Get your head checked sooner

"Yeah." Zhang Jue nodded and said just as quietly, "I noticed ages ago that the way Mu Ze looked at Young Master Xie wasn't innocent."

Surprise filled Tan Yaya's eyes, and they brightened. "Teacher Zhang, I never expected your instincts about this sort of thing to be so sharp."

"What else have you noticed?"

Zhang Jue asked tentatively, "Teacher Tan, don't tell me you're one of those legendary BL fangirls?"

Tan Yaya raised her chin proudly. "Is there a problem with that?"

"No." Zhang Jue shook his head. "I just never imagined that the great Heavenly Queen Tan would be interested in this too."

Tan Yaya said, "I may be a heavenly queen, but I'm an ordinary person too."

"It's perfectly normal to have a hobby."

"Besides..."

Tan Yaya said conspiratorially, "Don't you think shipping CPs is addictive?"

Zhang Jue fell silent for a moment.

How was he supposed to tell Tan Yaya that he was a straight guy and didn't know much about this kind of CP?

Tan Yaya yawned. "Teacher Zhang, lend me your shoulder for a bit."

A weight settled on Zhang Jue's shoulder. Tan Yaya had already leaned against him and closed her eyes.

After the car reached the villa, Mu Ze and Zhang Jue woke their sleeping companions one after the other.

Xie Yuan rubbed his eyes and was fully awake in no time.

Mu Ze felt a little disappointed.

The other guests in the villa had already gone to bed.

The four said good night and returned to their respective rooms.

The bar had been full of mingled smells. Despite barely drinking, both of them smelled of alcohol.

Mu Ze found Xie Yuan's pajamas for him. "You wash up first."

Then he wrapped Xie Yuan's hand in plastic wrap. "Once you're done, I'll apply your medicine again."

Xie Yuan stood and headed toward the bathroom. "Sure. Help me take my clothes off."

Mu Ze followed him into the bathroom. With the experience from last time, he no longer dared to look too much. He quickly helped him undress and fled the bathroom.

Xie Yuan stared at the closed bathroom door for a while. "Am I that scary?"

It was too late, so Xie Yuan didn't wash his hair again.

Not long after he came out, Mu Ze went straight into the bathroom.

His phone rang, and Xie Yuan answered it.

"Young Master Xie, we've taken him away. Do you have any further instructions?"

The person on the other end was very polite.

Xie Yuan asked, "How long could he get?"

"It's hard to say. After all, it was only an attempt, and given his unusual background, he might not get much time."

"His background?" Xie Yuan tapped the bed. "Is it troublesome?"

The person on the other end said, "He's the illegitimate son of the Underground Casino's owner, and his father dotes on him. Acting rashly against him might anger his father."

"We've been gathering evidence lately. We only need a little more to put him away."

Xie Yuan said, "If someone comes to bail him out, just follow procedure."

"It won't be too late to settle his account once you've gathered enough evidence."

"All right. We'll do as you say."

Just as the call ended, Mu Ze came out of the bathroom.

"It's late now. I'll get up early tomorrow to wash the clothes."

Xie Yuan shook his head. "Suit yourself."

He tossed his phone onto the bed, got up, and lay down on Mu Ze's bed.

Mu Ze paused for a while before climbing in from the other side. The moment he lay down, Xie Yuan rolled straight into his arms.

His hand rested on Mu Ze's waist with the ease of someone who had slept there countless nights.

Before Mu Ze could say anything, Xie Yuan's breathing had evened out. He was asleep.

Mu Ze lowered his eyes and gazed at Xie Yuan's sleeping face. "Teacher Xie, do you trust my character, or do you not see me as a normal man?"

"I don't even trust my own self-control."

The person in his arms suddenly murmured, "Smells so good."

Mu Ze was amused. "You say I smell good every time. You've almost made me wonder whether I'm human."

He gently brushed aside the stray hair by Xie Yuan's face and closed his eyes.

The next day was their last day of work.

When Xie Yuan and Mu Ze reached the living room, only Su Wanyue, Gu Yanzhou, Wang Zihua, and Liu Yan were there.

After a night's rest, Wang Zihua had regained his energy.

He took a sip of soy milk and asked curiously, "Young Master Xie, how was the bar? Was it fun?"

He used to be a regular at bars. Since filming the show, he hadn't been to one in days, and he missed it quite a bit.

"Nothing special," Xie Yuan answered honestly.

Wang Zihua curled his lip. "If you don't want to answer, you don't have to. There's no need to brush me off like that."

"I thought after filming together for a few days, we could at least count as friends of a sort."

Xie Yuan glanced at Wang Zihua. "It's the truth."

Wang Zihua spread his hands. "You're really boring. There's nothing fun about you."

Xie Yuan said, "Perfect. I find you boring too, so we can leave each other alone."

Wang Zihua threw down his bun, his eyes full of irritation.

Liu Yan hesitated for a moment. "Young Master Wang, have something to eat, or you won't have the energy to deliver food later."

Delivering food was physical work. Without enough to eat, he might not have the energy to climb stairs.

"Stay out of it." Wang Zihua glanced at Liu Yan. "If I don't have the energy, I won't do it. It's the last day. It's not like I need to deliver food for a living."

Liu Yan fell silent for a moment. Her lips parted, but in the end, she said nothing.

Su Wanyue's eyes flickered. "Young Master Xie, we're all friends. There's no need to make things so ugly."

"Who's your friend?"

That single sentence from Xie Yuan shut Su Wanyue down completely.

Su Wanyue's expression soured further. She covered her face with both hands, her voice choking up. "Young Master Xie, you've already hit me and cursed at me. Can you please stop treating me like this?"

"I just love Brother Yanzhou. If it really upsets you, I'll leave him and give him back to Miss Xie."

"I'm only begging you to stop being so hostile toward me, all right?"

Gu Yanzhou's heart ached terribly. Disregarding the ongoing livestream, he pulled her into his arms. "It's not your fault. You can't leave me."

"Brother Yanzhou..." Su Wanyue looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. "I really love you."

"I know I was in the wrong. If Young Master Xie wants to hit me or curse at me, I won't complain."

"As long as it lets him vent."

Gu Yanzhou wiped the tears from Su Wanyue's face. "It's not your fault."

"I was the one who chose to love you. I'll talk to Xie Ran myself."

Su Wanyue's tears kept flowing, seemingly unable to stop.

Watching the two embrace, Xie Yuan calmly finished his breakfast, then stood and looked down at them.

"Teacher Su, give him back?"

"So you're admitting you took something that belonged to someone else?"

"Besides, all I said was that we aren't friends. Was I wrong?"

"The thought of being friends with someone who stole my sister's fiancé disgusts me."

Gu Yanzhou released Su Wanyue, clenched his fists, and stood, glaring fiercely at Xie Yuan. "Xie Yuan, enough. Do you have to talk like that?"

"Didn't I already say it? Come at me if you have a problem. I'm the one who wronged your sister."

"Brain-dead," Xie Yuan spat. "Even insulting you is an insult to my intelligence."

"If you really have nothing better to do, get your head checked sooner. There might still be hope for you."

"What did you say? Say that again!" Veins bulged on Gu Yanzhou's forehead.

Teacher He hurriedly stood. "Everyone, it's getting late. Shall we head to work first? Whatever it is, can we discuss it tonight?"

"Heh." Xie Yuan scoffed. "Mu Ze, let's go to the shop."