Crimson

Tuesday morning, Zhai Xingchen had just gotten up when he ran into Pei Xu in the bathroom.

'Morning.' Pei Xu greeted him.

'Morning.' Zhai Xingchen rubbed his sleepy eyes. 'Going for a run?'

Pei Xu nodded. 'You coming?'

'I gotta make breakfast.' Zhai Xingchen said. 'I really admire you, every day without fail.'

'Not exactly. If it's thundering or raining, I don't go.' Pei Xu answered seriously.

Zhai Xingchen paused, then couldn't help laughing. He reached for his toothbrush and toothpaste, and after squeezing some out, noticed Pei Xu was still standing in the doorway watching him.

Pei Xu's ears were a little red, but then again, his skin was pale, so his ears always looked redder than other people's.

This guy was really something—pale skin, jet-black hair, gorgeous looks, all 'pretty' qualities. But his features were sharp and defined, his vibe cold, plus broad shoulders, long legs, a straight back—all 'handsome' qualities. The two mixed together: pretty and commanding at once.

'Didn't sleep well last night?' Zhai Xingchen asked. 'Your dark circles are pretty bad.'

Pei Xu hummed, glanced at Zhai Xingchen again, and reached for the bathroom trash bag.

'I just changed that bag last night.' Zhai Xingchen said.

'Throwing out a dirty piece of clothing I don't wear anymore.' Pei Xu said.

Zhai Xingchen watched Pei Xu while brushing his teeth.

'Underwear?'

He'd heard rich people wear disposable underwear, especially when filming variety shows like this—convenient.

Pei Xu's face went red on the spot.

The blush was way too obvious. That easy-blushing constitution was really something in person.

But Pei Xu was absolutely not the type to blush over something like that.

Could it be…

Zhai Xingchen laughed, and Pei Xu's heart pounded even harder.

Zhai Xingchen said, 'What's the big deal, everyone knows, I do it too.'

That one line reignited the fire Pei Xu had barely managed to smother all morning.

He does it too?

Dreams? Or…

Pei Xu felt himself springing up at visible speed.

He grabbed the trash bag and got out of there immediately.

He stepped out of the bathroom, then looked back.

Zhai Xingchen was looking back at him, white foam spilling over the corner of his mouth.

'……'

Pei Xu wiped his face and stood in the living room for a while.

He couldn't even walk straight.

So dramatic.

What other people had at eighteen, he was only now exploding into.

Zhai Xingchen rinsed his mouth. In the mirror, a face that couldn't stop smiling.

The Jinjiang male lead really is getting it now.

Wonder which one he dreamed about last night?

Zhai Xingchen finished washing up and stepped out of his room to find Yan Zhi fiddling with a rice cooker.

Gray suit pants, white shirt, gold-rimmed glasses—ah, a man who'd walked straight out of an idol drama.

Zhai Xingchen was surprised, because Yan Zhi couldn't cook.

'What are you doing?'

Yan Zhi turned around. 'You're up?'

Zhai Xingchen hummed and walked over to him.

Yan Zhi said, 'How does this timer work? Does the red dot mean whatever function it lands on?'

Zhai Xingchen smiled and reached over to adjust it. 'How long are you cooking it?'

'I'm making congee. How long is right?' Yan Zhi asked.

Zhai Xingchen smiled and set it to thirty minutes. After adjusting, he opened the lid and looked. 'You didn't put enough water in.'

Yan Zhi added some more water.

'What made you want to cook? Just leave this to me.' Zhai Xingchen said.

'Learning how. Might come in handy later. Can't keep making you cook all the time.' Yan Zhi said.

'What happened to your neck?'

His Adam's apple was so red.

Yan Zhi tilted his head back slightly, exposing his prominent Adam's apple.

Zhai Xingchen leaned in to look. 'It's bleeding through.'

The bleeding area had already scabbed over.

'Does it hurt?'

'Don't really feel it. Probably scratched it.' Yan Zhi said lightly.

Zhai Xingchen went to the fridge and took out a pack of toast.

'Making a sandwich?' Yan Zhi asked.

Zhai Xingchen hummed.

Because it was early morning and they'd just woken up, both their voices still had a slight rasp to them—sounded kind of addictive.

Yan Zhi really liked Zhai Xingchen's just-woken-up voice and eyes.

Thought he was cute. Wanted to hold him and kiss him.

Right now it was just the two of them in the kitchen, like their everyday life—getting up in the morning and working together in the kitchen.

'Teach me. Let me learn from you.' Yan Zhi said.

Zhai Xingchen said, 'Those hands of yours, used for cooking—what a waste.'

'Once I learn, when the show's over, I'll cook for the person I like.'

Zhai Xingchen froze at that, turned to look at Yan Zhi.

He figured it was because they'd just woken up, but Yan Zhi looked a little worn today.

Still, it was good that Yan Zhi was having this realization.

Right, right, his moves yesterday had worked after all.

He felt like both Pei Xu and Yan Zhi were a bit different from yesterday—seemed more proactive.

'Sure. I'll teach you.'

Zhai Xingchen started by teaching him how to fry an egg. Sandwiches were too easy—the hardest part was just the egg, but for Yan Zhi, getting it cooked through was already an achievement, no need to aim for a runny yolk.

The rest was even simpler. For a moment, Zhai Xingchen found it almost funny that he was teaching Yan Zhi to make a sandwich.

Too simple.

But Yan Zhi was learning very seriously.

After the first one was done, Yan Zhi had Zhai Xingchen try it.

Zhai Xingchen took a bite. 'A great teacher makes a great student.'

'This is the first sandwich I've ever made in my life. Eat it all.' Yan Zhi said with a hint of command.

Zhai Xingchen immediately held up the sandwich to the camera. 'Yan-ge brand sandwich, viewers at home, don't be too jealous—I'll eat it first as a sign of respect.'

He demolished the sandwich in three bites.

Yan Zhi's mood improved a lot.

But it didn't last long, because Hu Ying came downstairs.

Hu Ying and the others got up one by one and were all surprised to see Yan Zhi making sandwiches.

'Did you make all these?'

Yan Zhi nodded. 'Help yourselves.'

The first one had gone to Zhai Xingchen anyway.

He had a strong sense of possession—really cared about that 'first' thing.

Huo Cheng was surprised to find Yan Zhi cooking.

He could only say rivals in love all think alike—easy to end up on the same page.

Because when he'd stayed up last night thinking of strategies, he'd been thinking about finding chances to get close to Zhai Xingchen.

After thinking it over, Zhai Xingchen spent the most time in the kitchen.

He'd planned to learn cooking from Zhai Xingchen.

Never expected Yan Zhi to beat him to it!

'Did Yan Zhi make these sandwiches?' he asked with a smile.

Hu Ying said, 'Yeah, Yan-ge cooked them himself!'

'I was just about to say, we can't keep making Xingchen cook all the time. We should at least try to learn, whether it tastes good or not is another matter, but we should at least take the initiative. Didn't expect Yan Zhi to be thinking the same thing.'

Yan Zhi said lightly, 'Huo-ge's right. I have time. After you guys head to work, I'll study recipes carefully. Tonight I'll learn properly from Xingchen—we'll handle dinner.'

Huo Cheng grinned. 'Doesn't Xingchen have a date tonight?'

Yan Zhi's expression stiffened.

Huo Cheng said, 'Looks like you'll be cooking for us tonight instead of Xingchen.'

Yan Zhi smiled. 'As long as Huo-ge gives me face and can stomach it, I can do it.'

Oh my god.

Even Zhai Xingchen, who knew the inside story, was breaking out in a cold sweat from this exchange.

Toes curling into a three-bedroom apartment—so awkward and so thrilling.

Looks like everyone's unhappy about his date with Hu Ying. This early in the morning and already so much gunpowder in the air.

While they were eating breakfast, Pei Xu came back from outside.

'Back so early today?' Lin Qingning asked.

And barely sweating.

'Just went out for a walk.'

Zhai Xingchen got up to get his breakfast. Pei Xu went to get his own.

'We were just talking—should we split up the work from now on?' Lin Qingning suddenly said. 'Can't keep making Xingchen cook alone. We should all pitch in.'

Pei Xu nodded. 'Sure.'

Hu Ying said, 'I think we should split it up too. Breakfast is fine, but dinner for eight is too much work.'

Lin Qingning and the others all happily agreed.

'We're all amateurs, can't just whip up a whole table of dishes. Let Xingchen lead us first.' Hu Ying said. 'I'll go first.'

Once she said that, the others went quiet. Finally Lin Qingning stepped in. 'Okay, you're first.'

When Zhai Xingchen went to pour coffee, Hu Ying followed. 'Riding with Yan Zhi again today?'

Zhai Xingchen hummed. 'Want coffee?'

Hu Ying nodded, took the coffee from his hand, took a sip, and kept looking at Zhai Xingchen.

Zhai Xingchen looked up at her. Hu Ying smiled and walked off with the coffee.

Hu Ying's lethality was off the charts.

Huo Cheng thought.

She and Yan Zhi had completely different attack styles—really good at the flirting game!

Since the Production Team said today's date was a secret date, no one asked who Zhai Xingchen had invited.

But everyone had already guessed.

A lot of people were disappointed, Duan Yihua among them.

Human nature is strange like that, especially in an environment like a Love Variety Show.

When Zhai Xingchen had sent him the heart-flutter text, he'd felt surprised, awkward, even a bit avoidant. But watching Zhai Xingchen turn toward Hu Ying, he felt an inexplicable sense of loss.

His gaze kept drifting to Zhai Xingchen—the first time he'd really let his eyes rest on him.

As the oldest of the eight guests this season, everyone called him Duan-ge. That title trapped him inside and out. Like him, a thirty-year-old big boss, liking a twenty-year-old male college student, always seemed a bit shameless.

He didn't know if society had trapped him, or if he'd trapped himself.

His situation wasn't much better than Wen Nu's.

Actually, Zhai Xingchen was really not bad.

Tall, handsome, lively but not lacking in steadiness, more mature than his actual age... but what attracted him most was that bright aura. Not just a bright personality, but bright looks too—sparkly eyes, red lips, radiating the vibrant life force of a young man full of energy.

If he made a move now, there was still time.

Since Zhai Xingchen had been most into him at first, that meant he had a chance.

Duan Yihua gripped his milk, his own ears turning red with shame first.

This was a Love Variety Show—hundreds of millions would see it eventually. Once he made a move, it meant hundreds of millions of viewers would glimpse his hidden inner self.

The CEO of a well-known company, a man known for being dignified and steady—his heart's favorite was actually the youngest man there.

Hu Ying watched every one of Duan Yihua's reactions.

Hehehe, there's a reaction.

She suddenly understood why Zhai Xingchen had invited her instead of Duan Yihua.

So Zhai Xingchen was using her as a tool to provoke Duan Yihua.

Brilliant, truly brilliant.

In that case, she didn't mind helping out!

'Xing-ge, I'm heading out. Bye.' She specifically said goodbye to Zhai Xingchen on the way out, and even switched to calling him Xing-ge.

Zhai Xingchen, who had no idea what Hu Ying was thinking, looked up at the sound. 'Bye.'

After breakfast, everyone started getting ready to head out. Zhai Xingchen went back to his room to grab his bag, and Pei Xu followed him in. 'Does your waist still hurt?' he asked quietly.

Zhai Xingchen slung his bag on. 'Much better.'

'I bought a box of pain patches when I went out.' Pei Xu pulled a box from his pocket and handed it to him. 'Put one on. You've got dance practice today, right? Take it easy.'

Zhai Xingchen was a little surprised, took it. 'Thanks.'

Pei Xu said, 'Put one on.'

Zhai Xingchen took out a patch, lifted his T-shirt, revealing a slim section of waist. The sore spot was on his lower back, and he was twisting to put it on when Pei Xu suddenly took it from his hand, bent slightly, and pressed the patch onto his dimple of Venus, his fingertip lightly brushing the warm skin.

Zhai Xingchen actually had two dimples of Venus.

Pei Xu's gaze darkened, then looked away.

'Did you put one on?' Zhai Xingchen asked.

Pei Xu cleared his throat slightly. 'My waist doesn't hurt.'