Drink This Bowl Of Dog Blood! [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 6

Tan Qiuyi was hesitating whether to just down both glasses of water when Song Yanxing spoke up first.

“I will go get some tissues for you.” Song Yanxing took a half-step back, set the water glass down, and walked to the table on the other side to grab a box of tissues.

Tan Qiuyi’s gaze followed the man’s tall and upright back involuntarily. The burning sensation in his throat snapped him back to reality. He reached out to take the water Zuo Yi offered, took a few sips, and suppressed the spicy sting that had made him speechless. “Thank you,” he said to Zuo Yi.

Zuo Yi, whose hand had been half-extended to pat the youth’s back, slowly lowered it where Tan Qiuyi could not see. Zuo Yi nodded without a word and returned to his seat, though he understood the situation clearly. Although the words of thanks were directed at him, the person saying them was clearly elsewhere in spirit.

Seeing that he was all right, the others returned to their seats. Song Yanxing found the tissues and quickly walked back to Tan Qiuyi, handing them to the man whose face and nose were still slightly red from choking. “Wipe your face,” he said.

“Thank you.” Tan Qiuyi took the tissues.

Song Yanxing looked at the lingering redness around the corners of the youth’s eyes and suddenly asked, “Can you not eat spicy food?”

Wiping the tears from his lashes, Tan Qiuyi admitted with a trace of embarrassment that he had rarely eaten it.

His mother’s health had been poor for years, so the entire family’s diet had become light and bland. By the time he reached adulthood, he had developed a habit of eating mild foods. Pungent chili would make one’s face turn red and eyes run, and maintaining a proper appearance was a strict requirement of his family’s rigid upbringing. He had wanted to break the shackles and try what spicy felt like, but it seemed it did not suit him.

This sense of defeat felt like the sudden rebellion that led him to pierce his left ear after the college entrance exam; his parents’ reprimands and the gloomy sky were the only colors he remembered from that time.

Song Yanxing sensed his inexplicable loneliness and said, “The first time you try spicy food, it is best not to start with a heavy spicy pot. If you still want to try it, I can cook some mildly spicy dishes for you to transition with. You will adapt slowly.”

“What?” Tan Qiuyi looked up instinctively, only to find the man’s gaze fixed entirely on him.

Song Yanxing was about to respond when he was interrupted.

“The food is getting cold. Why haven’t you two sat down to eat?” Ye Hui, sitting a few seats away, asked with a smile, though his hand beneath the table tightened.

Cheng Siyou’s cat-like eyes darted between the three of them. He teased, “I heard that! Brother Song is going to give Qiuyi special treatment. That is so unfair. I am your cooking partner and I do not even get that.”

Song Yanxing laughed and noted that it was just a little comfort for the poor little guy who choked.

“Is it too late for me to choke now?” Cheng Siyou asked mischievously.

Song Yanxing looked up and met Ye Hui’s gaze, which had been fixed on them. Without pausing, he looked away and chuckled. “Too late.”

Cheng Siyou feigned a wail, complaining about his heartlessness. Amidst the noise, Song Yanxing said softly to Tan Qiuyi that he would head back to his seat first. After the youth nodded, he returned to his place.

After dinner, everyone moved their luggage into their assigned rooms.

“There is an envelope!” Cheng Siyou shouted to the others in their rooms, picking up an item from the living room table.

Soon, the eight guests gathered on the sofa, all staring thoughtfully at the envelope in his hand.

“I will start opening it,” Cheng Siyou said. He took out a card and read, “After a housewarming hot pot, everyone has become more familiar. Now, let us perform official self-introductions. Please read the introductory letter your X wrote for you.”

Cheng Siyou continued, “I have all the letters, so I will go first. Cheng Siyou is a sensitive person. Although he seems happy on the surface, he is delicate inside and always considers everyone’s emotions. I hope he can always be himself.”

After finishing, a flicker of gloom crossed Cheng Siyou’s eyes, but it vanished instantly. He looked at the others with a smile and asked who was next.

Song Yanxing glanced at the silent group and spoke up first. Ye Hui looked over at the sound of his voice and then lowered his head. Tan Qiuyi caught this interaction, pursed his lips, and looked away.

Song Yanxing opened the envelope with his name on it. He raised an eyebrow at the contents and read slowly, “Song Yanxing is a very gentle and patient person. He will carefully note his partner’s preferences and remember every anniversary. He is a good person and will be a great lover.”

Song Yanxing finished reading, his lips curving into a smile, though he did not look at Ye Hui. He thanked his X for such a high evaluation.

“Who is next?” Song Yanxing asked as he put the letter back and set it aside.

“Me,” said the cool guy Zhou Xiangyu, rubbing his buzzcut. Cheng Siyou handed him the letter. Their fingertips brushed briefly, and Cheng Siyou quickly withdrew.

Zhou Xiangyu opened the letter and stared at it for a long time before reading, “Zhou Xiangyu looks cool on the outside but is soft-hearted inside. He has his own little temper and shining points. I hope he finds a suitable partner.” His hand trembled slightly as he finished.

“Next,” Zhou Xiangyu said. “Me,” Meng Can added.

Song Yanxing listened to the letters written by everyone’s X. He rested his chin on his hand, tilting his head slightly, and met Tan Qiuyi’s eyes. Seeing the youth pretend to be calm and look away, Song Yanxing let out a low laugh.

After Meng Can and Chi Ting finished, Zuo Yi took his envelope. Song Yanxing sat up straighter, watching the man who had cold features but read in a soft voice.

“Zuo Yi is a very career-oriented person. Despite being busy, he always sends gifts on time for every holiday. He is also filial; his parents and elders like him very much.” Zuo Yi read the letter, which lacked even a hint of personal emotion, and offered a bitter smile. He wondered if fighting for this chance was right or wrong.

The only ones left were Tan Qiuyi and Ye Hui.

“I will go first,” Ye Hui said. After a few lines, he stiffly read the final sentence, “Lastly, I wish you happiness.”

Ye Hui forced a smile and noted it was Qiuyi’s turn. Beside him, Chi Ting frowned slightly, watching his old classmate’s distracted state. Originally, he had planned to return to the country as a songwriter to develop his career, and a variety show was a good way to build fame. He had mentioned it to his longtime friend Ye Hui, only for Ye Hui to suggest joining this show together, claiming he had also divorced due to a failed relationship.

Learning this, Chi Ting recalled Ye Hui’s meticulous care during university and the way his eyes lit up when looking at him. He realized Ye Hui’s feelings for him and decided to give them both a chance on this show. But now, Ye Hui did not seem to have let go of his ex.

The atmosphere on the sofa was heavy. In the silence, Tan Qiuyi read his letter with an indifferent expression. “Tan Qiuyi is someone with a great sense of boundaries. He knows the limits of social interaction, but he is also the first person I found truly distant. It is very hard to enter his heart, so a breakup was inevitable for us. But I hope we can have more chances to understand each other.”

Song Yanxing listened to the clear, melodic voice, his gaze falling on the youth’s pale red lips.

The gathering ended after the final letter. Everyone returned to their rooms with their own thoughts.

On the way back, Song Yanxing looked at the various product placements around the house. The production crew was clearly wealthy. He knew his appearance would bring in even more sponsors once the show aired.

Suddenly, his phone chimed. It was a notification from the crew: “On your first day at the Heartbeat House, do you have someone you are interested in? Before 11:00 PM, please send them an anonymous heartbeat message!”

Back in his room, Song Yanxing thought for a moment, then edited and sent a message. Afterward, he went to the crew’s room for a private interview. On his way back, he ran into Tan Qiuyi, who was heading out for his own interview.

Tan Qiuyi nodded in greeting. Before he could take more than a few steps, he was called back.

“Wait a moment.”

Song Yanxing quickly stepped into his room and brought out an item he had ordered via delivery after dinner. Tan Qiuyi waited, puzzled.

Song Yanxing looked down at him and said, “Drinking a glass of milk before bed can prevent stomach pain caused by spicy food. Also, this is a mild stomach medicine. Take it if your stomach hurts tonight.”

Tan Qiuyi’s amber eyes widened slightly at his words. Song Yanxing found the usually cold youth had a surprisingly cute, childlike side.

“You do not want it?” Song Yanxing asked playfully, starting to pull his hand back.

“I do. Thank you,” the stunned youth replied, quickly taking the bag containing the medicine.

Looking at Tan Qiuyi, who seemed afraid he might change his mind, Song Yanxing’s eyes crinkled with an amused and somewhat doting smile.

As they parted ways, Ye Hui slowly stepped out from the darkness at the corner of the hallway. He realized he really could not help but care.

The next morning, whether they woke up early or late, everyone saw the date pairing board in the living room. The pairings were based on the date locations they had chosen when answering the director’s questions during their arrival.

Song Yanxing woke early and saw the board first. The tall man with broad shoulders and a narrow waist smiled faintly when he saw the name paired with his.

Tan Qiuyi also saw the pairings when he came down. He seemed unchanged, but a careful observer could see that his cold gaze had the slightest sign of melting. He walked down the stairs with light steps and saw the man busy in the kitchen.

Song Yanxing’s ears twitched. He looked up at the sound of footsteps and his dark eyes curved. “Having breakfast?”

Tan Qiuyi approached the kitchen. After assessing the situation, he said firmly, “Yes. Sorry for the trouble.”

Song Yanxing looked at the youth standing stiffly and awkwardly. “Then come in and help.”

Tan Qiuyi felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly entered the kitchen. After breakfast, they tidied the utensils.

“When are you free today?” Tan Qiuyi asked. He felt he should take the initiative given how much care Song Yanxing had shown him.

Song Yanxing was somewhat surprised. “I have to work until about 3:00 or 4:00 PM.” Seeing the flash of disappointment on the youth’s face, he added thoughtfully, “Perhaps we could watch the sunset together?”