Jing stammered, “N-No, that’s not it.”
The man asked mildly, “Then what is it?”
“I-I don’t want to go to the restaurant all casual like this. It looks… really fancy. I can’t pick the right clothes.”
Qi Jing wrenched the conversation back on track.
Bo Chengyan seemed a little surprised. He stood and approached, placing a hand on the boy’s back to guide him to the sparkling display of ornaments.
“It’s just a place to eat. No need for special prep.”
“People aren’t divided into grades—only character is.”
“Feeling pressure at school?”
Qi Jing sometimes thought the man took things too seriously. Truth was, he had not faced any malice since arriving here. He looked up and shook his head.
“No.”
They held each other’s gaze for a moment, as if confirming the boy was not lying.
“Mm.”
~~~
In the end, they went to Florence Restaurant after all. It was on the thirtieth floor, at a window seat with the best panoramic view.
All of Qi Jing’s clothes were delivered on a schedule. He had never been measured for them, but they always fit perfectly—he had no idea how the sizes had been determined. His body was stretching out bit by bit now, filling out the garments properly. Paired with his striking features, he naturally drew eyes.
“I don’t think I know how to eat Western food…” Qi Jing said worriedly.
He had never really eaten out before. It was always Auntie’s home-cooked nutritious meals.
“It’s fine,” Bo Chengyan said mildly. “You’ll have to learn eventually. I’ll teach you.”
Qi Jing was a little distracted. He wondered how the one-night stand would even happen at a restaurant—take him to a hotel afterward?
Under the table, 996 crunched away on a piece of bread.
A few crumbs fell.
“.”
Precisely at seven.
The sky had darkened, and outside, the glittering lights formed a lavish nightscape unlike anything from the mountains.
Qi Jing could not help looking. His tense shoulders eased slightly.
He did not notice that the floor had gradually cleared out. After seven, there was no one else left.
“Hm? Where’d everyone go?”
Bo Chengyan shrugged. “No idea.”
“The food wasn’t good? They all left?”
“Maybe.”
Qi Jing paused, meeting the man’s mild gaze. It dawned on him—had he booked out the whole place?
“It can’t be bad food.”
He muttered a quiet rebuttal.
Bo Chengyan considered for a moment, then said simply, “Come sit beside me.”
Qi Jing blinked. “Everyone else sits across from each other.”
“You said you don’t know how to eat it. Come here.”
“There aren’t any other people.”
Those last words carried real weight, brimming with a sense of security.
The waiter tactfully assisted without mentioning that steak-cutting service was available.
Qi Jing felt a little uncomfortable at first, but hunger soon won out. He lowered his head to look at the plate in front of him.
With every slice of meat Bo Chengyan cut, Qi Jing ate a piece.
The meat was incredibly tender—a true delight for the taste buds.
996 was dying to sneak a bite, but lacking any opportunity, it could only drift around like a ghost, monitoring data fluctuations.
“Don’t wait. Eat it as soon as I cut it for you.”
Bo Chengyan might have started out intending to teach him proper Western dining etiquette, but after that, he barely said another word. He simply served throughout the meal, his expression calm and distant.
Qi Jing even lost himself in the moment. In a quiet whisper, he asked, “Is that one tasty too?”
Creamy pasta.
Everything remained peaceful until one of the waiters fumbled while opening a bottle of wine. Red liquid splashed onto Qi Jing’s collar, even wetting his eyelashes.
He looked dazed and a little disheveled.
Bo Chengyan’s brow furrowed slightly. He glanced at the staff member, who was bowing repeatedly in apology, and said calmly, “This is indeed your mistake, but the more serious problem is that I didn’t order any wine.”
“Who told you to bring it?”
The atmosphere shattered.
He felt a faint irritation building until a warm touch brushed the back of his hand. Qi Jing’s clothes were badly stained, and there was still a streak of red wine on the tip of his nose that he hadn’t wiped away.
“It’s… it’s fine.”
His emotions were slipping out of control.
The manager soon arrived, not only bringing a change of clothes but also clean alcohol wipes and wet tissues.
Qi Jing wiped down his clothes as best he could and exchanged a subtle glance with 996 under the table.
【The plot is coming soon.】
The waiter was quickly replaced by a young man wearing a gold badge on his uniform.
He was tall, with cool, aloof features. In no time at all, he had tidied up the mess perfectly.
With great politeness, he leaned down toward Qi Jing. “Would you like to change your clothes? Red wine is sticky and uncomfortable on the skin. If you don’t mind, I have some new clothes that haven’t been worn.”
A colleague handed over a bag.
Bo Chengyan’s brow furrowed ever so slightly.
But—
“Thank you.”
Qi Jing rose to his feet quite naturally, the red wine mark still visible on the tip of his nose and his lips pressed together slightly. “Th-then I’ll head to the restroom first.”
~~~
Time seemed to stretch on forever.
Ruan Heng accompanied him the whole way, his brow bone giving him an air of natural superiority. As he led Qi Jing to the restroom, he offered a sincere apology.
“I’m truly very sorry. It seems my colleague wasn’t at his best.”
He handed over a wet tissue.
Qi Jing thanked him warmly. Meanwhile, 996 hovered nearby, scanning.
【Name: Ruan Heng】
【Age: 21】
【Personality: Holds a grudge over every slight.】
“Hey, it’s fine. He didn’t mean to do it.”
Ruan Heng glanced down at him with lowered eyes. Not intentional? So innocent?
But the moment Qi Jing turned his head, Ruan Heng’s expression snapped back to its standard polite smile.
Qi Jing couldn’t help feeling that he really wasn’t tall enough—he still had to tilt his head up slightly to meet the man’s gaze. His obsession with growing past 1.8 meters deepened.
“I-I’ll go change my clothes.”
Ruan Heng took the stained jacket, maintaining his slight bow with eyes cast downward.
“I’m very sorry for the poor experience.”
Qi Jing had never been apologized to so many times in his life. He was already uncomfortable with it, let alone from the story’s canonical protagonist.
He waved it off again. “It’s fine, really.”
Ruan Heng smiled mildly and watched Qi Jing’s retreating back with a thoughtful look.
Until the changing room door clicked shut.
The young man straightened his spine just a fraction and glanced at the mirror. It reflected a face that was sharply handsome, full of striking impact.
But at that moment, the pager at his waist beeped.
“Get to the 30th Floor right now!”
“You’re supposed to be saving the scene! Where the hell are you?”
Ruan Heng replied calmly, “I’m waiting for a customer to change clothes.”
The voice on the other end was still furious.
“Are you blind? Can’t you tell the big shot from the small fry? The one upstairs is the VIP!”
“Come up now—Xiao Cui screwed up again.”
Ruan Heng’s face grew cold, but he still went to the changing room and politely explained the situation. An “Okay” came from inside.
—So obedient?
As Ruan Heng rode the elevator up, he mulled over last week’s events. Xiao Cui was a classic case of nepotism. Just a couple days ago, he’d seen him getting cozy with a sharply dressed man.
He’d assumed they were hooking up.
But now it seemed unlikely…
The wine bottle had been uncorked cleverly, perfectly avoiding that important guest and splashing only on the young man across from him—mostly on his face.
Xiao Cui’s own shirt collar had ended up soaked instead.
Ruan Heng let out a cold chuckle. Clumsy ploy.
But the situation on the 30th Floor was far more dire than he’d imagined.
The man was leaning back slightly in his chair, the table now covered in bottles of fresh liquor. Xiao Cui stood beside him with his head bowed, his fingers trembling uncontrollably.
“Who told you to bring the wine? Speak.”
Ruan Heng’s brow twitched. He knew this wasn’t a scene he could handle, so he turned to leave.
But the pager buzzed again.
“Come here.”
“Ten times your pay!”
Ruan Heng turned back expressionlessly. The restaurant’s manager might not be human, but he paid on time without issue—usually daily.
He knew he kept this job thanks to his looks. How could Xiao Cui lack that self-awareness?
“If you love delivering wine so much, then drink it. On me.”
Xiao Cui threw back glass after glass, looking utterly humiliated. To anyone watching, it seemed like the capitalist was oppressing the working man.
Ruan Heng stepped forward and immediately went into PR mode. “Sir, if there’s any issue, please tell me. We will—”
Bo Chengyan shot him a frowning glance and enunciated each word carefully. “Where’s my person?”
He meant the young man.
Ruan Heng’s mind raced, and he replied instantly, “We’ve got dedicated staff attending to him. It might take a little time.”
Bo Chengyan looked slightly impatient.
“Your dining experience is our top priority. We’ll resolve your issues before your companion returns.”
“We won’t let it ruin your pleasant evening.”
Who knew what had transpired during his absence.
But in any case, this man clearly didn’t want that adorable young one to see the current scene.
Every moment of delay bought time.
“Mm.”
Xiao Cui couldn’t drink any more—the hard liquor was taking its toll. The manager turned his gaze to Ruan Heng, the implication clear.
—You’re the pretty one. A few drinks won’t hurt you.
Ruan Heng: “……”
Nepotism was so annoying.
Ruan Heng stepped up. “I’m truly sorry. Here—I’ll drink in his place as a gesture of apology.”
~~~
Meanwhile, Qi Jing was sitting obediently in the lounge. He had changed into a new shirt, but for some reason, it felt itchy against his skin.
“……”
How had he ended up like this?
996 had gone upstairs to monitor the plot, leaving him alone in the room. Truth be told, his mood was incredibly complicated.
He had been seriously studying the “Goldfinch” role, but honestly, Bo Chengyan had never kissed him, never done any of… those things from the book.
Logically speaking, he had gained a huge advantage.
But—
Qi Jing couldn’t yet fathom the idea of “betrayal.” He hadn’t built any substantial relationship with Bo Chengyan at all. Uncontrollably, he recalled the scenes he’d watched.
They were like that…
Yes.
His train of thought snapped abruptly.
Qi Jing’s whole body felt feverish. He was extremely anxious and decided he should just leave the building.
But as he stumbled toward the door and pushed it open, a familiar figure blocked his path.
There was a faint smell of alcohol…
Qi Jing’s head swam. He felt like he had a fever, but a shred of reason remained. After a stunned moment, he started to panic and tried to shut the door.
But his wrist was seized in a firm grip.
“Why are you hiding in here?”
