ABOES 109: Game Punishment

Even though Duan Zhiyan had said it would be a few more days, time slipped by before anyone noticed.

In the blink of an eye, it was already the day he was set to leave for the variety show.

Right before departure, Duan Zhiyan clung to Chi Yunxing, reluctant to let go.

Chi Yunxing pushed at him with an amused expression. “Even if you mess around now, you’ll still have to leave in a bit.”

Duan Zhiyan pretended to sulk. “Yunxing, you don’t have to remind me of that painful fact.”

Though he didn’t show it, Chi Yunxing had to admit that he wasn’t all that willing to part either.

“It’s just two days of filming, right?” Chi Yunxing asked again.

Duan Zhiyan nodded. “Mm, just two but if you count travel time, I might not be back for four days.”

Chi Yunxing thought for a moment, then offered, “Alright. I’ll pick you up at the airport when you get back.”

Duan Zhiyan refused without hesitation. “No need, it’s too tiring.”

Hengshi didn’t have an airport, so the nearest one was in another city. If Chi Yunxing were to pick him up, he’d have to ride in a car for nearly an hour. Duan Zhiyan would much rather he rest comfortably in the hotel.

After a pause, Duan Zhiyan added, “When I come back, I’ll bring you something tasty. Like fried chicken and fries—haven’t you been craving those these past two months?”

To fit the frail image of Yu Guang, Chi Yunxing had dropped several pounds before joining the crew. Once filming started, he stuck to a strict diet of lean meals. Combined with the grueling schedule, he had grown noticeably thinner in just two months.

During their intimate moments, Duan Zhiyan could even make out the clear ridges of his ribs under his pale chest.

Hearing this, Chi Yunxing’s eyes lit up. “I can eat it?” But right after asking, he shook his head. “No, I can’t.”

Duan Zhiyan ruffled his hair. “It’s okay to eat a little.”

Chi Yunxing frowned. “But once I start, how could I possibly stop at just a little?”

That made Duan Zhiyan laugh.

It was true.

Chi Yunxing snuggled into his neck and murmured, “I’ll hold off a little longer. I don’t have that many scenes left anyway. Once we wrap, I can pig out all I want.”

Duan Zhiyan kissed the corner of his lips. “Okay.”

Chi Yunxing’s arms wrapped around his neck, voice husky. “Let’s kiss a little more.”

Once he left, they wouldn’t be able to kiss for days.

So the two clung together, kissing for a long time. After Duan Zhiyan finally left, Chi Yunxing checked the mirror and, sure enough, his lips were swollen.

He went to the kitchen, grabbed some ice, and pressed it against his lips with practiced ease.

Duan Zhiyan may have left, but Chi Yunxing still had a scene to film tonight. He had to get back to normal quickly.

In Scapegoat, Yu Guang’s scenes mostly featured him alongside Yu Nian. Those scenes weren’t too difficult.

What was hard were the few rare scenes where Yu Guang appeared alone.

Tonight’s shoot was one of those. Yu Guang was alone at a crime scene on a rainy night.

There were many technical elements involved, but for Chi Yunxing, the hardest part was mimicking walking with prosthetics.

After the car accident that claimed their parents’ lives and left Yu Guang without legs, Yu Nian—though struggling financially—had spent a fortune buying his brother the best prosthetics.

Outwardly, Yu Guang never wore them but in truth, every day when Yu Nian left, Yu Guang secretly practiced. He could already walk, stand, and even run and jump using them, though his movements were still subtly unnatural.

This was a difficult shoot. The director, Zhang, took it seriously and spent a long time going over the details beforehand.

Chi Yunxing listened intently, committing it all to memory but during filming, problems still arose.

Director Zhang wasn’t satisfied, and Chi Yunxing also felt something was off.

After several retakes, it was well past midnight.

Director Zhang, already familiar with Chi Yunxing, slung an arm around his shoulders and led him behind the monitor. They reviewed the footage together.

While watching, Director Zhang pointed out some issues.

Chi Yunxing nodded silently, then, when the shot cut to a certain angle, he spoke up, “Director Zhang, what do you think about adding a line or two here?”

“Lines?” Director Zhang blinked.

Chi Yunxing thought for a moment. “Or maybe not dialogue. Maybe a little tune?”

“Yu Guang finds pleasure in destruction,” he continued. “Even though his expression is twisted here, inside he’s relaxed. If we only have ambient sound, it won’t capture that properly but if I hum a light, off-key melody, the atmosphere might feel eerier.”

Director Zhang pondered for a moment, then his expression lit up. “Brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that? Singing a nursery rhyme while cleaning up a crime scene—that’s the real mark of a psychopath!”

“Alright! We’ll do it!” Director Zhang clapped.

Chi Yunxing grinned. “Great, then I’ll—”

Before he could finish, Director Zhang waved him off. “Not tonight, though. It’s too late. Let’s do it tomorrow.”

Chi Yunxing smiled and nodded. “Okay.”

Seeing him agree so readily, Director Zhang joked, “It’s better to let you go rest early, or else if Duan Zhiyan hears I kept you up, he’ll nag me to death.”

“Seriously, is he your mom or what? Always hovering around, checking in on this and that. He never asks if I’m okay!”

Chi Yunxing had to suppress a laugh. If Director Zhang ever found out their true relationship, he’d be floored.

“Alright, alright. Go take your makeup off. Get some sleep,” Director Zhang finally said. “I’ll have someone find a creepy melody. You can practice a bit tomorrow.”

“Got it,” Chi Yunxing replied.

By the time he returned to the hotel and washed up, it was nearly five in the morning. He sent Duan Zhiyan a quick reply, then collapsed into bed.

He’d long since grown used to sleeping next to Duan Zhiyan. Without him there, the empty bed felt strange.

Sleep caught up quickly. Chi Yunxing didn’t even have time to dwell on it before he drifted off.

—

The night shoot stretched into a second day before Director Zhang was finally satisfied.

That night, Chi Yunxing finished even later. When he returned to the hotel, it was already 7 a.m.

By then, Duan Zhiyan had started recording.

Learning that Chi Yunxing had filmed all night, Duan Zhiyan immediately called.

Still yawning, Chi Yunxing answered with a drowsy, “Hello?”

“You just wrapped?” Duan Zhiyan asked.

“It’s been a while. I’m already in bed, about to sleep!” Chi Yunxing smiled.

“That’s way too late…” Duan Zhiyan frowned.

“But at least it’s done now! No more night scenes,” Chi Yunxing replied cheerfully.

Only then did Duan Zhiyan’s brows relax a little. “Then get some rest.”

Chi Yunxing was exhausted, but he didn’t want to hang up. “I still wanna talk to you a bit.”

“You need sleep,” Duan Zhiyan said.

“I don’t care. I wanna talk.”

Duan Zhiyan chuckled softly. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Anything. Tell me about your shoot?”

Duan Zhiyan nodded and gave a rundown of the day’s events.

He was filming a live outdoor reality show where cast members had to complete missions. Winners got rewards, losers got punishments—decided via fan votes on Weibo.

He’d completed most of the tasks already, just had one last thing to do.

Chi Yunxing yawned again and asked sleepily, “So you’ll finish today?”

“Yeah. He You booked a flight tonight, so you’ll see me tomorrow.”

That made Chi Yunxing smile. He rolled around in bed and murmured, “You’ve only been gone two days, but I kinda miss you already.”

His voice was tired, but filled with longing.

Duan Zhiyan’s eyes softened. “I miss you too.” 

But there was no reply.

“Yunxing?” he called.

Nothing.

“Did you fall asleep?”

He turned the volume up, and faint, even breathing came through the line.

Duan Zhiyan smiled quietly.

He couldn’t bring himself to hang up either, but he had to continue filming.

Maybe it was Chi Yunxing’s parting words, but Duan Zhiyan spent the rest of the morning a little distracted. Even when he discovered the final clue, instead of rushing to complete the task, he wandered back to a street stall to buy two traditional sugar figurines, thinking Yunxing would like them.

Viewers watching the livestream commented.

【Looks like Duan Zhiyan’s totally confident!】
【Hahaha, must be ‘cause he’s in first place!】

Before the joy could last, the stream suddenly cut to the director.

“The first place winner has been determined. Game over!”

The fans were stunned.

Duan Zhiyan found out through the staff. He only smiled and said, “Congrats.”

Winning or losing didn’t matter to him—what he was thinking about was how to get the sugar figures to Chi Yunxing.

They couldn’t go in carry-on or checked luggage, or they’d melt.

Eventually, he thought of a private jet.

He handed the sugar figures to He You and whispered a few instructions.

Without asking questions, He You took them and went off to make arrangements.

Meanwhile, Duan Zhiyan headed to the punishment segment of the show.

The top five fan-voted punishments were placed in a box, and each losing cast member would draw one.

Everyone goaded Duan Zhiyan to go first.

He smiled wryly, didn’t protest, and drew an envelope.

“Should I open it now?” he asked.

“Please,” the director grinned.

He opened it in full view of the camera.

The slip read.

“Call the first person in your recent contacts and say ‘I love you.’ See how they respond.”

The livestream exploded.

【YESSSSSS this punishment is gold!】
【LMAOOO if he calls his parents I’m gonna die】
【Please let it be Yunxing! PLEASE】
【What if it’s someone random? That’d be hilarious】
【Fingers crossed it’s not just a friend…】
【C’mon, call! CALL!】

Reading the slip, Duan Zhiyan frowned slightly.

The director asked, “Is it inconvenient?”

Duan Zhiyan hesitated, then shook his head. “No, just…”

He was worried he’d wake Yunxing.

“What time is it?” he asked.

“Three in the afternoon,” came the reply.

Chi Yunxing had fallen asleep around 7:30. He had about seven hours and is probably waking soon.

Duan Zhiyan nodded. “Okay. I’ll do it.”

Fans sighed in relief.

He took the phone and dialed.

A nearby staff member caught a glimpse of the contact name—“Xing Xing.”

That sounded… a little too intimate?

On the other end, a sleepy male voice came through. “Hello? Gege?”

Everyone froze.

That voice was way too familiar. It’s soft, slightly raspy, and freshly woken.

The fans lost it.

【Wait wait wait, I KNOW that voice!!】
【DID HE JUST CALL HIM ‘GEGE’???】
【OMG he sounds like he just woke up… that voice is DEADLY】
【IS THAT… CHI YUNXING?!】

Duan Zhiyan heard the voice and immediately knew Chi Yunxing hadn’t fully woken up.

He smiled, voice rising just slightly, “Hm?”

Chi Yunxing was still foggy from sleep. He didn’t even remember Duan Zhiyan was filming. Hearing that drawn-out “Hm?” he figured he was being blamed for not using that nickname again.

He huffed inwardly—Duan Zhiyan was so hard to please.

He was too sleepy to argue. Clearing his throat, Chi Yunxing murmured, “Qing Gege?”