The day Tan Zhen went to re-record, He Xingzhou unexpectedly was also in the recording studio.
When the two met, they greeted each other awkwardly.
When Tan Zhen expressed his confusion, before He Xingzhou could answer, the engineer Teacher Xia who was on the side was quite surprised.
“I didn’t expect it. He Xingzhou, you’re actually the type to create surprises?”
To outsiders, the sudden appearance of He Xingzhou without greeting his partner could only be for this reason.
But Tan Zhen knew that was absolutely impossible.
After that misunderstanding, the two quickly transitioned from strangers to engaged couples, and there would inevitably be many awkward moments when they were alone together.
Or rather, Tan Zhen felt awkward unilaterally.
He once considered whether to make an effort to cultivate feelings with He Xingzhou, pretending to be in a real relationship.
After all, objectively speaking, He Xingzhou’s conditions fully met the criteria for the highest quality Alpha.
Successful, financially independent, handsome, and clean, despite his bad reputation, he never lacked Omegas infatuated with him.
Moreover, He Xingzhou could also bring tremendous benefits to his career.
For this reason, Tan Zhen actively contacted He Xingzhou, met up a few times, and chatted casually on weekdays.
Then he quickly realized that it wouldn’t work.
He Xingzhou wasn’t cold to him; in fact, he could say he was very cooperative. Perhaps out of guilt, he almost always complied with Tan Zhen’s requests.
Tan Zhen hoped he would agree to Bai Tao’s invitation, and after a slight hesitation, He Xingzhou quickly agreed. Tan Zhen hoped the other performer would be Xiao Can, and although He Xingzhou seemed reluctant, he was willing to take the initiative to negotiate with Bai Tao.
Unfortunately, whenever Tan Zhen felt grateful to him, he would soon be depressed again.
When he couldn’t restrain his temper and gradually became dismissive and nasty towards He Xingzhou, He Xingzhou remained the same, unbothered and never angry, completely indifferent.
Tan Zhen quickly realized the truth.
He Xingzhou felt a sense of responsibility towards him, but it stopped there.
There were no feelings between them, no chemistry. Despite knowing each other for a short time, they had completely become like damaging friends.
Many people who didn’t know the inside story thought they had been in a relationship for a long time after seeing how they interacted, thinking they had hidden it well in the past.
Living like that might be possible, as many couples in the world lack love.
But that would be too boring. Tan Zhen had a utilitarian and pragmatic side but couldn’t completely abandon himself. That wasn’t the life he wanted.
Since that was the case, having taken so much advantage already, it was time to call it quits.
The problem was, when he suggested re-evaluating their relationship, He Xingzhou showed strong remorse and asked him where he had gone wrong.
So things dragged on like this.
When he was notified about the re-recording session, He Xingzhou appeared very ashamed, saying it was all his fault for not thinking things through.
Tan Zhen didn’t care.
If it were someone else, he might have secretly found it troublesome, but since the person who needed his help was Xiao Can, Tan Zhen was more than willing.
The recording work was quickly completed, and as they walked out of the studio, Tan Zhen saw He Xingzhou sitting on the side, engrossed in his phone.
He was wearing a single earbud, looking serious, as if the screen displayed something profound and difficult.
Tan Zhen chatted with Teacher Xia for a while and, out of curiosity, sneaked a glance, surprised to see Xiao Can, the cartoon character, dancing on He Xingzhou’s phone screen.
As a senior fan of Xiao Can, Tan Zhen remembered the video He Xingzhou was watching.
In the video, Xiao Can was dancing with every mascot he encountered in the amusement park. The dance moves were simple, but the highlight of the video was the different reactions of the mascots when facing him, making the whole process playful and heartwarming.
Tan Zhen really liked this video and had watched it many times.
Xiao Can’s dancing skills were average, but his movements and expressions were very infectious, making him look energetic. Tan Zhen couldn’t help but smile every time he watched it.
At this moment, however, He Xingzhou, while watching the adorable Xiao Can, had a very serious expression, even slightly furrowing his brow, his eyes deep, as if judging some sin.
The video finished, and Tan Zhen was about to speak but saw He Xingzhou casually swipe the screen to start watching the next video.
Xiao Can’s face appeared again. He exaggeratedly sighed at the camera, then showed a helpless smile, saying something.
Tan Zhen couldn’t hear the sound, but he knew Xiao Can was probably saying, “Friends, I encountered something ridiculous yesterday. If I don’t vent to you guys, I won’t be able to sleep well this month.”
This video was very funny, and Tan Zhen had laughed so hard the first time he watched it that his stomach hurt.
He was a bit curious about He Xingzhou’s reaction, so he silently observed.
The entire video lasted two and a half minutes, and He Xingzhou’s eyebrows twitched slightly as he watched. He pursed his lips midway through, but apart from that, he showed no other reaction.
Tan Zhen was extremely disappointed.
He didn’t even smile, even though it was really funny!
No wonder he couldn’t get along with He Xingzhou; they could be said to have no common language at all.
Xiao Can was extremely expressive when telling stories and good at delivering punchlines. Even ordinary jokes became infectious when told by him.
Tan Zhen had always thought he was a genius, but this He Xingzhou, wasn’t moved at all?!
Such a tasteless person.
After watching the video, He Xingzhou swiped the screen again.
Even though he wasn’t moved, why did he keep watching?
Tan Zhen couldn’t help but pretend to have just noticed and said, “Hey, isn’t this Xiao Can?”
“Uh,” He Xingzhou didn’t mind being discovered, looking calm, “You recommended him to me last time.”
“Is it funny?” Tan Zhen asked.
“Ridiculous,” He Xingzhou said, “His expressions and movements are so exaggerated, I’m tired just watching.”
“I see you quite like it,” Tan Zhen said, “Watching one after another.”
He Xingzhou was silent for a few seconds before saying, “…just watching casually.”
After speaking, he put on a serious expression and swiped the screen again.
Tan Zhen was speechless.
The work came to an end, and Teacher Xia took the initiative to invite everyone to dinner, saying that they had previously agreed to visit him but couldn’t make it, so he wanted to apologize to He Xingzhou.
He Xingzhou readily agreed, and Tan Zhen also went along, accompanied by several staff members from the recording studio.
Teacher Xia chose a Japanese buffet restaurant, and everyone happily picked their seats.
After sitting down for a while, He Xingzhou took out his phone.
Tan Zhen sat beside him, watching as he skillfully opened the Bai Tao app, found the video he had just watched from the playback history, and then scrolled to view the next one.
Xiao Can’s face appeared on the screen again.
He Xingzhou picked up his chopsticks solemnly and started eating while watching.
“Don’t find it funny yet still watching?” Tan Zhen licked his lips. “Then you must think he’s cute?”
Initially, Tan Zhen had been very angry when He Xingzhou openly criticized Xiao Can on Weibo. But after witnessing He Xingzhou’s heated arguments with the comment section, he vaguely sensed a different flavor from it.
Normally, if someone found a video absolutely terrible, they would have stopped watching after a while. He Xingzhou expressed disdain and criticism verbally, yet it was clear he had watched it till the end.
Stop pretending, you embarrassing Alpha. It must be because Xiao Can’s beauty has captivated you and you can’t look away!
“Huh?” He Xingzhou suddenly frowned, as if he had heard a huge joke. “Him? Cute?”
“Very cute,” Tan Zhen glanced at the screen, suddenly feeling a little nervous. “I think he’s, um, very charming.”
With such a delicate and beautiful face, he could have relied solely on his looks, yet he was also talented, humorous, full of vitality in every expression and movement, and always straightforward, with a gentle and pleasant voice.
The gender ratio of Xiao Can’s fans was very balanced, and as an Omega, Tan Zhen was infatuated with him. But this Alpha, He Xingzhou, had to go against the grain.
He Xingzhou glanced at the screen again and shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Then why have you been watching?” Tan Zhen asked.
“Just watching casually,” He Xingzhou said. “It’s boring anyway.”
“There are many other things to watch if it’s boring,” Tan Zhen pressed on. “Why focus on him?”
He Xingzhou seemed caught off guard by the question and fell into thought.
“…Xiao Can is very beautiful, isn’t he?” Tan Zhen asked.
“He’s only good-looking. His personality is a big problem,” He Xingzhou said.
Tan Zhen was taken aback.
My goodness, He Xingzhou is actually saying someone else has a personality problem?!
“I think he has a very good personality. It’s very comfortable to be around him. Those who have interacted with him say he has a good temper,” Tan Zhen told He Xingzhou.
“He treated me poorly,” He Xingzhou said.
Tan Zhen thought to himself, If Xiao Can, who is known for his good temper, treated you poorly, then it must be a you problem.
“When you publicly criticized him before, he was already giving you face,” he told He Xingzhou.
“I was speaking the truth,” He Xingzhou said. “It was indeed not funny at all.”
Tan Zhen didn’t want to argue with him anymore, so he restrained himself from rolling his eyes and quietly ate his meal.
If asked why he watched it even though he didn’t find it good-looking, he would probably just answer “just watching casually.”
Just like now, even after being questioned by him, He Xingzhou remained indifferent, continuing to watch on his phone.
Tan Zhen thought to himself, If I had even a hint of affection for He Xingzhou, I would be jealous at a time like this.
He Xingzhou’s behavior was completely out of line, showing a strong interest in Xiao Can.
Unfortunately, Xiao Can wasn’t interested in him. Otherwise, given his external conditions, they could have barely matched.
As he was thinking this, He Xingzhou suddenly asked, “What’s the relationship between this Fei Zi and him?”
Tan Zhen glanced at him, immediately wrinkling his brows in disdain. “They have no relationship. This person is just riding on Xiao Can’s popularity.”
“They seem very close,” He Xingzhou said.
“He’s forcing a CP with Xiao Can,” Tan Zhen said with emotion. “Xiao Can hasn’t worked with him for a long time.”
He Xingzhou seemed pensive.
After a moment, he asked Tan Zhen, “You like him so much, why didn’t you chat with him more when you met last time?”
Tan Zhen blushed. “I get nervous.”
“He was at my house the day before yesterday,” He Xingzhou said.
“I heard from Teacher Xia,” Tan Zhen said. “He came specifically to visit, and you still say he has a bad attitude.”
“He came to scold me,” He Xingzhou shook his head.
“Definitely because you said something inappropriate!” Tan Zhen asserted.
He Xingzhou looked somewhat annoyed, fell silent for a moment, then cleared his throat and said, “Let’s not talk about this.”
Tan Zhen also stopped bothering him and quietly ate for a while, but then he heard He Xingzhou say, “He seems to have a pretty good relationship with that Fei Zi.”
Tan Zhen said indignantly, “You don’t like him, so why do you care?”
“He’s getting so close to that kind of Alpha,” muttered He Xingzhou, “he really has no taste.”
“What else could he do? Should he like you instead?” Tan Zhen couldn’t help but sneer.
Unfortunately, He Xingzhou completely didn’t notice, just shook his head lightly, “That’s not what I meant.” Pausing for a moment, he added, “He’s chatting and laughing with this person, especially gentle.”
Tan Zhen gestured for him to continue.
“…but he’s very harsh towards me,” He Xingzhou said.
