APCF – Chapter 79 The One You Like

Comrade Qi knew very well that if you wanted to coax someone effectively, you had to do it from all angles, in a comprehensive and deep way. Just relying on a little time at night wouldn’t be enough.

At 10 a.m., he brought An Ran and some refreshments to the headquarters of Dongcheng TV.

As soon as he stepped into the studio, the stage crew were surprised and said, “Oh, Teacher Qi is back early?”

“Mhm.” Qi Xingchen made up an excuse, “Staying at home is just wasting time anyway, so I figured I might as well come back and liven things up a bit.”

The crew had never heard of anyone who didn’t want to take a break and instead preferred to work. They chuckled, “No wonder Teacher Bo went to pick you up yesterday—he must have gone to reward our hardworking little bee!”

Qi Xingchen: …

He knew this couldn’t be kept a secret.

However, since his decision to return to S City was a last-minute one, only fans who had been tracking his ticket information managed to show up at the airport—there were no paparazzi lurking around. The photos of Bo Ye picking him up were posted online by fans, but they didn’t generate enough buzz to make it onto the trending searches.

Plus, Xingguang Entertainment didn’t want Qi Xingchen to keep getting accused of “riding on Bo Ye’s popularity,” so they tightly controlled the spread of the photos. Fans kept their idol’s beauty to themselves, and for now, the news was mostly contained within Xingguang and a small part of the Ye Kong fandom.

Except for the “Last Night’s Stars” CP fans.

They completely lost their minds.

[Fan Comments]

📝 “Blocking security guards for him? That’s peak boyfriend energy!!! He’s totally protecting his wife—I’M DEAD ORZ!”

📝 “I was there in person! If you didn’t see it yourself, you can’t imagine how doting Bo Ye looked while holding Xingxing! They’re literally living in a sweet romance novel! Crying! Someone please write fanfiction, I will throw all my coins at you!!”

📝 “Damn! Work made me miss this legendary CP moment! I can’t believe I didn’t witness it—damn damn damn!!!”

📝 “The sugar level of this ship is off the charts! Who the hell still dares to say they’re just ‘socialist brothers’?!?”

An Ran was lurking in the CP fan group, reading through the frenzy, and thought to herself: If I told you all that Bo Ye deliberately went to the airport just to pick up Xingxing, would you all pass out?

But she held back from saying anything, closed QQ, and looked up—only to find that she was completely alone.

Her artist had already run off to find the other half of his CP. Sobs.

After all, Qi Xingchen had come back specifically for Bo Ye. He had no time to worry about An Ran. He left through the back door of the studio and headed straight to the training base for the trainees.

Right now, the production team was filming the game segment for the next episode of My Era. The trainees were sitting in a circle, leaving the center space open.

Bo Ye, per the production team’s request, was mixed in with the trainees, playing along with the games.

Qi Xingchen quietly pushed the door open a crack and peeked inside.

A trainee sitting directly across from the door noticed Qi Xingchen sneaking a look and sat up straight in curiosity, eyes wide.

The other trainees and the cameraman, seeing his strange reaction, followed his gaze toward the door—

And caught a certain Qi Xingchen red-handed.

Boys at this age tend to admire strong, fearless figures. Ever since Qi Xingchen had roasted Kevin, the trainees’ attitudes toward him had taken a huge turn for the better. Cheers erupted throughout the training room.

Bo Ye glanced at him indifferently and then turned back around.

Qi Xingchen: …

Yep, still mad.

Just then, the trainees started to egg him on, “Teacher Qi, come in and play with us!”

“Yes, Yes, Come Play With Us!”

Qi Xingchen turned to the filming assistant and asked, “Can I join?”

“Of course!” The assistant smiled. “It’ll be even more fun with you in the game.”

Qi Xingchen stepped inside, glancing left and right, wanting to sit next to Bo Ye.

But a trainee sitting across quickly stopped him. “Teacher Qi, you’re not joining their team too, right? They already have Teacher Bo!”

“You’ve already split into teams?” Qi Xingchen paused mid-step.

“Yeah, the left half is one team, and the right half is the other.”

The assistant joined in, “Teacher Qi, go to the right half. Give them some motivation!”

“Alright…” Qi Xingchen trudged over reluctantly and sat directly across from Bo Ye.

For the sake of mobility, Bo Ye was dressed in a simple hoodie and sweatpants. But even in such plain attire, he looked like a living painting—so stunning that it was impossible to look away.

Qi Xingchen pretended to focus on the trainees while secretly observing Bo Ye. As if sensing his gaze, Bo Ye raised an eyebrow at him.

Ahhhhhh, how can someone be this good-looking? Is this level of beauty even real?! Ahhh, my eyes were made to look at him! My world is illuminated because of him!

Qi Xingchen screamed internally, mentally reciting three straight episodes’ worth of fan comments.

Bo Ye, unaware of his thoughts, remained focused on the game.

The trainees were playing a game called Fighting Roosters. The rules were simple—two players stood on one leg, holding the other in a triangle shape with their hands. They had to use their knees to attack their opponent, and whoever set both feet on the ground first lost.

Right now, the match was nearing its conclusion. The right-side team was clearly struggling against the left-side team.

Sure enough, after thirty seconds, the right-side team lost, and the left-side team scored a point.

“Alright,” Bo Ye said. “Send out your next player.”

Qi Xingchen, completely uninvolved, happily watched the drama unfold.

Then, the right-side team captain announced, “We’ve decided to send out our heavyweight player—Teacher Qi!”

Qi Xingchen: “???”

“Then we’ll bring out our trump card too,” the left-side captain smirked. “Our player is… Teacher Bo!”

A mentor versus a mentor—seemed fair enough.

The cameras panned toward the two of them. With all eyes on them, Qi Xingchen and Bo Ye had no choice but to stand up and step into the ring. Their teammates cheered them on as they faced each other.

The filming assistant prompted, “Teachers, give yourselves a battle cry!”

Qi Xingchen, no stranger to variety shows, knew it was all about entertainment. He clenched his left fist, raised it in front of Bo Ye, and said, “Ye-Ge, be careful! I’ll make you lose so bad you won’t know which way is north!”

Bo Ye’s lips twitched slightly. “I appreciate the challenge.”

Qi Xingchen: …Why does that response feel off?

But with the cameras rolling, he didn’t have time to overthink. He lifted his left leg, ready to attack, and leaped aggressively toward Bo Ye.

Bo Ye remained calm, lightly hopping to the left to dodge.

Because of his momentum, Qi Xingchen nearly stumbled forward two more steps before regaining his balance. Turning around, he saw Bo Ye still standing in place—he hadn’t taken advantage of the opening to counterattack.

This immediately ignited Qi Xingchen’s competitive spirit. He frowned and said seriously, “Ye-Ge, don’t go easy on me. Let’s rely on our own skills.”

Bo Ye nodded and assumed a defensive stance.

He hadn’t been intentionally going easy—he was just wary of the hard floor. If Qi Xingchen fell, it wouldn’t be a small matter. The little guy had delicate skin; a fall would be disastrous.

Now focused on the game, Qi Xingchen temporarily set aside Bo Ye’s beauty. He hopped left twice.

Bo Ye instinctively dodged to the right.

However, at that moment, Qi Xingchen suddenly changed direction, making a long jump forward—landing right in front of Bo Ye!

The attack came too quickly. Bo Ye hadn’t yet stabilized himself when Qi Xingchen’s knee charged upward toward his own!

Bo Ye was at least half a head taller than Qi Xingchen, meaning his knee was positioned slightly higher. If Qi Xingchen’s attack landed, Bo Ye’s center of gravity would be thrown off.

In a split-second decision, Bo Ye forcefully pressed his knee downward—opting for a head-on collision.

The result was predictable: in terms of raw strength, Qi Xingchen was no match for Bo Ye. His body tilted, and he lost his balance on one foot—falling directly onto Bo Ye.

Bo Ye was still standing on one leg and couldn’t steady himself. He toppled backward with Qi Xingchen crashing into him.

Before his back hit the ground, Bo Ye reached out to cushion the back of Qi Xingchen’s head, worried he might hit the floor.

At the same time, Qi Xingchen instinctively wrapped his arms around Bo Ye, palms splayed across his back to absorb the impact.

And so, in the end—one holding, the other embracing—they landed in a tight heap on the floor.

Woah… The trainees, unable to decipher the deeper meaning behind their entanglement, could only stare in stunned silence.

“You okay?” Qi Xingchen ignored the surrounding voices, pushing himself up with both arms, his voice anxious. “Did you get hurt? Does it hurt?”

“…I’m fine.” Bo Ye took a few seconds to respond before getting up with minimal movement.

Then, he subtly tugged his hoodie down.

The game was just a small segment. The trainees soon returned to their assigned practice rooms to continue rehearsing for their upcoming competition.

Bo Ye’s role shifted to observing their progress—he no longer needed to monitor them constantly. The cameras followed the trainees, leaving the once-bustling activity room nearly empty, with only Qi Xingchen and Bo Ye remaining.

Thick-skinned as ever, Qi Xingchen scooted closer, smiling fawningly. “It’s almost lunchtime. Let’s grab something to eat? I found a Western restaurant nearby that’s supposed to be really good. Let’s check it out?”

Bo Ye hesitated slightly.

Just then, An Ran’s voice called from outside, “Xingxing, are you in there? Someone came to visit you!”

“A visitor?”

Who would come to visit him?

Qi Xingchen was full of question marks. After a moment of hesitation, he turned to Bo Ye. “I’ll go check it out.”

Bo Ye’s brow furrowed ever so slightly. “Mm.”

He still hadn’t secured the lunch invitation, so Qi Xingchen hurried toward the broadcast hall.

An Ran ran alongside him, looking starstruck. “It’s a super handsome guy! Like, ridiculously handsome! Mature, reserved, and his voice is sooo sexy—why is my heart still racing?!”

“A mature, reserved, ridiculously handsome guy?” Qi Xingchen was even more confused. He didn’t know anyone who fit that description.

Then, as he reached the main lobby of Dongcheng TV and saw the suited man at the front desk—

Qi Xingchen realized An Ran hadn’t been exaggerating.

Because standing there was none other than the CEO of the Qi Group.

“Brother,” Qi Xingchen was momentarily stunned. “What are you doing here?”

“I had a meeting in S City,” Qi Yunxiao said casually, glancing behind his little brother.

Not seeing a certain future brother-in-law, his expression remained indifferent.

Qi Xingchen: “Meeting… Is it over?”

Qi Yunxiao nodded, looked at his watch, and asked, “Do you still have work? If not, I’ll take you out for a meal.”

Qi Xingchen sighed.

Since Qi Yunxiao had come all this way to see him, he couldn’t just leave his brother hanging.

“I’ve finished my work. This is my assistant, An Ran. Let’s bring her along too.”

Qi Yunxiao naturally agreed, and the three of them got into his car.

As soon as Qi Xingchen sat down, he quickly sent Bo Ye a message to apologize: “Sorry, I can’t have lunch with you today 😭”

A moment later, Bo Ye replied: “It’s okay, I’ve been eating at the cafeteria lately.”

The cafeteria?

Although the Times cafeteria was decent, it couldn’t compare to a proper restaurant.

Qi Xingchen pouted and decided to bring back some good food for Bo Ye.

Since the Qi Corporation had a subsidiary in S City, Qi Yunxiao was quite familiar with the area. He took Qi Xingchen and the assistant to a fusion restaurant—one of the most popular spots online, known for its excellent desserts.

Qi Xingchen was thinking about Bo Ye the whole time, so he didn’t eat much. An Ran, sitting across from a ridiculously handsome man, kept up her refined demeanor and also ate little.

So, they finished their meal rather quickly. Before paying, Qi Xingchen ordered takeout—grilled pork ribs, stir-fried greens, and a dessert.

Qi Yunxiao smelled something suspicious. “Who’s that for?”

“A friend,” Qi Xingchen replied. “You might have seen him on TV—his name is Bo Ye. He’s been eating in the cafeteria, so I’m bringing him something better.”

At the mention of Bo Ye, a rare smile appeared on Qi Yunxiao’s face. “He’s in the studio?”

“Yeah, should be.”

“Then I’ll go back with you and check out your workplace. No need to notify the production team—I have a pass.”

Given Qi Yunxiao’s connections with the boss of Dongcheng, having a pass made sense. Besides, he actually wanted his family to see where he worked.

It was tough and exhausting, but also filled with passion.

“Sounds great!” Qi Xingchen beamed, bouncing on his feet. “Let’s go!”

Back at Dongcheng, Qi Xingchen walked beside his brother, explaining the layout of the studio. But strangely, Bo Ye was nowhere to be seen at the restaurant. When he asked a crew member, they hadn’t seen him either.

Confused, Qi Xingchen continued the tour.

Meanwhile, Bo Ye had little appetite these days. He had been in the practice room all afternoon, watching the trainees train.

As a song ended, he turned off the background music and vaguely heard a fan’s voice.

This floor was mostly practice rooms—more than twenty of them in total, plus a few lounges and storage rooms.

Then, a stranger’s voice asked, “So many practice rooms?”

“We have a lot of trainees,” the fan chuckled. “There were eighty-eight at first, but now only sixty-six are left.”

The fan’s voice carried a cheerful tone, even using playful interjections like “ah”, which grated on Bo Ye’s nerves. He furrowed his brows and, annoyed, restarted the music.

But their conversation kept drilling into his ears like a curse.

The frustration that had been simmering for days bubbled over, and his face darkened.

A minute later, his patience snapped. Rarely one to lose control, Bo Ye abruptly stood up and stormed out.

The door slammed shut with a bang, echoing down the hallway.

Qi Xingchen stopped mid-sentence and turned toward the noise.

Bo Ye walked toward them with a stormy expression, his dark eyes unreadable.

Seeing the person he had been thinking about all noon, Qi Xingchen lit up. “Oh, so you were in the practice room! This is my—”

“Sorry.”

Before he could finish, Bo Ye cut him off, stepping between him and Qi Yunxiao.

With a firm grip, he pulled Qi Xingchen behind him and said to Qi Yunxiao, “Give us two minutes. I need to talk to Qi Xingchen.”

Without waiting for a response, he grabbed Qi Xingchen’s wrist. “Come with me.”

Qi Xingchen had never seen Bo Ye like this—like a volcano on the verge of eruption. It scared him, but also made him worry.

Especially since Bo Ye had called him by his full name.

That’s when he realized—Bo Ye had been angry with him for days.

He mouthed to Qi Yunxiao, “Wait for me.”

Qi Yunxiao nodded in understanding.

That silent exchange, that unspoken rapport—was the last straw for Bo Ye. His patience burned away by jealousy, he dragged Qi Xingchen into a storage room at the end of the hall and locked the door.

The storage room was dimly lit, rarely visited.

Qi Xingchen fumbled along the wall for a light switch.

“Don’t move,” Bo Ye ordered.

“But I can’t see you without the light…” Qi Xingchen continued searching.

“I said don’t move!” Bo Ye snapped, pressing forward.

Startled by the intensity in Bo Ye’s voice, Qi Xingchen froze.

Before he could ask what was wrong, warmth engulfed him.

A familiar scent closed in. Closer. Closer.

Then, without warning, Bo Ye kissed him.

It wasn’t a soft, gentle kiss. Perhaps it was fueled by anger, or by suppressed longing, but it was rough. When Qi Xingchen refused to open his mouth, Bo Ye bit his lip.

Qi Xingchen flinched at the sting.

Taking advantage of the moment, Bo Ye deepened the kiss—staking his claim, conquering every inch.

Qi Xingchen’s mind went blank. His hands hovered in the air, clenching and unclenching, before his body began trembling from lack of oxygen.

Only when his limbs turned weak, when he was on the verge of suffocation, did Bo Ye finally let him go.

As sensation returned, Qi Xingchen gasped for breath. After a long moment, his voice wavered, “Do you even know what you just did?”

Bo Ye’s voice was hoarse. “I do. I kissed you.”

“But kissing is something you do with someone you like… You’re not just practicing for a drama, right? This was my first—”

Bo Ye cupped the back of his neck, voice low and fierce. “I’m not practicing. You’re the one I like.”

“I like you so much I can’t stop looking at you.”

“I like you so much that when you smile, I feel happy too.”

“I like you so much that I can’t bear to see you suffer, not even a little.”

“I like you so much that I can’t stand any other man being near you.”

At first, Bo Ye thought he was just doting on a fan.

But before he knew it, that affection had seeped into his bones, into his heart. And now, he could never take it back.

“You…” Qi Xingchen pinched his own arm, gasping at the pain.

It wasn’t a dream. But he still couldn’t believe it. “Don’t joke around. If you say this, I—I’ll take it seriously.”

“I’m not joking. I want to be your boyfriend.”

Qi Xingchen’s eyes widened.

“Can I?”

He said he wasn’t joking.

He said he wanted to be his boyfriend.

Qi Xingchen’s body moved before his mind, nodding frantically. “Yes! Yes!!”

As if afraid Bo Ye would take it back, he repeated louder, “YES!!”

Bo Ye, who had been on edge for three days, finally felt at peace.

Not in his own heart, but in the person standing before him.

“I forgot to tell you,” Bo Ye murmured, cupping Qi Xingchen’s face, “That was my first kiss too.”

His fingers brushed against his cheek. “What did you eat for lunch? Why do you taste so sweet?”

“C-cheesecake.”

“I didn’t taste it properly,” Bo Ye leaned in again. “I think I need another bite…”

_{T/N: OMG OMG!!! So Sweeet. Finally they are together and we have some dog food to eat. I was specially hungry for APCF flavor.}