The landlady of the small hotel had spoken to him the previous night, saying she had sold the hotel and was preparing to take out a loan to buy a house in the Upper City District to settle down for good. But if Shen Qiuxun was willing, he could continue working. Shen Qiuxun, naturally, would keep working.
He hadn’t accepted Xian Zeyang’s other meal voucher. Constantly taking advantage of someone like that wasn’t good.
Shen Qiuxun finished handling his affairs and returned. As he entered, the kitten happily circled his feet. Fu Mingchuan, busy in the kitchen, heard the sound and looked back. He wiped his hands clean and came out to greet him.
Shen Qiuxun handed over the plastic bag.
“You’re back so early today.” Fu Mingchuan took it, then offered a cup of warm water at the perfect temperature. Once Shen Qiuxun was seated, he moved to his side and began massaging his shoulders.
“Mm.”
In the evening, Fu Mingchuan washed his feet, carefully cleaning them with warm water and shower gel. Shen Qiuxun had been unwilling at first, but the other man said the water quality in the Lower City District was poor and could easily cause skin disease if not cleaned thoroughly, insisting on a meticulous cleaning every other day. He said things like, “A great kindness cannot be repaid with mere trifles” and pleaded with pitiful phrases like, “I hope Shen Qiuxun won’t think I’ve done a poor job.” Shen Qiuxun let him have his way.
The water temperature was just right, washing away to the point where Shen Qiuxun felt drowsy. His lightbrain vibrated. He opened the message and suddenly sat up, startling ripples across the water basin.
Fu Mingchuan crouched before him, his white T-shirt stained with water splashes, clinging tightly to his skin. He looked up in confusion. “Xiao Er, did something happen?”
“I have to go out for a bit.” Shen Qiuxun sat up and reached for a cloth.
Fu Mingchuan reached out, dried his feet, and put his socks on for him, his movements practiced and skilled. “It’s already very late.”
“Mm, you get some rest early.” Shen Qiuxun looked at the distress text from Xian Zeyang on his lightbrain and furrowed his brow.
Initially, he had no real connection with Xian Zeyang, and even if something happened, it wasn’t his place to save him. But… he had used one of his meal vouchers, so ignoring the situation entirely wouldn’t be right.
He was willing to go, but he hoped Xian Zeyang would have the money to buy his own way out of trouble.
Fu Mingchuan held his jacket, reluctant to let go, his dark brown eyes brimming with concern. “How about… I go with you?”
Shen Qiuxun took his jacket and looked at the gentle, harmless mission target he had snatched back. He softened his tone. “You following me won’t help. I have something to do in the Upper City District. Just wait for me at home, properly.”
“But it’s so late.” Fu Mingchuan stepped two paces closer, putting an arm around his waist.
Shen Qiuxun patted his arm comfortingly. The man leaned in and stole a vague, ambiguous kiss. Shen put on his jacket and opened the door. Before leaving, he turned back with a final instruction: “Don’t you dare go out. Hide well, and don’t cause me trouble.”
Fu Mingchuan held the doorframe, nodding gently, an unconscious smile curving his lips. When he could no longer hear footsteps, he shut the door. Facing the silence of the empty room, his originally gentle and refined features sank instantly into darkness.
Xiao Er was always like this, leaving whenever he wanted, never lingering. If it continued this way, if one day Xiao Er decided to abandon him, what could he do?
Kneel on the ground and beg for mercy? Begging was the most useless tool of all.
The last flight from the Lower City District to the Upper City District was at nine-thirty at night. Shen Qiuxun needed to run for a bit to just barely catch it. Fortunately, few people traveled to the Upper City District at this hour, so even arriving at the last minute, he could find a seat.
Once seated, he had time to examine the short message more carefully. The sender was WS Company, stating that Xian Zeyang had gotten into a conflict with some rich people at the WS Hotel, accidentally destroying an important artifact belonging to the hotel. The police had been called and he was detained. As Xian Zeyang’s pinned contact, Shen was notified to go to the WS Company for negotiations.
【What use is it for you to go?】
‘I’m wondering the same thing myself.’
Shen Qiuxun watched the night scenery flash past the window, feeling that something was off.
Time passed quickly. Shen Qiuxun looked up at the modern hotel towering into the clouds, the splendid and brilliant Blue River shimmering behind it.
As soon as he walked in, a staff member led him away. The staff member, Xiao Lan, had an excellent attitude and asked him to wait a moment.
Shen Qiuxun surveyed the magnificent crystal dragon in the center of the hotel lobby, an unease growing in his heart.
Xiao Lan produced a gold card and led him to the elevator area. They went deeper inside, arriving at a private passage. Shen Qiuxun flipped the gold card in his hand, recalling the ordinary white cards he had seen at the front desk just moments ago.
The sense of unease intensified.
‘System Buddy, I have a feeling some treacherous scoundrel is plotting against me.’
【Then don’t save him. Who cares if he lives or dies.】
Shen Qiuxun thought he had a point. He looked around. The elevator was still seven floors away. He turned to the receptionist. “Miss, allow me to use the restroom first. I’m a bit nervous.”
Xiao Lan maintained her poised smile, looking slightly troubled. “You can use the restroom after you go upstairs.”
Shen Qiuxun strode directly to the right, waving a hand. “It’s fine, no rush.”
His steps were swift, as if some great flood or savage beast were chasing him.
“Stop.”
Shen Qiuxun paused. Turning back, he saw a red-haired man in a leather jacket staring at him intently, like a wolfdog that had spotted its prey.
Ji Buyan stepped two paces closer. He was tall, with an oppressive presence, carrying himself with the pampered air of a young master.
“You… what’s your name?”
“Zhang San.”
“Zhang San?” Ji Buyan frowned. He had just seen this Beta raise his hand and found it inexplicably familiar. His favorite sleep-aid streamer hadn’t broadcast in a very long time. Countless people were clamoring for his return, but there was no news whatsoever. Desperate, Ji Buyan had even contacted the platform to help search for this account, preparing to personally step in and invite the person back.
He was on his way to negotiate with Assistant Fang when, unexpectedly, he encountered…
Ji Buyan was only sixty percent certain, but that was enough.
“Young Master Ji.” The receptionist caught up, greeting him politely upon seeing who it was.
Ji Buyan nodded casually.
Just then, the elevator arrived on the first floor. The staff member gestured with a smile. “Sir, please.”
Shen Qiuxun’s escape attempt failed. Under the staff’s “friendly” gaze, he stepped into the elevator. It was spacious, filled with a faint fragrance.
“Can you repair machinery?”
Shen Qiuxun looked up at him in confusion, then lowered his head and continued playing dead. “I don’t know.”
Ji Buyan put his hands in his pockets. His gaze roamed from Shen’s wrist to his fingertips, and he suddenly felt a hint of thirst. “Apologies, I just think you resemble a streamer I’m fond of.”
When the broadcasts first stopped, Ji Buyan hadn’t minded much. He’d even sought out other streamers. Later, as his insomnia worsened, he could only re-watch the recordings repeatedly, until he knew every second, every minute, every single action the streamer would take, like the back of his hand. In the end… he started pulling strings to find the person.
He had probably fallen deeply for a streamer of mysterious identity on the other side of the holographic screen.
Shen Qiuxun scratched his ear. “Huh?”
Ji Buyan looked at the hand so close to him, slender and pale, with distinct knuckles. Even the path of the veins seemed to align perfectly with his aesthetic preferences. “It’s just, well, he hasn’t streamed for a long time. I really hope he comes back. His videos have become an indispensable part of my long, sleepless nights. I’ve never seen such beautifully elegant rhythm, like the echoes of a cosmic oscillation…”
【Damn, what an ultimate hand fetishist.】
‘What?’ Shen Qiuxun didn’t dare interrupt this young man pouring his heart out for his idol. ‘Is it really me? But don’t I only have a few thousand followers? Super obscure.’
After hearing this, the System quickly logged back into the account. It was nearly blasted into oblivion by a screen full of red notifications. Opening it, it saw the follower count had somehow skyrocketed to one million without them noticing.
【?】
Thinking he might have been the victim of an online mob, Shen Qiuxun asked worriedly, ‘What’s wrong, System?’
【Host, you’ve gone viral.】
‘?????’
Ji Buyan’s face split into a grin, his narrow, slanted phoenix eyes brimming with wicked charm. “Forgive me for being so impolite in front of you, but… could you truly not be Water and Fire?”
Shen Qiuxun wasn’t sure whether to nod or shake his head.
【Just stay away from this creep, anyway.】
‘Absolutely. Who doesn’t know that my heart holds only one place, for the Lord System alone.’
【Hold on, my database is overheating a bit. I’ll be gone for a moment.】
‘?’
“Young Master Ji.” The staff member, who had been invisible behind them, spoke softly, her smile a little strained.
Ji Buyan glanced back at her, a warning in his eyes. “What, is there someone in this Upper City District I can’t afford to offend?”
The elevator doors opened onto a screen, barely concealing the extravagant luxury within.
Shen Qiuxun, distracted by the sudden appearance of Ji Buyan, failed to notice the hotel’s oddities.
He was just thinking, maybe he could use the money from his streams to buy out the little hotel and become his own boss?
Ji Buyan walked out of the elevator first, looking up to survey the place. “I want to see who dares compete with me, Ji Buyan, for a man.”
Shen Qiuxun was struck speechless by this inexplicably appearing red-haired man. He really did have a phobia of fashionable people.
He walked out and looked back, finding the smiling staff member nodding politely at him as the elevator doors closed.
“?” Shen Qiuxun finally began to feel something was truly wrong. ‘System Bro, stop overheating and get back here, I’m scared.’
No response.
Ji Buyan glanced back at Shen Qiuxun and was about to walk around the screen when someone called out to him.
“Young Master Ji.”
Jiang Shiyan, dressed in a white suit, emerged from a corner. His eyes lowered briefly upon seeing Shen Qiuxun, then rose a moment later, his face an impassive smile.
“Mr. Jiang.” Ji Buyan shed his casual attitude, standing beside Shen Qiuxun.
There were no reports that Jiang Shiyan had taken a liking to a Beta.
“There are still a few loose ends regarding our last cooperation that need tying up. Qin Zhe requests a word with Young Master Ji.”
“Qin Zhe?” Ji Buyan clenched a fist. As everyone knew, Qin Zhe was someone who followed at the heels of the Xu Family Head. “That’s…”
Who else but The One could have Jiang Shiyan personally step in to clear the field? A Beta… Could it be?
Ji Buyan abruptly looked at Shen Qiuxun beside him, narrowing his eyes, remembering the rumors still fresh in his ears.
Enemy?
Or… lover?
“?” Shen Qiuxun was getting confused by their cryptic exchange.
“Let’s go, Young Master Ji.” Jiang Shiyan’s attitude was mild. Once he saw Ji Buyan take a step, he turned his attention to the Beta beside him.
“Mr. Shen, if you’ll just walk around the screen.”
He lowered his eyes, his smile unwavering, his demeanor carrying a strange sense of gravity. “This ninety-ninth floor is impenetrably fortified. Mr. Shen would be wise not to repeat old tricks.”
