Ji Shiyu stood at the kitchen doorway, holding a spatula in her hand. Her hair was unkempt, her T-shirt was wrinkled, and she exuded an aura as if she had just been dragged out of bed.
He had just started cooking the porridge when he heard Pei Yubai say something about "boyfriend," and he hadn't quite processed it yet.
"Who is Yuanyuan?" Ji Shiyu asked subconsciously.
He realized what was going on after asking the question.
Yuanyuan, Qiguan Yuan.
Ji Shiyu smiled, switched the spatula to her left hand, wiped her right hand on her apron, and looked into Pei Yubai's eyes. "Congratulations, your wish has come true."
Pei Yubai looked at him and said, "Thank you."
Ji Shiyu didn't say anything more.
He didn't know if others could tell, but he could.
From that day at the Yue Lao Temple, Pei Yubai's gaze towards Qiguan Yuan changed; he tried to restrain himself, but couldn't hide it.
Furthermore, Qiguan Yuan treated Pei Yubai differently; he was always indifferent, polite, and distant towards others.
Only when he's with Pei Yubai is his unique favoritism obvious to everyone.
He could foresee that Pei Yubai would eventually end up with Qiguan Yuan, but he really didn't expect it to happen so quickly.
He thought that given Pei Yubai's personality, it would take at least a few more months of patience and time.
Ji Shiyu withdrew his gaze, turned around, and walked into the kitchen.
The porridge in the pot was bubbling away, and the white steam blurred his face.
He picked up the spatula, stirred it, and turned the heat down. If... he went to find Wantang... was there any chance they could get back together?
Pei Yubai placed the porridge and fried eggs on the table and was about to return to his room to call Qiguan Yuan.
He had just reached the door when it opened from the inside.
Qiguan Yuan leaned against the door frame, his silver hair cascading over his shoulders and down his chest, with a few stray strands clinging to his face. His eyes were half-open, with the corners still red from sleepiness.
Her red robe was casually tied, the collar open, revealing a section of her collarbone.
The viewers who were waiting in the live stream happened to see him.
[ Yuanyuan!!!]
[ Yuanyuan!!]
[You look so good!]
[ Pei Yubai, move aside, you're blocking my way]
Pei Yubai strode over and took Qiguan Yuan's hand.
Qiguan Yuan's fingers still carried the warmth of sleep, a little warmer than usual.
Pei Yubai's palm rested on the back of his hand, his grip loose but not loose either. " Yuanyuan, I made you breakfast, it's porridge and fried eggs."
Qiguan Yuan glanced at him. His light-colored eyes were still misty with sleepiness, and his gaze was unfocused.
He understood what Pei Yubai said, but he didn't fully process it, only grasping the phrase "made breakfast".
"That's great." Qiguan Yuan's voice was low and hoarse, the last syllable stuck in his throat.
Viewers in the live stream saw Pei Yubai's previously composed expression crumble in an instant.
The corners of his mouth turned up, then stopped halfway, then turned up again.
His ears turned red, his eyes lit up, and he stood next to Qiguan Yuan, grinning utterly shamelessly.
CP fans screamed in front of their screens, and the barrage of comments was densely packed, layer upon layer.
Qiguan Yuan leaned against the door frame, still looking sleepy and languid.
He glanced at Pei Yubai, then leaned his entire weight against him, resting his chin on Pei Yubai's shoulder. His silver hair brushed against Pei Yubai's chin, cool and ticklish.
Pei Yubai's hand went around behind him, his palm resting on his lower back, offering slight support.
Ji Shiyu came out of the kitchen, carrying several small dishes.
He placed the plate on the table, his gaze falling on their clasped hands. He smiled but said nothing.
He put down the dishes and looked at Pei Yubai.
" Director Meng just messaged me. We're going to the village entrance today, and we'll probably be there all day. I'm thinking of making lunch, is it okay if I make cold bento boxes?"
Pei Yubai looked at Qiguan Yuan.
Qiguan Yuan was looking down, his fingers fiddling with his wrist. The Dust-Settling Red Cord had somehow gotten wrapped around his fingers, looping twice and tying a knot.
He tugged at it twice, but couldn't tear it open.
Sensing the gazes of the two people, Qiguan Yuan raised his head.
He nodded to Ji Shiyu, his tone earnest. "Hardworking people will possess the wealth bestowed by God, Teacher Ji, you will too."
Ji Shiyu was already immune to Qiguan Yuan's way of speaking, so he smiled, nodded, and turned to go into the kitchen.
Qiguan Yuan finally untied the red thread, pinching the end between two fingers and slowly pulling it out.
Pei Yubai pushed the bowl of porridge in front of him at the right moment, and placed the fried egg next to it. The egg white was fried to a golden brown, the yolk was slightly raised, and it was sprinkled with green scallions.
Qiguan Yuan scooped up a spoonful of porridge and put it in his mouth.
The porridge was lukewarm, not too hot, and the rice grains were cooked until they melted in your mouth.
He picked up another fried egg; the edges of the egg white were slightly crispy, and the yolk was runny. He took a bite, and the egg liquid flowed out, mixed with the aroma of rice from the porridge.
Pei Yubai kept staring at him, his gaze fixed on his face, his eyes sharp.
Qiguan Yuan ate a couple more bites before turning to look at Pei Yubai, seeing his expression of wanting to ask but not daring to.
He broke off a piece of the fried egg and held it to Pei Yubai's lips. "Try it yourself."
Pei Yubai opened his mouth and ate it.
The fried egg cooled down a bit, but it still tasted good, with the crispy egg white and the soft, creamy yolk blending together perfectly.
Qiguan Yuan didn't retract his hand; his chopsticks were still holding the edge of the fried egg. Only after Pei Yubai swallowed did he ask.
"Is it tasty?"
Pei Yubai thought for a moment, then nodded, and then nodded again.
Since Ji Shiyu had been watching him cook the whole time, Pei Yubai didn't find it unpalatable.
It's not bad.
I just don't know if Yuanyuan will like it.
Seeing his earnest expression, Qiguan Yuan smiled and said, "I like it too. Thank you, my boyfriend."
Upon hearing those three words, Pei Yubai radiated a sense of joy.
Qiguan Yuan had already lowered his head and continued eating his breakfast. His silver hair fell down, covering half of his face. He brushed it aside and tucked it behind his ear.
Pei Yubai watched him eat breakfast.
His Yuanyuan is really good.
Even when she's eating, it looks beautiful.
Everything looks good on her.
Shen Yuzhou came out of the room, changed his clothes, and his hair was still sticking up.
He went into the kitchen and brought out a bowl of porridge and a fried egg.
The edges of the fried egg were burnt, and the yolk was fully cooked and dry.
He sat down opposite Qiguan Yuan and glanced at the fried egg in Qiguan Yuan's bowl.
" Brother Yuan, your fried egg looks beautiful. The egg white is perfectly cooked, and the yolk is still runny."
He glanced at the fried egg in Qiguan Yuan's bowl, then at his own. "Huh? Why is mine burnt? Did Brother Ji not keep an eye on the fire?"
Qiguan Yuan turned to look at Pei Yubai.
Pei Yubai remained unfazed, meeting Qiguan Yuan's gaze with composure. "No. They all look the same to me."
Shen Yuzhou glanced again at the fried egg in Qiguan Yuan's bowl.
The egg white is golden yellow with neat edges, and the yolk is slightly raised, like a small sun.
He felt something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"Maybe it's just my imagination," Shen Yuzhou muttered, then buried his head in his porridge.
After finishing breakfast, Qiguan Yuan sat on the sofa and felt sleepy.
A moment later, Cheng Yanqiu and the others came in.
Lin Yanru walked in front, holding her phone and looking at something, her face inscrutable. Jiang Wantang followed behind her.
Hearing the commotion outside, Ji Shiyu brought out the breakfast that had been kept warm.
Qiguan Yuan glanced casually in Jiang Wantang's direction.
From her position, she could see Ji Shiyu's back as he set out bowls at the kitchen doorway.
She glanced at it and put it back without looking at it again.
Qiguan Yuan had already seen what he wanted to see.
The two Thread of Fate that were reconnected yesterday now hang quietly between the two of them, no longer dark or knotted.
There were no problems.
Qiguan Yuan withdrew his gaze, leaned back on the sofa, rested his shoulder on Pei Yubai's arm, and closed his eyes.
He didn't go to his room to sleep; instead, he leaned against Pei Yubai, his breathing gradually becoming heavier.
Pei Yubai whispered, " Yuanyuan, do you want to go back to your room to sleep?"
Qiguan Yuan closed his eyes, his voice muffled in his throat. "The last day before we go back, I'll spend the whole day with you today."
Pei Yubai didn't say anything more. He sat up straighter, making Qiguan Yuan more comfortable.
Qiguan Yuan's hair brushed against his neck, tickling him.
After breakfast, everyone headed towards the village entrance.
The stone-paved road stretches out from the stilted houses, passing through half of the village, and ends at a wooden gate with three characters carved on the lintel.
Village Above the Clouds.
Long tables were placed on either side of the wooden door, with a row of earthen bowls on them. The bowls were filled with wine, the same kind of rice wine we had last time, milky white, with a few grains of rice floating on top that hadn't been properly filtered.
The village elder stood beside the long table, leaning on his bamboo cane.
Young people from each village stood behind their village elders, dressed in the finest Miao attire, with silver crowns on their heads and silver necklaces around their necks, their silver ornaments gleaming in the sunlight.
[Lots of silver jewelry]
[So beautiful]
Is this the traditional costume of the Miao village?
[How grand!]
Meng Xu walked out from the side.
He no longer had the folder in his hand; instead, he had a small yellow flag with the program's logo printed on it, which he held up himself, making him look like a tour guide.
"Today's task: Due to the live broadcast, many tourists have come to Village Above the Clouds."
"They need someone to guide them. Your job is to greet the tourists who will arrive later."
"Offer them a welcoming drink at the gate, take them on a tour of the village, and introduce them to the customs and traditions of the Miao people. This is today's main task, and the points will be doubled."
Shen Yuzhou glanced at the row of wine bowls on the long table, then at the bamboo cane in the village elder's hand, and swallowed hard.
He really drank a lot of wine during the door-blocking ceremony last time.
Tourists had already lined up outside the wooden gate.
There weren't many people, about twenty, men and women. Some were taking pictures with their phones, some were whispering to each other, and their eyes were constantly peering through the wooden door.
"Open the door! Open the door! I see Pei Yubai!"
"Where is Qiguan Yuan? I can't see him."
"Behind us! The one in red! Is that Yuanyuan? Is that Yuanyuan?!"
"It's Yuanyuan!!! Ahhhhh!!! She's even more beautiful in person! My God! This... I'm speechless. I can't find any words to describe her!"
Pei Yubai stood beside the long table.
Their task is to stop tourists from entering.
A row of wine bowls lay beside him. He picked up the first bowl and waited for the tourists to approach. Unlike the other gatekeepers, he handed it to them in a businesslike manner. "Drink this bowl before you can enter the village."
The first tourist was a young woman wearing a white dress and a sun hat.
She looked at Pei Yubai's face, and her face flushed instantly. Her hand trembled as she took the wine bowl, and a few drops of wine spilled out.
She took a sip and choked.
Pei Yubai expressionlessly, "Next."
It didn't look like they were blocking the door; it looked like they were being beheaded.
When a fan asked if he could take a photo with them, he said, "I'll ask after I finish the task."
When asked if he could sign an autograph, he said, "After I finish."
His expression remained unchanged.
Pei Yubai's fans watched him from a distance, their feelings complicated.
We're just saying, Mr. Pei, why don't you try to charm your fans a bit?
Qiguan Yuan did not offer the welcoming wine at the door.
He sat on a stone bench beside the wooden door, his silver hair cascading over his shoulders, his red robe billowing slightly in the wind.
He leaned back on the stone bench, his posture languid, sunlight falling on his face, his eyes slightly squinted, looking extremely content.
He was completely oblivious to the subtle glances that were falling on him.
Several girls who looked to be only seventeen or eighteen years old slipped out of the group and secretly ran to Qiguan Yuan's side.
They didn't dare get too close, standing two or three steps away from him, holding their phones, unsure whether they should speak.
Qiguan Yuan glanced at them. "Is there something you need?"
Qiguan Yuan stood up, his expression no different from that in the live broadcast room.
The girls blushed with excitement and quickly gathered around. " Yuanyuan! Can... can we take a picture with you?"
Qiguan Yuan did not stand between them, but stepped half a step to the side, giving them the middle position and standing on the side himself.
"Is this alright, little one?" He smiled slightly.
Several girls got up close to Qiguan Yuan and were first shocked by his real appearance.
Then Yuanyuan called him "little kid" at close Yuanyuan.
My heart was pounding.
The viewers in Qiguan Yuan stream were also incredibly excited.
[He smiled!!]
[He smiled at his fans!!]
[Waaaaah, Yuanyuan is so gentle! I'm so envious of these sisters! I also want Yuanyuan to call me 'little girl' [biting handkerchief]]
Why does Pei Yubai have a stern face when he's with us, but Yuanyuan smiles at us?
Do you know why?
[Because he is not Pei Yubai ]
[That makes so much sense, I'm speechless.]
After the three girls finished taking photos, Pei Yubai's fans arrived.
They stood in front of Qiguan Yuan, hesitating for a long time. Someone whispered, " Yuanyuan, could you sign your name for us?"
Qiguan Yuan looked at her, somewhat puzzled. "A signature? Is it my name?"
The fan nodded.
Qiguan Yuan looked at the movie poster of Pei Yubai that the other party handed over.
Qiguan Yuan didn't know it was a poster, but he recognized the person on it as Pei Yubai.
Under the anxious gaze of that fan, Qiguan Yuan nodded.
Several girls simultaneously took out pens from their bags and handed over a few. Qiguan Yuan looked at the pens in front of him, took one,
I signed my name on their poster; the strokes were casual and connected, like one line wrapped around another.
[This signature is so nice]
[Has he trained before?]
[This character is so beautiful! Just as beautiful as Yuanyuan's!]
After signing autographs, a girl hesitated for a while before asking, " Yuanyuan, is it true that you and Film Emperor Pei?"