I Became the Darling of the Wealthy Through Gossip - Chapter 6

Qi Beichen was excited extremely excited. He tossed and turned all night. For one, the bed was uncomfortable a proper hard board that made his waist ache and for another, he kept re-reading that group chat. It felt fantastic. Through a twist of fate, he had latched onto a “big shot,” and the crucial part was that it might be more than just one.

His mind began to automatically rank and categorize them. Bai Muxuan was definitely in the top spot, the most important one. Next were… well, he would have to observe them slowly before ranking them further.

However, something felt a little off… something was missing.

He checked the “Whisper, Whisper, Whisper” group chat again.

Liang Han: It’s time to test our rapport. I found a master who reads Tarot cards. She said I should be frugal lately and not spend money recklessly. Let’s do a challenge: everyone bring something that costs a thousand yuan. Raise your hand if you agree. Xie Zhixu: [Raise-hand.jpg] Su Haoxuan: [Raise-hand.jpg]

Ten minutes later…

Liang Han: Those two aren’t here; they must be asleep. They’ll definitely see it when they wake up. It’s settled. Xie Zhixu: Is this reliable? Su Haoxuan: Of course it’s reliable.

Qi Beichen rolled over and didn’t reply.

By the time the sky turned faintly grey, he couldn’t stand lying there anymore. Whoever wanted to lie in this place could go ahead; it was practically causing lumbar muscle strain.

Qi Beichen stood in front of the mirror, looking at his loose-fitting pajamas that barely covered his thighs. He looked at his face, noting the faint dark circles under his eyes. His state of mind wasn’t the best, and that wouldn’t do. He patted his cheeks, then turned and walked into the bathroom.

Splash, splash, splash…

Qi Beichen examined his body. His skin was fair, and apart from the cross-shaped scar on his ankle, he really looked like a porcelain doll. It was no wonder that group of people chattered incessantly, questioning whether he had used some unorthodox means to climb the social ladder. Seeing it like this, this skin really had an innate advantage. Should he try “seducing” Bai Muxuan…

He squeezed some body wash and gently rubbed circles on his body. The water in the tub rippled in small circles, shimmering with white foam; the flow was warm and gentle.

Splash… splash…

Qi Beichen stepped out of the bathtub, wrapped in steam. He looked at the mirror and felt troubled; there wasn’t a single piece of clothing in that trunk that matched his aesthetic.

Helpless, since the transmigration hadn’t brought him any material compensation, he had to settle for a chestnut-colored trench coat. Looking at himself in the mirror, he decided it was acceptable, so he headed downstairs.

He had expected it to be empty so he could leave openly, but to his surprise, Qi Run was sitting on the sofa, frowning at a newspaper.

“Dad, good morning.”

Qi Run’s attention was instantly drawn to Qi Beichen’s voice. He put down the newspaper and looked him up and down. “Why are you awake so early? Do you have somewhere to go?”

“Yes, I’ve made plans with Brother Muxuan and the others to go on a picnic today.”

Qi Beichen said it lightly, but he deliberately emphasized the word “others” to signify that it wasn’t just Bai Muxuan. In reality, he was showing off he wasn’t a loner; he had friends, and more than one at that.

“Brother Beichen, that’s not right of you. Since everyone is going out to play, why didn’t you bring me along?”

Qi Beichen paused and turned to see Qi Beixing standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at him. Tsk, forget it—this person just loved feeling superior to others.

“It’s not that I don’t want to take you out, but you fell into the water yesterday and you still have a fever. Your body is weak, and the weather isn’t exactly great.”

Qi Beichen glanced outside, where the sunlight was spilling onto the floor through the windows.

“A cold can be a minor or a major thing. Beixing, you’re still young; you really shouldn’t take it lightly. Back at the orphanage, there were young people who didn’t take it seriously, and it developed into pneumonia, eventually leading to ‘white lung’ syndrome.”

Qi Beichen’s face was filled with concern.

“Dad! Look at Brother! He’s clearly cursing me! I’m already better, almost fully recovered!”

Qi Run glanced at Qi Beixing. “What Beichen said makes sense. You fell into the water yesterday; you should get more rest at home.”

“Beixing, it’s not that I don’t want you to come. Besides, we’re camping, and the campsite is windy. What if…”

“Fine then…”

Qi Run, on the other hand, was all smiles. “Beichen, friends should see each other more often. Going out to play with them will help you integrate into this circle and learn a few things along the way.”

“Mm, I understand, Dad. It’s almost time. I have an appointment with Brother Muxuan; it wouldn’t be good to be late.”

He turned and made a face at Qi Beixing, who stomped his feet in anger.

“Go on, go on!”

As soon as Qi Beichen closed the door, he heard Qi Beixing’s wolf-like howling, “Dad! Look at him! He looks so smug, I don’t know what he has to be…”

The rest was lost as the door shut, but his mood was as bright as the sun today it was fantastic.

However, his finger hurt a bit; the redness and swelling seemed to have worsened. It was supposed to be a small cut, tsk…

As soon as Qi Beichen reached the entrance, he saw a black Maybach parked at the street corner. His intuition told him it was Bai Muxuan’s car.

He quickened his pace. Just as he reached the car, the window rolled down. It really was Bai Muxuan.

Qi Beichen waved at him. “Brother Muxuan, good morning! Why are you here so early? Didn’t we agree on eight o’clock? It’s only seven-fifty now.”

Bai Muxuan opened the car door. “Get in.”

Qi Beichen sat obediently in the passenger seat. The car emitted a pleasant, woody fragrance, and the seat beneath him was soft—a thousand times better than the bed in his bedroom. The car’s heater was set quite high. Since he hadn’t slept well last night, the warm air made his eyelids heavy, and he kept nodding off.

Bai Muxuan didn’t start the car immediately, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. “What? Didn’t you sleep well last night?”

“Ha…” He yawned and muttered, “Yeah, a little… um…” He stretched his arms. “The bed was a bit hard, and my mood was a bit complicated, so I didn’t sleep well.”

“The bed was hard?”

“Yeah, well, or maybe I’m just not used to a new bed. The conditions here are much better than at the orphanage, so I’m having trouble adjusting for a bit.”

“And what’s with your complicated mood?”

“Nothing, just that I made quite a few friends yesterday, so I naturally feel happy.”

“Sss…”

As soon as Qi Beichen’s hand touched a small car accessory, a sharp, stinging pain shot through it.

Bai Muxuan’s gaze fell on his fingertips fair and slender, but the tip of the finger was red and slightly swollen. He took a sterile cotton swab and a small bandage from his pocket.

“How did you do that?”

“I was just… being careless. I wanted to peel an apple for Beixing, but I failed.”

Bai Muxuan took the cotton swab and wiped it gently. It was cold and faintly painful, making Qi Beichen shudder. “Sss…” he instinctively tried to pull his hand back.

Bai Muxuan immediately grabbed his hand. “Don’t move.”

Qi Beichen froze, watching Bai Muxuan carefully treat the wound.

“This type of wound easily leads to tetanus. If bacteria from a fruit knife enter the bloodstream, it could lead to sepsis, or anything else—you can’t be careless. It’s already looking a bit swollen.”

Fireworks were going off in Qi Beichen’s heart. Nobody had mentioned that the lead male character of this book was so gentle!

He had read the version where Qi Beixing successfully vied for the family fortune and married Bai Muxuan’s sister, while he died in an alley on a rainy night. The author had written mysteriously in the comments section, asking people to guess the killer, and someone had commented, “If it’s not Qi Beixing, I’ll do fifty planks.”

“You’ve been staring at me. Is there something on my face, or what’s going on?”

“You look good, I want to look.”

Qi Beichen blurted it out, then instantly regretted it. Could he just say things like that?

Bai Muxuan’s hand noticeably paused.

Qi Beichen quickly changed the subject. “Um, Brother Muxuan, why do you carry these things with you?”

“A doctor’s intuition. I usually keep some on hand.”

Bai Muxuan wrapped the bandage gently around Qi Beichen’s fingertip and urged him, not feeling reassured, “Don’t get it wet for the next few days. If you see severe redness, swelling, pus, or itching, contact me.”

“Brother Muxuan, are you this gentle with everyone?”

Bai Muxuan looked up and glanced at Qi Beichen. “This is out of medical ethics, nothing more.”

“Oh, so helping me earlier was also out of medical ethics? It seems Brother Muxuan’s professional ethics cover quite a wide range.”

“Mm, it is quite wide. Have you had breakfast?”

Qi Beichen blinked and looked around the car the vehicle looked expensive.

“Brother Muxuan, are we eating in the car? What if…”

Bai Muxuan wanted to flick Qi Beichen’s forehead, but his hand stopped in mid-air and didn’t fall. “Not in the car. There’s a tea house ahead. I always stop there for their century egg and lean meat porridge when I’m on my way to work.”

Beep-beep-beep… Ding-ding-ding…

His phone started ringing. The “Whisper, Whisper, Whisper” group chat was active.

Liang Han: Have you guys left yet? The road is quite crowded today. Leave early, and remember to bring your stuff! Xie Zhizhou: Do you think everyone is like you, the king of lateness? I just saw Bai Muxuan leave; it’s not even eight yet. Su Haoxuan: Didn’t we say yesterday that he had to pick someone up? You guys better hurry. That campsite is a hot spot; if you go late, you won’t find a good place. Qi Beichen: …

Bai Muxuan glanced at it but didn’t say anything in the group. “Let’s go eat breakfast first. As long as some of them are already heading over, it’s fine.”

Qi Beichen nodded.

He had to admit, the tea house looked like the kind of place he couldn’t normally afford.

Located by the street, it had a traditional “Xieshan” roof. Under the eaves was a black lacquered sign with gold lettering: Zui Yu Lou. On both sides were exquisite carved wooden windows, and the doorman at the entrance wore a uniform and stood straight as a board.

Qi Beichen stared at it for quite a while.

“Come inside. What are you doing standing at the door?”

Bai Muxuan waved at him, and he hurriedly followed.

They found a seat by the window, and a waiter stood next to them with a menu.

“Young Master Bai, the usual?”

Bai Muxuan tapped his fingers on the table a few times. “Ask him. See what he likes to eat.”

The waiter held the menu respectfully. “Sir, please take a look.”

Qi Beichen felt a bit reserved, his hand trembling slightly as he took the menu. “Um, Brother Muxuan, why don’t we go with your taste?”

“Mm, that’s fine. My taste is relatively light; you should like it too.”

The waiter left with the menu in a hurry, and Bai Muxuan stared out the window, lost in thought.

Qi Beichen didn’t know what to chat about, so he took out his phone again. Unfortunately, not a single person had spoken in the “Whisper” group.

He glanced at Bai Muxuan again. The sunlight was nice, plating a layer of pale gold over him; he was truly handsome.

“You’re sneaking looks at me again.”

Qi Beichen turned his head quickly, feeling uncomfortable, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. “I’m just admiring.”

“Appreciate what?”

“Appreciate beautiful things handsome people. This is my hobby, especially since Brother Muxuan is a big hunk; I can’t help it.”

“Two guests, please enjoy your meal.”

Bai Muxuan didn’t respond. He picked up a napkin. “Eat. We’re running out of time. By the time we get there, they’ll probably have the campsite set up already.”

“Mm, mm, mm…”

Qi Beichen lowered his head quickly and took a spoonful of porridge; the taste was indeed excellent it was just how he liked it.

“If you like it, you can come here often when you have time.”

“Mm.”

“Um, Brother Muxuan, what did you bring?”

“Fishing gear. Fresh fish is better for camping food.”

“And you?”

Qi Beichen had been in such a rush to leave that he had forgotten. “Um, can I say I brought a person?”

“Mm, bringing a person… that works too.”

After the meal, the two got back into the car and drove onto the highway. The scenery outside the window retreated rapidly. Bai Muxuan watched him from the side. “This road is the fastest. If we keep them waiting too long, they’ll start nagging again. It’s always been like that.”

Oh, so these few people hung out often.

“Yesterday, you were very brave. That kind of veiled criticism you could just retort directly. I don’t like that type either, and besides, it wasn’t appropriate for such an important occasion.”

The air in the car was warm. Qi Beichen responded, but his eyelids felt heavy a little too heavy

Bai Muxuan didn’t get a response for a long time, so he turned to look at Qi Beichen, only to find he had closed his eyes to nap. He reached over and tucked a blanket over him.

If he could truly be harmless to people and animals, that would be for the best.