Did Lawyer Jiang give me his date card?
Was it to thank me for voting for him yesterday?
His thick lashes fluttered, the haze in his eyes cleared, and Wen He turned and went back inside to wash up again.
His phone kept chiming. He knew his clients were messaging him.
Until the production team paid him in full, he had to keep drawing commissions. He did not have much left in savings.
He still had to go on a date with Lawyer Jiang that afternoon, which meant spending money again...
But today should be Xie... whatever-Ci and Zhou Siyu's date, right?
Would Ji Chi get jealous, then?
Wen He had never experienced what jealousy felt like... He would ask Ji Chi next time...
After a quick wash, he set an alarm for four in the afternoon. In fact, it was already nearly half past three.
Wen He had slept for a long time. If the other man had not knocked, he could have slept even longer.
With little time left, he decided to draw after he came back that evening. Otherwise, what if inspiration struck and he could not stop...?
He took out his phone. Ji Chi's messages had been pushed down.
Ji Chi Is Annoying: Awake yet?
Ji Chi Is Annoying: What do you want to eat this afternoon? Should we eat out?
Ji Chi Is Annoying: How about I take you to the Rongdong Hotel?
Ji Chi Is Annoying: Reply when you're awake.
Wen He replied to his messages one by one.
He He He: I'm awake now.
He He He: I have to go out this afternoon, so I can't eat with you.
He He He: We can go next time.
Ji Chi Is Annoying: What are you going out for? Do you have a car? Want me to drive you?
His reply came so quickly that it was obvious he was on his phone.
He He He: No need. Lawyer Jiang is going out with me.
He He He: (Thankful kitten) sticker.
Leaning against his bed, Ji Chi immediately sat bolt upright at the sight of the sensitive words "Lawyer Jiang" and closed the game running in the background.
J: What does he want with you?
J: You agreed to go out with him?
J: You're not allowed to go out! You're not allowed to go out with him.
Ji Chi was as overbearing as ever... But Wen He could not listen to him this time. These were the production team's rules. He could not refuse, and it was also Lawyer Jiang's right.
Since he had taken the production team's money, he had to do his job for them.
Little Wooden Head: I can't... I have to go out with him. I already promised him.
Little Wooden Head: (Spinning bear) sticker.
His alarm rang at the same time as the incoming call.
Wen He put on his little white canvas shoes, left his room, and answered.
"Hello..."
Ji Chi abruptly opened his door, while Little Wooden Head's soft, sticky "Hello? Hello? Hello?" kept coming through the phone.
The two stared at each other.
Silence...
Wen He pressed his lips together and blinked gently, then hung up. He swallowed the saliva pooling in his mouth, walked over to stand in front of Ji Chi, and reached out to pat the top of his head twice.
"I'm heading out... Bye-bye."
This time, I was in the wrong.
Lawyer Jiang asked me first... No, to be precise, Ji Chi invited me first, but I didn't read his messages... So I missed his invitation. It was my fault.
Just after speaking, he seemed to remember something. Turning back and meeting Ji Chi's surprised, disappointed eyes, he sighed softly and parted his lips slightly. "Let's go eat tomorrow night instead..."
White teeth and a glimpse of soft tongue showed between Wen He's pink lips. His innocent eyes unconsciously softened as he gazed at Ji Chi, even indulgently.
Seeing how soft he looked, Ji Chi slammed his door shut with a bang.
Something in his chest seemed to be sprouting, pressing against his little heart.
Thump, thump...
The young man leaned back against the wooden door. His tousled black hair hid his flushed ears, but could not conceal his scarlet cheeks or his wildly pounding heart...
Jiang Ye was already waiting in the living room.
He could not see what was happening upstairs. The designer watch on his wrist had already ticked over to 16:05.
Remembering how dazed Wen He had looked earlier, he was about to head upstairs when he spotted him pattering down.
Wen He had changed out of his pajamas. He still wore a printed white T-shirt and jeans, with a cowlick sticking up from his fluffy, soft hair, making him look much more approachable.
"Sorry for the wait, Lawyer Jiang..."
Jiang Ye stopped at the foot of the stairs and smiled at him, shaking his head. "I haven't been waiting long. I only just came downstairs too. Let's go."
Wen He nodded and slowly followed beside him, and the two got into the car.
The production crew's camera operator followed close behind.
On that day's designated date day, the guests were to invite their dates themselves.
Ji Chi had messaged Wen He as soon as he received the text. Worried that Wen He was still asleep, he had not gone to find him... He had never expected Jiang Ye to beat him to it again.
Although... But...
The way Wen He had gently patted his head kept circling through his mind. Somehow, his heart felt as though it had been soaked in a jar of honey... How could it be so... sweet?!
Remembering how Wen He had softly coaxed him, Ji Chi could not stop the corners of his mouth from lifting.
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. He rolled around on his bed several times before finally calming down.
This was too much! Even Grandpa had never patted my head! How could that Little Wooden Head do that!
The more he thought about it, the more something felt off. Ji Chi decided to open the show's livestream and keep an eye on Jiang Ye himself.
The man was here to find a partner. What if he had designs on Little Wooden Head? That would not do.
[Ahhh~ finally, (crying) Lawyer Jiang finally got a date with Male one.]
[Oh heavens, oh earth... I can't help crying.]
[These two finally met each other halfway for once.]
[How is that meeting each other halfway? Wasn't Jiang Ye the one who asked him to vote for him!?!]
[You clearly don't know how to ship. Male one and Male five are the perfect match.]
[Perfect match, my ass. What can Demon Dragon do besides harass Male one?]
[Are you Male one himself? Who are you to call it harassment? If it really was harassment and Male one felt uncomfortable, he would've said so already, okay? OK? You know?]
[Foreigner, get lost.]
Ji Chi's wonderful mood shattered the moment he saw the comments. The livestream did not allow comments to be turned off, and the production team did not assign anyone to filter them either. Helpless, he could only huddle beneath his covers and furiously report them!
He blocked and reported everyone who said Wen He and Jiang Ye were a good match.
On-screen, Jiang Ye was focused on driving. Wen He sat obediently in the passenger seat, holding his seat belt with both hands. Neither spoke.
"Your destination is twenty meters ahead. Navigation complete. Have a pleasant journey~"
The navigation voice sounded from Jiang Ye's phone as he drove into the underground parking garage.
"We're almost there. Aren't you curious about what we're going to do?"
"Anything is fine. It's up to you, Lawyer Jiang." Wen He unbuckled his seat belt and hopped out.
Jiang Ye's outfit was very different that day. Instead of his usual polished attire, he had changed into casual clothes, even swapping his glasses for large black frames with rounded square lenses. He had not waxed his hair either, and looked very much like a sunny college boy.
[Lawyer Jiang's outfit today takes ten years right off him.]
[He's not that old. Isn't Lawyer Jiang twenty-eight?]
[There's a bit of an age gap between them...]
[Xiao He is only twenty-three, right? A five-year gap.]
[Old man.]
[?]
[Is that Demon Dragon up there? Why so nasty? Is twenty-eight that old? Isn't that a man's prime?]
[Older men know how to cherish you~]
In the pitch-black room, a faint light illuminated Ji Chi's face as he continued posting comments without blushing or his heart skipping a beat.
[Old man.]
[Uh... he's fine, isn't he? He's not that old. There's no need to say that.]
[Old man.]
[Ji Chi, is that you?]
[Old man.]
[...]