Realizing Feelings

In September, Qi Gu woke up in an air-conditioned room. Despite only being covered by a thin blanket, his entire body was drenched in a hot sweat, and his face was flushed.

Qi Gu was naturally lazy, and like master, like object, his morning reactions didn't happen often; he usually couldn't be bothered to deal with them. Normally, he just needed to clear his mind and lie still for a while for it to fade away. But today, his mind kept replaying every gesture of Lin Hanzhi from his dream. The reaction below not only didn't subside but even gained more spirit, as if he had just finished a cup of iced Americano.

Qi Gu: "......"

It was all Lin Hanzhi's fault. Why did he have to do things in the dream that made him tremble like that? It was truly infuriating.

Resigned to his fate, he stumbled into the bathroom to perform a bit of self-help. After finishing, Qi Gu, with a numb wrist, flopped back onto the soft bed to catch some extra sleep.

This time, without Lin Hanzhi "entangling" him in the dream, Qi Gu could finally sleep soundly.

He woke up again feeling refreshed. Simultaneously, a thought pushed aside everything else, carving itself clearly into Qi Gu's mind—he indeed liked Lin Hanzhi.

This morning's incident was the best answer. It wasn't that he hadn't seen beautiful people in the entertainment industry, but no one had ever made him have dreams like that.

In the dream last night, Lin Hanzhi's actions were seductive, though the degree wasn't actually that high—just the usual hugging, kissing, and caressing between lovers. Yet Qi Gu's "little brother" was very uncooperative and perfectly in sync, starting trouble early in the morning.

The body is the most direct expression of one's likes and dislikes. After all, Qi Gu's "little brother" had used a very direct method to tell him.

Once this realization was reached, everything else followed naturally.

Qi Gu's logical thinking was always simple and blunt. If he liked him, he definitely had to tell the other person, and then he could move on to the next step. It was the same logic as buying a snack when you're hungry.

For things he had truly decided to do, Qi Gu rarely worried about the consequences. Because hesitating would also consume energy and stamina, it was better not to think too much and just do it.

He was a true man of action.

The word "confession" popped into Qi Gu's mind, and then he expanded upon it. If he were to confess, he first needed a suitable setting, then he had to prepare things Lin Hanzhi liked to show his sincerity—that's how it was in TV dramas.

He also didn't know how well Lin Hanzhi would accept friends becoming lovers; it would be best if he could accept it gracefully.

Right, if they really got together, he still had to tell Master. Hopefully, Master wouldn't treat Lin Hanzhi, this "male daughter-in-law," differently... Qi Gu realized his thoughts were starting to drift and quickly pulled them back, continuing to ponder what Lin Hanzhi liked.

Thinking about it calmly now, he realized Lin Hanzhi didn't seem to have any particular favorites. Theoretically, everyone has hobbies. For example, Qi Gu liked gourmet food, Miao Yue liked "three-hole" girls (slang for girls into ACG subcultures), Phurbu Katsang liked eating sugar, and Mu Xingchen was intensely interested in metaphysics—otherwise, he wouldn't have persisted under all the "abuse" from Qi Gu, his strict master.

But Lin Hanzhi was different. He never showed his preferences on the show, and even in private, he didn't have any.

Every time, no matter what he was led to play or eat, he would just go along with it, to the point where Qi Gu was now completely in the dark.

Fortunately, there was still someone in this Courtyard House who knew Lin Hanzhi. Steward Yi had lived with Lin Hanzhi for a long time and surely understood him better than Qi Gu did.

Thinking this, Qi Gu stopped Steward Yi, who was about to water the flowers, and asked seriously, "Do you know Hanzhi's hobbies? Anything from food to clothing is fine."

Steward Yi pulled out a notepad, but his pen was slow to touch the paper. He seemed to be racking his brain for an answer, and beads of sweat even appeared on his forehead, as if Qi Gu hadn't asked about Lin Hanzhi's hobbies but a high-level college math problem.

"Um... did I ask the wrong question? I asked about Lin Hanzhi's hobbies, not advanced calculus," Qi Gu emphasized.

Steward Yi quickly wrote: [If you asked an advanced calculus problem, I could actually give it a try.]

He had known Lin Hanzhi for many years and had been a steward for quite a few, but Lin Hanzhi's hobbies could truly be described as having no hobbies. He seemed to be able to play along with anything, yet nothing truly stayed in his heart.

If he had to say what Lin Hanzhi liked...

Qi Gu: "......"

He wasn't so crazy as to push Steward Yi to this extent. Just as Qi Gu was about to say he'd let it go, Steward Yi's desperate gaze circled the courtyard once before finally landing on Qi Gu. Then, he raised his pen and wrote with a determined look: [What he likes is you.]

Qi Gu's heart skipped two beats before he calmed down and asked, "Me?"

When desperate, Steward Yi would try anything. Only after writing it did he realize he had pushed the progress too far, so he quickly added: [Your companionship. No one can refuse the companionship of a good friend.]

Qi Gu felt he couldn't exactly take a "companionship guarantee" to a confession, so he asked, "...Anything more material?"

Steward Yi thought for a moment: [Hugs. Sir likes to be hugged.]

Actually, he felt Lin Hanzhi might like kissing more, but kissing was a bit too blatant. So hugs it was—ambiguous without breaking the progress, perfect.

Lin Hanzhi actually liked being hugged? That was indeed a bit of a strange preference.

In Qi Gu's mind, a small, cute chibi Lin Hanzhi stood opposite him, reaching out two tiny arms, pouting and asking for a hug... Mm, thinking about it that way, Lin Hanzhi asking for a hug was quite adorable.

Qi Gu hadn't even started dating yet, but his train of thought was already racing down the track of doting on Lin Hanzhi.

"I see. Thank you, Steward Yi," Qi Gu said sincerely.

[Steward Yi?] Steward Yi asked curiously.

"Hanzhi said you're a socially anxious person who doesn't want to reveal your name, so to distinguish you from another steward, I call you Steward Yi as a nickname."

Steward Yi was still willing to tell Qi Gu (the future master) his name: [So that's how it is. My real name is...]

Before Qi Gu could finish reading the characters behind it, his attention was snatched away by a cheer from the side—Phurbu Katsang and Mu Xingchen were playing a two-player offline game and had just broken the high score record. By the time Qi Gu turned back, Steward Yi's social anxiety had flared up from revealing his name, and he had run off with his notepad, leaving Qi Gu with only the sight of his suited back.

Qi Gu: "............"

Wait, what exactly was Steward Yi's full name?

Was this going to remain an unsolved mystery?