ASFSODS 86

Because one guest was missing and it was already the final episode, bringing in a new guest wouldn’t make a difference. The director team had been discussing the matter for days, and in the end, they decided to stop the points-based game and shorten the original one-week shooting schedule to just three days.

When the news came, everyone except Jiang Siheng and Qin Xiyu was a bit shocked.

“Three days?! Doesn’t that mean it’s going to pass really quickly? Why shorten the time?” Tian Yang asked.

The reason wasn’t a secret, and the assistant director explained, “Because in the next two days, everyone has to go to another place.”

Zhou Yunbai understood, “So, you’re saying it’s still five days of shooting, just not in the Heart Confession’s House right?”

“Sort of,” the assistant director corrected him, “The last two days will be recorded, not live broadcast. We will air those two days as part of a special feature in the main show later on.”

“Why make it so complicated?” Zhou Ruoyao asked.

The assistant director had a good relationship with the guests since he usually communicated with them, so he sighed and said, “Because we lost a guest and some of our original plans can’t be used anymore.”

Everyone knew exactly who was missing, but no one felt sorry or missed that person.

“So, where are we going?” Wen Chi asked curiously.

“We can’t say yet,” the assistant director said with a mysterious smile, signaling that his task was done, then turned and left the small house with his hands in his pockets.

Wen Chi looked at Jiang Siheng.

Jiang Siheng pushed his face away. “Don’t ask me, I don’t know.”

It was already the second night and the live broadcast had finished half an hour ago, so now they could say anything without worrying about fans and netizens knowing.

“Tomorrow is the last day in the cottage,” Zhou Yunbai sighed.

“I didn’t expect we’ve been here for almost two months already,” Tian Yang stretched lazily. “It might be a bit weird for me to go back to my old life after this.”

Zhou Ruoyao asked, “What was your life like before?”

Tian Yang answered, “Just live-streaming, or sometimes participating in online and offline events.”

Tong Xian’en looked at Tian Yang. “Don’t you get bored staying home all the time?”

“I wouldn’t say I stay home all the time,” Tian Yang thought for a moment. “Sometimes, I go out to hang out with friends.”

Tong Xian’en said, “Oh.”

“What about you?” Tian Yang asked him back.

“Work.”

Tian Yang said, “Oh.”

Zhou Ruoyao glanced at Tong Xian’en, then at Tian Yang, and leaned in to whisper to Wen Chi, “Do you think something’s off with these two?”

Wen Chi seemed to have found a kindred spirit and quickly replied, “Right? You noticed it too?”

“Are they together?”

Wen Chi looked over at them and shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

Zhou Ruoyao opened his mouth as if to say something, but Wen Chi suddenly moved a bit further away from him.

What’s going on?

Jiang Siheng released his grip with a blank expression.

Zhou Ruoyao saw Jiang Siheng’s movement and hissed, “Jiang Siheng, don’t be too outrageous.”

Jiang Siheng gave him a cold glance. “What’s wrong?”

“Isn’t your possessiveness over Xiao Chi a little too much?”

Wen Chi was completely confused after hearing Zhou Ruoyao’s words. What’s this about…?

Then Jiang Siheng’s response made Wen Chi wish he could just bang his head against a wall and end it all. Jiang Siheng simply said, “Yeah.”

Although the others more or less knew that Jiang Siheng and Wen Chi’s relationship was not exactly simple, hearing such an ambiguous response still shocked them.

Wen Chi tugged at Jiang Siheng’s sleeve. “Teacher Jiang…”

Jiang Siheng, in front of everyone, took Wen Chi’s hand and helped him stand up. Wen Chi, dazed and a little flustered, heard Jiang Siheng softly say, “I need to tell you something.”

The others stared, dumbfounded, as they watched the two openly hold hands and walk upstairs.

Tian Yang pointed at them, looking at the others in shock. “Are they not going to hide it anymore…?”

Zhou Yunbai was also shocked. “I don’t know.”

Tian Yang thought for a moment, and suddenly seemed to realize why they weren’t hiding it. He slapped his thigh excitedly and said, “I know why!”

Tong Xian’en glanced at him sideways. “Why?”

“What does this mean? It means that Jiang Ge and Xiao Chi don’t treat us as outsiders. They trust us!” Tian Yang proudly puffed out his chest.

Zhou Ruoyao felt Tian Yang was overthinking it.

The two people being discussed arrived in Jiang Siheng’s room, and Wen Chi immediately asked, “Teacher Jiang, what were you doing just now?”

There was no reproach in Wen Chi’s tone; he wasn’t angry that Jiang Siheng had openly revealed their relationship in front of Zhou Yunbai and the others. However, he was still confused.

Jiang Siheng, thinking that Wen Chi might be upset because of his actions, asked softly, “Are you angry?”

Wen Chi shook his head. “I’m not angry, but I don’t understand.”

Jiang Siheng said, “They saw it. We don’t have to hide anymore.”

“But what if it gets out…” Wen Chi bit his lip. He wasn’t worried about Zhou Yunbai, Zhou Ruoyao, or Tian Yang. He had completely ruled out Qin Xiyu from the list of people he was worried about.

Jiang Siheng seemed to read Wen Chi’s mind and said, “He won’t dare.”

Wen Chi sighed when he heard that. “Okay.” Then, he patted Jiang Siheng’s shoulder and pretended to still be angry. “Next time, you should let me know beforehand. You don’t know how stupid I looked earlier. I must’ve looked awful.”

In the past, Wen Chi wouldn’t have cared so much about his image, but now that he had a boyfriend, he felt like he should be a little more mindful, especially in front of his boyfriend.

“You weren’t ugly. Actually, your silly expression is kind of cute,” Jiang Siheng said.

Wen Chi’s face immediately turned red.

After a while, Wen Chi seemed to think of something, and his eyes suddenly brightened. “So, does this mean I can come over tonight to sleep with you?”

Jiang Siheng froze. Was Wen Chi even bolder and more fearless than he had imagined?

“Unless I’m a pervert,” Wen Chi became serious. “I just think it’s really comfortable being held by you while sleeping.”

Jiang Siheng: “…”

Now it was Jiang Siheng’s turn to be embarrassed by his little boyfriend’s words.

In the hallway outside, Tian Yang lost a game of rock-paper-scissors and was forced to ask the couple if they wanted a midnight snack. He stood at the door for quite a while, and to be honest, he didn’t have the courage to knock.

“What are you standing there for?” Tong Xian’en’s voice came from behind him.

Tian Yang turned around and saw Tong Xian’en immediately pull him over. “Come on, come with me. I’m too scared to knock on the door alone.”

Tong Xian’en looked at him helplessly. “Why are you scared to knock?”

“I’m afraid I’ll disturb them,” Tian Yang muttered.

Tong Xian’en: “…”

“Just knock. Otherwise, the others will be waiting too long,” he said.

Tian Yang, under Tong Xian’en’s supervision, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door twice.

Soon, Wen Chi’s voice came from inside, “Who’s there?”

Wen Chi, wearing slippers, went to open the door. When he saw that it was Tian Yang and Tong Xian’en, he immediately had the impression that Tong Xian’en was about to apologize again because the scene reminded him so much of when they were at the farmhouse.

“What’s up?”

Jiang Siheng also walked out and stood behind Wen Chi. His tall figure gave Tian Yang a strong sense of pressure.

Tian Yang gave an awkward smile, “Uh, we’re planning to grab a midnight snack. Do you guys want anything?”

“Sure, sure, I’ll eat. What are you planning to order?” Wen Chi answered decisively even without asking Jiang Siheng, just immediately agreeing.

“We haven’t decided yet. Xiao Bai Jie will send the link in the group, just keep an eye on the group messages,” Tian Yang glanced at Jiang Siheng, who didn’t speak and didn’t even look at him or Tong Xian’en. Tian Yang thought to himself, as expected, men in love are different. Huh?

“Okay.”

“Then we’ll head downstairs,” Tian Yang completed his task and hurriedly dragged Tong Xian’en away from the third floor.

His steps were quick, and Tong Xian’en couldn’t catch up for a moment, stumbling a little. “Slow down.”

When they reached the second floor, Tian Yang slowed down and even stopped on the stairs. He let out a deep breath, turned to look at Tong Xian’en, his gaze intense enough to make Tong Xian’en feel uneasy.

“What are you staring at me for?” Tong Xian’en avoided Tian Yang’s gaze.

“Did you see it?” Tian Yang asked.

“See what?”

Tian Yang pointed at his neck, whispering, “I think I saw a small hickey on Jiang Ge’s neck just now.”

Tong Xian’en frowned. He hadn’t even looked at Jiang Siheng earlier. “You could see that?”

“I accidentally caught a glimpse,” Tian Yang continued down the stairs, “I didn’t expect Xiao Chi to look so obedient, but he’s actually quite fierce. I’m curious, though—how exactly do you make a hickey? Is it really that easy to make?”

Tong Xian’en looked at Tian Yang with an odd expression. “You’ve never been in a relationship, have you?”

“Nope,” Tian Yang said shamelessly, “I’m still a pure little virgin.”

“At least you’ve seen a movie or looked it up online, right?”

Tian Yang said, “I’ve seen it, but it always feels a bit fake.”

Now it was Tong Xian’en’s turn to stare at Tian Yang. After a few seconds, he said, “Do you want to test it out?”

“Test what?”

They were just about to reach the corner of the stairs between the second and first floors, and if Tian Yang walked a little further, the others downstairs would see them.

“Test if a hickey is something you can just make by kissing.”

When Tian Yang heard the word “test,” he laughed, thinking Tong Xian’en was joking. He played along and asked, “How would we test that?”

Tong Xian’en pointed to his delicate neck, raising an eyebrow, “You kiss me here.”

Tian Yang: …?

Tian Yang blinked, still holding onto the handrail of the stairs. He tried to see if there was any sign on Tong Xian’en’s face that he was joking. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he stared, Tong Xian’en’s expression showed no sign of a joke.

“As long as you leave a hickey on my neck, you’ll know what kind of pressure it takes to make one,” Tong Xian’en said, looking innocent.

Tian Yang was utterly stunned and helpless, stammering, “No, this… this is… how can we test it like this… damn.”

Tong Xian’en watched with amusement as Tian Yang quickly turned and fled, finally unable to hold back his laughter when he heard Zhou Yunbai’s startled voice calling out, “Tian Yang, how did you crash into the glass door?”

“Idiot.”