Zhou Yang wished he were deaf. "..."
How was this any different from being kept behind by a teacher at school because he hadn't finished his homework?
Well... the difference was probably that a teacher wouldn't interrogate him.
"Zhou Yang." Xie Weishui didn't call him his junior in private. "I was very dissatisfied with your performance today."
Whenever Chi Li appeared, Zhou Yang's gaze invariably stuck to him.
That was a blatant slap in his face!
"Sorry." Zhou Yang lowered his head and apologized sincerely. "I'll be more careful from now on."
"Remember, you only got to come to Raising House because I gave you the opportunity." Xie Weishui slowly crumpled the paper strip he had removed from his face into a ball. "Don't forget who got you here."
Zhou Yang remained deferential. "I know."
"Good. I believe you." Xie Weishui didn't dwell on the issue. There was something he wanted to know more. "You and Chi Li must know each other pretty well, right?"
"...Yeah." Zhou Yang nodded lightly. "We joined at the same time."
Xie Weishui asked, "You two don't get along?"
Zhou Yang answered honestly, "We used to. Not so much now."
"That much I could tell." Xie Weishui was certain Zhou Yang wasn't lying. "Then... why don't you get along?"
Chi Li did things entirely his own way and never played by the usual rules.
The fundamental reason he had gotten the better of Xie Weishui over the past two days was that Xie Weishui didn't understand him well enough.
Fortunately... there was Zhou Yang to ask.
"Oh, what else could it be?" Beneath the table, Zhou Yang unconsciously picked at his thigh. "He was just jealous that I got to come to Raising House."
Xie Weishui questioned him. "He was jealous of you?"
That really wasn't enough to convince Xie Weishui.
The production crew weren't blind. With a face like Chi Li's, he could have come anytime he wanted.
"Yes... he didn't come before because he looked down on selling CP." Zhou Yang also knew that "jealousy" alone wouldn't convince Xie Weishui, so he attributed his own former thoughts to Chi Li. "But after he saw me get a little popular here, he became willing to come."
"That makes sense..." Xie Weishui looked thoughtful. "...Heh, what bullshit about hating to sell CP. Fang Jin used to hate selling CP too. Once he reaped the benefits, he never said that again."
Zhou Yang joined in the scorn. "Exactly. A whore who still wants a monument to his chastity."
Xie Weishui's expression changed. "Who are you calling a whore?"
"Uh..." Zhou Yang had only casually chimed in. He hadn't expected such a strong reaction from Xie Weishui, but he didn't know how to salvage it, so he could only say, "We're all whores."
Xie Weishui took a deep breath. "...You can get lost."
Once Chi Li returned to his room, he immediately began reviewing the "memorials" Gu Nan had sent him.
The number of paying viewers today had risen considerably compared to yesterday.
Most had entered while he was singing and dancing.
Another portion had joined while he was playing mahjong.
Several clips of his singing and dancing had high view counts, but the highest was still the girl group dance.
Gu Nan also took credit: Xie Weishui and Zhou Yang's close-contact dirty dancing almost stole the show today.
Gu Nan: Luckily, I was one step ahead. I got the Yangwei CP thing going and grossed out so many people they couldn't ship them anymore.
Chi Li laughed at that: Nice work. You're getting a bonus.
Gu Nan: One more thing to report. [Raises hand]
Chi Li: Go ahead.
Gu Nan: A small number of people are shipping you with Fang Jin, and you with Zhou Yang.
Chi Li: ?
Where did these people with pica come from?
Gu Nan continued: The Fang Jin shippers came from your private talk during the day, and the little turtle tonight.
Gu Nan: The Zhou Yang shippers think the way you interact looks like you're training a dog.
Chi Li: ...
He could understand the Fang Jin one somewhat, but he truly couldn't understand the Zhou Yang one.
It seemed he was still being too gentle with Zhou Yang.
But Chi Li didn't want to be linked to either of them.
He instructed Gu Nan: Put more effort into promoting Night Ashes Dawn.
He couldn't control those people with pica.
But as long as Night Ashes Dawn made enough noise, those strange voices could be drowned out.
Gu Nan: Then remember to sell it a little with Shen Xunye. [Pitiful]
Gu Nan: Give us more stuff on the level of today's ab-touching.
Gu Nan: Don't worry about going too hard. I'll defend you myself.
Chi Li sighed sincerely: I'm truly blessed to have you. (Complimentary version)
Chi Li: I'll look for an opportunity.
It was past eleven. Chi Li had gotten ready for bed and had just remarked, "What a peaceful night." As he was about to slip under the covers, an unexpected knock came at the door.
He walked quietly to the door and looked through the peephole.
The person standing outside was Zhou Yang.
It was so late, and their "meeting" time was over too. What had Zhou Yang come to see him for?
He hadn't changed clothes, so he had probably come straight over after the meeting ended.
When Chi Li didn't respond, Zhou Yang frowned and knocked three more times.
"Chi Li, I know you're still awake. Open the door. I have something to tell you."
"Get lost," Chi Li told Zhou Yang through the door.
Just thinking about people shipping him with Zhou Yang made him uncomfortable all over. He really wished he could go out and give him a couple of slaps.
"I really do have something to tell you." Zhou Yang sounded very sincere. "Don't you want to know what Xie Weishui just said?"
There was no way Chi Li would trust Zhou Yang.
Although Xie Weishui was now the one calling the shots in that group, Zhou Yang was a sanctimonious hypocrite who was bound to have plenty of his own little schemes. Chi Li couldn't let his guard down.
"He asked about our relationship before, but I didn't tell him." Zhou Yang suddenly became much more patient. "My heart is still with you, Xiao Li. Open the door. Let's have a proper talk, okay?"
Leaning beside the door, Chi Li took out his phone and messaged Shen Xunye-Are you asleep?
Shen Xunye replied quickly: No.
Chi Li: Come to my room in ten minutes.
Shen Xunye: ?
Chi Li didn't answer Shen Xunye's question. Instead, he cleared his throat twice and pitched his voice into a slightly fragile tone as he spoke through the door. "Is that really true?"
Heh. So you want to act? As if I can't.
"Of course it's true!" Zhou Yang was ecstatic. "Hurry up and let me in. It won't be good if someone hears us."
As though convinced, Chi Li gently pulled the door open.
Zhou Yang pressed his right hand against the door and pushed hard inward. "Xiao Li, trust me."
"It's hard for me to trust you."
Despite saying it was hard to trust him, he still opened the door all the way.
Zhou Yang quickly slipped into the room, grinning so broadly his face nearly split. "Xiao Li, you're always saying the opposite of what you mean."
Chi Li closed the door behind him but didn't lock it. Anyone could open it with a gentle push.
Zhou Yang made himself as comfortable as if he were back in his own home, immediately pulling over a chair to sit down. "Xiao Li, I really do want to have a proper talk with you."