Everyone was dumbfounded.
Including Shi Wei, who had inexplicably gained an extra piece of meat.
What was that bastard up to now?
Couldn't he see that Xu Xirui had abandoned his persona and was glaring at me?
Ji Hanchuan nonchalantly gave him the steak. "I'm full. Don't waste it."
His tone was so flat he might as well have been saying, "Feed the leftovers to the dog."
Everyone was even more surprised, no longer quite sure whether Ji Hanchuan liked or hated Shi Wei.
Huang Zhen laughed awkwardly. "Haha, we should all learn from Hanchuan and not waste food. We can't embarrass our fellow countrymen."
"Exactly, exactly."
"Teacher Ji really is a model for the industry. His professionalism shows in the details."
Ji Hanchuan, feeling thoroughly guilty at the praise: ...
Chen Yutong smiled. "You really like Shi Wei, don't you, Hanchuan? Why do I feel like you take special care of him?"
As though the situation wasn't awkward enough, she then asked Xu Xirui, "Ruirui, don't you agree? Shi Wei was always following Hanchuan around during filming."
Suddenly singled out, Xu Xirui smiled faintly. "Xiao Wei is talented. Everyone likes him."
He secretly gloated. I knew Chen Yutong wouldn't be able to hold back. And now she's trying to drag me into the line of fire.
She kept bringing up the Moonlight CP and reminiscing about the past with Brother Hanchuan. Didn't she notice that Brother Hanchuan never responded?
An inexplicably strange feeling stirred in Shi Wei. He was about to explain when Ji Hanchuan spoke.
"I looked after Shi Wei because Director Zhang asked me to," Ji Hanchuan said evenly. "Director Zhang was worried he wouldn't be able to hold his own opposite me, so he told him to get more familiar with me."
Shi Wei went along with him. "That's right. Teacher Ji was too scary. Director Zhang said I couldn't be afraid of him."
"I've worked with Director Zhang too. He's an excellent judge of people," Hu Huihui remarked. "So, did you hold your own?"
Ji Hanchuan answered for him. "He did. He didn't let everyone down."
Shi Wei looked over, and Ji Hanchuan happened to be looking at him too.
-At least that bastard knew what was good for him. If he dared spread rumors here that I couldn't perform, I'd cripple him on the spot.
Ji Hanchuan lowered his eyes, hiding the amusement in them.
Hearing Ji Hanchuan's approval, everyone saw Shi Wei in a new light.
They had thought he had become famous through public feuds. They hadn't expected even Ji Hanchuan to acknowledge his acting.
"Director Zhang has a good eye too. He could tell at a glance that I was a pearl hidden beneath the dust." Shi Wei looked bashful. "He knew I'd shine one day, sooner or later."
"Yes." Xiong Wen nodded. "Good thing Teacher Ji gave you a rub."
Ji Hanchuan: ...
Shi Wei: ...
Having failed to achieve her aim, Chen Yutong blinked at Shi Wei. "You're really amazing, Shi Wei, getting Teacher Ji to see you in a new light. Why am I the only one Teacher Ji scolds?"
Everyone except Ji Hanchuan burst out laughing.
Shi Wei gave a polite, awkward laugh.
He finally understood that strange feeling from earlier.
So Chen Yutong liked that bastard too.
Shi Wei looked at her, then at Xu Xirui.
This tea looked even juicier than he'd imagined!
The livestream chat was also discussing it heatedly.
"Does nobody else think Chen Yutong suddenly saying Great God Ji likes peaches was such a green tea move?"
"I got that feeling too, especially when she dragged Xu Xirui in to back her up."
"Are you all blind? If even Chen Yutong is a green tea, then everyone in the world is a green tea."
"Ah, you're all too young. You don't know there's a kind of tea called 'one-of-the-boys tea.'"
"I don't see a problem. Sister Yutong is straightforward by nature, and she's friends with Great God Ji. Can't any of you take a joke?"
"Did nobody notice that Brother Hanchuan acknowledged Shi Wei...?"
After dinner, they sat in the little garden to chat. Shi Wei hadn't slept much on the plane the night before and had started filming as soon as they landed in the early hours. He was getting sleepy and sat at the very edge, secretly stifling a yawn.
How much longer were they going to talk...?
"It's getting late. Why don't we go to bed?" Ji Hanchuan suddenly said.
Chen Yutong hurriedly stood up. "Let's get some rest, then. I almost forgot you three only flew in today. Everyone, get some rest. We've got more sightseeing to do tomorrow."
But when they returned to the room and saw the three beds, the men froze.
There were six men altogether, so they would have to squeeze two into each bed.
Shi Wei instinctively looked at Zhuo Xiao. "Um, how about I..."
"You're with me." Ji Hanchuan extended one noble finger, hooked Shi Wei's collar, and pulled him over. "I suppose I'll put up with sharing with you."
Shi Wei: ...
With Ji Hanchuan having spoken, none of the others dared object. Teacher Huang Zhen said he had shared with Zhang Shuyi before and would do so again, leaving Zhuo Xiao to sleep with Xu Xirui.
Shi Wei lamented his loss!
What a wonderful opportunity he had missed!
"Let's shower, then."
Zhang Shuyi said goodbye to the livestream viewers through the camera in the room, then covered the lens with some clothes.
Before showering, Ji Hanchuan and Shi Wei secretly switched their suitcases back.
The moment Shi Wei opened his suitcase, he discovered that all his clothes had been folded perfectly neatly, as though they were bricks in a wall.
Had even his underwear...
Shi Wei rummaged through it. Sure enough, they were perfectly neat, like blocks of tofu.
He narrowed his eyes at Ji Hanchuan.
Ji Hanchuan said quietly, "No need to thank me. Just pay me back for the disinfectant wipes when we get home."
Shi Wei: ...
Fuck, he really was still the same bastard!
Then if I touch you, I'll have to chop my hand off!
After taking turns showering, everyone was tired and squeezed onto the beds to sleep.
Ji Hanchuan lay down and instantly occupied two-thirds of the bed. Shi Wei looked pitiful. "Teacher Ji, have you secretly been learning to lasso horses? You're so mighty and imposing."
Everyone: ...
Ji Hanchuan moved a little farther over.
"Hahaha." Huang Zheng suddenly laughed as he watched them and patted his big belly. "After I got fat, my wife complained that I was hogging her side of the bed too. So I said, 'You say I'm taking up your space, but can't you snuggle into my arms? There's plenty of room in my arms.'"
Everyone: ...
Teacher Huang Zheng, could you please hurry up and go to sleep!
"Xiao Wei, don't crowd Brother Hanchuan." Xu Xirui sat on the bed beside them, his gaze dark.
Shi Wei remained calm. "Don't worry. If I really were crowding Teacher Ji, I'd most likely have kicked him off the bed already."
Xu Xirui: ...
"I'm turning off the lights." Zhuo Xiao switched them off, and the room went dark at once, with only the streetlights outside shining in. It was very quiet.
Shi Wei rolled over with his back to Ji Hanchuan.
He was so sleepy that he fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, without even the energy to care that Ji Hanchuan was lying beside him.
In the early hours, it was a little cold.
Wrapped in his thin blanket, Shi Wei groggily rolled over and struggled to open his eyes.
By the light from outside, he saw a handsome face close up, right before his eyes.
With that quiet sleeping face, those deep-set eyes and brows showed none of their usual hateful appearance.
Perhaps because his brain wasn't working yet, Shi Wei recklessly came up with a wicked idea.
How wonderful would it be if tomorrow's trending topic became #JiHanchuanHasFourEyebrows?
Shi Wei slowly shifted his body. His backpack had been tossed beside the bed, and the marker he always carried was inside.
After getting the marker, he shifted back into place and pulled off the cap...