Chapter 110

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After Du Jin finished speaking, nobody answered him for a moment. The only voices in the room belonged to Li Yun and Du Jin’s wife’s as they chatted, and they looked up and glanced their way at the same time, then turned back and continued talking with lowered voices.

Yang Youming nodded, then said to Du Jin, “I understand your concerns.”

Xia Xingcheng also understood. If it were Huang Jixin and Cai Meiting who were here today instead, they would probably be against it too. He also harboured a faint thought in his heart—if he continued working with Yang Youming, would it take a heavy toll? These days, there were so many fans on the internet who frantically pursued them. If they were to work together once more, he feared that the fans would grow even more frenzied. Many nasty remarks would also show up one after another.

And yet, he genuinely wanted to make another movie with Yang Youming. Yang Youming accepted so few acting roles nowadays, and the chance to work with Yang Youming was something that was extremely rare to come by. A good director’s screenplay, a suitable role—if you miss it, there was no telling whether such an opportunity would arise again.

Sullen, Xia Xingcheng stayed mute.

“I actually don’t think it matters.” At this time, Lu Nianxin suddenly spoke up. He crossed his legs and habitually tipped his chair back. “What should you be afraid of? Do you have a guilty conscience?”

Du Jin directed a stern glare at Lu Nianxin. “Isn’t that the case?”

Lu Nianxin reached out to pat Du Jin’s shoulder. “You don’t get it. When you have a guilty conscience, the thing you can’t stand the most is having something to hide.”

Du Jin pushed his hand away. “Does not working together means they’re hiding something?”

Lu Nianxin didn’t relent, “If there’s nothing to hide, why do they need to avoid working together?”

“All right,” Yang Youming said, “There’s nothing to argue about.”

Both Du Jin and Lu Nianxin shut up.

Yang Youming turned to glance at Xia Xingcheng.

Xia Xingcheng was in a daze, but when he noticed Yang Youming’s line of sight, he subconsciously turned to him to listen to him speak.

Yang Youming then smiled, and said, “I think you’re all focusing on the wrong things. Neither working together nor hiding our matters ought to be our main considerations—we only need to focus on the work itself. Whether a script is good, whether the creators are worth working with, are the roles challenging, these are the things we should be focusing on.”

Xia Xingchen suddenly remembered that before Yang Youming had read the original work, he said he wouldn’t act in He Zheng’s movie. His tone at the time was obstinate and almost—childish.

Yet sitting here now, as Yang Youming said that they ought to focus on their work alone, his attitude was like the one he’d always presented in the public eye, calm and collected as the waveless deep seas.

This likely meant that Yang Youming would only show those petty moods in front of Xia Xingcheng; he’d get angry, he’d get jealous, he’d even act like a spoiled child, and it was Xia Xingcheng alone who saw all of him, saw the real Yang Youming. Everyone else who knew Yang Youming had never truly known him.

In that instant, Xia Xingcheng was overcome with an intense joy at this very thought.

Yang Youming said, “It’s pointless to argue now. Just resolve it when we meet He Zheng after the New Year.”

Du Jin solemnly said, “In any case, I disapprove.”

Lu Nianxin patted his chest, then said to Xia Xingcheng, “Xingcheng, don’t be afraid. Ge will support you.”

Yang Youming looked at Lu Nianxin coldly when he heard his words.

It was very late when the meal ended, and both Xia Xingcheng and Yang Youming were drunk and unable to drive. Lu Nianxin helped book a room for them to stay the night so they could leave the next morning.

Xia Xingcheng was a little worried. He shifted closer to Yang Youming and asked in his ear, “Is it okay for us to stay in one room so frankly?”

Before Yang Youming could answer, Lu Nianxin, who was walking in front of them, turned back upon hearing him and said, “It’s not a problem, I’ve arranged everything. You have nothing to worry about here.”

“Youming,” Du Jin called Yang Youming as they left the private room. “Can we talk alone for a moment?”

Yang Youming looked at Xia Xingcheng.

Just as Xia Xingcheng was about to say that it’s okay and that he’ll go to the room first, Lu Nianxin approached them with a grin, saying, “I’ll send Xingcheng back to his room.”

Xia Xingcheng promptly said, “No thank you. I’ll be fine on my own.”

Yang Youming said to Xia Xingcheng, “Let him send you over. I’ll be back soon, wait up for me.”

Xia Xingcheng nodded.

They walked along the corridor and separated at an intersection, with Lu Nianxin accompanying Xia Xingcheng to the room he’d ordered for him and Yang Youming. His immense familiarity with the clubhouse was obvious, as he didn’t need others to show him the way. A large garden greeted them upon exiting the building, and there was a long, winding corridor in the middle that connected the two small buildings. They headed for the building across the garden.

The garden corridor was unobstructed, and a sudden mix of cold wind and snowflakes assaulted his face, making the drunk-on-alcohol Xingcheng feel somewhat dizzy in an instant. His face was still feverish, and as the gusts of wind grew yet colder, he could only wrap his down-jacket tightly around himself.

Lu Nianxin’s figure from behind looked very lofty under the lights of the corridor. He walked to the end of the corridor, and right as he was about to ascend the flight of steps and enter the small building on the other side, he suddenly stopped and turned to hold Xia Xingcheng. “Careful, there are steps here.”

Xia Xingcheng jumped back two steps like a frightened rabbit. He sniffled and said, “Xin ge.”

Lu Nianxin suddenly laughed in great delight, dragging out his answer, “Gee—you called me really nicely, let me have another listen.”

Xia Xingcheng looked at him. “You’re Ming ge’s good friend.” To be frank, it was odd—in the first twenty-four years of Xia Xingcheng’s life, though he was a pretty boy, no man had ever harassed him. Yet ever since he acted in Gradual Distance with Yang Youming, men with strange thoughts about him began to show up around him.

At Xia Xingcheng’s words, Lu Nianxin laughed heartily, then said, “I won’t do anything to you. It’s just because Yang Youming took a fancy to you, so my heart’s itching to have a closer look at what kind of person you really are.”

The air was so cold that Xia Xingcheng had to sniff and expend great effort to keep his runny nose in check. He sounded nasal as he said, “I’m nothing special. If I really have to say it, then it’s just that I love Ming ge very much.”

Lu Nianxin was stunned by his words; he saw Xia Xingcheng’s smile slightly soften. Standing on the steps, he reached out to push the door open to block off the wind, then said to Xia Xingcheng, “Get in first, it’s too cold outside.”

Xia Xingcheng walked over to hold the door on his own, but Lu Nianxin wouldn’t let go, standing to the side and insisting that Xia Xingcheng go in first. With no better option, he passed Lu Nianxin and walked in.

A long corridor welcomed them upon entry. It didn’t look that different from your ordinary hotel floor, and both sides of the corridor were lined with shut doors.

Right as Xia Xingcheng entered, in the dim yellow light, he spotted a slender back up ahead. Having apparently heard a sound, the man turned back to take a look, and the moment they faced each other, Xia Xingcheng froze.

That person was someone Xia Xingcheng recognized. They were the entertainment industry’s current most popular traffic star—Teng Song.

At that moment, Lu Nianxin also came in; he didn’t notice Teng Song, and was merely baffled at the fact Xia Xingcheng had abruptly stopped walking. He then wrapped a hand around his shoulder. “What’s up?” It was only after he’d finished asking that he turned his head and saw Teng Song up ahead.

Teng Song eyed Lu Nianxin’s hand around Xia Xingcheng, then walked towards them. “Boss.”

Lu Nianxin didn’t let go of Xia Xingcheng and only asked, “Why are you here?”

Teng Song walked over and didn’t stop until he was right in front of them. “I have something to say to you.”

Xia Xingcheng, who’d been a little dazed, now reacted in an instant. He took a step to the side, avoiding Lu Nianxin’s hand, and said, “You guys talk, I’ll go back to my room first.”

Lu Nianxin looked at him, nodded, and said, “The room’s on the second floor, number 204.” After that, he suddenly captured Xia Xingcheng’s wrist and pressed close to his ear, saying, “Go back and wait for Lao Yang.” His voice was very low, the last two words in particular were especially indistinct.

Xia Xingcheng saw Teng Song’s complexion transform in an instant. He knew that Lu Nianxin was deliberately putting on a show for Teng Song, yet as it happened, there was nothing for him to clarify, so he could only leave them to their business and turn around and leave.

He hadn’t gone far when he heard Lu Nianxin say coldly, “Why don’t you leave.”

Teng Song’s voice was soft. He said, “I’m not leaving. Let’s talk somewhere else.”

What followed wasn’t heard by Xia Xingcheng.

Going up to the second floor, Xia Xingcheng opened the door of Room 204 to the sight of a spacious suite inside. The room was clean and warm, and a faint wooden fragrance permeated throughout the room.

When Yang Youming came back, almost half an hour later, Xia Xingcheng had already bathed and was currently sitting on the bed, playing with his phone. Yang Youming walked over to the side of the bed—his body still smelling of alcohol—and kissed Xia Xingcheng’s face before going to the bathroom to take a shower.

Xia Xingcheng continued to look through his phone, patiently waited until Yang Youming came back, then tilted his head up and said, “Do you know who I saw just now?”

Fresh from his shower, Yang Youming returned to the bed wearing only a pair of briefs. He lifted the blanket on the bed and asked, “Who?”

Xia Xingcheng sounded a little excited, “Teng Song.”

Yang Youming looked over at him.

Xia Xingcheng drew near Yang Youming’s ear and whispered, “I think there’s something fishy going on between Teng Song and Lu Nianxin, is there anything you know about them?”

Yang Youming laughed. “What’s fishy?”

Xia Xingcheng said, “Is he engaged in unspoken rules with Lu Nianxin?”

Yang Youming shook his head. “I really don’t know.”

Xia Xingcheng had thought that he’d be able to find out something from Yang Youming, yet in the end Yang Youming didn’t know anything either. He was rather disappointed. “Isn’t Teng Song also managed by Du Jin?”

Yang Youming stroked his head. “I hardly ever interact with Teng Song though. We’re really not close. As for Lu Nianxin, the male and female stars he’s engaged in unspoken rules with can’t be counted on both our fingers added up. There’s no way I’d know all of them.”

Xia Xingcheng asked, “Does he not take responsibility after he sleeps with them?”

Yang Youming thought for a moment. “It depends on what’s considered ‘taking responsibility’. He told me he was just playing around, but before he ‘plays’ he’d tell them clearly. He gives what he ought to give, and doesn’t give what he shouldn’t. It’s all mutual consent.”

Xia Xingcheng reached out to hug Yang Youming’s waist, resting his face on the other man’s shoulder. “Teng Song seems like he’s taking it seriously, I think.”

Yang Youming laid down, holding Xia Xingcheng in his arms, eyes on the ceiling as he said, “You’ve only met him once, but you know he’s serious?”

Xia Xingcheng lightly said, “I can sense it. I think he’s quite pitiful.”

“Pitiful?” Yang Youming seemed unable to comprehend this description.

“It reminds me of the former me,” Xia Xingcheng said.

Yang Youming suddenly propped up an arm to sit up halfway, pulling away from him slightly as he looked at Xia Xingcheng. “Are you comparing me to Lu Nianxin?”

Xia Xingcheng also raised his head and said, “No way, I just feel pity for Teng Song.”

Yang Youming looked at him for a moment. Without warning, he leaned in and bit down on the tattoo on Xia Xingcheng’s collarbone—he bit down hard.

The bitten Xia Xingcheng let out a shout.

Yang Youming released him, then solemnly said, “Don’t compare me with Lu Nianxin.”

Xia Xingcheng saw the red bite mark on his skin and rubbed it with his hand, saying aggrievedly, “I didn’t, you’re the best in the world, Lu Nianxin isn’t even qualified to be compared to you!”

At this time, in another room, Lu Nianxin sneezed twice. He rubbed at his nose, and indifferently said to Teng Song, “If you’re not leaving, then stay here on your own. I’m switching rooms.”

☆ ☆ ☆

t/n – only 26 chapters left til the end of the main story ahaha :”)

⟵ Chapter 109 | TOC | Chapter 111 ⟶

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