Carrying the bags back to the car, Ji Hanchuan asked him where he wanted to go for a late-night meal.
"Let's go home. How about I cook you some noodles?" Shi Wei had no qualms about fobbing him off with whatever they had at home.
Ji Hanchuan's expression darkened. "...Shut up."
Even so, Ji Hanchuan agreed to have noodles.
When Shi Wei opened the fridge to get some eggs and greens, he discovered that Ji Hanchuan hadn't touched any of the dishes he had made.
Had he gone hungry all evening?
Shi Wei reheated all the dishes, made noodle soup with eggs, and respectfully carried everything into the dining room.
"Hubby~~by~~~" Shi Wei ran to the study, whose door was open, and called out with ill intent, "Time for noodles~"
Ji Hanchuan, who was on the phone with someone: ...
"That Shi Wei again?" Hearing Shi Wei's outrageously affected voice, Feng Wan didn't know what to say. "He cooks for you at home?"
"Yes." Ji Hanchuan didn't explain much.
Feng Wan was speechless.
She really couldn't figure out what Ji Hanchuan was doing now. First, he had helped Shi Wei deal with that Wang Jun'er, then he had suddenly announced he was joining a variety show, and a while back, he had shared Shi Wei's third-rate ad for no apparent reason...
It wasn't as though he didn't know how much influence he had. After the platform crashed, their manager had even called to complain to her, saying she should have given them a heads-up.
"Look, Hanchuan, I have to warn you. You two absolutely cannot stir up any dating rumors on Traveling with You. It's a livestream."
Ji Hanchuan said, "...We won't."
"Good."
"Hurry up and come ouuut~ Or the noodles will turn to muuush~"
That unbearably affected voice rang out again. Feng Wan clenched her fist and struggled to remain calm. "Go eat, then."
After hanging up and walking into the dining room, Ji Hanchuan saw a lavish spread covering the table.
A literal tableful.
"Is pork free now?" Ji Hanchuan pulled out a chair and sat down.
"I was worried my hubby wouldn't get to eat it later," Shi Wei said. "Didn't you see the official announcement, hubby? I'm joining Traveling with You. I won't be able to cook for you then."
"You're the one who didn't read the announcement, aren't you?" Ji Hanchuan said calmly. "I'm going too."
Shi Wei: ???
He hurriedly took out his phone to check.
It wasn't that he hadn't read it. He had missed a post. As a special guest, Ji Hanchuan had an announcement all to himself.
"You're going too, hubby?" Shi Wei was shocked. "Didn't you turn it down last time? Did Sister Yutong go beg you again?"
Ji Hanchuan: ...He might as well let him think that.
Shi Wei thought that made sense. Chen Yutong had come to save the day. Even though she was close to Director Zhang, she had still done him a huge favor.
Ooh, he really was repaying her with his body.
But that meant I'd get more gossip about Ji Hanchuan and Xu Xirui. Oh yeah!
The latest installment of Traveling with You was being filmed abroad, in a fairy-tale country renowned as the land of music.
Shi Wei packed his clothes early, stuffing in two pairs of jeans Bowei had sent over. He also brought the little peach plushie Ma Xianbei had told him to buy. He could casually show it during the livestream and count that as building his persona.
He dragged his suitcase out the door and happened to run into Ji Hanchuan.
They looked at each other.
"Why is your suitcase exactly the same as mine?" Shi Wei spotted the crucial detail. "Aren't you worried people will get the wrong idea?"
"Yours isn't the only suitcase in the world." Ji Hanchuan walked to the entryway to put on his shoes. "Wait a little before you leave."
Shi Wei nodded and leaned closer to ask, "What time's your flight?"
Ji Hanchuan gave him a time, and Shi Wei was startled. "Mine's the same as yours. Will lots of people come to send you off on your plane?"
"I don't think our country has reached the point where everyone can casually gift people planes."
Shi Wei: ...
"My itinerary is confidential." Ji Hanchuan put on his cap and pressed a large hand down on Shi Wei's head. "Remember, this is live. Don't cause me any trouble."
Hmph. Who knew which of them would be causing trouble?
Shi Wei looked up at him. "Then you can't go flirting around either, hubby."
-Hmph! If you dare make me wear a lush green hat on a livestream, I'll beat you until your head blooms red!
"..." Ji Hanchuan turned and left.
After a flight of over ten hours, they arrived in the early hours of the local morning. The sight of the sky made Shi Wei feel drowsy.
Yawning, he went to wait for his suitcase. It took ages to arrive. He had thought he could head straight to the hotel, but someone intercepted him as soon as he left the airport and shoved a camera right up to him.
"Hello, Mr. Shi. Welcome."
"Hi." Shi Wei perked up and looked into the camera. "Are we live already?"
The camera nodded.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Shi Wei."
There weren't many people in the livestream yet, but the chat came alive as soon as they saw Shi Wei.
"Isn't that my little waist spirit?"
"Isn't that my peach?"
"Isn't that my daughter-in-law?"
"Keep the formation going below. Isn't that my husband?"
"Ugh! People actually like that violent maniac Shi Wei? Has everyone forgotten how he left Xu Xirui to die?"
"The green tea's dogs are ruining the formation again. I'm here to protect my wife!"
The production team had a car take Shi Wei to his destination. He hugged his backpack, half-asleep, while the viewers were bombarded by his beautiful face.
On the way, a staff member suddenly announced a surprise suitcase inspection.
Shi Wei deliberately teased the camera. "Oh-ho, there's a rule like that? It'd be hilarious if there was something in here you couldn't broadcast. Hahahahaha."
The staff member immediately grew nervous. Shi Wei had recently gotten popular thanks to his body. Could he really have something shameful in there?
But when the suitcase opened, everything inside was neatly folded. There were no flashy colors; everything was either black or white.
"It looks like you really value tidiness, Mr. Shi. I'd thought young people preferred livelier colors..." The staff member turned and discovered that Shi Wei was staring blankly.
"Mr. Shi? What's wrong, Mr. Shi?"
Shi Wei: ...Was it too late to flee back home?
Meanwhile, in the hotel lounge.
"Sorry, Teacher Ji, but opening your suitcase for inspection is one of the show's rules." The staff member receiving Ji Hanchuan dutifully explained, his tone almost pleading, afraid of upsetting the top star, Great God Ji.
"He's here, he's here! I stayed up watching this stream just to see my dream man!"
"I bet a dollar Sister Yutong got him here."
"Holy shit! The Moonlight CP is together again! My white moonlight! I might cry myself to death when they stand together later!"
"I'm here for my dream man, but Brother Hanchuan's suitcase definitely won't have any surprises."
"+1. I love my dream man, but he's a clean freak and likes simple clothes. There definitely won't be much to see."
The staff member studied Ji Hanchuan's expression. "Teacher Ji, may we take a look?"
"Sure." Ji Hanchuan thought nothing of it. He set the suitcase on the floor, undid the zipper, and opened the lock.
Clatter-
A mess spilled across the floor.
Haphazardly folded clothes, a few plushies, and snacks.
Ji Hanchuan: ...
A very familiar peach plushie rolled to his feet.
Ji Hanchuan picked it up and squeezed it hard in his palm.
Shi! Wei!