Hello, Jie Fen – CH5

Chapter 5: Guiding the Unsteady

Chi Wang’s phone buzzed. Glancing at it, he saw a reply from Luo Lianyun but chose to ignore it for now.

This situation wasn’t new to him. During his high school years, Chi Wang had taken part-time jobs outside of school, including working as a bar waiter. He’d seen all kinds of chaos in those settings and had often lent a helping hand. 

But he also knew the risks. People involved in such scenes weren’t always the best company. Helping someone often meant offending someone else, so Chi Wang always weighed whether he could handle the consequences before stepping in.

This time, his instinct told him that this man was likely a senior from his school—probably Xie Siheng. His physique matched, and he was undoubtedly handsome. Besides, the boy who had chased after them earlier seemed earnest and harmless. With that in mind, Chi Wang had decided to help.

And hey, 800 yuan wasn’t a small sum. If he was going to help, he might as well see it through to the end.

Once out of the elevator, Xie Siheng tried to maintain his distance, standing upright with an imposing demeanor. Chi Wang glanced up and noticed his glassy eyes and dilated pupils, though his grip on Chi Wang’s arm remained firm. His skin radiated heat, and his flushed face contrasted sharply with his icy expression, which remained stoic and composed.

Chi Wang waved a hand in front of his face. “How many fingers?”

Xie Siheng didn’t respond, his gaze unfocused as if nothing registered.

Confirming that the man was barely conscious, Chi Wang decided to get him to the Minglong Hotel as quickly as possible.

The hotel staff seemed familiar with Xie Siheng. As soon as Chi Wang entered the lobby, the receptionist’s eyes lit up. Without asking any questions, they handed Chi Wang a keycard and even offered to escort them upstairs.

Chi Wang wasn’t keen on staying involved any longer than necessary. He tried to hand Xie Siheng off to the staff, but the man stubbornly clung to his arm, his dazed gaze fixing on Chi Wang with an unexpected intensity.

Chi Wang: “…”

Fine. He’d go all the way and take him to his room himself.

Taking the keycard, he politely declined the staff’s assistance and helped Xie Siheng to his room. Once inside the elevator, with no one else around, Xie Siheng leaned heavily against Chi Wang. The moment the elevator stopped and someone else stepped in, however, he straightened up, every muscle in his body tensing.

Chi Wang couldn’t help finding this contrasting behavior oddly endearing. For someone they’d only just met, Xie Siheng seemed to trust him completely. Beneath the tall, aloof exterior was someone surprisingly innocent in his own way.

—

Inside Room 1015, Chi Wang was struck by how different it was from a typical hotel suite. The space had a minimalist, homey vibe, complete with a bar counter, a gym area, and three bedrooms. It exuded understated luxury.

Seeing the books, notebooks, and glasses lying around, Chi Wang realized this wasn’t just a hotel room—it was a long-term residence.

Damn, rich people. Renting an entire suite?

Chi Wang guided Xie Siheng to the master bedroom, then tugged his arm free. “Alright, I’ve brought you here. You can let go now.”

Still unfocused, Xie Siheng furrowed his brow slightly at Chi Wang’s chatter, his irritation subtle but visible.

Under the bright lights, Chi Wang took a closer look at his face. There was no denying it—this man was incredibly handsome, his features strikingly flawless. Even the faint dark circles under his eyes added a mysterious allure. If Chi Wang were a girl, he might have been overcome with concern for this picture of melancholic beauty.

But alas, Chi Wang was a straight guy. His compassion only went so far. Coldly, he began prying each of Xie Siheng’s fingers off his arm.

By the time he reached the last finger, Xie Siheng released his grip voluntarily and staggered toward the bathroom. His steps were unsteady, his posture wavering.

Chi Wang had already reached the door, ready to leave, but hesitated when he saw the other man’s stumbling figure. His mind filled with horror stories of people suffering injuries from bathroom falls.

After some deliberation, his inner saint won out. Better to stay a bit longer and make sure the guy was okay.

Feeling parched, Chi Wang headed to the living room. Ignoring the bar counter’s contents, he boiled some water in a kettle to make himself a drink.

Before the water could finish boiling, a loud noise came from the bathroom. Chi Wang quickly walked over and knocked on the door. “Hey, are you alright? If you’re not feeling well, I can take you to the hospital.”

There was no response, only the sound of running water. Chi Wang reached for the doorknob but stopped himself, wary of walking in on something he shouldn’t see.

Deciding to give it a moment, he returned to the living room. By then, the water had boiled. Chi Wang poured some into a cup but found it too hot to drink. Spotting a bottle of mineral water on the counter, he used it to cool the boiled water to a drinkable temperature before finally taking a sip.

Drinking some water warmed Chi Wang’s stomach, bringing a sense of comfort and ease.  

However, sleepiness soon crept up on him. It wasn’t even his usual bedtime, but perhaps his recent fatigue was catching up. Meanwhile, Xie Siheng had been in the bathroom for a long time.  

Chi Wang walked back to the bathroom door and knocked again, but there was no response. Pressing his ear to the door, he could still hear the sound of running water and, faintly, a muffled groan.  

Chi Wang froze for a moment before realization hit. He clicked his tongue in exasperation. What kind of situation is this?

Unable to wait any longer, he checked the time and yawned incessantly. Giving up, he decided to rest on the couch for a bit, intending to stay lightly asleep so he could still monitor the situation. Yet, true to his robust constitution, he fell into a deep sleep the moment he closed his eyes.  

—

Half an hour later, Xie Siheng finally emerged from the bathroom. He was wrapped in a bathrobe, his face still flushed. Reaching for his phone on the bed, his trembling fingers fumbled, and the device fell to the floor with a loud thud. He stared at it for a moment but didn’t pick it up.  

With his usual insomnia, Xie Siheng always kept sleeping pills on hand wherever he stayed. Ignoring whether the drugs in his system had fully metabolized, he took another tablet with the mineral water by the bed before lying down and closing his eyes.  

—

The smart air conditioning system lowered the room temperature slightly as the night deepened, creating a chillier environment.  

Chi Wang, curled up on the couch, shivered as the cold seeped in. Half-asleep and unable to bear it any longer, he instinctively got up, found his way to the bedroom, and climbed into the soft bed. Pulling half the blanket over himself, he caught a faint, cool fragrance that was soothing and pleasant. The plush bed felt like a cloud, draining the day’s fatigue from his body. In moments, Chi Wang slipped into an even deeper sleep.  

—

Xie Siheng dreamt of a giant cotton doll. It had big painted eyes with long lashes and a mischievous little grin, complete with a sharp canine tooth.  

He reached out to touch it, only for the doll’s sharp tooth to nick his finger, drawing a small bead of blood. Reflexively, he smeared the red drop onto the doll’s bright red lips.  

The doll was soft and springy, its surface giving way under his fingers but quickly rebounding. It was irresistible; he couldn’t stop kneading it. The doll didn’t seem to mind, smiling brightly as he played with it.  

Kneading wasn’t enough. A strange itch welled up inside him. Grasping the doll’s smooth white arm, he bit down gently, only to be playfully punched by a soft, cushioned paw. It didn’t hurt at all—how could it, with a texture like a kitten’s paw pads?  

Feeling guilty, Xie Siheng stopped biting and instead began licking the spot he had bitten. The sensation of the doll’s cool body against his hot skin sent a burning sensation coursing through him. Desperate for relief, he pressed himself closer to the doll, trying to absorb its coolness.  

—

Chi Wang, on the other hand, had a vastly different dream. When he dreamt, it was always like an epic blockbuster.  

This time, he was being chased by monsters erupting from lava. No matter where he hid, the monsters would find him. One bit his arm, another his stomach, and yet another sank its teeth into his thighs. The sensation of being eaten was startlingly vivid, even as his lucid awareness told him it was just a dream. Frustrated yet fearless, Chi Wang found the experience more annoying than terrifying.  

Escaping the monsters, he dived into the deep sea. The weightlessness of the water reminded him of being in a womb, bringing a momentary sense of comfort and tranquility. But his guard remained up—he was constantly braced for the monsters’ return.  

Despite his usual invincibility in dreams, Chi Wang found himself powerless this time. His inability to devise a plan to save the world left him irritated with himself.  

His frustration grew when the monsters inevitably returned. A new, larger creature emerged, its alien-like maw latching onto his face and forcing something into his mouth, cutting off his air.  

Since when did my dreams become so grotesque? Chi Wang thought from his detached, omniscient perspective.  

Unable to endure this scenario any longer, he abandoned his attempt to save the world and “changed the channel” to start a new dream.  

—

But his second dream was no better. He was now a zombie being chased by hordes of pumpkins. They eventually caught him, tossing him into the air like a ball and smashing him to pieces like a watermelon.  

This is ridiculous. Next channel! 

—

In his third dream, Chi Wang became a badminton shuttlecock, batted mercilessly back and forth by two stick figures. Each strike left his “head” comically swollen.  

Chi Wang: “…”  

—

Finally, his fourth dream involved a desperate quest to find a restroom. After much searching, he found one, but the urinal wouldn’t stay still, sliding left and right. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t aim properly.  

Chi Wang kept holding it in and set out to find another restroom. Unfortunately, even at the second restroom, the urinals dodged his aim.  

Chi Wang: “…”  

—

Startled awake, Chi Wang gasped, knowing full well the stakes. Everyone knew that failing to relieve yourself in a dream was fine, but succeeding was a disaster.  

Still groggy, he reached down instinctively to check himself—and froze.  

A bolt of realization struck him like lightning. He’d wet the bed!