ABOES 84: Scene of Public Humiliation

The two posts went up almost simultaneously, and fans couldn’t help but scream.

【Oh my god!!!!!!】
【It’s a selfie!】
【Sobbing. My shallow heart is satisfied. You two are way too handsome!】
【Wait! Wait, look what I just noticed—matching pajamas!!! Oh my god!!】
【MOM!!! My ship just gave us sugar!!!】
【I don’t care, I don’t care, this is real! “I’m shipping it!”!】
【So sweet, so sweet!】
【I was just crying over LiChu, and now the real couple comes out dropping sugar bombs!】
【You guys are spoiling us too much!】

…

Chi Yunxing scrolled through the comments for a while, and eventually frowned.

He had considered this when he agreed to post the photo. What if netizens really figured out the truth about his relationship with Duan Zhiyan? How would he explain it?

What he hadn’t expected was that no one in the comments section said a thing.

Apart from a sea of “kdl”means “I’m shipping it!”, the rest were all compliments on his and Duan Zhiyan’s looks.

Chi Yunxing was genuinely confused.

Duan Zhiyan was sitting right beside him and, noticing the look on his face, pretty much figured out what he was thinking.

“Wondering why no one’s guessing we’re together?” Duan Zhiyan asked.

Chi Yunxing looked at him in surprise, as if to say, How did you know?

The corners of Duan Zhiyan’s mouth lifted. His Yunxing was so much more relaxed around him now.

Back when they weren’t close, Chi Yunxing kept his guard up around everyone. Duan Zhiyan could only rely on his occasional expressions to guess what he was thinking.

After they got closer, Chi Yunxing had dropped most of those defenses and now all his little emotions showed on his face. Duan Zhiyan barely needed to guess; one look was enough to understand him.

Just like now.

He casually took Chi Yunxing’s phone, and Chi Yunxing handed it over without hesitation. Duan Zhiyan swiped away from Yunxing’s post and opened his own Weibo page. Then he showed Chi Yunxing the comments section.

“My fans are just really well-trained,” Duan Zhiyan sighed with mock helplessness. “With them around, no one’s going to suspect we’re a couple.”

Chi Yunxing flushed when he heard “a couple,” but before he had time to be embarrassed, his attention was drawn to the actual comments.

【Isn’t this the first time our idol has posted a selfie with another guy?】
【Awww, look at that wholesome bromance!】
【Duan Ge is really good to Yunxing. I’ve followed him for ten years and this is the first time I’ve seen him actively promote a CP . Still, thanks Yunxing! Pajama Duan Ge is so hot!】

…

Chi Yunxing looked stunned.

Duan Zhiyan handed the phone back with a smile. “Check the replies under the top comments.”

Chi Yunxing did.

【Bromance? This is clearly romance!】
【Excuse me? Ship your CP quietly, please don’t drag it here.】
【We know you CP fans are happy, but can you not invade our solo stan space?】
【LMAO. They just acted in a drama and did some promo together—how do y’all spin that into reality? Try reading a book.】
【No way. It’s 2021 and some of you still don’t know they’re practically brothers?】
【Ship what you want, just keep it in your own little echo chamber.】
【CP fans, don’t get too loud or the real people will end up embarrassed.】

Chi Yunxing: “……”

Embarrassed?!

He and Duan Zhiyan had helped each other out, thank you very much. What’s there to be embarrassed about?

Also, brothers??

“Promoting a CP”?

They are a CP!

Chi Yunxing’s hands trembled as he scrolled. Now he understood why Duan Zhiyan had said what he did earlier.

He tossed the phone aside and leaned into Duan Zhiyan, muttering, “I’m kind of… annoyed.”

Duan Zhiyan caught him, gave him a soft kiss on the forehead, and chuckled. “What’s wrong?”

Chi Yunxing muttered, “I mean… not even one person thought this was us going public?”

Duan Zhiyan was calm. “Someone did.”

Chi Yunxing blinked. “Who?”

Right then, Duan Zhiyan’s phone rang.

Holding Yunxing with one arm, he glanced at the screen and burst out laughing. “Look. Him.”

Chi Yunxing looked and saw three words on the screen: “Chi Xiwen.”

Before he could even react, Duan Zhiyan picked up and casually put it on speaker. On the other end, Chi Xiwen’s furious voice roared out.

“Duan Zhiyan! You absolute bastard! You animal! You’re not even human!”

“Where’s Yunxing? Where the hell is he?!”

Duan Zhiyan passed the phone to Chi Yunxing.

Like he was being handed a hot coal, Chi Yunxing took it with trembling hands, cleared his throat, and softly said, “Ge…”

Chi Xiwen paused.

He had called to yell at Duan Zhiyan, not for Yunxing to answer the phone!

More importantly… Did Yunxing hear all the things he just screamed?! What must he be thinking right now?!

In two seconds, Chi Xiwen mentally cursed Duan Zhiyan seventeen different ways.

He had no choice but to change his tone and speak calmly. “Yunxing…”

A few more seconds passed before he managed to string together a proper sentence. “You’re done filming?”

“Mm,” Chi Yunxing answered.

“Then why didn’t you come home?”

“Didn’t Grandma say she’s going on a trip with Mom and Dad this weekend? So I didn’t go back.”

“Oh.”

The two brothers fell into silence.

Chi Xiwen took a deep breath. He couldn’t believe this day had come, that he, Chi Xiwen, didn’t know how to talk to Yunxing on the phone!

Just as he was racking his brain for conversation, Chi Yunxing said, “You called Zhiyan for something, right? I’ll let you talk to him.”

“Yes! Yes, put him on!”

Duan Zhiyan took the phone and turned off the speaker. “Hello?”

“DUAN. ZHI. YAN.” Chi Xiwen practically growled each word, then suddenly asked, “You turned off the speaker, right? Is Yunxing still there with you?”

Duan Zhiyan really didn’t want to waste his sweet time with Yunxing on Chi Xiwen, so he said, “No, still right next to me.”

Chi Xiwen: “……”

Oh, that smug bastard.

Using Yunxing as a human shield now?! Shameless!

“Can you not be so close to him?” Chi Xiwen took a deep breath. “I have something serious to say.”

“Then just say it. There’s nothing I can’t say in front of Yunxing.”

Chi Xiwen: “……”

That’s it. He was done.

He hung up.

Hearing the beep beep beep of the call ending, Duan Zhiyan happily put his phone away.

Chi Yunxing looked over, amused. “What happened?”

Duan Zhiyan chuckled. “He got mad out of sheer embarrassment.”

Chi Yunxing: “……”

Okay… that was a little mean but also kinda funny.

They’d been together for over two months now, and Chi Xiwen still couldn’t accept it.

Chi Yunxing suddenly wondered. If his brother was already reacting like this, what would he do if they ever actually got married?

Then he froze.

Married?!

What the hell was he thinking?!

They had barely been together! Who said anything about marriage?!

Chi Yunxing’s ears turned bright red. He didn’t dare look at Duan Zhiyan anymore.

Unbeknownst to him, Duan Zhiyan saw everything but he didn’t say a word and just smiled gently.

…

The joint post from Chi Yunxing and Duan Zhiyan made it to the trending list almost immediately. The tag was hilariously on the nose: #DuanZhiyanChiYunxingSelfie#.

Clicking in, you’d find nothing but CP fans screaming in ecstasy.

It was just an ordinary weekend, but for CP fans it might as well have been a national holiday. They celebrated on Weibo like it was New Year’s.

Still, even in their frenzy, they knew their boundaries. Every other comment came with a disclaimer, “Ship CP responsibly! Don’t make the artists uncomfortable or jeopardize their brotherly bond!”

Chi Yunxing saw it and nearly choked.

Brotherly bond?

He only had one big brother and it was Chi Xiwe but there was nothing he could do.

If he dared go on Weibo and clarify, he would probably have to drag Duan Zhiyan home to come out to the whole family tomorrow.

It was too soon. Meeting the parents was something to take step by step.

…Though, technically, Duan Zhiyan had already met them. QvQ

…

That week, the LiChu CP once again topped the platform’s “Most Discussed” charts.

After finishing the latest update, Grandma Chi called Yunxing to discuss the episode.

Chi Yunxing still remembered the script and reassured her, “No rush. We’ll get to the big reveal next week at the latest.”

Grandma immediately perked up. “You mean they’re finally going to come clean? Is it because Xu Li finds Ning Chu’s diary?”

Chi Yunxing chuckled. “No way. Ning Chu’s way too careful for that.”

“Then what happens?!” she demanded.

“Want me to spoil it for you?” he teased.

Grandma wavered for a moment before caving. “Just tell me how the secret gets exposed. That’s not really a spoiler!”

Chi Yunxing laughed and gave her a light version of the upcoming drunk confession scene.

Grandma was so excited she nearly dropped her phone. “That’s intense! What happens after?! Tell me more!”

“Nope,” Chi Yunxing refused. “Any more and it’s a real spoiler.”

“Fine, fine,” Grandma relented. “I’ll just wait for next week.”

“Good,” Chi Yunxing grinned.

Grandma then asked, “Are you coming home next week?”

“Yeah,” Chi Yunxing nodded.

“I’ll make all your favorites!” she promised.

She was almost fully recovered now and hated sitting still. If anyone stopped her from cooking, she’d actually get mad.

“I’ll help out too,” Chi Yunxing offered, knowing full well there was no stopping her once she’d made up her mind.

“Okay! I’ll be waiting!” she said cheerfully.

…

The week flew by. Before heading home, Chi Yunxing asked, “Zhiyan Ge, are you coming with me?”

He was planning to stay at home for a couple of days.

Honestly, the idea of being away from Duan Zhiyan for two full days made his heart ache a little.

Duan Zhiyan raised his brow. “You want me to come?”

Chi Yunxing didn’t hesitate. “Yeah.”

A soft smile curled Duan Zhiyan’s lips. “Then I’ll go.”

Chi Yunxing’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Why would I lie?” Duan Zhiyan held out a hand. “I’ll stay with you those two days.”

Chi Yunxing grinned even wider but a hint of worry crept in. “Do you think my parents will notice anything?”

“Are you afraid?” Duan Zhiyan asked.

Chi Yunxing thought about it, then shook his head. “Honestly, I kind of want to tell them soon.”

Duan Zhiyan’s heart swelled. He leaned in and kissed the corner of Chi Yunxing’s mouth. “Then if they figure it out, we’ll just tell them.”

Chi Yunxing wasn’t satisfied. He looped his arms around Duan Zhiyan’s neck and pulled him in for another kiss.

When they finally parted, breathless, he whispered, “Okay.”

…

With the decision made, Chi Yunxing called his driver to cancel the pickup. He rode back with Duan Zhiyan.

Chi Yunxing was bored on the road and opened his video app. It was time for a new Secret Crush update.

He watched all three episodes in one go. The last one ended right on Ning Chu stealing a kiss from Xu Li.

The comment section had exploded. Everyone was flaming the director for cutting off right there.

Chi Yunxing couldn’t stop laughing and passed his phone to Duan Zhiyan. “Director Li’s really milking the tension. If I didn’t already know what happened next, I’d be mad too.”

Duan Zhiyan read the comments and nodded. “Let’s hope Grandma’s not mad.”

Chi Yunxing chuckled. “Fingers crossed.”

…

When they arrived at the villa, the housekeeper came out to greet them.

Chi Yunxing didn’t see Grandma waiting by the door like usual. He asked, “Is Grandma watching the new episode?”

Usually, she was always there when he got home.

The housekeeper’s expression turned a little odd, but he nodded.

“And my parents?” Chi Yunxing asked.

“They’re watching with her,” the housekeeper replied.

Chi Yunxing stiffened. “My parents are watching too?”

The housekeeper nodded again.

Chi Yunxing glanced at Duan Zhiyan, who just patted his shoulder and said, “Come on. Let’s go in.”

For some reason, Chi Yunxing’s heart was racing. He had a bad feeling about this.

As the housekeeper opened the door, Chi Yunxing stepped inside and before he could even say hello, two familiar voices rang out from the living room TV.

“You didn’t notice?”
“W-What was I supposed to notice?”

Chi Yunxing looked up and saw Secret Crush episode 13 playing on the giant screen. On it, Ning Chu was slamming Xu Li down and planting a fierce kiss on him.

On the couch sat Grandma, his mom Tan Yao, and his dad Chi Ling.

Chi Yunxing: “……”

This was it.

A full-blown, textbook definition scene of public humiliation.