“Huh?”
Yin Chen reread the comment repeatedly, lost in thought.
Friend, is your perspective… a little off?
He scrolled down further.
???
Under that comment, many replies had popped up instantly.
【Hahaha! Finally someone thinks like me! 2333 Looks like our author is really on fire—two pages already! Soon it’ll be three pages! Oh my heavens, her popularity is through the roof!】
【Hee hee hee, our author has also reached two pages! Confirmed fire! Solid proof!】
Was this world developing too fast, or had he missed something?
Yin Chen scanned the comments and couldn’t help but tag a reader he knew on Weibo.
【Excuse me, in this screenshot… why do I feel like someone is happy? The author got pinned.】
When Wen Liu received the message, she was bragging to a friend.
Seeing it, she immediately replied with a smile.
【Ah, posts that pin someone without proof are mostly just jealousy or envy, meant to stir trouble! Just enjoy the drama—people usually don’t take it seriously. Online stuff without evidence? As for pages turning, I’ve heard before: some author got pinned, a reader told her, and she asked if pages turned. Reader said no, author sighed, saying she wasn’t popular enough yet. So it became a meme! Pages not turning = not popular enough!】
【So now the author’s on two pages! Real fire, right?! Of course, being happy for the author matters more! No evidence? Who would believe that? Use your brain!】
???
You guys are seriously proactive and awesome, huh?
Yin Chen felt like he had learned something new again!
Looking at it this way, the post even seemed… refined somehow.
Of course!
His boyfriend was about to reach three pages!
Isn’t that…
Big fire?
Yin Chen was stunned.
Yin Chen was enlightened.
Yin Chen calmed down.
Meanwhile, the editor, still frantically trying to call Zong Cheng, flipped through the forum in a daze.
Ah, what the…
Readers, your behavior seems… off?
Normally, readers would come help clear things up, right?
Why are you all just… haha… taking over this post?
While dazed, he heard a few sounds from the receiver.
He snapped back to attention.
“Finally picked up the phone!”
Why was he so excited?
Zong Cheng’s hand froze, slowly moving toward the balcony.
Could it really be… that the author’s note caused the comment chaos?
Even if it was…
Solve it directly, don’t bother him!
Zong Cheng felt guilty.
Sighing slightly, he said,
“Speak. What’s the matter?”
“Uh…”
There was something.
The editor looked at the completely derailed forum, pausing for a few seconds.
Now it seemed there was nothing left to report.
If he said “nothing,” would Zong Cheng just block him and disappear?
The editor hesitated a few seconds, then decided—it happened anyway. Might as well say something!
He babbled the story out.
Zong Cheng felt guilty.
Zong Cheng was shocked.
Zong Cheng slowly typed a question mark.
“…Then why call me?”
Human behavior—so confusing!
Zong Cheng was baffled.
But secretly relieved.
Scared him to death!
He thought something irreparable had happened that would force him to quit writing!
If that were the case, he had already planned his next story, even his new pen name.
Tsk.
A bit of a shame, he thought expressionlessly.
“…”
Before I called, I never imagined it would turn out this way!
The editor was silent.
After a while, he found something else to ask.
“Oh, one more thing. After the New Year, at the authors’ conference… do you plan to attend?”
Attend… what?
If he went, wouldn’t his writing be exposed?
Zong Cheng instinctively thought.
Then he paused.
Wait… that’s not quite right.
It’s already exposed to Yin Chen.
So what’s the difference from being exposed worldwide?
Seeing Zong Cheng silent, the editor’s heart leapt.
He was one of the site’s fast-rising authors!
Judging from the post, he had quite a lot of readers.
And…
The editor secretly teared up.
This author sold no copyrights—it was so frustrating! He really wanted to buy a physical copy, have it signed, and… ugh!
Grumbling about selling rights in person, the editor began to coax gently.
Zong Cheng wavered.
The editor continued tempting.
Zong Cheng grew restless.
Suddenly, a thought struck the editor.
“Oh! At the conference, everyone gets one family seat! Will you bring your boyfriend? You’ve been flaunting love in your notes—how about publicly showing it?”
For…!
Zong Cheng’s heart raced!
This… could work.
This really could work!
“I’ll think about it.”
Though…
Heart racing or not, he couldn’t make decisions for Yin Chen!
Zong Cheng slowly said.
“Thinking about it… that’s like nine-tenths done!”
The editor cried with joy!
Finally, he got him to waver!
After hanging up, he glanced at the post.
Moderators had started locking it.
Phew! Hopefully some good news for a happy New Year!
Zong Cheng hung up, stood outside for a moment, then slowly dialed Yin Chen.
The call connected, and Yin Chen’s voice came through, laughing softly.
“I thought you’d video call. Why just phone? Not convenient?”
Was there even this move?
Zong Cheng froze.
He instinctively hung up.
Yin Chen: ?
No need?
Zong Cheng hung up, stunned.
Why didn’t he tell Yin Chen first?
Oh no, Yin Chen won’t be angry, right?
He quickly started a video call.
The screen lit up.
Yin Chen leaned on the sofa, a half-smile on his face.
Zong Cheng felt his scalp tighten.
He cleared his throat, “I… was just… too quick with my hands.”
Yin Chen smiled, saying nothing.
Zong Cheng felt guilty for two seconds, then survival instinct kicked in!
“Mainly… I wanted to see you sooner.”
Touching his ear, Yin Chen suddenly understood why the protagonists in his novels all liked saying sweet words.
As expected, words of love were moving.
Beautiful!
“I want to see you too.”
Yin Chen glanced at the person in the camera; off-screen, he quietly pressed a hand to his chest.
Heart beating fast.
But it was okay.
After all, Zong Cheng couldn’t hear it.
Zong Cheng could hear it.
Not Yin Chen’s heartbeat, though.
But his own heart, stirred to race by those simple words.
He suddenly regretted…
Why did he have to get sick?
If he weren’t sick, he’d want to hold Yin Chen right now.
Pressing his lips, Zong Cheng could only rely on the camera to relieve his longing.
Yin Chen was right.
He had much to learn—skills, and more.
Seeing Zong Cheng’s face, Yin Chen suddenly felt the villa wasn’t empty.
Pouring himself a cup of hot water, he looked at Zong Cheng outside and reminded him,
“Go inside? Keep blowing cold air, you might not recover by New Year.”
Zong Cheng embarrassed.
“No, I’ll take my medicine on time.”
The main problem!
Going back now meant passing the living room.
Tang Chen was there—so Ms. Tang too.
With Ms. Tang around, their call might get exposed.
Left and right, he wasn’t ready to accept that outcome.
“Really? But I heard kissing can easily transmit viruses. What do you think?”
Yin Chen sipped water, lightly wiping the edge of the cup with his finger.
Dry lips suddenly became moist, lightly red, more vibrant. Zong Cheng watched, analyzing the subtle meaning, silently lowering his head.
“I’ll go back to my room.”
He absolutely couldn’t let being sick make him miss another moment!
He slowly moved from the balcony toward the living room.
Huh? Tang Chen’s gone?
Zong Cheng relaxed slightly, noticing Tang Chen and Ms. Tang in the kitchen. He quickened his long legs.
A few steps later, he reached his room and slowly closed the door.
In the kitchen, two heads peeked out.
Tang Chen’s mouth full, he mumbled,
“Mom, my brother in love looks so different from what I imagined.”
Ms. Tang lightly tapped his head as punishment, sighing.
“Indeed. Didn’t expect he’d fall for that.”
Even more unexpected—he was officially a boyfriend now.
This year, she would see this silly boy spending New Year alone at her place.
If he were braver, there’d be one more—or one fewer—at home.
Thinking it through, she lowered her head, warning Tang Chen.
“Don’t copy him. Got it? If you like someone, win them over and bring them home for me to see if they’re suitable. If not, don’t waste my time.”
Tang Chen stuffed another bite, muffled,
“Mom, I’m still young. Too early. Besides, as a little zero, I’ll definitely be the one chased!”
Ms. Tang looked at him, puzzled.
Not so certain, with your impatience snatching from the pot?
Who knows.
Safely back in his room, Zong Cheng exhaled.
Good, not discovered.
He grabbed the water he poured in the morning, drank.
A chill ran down his throat.
Instant physical cooling—success.
Good. Calm now.
He set down the cup, coughed twice.
“I have something… want your opinion.”
Yin Chen stared.
“What is it?”
Zong Cheng pursed his lips, words looping, body temperature rising again.
Thinking of the editor’s “family seat” comment made him shy.
“The editor just called, asking if I’d attend the authors’ conference after New Year…”
He paused.
Yin Chen raised an eyebrow.
“And then?”
Zong Cheng inhaled deeply.
Come on!
I can do it!
I can manage!
“Do… you… think I should go?”
I can’t.
I mustn’t.
I’m useless.
Zong Cheng sank into self-doubt.
Yin Chen watched him, eyes sweeping his “I’m useless” expression, noticing his favorite ear tips losing color, teasing.
“Are you asking for family advice, or do you want a family companion?”