AAUMOBIP C24

Chapter 24

Following the location and visitor pass provided by Song-ge, Liu He smoothly arrived at this high-end residential community.

The housing prices in this neighborhood were extraordinarily high; the residents here were either rich or powerful, and quite a few celebrities also lived in this community.

To be cautious, Liu He still wore a mask to cover his identity.

There were many people in this community who—like him—chose to disguise themselves. Since he also had a valid visitor pass, the security guard at the entrance let him through without issue.

Liu He quickly found Yun Jingqiu’s home.

Standing at the door, however, he couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

After the video call with Yun-ge last night, during which they had once again done that sort of thing across the screen, he could no longer suppress the flutter in his heart and had resolutely come to this strange, unfamiliar place.

He had adjusted his experiment schedule for the coming two days and, combined with one day of leave he still had left, he now had three full days free.

He could stay here for three days.

To secretly give Yun-ge a surprise.

The corners of his mouth lifted unconsciously beneath his mask.

The visitor proof was a QR code, which allowed him to scan into the elevator, but only up to the floor where Yun Jingqiu lived.

Here, each floor consisted of one household per staircase—a spacious flat that occupied the entire level. Next to the elevator was the fire escape, and aside from that, only a small open area where the resident’s front door could immediately be seen.

Entering the password, Liu He stepped into the home.

“Cream”—the pet dog—came bounding over, hearing the sound and thinking Yun Jingqiu had returned. Upon seeing the somewhat unfamiliar yet oddly recognizable face, the dog looked doubtful.

“Cream~” Liu He changed his shoes and crouched down in front of it.

The dog stepped backward, eyeing him cautiously.

Liu He hadn’t spent enough time with it, and it would need a little while longer to accept him completely.

But Liu He wasn’t upset. Looking around this home, he smiled.

The living room was slightly messy—it seemed today was supposed to be the weekly cleaning day.

Since Liu He had come, however, Song Zhiyuan had already canceled the cleaner’s visit. Otherwise, there would have been two visitor records for the day, and it would have been hard to explain to Yun Jingqiu.

Liu He tidied up a little and placed the bag he had brought on the sofa.

There were pet toys and snacks for Cream left on the coffee table from yesterday when Yun Jingqiu had been playing with it. There were also pieces of beef jerky and chicken breast jerky—snacks for both pet and owner.

Picking up a light-blue cushion from the side, Liu He hugged it to his chest.

Should he prepare dinner for Yun-ge?

The thought made him both nervous and excited. He couldn’t just sit here idle.

Although he had never cooked before, if he followed a recipe carefully, he should be able to manage—it was just like doing an experiment in the lab, and that was something he excelled at.

But Yun Jingqiu’s meals couldn’t be carelessly made—definitely not greasy. They had to be healthy and low-fat.

Fortunately, Song Zhiyuan had already sent him a few simple but healthy recipes.

[Song Zhiyuan]: If it doesn’t go well, just message me anytime~

[fon]: Okay, thank you, Song-ge.

[fon]: I’ll try first.

[Song Zhiyuan]: There are ingredients at home; use whatever you’d like.

[Song Zhiyuan]: Yun-ge should arrive around six o’clock. Sǎo (sister-in-law), just treat this like your own home.

This was his little secret with Song Zhiyuan.

There were still a good two or three hours before Yun-ge returned.

Liu He played with Cream for a while, discovering that giving it treats helped win its trust faster. So he kept feeding Cream until the dog had had its fill and went back to its bed for a nap.

There was still more than an hour left.

He began soaking the multigrain rice—it needed to be softened first, otherwise the cooked rice would turn out hard and underdone.

Then he washed the vegetables, leaving them in water, and set the meat out to defrost.

He busied himself in the kitchen at a slow, steady pace. With the recipe guiding him, Liu He felt that familiar sense of conducting an experiment. Cooking didn’t seem so difficult after all.

After half an hour of soaking, he washed the rice again and set it to cook. Later, he began preparing the dishes.

At around six o’clock, the rice was done and the dishes were ready, just in time for Yun Jingqiu’s return.

Deeply absorbed in “cooking like an experiment,” Liu He had actually lost track of time. When he finally checked his phone, Song Zhiyuan had already messaged him saying everything was going smoothly. Satisfied, Liu He nodded to himself.

[Song Zhiyuan]: Sister-in-law, they’re downstairs.

[Song Zhiyuan]: Yun-ge is in the elevator now.

[Song Zhiyuan]: I’ll be leaving~

[fon]: [OK]

[fon]: Now it’s my turn.

Setting the food on the table, Liu He quickly found a hiding spot.

He wanted Yun-ge to discover that his home had a secret “hermit snail.”*

From behind the sofa, he pricked up his ears, listening.

The sound of the fingerprint lock opening, footsteps, then an uncertain “Hmm?”

“The cleaner cooked too?” Yun Jingqiu muttered in puzzlement.

Liu He’s smile froze.

A moment later, he heard the sound of dishes clattering.

He could no longer stay hidden.

What kind of person comes home and heads straight for the dinner table instead of petting Cream first?!

If Yun Jingqiu wouldn’t come to him, then he had no way to give him a proper scare!

But dinner had already been set out—he must have been starving.

So Liu He stepped out from his hiding place and complained, “What do you mean the cleaner cooked for you? Obviously, I’m the one who made it.”

“You’re here?” Yun Jingqiu’s tone held no surprise—he chuckled softly, as if he had already known Liu He was at his home.

This puzzled Liu He. Song Zhiyuan had said he would keep the secret. How did Yun Jingqiu know?

Walking over to the table, he became even more confused.

Sitting down, he questioned, “How did you—?”

Yun Jingqiu simply pointed at the wall. “The cameras.”

Following his gaze, Liu He’s heart sank completely.

Mounted on the living room wall was a security camera.

Which meant everything he had done here, every little movement while waiting, could have been seen by Yun Jingqiu.

No wonder Yun Jingqiu wasn’t surprised at all.

“Xiao Song’s acting isn’t great—he couldn’t fool me.” Yun Jingqiu handed him a bottle of soda water. “I checked the cameras this afternoon and saw the little surprise you prepared for me.”

“I was… really happy.” Yun Jingqiu’s eyes softened as he spoke.

His voice brushed against Liu He’s ears, feather-light and ticklish.

“Don’t bother getting permission from Xiao Song in the future. I’ll just give you permanent access.” Yun Jingqiu opened the building’s property-management app, linked Liu He’s identity to his account, and asked him to download the app and bind it with his apartment information.

The carefully planned surprise had been ruined by a security camera. Liu He didn’t know what to say about that.

Though he still felt a little sulky, he ate the hard, tasteless multigrain rice absentmindedly. Luckily, the dishes he had cooked turned out quite decent.

Could it be that he really was a natural at this? Liu He comforted himself with the thought.

“Why isn’t Xiao He saying anything? Mad at me?” Yun Jingqiu came closer, insistent. “I gave you permanent access—next time you drop by, you’ll definitely surprise me again.”

But wouldn’t a first-time surprise always be the happiest, compared to any after it?

Liu He responded absentmindedly, still chewing his meal.

After dinner, it was Yun Jingqiu who washed the dishes—his arm had healed by now.

When he returned, he found Liu He sitting on the sofa. Naturally, he sat beside him, draped an arm across his shoulders, and asked, “How long are you staying this time?”

“Three days.”

A tingling sensation spread to Liu He’s earlobe—it turned out Yun Jingqiu was gently pinching at it, the familiar motion intimate.

But as if unsatisfied with just that, Yun Jingqiu soon cupped the back of Liu He’s head and kissed him on the lips.

“I’m so happy,” he murmured, before covering his face in tender kisses—his lips, his forehead, his cheeks.

“My place only has one bedroom. If you’re staying, you’ll have to sleep with me.”

“One bedroom? In a 200-square-meter flat?” Liu He was suspicious.

Since coming in, he hadn’t explored much, fearing it’d look like he was snooping into Yun Jingqiu’s private space; he had only been in the kitchen and living room.

But now, hearing this, he had to check for himself.

Pushing Yun Jingqiu aside, he said, “I don’t believe you—there has to be a guest room.”

Opening the first door—an eSports room. He shut it.

The second—a study. Shut again.

The third—a small gym.

Door after door, still no sign of a guest room. Could there really not be one?

Now there were only two doors left—the bathroom and Yun Jingqiu’s bedroom.

Opening them confirmed it—the home truly had no guest room.

Such a large flat, and not one guest room? Did nobody ever visit Yun Jingqiu?

Liu He could hardly believe it.

“Sleep with me,” Yun Jingqiu invited with a smile, watching him open room after room.

“…Fine.” Liu He sounded reluctant.

True to Yun Jingqiu’s words, the single bedroom was immense—it was easily twice the size of the master bedroom of his rented flat back in City C.

Decorated entirely according to Yun Jingqiu’s personal tastes, it reflected only him.

“Tomorrow, will you wait for me here, or come with me to the film set?”

The sound of his voice stirred Liu He. Initially, he wanted to say he’d just stay at home, but catching the hopeful look on Yun Jingqiu’s face, he changed course: “I’ll come along with you.”

The last time he visited the set, he had stumbled right into Yun-ge’s accident. He hadn’t had the chance to really experience the behind-the-scenes atmosphere. This time, he finally would.

“In what role do you want to come? Assistant? Fan?” Yun Jingqiu asked, gently clasping Liu He’s hand together with his own and placing them both on the bedroom door’s handle.

With a light press, he opened the door and led Liu He in.

“Or perhaps…” He lowered his head slightly, brushing his lips faintly against Liu He’s ear, his breath warm against it.

“…as my partner?” His voice deliberately dipped, soft and magnetic.

Liu He’s ears were sensitive—just this teasing made half his body feel weak.

He couldn’t even clearly register what Yun Jingqiu was saying.

“W-what?” he stammered, instinctively asking again. As Yun Jingqiu’s lips seemed about to press closer, he hurriedly pushed him away, flustered. “T-too close!”

Still rubbing at the lingering tickle in his ear, Liu He was a little breathless, his pulse racing. This kind of contact was different—subtle, but even more destabilizing.

His ears flushed crimson.

“I was asking what identity you’d like to go with,” Yun Jingqiu said with a playful smile, retreating a few steps as if he hadn’t just instigated such an intimate moment.

“Assistants have to work, fans can’t stay long on set. But as my partner… you could always stick by me, eat well, drink well…” He put on a mock-thoughtful expression. “Since Xiao He is my partner, of course, he’ll go as my partner, right?”

“…I still don’t want to reveal my identity. Tomorrow, I’ll just be your assistant,” Liu He insisted.

“With a mask and cap, no one will recognize you,” Yun Jingqiu said, deciding for him.

Footnotes

 

 

1. Sǎo (嫂): Short for “sǎozǐ” (嫂子), literally “sister-in-law.” In some friend circles, one might playfully call a friend’s partner this way. Song Zhiyuan here jokingly calls Liu He “sister-in-law” because of his relationship with Yun Jingqiu. 
2. Hermit snail (田螺): In Chinese, the image of a “snail hiding in the house” (like a hermit snail or snail spirit) is sometimes used playfully, referring to someone secretly waiting at home to surprise the owner.