TCFGBH Chapter 32

This bonus chapter is sponsored by a Ko-Fi Supporter on Kofi! Thank you for your support.
—

Liu Jinhao created the group chat, and there were over thirty people in it.

Fang Xihua and Xing Zheng used to be part of the group, but the former was kicked out for stealing Xia Yan’s resources, while the latter was cut off by Xia Yan himself, wanting to sever ties.

The group was usually lively, but when Xia Yan appeared, everyone went crazy with messages.
[Good afternoon, Brother Xia! Up so early?]

[For Brother Xia, I personally registered eighteen alt accounts to roast those haters one by one.]

[You’re an idiot. Don’t you know how to spend money? I used 200,000 yuan to hire a PR firm to make them praise me instead.]

[You know nothing. Doing it yourself shows sincerity.]

[@Xia Yan, if you ever need anything, just let us know. Don’t carry it all on your own.]

[Brother Xia’s company has been bothering me for a long time. Trash management only promotes worthless people. If Brother Xia hadn’t told me not to, I would’ve bought it out by now.]

…

With their “brotherhood filters” on, they all found ways to boast about themselves.

Xia Yan cringed so hard his scalp tingled, and his toes curled. Silently exiting the chat, he noticed a small red dot at the bottom. Liu Jinhao had sent him a message.

[Got time? Let’s grab a drink.]

Xia Yan sneaked a glance at the two silent protagonists, feeling confused. Are we playing a staring contest here?

He replied: [No time today.]

After a long pause, Liu Jinhao asked: [Are you with Tu Xi now?]

[Mm.] Though it wasn’t just him.

…

—Don’t trust him.

Liu Jinhao typed this out but hesitated, then deleted it. He pondered for a while, tweaking and rewriting his message, trying to subtly hint: [Tu Xi is a bit strange.]

[?]

[Last night, he called a bunch of us in the middle of the night, waking us up to help clarify things for you.]

Xia Yan was confused.

[Not only does he have our phone numbers, but he also has contact info for your past ‘partners,’ and he even managed to find pictures of you from half a year ago at the bar.]

The bar’s owner, Liu Jinhao, didn’t even have those pictures.

It was as if there was an invisible eye constantly watching the young man, which sent chills down his spine.

[Tu Xi has a great background and extensive connections. It’s normal for him to be able to find those things. You’re overthinking it.] Xia Yan couldn’t help but chuckle.

He’s the protagonist shou, after all.

Kind, brave, and strong—a symbol of all things good.

Liu Jinhao made him sound like a stalker, which was too exaggerated.

[I hope I’m just overthinking it.] Liu Jinhao struggled with his words for a while but ultimately didn’t dare to reveal that he wasn’t the one who exposed the relationship between the two.

Afterwards, the two chatted for a while longer.

They talked about the latest gossip in the entertainment circle, which made Xia Yan smile. His mood lifted, and he forgot about the troubling task for a moment.

Tu Xi: “…”

Zhao Wenxiu: “…”

Who was trying to steal him away this time?

Zhao Wenxiu’s work was busier than Tu Xi’s, and he also had a heartbroken brother at home to comfort. After they finished eating takeout, he reluctantly took his leave.

–

The projector played one of Xia Yan’s study films—set in the glitzy, chaotic nightlife world.

In the noisy bar on-screen, the villain lit a cigarette with one hand, holding a voluptuous brunette in his arms, surrounded by a group of lackeys.

Xia Yan had watched this scene countless times, memorizing every line of dialogue. But each viewing was a reinforcement of his acting.

He nestled into the sofa, clutching a cream-colored pillow, his head resting against it. The dim light of the film reflected in his dark eyes as night fell outside, and the city’s streetlights flickered on.

Suddenly, he felt a weight on his right shoulder.

Turning his head, he saw Tu Xi, his soft brown hair falling over his closed eyes. His steady breathing and faint dark circles told of a sleepless night.

“Tu Xi?” Xia Yan called softly.

No response.

Tu Xi had fallen asleep.

His breath lightly tickled Xia Yan’s ear, sending a tingling warmth down his neck, flushing it crimson.

Xia Yan resisted the urge to push him away. Carefully, he shifted his position and gently carried the sleeping man to his bedroom.

Most celebrities in the entertainment industry kept in shape, and Tu Xi was no exception. Though he seemed lean, he was heavier than expected. But after a year of hard work and training, Xia Yan was strong enough to manage it.

He placed Tu Xi on the right side of his two-meter-wide bed, adjusted the air conditioning, and covered him with a blanket.

Once everything was settled, Xia Yan himself was feeling drowsy.

He had been up late the day before shooting a commercial and barely slept a few hours after his trip to the bar. Now, after such an exhausting couple of days, he could barely keep his eyes open.

Although the apartment had two bedrooms, only one had a bed. The other room had been converted into a walk-in closet filled with clothes, shoes, and accessories.

The sofa in the living room was too small to be comfortable, especially for someone as tall as Xia Yan. Sleep-deprived and bleary-eyed, he looked longingly at the spacious bed.

Indeed, sharing the bed with Tu Xi wouldn’t be an issue, right? If they had separate blankets, it wouldn’t even be awkward.

Feeling clever, Xia Yan fetched a spare blanket from the wardrobe and turned the air conditioning down to 16 degrees Celsius—far cooler than usual. After all, it would be warm enough with the extra layer, and he drifted off to sleep quickly.

As the night deepened, soft city lights seeped through the half-drawn curtains. The man sleeping on the right side of the bed suddenly opened his eyes.

“Yan Yan,” Tu Xi murmured softly.

“…”

“Already asleep, huh?”

Tu Xi reached out, gently tapping Xia Yan’s soft cheek, whispering, “Should I say you’re cautious or not cautious enough?”

He had woken up the moment Xia Yan had lifted him. Usually a light sleeper, Tu Xi had sensed every movement.

The cool air continued to pour from the vent, making the thin summer blanket insufficient against the chill. Xia Yan instinctively curled up tighter, moving closer to the warmth beside him. Without thinking, he nuzzled into Tu Xi’s hand for comfort.

Tu Xi’s eyes softened as he gazed at the peaceful young man. “You’re really… a fool. I can’t be blamed for this.”

Carefully, Tu Xi covered Xia Yan with his own blanket before sliding under it himself. The moment his warmth reached Xia Yan, the younger man wrapped around him like an octopus, clinging tightly.

Tu Xi chuckled, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. “Good night, Yan Yan.”

…

That night, Xia Yan slept deeply and peacefully.

It felt like he was soaking in a hot spring, warmth seeping into his skin. Or perhaps it was like being in a mother’s embrace—comforting and secure.

“Mm.”

Still half-asleep, Xia Yan hugged his “pillow” tightly, rubbing against the warm skin with his arm.

Wait… what? When did he get a giant pillow?

His eyes flew open, and he shot up in bed, stunned to see the man beside him. Yesterday, he had only loosened Tu Xi’s belt to make him more comfortable, without changing his clothes. Now, the man’s shirt was slightly wrinkled, a single button undone.

Tu Xi’s eyelashes fluttered as he woke, his hazel eyes still dazed as he called softly, “Yan Yan?”

The protagonist shou was in his bed?!

Holy crap!

Xia Yan hurriedly checked himself. His clothes were still on, the bed was clean, and there were no suspicious traces. He sighed in relief.

Thank goodness he hadn’t done anything while asleep.

But now…

How was he supposed to explain this?

He had brought Tu Xi to bed, gotten another blanket, and hugged him like an octopus through the night.

All thoughts of maintaining his persona and acting skills vanished in the face of such a huge shock, revealing Xia Yan’s true nature.

“S-sorry, this was an accident! I meant to use two blankets, but I… I guess I got used to hugging a pillow, and in my sleep, I must’ve—”

Damn it! The more he explained, the worse it sounded.

Embarrassed, Xia Yan covered his face. “How about… you just hit me?”

“Yan Yan, look at me.”

“…”

“Come on, let go of your hands.”

Xia Yan slowly lowered his hands and looked down at Tu Xi. Still lying on the bed, Tu Xi’s wrinkled white shirt made him look incredibly attractive. Xia Yan felt his own hand being placed against the man’s chest, where he could feel the steady thumping of his heart.

“It’s okay, Yan Yan. We’re lovers.”

Warm skin, a strong pulse, and a gentle voice.

“You can do anything you want to me.”

“…”

Xia Yan’s face turned bright red, and he bolted from the bed like a startled cat. “I-I’m going to wash up now!”

Tu Xi watched him go, calm and composed as he sat up. There was only one bathroom. If he went now, the little leopard might die of embarrassment.

–

Twenty minutes later, Xia Yan emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered but still avoiding eye contact with the man on his bed. He picked up his phone, trying to focus on something else.

“I’ll order breakfast. What do you want?”

“Porridge sounds good.”

“Okay, I’ll get some seafood porridge.”

“Mm.” Tu Xi got up from the bed, his clothes still in disarray. “I’m going to wash up.”

“There are clean clothes in the bathroom. The underwear is new and unused.”

Tu Xi casually replied, “Even if it weren’t new, I wouldn’t mind.”

“…”

Xia Yan’s breath caught, and he quickly looked down at his phone, trying to distract himself. Countless notifications had popped up, with the most prominent one being…

“Breaking news: Popular celebrity Fang Xihua arrested at the airport while attempting to flee from the law.”