PTS Chapter 7

TL: Hua

Chapter 7

Late at night, Qin Guanyu tossed and turned in bed. The events of the evening kept replaying in his mind, making it impossible for him to fall asleep.

“Tch!”

He sat up, switched on his nightstand lamp, grabbed his tablet, and opened a private folder.

There was only one document in the folder, which had existed for three years, titled “Moonlight Collection Center.”

Inside was a detailed record of all the personal information Shu Yi had disclosed in interviews since his debut and data compiled by fans in his super topic[1], as well as the names and details of Shu Yi’s actual boyfriends and various rumored lovers the past three years.

Three years had passed, yet the information belonging to Shu Yi inside remained sparse, official, and cold.

The update frequency for the boyfriends and rumored lovers, however, was much faster. The boyfriends were updated every six months to a year, while the rumored lovers were guaranteed an update whenever a drama finished airing.

Of course, the “boyfriends” were things Qin Guanyu had dug up privately; Shu Yi’s fans knew absolutely nothing about them.

Thinking about it sometimes, Sun Guanqing and Lu Tiangong weren’t wrong. He was no different from a regular fan of Shu Yi. He held the title of “CEO,” but in the end, he wasn’t even as crazed as a sasaeng fan.

After all, Qin Guanyu was highly law-abiding and didn’t go around stalking people at the drop of a hat.

He had tried to analyze Shu Yi’s “boyfriends” before, but he found that each one differed vastly from the next. He couldn’t even summarize the specific traits of Shu Yi’s ideal type.

Sun Guanqing had mocked him for being naive, saying they weren’t “boyfriends” at all, but clearly “sugar daddies.” Their only common trait was being rich and capable of providing resources.

But he insisted that Sun Guanqing was just too vulgar.

“Sigh…”

Qin Guanyu let out a long sigh. Looking at the document, his mind inexplicably drifted to the one currently sleeping in his guest bedroom.

After agonizing over it for a while, Qin Guanyu ultimately created a new document in this private folder, titled “Observation Diary of Fragile Little Shen.”

With a few taps of his fingers, four bullet points instantly populated the document:

1. Cannot mention renaming Steam Bun (Steam Bun is cute =3=)
2. Bad back, cannot get caught in the rain or exposed to cold (A bad back at such a young age???)
3. Bad stomach, cannot be fed spicy food; otherwise, his stomach will hurt, and it’s a massive pain to deal with (Fine, it was actually my fault orz)
4. Prefers sweet and savory dishes (Don’t know if he likes cookies, can try feeding him some next time I bake)

That seemed to be about it. Just as Qin Guanyu was about to retract the keyboard, he suddenly recalled how beautiful Shen Qianci’s smile had looked in the elevator today.

He immediately opened the document again and added one more line:

5. Can be amused by trashy substitute tropes (But do not mention “you don’t look like him when you smile”) (Seriously, what on earth is so funny about that?)

—

The alarm rang sharply at 6:00 AM. The moment Shen Qianci opened his eyes, Steam Bun pounced onto the bed, ready to begin his morning gymnastics.

Shen Qianci promptly grabbed his cat by the scruff of his fateful neck and kissed the top of Steam Bun’s head. “Don’t be too rowdy in someone else’s house.”

He carried Steam Bun to the living room and peeked toward the master bedroom. Finding the door tightly shut, he assumed Qin Guanyu was probably still asleep.

He washed up quietly, only to suddenly realize he had forgotten something very important…

He had agreed to mimic the white moonlight by reading at 6:30 AM every day, but he had forgotten to bring any books when packing yesterday.

Left with no choice, Shen Qianci began hunting around Qin Guanyu’s house.

Legend has it that a CEO’s study always held infinite secrets, so he didn’t dare enter. He was a substitute now, and he feared triggering some melodramatic plotline.

In the end, he found a few books on a shelf in the living room that could only be described as “brand new.”

The first one to catch his eye was Jean-Paul Sartre’s Nausea. He couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows high in surprise.

The fiercely busy little President Qin actually read existentialist novels?

However, upon flipping open the title page, he spotted a sticky note pasted inside by Qin Guanyu:

[What is Lu Tiangong trying to imply? Gifting me a copy of “Nausea” for my birthday? Is he insulting me?]

Shen Qianci: “…”

Well, he had clearly overthought it.

Next, he spotted a copy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Sure enough, the title page featured another complaint from Little President Qin:

[Is this poser Sun Guanqing in cahoots with Lu Tiangong? What kind of birthday gift is this? For his next birthday, I’m gifting him a copy of Buddhism and the Art of Excavator Maintenance.]

Shen Qianci couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

His pale fingers glided across the shelf until he picked out How to Read a Book. Sure enough, he was treated to another sample of Qin Guanyu’s fine calligraphy:

[Save me. I can’t even make it past the table of contents…]

Completely expected.

Leaning against the shelf, Shen Qianci smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

He then picked up a set of Dream Pool Essays. The inner pages were pristine, but right below the title on the front page, Little President Qin had left a noble and aloof commentary:

[This is a pretty good title. When I retire, I’ll publish a book called Guanyu’s Cookie Essays.]

Cookie essays?

He remembered Qin Guanyu mentioning that he liked to bake cookies. He’d have to find a way to get the man to bake a batch for him willingly sometime.

Up next was some movie merchandise from The Wolf of Wall Street. Right next to the word “Wolf,” President Qin had drawn a chibi version of himself with his mouth wide open: “Awoooo~~~!”

Then there was a copy of From Zero to One. With this one, President Qin had made a monumental leap of progress. He had actually read a whopping three pages!

On the third page, he had pasted another sticky note, which was densely packed with the history of his reading attempts:

[1st attempt: Got to here.]

[2nd attempt: Got to here again.]

……

[7th attempt (. )]

[9th attempt…]

……

[Why is it so hard to go from 0 to 1? Forget it, I’m a born 1[2] (￣へ￣)]

Pfft…

Shen Qianci really couldn’t hold it in this time; his entire body shook with laughter.

“I say, Teacher Shen, why did you get up so early? Are you going to dance in the square with those elderly people?”

Down the hallway stood Qin Guanyu in his pajamas, looking bleary-eyed with a few tufts of bedhead sticking up.

Hearing his voice, Shen Qianci turned around. The moment Qin Guanyu saw the book in his hands, he jolted wide awake.

“Holy shit!”

Blushing furiously, Little President Qin took massive strides with his long legs. In the blink of an eye, he snatched the book out of Shen Qianci’s hands and shielded it behind his back like a precious treasure.

“…You’re not allowed to look!”

Shen Qianci teased him on purpose: “President Qin, this is the fertilizer of knowledge. What’s there to hide?”

Qin Guanyu muttered sheepishly, “Fertilizer my foot. Books I can’t finish are just boiling water to a little sapling like me…”

Shen Qianci chuckled. Stepping closer, he locked eyes with him. “Want to discuss it with me?”

Qin Guanyu stiffened his neck. “Discuss what?”

“Buddhism?” Shen Qianci teased. “Excavator maintenance? Or perhaps… the philosophy of being a 1?”

Qin Guanyu’s eyes went wide. His face and ears turned bright red, and his entire head looked ready to blow steam like a boiling kettle. He practically shrieked: “You saw all of it??!!”

Hearing him wail, Shen Qianci was instantly reminded of the chibi drawing in The Wolf of Wall Street going “Awooo~.”

“Pfft…”

“Don’t laugh!” Little President Qin snapped, completely mortified.

Shen Qianci put on a perfectly obedient face. “Alright, President Qin.”

“Hmph!”

Standing at an impressive 187 cm, Qin Guanyu looked incredibly comical huffing and puffing as he shoved the books back onto the shelf. Shen Qianci couldn’t help but curl his lips, but Little President Qin sharply whipped his head back around.

Shen Qianci immediately pursed his lips, pretending as if nothing had happened.

—

Now that his personal pieces of calligraphy had been witnessed, Qin Guanyu couldn’t fall back asleep. Still sporting his bedhead, he angrily washed up.

The cooking auntie arrived right on time and began preparing breakfast.

Not long after, Shen Qianci saw Little President Qin, dressed smartly in a black shirt, sit down at the dining table. He even put on a show of checking financial news on his tablet, looking every bit the well-read intellectual.

Shen Qianci knew the drill. According to standard tropes, a CEO’s breakfast usually went like this:

Financial newspaper in one hand, black coffee in the other, taking two dainty bites of a sandwich before setting it down, all because they were so crazed with work that they lacked any worldly desire for food.

Right on cue, however, the cooking auntie served a plate of soup dumplings and tea eggs.

Qin Guanyu: “…”

Shen Qianci raised an eyebrow, resting his chin on his hand with great interest, intending to see how President Qin would use this Chinese breakfast to put on a Western air.

After a long pause, Qin Guanyu silently put down the financial news he hadn’t scrolled past in half an hour…

“President Qin.” Shen Qianci suddenly got up and sat beside him. With immense dedication, he peeled a tea egg and offered it over.

Caught off guard, Qin Guanyu’s lips accidentally brushed against the egg. “…What are you doing?”

“About dinner last night…”

“Stomach hurting again?” Qin Guanyu asked, growing tense.

“No,” Shen Qianci said slowly. “You didn’t need to apologize yesterday. Instead of an apology, I actually need you to do me a favor.”

Shen Qianci had amber eyes. When he looked at someone unblinkingly in the morning light, it genuinely looked like he was acting cute…

Qin Guanyu suddenly felt the weather was a bit warm today and unconsciously tugged at his collar. “What favor?”

“I don’t have classes until this afternoon. If you’re free this morning, could you come with me to get Steam Bun neutered?”

“?” Qin Guanyu froze. “Who? Me?”

Shen Qianci nodded.

Qin Guanyu was baffled. “What am I supposed to go for? It’s not like I know how to snip a cat’s balls.”

Teacher Shen leaned back against his chair with a heavy frown. “I heard cats hold a grudge after being neutered. I don’t want Steam Bun to hold a grudge against me.”

Qin Guanyu felt a sudden chill down his spine. “And?”

“So I want you to come with me and put on an act.” Shen Qianci eagerly grabbed Qin Guanyu’s wrist. “You carry him in to get snipped, and I’ll cry and beg you not to take him away.”

“Wait a minute… why should I?” Qin Guanyu objected fiercely. “What if Steam Bun holds a grudge against me?”

“Our agreement ends in half a year. Steam Bun won’t remember you for very long.”

“What do you mean he won’t remember for very long?!” Qin Guanyu abruptly sat up straight and made a snap decision on the spot: “Starting the day after tomorrow, move in here directly. I want to see Steam Bun every single day!”

Having said that, he stroked his chin like a scheming mastermind. Shen Qianci still has to go to class this afternoon! Once the cat’s surgery was over, he would have alone time with Steam Bun to bond. He could just buy some cat treats to bribe him, and the blame for the snipping would never land on his shoulders.

With an evil laugh echoing in his mind, Qin Guanyu readily agreed:

“Let’s go, Teacher Shen. After today, our Steam Bun is going to be the chief eunuch of the Imperial Palace.”

Watching his proud retreating back, Shen Qianci picked up his cat and gave him a stroke, thinking to himself:

Steam Bun, after today, although you will lose your balls, Daddy is going to find you a wealthy father surnamed Qin. I’m giving you a complete life as a rich second-generation cat.

—

Before heading out, Qin Guanyu sent a text to his assistant, Xiao Yuan, stating that he wouldn’t be coming to the office today and to contact him online for any matters. Urgent documents were to be delivered directly to Yunjing Villa.

Xiao Yuan replied instantly: [Understood, President Qin. When I drop by Yunjing Villa, do you need me to bring anything else?]

[Qin Guanyu: ?]

[Xiao Yuan: You know… anti-inflammatory medicine, or something like that.]

[Qin Guanyu: What the hell? What are you even talking about?]

[Xiao Yuan: Okay, I understand. [bows]]

Looking at the 90-degree bowing emoji and the nonsensical chat log, Qin Guanyu found it entirely bizarre.

He put his phone away, loaded Shen Qianci and the cat into his Bentley, and was just about to set off for the pet hospital when someone in his bad friends’ group chat pinged him.

[Sun Guanqing: Old Qin, how’s the proposal looking?]

[Qin Guanyu: We’ll talk this afternoon. I’m not in the office today.]

[Lu Tiangong: Holy crap! President Qin is actually skipping work? What is our rebellious son up to? Don’t tell me you went to Hengcheng to see your white moonlight. [Holds up a slipper]]

Qin Guanyu thought to himself: Just how much of a licking dog am I in your eyes?

He furiously typed back: [Going to get neutered.]

[Sun Guanqing, Lu Tiangong: WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!]

[1] TL note: Super Topic is like a Weibo version of a subreddit.

[2] TL note: In Chinese internet slang, 0 and 1 are often used to refer to roles in same-sex relationships, 0 being the bottom and 1 being the top.

You can purchase complete translation in EPUB format HERE~