Chapter 2

Ji Qingzhou's impression of Fang Yaoxuan could be summed up in one word: scum.

Fang Yaoxuan only liked the 'Ji Qingzhou' in the novel because he saw him as a stand-in for Luo Yuxin, his idealized 'white moonlight.' Before 'Ji Qingzhou' moved in with him, Fang Yaoxuan could still put on a passable imitation of a decent human being. Once they were living together, though, the bastard showed his true colors. Five whole years—even a dog you raised would wag its tail for you. Raise a Fang Yaoxuan, and all he would do was turn around and bite you, leaving bloody wounds.

Fang Yaoxuan and 'Ji Qingzhou's' romantic entanglements could be summed up in a single line: dead mother, domestic abuse, forced out of showbiz, explicit photos everywhere. Leave out any one of those keywords, and you wouldn't be doing justice to the glorious chronicle of Fang Yaoxuan's bastardry.

When Ji Qingzhou read the novel, he'd thought that once Ji Qingzhou's mother died, surely the two of them would get a bad ending. But no. Depressed, he kept reading. When he got to Fang Yaoxuan's domestic abuse, he thought, Surely they'll get a bad ending now? Still no. By the time 'Ji Qingzhou's' explicit photos were leaked and he was forced out of showbiz, Ji Qingzhou was thinking, Surely this has to end badly now, for fuck's sake. Anything else would be unlivable. But the 'Ji Qingzhou' in the novel delivered a resounding slap to his face—he chose to forgive Fang Yaoxuan.

Ji Qingzhou looked at the hundred-plus chapters left in the table of contents, then at the author's 'happy ending' tag, and quietly decided to drop the novel. He read danmei to experience the beauty and sweetness of two men falling in love, not to watch them struggle and torment each other. He hadn't even been in a relationship yet. If he kept reading, he'd end up traumatized by romance before he ever got started.

And now Ji Qingzhou was staring at that trauma in the flesh. Well, then. He wouldn't go to the mountain, so the mountain had come to him. This was just fucking fantastic!

Fang Yaoxuan froze for a moment when he saw Ji Qingzhou. A second later, he spotted Chu Cheng beside him. He hurried out of the elevator, pulled Ji Qingzhou behind him, and glared at Chu Cheng. "Chu Cheng, when are you going to give it a rest?"

Chu Cheng looked at Fang Yaoxuan, then slowly raised his eyes to Ji Qingzhou behind him. Ji Qingzhou had come to his senses by now, too. Fang Yaoxuan was certainly volunteering himself for trouble. What was he grabbing him for? Was he not dying fast enough already?

He pulled free of Fang Yaoxuan's hand and moved from behind him to Chu Cheng's side, not forgetting to clear his own name. "This has nothing to do with me. I didn't ask him to come. I don't know why he's here, either. Don't blame me."

Fang Yaoxuan hadn't expected him to say that. He said softly, "Xiao Zhou."

Ji Qingzhou's tone was firm and righteous. "Mr. Fang, please call me by my full name, Ji Qingzhou. Thank you."

Chu Cheng couldn't help turning to look at Ji Qingzhou. Was this really the same Ji Qingzhou who had desperately defended Fang Yaoxuan yesterday, sobbing and shouting that Chu Cheng had forced him? Quite a convincing act. He was even insisting on being called by his full name. Intrigued, Chu Cheng turned back to Fang Yaoxuan, whose eyes were all but overflowing with disbelief. In an excellent mood, he watched the two of them without saying a word, looking for all the world like a spectator enjoying a show.

Fang Yaoxuan truly couldn't believe it. Clearly, he still hadn't worked out what was happening. Bewildered, he asked, "Xiao Zhou, what's wrong? Has Chu Cheng threatened you again?"

"No. I've thought things through myself. I've wronged him."

Now it was Chu Cheng's turn to be incredulous. Ji Qingzhou actually thought he'd wronged him? The sun must have risen in the west. So he did have a conscience after all.

"Xiao Zhou, what are you talking about? How have you wronged him?"

"That's between the two of us," Ji Qingzhou said.

He didn't particularly want Fang Yaoxuan knowing about his relationship with Chu Cheng. If Fang Yaoxuan knew, Luo Yuxin would find out, and once Luo Yuxin knew, sooner or later the whole world would know.

"Mr. Fang, please don't come looking for me again." Ji Qingzhou decided to seize this opportunity to cut ties with Fang Yaoxuan once and for all. He pointed at Chu Cheng. "Otherwise, my boyfriend won't be happy."

Chu Cheng, inexplicably appointed boyfriend out of the blue: ???

Chu Cheng pressed his fingers to the spot between his eyebrows and gave Ji Qingzhou a speechless look. Boyfriend, his fucking ass. Twenty minutes ago, Ji Qingzhou had put on a show of threatening to jump off a building rather than pay him back or go with him. Twenty minutes later, he'd somehow become Ji Qingzhou's boyfriend. What a truly fantastical world. Live long enough, and you really did get to see everything.

Fang Yaoxuan was equally speechless. Looking at the person in front of him, he couldn't understand how the entire world had changed in a single day. He'd spent so long patiently coaxing this little stand-in along, and just when he was about to fall into his trap, he'd gone and made someone else his boyfriend!

"Xiao Zhou, you don't even like him."

"That was before. I do now."

"But before, you clearly felt something for me..."

"You're reading too much into it. I just saw you as an idol. You know, being a fan? I've switched allegiances now. I've decided to follow someone else."

Fang Yaoxuan didn't know what to say.

Seeing that he had fallen silent, Ji Qingzhou decided that should about do it. "We'll be going, then," he told him.

Then he turned to Chu Cheng with a perfectly well-behaved expression. "Let's go."

Chu Cheng looked at him, then at Fang Yaoxuan, before finally drawling, "So this time, I'm not snatching you away against your will, threatening you, or buying you off?"

"No, no. I'm coming with you of my own free will. Eagerly and of my own initiative."

"Good. Unless you make that clear, certain people will start flattering themselves again. Then they'll come bothering me and waste more of my time."

Fang Yaoxuan turned to glare at Chu Cheng. Chu Cheng gave a mocking smile and stepped into the elevator first. Ji Qingzhou immediately followed, helpfully pressing the button for the first floor for him.

Only after the elevator doors closed did Chu Cheng say softly, "Boyfriend?"

Ji Qingzhou hurried to explain. "We're both in the same industry. If I actually told him you were my sugar daddy, wouldn't I be handing him something to use against me? That would be stupid, right?"

Chu Cheng chuckled. "Right. You're so clever. Not stupid in the slightest."

Hearing the sarcasm in his voice, Ji Qingzhou silently lowered his head.

Chu Cheng said nothing more and reached out to press B1. Catching the movement out of the corner of his eye, Ji Qingzhou guessed he must have driven here and parked in the underground garage. Driving was good. Driving was convenient. Wait—Ji Qingzhou suddenly caught on. Driving!!!! He stole a glance at Chu Cheng. How could he have forgotten that Chu Cheng was planning to take him home for a 'drive,' too!

Ji Qingzhou felt as if he'd been on a roller coaster ever since transmigrating here, with one dramatic climax after another and an endless succession of problems. What was he supposed to do about this 'drive'? How could he curb Chu Cheng's urge to race up Mount Akina?

After fretting the entire way to Chu Cheng's home, Ji Qingzhou stood in the doorway and surveyed the place. It was spacious, with simple decor, and the sunlight streaming in made the whole home bright and airy. Chu Cheng brought him a pair of disposable slippers. Ji Qingzhou thanked him, changed into them, and stepped inside.

Chu Cheng glanced at him and headed farther inside. Ji Qingzhou hurried after him.

He followed Chu Cheng into a bedroom. Chu Cheng opened the wardrobe, took out a bathrobe, and said, "I'm going to shower." Then he went straight into the bathroom, leaving Ji Qingzhou alone in the bedroom to stew in misery and worry.

What should he do? What on earth should he do? Ji Qingzhou stood there thinking for ages but couldn't come up with a single idea. Everything happening now felt inexplicably unreal to him. He had no idea why he'd transmigrated into this book or why he'd ended up taking over this body.

But he was already here. He'd already become Ji Qingzhou, and he couldn't very well just walk away without caring whether Ji Qingzhou's mother lived or died. Still, this wasn't his life, after all. He'd only just taken over this body, and now he was supposed to have sex with someone right off the bat. No matter how easygoing and optimistic Ji Qingzhou might be by nature, he couldn't accept that in so little time.

While he was still agonizing over it, Chu Cheng finished his shower and came out. Drying his hair, he told Ji Qingzhou, "Your turn."

Ji Qingzhou's eyes flew wide. Hadn't Chu Cheng showered way too fast?! Stay in there a little longer, dear! There's no rush, dear! Have a nice hot soak, dear!

Seeing the shock on his face, Chu Cheng smiled gently. "What, not willing?"

Ji Qingzhou hastily shook his head. "No, that's not it."

"Then go wash up. I'll be waiting in bed."

No, let's not, Ji Qingzhou said silently. But what could he do? All he could do was drag his leaden body reluctantly toward the bedroom's adjoining bathroom.

Despair, Ji Qingzhou thought. What he felt right now was despair.

Author's Note:

Ji Qingzhou: I don't want to go for a drive!

Chu Cheng: No, you do!

Ji Qingzhou: No, I don't!

Next chapter: Swerving back and forth on the verge of driving into the city, haggling all the way.