Shi Ye waited downstairs for nearly two hours, but Cheng Zhen never appeared.
He called Cheng Zhen over a dozen times using the number provided by Yan Xi. At first, the calls went unanswered, but eventually, they were met with a busy signal, indicating that he had likely been blocked. Although Yan Xi had given Shi Ye the key, he had specifically instructed him not to enter the apartment without permission. Yan Xi was a person with a strong sense of boundaries; even when he was with Cheng Zhen, he would always call ahead and never intruded uninvited.
Sitting on a bench in the outdoor fitness area, Shi Ye opened a file he had just received. The information was comprehensive, detailing everything about Yan Xi since he joined the company. It covered not only his professional performance, performance reviews, and training history but even delved into personal details, including his semi-secret relationship with Cheng Zhen and a former classmate named Li Fengyu whom he had recently reconnected with. The file also mentioned that Yan Xi seemed to have a mysterious suitor, but the individual’s identity was so well-concealed that no further information could be found.
Ha, quite a busy life you have, Shi Ye thought.
He closed the file and checked the time impatiently. It was nearly ten o’clock. The scumbag was either out of town or deliberately playing dead. Before leaving, Yan Xi had mentioned that the tablet was on the shoe cabinet by the entrance, reachable as soon as one stepped inside. If he could not reach Cheng Zhen, he was to enter, take the tablet, and leave the key behind. This was the last resort.
Out of patience, Shi Ye decided to execute the backup plan. He sent Yan Xi a text message explaining the situation, then unlocked the door and stepped inside. He kept his feet firmly in the entryway, leaning his upper body forward to reach for the shoe cabinet. He felt around, but he could not find the tablet. With no other choice, Shi Ye took a step inside.
He did not turn on the lights, relying on the glow from outside to search the cabinet thoroughly. The tablet was nowhere to be found. Shi Ye paused; many people had the habit of watching shows in bed. Could he have taken it into the bedroom? He glanced back at the quiet hallway, pulled the door shut, and quickly walked into Cheng Zhen’s bedroom.
Sure enough, the tablet was tossed carelessly on the bedside table. It seemed Cheng Zhen had not forgotten that Yan Xi’s tablet was there; he simply had not intended to return it and had been using it as his own. Shameless! Shi Ye grabbed the tablet and snatched the charger from the bedside table as well, turning to leave.
Before he could reach the bedroom door, a dull, heavy thud echoed through the quiet apartment. Then came the sound of the front door swinging open and hitting the wall, followed by the sound of chaotic footsteps mingled with heavy, suggestive breathing.
Shi Ye froze. The sounds were not those of a single person. Did Cheng Zhen bring his girlfriend back? Did he not see the text Yan Xi sent? Or was he too busy dating to check his phone?
The situation was incredibly awkward. Under normal circumstances, Shi Ye could have walked out and greeted them, but with the two of them caught in the heat of the moment, he feared seeing something he would rather not. Furthermore, if Cheng Zhen’s girlfriend saw him, he would have to waste time explaining why he had a key to Cheng Zhen’s home.
Forget it, better hide for now, he thought.
He scanned the room and walked to the wall on the south side of the bedroom, pushing open a glass door. He stepped into a small balcony, less than ten square meters, and squeezed behind the washing machine. To his dismay, the footsteps outside were getting closer. Are they coming into the bedroom?
Before Shi Ye could prepare himself, the bedroom door was kicked open with a bang. Two shadows clung together, stumbling toward the bed. Shi Ye had no interest in voyeurism; he huddled behind the washing machine, turning his head away and trying hard not to imagine the scene in the room.
“Zhen-ge, slow down.”
A coy, mushy voice came from the bedroom, making Shi Ye’s skin crawl. But he quickly realized something was wrong. He could not resist stretching his neck and peeking through the glass door. The room was dim, but Shi Ye could clearly distinguish the figures. The person draped over Cheng Zhen was definitely a man, not his girlfriend.
It seemed that after getting a new girlfriend, he had not mended his ways; he had only become more depraved. It was both disgusting and foul. What kind of trash was Cheng Zhen to be this pathetic? And Yan Xi must have been blind to have ever fallen for such garbage.
The two men continued their messy affair in the bedroom, and Shi Ye had no choice but to listen.
“Don’t rush, we have not showered yet.”
“Why shower? We are just going to get dirty again anyway.”
“Oh, but I want to shower with you.”
“What a nuisance.”
Soon, the sound of water splashing in the bathroom filled the air. Shi Ye sat on the balcony floor, leaning against the washing machine, and pondered his next move. His phone, tucked in his palm, vibrated. He swiped it open to see a new email notification from “Brother Qi”: This is the information you requested about the other person.
Twenty minutes later, the water stopped, and the room was filled with mist.
The stranger leaned against the bathroom door, brushing back his hair. “So annoying. It was just a small thing to do while showering, but you insist on doing it in bed. You are quite into rituals, are you not?”
Cheng Zhen patted the man’s backside and pushed him out. “What is the fun in fast food? Let me treat you to a feast today. Go, wait for me.”
After spraying on cologne and fixing his hair, Cheng Zhen wrapped his bathrobe loosely around his waist and admired himself in the mirror before stepping out. Seeing the alluring man in sexy attire on the bed, Cheng Zhen was filled with excitement. He had been starving for a thrill. His new girlfriend, though attractive, was simply not his type; intimacy with her felt like checking off a task, utterly bland.
He walked to the bed, bent over, and the two shared a long, passionate kiss. Cheng Zhen reached out and grabbed the man’s foot, pouncing like a hungry tiger.
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
The doorbell rang at the most inopportune moment.
“Hello, food delivery!” someone shouted from outside.
The delivery had arrived at the worst possible time, right at the climax. Cheng Zhen lowered his head, his tone annoyed. “Did you order delivery?”
The man beneath him looked puzzled. “No, I did not.”
The knocking continued, persistent as a death knell. Cheng Zhen had to climb out of bed, wrap his bathrobe tight, and storm to the door, furious.
“What is it?” he frowned at the delivery person.
The delivery person glanced at the receipt and shoved the bag into his hands. “Your avocado milkshake.”
Cheng Zhen opened the bag, stared at the dark green liquid for three seconds, and slammed the door shut with a bang.
He climbed back onto the bed and repeated the process, finally finding his rhythm again, the atmosphere reignited, arrow on the string.
The ghostly knocking sounded once more.
“Your food delivery!”
Cheng Zhen, pushed to his limit, roared, “Stop knocking! Leave it at the door!”
The delivery person was unmoved. “I cannot. The order clearly states it must be handed to the person directly.”
“Damn it, who is messing with me?!” Cheng Zhen rolled out of bed, rushing to the door in a blind rage.
This delivery was a box of chive pancakes, with fresh green leaves spilling out. Cheng Zhen grabbed the order in a fury, slammed the door, and threw the chive pancakes onto the floor. The pungent, overwhelming scent of chives quickly filled the room, weaving into Cheng Zhen’s rage to create an indescribable, bizarre atmosphere.
Cheng Zhen returned to the bedside, panting heavily. Having been interrupted several times at the height of his passion, the mood had completely evaporated. Holding onto the “we are already here” principle, Cheng Zhen refused to give up. He adjusted his mindset, and the two collapsed onto the bed once more.
Two minutes later, the knocking began again, more urgent and piercing than before, as if testing Cheng Zhen’s patience. Before the delivery person could speak, Cheng Zhen, consumed by rage and swearing a blue streak, charged toward the door.
“What is it this time—”
The moment he swung the door open, Cheng Zhen’s complexion drained from dark red to an ashen grey. The wrist he used to grip the door frame began to tremble uncontrollably.