Ti Xiao still didn’t quite get why Xiao Yao was jealous.
He couldn’t understand why calling them “ladies” was a problem. If not “ladies,” then what should he call them?
Calling them “aunties” would probably get him roasted, and calling them “little sisters” made him instantly feel like a shriveled old man. He shivered at the thought.
Just as he was still puzzled, Xiao Yao repeated himself, “Don’t call them ‘ladies’ anymore.”
Then, almost playfully, he tugged on Ti Xiao’s hand as if asking for his opinion. “When you call them ‘ladies,’ it sounds like you’re really close.”
Ti Xiao’s reaction was like a long comet’s tail slowly passing by the edge of the Earth—that’s when it finally clicked.
He suddenly saw how low-key jealous Xiao Yao was.
After all, it was Xiao Yao’s photo that had gotten spread online, with so many people clamoring to date him, marry him, or even have his kids. Logically, Ti Xiao should have been the more jealous one.
But instead, Xiao Yao was the one getting jealous—and he gave Ti Xiao’s hand another little shake.
What Xiao Yao didn’t realize was how childish he looked doing that—pouting his lips, standing there at the edge of being out of character. The hotel’s bright lights were harsh and glaring, and Xiao Yao’s sharp black eyes were focused anxiously on Ti Xiao.
Ti Xiao’s little hamster tail twitched. “Oh man, my poor little heart,” he thought, completely smitten by the contrast.
He leaned in and gave him a quick kiss. “Okay, I won’t call them ‘ladies’ anymore.”
But then he added with a grin, “Oops, look at me—can’t help myself.”
Ti Xiao laughed and kissed him again. “Penalty kiss? How about another one?”
Then the second, third, fourth kiss followed.
Xiao Yao’s usually furrowed brows relaxed, and the jealousy he’d been holding onto all day melted away with those kisses. He smiled softly and pinched the soft flesh on Ti Xiao’s cheek.
Ti Xiao nuzzled against Xiao Yao’s neck. “Don’t be jealous, mister. Say something, please.”
Xiao Yao’s normally calm expression instantly flushed pink at that.
Ti Xiao looked up and burst out laughing. Then he nuzzled him again, calling him “mister” over and over, giving him a string of playful kisses—really trying to tease Xiao Yao.
Usually, it was Xiao Yao teasing him until Ti Xiao blushed. Now, with a rare chance to flip the script, Ti Xiao was going all out.
Since the hotel’s soundproofing was terrible and everyone was mindful of that, he figured Xiao Yao wouldn’t do anything too wild. At worst, they’d get a stern talking-to later at home, like repeatedly marinating a salted fish.
But that could wait until they got home. For now, he was going to enjoy teasing.
So he kept nuzzling and whispering sweet nothings, almost ready to straddle Xiao Yao.
What Ti Xiao didn’t notice was Xiao Yao’s throat moving as he swallowed, his gaze sharpening, and his hand slowly tightening.
“Say something, mister. For every word you say, I’ll give you a kiss. Guaranteed win.” Ti Xiao rested his hand on Xiao Yao’s bare chest, trailing his fingers lightly, tickling him.
Xiao Yao shuddered, barely holding back. But before he could speak, Ti Xiao kissed him again, giggling.
He thought to himself, “Xiao Yao like this is so much fun.”
Just as he was getting carried away, Ti Xiao’s mischievous hand was suddenly grabbed.
“Oh no, punishment time,” Ti Xiao shut his eyes and put on a pitiful face.
But then something cool touched his forehead.
Xiao Yao had taken Ti Xiao’s bangs in his hand, swept them up, and tied them with his own hand like a hair tie, making sure Ti Xiao’s eyes were fully visible and locked on him.
“What? What’re you doing?” Ti Xiao swallowed nervously, suddenly feeling like he’d really pushed his luck.
Xiao Yao just smiled and leaned in to kiss his forehead. “Xiao Xiao, haven’t you taken a shower yet?”
“Not yet. Why?” Ti Xiao hadn’t showered yet—he’d rushed Xiao Yao to shower first so he could secretly draw. After a long day, he was a bit sweaty.
Did Xiao Yao not want to support him because he didn’t shower? Ti Xiao felt a bit indignant.
Xiao Yao nodded. “No, it’s nothing. I just suddenly want to shower again. Let’s go.”
Without another word, he scooped up his playful hamster ball, kicked open the bathroom door, turned on the shower, and cranked the water to the highest setting.
Then he stripped Ti Xiao and gave him the “punishment.”
The sound of the water covered all their moans and gasps.
Their hands, fingers intertwined, clinked as the ring on Ti Xiao’s ring finger hit the tile with a “ding”—but the water washed it all away.
The next morning, Ti Xiao felt like he was about to collapse.
When the “sun” came down on him last night, the first half was mostly standing. With almost an eight-inch height difference between them, Ti Xiao’s small frame was carried by Xiao Yao, feet off the ground, wobbling so much he thought he was flying.
No rest at halftime either. The second half started again, plus some overtime.
At least the water noise was loud enough—otherwise, the whole building might have heard everything.
Well, they’d unlocked some new positions, at least.
“Ugh,” Ti Xiao carefully turned over and found a comfortable position, lying face down on the bed.
In a little while, he still had to go to an event, and he couldn’t just keep hiding his sore butt all the time. Blame Xiao Yao.
He completely forgot it was his own reckless behavior that led to this outcome.
After finishing the meal that the “prime culprit” Xiao Yao brought him, Ti Xiao changed his clothes and wrapped his waist, getting ready to head to the company event.
Xiao Yao wasn’t an invited author. Although he could enter the company building, he couldn’t get into the event hall. Like an old dad, he kept nagging Ti Xiao, “Drink warm water, don’t drink too cold. Don’t stay under the air conditioning too much.”
“Got it, got it,” Ti Xiao rubbed his waist right in front of him, making his intentions pretty clear.
Xiao Yao got the hint, pinched his cheek, kissed him once, and handed him a thermos cup. “Go ahead. I’ll wait for you at the hotel.”
Ti Xiao closed the door, and at the same time, someone else on the same floor opened their door.
It was Li Yi, muttering something under his breath while rubbing his own waist.
The two of them locked eyes—a mutual respect born from struggling on the same lower level of the industry.
Ti Xiao tried to straighten up to tease the other guy, “Cough cough, looking at you, you had a rough night too, huh?”
Li Yi shot him a glare. “Bend over! Don’t stand there pretending your waist doesn’t hurt. You’ll regret it soon!”
Ti Xiao’s heart skipped a beat. Could it be some freaky game where you sit on a balloon until it bursts…?
Although everyone was supposed to meet at 10 a.m., the event officially started only at 10:30 a.m. after everyone showed up.
It was just a welcome ceremony and an awards presentation—not physically demanding. Occasionally, a top author would go on stage to speak and accept a trophy or banner.
Ti Xiao was sitting on the audience sofa, drinking water, when suddenly he heard his pen name called out.
“Author, wise and brave Great Achi!” Li Yi was on stage, clearly enunciating from the script.
Ti Xiao didn’t react at first until a nearby young lady nudged him, then he got up and went to the stage. Seeing Li Yi’s mischievous grin, he felt nervous.
“We hereby award you the…” Li Yi waved to the ceremony assistant behind him.
“The ‘Master Procrastinator’ award, a trophy, and a banner.”
Laughter erupted from the audience. Ti Xiao was speechless.
Magical Conch: I won an award, look [laughing crying emoji] [picture]
After the ceremony, with help from the prankster, Ti Xiao held the banner in one hand and the trophy in the other, took a photo, and sent it to Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao was in the hotel room watching his computer. His phone buzzed, and he immediately picked it up.
Magical Conch Shell: Awesome job! [kiss emoji]
Lately, the internet was all about how fast boyfriends could survive, so Ti Xiao guessed Xiao Yao hadn’t even looked at the words “Master Procrastinator” on the banner, just replied “Awesome.”
Magical Conch Shell: Even if you procrastinate, you’re still the best. Did you drink the water I brought?
Judging from Xiao Yao’s reaction, he was definitely the king of boyfriends.
Ti Xiao smiled and was about to tell him he’d been drinking water properly when some editors’ young ladies came over.
“Achi, who are you chatting with? Your boyfriend from yesterday?”
It was the same young lady who posted on Weibo the day before.
Remembering his promise not to call them “ladies,” Ti Xiao just nodded and replied, “Mmm.”
“Oh, actually, about yesterday…” the first lady scratched her head. “I felt a bit bad. I checked Weibo—your boyfriend’s photo is still being shared. So, I want to apologize again.”
She then clapped her hands together. “To make it up to you, I’m giving you the face-off livestream spot this afternoon.”
“Face-off livestream spot?” Ti Xiao didn’t understand again.
“Don’t you know?” The second lady squeezed over to narrate.
Because there were so many authors this time, the company decided to split the event: some signings would be this afternoon, and the rest—including Ti Xiao’s group—would do the livestream first.
This livestream was different from Ti Xiao’s usual home streams, where he mostly just showed his hands or a little sleepy sound.
Though called “face-off,” fans would still see the real face at the signing event later. The no-face policy was just to prolong the mystery.
When the livestream started, Ti Xiao finally understood what “face-off” meant.
He was dressed in a mascot costume—a hamster, no less.
“So cute, so cute, haha! Raise your left hand a bit higher, like there’s a rising sun behind you, hahaha,” the group of young ladies in the same livestream team were snapping photos nonstop.
“Hahaha, they’ll never guess who it is.”
Ti Xiao, stuffed inside the costume, couldn’t see anything and had to be helped inside the livestream room.
This time, the company heavily promoted the event and, riding on the popularity of the young ladies, the livestream room was already packed with viewers. Ti Xiao and the ladies took their seats, with name tags placed on the table in front of each of them.
Except for Ti Xiao’s, which read “Mystery Guest,” the others’ name tags all had their pen names.
Xiao Yao had gotten an internal schedule from Li Yi and knew that Ti Xiao was part of this livestream. Even though he was in a mascot suit, everyone would know it was him.
And it just happened to be a hamster.
Xiao Yao pressed his fist to his lips, chuckling as he watched the hamster on the screen twist this way and that—too cute.
The livestream began with the usual introduction of guests and event schedule. Xiao Yao rested his laptop on his lap, planning to lean against the bed and watch. The bedboard poked his back a bit, so he grabbed a pillow to cushion it.
As he lifted the pillow, a notebook resting on the crisp white bedsheet caught his eye, more than half worn from use.
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