Chapter 45

The Red and Blue Signal's third season premiere had high unofficial ratings and landed four hot searches. Besides the one the Production Team bought—'The Red and Blue Signal Premieres'—three personal ones made it: 'Yan Zhi Joins a Love Variety Show,' 'Hu Ying on The Red and Blue Signal,' and 'Pei Huahong's Son Pei Xu.'

Pei Huahong, as a former national-level star, was just too much of a topic. Pei Xu, as her son, had been on hot searches his whole life—praised, cursed at, it was almost his inescapable fate. As long as he never outshone his mother, he'd never shake that label.

Pei Xu himself didn't care what netizens thought of him. He was grown now, strong enough, not that teenage boy anymore. It was Pei Huahong who cared about her son's feelings, spending money to pull the hot search down.

After pulling it, she even called Pei Xu, but it turned out he had no idea he'd been trending at all.

He didn't have Weibo, never looked at Weibo. He hadn't even watched The Red and Blue Signal, didn't care if the show got popular.

He'd joined this show with no goal at all—he was just here to return a favor. He didn't care if netizens liked him, didn't care if the other guests liked him.

Whatever.

Right now, the only person he cared about was Zhai Xingchen.

Saturday morning, he woke up a little after five, turned his head to look out the window at South City's most imposing cylindrical tower piercing the clouds.

Just like him.

He'd been waking up like this every day lately, like all his energy was pent up ready to burst. An eighteen-year-old high school boy probably wasn't as wired as he was.

Under the dual torment of body and mind, he was getting a little restless.

Restless not because he couldn't bear missing him, but because there was a hook in his heart.

Because when he'd sent Zhai Xingchen off, standing at the bus stop for a moment, he'd suddenly realized that if he wanted to go see Zhai Xingchen privately, he could find him.

He'd stood at the bus stop, looked at the stops for the number 28 bus. The number 28 only stopped at two places in all of Changping Village.

And Zhai Xingchen had told him his house was very close to the bus stop, 'just a few steps.'

Which meant if he went looking for Zhai Xingchen, he could find him.

Actually, if he hadn't thought of it, fine. But once he had, it was like a hook, tugging at Pei Xu's heart.

It was too big an opportunity, and therefore a huge temptation.

The competition at North City Station was visibly going to be fierce, so getting a head start became super important. What were the Production Team's rules anyway? He figured, whether it was him or Huo Cheng and the others, if any of them spotted this chance, only an idiot would miss it.

Today was Saturday. Zhai Xingchen's dad and mom were both off work. They'd gone to the supermarket early in the morning, bought a bunch of groceries, planning to close their door and celebrate.

The couple had been in great moods these past two days, walking home happily with their bags of food.

Almost home, they saw a strange young man.

The man looked to be in his twenties, with an extremely clear-cut, handsome face.

The kind where just looking at his face and bearing told you he wasn't ordinary. Pale, tall, holding a fruit basket.

Zhai Xingchen's mom froze for a second, whispering to his dad, 'Why does he look so familiar?'

Like one of the guests she'd seen on TV in The Red and Blue Signal.

But way hotter than he looked on TV!

The couple passed by the young man, sizing him up the whole time.

The man turned his head, bowed slightly to them very respectfully. 'Hello, may I ask, is Zhai Xingchen's house around here?'

Zhai Xingchen hadn't gone out today either, with nothing to do. He was in his bedroom doing the splits when he suddenly heard the front door open, then his mom shout, 'Xingchen, your friend's here to see you!'

Zhai Xingchen pulled his legs together and stood up. He came out of the bedroom panting and froze.

Pei Xu was wearing a black casual blazer with a white T-shirt underneath, looking even sharper than he had at the Red and Blue house, expression slightly awkward. 'Xingchen.'

Zhai Xingchen said, 'How'd you get here?'

Zhai Xingchen's dad said, 'Come in, sit down, sit, sit.'

Zhai Xingchen's mom hurried over to tidy things on the coffee table, moving clothes off the sofa. 'The house is a bit messy.'

Pei Xu, who was always so aloof, was now acting very well-behaved. He was even flustered, bending at the waist to nod, then sitting down on the sofa, placing both hands on his knees, looking up at Zhai Xingchen.

Zhai Xingchen was still shocked. 'How'd you get here? How'd you find my house? You know my address?'

Zhai Xingchen's dad and mom both looked at Pei Xu.

Pei Xu said, 'I asked around the area, but didn't find out. I just happened to run into your parents.'

Pei Xu's sudden arrival surprised all three members of the Zhai family. Zhai Xingchen's dad invited him to stay for lunch.

'No, I should head back,' Pei Xu said.

Zhai Xingchen had never seen such a flustered expression on Pei Xu before. He couldn't help laughing. 'Since you're already here, just stay for a simple meal.'

'We just bought a lot of groceries, said we'd celebrate for Xingchen,' Zhai Xingchen's dad said, then turned to Zhai Xingchen. 'Xingchen, you and Xiao Pei go play in your room first.'

So Zhai Xingchen pulled Pei Xu into his bedroom.

Once in his bedroom, Pei Xu visibly relaxed a lot. Zhai Xingchen saw his ears were red, thought it was funny and also really surprising. 'How long were you looking around our place?'

'Not that long,' Pei Xu said, then told him about the bus stop sign.

No wonder he was the Red and Blue house's number one brain—his ability to observe details was just strong.

Zhai Xingchen's mom suddenly pushed the door open. Pei Xu, who'd been sitting, immediately stood up again.

Zhai Xingchen's mom said cheerfully, 'I washed some fruit, you guys eat.'

'Thanks, Auntie,' Pei Xu said.

Zhai Xingchen couldn't help laughing again.

Pei Xu turned his head to look at Zhai Xingchen, and his face flushed red instantly.

After Zhai Xingchen's mom left, Zhai Xingchen closed the door.

Pei Xu said, 'Always laughing.'

Zhai Xingchen smiled. 'No, it's just the first time I've seen you like this.'

Pei Xu didn't say anything more.

He was nervous, his palms were sweating.

He wasn't like this before. He could be calm with anyone, used to being cold.

It was just different, after all. Because Zhai Xingchen was different to him, so his parents were different to him too.

Zhai Xingchen's mom went back to the kitchen to help his dad cook.

In their family, the men did the cooking.

'This young man's pretty good,' Zhai Xingchen's mom whispered. 'Different from how he looks on TV. I thought he'd be some super aloof guy, turns out he's strangely polite. And better-looking than on TV too. Is it all editing? Did they edit him to look like that on purpose?'

Zhai Xingchen's dad said, 'He is different from on TV. First time I've seen someone whose vitality could match our son's.'

Just the kind where you could tell at a glance their energy was super full, super healthy, vigorous.

After a while, Zhai Xingchen's mom said again, 'He really is good.'

'Stop right there,' Zhai Xingchen's dad said. 'Do you know what his family does?'

Zhai Xingchen's mom said, 'What do they do?'

'I looked up their backgrounds before. You know Huajiang Tower, right? That shopping plaza you said you didn't even dare go into? That's theirs.'

Who in South City didn't know Huajiang?

Then there was no need to think further.

Pei Xu drank some water, slowly settling down. He stood up holding his cup, looked around Zhai Xingchen's room.

Zhai Xingchen's room was tidied up very cozily.

On his desk, he saw the shells he'd given Zhai Xingchen before.

'I'm painting the shells,' Zhai Xingchen said. 'To give as gifts to everyone later.'

Pei Xu looked down at the patterns on them. 'Paint me a Bugs Bunny.'

Zhai Xingchen froze. 'Bugs Bunny?'

Pei Xu pointed at the Bugs Bunny pillow on his bed.

Zhai Xingchen said, 'Why do you want Bugs Bunny?'

'I think it's pretty cute,' Pei Xu said, reaching out. His slender fingers separated the shells into two piles. The ones he'd given Zhai Xingchen, he singled out separately. 'Give the others away however you want. These ones, either keep them for yourself, or paint them all and give them to me.'

Zhai Xingchen also felt it wasn't good to give away gifts others had given him. So he said, 'I'll just give away the ones I picked up myself. The ones you and Yan Zhi gave, I'll keep.'

Pei Xu glanced at the shells Yan Zhi had given.

'Forget it, give them all away,' Pei Xu said. 'We gave them to you, they're yours now. Distribute them however you want.'

He took a sip of water, frowned slightly. He thought the lemon water they drank at Zhai Xingchen's house was a bit sour.

Pei Xu had lunch at the Zhai Residence.

He finally understood why Zhai Xingchen's cooking was so good.

It was a family heirloom skill.

Pei Xu ate a lot, so much that Zhai Xingchen was afraid he'd overeat.

'Eat a little less,' he said.

'Uncle's cooking is delicious,' Pei Xu said very properly.

He didn't seem like the type to say polite niceties, felt very sincere.

Zhai Xingchen's dad beamed with joy but still pretended to be modest. 'We're just home cooking, definitely can't compare to what you usually eat.'

Hearing this, Zhai Xingchen glanced at his dad. He felt like the corners of his dad's eyes were about to blossom into a flower from smiling.

As if a rich young master liking his cooking so much was some huge compliment.

Pei Xu didn't stay at the Zhai Residence too long. After eating, he sat for a little while then left.

Zhai Xingchen's dad told Zhai Xingchen to see him out. When they went out, they happened to run into their neighbor across the hall. The neighbor auntie smiled and asked, 'Got guests at home?'

'Xingchen's friend, came over to hang out.'

The neighbor didn't know about The Red and Blue Signal, just couldn't help praising, 'What a handsome young man.'

Zhai Xingchen saw Pei Xu getting praised and looking a little embarrassed.

So many people had praised him before, and he'd just worn a stinky face, never seen him embarrassed.

Shouldn't he be used to people saying he's handsome?

The two of them came out from the Zhai Residence. Pei Xu looked back at the building again.

It was a white five-story building. Zhai Xingchen's family lived on the fourth floor, the easternmost side.

He'd remember for next time.

He suddenly saw Zhai Xingchen's dad and mom still standing at the fourth-floor stairwell looking down. Seeing Zhai Xingchen's dad waving at him, Pei Xu hurriedly bowed again.

'That young man's really polite, huh,' Zhai Xingchen's dad said smilingly to his mom.

Left a strangely good impression.

Zhai Xingchen asked Pei Xu, 'Didn't you drive?'

Pei Xu said, 'Car's parked outside your Dance School.'

So Zhai Xingchen walked him to the south gate of Zhongwu Academy.

'You can go back,' Pei Xu said.

'Thanks for coming to see me,' Zhai Xingchen said.

Pei Xu smiled, glancing at Zhai Xingchen. 'What are you doing tomorrow?'

Zhai Xingchen said, 'Staying home. Didn't the Production Team say we shouldn't go out casually?'

He thought it was best to listen to the Production Team, not cause them trouble. After all, there were so many of them, making this show wasn't easy. The guests should cooperate a bit.

'Got your warm clothes ready?' Pei Xu asked.

Zhai Xingchen nodded. 'I looked it up. Where we're going is so cold, dozens of degrees below zero.'

'Bring a warm Down Jacket — pack a couple, actually,' Pei Xu said.

Zhai Xingchen smiled and nodded.

The Zhai Residence was in Changping Village near Zhongwu Academy. It was a huge Urban Village—over forty minutes to walk from south to north, over thirty from east to west. This village, which had gradually developed around Zhongwu Academy, had started building multi-story buildings in recent years. But because the planning was unreasonable, the roads twisted and turned, and renters made up the majority. Even if you knew someone lived in this village, it wasn't easy to find.

Huo Cheng had been looking for a long time.

Huo Cheng thought he was very clever.

The Production Team didn't allow them to exchange contact info or tell each other their home addresses. But that Zhai Xingchen lived in Changping Village was something they all knew.

Even if they didn't know exactly which street.

But it was fine, he could look himself.

He'd quickly wrapped up all his work abroad, didn't even adjust for jet lag, dragged himself over with dark circles under his eyes.

He was in a hurry. He was an impatient person to begin with, and these past two days he'd been even more anxious.

Before going to North City, one more meeting was one more chance.

But he asked along street after street, and no one knew Zhai Xingchen.

City people were just cold. Not like their village, where the east end knew what the west end had for lunch today.

But effort pays off. He finally asked at a little convenience store near Zhai Xingchen's house.

'Zhai Xingchen? I know him, I know him,' the old lady said, sizing up Huo Cheng's luxury car. 'Who are you to him?'

'A friend,' Huo Cheng said excitedly. 'Can you tell me where his house is?'

As he spoke, Huo Cheng bought another carton of cigarettes from the old lady's shop—soft-pack Chunghwa.

This made the old lady extremely happy. 'I'll take you there, it's very close.'

Zhai Xingchen's dad had just finished clearing the dining table and came out to throw away the trash when he heard someone call him, 'Old Zhai!'

Zhai Xingchen's dad turned his head and saw the proprietress of the little convenience store near their house waving at him cheerfully. Next to her stood a buzz-cut handsome guy who looked over six foot three, holding a bunch of stuff.