Chapter 33

The next day, Song Ruichi’s attire was impeccably conventional, complete with a necktie tied by Xu Er.

Practice makes perfect; Xu Er felt quite proud that today’s knot was tied even better than yesterday’s. It was slightly tighter, which was surely the effect Song Ruichi desired. After Xu Er straightened his shirt, Song Ruichi donned his suit jacket and stood before the mirror.

Today was different from yesterday. The light streaming in through the open curtains was natural, lending a touch of sun-kissed handsomeness to the suited Song Ruichi. Xu Er was thoroughly satisfied; though he had only tied a knot, the way Song Ruichi stood made him feel as if the man were his own masterpiece.

"You look drop-dead gorgeous, brother." Sitting on the sofa, Xu Er gave him a thumbs-up in the mirror.

Song Ruichi offered a reserved smile, then reached for his glasses on the nearby table. Yes, those half-rim frames.

*Wow.* Once those glasses were on, it was an entirely different level.

"Why are you wearing glasses?" Xu Er asked.

"I have to give a speech today," Song Ruichi replied.

Xu Er understood immediately. "Need to look at your notes, then."

"Mm."

"Wow."

For some reason, Xu Er immediately thought of the contestant who had asked for Song Ruichi’s WeChat the day before, and a thought crossed his mind: *Speechless. Can't believe that kid got to see such a handsome Song Ruichi.*

After buttoning his jacket, Song Ruichi walked over to Xu Er and leaned down. Just as Xu Er grew puzzled, Song Ruichi said, "The tie is crooked."

Xu Er burst into laughter. "Alright, alright."

It was only slightly off—a simple fix.

"What would I do without you?" Song Ruichi murmured.

Xu Er’s eyes crinkled with amusement as he played along. "Exactly, exactly. What would you do without me?"

Before leaving, Song Ruichi asked if the video from yesterday had been sent to the group chat. Xu Er looked confused. "I did. Didn't you watch me do it?"

Song Ruichi nodded.

"Is something wrong?" Xu Er asked.

"Did they watch it?"

"Colin saw it and even took screenshots," Xu Er said. "His friend really did buy a pirated version. It’s different from my box, and there’s an extra character near the logo."

Song Ruichi let out an "mm," appearing uninterested.

The morning’s competition was just wrapping up, and soon, it was time for the closing ceremony that Xu Er had been looking forward to. His seat was right next to Song Ruichi’s, and as Song Ruichi headed to the stage—shifting from a supporting role to the main spotlight—he had the perfect view.

Before going up, Song Ruichi had shown him his speech notes and asked for his input, making it feel as if he were truly an assistant.

Amidst thunderous applause, Song Ruichi stood behind the podium. A staff member quickly adjusted the microphone, and he began to speak. Xu Er pulled out his phone and started recording.

After just a few lines, Song Ruichi handled it with ease, fluidly alternating between glancing at his notes and looking warmly at the audience, reciting half of it from memory.

When he finished, the applause erupted again. Song Ruichi pushed up his glasses and suddenly locked eyes with Xu Er. Xu Er quickly joined in the clapping, though his phone shook slightly in his hand as it continued to record.

Suddenly, a booming male voice echoed from the audience: "You look so handsome, hubby!"

The room dissolved into laughter, and everyone turned toward the source of the voice. Xu Er looked too, but it was just a sea of heads; he couldn't tell who it was. On stage, Song Ruichi remained perfectly calm, walking down as if he hadn't heard a thing.

Xu Er stopped the recording.

Just like the day before, many people came to take photos with Song Ruichi, though today there were more contestants. It looked like he wouldn't be getting away anytime soon, so Xu Er found a quiet spot and sent the video to Xu Chen, adding a text:

*Too handsome, seriously.*
*Make sure you finish the video.*
*Or just skip to the last few seconds—it’s hilarious.*

Xu Chen replied instantly. *Holy crap, when Song Ruichi’s voice came through, I went numb.*

Xu Er: *Right? His voice is amazing.*

Xu Chen: *Holy shit, holy shit. "You look so handsome, hubby!" Hahahaha. Who was brave enough to shout that?*

Xu Er: *No idea, probably a contestant.*

Xu Chen: *And it was a guy who shouted it! Song Ruichi didn't even react.*

Xu Er: *What reaction was he supposed to have?*

Xu Chen: *True. Dying, the atmosphere there is so good.*

Xu Er: *Yeah, aside from the stuff I don't understand, this competition was pretty interesting.*

Xu Chen: *How’s the assistant job going?*

At the question, the image of Song Ruichi in that dark purple shirt from yesterday flashed in Xu Er’s mind.

Xu Er: *It’s great. Haha, Song Ruichi has a really good body.*

Xu Chen: *!!! Body?! You saw his body?*

The question sounded strange, yet perfectly logical.

Xu Er: *He was changing clothes.*

Xu Chen: *Ah! So jealous, so jealous!*

Xu Er: *If there’s another competition like this in City A, I’ll let you know.*

Xu Chen: *I’m definitely coming!*

"Hello, Xu Er."

A voice came from beside him. Xu Er turned to see Song Ruichi’s friend, Zhang Cheng, walking over. Xu Er tucked his phone away and replied, "Hello."

That morning, Song Ruichi had mentioned that Zhang Cheng was treating them to lunch before dropping them off at the station.

"Our Song-Song is quite popular, isn't he?" Zhang Cheng remarked, standing next to Xu Er.

"Isn't that normal?" Xu Er replied.

Zhang Cheng choked for a second, then laughed. "That’s true."

The two stood in the corner, watching Song Ruichi take photos. After a while, Zhang Cheng suddenly asked, "Aren't you going to do something about it?"

"Do what?"

"Look at all these men and women lining up to take photos."

A sudden realization dawned on Xu Er. It really had been a long time, and as his assistant, he should probably step in.

With a quick "You're right, I should," Xu Er marched over. With the social confidence of a pro, he squeezed next to Song Ruichi. As soon as the latest person finished, he raised a hand to stop the crowd.

"Excuse me, Mr. Song has other arrangements," Xu Er said with a polite smile. "Sorry, everyone, so sorry."

And just like that, he whisked Song Ruichi away.

Zhang Cheng, having heard Xu Er, played along perfectly. As they approached, he put on a stern face, gestured grandly, and announced, "Mr. Song, this way," leading them toward the back.

Once the door closed, Zhang Cheng clapped his hands and burst into laughter. "Big celebrity."

"Get lost," Song Ruichi replied.

The exchange was so swift it was like a gust of wind; Xu Er hadn't even processed it before the echoes died down in the hallway. Now it was Xu Er’s turn to laugh.

"I told Xu Er to keep you in check, and look at the job he did," Zhang Cheng teased, sounding like a student tattling to a teacher.

Song Ruichi turned to look at Xu Er.

"I’m quick-witted, aren't I?" Xu Er said.

Song Ruichi nodded. "Very."

"The man finishes his speech!" Zhang Cheng suddenly began to recite dramatically. "He hears a voice from the crowd shout, 'You look so handsome, hubby!'"

"The man hears it, of course, but only offers an indifferent smile. Two minutes later, he reaches the backstage area and—" He slammed his hand against the wall, blocking Song Ruichi and Xu Er’s path.

Song Ruichi: "..."

Xu Er: "???"

"He pins him against the wall," Zhang Cheng continued, winking at Song Ruichi. "Baby, don't listen to them. I don't know who they are; I’m only your husband." He finished with a wink.

Song Ruichi: "..."

Xu Er started to giggle, pointing at Song Ruichi. "He’s talking about you!"

Song Ruichi raised his hand to his ear. "Security."

Xu Er erupted into laughter. It was just so ridiculous and absurd. On the way to the restaurant, he kept thinking about it and laughing. Even halfway through the meal, the thought made him snicker again. With two others present, he had to suppress his laughter by mentally reciting sad thoughts, otherwise, it would look truly bizarre.

What was it about that moment that had such a lingering effect?

In the end, he couldn't help himself. When Zhang Cheng was driving them to the station, he laughed again. This time, he couldn't hold it back—since it was just him and Song Ruichi in the back seat, he let his laughter show.

Zhang Cheng caught it in the rearview mirror. Infected by the mood, he asked, "What’s so funny? You’ve been laughing the whole way."

Xu Er took a deep breath, trying to compose himself.

"He’s laughing at your performance earlier," Song Ruichi answered for him.

Zhang Cheng gave a long "Oh." "Is it that funny?"

Xu Er, who had just managed to stop, started laughing all over again.

"Go easy on him," Song Ruichi said. "His threshold for laughter is a bit low lately."

Xu Er tried to cover it with a cough. "Ahem, yes, yes."

"Mostly because of me," Song Ruichi added.

Since Song Ruichi had said it, Xu Er naturally followed suit. "It’s all your fault."

Song Ruichi didn't refute it at all. "Being with me is just too much fun," he said, turning to look at Xu Er. "Isn't that right, baby?"

"Hahaha," Xu Er raised his hand to his ear. "Security."

The driver, Xiao Zhang, kept a straight face while laughing inwardly: *...Alright, alright, I can see how happy you are, Song Ruichi.*

Zhang Cheng remained hospitable until the very end, promising that once he finished this busy period, he’d definitely get together with them for a proper meal and drinks. Xu Er was feeling a bit traumatized by the idea of drinking lately, but he agreed politely anyway.

On the way back, Song Ruichi asked, "You think you can handle drinking with him?"

It was obvious Xu Er’s agreement was just a social pleasantry, like the "come visit us sometime" people say when running into acquaintances on the street. Yet, the way Song Ruichi brought it up felt almost like he was asking: *If other brothers can do it, why can't I?*

Xu Er choked slightly. "Huh?"

"When are you drinking next?" Song Ruichi asked.

Xu Er thought for a moment. "I probably won't be drinking anymore."

"If you need to, you can call me."

Xu Er was startled. "What are you going to do?"

"I’ll block the drinks for you."

"Oh, I see."

Song Ruichi smiled. "What did you think I meant?"

"Nothing at all," Xu Er replied.

*Haha.*

Song Ruichi had business at his studio that afternoon, so once they arrived back in City A, he dropped Xu Er off at home and left.