Chapter 21

Sometimes, even the smallest matters at school would be blown out of proportion and become the subject of heated discussion. Take the incident of Xi Shi, the long-adored male idol, and Huo Siyu, the new heartthrob, playing basketball and having a meal together. Someone had posted about it on a forum, sparking quite a buzz.

Despite Huo Siyu’s sunny and cheerful demeanor in front of Xi Shi, he was usually rather aloof and carried the air of a classic cold, brooding male lead from a campus novel. This contrast between his public persona and how he acted around Xi Shi only fueled more speculation.

Xi Shi never bothered with forums and had no idea that a simple basketball game with Huo Siyu could become such a hot topic.

That afternoon, with no classes in the last two periods, Xi Shi planned to go out and look at some apartments. As he stepped out of the classroom, his cousin Xi Yue stopped him.

Xi Yue was also a freshman at Yan University, admitted as a dance major. Nowadays, it was common for college students to wear makeup, but as an arts student, Xi Yue was especially skilled at dressing up. With her long, wavy hair and a light-colored camisole mini dress layered with a denim jacket, even though her looks weren’t exceptionally striking, her carefully curated style gave her a distinctive charm.

Guo Hao and Xiao Nan, who were with Xi Shi, exchanged glances and smirked when they saw him stopped by such a pretty girl.

Guo Hao nudged Xi Shi playfully on the shoulder and grinned, “You’ve got quite the charm, don’t you?”

“Senior, you’ve got it wrong. She’s my cousin,” Xi Yue clarified coolly.

“Ohhh,” Guo Hao replied, hastily adding, “Your family’s got good genes. Your brother’s so handsome, and you’re quite a beauty yourself.”

According to Chinese social etiquette, such compliments would usually be met with modesty or gratitude. But Xi Yue gave a half-hearted smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Xiao Nan quietly tugged at Guo Hao’s foot, signaling him to look at Xi Shi. Only then did Guo Hao notice Xi Shi’s slightly pale complexion and tightly pressed lips. He realized the atmosphere between the cousins was tense.

“Why don’t you two head back?” Xi Shi said.

Guo Hao and Xiao Nan didn’t want to intrude on family matters, so they left.

No one came to the classroom for the next lesson, and soon the place emptied, leaving only the two cousins by the door.

Leaning against the wall, Xi Shi said, “If there’s something you want to say, just say it.”

Xi Yue dropped her usual domineering attitude and smiled gently. “Second brother, my birthday party is on the 3rd of next month. You’re coming, right?”

Xi Shi gave a noncommittal “Hmm.”

Even if he was reluctant, even if Xi Yue didn’t really want him there, he knew he had to show up. Otherwise, outsiders might speculate that his uncle’s family was sidelining him, which would look bad.

Xi Shi wasn’t so oblivious.

“Then… why don’t you bring Huo Siyu along too?” she added.

So that was the real reason.

“No way,” Xi Shi said bluntly.

Xi Yue’s expression immediately darkened. “Why not? Aren’t you two close?”

“We’re not.”

“You’re lying. You ride horses together, play basketball together, eat at the cafeteria together, and even chat and laugh on the way to class. People on the forum have shipped you two countless times. That’s not being close?”

Xi Shi frowned.

What Xi Yue said was true, but that was the extent of their interaction—barely acquaintances, not close at all.

“Forums can turn anything into something. If you trust the forum more than me, that’s your choice. I don’t have the face to invite Huo Siyu. If you want him there, you’ll have to invite him yourself.”

Xi Yue bit her lip inwardly. If she could invite Huo Siyu on her own, would she need to beg Xi Shi like this?

Ever since she learned Huo Siyu was also a freshman at Yan University, she’d been excited, dressing up prettily these past few days, trying to catch his attention, only to be met with his impatient dismissal.

His warmth was reserved only for Xi Shi, and yet Xi Shi said they weren’t close. She wanted to slap him for taking advantage and then playing innocent.

But no, she couldn’t demand anything from him now.

“I really have no choice,” Xi Yue said, looking pitiful. “After you were dumped, I was mocked and excluded too. You have no idea how hard this month has been for me. It’s been so tough.”

“So, can you help me? I really need someone like Huo Siyu to boost my party.”

“Since breaking off the engagement with the Shao family, our business has taken quite a hit. From what I know, we lost several big deals—all because clients wanted to affiliate with the Shaos. You could have agreed to the marriage to save face, but you didn’t. Have Mom and Dad said anything?”

Xi Shi’s hand clenched slowly at his side.

Here it came again—the familiar moral blackmail.

And yet, he couldn’t find a word to counter it.

Xi Yue watched his expression and continued, “I’m not saying this to make you feel guilty. But if Huo Siyu comes to my birthday party, people will think we’ve formed an alliance with the Huo family, which will offset the damage from your broken engagement.”

Xi Shi bit his lip silently.

Seeing his reaction, Xi Yue knew she’d succeeded in her manipulation once again.

Tears glistening, she looked at him with the utmost innocence and struck the final blow.

“Just think of it as making it up to me, okay?”

---

Xi Shi was speechless.

“Okay, second brother~”

He opened his mouth to reply when his phone suddenly rang—his custom ringtone for Jing Chen.

Grasping the lifeline, Xi Shi said, “I’ll take this call.”

The timing couldn’t be worse. A shadow flickered across Xi Yue’s eyes.

But since she’d said so much, her goal was accomplished. Now she just needed to push Xi Shi into bringing Huo Siyu.

“I’ll be waiting for your good news—3rd, next Thursday. Don’t forget,” she said, turning to leave.

Xi Shi’s lips turned pale. Taking a deep breath, he answered the call.

“Brother.”

“Yeah, I’m at the south gate of your school.”

Hearing that Xi Shi was going to look at apartments, Jing Chen said he’d come to help.

“All right, sorry to keep you waiting. Give me five minutes, I’ll be right out.”

Jing Chen immediately sensed something off in Xi Shi’s tone. Usually, Xi Shi spoke playfully to him, but now he was unusually polite.

He didn’t ask, simply replied, “No rush, I’ll wait.”

Xi Shi practically jogged to the south gate. It wasn’t the rush hour after class, so the gate was quiet. He spotted Jing Chen standing by a bubble tea shop.

“Brother,” Xi Shi ran over.

Jing Chen, seeing Xi Shi’s flushed face and heavy breathing, pressed the cold cup of bubble tea against his cheek. The icy touch made Xi Shi shrink his neck, then he took the drink from Jing Chen’s hand.

“For me?”

“Yeah.”

Xi Shi popped in the straw and took a few sips. The earlier unpleasantness with Xi Yue seemed to dissolve with the bubble tea. He exhaled and smiled warmly at Jing Chen. “Delicious.”

Jing Chen wanted to ruffle his hair but restrained himself, instead patting his shoulder gently. “Let’s go.”

Opposite the south gate was a residential complex—the closest one to campus, just a five-minute walk.

After getting engaged to Shao Xun, Xi Shi had originally suggested buying a place here. But the wealthy Shao family wasn’t willing to have them settle for less. They bought a villa several kilometers away in Lan Garden and arranged a private driver to shuttle Xi Shi back and forth.

Truth be told, when he first got engaged to Shao Xun, Xi Shi had been excited. The benefits of the alliance were obvious, and it repaid his uncle for raising him all these years. He wouldn’t have to live under anyone’s thumb anymore and could enjoy some prestige.

But if it was just a marriage of convenience, he’d be trading one dependency for another—still relying on others, only with a grander façade.

So was it really wrong to be selfish?

Was it?

“Did something happen that upset you again?” Jing Chen suddenly asked.

“No…” Xi Shi quietly hooked his pinky with Jing Chen’s. “Being with you makes all the sadness disappear.”

A forced smile.

Those four words popped into Jing Chen’s mind.

He clasped Xi Shi’s hand with his own.

“If something’s wrong, you can tell me.”

Xi Shi was startled. Weren’t they supposed to act like just friends at school? Who holds hands like this? If Xi Yue saw him holding hands with a powerless laborer, who knows what scandal would erupt.

Quickly, he withdrew his hand, glaring at Jing Chen. “It’s your fault for not knowing your limits on the weekend. I didn’t finish my homework and just got called out by the teacher.”

Jing Chen: “…”

Who really doesn’t know their limits?

His empty palm curled inward, knowing Xi Shi wasn’t telling the whole truth.

But he didn’t press further.

The agent was already waiting at the complex entrance. Seeing the two handsome guys approach, her eyes lit up, and inside she was screaming, “So handsome!”

Yet professionalism kept her smiling. “A unit was just vacated yesterday. It might suit your needs better. Would you like to take a look first?”

“Sure,” Xi Shi said.

They went to see the newly available place. Xi Shi liked it immediately.

Perhaps the landlord had just hired cleaners after the previous tenant moved out. The apartment was spotless, almost like new, with cozy and tasteful decor. The moment he stepped inside, he felt a relaxing sense of home.

Because it was on a high floor, the lighting and views were excellent. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows offered a sweeping vista.

The more Xi Shi looked, the more he liked it—especially the oversized bed in the bedroom. He could already imagine the pleasure of rolling around on it with Jing Chen.

Seeing the agent hadn’t followed inside, Xi Shi whispered, “What do you think, brother? I really want to rent this.”

“Rent it,” Jing Chen replied.

“But I’m sure the rent’s crazy high. Look at this bed—it’s obviously new, custom-made even. Such craftsmanship… I suspect some rich guy bought it to keep a university student here.”

Jing Chen: “…”

Such a sensitive nose…

“Of course, it’s not that I don’t have money!” Xi Shi emphasized first, then smiled. “I just think it’d be better to spend it on you. What do you say?”

Jing Chen’s gaze softened.

Maybe others would find such words insincere, but coming from Xi Shi, they sounded sweet.

Jing Chen nodded approvingly, then said, “You can ask about the price first. It might not be that expensive.”

They had to ask about the price—Xi Shi worried that if it were too high and he backed out, Jing Chen might think he couldn’t afford it, suspect he was broke, and run off. Better to set expectations.

Just then, the agent came in and asked how they liked it.

“It’s great. How much’s the rent here?”

“Not expensive,” she answered. “The landlord lives abroad and isn’t in need of money. He just fears the place will decay if empty, so he rents it out. The price is this much.” She held up six fingers.

“Six thousand?” Xi Shi’s eyes widened.

The agent smiled and nodded.

Xi Shi was stunned. Their university wasn’t in a remote area—in fact, as Yan University ranked top in Yanjing and was a century-old institution, the area had flourished alongside it. This complex was notorious for its high prices.

Moreover, it was three bedrooms. Even a basic unit would cost more, let alone one with such luxury finishes.

“Uh…” Xi Shi cleared his throat, suspiciously. “This place doesn’t have any problems, right?”

“Of course not!” The agent said immediately. “Rest assured, there’s absolutely nothing wrong. You can ask around the neighborhood. The landlord just doesn’t care about money and hopes the tenant will take good care of the place. That’s all.”

Xi Shi became even more wary. “They won’t come inspecting with a lantern when I move out, right?”

The agent was speechless.

Why are college students so hard to fool nowadays?

The agent’s professionalism kept her composed. The landlord offered a generous price of six thousand yuan, and she wasn’t about to complain.

Fortunately, Jing Chen stepped in to ease the tension. “Maybe check with the previous tenant about the situation.”

The agent looked at him, sensing he was the one funding the deal and convincing the young student. Enlightened by his suggestion, she said, “Right, I’ll share the previous tenant’s WeChat. You can contact them—no problems at all.”

Xi Shi agreed.

The agent quickly sent a WeChat contact. The username was “Daylight.” Xi Shi added them, and the request was accepted promptly.

Xi Shi sent a greeting: “Hello.”

Daylight replied: “You are…”

Xi Shi: “I’m the new tenant at Yan Sheng Complex, Building 5, Unit 2901. I heard you used to live here?”

Daylight: “Yes.”

Xi Shi: “Oh, I want to ask—there are four switches in the bathroom. Which one controls the shower, and which is the heater?”

“See?” Xi Shi showed the phone to the agent. “He can’t answer, which means he never lived here.”

The agent was speechless, utterly defeated.