Chapter 5 – A Toast to This Moment

“Huh? You’re still thinking about that?” Cheng Yichi found it funny. He turned around and looked at Fang Yunshi leisurely. “I just thought you were cute, and I couldn’t imagine what kind of job would suit you.”

Fang Yunshi was dressed cool and had a cool expression too, completely serious. From the moment he walked in, he had told himself: I’m a cool guy. A cool guy needs to act the part.

But the moment Cheng Yichi said he was cute, Fang Yunshi couldn’t hold it in—

His face turned bright red, like it could steam, and he yanked at his clothes before taking off his jacket and handing it to Cheng Yichi.

“Touch it.” His face was full of stubborn pride.

Cheng Yichi touched it. Yep, leather. Then he gave it a firmer press. Still leather.

“What about it?” he asked.

Fang Yunshi stared at him wide-eyed. “This is my job!” After thinking a moment, he added, “I wore it here on purpose. Now that you know, don’t tell anyone else.”

Looking at his serious little face, Cheng Yichi found him even cuter. He nodded solemnly, folded the jacket neatly, and handed it back with great care.

After Fang Yunshi left, Cheng Yichi suddenly realized—wait a minute. Fang Yunshi said not to tell anyone about his job, but… what was his job?

Cheng Yichi was completely confused.

—

The two of them had such an amusing interaction that people on the couch couldn’t help but notice. When Fang Yunshi came downstairs, Tang Yinuo grabbed him.

“Yunshi, why were you taking off your clothes while talking to Yichi-ge just now?”

Fang Yunshi replied, “Teacher Cheng was wrong.”

As for what was wrong, Tang Yinuo asked, but Fang Yunshi wouldn’t say.

Tang Yinuo wasn’t someone who liked to pry into others’ secrets. In fact, if Fang Yunshi hadn’t been talking to Cheng Yichi, he wouldn’t have even asked.

Fang Yunshi went back to playing on his phone and didn’t join the others’ conversation. He liked browsing forums and expressing his opinions in anime communities. Suddenly, someone poked him.

Fang Yunshi looked up with his usual blank expression. It was Jiang Heng, smiling brightly. Fang Yunshi glanced at him and thought he looked kind of silly.

“Yunshi, is Movie King Cheng easy to talk to?” Jiang Heng had the look of a little fanboy. He had liked Cheng Yichi for a long time and watching them talk and even seeing Cheng Yichi smile at Fang Yunshi made him feel super envious.

Fang Yunshi looked at him, confused, and said, “Yeah.”

…

Jiang Heng waited a whole minute for him to say something else.

But Fang Yunshi just went back to his phone. Jiang Heng scratched his head, wondering how he could start a conversation with Cheng Yichi. He didn’t bother Fang Yunshi again.

Meanwhile, Fang Yunshi was typing fast in a forum thread, his fingers flying as he posted:

“Shared a little secret with my idol today, so happy! 😊”

—

Cheng Yichi sat in a chair in his room and let out a breath. It had been a long time since he’d lived under the same roof with so many people. It felt a little stuffy, a bit restless.

Everyone was great—better than he’d expected. They were sweet, warm, and still awkward in front of the camera. Cheng Yichi even felt a little bad about lying to them.

But he still had to lie.

Looking at himself in the mirror, Cheng Yichi smiled slowly. From now on, I’m an actor forced to hide my sexuality for my career, who finally can’t take it anymore and wants to find true love.

He chuckled softly and started unbuttoning his champagne-colored blazer. Since he said he came up to do something, he had to at least change clothes. Plus, this outfit was too formal to wear at home. Just as he was about to take off his white shirt, someone knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Cheng Yichi said casually, not thinking much of it.

Li Yi walked in and immediately saw Cheng Yichi with his back turned, shirtless. His smooth shoulder blades and slim waist were exposed. His back wasn’t too muscular or too thin—just right. Probably from avoiding sunlight, his skin was especially pale. When he bent over, two small dimples appeared at his waist. It was obvious he kept in shape.

Li Yi’s eyes darkened. He quickly closed the door behind him.

Cheng Yichi heard the door close and turned around. It was Li Yi.

He smiled. “What are you doing up here?”

Li Yi turned his head away. “Put your clothes on first.”

Cheng Yichi looked down at himself. He had abs, not bad-looking at all. He’d always been satisfied with his body. Back when he filmed the mermaid movie, the director had praised his figure too. So why was Li Yi acting like he’d seen something gross?

“Is it really that bad?” Cheng Yichi asked with a smile. “Kinda hurts my ego.”

“No, it’s… inappropriate.”

Cheng Yichi gave up. Fine, that reason worked. As for Li Yi looking away, Cheng Yichi just assumed it was because he didn’t like seeing other people half-naked. He’d changed shirts in the dorm before and even had his abs poked—he never thought it was a big deal.

He didn’t realize this was a straight guy’s way of hiding something.

“Wait,” Li Yi suddenly asked, “are there cameras in the bedroom?”

“Yeah.” Cheng Yichi pointed to a spot he’d covered with clothes. “But I covered it.”

Li Yi let out a sigh and sat down to wait.

It was getting late, and a little chilly outside. Cheng Yichi pulled on a thick, fleece-lined orange sweater. It instantly made him look more vibrant. If his champagne-colored suit was gentle, then this outfit screamed energy.

Once he was dressed, Li Yi grabbed something—Cheng Yichi didn’t catch what it was. But when Li Yi walked toward him, he realized—this guy was really tall.

—

Honestly, Li Yi couldn’t be more than 22. Maybe just 20. He had that “young wolfdog” look girls loved: aloof, tough, and quiet. But he was more intense than a puppy—he was a real wolf.

As Li Yi walked closer, step by step, Cheng Yichi took a step back and turned around. “Let’s go. The others are still waiting downstairs…”

“Mm.” Li Yi stepped forward again, standing diagonally behind Cheng Yichi, just like earlier—quietly watching his back.

—

By the time they got downstairs, several dishes were already on the table, but no one had sat down yet.

In dating shows, where you sit at dinner matters a lot. Just like who you text at night or switch rooms with—it’s all important. Who wouldn’t want to sit next to or across from their crush, just to steal a glance?

But it was still the first day, and everyone was a little shy. Bai Ruyu took off his apron and called out, “Everyone, take a seat! I’ve got one more soup to bring out!”

Tang Yinuo chimed in, “Ruyu-ge is so thoughtful! So pretty, gentle, and considerate. Totally boyfriend material. Heehee!”

Bai Ruyu blushed and looked over at Gu Zichen to see his reaction. But Gu Zichen just opened a bottle of wine, not paying attention at all. Bai Ruyu felt disappointed. Then he caught Cheng Yichi smiling at him and nodding in agreement. Cheng Yichi even looked at him and winked, mouthing, “So impressive!” His eyes sparkled.

Bai Ruyu felt like he was being flirted with.

He mouthed “thank you” in return. To Cheng Yichi, it was just a compliment. But to Bai Ruyu, it felt like a flirty little secret between them. How could Movie King Cheng be like this? he thought. He’s always lowkey complimenting me. It’s kind of embarrassing… but also kind of sweet.

Actually, Cheng Yichi had wanted to give him a thumbs up, but he thought that would be too obvious—too “straight guy.” Since Bai Ruyu was sensitive, he might figure it out instantly.

“I’ll sit first then!” With everyone still standing, Cheng Yichi picked a spot deep inside the table. As soon as he looked up, Li Yi casually sat across from him. Jiang Heng sat next to Cheng Yichi and cheered, “Yay!”

Everyone else followed suit.

Jiang Heng was next to Tang Yinuo, who sat across from Fang Yunshi. Fang Yunshi’s neighbor was Wei Buyan. The two end seats were saved for the chefs.

“Of course the chefs should sit together!” Tang Yinuo said sweetly.

Bai Ruyu glanced at Gu Zichen again. Gu Zichen looked back, but his eyes were calm—no hint of joy or interest. He didn’t blush either. Bai Ruyu’s heart sank. He suddenly realized that Gu Zichen had just been humoring him earlier.

Maybe Gu Zichen, like him, had come to this show to find a partner—but while Bai Ruyu was here for love, Gu Zichen might be looking for someone to marry. Bai Ruyu could already imagine the conversation: if they got together and he asked why Gu Zichen chose him, he’d say, “Because we’re a good match.”

Bai Ruyu bit his lip and looked away.

Gu Zichen didn’t notice Bai Ruyu’s disappointment. He poured red wine for everyone. Most of them could drink a little. When it was Cheng Yichi’s turn, he hesitated, then accepted the glass.

Actors usually don’t drink to keep their figure and maintain good skin. Cheng Yichi had to look his best for roles—better skin meant better makeup, sometimes even special effects makeup. But tonight, he was happy. He wanted to forget all that for now.

Drink a little, eat a little more, enjoy the moment.

For the first time, he actually felt like he was on vacation.

After everyone sat down, Wei Buyan raised his glass. Under the lights, the wine sparkled beautifully.

He said, “It’s fate and luck that brought us all together tonight. I wonder if everyone would be willing to raise a glass—to this meaningful day.”

Cheng Yichi didn’t expect Wei Buyan to sound so formal, but he wasn’t wrong. Meeting like this, under these circumstances, really was a kind of blessing. It deserved a toast!

Li Yi raised his glass first and looked at Cheng Yichi. Tang Yinuo quickly followed, grinning. “Everyone should toast! Let’s celebrate!”

Celebrate! Cheng Yichi raised his glass too, smiling. Even if the wine didn’t make him tipsy, the atmosphere did. He already felt a little drunk.

Glasses clinked. They drank, relaxed, chatted, and enjoyed steaming plates of home-style food. Cheng Yichi was feeling warm and buzzed. He picked up what he thought was a veggie and popped it into his mouth, savoring the flavor with his eyes closed.

I’ll never forget this day, he thought.

Then his eyes flew open.

So spicy! He’d accidentally eaten a chili pepper. Wah!