Ch53 - Sweet nothings

Xie Zhuxing didn’t go back to Wangjing Xiyuan. He went back to his own place instead.

He’s still renting a place with Zhao Zhengyi. He just often stays over at Wang Chao’s under the excuse that he’s busy with work.

He’s considering buying a house of his own. Over the new year, his parents asked whether he has any plans to purchase any housing in Beijing and said that they had some money saved in case he needed any help.

Having debuted for over half of a year, he’s actually made a decent amount, but that is still quite tight to afford housing in Beijing.

If it’s only himself, he’s fine with purchasing a smaller place.

But the question is what kind of house would satisfy Wang Chao’s taste.

Wang Chao could casually ask his brother for a place to stay at any time and it would be a luxury duplex with nearly 2000 sq ft. Wang Chao’s family house is near the Second Ring. It’s a mansion with a yard that’s more than tens of thousands of square feet. The two times that he’s sent Wang Chao home, neither time did he enter the door, but he could tell how mind-blowingly expensive it must be through the fence.

This makes him a bit hesitant.

Spring festival’s over. Icedream’s second album has entered the stage of official preparation, aiming to be released around the transition between spring and summer.

The six members went to the company for a planning meeting. Haven’t seen each other for the past couple of days, they soon began to chat and banter.

Despite his usual cheekiness, Wang Chao was uncharacteristically shy when he whispered to Xie Zhuxing: “Hey, you busy tonight?”

Xie Zhuxing thought he wanted to do that again and pretended to be prudish when he responded with a question: “What do you want?”

Wang Chao coughed once and said: “Wanna hang out at my family house?”

Xie Zhuxing was taken aback: “Your family house?”

Wang Chao grinned: “You’ll be able to taste my mom’s handmade dumplings.”

Xie Zhuxing: “…I’m busy.”

Wang Chao’s grin disappeared: “With what?”

Xie Zhuxing responded: “Couple of old classmates from the dance academy wanted to meet up.” His classmates did invite him, but he hadn’t promised them that he’d go.

Wang Chao only “oh” -ed in response before he fell silent.

He didn’t know if Xiao Xie really had a class reunion, but he could tell that Xiao Xie didn’t want to visit his family’s house.

Duan Yikun gave them the demo versions of a couple of songs that may make onto the second album to collect their opinions.

Everyone listened earnestly except for Wang Chao, who hung his head despite not dozing off, and didn’t pay much attention to the songs.

The music stopped. Xie Zhuxing and his teammates all thought that one of them stood out the most. Wang Chao didn’t give his opinion.

“I also thought that this one had a great melody, but the lyrics are weak. If we want to have this as the lead single, then we have to change the lyrics,” Duan Yikun flipped through the materials and continued, “The songwriter belongs to one of the company’s studios. I will discuss with him later about this first.”

Then he went on to talk about more album-related things. After dismissing the meeting, Duan Yikun only kept Xie Zhuxing out of everyone else behind.

Wang Chao got up lazily and gestured to Xie Zhuxing that he will be waiting outside for him. Xie Zhuxing nodded in response.

The other teammates left and closed the door behind them.

Duan Yikun smiled: “Things seem to be going well recently. You two aren’t arguing either.”

Xie Zhuxing responded: “There aren’t that many things to be arguing about.”

Duan Yikun raised an eyebrow at that: “Why didn’t you let me know that you two are in a relationship? It’s big news.”

Xie Zhuxing: …” Which teammate tattled behind his back?

Duan Yikun smiled half-heartedly: “I won’t tell his brothers. You two shoud be careful, though.”

Xie Zhuxing had to respond: “Will do.”

Duan Yikun put on a serious face and said: “Let’s get to actual business. The box office for the holiday movie was decent, your performance was great too, right now, there’s a great opporunity for you to ride on that momentum and branch into acting.”

Xie Zhuxing said: “But I never learned to act. Guest performing as a singer is fine, but any serious role…”

Duan Yikun said: “That’s nothing. Most popular young actors and actresses don’t have formal training. Once one gets popular, opportunities to star in tv shows and movies practically fall onto their lap, there’s lots of opportunities to hone their acting chops then.”

Xie Zhuxing detected the underlying message of his speech: “Did someone invite me for a role?”

It’s a historical drama with a comedic bend, produced by the same company as that holiday movie. The script is about the chaotic and funny lives of a family of three generations, each episode is an independent story. The producer wanted Xie Zhuxing to play the eldest grandson, who dreams of traveling the world with his sword but is instead forced by his family to study for the civil service examination.

The story’s interesting and doesn’t have high requirements for his acting skills.

The writer and director are well-known within the industry, and the leading actors are also reliable.

And the money is good.

Xie Zhuxing is quite intrigued and said: “The filming takes place right during the recording of the second album. Will there be any conflicts on the schedule?”

Duan Yikun replied: “I’ve already asked. This show has forty total episodes, but your character only appears in the first sixteen as after the sixteenth episode he will leave the house and go explore the world, so schedule-wise it is doable as long as you dedicate enough efforts to both sides, which will be a little tough.”

Xie Zhuxing smiled and said: “Hard work is the least thing that I’m afraid of.”

Duan Yikun smiled too and replied: “Then I will deliver the good news to them.”

Wang Chao was standing in front of the office playing mobile games on his phone when the door opened. He raised his head at the sound and asked: “What did you talk about? Took forever.”

Xie Zhuxing said: “We’ll talk as we walk.”

Wang Chao then put his phone back into his pocket. He doesn’t want to bring up what happened just now. Instead, he wrapped his arm around Xie Zhuxing’s shoulders, and since the latter didn’t doge, the two then walked on with arms around each other.

Duan Yikun stepped outside the room. Watching their backs, he shook his head, amused.

“Sitcom? Filming in Yunnan?” The second he finished, Wang Chao began to complain: “If you want to act, I can just ask my eldest brother whether there’s any movies by famous directors or producers, and you can get in easily through the backdoor. What prestige does tv shows have in comparison to movies? And a stupid sitcom? That’s even shittier. Don’t do it.”

Xie Zhuxing was originally excited to share this news with him, but after being so thoroughly dismissed, he felt a bit uncomfortable and said: “I’ve already promised Kun Ge.”

Wang Chao looked down on sitcoms and was also bothered by how far he’d be from him after leaving for Yunnan. “Well, since you haven’t even left the company premise yet, hurry up and tell him that you won’t do it,” He urged.

Xie Zhuxing: “…”

Wang Chao then took out his phone and said: “If you’re too shy to do it, I will do it for you.”

Xie Zhuxing stopped him and said: “Stop it, I’ve already promised him. I can’t go back on my words.”

Wang Chao continued to spew nonsense: “You can still get a divorce after you get married! This is just a stupid show, why can’t you go back on your words?”

Xie Zhuxing said: “This is my career, not yours, just stay out of it.”

Wang Chao was further infuriated by the way he separated “my” and “yours,” and continued: “What do you mean, your career? Had it not been me asking my eldest brother to let you be part of that movie, which director would choose you, a dancer, to be part of a movie?”

Xie Zhuxing: “…” He had just told Duan Yikun that they don’t have many things to argue about. Look at that now.

He didn’t want to argue, so he just straight up refused to speak.

Wang Chao couldn’t detect that and continued on and on: “Alright, tell Kun Ge that you won’t be a part of this show. Once the second album is released, I will ask my eldest brother to put you in a movie scheduled for summer vacation. Whether you want to sing the theme song or act in it, that’s up to you. Summer vacation time is perfect for movies – even the worst ones could end up with good box office – isn’t this much better than going to Yunnan for a random sit-com?”

Xie Zhuxing didn’t respond.

Wang Chao paused on his track and gave the other man a shove: “Why aren’t you talking?”

Xie Zhuxing said with a straight face: “Am I not allowed to not want to talk?”

Wang Chao replied angrily: “What’s the matter with you? Am I not doing this for your own good? Who are you showing that pissy face to?”

Since they are still on the company premise and people are walking around everywhere, Xie Zhuxing said: “Keep your voice down, we will talk after we get out.”

Wang Chao would not budge, however, as he stubbornly countered: “No, I won’t! I haven’t done anything shameful!”

Xie Zhuxing wanted to beat him up but he held himself back: “Then you can stay here by yourself.”

Xie Zhuxing left.

Wang Chao didn’t chase after him. He was so angry that he could practically feel the fumes coming out of his ears. Xiao Xie is so ungrateful. He always gives the best he has to him, but what’s the use of that? He invited him over for dumplings, but he refused to go. He gave him good resources, but he looked down upon them and even started to distinguish between “my” and “yours,” how is this a relationship? It’s only when they’re having sex that they seem like boyfriends.

Xie Zhuxing didn’t leave once he went downstairs. He waited right by the elevator entrance, but after a while, he didn’t see Wang Chao come down. Well, he had no other option but to call him.

Wang Chao was playing mobile games while pooping in the toilet upstairs. Right during a critical moment in the game, Xie Zhuxing’s call came in; he was so mad that he hung up immediately, without any second consideration.

Xie Zhuxing heard his call being cut off, put his phone away, and left for real this time.

Wang Chao regretted his action the second he hung up the phone. He didn’t have the mood to play the mobile games anymore either. He held the phone, waiting for Xie Zhuxing to call him back, but even after his thighs began to feel sore the latter man never called him back.

He limped out of the restroom, feeling completely disappointed.

He never expected Xiao Xie to be as sweet to him as his eldest brother to his brother-in-law. But why is it that every time they argue, he has to apologize first? Just because he’s more shameless? Look at how spoiled Xiao Xie has become.

He won’t spoil him anymore. Fuck it.

He didn’t have anything to do, so he just went to the bar.

He got together with a couple of friends from the past, chatted, and drank until eleven o’clock at night.

He felt a bit drunk. Having been absent from the party scene for a couple of months, his tolerance had declined.

His friends said that they were going to have fun in “another place,” and he could figure out with his pinky what they are referring to. He excused himself from it.

He knows that he has bad self-restraint. He’s afraid of losing self-control and doing something out of line again.

He had promised Xiao Xie that he’d stop fooling around with other people.

Stinking of alcohol, he didn’t dare to go home. Instead, he called a cab and went back to Wangjing Xiyuan.

When he came out of the elevator and wanted to find the key for the front entrance, he searched through every single pocket on his body but couldn’t locate it.

Today’s so depressing.

He gave the security door a furious kick.

The security door opened in front of him.

Xie Zhuxing was standing behind the door with furrowed brows. “Who did you drink this much with?” He asked.

Wang Chao wasn’t drunk and understood instantly that Xie Zhuxing has been waiting for him. A little proud of himself, he began to shout: “Who let you into my house?”

Xie Zhuxing was already pissed by the alcohol stank on his body. As soon as he heard that, he said: “Alright, then I will leave.”

Wang Chao hurriedly embraced the man who was about to walk out of the door and said angrily: “Why can’t you learn from me and be a bit more shameless? How much is your face worth?”

Xie Zhuxing didn’t bother to respond and interrogated him: “Who did you drink with?”

Wang Chao explained: “They were all men!”

Xie Zhuxing sniffed him up close, there was only the smell of alcohol.

Wang Chao grinned instantly. He pulled his own collar open for the other man to smell and asked: “What did you smell?”

Xie Zhuxing wrapped his arms around his waist, dragged him inside, and then closed the door before he scolded: “Horny ass.”

The two exchanged a kiss. Xie Zhuxing pinched and pressed on Wang Chao’s body possessively.

Which was exactly what Wang Chao liked. He was so into it that he began to moan.

Once the kisses ended, the two went inside and sat down on the couch. Xie Zhuxing poured him a cup of hot water.

Wang Chao felt dizzy. He sprawled himself on the ground and asked: “How long will the filming in Yunnan take?”

Xie Zhuxing: “Half a month.”

Wang Chao thought about it: half a month is tolerable. He then said: “Alright then.”

Xie Zhuxing pursed his lips and said after a while: “Actually…I want to buy a house in Beijing. I will have enough money after filming for this show. Obviously, it will be a small house, but it will be a stepping stone for now.”

Wang Chao straightened up instantly. He widened his eyes and asked nervously: “Then once you buy it, are you planning to live with me there?”

Xie Zhuxing asked: “Do you not want to?”

Wang Chao obviously wants to. “Then you won’t get married?” He asked.

Xie Zhuxing smiled at him and lowered his voice: “Aren’t you my wife already?”

Wang Chao’s face instantly flushed with heat. Yet he feigned a tough appearance and countered: “Fuck off, you stop trying to take advantage of me. Your daddy here has an eight inch gigantic rod in my pants, I’m only letting you be on top now.”

He rambled on and on, saying self-deceiving things that he doesn’t mean, as his face became more and more flushed.

Xie Zhuxing found him amusing. “Xiao Chao.” He called him.

Wang Chao shut up instantly, and his eyes became even wider. Xiao Xie has never called him with such intimacy before.

Xie Zhuxing gets embarrassed quickly enough. Before he let out these words, he shyly lowered his eyes before he raised them again, staring into Wang Chao’s eyes as he opened his mouth: “I want to use the blue toilet seat with you for the rest of my life.”

Wang Chao: “…”

Xiao Xie is so god damn sweet.

He wants to say some sweet nothings too, but he can’t let them out. He’s so turned on – he stood up, swiftly stripped himself clean, lay face down on the couch, lifted his butt up, and urged the other man: “Come quickly, come quickly! Let’s make a kid.”