Chapter 16

Zhai Xingchen was even startled.

He asked softly, 'You okay?'

Pei Xu stared at him for a moment, then shook his head.

Yan Zhi walked over, and Huo Cheng and the others all looked this way too.

'What's wrong with Pei Xu?' Lin Qingning asked.

'He seems drunk.' Zhai Xingchen said.

Everyone laughed and stood up at that. Yan Zhi smiled and clapped Pei Xu on the shoulder. Pei Xu sat up straight again, his face blank as he looked at everyone, his neck completely red.

He really was drunk.

Huo Cheng got up and helped Pei Xu to his bedroom. Only then did everyone start clearing the table.

'Never thought Pei Xu had such a low tolerance.' Duan Yihua said. 'Out of all of us, he drank the least, right?'

'He only had two drinks, the rest was just water.' Wen Nu said.

Everyone burst out laughing. Zhai Xingchen went to make him some sobering soup.

'Let me make extra, everyone should have some.'

'Good thing we don't have to get up early tomorrow.' Hu Ying touched her face. 'I'm definitely going to be puffy tomorrow.'

'Xingchen drank the most today, right?' Duan Yihua said. 'While Huo-ge was talking, he was sipping away on his own — had several cups.'

'Right? Can't tell at all that you're actually a heavyweight.' Hu Ying said.

Wen Nu delivered the flowers they'd divided up earlier to each room. Outside, the rain was still falling. Duan Yihua and Hu Ying lounged on the living room sofa chatting a while longer before finally getting up.

Everyone took turns checking on Pei Xu in his room. Drunk, Pei Xu was unusually quiet, sleeping deeply. They went in one by one, but no one woke him.

After drinking Zhai Xingchen's soup, everyone went back to their rooms to wash up. Zhai Xingchen showered, then went to check on Pei Xu — he hadn't even turned over, sleeping like an angel.

Zhai Xingchen set the water glass on his bedside table, then heard a soft knock on the door.

He turned around — it was Yan Zhi.

'Step out a sec, I need to tell you something.'

He got up and walked out, closing the door behind him. 'What's up?'

'Didn't I say I wanted to introduce you to my cousin?' Yan Zhi said. 'I met up with her today and brought it up. She wants us all to have dinner together tomorrow. You free?'

Zhai Xingchen blinked. He hadn't expected this dinner to come together so fast.

He nodded. 'Sure.'

'Lunch or dinner?'

'Dinner. I have to go to Dance School in the afternoon anyway.'

Yan Zhi nodded, then glanced through the crack in the door at Pei Xu's room. 'Never thought Pei Xu had such a low tolerance.'

He pulled the door shut. 'I'm heading out then. See you tomorrow.'

'Okay.'

Back in his room, Zhai Xingchen saw the rain was still going, so he opened the window.

They only sent texts twice per stop — day one and day seven. No text task today, so they were free and easy. Zhai Xingchen read for a while.

He'd had quite a bit to drink today too, and with the rain, he got drowsy after just a bit of reading. He got up, warmed up a little, propped one leg on the bed, and easily dropped into a split.

Two sudden knocks from outside. He tensed his core, snapped both legs in, and was standing upright the next second.

The Production Team was completely stunned.

'How did he just stand up like that? Wasn't he in a split?'

'His flexibility is insane.'

'That's not just flexibility, that's core strength.'

'It's like his body has some kind of auto-lift installed.'

Zhai Xingchen exhaled. 'Come in.'

Huo Cheng pushed the door open and walked in.

Before he even came in, Huo Cheng was already smiling. The flush from the alcohol made him look even more roguish — a wicked grin as he leaned against the doorframe.

'You drunk too?' Zhai Xingchen asked with a smile.

Huo Cheng said, 'This little bit? You think I can't hold my liquor?'

Zhai Xingchen said, 'You don't look so hot to me.'

'I used to have a weak tolerance. Later, when I was starting my business, I had to run all those dinners and drinking sessions — that's how I built it up.'

Zhai Xingchen steadied him. 'Sit.'

Huo Cheng dropped into the chair, took a deep breath. 'Your room smells really good.'

'Want some water?' Zhai Xingchen asked.

Huo Cheng said, 'Don't fuss. Sit down.'

Zhai Xingchen sat on the bed and looked at Huo Cheng.

His gaze was open and clear, the flush already fading from his face. Dark, bright eyes, skin so fair it almost glowed. Huo Cheng held his gaze for a moment, then looked away and grabbed Zhai Xingchen's half-finished water bottle. 'I'll have some water after all.'

'That's mine — let me get you a fresh one.'

'Don't mind.' Huo Cheng twisted off the cap and gulped down several big mouthfuls. After finishing, he propped his elbow on the desk and flipped through the books on it.

With the window open, the sound of rain filled the room. Huo Cheng flipped through his books without saying anything.

Just as Zhai Xingchen was about to speak, Huo Cheng said, 'Drank a lot tonight. Got a belly full of things to say.'

'Then let's talk.' Zhai Xingchen smiled.

Huo Cheng turned to look at Zhai Xingchen. That open gaze again. He bit his lip — a defiant look — then scratched his buzz cut.

'We've been here two days now. Out of the guests, is there anyone you like?'

Of all things, he came to talk about this.

Zhai Xingchen smiled. 'Can I even say that?'

'We're just talking. Just us two.' Huo Cheng said. 'Want me to turn off the cameras and stuff?'

A faint smell of alcohol hung in the room — all from Huo Cheng.

Looks like Huo Cheng was really drunk tonight. He'd noticed — when Huo Cheng drinks, he gets talkative.

This guy's actually pretty interesting.

Seeing Huo Cheng being so sincere, Zhai Xingchen figured there was no point in hiding anymore. 'Honestly, two days is too short. Saying you've fallen for someone that fast — it's not realistic.'

'Feelings come in two flavors, right? One is where you don't notice them at first, then feelings grow over time. The other is where you've got a good impression from the start — has nothing to do with how long you've known them.' Huo Cheng paused, then suddenly smiled. 'But you liking Duan-ge — that really surprised me.'

Zhai Xingchen blinked, then laughed.

'Why?'

'Out of the eight of us, he's the oldest, you're the youngest. He's ten years older than you.' Huo Cheng stared at him, eyes deep. 'Our Xingchen likes older guys, doesn't he?'

'But Duan-ge's not into me.' Zhai Xingchen was worried that Huo Cheng, out of some sense of loyalty, would stop hanging around Duan Yihua. Huo Cheng seemed exactly the type to do that.

So he added, 'He doesn't seem to like people much younger than him.'

Huo Cheng bit his lower lip again, chin tilted up slightly, a roguish look as he peered down at him through half-lidded eyes. He pulled out a cigarette and lighter from his pocket.

'Mind if I smoke?'

Zhai Xingchen nodded. 'But the Production Team might cut it, can't air it.'

'Even better if they can't.'

Huo Cheng cleared his throat and lit up.

The way he smoked was captivating — or rather, smoking just suited him. After a few drags, he walked to the window and flicked the ash outside.

The wind carried the smoke over. Zhai Xingchen walked over and stood beside Huo Cheng. 'Is it that drinking makes you heavier? Everyone gets like this after drinking.'

'I just feel like compared to Pei Xu, Yan Zhi, Duan-ge — I can't talk smooth, can't charm people, don't know romance. Look at me — no matter how successful I am now, deep down I'm still a poor kid who never learned to be classy.'

Drunk Huo Cheng was a completely different person. Usually so cheerful, now he was heavy, like he was hiding something deep.

'If you're asking my opinion...' Zhai Xingchen lowered his voice, not wanting the Production Team to catch this. 'I think — if you're on the show for traffic, exposure, whatever, that's fine, then just package yourself, show your best side. But if you really like someone, want to be with them, then you gotta be yourself. Can't talk smooth, don't know romance, doesn't matter. Be yourself, be sincere, people will see it. If they don't, or they do but don't respond, then there's no fate there, nothing to regret. Feelings are weird, actually. Sometimes the person you really fall for is nothing like what you imagined. And didn't you just say it yourself — feelings come in two kinds, love at first sight, or growing over time. So how do you grow it over time? Just spend this month doing your best, putting in the effort.'

Huo Cheng laughed. 'Growing over time.'

Zhai Xingchen tried to lighten the mood, joking: 'Don't get dirty.'

Huo Cheng said, 'I'm not being dirty. I really do want to... but I can't reach it.'

Zhai Xingchen laughed. Huo Cheng glanced at him, then leaned on the windowsill with his cigarette.

'It's raining.'

Zhai Xingchen noticed the rain was hitting Huo Cheng's face.

'Rain's good, puts out the fire.' Huo Cheng said.

Is this guy from a wholesome novel?

Is this motherfucker from a smut novel?!

After all that, Huo Cheng seemed in better spirits. They chatted about other things, eventually circling back to what they'd talked about at dinner.

Huo Cheng chain-smoked through several cigarettes. 'Look at my nicotine habit now. I didn't smoke at all at first — even though I had sponsors, I was super frugal, couldn't afford it. Learned it later when I was starting the business. Had no choice — everyone smoked, everyone drank, you don't smoke or drink, you can't fit in. When I first started out, I couldn't hold my liquor. One time I met a client, and he was like, 'You looking down on me?' Then he pulled out a stack of contracts, spread them on the table, put a glass of liquor on each one — a big glass, baijiu — and said, 'Drink one, I'll sign one.' I was thinking, fuck it, as long as you invest, forget one glass, I'll down a whole bottle. So I picked up the glass and drank, went crazy, drank so much the guy got scared, stopped me from drinking more, and signed all the contracts for me.'

Huo Cheng was telling it like a story from the past, but Zhai Xingchen felt a pang. 'And then?'

'Then they all got signed.'

'I mean you.'

'Me? I got hospitalized.' Huo Cheng laughed out loud. 'That part's even worse. I was in the hospital and didn't dare tell my family, just toughed it out on my own. And it's not like you drink that one round and you're done — you gotta keep drinking after, otherwise the first round was for nothing. Stomach pain, couldn't eat, smoking like crazy, fuck—' Huo Cheng shook his head. 'I was a dumb kid back then, just charging forward. Can't do that now. I value my life now, don't dare.'

He turned to look at Zhai Xingchen as he spoke, and saw what looked like tears in his eyes.

He froze, suddenly pierced to the heart by that faint, almost-there shimmer.

He figured Zhai Xingchen was feeling sorry for him.

He pressed his tongue against his cheek. 'It's all good now.'

Zhai Xingchen smiled, a little sad. 'Right? See, life keeps getting better. It'll keep getting better for you.'

The wholesome novel male lead — in a year or so, he'll be a real big shot. Those hard days will never come again.

'Really.' He emphasized. 'Don't believe me? Let's bet. If it doesn't work out, come find me.'

Huo Cheng stubbed out his cigarette. 'Fine. If it doesn't work out, you're responsible.'

Zhai Xingchen let out a long breath and laughed.

Huo Cheng looked at him, eyes deep. 'Zhai Xingchen.'

'Yeah?'

'The kind of name you only have to hear once to never forget.' Huo Cheng said.