Anchor Effect - Chapter 16.1: Too Sudden

Yu Xiu's audition was scheduled for 10 AM at a five-star hotel in the city center.

It took two hours to drive back from the seaside to the city. Yu Xiu suggested leaving at 7 AM, but just in case, Ye Yuchen set the alarm for 6 AM.

At 6:01, the quiet hotel room was suddenly filled with a piercing alarm clock sound.

Yu Xiu immediately opened his eyes, but Ye Yuchen, who was beside him, groggily turned off the alarm clock, then rolled over, placing his arms and thighs on Yu Xiu's body, and went back to sleep.

Yu Xiu turned his head slightly and looked at Ye Yuchen leaning on his shoulder. He didn't know what Ye Yuchen was dreaming about. Ye Yuchen's lips were moving slightly, and saliva moistened the corners of his mouth, giving his lips a light pink hue.

Perhaps dreaming of last night's late-night snack, his lips moved, and he leaned towards Yu Xiu's shoulder.

His front teeth lightly bit into the firm shoulder, seemingly unable to bite, then changed to the canine teeth for biting. His tongue also lightly brushed over the "food" in his mouth.

Yu Xiu quietly watched Ye Yuchen for a while, then withdrew his gaze from his lips.

——This "handsome brother" may not snore in his sleep, but he's not necessarily well-behaved.

The alarm clock was set for seven o'clock, just in case of oversleeping.

So Yu Xiu allowed Ye Yuchen to nibble on him and closed his eyes, planning to sleep until seven.

However, not long after, the person beside him suddenly woke up. Ye Yuchen abruptly raised his head, half awake and half drowsy, and asked Yu Xiu, "What time is it? Did we oversleep?"

After saying that, he was about to get out of bed to get ready, but Yu Xiu reached out and pushed him back onto the bed.

"It's only six-thirty now," Yu Xiu said, "You can sleep a little longer."

"That's good then," Ye Yuchen breathed a sigh of relief and forgot who insisted on setting the alarm for six o'clock. He flopped back onto the pillow, feeling like a deflated balloon.

When the alarm clock rang again, Ye Yuchen found himself alone in the bed.

With messy bed hair, he climbed out of bed and looked at Yu Xiu, who had just come out of the bathroom, asking, "Have you finished washing up?"

"Yeah," Yu Xiu said, "I can't sleep once I'm awake."

In fact, the two of them didn't sleep early last night. They stayed up past 1:30 AM, talking about work and having a late-night snack.

But saying that he couldn’t fall back asleep once he woke up around six or seven o'clock... Ye Yuchen thought only elderly people did that.

"You go back and pack your luggage first," Ye Yuchen said, shuffling in his slippers, still half-asleep, as he walked toward the bathroom. "We'll meet in the restaurant later."

Ye Yuchen hadn't had enough sleep, and he stumbled as he walked. When he reached the bathroom door, his momentum almost caused him to fall forward and miss the turn.

Yu Xiu reached out to steady Ye Yuchen's arm. "Don't fall."

"How could that happen?" Ye Yuchen waved his hand dismissively, and his mind gradually cleared. He stood by the toilet, preparing to flush, but when he saw Yu Xiu still lingering by the door, he asked with a playful smile, "Are you still watching me pee?"

Yu Xiu froze for a moment, then quickly turned his face away. "I'm going back to pack my luggage."

Rarely did Ye Yuchen see Yu Xiu looking like he wanted to escape, so he couldn't resist teasing him. He stretched his neck and called out to the door, "Are you shy, Little Yu Xiu? Don't be shy; big brother will let you see."

The response to Ye Yuchen's comment was the sound of the door being firmly closed.

The group led by Du Rui slept in late, and when Ye Yuchen left the room, not a single one of them had gotten up yet.

He sent a message to Du Rui, telling him that he had something to do and would leave first. Then he went downstairs to the restaurant with his backpack.

At this point, Yu Xiu had already found a seat in a corner of the restaurant where there weren't many people. Although he was wearing his usual baseball cap, other patrons occasionally cast curious glances in his direction.

"When are you going to give me a few of your autographed photos?" Ye Yuchen sat down across from Yu Xiu with a plate in hand. "I'll sell them."

It was originally a casual joke, but unexpectedly, Yu Xiu paused with his chopsticks in hand and looked at Ye Yuchen seriously. "Do you need money?"

Ye Yuchen: "..."

Ye Yuchen really wanted to ask Yu Xiu if he couldn't see that he was dressed in designer labels from head to toe. However, at that moment, Yu Xiu's phone suddenly rang, interrupting his train of thought.

Yu Xiu glanced at the caller ID and didn't intentionally avoid it as he answered the call in front of Ye Yuchen. "Mom."

"How are the preparations for the audition?" Yu Min asked.

"It's going well," Yu Xiu said.

"Just perform normally; this role is yours," Yu Min's voice sounded confident. "At nine o'clock, your Uncle Dong will pick you up at the back gate of the school. Don't be late."

"No need to have Uncle Dong pick me up," Yu Xiu replied. "I'm not at school."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, and when Yu Min spoke again, her voice was noticeably colder.

"What do you mean you're not at school? Where are you if not at school?"

"The class organized an autumn outing, and we're at the seaside."

"Didn't I tell you that you have an audition today and not to go?"

"I'm on a friend's car on my way back now; I'll make it in time."

The word "friend" felt unfamiliar even coming out of Yu Xiu's mouth.

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