Chapter 46 - Reality (7) (2/2)

Cheng Zhi Chu wanted to take a more recent photo where Bai Yi looked a little happier but, after flipping through two complete albums, he wasn’t able to find a photo of Bai Yi smiling. They were all his indifferent expression.

“Bai Yi didn’t like to take photos?” Cheng Zhi Chu asked Bai Xi Xing in surprise. “Why doesn’t he look at the camera?”

“Yeah, he hates it. Every time we want to take pictures of him, he would need to spend half the day looking for him and he also have to keep an eye on him, or he would run away.”

Bai Xi Xing shrugged and appeared to be a little helpless: “He’s actually quite stubborn.”

Stubborn? This word can also be used to describe Bai Yi?

Cheng Zhi Chu was shocked inside. He recalled Bai Yi’s gentle look. Stubborn…..? Bai Yi is the easiest person to talk to though!

But Bai Xi Xing’s expression didn’t appear to be fake. Cheng Zhi Chu also didn’t want to randomly assume that senior is badmouthing Bai Yi. He just thought that perhaps Bai Yi’s personality had changed a lot after growing up, or perhaps it was because of his disappearance over these six years.

When he thought of this possibility, he suddenly felt a little distressed. He looked down at the album and continued to look through it. By the time he was halfway through, he finally found a picture where Bai Yi was smiling. It was similar to the one that he had seen on the bookcase earlier. It was a photo of Bai Yi painting. His eyes were both gently and focused as he painted gorgeous colours onto the canvas.

Fortunately, the time that this photo was taken was at a slightly different time compared to the one on the bookcase and there wasn’t any Zhou Lou Chen. It was just Bai Yi himself.

There were many layers of colours speared across the canvas and it gradually formed a shape. It was a beautiful sea of roses. Standing in the middle of it was a person that had not yet been coloured.

This made Cheng Zhi Chu think back to the earlier portrait painting. The person in the painting was his younger self and it made him feel a little uneasy.

But that was just the instances setting. In the real world, Bai Yi didn’t know him, and they had only met for the first time in the game so this painting must be over another person.

“Senior Bai, who is this person in Bai Yi’s painting?” To reassure himself, Cheng Zhi Chu still pointed to the photo and asked.

Bai Xi Xing thought for a moment. He then shook his head and said: “Maybe it was a girl? I also can’t remember.”

Then that shouldn’t be him. Otherwise, senior Bai would have already recognised him. Cheng Zhi Chu quietly let out a sigh of relief.

“Is that painting still here?”

“No, the painting was moved to a different place a few years ago.” Bai Xi Xing said. “I also don’t know where it is now.”

“Is that so……” Cheng Zhi Chu felt a little pity. If he had the chance, he would like to see what that person in Bai Yi’s painting was like. “Senior, can I choose this photo?”

He pointed at the photo of Bai Yi painting and asked Bai Xi Xing. For some reason, he liked this photo and it was also a rare photo of Bai Yi smiling. He felt that Bai Yi would be happy if he sees it but wasn’t sure if his senior would be willing to part with it.

“No problem. As long as you like it.”

Seeing him pick that photo, a small flash of light passed through Bai Xi Xing’s eyes and he quickly answered with a smile.

Cheng Zhi Chu gave his thanks and acted like he was storing the photo inside his wallet, but he was actually storing it inside the systems backpack. Later when he sees Bai Yi, he would give Bai Yi the photo.

It took a long time to select the photo and it is now very late. The two said goodnight to each other and Cheng Zhi Chu proceeded to go upstairs to wash up and sleep. Bai Xi Xing remained sitting alone in the living room on the first floor for a while before suddenly standing up and entering his bedroom. He then opened the door leading to the basement from his room.

It naturally was a lie that the person in the painting was not Cheng Zhi Chu. Anyway, Cheng Zhi Chu had already forgotten about the past so, in order for him not to notice that something wasn’t right, he naturally wouldn’t tell him the truth.

As for not knowing where the painting is, that was also a lie. Before the program came to record their show, he had taken the painting off and stored it inside the basement to avoid it being discovered.

But——–

Looking at the empty basement, Bai Xi Xing’s eyes widened. He suddenly saw that the painting had gone missing and he immediately anxiously searched around the villa only come back emptyhanded.

The other items in the basement were not missing; only the painting was missing. Thinking of the ghosts appearing in the villa today, Bai Xi Xing furrowed his eyebrows. He suspected that there may be a connection between the two. No longer able to sit still, and no longer caring about the fact that ghosts had just recently appeared there, he ran over to the villa on the other side and rushed over to Zhou Luo Chen’s room.

As expected………

Bai Xi Xing looked at the painting on the wall.

No one had moved it, but it had rehung itself up onto the wall.

The boy in the painting had a pair of clear and bright eyes. He stood in the middle of a sea of roses with a brilliant smile looking like he would not be able to leave there for eternity.

………..

Although he was unexpectedly thrown into a reality instance and had also accidentally ran into Gu Zhen, Cheng Zhi Chu still managed to sleep very well and he slept all the way until dawn. After having breakfast with Bai Xi Xing, he sat in Bai Xi Xing’s car and returned back to the city to pick up his phone.

When he went to find his phone, the staff treated him very enthusiastically. In particular, Xiao Liu would constantly call him “Master Cheng” and would vie to shake Cheng Zhi Chu’s hands. This made Cheng Zhi Chu feel very uncomfortable, so he just took his phone and hurriedly left the recording studio.

Fortunately, his phone still had power. He contacted his family first to let them know that he was heading back and then he left a message for Ji Yun Xiao through the forum to let him know that all was well. Ji Yun Xiao also immediately replied, and heartfelt joy could be sensed through his words.

At this moment, Cheng Zhi Chu suddenly remembered that his sister had also asked for Ji Yun Xiao’s signature. He originally wanted to go find Ji Yun Xiao after the recording was finished to get it but he ended up becoming involved with something unexpected. Now, Ji Yun Xiao was on his way to another city to attend a brand event so he could only go back home empty-handed.

[Chameleon: It’s okay, I’ll mail you a gift. You can just tell me your home address.]

Seeing this message from Ji Yun Xiao, Cheng Zhi Chu was very surprised. He praised Ji Yun Xiao internally for being so considerate. After repeatedly giving his thanks, he then opened the message sent over from Bai Yi which he was not able to reply to for more than half a day.

[Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice: Sorry! Something unexpected happened and I wasn’t able to get my hands onto my phone so I could only reply to you now. Sorry about that!]

Bai Yi replied within seconds.

[One Thought: It’s okay.]

[One Thought: You worked hard. I’m okay.]

[One Thought: I’m already used to being alone.]

Oh no, Bai Yi seems to sound very depressed…………

Cheng Zhi Chu felt that it wasn’t good and quickly gave Bai Yi his apologies. Fortunately, Bai Yi is a very considerate person. He didn’t apologise much, and Bai Yi had in turn moved to comfort him. The tone in his words were very different from earlier and he was truly comforting him from the bottom of his heart.

This also allowed Cheng Zhi Chu to breath a sigh a relief. Fortunately, he was able to sense that Bai Yi wasn’t very happy. If he had said nothing, he was afraid that Bai Yi may really become angry. After all, although Bai Yi has a good temper, he is also sensitive. This was something that he had noticed from a while back.

But……..was it just his imagination? Why does he feel like he is trying to coax his moody girlfriend……….

He muttered to himself quietly, but he didn’t intend to mention about the fact that he had encountered a reality instance, so he wasn’t able to reply to his messages. He didn’t want Bai Yi to worry about him while he is stuck inside an instance.

[Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice: That’s right, when I went out this time, I happened to run into your cousin Bai Xi Xing. It was such a coincidence. He had turned out to be my senior from middle school.]

[Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice: He even allowed me to stay at your family’s villa for the night. He’s a really good person. I used to admire him for being smart and handsome and now my impression of him has improved several folds.]

[One Thought: ………]

However, Bai Yi’s reply didn’t seem very happy. Cheng Zhi Chu suddenly remembered that Bai Yi had been missing for the past six years so he was probably missing his family very much. With this topic suddenly being raised, Bai Yi may be feeling a little upset. This action of his was really too thoughtless!

[Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice: ……….Sorry, did I make you upset?]

[Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice: I’m really sorry. I just happy that I was able to learn more about your situation and I wanted to tell you. If anything that I said was wrong, I give you my apologies……]

[One Thought: I’m not upset.]

[One Thought: Learning more about me makes you happy? Is that true?]

Cheng Zhi Chu felt that there was a hint of expectation hidden in those words of Bai Yi’s. He just happened to want to get some more information about Bai Yi’s disappearance to see if he could be of help, so he answered affirmatively.

[Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice: Yes. This time I even saw your childhood photos. I was happy to see them.]

[One Thought: If you want to know more about me, you can always ask me. Don’t need to ask Bai Xi Xing.]

[One Thought: He doesn’t know anything.]

[One Thought: Our relationship is bad. If possible, I hope that you won’t get too friendly with him.]

[Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice: Ah? Really? Okay……]

Cheng Zhi Chu blinked a few times and revealed a puzzled look.

Huh was that the case? But why did it feel like these two brothers have a good relationship based on senior Bai’s words?

****

Bai Yi’s Diary (Part 46)

Zhi Chu actually praised Bai Xi Xing for being smart and handsome, and he even said that he used to admire him.

He never said any of that to me.

Which part of me can’t compare with Bai Xi Xing?

****

The author has something to say:

Bai Xi Xing: Clearly we are friends that have killed someone together yet you say that our relationship is bad?

Bai Yi: Isn’t it enough letting you keep your life?