Chapter 3
Mina seemed afraid that Zhang Yang might change her mind or act too slowly and miss the opportunity to prevent the human flesh incident. She was about to “borrow” Ke Yu because the person was waiting for her in her car at that moment.
Zhang Yang was immediately confused. She had made the request more out of impulse, thinking of the dazzling boy from the KTV last night, with his clean and candid eyes and the mix of jealousy, envy, resentment, and desire in her heart.
However, accepting one person to be delivered to her like an object was beyond her understanding when she calmed down. She was not going to back out, but she just didn’t expect to face it immediately, without giving her any time to think and digest.
Mina looked at Zhang Yang eagerly.
Zhang Yang struggled for a moment and said, “I will talk to them immediately.”
Mina finally relaxed a little on her face. “Then I will talk to Ke Yu first, and I will send him to your home later.”
Zhang Yang “ummed” absent-mindedly.
“You also have to promise me that you won’t tell anyone about this and that you will absolutely…” Mina said awkwardly, “I don’t think you will share the photos.”
Zhang Yang stood up in a hurry and said, “Then I’ll go back first.”
On the way home, Zhang Yang called a station sister from a front-line information station at Sheng Shi. The person’s online name was Mushroom, and she had a good relationship with Sheng Shi Studio. She had successfully monetized the fan circle economy and was considered a fan.
Mushroom guessed that Mina would go to Zhang Yang for help. They had been friends for many years, and she had always been very polite to Zhang Yang.
Zhang Yang first told her that Mina was ready to call the police, that Mina’s family was very influential, and that if things got too serious, there would be retaliation. Then she said that Mina didn’t want to make a big deal out of it and was willing to apologize. After a combination of hard and soft tactics, Zhang Yang used reason and emotion to persuade Mushroom, saying that Mina had spent a lot of money on her brother, and that human flesh was illegal and the behavior of fans would bring a lot of negative impact to her brother. Recently, her brother was competing with the opposing family for a high-end endorsement. She didn’t want the opposing family to take advantage of it.
These are things that Mushroom understood. After all, they didn’t have any deep hatred towards Mina, and teaching her a lesson and venting her anger would be enough. She didn’t want to cause trouble for herself or for Sheng Shi.
Since Zhang Yang had spoken up to plead with her, Mushroom decided to compromise and drafted a statement to restrain doxing behavior, showcasing the maturity and rationality of Sheng Shi’s fans. She then used a secondary account to shift the blame for doxing onto Black, taking advantage of the opportunity to elicit sympathy.
After discussing some details, Zhang Yang found herself back home without realizing it. She looked around and suddenly felt dissatisfied with every aspect of her house. It was messy and old, after all, it was a 20-year-old apartment that required a big renovation.
She rarely brought friends over, let alone men. She was nervous and sweating at the thought of Ke Yu and the others coming over. She hurriedly hung up a few pieces of clothing, threw away visible garbage, straightened the sofa covers, and quickly swept the floor.
After busy work, she suddenly remembered something and ran to the bathroom, staring blankly at herself in the mirror.
She had a plain and unremarkable face, pale, thin, and neglected. This was her usual appearance, but only when she went to see Sheng Shi did she dress in new clothes, put on meticulous makeup, and suffer through the pain of high heels just to stand out a few centimeters in the crowd. Even if Sheng Shi didn’t notice her, it was the most ceremonial behavior for her, like a pilgrimage.
Apart from public performances, the opportunity for a close “pilgrimage” was her constant effort. There was a clear hierarchy within the fan circle, with the studio revealing Sheng Shi’s updates to the big fans. Only those who had contributed enough would be allowed to pick up Sheng Shi from the airport, visit the set, or attend events. Contribution was primarily measured by money, followed by talent, and those who had neither money nor talent had to do laborious tasks like data entry. The hierarchy affected everything from discourse power, information, resources, benefits, interests, and face. In a virtual kingdom named after Sheng Shi, she was a privileged person.
All of this was bestowed upon her by Sheng Shi, yet she found herself having the desire to dress up for a fake. She wasn’t crazy enough to think that she would only marry Sheng Shi, and she hoped to one day have her own love. But Ke Yu wasn’t her boyfriend, and the desire to dress him up was a momentary thought of treating Ke Yu as if he were Sheng Shi. This kind of thinking was no different from Mina’s disrespect for Sheng Shi.
But what did Zhang Yang, who “borrowed” Ke Yu from Mina, count for?
The more Zhang Yang thought about it, the more she felt a headache. She despised herself while also nervously anticipating.
Finally, the doorbell rang.
Zhang Yang took several deep breaths and went to open the door.
Ke Yu stood in front of her, dazzlingly handsome with a calm smile and expensive suit. He was like a sudden surprise, a flower blooming in the night that could disappear at any moment.
Zhang Yang could hear her own heartbeat, and her mouth was dry as she held onto the doorknob with sweaty palms.
In the bright light, Ke Yu looked more like a brother.
“Hello, Feiyang,” Ke Yu’s voice was as smooth and soft as the finest silk.
“Hello,” Zhang Yang tried to stay calm, “please come in.”
Ke Yu walked in and looked around without any particular reaction, just standing in the entryway.
Zhang Yang then said, “Please sit down.”
Ke Yu changed into slippers and sat on the sofa.
Looking at Ke Yu, Zhang Yang felt like he was a flower that had bloomed after enduring wind and rain in a broken pot. She felt uncomfortable having him in her home for the first time, and asked, “Would you like something to drink?”
Ke Yu smiled and said, “Anything is fine.”
“Okay, please wait a moment,” Zhang Yang went into the kitchen and closed the door, then called Mina.
“Feiyang, I was just about to call you, has he arrived?”
“Yes, he has. So, there will be a statement coming out soon to restrain the fans. During this time, don’t speak or respond to anything. This will pass quickly.”
“That’s great, thank you so much, Feiyang. I’ll send some of Ke Yu’s daily necessities over tomorrow.”
“Okay, no problem. Also…” Zhang Yang lowered her voice and said, “Regarding the customized item, is there anything I need to be aware of?”
“Oh, that’s what I wanted to tell you. There are three things that are very important. First, the safety word. The safety word is to protect your safety or deal with sudden situations. Anytime you say this word, he will stop everything he’s doing. Ke Yu’s safety word is ‘Princess Nana’.” Mina giggled on the other end of the phone.
“Uh, what’s next?”
“Secondly, don’t leak any information. This is important for everyone, and we both have to bear the consequences if there is a leak. You have to be careful.”
“I understand.”
“Thirdly, don’t damage anything. After all, it’s a rental, and you’ll have to pay for any damages.”
“…”
“That’s about it. As I said, the custom-made products are very obedient. I have already instructed him to listen to you, so he will do whatever you ask him to do. On the other hand, custom-made products are not adults by nature. The company has input some common sense into them, but they are… to be honest, pretty stupid. Most of the time, they don’t know what to do unless you tell them. So, if you want him to do something, you have to say it out loud.”
“What’s their IQ like then?”
“Well, they have no problems with intelligence, but they only have very basic knowledge reserves, like children. But they have a strong ability to learn, and they can remember things after being taught once.” Mina smirked, “I taught him a lot of ‘love skills,’ and you can enjoy them slowly, Sister Zhang.”
Zhang Yang was speechless again.
After hanging up the phone, Zhang Yang nervously boiled water and brought the tea out.
Ke Yu was still sitting upright on the sofa, just like Mina said, like a robot waiting for the next command.
Zhang Yang pushed the tea cup in front of Ke Yu. “Have some tea.”
Ke Yu took the tea cup and drank some tea.
Zhang Yang looked at Ke Yu, full of questions about him, but didn’t know where to start. She thought for a moment and asked, “Do you… know where you came from?”
“Princess’s house,” Ke Yu replied.
“No, earlier, before you met…” Zhang Yang gritted her teeth, “the ‘Princess’.”
Ke Yu looked a little confused and shook his head after a while.
“Do you have parents?”
Ke Yu shook his head again.
“Do you know about Sheng Shi?”
The two words “Sheng Shi” seemed to have touched a keyword, and Ke Yu’s eyes immediately lit up. “Do you want to hear Sheng Shi’s song?”
“Sure.”
Ke Yu opened his mouth and started singing, it was Sheng Shi’s latest single.
Ke Yu’s voice was similar to Sheng Shi’s, and it was pleasant to listen to, but because he had not received any vocal training, his singing was a bit green. But with that face, who would listen carefully to what he was singing?
As the song came to an end, Ke Yu turned the romantic lyrics into a soft whisper, and slowly approached Zhang Yang, gently stroking her cheek.
Zhang Yang was like she had been hit with a petrification spell, unable to move or speak. As the face got closer, it became more and more blurred, but the more it blurred, the more it looked like Sheng Shi.
Soft pressure came from the lips, and Zhang Yang’s chest throbbed. She pushed Ke Yu away abruptly.
Ke Yu tilted his body and showed an expression of confusion. “Did I do something wrong?”
Zhang Yang stood up suddenly, stuttering as she spoke, “Um…the left one, the left bedroom, you can sleep there at night.” After speaking, she fled the scene like she was escaping for her life and ran back to her own room.
Zhang Yang didn’t sleep all night. She thought about Mina, about Sheng Shi, about Ke Yu, about everything that had happened, and about that kiss.
It was too surreal. Were the things that had happened in the past few days real? Custom-made products, are they real? If they were, then the so-called organization must be human traffickers, right?
But Ke Yu didn’t seem like he was manufactured. Other than being a little naive, he was clearly a living person. He could sing, talk, laugh, and kiss…
No, even if he was manufactured, he was originally a living person. Why did someone like him not have a sense of self and be traded like a commodity? According to Mina’s words, were there still many people like Ke Yu who were going through the same thing?
The sleepless night made Zhang Yang listless the next day. She lay in bed, speaking in a muffled voice as she requested sick leave from the company. She wasn’t just exhausted; she was also worried about leaving Ke Yu alone at home. After all, he was a tall person. What if he got into trouble outside?
After freshening up, Zhang Yang mustered up the courage to go check if Ke Yu had woken up.
She didn’t expect that not only had Ke Yu already woken up, but he had also prepared breakfast for her.
Wearing a cartoon apron, Ke Yu had changed into a dark-colored home outfit. His soft hair fell gently on his forehead, making him look both gentle and young. He stood by the window, and his white, translucent skin was like the morning dew, reflecting the clear radiance of the sun from any angle.
Ke Yu saw Zhang Yang and smiled gently. “You’re awake.”
Zhang Yang was once again at a loss for words. “How did you…”
“I made porridge and fried eggs. I didn’t know if you liked them for breakfast. I forgot to ask yesterday.” Ke Yu blinked his eyes and looked at Zhang Yang. “If you don’t like it, I’ll make something else.”
“No, this is fine.”
Zhang Yang walked over and caught a glimpse of the suitcase at the door, which Mina must have sent. It was a large 28-inch suitcase, and the size of the suitcase was always related to the length of the trip. This reminded Zhang Yang of a question for the first time: how many days did she plan to “borrow” Ke Yu?
Mina didn’t say how many days she could borrow him, so…how many days should it be?
Ke Yu gentlemanly pulled out a chair for Zhang Yang, and after she sat down, he handed her the chopsticks. “I was still hesitant about whether or not to waKe Yao up. What time do you usually wake up? I’ll choose the best time to make breakfast, or it won’t taste good when it gets cold.”
Zhang Yang’s heart felt both sour and sweet, as if she was experiencing a pleasant tingling sensation. This beautiful scene made her suspect that she hadn’t actually woken up yet, but she would rather not wake up.
“Thank you,” Zhang Yang said loudly.
Ke Yu reached out and touched the corner of Zhang Yang’s eye, speaking softly, “Make sure to go to bed early tonight.”
Zhang Yang’s heart trembled again at his touch.
After breakfast, Ke Yu was going to do the dishes, but Zhang Yang quickly stopped him, “I’ll do it.”
Ke Yu didn’t refuse and just asked, “Then what should I do?”
“Whatever you want,” Zhang Yang replied.
Zhang Yang carried the dishes into the kitchen and washed them while secretly stealing glances at Ke Yu in the living room, who was still lost in thought at the dining table.
After she finished washing the dishes, Zhang Yang didn’t notice the water on the floor and suddenly slipped and fell with a cry.
She heard hurried footsteps and Ke Yu ran into the kitchen, crouching down to pick her up and asking softly, “Are you hurt? Does it hurt?”
His broad chest, sturdy arms, and concerned tone gave Zhang Yang an unprecedented feeling of both heart-warming and safety. She blushed and shook her head.
Ke Yu carried her to the sofa and massaged her sprained ankle.
Zhang Yang looked closely at Ke Yu’s long and thick eyelashes, the curl of which was so alluring, just like her older brother’s. His lips were always rosy and plump, also like her older brother’s. She could easily see her brother’s image in every move of this man.
Zhang Yang couldn’t help but snuggle into Ke Yu’s arms, feeling a bit nervous and hopeful.
Ke Yu turned his head to look at her, then lowered his head and kissed her lips again.
This time, Zhang Yang didn’t panic or resist. The gentle movements of his lips and the hot and masculine breath between his teeth made her nerves scream silently. So this was what a kiss felt like.
On this day off from school, Zhang Yang lived a dream-like life. Like every girl, she had imagined countless scenes of her own love, but she knew it would never be as beautiful as what she was experiencing now. Ke Yu was so perfect, patient, and gentle. Without this accident, she would never have had him, not even for a day.
The two of them cooked, watched movies, and cleaned the house together, like a couple intimate with each other. Zhang Yang even took Ke Yu to the supermarket for shopping. Ke Yu wore a pair of sunglasses, but they couldn’t hide his striking handsomeness and superior physique. Wherever they went, they were the focus of attention.
Zhang Yang basked in the envious looks around her, recalling the feeling she had when she saw Mina with Ke Yu at the KTV that night. The feeling of being envied was so good, and every pore of her body exuded a sense of pleasure. This feeling of winning, of triumph, could only be felt when competing with fans from other camps who were not as prosperous as hers.
At this moment, Mushroom was commanding the battlefield, waging a battle of public opinion and restraining the fans. The statement was released during lunch, and by dinnertime, the discussion had turned into a brawl in the fan circle about “who started the doxing.” They grasped at a minor account that couldn’t tell if they were a black fan or a fake fan and made a big fuss, trying to shift the blame onto the opposing camp.
As for Mina and her legend, they had quietly retreated to the corner, ignored and forgotten.
Zhang Yang snuggled in Ke Yu’s arms, holding her phone to direct the situation. No one knew what she was enjoying at the moment. That moment of her life was like a firework that suddenly soared into the sky, without roots or foundation, but blooming brilliantly across the entire sky.
