Chapter 11
Upon hearing this, Ji’s Father’s face turned shades of green and white, feeling utterly humiliated. Having been a teacher for over twenty years, he was always the one lecturing others, never the other way around. This was the first time a parent had left him speechless.
He shot a glare at Ji Wei.
Ji Wei quickly lowered his head, adopting an expression that screamed, I didn’t see anything, it has nothing to do with me, I know nothing.
Ji’s Father’s teeth itched with frustration. This little brat.
“Teacher Ji, I just remembered I have something to take care of at home, so I’ll be leaving now.”
The parent who had spoken out of turn, sensing the calm before the storm, stood up and headed for the door. The other parents exchanged glances and hastily made their excuses as well.
Click.
The door closed.
Only Ji’s Father, Ji Wei, and Lu Shenxing remained in the room.
Ji’s Father was seething. “You little brat, do you remember what you promised me? When I wanted to confiscate your posters, you cried your eyes out and told me, ‘Dad, I’ll never chase celebrities again.’ So how did you end up chasing one all the way to our house? And you picked such a perfect time to do it.”
…The last sentence is the real point, isn’t it, Ji Wei thought.
Lu Shenxing subtly stepped in front of Ji Wei and handed over the gift box he was carrying. “I apologize for the sudden visit. I heard Uncle Ji loves tea, so I prepared a small gift.”
Only then did Ji’s Father realize there was a third person present, making it inappropriate to continue scolding Ji Wei.
Ji’s Father forced a smile, but he couldn’t manage a pleasant expression. The moment he saw Lu Shenxing’s excessively handsome face, he was reminded of his son hiding under the covers to watch Lu Shenxing’s movies, secretly sketching his portrait during class, and nearly deciding to apply to the Film Academy.
Ji’s Father waved his hand, refusing the gift. “Mr. Lu, as a teacher, I don’t accept gifts. Didn’t Ji Wei tell you?”
“That’s a shame.”
Lu Shenxing lowered his gaze and said nonchalantly, “It’s this year’s new harvest of Imperial Eight Trees.”
For a moment, Ji’s Father thought he had misheard. “Imperial Eight Trees?”
Imperial Eight Trees was a type of Dragon Well Tea. While West Lake Dragon Well was commonly heard of, the annual yield of Imperial Eight Trees was barely 100 grams, its value immeasurable by money. Tea enthusiasts like him could only admire photos of it on forums. Yet, in Lu Shenxing’s mouth, it was just a “small gift.”
The shock was a bit much for Ji’s Father.
He painfully refused, “I can’t accept this, I can’t. It’s far too valuable.”
Lu Shenxing shook his head. “It’s from my family’s own tea garden, and no one at home drinks it. It’s better to give it to a true tea lover like Uncle Ji.”
Only then did Ji’s Father gleefully accept it. “Mr. Lu, you’re too kind. Let me tell you, tea is like a child. Different teas have different temperaments. Take Dragon Well, for instance…”
…Dad, you’re so transparent, Ji Wei thought.
Once Ji’s Father started talking about tea, he couldn’t stop. Ji Wei was worried Lu Shenxing would grow impatient, but Lu Shenxing listened attentively, his gaze focused, occasionally offering his own views in a gentle voice. Lu Shenxing was indeed an excellent listener.
By the time the conversation ended, Ji’s Father was affectionately calling him “Xiao Lu” with incredible warmth. When it came to his own son, however, it was just a cold, indifferent “Ji Wei.” He even took his idol on a tour of his treasured tea room.
Ji Wei’s feelings were a little complicated. He had never enjoyed such treatment himself. Was he sure he wasn’t a freebie that came with a phone plan top-up?
“Xiao Lu, take a look around. If you see anything you like in my house, just take it.” Ji’s Father showed Lu Shenxing the collection he had amassed over several decades.
Lu Shenxing’s gaze swept from left to right, examining the tea canisters on the shelves. He suddenly asked, “Anything?”
“Of course. You can take whatever you fancy,” Ji’s Father said with a smile.
Lu Shenxing’s gaze slowly shifted, moving from the shelves down to Ji Wei, where it stopped.
Aware of the man’s subtle yet focused gaze, Ji Wei gently turned his head to the side, but the man’s eyes didn’t move an inch. In fact, they seemed to grow more… intense.
Ji Wei swallowed, a baseless nervousness rising within him, like the panic before being caught doing something wrong in public.
Fortunately, Lu Shenxing retracted his gaze and chose a moderately priced tea, one not so expensive as to make Ji’s Father’s heart ache, nor so cheap as to seem deliberate.
As noon approached, Ji’s Father insisted that Lu Shenxing stay for lunch and headed to the supermarket with a shopping basket.
Ji Wei closed the door, scratching the back of his head. He said, a little embarrassed, “I remember you said you had something to do yesterday. You don’t have to mind my dad. You should go take care of your business.”
Lu Shenxing looked down and said, “It’s been taken care of.”
That was great. He could spend a little more time with his idol.
“I’ll go get you a glass of water.”
It only just occurred to him that Lu Shenxing had been here for so long without having a single sip of water. When he returned from getting water from the dispenser in the kitchen, he found Lu Shenxing leaning against the sofa, fast asleep. The faint dark circles under his eyes showed he was utterly exhausted.
With his features relaxed, the corners of Lu Shenxing’s eyes drooped slightly, making him look less sharp and giving him a rare, youthful appearance. Ji Wei was stunned. For the first time, he felt that his idol wasn’t a lofty, untouchable god, but a living, breathing person. He was flesh and blood. He got tired, too.
***
Ji Wei went to the bedroom, brought out a thin blanket, and carefully draped it over Lu Shenxing. Then, he sat beside him, reading a textbook and taking notes. However, he was the type to steal a glance at Lu Shenxing after every two lines he read. His efficiency was appallingly low.
Time slowly passed. His phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the sleeping Lu Shenxing beside him and quickly silenced it.
It was a text from Chen Yan.
[Chen Yan] Ji Wei, did you forget something?
[Ji Wei] Is it that you got a new girlfriend? I didn’t forget. The one with long hair.
[Chen Yan] …It’s Lu Shenxing’s autograph! The autograph!
An autograph… Ji Wei remembered now. Before the show, he had promised to get autographs for his roommates, but he had completely forgotten.
“How long was I asleep?”
Suddenly, a man’s low voice came from behind him, still laced with a trace of sleepiness.
Ji Wei quickly checked the time. “Just over an hour. You should sleep a little longer, right?”
“No, it’s fine.”
Lu Shenxing rubbed the bridge of his nose. He didn’t seem to have slept well.
Ji Wei saw his phone screen light up again. He hesitated, his lips parting and closing before he finally mustered the courage to ask, “Then, could I get an autograph?”
Three autographs. He hadn’t even finished his sentence.
The man’s face suddenly drew near. Ji Wei instinctively leaned back, falling onto the sofa. The man braced his hands on either side of Ji Wei’s shoulders, knelt on the sofa with one knee, and slowly leaned down, trapping him in his embrace. They were so close he could feel the other’s warm breath.
Ji Wei was too nervous to speak.
“How about I sign it here?”
The man’s deep, magnetic voice sounded by his ear, his tone coaxing.
Ji Wei subconsciously said okay. But he regretted it the next second. The man took the pen from his hand, easily grasped his wrist with the other, and began to write, stroke by stroke, on the inside of his wrist.
The pen tip was incredibly cold against his delicate skin. Ji Wei couldn’t help but let out a soft groan and tried to pull his hand back, but Lu Shenxing held him firmly, making it impossible to escape. Meanwhile, the man continued to leisurely write the three characters of his name, “Lu Shenxing.”
It was strangely erotic.