Ji Shi grabbed a steamed bun from beside him and took a vicious bite, staring at Mu Yao as he chewed, as though it were Mu Yao's flesh in his mouth rather than a bun.
Mu Yao scoffed coldly and muttered, "Husky."
Then he turned toward Xie Ji, leaned down beside his ear, and whispered, "See you tonight, young master."
His tone was utterly rakish.
Probably no one besides Mu Yao could make those few words sound so much like an invitation.
Any normal person would have been blushing by now.
Unfortunately, Xie Ji failed to catch on entirely.
The fishpond Mu Yao was responsible for was quite far from Xie Ji's area. During the day, everyone had to work in their respective areas, and they could only see each other when they returned to the courtyard residence at night.
Mu Yao had actually made a point of saying goodbye before leaving.
Xie Ji remarked with heartfelt sincerity, "You're actually pretty nice."
Mu Yao, who had inexplicably been handed a good guy card: "?"
Ji Shi slapped the table and stood up. "Mu Yao, I don't care how you fool around, but when it comes to Xie Ji, you'd better keep all your dirty little schemes to yourself!"
Mu Yao sneered. "What does anything between me and Xie Ji have to do with you? Who the hell do you think you are?"
"Fuck," Ji Shi spat, getting up to grab Mu Yao. Just then, Zhou Heyu finished his breakfast and came out of his room. "Ji Shi, stop acting crazy. It's time to head to the fields."
"Piss off. I'm not going. Whoever wants to go can go. I'm staying with Xie Ji today!" Ji Shi shouted. "Otherwise, that fucking idiot Mu Yao is definitely going to harass him!"
Zhou Heyu frowned deeply. "We have a lot to do today. I can't finish it alone. You have to go, or we'll have a problem with our funds tonight."
Ji Shi scoffed. "I don't care. Xie Ji isn't leaving my sight today!"
"If you want to go hungry, don't drag me down with you." Zhou Heyu's expression turned cold as well. "If it comes to that, you can ask the production team to change your assignment. I don't need a teammate who does nothing but hold me back."
"Fuck, you're putting on airs just because you're on a variety show?" Standing beside Xie Ji, Ji Shi banged on the table.
Xie Ji stood in the doorway, genuinely unable to understand how this argument had started. He poked Lu Xunji, the only person present who hadn't joined the battle, and asked quietly, "What exactly is going on?"
Arms folded, Lu Xunji stood beside Xie Ji, enjoying the spectacle. "It's all turned into a pot of porridge. Drink it while it's hot."
Xie Ji: "..."
In the end, it was Shang Yan, who had gone out early that morning, who returned to the little courtyard residence and put a stop to the farce.
Shang Yan had matured relatively early and was indeed a year or two older than the others. Their elders liked him, too, and he had some sway with the young masters' parents, so he had always carried more weight among this group of wealthy heirs.
Zhou Heyu frowned and shot Ji Shi a dark look before silently picking up his hoe and leaving alone.
Shang Yan pushed up the glasses resting on the bridge of his nose and said in a low voice, "Ji Shi, you and Zhou Heyu are responsible for the same plot, aren't you? Don't leave him doing two people's work alone."
"I'll head over in a bit," Ji Shi muttered. He walked aside, picked up his hoe, and took a couple of steps, then hesitated for another couple as though he was still worried. He beckoned to Xie Ji. "Xie Ji, come here a second. I have something to tell you."
Xie Ji pointed at himself. "Me?"
Ji Shi said, "Who else? Is there another Xie Ji here?"
Xie Ji nodded and walked over. "What did you want to tell me?"
Ji Shi glanced at Mu Yao, then at Lu Xunji. His lips moved before he said seriously, "Don't pay attention to Mu Yao. He doesn't have good intentions toward you."
Xie Ji nodded. "I know."
How many protagonist gongs had good intentions toward a cannon-fodder fake young master, anyway?
"At least you have some brains," Ji Shi muttered. After a long moment, he asked hesitantly, "There's nothing between you and Mu Yao, right?"
Xie Ji shook his head. "We barely know each other."
"Then, then what's your relationship with Lu Xunji?" Ji Shi's tone was a little strange. "Why did he only let you sleep in his room last night?"
"..."
Xie Ji inevitably remembered last night's dream.
In the dream, they had kissed again and again, holding each other so tightly it was as though they wanted to merge into one.
He knew the dream wasn't entirely within Lu Xunji's control either. He only had that kind of dream because he was ill and urgently needed an outlet. As for who the other person in the dream was, perhaps even Lu Xunji himself didn't know, or didn't care.
He had just happened to become that person in the dream because of the system's punishment.
But he still cared a little about how Lu Xunji's kisses had felt in the dream, a little familiar and yet a little strange. What he couldn't deny, now that he remembered everything that had happened in the dream, was this.
Deep down, he wasn't opposed to Lu Xunji's kisses at all.
Xie Ji smacked his lips and stayed silent for a moment before saying, "Lu Xunji and I... just have a very ordinary relationship, as close friends."
Only then did Ji Shi let out a full sigh of relief. "Good. I'm heading out. Remember, ignore Mu Yao. If he comes near you, tell me when you get back tonight. I'll beat the bastard to death."
With that, he patted Xie Ji's shoulder and, without waiting for an answer, slung his hoe over his shoulder and hurried after Zhou Heyu.
Shang Yan and Mu Yao gathered their things briefly, then headed out to their respective areas to complete the day's tasks as well.
Soon, only Xie Ji and Lu Xunji remained in the large courtyard residence.
Lu Xunji was there because the courtyard residence itself was his assigned area.
Xie Ji, meanwhile, was simply lying flat.
Today, that man in the blue headscarf should be bringing three cows to the courtyard residence to find him. Once he completed the [Own three cows] task, he would have a full six thousand in starting funds.
He sat on the threshold, leisurely watching Lu Xunji alternate between renovating the fishpond and mixing cement to build a flower bed in the courtyard.
Growing hot from the work, Lu Xunji took off his jacket. Wearing only a white tank top that exposed his muscular arms, he crouched beneath the eaves and laid bricks.
Hot sweat rolled down from his hair, glistening in the sunlight.
Perhaps even that wasn't cool enough, because Lu Xunji simply rolled the hem of his tank top up to his chest.
The white tank top casually hugged his smoothly defined pecs, riding up another few inches as he moved.
Xie Ji: "..."
That familiar rush of heat surged from his nose. He quickly tilted his head back, grabbed a handful of tissues, and pressed them beneath his nose, then stared at Lu Xunji with even greater determination.
I'm already bleeding. How can I not get my fill in one go?!
The sweat on his face ran into his eyes, making them sting uncomfortably. Lu Xunji tilted his head back, picked up the hose connected to the nearby tap, and stood up, pouring water all over himself with his head tipped back.
Once wet, the white tank top faintly revealed the skin beneath it. He casually shook the excess droplets from his head, then swept his black hair back with one hand, exposing his smooth forehead.
His deep violet eyes were now fully revealed, lustrous and beautiful as gemstones soaked in water.
Xie Ji: "..."
Fuck. A Chinese stunner.
Just as Xie Ji was utterly entranced, Lu Xunji finally seemed to notice the state he was in. He dropped the hose and took a few steps toward him.
"You little pervert."