CHAPTER 47: CHAPTER 46: CHARITY BANQUET (PART 1)

The event ended, and it was already past nine at night. Since they had to catch an early flight back to Yanchuan the next morning, Zhou Huaiyi and his group returned to the hotel early to rest.

Everyone stayed on the same floor, with Zhou Huaiyi’s and Xiang Qichen’s rooms only separated by a wall, meaning Xiang was right next door.

After taking a shower, Xiang Qichen dried his hair and was about to go to bed. However, just as his head touched the pillow, the doorbell rang, and the low voice outside couldn’t have been more familiar: "Qi Chen, are you asleep?"

Xiang Qichen turned on the light and went to open the door: "Come in and talk."

Zhou Huaiyi entered on tiptoe, holding his phone.

Xiang Qichen: "What’s up?"

Zhou Huaiyi clasped his hands together: "Please! Do me a favor! My dad wants to video call me."

Xiang Qichen: "..."

The notification tone for a sent request sounded for a moment, and then the phone vibrated as the video call connected.

Suddenly a big forehead appeared on the phone screen.

"Hey..."

Father Zhou’s rather hoarse smoker’s voice came through the speaker.

Zhou Huaiyi held up a note to Xiang Qichen: Just say I’m with the team, at the hotel.

Xiang Qichen gave a knowing nod and first addressed him: "Dad."

In that instant, Zhou Huaiyi’s heart skipped a beat, secretly delighted.

Oh my god... the male god called Old Zhou "Dad"!

┬─┬ノ(゜-゜ノ)

After calling him that once, Father Zhou finally adjusted the camera to show his face, but the angle was... shot from below.

Father Zhou: "Still up?"

Xiang Qichen: "About to sleep. You’re not asleep yet?"

Father Zhou: "Not yet. You’re not at the dorm?"

Xiang Qichen: "I’m out with the team, staying at a hotel."

Father Zhou: "Oh."

Xiang Qichen: "..."

Father Zhou: "Take care of yourself, have you found an internship yet?"

Xiang Qichen mumbled: "Uh, yes, I’ve found one, working as an assistant with a team."

Opposite him, Zhou Huaiyi was so nervous, biting his lip and not daring to make a sound.

Father Zhou: "Is it reliable?"

Xiang Qichen: "Reliable."

Father Zhou: "Just be careful yourself."

Xiang Qichen nodded, and just when he thought Father Zhou was about to end the call, Old Zhou suddenly added casually: "Zhou Huaiyi, if you really have a boyfriend, bring him home sometime."

A stunned Zhou Huaiyi hadn’t figured out how to have Xiang Qichen respond, when Old Zhou simply said, "Alright, I’m done talking, go to sleep," and abruptly hung up the call.

Zhou Huaiyi: "..."

Xiang Qichen: "..."

The two looked at each other in silence for a moment, with Zhou Huaiyi feeling the temperature in the air drop to zero due to awkwardness. Suddenly, feeling a bit heated, she blurted out: "Uh... do you have a girlfriend?"

Xiang Qichen paused for two seconds: "...No."

Zhou Huaiyi was intensely excited and wanted so much to ask next, "Then can I be your girlfriend?"

But, she only dared to think about it. She was well aware of her own worth and didn’t dare to actually try and reach for the male god.

Zhou Huaiyi cleared her throat and forced a laugh: "Oh, I don’t have one either, hehe."

Xiang Qichen: "..."

The air turned awkward again for half a minute. Zhou Huaiyi stood up, avoiding eye contact, picked up her phone, and felt inexplicably shy: "Thank you, I... I’m going back to sleep."

"Hmm..." Xiang Qichen also stood up, planning to see her off. Zhou Huaiyi instinctively put her hand on his shoulder to push him back: "No need to see me off, it’s just a few steps."

Through the fabric of his pajamas, Zhou Huaiyi felt a wave of warmth pass through her palm and through her bloodstream, reaching her ears, making them burn hot in an instant.

Startled, Zhou Huaiyi didn’t wait for him to speak, quickly withdrew her hand, turned, and walked to the entrance. She opened the door to go back to her room, muttering to herself, "Zhou Huaiyi, is this all you’re capable of? Just touching your own body, and yet you get so embarrassed..."

Xiang Qichen stood frozen by the bed, suddenly feeling parched. He swallowed hard, lay back on the bed, and pulled the covers over his head. Then he could hear the strong and steady rhythm of his heartbeat echoing in his ears, unusually lively.