Pei Tingyun and Xie Huan both stopped in their tracks.
The director promised them that the production team would thoroughly investigate this incident and give them an answer.
He also sincerely explained that he had only resorted to using a safety drill as an excuse because he was worried the livestream would be interrupted.
He hoped they would cooperate and keep it confidential on camera.
Xie Huan and Pei Tingyun readily agreed.
After all, blowing this up would do no one any good.
Pei Tingyun checked with the director once more.
Only after learning that his and Xie Huan's microphones would stay off until they returned to the livestream did he feel reassured enough to go back to their room with Xie Huan.
The moment the door closed.
Pei Tingyun went straight into an apology: "I'm sorry about what just happened!"
Xie Huan, who had already started packing his backpack, had no idea what he meant.
He turned to look at Pei Tingyun, his eyes wide with bewilderment. "What've you got to apologize to me for?"
Pei Tingyun said, "That chef... he wanted to kill you."
Xie Huan raised an eyebrow. "What, did you put him up to it?"
Pei Tingyun said, "Of course not!"
Xie Huan said, "Then what're you apologizing to me for? This ain't got anything to do with you."
Pei Tingyun said, "But he's my fan. He misunderstood our relationship, and that's why..."
Xie Huan was so straight it was downright uncanny, and he had no idea what there was to misunderstand:
"What'd he misunderstand? Aren't we close?"
Pei Tingyun said, "We are close, but not in the way he thought..."
Pei Tingyun really couldn't bring himself to say that the chef had mistakenly thought they had done this and that last night.
In the end, he gave up. "Forget it. Anyway, I'm very sorry you got caught up in this undeserved disaster."
Hearing that only annoyed Xie Huan. "Oh, come on! That blond guy's the one who put me through it. What're you doing apologizing over and over? What, are you his legal guardian?"
Pei Tingyun said, "No."
Xie Huan kept his hands busy, and his mouth didn't stop either:
"Then swallow that apology! Don't go shouldering every random bit of responsibility, got it? He ain't worth it!"
Despite being snapped at, Pei Tingyun felt warmth in his heart.
With Xie Huan, he was no longer the idol who had to pay for his fans' behavior.
He could just be himself.
In the past, even when he was the one hurt by a sasaeng fan, he would still be accused of being the original sin.
All because that sasaeng fan liked him.
Although Hua Xin took good care of him, as his manager, he couldn't free him of the burdens that came with being a top star.
It seemed that only by Xie Huan's side could he have a moment to set everything down and just be himself.
Watching Xie Huan's busy figure from behind, Pei Tingyun couldn't help his lips curving into a faint smile.
Just then, his phone suddenly rang.
He lowered his eyes and saw that it was Hua Xin calling.
The smile that had just bloomed on Pei Tingyun's face vanished in a second.
He told Xie Huan, "Keep packing. I need to take this."
Xie Huan made a sound of acknowledgment.
Pei Tingyun went into the bathroom, closed the door, and answered the call. "Hello."
The director's explanation on the livestream could only fool the viewers.
People in the industry had seen far too many emergency PR maneuvers like this and could tell at a glance that something had really happened.
Hua Xin was naturally no exception, and his voice was clearly worried. "Baby, are you okay?"
Pei Tingyun answered calmly, "I'm fine."
Only then did Hua Xin breathe a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness! Thank goodness! I saw you weren't on the livestream anymore and thought something had happened to you!"
Pei Tingyun said, "Don't worry. Nothing happened to me."
Still shaken, Hua Xin said, "Oh my, you scared me to death! If you don't even like him, why would you take a bullet for him? You nearly scared half the life out of your big sis here!"
Pei Tingyun was speechless. "Can you stop making everything about liking someone? I just wanted to save him."
Hua Xin scoffed and said sarcastically:
"Ha! You just wanted to save him, that's all! Do I look like I believe that? How come I never knew you were so keen on sacrificing yourself to save others? If that were me, you wouldn't take a bullet for me!"
Pei Tingyun pinched the bridge of his nose, his head aching. "If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up."
Hua Xin said, "Look at you, running away again! I'm not finished!"
Pei Tingyun sighed. "Go on."
Hua Xin said, "I wanted to ask if I should get involved in that blond guy's case."
After a pause, Hua Xin added, "Of course, I mean personally. Don't bother considering the company. Unless there's a huge payout they can get their hands on, they won't do anything for you."
Pei Tingyun wasn't surprised in the slightest. He had long since grown used to it:
"I understand. Just follow up on it and let me know when there's a result."
Hua Xin said, "All right, got it."
Hua Xin changed tack, steering the topic back to romance:
"Xie Huan is such a good person. If you don't like him, don't go taking a bullet for him without thinking again. How is doing that any different from confessing?"
Pei Tingyun was utterly floored by his logic. "How does saving someone have anything to do with confessing?"
Hua Xin said, "You showed him through your actions, 'Your life matters more than mine.' How is that not a confession? Do you need me to sing you 'If This Isn't Love'?"
Pei Tingyun froze, realizing he actually couldn't refute that.
By the time Pei Tingyun ended the call and came out of the bathroom, Xie Huan had finished packing and even restored the room to its original state.
The two returned to the restaurant where they had eaten earlier to meet up with everyone and prepare to head down the mountain together.
The heavy rain had lasted all night, but it had stopped now.
However, there were very few steps on the way down. Most of the route was a muddy dirt path.
Xie Huan looked at the uneven, slippery ground ahead, then glanced back at the brand-new sneakers on Pei Tingyun's feet.
Then he decisively took off his backpack, put it on his front, and crouched in front of Pei Tingyun. "Hop on. I'll carry you down."
Pei Tingyun hadn't expected Xie Huan to do this.
He froze for a second before saying, "Oh, no need. I can walk!"
But Xie Huan ignored Pei Tingyun's refusal and went straight into domineering CEO mode, doting on his husband.
Without another word, he reached out and caught Pei Tingyun behind the knees.
Caught off guard, Pei Tingyun stumbled and fell onto his back with the pull.
Seizing the moment, Xie Huan scooped him up behind the knees, stood, and started walking.
The other three members of the Roaming Group became a full-on hype squad, hooting nonstop.
The ship fans in the livestream chat were so happy they were practically setting off fireworks:
[Wow, wow, wow! When Xie Huan gets forcefully doting, his boyfriend power is seriously maxed out!]
[Is this the advantage of being a buff bottom? He's not weak at all the day after doing this and that, and he can even carry his top down the mountain!]
[I won't say who's living the dream, but I'm so happy for him!]
However.
Human joys and sorrows were not shared.
At that moment, all Pei Tingyun felt was mortification!
This was absolute introvert hell!
Pei Tingyun struggled on Xie Huan's back. "Don't do this. Put me down!"
Xie Huan continued to ignore his refusal and headed down the mountain with him on his back:
"If you don't want us both falling flat on our faces in the mud, quit squirming."