Outside the closed door, a nervous Xu Yike stood silently by the wall. On his glowing phone screen was his chat history with Pei Jin. Looking at the last message sent by the other side, he was silent for two seconds before turning to leave.
Inside the room, Wu Yan was listening to soothing music. In the warmth of his sanctuary, drowsiness swept over him like a tide. His long, curled lashes cast faint shadows under his eyes. He let out a yawn, threw off his blanket, and got up to head to bed. Unexpectedly, he tripped over the corner of the blanket that had trailed onto the floor. His knees slammed into the ground, and his headphones fell off.
“Ouch…”
Wu Yan couldn’t help but cry out in pain. Even with the thick carpet, the sudden impact left him reeling. He gripped the edge of the bed until his knuckles turned white, finally managing to steady himself.
Just then, a crisp knock at the door broke the silence. The servants had all seen his foul mood earlier—who would dare to seek him out now? Wu Yan frowned, hesitated, then called out: “Come in.”
The handle turned, and a hurried Pei Jin entered. He saw the youth half-sitting on the bed with his back to the door. A flash of complex, unreadable emotion crossed Pei Jin’s eyes. He called out softly: “Wu Yan.”
Suddenly hearing that familiar voice, Wu Yan thought he was hallucinating. He turned his head, and his gaze met Pei Jin’s light brown eyes.
From Pei Jin’s perspective, Wu Yan’s state was laid bare: his face was pale, but the corners of his eyes and his nose were a faint red. With his lips pressed tight, he looked as if he had just been crying. Pei Jin had rarely seen anyone so delicate and fragile; he was momentarily at a loss.
A wave of guilt surged within him. Wu’s mother had entrusted him with the youth’s care, yet he had spoken so harshly just because the boy had kindly treated the film crew to snacks.
Wu Yan blinked. Still thinking it was a fever-dream, he stood up with feigned composure, coughed twice, and asked: “Why are you here?”
Pei Jin took a few steps forward, wanting to get closer, but Wu Yan immediately held out his hands, his pupils dilating. “Stay right there. Don’t come any closer.”
“Wu Yan, did you see the message I sent you?” Pei Jin stopped. His gaze fell on the phone resting on the round table behind the youth.
“What message?” Wu Yan turned and picked up his phone. Sure enough, there was a message from Pei Jin sent half an hour ago. He was about to say he hadn’t seen it when another thought struck him.
Seeing Wu Yan’s dazed look, Pei Jin realized the boy hadn’t checked his phone. Having waited thirty minutes without a reply, Pei Jin had grown anxious and contacted Xu Yike—only to be told Wu Yan had locked himself in his room since returning. Fearing the worst, he had come in person.
“Did you cry?”
Seeing Wu Yan’s red-rimmed eyes, Pei Jin softened his voice, trying to sound as approachable as possible. Wu Yan lowered his eyelids to hide his disheveled state, his voice muffled: “Are you here to laugh at me?”
Seeing the youth’s grievance, Pei Jin shook his head. “I’m not.”
“Then Brother was worried about me and came specifically to apologize?” Wu Yan took a few steps forward, standing directly before Pei Jin and looking up into his face.
This was essentially a graceful exit strategy for Pei Jin. Sure enough, the man paused, then answered softly: “Mhm.”
A faint smile touched the corner of Wu Yan’s mouth. He lowered his head as if thinking, then let out a soft sigh. “Thank you for coming, Brother. I’m fine now, and I’m not angry. You should go back to your work.”
Facing this sudden distance, Pei Jin was momentarily stunned. He looked down at the top of Wu Yan’s head; the youth’s hair was soft and smelled faintly of citrus. Pei Jin felt a bit lightheaded.
“If Brother isn’t leaving, is he planning to stay and sleep with me?” Seeing Pei Jin remain still, Wu Yan suddenly reached up to grab the man’s shoulders, whispering in his ear on his tiptoes.
The warm breath tickled a sensitive area. Pei Jin’s entire body went stiff. He pulled the clinging Wu Yan away, his voice dropping: “Don’t say such things.”
“What’s wrong with saying it? Brother is my husband; we’ll definitely sleep together in the future.” Wu Yan spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Pei Jin’s ears turned red despite himself, and he took several steps back to maintain a safe distance.
“We’ve kissed and hugged, yet Brother still rejects me,” Wu Yan said pitifully, watching Pei Jin retreat.
Pei Jin felt that Wu Yan was far too clingy when they were together. He coughed and said: “I am a slow person, Wu Yan. Someone like you isn’t a good match for me. If necessary, I will speak to Grandpa later about canceling the engagement…”
Before Pei Jin could finish, Wu Yan snapped. Cancel the engagement? He had just decided to stick to this man to save his own life, and now Pei Jin was the one initiating the breakup?
He grabbed Pei Jin’s collar and leaned in close. “So I still have a chance, right? Brother, if you like to take things slow, I can do that too.”
He let go and stepped back, his shimmering eyes reflecting only the man before him. He spoke with a wheedling tone: “I don’t have to be the ideal type you mentioned in that interview. Can someone like me be enough?”
Pei Jin was shocked. A reporter had asked him that question in an old interview, and he had given a generic answer about someone “obedient and sensible.” That was years ago—how had Wu Yan seen it?
Wu Yan didn’t know what the man was thinking; he only knew that if the engagement was canceled, he was dead. He stared silently at Pei Jin, waiting for a response.
Pei Jin didn’t dare meet the youth’s direct, burning gaze. He looked away and answered vaguely: “Rest early. I won’t be at the film set tomorrow afternoon.”
“I know. Goodbye, Brother.” Wu Yan nodded, not blocking his exit.
To Wu Yan, that answer was a silent agreement. Telling him he wouldn’t be at the set was basically a warning so he wouldn’t waste time going there and not finding him.
After the door closed, Wu Yan barely had time to rest before there was another knock. Sometimes he felt his room was a famous tourist attraction where everyone had to “check in.”
He opened the door to see Aunt Wang with a tray full of medicine. With a helpless sigh, he took the tray and began the mechanical process of taking the pills, the bitter taste spreading through his mouth. He followed it with a fruit candy to drive away the bitterness.
“Since Pei Jin won’t be at the set tomorrow, I’ll go wander around a bit,” Wu Yan murmured.
He had met the protagonist yesterday, which meant the plot was in motion. To avoid any “butterfly effect,” he needed to follow the narrative threads, though he knew more trouble was likely on the way.
He watched the sunset through the window, the clouds painted in brilliant colors. A week had already passed since his arrival. He let out an imperceptible sigh. His gaze fell on a cabinet full of curiosities. He opened it and rummaged through the items until a metallic glint caught his eye.
“What is this?” He frowned, looking at a key with a “fish biscuit” pendant.
The original novel never mentioned this key but then again, as a cannon fodder, his details were sparse. He recalled a theory that once an author creates a world, the world fills in its own logic and character depth.
He shook the key and noticed words engraved on the tag. He traced the texture with his finger.
“Guiyu,” he whispered, searching his memory.
Nothing in the plot mentioned this name. He pulled out his phone, opened a map app, and typed in the words. The result popped up: it was a dessert shop.
“Why do I have the key to a dessert shop?”
A bizarre thought began to form in his mind. He quickly changed clothes and headed downstairs. Aunt Wang was busy directing a new maid when she spotted him. “Young Master, are you going out again?”
“Mhm.” Wu Yan nodded. As he moved to change his shoes, Xu Yike’s voice rang out.
“It’s raining outside sleet. It’s very cold. Young Master, you should stay home.” Xu Yike’s tone was full of concern as he stood by his room door.
Wu Yan paused, then continued changing his shoes. While Xu Yike might have had a hand in Pei Jin coming over, that didn’t mean he had forgiven the man for badmouthing him behind his back.
Seeing Wu Yan ignore him, Xu Yike looked flustered. He stepped forward but kept a respectful distance. “Young Master, the Madam said your health is the priority.”
“Oh? You’re using my mom to threaten me?” Wu Yan narrowed his eyes, his gaze cold. He loathed people who talked behind others’ backs.
“I didn’t mean it that way…”
“Xu Yike, I wanted to get along with you, but you know exactly what you said to Pei Jin today.”
I just asked you for advice on how to win him over, and you immediately told him we aren’t a good match.
How could Wu Yan not be angry? He left the house and got into the car, choosing to take his own umbrella rather than bother anyone but the driver.
“Young Master, where to?” the driver asked. He noticed that the previously reclusive Wu Yan was not only going out frequently but also seemed much more approachable.
Wu Yan rubbed his cold hands. He grabbed a heat pack from the car’s supplies and stuck it inside his jacket, then used a hand warmer.
“To Guiyu.”