ACMS 6

Chapter 6: First Time a Fluke, Second Time Familiar

Ever since the awkward incident at the café, the two of them hadn’t had any contact.

Shen Hechuan had just returned from a business trip the night before. Since he was still jet-lagged, he stayed home instead of going to the office. Coincidentally, the part-time housekeeper had taken the day off, so he casually ordered some food delivery after getting up, planning to get by with whatever came.

What he didn’t expect was for the delivery person to be Qiao Le.

Even more unexpected was Qiao Le’s first word upon seeing him: “Honey.”

It was—really—completely unexpected.

Fortunately, Shen Hechuan reacted quickly. After a brief pause to collect himself, he calmly said into his phone, “It’s the neighbor from across the hall. That’s all for now, Mom, I’ve got something to take care of.”

With that, he hung up and turned to the person in front of him. “Were you talking to me just now?”

The moment that word left his mouth, Qiao Le felt the urge to bite his own tongue off. He really had been too hungry—his mouth was faster than his brain. Without thinking, he had blurted out a very spirited “honey” right at Shen Hechuan.

As expected, socially humiliating events in life only continued to escalate.

He hadn’t gotten any task orders from Shen Hechuan on the “Let Me Do It” platform, but surprisingly, he did get his food order on the “Did You Deliver?” app.

Fate between people really was something else.

Probably because he was at home, Shen Hechuan didn’t look as sharply dressed as he had during their last encounter. Today, he was wearing a simple black T-shirt and gray lounge pants. His hair was unstyled, soft and slightly tousled, giving him a laid-back vibe.

Compared to last time, he seemed even more approachable.

That question—“Were you talking to me?”—didn’t sound like a rebuke, but more like a teasing comment.

Qiao Le was embarrassed, but he also found it unexpectedly funny.

It seemed like every time he was around Shen Hechuan, he ended up making some ridiculous blunder.

“I’m really sorry, Mr. Shen,” Qiao Le apologized sincerely. “I was just so surprised to see you that my brain short-circuited. Please don’t take it personally.”

Shen Hechuan didn’t seem to mind. He was just as surprised to see Qiao Le. “I thought this was one of those ‘Mr. Huo’ orders.”

“Not this time,” Qiao Le replied. Hearing Shen Hechuan refer to their past encounter gave him a bit of joy. His eyes curved into a smile. “So you remember me too. That’s great.”

His delight was a bit too obvious, and his mood seemed to lift Shen Hechuan’s as well. The latter looked at him and asked, “Hmm? Why do you say that?”

Qiao Le chuckled. “I caused you trouble last time and never got the chance to make up for it. I noticed you didn’t place any more orders on the platform either.”

Shen Hechuan reminded him, “Didn’t you pay my coffee last time?”

Qiao Le said, “Compared to ruining your meeting and damaging your reputation, that’s hardly worth mentioning. You even got called a scumbag because of me.”

Shen Hechuan: “…”

Last time, Shen Hechuan had corrected him that it wasn’t a blind date. This time, Qiao Le had changed the wording, which was rather clever.

Still, Qiao Le had helped him out back then, so he didn’t really mind. He said casually, “It’s not a big deal. You don’t have to keep thinking about it.”

Honestly, I hadn’t been thinking about it—if we hadn’t run into each other today, I probably would’ve forgotten all about it, Qiao Le thought secretly. But being tactful, he didn’t say that out loud and instead smiled brightly. “Thank you. You’re really—”

“A Good Man.”

Shen Hechuan picked up on his words. “No need for a loyalty card then.”

“…” Qiao Le froze for a second, nearly laughing out loud.

Shen Hechuan gently reminded him, “Now hand over that pizza. This good man is very hungry.”

“Right, of course!” Qiao Le quickly passed him the pizza and slipped back into his role as a professional delivery rider. “Here’s your food. Please enjoy.”

Shen Hechuan took the pizza and noticed that Qiao Le’s black T-shirt had the “Did You Deliver?” platform logo printed on it—a far cry from the shirt and slacks he wore last time. Thinking of the note Qiao Le had handed him before, Shen Hechuan couldn’t help asking, “Weren’t you working for the ‘Let Me Do It’ platform?”

“You even remember that?” Qiao Le looked surprised. “I thought you wouldn’t care.”

Shen Hechuan replied flatly, “Just something I remembered randomly.”

Random or not, he remembered.

Qiao Le didn’t mind the wording. Cheerfully, he said, “That’s just a side gig.”

A side gig? That meant delivering food was his main job?

Shen Hechuan mulled over his words, his gaze drifting to Qiao Le’s face.

He didn’t look older than twenty.

At that age, he should be in college. School was already in session—so why was he still delivering food?

Before he could think further, Qiao Le said, “If you ever place another order, Mr. Shen, I’ll deliver it for free.”

“Deliver what?” Shen Hechuan’s thoughts returned, and seeing how earnestly Qiao Le spoke, he became a little amused. “Another ruined blind date?”

Qiao Le: “…”

Let’s… not bring up the past.

The memory of his last social death hit him like a freight train. His brain filled with the phrase “Honey, say something” on a loop, and he momentarily blanked out.

Shen Hechuan’s eyes flicked past the reddened tips of Qiao Le’s ears. When Qiao Le looked at him, he nonchalantly glanced away, thinking: Didn’t expect someone who calls me “honey” to be this shy.

Then he heard Qiao Le say, “Sure, I can ruin your date. First time’s awkward, second time’s smoother—success guaranteed!”

Shen Hechuan: “…”

Forget it. My mistake.

Sighing over Qiao Le’s professionalism, Shen Hechuan looked back at him. “You don’t look too well. Are you feeling unwell?”

Qiao Le’s complexion was pale—strikingly so, especially against the redness of his ears.

Not feeling well?

Qiao Le was confused at first, then understood what he meant.

Oh—he should eat.

But seeing Shen Hechuan had made him so happy, he’d totally forgotten.

“I’m fine.” Qiao Le shook his head. “Enjoy your meal, I’ll get going.”

As he turned to leave, everything suddenly went black. His body tipped forward.

“Careful!”

Shen Hechuan reacted swiftly, catching him in time. His arm slipped around Qiao Le’s waist, and for a second, he froze.

Too thin.

He could wrap his entire arm around Qiao Le’s waist—this wasn’t what a grown man’s build should feel like.

Securing him with one hand, Shen Hechuan asked, “Are you okay?”

Qiao Le had only gotten lightheaded for a moment—he wasn’t actually passing out. The strong arm around his waist was firm and unignorable, almost intrusive.

The position felt far too intimate, and it made him a bit uneasy. He steadied himself using Shen Hechuan’s support and tried to step back. “I’m fine, just—”

“Grrr—”

A loud growl interrupted him.

It came from his stomach.

Qiao Le froze mid-motion: “…”

“Grrrr—”

Another wave of hunger-induced growling echoed through the quiet hallway, absurdly loud in the stillness.

Shen Hechuan: “…”

Ah. So he was just hungry.

Shen Hechuan was tempted to laugh, but as the growling continued, he noticed Qiao Le’s ears growing even redder, the blush creeping across his formerly pale face.

God, this is so embarrassing…

Why does my stomach sound like a damn gong?

If he weren’t wearing shoes, Qiao Le might have curled his toes through the floor. And when he heard a faint chuckle from above, he just about wanted to bury his face in the ground.

It was a minor thing—his stomach growling. In front of strangers or even acquaintances, it wouldn’t have mattered.

But this was Shen Hechuan.

The Shen Hechuan he’d once clung to, calling him “honey” in public. Given that whole misunderstanding, Qiao Le now felt a fresh wave of mortification.

With shame levels maxed out, Qiao Le just wanted to flee. He pulled away from Shen Hechuan’s arm. “Sorry, I—”

“Do you eat pizza?”

Shen Hechuan suddenly asked.

Qiao Le looked up and saw him lift the pizza in his hand. “I haven’t eaten either. If you don’t mind, we could share.”

Qiao Le blinked. “Pizza?”

Shen Hechuan nodded. “There’s nothing else at home, just the pizza you brought.”

As he spoke, he stepped aside and gestured toward the door. “Come in. Your face doesn’t look good—if you faint on the road, that wouldn’t be ideal.”

Truthfully, the two of them didn’t know each other beyond names.

Qiao Le thought to himself, I should turn him down. Respect boundaries.

But as he opened his mouth, it was like an invisible hand pushed him to accept the offer.

“…Okay.”

He stepped through the threshold of Shen Hechuan’s home, a little dazed.

“Click—”

The sound of the door locking behind him snapped him out of it. He looked down and realized he was standing in the entryway. The glossy marble floor was so clean it reflected light—and his thoughts.

There was no invisible hand.

He was just hungry and tempted.

Looking down at the sneakers on his feet, still dusty from deliveries, Qiao Le felt like he didn’t belong—especially on a floor this pristine.

Ah, I dirtied a good person’s floor.

Damn it, I’ll have to go home and clean my shoes tonight!

Qiao Le thought fiercely to himself as he saw Shen Hechuan place the pizza on the cabinet and bend down to retrieve slippers from the shoe cabinet.

He said to Shen Hechuan, “Sorry, my shoes are a bit dirty.”

“It’s alright. The housekeeper will clean up when she returns,” Shen Hechuan didn’t mind and placed the slippers on the floor. “These slippers are new.”

The slippers were yellow with a little bear design—bright and cute, clearly not Shen Hechuan’s style. They were something Wu Huilan had bought for him, saying his place was too cold and lifeless.

Shen Hechuan had never worn them. They had sat unused in the shoe cabinet all this time.

Looking at the slippers on the floor, Qiao Le genuinely thought: Mr. Shen really is a good person.

“Thank you.” He put them on, and the little bear on the back of the slippers wobbled slightly with his movement.

So cute. Xiao Man would definitely love these.

He wondered if they came in children’s sizes…

Qiao Le decided to get a matching pair for his younger brother, so he asked Shen Hechuan, “Can I take a picture of these slippers?”

“Hm?”

“I think they’re really cute,” Qiao Le said honestly. “I want to buy a pair for my brother.”

Shen Hechuan lifted the pizza beside him. “Go ahead.”

With permission, Qiao Le perked up and took out his phone to carefully snap a photo of the slippers, then followed Shen Hechuan further inside.

Passing through the entryway, he found that the large open-plan living room had three sides of floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a clear view of the bustling complex.

…This living room is big enough for Qiao Man to ride his little bike in circles.

Qiao Le gained a whole new understanding of what it meant to be rich.

“Can I wash my hands first?” he asked Shen Hechuan.

Shen Hechuan placed the pizza on the dining table and pointed toward the bar on the side. “There’s a sink over there.”

Qiao Le went to wash his hands and came back. Shen Hechuan handed him a glass of warm water he had just filled from the filtered water dispenser. “Drink some warm water—it’ll settle your stomach.”

“Thank you.” Qiao Le took the cup, its warmth spreading through his hands that were still cold from rinsing.

He couldn’t help but think: Mr. Shen isn’t just a good person—he’s a gentle one, too.

After sipping half the water, he realized he still hadn’t properly introduced himself, so he said, “Mr. Shen, my name’s Qiao Le. I forgot to tell you last time.”

Shen Hechuan was unpacking the pizza and replied casually, “I know.”

“You know?”

Shen Hechuan glanced at him. “Didn’t you leave me a note?”

“Oh, you actually kept it?” Qiao Le had thought he would’ve just thrown it away. He hadn’t expected that.

Sensing his surprise, Shen Hechuan paused what he was doing. “Do I look like someone who would toss away another person’s kind gesture like trash?”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Qiao Le wanted to explain, but honestly, he had assumed the note would be thrown out. So instead, he simply said, “I was being petty. Please don’t take it personally. Let me help you.”

He set down his glass and reached out to take the pizza from Shen Hechuan’s hands.

Shen Hechuan didn’t say anything more.

Qiao Le deftly unwrapped the pizza. It was a twelve-inch pie, loaded with cheese and meat sauce, the savory aroma instantly whetting his appetite.

His stomach grumbled again, a loud “grrr” breaking the silence like a drumbeat.

The first time it had happened, it was mortifying. The second time, it was embarrassing. But by the third time… Qiao Le had grown fearless.

Once I start eating this pizza, that stomach of mine better shut up for good.

The restaurant had included disposable gloves and utensils. Qiao Le set out a set for both of them, then sat down across from Shen Hechuan.

“I didn’t realize I ordered enough for two,” Shen Hechuan said. “So don’t hold back.”

“I won’t!” Qiao Le nodded firmly and grabbed a slice. “I’m digging in.”

With that, he took a big bite.

The cheesy meat sauce pizza was the restaurant’s signature. The crispy crust, rich meat sauce, and melty cheese all came together in a single, satisfying mouthful that made Qiao Le close his eyes in contentment.

So good… No wonder this place gets so many orders every day.

Qiao Le didn’t realize that, at that moment, his expression looked as if he were the happiest person in the world—his crescent eyes glowing bright under the crystal chandelier like they held an entire galaxy.

Sitting across from him, Shen Hechuan’s lips lifted ever so slightly.

He noticed that Qiao Le carried a kind of indescribable energy. Being around him made it hard not to relax. The recent frustrations at work—his project stalling—suddenly didn’t seem to matter anymore.

After finishing one slice, Qiao Le licked the sauce from the corner of his lips and noticed Shen Hechuan had only taken one bite.

“Mr. Shen, why aren’t you eating? You don’t like it?”

“I’m not that hungry,” Shen Hechuan replied, then asked, “Did you not eat anything today?”

“I had a little breakfast, but didn’t have time for lunch.” Qiao Le grabbed another slice. “I was going to get some beef noodles, but then your order came in, so I went to deliver it first.”

Shen Hechuan didn’t know how food delivery assignments worked. “You couldn’t reject it?”

“I could,” Qiao Le said honestly. “But you tipped for priority delivery, so I figured I’d finish yours first.”

Who knew that just after delivering it, he’d get so hungry he nearly passed out.

Thinking about it made Qiao Le laugh at himself. He said to Shen Hechuan, “Sorry for causing you trouble again.”

It wasn’t really trouble, and Shen Hechuan hadn’t taken it that way.

But hearing Qiao Le say that, he couldn’t help thinking of something else—was he so short on money that he’d skip meals just for a tip?

He didn’t ask aloud, though. After all, they weren’t close enough to ask about each other’s personal matters.

So instead, he simply pushed the pizza a little closer to Qiao Le and said, “Don’t mention it.”

“Sure.”

And true to his word, Qiao Le didn’t hold back—two-thirds of the large pizza ended up in his stomach.

They didn’t talk much during the meal, but the atmosphere remained surprisingly pleasant.

After finishing, Qiao Le took the initiative to clean up the pizza box and even went to the counter to wash the cup he had used. Only then did he walk back to find Shen Hechuan.

Shen Hechuan was getting a glass of water. When he saw Qiao Le approaching with his phone, he glanced down casually and caught a glimpse of a WeChat screen.

Is he going to add me as a friend?

Shen Hechuan wondered.

He rarely added strangers on WeChat, but if Qiao Le wanted to, he supposed it wouldn’t be a problem…

The next second, he heard Qiao Le say, “Mr. Shen, I’ll transfer you the money for the pizza.”

“…Huh?” Shen Hechuan thought he misheard. “What?”

“For the pizza,” Qiao Le held out his phone. “Can you show me your payment code, or Alipay works too.”

Shen Hechuan: “…”

Right. That was wishful thinking on my part.