Chapter 18
Qiu Fei threw the newspaper to Tang Xiyan and, in passing, gave this person who sat without any posture a kick. “Return to the set tomorrow and resume filming.”
Tang Xiyan didn’t pay him any attention, continuing to lie on the sofa bonelessly, holding a phone and not sure whom to message next. “Understood.”
The news of Yang Ji’s arrest had already caused quite a stir on the internet. Although he wasn’t famous, he had a position in the “Mountains and Rivers” launch ceremony. Everyone thought that Tangyi Entertainment was going to promote new talents, but they didn’t expect him to lose popularity so quickly. There were many people on the internet making sarcastic remarks, some even implicating the company.
He frowned as he looked at the messages he sent three hours and two hours ago. He felt a bit anxious. Why hadn’t Qu Di replied to his messages yet? He learned about Yang Ji’s arrest and was ecstatic. He had gone to pick him up yesterday, only to be told that he had already been released on bail.
He thought for a moment and decided to send a few more messages.
Xiyan: 【When are you coming back to work? Qiu Fei said he tried to contact you, but you haven’t returned his call.】
Xiyan: 【Why don’t you come over tonight? I’ll treat you to a big meal.】
Xiyan: 【The production is resuming tomorrow; make sure to be there.】
He stared at the messages for half an hour until the other person finally sent him a reply.
Qu Di: 【Mm.】
Just one word, followed by a period. Tang Xiyan seriously examined the message for a long time, not sure if this “Mm” meant Qu Di would come back to work or if it was about coming over for dinner tonight.
He agonized for a while and then decided to call the person. In truth, he had been feeling quite guilty. During the time when Qu Di was falsely accused, he had done nothing. He was afraid that Qu Di would be disheartened, resign, and disappear, so he hadn’t dared to call him.
At this moment, Qu Di was lost in thought at home. He had made a bowl of noodles for himself, but even after the noodles had gone soft, he hadn’t touched them. He seemed to still be intoxicated by that kiss from yesterday, an Alpha’s kiss with a hint of minty pheromones. It had been just a moment, but Qu Di remembered that soft touch vividly.
“Qu Di, I’m pursuing you.” Those were the last words Shu Yi had left him.
With just that kiss and that statement, he had a restless night. Today, he had been in a daze, even forgetting to respond to Tang Xiyan’s messages.
Suddenly, his phone rang, startling Qu Di, who had been lost in thought. Even though he wasn’t consciously aware of it, there was an underlying anticipation in his heart.
It was Tang Xiyan.
He breathed a sigh of relief but felt a slight twinge of disappointment.
“Hello? Qu Di?”
“Is something the matter?”
“Why did it take you so long to reply to my messages? How about I treat you to dinner tonight, or you can come to my place, and we can order takeout.” Tang Xiyan looked at the notebook in front of him filled with the names of various takeout restaurants. He was ready to fulfill any request.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll just eat something at home. You go ahead and eat.”
“Don’t say that! We’re celebrating your release. Those places are bad luck. Consider it a welcome-back treat from me.”
Qu Di, however, wasn’t swayed at all and rather bluntly revealed, “Have you forgotten? You need to eat moderately these days. You had hotpot the other day, and even if I come over, we can only eat light. So, let’s forget it.”
What was with this contemptuous tone?
“Well…”
“I’m tired. I’ll come to pick you up in the morning tomorrow. I’ll go by myself now, so you don’t need to wait for me.”
“…”
Listening to the busy tone on the phone, Tang Xiyan was engulfed in deep guilt and unease. It was clear that there was some resentment brewing.
The next day, except for Wengu, who was still in the hospital, the rest of the cast and crew were in place. As for Yang Ji’s role, it had been assigned to a beta actor named Wei Xuan, who belonged to Tangyi Entertainment. Wei Xuan wasn’t exactly a newcomer; he had been acting in TV dramas for several years but had never achieved much fame, usually playing minor roles.
Wei Xuan appeared to be easygoing, speaking softly and gently. He had a comforting familiarity about him, but compared to Shu Yi, he lacked some of the arrogance and confidence.
Qu Di arrived early in the morning, learning that Tang Xiyan hadn’t arrived yet. He stood by the makeup room door and kept texting him in case he overslept, fearing he might miss his call. Surprisingly, Tang Xiyan arrived shortly after him.
Tang Xiyan spotted his assistant leaning against the door, engrossed in his phone, and his face lit up. He approached, taking three steps in two.
With a tone filled with excitement, he exclaimed, “Qu Di!”
Qu Di looked up and smiled at him, saying, “You came early, but why didn’t you respond to my messages?”
Tang Xiyan hurriedly took out his phone and realized it was on silent. He chuckled and said, “I forgot to check my phone.”
“Go inside, the makeup artist is waiting. Later, Wei Xuan will be here. Remember to be friendly to him and not give him a hard time.”
Qu Di usually found these instructions annoying, but today he obediently agreed, saying, “I’ll follow your lead.”
With this issue resolved, the atmosphere on the set became livelier again. However, whenever people saw Qu Di, they couldn’t help but show sympathy and pity, which made him uncomfortable. Wengu was absent today, and the scenes being shot involved Tang Xiyan and Wei Xuan.
Qu Di continued to watch idly from the side, occasionally going to pass water when needed. Shu Yi arrived later and was changing his clothes behind. The moment Shu Yi appeared, Qu Di, as if with telepathy, turned to look at him. Shu Yi smiled at him, and Qu Di quickly turned away, his heart racing.
He felt a warmth approaching from the side and realized that someone was standing beside him. He tried to retract his hand but found it firmly held by the other person. Shu Yi’s hand was cool, dispersing the warmth from Qu Di’s hand.
“Shu… Shu Yi…” Qu Di whispered. “People might see.”
A deep, rich voice responded, “My sleeves are long enough. Just for a little while, it’s okay.”
He had never known Shu Yi could be so bold.
Shu Yi was wearing a long-sleeved robe with layers upon layers of fabric. Their hands hung down and weren’t visible to others. It looked like they were standing closer, which would obscure Qu Di’s hand.
Qu Di, blushing and not daring to look up, held a water bottle that had started to sweat. He couldn’t help but focus on the hand that was slowly warming his own.
Shu Yi subtly turned his head to look at the pale neck of the person beside him. He secretly held the entire hand in his own. Qu Di was quick-witted and glanced at Shu Yi with a fearful look. He was anxious but didn’t dare to move. This “secretive encounter” in front of everyone made him very nervous.
“Qu Di!”
When the scene was over, Tang Xiyan loosened his clothes and fanned himself with his hand. He didn’t notice the small assistant in his team and Shu Yi’s subtle actions.
Shu Yi didn’t make things difficult for him and naturally let go of his hand. Qu Di watched Shu Yi with unease for a moment, then hurried over to hand Tang Xiyan the salad he had ordered. Shu Yi, acting nonchalant, walked over to chat with the director as if nothing had happened, without even sparing a glance for Qu Di.
“Why do you keep staring at the director?”
“I didn’t…” Qu Di snapped back to reality, took out a small fan from his bag, and began to fan Tang Xiyan.
Tang Xiyan didn’t ask any further and continued working after drinking some water.
After that, Qu Di avoided getting close to Shu Yi. Whenever he approached, Qu Di found an excuse to move away. Fortunately, they hadn’t interacted much in the past, so no one noticed anything unusual.
Shu Yi, on the other hand, noticed that Qu Di was avoiding him. After a few unsuccessful attempts to approach, he gave up. There was no rush; they had all the time in the world.
That night, he was informed that Tang Xiyan had personally paid for him to switch to a larger room on the same floor as his. He had even arranged for his luggage to be moved for him. The photographer sharing the room with him was quite envious of him having such a good boss.
Qu Di went to pick up the room key, and Tang Xiyan suddenly realized he hadn’t given it to him yet. He bit into the salad that Qu Di had ordered for him and searched his room for a while before finally finding it. “It’s the one right across from Shu Yi’s room. Take it.”
“I told you not to waste money. Staying downstairs is fine.”
Tang Xiyan was determined to make amends for his guilt and insisted that he stay in the room. He handed the room key to Qu Di, impatiently saying, “Stop talking! If I say you should stay, you stay. Besides, you’ve already paid for it. Don’t worry; your artist isn’t that poor. Staying in a hotel won’t bankrupt me.”
In reality, this was a hotel under Tangyi’s management. He had used his connections to arrange it, and Qu Di didn’t have to pay for it.
Qu Di, with no other choice, took the room key and reminded Tang Xiyan to inform him about everything. Tang Xiyan readily agreed, promising to keep him updated. He had no intention of mentioning that he had ordered an almost one hundred yuan takeout for him.
After taking the room key, Qu Di went into his room. The layout was similar to Tang Xiyan’s room, but it was much more comfortable. It seemed that having money really made a difference. Even though it was just a bed, this one was much more comfortable than the one downstairs. He even detected a faint scent of incense in the air.
He flopped onto the bed, exhausted, and felt as though he had been thrown onto a soft cloud. Rich people really knew how to live. It was the same bed, but this one was much more comfortable. He thought he could smell a subtle hint of incense.
He lay on the bed, staring at the bedside lamp and drifting into daydreams. Suddenly, Shu Yi’s face appeared in his mind, and the hand that he had held today seemed to start tingling. The warm breath of both of them seemed to intertwine secretly in the air…
He raised his hand and looked at it against the light, and suddenly, he started smiling like a fool.
This was terrible… He had started to develop feelings.
It was just a tiny gesture, but it was as if he had been deprived of oxygen. He was nervous and feeling out of control. But he knew deep down that Shu Yi wasn’t someone he could keep.
What should he do?
T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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