Chapter 011 The Young Master – “But inexplicably, I feel like I’m being replaced.” (11/35)
Du Yi and Li Zhuoyun stared at each other.
After a long while, Du Yi said expressionlessly, “I really don’t want to believe it. But I can’t help feeling that I have to believe it.”
Li Zhuoyun: “…”
“Trust your instincts,” Li Zhuoyun said dryly. “A man’s instincts are also very reliable.”
“…” Du Yi wiped his face, turned around, and couldn’t see the two of them anymore. He could only sigh and say, “Let’s go.”
Li Zhuoyun followed after him silently.
At that moment, Shi Jingge and Wen Xusheng had already entered Wen Xusheng’s dressing room.
Wen Xusheng was a big shot, so even though he was only making a guest appearance for a few days, the production team had still prepared a luxurious dressing room for him.
Wen Xusheng had gathered some spare tops, which were now neatly laid out in front of Shi Jingge.
“Which one do you like? Try it on.” As he spoke, Wen Xusheng reached out to help Shi Jingge take off his dirty jacket.
Shi Jingge jumped back, clutching at the collar of his jacket, and stared at Wen Xusheng in shock.
Wen Xusheng found it amusing but remained composed. His voice had an air of confusion. “Aren’t you uncomfortable because your clothes are sticky?”
The young master froze, then he shook his head vigorously, and his cheeks turned red again. “Ye—Yes.” His voice was muffled, and when it reached Wen Xusheng’s ears, it sounded unexpectedly soft.
Wen Xusheng shrugged. “Since you don’t need my help, you’re welcome to do it yourself. Did you get hurt just now? Do you need some medicine? I have a first aid kit here.” Wen Xusheng explained very patiently, and the young master looked very remorseful, lowering his head.
He looked like a kitten who knew he’d done something wrong, with his tail drooping and his head hanging low.
What malice could a kitten possibly have in mind?
Little kittens were just adorable. And the young master was even more adorable than a little kitten.
Wen Xusheng found the first-aid kit and turned around to see the young master standing behind him with his head down. Faintly, he could smell the lemon scent from Shi Jingge’s hair.
Wen Xusheng’s heart skipped a beat. His heartbeat quickened. He pressed his fingers together to stay calm. “What’s wrong?”
Everything seemed to be in slow-motion.
The young master bit his lower lip, which Wen Xusheng couldn’t see, but he could see Shi Jingge’sears peeking through his hair.
Red and soft, hidden in the black, shiny hair, like some kind of hidden treasure.
Wen Xusheng’s eyes gradually darkened. In a daze, he could almost hear his own heartbeat–Steady and robust.
Because of the young master in front of him, his heartbeat’s rhythm was different from usual.
“Um…” Shi Jingge lifted his head and met Wen Xusheng’s eyes, but he stammered, unsure of what to say. He unconsciously reached out his hand and rubbed his nose hard.
Because he rubbed too hard, the tip of his nose quickly turned red, and with his flushed cheeks and wandering eyes, he looked almost pitiful.
Pitiful yet adorable.
Wen Xusheng suddenly reached out and grabbed Shi Jingge’s wrist.
Shi Jingge stiffened, wanting to shake off Wen Xusheng’s hand, but seemed to remember something in an instant and struggled to suppress his reflex.
His other free hand unconsciously grabbed the hem of his clothes.
Was he shy?
Wen Xusheng took in Shi Jingge’s actions with a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Why are you rubbing so hard?” Wen Xusheng’s tone was casual, tinged with disapproval, but otherwise, there was nothing unusual about it.
The young master lowered his head again and remained silent. His ears grew even redder.
“You didn’t take off your dirty clothes, but you’ve gone and harmed your own nose instead. What, you want to break it and make a fuss?” Wen Xusheng teased.
“This young master would never do such a despicable thing!” The young master suddenly raised his head, his expression filled with anger, but when he met Wen Xusheng’s gaze, he immediately lowered his head again.
Wen Xusheng’s eyes sparkled with amusement. He deliberately added a touch of guilt in his voice. “Sorry, I’m afraid I said that wrong.”
Shi Jingge bit his lip, unsure of what to do. After a moment, he raised his arm and whispered quickly, “Okay, help me take off my clothes, and I’ll forgive you.”
For some reason, the young master felt that this sentence sounded odd.
His face grew even redder. His eyes shone brighter. All he could see was Wen Xusheng’s reflection.
It was as if he could only see Wen Xusheng.
Wen Xusheng’s breath caught in his throat. He inhaled deeply. “Alright.”
The young master had been about to say something else, but upon hearing Wen Xusheng’s words, he quickly closed his mouth.
Only then did he realize that his arm was still in Wen Xusheng’s grip. He stiffened.
Wen Xusheng raised his eyebrows, turned to face him, and pulled the young master toward him. Shi Jingge didn’t react in time and collided directly into Wen Xusheng’s embrace.
Wen Xusheng: !!!
Shi Jingge: !!!
Wen Xusheng hadn’t expected this either and froze for a moment.
The young master had a faint fragrance on him that lingered around Wen Xusheng’s nose, making him dizzy and even a little lightheaded. He had always hated being out of control, but this time, he just wanted to sink into the feeling.
The young master fled from Wen Xusheng’s arms.
Wen Xusheng’s thoughts drifted far away, but he heard himself say in a low voice, “I’m sorry. I just wanted you to come closer so I could help you change your clothes.”
“Ah-hmm…” The young master stammered in response, feeling a bit annoyed. “It was my fault.”
“I think… I might have dirtied your clothes too…” The young master paused, then his voice suddenly rose, “I’ll compensate you!”
“It’s just a piece of clothing.”
“I can afford to settle the debt with you!”
His stuttering, adorable manner, mixed with the sweet scent in the air, seemed to stir up the deepest desires Wen Xusheng had ever felt.
Something felt different.
It was as if the entire world contained only the two of them.
Wen Xusheng smiled softly. He was about to say something when the door to the restroom was pushed open—
The subtle, ambiguous atmosphere in the room instantly shattered.
At that moment, Wen Xusheng and Shi Jingge had already stepped apart, and Du Yi didn’t notice anything amiss. He casually remarked, “The young master hasn’t changed yet?”
Wen Xusheng gave Du Yi a light glance, causing Du Yi’s chest to suddenly tighten .
Du Yi: “?”
What did he do wrong?
Why was Wen Xusheng intimidating him with that look? QAQ!!
Shi Jingge promptly took off his dirty coat, moving quickly. Then he grabbed a coat of the same color and declared firmly, “I’ll reluctantly wear this one—”
But all Wen Xusheng could see were the young master’s bright red ears. “Alright.” He chuckled, his voice tinged with indulgence.
The young master obediently put on the coat, which was one of Wen Xusheng’s favorites and often worn by him. But it was a bit too big for Shi Jingge, so he ended up wearing it as a long coat. He buttoned it while looking up at Wen Xusheng with excitement in his eyes, as if begging for praise.
He really looked good. His obedient and cute appearance was like that of an innocent little prince.
Wen Xusheng’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he whispered, “You look good.”
The young master beamed with pride. “I’m handsome, so what wouldn’t look good on me?”
Wen Xusheng raised his thumb. “Of course.” He dared not look any longer. He turned around and folded the jacket the young master had taken off. “I’ll put this in your backpack.”
Du Yi: “?”
Our Wen Ge never did any housework, so when did he become so considerate?
Folding the jacket? Putting it in the backpack?
Who would believe it? Who would believe it!
But the next second, the young master jumped up. “No! I don’t want this jacket anymore! Don’t dirty my backpack!!”
Shi Jingge rushed over to grab his backpack. Wen Xusheng had already opened it, and when the young master tried to grab it, he instinctively pulled it back.
However, Wen Xusheng quickly reacted and let it go.
But the young master didn’t move fast enough!
The young master had pulled rather hard, and when Wen Xusheng let go, Shi Jingge couldn’t stop himself and stumbled a few steps, causing the items inside the backpack to spill out!
Wen Xusheng hurriedly caught the young master, who bent down to pick up the items but was stopped by Wen Xusheng.
“Let me pick them up. Make sure you’re not hurt.”
“I’ll do it myself!” Shi Jingge said urgently, but accidentally stepped on a fallen fan, nearly slipping.
“Don’t be so stubborn.” Wen Xusheng frowned, looking serious.
The young master couldn’t say a word. By the time he regained his composure, Wen Xusheng had already picked up several fans from the ground.
The young master covered his face, as if he couldn’t bear to be seen, and darted behind Du Yi.
Du Yi: “?”
When the fans fell to the ground, some had already opened. Among the ones Wen Xusheng picked up, there was one that Shi Jingge had written his name on as a fan gift.
When Wen Xusheng picked it up and saw his name, he paused for a moment before opening the other fans in his hand.
He found another one with his name on it. The characters were crooked, but one could sense the sender’s earnestness. It was just that the handwriting wasn’t very neat.
Wen Xusheng couldn’t help but chuckle softly….
Was this a fan gift for him?
Wen Xusheng turned his head to look at Shi Jingge.
Shi Jingge had been peeking out from behind Du Yi to sneak a look at him, but when he saw Wen Xusheng looking over, he immediately hid behind Du Yi.
Wen Xusheng couldn’t help but chuckle again. He was really shy, wasn’t he?
Du Yi: “?”
What was going on here?
They were in the same room, but why did he feel like he didn’t belong?
“For me?” Wen Xusheng waved the fan in his hand. “Thank you.”
He didn’t expect the young master to know about fan gifts.
No, no, he probably found out after getting in the car. Maybe other fans told him?
If the young master knew about fan gifts, he wouldn’t have made something so simple. Judging by his embarrassed face, he must not be satisfied with these fan gifts either.
Besides, blue wasn’t his fan color. If Shi Jingge really knew about fan gifts, he definitely wouldn’t have prepared this color.
But—
Wen Xusheng smiled softly.
—Why did he feel that this was the cutest fan gift he had ever received?
Shi Jingge tugged at the hem of his shirt and stubbornly said, “It’s not… I didn’t prepare it specially for you! I made it for my friend. I came here today to visit her. I knew you were here, so I made a few for you too, in case you didn’t receive anything today and felt embarrassed. It’s not, it’s not specially—”
Oh? Wen Xusheng raised his eyebrows, but before he could speak, he heard a surprised female voice.
“Is there one for me?” Finally, his friend had a chance to make her appearance!
Finally, she didn’t have to be in the background anymore!
Li Zhuoyun was so happy she cried. She finally had a chance to speak. She had to greet the young master before she could leave.
Shi Jingge instinctively looked over and blurted out, “What are you doing here?”
Li Zhuoyun: “…”
I know you hadn’t noticed me, but please don’t say it so openly!
Li Zhuoyun’s gaze was a little resentful as she sighed. “I’ve been here the whole time.”
Shi Jingge cleared his throat, feeling a little embarrassed.
Wen Xusheng asked naturally, “Are they for Miss Li?”
For some reason, Li Zhuoyun felt that Wen Xusheng’s expression was a bit cold.
“Should I give the fan gifts to Miss Li for you?” Wen Xusheng suggested.
At this, Shi Jingge couldn’t stand it anymore. He ran out from behind Du Yi and snatched the backpack, “I’ll do it myself!”
Then he took out the unused items from inside and stuffed them all into Li Zhuoyun’s hands.
Li Zhuoyun opened a fan to take a look, but Shi Jingge grabbed it from her.
“Its a surprise.” Shi Jingge squeezed out a few words. “You can look at it when you get home.”
Li Zhuoyun: “…Alright.”
Li Zhuoyun couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time.
So she was just a tool?
She was definitely the strongest tool of the day, even Du Yi had to step aside!
The young master was being too obvious. How could Wen Xusheng not notice?
Plus, there were several blank ones in the fan he picked up from the ground. It was clear these were extra blank fan items the young master had gotten from other fans. He had penned those few himself, yet probably because he thought they looked too ugly he didn’t want to admit it.
He really was a kitten who cared about his image.
Wen Xusheng didn’t call him out on it, and just asked, “Are you hungry?”
The young master nodded obediently.
“Xiao Li said there’s a place with delicious lamb chops. Shall we try it?”
The young master’s eyes lit up.
Li Zhuoyun, standing beside him, had a sudden realization. No wonder she felt Wen Xusheng’s words were a bit cold earlier.
Wen Xusheng had just called her Miss Li, not Xiao Li…!
So why did the title change?
“Maybe we shouldn’t eat lamb chops after all.” Before leaving the break room, the young master suddenly spoke up.
“Hm?” Wen Xusheng looked up at him, puzzled.
The young master mumbled something, but Wen Xusheng didn’t hear clearly. He only heard the young master say quickly, “…I don’t like lamb chops anymore!“
How could he not like them?
Just a moment ago, his eyes lit up when he heard ‘lamb chops’…
Was it because of him?
Wen Xusheng’s eyes flashed, and he pretended to be distressed. “I’ve grown to like lamb chops.”
The young master’s enthusiasm was instantly lifted. He coughed once, then strode out. “I suddenly like lamb chops again.”
Wen Xusheng stopped in his tracks and watched Shi Jingge’s back with a smile in his eyes.
In his heart, it felt like something was taking root and growing stronger little by little.
The small group walked out together.
Wen Xusheng sighed softly. “I guess I’m past my prime. Not one fan came to visit the set for me.”
Du Yi: “?”
Li Zhuoyun: “?”
Wen Xusheng ignored the two of them and said indifferently, “It’s only natural. The entertainment industry changes so quickly.”
The young master glanced at him secretly and caught a fleeting look of loneliness on his face.
This—This—
If this young master could stay calm, he wouldn’t be a fan!
The young master rummaged through his backpack and found the last fan he had written Wen Xusheng’s name on—the one he had written the most beautifully.
He had tried to draw some decorations on it, but he wasn’t very skilled, so he only drew a sun, a moon, and some small red flowers—the kind even kindergarteners could draw.
He actually didn’t want to take it out; he felt embarrassed.
But…
…how could he watch his idol look so downcast?
The young master quietly took out the fan and slipped it into Wen Xusheng’s hand.
“Here, take it. ” Saying this, the young master took a big step forward, looking determined to flee the scene.
Wen Xusheng stared at him, then opened the fan in his hand and smiled gently. His eyes were filled with tenderness.
How could he be so easily fooled?
That day, Wen Xusheng felt exceptionally relaxed and joyful.
Perhaps it was because the young master was with him, but he had an excellent appetite. He ate an entire bowl of rice, which made Du Yi nearly shed tears.
When it was time to send the young master off, his face was flushed. “I’ll pay for this coat! I’ll transfer the money to you later!”
After tossing those words over his shoulder, Shi Jingge ran off. Wen Xusheng watched his retreating figure, as if wanting to etch that scene forever into his heart.
That night, Wen Xusheng had a dream. He had had this dream many times before.
He couldn’t see the person’s face , only their eyes. They were bright, clear, and pure, firmly attracting his gaze.
Then, when he was vaguely conscious, those eyes suddenly had an owner.
It was the young master.
Shi Jingge was smiling, bright, cheerful, and full of vitality.
Gradually, Wen Xusheng’s own reflection appeared in those eyes.
Immediately after, he heard the young master shout with a smile, “Xingxing!”[mfn]literally 星星/xīng xing — star in the sky[/mfn]
Wen Xusheng woke up.
He looked up at the ceiling and stared at it for a long time, his mind still filled with the young master’s voice and smile.
He couldn’t help but smile.
But soon, his eyes were filled with confusion….
Xingxing–what does that mean?
Although he clearly knew it was impossible, for some unknown reason, he felt like he was being replaced.
Wen Xusheng raised his eyebrows, picked up his phone, saw the money the young master had transferred, and decided to return it.
At this hour, Shi Jingge wasn’t awake yet.
When he wakes up, he’ll come looking for him, right?
He’d already given the young master a reason, so he’d definitely come looking for him, right?
… I wonder if the young master cares about me?
… Like, why wasn’t he asleep at such an hour?
Edited: Krone
Proofread: Choux_choux
