PTBLSI chapter 17

 

Qi Xi turned off the alarm several times before finally opening his eyes and found that he was sleeping in bed. He only remembered drawing last night and had no memory of how he got into bed. He had even changed into pajamas, and the paint that had been stuck to his body was all cleaned off.

He lifted the orange cat curled up by the pillow, sat up, and roughly rubbed his sleep-messed hair. He wondered if he had sleepwalked into the shower.

The cat scratched his arm with its paw, and he immediately flopped back onto the bed and buried his face in the cat’s fluffy belly. “Dasheng, did you turn into a human last night and help me bathe? Are you some kind of demon?”

“Meow!”

The cat smacked Qi Xi on the head.

After getting his fill of the cat, Qi Xi rubbed his hair and got out of bed. After washing up, he finally looked presentable. As he walked to the door, he suddenly remembered Fu Yanchuan’s rules.

Even though Fu Yanchuan hadn’t come back these past few days, he still obediently followed them, changing into neat clothes before going out.

The nanny was making breakfast as usual. As he passed through the living room, he saw Fu Yanchuan’s coat on the sofa and asked in surprise, “Auntie, did Brother Yan come back?”

“Sir went for a run and came back. He should be showering now.”

Qi Xi didn’t think carefully about the words he heard. Hearing that Fu Yanchuan was back, he turned around and ran straight to his room. He knocked once, and Fu Yanchuan opened the door. His eyes suddenly fell on sharply defined muscles.

The last time he had run into Fu Yanchuan, he was also showering, but he had been too nervous to look closely. Only now did he realize that Fu Yanchuan wasn’t just handsome—his muscles looked sculpted.

Fu Yanchuan’s hair was still wet. A droplet slid down his jawline, across his neck, and onto his chest.

He casually set down the towel he had been using to dry his hair. Lowering his eyes, he looked at Qi Xi and asked, “What is it?”

Qi Xi had already scanned Fu Yanchuan’s body. He slowly raised his gaze, a lingering smile on his lips. “I haven’t seen you for several days, so I came especially to see you.”

Fu Yanchuan’s gaze paused in Qi Xi’s eyes. After half a second, he went back inside. Qi Xi naturally followed him inside. He swept his eyes around the room once, then returned them to Fu Yanchuan. When he saw Fu Yanchuan put on a bathrobe, his eyes showed visible disappointment.

Fu Yanchuan loosely tied the belt on his bathrobe, walked over to Qi Xi, and remained silent. Qi Xi then found something to say himself.

“Brother Yan, when did you come back?”

Fu Yanchuan looked over but didn’t answer. His gaze fixed on the sweater Qi Xi was wearing—not the one from last night, but similar. He suddenly asked, “What are you wearing under your sweater?”

The question was too inexplicable. Completely unguarded, Qi Xi lifted his sweater and showed Fu Yanchuan his bare belly underneath.

Fu Yanchuan looked and replied expressionlessly, “Don’t wear a sweater directly. It’s not warm.”

“But I’m not cold.”

“You’ll get cold if you don’t dress properly.”

Qi Xi suddenly laughed. “Oh, since you care about me so much, I’ll put something on.”

Fu Yanchuan stayed silent. Qi Xi was like a flower that bloomed with just a bit of sunlight. Feeling Fu Yanchuan’s care, he leaned in, resting his upper body against Fu Yanchuan’s chest.

Fu Yanchuan’s rules said forbade hugging, but they didn’t say anything about leaning close or touching.

Qi Xi placed his hands unceremoniously on Fu Yanchuan. Through his thin bathrobe, he pressed his hands firmly onto Fu Yanchuan’s abs. Tilting his face up at Fu Yanchuan, he continued smugly, “Brother Yan, you still really want me as this stand-in, right?”

Fu Yanchuan lowered his gaze and stared at Qi Xi without moving. The muscles of his abdomen tensed under Qi Xi’s palms. Qi Xi continued speaking to him with clear, clean eyes. “Then when are we going to bed together again? When we do, can I touch your abs?”

“Qi Xi.”

He called his name in a heavy voice. Finally, he grabbed Qi Xi by the shoulders and pushed him away slowly, warning him with his eyes. “I’m going to change clothes. Get out.”

Qi Xi reluctantly slid his hands down and asked sincerely, “Can I touch them next time? If I remember them, I can draw you!”

Fu Yanchuan suddenly remembered Qi Xi’s drawings. The feeling from that moment revived in his heart. He carefully examined Qi Xi, and suddenly, he could no longer see Qiao Ye’s shadow on Qi Xi’s face.

Qi Xi and Qiao Ye didn’t share the slightest similarity. Qi Xi would never be as unruly and unrestrained as Qiao Ye, and Qiao Ye would never be as clear and pure as Qi Xi.

He unconsciously hooked the corner of his mouth, leaned close to Qi Xi’s ear, and asked, “If you don’t go out, would you like to watch me change clothes?”

“Sure!”

Qi Xi answered without hesitation. The expression on Fu Yanchuan’s face froze. Two seconds later, he pinched the back of Qi Xi’s neck and pushed him out of the room.

Standing outside the closed door, Qi Xi tilted his head. Hadn’t Brother Yan ask if he wanted to watch? Why did he chase him out?

By the time breakfast was ready, Fu Yanchuan finally came out. Qi Xi followed the rule of not talking while eating, shoveling food into his mouth in a few big bites. Then he sat in his seat waiting for Fu Yanchuan to finish.

Fu Yanchuan’s eating style was also impressive, as if he had received special training—every movement was elegant.

When he put down his chopsticks, Qi Xi held back a smile and asked, “Brother Yan, are you full?”

Fu Yanchuan turned to look at him and asked, “What do you want to say?”

He wanted to ask if Fu Yanchuan often didn’t come back, whether there were other stand-ins besides him, and, if so, what his rank was.

However, he knew that, as a stand-in, he couldn’t be too direct. After carefully choosing his words, he asked Fu Yanchuan, “Do you have other stand-ins who take turns, which is why it took so many days before you came to me?”

Amused by Qi Xi’s words, Fu Yanchuan couldn’t understand where these strange ideas came from. He corrected him, saying, “I’ve never had anyone else. You’re the only one.”

Qi Xi was easy to placate, like a cactus. In an instant, he tossed away the worries he’d held onto for days and turned his attention to Fu Yanchuan. “Then where did you go these past few days? Were you busy with work? Didn’t sleep well?”

As he spoke, he reached out and touched the faint dark circles under Fu Yanchuan’s eyes. He thought that such a handsome face wouldn’t be perfect with dark circles.

Fu Yanchuan grabbed Qi Xi’s hand, waited two seconds, then let go and replied, “Sometimes I have to go back to my dad’s place. When I’m not home, you should go to bed early and don’t sleep on the mat.”

“No way!” Qi Xi refused firmly. “I need to make money. If I don’t draw late at night, I won’t have time. If I can’t finish, I won’t have money!”

“You… need money?”

Qi Xi had already saved on food, clothing, housing, and transportation. He didn’t even need to buy cat food or litter anymore. His only expenses were occasionally eating lunch at school and buying paints and drawing paper. In total, it wasn’t much, but his savings were small. If he didn’t earn more, they’d run out quickly.

Seeing Qi Xi frowning as he calculated his expenses, Fu Yanchuan was afraid he’d miscalculate again, so he took the initiative to say, “I can give you an advance on your pay.”

Qi Xi’s eyes lit up. Fu Yanchuan went to the living room, took a card out of his coat, and handed it to Qi Xi. “Use this card from now on. Whatever you spend, I’ll deduct it from your salary.”

“Brother Yan, you’re too good!”

He took the card and, instinctively lunging forward, began to hug Fu Yanchuan. Remembering his rules, however, he stopped himself. His chest bumped into Fu Yanchuan’s, then he made a heart gesture in front of Fu Yanchuan’s eyes.

Fu Yanchuan stood straight without moving, lowered his gaze, and said, “Give me your pen.”

“What do you want the pen for?”

Qi Xi asked, but he still handed it over. Fu Yanchuan took the pen, grabbed his hand, and wrote a six-digit number on his palm. He told him, “This is the password. You have to remember it.”

“Mm, got it.”

Qi Xi memorized it immediately. Fu Yanchuan’s phone rang, and he finally let go of Qi Xi’s hand to answer.

After answering, he told Qi Xi, “Go to bed early tonight.”

“Are you not coming back tonight either?”

Fu Yanchuan didn’t answer. He only said, “I’m leaving.”

Qi Xi watched Fu Yanchuan leave. It wasn’t until he heard the front door close that he realized Fu Yanchuan seemed unhappy again after answering the call.

The nanny came over to tidy up the living room. Qi Xi casually asked her, “Auntie, is Brother Yan always this busy, or does he just not live here very often?”

“Sigh, that’s because—”

The nanny stopped and looked at Qi Xi. After spending these past few days together, she could see that Qi Xi was overly simple. Whether or not to say what was on her mind made her feel conflicted.

Qi Xi pressed on, “Because of what?”

“It’s nothing. Aren’t you going to be late for class?”

In the end, she still couldn’t bring herself to say it. She felt that Qi Xi and Fu Yanchuan were lovers who couldn’t be together openly because of outside circumstances. Fu Yanchuan was forced into an engagement, and Qi Xi was kept innocently and naively in the dark about it.

Qi Xi didn’t have much on his mind. As soon as he checked the time, he forgot everything else and hurried to feed the cat. Then he went to class.

Bai Peiyong came to school looking for him again. While Qi Xi was in class, Bai Peiyong secretly switched seats to sit beside him and typed on his phone for Qi Xi to see.

Qi Xi couldn’t react too strongly in class, so he could only read what Bai Peiyong typed:

[Mr. Qi, I’m your client now. Can we have a proper talk?]

Angrily, Qi Xi flicked Bai Peiyong’s phone back and tore a page out of his sketchbook to write a reply.

[What client? Don’t disturb me in class, or I’ll tell the teacher.]

When Bai Peiyong saw Qi Xi’s note, his first reaction was that the handwriting was pretty. His second reaction was that only elementary schoolers tell the teacher.

He snatched Qi Xi’s pen and continued writing on the back.

[Didn’t you accept my commission yesterday? The “Monster Love” commission. Can we talk about it now?]

Qi Xi received the note and shot Bai Peiyong a glance. The commission that Brother Zha had given him yesterday was indeed themed “Monster Love,” but he realized that something was off.

All of his commissions were found by Brother Zha. Bai Peiyong didn’t know that Brother Zha knew him, so how could he have found Brother Zha to commission him?

He suddenly remembered that, at the bar, Bai Peiyong had snatched his phone. After that, his memory was hazy.

Could Bai Peiyong have installed a virus on his phone and been monitoring it?

Angrily, Qi Xi crumpled the paper into a ball, glared at Bai Peiyong in warning, and switched seats with a classmate on the other side.

The classmate sized up Bai Peiyong. Homosexuality wasn’t anything new, and with Qi Xi’s good looks, it wasn’t surprising that men would pursue him. He examined Bai Peiyong more closely. He looked decent enough, but there was a hint of thuggishness about him. At first glance, he didn’t look like a good person.

Qi Xi didn’t know what his classmate was thinking. After class, Bai Peiyong was still there. He stood up and ran, but Bai Peiyong was faster. He was caught just after reaching the stairs.

Bai Peiyong blocked him while panting and asked, “Why are you running anyway? Do I really look like a bad person?”

“Do you even need to look like one?”

Qi Xi’s single sentence left Bai Peiyong speechless. He raised both hands in surrender and said sincerely, “I just want to talk to you about art. You accepted my commission. Communicating with a client is a normal step, right?”

“Was that Monster Love commission really you? How did you find Brother Zha?”

“Brother Zha?”

Bai Peiyong sent a message to Qi Xi’s commission email. He received a reply with a WeChat ID. He added the account, whose nickname was “Number One Scumbag in the World.”

He asked, “Are you talking about your agent? Didn’t you give him your contact information?”

“What agent? I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Did you install a virus on my phone? Are you monitoring my phone? I’m calling the police.”

“How could I be that bad? Do you think monitoring someone’s phone is that easy? Look for yourself!”

Bai Peiyong opened his chat history with “Scumbag” and showed it to Qi Xi. After Qi Xi finished reading, he asked, “Is this the ‘Scumbag’ you were talking about?”

Qi Xi still didn’t quite believe him. He took out his phone to check. Sure enough, it was the same “Number One Scumbag in the World.” Only then did he calm down and ask, “How did you find ‘Scumbag’?”

Bai Peiyong showed Qi Xi an account on the YI website, along with the commission email listed there, noticing something odd.

YI is a global art-sharing website. Netizens from different countries can share their drawings and leave contact information for commissions.

However, since some users share artwork that requires censorship, access to the website is restricted domestically and requires tools.

Qi Xi had never heard of this website before, but the username and profile picture were his, and all the shared works were his drawings.

Most importantly, the account had over 300,000 followers.

He asked Bai Peiyong, “What website is this?”

Bai Peiyong asked in surprise, “You really don’t know?”

“I’ve never been on this website, but I actually have over 300,000 followers!”

As he spoke, Qi Xi couldn’t help but laugh. “Does this website give away followers? Does it give them to someone at my level? And so many! It makes it look like I draw really well! Hahaha!”

Bai Peiyong looked at Qi Xi seriously and asked, “Do you really think your drawings are bad?”

Qi Xi finally heard the doubt in his voice and asked, “Are you going to say my drawings are good? I’m not stupid. I know what level I’m at. I never studied properly, and I only take cheap commissions. You say you’re the owner of Jianshan. If you’re not lying, then you’re using a commission to strike up a conversation and trick me into drinking with you so that something can happen, right?”

Bai Peiyong realized that Qi Xi was very insecure about his art. Before he could respond, however, Qi Xi firmly rejected him.

“I’m not drawing your commission. Don’t come to school looking for me again. Next time, I really will call the police!”

“No, that’s not—”

Qi Xi didn’t give Bai Peiyong a chance to explain. He turned around and ran off.

On the way back, Qi Xi was angry the whole time. While he was angry, he also started to doubt. The profile photo on the YI site was a picture Brother Zha had asked him for because Qi Xi never took selfies; he remembered it very clearly.

He immediately went to ask his brother what was going on with the YI site. Surprisingly, Brother Zha replied not long after.

[Of course it’s to get you more commissions! Otherwise, where do you think I found so many for you? Posting your art is for promotion!]

[But why didn’t you tell me? I didn’t know at all.]

[That website can’t even be accessed domestically. It would have been useless to tell you. Can you even access it?]

[Are you doubting me? I work hard to find commissions for you, and you think I’m taking advantage of you? Do you think that just putting your drawings up there would get you fans? You’re not a famous artist. Without me, who would follow you?]

[If you think I’ve wronged you, then find your own way in the future. Don’t come to me for commissions anymore!]

After reading that, Qi Xi panicked a bit and quickly replied.

[I didn’t mean that. I was just asking.]

After quite a while, Brother Zha replied.

[If you have doubts, I can give you the account password, but we’ll cut contact here. Don’t come to me for commissions again.]

[That’s not what I meant. I know I’m bad at talking. No one comes to me for commissions, and I can’t make money.]

[Sorry, Brother Zha. Please keep helping me.]

[Good to know.]

[Don’t doubt me again, or don’t come looking for me.]

Qi Xi sent three consecutive “Sorry,” and only then did Brother Zha say he forgave him.

School let out early today, so he got home early too. Because of Brother Zha, he felt a bit unhappy and didn’t feel like drawing.

Anyway, there was no one home. He threw down his backpack, picked up the orange cat that came to greet him, and started singing and dancing the Qi-style disco while holding it. Just as he was getting into it, Fu Yanchuan walked out of his room. Qi Xi froze awkwardly in a strange pose.

Fu Yanchuan walked past him expressionlessly. Qi Xi stopped moving and asked, “Brother Yan, why are you back so early?”

He took the orange cat from Qi Xi’s arms and put it down. “Go change your clothes. I’m taking you out to eat.”

“Where are we eating? What holiday is it today? Or is it a birthday?”

“You already forgot?”

Qi Xi immediately remembered that Fu Yanchuan had said he would treat him to a meal. However, after saying he would arrange it, a whole week passed with no news.

He instantly forgot his earlier unhappiness. “I thought you forgot!”

Fu Yanchuan didn’t say whether or not he had forgotten. Instead, he asked, “What do you want to eat?”

“I want to eat a full crab feast. Last time my dad’s family went out, they deliberately didn’t invite me.”

“Go change your clothes first.”

Qi Xi suddenly looked Fu Yanchuan up and down. “Why do I need to change clothes? Does that mean we’re actually going on a date?”

Fu Yanchuan replied calmly, “I’m also taking you to meet someone.”

 

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