Chapter 37: Stars: I’ll Send a Truckload of Bread People After You-Runaway Starlight(Si Jiao)

"Brother Shen~" Shen Jixing stood bathed in the faint moonlight, glancing sideways at Sheng Que, who greeted him from the car window. "What is it?"

"Would you like to have dinner together? I can peel king crab for you." Sheng Que's chestnut hair was tousled by the evening breeze.

Before Shen Jixing could refuse, a tall silhouette strode by, long legs effortlessly kicking Sheng Que's car door shut. He cast a careless glance into the car. "He won't eat it. Don't call him that—it's disgusting."

Sheng Que fought the urge to crawl out the window for a duel. "How do you know Shen..." Meeting those cool, dangerous eyes, Sheng Que instinctively amended, "brothers won't eat it?"

The brothers: "..."

"Crab is too cold for the body," Zhou Yili said, standing under the moonlight. His silk shirt shimmered with the lunar glow as he idly scrolled through his phone, waiting for his assistant. He snorted quietly, as if remembering something. "Eat it, and you'll be tearing the house apart again tonight."

Shen Jixing: "..."

"No need," he declined Sheng Que gently. "I have something to attend to tonight. Let's do it another day."

Sheng Que nodded in agreement.

Zhou Yili lifted his gaze languidly, then let it drop. He asked, as if offhand, "What business?"

"Nothing," Shen Jixing replied calmly. "Just an excuse to politely refuse."

Sheng Que, whose car hadn't yet started: "..."

Enough of you two.

"...," Shen Jixing belatedly caught the humor in it, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Tonight's king crab is on me. Go ahead and enjoy."

Zhou Yili: "?"

Sheng Que blew a kiss to Shen the actor through the car window.

"If you act disgusting again, see what happens," Zhou Yili eyed the curly-haired youth. "Going out to eat alone and still having the nerve to let someone else pay?"

Growing up side by side, Sheng Que knew Zhou Yili was sour to the point of death. "Shen the actor offered to treat me. Why are you so dramatic? Don't tell me he’s never treated you to dinner?"

Zhou Yili: "..."

Damn, he really hasn't.

He glared icily at Sheng Que, then raised his phone to his ear. "Little Uncle..."

Sheng Que's smile froze. "What the—?"

"Zhou Yili, I swear if you sabotage me again, I’ll send a van full of bread men to mess you up."

With that, he floored the accelerator and sped out of sight.

Zhou Yili lowered his phone—the screen showed his assistant’s WeChat.

Shen Jixing, unable to stand their childishness, let out a soft, amused laugh.

The next moment, he met Zhou Yili's pitch-black gaze.

"...?"

The young master said nothing, leaning lazily against the side, fiddling with his phone. Shen Jixing watched him for a few seconds before withdrawing his gaze.

Zhou Yili tapped the screen, thinking: Now it's Shen Jixing's turn to ask what he's doing tonight.

On his phone screen:

[ZZZZZZZ]: (smile)

A dozen smile emojis sent in rapid succession.

Xiao Mo finally couldn’t take it.

[Xiao Mo]: Bro, I’m on my way. I’ll be there soon. Please stop, you’re scaring me...

"Zhou Yili," Shen Jixing called him.

Sure enough, he couldn't hold it in.

Zhou Yili kept tapping the screen, looking busy—though with what, no one could tell. He spared a glance at Shen Jixing. "Speak."

"What’s the apartment code?" Shen Jixing said. "I forgot."

"…"

Zhou Yili bit back the words at his lips, instead drawling lazily, "If you forgot it, sleep on the street."

Shen Jixing's brows furrowed faintly.

The night wind was a touch cool, so he stepped closer, his chilly, clear eyes fixed on Zhou Yili.

"Speak properly," he echoed the phrase he’d just learned. "Or I’ll send a van full of bread men to mess you up."

Zhou Yili: "..."

He could hardly believe his ears.

If it were the old him, he’d have found this man unbearably adorable.

But now, Niu Kulu·Young Master Zhou—well, only a little.

"Sending bread men after me? Is that the best you can do?"

Xiao Mo braked sharply, stopping in front of Zhou Yili, respectfully opening the car door for the young master—

All thanks to ninety-nine smile emojis.

Zhou Yili climbed into the car. "If you’ve got guts, do it yourself."

Xiao Mo: "..."

With this speed, maybe you should drive?

Under the hazy moon, Xiao Mo was about to ask if he should give the actor’s friend a lift—then realized it was Shen Jixing.

He let out a shriek. "Shen the actor! You're my idol—can I get your autograph?!"

Oh shit, what nonsense was he spouting?

Shen Jixing paused for two seconds. "No need."

Xiao Mo tugged at his white tee, sobbing, "Sign here, sign here."

Shen Jixing signed, handed the pen back, gave the car window a casual glance, and withdrew his gaze without lingering.

"The car’s here. Goodbye."

Xiao Mo waved enthusiastically. "Goodbye, goodbye!"

Sitting in the car, Zhou Yili watched that figure get in and couldn't help but laugh in exasperation. "Fine. Heartless."

Never treated him to dinner, never given him an autograph, never cared where he spent the night.

Lovely.

Tonight, let the delicate little bird sleep on the street.

…

Shen Jixing had just gotten into the car when Xiong Xiong in the front seat turned around, confusion and hesitation written all over his face.

"Brother, why did you have me wait at the intersection for ten minutes?"

He’d already arrived, but his brother told him not to come.

Shen Jixing answered calmly, "Wanted to figure out what someone was sulking about."

Xiong Xiong had been with him so long that only in front of him did Shen Jixing drop all pretense.

After all, Little Dumb Bear wouldn’t understand anyway.

Xiong Xiong wasn't surprised. "Oh, so did you figure it out?"

"No."

Shen Jixing recalled that "If you’ve got guts, do it yourself," and glanced out at the night, his ears tinged faintly red from irritation.

"Some people are born with a dog’s temper."

Xiong Xiong laughed as he started the car. "You might as well ask directly—he’d surely tell you."

No one could refuse Brother Shen.

Even Vice President Chu, ridiculed online for using the chirpy account, raged in his office but never caused Brother Shen any trouble.

"He wouldn’t."

Neon lights slid by outside the window as Shen Jixing spoke.

Behind the silent glamour of night, at the end of revelry and intoxication, he saw a proud youth battered and bloodied.

"Everyone in this world opens their heart to me—except him."

Zhou Yili was born dazzling, with his own pride and backbone.

Shen Jixing returned to the apartment.

He stood at the door, calmly entered the code, and as the entrance unlocked, his phone chimed.

[ZZZZZZZ]: 3154789

[ZZZZZZZ]: If you forget again, tattoo it on your forehead

[S]: Whose forehead?

[ZZZZZZZ]: ?

You’ve got some nerve asking—can’t remember the code, so tattoo it on my forehead?

[S]: Do you like tattoos?

Zhou Yili sat in the brightly lit company tower, squinting at the screen, unsure what he meant.

Truth be told, Zhou Yili had once liked tattoos, though he never got one. Most rockers had that penchant, and the little troublemaker was no exception in his youth.

But such things last a lifetime.

He feared someone wouldn’t like it.

So, the little white bird’s wings have hardened, and he dares to dream?

[ZZZZZZZ]: Do you really think tattooing the house code on my forehead is something to like?

[S]: …

[S]: I own a tattoo studio. If you need it, I can give you a twenty percent discount.

[ZZZZZZZ]: You know how to tattoo?

[S]: Mm.

Shen Jixing was not as aloof and pure as he appeared. More often, he wanted to break free, to taste forbidden fruit.

Like that kiss, once upon a time.

Shen Jixing always believed it was his reward for tutoring—

A benefit.

—

Secretly penciling in a tattoo play fantasy~