WRA CH86

Bai Qi was more familiar with this house than Chu Ren. After all, he had lived here for five years, while Chu Ren had only been here for five hours.

Staying one more day was just adding a single day to eighteen hundred days. He didn’t overthink it: “Sorry to intrude.”

Chu Ren felt grateful for the rain and hoped it would rain tomorrow as well.

The TV, which was still on, was playing a commercial for braised snacks. Bai Qi’s stomach let out a growl. He covered it in embarrassment. He hadn’t eaten in six days. He was supposed to go out and work today, but the TV drama had been too captivating.

Taking a couple of steps outward, Bai Qi walked straight into the curtain of rain. “Never mind, I’m going out to forage for food.”

He didn’t even look at Chu Ren when he spoke. Since they were strangers, there was no need to explain too much.

Chu Ren strode forward and grabbed him, startled by the low temperature of his wrist. “You didn’t eat dinner? I’ll order you some takeout.”

No wonder his face was so pale and his lips lacked color. He must be having a hypoglycemic episode; a disrupted thermoregulatory center could lead to serious trouble.

Bai Qi: “I don’t eat takeout.” Takeout cost money. It didn’t make sense to stay in someone else’s house and still make Chu Ren pay for his takeout.

Chu Ren pressed his palm against Bai Qi’s carotid artery to check. The place that should have been hot and pulsing was ice-cold, shockingly the same temperature as the rainwater. For the first time, the youth experienced sheer panic.

No, takeout would be too slow. They had to go to the hospital. Chu Ren stepped up, hoisted Bai Qi onto his back, and sprinted frantically toward the neighborhood gate.

This was terrible. He had just gotten his driver’s license yesterday and hadn’t bought a car yet.

Chu Ren: “Security! Get a car ready! I need glucose and electrolyte water!”

Bai Qi: “……”

He felt a bit dizzy. Was this an idol drama? Running swiftly through the rainy night while being piggybacked by a handsome male lead.

He tilted his head and saw that Chu Ren’s expression was even more genuine than the actors in idol dramas.

Spotting a bottle of glucose on the desk in the security booth, Chu Ren set Bai Qi down on a chair. Without a second thought, he twisted off the cap, pinched Bai Qi’s chin, and poured it in.

It was the young master’s first time feeding someone, and the glucose water ran down Bai Qi’s chin and into his collar.

Bai Qi choked and started coughing.

Chu Ren reached out to rub his neck, trying to generate some heat there. “How do you feel? Are you cold?”

Bai Qi took a moment to react. Oh, right, his low body temperature had scared the human.

It couldn’t be helped. Snakes were cold-blooded and changed temperature according to their environment. He was usually normal, but the moment he was rained on, his surface body temperature couldn’t help but adapt to the rainwater.

Bai Qi quickly adjusted his body temperature back to normal.

As Chu Ren rubbed, he rubbed a patch of Bai Qi’s collarbone red. Suddenly, the skin under his palm became exceptionally hot. Coupled with the sweet water meandering down the side of the neck, the sensation became sticky.

When he finally stopped, his fingers had reached the center of Bai Qi’s chest.

He pulled his hand back as if he’d been burned. “Do you have the strength to stand up?”

Thinking he had accidentally adjusted his body temperature too high, Bai Qi pursed his lips, straightened his collar, and stood up. “I do.”

Chu Ren realized it was a false alarm; it seemed to be just normal hypoglycemia.

He’s so skinny. His uncle really was inhuman. Was the salary for a legal intern so abysmally low that they couldn’t even afford to eat properly? Was five hundred yuan truly a massive sum to him?

Seeing two soaking wet people, one of whom was in a complete panic, the security guard thought someone was dying. He had even driven the shuttle cart out, ready to transport them to the hospital, only for the guy to just stand up perfectly fine.

Bai Qi had resigned five years ago, and the security staff had since been replaced by fresh faces, so no one recognized him.

Security Guard: “Do you still need to go to the hospital?”

Chu Ren: “Yes.”

Bai Qi: “No, I’m fine now.”

The guard brought out his own snack biscuits and handed them to Bai Qi. “Eat a little more.”

Bai Qi: “No need, thank you.”

Chu Ren snatched them over, tore the package open, and pulled out a packet of soda crackers. “Eat this for now.”

Since it was already open, it would get soggy in the rainy weather if he didn’t eat it. Bai Qi took it, picked up a piece, and put it in his mouth. It was ham-flavored. He crunched on it audibly, clearly having regained his strength and appetite.

There were umbrellas in the security booth. Chu Ren popped one open. “Let’s go back and change.”

Bai Qi paused. “My clothes aren’t here.”

Chu Ren: “Wear mine.”

Bai Qi followed Chu Ren back. He looked up at the umbrella over his head, then at Chu Ren, whose body was half-exposed to the rain. “You’re holding the umbrella crooked.”

“Then hold it yourself.” Chu Ren shoved the umbrella into his hands and walked directly into the rain himself.

Bai Qi: “……” A human who loves getting rained on.

The rain poured over Chu Ren’s head, sliding down the ends of his hair and washing away the cold sweat on his back.

Chu Ren thought to himself that he really needed to cool off a bit.

Once home, Chu Ren opened his suitcase and dug out two sets of pajamas—matching ones, no less. “Go take a shower.”

He spun around, trying to figure out where the hair dryer was.

Bai Qi: “What do you need?”

Chu Ren: “A hair dryer.”

Bai Qi opened the wall cabinet outside the bathroom and took out a hair dryer. “Here.”

Chu Ren looked at him: “……”

Bai Qi: “……”

Bai Qi explained, “Because… because hotels always keep them here.”

This was where he had memorized the placement of small appliances five years ago, when he and the security guards had come in and turned the place upside down searching for a snake.

Chu Ren didn’t think too much of it. The house had many bathrooms, so they could wash separately. “Don’t shower for too long. Just a quick rinse is fine. Skip the soap, too.”

Bai Qi: “Okay, I won’t use your body wash.”

Chu Ren: “I’m just looking out for you.”

Why is he a bit dense? Chu Ren thought for a moment, peeled off his soaked clothes, and after stripping completely bare, threw on a bathrobe. He leaned against the doorframe of the guest bathroom and waited. After listening to the sound of running water inside for a short while, he called out, “Stop, stop, come out.”

Bai Qi hurriedly turned off the water and emerged, proving he hadn’t wasted water.

At the end of the day, he had lived in this house rent-free for five years, so he felt a bit guilty facing the owner. He was afraid Chu Ren would think he was a snake who liked taking petty advantages.

Chu Ren abruptly spun around, pressing his back against the wall to face the window. Why did he come out without wearing any clothes?

Bai Qi put on the pajamas left on the bed. Seeing Chu Ren with his eyes tightly shut, he said, “I’m dressed.”

Chu Ren walked out without a word. The doorbell rang; his express supermarket delivery had arrived.

Oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, noodles, pre-washed vegetables, bread…

He handed the bread to Bai Qi: “Fill your stomach with this first.”

He’s so hard to please, won’t even eat takeout. I have to cook personally. He boasted, “Give me five minutes.”

Five minutes later…

Chu Ren was gripping the spatula. What’s the first step?

Bai Qi: “Are you trying to cook noodles? Let me do it.”

Bai Qi was a very successfully socialized spirit. In the beginning, Auntie Guihua had taught him how to light the stove and cook. Once they took human form, they weren’t supposed to eat raw food anymore; relying on oneself meant having plenty of food and clothing. Later on, there were cooking shows on TV.

Bai Qi watched TV all day. Various channels were always replaying old dramas. During those times, he could only watch food programs. At least the food was different every day, just like the evening news broadcast.

Bai Qi tied on an apron and, using the villa’s kitchen for the first time, made a pot of beef and vegetable noodles for Chu Ren, along with two fried eggs.

Chu Ren stared in awe. Impulsively, he offered, “Cook for me during the summer break. How does ten thousand a month sound?”

“Alright.”

Bai Qi needed to find a job anyway. He was already tired of the tropes in TV dramas—they lacked originality, and the actors’ performances were getting worse and worse.

Most importantly, the beauty filters were getting increasingly exaggerated. Everyone had blindingly white faces without the authentic texture of real skin. Spirits took human form to integrate into society; Bai Qi didn’t want to look at the fake people in TV dramas anymore.

He carefully studied Chu Ren’s brows and eyes. This was what looked good: a vibrant, handsome youth where you could see the fine peach fuzz and faint blue veins under his skin when the light hit it.

Chu Ren: “You can just stay in the guest bedroom. Someone will deliver groceries to the door every day. You’re just responsible for making me three meals a day. You don’t have to do anything else.”

Bai Qi agreed. After five whole years, he finally got to sleep in a bed in Chu Ren’s house. Beds really were more comfortable than floors.

He woke up punctually at 6:00 AM. Using leftover ingredients from the day before, he stir-fried a plate of beef, steamed some egg custard, and warmed the bread in the microwave.

He went to knock on his employer’s door. Getting no response, he turned the knob and opened the door, immediately shutting his eyes against the blast of cold air that hit his face.

Why is the AC set so low? It must be down to twenty degrees.

Bai Qi couldn’t help but worry for Chu Ren, who was about to go off to college. A dorm room usually had six people, and everyone had different tolerances for heat and cold. Young Master Chu was used to low temperatures; he’d probably end up fighting with roommates who didn’t want the AC on.

Bai Qi himself preferred higher temperatures—around thirty degrees Celsius was just right.

“Time to get up, young master.” Bai Qi walked in and patted Chu Ren’s shoulder.

“Who the hell are you—” Chu Ren grumbled halfway before remembering something. He sat up, but rising too fast made him a bit dizzy.

Bai Qi: “Breakfast is ready.”

Chu Ren: “What time is it?”

Bai Qi: “Six forty-five.”

Chu Ren closed his eyes. Who wakes up at six forty-five after finishing the college entrance exams?

Whatever. He couldn’t skip breakfast.

Top-heavy, Chu Ren went to the bathroom to brush his teeth before heading to the dining room. Bai Qi had prepared breakfast with great care, which completely soothed his waking crankiness.

After finishing his meal, he said, “I’m going back to sleep. Don’t disturb me.”

Bai Qi paused for a moment and said, “You still want to sleep? You should be studying now.”

Chu Ren: “Study what?”

Bai Qi: “Previewing your college courses.”

Wasn’t that how it worked? Graduating from elementary school meant previewing middle school material, graduating from middle school meant previewing high school material, and graduating from high school meant previewing college material. Even kindergarten graduates had transition classes for first grade.

He had worked so hard to get into college; he couldn’t drop the ball now.

The words, Have you ever even fcking gone to college?* caught in Chu Ren’s throat. He didn’t dare say it, afraid that Bai Qi’s exam scores were higher than his own. After all, his uncle’s law firm only recruited top students. Bai Qi looked exactly like the type who buried himself entirely in his studies and had probably started memorizing legal codes the summer after high school.

Chu Ren squeezed out a single sentence: “I’m not previewing anything.”

Bai Qi untied his apron and said, “I apologize, then I can no longer continue serving you.”

He kept in mind that he was impersonating a student sent by Chu Ren’s guardian to encourage his studies, so he had to be responsible to both Chu Ren and the guardian.

If Chu Ren refused to listen to him, he could only yield the position to someone else.

The apron fluttered lightly to the floor, seemingly covering Chu Ren’s eyes, pitching his vision into darkness.

Chu Ren: “Fine, fine, fine, I’ll study.”

It wasn’t that he was compromising with Bai Qi, but rather that if Bai Qi dared step out that door, the guy would probably starve to death in a few days.

He was previewing his college courses purely out of humanitarianism.

Chu Ren grabbed his tablet, casually opened an advanced math lecture on Bilibili, and then fired up a game on his phone.

Bai Qi had no idea he was playing games; he was busy receiving the rice, noodles, grains, and oil delivered by the supermarket. There were actually quail eggs too!

Snakes loved eating bird eggs the most.

Bai Qi peeled a large batch to make golden tiger-skin eggs—deep-fried first, then braised in soy sauce, letting the flavor seep straight through to the yolk.

After peeling them, he noticed a box of rainbow butter flat peaches. Ah, time to wash a peach for the young master to eat.

Carrying the peach, Bai Qi entered the study and caught Chu Ren red-handed playing his game.

“Why are you playing games?” Bai Qi set the peach down.

Terrified that Bai Qi would threaten to leave again, Chu Ren didn’t even think before wrapping his arms around the apron-clad narrow waist, pressing his forehead against it, and playing the victim: “I’m sorry, my head is spinning from studying, so I was just playing one round.”

As he spoke, he suddenly touched his own forehead. “Fuck, I think I have a fever.”

Bai Qi looked down. Chu Ren didn’t look weak despite his fever; it was just that his ears and lips were burning a bright red, looking striking against his fair, handsome face. His searing hot body was pressed right into Bai Qi’s embrace. For a snake, 39°C was an incredibly uncomfortable high temperature. Empathizing deeply, he said, “Let’s go to the hospital.”

“Just call the family doctor. You take care of me,” Chu Ren said, gripping Bai Qi’s wrist. Then he suddenly added, “Your hands are cold. Feel my forehead.”

He was acting spoiled like a big dog.

Bai Qi placed his palm over his forehead: “Does that feel a bit better?”