UCTOOT CH139.2: Extra

His parents had a general idea of his background, though not a particularly clear one—mostly because they didn’t dare let their imaginations run that wild.

Separated from the kitchen by an open display curio shelf in the living room, Shi Lun was busy washing vegetables while Bo Mo rinsed fruit and brought it over: “Xiao Shu mentioned that your mother is in business, and your father works within the government system?”

Shi’s dad promptly stuck his head out from the kitchen doorway, clutching a bunch of celery: “Oh, right, Xie Xun! That aged tea brick and porcelain you brought over were far too valuable, far too lavish. Next time, just bring yourself; don’t bring gifts like that—”

Xie Wuchi: “It is only right. By custom, I ought to bring a small token of respect for Uncle and Auntie. It is merely a modest gesture; please accept it, so that my mind may be at ease.”

Shi’s dad: “Well, now… you’re making Uncle and Auntie terribly embarrassed.”

What is this? Trading polite bureaucratic pleasantries back and forth?

Tearing his eyes away from the television, Shi Shu ruffled his soft, messy hair and glanced toward his father. Shi Lun caught his eye, then swiftly looked away.

“…?”

“Eat, eat, freshly bought grapes and blueberries.” Drying her hands, Bo Mo smiled, inquiring with casual intent: “Our Xiao Shu has only been at university for three months, completely unfamiliar with the place. Has he been relying on your care over there?”

Before Xie Wuchi could answer, Shi Shu cut in: “Mom, I told you already: what we have didn’t just start yesterday. The two of us transmigrated to ancient times together—”

Bo Mo swayed on her feet: “Shi Shu, you—”

Shi Shu: “It’s true, Mom! When have I ever lied to you?”

Barely steadying her balance, Bo Mo braced a hand against the back of the sofa: “Mom wasn’t asking how you met! Mom didn’t say anything bad. Don’t get worked up, and stop talking nonsense like a child.”

Shi Shu couldn’t help chuckling: “Hmph, if you don’t believe me, I’ll tell you the details later.”

Bo Mo knitted her brows: “You silly boy. It’s not like Mom is scolding you; why make up wild excuses?”

Leaving Xie Wuchi to watch the game, Shi Shu slipped into the kitchen. Shi’s dad was currently deveining and washing prawns: “Look here, you…”

Shi Shu: “…”

Father and son stared at each other for a long moment. With a face full of aggrieved exasperation, Shi Lun grumbled, “I raised you for eighteen years! You made it into a top sports university, you’re handsome as hell, and you couldn’t manage to find a girlfriend?!”

“…”

Shi Shu: “In that environment back then, it was genuinely impossible.”

Shi Lun: “Absolute failure. When your dad was young, walking two laps around the track had girls lining up all the way to France.”

Shi Shu: “There was a girl who pursued me too—had two kids and wanted me to marry into her family.”

Shi Lun: “You…”

Bo Mo walked in holding a plastic bag, frowning: “Stop grilling him and hurry up with the vegetables.”

Unfazed, Shi Shu retorted, “Besides, what’s wrong with him? Is he lacking in any way?”

Shi Lun: “Is this about whether he’s lacking?! He’s gotta be at least 190 cm tall, right?”

Shi Shu: “He is.”

Shi Lun: “You… how do you two even make that work? Don’t think I’ve never heard of male homosexuality.”

Moving toward the fridge to give him space, Shi Shu let out a yawn. Adopting a stern, hushed whisper, Shi Lun pressed, “Is the three thousand a month allowance I send you not enough to spend?”

Shi Shu: “Plenty.”

Shi Lun: “Then why did you get involved with someone like this? See the watch on his wrist? That leader from the enterprise that donated several campus buildings to our university wore that exact watch. Donated hundreds of millions! How did you even meet someone like him?!”

Shi Shu: “The situation was really complicated back then; I can’t explain it in just a few words.”

Shi Lun sighed: “So you just refuse to endure a single ounce of hardship in this life, huh?”

Shi Shu: “…………”

Zihan? Why does he sound exactly like Du Zihan?

Shi Shu hastily bolted from the kitchen, flopping back onto the sofa: “Bro, when we head back, want to make a trip to Beihang to find Zihan?”

Pulling his gaze away from the TV, Xie Wuchi replied, “We can.”

Shi Shu: “Awesome! Time to get reacquainted with Zihan.”

Shi Shu peeled a grape for Xie Wuchi, then popped back into the kitchen, circling around Bo Mo.

Lunch was peaceful and polite, though both parents stared anxiously at Shi Shu throughout. Bo Mo even began blaming her husband: “It’s all your fault, insisting that Xiao Shu pursue sports. He must have been exhausted out of his mind back then.”

Shi Shu burst into hearty laughter: “Hahahaha!” Lowering his head to eat, he didn’t know what else to say to his parents.

Though it had dropped on his parents out of nowhere, the family maintained an amicable exterior without imploding, slowly coming to terms with reality.

After lunch, before heading back to campus in the afternoon, Shi Shu prepared to take Xie Wuchi out for fun, slipping into his shoes at the entryway: “I’m taking him out for a walk to show him around our neighborhood.”

Bo Mo nodded: “Alright, go on. You young people go have fun. Coming back tonight?”

Shi Shu: “Not sure. Tang Hui just texted asking to hang out; he happens to be home for the holidays too.”

Bo Mo: “Go have fun, whatever works.”

Stepping out with Xie Wuchi onto Riverside Road outside the community, willow trees flanked a winding, clear river, with a large shopping plaza just a short walk away. Heading toward the subway station, Shi Shu offered: “Zoo, museum, stadium, mahjong parlor, internet cafe, shopping mall, amusement park, park, ancient cultural street… Pick one from the list. Which do you choose?”

Xie Wuchi: “A hotel.”

Shi Shu: “Was ‘hotel’ even on the list?!”

Sweeping a cool glance across the street, Xie Wuchi said evenly, “The others are dull. If I am to pass the time with you, I would rather spend the afternoon in bed making love, feeling our intimacy through skin pressed against skin.”

Shi Shu: “…………”

Shi Shu: “Xie Wuchi, you…”

A bicycle chimed past with a sharp ding. Pausing beneath the shade of a tree, Shi Shu muttered, “Huh?”

Turning his handsome face toward him, after a long pause, Shi Shu conceded: “Fine, let’s go.”

Then he added thoughtfully, “But not around here. Too many people recognize me in this neighborhood.”

Xie Wuchi pulled out his phone and made a call: “Very well. I will arrange it.”

Shi Shu ruffled his hair. Barely moments later, a Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled up to the curb. The chauffeur immediately addressed him as “President Xie”—evidently dispatched by the local subsidiary—and opened the door: “Please.”

Shi Shu was accustomed to Xie Wuchi’s resources by now and slipped into the car with him. The driver recognized Xie Wuchi’s impeccably tailored luxury attire, but cast curious glances at Shi Shu, who looked every bit the pure-blooded college undergrad.

Shi Shu: “…”

All Shi Shu knew about the destination was that it was a hotel. Upon stepping out, suited bellmen escorted them to a private elevator, staff bowing with polished smiles, asking zero questions about the guest Xie Wuchi brought in, impeccably discreet.

The suite featured vast floor-to-ceiling panoramic glass windows with a breathtaking vista, immaculate as new, subtly fragranced by custom ambient scents. From here, one could look down upon the city’s most opulent skyline, square spires reaching into the clouds.

Turning around, Shi Shu saw Xie Wuchi holding freshly delivered boxes of condoms: “Onto the bed.”

Warm ambient lights glowed. Shi Shu had never imagined that the grand result of coming home for the weekend would be getting a hotel room with Xie Wuchi anyway.

Laid down on the mattress under the soft, golden light, Xie Wuchi undressed, his skin burning like warm silk. Shi Shu wrapped his arms around him, gradually feeling the heat transfer into his own frame.

Formulated by perfumers commanding tens of thousands an hour, a faint, intoxicating nuance lingered in the air. Sweat dripped from Shi Shu’s forehead, the crisp white sheets kicked down by their feet as the mattress rose and fell in urgent rhythm.

“Ah…” Shi Shu’s fingernails raked faint red scratches down his back.

For several hours that afternoon, Shi Shu remained tangled in bed with Xie Wuchi, exploring countless variations of intimacy.

Panting against the mattress, Xie Wuchi’s raspy whisper brushed the shell of his ear: “Isn’t being in bed with me more entertaining than those adolescent activities you listed?”

Shi Shu: “Xie Wuchi, you…”

[Censored]

Letting out a stifled whimper, Shi Shu’s slender fingers clutched the duvet tight, his fair neck and shoulders flushed a deep crimson.

…

The sunlight through the floor-to-ceiling glass deepened into amber and orange. Shi Shu dozed for a short while. When he woke, Xie Wuchi was seated beside the bed, one arm cradling Shi Shu’s back while the other hand typed replies on his phone, dim reflections dancing in his eyes.

A warm sensation welled within Shi Shu: opening his eyes to see him brought profound happiness.

After resting a few moments longer, a message notification pinged. Xie Wuchi murmured near his ear, “Your childhood friend Tang Hui is asking when you’re heading out for dinner.”

Shi Shu: “What about them?”

Xie Wuchi: “He said they’re getting dinner at six-thirty, then hitting a bar.”

Still groggy, Shi Shu felt his cheek cupped: “Weren’t you supposed to be so innocent? Why is your childhood friend frequenting bars every other day?”

Shi Shu: “…He goes, not me. I’ve only been once, and that was because his dad asked me to drag him home.”

“Going tonight?”

Shi Shu: “Do you want to go?”

“Indifferent.”

Taking Xie Wuchi’s hand to rest against his cheek, Xie Wuchi leaned down, nuzzling the tip of his nose.

“No rush. Sleep a little longer.”

Xie Wuchi slipped back under the covers, gathering Shi Shu into his arms. Sometimes upon waking, Shi Shu experienced a fleeting disorientation, unable to tell whether he was in the ancient world or the modern era. Yet the instant he saw Xie Wuchi, calm settled over him.

While Shi Shu could barely open his eyes, Xie Wuchi helped him into his T-shirt and jacket. He practically carried him into the private elevator and out to the car while Shi Shu was still half-asleep.

The world outside had turned to dusk. A cool autumn breeze blew in through the cracked window, and Shi Shu finally blinked awake. The car was pulling up beside a smoky, bustling street food alley ablaze with neon lights, packed with open-air barbecue stalls. When the luxury vehicle rolled to a stop, patrons turned their heads in amazement.

Stepping out, Shi Shu saw Tang Hui waving at him, flanked by a few former high school classmates—boys and girls alike. Seeing the girls, Shi Shu paused.

Xie Wuchi: “What is that pause for?”

“…” Shi Shu: “Let’s go.”

Xie Wuchi remarked, “You don’t need to introduce me as your boyfriend later. Confide in those who need to know; keep it from those who don’t. It’s better for your own protection.”

As Shi Shu approached, Tang Hui slung an arm around his shoulder: “Long time no see, Young Gang Leader! How’s Teacher Bo doing?”

Shi Shu shoved him away: “She’s great, teaching classes every day—and how many times do I have to tell you not to call me Young Gang Leader? Let me introduce someone: my friend, Xie Xun.”

People were already staring when Shi Shu walked over, but the moment Xie Wuchi stepped up, the entire group stiffened in visible unease. Tang Hui stared: “Holy shit, an absolute stunner.”

Sitting down, Shi Shu ordered a couple more dishes. Xie Wuchi took a seat beside him, sweeping a quiet glance over the rowdy plastic-chair barbecue setup, his expression impassive.

Shi Shu pulled out two napkins, thoroughly wiping the plastic tabletop in front of Xie Wuchi. Tang Hui had spotted the ride earlier: “That car belongs to your friend?”

Shi Shu: “No idea.”

“Holy crap, a Phantom.” A couple of guys from well-off families recognized the labels of Xie Wuchi’s clothing and shoes. A few stood up to offer cigarettes: “Hey man, smoke?”

Reclining in his plastic chair, Xie Wuchi raised a hand: “I don’t smoke. Appreciated.”

Tang Hui asked, “Where did you meet a friend like this?”

Shi Shu: “Up around my university. Came down to hang out for a couple of days.”

“Sweet.”

Shi Shu had originally assumed meeting old friends would whisk him back to those simple, innocent days, but he suddenly realized he was on an entirely different level now… After surviving several years of bloody empire-building in ancient times, how could anyone return without leaving a permanent mark?

Still, the night air was refreshing. Shi Shu grilled fish and skewers over the tabletop rack, transferring the cooked meat onto Xie Wuchi’s plate: “Eat, eat, eat.”

Seeing this, Tang Hui playfully picked up a grilled oyster with his chopsticks: “Bro, you have one too.”

Shi Shu immediately slapped his hand over Xie Wuchi’s bowl: “What do you think you’re doing?”

Tang Hui: “Weren’t you just going ‘eat, eat, eat’?”

Shi Shu: “Get lost, or I’ll throw your bowl in the trash.”

Tang Hui: “What the heck? What’s your problem?”

Shi Shu: “Are you insane? Mind your own business.”

Tang Hui nearly died laughing, pulling the oyster back to his own plate and popping it in his mouth.

Shi Shu muttered: “…Bizarre.”

Xie Wuchi lowered his gaze. A guy like Tang Hui, who spent his weekends socializing at clubs and bars, was naturally sharp—he had caught the vibe immediately. Meanwhile, Shi Shu had completely failed to notice the playful probe, reacting like an animal aggressively guarding its food. One could neither fake love, nor fake its absence.

Xie Wuchi used the tongs to place meat into Shi Shu’s bowl: “Eat your own food.”

By the time dinner wound down, Shi Shu felt like he had given Xie Wuchi a crash course in street food culture. Afterward, Tang Hui rallied everyone to head to a bar. Shi Shu had long outgrown any curiosity toward cheap nightlife; no sensory indulgence on earth could compare to the man sitting beside him. Shi Shu didn’t care either way, while Xie Wuchi was visibly accustomed to such venues, saying simply, “Let us go.”

Arriving at the lounge, the college freshmen pinched pennies, ordering a couple of crates of cheap beer and a generic fruit platter.

Glancing at the cocktail menu, Xie Wuchi remarked dryly, “Is this the extent of high school reunion socializing?”

Shi Shu: “…………”

What’s your deal? If you didn’t want to come, you shouldn’t have! Beat it.

Shi Shu: “I’m not drinking.”

Xie Wuchi: “If you don’t drink, why come to a bar?”

Shi Shu: “To make up the numbers! I didn’t want to transmigrate either, yet I went to ancient times just to make up the headcount.”

Xie Wuchi’s lips curved in amusement: “The alcohol here is atrocious. I will not drink either.”

Seated in the booth, he idly scanned the lounge. Shi Shu noted how razor-sharp Xie Wuchi’s assessing gaze was: “One look from you and you’ve probably figured out everyone’s entire socioeconomic background.”

Xie Wuchi: “More or less.”

A live singer took the stage, nothing special. Though Shi Shu claimed he wouldn’t drink, chatting with Tang Hui led to a few glasses. After lingering for an hour, he stepped outside with Xie Wuchi.

Shi Shu shivered: “Let’s head home; it’s getting chilly out!”

It was barely a fifteen-minute walk. Within a few paces, Xie Wuchi caught his hand, slipping it into the warm pocket of his overcoat.

Walking back side by side, Shi Shu murmured, “Lately, I don’t feel like going anywhere. I just want to lounge around at home.”

Xie Wuchi: “That is fine. At home, you have me.”

Shi Shu: “Do you have work over these next two days?”

Xie Wuchi: “By schedule, virtually around the clock. Once back, I have a video call with my secretarial team. Once concluded, I will rest with you.”

Shi Shu drew out the syllable: “Okaaaay.”

Stepping out of the elevator into the chilly corridor, Shi Shu hurried to the smart lock: “Xie Wuchi, hurry, let’s scan your fingerprint!”

Once his biometric was added, they stepped inside. His parents were out on their post-dinner evening stroll.

Setting up his laptop by the coffee table, Xie Wuchi conducted an English video conference. Listening to the executive briefings, he chimed in with brief, incisive directives, his demeanor commanding, brooking no dispute.

Shi Shu retreated to his bedroom. Utterly bored, he opened his video platform app.

Notifications flooded his feed:

[Streamer! Streamer!]

[How many days has it been without an upload? Even a communal donkey wouldn’t dare rest this long!]

[Streamer, did you go missing?]

Initially, he had used the account to post track and sprint clips. Without showing his face, algorithms gave him zero traffic; the moment his face appeared, views skyrocketed. In the end, just to show off his medals, he had reluctantly shown his face.

Shi Shu was easily embarrassed; whenever he started a livestream, reading the thirsty comments made his ears burn.

Wondering how long Xie Wuchi’s meeting would last, Shi Shu decided to pop on for a quick stream. He usually logged off in under ten minutes anyway.

Viewers steadily trickled into the live room, buzzing with activity.

[Streamer, you finally remembered your password?!]

[? Looked up and saw who was streaming, almost had a heart attack.]

[Saw your notification, BAM, clicked right in! Lightning fast!]

[Streamer, show cock]

“?”

This was precisely why Shi Shu bailed after ten minutes every time. Facing the camera, Shi Shu cleared his throat: “Just realized I haven’t uploaded in forever, so I popped on to check in.”

[Streamer, remember to check in more often in the future! Don’t abandon us digital pets!]

[Why do you look even handsomer than before?]

[Streamer, link for the outfit please!]

[My online dating match sent me a selfie claiming it was him, but it was literally a picture of you! I died laughing, broke it off immediately lmao]

“…”

Shi Shu chuckled as he read through the bullet chat, tugging lightly at his collar: “I don’t have a link. A friend bought it for me over the past couple of days; just take a screenshot and image-search it.”

[Fair enough.]

[Why aren’t you updating your running clips anymore?]

[Beijing Husband University! Can you film more clips around campus?]

[Heh, checked your profile videos—with that kind of speed, you got into Beijing Sport?]

Shi Shu: “That kind of speed? What’s that supposed to mean? Let me check your profile—dude, you can’t even run yourself. Bark louder.”

[Streamer, ignore the trolls! Do a PK battle! Do a PK!]

[Aaaand the seal is broken. Only haters can get you to say more than two sentences, huh?]

Shi Shu: “…I’m logging off.”

[DON’T LOG OFF STREAMER /crying/crying/crying]

[Give me some face, stream for another hour!]

[What gives? I literally just clicked in and you’re leaving???]

[Streamer, streamer, wait wait wait, don’t leave—]

Shi Shu ruffled his hair: “I really can’t stream long today. I have a friend over. Ten minutes at most, just to chat with you guys.”

[Ten minutes? Do a PK, streamer! Watching you do PKs is peak entertainment!]

[Hahaha it’s because his follower count is huge, so the algorithm always matches him with massive streamers, but his chat never drops a single dime.]

[Streamer, just showing up to watch you is already giving you maximum face. Brotherhood lives in the heart; talking money is tacky.]

[Making fifty cents per PK, yet rocking a million-follower account.]

“…”

Shi Shu’s account had drawn mostly fans who were there for his looks, but he had zero interest in catering to them. Occasionally he would go live for half an hour slurping instant ramen, chatting with his dorm mates, or doing homework—viewers had no idea what he was doing. Even during PK battles, while opposing streamers screamed at the top of their lungs to hype their gifts, Shi Shu would just sit there quietly holding a bowl of chicken cutlet rice, staring back like a spectator. His chat, in turn, indulged him by not spending a single cent.