WP 15

By the time the three of them had gone downstairs and packed everything into the car, there was still no movement from upstairs.

“Looks like we’ve shaken her off this time,” Zhen Zhen said. “Great Master, if I’d known, you should’ve just said something earlier.”

Si Shaorong fell silent for a moment, then said, “I’m grateful for all the meals she made, but that and this are two different things. The truth always hurts. I didn’t want to say it.”

“Tch,” Zhen Zhen folded her arms. “You’ve been paying for the utilities and food every month. Not to be rude, but with the amount you gave her, she probably even managed to save a good chunk. You don’t owe her anything.”

“Goodwill can’t be measured in money,” Si Shaorong frowned.

“I get what you mean,” Zhen Zhen sighed, “but she doesn’t see it that way.”

Jiang Yibai didn’t feel it was his place to butt into their conversation. Wedged in the backseat with a pile of luggage, he leaned against the window and asked, “Are we heading back?”

“Let’s go.” Zhen Zhen glanced back at him and smiled, her tone much more genuine now. “Xiao Jiang really helped me vent some anger. Yesterday, I was with He Jia…”

She cast a quick glance at Si Shaorong, who clearly had no idea what she was talking about, then awkwardly shut her mouth, deciding not to say any more.

The reason she hadn’t shown up at Jiang Yibai’s place as promised yesterday afternoon was because He Jia had pissed her off so badly, she went straight over to confront him.

She had assumed He Jia definitely wouldn’t let anyone stay at his place today, but to her surprise, Qin Cheng had actually been waiting at the door.

He Jia must have lost his damn mind. Zhen Zhen shook her head.

Si Shaorong glanced at her and said, “Thank you.”

Zhen Zhen was genuinely caught off guard. She quickly opened the car door and got in, trying to hide her expression. “That’s what an assistant’s supposed to do. Come on, let’s go.”

Si Shaorong got into the front passenger seat. After a pause, he said, “Not just an assistant. You’re a friend too.”

For a second, Zhen Zhen was genuinely touched. It was rare for Si Shaorong to say things like that.

Sitting in the back, Jiang Yibai watched Si Shaorong with great interest. The Great Master really was too adorable. His heart itched. He wanted to take a bite out of him.

Zhen Zhen helped carry the luggage upstairs. No elevator made things inconvenient. In her high heels, she was panting from exhaustion.

Si Shaorong said, “We can handle the rest. You can head back.”

“No rush, I’ve got this. Gotta work out—huff!” Zhen Zhen dropped the bag at the door, hands on her hips. “Haven’t been to the gym lately. Knew it’d catch up to me.”

Once everything was dragged inside, Zhen Zhen took her leave. Jiang Yibai helped Si Shaorong lift the desktop computer onto the desk, then crouched underneath to hook up the cables. As he worked, he asked, “Did you build this PC yourself, or just buy it off the shelf?”

“Got it at Computer City,” Si Shaorong replied. “It’s an old one. Been years.”

“If you ever want to upgrade, just let me know.” Jiang Yibai clicked in the last cable, patted his hands clean, and crawled back out. “Custom builds are my thing. Whether it’s for gaming or office work, I’ll get you the best specs for your budget.”

“You really know everything.” Si Shaorong sounded genuinely impressed. “You can write, play piano, sing, cook, even build computers.”

He gave Jiang Yibai a curious look. “What else can you do?”

“Plenty. Can’t have too many skills.” Jiang Yibai grinned, flashing a row of white teeth. “I can shoot and edit photos, do video editing, even used to work at a bar… That was before I graduated. I was in a band for a while. We had a few original songs.”

“You wrote the music?” Si Shaorong looked amazed.

“Lyrics and music,” Jiang Yibai said, letting out a whistle. He had that careless, roguish air about him, but when he smiled, it somehow lowered people’s guard, softening the vibe he gave off. “A talent agency even wanted to sign us back then. I turned them down. They tried signing the band instead, but the others didn’t go for it either.”

Jiang Yibai shrugged. “That ended the band too.”

Si Shaorong nodded in understanding. “You got in their way.”

“Everyone’s got their own path.” Jiang Yibai let out a wistful sigh. “After graduation, I started working as a music teacher. I’d met a lot of people back when I was gigging at bars. My first clients all came through their referrals. Over the years, word got around, and business has been decent.”

Si Shaorong looked at him with genuine admiration. “You’re really impressive. Your parents don’t live here? I remember you mentioned this was their place…”

“Yeah.” Jiang Yibai pulled out a cigarette and gestured toward Si Shaorong, but the latter just lifted a hand slightly and declined.

Jiang Yibai didn’t light it, just held it between his lips and left the question hanging. Then he asked, “What about you? Is your family from around here?”

“No, I’m not local. Came here for college, then decided to stay after I graduated.” Si Shaorong didn’t usually talk about personal things, but maybe moving together today had brought them a little closer. With Jiang Yibai, it just felt easy to open up. The two of them, one leaning against the desk, the other sitting in a chair, started chatting idly.

Jiang Yibai said they should go out for a proper meal to celebrate the move, and insisted on treating.

Si Shaorong wasn’t the type to celebrate things with others. Back when he’d moved in with He Jia, it had just been a matter of hauling in his luggage. No sense of ceremony, no need for one either. But being around Jiang Yibai, that infectious energy and enthusiasm for life rubbed off on him a little. It made his heart lift, just slightly. For once, he didn’t turn it down. “Let’s split the bill.”

“Come on, you’re already paying that ridiculous rent. Let me treat you, what’s the harm?” Jiang Yibai grinned. “I know you’re not short on cash, but neither am I.”

Si Shaorong couldn’t help laughing. Jiang Yibai looked like some spoiled rich kid, and he gave in. “Alright. Thanks.”

“We’re family now. No need to fuss over that.” Jiang Yibai gave him a pat on the shoulder, and his fingers lingered a moment, sliding just a little as his eyes narrowed with a teasing glint.

Si Shaorong turned his head slightly and glanced at that hand. “?”

Jiang Yibai didn’t take him to any fancy place. Just next to his usual noodle spot was a small two-story hotpot joint. Even from outside, the thick aroma was enough to make mouths water.

They took a seat by the window on the second floor. From here, they had a view of the narrow old street below, lined with towering plane trees that must have stood there for decades, their canopies blocking out the sky. Most of the buildings were old, with gray walls, black-tiled roofs, and wooden-framed windows. The walls were plastered with messy flyers, missing dog posters, and bits of graffiti.

A red banner promoting “civilized city development” was strung across one wall. Shared bikes were crammed along the curb, and a sign hung nearby reading: FIRE LANE! DO NOT PARK!

This street was close to an elementary school, so it was packed with toy stores and corner shops. At certain times of day, vendors with carts would start to appear, selling brown sugar rice cakes, cold noodles, liangxia, egg crisps, and candied hawthorn skewers.

There were even some selling little pets including turtles, parrots, baby rabbits. A few elderly folks were gathered in front of one of the stalls, pushing strollers with one hand while holding toddlers with the other. It was a familiar city scene that had become more common after the second-child policy. Young parents too busy to care for their kids, leaving the grandparents to juggle everything as part-time guardians.

All of it gave Si Shaorong a strange sense of comfort and steadiness.

While they waited for the hotpot to arrive, Jiang Yibai was chatting casually with the owner. Then a familiar voice called from across the restaurant, “Teacher Jiang! My nephew got into a local high school and is staying at my place for now. The kid likes playing piano. Can I send him over for some weekend lessons?”

“Sure, tell him to come with Sun Ying.” Jiang Yibai was easygoing and didn’t bring up anything about fees. When he turned back and saw Si Shaorong watching him curiously, he explained, “His daughter’s been taking piano with me for a while. It’s fine if the kid tags along.”

“How do you usually charge?” Si Shaorong asked.

“Not much. I mostly teach the basics or help people cram for exam levels,” Jiang Yibai said while munching on pickled vegetables. “Piano’s a bit pricier. Guitar’s the cheapest. I’ve got a buddy who sells guitars at a music shop. If someone buys a guitar from him, they can learn basic finger techniques with me for sixty yuan. If they want to keep going after that, we talk.”

Si Shaorong found it amusing. “Sixty yuan?”

“It’s really just a way to expand my network,” Jiang Yibai said. “You never know, someone might end up wanting to learn something else or introduce their friends and family. That’s another client right there. And guitar basics are easy. You could learn them off a free tutorial online.”

Si Shaorong figured Jiang Yibai mostly lived off rental income. Teaching music was probably more of a hobby, just like how writing was for him.

They kept chatting over the meal, and Si Shaorong found himself genuinely enjoying the conversation. How could someone be this entertaining?

Jiang Yibai talked about himself a lot, while Si Shaorong didn’t say much about his own life.

Once Jiang Yibai had some alcohol in him, he loosened up. Full and tipsy, he started getting playful again, pointing a chopstick at Si Shaorong. “I’ve been talking this whole time. What about you, man? You’re being shady now. This should go both ways, right?”

Si Shaorong actually cracked a smile. “There’s not much to say.”

“What do you mean? You’re my idol.” Jiang Yibai propped his chin up and looked at him, eyes gleaming. “What made you want to start writing?”

“It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment,” Si Shaorong said, shaking his head. “I guess I’d always had some ideas floating around. Never thought to write them down, but they just kept sticking around, in bits and pieces…”

Maybe he felt like he was rambling too vaguely, because he paused, then added a little self-consciously, “That’s about it. I made an account after I graduated and decided to give it a try.”

“What about your family?” Jiang Yibai asked as he sipped his drink. The place had started to fill up, steam and voices swirling around them. Even with the air conditioning on, sweat was starting to bead on his skin, but it felt good, and refreshing in a way.

“They didn’t support me, but they didn’t oppose me either. My family doesn’t really get involved,” Si Shaorong said. “They’re always busy.”

Jiang Yibai let out a sound of acknowledgment, then shifted the topic. “They don’t pressure you to get married?”

“Nope.” That actually made Si Shaorong smile. “Does your family?”

“No way. I came out a long time ago.” Jiang Yibai grinned. “Told them straight up when I first started university.”

Si Shaorong was holding his chopsticks midair, clearly stunned by how blunt he was. “And they…?”

“Of course they couldn’t accept it at first. I didn’t care though.” Jiang Yibai lowered his eyes. His dark pupils reflected in the soup bowl in front of him, and for a moment, he seemed lost in thought. Then he smiled again. “They had no choice in the end.”

Si Shaorong didn’t catch the subtext and simply said, “That’s a good thing. You’re honest with yourself.”

He thought back to Jiang Yibai’s writing. The syle might be bold and direct, but underneath it was a kind of honesty, a way of staying true to himself.

Si Shaorong genuinely admired that about him.

Jiang Yibai looked at him with interest. “Are you honest with yourself?”

“Hm?”

“That girlfriend of He Jia’s…. there was some misunderstanding between you two, wasn’t there?” Jiang Yibai licked his lips and said, “She liked you. He Jia got jealous. That’s why you were in such a hurry to move out, right?”

Si Shaorong was picking at the peanuts on his plate. It took him a moment to respond. “There was a bit of a misunderstanding. She…” He paused to choose his words. “One time, she and He Jia came home drunk. In the middle of the night, she went to the bathroom, and somehow ended up getting into my bed when she came back.”

Jiang Yibai nearly choked on his drink with a sputter.

Si Shaorong’s face reddened a little. “I woke up and kicked her out right away, but the next day He Jia found out and started a fight. I explained, but he wouldn’t listen.”

Jiang Yibai’s mouth twitched. It took him a moment to get a word out. “What a character.”

Si Shaorong might have been slow when it came to feelings, but he wasn’t clueless. He knew full well whether Qin Cheng had been truly drunk or just pretending. But some things weren’t easy to lay bare, especially when He Jia was already worked up.

Jiang Yibai looked at him, quietly doing his own bit of calculation. He lowered his voice and said, “She might not be as good-looking as Sister Zhen, but she’s not bad either. Still young, smooth skin… showing up in your bed in the middle of the night, and you didn’t feel a thing?”

Jiang Yibai’s fingers traced slowly around the rim of his cup. Si Shaorong couldn’t help but glance over. Jiang Yibai had very nice hands. Long, clean lines, delicate but not feminine. They looked like art, refined and elegant.

Jiang Yibai curved his lips into a smile. “Ge, you didn’t have a thing for girls when you were a teenager, and now you’ve got one crawling into your bed and still nothing? Ever think… maybe you just don’t like girls?”

Si Shaorong froze for a moment. His heartbeat picked up slightly, though his expression remained calm. “You’re not wrong. But I’ve got no experience in that area, so I don’t really know.”

Jiang Yibai smiled, eyes narrowing just a little. “Then get some. Try it and you’ll know.”

Si Shaorong’s throat moved. “Try it?”

He figured he must have had a bit too much to drink. Otherwise, why would he think Jiang Yibai’s smile looked… just a little wicked?

And yet, even that bit of wickedness looked annoyingly good on him.

Si Shaorong had never met someone like this before. Jiang Yibai was sharp, funny, full of stories, always able to draw people in, but he never came off like he was bragging. It didn’t put people off.

He had a feeling he knew what Jiang Yibai was about to say. His heart kept beating faster.

Jiang Yibai said it outright. “Aren’t you looking for material? Want to learn how relationships work? I’ve got a proposal for you. No risk of breaking up, no guilt, no pressure.”

“What kind of proposal?”

Jiang Yibai pointed at himself, eyes curved in a smile. For a moment, Si Shaorong felt as if the man had already seen straight through him. In the end, maybe this was just the two of them giving each other what they needed.

“Date me,” Jiang Yibai said. “You’ll get the material you want, and there’s no pressure. If it doesn’t work for you, you can call it off anytime.”

Si Shaorong suddenly felt hot. His body was covered in sweat, his feet stiff and unmoving. The sounds around him seemed to blur together.

He knew Jiang Yibai wasn’t being entirely serious. What they had was about “research,” about “learning.” But still, his temples were pounding, his throat tightened, and even his fingers had gone numb.

Maybe a minute passed. Maybe an hour. Si Shaorong couldn’t quite tell.

Neither of them said anything. They finished the meal in silence. Jiang Yibai went to pay, and Si Shaorong followed him out, his face completely blank.

They didn’t talk on the way home either. Si Shaorong kept his eyes fixed straight ahead and ended up stumbling when a child ran into him.

Jiang Yibai reached out to steady him, but Si Shaorong instinctively pulled away.

Once they got back, Jiang Yibai let out a sigh. “It was just a suggestion. If you’re not interested, then—”

Si Shaorong turned to look at him. It felt like his scattered soul had finally settled back into place. “Alright,” he said.