Ruan Danchen's endless slew of messages still continued to pop up on the screen.

[You're really together with Qi Chengzhi! Seriously! Knowing you, what's more surprising is that you're openly admitting it.]

[When did you get together?]

[Curious how Jian Yi would feel if he found out. Extreme regret for sure!]

[First time I wished Wang Liwei was still at the company. Would love to see how jealous she is when she finds out.]

[Hey? You there]

[Hello?]

[Song Yu?]

[Maybe you're ignoring me because the both of you are in bed now!] There was even a shocked emoji at the end of the text.

What was the meaning of all that? There was nothing that she admitted!

Song Yu harbored suspicions as she scrolled up to check their chat history. Finally, amongst the chunk of messages sent by Ruan Danchen, Song Yu discovered an 'Mm..' accompanied by a shy emoji.

She was certain that she never sent that message but she needed only a split second to know who did it.

Looking at the time of the message, it was sent at exactly the time when she was busy dealing with Qi Chengzhi's WeChat.

That man! To think that he did such a shameless thing so sneakily!

She dared not reply Ruan Danchen because if she did, she might not be able to escape those questions, which would surely become more and more sagacious; if that happened, she would not be getting any sleep that night.

…

…

Qi Chengzhi had nothing to do in the car, so he decided to check if Song Yu messaged him.

He tapped on his WeChat app but saw that Song Yu's icon was inactive. Instead, the top right corner of the interface was rife with notifications.

Clicking in, he noticed that there was a sudden influx of friend requests.

Yan Beicheng, Qi Chenglin, Wei Zilin…

He wanted to ignore all their requests but Yan Beicheng called suddenly.

"Qi Chengzhi, you're using WeChat now?" Yan Beicheng was making a fuss out of nothing.

"…" Qi Chengzhi did not feel like answering such a silly question.

Other than Qi Chengzhi himself, who else would dare to use WeChat on his phone?

"It really is you!" Yan Beicheng's voice intensified in loudness. He knew Qi Chengzhi all too well and the latter's reaction was a sign of affirmation.

"Then why didn't you accept my friend request?" Yan Beicheng asked immediately, "Go and accept it!"

"…" Qi Chengzhi rubbed his eyes. "How am I supposed to do that when you're calling me?"

Yan Beicheng hung up without saying another word.

Before Qi Chengzhi could enter WeChat again, a text came. It was Yan Beicheng.

[Accept it immediately!]

Qi Chengzhi sneered and clicked on each request to accept it.

After returning to the previous page, above Song Yu's name was the many notifications from friends and at the very top of the screen, there was a group named '8x8=64'.

The notification tones beeped non-stop and when Qi Chengzhi clicked in, he saw Yan Beicheng's message.

[Friends, let's all welcome Qi Chengzhi!]

Han Zhuoli: [Where? I don't see Qi Chengzhi. Don't mess around, Yan Beicheng.]

Yan Beicheng: [I've already added him as a friend. Don't you know how to check the group members? Where's your IQ?]

Chu Zhaoyang: [Hehe.]

Han Zhuoli: [What're you laughing at, Lao Chu1? ]

Chu Zhaoyang: [You.]

Han Zhuoli: [Oh are you now!]

Gui Zhiqian: [What's all this? Qi Chengzhi's really on WeChat!]

Qi Chenglin: [Big bro, come on out!]

Qi Chengzhi checked out the group members and discovered that they were all from the Eight Great Families. With that, he could roughly guess the meaning of '8x8=64'.

In that short span of time, Chu Zhaoyang and the others sent their friend requests.

Qi Chengzhi had no choice but to accept each one of them.

Back in the group, Wei Zilin sent the emoji of a person holding a trumpet, adding: [Qi Chengzhi, stop lurking and show yourself! Prove that you're not an impersonator!]

Qi Chengzhi: […]

Once he appeared, the group went berserk.

Wei Ziqi: [Wifey, come out and see Qi Chengzhi. He knows how to use WeChat!]

Qi Chengzhi: […]

Wei Ran: [Chengzhi, how is Chengji?]

Wei Ziqi: [….]

Yan Beicheng: [Tell us who your girlfriend is as proof that you're the real Qi Chengzhi.]

Han Zhuoli: [! ! ! The eternal virgin Qi Chengzhi finally has a girlfriend? Who's the lady?]

Gui Zhiqian: [So you came here just to show off that you're no longer a bachelor?]

Chu Zhaoyang: [Hehe.]

Han Zhuoli: [Lao Chu, what's wrong with you tonight? So sarcastic. You're still a bachelor you know!]

Chu Zhaoyang: […]

Qi Chengzhi ignored them all and typed out: [How do I kick someone out?]

Han Zhuoli: [Damn, you still have the same despicable attitude, are we still able to continue being friends!]

Gui Zhiqian: [You're already insulting people even though you just came here. Can't you be more friendly and loving for once?]

Qi Chengzhi: [How do I add someone?]

Yan Beicheng sent a smirking face emoji: [Wanna add lil' sis Xiao Yu? Look up to your top right, you'll see the shape of two small people, use that to add.]

Han Zhuoli: [Lil' sis Xiao Yu? Qi Chengzhi's girlfriend?]

Yan Beicheng: [Mmhmm, it's Song Yu.]

Gui Zhiqian: [How coincidental, the same name as his little brother's ex-fiancée.]

Yan Beicheng: [Hehe, it's the same person.]

Han Zhuoli: [! ! ! Qi Chengzhi, you're really one hell of a rascal!]

Qi Chengzhi did not see their conversation as he was busy adding Song Yu in.

As soon as she finished her bath, Song Yu heard her phone vibrating incessantly on her bed.

At first, she thought that it was Ruan Danchen unflagging persistence, but to her surprise, she saw a group called '8x8=64'.

She tapped into in and was given a shock because the group members were from the Eight Great Families and they were spamming like mad.

Yan Beicheng: [Lil' sis Xiao Yu, what's your phone number!]

Han Zhuoli: [Lil' sis Xiao Yu, what's your phone number!]

Gui Zhiqian: [Lil' sis Xiao Yu, what's your phone number!]

Chu Zhaoyang: [Mm, phone number.]

She found herself at wit's end when faced with them.

Even before the Song family encountered problems, she knew of those people but never actually interacted with them.

Seeing them call out 'Lil' sis Xiao Yu' was the complete opposite of what she imagined their characters to be.

They were greeting her so ardently that it would seem rude of her did not reply them. Then again, she did not how to respond.

A message from Qi Chengzhi was her saving grace: [Just come out and say hi. Don't bother about the things they say.]

Song Yu replied with an 'Mm' and went back in the group. She sent a smiling emoji and followed up with: [Hello everyone.]

After that, Wei Ziqi seemed to have lost his mind. He typed nothing but simply spammed a flurry of emojis to cover up their teasing of Song Yu.

Han Zhuoli: [Are you nuts, Wei Ziqi?!]

Yan Beicheng: [You idiot. How can Wei Ziqi hold it in when Wei Ran asked about Qi Chengji just now? He definitely dragged her to make some babies. His son is probably spamming here now.]

Not long after the message was sent, Wei Ziqi sent a voice message. Upon playing it, a tender, sweet-sounding, young voice said, "Uncle Yan, my brother is only three months old. Don't accuse him of anything."

Yan Beicheng: […]

…

…

A bathrobe was the only garment Qi Chengzhi was wearing after having finished bathing. His damp hair was soft; a towel was on top of his head. As he rubbed towel on it, his hair jutted out from underneath.

Once his hair was about half-dry, his fingers – pale and fresh after the clean bath – reached for the phone on the table-top. He then sat down on the chair beside the window.

His WeChat was lively but they were all from the '8x8=64' group. Other than the solitary 'Mm', Song Yu did not send further messages to him.

Qi Chengzhi's expression turned frigid as he tossed the phone over to the table. He fished out a cigarette and squinted his eyes while he smoked. He turned his head and looked outside, then he slowly exhaled a puff of white smoke.

He looked at the Imperial Palace from a distance. Its red-brick wall appeared rather eerie in the night.

Moments ago, when he was in the bathroom, he thought of Song Yu. So he relieved himself using his own hand.

Even after the bath, he still missed the warm feeling he felt when she was in his embrace.

When Song Yu did not text him, he felt as though he vanished from her thoughts. Surely, he should not be the one who always initiates looking for her?

Qi Chengzhi felt annoyed when he thought about that.

He knew that Song Yu had been subverted by himself. Her heart was unable to fixate itself on him as of yet. Part of the reason why she did not hide from his intimate advances was because she was scared of not being able to hide from it. In truth, her feelings toward him all that time were simply lukewarm.

Qi Chengzhi exhaled intensely and spat out another puff of smoke. His expression was distant and detached.

Although he only smoked a few puffs from the cigarette, he proceeded to extinguish it in the ashtray. He then got up and rummaged around for a luggage bag.

…

…

Song Yu locked the door before she slept. After double-checking that she did indeed lock it, she recalled that Qi Chengzhi had a copy of her house key. It would seem too mean if she were to ask someone to change the locks - she thought that it would not be nice of her to do so. On the other hand, she knew better than to underestimate the extent of Qi Chengzhi's brazenness.

In the event that something unexpected happened, she set up an anti-theft lock. Regardless of whether the key was able to unlock the door, she had to be the one to open it from the inside. With that, she felt much more at ease and went to sleep.

Although they only went out for dinner, her high-intensity work during the day made her feel incredibly sleepy by then.

With a yawn, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

She slept so well that she thought she was dreaming when the doorbell was rung. She turned to her side and continued sleeping.

However, the ringing sound became clearer and clearer. From her deep sleep, she entered slowly into a half-awake, half-dream state. In her haziness, she wanted to wake herself up but her forehead turned into a displeased frown as a result of being woken up in her sleep.

The doorbell's rings showed no signs of stopping and was becoming even more persistent.

She huffed a few times in irritation, subsequently her phone began to ring.

Her phone screen's bright light blinded Song Yu. She opened her eyes ever so slightly and strained to see Qi Chengzhi on the screen.

She answered the call but before she could speak, she heard Qi Chengzhi's indifferent and slightly annoyed voice. "Open the door."

"Ah?" Still rather sleepy, she said, "You're the one ringing the doorbell?"

"Mm." Qi Chengzhi then hung up.

Song Yu let out a defeated sigh. Dressed only in her nightclothes, she got off the bed and went to open the door.

Along the way, she passed by the living room, so she switched on all the lights.

She went up to the door and looked through the peephole to make sure that it was Qi Chengzhi. He was standing in front of the door with an agitated expression, he even brought along a luggage bag with him.

Song Yu was taken aback. She had nervous thoughts and was unsure of what he was up to.

Since he brought a luggage bag, did it mean that he brought his essentials and planned to stay there?

Gulping anxiously, she dreaded to open the door and face him.

After a moment of thought, she connected the door chain cautiously and opened the door. The size of the opening was exactly the length of the chain.

With only the small opening, Qi Chengzhi shot a glance at the door chain. His expression then turned gloomy.

"Why are you here?" Song Yu asked softly. The corridor was not exactly soundproof, and since it was already late, it would not be nice if the neighbors heard them.

"I can't sleep, so I decided to drop by." Impatience prevailed in his expression. Previously, he could just open the door with the key but somehow Song Yu had installed another lock. Was it not a clear sign that she was guarding against him?

"…" Song Yu looked helplessly at him, then at the luggage bad beside him.

"You're not letting me in?" Qi Chengzhi twitched a brow and asked.

"It's so late, I don't think it's a good idea." Song Yu gnashed her teeth and said decidedly, "It's better if you go home and sleep."

She wanted to close the door after finishing her sentence but Qi Chengzhi's hand got in the way.

"Don't kick up a fuss. I'm going on a business trip tomorrow, that's why I brought luggage. It'll only be for one night. Are you really going to let me be tormented in the middle of the night?" He looked directly at her and made her feel flustered.

"Isn't it better if you had stayed back at home all along? It might not have been as tormenting." Song Yu was adamant not to give in, for he was someone who would always want more than what was given.

"I thought I said I couldn't sleep at my home?" Qi Chengzhi held the side of the door immediately so she would not close the door forcefully. She would be clamping on his hand if she did.

He leaned forward and looked through the opening to gaze at her. "Let me in now, otherwise we'd be disturbing the neighbors."

Song Yu bit her lips and her face turned so red that blood might even flow out at any time.

"Qi Chengzhi, I know that if I let you in, it wouldn't be just to sleep. You don't need to deny that. But I feel this is going too fast, I'm not ready yet. You bringing me to meet your friends is an affirmation of our relationship, right? I think."

老楚 – translated as 'Lao Chu'. Lao (老) which means old, is a prefix often added to the surname of a person as a nickname. Lao is usually used for calling someone elder than you, it is similar to the prefix Xiao (小) which is used for someone younger, for example, when Song Yu is referred to as Xiao Yu.