APCF – Chapter 106 New Year’s Eve

Qi Xingchen sat stiffly on the chair, his fingers tightly gripping the armrests, his toes curled up—far from relaxed, he looked even more tense.

Bo Ye glanced at him. “What are you so nervous about? Are you doubting my cooking skills?”

“N-No, I’m satisfied,” Qi Xingchen stammered.

“If you’re satisfied, what’s my reward?” Bo Ye teased. “Foot… play?”

Qi Xingchen: …

At this moment, he was deaf and blind.

“Alright,” Bo Ye checked the time, set his foot down, and stood up. “Let’s ease it up a bit first. Once we get back, soak it in hot water—it’ll feel better. And from now on, don’t do something so reckless again.”

Qi Xingchen: …

“I’m talking to you,” Bo Ye grabbed a towel from the dressing room, wiping his hands as he continued, “Don’t drive all the way here by yourself for so long just to see me. Can you promise me that?”

Qi Xingchen, realizing he couldn’t dodge the question, shook his head. “I can’t.”

It was the first time Bo Ye had been flat-out refused by his boyfriend, and he was genuinely stunned for a while.

Unfortunately, Qi Xingchen had no intention of changing his answer. He was stubborn to the core—easygoing in most things, but once he made up his mind, he would never back down.

Seeing the determined look on his face, Bo Ye could tell he was internally screaming “Don’t try to persuade me!” and had no choice but to negotiate. “Alright, let’s compromise. You can come see me, but—no driving in rain or snow, and no trips longer than four hours. Deal?”

Qi Xingchen thought about it. If it weren’t for the holiday rush making plane tickets impossible to get, he would’ve flown over instead. Driving wouldn’t usually be necessary anyway.

After considering for a moment, he reluctantly agreed.

Bo Ye let out a quiet sigh of relief and kissed the top of his head. “That’s on me this time. I wasn’t fully committed to my role as your boyfriend. From now on, I’ll try to push aside work for important holidays so we can spend them together. Forgive me this once?”

“Forgive what? There’s nothing to forgive,” Qi Xingchen muttered. “People have to work and earn money, it’s normal.”

Hearing his world-weary tone, Bo Ye found it amusing. He pinched his cheek. “No worries, I have money. I can support you.”

“Boss? Boss!”

At that moment, a voice called out from outside. It was Xiaoman. Probably wondering why Bo Ye had been in the dressing room for so long.

“Are you done changing?”

“Almost,” Bo Ye replied casually, then turned back to Qi Xingchen and said in a low voice, “I need to change—help me out.”

As he spoke, he started taking off his shirt.

Qi Xingchen, still caught up in the idea of helping him out, stepped forward and reached for his belt.

Bo Ye: …

If not for his cold and the lack of time, he’d definitely do something about this.

Qi Xingchen’s popularity had skyrocketed—he couldn’t boldly watch the New Year’s Gala from the audience like he did at the Dongcheng Music Festival. But sitting backstage was boring and unsafe, so Bo Ye told Allen to take him back to the hotel first.

Allen followed the instructions, escorting Qi Xingchen to Bo Ye’s hotel room and ordering some food for him at the restaurant. After a brief chat and an introduction to the room layout, Allen left.

Now, Qi Xingchen was alone in the hotel suite.

He suddenly felt guilty, like he had broken into someone’s home.

After standing in the living room for a while, unsure whether he should enter the bedroom—or which bedroom to enter—he decided to take a shower first.

Growing up in a circus troupe, where many kids shared a bathhouse, Qi Xingchen had developed the habit of washing his clothes right after bathing, because once you stepped out of the bathroom, there was no going back in.

Now, the habit stuck. After drying off, he instinctively tossed his T-shirt and jeans into the sink to wash them.

It wasn’t until he went to hang them up that he realized a huge problem—he had rushed out of the filming set too quickly and hadn’t packed any pajamas or extra clothes.

Now, completely naked, Qi Xingchen stared at his wet clothes, lost in thought.

Fortunately, there was a solution—the hotel provided bathrobes, and the material was decent.

But… he had mild OCD and disliked wearing clothes other people had worn before.

He gritted his teeth and tried putting it on. The moment one arm slipped inside, he couldn’t stand it anymore.

After several failed attempts, he gave up on the bathrobe entirely and grabbed his phone to text Bo Ye for help.

 Xingxing: [Are you back yet?]

Xingxing: [😭😭😭]

Moon (Bo Ye): [Not yet. What’s wrong?]

Xingxing: [I’m so dumb.]

Xingxing: [I just realized I forgot to bring pajamas… after washing my clothes.]

Bo Ye, thinking it was some major issue, sighed helplessly.

Moon: [There are clothes in my suitcase. Take whatever you want.]

Xingxing: [Wait, I can go through your suitcase?]

Moon: [If you want, you can have everything inside—including the suitcase itself.]

Getting Bo Ye’s permission, Qi Xingchen mustered up his courage, wrapped himself in a towel, and tiptoed into the master bedroom. Sure enough, two suitcases sat in the middle of the room.

He carefully opened one and took a quick glance—no questionable items inside.

Not wanting Bo Ye to think he was rummaging through his things, he didn’t dig too deep and just picked out a cream-colored knit sweater from the top.

Bo Ye was tall and long-limbed, and this sweater was oversized to begin with.

When Qi Xingchen put it on, it barely covered his hips and upper thighs, with the hem resting mid-thigh.

He was very satisfied with the looseness, honestly closed the suitcase, and returned to the living room to turn on the TV, watching the live broadcast of the evening show while eating.

The TV station scheduled Bo Ye’s performance a little after 11 PM. Before 11, Qi Xingchen still looked like a normal person.

At 11:10, Bo Ye finally appeared. Qi Xingchen dropped his chopsticks, took a swift leap onto the sofa, holding the remote in his left hand and turning on his phone’s flashlight with his right. As the music started, he began to sway along!

Feeling more and more excited, he even followed Bo Ye’s dance moves for a whole segment. In real life, he didn’t know how to dance, but now he did—his favorite pastime was, of course, learning idol choreography!

Bo Ye performed four consecutive songs, and Qi Xingchen jumped along for all four. It was only when Bo Ye finished interacting with the audience and left the stage that he finally lost all his energy, collapsing onto the sofa like a rag doll.

He thought to himself: Wuwuwu, my god has returned to heaven… When can I hear Gege sing again? Four songs are definitely not enough, wuwuwu…

The more he thought about it, the more unsatisfied he felt. He flipped over onto his stomach, opened Weibo, and switched to the little side account he had neglected for a long time—“Jing Xi Qi.”

Sure enough, Bo Ye’s super-topic page was already flooded with videos and pictures. He dived into the sea of beautiful images, frantically reposting and showering compliments nonstop:

[If beauty could kill, then Bo Ye is guilty beyond forgiveness!]

[In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The world was formless and void. God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and so He created you.]

[The greatest regret of your life is that you can’t kiss your own face!]

[You surpass all the mountains and rivers I have ever seen.]

At that moment, Bo Ye swiped his key card and entered the house. What he saw was someone wearing his sweater—with no pants—chin resting on a pillow, legs kicking in the air, completely absorbed in whatever he was doing.

The living room lights weren’t on, and in the dim light, those two long legs were so pale they almost glowed.

Bo Ye’s eyes darkened as he walked inside. “What are you looking at?”

Qi Xingchen was too deep into his fanboying to notice Bo Ye’s arrival. The sudden voice startled him, causing his legs to instinctively tangle together. He quickly locked his screen. “Just… just scrolling Weibo. You came back so fast.”

“I didn’t want to miss the New Year countdown.” Bo Ye took off his coat and sat beside him.

Qi Xingchen glanced at the time—23:50. Only ten minutes left until midnight!

He scrambled up and knelt on the sofa, facing Bo Ye. “They’re going to set off fireworks soon! Can we see them from here?”

“We’re on the 19th floor. We should be able to.”

“Then let’s go wait by the window!” Qi Xingchen tossed the pillow aside, ready to get up.

But Bo Ye didn’t let him leave. “No rush. Come here, let me hug you.”

Seeing Qi Xingchen freeze, Bo Ye grew impatient and pulled him into an embrace, wrapping his arms around his waist and legs.

The world spun, and in the next second, Qi Xingchen found himself sitting on Bo Ye’s lap—embarrassingly, in a sideways position, just like a girl!

“Y-you let go!” Qi Xingchen struggled. “I weigh 120 pounds, I’ll crush you!”

Bo Ye pretended not to hear, holding him even tighter.

Qi Xingchen had never won against Bo Ye in a battle of strength. In the end, he could only give up, wrapping his arms around Bo Ye’s neck and obediently sitting still.

The living room fell silent, leaving only the sound of their breathing and heartbeats. Now that they were so close, Qi Xingchen could faintly smell a pleasant fragrance.

He leaned in and sniffed Bo Ye’s neck. “What cologne are you using? It smells so good.”

Bo Ye’s hand rested on his thigh, fingers tracing the smooth skin absentmindedly. “I’m not wearing any cologne.”

“Then where’s the scent coming from?”

“Probably the body wash.” Bo Ye guessed.

Just now, when Qi Xingchen showered, he had used Bo Ye’s body wash. To confirm, he lifted his own arm and sniffed. “It’s similar, but you smell better.”

“Really?” Bo Ye buried his head into Qi Xingchen’s neck. “Let me have a taste.”

He said “have a taste,” not “have a sniff.”

Qi Xingchen thought he had misspoken and was about to correct him when—

A sharp, damp sensation pressed against the side of his neck.

Bo Ye had bitten down, right on his artery.

It didn’t hurt, but the feeling was too overwhelming—like a vampire marking its prey. Qi Xingchen froze, his whole body trembling, even his soul shivering. His head tilted back instinctively.

The movement gave Bo Ye the perfect opportunity. He trailed down the elegant curve of Qi Xingchen’s neck, kissing and nibbling. Before long, a row of faint bite marks appeared on the boy’s collarbone.

“Quick, quick, quick! It’s starting!”

At that moment, a girl’s voice called out to her friends from the neighboring balcony.

Qi Xingchen snapped out of his daze, quickly unlocking his phone. “It’s 11:59! Hurry, hurry, let’s go watch the fireworks!”

Bo Ye also remembered the little fan’s original intention in seeking him out. He took a deep breath, then effortlessly lifted Qi Xingchen in his arms and walked toward the window.

The self-respect that had been thrown somewhere instantly snapped back into place.

Qi Xingchen warned in a low voice, “Don’t hold me like this.”

Bo Ye was easygoing. “Then how do you want me to hold you?”

Qi Xingchen: “…Don’t hold me at all.”

The windowsill was too narrow, and Qi Xingchen barely had enough space to sit. To keep from falling, he had no choice but to wrap his legs around Bo Ye’s waist.

This is even worse than a princess carry! Qi Xingchen thought, feeling indignant.

Unfortunately, it was too late to complain. While they had been battling over this, the clock had already begun its final countdown.

“Ten, nine, eight, seven—” the girl next door shouted excitedly.

Qi Xingchen, caught up in her enthusiasm, momentarily forgot his predicament. He stared out the window and joined her in shouting, “Six, five, four, three—”

At “three,” he suddenly turned his head.

And in that instant—

Brilliant fireworks burst across the night sky, illuminating the darkness like blooming silver flowers. But the one who had been so eager to see the fireworks didn’t look at them at all. Instead, Qi Xingchen gazed straight at the man before him.

“Bo Ye, Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year.” Bo Ye kissed him lightly on the forehead, his eyes and heart overflowing with tenderness. “I hope you’ll be happy every year from now on.”

The clock finished striking midnight, but the fireworks continued for a full five minutes before they finally faded.

Since his little fan wasn’t wearing pants, Bo Ye worried he’d catch a cold. After teasing him until his face turned red, Bo Ye mercifully let him return to the bed while he went to take a shower.

When he came out, Qi Xingchen was already struggling to keep his eyes open. It was clear that driving all day had drained him, and he was hovering on the edge of sleep.

Not wanting to disturb him, Bo Ye set his phone to silent mode and placed it on the nightstand. He slipped under the covers carefully, turning off the main light so only the small night lamp remained.

Qi Xingchen was still wearing a sweater, making him a little warm. Meanwhile, Bo Ye’s body was cool from the shower. Instinctively, Qi Xingchen scooted closer, wrapping himself around him.

Once settled, he murmured in satisfaction.

Bo Ye didn’t catch what he said. “What did you just say?” he asked softly.

“I said… I really like New Year’s.” Qi Xingchen’s eyes remained closed.

Bo Ye had heard of people loving Valentine’s Day or the Qixi Festival, but he had never met anyone who claimed to love New Year’s. Surprised, he asked, “Why?”

Qi Xingchen chuckled softly and concluded, “Because my birthday is right after New Year’s… and life just gets darker and heavier from there. It’s not a good day.”

Though he spoke with his eyes closed, half-asleep and sounding as if he were rambling, Bo Ye could hear the deep self-loathing in his tone. His elegant brows furrowed immediately.

“Who says your birthday isn’t a good day?”

“Of course, it isn’t.”

Bo Ye’s voice grew serious. “Negative emotions build up, but so do positive ones. If you don’t have the foundation of everything you worked hard for in the past year, then how can you even talk about hope?”

Qi Xingchen thought about it carefully—Bo Ye wasn’t wrong. It was true. But he had only been speaking casually. Whether he liked New Year’s or not wasn’t the main issue.

The real problem was that he didn’t like the day he was born, no matter what day it was.

In other words, he didn’t like the fact that he was born at all.

If he had never been born, he wouldn’t have been abandoned by his biological parents and left at an orphanage. And after being adopted, he wouldn’t have been discarded again by his foster parents, sent off to a circus troupe like some unwanted burden.

To everyone, he was invisible, unimportant, utterly insignificant.

If it hadn’t been for a twist of fate that brought him into this new world, perhaps no one in his entire lifetime would have ever loved someone like him, a person who had grown up in the abyss.

And he certainly wouldn’t be here now, nestled so closely against Bo Ye.

Qi Xingchen sighed softly. Realizing that his words had upset Bo Ye, he scooted forward and admitted defeat. “You’re right. I was wrong. I won’t say nonsense like that again.”

Bo Ye could tell he was just saying it to appease him. With a mix of frustration and helplessness, he flicked Qi Xingchen’s forehead.

The more he thought about it, the more puzzled he became. Qi Xingchen was supposed to be from a wealthy family, yet he didn’t have a single trace of a privileged upbringing.

More than that, everything he said seemed to hint at his dislike for his own origins.

Could there be a hidden story behind it all?