"Hmm..." Shen Xunye didn't bother him anymore, but said softly, "I'll say it again when you're sober."
The only response he received was Chi Li's increasingly long and drawn-out breathing.
Shen Xunye settled the person downstairs, preparing to go downstairs to cook some hangover soup for him to drink before carrying him to bed for a good rest and sleep.
As soon as he opened the dormitory door, he saw Fang Jin walking towards him with a bowl in her hand.
Without a doubt, he was holding a hangover soup that he had prepared for Chi Li.
Although Chi Li no longer needed to wait, Shen Xunye wasn't very happy.
... It's really an eyesore.
"This is a hangover soup I made for Chi Li." Fang Jin quickly arrived. "Can I go in and see him?"
Shen Xunye snatched the hangover soup from Fang Jin's hand. "Thank you, just give me the hangover soup, you don't need to go in."
[ Shen Xunye is hilarious, he's so defensive.]
[He was already insanely jealous during dinner; his face was as black as the bottom of a pot. Now that he's lured her into the room, he definitely won't let any other man touch her.]
[Sorry, Fang Jin, he's not targeting you, he's targeting all men. [Cool]]
[These crises keep coming one after another; you can't blame him for being overly cautious.]
Fang Jin sensed Shen Xunye's undisguised hostility and her tone became even more harmless. "I want to confirm his situation."
They're just playing a bromance duo, why is he so possessive? Or is he still putting on an act?
"He's fine. He didn't act up or talk nonsense; he's just quietly going to sleep." Shen Xunye wasn't just saying this to Fang Jin, but also to the audience. "After I fed him the hangover soup, I let him sleep peacefully."
"Alright." Fang Jin didn't press the matter further. "Let him get some rest."
Shen Xunye said expressionlessly, "Take care."
Fang Jin didn't leave, but continued, "I'll cook some porridge later and remind him to eat it when he wakes up."
Shen Xunye: "..."
When will this person ever stop?
He's still here; why should anyone else be fawning over him?
"No need," Shen Xunye said, his voice low but firm in its refusal. "I'll arrange his meals later."
Fang Jin was taken aback by the rejection and was momentarily stunned. "Oh... okay."
Shen Xunye turned around and unlocked the door. "You're minding your own business."
Without waiting for Fang Jin's reply, he slipped into the house.
[Mind Your Own Business]
[Our Fang Jin is just concerned about her friend! [laughing and crying emoji]]
Whether you're a friend or a lover, nobody is allowed near me! [Angry]
[Waaaaah, I really want to see my silly wife sleeping peacefully after getting drunk... This is the ten-thousandth time I'm asking the production team to install a camera in Shen Xunye's room!!!]
I can't even imagine how much fun Shen Xunye must have enjoyed eating alone. [drooling]
Where's Shen Qiang? What's Shen Qiang doing? [Looking around] Shen Qiang, can't you be a little more proactive in pursuing someone? [Angry]
Shen Qiang is not in the frame at this moment.
He sat in the next room where the staff were gathered, holding his phone and listening to his older brother's rambling instructions.
"Alright," he said lazily, leaning back in his chair. "I'm not one of your Starlight Entertainment employees, why are you telling me this?"
Shen Yu asked coldly, "Is your surname Shen?"
"Yes, yes, yes." Shen Qiang wouldn't dare joke about this; his older brother would take it seriously. "I just didn't expect that such a minor idol would deserve the personal attention of our CEO Shen."
Starlight Entertainment is practically a class of its own in the Chinese entertainment industry, boasting countless award-winning actors and actresses, top singers, and numerous A-list celebrities.
Chi Li a rising idol who has only recently gained some exposure. Logically speaking, he shouldn't even be worth Shen Yu's attention—even though he's currently very popular online.
"Aren't you concerned about this too?" Shen Yu countered.
If he hadn't seen the photos Shen Qiang posted in the family group chat, he wouldn't have known Shen Qiang was on the show.
Shen Qiang: "I was just concerned about my brother's love life. Could it be that you're giving him good resources because of that...?"
"Am I the kind of person who would extend their affections to everything connected to someone they like?" Shen Yu immediately refuted Shen Qiang's guess. "These are all olive branches extended proactively by our partners."
"Ah..." Shen Qiang was a little surprised, then laughed, "What should we do? It seems like Little Chi Li is destined to become a big star. Do you think our boring little brother will be good enough for her in the future?"
Every day, many people gain immense, but fleeting, popularity because of something.
Therefore, despite receiving attention, not everyone can monetize that attention, and brands will have a fairly long evaluation period for collaborating artists.
It's truly unprecedented in the history of the Chinese entertainment industry for someone like Chi Li to receive multiple collaboration offers so quickly.
This means... these people have a very high opinion of Chi Li.
They were so optimistic that they couldn't wait to extend an olive branch, afraid of being one step behind others.
"That's his own business." Shen Yu didn't consider her brother's feelings at all. "The only thing I can do for him is not to forbid Chi Li from dating. As for whether he gets dumped or what, that's not my concern."
"Tsk tsk, where's the brotherly love in all of them?"
"I love him enough by not doing anything to upset him like you do."
After saying that, Shen Yu hung up the phone.
At 4 p. m., after receiving the food that Shen Wei's assistant had packed from the hotel, Shen Xunye quietly entered his room.
Chi Li has woken up.
He was standing barefoot in front of the sink, staring blankly at himself in the mirror.
Shen Xunye's T-shirt looked loose on him, making him appear thin and frail, as if he could be easily blown away by the wind.
The T-shirt was long, loosely covering the upper thighs, leaving only two straight, bare calves that were dazzlingly white under the lights.
The image in the mirror carries a fragile, defenseless, yet inexplicably... alluringly disheveled quality.
Shen Xunye swallowed hard, gently knocked on the bathroom door, and went in. "Awake?"
Chi Li turned around and looked at her, her eyes wet with tears, looking both innocent and naive.
Shen Xunye lowered his eyes, his gaze involuntarily falling on Chi Li's lips.
Its color was redder and more vibrant than usual, like a ripe berry that had been tasted repeatedly.
There was even a tiny, almost imperceptible, broken skin in the center of her lower lip, slightly swollen, giving her full lips a ravaged, decadent look.
"What happened before I went to sleep?" Shen Xunye used words to divert his attention. "Do you remember?"
His gaze was fixed on Chi Li, not missing a single subtle change in his face.
Chi Li's heart pounded wildly, almost bursting out of his chest.
He opened his mouth, his swollen lips trembling slightly, and said uncertainly, "You kissed me."
Almost as soon as I woke up, that memory flooded my mind.