The “fox spirit” told him not to cook dinner today—they’d eat out, and they’d get Geng Wang to return the money. So Pei Qingjian obediently skipped dinner.
Still…
Every time he thought of the words “fox spirit,” he couldn’t help smiling.
How did he even come up with that? How had he dared to label Lan Xingchen with such a title?
On one hand, Pei Qingjian thought he was audacious—how could he describe his golden sponsor like that? On the other hand, Lan really was good-looking; calling him a fox spirit wasn’t wrong.
He quietly picked up a pen and drew a cartoon fox on paper.
The first version was chibi and cute. Then he drew a slightly more realistic, prettier fox.
He adjusted it slightly and drew a third version.
Feeling happy, he kept drawing, and soon the whole page was full of foxes.
Just as he was drawing, his phone rang.
It was, of course, his fox spirit golden sponsor.
“Hello?” Pei Qingjian answered quickly.
Lan Xingchen’s tone was gentle. “Come downstairs. I’m waiting.”
“Okay.”
Pei Qingjian closed his computer, put away the paper covered in foxes, changed clothes, and went downstairs.
“What do you want to eat?” Lan asked.
Pei Qingjian buckled his seatbelt. “Anything. What do you want?”
Lan Xingchen thought for a moment. “Japanese food, then.”
“Sure,” Pei Qingjian said without objection.
The drive was smooth, and they arrived at the restaurant. A server led them through the hallway into a private room.
Pei Qingjian sat on the tatami and looked at the menu prices, his heart bleeding.
So expensive! Every item!
Why was Japanese food this pricey?
In the end, he could only order a single bowl of udon through gritted teeth.
Lan Xingchen raised an eyebrow. “Just that?”
“Yes.”
Pei Qingjian nodded, sipping the tea on the table. That was all he could afford.
Lan didn’t think much of it and ordered a lot.
When the dishes were served, Pei Qingjian realized Lan had ordered far more than his single bowl of udon.
He felt awkward eating Lan’s food, so he quietly ate his own noodles.
Lan Xingchen nudged the tamagoyaki closer to him. “Why are you only eating noodles?”
Pei Qingjian looked up. “But… you ordered this.”
Lan chuckled. “That doesn’t mean you can’t eat it.”
“Go ahead, you eat it,” Pei Qingjian said with a smile.
Seeing this, Lan Xingchen simply picked up a piece of tamagoyaki from the plate and held it up to Pei Qingjian’s mouth.
Pei Qingjian was about to refuse, but before he could speak, Lan Xingchen fed it directly into his mouth.
Pei Qingjian: ……
He blinked, stunned.
Lan Xingchen released the chopsticks, satisfied. “Eat it.”
Pei Qingjian had no choice. He pushed the other half of the tamagoyaki into his mouth and slowly chewed.
Lan Xingchen watched his cheeks puff out with each bite. Rather than looking awkward, his already fair, tender face seemed even more youthful and adorable.
Interesting.
Lan Xingchen, watching him, picked up an octopus takoyaki next as Pei Qingjian was finishing, bringing it to his mouth.
Pei Qingjian: ???
He opened his mouth in confusion, and before he could ask, Lan fed the takoyaki in.
Now his cheeks puffed out on one side, like a half-bloomed flower bud.
Lan Xingchen preferred it when both cheeks were puffed, so he picked up a piece of sushi, waiting for Pei Qingjian to finish before feeding him again.
Pei Qingjian: !!!
He hurriedly swallowed the takoyaki and tried to lean back before Lan could feed him the sushi.
“I can eat it myself,” he said anxiously.
Lan nodded and placed the sushi on the empty plate near him. “Eat.”
Pei Qingjian: ……
He could only pick up the sushi and continue eating, helpless.
By the end of the meal, most of the sushi Lan ordered had ended up in Pei Qingjian’s mouth.
Finally, when he could eat no more, he struggled. “I can’t… I really can’t eat any more, I’ll burst if I do.”
Only then did Lan reluctantly give up feeding him and ate the remaining sushi himself.
“Next time I’ll take you to a professional sushi restaurant,” Lan said excitedly.
Pei Qingjian: ……
He didn’t feel it was necessary. He probably didn’t want to eat sushi for a while.
After the meal, Lan checked his watch and, seeing the time was right, led Pei Qingjian out.
As they exited the private room and turned a corner, someone came out of another nearby room. He turned just as Pei Qingjian’s eyes landed on him.
A tall, handsome man appeared, wearing a white shirt and black dress pants. His straight nose was framed by thin gold glasses. The light catching his face, faint through the lenses, revealed a cold, distant expression—like a silent snow-capped mountain.
Lan Xingchen’s steps unconsciously paused.
Pei Qingjian, slightly surprised, didn’t show it, but also stopped alongside him.
The air fell into an uneasy silence.
After a long moment, the man spoke first.
“Eating here?”
Surprisingly, his tone was much softer than his demeanor suggested. Even his brows seemed to soften slightly.
Lan Xingchen nodded.
The man’s gaze shifted to Pei Qingjian. “A friend?”
“Yeah,” Lan Xingchen answered briefly.
“Want me to drive you? I brought a car.”
“No need,” Lan Xingchen said coolly. “I have things to do—let’s go.”
He took Pei Qingjian’s hand and walked past the man.
Pei Qingjian followed, confused.
That’s it? They’re leaving?
Who was that person? Why did Lan seem so indifferent?
As they walked down the corridor and around a cherry-blossom-shaded hallway, Pei Qingjian glanced back. Seeing the man hadn’t followed, he finally asked, “Who was that just now…?”
Lan Xingchen didn’t answer immediately.
When Pei Qingjian thought he wouldn’t, Lan said lightly, “You don’t need to worry about it.”
He added, “Not someone important. You won’t see him often.”
Pei Qingjian hadn’t expected that answer but nodded. Alright, if he’s not important, it’s fine.
Nearby, at the corridor’s entrance, Ning Yuan, who had just picked up a button to return to Lan, hadn’t reached him yet when he heard this.
He froze mid-step.
His assistant looked at him, about to say something, but Ning Yuan’s glare silenced him.
Neither appeared in front of Lan again. They turned into the private room by the corridor.
Lan Xingchen walked past the corner without looking back, heading straight forward.
Ning Yuan stared at the metal button in his hand, expression deep.
Forget it, he thought. Lan wouldn’t care.
He wouldn’t care about a lost button.
He wouldn’t care about him.
“Let’s go.” After Lan Xingchen left, Ning Yuan opened the door in front of him.
The assistant acknowledged quietly, leaving the bar alongside him.
Lan Xingchen didn’t notice the decorative button missing from his pants until he got in the car.
Calmly, he started the engine, heading toward the nearby Accident Bar.
“Geng Wang is at this bar?” Pei Qingjian asked curiously.
Lan Xingchen nodded. “Yeah, he and Li Xin have been showing up here every night at nine for the past two days.”
Pei Qingjian had never been to a bar before, and this piqued his interest instantly.
“Are bars fun?”
Lan Xingchen: ???
Lan Xingchen turned to look at him. “You don’t know if it’s fun?”
Pei Qingjian realized—though he hadn’t been, the original person he was living as was a regular at bars.
Almost gave myself away!
“I… I just haven’t been to this bar before, so I’m curious if it’s fun,” he quickly added.
Lin Xingchen’s tone was indifferent. “It’s all like that.”
All like what? Pei Qingjian couldn’t help but dig through the original owner’s memories.
But as soon as he actually reached the accident, an overwhelming blast of music hit him. If it weren’t for debt collection, Pei Qingjian almost wanted to cover his ears and tell Lin Xingchen, “You go ahead, I’m leaving.”
This was unbearably loud!
Pei Qingjian felt certain he couldn’t survive a full night here; his heart might not even keep beating properly.
He followed Lin Xingchen to a slightly less deafening area. As they walked along the row of booths, Pei Qingjian suddenly heard a familiar voice:
“Drink.”
Pei Qingjian turned his head—it was indeed the original owner’s old friend, Li Xin.
His eyes lit up. He grabbed Lin Xingchen’s hand and pointed excitedly. “There!”
Lin Xingchen squinted from a distance, contempt deepening in his gaze.
“Your taste, really…” he said, confused. “That guy, and you actually paid for him?”
Pei Qingjian: …
He thought Lin Xingchen was being incredibly biased. Honestly, Geng Wangqi wasn’t unattractive. Not on Lin Xingchen’s level, of course, but handsome enough.
Lin Xingchen had probably just gotten too used to his own face, seeing everyone else as ugly.
“He can’t compare to you naturally,” Pei Qingjian said gently. “But back then, I didn’t really have a choice.”
“I didn’t even know you back then,” Lin Xingchen remarked.
“So… it’s my fault?”
“No, no, it’s mine,” Pei Qingjian said, beating his chest in regret. “I was hungry and not choosy. I should have waited and then asked you to pretend to be my boyfriend.”
Lin Xingchen: That’s more like it.
But then he reconsidered—more like it, or not? He didn’t want to leech off Pei Qingjian.
“Fine, go collect your debt,” Lin Xingchen said.
Pei Qingjian nodded and headed toward the booth.
Lin Xingchen was about to follow when his phone rang. He glanced at it. “You go ahead, I’ll take this call.”
“Okay.”
Pei Qingjian wasn’t intimidated. He was the creditor, after all—if worse came to worst, he could always call the police. With that thought, he briskly entered the booth.
Li Xin set down his glass, ready to speak to Geng Wangqi. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed someone entering—Pei Qingjian.
How did he get here?
Li Xin opened his mouth to make a witty remark, but Pei Qingjian spoke first:
“Geng Wangqi, did you get the message I sent you earlier?”
Suddenly, everyone in the vicinity looked up, eyes converging on Pei Qingjian.
“Well, long time no see. I thought—who is this? Oh, it’s Pei Qingjian,” someone laughed.
“My goodness, you even tracked him here, Pei Qingjian. You really haven’t let go of Geng Wangqi, huh?”
“Coming straight in and asking if he got your message—Pei Qingjian, you’ve got guts.”
Li Xin listened, both pleased and annoyed. He was proud to have taken Geng Wangqi away from Pei Qingjian, and now he got to relish Pei Qingjian’s persistence.
Without Pei Qingjian’s relentless pursuit, Li Xin wouldn’t look as impressive for being chosen by Geng Wangqi. It fed his vanity—so even though Geng Wangqi claimed to have cut ties with his wealthy family and was no longer a rich heir, Li Xin didn’t leave him. Instead, he spoiled him because he had “won” him from Pei Qingjian.
Li Xin smiled lightly. “Pei Qingjian, you really don’t hold back, huh? Coming straight in, all eager to find Geng Wangqi.”
Pei Qingjian thought: Isn’t that obvious? Who else would I be here for? Was anyone else willing to help Geng Wangqi pay his debt?
No, of course not.
Ignoring Li Xin, he focused on Geng Wangqi. “So, did you see it?”
“And if I did? Or if I didn’t?” Li Xin sneered. “Do you expect an answer?”
“Of course,” Pei Qingjian said matter-of-factly. “Otherwise, why would I be here?”
Li Xin didn’t expect him to say that. He scoffed. “You really do enjoy being clingy.”
“Too bad Geng Wangqi doesn’t like you; even if you chased him here, it wouldn’t matter.”
“Exactly,” others in the booth chimed, “everyone knows Geng Wangqi’s true love is Xiao Xin. You can chase him all you want, but it won’t work.”
“Messaging him—these days, people use WeChat. Why didn’t you? Don’t want to?”
“Ha! Because Geng Wangqi deleted him. He simply doesn’t want to deal with him, yet here he is, relentlessly pursuing.”
“Hey,” someone said, enjoying the drama, “if you want an answer, why not read the message you sent him? Maybe we can help persuade him, and he might just reply.”
“Yeah,” the others egged him on.
Pei Qingjian glanced at Geng Wangqi, hesitant.
“What’s the harm? Scared someone will see it?”
“Exactly. You sent it but don’t want anyone else to see!”
Li Xin, sensing his reluctance, immediately endorsed the suggestion. If Pei Qingjian didn’t want to do it, it would surely be embarrassing.
Perfect—they could mock him afterward.
He leaned on Geng Wangqi, mockingly saying, “I think that’s a good idea. I have time now. Read it aloud so we can all hear—maybe I can even sweet-talk him for you.”
Oh?
Well then, that works perfectly.
Pei Qingjian smiled. “Then you have to really persuade him for me.”
Li Xin, full of pride, replied, “No problem. I’ll definitely persuade him.”
“All right,” Pei Qingjian agreed.
Hearing this, Li Xin’s smile grew even brighter.
Even if he didn’t know for sure, he could easily guess what kind of message Pei Qingjian had sent Geng Wangqi: begging, flattering, shamelessly imploring him to come back.
He knew it well, and he was eager to see Pei Qingjian read it aloud in front of everyone, to be ridiculed. That scene would be hilarious.
Yet, Geng Wangqi looked at Pei Qingjian standing there confidently and somehow saw a trace of innocence in him.
Gone were the mismatched clothes of before, gone was the makeup—he stood clean and composed under the flashing lights of the booth, like a sudden, out-of-place breeze. Geng Wangqi felt both sobered and flustered.
He averted his gaze.
The others in the booth continued to egg him on.
Pei Qingjian took out his phone and opened the message he had sent earlier.
“All right, I’ll read it,” he said.
“Go ahead,” Li Xin chuckled.
He had already prepared himself to mock Pei Qingjian.
Geng Wangqi, however, felt a rare pang of sympathy. Why bother? Even if Pei Qingjian was exceptionally handsome, one in a million, the world had other men—why cling so desperately?
Sighing silently, Geng Wangqi admitted to himself: yes, Pei Qingjian was hard to replace, and it was kind of touching that he had even come here.
Before he could dwell too much, Pei Qingjian read aloud, clear and expressionless:
“Hello, Geng Wangqi. I’m Pei Qingjian. Back when we were together, the clothes, shoes, watch, and bag I bought you were all quite valuable. After we broke up, you didn’t return them. At that time, you begged me, and I was too soft-hearted to press the issue, so I only asked you to write an IOU promising to repay 150,000 yuan. Could you repay it now? P.S. Debts should be paid; it’s only right. I hope you follow the rules and don’t become a defaulter!”
Geng Wangqi: !!!
Li Xin: !!!
Everyone else watching the spectacle: !!!
Damn—it wasn’t at all what they expected!
Pei Qingjian put away his phone and looked at Li Xin. “All done. Now, help me persuade him.”
Li Xin: …???
“You two love each other so much. He’ll definitely listen to you, right?”
Li Xin: …
“If that doesn’t work, you could pay it yourself,” Pei Qingjian suggested. “After all, true love means what’s his is yours, what’s yours is his. So naturally, his debt becomes yours too, right?”
Li Xin: …
Li Xin fell silent.