Chapter 4: Don’t Call Him That

Wen Qi got up very early, but she didn’t have the habit of eating breakfast.

She casually poured herself a glass of milk, sat down in front of the pile of equipment, and began doing mouth exercises, followed closely by vocalization technique practice, her daily routine.

Only when her throat started to feel a little strained did she stop.

Even then, she didn’t rest, instead curling up on the sofa to think about how to improve emotional expression.

She had already tried auditioning a few times before and received feedback.

Her technique was more than sufficient, but her emotions were lacking.

How to accurately convey a character’s emotions gave Wen Qi a headache.

Last night, she had tried dubbing several segments, yet none met her own standards.

At 11:30, Wei Qingxuan knocked on Wen Qi’s door right on time.

“Come eat.”

“Okay, let me grab something.”

The exchange was so simple it barely carried any emotion.

At the dining table, the three of them adhered perfectly to the rule of “no talking while eating.”

It was so quiet that only the clinking of bowls and chopsticks could be heard.

Wei Qingxuan’s gaze swept toward Wen Qi from time to time.

Seeing her look completely open and at ease, never sparing him even a shred of attention, as if she had entirely forgotten what was said last night, his chopsticks scraped heavily across the rim of the bowl, producing a harsh screech.

“What’s wrong?” Dong Lanying looked at him.

Wei Qingxuan subconsciously glanced at Wen Qi.

What met his eyes was a smiling gaze, and her lips silently formed the words: “You’re not focusing.”

She was teasing him again.

He lowered his eyes and replied to Dong Lanying, “Nothing.”

After the meal, Wei Qingxuan deliberately passed by Wen Qi as he stood up, resting a hand against his lips and coughing lightly a few times, yet still failing to earn any extra attention.

Dong Lanying asked Wen Qi kindly, “Xiao Qi, are you getting used to things here? Does the food suit your taste? I asked Qingxuan and heard you prefer lighter food, so I had Xiao Sun cook more lightly.”

Xiao Sun was the live-in housekeeper, about the same age as Wei Qingxuan’s mother, mainly responsible for taking care of Dong Lanying and cooking for the family.

Wen Qi nodded vigorously.

“I’m very used to it, it’s extremely delicious.”

“I don’t like moving around much and always prefer staying within a small space. I hope Xiao Qi doesn’t find me hard to get along with,” Dong Lanying said, holding Wen Qi’s hand.

“Qingxuan takes after me, so this house is always rather quiet and cold. Ever since you came, it feels much more lively. The pastries you gave me last time were delicious. If you have time, come chat with me more. I really like you.”

Wen Qi felt both flattered and surprised.

“Grandma, I’ll come keep you company more often.”

She simply couldn’t imagine a senior liking her this much.

“Grandma, it’s time. I’m heading out,” Wei Qingxuan said.

He had changed clothes and was holding his keys.

“Tell Aunt Sun not to wait up for me tonight. I brought my keys.”

“Mm, go on,” Dong Lanying replied.

She then looked at Wen Qi.

“Xiao Qi, you should go too. Follow Qingxuan around and get familiar with West City. It’ll be less boring when you stay here later.”

Only after following Wei Qingxuan into the courtyard did Wen Qi ask, “Where are you going?”

“The billiards hall,” Wei Qingxuan replied, spinning the keys in his hand.

“For work, or just for fun?”

If it was just for fun, she didn’t know how to play billiards, so going along would be pointless.

“For work.”

Wen Qi’s eyes lit up.

“Then take me with you. Grandma said we should cultivate our relationship more.”

“Ahem, cultivate our relationship?”

Wei Qingxuan eyed her suspiciously, then slowly grew thoughtful.

“Yeah,” she said without a hint of embarrassment.

“Friendship deepens the more you interact.”

“Friendship?”

Wei Qingxuan tightened his grip on the car keys.

“Didn’t you ask me just yesterday if I wanted to date you?”

At that, Wen Qi remained utterly calm.

“Seems like it, but didn’t you refuse?”

Wei Qingxuan turned and walked away, a nameless frustration weighing on his heart.

She was infuriating.

Yet he couldn’t deny that he was still stirred by what she had said last night.

The white incandescent lights on the garage ceiling cast a halo over the heavy motorcycle.

The matte-black body gleamed with a cold sheen, and the modified exhaust pipe made the bike look even more imposing.

“When did you learn to ride this?”

Wen Qi moved closer in surprise, her gaze roaming over the motorcycle, her hair brushing Wei Qingxuan’s arm unintentionally.

He bent down and picked up a pure black helmet.

When the visor came down, only his smooth, sharp jawline was left visible.

Turning to see this, Wen Qi didn’t hesitate to praise him.

“Wei Qingxuan, you actually look pretty cool like this.”

Her words were far too misleading, often hovering between truth and falsehood.

Wei Qingxuan’s movement as he fastened the helmet suddenly stopped, his eyes darkening behind the visor.

“This time, are you being serious?”

“Of course. When am I not serious?”

Wen Qi cleared her throat.

Most of the time, she really was serious.

What answered her was Wei Qingxuan’s soft chuckle.

“Do you have a helmet for me?” she added casually.

“Make it a nice-looking one.”

Wei Qingxuan walked over and picked a gray helmet out of a pile.

“This one.”

It wasn’t as cool as the one on Wei Qingxuan’s head, but it was the best-looking among the bunch.

She muttered under her breath as she put it on.

“It’s not very eye-catching.”

But staying alive was more important.

When mounting the bike, Wen Qi naturally grabbed the T-shirt at both sides of his waist.

Even through the thin fabric, she could feel his muscles tense instantly.

“Wen Qi…”

Wei Qingxuan called her name.

He could clearly feel her breathing brush against his back, bringing waves of heat.

“I know,” she replied first.

“Don’t touch you, right? But for safety’s sake, you’ll just have to endure it.”

There was really no other option, aside from him, there was nowhere else she could hold onto securely.

A few seconds later, she still loosened her grip slightly, so the rider wouldn’t be too stiff.

He deliberately ignored the sensation of weight pressing against his sides.

His left hand instinctively reached back halfway, hovering in the air, but the moment it touched her waist, his fingers curled sharply.

The instant the engine roared, the bike shuddered violently and shot forward.

Wen Qi cried out and grabbed his clothes even tighter.

“Couldn’t you at least warn me?”

The wind swept past her ears, carrying the heat of summer, yet it couldn’t dispel the restless heat filling Wei Qingxuan.

Just clutching his clothes wasn’t enough to withstand the blade-like speed.

Wen Qi had no idea Wei Qingxuan rode this aggressively.

“Hold tight.”

His voice was two tones lower than usual.

Wen Qi stopped caring about anything else and wrapped her arms around Wei Qingxuan’s waist.

His hands gripping the handlebars tightened abruptly, a thread of excitement rising in his chest.

Maybe he could carry her like this every day.

Before long, Wen Qi adapted to the speed, her startled cries turning into carefree laughter.

“This is awesome.”

The wind blew over her recklessly, and Wen Qi felt the pent-up gloom that had clogged her chest for days dissipate completely in that moment.

Wei Qingxuan rarely smiled, but he did now.

The bike didn’t head toward the billiards hall, but instead went straight to the motorcycle section inside the venue.

Wen Qi followed Wei Qingxuan inside, her face full of confusion.

Just then, someone walked out of the shop.

He had blue hair, was tall and thin, and his hoodie hung loosely on his frame, making him look like a walking clothes rack.

He teased, “Yo, finally willing to come hang out at my place?”

When he noticed Wen Qi following behind, he froze.

“And this is?”

Wei Qingxuan placed his helmet on the table beside him.

“A friend.”

Hearing that introduction, Wen Qi raised an eyebrow.

“Hi, my name’s Wen Qi. I’m Wei Qingxuan’s good friend.”

She deliberately stressed the words “good friend.”

Wei Qingxuan flicked his gaze over, mulling over those three words, his fingertips tapping the tabletop again and again.

The blue-haired man’s eyes shifted back and forth between Wen Qi and Wei Qingxuan.

He had never seen Wei Qingxuan bring a friend here before.

This “friend” was probably anything but ordinary.

“Hello, I’m-”

The blue-haired man glanced at Wei Qingxuan, a sudden thought arising.

“Hey, are you about the same age as Wei Qingxuan?”

Wen Qi nodded.

“Then just call me gege. Wei Qingxuan calls me that too.”

Thump, thump, thump-

Not wanting to listen to his nonsense, Wei Qingxuan slammed the helmet down on the table several times.

“Are you doing business or not?”

Hearing that, the blue-haired man immediately perked up.

“Of course. What are you buying?”

“A helmet. Pick one that suits her.”

Wei Qingxuan tilted his chin toward Wen Qi.

“Me?”

Wen Qi was startled.

Everything in this shop clearly wasn’t cheap.

If she had spare money before, she would’ve bought something she liked.

But now, her pockets were emptier than her face.

She pulled Wei Qingxuan aside, still caring about saving face.

Lowering her voice, she spoke decisively.

“I don’t have money to buy one. And you’ve got a ton of helmets in your garage already, do you really have money with nowhere to spend it?”

Wen Qi’s skin was fine and smooth.

When she touched Wei Qingxuan’s wrist, it was like warm jade brushing across his palm, the lingering heat spreading up his arm all the way to his neck.

It flushed red.

Wen Qi didn’t notice.

Her mind was full of how to make Wei Qingxuan retract what he’d just said and leave the shop empty-handed under the owner’s gaze.

“I’m telling you, later you should just-”

“Don’t worry, little sister. Wei Qingxuan’s family is very rich.”

The blue-haired man bent down beside Wen Qi, having clearly overheard her words.

Immediately, Wen Qi’s attention shifted entirely to him, and she naturally turned around, letting go of Wei Qingxuan’s hand.

Wei Qingxuan rubbed his wrist, where Wen Qi’s warmth still lingered.

She crossed her arms and eyed the blue-haired man with displeasure.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you? Eavesdropping?”

The blue-haired man grinned casually.

“How could that be? I just happened to hear it.”

“Just happened to? Then your hearing is amazing, catching that from so far away.”

Wen Qi pointed to the distance between where they were standing earlier and the blue-haired man, at least three or four meters.

And she had deliberately lowered her voice.

How good did one’s ears have to be to hear that?

The blue-haired man felt a little guilty.

He was just curious about what the two were talking about and hadn’t expected to stumble into Wen Qi’s embarrassment.

“Sorry, little sister,” he coughed.

“Which one do you like? I’ll give it to you, consider it making a friend.”

The words of reproach lodged in Wen Qi’s throat.

She turned to look at Wei Qingxuan, as if asking whether the blue-haired man was serious.

The blue-haired man raised an eyebrow at Wei Qingxuan, his eyes full of teasing.

He’d known Wei Qingxuan for three years.

Even if he didn’t know him extremely well, the way Wei Qingxuan’s gaze kept landing on Wen Qi just now was crystal clear to him.

“Pick one,” Wei Qingxuan said.

“He means it.”

The blue-haired man laughed.

“Of course I do. Wei Qingxuan’s good friend is my good friend.”

He walked around Wen Qi and slung an arm over Wei Qingxuan’s shoulder.

Wei Qingxuan smoothly picked up a pair of gloves from the side.

They were made of goatskin, with black anti-slip patterns on the palms, dark red on the back, and slightly raised protective padding over the knuckles.

He examined them carefully.

“Hey, even brothers should keep accounts clear. I said I’d give one to her, not to you,” the blue-haired man said.

Wei Qingxuan casually tossed the gloves to him and threw out two words.

“Put it on my tab.”

“Alright then. Little sister, come over and look at helmets. Which one do you like?”

Instead of picking from the rack, he pulled out several boxes from beneath the counter.

“Wei Qingxuan rides wild. You should get the one with the best protection.”

The blue-haired man removed the dust cover and pointed to a red-and-black helmet matching the gloves.

“This model has the best protection in the shop. Look at this buckle, it won’t loosen no matter how hard you shake it. The vents are also smart. As for wind noise-”

Listening to his detailed introduction, Wen Qi could tell he really had taken out the best item in the store.

But was he really giving it to her?

“Are you sure you want to give me something this good?”

The blue-haired man paused.

He had one principle when it came to people.

Chemistry.

Without chemistry, even ten years of acquaintance meant nothing.

And clearly, Wen Qi fit his chemistry perfectly.

He swiftly packed the item up and stuffed it into Wen Qi’s hands.

“Actions speak louder than words. Take it, little sister.”

Seeing Wen Qi hesitate, he added, “Don’t try to give it back. Once I give something away, I never take it back.”

The slight displeasure from being overheard earlier instantly vanished.

Refusing further would just be pretentious.

Better to accept it cleanly, more friends meant more paths.

At worst, if the blue-haired man ever needed help and she could provide it, she certainly would.

Wen Qi happily took it.

“Thanks, gege.”

She called him that without the slightest burden.

Being sweet-mouthed was something she’d always done effortlessly.

That single word made the man present quite happy.

Except for one person who was gradually tensing up.

Hearing that form of address, Wei Qingxuan straightened from where he had been leaning against the counter, his gaze shifting from Wen Qi to the blue-haired man.

The blue-haired man looked smug, his expression openly provocative toward Wei Qingxuan.

Wen Qi was lifting the box with the helmet inside.

It was a bit heavy.

She didn’t really want to carry it.

“Wei Qingxuan…”

She turned her head, only to see Wei Qingxuan still staring at the blue-haired man.

The blue-haired man had a playful personality and good looks, with naturally flirtatious peach-blossom eyes that had ensnared countless girls new to love.

Recalling Wen Qi’s earlier “gege,” Wei Qingxuan’s half-lidded eyes suddenly sharpened with coldness.

Noticing the wariness in Wei Qingxuan’s gaze, the blue-haired man smiled even more arrogantly, his tone growing more familiar.

“Little sister, come hang out here more often in the future. If you run into any problems, you can always come to me for help.”

Before Wen Qi could respond, Wei Qingxuan stepped forward and directly blocked her.

The silent clash of gazes between the two men was fierce.

Rivals on the track, friends off it.

At this moment, the atmosphere was tense.

Wen Qi leaned her head out from behind Wei Qingxuan and looked at the blue-haired man.

“Really?”

Her true reason for having Wei Qingxuan bring her to the billiards hall was actually to find a part-time job.

After all, voice acting wasn’t guaranteed work.

She still needed to save money, and there were many places that required funds.

Hearing the blue-haired man’s words, she glanced around the club.

This place didn’t seem bad either.

Wei Qingxuan lifted the box with one hand, his eyes fixed on the blue-haired man.

“Put it on my tab.”

Then he turned to face Wen Qi, the sharpness in his eyes gradually fading.

“His name is Lan Yan. He’s a womanizer and a playboy. Stay away from him.”

A womanizer and a playboy?

She was here looking for work, not a boyfriend.

“I don’t care about that. What I want to know is-”

Are they hiring here?

The rest of her sentence was cut off as Wei Qingxuan grabbed her hand and dragged her outside.

Behind the counter, Lan Yan twirled the chain in his hand, watching the two walk away, the smile on his lips growing wider. How interesting.

“What are you doing? I haven’t even asked my question yet,” Wen Qi said.

She stared at Wei Qingxuan’s taut back.

He was gripping her hand tightly, as if determined to hold her firmly in his grasp.

This was different from his usual calm composure.

There was a hint of forcefulness now.

Wen Qi thought about what she might have said earlier that provoked him.

The motorcycle club was right next to the front hall of the billiards venue.

Wei Qingxuan opened the door with practiced ease, pulled her straight inside, and casually tossed the box aside.

“Wen Qi!”

“What?”

He looked at her quietly, his Adam’s apple rolling as he swallowed the sigh that rose in his throat.

“You can’t just look at his face. He’s had a lot of girlfriends. His face lies.”

Wen Qi finally figured out what Wei Qingxuan meant.

“You… don’t tell me you think I like him.”

“Don’t you?”

The corner of Wei Qingxuan’s mouth drooped imperceptibly.

“You just called him gege.”

So it was that word.

Wen Qi truly couldn’t imagine that Wei Qingxuan would think she liked Lan Yan just because of a form of address.

How could he be that pure?

She let out a soft laugh, but seeing how serious Wei Qingxuan’s expression was, the laughter quickly faded.

A few seconds later, she fully regained her composure and said, “Wei Qingxuan, don’t tell me you’re jealous. Or… do you also want to hear me call you gege?”