First Update

Hu Ying felt a sudden, inexplicable hostility from Pei Xu.

Pei Xu was a really aloof guy. It wasn't so much that he was cold—he just liked keeping distance. His aloofness didn't actually have any bite to it.

Pei Xu's eyes dropped slightly. The computer screen lit up his features—aloof, handsome.

Hu Ying almost thought she'd imagined it.

After lunch, Pei Xu went and cleaned up the kitchen on his own. He wasn't someone who usually did chores, but because he didn't, when he did, he was extra serious about it—he'd spend forever polishing a single plate, super meticulous. Hu Ying was leaving at two, so she told Zhai Xingchen, "Help me pack? I have no idea how."

This rich second-gen kid who'd never lifted a finger in her life!

Zhai Xingchen told Pei Xu, "Just leave it there, I'll wash it later."

He went upstairs to help Hu Ying pack.

Hu Ying's clothes and skincare products blew his mind.

"You brought way too many clothes," he said, awed.

"Yeah, I overpacked. I changed twice a day and didn't even wear a third of them." Hu Ying said, "When I came to film the show, I was like, I have to outshine everyone. So I brought all my best pieces."

Zhai Xingchen looked at her clothes and thought her style was all over the place—black-and-white formal wear, cutout floral shirts, everything.

Her skincare stash was massive too. Dozens of face masks left over.

"Take them all." Hu Ying said, "I have tons at home. Some I never even finished before they expired."

"I don't use face masks," Zhai Xingchen said.

"Ex-boyfriend material, you don't want them?"

"Too much hassle," Zhai Xingchen said.

Hu Ying glanced at his face and sighed. "Forget it. No skincare product beats good genes."

Zhai Xingchen used nothing—just rinsed his face with water—and his skin was absurdly good, absurdly fair.

Zhai Xingchen really was the domestic type. Not only could he cook, he was great at packing too. Hu Ying watched him organize her suitcase and said, "I don't even wanna take anything out now."

Everything sorted, impossibly neat.

"That's because you haven't seen Yan-ge and Pei-ge's suitcases," Zhai Xingchen said. "Theirs don't even look like a human packed them."

"I just went to Yan Zhi's room. I can't believe anyone lived there. Huo-ge's room is the opposite extreme—the bed's a mess. I saw he folded his blanket, but the fold was a disaster." Hu Ying said.

They chatted for a while, and the slight awkwardness and distance from the morning was completely gone. Hu Ying felt warm inside. She sat next to Zhai Xingchen and watched him zip her suitcase shut.

Zhai Xingchen lifted the suitcase a bit. "Heavy."

Pei Xu had already wiped all the plates clean and washed the pot. He glanced upstairs, then grabbed a rag to wipe the table.

Guo Bing and the others watched from next door. "He's getting anxious."

"Poor Pei-ge, he's a little slow on the uptake. I think Hu Ying and Zhai Xingchen are about to make it official."

"Hu Ying hasn't even made a move yet. If she does, neither Huo Cheng nor Yan Zhi can compete, let alone Pei Xu."

"Pei Xu, gotta make a move fast."

Humans naturally root for the underdog. On a Love Variety Show, that's even more true—the less chance someone has, the more people want to protect them.

Just then, they heard Pei Xu suddenly call out loud, "Zhai Xingchen!"

"Oh oh oh, coming coming!"

"Pei-ge, go go go!"

Zhai Xingchen answered, and came downstairs shortly after.

"Did you finish up there?" Pei Xu asked.

"You already washed everything?"

Pei Xu nodded.

"You cleaned way too well," Zhai Xingchen said.

"Is upstairs packed?" Pei Xu asked.

Zhai Xingchen nodded. "Done. Hu Ying's leaving soon."

"Did you pack your stuff?"

"Just one suitcase, easy. I'll pack after I see Hu Ying off."

Hu Ying was already coming downstairs with her suitcase. Zhai Xingchen hurried back up to help.

Pei Xu stayed gentlemanly—went up and took the suitcase from Hu Ying's hands.

Hu Ying smiled. "Thanks, Pei-ge."

Pei Xu turned to Zhai Xingchen, who was heading up. "Leave them both there. I'll carry them."

He stopped on the stairs and soon saw Zhai Xingchen coming down with another big suitcase.

That one was heavy. Zhai Xingchen couldn't lift it, could only drag it.

Pei Xu went up, took the suitcase in his hand, carried it a couple steps, then picked up the other one too.

Zhai Xingchen and Hu Ying were stunned.

"You're way too strong," Zhai Xingchen marveled.

It made him, the supposed top, look so weak!

Pei Xu carried both suitcases downstairs, wheels not even touching the ground—looked effortless.

Both Hu Ying and Zhai Xingchen got hit by his boyfriend energy.

Those two suitcases together had to be seventy, eighty pounds.

This is what a male lead should look like. Zhai Xingchen thought.

He glanced at Hu Ying beside him. Her eyes were bright too.

A man with strength really is attractive to a pretty bottom like him.

"His daily runs weren't for nothing," Hu Ying said.

Zhai Xingchen laughed and turned to grab another small suitcase.

"Give it to me," Hu Ying said.

Zhai Xingchen didn't hand it over, pushed her arm and said, "Let's go."

It was hot outside, blazing sun. Two cars from the Production Team pulled up next door and people were already loading stuff.

This time, they were really splitting up.

Hu Ying looked at Pei Xu, then at Zhai Xingchen. "Should we hug?"

Zhai Xingchen took the initiative and hugged her.

"Really nice meeting you, Zhai Xingchen," Hu Ying said.

"Same here," Zhai Xingchen said.

The moment Hu Ying hugged Zhai Xingchen, the warm embrace suddenly stirred her desire. She held onto Zhai Xingchen, didn't want to let go.

Zhai Xingchen patted her back, and she let go, then looked at Pei Xu.

Pei Xu gave her a nod. "See you in North City."

"See you in North City," Hu Ying said.

She didn't hug Pei Xu. She put on her oversized sunglasses and got in the car.

A bunch of the Production Team staff came out next door to see her off. Hu Ying drove off in her convertible, waving at everyone.

Every time someone left, Zhai Xingchen felt a little more of the sadness of parting.

But this was just the beginning.

He didn't know what their relationships would be when the show finally ended, or who'd be seeing whom off. But people have feelings. Living together for a month was enough to build deep friendship—even if no love came of it, even if leaving was devastating. That month was enough to leave memories that would last a lifetime.

There was real feeling in this. Whether it was love, friendship, or something else. Regardless of outcome, success or failure.

He turned to look at Pei Xu beside him and felt Pei Xu had become warmer too.

"Let's go. Just the two of us now," he said to Pei Xu.

Pei Xu followed Zhai Xingchen toward the Red and Blue Cabin. He thought Zhai Xingchen seemed a little sad.

He strode up next to Zhai Xingchen and said as they walked, "I'll drive you home."

"Can you? The Production Team won't allow it, right?"

"Who cares about them," Pei Xu said, all cocky.

Zhai Xingchen laughed.

Having connections really is different.

"No way, you guys are cheating!" Guo Bing shouted from the side. "Until the show ends, you can't share contact info, can't tell each other your home address. You wanna drive Zhai Xingchen home? Dream on!"

Zhai Xingchen burst out laughing.

Pei Xu ended up not being able to drive Zhai Xingchen home. They both followed the Production Team's rules, with Guo Bing nagging the whole time.

Pei Xu drove Zhai Xingchen to a bus stop at an intersection.

He got out, ran to the back, opened the trunk, and pulled out Zhai Xingchen's luggage.

He'd never been this attentive to anyone in his life.

"Thanks," Zhai Xingchen said.

Pei Xu handed him the luggage and stood by the road.

Zhai Xingchen needed to take the 28 bus, which went right near his home.

Pei Xu suddenly felt reluctant to part. When he'd left home young, gone abroad alone, it had felt like this.

He wouldn't admit it, wouldn't let his mom see it. Acting calm, cold, but inside he was actually heartbroken, didn't want to leave the person he loved.

His prospects were actually pretty uncertain. He wasn't confident he'd win Zhai Xingchen over. Maybe this last private send-off would be one of the few memories that belonged just to the two of them. Thinking that Zhai Xingchen might choose Hu Ying in the future, or get snatched up by Yan Zhi or Huo Cheng, made Pei Xu anxious.

Anxiety seemed to hit him all at once. He shoved his hands in his pockets and kicked the step at the bus stop.

"You gonna see me onto the bus?" Zhai Xingchen asked.

Pei Xu hummed in response.

Zhai Xingchen thought every guest on this show was great.

Everyone cared deeply.

So what if he was the cannon fodder side character, the plot device? It wasn't actually that bad. He'd gained precious friendship—regardless of how long it would last, whether it would disappear when the show ended.

But right now, it was all real.

At this moment, he decided to say something sincere to Pei Xu.

"I hope you do well at the next stop, be more proactive." Zhai Xingchen said earnestly to Pei Xu. "You're actually really competitive, you just don't play well with others. You're so outstanding—you should let more people see that. Not just us Red and Blue Cabin guests, but the netizens too, the people who don't know you, who curse you, who misunderstand you. And of course, the people who care about you."

Pei Xu hadn't expected Zhai Xingchen to suddenly say all this. He stared at Zhai Xingchen, unblinking.

Sunlight fell on Zhai Xingchen's delicate face, making his skin look translucent. His hair was so thick, so black. His expression so serious.

Like a warm current, flooding into his heart.

Just then, a bus pulled up at the stop. It dinged. Zhai Xingchen whipped around. "The 28! That's my bus!"

He grabbed his luggage in a rush and called back to Pei Xu, "I'm off! See you in North City!"

Pei Xu suddenly grabbed Zhai Xingchen and pulled him into his arms.

"Thanks," Pei Xu said.

Zhai Xingchen was dumbfounded by this random 'thanks.' Pei Xu held the back of his head, brushed his soft hair with his lips—almost a kiss, not quite—then let him go, picked up his luggage, and helped him onto the bus.

It all happened so fast and chaotic. The bus wouldn't wait. Zhai Xingchen jumped on, dropped in his fare, dragged his suitcase inside. Pei Xu stepped back and stood at the bus stop, watching Zhai Xingchen sit down.

Zhai Xingchen waved at him through the window.

He waved back at Zhai Xingchen.

He really couldn't bear to part.

The bus carried the person he loved away. He stood at the stop alone, watching for a long time, until he couldn't see anything anymore, only the blinding sun overhead shining down on him.