CP

“Ah, this…” The regional manager clearly hadn’t expected Wen Man to have more ideas than them.

He hesitated, “This… Alright, I’ll report back to my superiors…”

“If it’s released with him, my endorsement fee can be halved.” Wen Man scooped up a steamed dumpling with his spoon, continuing to say slowly, “I’ll have to trouble you with this proposal; I don’t want to change my contract, it’s a bit troublesome.”

Regional manager:

‘Is this a threat?’

‘This is definitely a threat!!’

‘This means if he and NOW don’t release duo merchandise, he’ll switch endorsement agencies!’

The regional manager wiped his sweat: “I… I’ll try my best. Then… I won’t bother you?”

Only then did he realize the situation was awkward—Wen Man and NOW were sitting side-by-side, with only an empty seat between them.

His presence felt a bit superfluous.

“Okay, thank you.”

After Wen Man finished speaking, he casually patted Xue Wei’s head, who was still trying to salvage his tangyuan: “Thank him, this is the brand manager of XX.”

Xue Wei then put down his chopsticks and honestly said: “Thank you, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The brand manager was flattered: “Yes, yes, yes, no problem, you two continue eating.”

Xue Wei then lowered his head again to rescue his tangyuan.

The chopsticks provided by the banquet host were very slippery, and the fried tangyuan were sticky and soft, making them difficult to pick up.

Xue Wei lowered his head, his eyelashes dark, his eyes serious and focused, but his face was red.

Wen Man spoke from beside him, slowly asking: “Is it hot in here? You’re sweating.”

“Not hot,” Xue Wei replied firmly, “The fried tangyuan are very hot.”

“Oh,” Wen Man’s voice was still leisurely, “Give me one; I’ll try it and see if it’s really hot.”

“If you want to eat, get your own,” Xue Wei refused. He took the initiative: “Um, I have a question for you.”

“Speak,” Wen Man said.

Xue Wei still stared at the fried tangyuan on his plate: “That duo merchandise you just mentioned… was it for a mentor-student combination?”

“That’s what was discussed before,” Wen Man said, still resting his chin on his hand at the table.

Xue Wei felt his gaze, but he didn’t look up at him.

“Then you and I are not in a mentor-student relationship,” Xue Wei’s voice started to get a bit stiff; this was a sign of his anger, “I’m younger than you, but you’re not my master either.”

“I know; generally, this is called CP,” Wen Man said lightly.

Xue Wei almost choked on a tangyuan.

“CP—competent partner, meaning a qualified partner,” Wen Man said.

Xue Wei choked again.

Although his English proficiency was only ‘plastic English’ (poor), he used the internet and knew what CP meant.

Or rather… who on the internet doesn’t know what CP means?!

Xue Wei stammered for a long time, eventually not knowing what to say.

He merely suggested: “Then you… go online more, read up on it. After you read it, you’ll understand what I mean.”

“Oh,” Wen Man actually seemed to consider it seriously, “Alright, I’ll go check it out.”

Xue Wei finally gave up on the fried tangyuan and started drinking his soup.

He tilted his head back and finished it, his face almost completely hidden by the large bowl.

After drinking, he set the bowl down on the table with a thump: “I’m full. If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave first.”

“They’re going to KTV tonight. If you’re free, come over. We want to hold a simple welcome party for you tonight,” Wen Man said.

“Oh, oh, what time?” Xue Wei’s steps abruptly halted. He checked the time.

Wen Man said: “Come early. I’ll call you.”

Xue Wei remembered they had just exchanged numbers.

He nodded and walked away, holding his phone, his palm feeling slightly warm.

The other three EGT members were still eating, chatting about everything under the sun.

Xue Wei walked over and sat with them.

He remembered his conversation with Wen Man, and the warmth in his palm had not yet dissipated.

Xue Wei took out his phone and tapped into the official super topic page.

He first looked at Wen Man’s personal super topic; he didn’t see anything.

He then tapped into his own.

Inside were a large number of lone wolf fan cheers and candid photo meme packs, which made him so embarrassed that he backed out again.

However, on the live event page, someone was discussing a topic.

“Captain Wen and NOW are really walking very close, huh! Haven’t you noticed them constantly together these past few days? Entering and exiting together, sitting in the EGT coach’s seat. When EGT isn’t playing, NOW watches matches and takes notes in the west audience section, and God Wen watches matches and takes notes opposite him, huh? Sisters, don’t say I’m forcing CP!! Let’s just dream, these two are so good-looking that they make a great unofficial pair.”

“Super agree with my sister! And this isn’t even ‘shipping’ for no reason; they’re clearly very familiar! Looks are the best forever!”

“Who’s going to build a super topic? What’s the CP name?!”

“Pretty and Nao.”

“The one upstairs is unqualified, restart!”

“Pretty and Lone Wolf.”

“? Can’t you be a little more creative?!”

“Let’s just call them Double Sniper CP.”

“That won’t work; God Wen and Little P’s CP is already called Double Sniper CP… Wait, let’s create the super topic first!! We can vote on the name later!”

Xue Wei watched for a while, then was about to close his phone and place it on his knees to alleviate his embarrassment.

After alleviating it for ten-odd seconds, he opened it again, continued watching, then repeated the cycle of embarrassment and alleviating embarrassment.

He was embarrassed, yet also watched with great enthusiasm.

After dinner, the group decided to go back and catch up on sleep first, then return for the evening activities—they had been up half the night yesterday discussing tactics, and were very tired.

The group quickly finished eating, then rushed back to the hotel to rest, sleeping soundly until late.

They slept from five in the afternoon until eight in the evening, a full three hours.

The heating was on full blast, and the room was steaming with warmth as they slept, until Alan’s call woke them up.

–Let’s go, let’s go, time to sing KTV!

–Tonight’s the last night!

–We haven’t participated before, so we can’t miss tonight!

Zhao Xiaoyi was the first to get up, then went room to room knocking on doors and pulling off quilts.

They burst in, first pulling off Wanshi’s quilt, then Xue Wei’s.

“Brother Nao, time to get up!”

Xue Wei had changed his pajamas today.

They were no longer the old-fashioned ones, but instead a rabbit-themed pajama set with a hood.

He was curled up alone in the quilt.

He shrank deeper into the quilt, feeling cold, but unwilling to wake up.

He started angrily grabbing the bedsheets, scaring the others into quickly tucking the quilt back around him.

The other three knelt by the bed, pleading: “Sorry, Brother Nao, please sleep. But this is the last day, oh! Are you really not going?”

“Not going.”

Xue Wei resisted throwing a pillow.

He couldn’t even open his eyes, his voice muffled, filled with extreme morning grumpiness.

–What’s wrong, isn’t he getting up?

–A man’s low chuckle faintly came from outside.

–Shall I go in and check?

Zhao Xiaoyi sprang up in a flash; his movement from standing up to opening the door was almost seamless: “Captain Wen! Why are you back at this hour?!”

At the same time, Xue Wei also opened his eyes like lightning.

The voices outside were still low, muffled by the door, as if afraid of waking him.

Xue Wei said hoarsely: “I’m awake. I’m getting up. Don’t come in.”

Everyone looked at him in surprise.

Xue Wei, with lightning speed, got up, picked up his clothes, and dashed to the restroom to change his pajamas.

His movements were so quick he was a completely different person from the one just rolling around in bed.

Two minutes later, Xue Wei came out, dressed.

A red turtleneck sweater and a white down jacket, bundled into a ball, his hair still messy.

He looked very festive in red and white, like a string of small firecrackers, very fitting for the occasion.

Wen Man didn’t enter the room but waited outside.

Voices could be heard in the hallway; the national team must have returned to put things away and coincidentally woke them up.

The others took turns dressing and washing up.

Xue Wei squatted by the bed, shaking off his morning grogginess.

His hands and feet were numb and cold from just waking up.

Xue Wei sneezed a few times and sniffed.

Zhao Xiaoyi and the others were now more alert to his physical condition than to enemy movements: “Did you catch a cold from sleeping?”

Xue Wei huddled into a ball, very calm: “It’s fine.”

He stood up, found his cup, first filled it with hot water, then rummaged in his suitcase for medicine.

The medicine the doctor prescribed for him was mainly for boosting immunity, with a lighter effect, considered a health supplement.

He had experienced drug-induced hypoglycemia with the last medicine, and this time he had just switched to a new one, so he didn’t know what the effect would be.

Xue Wei flipped through the medicine’s instructions, saw that the only contraindication was “not for pregnant women,” so he confidently took it, then drank all the hot water.

With the hot water in his stomach, he finally felt warm.

Preparation complete, Xue Wei tucked his phone into his pocket and walked out.

In the hallway, Wen Man and Alan stood together, talking.

Xue Wei glanced at them, walked over, and stood beside Wen Man, as if queuing, standing first, serious and composed.

Alan had nothing more to say.

He smiled: “Ready? Naonao. Haven’t seen you all day.”

Xue Wei said: “Mm.”

His eyes were still barely open, his reply a bit weak.

Wen Man said: “Then I’ll take him over first. It’s cold outside; better to stand less.”

Alan didn’t think much of it and simply said: “Mm, okay. You two go first.”

Wen Man reached out and touched Xue Wei: “Let’s go, little lone wolf.”

Xue Wei choked, hands in his pockets, but still obediently followed behind him.

Stepping out of the hotel, wind and snow assailed them.

Xue Wei shivered, but Wen Man, as if he knew, pulled out a red scarf from the crook of his arm.

Xue Wei hadn’t noticed it before.

“Wrap it around,” he said succinctly.

Xue Wei took it and wrapped it around himself.

This scarf was quite cute, deep red, with tiny rabbit charms at the bottom.

Today, dressed in red and white, he was very eye-catching, appearing even more delicate and refined.

In the dim, snowy weather, he alone seemed to glow.

Xue Wei fastened the scarf, then extended his hand to him.

He didn’t speak, just held his palm upwards.

Wen Man: “What do you want?”

Xue Wei’s reply was also very concise: “Hand warmers. The previous ones ran out.”

“I don’t have any on me right now. Those things come two packs to a box. I only tucked one box in for you during the day,” Wen Man chuckled, “You think quite a lot, huh.”

Xue Wei then silently retracted his hand.

“My pocket is warm,” Wen Man said casually, “You can put your hand in my pocket.”

Xue Wei glanced at his pocket.

Wen Man was fit and healthy, so he dressed lightly in winter, just a coat.

His pocket didn’t look particularly warm.

But… that wasn’t the main point.

Xue Wei put his hand back into his own pocket, muttering: “Never mind.”

‘This man, Wen Man, is a bit improper.’