PTBLSI chapter 54

 

Qi Xi sat on the bench at the foot of the bed, holding his phone and thinking it over for a very long time—so long that the orange cat curled up beside him and fell asleep. Only then did he finally reply to Qiu Yizhou.

[Happy New Year to you too, Lawyer Qiu!]

[May I ask if you know Qiao Ye?]

Qiu Yizhou leaned against the sofa and stared at the message for a long time. He picked up his glass, took a sip of red wine, and then replied to Qi Xi.

[You mean Qiao Ye?][mfn]Earlier, Qi Xi used the alphabet spelling Qiao Ye when asking questions. Here, Qiu Yizhou uses the Chinese characters/Hangzhi 喬野 (qiáo yě).[/mfn]

[I know him. Why?]

After quite a long while, Qi Xi finally responded.

[So it’s written with these two characters.]

[Can you tell me what kind of person he is?]

[Is he much smarter than me? Is Brother Yan also very good to him?]

Qiu Yizhou couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. He replied with interest.

[Why are you asking this? Do you know what kind of relationship Qiao Ye and Fu Yanchuan have?]

Seeing this question, Qi Xi’s heart suddenly tightened. Qiao Ye was the person he resembled—the one Fu Yanchuan used as a stand-in when he chose him.

Qi Xi replied to Qiu Yizhou after many attempts at typing and deleting, unable to decide how to answer. Then, Qiu Yizhou told him directly.

[Qiao Ye and Fu Yanchuan were university classmates. Because Fu Yanchuan skipped grades, Qiao Ye is one year older than him.]

[If you insist on asking, Qiao Ye really is very smart. He and Fu Yanchuan were legendary top students in the same department.]

[But their personalities are complete opposites: Fu Yanchuan is quiet and aloof, while Qiao Ye is enthusiastic and outgoing. I don’t know how people like them even met and got together. Anyway, a year later, Fu Yanchuan followed Qiao Ye abroad, and they stayed overseas together for two years.]

[During those two years, Qiao Ye often lived in the place Fu Yanchuan rented, taught him racing, gambling, clubbing, fighting—doing whatever they wanted. The two of them were crazy.]

[That’s about it. What else do you want to know?]

Qi Xi read Qiu Yizhou’s words over and over again before finally replying.

[Is Qiao Ye a bad person?]

Qiu Yizhou laughed for quite a while when he saw that. He thought Qi Xi was strange—such a clean, pure person being with someone as blackhearted as Fu Yanchuan was a real pity. Sooner or later, Fu Yanchuan would eat Qi Xi alive.

Staring at the message on his phone, Qiu Yizhou thought that, since Qi Xi had come to ask him about Qiao Ye, Qi Xi must have found out something. If Fu Yanchuan were sincere with Qi Xi, why would he let Qi Xi come ask him?

Not wanting to help Fu Yanchuan, he replied to Qi Xi.

[To you, he’s very bad.]

[However, if he’s considered a bad person, then Fu Yanchuan is a hundred times worse.]

[Brother Yan isn’t—]

[You all don’t know how good he is!]

Qiu Yizhou wanted to say more bad things about Fu Yanchuan, but Qi Xi immediately sent a closing message.

[Thank you, Lawyer Qiu.]

[Goodbye!]

Qiu Yizhou felt that this “goodbye” was probably typed by Qi Xi through clenched teeth. In his heart, he silently criticized Fu Yanchuan all over again.

Qi Xi put down his phone, climbed onto the bed, pulled the orange cat over, and petted it while thinking.

He couldn’t imagine what kind of Fu Yanchuan Qiu Yizhou was talking about. He felt that he couldn’t do anything: he couldn’t ride, couldn’t fight, and couldn’t drink.

“Dasheng!”

He suddenly sprang up and stared firmly at the wall in front of him. “I want to change! I want Brother Yan to like me!”

The orange cat had been sleeping soundly on Qi Xi’s chest. After being knocked off, it scratched its head and looked around. “Meow?”

“Dasheng, what kind of person do you think Brother Yan likes? Someone who can ride and fight?”

The orange cat didn’t understand. “Meow?”

Without receiving an answer, Qi Xi started thinking on his own. Qiao Ye could race and fight, so he must have a great body with 8-pack abs.

“I know!”

He jumped off the bed, rushed out of the room without putting on slippers, and ran to look for Fu Yanchuan. After searching around, he found him in the study.

Fu Yanchuan was still thinking about where he had gone wrong. Was it wrong to look at Qi Xi’s phone?

Qi Xi suddenly rushed in, crashing straight into his arms. He knelt on his legs and asked seriously,

“Brother Yan, do you like abs?”

How did things suddenly get like this again? Looking at Qi Xi’s completely serious expression, he didn’t say anything. Qi Xi continued, “Next time you go running or working out, can you take me with you? I want to grow eight-pack abs too!”

Fu Yanchuan grabbed Qi Xi’s legs, which were pressed tightly together with his own on the chair. Realizing that Qi Xi wasn’t angry with him anymore, Fu Yanchuan laughed and leaned in to ask, “Why did you suddenly think of this?”

Qi Xi turned his face away, looking a little awkward. “Don’t you like people with abs? I want you to like me a bit more.”

Fu Yanchuan immediately thought of the reason. “Did Qiu Yizhou tell you?”

Qi Xi didn’t want Fu Yanchuan to know that he had asked Qiu Yizhou about Qiao Ye. He leaned in and hugged him coquettishly. “Don’t ask so much. Just say whether you like it or not!”

Fu Yanchuan had never had any specific preferences. He thought Qi Xi was perfect the way he was, and it would be best if he gained a little more weight. Qi Xi wasn’t picky about food, but he had a sensitive stomach. No matter how carefully Fu Yanchuan planned his meals, Qi Xi didn’t gain much weight.

Fu Yanchuan reached up and pinched the soft flesh at Qi Xi’s waist. He replied, “If you like it, I’ll take you. But what if you give up again very quickly?”

“I won’t give up! Because—I—”

Qi Xi’s voice grew smaller as he spoke. In the end, he lowered his head to Fu Yanchuan’s ear and whispered like a secret, “—I want you to like me, like—”

He didn’t finish, but Fu Yanchuan asked bluntly, “Like what?”

“Don’t ask. I won’t tell you.”

Qi Xi covered Fu Yanchuan’s mouth, but it didn’t work well. Fu Yanchuan could still speak, so he replied in a muffled voice: “I won’t ask. But if you want me to like you more, you have to work harder in other areas, too.”

“I know.”

Qi Xi nodded very firmly. Fu Yanchuan didn’t know exactly what he knew. As soon as he answered, Qi Xi jumped down. “I’m going to work hard right now.”

Fu Yanchuan watched the person run off again and asked helplessly, “What are you going to do?”

“Train my abs.”

He got up and followed. Seeing Qi Xi doing a horse stance on the balcony, he went back to the study and called Qiu Yizhou. After it connected, he asked directly, “What did you say to Qi Xi?”

Qiu Yizhou knew Fu Yanchuan would question him, so he answered seriously. “I didn’t say anything. He asked me what type of boy you like. I said you like someone who is just as simple and cute as him. Why? Did he say something to you?”

Fu Yanchuan didn’t fully believe him and warned, “Don’t talk nonsense with him.”

Qiu Yizhou hadn’t even had time to tease him a of couple times before Fu Yanchuan hung up. He was so angry that he wanted to tell Qi Xi more about Fu Yanchuan’s past with Qiao Ye.

By evening, the room that Fu Yanchuan had planned to use as a gym but had left unused finally became a real gym. There wasn’t any difficult equipment; it was all relatively suitable for Qi Xi to casually train with.

After everything was installed, Qi Xi walked in and exclaimed, “Brother Yan, you can even work out at home?”

Fu Yanchuan thought that, given Qi Xi’s tendency to give up quickly, he’d probably go to an outside gym once and never go again. At home, though, he might still remember to exercise. If he exercised, maybe it would strengthen his immunity and help reduce his chances of getting sick in the future.

But all Qi Xi could think about was getting eight-pack abs to seduce Fu Yanchuan. He hurriedly tried each piece of equipment, felt great, and thought that getting abs was just around the corner.

“Come here.”

Fu Yanchuan called Qi Xi over and told him to lie down on the sit-up bench. “Sit-ups are the best way to train your abs. Try it.”

Qi Xi confidently lay down, but Fu Yanchuan sat on his legs. As Qi Xi sat up, he bumped his forehead against Fu Yanchuan’s. He froze and asked, “How am I supposed to do this with you like this? What if I hit you?”

Fu Yanchuan answered seriously, “You won’t. I’ll count for you.”

Qi Xi responded with a snort and lay back down, but he couldn’t help but stare at Fu Yanchuan’s face, moving his gaze from far to near and from near to far. When he got close, he could feel Fu Yanchuan’s breath.

After sitting up again, he stopped moving. He pressed his forehead against Fu Yanchuan’s and said, “Yan brother, can you move away? If you stay here, I won’t be able to stop looking at your face, and then I’ll want to kiss you.”

Fu Yanchuan lightly curled his lips. “Try it.”

Qi Xi lifted his eyelids and met Fu Yanchuan’s gaze. After a moment, he closed his eyes, cupped Fu Yanchuan’s face, and kissed him.

And so Qi Xi’s first night of training ended. The next day, he wouldn’t let Fu Yanchuan sit in front of him anymore, no matter what.

Qi Xi managed to persist for only three nights. When the Spring Festival holiday ended, Fu Yanchuan had to start going to work, and Xie Hui was about to leave again.

On the day Xie Hui left, Fu Yanchuan took Qi Xi to see him off. While waiting to pass through security, Qi Xi talked with Xie Hui for a long time. He talked more than Xie Hui’s parents did.

Finally, as Xie Hui was about to go through security, Qi Xi couldn’t bear it anymore. He chased after Xie Hui, hugging him tightly and refusing to let go.

“Qiyueqi, I’m going to be strangled to death by you!”

Qi Xi finally loosened his grip, but he was still choking Xie Hui and wouldn’t let go. Xie Hui’s gaze drifted to Fu Yanchuan, who was staring straight at them. Xie Hui quietly said into Qi Xi’s ear, “Remember what I told you—don’t fall in love with Fu Yanchuan, understand?”

Qi Xi wasn’t sure if he understood, but he felt guilty about what Xie Hui had said. He reluctantly released his hands and pushed Xie Hui inward. “You should go quickly! Remember to message me!”

Xie Hui looked at Qi Xi and knew this idiot was completely done for. He glared fiercely at Fu Yanchuan. Just as the announcement for boarding began, he had no choice but to go through security.

Xie’s father let out a long sigh and said happily, “That little bastard finally left! He was noisy every day!”

Xie’s mother smacked him. “Is that how you talk as a father?”

Qi Xi turned around and asked, “Uncle, auntie, where are you going next?”

Xie’s father had always wished he had a son like Qi Xi. Xie Hui had been wild like a monkey since he was little and had never understood elegance. The first time Qi Xi came to their home, Xie’s father even wondered if Xie Hui and Qi Xi had been switched at birth.

When talking to Qi Xi, his voice softened unconsciously. “We’re going to buy groceries later, so we can’t send you back. Even if Xie Hui isn’t here, you can come to our place to play more often.”

“Thank you, Uncle. I’ll definitely go.”

Fu Yanchuan came over and grabbed Qi Xi. “Let’s go.”

Qi Xi was dragged away but turned back to say goodbye. “Uncle, Auntie, we’re leaving first. Goodbye!”

Xie’s parents looked at Fu Yanchuan strangely. Although he didn’t do anything out of line, people who had lived for decades could always sense something.

It was already afternoon. Fu Yanchuan didn’t plan to go back to the group; he went home with Qi Xi instead.

Before dinner, Qi Xi remembered and went to work on his abs again. Although he trained other muscles as if he were playing around, he did sit-ups pretty well.

Fu Yanchuan was surprised that Qi Xi could persist for so many days. Aside from the first night, when Qi Xi wouldn’t let him in, even though the equipment wasn’t dangerous, he was afraid that Qi Xi might use it improperly and get hurt. So, he stood guard outside the door or pretended to run while watching from the side.

Today, when he followed Qi Xi in, he saw that Qi Xi was facing the mirror, deliberately posing his smooth stomach. When he saw Fu Yanchuan in the mirror, he immediately turned around and grabbed his hand, pressing it to his stomach. “Brother Yan, do I have it now?”

Fu Yanchuan was amused by him. “Have what?”

“Abs! Touch them.”

He lowered his gaze. Although they weren’t very obvious, they did feel like muscle. He covered it with his palm and said, “I feel it.”

Qi Xi lifted his face, full of expectation, and asked, “Then do you like me a little more?”

Qi Xi had changed into sportswear he had personally picked out. The clothes clung tightly to his body, clearly showing where he was exerting force when he moved. At that moment, Qi Xi’s body was wrapped in tight gray sportswear, with his stomach lifted.

Fu Yanchuan suppressed the rise and fall of his chest, moved closer, and pressed Qi Xi against the mirror. He lifted Qi Xi’s legs, causing him to hang onto Fu Yanchuan.

Qi Xi was suddenly suspended in the air. His limbs instinctively wrapped around Fu Yanchuan, pulling himself close and bumping into him. His ears turned red as he averted his gaze.

Fu Yanchuan leaned down and chased after Qi Xi’s lips, sucking them lightly. His tongue gently rubbed over them, deliberately embarrassing him.

Over the past few days, Qi Xi had asked from time to time if Fu Yanchuan liked him a little more. Qi Xi wouldn’t say things like this for no reason. Even if it wasn’t Qiu Yizhou who said something, someone must have.

He wanted to check Qi Xi’s phone several times, but he held himself back. He was well aware of his own problem.

Everything that belonged to him should be under his control. He learned this from Fu Zhenrong. No matter how much he said he was different from Fu Zhenrong, he couldn’t change the fact that he had learned the same methods a long time ago. Sometimes, he was afraid that one day he wouldn’t be able to restrain himself and would hurt Qi Xi.

Therefore, he tried his best not to influence Qi Xi’s thoughts and restrained his desire to control everything about Qi Xi.

Finally, he pulled away slightly from Qi Xi’s lips and asked, “Xi Xi, how do you want me to like you more?”

 

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