Chapter 51: Livestream and Secrets

Song Chu lay on the bed for a while before getting up to change clothes. Clutching his phone eagerly, he ran to the kitchen door.

“Can I livestream?”

“Of course you can.” Ji Xiao glanced back at him. “First go put on your shoes.”

“Oh, oh, I forgot.”

By the time Song Chu had put on his shoes and returned to the kitchen, Ji Xiao was slicing fish. Watching him deftly cut the fish into thin slices, Song Chu quickly started the stream and fixed his phone in place.

“Bro Xiao, your knife skills are this amazing?!”

Ji Xiao paused, then laughed. “I didn’t know my knife skills were this good either.”

Song Chu leaned in to look. “Each slice seems almost identical…”

[Chuchu has changed—he started streaming without greeting us!]

[Chuchu, don’t block the view. Let me see if the roommate’s slices really are the same.]

[So today it’s the roommate cooking again?]

[The stream title could be changed to “Me and My Roommate Eat While We Cook.”]

[Eat while we cook? What the heck?]

[You’ll know in a bit.]

After Ji Xiao finished slicing the fish, Song Chu remembered the audience. He held up the plate and swung it in front of the camera.

[Damn—thin as cicada wings?]

[Every slice really is that thin!]

[What fish dish are they making today?]

[Are you all only seeing the fish? Look below Chuchu’s collarbone! What’s that!]

[Holy crap, I see it too. Is Chuchu in love? No, Mom won’t allow it!]

[Didn’t you see the kiss last time?]

[What kiss?]

[I recorded it. DM me, I’ll send it.]

[I don’t care about personal stuff. I just want to watch the streamer cook and eat.]

…

Ji Xiao said, “Today we’re making smooth fish fillets and scrambled eggs with shrimp…”

Song Chu leaned against the cabinet watching him, occasionally stepping forward to help him out, and sometimes sneakily picking up a piece of cooked food to pop into his mouth.

[So this is ‘eat while we cook’.]

[Today Chuchu’s eyes aren’t on us at all.]

[He’s been staring at his roommate the whole time!]

[Slurp… that fish looks so good. I’m hungry.]

[Girls, can you still ship them?]

…

Flame off. Plate the food.

Song Chu went to serve the dishes. Ji Xiao noticed his exposed collarbone and reached out to button two of the three undone buttons, leaving only the top one undone.

Song Chu: “…” I deliberately left three buttons undone!

[Chuchu and his roommate are starting to eat. I’ve got my food ready too. Let’s eat together!]

[Not just roommate! They’re in a ‘can kiss’ relationship! If you don’t know, review the last episode.]

[I was cooking while listening to the stream. The roommate’s voice is really nice.]

[What atmosphere? Did something happen? I was just cooking and only listening.]

[Eating with Chuchu~ My food is on the table too!]

[Is the roommate there? Did you pinch that mark under Chuchu’s collarbone?]

[Haha, goddamn ‘pinch’.]

Song Chu occasionally glanced at the barrage, thinking of how to reply.

Ji Xiao picked up a shrimp and placed it in his bowl. “Eat properly.”

“Oh.”

Ji Xiao saw that he was still distracted and felt a bit helpless. He knew what Song Chu was thinking. He didn’t understand why he wanted so badly to show off their relationship in front of the audience, but if that’s what Song Chu wanted, he didn’t mind going along.

“Chu.”

“Hmm?”

Song Chu looked up at him, noticing his gentle, focused gaze. He chewed instinctively and swallowed.

Ji Xiao reached out and wiped the corner of his mouth. “Got something on you.”

“Mm.”

Ji Xiao withdrew his hand and licked his thumb.

Song Chu: “!”

[Holy crap!]

[Did… did he wash his hands?]

[He washed his hands after cooking before coming to the table, didn’t you see?]

[Wake up! It’s not about washing hands! That move was too flirtatious! So that mark on Chuchu really was from the roommate!]

[The roommate looks much better. Is it the nourishment of love?]

[Watching their interaction, I suddenly think this burnt dish I made smells really good.]

…

Song Chu’s face turned bright red. He lowered his head and ate. It became quiet.

The two ate seriously, neither looking at the scrolling barrage.

After the meal.

Song Chu wanted to wash the dishes, but Ji Xiao held his hand. “Let me. You exercised too much earlier. Take a good rest.”

Song Chu: “…”

“Be good.”

“I know, I know. You wash, you wash.”

Song Chu jumped onto the sofa and rolled twice. Then he remembered the livestream was still on. He walked over to the camera, coughed twice, and said seriously, “That’s all for today’s stream. See you tomorrow.”

With that, he quickly ended the stream.

In the kitchen.

Black Cat: “Host, I found some interesting stuff on Zeng Yang.”

Ji Xiao: [Go on.]

“It’s about Zeng Yang… He’s one of us too. But he hid it well. Because his parents are traditional, and when he vaguely showed signs, he sensed their resistance and disgust. So he pretended, and even got a girlfriend. He worked mechanically, maintained a lukewarm relationship with his girlfriend—all just to appease his parents. But he didn’t have the courage to rebel against them. To his colleagues, Song Chu was easygoing and easy to understand, and Zeng Yang felt relaxed with him. But when he discovered that Song Chu actually liked guys too, his feelings changed. There was a sense of shared destiny. But he soon realized he was wrong—especially after seeing how open Song Chu and Ji Xiao were together, their happiness and beauty. Ji Xiao protected and was gentle with Song Chu. Song Chu loved and was sweet to Ji Xiao. Zeng Yang felt jealous. Why could they be so unrestrained, while he had to hide his nature in the darkness, afraid to let it out? So he spread rumors about Song Chu at the company. If it were just an employee image issue, the boss wouldn’t have fired him. But Zeng Yang also subtly spread rumors that Song Chu might have a messy private life, which changed the office atmosphere. There were also some complaints from people who couldn’t stand that type. The boss thought it over and still fired Song Chu. After all, he was still on probation.”

Ji Xiao smiled. [Does he have any dirt?]

Black Cat: “Yes. You won’t believe what I found! Zeng Yang’s true nature is that he likes guys. Although he ‘had to’ get a girlfriend, he couldn’t help secretly doing some things. He has a small account, added some people on forums, chatted very openly, and even secretly hooked up. Every cautious time gave him a hidden thrill. He thought even if he married his girlfriend, it would be fine—just keep up appearances to satisfy his parents and avoid the disapproving looks of ordinary people. Privately, he could still enjoy himself.”

Black Cat accused, “He proposed to his girlfriend last month, and they’re getting married in two months! It’s wedding fraud! Host, get him!”

Ji Xiao: [Of course.]

The video of Zeng Yang with his hookup was sent to his fiancée, parents, and colleagues’ phones. The other person was blurred, but Zeng Yang’s face was clear and unmistakable.

After the operation, Black Cat felt a bit timid. “Host, isn’t this a bit… not good?”

[What’s not good?]

“Well…”

[Is the content of the video real? Did we falsely accuse him?]

“It’s real…”

[We only exposed what he did. We saved a woman from being deceived, saved his parents from being deceived, let his company see his true colors. What fault is there?]

“Yeah, I guess.”

Ji Xiao turned off the water, wiped his hands, with a smile on his lips and a mocking look in his eyes.

He walked to the living room and stopped.

Song Chu was hugging a pillow, asleep on the sofa. He must have really been worn out earlier.

Ji Xiao gently picked him up, placed him on the bed, took off his shoes, and covered him with the blanket.

“Bro Xiao…”

“Mm?”

Ji Xiao leaned in and realized he was just talking in his sleep, not awake. He bent down and kissed his forehead, then went to the balcony.

He lit a cigarette and leaned against the balcony, looking down at the people coming and going below. His eyes were deep, and he said nothing.

Black Cat: “Host, do you have a smoking addiction?”

Ji Xiao: “What do you think?”

Black Cat recalled the ancient world: “Seems like you didn’t… In the rich son’s plane, you only asked about it once, and never again. You didn’t show much desire to smoke. In the emperor’s plane, though you could exchange for cigarettes, you didn’t smoke much.”

Ji Xiao put out the cigarette. “My memory tells me that cigarettes and alcohol can relieve stress.”

Black Cat: “…”

He twirled the lighter in his hand, a faint smile playing on his lips. “My memory also tells me that I’m addicted to smoking.”

Black Cat: “…”

“But in fact, cigarettes are optional to me.” Ji Xiao chuckled softly. “Yet my initial memory tells me I’m addicted. Isn’t that strange?”

Black Cat gulped. “I don’t know.”

Ji Xiao put the lighter in his pocket and gazed distantly at the city lights. “Every time I receive the original host’s life, I know it, but I can’t empathize. It’s like my initial memory—just possessing a memory. Isn’t that also strange?”

Black Cat trembled.

“My initial memory doesn’t have the concept of being afraid of cats. So…”

“Meow—”

Black Cat appeared directly, crouching on the balcony facing him, pupils dilated.

Ji Xiao: “…”

His body stiffened. He slowly backed away, returned to the room, and closed the door, leaving Black Cat outside on the balcony.

Black Cat: “Mew.”

[Captain, captain, big trouble!]

…

Ji Xiao washed up and slipped into the bed covers. Song Chu seemed to sense him and rolled into his arms. Ji Xiao hugged him, adjusting to make him more comfortable. He looked down at Song Chu’s sleeping face under the light, then his gaze moved to his neck.

[I think I could crush his throat with my bare hands. Isn’t that strange?]

“Meow!”

Black Cat suddenly burst through the wall from the balcony and stared at him.

Ji Xiao was silent for a moment. He reached out and turned off the light, hugged Song Chu tight, and closed his eyes.

[Go back. I won’t say anymore.]

Black Cat: “Hmph!”

…

A long while later.

Confirming the host was asleep, Black Cat transformed into a streak of light and shot into the sky.

In the darkness, Ji Xiao opened his eyes. He felt the connection to the system weaken, flickering in and out. His gaze was deep.

“Bro Xiao…”

“I’m here.”

Song Chu groggily opened his eyes and reached out to turn on the light, but Ji Xiao stopped his hand.

“Bro Xiao?”

Ji Xiao turned him over and covered him. In the moonlight, his eyes were clear with a hint of darkness. “I have to go back to work in a few days. Let’s use these days to exercise more, so we don’t run out of energy when work starts.”

His voice was extremely gentle, but Song Chu felt a bit tense. “Isn’t that enough? How about I press your legs while you do sit-ups?”

“No need to press legs. Exercise is more motivating when two people do it together.”

“Should we turn on the light?”

“Darkness helps focus.”

“Then…”

“Shh. Don’t talk.”

…

When Black Cat returned, the host and the target had just finished exercising and had taken a shower. It pretended it had never left and cowered silently.

Ji Xiao: [Cat, still mad?]

Black Cat: “Huh? No.”

[Why didn’t you answer when I called earlier?]

“I didn’t want to disturb you, in case you got distracted.”

[Do you know why I asked you those questions earlier?]

Black Cat’s heart tightened. “I don’t know… Why?”

Ji Xiao laughed. [Maybe because I’ve transmigrated too many worlds, my memory is a bit confused. I thought it over carefully, and in my memory, I am indeed addicted to smoking and also afraid of cats.]

Black Cat breathed a sigh of relief. So the captain had fixed the bug.

Black Cat comforted him, “It’s okay. You can use points to buy amnesia pills. If you feel overwhelmed by too many memories, you can exchange for one. One pill makes you forget one world.”

Ji Xiao: [Not now, I think.]

Black Cat: “Okay! Just let me know when you need it.”

Ji Xiao didn’t reply further. Instead, he gently coaxed Song Chu, and the two fell asleep together.

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