Last time at the seaside villa, Chi Yuan was lethargic for two days because he could not sleep well. Lin Wang had not expected that this time, it would be his turn to be the one feeling sluggish.
He had developed a headache from the draft the night before, and he spent the entire night thinking about those melatonin pills Chi Yuan had taken, waking up several times in the middle of the night to check if Chi Yuan was having any reaction.
By the time he woke up for the last time, the sky was already faintly brightening. He could not fall back asleep.
At 7:30 AM, after washing up, Lin Wang called for Chi Yuan. The person who usually hated getting out of bed stood up as soon as he was called today. While washing his face, he even asked Lin Wang, “Are you not fully awake yet?”
Lin Wang replied, “No, I slept quite well.”
Chi Yuan brushed his teeth while leaning against the wall, his gaze sweeping across Lin Wang’s face. After rinsing his mouth, he suddenly said, “I cannot tell you slept that well with those dark circles.”
Lin Wang found it amusing. He lifted the curtain of the yurt and said, “Whether you sleep well or not, your temper is always this bad when you wake up. You start picking on me the moment you are up.”
As he walked out, he bumped into Tao Yunqing and Song Mintan, who were coming out at the same time. Seeing him and Chi Yuan, Tao Yunqing suddenly remarked, “I noticed it early on: Brother Lin’s legs are truly long.”
Song Mintan had a different focus: “They are striking, too. They are not the same style as Brother Chi’s.”
Lin Wang was amused by them. “Stop the compliments. If you keep praising me, I will get cocky.”
The grassland was chilly in the morning. He had put on a pair of thick sweatpants today, and Lin Wang thought it might be those two silly white stripes down the sides that made his legs look long.
While he was thinking that, his eyes had already drifted toward Chi Yuan’s legs.
They were long regardless. He was tall to begin with, and his proportions were legendary. If he were not singing, he could have been a model without any issues.
The cold wind of the grassland blew, and Lin Wang’s nose began to itch. He sneezed several times, his head starting to buzz.
Chi Yuan touched his forehead, compared it to his own temperature, and said after two seconds, “Hot. It is a high fever.”
“Probably just a low-grade fever. I do not feel much,” Lin Wang sniffled.
He had been rugged since he was a child, so he did not take a small cold to heart.
Chi Yuan asked Xu Wenyang for a cold tablet and forced him to take it. He did not know if it had any effect after taking it. His head was dazed, not necessarily feeling miserable, but his muscles were sore. The whole day passed in a hazy blur.
In the evening, Director Lu prepared ingredients and equipment for them, announcing that they had to organize a bonfire party and barbecue themselves. He was only responsible for filming and would provide no help whatsoever.
The party was easy; among the singers, actors, and directors present, anyone could whip up a program. However, they were stumped by the barbecue segment.
Miao Qinghe pointed at the fish that were still jumping, backed away with a grimace, and said, “Director Lu, you said you would provide ingredients, but it would be nice if you helped us clean them!”
Tao Yunqing hid behind him and nodded frantically. “Help! It is really not polite of you to bring us a live chicken!”
Director Lu thought to himself, If I clean them for you, what am I going to film?
The audience wanted to see these stars, who looked polished and glamorous in the eyes of their fans, scrambling and making a mess in private. The more down-to-earth and frantic they were, the better the ratings.
“Can the eight of you not find anyone who knows how to handle these?” Su Xi was between laughter and tears. She asked Fang Yue, “You always cook fish for me, so you should know how to clean it, right, darling?”
Fang Yue nodded, but looking at the live chicken, he gave a bitter smile. “I have never killed a chicken before.”
Director Lu spoke in a kindly voice, providing the voice-over: “The production team really went all out for the guests this time. Besides what is in front of you, there are quails, beef, lamb, pork, plenty of crayfish, oysters, scallops, green shrimp, squid. The fans in the live stream are watching. I declare that the first bite of whatever you cook goes to the fans.”
“Stop listing the menu. None of this is cleaned yet,” Miao Qinghe said miserably. “This clam is spraying water on my face. My fans definitely will not like eating them raw.”
“They are spitting out mud. Director Lu, do you have salt?” Lin Wang sniffled. His cold was worse at night than during the day, and he wore a mask to avoid infecting others.
“Yes, the seasonings, tools, and kitchenware are all here. Feel free to use them,” Director Lu said. “See? There is someone who knows how to do it! Lin Wang’s fans are in luck. It looks like he is quite skilled in the kitchen.”
Lin Wang smiled, taking it as a compliment. He said to Fang Yue, “Director Fang, you go clean the fish. I will handle the rest.”
Fang Yue nodded, put on gloves, and used scissors to bone and gut the fish.
Song Mintan asked from the side, “Brother Lin, what can we do?”
If Lin Wang handled all these things by himself, they might not be able to eat until midnight. Upon hearing this, he naturally assigned them tasks.
“Use this brush to scrub the crayfish clean. Rinse it a few more times; I will stir-fry it in a moment. Qinghe! Stop chasing the chicken! Come back and put the meat on skewers. Put some salt in the clams so they can spit out the mud. Do you guys prefer them stir-fried or steamed? I will do half and half.”
Tao Yunqing looked at Lin Wang with star-filled eyes. “Brother Lin, you are my hero.”
Miao Qinghe blocked her, saying stingily, “Do not fight me for the hero. Brother Lin is mine.”
All six had their tasks assigned. Lin Wang told the two of them to stop fooling around and get to work, and they scampered off.
Lin Wang picked up a heavy butcher knife, preparing to kill the chicken that had terrified the guests. He had just taken a step when someone grabbed his sleeve.
Chi Yuan had one hand in his pocket. He raised an eyebrow and looked down at him: “What do I do, Brother Lin?”
Lin Wang had not actually intended for Chi Yuan to do any manual labor. His heart tilted toward him; Chi Yuan’s hands were meant for playing piano and writing music. He did not even have to do chores at home, and Lin Wang certainly did not want him getting dirty on a variety show.
“You…” Lin Wang paused for two seconds and suddenly laughed. “Hold the stool and watch me kill the chicken.”
Tao Yunqing and Miao Qinghe shouted again, “What is this, Brother Lin! This is too biased!”
Su Xi also teased him, “It is getting a bit obvious, Lin Wang. If you cannot bear to let Chi Yuan work, why not just let him go back to the yurt and wait?”
“He will not be able to see it if he goes back,” Song Mintan said.
Among them, only Fang Yue and Liu Lin-jia did not join in the teasing; one was shy and quiet, and the other wished to stay as far away from Lin Wang as possible. The rest went back and forth, almost keeping up with the volume of the live stream comments.
Even with everyone teasing him, Lin Wang did not change his mind; he still made Chi Yuan sit and keep him company, empty-handed.
When it came to thick skin, when they were not flirting, no one in this group was as thick-skinned as he was.
Director Lu was too familiar with Chi Yuan, so he deliberately said, “Guests who are free can perform a program first and contribute something to the team.”
Chi Yuan did not even lift an eyelid. He watched Lin Wang bring the knife down, splashing blood all over his apron, and remained calm as he cleaned up. The domestic, homey aura seemed to pierce right through the screen.
The comments in the live stream were scrolling crazily, all discussing Lin Wang.
[If it was not for Brother Lin, this home would fall apart sooner or later.]
[Tao Yunqing and Miao Qinghe are killing me; they call Brother Lin like they are calling their mom, hahahaha.]
[Sob, so biased. They must be real.]
[I am dying of excitement. Has anyone looked into the necklace Lin Wang wore in the sea last episode? That ring!]
[As a 10-year fan of Boss Chi, I am coming in uninvited to tell you clearly: that ring is the exact one Boss Chi has been wearing for years.]
[Lin Wang can actually cook and kill a chicken! What other surprises does he have that I do not know about?]
[Help… Lin Wang has this mature, husband-like vibe. Being with Chi Yuan is so ‘transgressive.’ I am a pervert, and I love it.]
No matter how the comments scrolled, it did not affect the guests. After Director Lu urged them a few more times, Chi Yuan finally took a harmonica out of his jacket pocket. He did not look at Director Lu, asking Lin Wang directly, “What do you want to hear?”
Lin Wang did not have much artistic flair; he did not even recognize it as a harmonica at first glance. But he did not want to disappoint Chi Yuan, nor did he want to lose face for him during the live broadcast. He racked his brain for a long time before saying, “Just blow something quiet.”
He laughed at himself immediately after saying it. What kind of artistic standard is this? “Quiet song”? Look at the work you are doing in your hands—is this appropriate?
Even with the mask, one could not tell if his lips were curled, but Lin Wang’s eyes were curved. When he laughed, his shoulders shook slightly. Chi Yuan could see that he was laughing.
Chi Yuan did not know what he was thinking. After a while, he repeated, “Quiet.”
His mouth touched the harmonica, and Chi Yuan lowered his eyes and blew the first note.
Just as Lin Wang requested, the tone and sound were gentle and soothing, making the chaotic mess the others were making seem elegant.
Lin Wang’s hands did not stop, but his ears perked up. He always perked up whenever Chi Yuan touched music.
He had not heard the piece before, and even if he had, he would not remember it. But tonight, Chi Yuan was sitting there, right beside him, on an old stool, watching him with focus while blowing the harmonica. Lin Wang truly loved it.
He would remember things he liked for a long time, to the point where he could recall them later just by closing his eyes.
When Chi Yuan put down the harmonica, Lin Wang had not quite snapped back to reality. It was not until after everyone else had finished their round of praise, a long while later, that he asked, “What is the name of the piece?”
Chi Yuan slowly wiped the harmonica with a cloth. Hearing this, he looked at him, his gaze unreadable. “Birds in a Dream.”
“It is my first time hearing it,” Lin Wang smiled. “It sounds good.”
After working for almost three hours, everything, from raw to living, was cleaned, ready for the grill, or stir-fried.
Lin Wang transformed from a chef back into a barbecue master. The first round was the pork skewers Chi Yuan specifically requested; he did not add any chili powder, and the sauce was purely salty.
When Chi Yuan sat beside Lin Wang with a small tray and started eating, the others finally had the chance to order. As Lin Wang grilled, he reflected for a few seconds.
Indeed, there was a fundamental difference between laying everything out in the open and hiding things away. His own attitude was entirely different from the last time he recorded the show; the word “avoid suspicion” had been pushed far behind Chi Yuan.
After Chi Yuan finished a plate, he leaned behind Lin Wang and ordered a few more items, pretentiously demanding no chili here and no spice there. Lin Wang agreed: “Stay further away from me; are you not uncomfortable with the grease and smoke? Go wait on the side, I will give it to you when it is ready.”
Chi Yuan did not move after hearing this; he stood behind and watched him grill. Lin Wang was so hot that sweat broke out on his forehead, and by some stroke of luck, his nose was not as blocked anymore.
Half of the plate on the stove belonged to Chi Yuan, and the other half was specifically requested by Miao Qinghe earlier, covered in red chili powder. When it was grilled, Lin Wang called out to him: “Come and get it!”
Miao Qinghe trotted over with his plate, calling “Brother Lin” like he was calling his mother.
Just as Lin Wang was putting the skewers on the plate, his arm was blocked. He saw Chi Yuan snatch away two-thirds of them right in front of Miao Qinghe and put them on his own plate.
Miao Qinghe: “Brother Chi, I thought you could not eat spicy—”
Chi Yuan glanced at him, and Miao Qinghe immediately changed his tune: “Tasting it is fine! Tasting it is fine! The chili powder Brother Lin mixes is super delicious.”
He left, full of grief and indignation, which resulted in Tao Yunqing making fun of him relentlessly.
Once everyone left, Lin Wang said: “Why are you snatching these? I was going to give you…”
Chi Yuan hooked off Lin Wang’s mask from behind and shoved a skewer of lamb directly into his mouth, silencing him.
After Lin Wang finished chewing and swallowed, Chi Yuan grabbed him by the waist of his clothes and pulled him over to the side of his stool, pressing him down to sit. After using his eyes to force Tao Yunqing, who was approaching with a plate, to retreat, Chi Yuan sat down next to Lin Wang and said, “Are you not hungry? Eat first.”
Lin Wang said “Mm” with a smile. He noticed Chi Yuan had accumulated a small bowl of skewers at some point, enough for them to eat for half a day.
When the sky turned completely dark, the production team lit the bonfire and brought over thick cushions. The eight people formed a circle, holding their plates, eating and chatting.
Su Xi said with emotion, “We owe it to Lin Wang this time; otherwise, we would just be waiting to be laughed at. We are all grown-ups who cannot even cook a meal.”
Fang Yue said in a low voice from the side, “I can cook.”
Su Xi smiled, stroked Fang Yue’s hair, and did not speak.
“Who will benefit from having such a great man as Brother Lin?” Tao Yunqing held her face, beginning to daydream. “I really want a brother who can cook.”
“What you want is a nanny,” Miao Qinghe retorted, then could not help but praise Brother Lin himself: “Brother Lin, you are so nice. You are nice to everyone. At home, even my mom finds me annoying, yet you still grill skewers for me.”
“I am not that nice,” Lin Wang laughed. He did not accept this “good person” card, saying bluntly: “I am selective. I am only nice to those I like. If one day I do not like you, I will not be nice. After a while, you will know. By then, you will definitely think to yourself, ‘It is over, my Brother Lin has changed.'”
The words made everyone laugh. Miao Qinghe hit the ground in laughter; having drunk some rice wine, he went a bit wild, insisting on forming a bond of brotherhood with Lin Wang and Tao Yunqing on the grassland.
Lin Wang wanted to say a few things to stop them from going too far, as they were still being recorded. Chi Yuan spoke before him: “What is the benefit of forming a bond with you?”
“The benefits are huge!” Tao Yunqing was also having fun, winking at Lin Wang: “Brother Lin, I have a drama starting filming soon. If you do not mind, there is a supporting actor who has an emergency… you know.”
Tao Yunqing was a real “third-generation rich kid.” Her debut had been paved by her family spending thousands of gold coins. The young girl was beautiful and sweet-voiced, had a funny personality, and gained a good reputation with the public after acting.
The biggest investor in this drama was herself, so arranging a supporting role was nothing.
Lin Wang had not expected to get a job while recording a variety show. Given his special situation, he did not agree or refuse, looking at Chi Yuan subconsciously.
Chi Yuan showed no humbleness or embarrassment about asking for a role. He took a sip of water and asked critically: “What kind of supporting role?”
Su Xi teased him intentionally: “A free opportunity, and you are still being picky.”
“Do not worry, Brother Chi. The role I give Brother Lin is definitely good.” Tao Yunqing gave a thumbs up.
She might be funny, but she was not stupid at all. Anyone could see the relationship between Lin Wang and Chi Yuan recently.
Lin Wang was fine as he was, but after all, there were negative rumors about him. However, giving Lin Wang resources was equivalent to making a connection with Chi Yuan. Even if they did not have any major collaboration, just having him sing a theme song would raise her drama to a new level.
Lin Wang smiled, still not agreeing. His contract with Chi Yuan was still in effect, and they had agreed that he would stay with Chi Yuan for this year and go nowhere else.
Before he could refuse, Chi Yuan suddenly said, “Send the script over, and I will take a look.”