Chapter 24 – Four People Traveling Together

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.

Seeing Bai Ruyu enter after closing the door, Gu Zichen asked, “You’re back.”

“Yeah,” Bai Ruyu responded with a glance at him.

Gu Zichen was still somewhat worried. After Jiang Heng’s injury, Cheng Yichi’s state hadn’t been great. He had taken a bottle of wine with a smile, saying he wanted to go to the garden, and left. They had considered checking on him, but thought too many people might make Cheng Yichi feel worse, so they only sent Bai Ruyu to see him.

After all, Bai Ruyu was the only one without a romantic interest.

“Is he still struggling? Did he drink a lot?”

Bai Ruyu replied, “He probably hasn’t encountered this kind of situation before. If you look at the gossip news, his name never appears. He’s likely a bit slow when it comes to matters of the heart, so now he’s in a state of confusion.”

“Especially with Jiang Heng’s injury—he’s unconsciously blaming himself. So, don’t put too much pressure on him. Don’t overstep.”

Gu Zichen gave a bitter smile. The production team had probably invited Cheng Yichi deliberately for the ratings. Cheng Yichi might have agreed to naturally reveal his sexual orientation but hadn’t intended to actually pursue romance.

Of course, he knew being pursued by someone you don’t like would only bring distress, but…

He truly couldn’t control his feelings when near the person he liked.

Closing his eyes, Gu Zichen sighed and said, “I understand. I won’t make things difficult for him.”

“Twenty-five more days,” Bai Ruyu left with just those words before going to wash up. Gu Zichen reflected and realized he had indeed been too impolite.

The sound of running water gradually rose from the bathroom, but Gu Zichen paid no attention. Lying on the bed, he listened to music—the song Cheng Yichi had sung that day, “Someone Like Me.”

Meanwhile, Bai Ruyu stood under the shower, letting the water soak his skin. He rubbed the finger he had sucked red, eyes closed, feeling the water’s temperature. Everyone labeled him as “gentle,” and they weren’t wrong. Yet, he was also the most pragmatic.

When the desire Cheng Yichi stirred in him was outweighed by the responsibilities that would come with being together, Bai Ruyu had naturally chosen to step back. But tonight, under the beautiful moonlight…

He found himself reluctant to let go.

—

The next day, Cheng Yichi woke up earlier than usual.

As soon as viewers entered the livestream, they saw Bai Ruyu and Cheng Yichi together in the kitchen, making breakfast. Bai Ruyu was cooking wontons, while Cheng Yichi prepared noodles—a harmonious scene.

Baby, you’re finally back! We missed you all day yesterday! My sweetheart!
By the way, I heard Jiang Heng was injured and had to temporarily leave the show?
You just heard? The official Weibo posted last night—said he got hurt playing basketball. Luckily, he’s young and resilient, so he’ll recover quickly.
Sigh, I really shipped Jiang Heng × Cheng Yichi. The younger top dynamic was so good. But Li Yi is too wolf-like, Qi Jing is too soft—Jiang Heng was just right. Too bad. With him gone this long, they’ll probably end up be.

Bai Ruyu only made one bowl of wontons, sprinkling some dried shrimp and seaweed on top. He asked Cheng Yichi, “Do you usually like scallions?”

“Yes!”

“What about cilantro?”

Cheng Yichi shook his head hurriedly. Bai Ruyu smiled. “I don’t eat it either.”

“By the way, why are you up so early today?”

Cheng Yichi used chopsticks to scoop out the noodles and rinsed them under cold water while responding, “I was absent all day yesterday and made everyone worry last night, so I wanted to get up early today to make breakfast.”

“By the way, do you want some noodles?”

Bai Ruyu replied naturally, “Sure.”

“Huh? Didn’t you make wontons?”

Bai Ruyu smiled, “I made them for you.”

Cheng Yichi was pleasantly surprised, “How did you know I like them? Thank you!”

At the moment, Cheng Yichi wasn’t sure who liked him, and his memories from last night’s drunken state were hazy. He was quite willing to get closer to Bai Ruyu, feeling that Bai Ruyu posed no threat—after all, among all the messages he received, Bai Ruyu was the only one who hadn’t sent him any.

Of course, no one in the house considered Bai Ruyu dangerous.

He calculated, “Let’s make eight bowls first. Qi Jing was delayed yesterday watching a basketball game, and when I went down to get water at two or three in the morning, I saw him still in the gaming room reviewing his matches. He’ll definitely sleep in this morning, so no need to prepare for him.”

Bai Ruyu didn’t dwell on Qi Jing staying up late gaming. Instead, he noticed Cheng Yichi was awake at two or three in the morning, “Were you feeling unwell last night?”

“Yeah,” Cheng Yichi touched his forehead, “The garden was too damp last night, and I caught a slight chill. Plus, I drank a bit too much and felt parched, so I went down for some water.”

Bai Ruyu reached out directly to feel Cheng Yichi’s forehead. Caught off guard, Cheng Yichi flinched slightly, but Bai Ruyu commanded, “Be still, let me check.”

His palm was warm, and Cheng Yichi’s forehead temperature seemed normal—no fever.

“Next time, I won’t let you drink.”

Thinking Bai Ruyu was joking, Cheng Yichi grinned playfully, “I’ll be more careful next time!”

But Bai Ruyu’s expression remained serious, “Take care of yourself, understand?”

“Got it.” Truthfully, Cheng Yichi quite liked this feeling of being looked after. And since he liked Bai Ruyu, he didn’t mind being scolded by him.

Of course, just as a friend.

Then the conversation returned to breakfast.

“No need to prepare for Gu Zichen either. He’s already left.”

“So early?” Cheng Yichi checked the time—just past eight. It wasn’t that early, but since he had woken up at six-thirty and hadn’t seen Gu Zichen, it meant he had indeed left very early.

Bai Ruyu nodded, “He’s been quite busy lately. Even when the hospital gave him time off, he only took a few days before going back to work.”

“Doctors really have it tough,” Cheng Yichi mused.

“Exactly. So, they might not be able to devote much time to family in the future.” Bai Ruyu made a fair point—there were trade-offs. Gu Zichen had achieved remarkable success at a young age, but his busy schedule was inevitable. With so many lives to save at the hospital, he was often the last one to return home.

Viewers who remembered this doomed ship sighed:

It’s a realistic issue. Maybe Bai Meiren and Gu Zichen just weren’t meant to be.

Are you sure that’s why they fell apart?

+1 to the above. Are you sure it wasn’t because Mr. Gu had feelings for Cheng Yidi that things went south?

Ugh, enough with the ‘fell apart’ talk—as if they were ever together! I fully support Bai Meiren and Cheng Meiren being a couple!

Kick the shipper above out, no objections!

The production team finished editing the first episode two days ago. Since the first episode covered the entire first day, it was quite lengthy and packed with highlights. It aired last night and, as expected, received an overwhelmingly positive response!

In last night’s episode, viewers noticed that on the first day, most participants didn’t show much one-sided interest in Cheng Yichi. In fact, during the evening vote, it seemed like everyone tacitly avoided choosing him—only two people voted for him. This made everyone even more curious: What could have possibly caused such a dramatic shift in the “battlefield” dynamics in just five days?

However, many could clearly see Bai Ruyu’s one-sided affection for Gu Zichen in the first episode. Some mocked Bai Ruyu, calling him “a simp who ends up with nothing,” while others labeled Gu Zichen a “jerk” for stringing someone along despite not being interested. The discussions were heated, but the participants in the house didn’t pay much attention. They all knew that once the dating show ended, unless they actively maintained social media accounts, their popularity would fade within a month. Besides, the people they interacted with in their daily lives were generally kind and wouldn’t gossip behind their backs.

Many viewers also reasoned: “They’re just ordinary people. Everyone has their own way of pursuing love—why should it matter to you?”

But audiences who favored Gu Zichen and those who sided with Bai Ruyu quickly turned against each other. Just two days ago, they were playfully calling each other “in-laws,” but now they were rivals. The situation resembled fan wars, though since they weren’t actual fans—just casual viewers enjoying the drama—their battleground wasn’t Weibo but various forums and live-stream comments.

Other viewers simply enjoyed the show, knowing their opinions didn’t matter—only the heartthrob’s choices did.

Bai Ruyu brought the wonton soup to the table and helped Cheng Yichi serve the clear broth noodles. The rich, savory aroma filled his nose. “It smells amazing!”

Cheng Yichi smiled sheepishly. “This is the only dish I can make. Go ahead and try it.”

Bai Ruyu chewed the noodles slowly, savoring each bite with elegant grace. His eyes crinkled with warmth as he praised, “It really is delicious. It has a… homely taste. Very comforting.”

“Are you two having breakfast?” Wei Buyan strode over, pulling up a chair beside Bai Ruyu with a grin. “It smells incredible.”

Today, he was wearing a champagne-gold satin shirt—eye-catching enough to draw attention from afar. On most people, such a flashy outfit might look tacky, but Wei Buyan carried it effortlessly, exuding an air of sophistication.

Online, fans had once compiled a list of Wei Buyan’s outfits, noting one common trait: they were all strikingly bold, the kind of colors that stood out in a crowd. Yet Wei Buyan loved wearing them—and somehow made them work.

Cheng Yichi handed him a bowl. “Here, careful—it’s hot.”

“You made some for me too?” Wei Buyan blinked in surprise. “Thanks, Yichi.”

“I’ve been meaning to do this for a while. I really wanted to thank everyone for taking care of me these past few days.”

Both Bai Ruyu and Wei Buyan paused mid-bite.

What did that mean?

“Are you leaving?” Wei Buyan set down his chopsticks, staring intently at Cheng Yichi.

“No?” Cheng Yichi didn’t realize how much his words had sounded like a farewell. He had just felt like expressing his gratitude—typical straightforward guy behavior.

“Good.” The two of them said nothing else, but inwardly, they both sighed in relief.

Neither of the two present had strong emotional entanglements with Cheng Yichi, so he felt quite at ease around them. Although Wei Buyan sometimes claimed to be pursuing him, this guy also had feelings for Tang Yinuo and Bai Ruyu—it seemed he just enjoyed flirting and would make a move whenever he took a liking to someone.

As for Bai Ruyu, it went without saying—if possible, Cheng Yichi would have loved to follow him around the entire show!

“Any plans for today?” Wei Buyan asked as he loaded the dishes into the dishwasher after breakfast. Cheng Yichi thought of Duan Qingsi’s invitation to the art exhibition and felt a surge of excitement.

“I’d like to visit an art exhibition.”

Before Wei Buyan could respond, Bai Ruyu spoke up first: “Mind if I join? I’m taking the day off to look for inspiration.”

“Of course!” Cheng Yichi couldn’t have been happier.

—

In the afternoon, Duan Qingsi waited for them directly at the exhibition. The crowd was sparse, but the paintings on display were strikingly distinctive.

Cheng Yichi cheerfully separated from the group to explore his favorite artworks alone. Bai Ruyu showed little interest in portraits, instead observing the demeanor of exhibition visitors for creative inspiration, while Wei Buyan pursued his own preferences—the trio went their separate ways.

Cheng Yichi found himself rooted to the spot.

He stood before a painting titled “The Enclosed Person,” depicting a figure in a hospital gown seemingly amusing itself by curling into a ball to find joy. The colors were vibrant and dazzling, yet upon closer inspection, the twisted figure’s eyes revealed terror—so distorted they seemed devoid of consciousness. Perhaps the subject suffered from illness, or perhaps the collapse came from within, but the overall effect was profoundly unsettling. Cheng Yichi instinctively reached out before freezing his hand mid-air.

How heartbreaking.

From a distance, Duan Qingsi noticed Cheng Yichi standing transfixed, his expression unreadable. Though standing in shadows, the glistening tear at the corner of his eye shone with haunting allure. Duan Qingsi paused, simply watching him. The same assistant from before stood nearby.

The assistant whispered, “If Mr. Cheng knew you organized this exhibition just for him, he’d be overjoyed.”

“Unnecessary.”

Duan Qingsi had indeed learned much about Cheng Yichi’s preferences—mostly through listening to his father’s ostensibly critical but actually proud remarks about his “good-for-nothing son.” He’d committed every detail to memory.

So many of Cheng Yichi’s likes and dislikes. He often thought this level of attention strange, bordering on obsessive.

Yet he couldn’t deny that in the quiet of night, thoughts of Cheng Yichi—this young man—swept away his troubles, leaving only contentment and joy behind.

Duan Qingsi had always believed in fairness. Having drawn happiness from Cheng Yichi, he sought to return that joy in kind.

Though Cheng Yichi would never know.

Wei Buyan possessed some artistic discernment himself. While Cheng Yichi connected with paintings through empathy—whether depicting birds or people—he couldn’t articulate technical aspects like brushwork. Wei Buyan, however, analyzed structure, composition, and style first, having collected antique scrolls and developed an appreciative eye.

He approached Cheng Yichi slowly. “You like this kind of painting.”

“Yeah.” Cheng Yichi couldn’t tear his eyes away. “I can feel his agony—desperate to break free, yet utterly powerless.”

Wei Buyan agreed and accompanied him in viewing the paintings. Though he was ostensibly looking at the artwork, most of his gaze lingered on Cheng Yichi.

Being watched is something one can sense. No matter how focused Cheng Yichi was, he eventually noticed the persistent attention and turned around with a smile. “Why do you keep staring at me?”

Wei Buyan answered candidly, “Because you’re good-looking.”

“Alright, let’s go find the others.” The more straightforward the compliment, the more Cheng Yichi accepted it without a trace of shyness.

As they passed by a particular painting, Wei Buyan suddenly stopped.

Cheng Yichi tilted his head, giving him a questioning look.

“Do you know which painting is my favorite?” Wei Buyan asked.

Cheng Yichi shook his head.

Wei Buyan gestured toward the painting beside Cheng Yichi—a barefoot man walking alone through a field of flowers, bathed in thick sunlight, wearing a floral wreath like a wandering angel, glowing from head to toe. Cheng Yichi had no particular emotional reaction to things that were too beautiful.

But he noticed this painting drew the largest crowd. Whether it was the thick impasto technique, the man’s eyes, the character’s features, or the story behind it, everything was near perfection, making it universally appealing.

Perhaps this was human nature—people always fixated on what they lacked. Cheng Yichi didn’t care for it, but Wei Buyan adored it.

“This one is my favorite,” Wei Buyan said.

Then he turned, his gaze sincere. “He reminds me of you.”

—

Duan Qingsi was chatting with Bai Ruyu while waiting for Cheng Yichi and the others to return.

There was always a sense of detachment in Duan Qingsi’s words, likely due to his upbringing. His speech was always pleasant, but he rarely spoke of his own emotions.

Bai Ruyu noticed that after Cheng Yichi arrived, Duan Qingsi’s smile became more genuine.

Not that his earlier smiles were fake, but compared to now, there had been a certain distance.

“Done looking?”

“Yeah!” Cheng Yichi’s face was flushed with excitement. He loved this exhibition—filled entirely with portraits, each accompanied by a complete backstory, perfectly in line with Duan Qingsi’s style. He thought of the birds in the aviary, the exhibits at the film showcase, and had to admit—Duan Qingsi had his preferences figured out completely.

Still, he hadn’t read any of the stories behind the paintings. He enjoyed this kind of thing, but what he loved most was immersing himself in his own imagination. Some things lost their inherent beauty if examined too closely.

“Let’s eat out tonight. I left Qi Jing a note before we left, asking him to inform the others.”

“What if he doesn’t see it?” Bai Ruyu asked.

Cheng Yichi was certain. “Impossible. He’ll definitely see it.”

Back at the house, Qi Jing, half-asleep, felt something scratching his face and shifted uncomfortably. He was a deep sleeper, but after struggling for a bit, he finally woke up, reaching up to find a piece of paper stuck to his forehead.

Qi Jing had a notorious temper upon waking—his clubmates all knew that a freshly roused Qi Jing was like a demon unleashed. “Which idiot stuck this on my head—”

He angrily peeled off the note and read:

Xiao Jing, Ruyu, Buyan, Qingsi, and I went out. We probably won’t be back for dinner. Please let everyone know. Thanks!

—Cheng Yichi

The scolding died in his throat.

Qi Jing turned the note over and over in his hands, even sniffing it to confirm it indeed carried his brother’s scent. From the moment he woke up, he had been troubled: “How can I preserve my brother’s note properly?”

“Wait, why didn’t brother wake me when he went out?” Qi Jing pouted, his 1.8-meter-tall frame curling up on the bed like a lovelorn maiden from a shoujo manga awaiting her beloved’s return. “I don’t need sleep anyway.”

Too upset to confront his brother directly, he could only console himself:

“But at least he left me a note—he didn’t forget about me. He must still care!”