ASFSODS 40

Jiang Siheng’s livestream chat had already called her “mother-in-law” over ten thousand times.

“You’re eating with that handsome guy again,” Lin Huixiu said as she smoothed out the folds of her face mask. “As long as you’re eating well. I heard from Tao Ge today that it’s really cold over in Country Y. Did you bring thick clothes?”

“I did, I brought two coats. I’m wearing the white one you bought me right now,” Wen Chi replied obediently.

“Good, then go eat. I’m hanging up now.”

Before Wen Chi could remind her not to stay up late watching dramas, she had already ended the video call.

Wen Chi: “……”

Seeing him sigh, Jiang Siheng chuckled. “Auntie stays up late watching dramas?”

“Not often,” Wen Chi replied, setting his phone aside and continuing to eat.

“Mhm,” Jiang Siheng nodded, then asked, “Who’s Tao Ge?”

Wen Chi: “……”

Wen Chi Livestream:

[Ahhhh Mom is so cute!]

[Darn, we didn’t even get to see her face #crying]

[Did Xiao Chi do that on purpose to protect her privacy?]

[But she was wearing a face mask, we wouldn’t have seen her clearly anyway]

[Wait a minute… didn’t she say something like ‘with that handsome guy again’?]

[YES! That means Jiang Ge has met Wen Chi’s mom before, right?!]

[Aaaa I’m turning into a screaming chicken tonight]

[Only downside of overseas filming—hard to stay up and watch live]

[It’s okay, you can catch the full episode later]

[International fans fear nothing]

Jiang Siheng didn’t press him. He’d just been curious.

Wen Chi replied, “A neighbor from back home, a few years older than me.”

Jiang Siheng nodded and smiled. “Got it.”

Just as they were nearly done eating, a server walked up with a dish, placing it in front of Wen Chi and saying something unintelligible before leaving.

Wen Chi blinked in confusion at the pretty plated dessert. “What’s this?”

Jiang Siheng glanced at the server who was now chatting with a man in a chef’s uniform. Noticing Jiang Siheng’s gaze, both turned toward them.

The chef gave Jiang Siheng a polite nod.

Jiang Siheng nodded back—just being courteous.

Then he turned to look at Wen Chi. He truly hadn’t expected Wen Chi to be this popular with foreign men. One had just tried to get his contact info earlier, and now this one was sending dessert straight to the table.

Wen Chi finally processed it and asked, “Was that from her? I think I heard something like that.”

Though he really didn’t want to say it, Jiang Siheng wouldn’t lie. He gritted his teeth and said, “Yeah.”

“Wow,” Wen Chi gasped, cheeks flushing red.

Jiang Siheng Livestream:

[Oh my goddddd what kind of rare gem is Wen Chi]

[Their facial expressions are complete opposites lol]

[I don’t think Wen Chi knows the dessert came from the male chef]

[Honestly though… the chef was pretty good-looking]

[Right?? Looked super young too]

[Lol the ones saying that aren’t afraid of making Jiang Ge mad, huh]

[Eh, he doesn’t know anyway]

Wen Chi pulled out his phone to snap a photo of the pudding. When Jiang Siheng asked what he was doing, he answered excitedly, “Gotta keep a memory—this is the first time a girl who’s not a fan has ever given me something!”

Jiang Siheng: “……” Should he tell him it was actually the male chef?

Wen Chi clearly thought it was from the female server. When she passed by again, he even thanked her.

Though the server had no idea why this boy was thanking her, honestly, who wouldn’t enjoy being thanked by such a cute guy?

“Let’s go,” Jiang Siheng said after Wen Chi finished his dessert.

As they neared the inn, Jiang Siheng suddenly suggested, “Wanna walk back?”

Wen Chi glanced out the window at the light snow. “Are you serious?”

Jiang Siheng looked a little sheepish. “A little.”

Wen Chi stared at him for a few seconds, just long enough for Jiang Siheng to start looking away in embarrassment. Then Wen Chi chuckled. “Fine, fine, let’s walk but what about the car?”

Jiang Siheng pulled out his phone. “I’ll call Xiao Pang to drive it back.”

Xiao Pang—a brick that moves wherever it’s needed.

Thankfully, the snow wasn’t heavy, just chilly.

Wen Chi was bundled up, even his eyes barely visible under the dim streetlights. His whole face seemed swallowed by the darkness.

Under the warm orange glow of the lamps, Jiang Siheng looked over at Wen Chi, hands in his coat pockets. He couldn’t quite make out the boy’s expression. “If it’s too cold, we can stop.”

“Hm?” Wen Chi turned, hood up, eyes bright.

Surprisingly, he didn’t look cold or hesitant. He actually seemed… happy.

“Cold?”

Wen Chi exhaled a puff of white breath. “Not really. It feels okay to me.”

Jiang Siheng held out a hand.

Even without explanation, Wen Chi understood. He placed his hand into Jiang Siheng’s palm. “My hand’s warm.”

Wen Chi Livestream:

[ Aaaaaa Wen Chi is the cutest person alive!! ]

[ Sweetest boy ever (screaming) ]

[ Why did that moment just now feel like someone holding out a paw to a puppy: ‘Shake’? ]

[ LMAOO now I can’t unsee it ]

[ I was fine before I saw that comment. Now it’s all I can think about… ]

Jiang Siheng gave his hand a light squeeze, satisfied that it wasn’t freezing, and let Wen Chi go frolic.

Wen Chi jogged a few meters ahead, then turned back. “Teacher Jiang, strike a pose! I wanna take a photo!”

“That’s random,” Jiang Siheng paused.

“The street looks really pretty right now.”

Wen Chi lifted his phone, but Jiang Siheng didn’t even try to pose. Just standing casually, he looked like a perfect photo.

Wen Chi flipped through the pics, then ran over. “Look, look!”

Jiang Siheng glanced at it—clearly indifferent to how photogenic he was. “Want me to take a few of you?”

“Ah—no no, better not. I’m awkward in casual photos. Don’t wanna waste your storage space.”

Jiang Siheng: “……”

Still, while Wen Chi wasn’t looking, he snapped a few shots.

Wen Chi tilted his head back, aiming his phone at the streetlamp to try and capture that dreamy, aesthetic photo he’d seen online.

Night, snow, and a streetlight—the perfect combo.

Jiang Siheng Livestream:

 [ This is literally that poem: “You stand on the bridge watching the scenery, while someone above watches you.” ]

 [ Only hot people can make random snapshots look this good #crying ]

 [ From Jiang Ge’s POV, Wen Chi must look amazing ]

 [ Please release those pics!!! ]

 [ They took them themselves, so we’ll have to beg them directly ]

 [ I’ll just go cry about it in my dreams then ]

“Xiao Chi,” Jiang Siheng called softly.

Wen Chi turned, and in that instant, Jiang Siheng snapped a photo.

Wen Chi blinked. “You took a pic of me?! Without warning?! You didn’t even let me pose!!”

He leaned over. “Did it come out cool?”

Jiang Siheng glanced at the photo—Wen Chi, adorable as always, caught in a soft candid moment.

Puppy-turns-head.gif.

Wen Chi frowned at his own image. “Hmm… it doesn’t capture my handsomeness. Want me to pose and retake?”

Jiang Siheng: “No.”

Wen Chi: “??”

The walk wasn’t long—five or six minutes at most—but even with warm hands earlier, Wen Chi’s fingers were starting to go numb from the cold.

Back in the warm inn, his cheeks were lightly flushed.

Jiang Siheng gave him a curious look.

Wen Chi calmly said, “Sensitive skin.”

Thankfully, the redness faded quickly. Wen Chi spotted Tong Xian’en drinking milk and was about to sit next to him when Tong Xian’en held out a hand to stop him.

Seeing Wen Chi’s confused, pitiful face, Tong Xian’en explained, “I’ve got a cold.”

Wen Chi bolted back several steps.

“…You hurt my feelings,” Tong Xian’en said.

“I just don’t want everyone to have to move out if I get sick,” Wen Chi said solemnly.

“It’s that bad?”

Zhou Yunbai teased, “Then why wouldn’t you be the one to move out?”

Wen Chi froze, then turned to Jiang Siheng and whined, “Teacher Jiang QAQ.”

Zhou Yunbai barely held back laughter. As soon as Jiang Siheng glanced over, she put on a serious face again.

Main Livestream:

[ I’m dying—Xiao Bai’s so playful but gets scared so fast lol. ]

[ En’en is such a sweetheart, quietly isolating himself so he doesn’t spread his cold. ]

[ Where’s President Qin again? ]

[ And where’s Teacher Xu? Not in the living room either. ]

[ Ughhh I still can’t get over SheepEn BE-ing. ]

[ That reaction from Xiao Chi just now needs to be a meme. ]

[ Wen Chi: Honey, say something~.jpg. ]

Qin Xiyu, often absent from the living room, came downstairs freshly showered. He looked at the open seat and finally sat next to Jiang Siheng.

Jiang Siheng gave him a sideways look. “Why are you sitting next to me?”

“It was the only seat open,” Qin Xiyu said with a cold face. “You got a problem?”

“Yes.”

Qin Xiyu: “……”

He decided not to argue and changed the subject. “Sixth of next month. The invite’s going to your company.”

“What?” Jiang Siheng looked confused, then remembered. “Got it.”

Qin Xiyu looked around. “Where’s Wen Chi?”

“Showering.”

Just as he said that, Jiang Siheng’s phone lit up with a flood of message notifications.

【Wen Chi: Teacher Jiang HELP HELP HELP!!!】
【Wen Chi: I just realized I forgot to bring clothes into the bathroom】

“Oh.”

Qin Xiyu turned to check on him, only to notice—

Jiang Siheng’s ears were bright red.

Huh?