Chapter 29 – There is Me in the Dream

That night.

Jiang Heng hadn’t returned yet, so Cheng Yichi simply swapped rooms with Gu Zichen and moved into the triple room. Gu Zichen recalled that the single room had previously been occupied by Cheng Yichi, and his face flushed slightly, the skin around his neck turning a faint shade of pink, giving him an unexpectedly striking appearance.

Cheng Yichi thought for a moment, then dug out a tube of aloe vera gel and handed it to him. “Applying this might help,” he said.

Gu Zichen was too embarrassed to admit that his reaction was due to excitement—his skin often reacted to his emotions. He nodded, thanking Cheng Yichi for his kindness, but couldn’t resist adding, “It’s not because of sensitive skin.”

Cheng Yichi let out a questioning hum.

“Because you stayed there,” Gu Zichen said, then smiled. “It still carries your scent.”

Cheng Yichi chuckled. “What’s the big deal? We swapped rooms, so mine has your scent too. Relax.”

The exposed skin on Gu Zichen’s neck turned even redder.

Avoiding Cheng Yichi’s gaze, he murmured softly, “Goodnight. Sweet dreams.”

May I be in them.

Back in his room, Bai Ruyu asked, “Do you want to shower first, or should I?”

Cheng Yichi waved a hand, sighing. “You go ahead. I still need to figure out who to send my ‘heartbeat message’ to tonight.”

Though the messages were sent anonymously, they would later be revealed in the show’s edits. Today, he had gone on dates with both Wei Buyan and Li Yi. If it had been just one, the choice would’ve been easy—just send the message to that person. But with two, picking only one risked making the other feel humiliated when watching the show later.

He was stuck in indecision again.

The sound of running water filled the room. Slumping into a chair, Cheng Yichi couldn’t sleep without showering first, and soon, he found himself craving a drink. Back when he used to attend wrap parties after filming, he’d always end up drinking too much. He never liked alcohol—it was too harsh, leaving him feeling awful afterward. Yet, when truly troubled, he couldn’t resist the idea of drowning his worries in it, if only for temporary relief.

His mouth watered at the thought. Pouring himself a small glass of plum wine, he took a few cautious sips. His tolerance was low, and it didn’t take much for the flush to rise to his cheeks. He’d lost count of how many times he’d gotten drunk during variety show recordings—thankfully, this wasn’t a live broadcast.

Lost in his thoughts, he barely noticed when Bai Ruyu finally stepped out of the shower.

“What’s wrong?” Bai Ruyu asked, seeing Cheng Yichi staring at him dazedly. Realizing he was tipsy again, he sighed in amusement. “If you’ve been drinking, do you even remember how to shower?”

Cheng Yichi’s mind was already foggy. He vaguely registered the word “shower” and shook his head. “No.”

“How can you not know?” Bai Ruyu laughed. “I’ll teach you.”

“Okay!”

Bai Ruyu’s heart skipped a beat.

Living with Cheng Yichi like this, he wondered if he could withstand the temptation.

Fortunately, Cheng Yichi was still sober enough to make it to the bathroom without stumbling. But then—

The water stopped. Bai Ruyu looked up, his breath slowing—Cheng Yichi emerged with just a towel wrapped around his waist.

The towel didn’t cover much, revealing the pale, toned curve of his waist. Cheng Yichi didn’t seem to mind. Shaking his head, he crawled straight into bed, too tired to bother with the heartbeat message.

The production team, noticing the oversight, quickly messaged Bai Ruyu, reminding him that Cheng Yichi hadn’t sent his message yet.

Sighing, Bai Ruyu nudged Cheng Yichi’s exposed shoulder. “Yichi, you still need to send your message.”

“Oh.” Cheng Yichi slowly crawled out from under the blankets, wearing a pitiful expression.

“Can’t decide who to message?” Bai Ruyu asked.

Cheng Yichi turned to stare at him, then glanced at the phone in his hand. After a long pause, he finally nodded.

“It’s so hard,” Cheng Yichi admitted truthfully. “Harder than doing wire stunts.”

“If you’re torn between two people, maybe you should choose a third,” Bai Ruyu suggested.

He wasn’t trying to get Cheng Yichi to message him—he just thought it would be nice to help him out of this dilemma.

Cheng Yichi suddenly understood and quickly sent the message.

Seeing Cheng Yichi getting drowsy again, Bai Ruyu couldn’t help but ask, “Yichi, is there someone you like right now?”

Cheng Yichi’s eyes shimmered, so beautiful that Bai Ruyu’s heart skipped a beat. “I like everyone!”

“Ruyu, you’re so gentle, always thinking of others, you cook delicious food, and you’re good-looking too. Zichen—”

“Alright,” Bai Ruyu cut him off once the compliments about himself were done.

He said, “I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to tell you how I feel. I used to be the one you trusted the most, and I can’t stand the thought of losing that. But if you only ever see me as a friend, that would hurt too.”

Bai Ruyu gave a self-deprecating smile. “Everyone else is confident in pursuing their love, but I’ve tried so hard, and I still can’t let you know how I feel…” Cheng Yichi climbed onto his bed, gently touched his reddened eyes, and gazed at him intently. “Don’t be sad, okay?”

Not wanting Bai Ruyu to cry, Cheng Yichi mimicked how his mother used to comfort him as a child—pressing his forehead against Bai Ruyu’s, rubbing gently, then nuzzling his cheek. “Our Ruyu is the sweetest little treasure, and you’ll never have to worry…”

As he spoke, he grew sleepier, letting out a small yawn before accidentally switching to “Our Yichi is the sweetest.” His voice grew softer, but he still managed to murmur, “Don’t be sad.”

Watching Cheng Yichi nestle deeper into his arms, Bai Ruyu whispered, “Then if I pursue you, will you say yes? Then I won’t be sad.”

He felt no guilt about taking advantage of someone in this state. Instead, he leaned closer to listen to Cheng Yichi’s drowsy mumbling.

“Okay, then you won’t be sad…”

Bai Ruyu took his hand, kissed his fingertips, then gently sucked on them. “I won’t be sad.”

He pulled Cheng Yichi closer into his embrace, his gaze lingering on his lips. “Next time…”

The implication was clear.

After sending his message, Li Yi flipped his phone face down. He hadn’t expected Cheng Yichi to message him today. Both he and Wei Buyan had been on dates with him—it was impossible to stay perfectly fair. He didn’t want to make things difficult for his brother, but a part of him still hoped that Cheng Yichi had enjoyed their afternoon together more.

But when he saw the smile in Duan Qingsi’s eyes beside him, he understood.

Duan Qingsi took a screenshot of the message and sent it to himself. Though the words were few, they made him unusually happy—a rare feeling.

—Qingsi-ge, the chocolate was so sweet, I loved it! Cat heart emoji Hope you stay happy every day!

When Cheng Yichi woke up in the morning, he found himself nearly naked, lying beside Bai Ruyu. Having drunk alcohol the previous night without any honey water to counteract it, his head was throbbing with pain, waking him before six. He blinked groggily, counting the eyelashes of the man opposite him.

Bai Ruyu’s eyes were gentle—whenever they met his, Cheng Yichi always felt embraced and drawn in. But now, with them closed, he noticed how long his lashes were.

He wasn’t too surprised to find himself sleeping beside Bai Ruyu. He probably threw a drunken tantrum again, demanding to be held. The thought made him flush with embarrassment, though he quickly consoled himself: At least it’s Bai Ruyu and not someone else.

His memories of the night were hazy, but he faintly recalled Bai Ruyu saying he was upset. Lost in thought, he stared at Bai Ruyu’s lashes until—

Bai Ruyu, who had been sleeping peacefully, suddenly opened his eyes before Cheng Yichi could react.

“Awake?” His voice was hoarse from sleep but still tender. “So early today?”

“My head hurts,” Cheng Yichi muttered, rubbing his temples. Bai Ruyu reached out, cradling the back of his head, fingers massaging gently.

“What time is it?”

“Still early,” Cheng Yichi whispered. “Not even six yet. You can sleep a little longer.”

“No need.” Bai Ruyu sat up, using both hands to knead Cheng Yichi’s scalp. “Better now?”

Then, regret flickered across his face. “I should’ve made you drink honey water before bed.”

Cheng Yichi chuckled. “You’re amazing—it really doesn’t hurt as much now.”

He didn’t notice how intimately they were entwined—Bai Ruyu leaning against his shoulder from behind, lips occasionally brushing his skin.

Ticklish, Cheng Yichi squirmed forward.

“I’m getting up.” Since he couldn’t sleep anymore, he might as well grab a bite to eat.

“I’ll join you.” Bai Ruyu’s gaze swept over Cheng Yichi’s body, and he grinned. “So gorgeous.”

Pleasure bloomed across Cheng Yichi’s face—Bai Ruyu found him both adorable and smug. “Right? I think so too!”

“Want to touch?” Cheng Yichi suddenly asked.

Bai Ruyu’s smile stiffened slightly, but he nodded. “Sure.”

His hands glided over Cheng Yichi’s waist and abdomen like a pianist’s—firm yet soft, impossible to resist.

“Love it,” Bai Ruyu sighed.

Assuming he meant his physique, Cheng Yichi beamed. “You could have this too if you keep training. I’ll send you my meal plan later.”

Bai Ruyu neither agreed nor refused, simply saying, “Go freshen up. I’ll change.”

“Okay.” Cheng Yichi obediently headed to the bathroom.

Watching him leave, Bai Ruyu kissed the fingertips that had just traced Cheng Yichi’s skin, smiling to himself.

“So in love.”