TCFGBH Chapter 41

The first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, casting a hazy glow in the quiet room.

Xia Yan leaned against the headboard, feeling sore all over, his eyes unfocused. A hangover headache pulsed and his white upper body was adorned with red marks.

After some time, he finally found his voice, trembling as he asked the system, [I remember… I’m the scum gong?]

999 whispered, [Yes.]

[Tu Xi is the protagonist shou.]

[Mm.]

[In that case…] The youth clutched the thin blanket tightly, his face expressionless as he forced out the second half of his sentence from between his teeth. [Why was I on the bottom?]

[……]

[Why?]

The system was at a loss for words, its data becoming distorted with tension. [I’ll check the main storyline. You should rest for now; you were quite tired last night.]

Xia Yan: [……] Why bring up that topic now?

Realizing it had misspoken, the system quickly made its exit.

Xia Yan, who never smoked, now desperately wanted a cigarette to calm his turbulent emotions. Fortunately, the hotel only provided X supplies and not cigarettes, leaving him no opportunity to fall into temptation.

Damn! That somehow made him feel worse.

“Mm.”

The man beside him stirred, his fingers reaching out toward the youth. Xia Yan instinctively tensed, feeling the man’s arm pass around his waist, his soft, fluffy hair brushing against his skin, making him feel all the more uncomfortable.

Tu Xi slept soundly, his chestnut hair contrasting with his fair, soft face, looking as innocent as a little angel.

An angel with immense strength, who could go seven rounds in one night.

Xia Yan: “……”

As the skin-to-skin contact brought back memories of the previous night, he recalled the man’s broad hand touching his shoulder blades, their bodies pressing together, bringing a searing heat that seemed capable of burning him.

Ahhhh!!!! Brain, stop! No more thinking!

Even though it was pleasant, he couldn’t ignore the fact that he had been at the bottom!

The scum gong persona was in ruins.

The youth took a deep breath, cautiously moving the man’s arm to try to leave. However, as soon as he moved his right hand, the left hand wrapped around him again; when he moved the left hand, the right hand returned.

An infinite loop?

His mouth twitched. He decided to grab both of the man’s hands and move them away. Great, now he could leave, but as soon as Xia Yan moved his legs, an indescribable soreness surged from below, causing him to flop back down.

Xia Yan: “……”

His movement was too abrupt, and Tu Xi, groggily opening his eyes, sensed the familiar warmth and scent. He immediately pulled him closer, his voice sweet, “Good morning, Yan Yan.”

Xia Yan looked at him expressionlessly.

The man blinked, looking vibrant and energetic, starkly contrasting the youth’s lethargy. He realized he might have taken advantage of him and immediately sat up. “What kind of porridge would you like? Vegetable and lean meat, century egg and lean meat, or fresh shrimp seafood porridge? I’ll have the hotel send it up.”

“……”

“…………”

“I don’t want to eat anything.” Xia Yan kicked the man, “I just want to sleep now, so get out.”

“I’ll stay and sleep with you.”

Xia Yan: “Handle your online issues first.”

Tu Xi sighed regretfully, realizing he wouldn’t get any action for a while. He obediently picked up the robe from the floor, draped it over his shoulders, and carefully closed the door behind him.

At this moment, he was far removed from the soft, vulnerable image of the protagonist shou.

From a normal person’s perspective, Tu Xi, at 1.81 meters tall, was about the same height as Xia Yan, maybe not as tall as some of the gongs, but still definitely tall.

With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, he also had eight-pack abs.

Damn! Tu Xi had never taken off his shirt before, so Xia Yan hadn’t realized Tu Xi had two more abs than himself.

Though Tu Xi appeared gentle and kind, he could actually do something perverted like hiring a detective to follow someone, which meant that he was definitely not a soft bun that could be easily manipulated.

Why did Xia Yan ever think he was pitiable before?

The ‘little wife’ filter had shattered into pieces.

Xia Yan threw off the covers, covering himself entirely, feeling deeply distressed. He needed some quiet time.

—

Eleven o’clock.

Presidential Suite living room.

The aroma of rice porridge filled the air, with the freshness of seafood. Xia Yan sat on a soft cushion, greatly relieving some discomfort.

He secretly scanned the room.

What once were bare chairs now had soft cushions lovingly added.

Though it still silently reminded him of what happened yesterday, it was at least somewhat comforting compared to the special treatment of just adding cushions to a chair.

What had happened had happened; continuing to regret was pointless.

After all, Xia Yan was a man, not someone who would be picky about things. However, this one night had shattered even the vague affection he had.

Cough… Not every man can accept their partner switching roles.

Xia Yan took a spoonful of porridge, subtly shifting the topic. “How are things online?”

“Yesterday, with your help during the livestream and the aggressive behavior of those people at the café, it seems I easily obtained forgiveness,” Tu Xi said with a smile, his eyes filled with affection. “Thank you, Yan Yan.”

The online rumors about Xia Yan were always outlandish.

Now, hearing that his partner Tu Xi was actually a schemer, some netizens were horrified, but after hearing Xia Yan’s statements, they suddenly felt reassured.

【A love story between two perverts. Is this something you can say?】

【I was worried Tu Xi couldn’t handle Xia Yan, but now that I know it’s mutual, I’m relieved】

【What? Tu Xi is a stalker, and Xia Yan knew about it and accepted it. Oh, that’s nothing, just a little quirk between a couple.】

【Their relationship exposure was also arranged by Tu Xi’s paparazzi.】

【Tu Xi, what a scheming man.】

…

The online public opinion had been controlled.

Xia Yan found the initial account that had exposed Tu Xi online. Clicking on it, he found nothing, but the account owner had likely paid for trending topics and recommendations, leading to numerous influencers reposting.

Celebrity private lives are always prone to leaks, and within minutes, it exploded.

“Can we find the owner of the account?” Xia Yan asked hesitantly.

Tu Xi said, “If you want to find them, it’s still possible, but it’s unnecessary.” In a way, he even had to thank this person.

The exposure of his fear of Xia Yan knowing things had allowed him to receive forgiveness and, moreover…

Tu Xi’s gaze gently swept over the youth’s neck, above the collarbone, where a small red mole was covered by deep red love bites, like his own mark, making Tu Xi feel exceptionally satisfied.
The youth shivered sensitively and, trying to appear calm, shifted the topic. “The filming of Heartbeat has ended. You should go back to making movies now.”

Tu Xi chuckled softly, “Is Yan Yan in such a hurry to send me away?”

“I want a boyfriend who’s a film emperor.”

“?”

Xia Yan took another sip of porridge. “It’s interesting to have a boyfriend who is a film emperor while I’m a variety show star with poor acting skills. So… get back to work!”

Now, it was awkward to be face-to-face.

Tu Xi saw through the youth’s brave façade but smiled and didn’t expose it, nodding amiably. With a new script in hand, it was a perfect opportunity for the youth to take some time.

But before that…

“Do you remember? I said I had a gift for you.”

Though only a few days had passed, it felt like a long time ago. Xia Yan thought for a moment before recalling it.

He nodded, “Yes, I remember.”

“Ayrton’s global spokesperson.”

“?”

“The gift I’m giving you.”

“???”

Ayrton is a century-old French brand known for elegance and romance. Tu Xi was their global spokesperson, and his advertisements are still displayed in every Ayrton store.

But in the blink of an eye, it became Xia Yan’s?

Xia Yan was bewildered, “They agreed to it with my status?”

“I went to France specifically to discuss this matter with them. Although there were some unexpected issues that made me rush back, fortunately, the outcome was good, and they agreed.” Tu Xi continued, “Of course, it’s not just you as the spokesperson…”

He extended his fingers, entwining them with the youth’s hand, “It’s us as the spokesperson.”

“…”

“It’s a pity we’ve been together for so long without a couple’s endorsement,” Tu Xi said with a smile. “I want us to appear together on the billboard.”

The man’s voice was deep and sweet, subtly expressing his love.

Xia Yan, however, didn’t want to.

What was the point of so many endorsements? There was no need to take up Tu Xi’s resources. But given the persona, he couldn’t directly refuse. After a moment of thought, he came up with an excuse, “I’m already the spokesperson for Beaufort. It wouldn’t be appropriate to also endorse Ayrton; there’ll be a business conflict.”

“I’ve considered that.”

“?”

“You would be endorsing Ayrton’s high-end watch series.” Beaufort specializes in clothing, jewelry, and sunglasses but hasn’t entered the watch industry yet, so endorsing Ayrton wouldn’t be a conflict.

Tu Xi had anticipated everything, just waiting for the youth to accept the gift.

Xia Yan said, “I need to check with Wang Dazhuang about the specifics.”

Tu Xi nodded, softly agreeing, and was about to bring up a new topic when Xia Yan’s phone rang abruptly, the sound breaking the intimate atmosphere.

Xia Yan set down his spoon and picked up the phone, an unknown number flashing repeatedly.

After a moment’s hesitation, he answered the call.

“Yan Yan!!! The news about Tu Xi wasn’t released by me!!!” Curly Hair’s panicked voice came through, sounding hoarse. “I didn’t go against your orders.”