APCF – Chapter 110 Don’t Touch

_{Hey, everyone! 🌟 I know there’s been some inconsistent updates lately, and here’s the culprit: Unruly Phoenix Xiaoyao – More Like Unruly Disappointment. I got so wrapped up in finishing it because I HAD to know what happens between the ML and FL. Spoiler alert: it was… well, let’s just say, meh. Disappointing? Yes. The end of the world? Nah, I’ll survive. 😅}

_{Thanks for being patient—I promise I’ll get back to my usual rhythm soon (without diving headfirst into another potential disappointment, haha). Let’s keep the vibes strong! 💪}

Bo Ye said he wouldn’t wait, and Qi Xingchen took him at his word—without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around Bo Ye’s neck, lifted himself onto his toes, and pressed forward.

The moment their lips met, the longing that had been suppressed for so long ignited like sparks colliding with the earth. Bo Ye abandoned any pretense of restraint, offering no gradual build-up—he pried open Qi Xingchen’s lips and deepened the kiss. His tongue traced along the soft warmth inside before seeking out Qi Xingchen’s own, coaxing and teasing with slow, deliberate strokes. He captured it between his lips, tasting, nibbling, exploring every inch with meticulous care.

Qi Xingchen felt lightheaded, his body losing strength as he instinctively melted into Bo Ye’s hold. He wanted to pull back for a breath, but Bo Ye wouldn’t let him go. Left with no other choice, Qi Xingchen clung even tighter, determined not to slip from Bo Ye’s grasp.

Who knew how long they kissed—three minutes? Thirty? When Bo Ye finally released him, fresh air rushed in, leaving Qi Xingchen gasping.

His lips, parted for too long, were damp and slightly swollen, but he had no mind to care. He simply slumped against Bo Ye’s shoulder, boneless and dazed.

Bo Ye secured an arm around him, his other hand absentmindedly kneading the back of Qi Xingchen’s neck, then playing with the soft strands of his hair. It was as if he had finally caught the elusive little cat he had been chasing for so long, and now he wasn’t sure how to express the depth of his joy.

He rubbed his nose against Qi Xingchen’s ear. “How long has it been since we last saw each other? A month?”

“Thirty-nine days and seventeen hours,” Qi Xingchen murmured, his voice muffled.

Bo Ye chuckled. “That precise?”

“Mm.” Qi Xingchen’s voice was still hushed. “I counted every day.”

So he wasn’t the only one who found even a few hours unbearable. His little fan had been even more impatient than he was.

A strange ache bloomed in Bo Ye’s chest—like being nipped by a small, toothless creature. It was bittersweet and almost unbearable. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the crown of Qi Xingchen’s head.

As he pulled away, something caught his attention. “Your hair looks shinier than usual.” He reached out, fingers sliding through the strands. “Did you put something in it?”

Qi Xingchen hesitated. “…Yeah. Hair oil.”

Bo Ye raised a brow. “Why? Isn’t it a hassle? Doesn’t it attract dust?”

Qi Xingchen wanted to swear at him.

Bo Ye quickly put the pieces together. The character Qi Xingchen was playing was rough and unpolished—definitely not someone who would bother taking care of his hair.

So that meant…

His little fan had styled himself up just for him.

A warm feeling spread through Bo Ye’s chest, and his smile deepened. His voice dropped a little lower as he leaned in. “Besides your hair, where else did you take special care of? Let me see.”

Qi Xingchen instinctively lowered his head.

He couldn’t possibly say it.

“Alright, then,” Bo Ye mused, lips curving into a smirk. “I’ll find out myself.”

He lifted a few strands of hair and took a light sniff behind Qi Xingchen’s ear. “You put on perfume.”

His lips brushed against the delicate skin there, before his nose trailed slowly down along the curve of Qi Xingchen’s throat, stopping at his shoulder. “This scent is different. What is it?”

“B-body lotion…”

Qi Xingchen had dressed up today, wearing a soft, washed-blue denim shirt. A color like this would make fair skin look even paler, while someone with a darker complexion might appear a bit dull in it.

Qi Xingchen was the former. Bo Ye’s gaze lingered on the exposed stretch of pristine skin, and his breathing hitched slightly.

“I want to smell it properly,” he murmured. “Can I undo your buttons?”

He phrased it like a question, but he didn’t wait for an answer. His fingers were already moving, undoing the top two buttons with ease.

With a small tug, the collar was pulled open.

Qi Xingchen’s slim shoulders were instantly exposed to the cool air.

A faint fragrance unfurled between them.

His shirt, half-slipped off, hung loosely from his elbows. Bo Ye lowered his head slightly, seemingly examining the scent. Then, as if still uncertain, he dipped down and placed a soft kiss against Qi Xingchen’s shoulder.

“What’s the scent?”

“B-basil and citrus.”

“Shouldn’t that be sour? Why does it smell so sweet on you?”

Qi Xingchen was on the verge of crying. “I—I don’t know…”

“Maybe it’s just this spot,” Bo Ye murmured, teasing. “Let me try somewhere else.”

The warm, damp sensation drifted downward, lingering at Qi Xingchen’s chest.

Qi Xingchen sucked in a sharp breath.

Bo Ye suddenly stilled. Something had pressed against his thigh.

He paused, momentarily taken aback.

Had his little fan really become this sensitive? He hadn’t even done anything serious—just a little teasing, and yet…

Still, he had been the one to start this fire. He had to take responsibility. Bo Ye sighed, both amused and helpless, as he guided Qi Xingchen toward the couch.

“Sit down. I’ll close the curtains.”

Qi Xingchen, assuming Bo Ye hadn’t noticed anything, quickly pulled his shirt loose from where it had been tucked into his waistband. The oversized fabric draped over him, hiding his predicament. But now he didn’t know whether he should sit or remain standing.

So when Bo Ye turned back around, he was met with the sight of his little fan awkwardly frozen in place, dark eyes darting back and forth.

Bo Ye tilted his head. “You prefer standing?”

Qi Xingchen blinked. “…Huh?”

Bo Ye glanced at the time. “It’s already seven. Have you eaten dinner?”

Qi Xingchen shook his head. “Not yet.”

“Good. Then let’s get this done quickly so we can go eat.”

“G-get this done?”

Qi Xingchen was bewildered, repeating the words in his mind.

But before he could figure out what Bo Ye meant, he suddenly heard the unmistakable sound of a zipper being pulled down.

Bo Ye had knelt before him, mouth slightly parted—

“No!”

Qi Xingchen panicked, jerking backward in alarm. “T-that’s—dirty!”

Bo Ye wrapped his arms around Qi Xingchen’s knees, preventing him from moving and even pulling him a little closer.

In an instant, Bo Ye felt something reach the deepest point, causing him to frown and instinctively cough.

It was indeed quite a quick and intense experience—three or four minutes later, Bo Ye stood up.

Qi Xingchen’s pupils were unfocused, his eyes reddened, and his voice carried a slight sob as he stammered, “You… you spit it out right now!”

Bo Ye wiped the corner of his mouth. “I already swallowed it. Can’t spit it out.”

“Then… then rinse your mouth, quickly!” Qi Xingchen hurriedly fetched some water in a panic.

“Alright.” Bo Ye took the cup, drank a sip, and when he looked up, he saw teardrops slipping from Qi Xingchen’s eyes, streaming down his pale chin like a small creek.

Bo Ye: “…Why are you crying?”

Since they had met, Bo Ye had only seen Qi Xingchen cry once—back when he was eliminated from Class F. Even then, he had been restrained, covering his face to hide his emotions.

But now, he looked like a teary mess, clearly unable to hold back anymore.

Bo Ye felt a pang of guilt and asked, “Are you feeling uncomfortable?”

Qi Xingchen sniffled. “It… it felt good.”

“Then why are you crying?”

“Your mouth is meant for singing,” Qi Xingchen hiccupped between sobs. “You… you shouldn’t be using it for this….”

Bo Ye was someone he deeply admired, someone he had once only dared to look up to from a distance. The last time, he had already felt guilty for making a mess on Bo Ye. And now, once again, he had sullied someone so sacred to him.

It felt like blasphemy.

An unforgivable sin.

Bo Ye had never heard such a strange way of thinking before. He patiently reassured him, “My mouth belongs to me. I can do whatever I want with it.”

Qi Xingchen remained silent.

“Besides, I love music, and I love you. There’s no need to choose between the two.”

Qi Xingchen still didn’t respond.

Transitioning from being a fan to a lover naturally came with lingering habits. It wasn’t something that could be adjusted overnight—he would need time to get used to it. Bo Ye decided to drop the topic for now. Instead, he hooked his finger under Qi Xingchen’s chin and teased, “Want to taste yourself?”

After spending some affectionate moments together, night had already fallen. The two put on their jackets, preparing to go out and get some food.

Since both Qi Xingchen and Bo Ye were on a public schedule, neither of them was surprised to see a row of vans and a group of fans waiting outside the hotel.

Some fans had been crouching there for a long time, and when they finally spotted their idol through the hotel’s glass doors, they immediately rushed forward from all directions.

Then, something unexpected happened.

Fans of Bo Ye suddenly noticed—wait a minute, weren’t those light boards over there supporting Qi Xingchen?

At the same time, Qi Xingchen’s fans also noticed—hold on, weren’t those fans holding banners for Bo Ye?

What the hell was going on?

The two fandoms stared each other down like rival gangs preparing for a street brawl, sizing each other up with an intense aura.

But just then, Bo Ye and Qi Xingchen stepped out of the hotel together.

Both fan groups collectively let out an “Ohhh—” in realization.

Damn it.

These two weren’t just here for a TV event—they were practically feeding CP (couple pairing) fans premium content!

It was… a lot to take in.

The fans surrounded them, chirping with excitement. Being the same gender was the best cover—Bo Ye and Qi Xingchen openly chatted with the fans and media for a while. When asked why they were staying at the same hotel, Bo Ye admitted without hesitation that it was for convenience, as they had intentionally booked the same place to catch up.

The media didn’t get much out of them, nor did the Starlights (Qi Xingchen’s fans). Only the Night Skies (Bo Ye’s fans) swallowed their bitter feelings in silence, already bracing themselves for the inevitable trending topic—how much more attention would their idol have to lose to the other party this time?

After persuading the fans and media to go eat, the two of them finally got in the car and set off. Bo Ye had already reserved a private dining room at the most highly rated local restaurant, wanting to treat his little fan to some specialty dishes.

But when they arrived, Qi Xingchen only ordered vegetarian dishes—all plain stir-fried greens that looked painfully bland in the photos.

Bo Ye wasn’t too pleased and took the menu to order some meat dishes.

When all the dishes were served, Qi Xingchen stared at the spicy chicken longingly while stuffing plain vegetables into his mouth. In real life, he was from the north and loved salty, spicy, and heavily seasoned food the most.

Bo Ye couldn’t bear to watch his pitiful expression any longer and picked up a piece of chicken, bringing it to his mouth.

Qi Xingchen would never refuse food from Bo Ye, so he quickly took it and started chewing. It was so delicious he almost teared up.

Seeing him eat so obediently, Bo Ye raised his chopsticks to feed him another bite, but Qi Xingchen quickly stopped him. “No more! I’m on a diet!”

Bo Ye frowned. “You’re already thin enough.”

“I know you’re worried about me, but I have to keep up my appearance for the rest of my filming. Just one more month, and I’ll be completely free to eat whatever I want.”

“Fine,” Bo Ye relented.

After a satisfying meal, Bo Ye paid the bill and led Qi Xingchen out. Just as they opened the door—

“Brother Ye?! Xingxing?!”

A familiar female voice suddenly called out from the other end of the hallway.

Qi Xingchen’s expression changed slightly, and he whispered, “Tao….”

Bo Ye also recognized the voice and gave him a reassuring blink.

Sure enough, the person approaching was Tao Tao. Her eyes widened in surprise. “What a coincidence!”

It really was. The hallway was crowded, so Bo Ye stepped aside and said, “Come inside to talk.”

Tao Tao entered the room naturally and sat down. “I was planning to look for you guys at the TV event tomorrow, but I didn’t expect to run into you here. Have you finished eating?”

“We have,” Qi Xingchen replied before asking, “What about you?”

“I just got here and saw you, so I came over.”

After a brief pause, she sighed. “Xingxing, back when we filmed that budget travel show together, Brother Ye barely kept in touch with any of us after it ended. But with you, he stayed close. You two really have a great relationship.”

Qi Xingchen hesitated for a moment and then replied, “I’m also really grateful to Brother Ye for taking care of me on account of the company.”

“Because of the company?” Tao Tao smiled sweetly. “To be honest, I recently watched some of your CP (couple pairing) videos. You two are so well-matched—I think I might just become a Yesterday’s Stars CP fan!”

“Really? Haha. I’ve seen them too, they’re completely ridiculous.”

As Qi Xingchen spoke, he carefully observed Tao Tao’s expression. She was smiling playfully, as if joking, yet she also seemed genuinely interested in those videos. His suspicions grew heavier.

Did the female lead know that he had gained self-awareness?

If she did, there was no way she would be putting on this act. After all, realizing that he had self-awareness meant anticipating that he would eventually become a threat. They were already on opposing sides, so there was no reason for her to keep up a false front—it would only make him more cautious.

Which meant… she probably didn’t know.

But Qi Xingchen wasn’t entirely sure. He had experienced Tao Tao’s cunning firsthand before. Beneath her seemingly harmless exterior, she often hid a rose laced with poison.

Just thinking about it made his head feel like it was about to explode.

After chatting for a bit longer, Tao Tao finally left. Bo Ye had handled the conversation flawlessly, his words carefully measured and revealing nothing.

Only when she was gone did Qi Xingchen finally feel like he could breathe properly again.

Tao Tao was terrifying—it took a lot of effort just to figure out what she was really thinking.

Her sudden appearance completely ruined Qi Xingchen’s mood. He mentally counted the time, estimating that she should be far enough away by now.

Bo Ye said, “Let’s go. If you like the spicy chicken here, we can come back tomorrow.”

It was a kind gesture, and Qi Xingchen forced a smile in response.

In truth, Bo Ye wasn’t in the mood either. On the way back to the hotel, both of them had their own thoughts.

Bo Ye was worried—he was supposed to end up with Tao Tao, but now he was with his little fan instead. Who knew if Tao Tao would do something to harm him?

Wait… how did he even know that he was supposed to end up with Tao Tao?

He had never read the original novel.

Qi Xingchen, on the other hand, was still troubled over how much information the female lead actually had. After what happened at the hospital last time, he thought she had already started suspecting him. But now, it seemed like she had no clue about his identity.

This vague, uncertain feeling was the most unsettling of all.

Just then—

“Boss, check Weibo,” Allen suddenly called out.

Hearing his urgent tone, Qi Xingchen had a bad feeling. He immediately dropped his train of thought and opened the Weibo app.

Bo Ye took out his phone as well.

Ten seconds later, Qi Xingchen realized that his instincts had been dead-on.

The top trending headline had already been completely taken over by one explosive piece of news:

[Bo Ye and Qi Xingchen seen entering and exiting the same hotel, dining intimately—gay relationship about to be exposed?]