IBKAWB Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: I Came to Take Brother Qiao Home**

Previous Translator: Lanbaobao

Re-translated/Edited by: Namizaki

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By the time Chi Zhongqiao finished filming the show, it was already pitch-dark. Whether genuine or forced, smiling for the cameras was exhausting. He sat in the cold wind, letting out a soft sigh.

It had been a while since he’d felt this drained. Unable to maintain his composure, he buried his face in his hands.

The driver wouldn’t arrive for another ten minutes, so Chi Zhongqiao sat in the cold wind to clear his head. Zhong Yin, clutching Chi Zhongqiao’s coat, rushed over in a panic. Spotting Chi Zhongqiao lost in thought, his face paled with alarm. “Brother Qiao, why are you sitting in the draft?!”

Chi Zhongqiao patted his cheeks. “My head’s spinning a bit, but I’m fine. I’ll move inside.” He stood up and went into the building. After putting on his coat, he asked, “Why didn’t you go back with Brother Zhuang?”

Zhong Yin pouted. “I’m Brother Qiao’s assistant, so I have to make sure you get home first.” As an assistant, Chi Zhongqiao was his boss. It wouldn’t be right for a subordinate to leave before their boss finished work.

Chi Zhongqiao smiled, tucked his hands into his pockets, and exhaled, the warm breath condensing into a white mist before him.

It was early December, just over two months until the Lunar New Year. Since transmigrating, he hadn’t returned to the Chi Family. Although he had inherited Chi Zhongqiao’s memories, he wasn’t the original Chi Zhongqiao himself and didn’t know how to interact with Father Chi and Mother Chi.

Chi Zhongqiao felt deeply guilty toward his parents, but fortunately, he wasn’t their only child. His original self had a younger brother, Chi Tingyu, who was far more sensible than the headstrong original Chi Zhongqiao had been since childhood. Both Father Chi and Mother Chi worked within the government system and had hoped their children would follow the same path. However, the original Chi Zhongqiao had always loved performing, a passion that clashed with his parents’ expectations.

During his first year of university, his relationship with his family had deteriorated to the point where they stopped speaking altogether. But in the past two years, things had improved considerably.

Perhaps feeling they had failed in Chi Zhongqiao’s upbringing, Father Chi and Mother Chi had shifted most of their attention to Chi Tingyu. While this was arguably a blessing for Chi Zhongqiao, it likely placed a heavy burden on his Younger Brother.

Chi Zhongqiao’s mind wandered, his expression gradually becoming blank as he pondered whether to force himself to return home this year. Suddenly, he felt two tugs on his sleeve.

He turned to look at Zhong Yin, his expression questioning.

Zhong Yin whispered, “Brother Qiao, that girl over there seems to be your fan.”

Chi Zhongqiao followed his gaze and saw the girl who had been holding his light-up sign at the recording studio earlier. She stood timidly a short distance away, clutching the sign and staring at him, though he couldn’t tell how long she’d been there.

Startled, Chi Zhongqiao stepped down from the stairs.

“Why aren’t you home yet?”

The girl blushed and whispered, “I saw you were still here when I came out…”

Chi Zhongqiao smiled. As he approached, her face flushed even deeper. He noticed she was dressed very lightly, shivering slightly in the night wind. “Why are you wearing such thin clothes?”

She wore a pink coat, a short wool skirt, and tall boots—completely inadequate against the icy night wind. The moment she stepped out of the building’s warmth, she felt the cold seep into her bones. “I… I rushed out and forgot to bring anything warmer.”

Chi Zhongqiao took off his down jacket. “If you don’t mind, wear this.”

The girl immediately stepped back, waving her hands frantically. “No, no, you’ll be cold!”

Chi Zhongqiao pointed to the glowing light-up sign she was holding. “Seeing this sign keeps me warm. It’s probably the first fan sign I’ve ever had. Come on, put it on.” He was wearing plenty of layers underneath and wouldn’t miss the jacket.

The girl gazed at his handsome face, torn between accepting and refusing. Just as she was agonizing over the decision, a black Maybach glided to a stop in front of them.

Lu Yuzhou stepped out, a white down jacket draped over his arm.

The girl immediately covered her mouth: So handsome!

Lu Yuzhou wore a calf-length black down jacket that accentuated his broad shoulders and trim waist. He nodded slightly at the girl before walking straight toward Chi Zhongqiao.

He must have been reviewing documents earlier, as a pair of thin-framed glasses still perched on his nose. His gaze, filtered through the lenses, seemed almost enigmatic. His thin lips were slightly pursed, giving him a strikingly handsome yet unapproachable air.

The girl awkwardly took a step back.

“Zhong Yin, get in the car first.”

Chi Zhongqiao, oblivious to the girl’s movements, turned to Lu Yuzhou with a smile. “What brings you here?”

Zhong Yin quickly responded and hopped into the passenger seat.

Lu Yuzhou draped the down jacket over Chi Zhongqiao’s shoulders. “I came to take Brother Qiao home.”

Chi Zhongqiao held out his own coat and smiled at the girl. “Here, now I have a jacket too. Take this and wear it—don’t catch a cold.”

Seeing the girl accept the jacket, he withdrew his hand. “Is someone picking you up? Or would you like us to give you a ride home?”

The girl took the down jacket, its clean, long length, and still carrying the fresh scent of soap. Her already flushed cheeks seemed about to drip blood as she lowered her head, too shy to meet Chi Zhongqiao’s gaze. “My, my driver is over there… Um, Brother Qiao, could I take a photo with you?”

Chi Zhongqiao glanced to the side and indeed saw a small yellow car parked in the parking area. He readily agreed, “Of course!”

The girl immediately pulled out her phone. Chi Zhongqiao leaned in, placing his hands on his knees and bending slightly to match her height, smiling at the camera.

The girl flashed a V sign and snapped a photo, barely containing her excitement. “Can I post this on Weibo?”

Chi Zhongqiao chuckled. “Sure, just remember to Photoshop me a bit.”

The girl laughed. “Brother Qiao, you don’t need any editing! I look so yellow and ugly next to you!”

“A Little Fairy could never be ugly.” Chi Zhongqiao replied.

“Brother Qiao, you should go get some rest!” The girl urged.

Chi Zhongqiao nodded. “Yuzhou, hurry inside and don’t get cold.” He followed Lu Yuzhou into the car, closed the door, then suddenly rolled down the window. “Wait a second.”

The girl turned back, puzzled.

Chi Zhongqiao cleared his throat. “Um… could I have that light-up sign?”

The girl burst out laughing and scurried over to press the sign into his hands. “Here you go, Brother Qiao! Take good care of it!” She dashed back to her own car.

Chi Zhongqiao settled back into his seat, cradling the sign in his arms and fiddling with it, utterly fascinated.

The words “Chi Zhongqiao” on the sign glowed in vibrant colors, illuminating the car’s interior. Beneath them, a line of smaller characters read: “May my Young General be invincible!”

So exquisite.

Chi Zhongqiao had been eyeing the girl’s light-up sign for a while, but since it wasn’t cheap, he felt too embarrassed to ask for it directly. Now that he’d spent all the spare change in his down jacket pocket, he couldn’t hold back any longer.

It’s so pretty, Chi Zhongqiao thought, straightening the sign and placing it in front of him, already planning where to keep it when he got home.

Lu Yuzhou signaled the driver to close the car window and turned to see Chi Zhongqiao admiring the sign. He asked, “You really like it that much?”

Chi Zhongqiao tilted the sign toward Lu Yuzhou. “It’s beautiful! Don’t you think so?”

Lu Yuzhou forced himself to say, “It’s nice,” though he personally couldn’t appreciate the gaudy, colorful design.

He unscrewed a thermos. “Hungry? Have some of this to tide you over.”

Chi Zhongqiao took the thermos, then suddenly slapped his forehead. “Almost forgot! Zhong Yin, give me the bag.”

Zhong Yin quickly handed it over.

Chi Zhongqiao unzipped the bag and pulled out a delicate box. “Open it and see.”

This man often bought him strange and unusual gifts. Curious, Lu Yuzhou opened the box to find a crystal ball. Inside the artificial snowscape was a tiny snowman.

Lu Yuzhou picked it up, feeling a sense of familiarity.

Not bad, he thought. Even though it’s a bit too girly, it’s actually quite pretty.

Chi Zhongqiao opened the thermos, his eyes crinkling with a smile. “I bought it during my lunch break.” He remembered promising Lu Yuzhou he’d bring him something earlier that morning. He’d been wondering what to get when he spotted this crystal ball in a shop window and knew it was perfect.

A sweet, fragrant aroma wafted from the thermos as he unscrewed the lid. Chi Zhongqiao sniffed it—yam and pork rib soup. He took a sip; the soup was perfectly simmered, the earthy sweetness of the yam blending harmoniously with the savory richness of the pork ribs, a comforting warmth on a winter day.

Lu Yuzhou found a button on the crystal ball’s base. When he pressed it, the sphere began to play a melodious tune.

Chi Zhongqiao slowly sipped the soup, his eyes closing in contentment. “This is delicious. Where did you order it from?”

Lu Yuzhou set down the crystal ball. “I made it myself.” He’d cooked for himself during his previous life when he lived alone, and his culinary skills were quite impressive.

Chi Zhongqiao nearly spilled his soup. “Huh?”

Lu Yuzhou steadied the thermos. “Careful, it’s hot.”

Chi Zhongqiao cradled the thermos, sighing in admiration. “You’re both sophisticated and domestic, Yuzhou. Any girl who dates you in the future will be incredibly lucky.”

Lu Yuzhou chuckled, carefully tucking the crystal ball into his bag. “Oh, the Old Master said he misses us. He wants us to come home for dinner tomorrow.”

Chi Zhongqiao replied, “Okay, I’ll come home early tomorrow.”

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“Are you sure? He got into a Maybach? And the owner was a man?” Xu Xingzhou asked quietly, holding his phone.

“Absolutely. That guy’s outfit alone must have cost at least a hundred thousand yuan. His watch was worth over a million—he’s definitely loaded.”

“Did you get any other shots?” Xu Xingzhou pressed.

“No, just saw their car turn into Jade Pavilion Garden. You know how it is there—we can’t get in.”

Xu Xingzhou’s face was hidden in the darkness. He suddenly remembered a conversation he’d overheard after the show’s recording:

“Chi Zhongqiao’s acting is incredible, right? He doesn’t even flinch when acting opposite the Film Empress.”

“Yeah, he’s amazing. His performance in <Empress of the World> was the best, even better than Xu Xingzhou’s.”

“Honestly, and I know this is controversial, but how many young actors have that kind of skill? Before Chi Zhongqiao came along, Xu Xingzhou was considered pretty good. Xu Xingzhou just got unlucky, running into someone with such exceptional talent.”

“Totally unlucky. Chi Zhongqiao’s fan count is almost surpassing Xu Xingzhou’s. Imagine being outshone by a supporting actor—Xu Xingzhou must be furious!”

Xu Xingzhou clenched his fist and said slowly, “Brother Song, I’m counting on you for this. I’ll double your fee. I need you to get photos of them being intimate.”

“Alright, I’ve got this covered.”

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**Author’s Note:**

Chi Zhongqiao: Do I look good?

Young Master Lu (blind): You look good.