Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 52

Lu Yiyao had never considered his fondness for Ran Lin to be anything beyond friendship.

This unwavering belief persisted until yesterday.

At the start of the wrap party, he was still agonizing over “finding a way of interaction comfortable for both.” Out of consideration for Ran Lin’s feelings, he thought he should actively avoid his gaze. However, distancing himself would likely lead to a fading relationship, which he clearly didn’t want.

Thus, whether to prioritize Ran Lin’s feelings or his own became an almost unsolvable problem.

Until Ran Lin said, “I like you.”

When Lu Yiyao first realized Ran Lin’s feelings, he worried countless times that Ran Lin would impulsively confess, because he couldn’t think of a way to respond. Once things were made explicit, even the nicest rejection is still a rejection, and friendship would truly become impossible.

Later, as both tacitly understood each other, the situation stabilized, and this “troubling what-if” slowly dissipated from Lu Yiyao’s mind.

But unexpectedly, his worst fears became reality.

After a brief moment of mental blankness, Lu Yiyao found his mind divided into two.

One part of him said, “The worst-case scenario has happened. What are you doing standing around? Think quickly about how to handle this without making things more awkward.”

The other part didn’t speak, just sat there quietly, smiling slightly. The smile was shallow but sweet, sweet enough to melt into the blood flowing to his heart and, with every heartbeat, spread to every corner of his body.

Before he could decide which voice to follow, Ran Lin unilaterally declared, “After this drink, let’s turn a page on all this mess.”

The reactions of the two parts of his mind were almost instantaneous.

The first part was throwing confetti and setting off firecrackers in celebration; the second part’s smile disappeared, bewildered.

Lu Yiyao only knew the first part of himself, never considering the existence of the second.

He had always thought Ran Lin’s confession would be a difficult situation to manage. But unexpectedly, when he heard those words, the only clarity in the brief mental shutdown was a hint of sweetness.

He liked hearing Ran Lin say those words.

This was the conclusion he came to on the way back to the hotel after replaying the events in his mind.

But at that moment, the two parts of his mind were already fighting, and the phrase “to a friendship that lasts forever” was somehow desperately pulled out amidst the chaos.

If not for Zhang Beichen’s timely WeChat message, the situation might have become even more awkward.

Because at that time, he couldn’t mediate between the two conflicting parts of himself, and to make matters worse, a third part emerged. This one didn’t join the fray but stood outside the battlefield, arms crossed and frowning, scolding, “You have time to fight each other, why not team up and ask Ran Lin what ‘turning the page on all this mess’ means? How did liking us become a mess!”

Lu Yiyao didn’t know whose advice to follow.

So, he decided not to listen to anyone but continue listening to Ran Lin.

Listening to Ran Lin talk about his debut, his family, everything.

Lu Yiyao couldn’t clearly remember what he contributed to the conversation, only feeling that not thinking about anything and just chatting was very comfortable, so much so that he wished it could go on forever.

His mind, like mashed paste, slowly cooled down on the way back to the hotel.

Perhaps also thanks to Li Tong.

To make his question sound less odd, he substituted Ran Lin with “a girl” in his hypothetical scenario.

His assistant was decidedly enthusiastic—it would be the first time a girl liked him, and he would definitely go for it!

Amused yet exasperated, Lu Yiyao whimsically applied the hypothetical to himself.

What if Ran Lin were a girl? How would the problem change?

Instantly, all the problems seemed to dissolve.

He admired this girl, enjoyed her company, and if she happened to like him back, he would become Li Tong #2, joyfully reaching out to embrace her.

Li Tong asked, “Lu Ge, do you actually want to avoid her or not?”

Lu Yiyao didn’t need to think to answer that question.

If he wanted to avoid, he wouldn’t have been so conflicted for so many days; if he wanted to avoid, he wouldn’t have felt so lost and reluctant when Ran Lin said it was time to turn the page.

At that moment, he realized his feelings for Ran Lin were more than just friendship. It was the kind of liking that could potentially evolve into love.

He had misunderstood the premise from the beginning, which was why everything became so complicated.

But misunderstanding this premise was inevitable.

Lu Yiyao had never thought it possible for him to fall for another man.

This self-awareness of his sexual orientation was as firm as his self-awareness of his gender.

But when his assistant assumed the person troubling him was a female celebrity, and when he himself stepped out of the “friendship” perspective, everything made sense.

The same rejection had no impact on his life when it came from Xi Ruohan but rejecting Ran Lin had consumed years’ worth of mental energy over a few months.

The same turning of the page from Xi Ruohan was a relief, whereas from Ran Lin, it left him feeling empty and lost.

That WeChat message was the final test Lu Yiyao set for himself.

Ran Lin cooperated, not replying until the next morning.

Even if Lu Yiyao was slow to notice, he could feel the changes in himself before and after receiving the message. If a person’s ordinary message can cause such fluctuations in your mood, then continuing to consider it “just friends” is truly self-deception.

He didn’t know if he was gay.

But he had definitely fallen for Ran Lin—after Ran Lin had completely turned the page.

Lu Yiyao had never encountered such a vexing script in his life and suspected even this was written by Song Mang.

“Lu Ge, I think caution is good, but you should know that good girls don’t wait around, and sometimes being too cautious can make you miss good opportunities.”

Li Tong, helping his boss pack, observed, sensing the boss, who had seemed to have a sudden clarity upon opening the door, was fading, replaced by a beautiful man once again wrapped in worries.

It’s like, after a long wait, finally catching a big fish. For the first few minutes, you’re so happy you want to sing, but then you realize that you neither know how to cook nor how to keep it, so you can’t eat it or keep it alive. Reluctant to release it back into the water, you just stand awkwardly in the wind, holding the fish, filled with sorrow and trouble.

Upon hearing this, Lu Yiyao gave him a deep look and sighed. “You don’t understand.”

“…” Li Tong couldn’t take it anymore and decided to speak his mind. “Lu Ge, no offense, but based on the questions you asked me last night and your behavior now, I really think I understand… No, I’m sure I understand more than you.”

Lu Yiyao was amused by his assistant’s earnest righteousness and ended up laughing, then shook his head, explaining, “I fully trust your expertise in matters of the heart. If I really do pursue someone, you’ll be the first one I consult.”

Li Tong was stunned and puzzled. “Does that mean you haven’t decided whether to pursue her or not? I thought you were sure you liked her. Why not go after her?”

Lu Yiyao lowered his head, continuing to pack his luggage. “Because I don’t know how long this liking will last. What if it’s just a temporary illusion caused by working closely together during filming? That’s not uncommon. What if I chase her and then realize it’s not right and I don’t feel the same way anymore? Breaking up then would be irresponsible.”

Li Tong opened his mouth in surprise and, after a while, said, “So it’s that female actor from the group…”

Lu Yiyao’s folding paused for half a second, mentally crumpling up that talkative part of himself and throwing it into Niagara Falls!

Li Tong didn’t expect any response from his boss. With such high security, even accidentally revealing something was like a blessing from the gossip gods for his curious heart.

Lu Yiyao’s method of folding clothes was a bit complicated, but indeed, as he methodically folded them, they ended up neatly arranged and easily stored in the luggage.

Li Tong always thought it could be filmed and put online as a storage video tutorial.

The suitcase indeed became tidy and orderly. If it were up to him to create such a systematically packed suitcase with such laborious work, he’d rather keep the suitcase messy.

Li Tong thought, this was their difference—Lu Yiyao lived too earnestly.

Being too earnest leads to hardship.

Who cares if it’s just acting or a temporary delusion? Instead of overthinking, why not just date and see?

But he couldn’t say that, and his boss wouldn’t do that either. If he did, he wouldn’t be Lu Yiyao anymore.

Being earnest is difficult, so those who stick to it are precious.

“Li Tong…” After folding the last piece of clothing, Lu Yiyao slowly looked up and unexpectedly asked, “Why are you called Li Tong¹?”

Li Tong swallowed and truthfully explained, “My parents were classmates, so…”

Lu Yiyao asked, “Then why not call you Li Xue¹?”

Li Tong scratched his head, realizing he had never asked his parents about this and ventured a guess. “Maybe they both didn’t like studying¹…”

¹Clarity: [Tong] (同) means same, while Xue [学] means study.

Lu Yiyao suddenly realized his question was incredibly nonsensical.

The shock of potentially being gay was more intense than he had anticipated and had a delayed impact. Once the sweetness of the realization “I like Ran Lin” passed, the upheaval of his sexual orientation became clearer, even making him slightly paranoid.

Accepting he might be gay was harder than accepting his feelings for Ran Lin.

But if he wasn’t gay, just as he told Li Tong, he wasn’t confident that his “liking” would last long.

Ding-dong.

Just as Li Tong was about to remind him, Lu Yiyao quickly grabbed his phone and lit up the screen.

Li Tong was nearly startled and couldn’t help asking curiously, “Is it that person?”

Lu Yiyao knew he meant the “actress”, so he played along. “It’s Ran Lin. He’s already left and just let me know.”

Li Tong didn’t think anything of it, pulling out his phone to check for new messages and then grumbled, “Not cool, leaving without saying anything.”

Lu Yiyao was puzzled. “Are you talking about Ran Lin?”

“No.” Li Tong quickly clarified, “I mean Liu Wanwan.”

Lu Yiyao asked, “Who’s that?”

Li Tong explained, “Ran Ge’s assistant, the girl with really fair skin.”

Lu Yiyao recalled her, but asked, “What’s her name?”

Li Tong replied, “Liu Wanwan¹, like the crescent moon¹.”

Lu Yiyao: “……¹“

¹[Wan] (弯) means bend. Her name derives from crescent moon (月牙弯弯). The joke here is, Lu Yiyao just discovered he is bent (gay), which elicits this response.

Li Tong asked, “Lu Ge, what’s wrong?”

Lu Yiyao replied, “Nothing, just a bit nostalgic for the past.”

When everything was straightforward, the world seemed simple. But with a shake, suddenly everything seems ambiguous.

Lu Yiyao thought, the perspective from which you view the world is indeed crucial…

……

Lu Yiyao went home for his twenty-eighth visit—to Xicheng, the home of his mother and sister.

It wasn’t the maid who opened the door, but his sister.

“Brother—”

Her delighted call hadn’t even finished before she had already thrown herself into Lu Yiyao’s arms.

Lu Yimeng, at 171cm, usually wore high heels and carried an imposing presence, preferring trousers and bold red lips, looking even more like a female CEO than their mother.

But only in front of her brother did she instantly turn into a cutesy girl.

Lu Yiyao, resigned to having his sister cling to him like a koala, walked into the living room, asking, “Where’s Mom?”

“You really timed your return.”

Before Lu Yimeng could answer, Fan Li had already come downstairs, looking snidely at her son.

Seeing their mother, the first to react was actually Lu Yimeng, who immediately hopped off Lu Yiyao and sat obediently on the couch, distancing herself from the impending “mother-son reunion”.

Lu Yiyao always thought “wearing loungewear with the flair of a business suit” was his mother’s unique skill. For instance, now, the comfortable material and light color of her attire didn’t hide her imposing aura, forcing Lu Yiyao to comply by saying, “Happy New Year President Fan.”

Fan Li’s expression fell, the aloof demeanor breaking as she commanded irritably, “Come here.”

Lu Yiyao dared not delay, hurrying up the stairs to stand before his mother for inspection.

Fan Li scrutinized him for a while, frowning unhappily. “Why have you lost weight? Aren’t they feeding you properly on set?”

“I’m eating well. It’s just that the role required me to be thin,” Lu Yiyao quickly explained. Otherwise, the confirmed narrative of “hardship on set” would make his mother nag until the end of the year.

Fan Li was half-convinced, but seeing her son still looked vibrant, she reluctantly accepted his explanation.

Lu Yimeng pretended to watch TV but kept glancing over. The thinness was just the appetizer; her mother’s real concerns hadn’t even been addressed yet. So, for safety, she decided it was best to remain invisible.

Lu Yiyao entered the home at 7 p.m., and within half an hour, the family of three was sitting down for dinner, which was why his mother commented on his timely return.

However, after secretly inquiring with the maid, Lu Yiyao relaxed, knowing his mother had only returned home twenty minutes before him. Choosing to return in the evening was right, given Ms. Fan Li’s level of busyness rivaled his own as an A-list actor.

“Eat more.” Fan Li served her son a shrimp, her tone gentle and caring. However, her expression remained cold, leading to a mismatch between her tone and facial expression.

Lu Yiyao, puzzled, glanced at Lu Yimeng.

His sister refused to meet his gaze and focused on eating.

Lu Yiyao got the hint.

He leisurely peeled the shrimp, and just as he finished peeling one without eating it, Fan Li’s patience ran out—

“Da Chu told me everything.”

Without thinking, Lu Yiyao knew it had to be about this; otherwise, there wouldn’t be any other reason for him to upset his mother during his months in Hengdian.

Putting down the shrimp, Lu Yiyao sighed helplessly. “I knew I couldn’t trust Da Chu.”

Before Fan Li could speak, Lu Yimeng couldn’t help but interject, “Brother, you’re so naive, thinking Da Chu could keep a secret for you…”

The rest of her words were swallowed under her mother’s stern gaze.

Lu Yimeng shrank back, remaining silent.

Fan Li was satisfied and continued to look at her son, saying indifferently, “Tell me, why did you feel the need to hide it?”

“It’s all resolved,” Lu Yiyao said. “I didn’t want to upset you with it again.”

Fan Li raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. “You’re afraid I’d get involved, aren’t you?”

Lu Yiyao put on a flattering smile that said, “Mom, you’re so clever.”

Lu Yimeng rolled her eyes at him—Bootlicker.

Lu Yiyao glanced back—It’s called survival skills.

Indeed, in front of her son’s smile, Fan Li’s expression remained tight, but her eyes slowly softened.

Lu Yiyao knew his mom didn’t really want to do anything to Zhang Beichen; otherwise, she wouldn’t have waited months to ask him about it—the disloyal Da Chu must have reported everything as soon as it happened.

What bothered his mom was that her son was bullied and didn’t retaliate. But while she might be displeased, she still respected his decisions.

This was where his mother differed most from his father.

In fact, if it had been his father, he might not have intervened directly, but even without intervening, he would have given a thorough lecture to feel content.

“Brother.” Sensing the tension easing, Lu Yimeng’s curiosity resurfaced. “Is that Zhang Beichen the one you filmed the variety show with?”

Lu Yiyao was a bit surprised. “You remember quite clearly.”

“Of course,” Lu Yimeng said with some displeasure. “I don’t miss any of your shows. I’m your number one fan!”

A smile touched Lu Yiyao’s eyes.

Lu Yimeng, however, was indignant on behalf of her brother. “You’ve been on a variety show together; even if not friends, you’re acquaintances. He shouldn’t be the one to backstab you.”

“In your brother’s circle, no one but themselves is off-limits.” Fan Li huffed lightly.

Lu Yiyao frowned. “Mom…”

“Alright, alright, I’m biased,” Fan Li admitted quickly. She and her son always agreed to disagree. “But through this incident, you should understand that while you mustn’t harbor ill will towards others, you also can’t be naive. Just because you are sincere with others doesn’t mean they will reciprocate.”

“I understand.” Lu Yiyao felt overestimated. “But I haven’t been sincerely sincere with everyone, nor do I expect heartfelt sincerity in return. I just do my job and earn my rightful income.”

Fan Li lifted her eyelids. “Then your input-output ratio is too low.”

Lu Yiyao 囧: “Being a star has a low input-output ratio?”

“Of course.” Fan Li didn’t hesitate. “If you were in business, who would have the time to insult you online? Do you think your investment is only in labor? Being a celebrity requires fulfilling the fantasies of the audience; the hidden costs are immeasurable.”

“Mom,” Lu Yiyao said somewhat moved, “you sound exactly like my agent.”

“Hmm.” Lu Yimeng nodded. “An agent who’s eager for you to quit the industry.”

Fan Li glared at the two heartless kids and decided to stop talking. Otherwise, she’d be too aggravated to finish her meal.

Just when Lu Yiyao thought the dinner might pass peacefully, towards the end, his mother suddenly said, “I don’t care about anything else, but you absolutely cannot find a girlfriend in the entertainment industry. That’s my bottom line.”

Lu Yiyao felt an internal twist.

It was a long-standing attitude from his mother, one Lu Yiyao was accustomed to. Usually, he would just nod along; after all, without a specific person in mind, there was no point in arguing about hypotheticals.

But today, he felt an urge to argue.

“The entertainment industry isn’t as chaotic as you think. I’m also part of it. Am I chaotic?”

Fan Li’s eyes flashed with insight, but she didn’t speak immediately, just steadily observing her son.

Lu Yimeng aligned with her mother on this issue. “Brother, you’re the exception, okay? There aren’t many as naïve as you—not just in the entertainment industry but the whole world.”

Lu Yiyao looked at her complexly, unsure whether to be annoyed by her exaggeration or comforted by her perpetual support for her big brother.

“Do you… have a girlfriend?” Fan Li suddenly asked, her tone neutral, emotion hard to gauge.

Lu Yiyao gathered himself and innocently looked up at his mother, trying to keep his expression and voice unblemished. “I work 360 days a year. I’d like to date, but where would I find the time?”

Fan Li scrutinized her son’s expression for a moment, finding it 70% believable but 30% suspicious.

Lu Yimeng didn’t doubt at all. “Mom, don’t be so suspicious. With Brother’s peculiar standards, I’d be surprised if I met my sister-in-law before I turned 30.”

Fan Li remained silent.

Lu Yiyao reassuringly patted Lu Yimeng’s head. “Those who know me best are my own sister.”

Lu Yimeng felt something was off, and after Lu Yiyao withdrew his hand, she suddenly widened her eyes, “Brother, did you even wash your hands after peeling the shrimp?!”

Lu Yiyao burst into laughter.

Lu Yimeng lamented her freshly washed hair.

Fan Li watched her “loving” children with a sense of satisfaction but insisted on her bottom line. “Regardless, someone from the entertainment industry is out of the question.”

Lu Yiyao didn’t mind, but Lu Yimeng was annoyed. “Mom, not every relationship leads to marriage. You don’t need to worry so much.”

Fan Li really didn’t understand how she gave birth to two such oblivious children. “Others might not marry who they date, but if your brother dates someone, he’s certain to marry them.”

Lu Yimeng: “…That’s actually a good point. I’m speechless.”

Lu Yiyao held his forehead, suddenly missing the East City residence with its gloomy and oppressive atmosphere. At least it was… quiet.

Lu Yiyao stayed in West City for a day and two nights and left early on New Year’s Eve to return to East City.

When he arrived home, his father Lu Guoming hadn’t returned yet; only Auntie Zhou was there. Lu Yiyao ended up helping her in the kitchen.

Auntie Zhou initially refused, but relented. The two of them chatted and worked together, creating a warm atmosphere.

It was almost 8 p.m. when Lu Guoming finally came home. His greeting to his son was neither warm nor cold.

The dinner was dry, and after staying up until midnight to wish his father a happy new year, Lu Guoming nodded and retired to his room.

Lu Yiyao sighed, resigned. Every year was the same; despite having little to talk about, father and son would stay up to welcome the new year. Only then would New Year’s Eve feel complete.

But looking at the empty house, he wanted to stay longer, at least to bring some life to the place.

Back in his room, Lu Yiyao hesitated whether to send Ran Lin a new year’s message, but while he hesitated, he received one—[Happy New Year.]

Lu Yiyao didn’t know if it was a mass message or individual, but he manually typed a reply—[Happy New Year.]

There was no further reply from the other side.

Lu Yiyao stared at the phone screen, unable to find anything beyond a cordial new year’s wish in the exchange.

Ran Lin had truly turned the page.

As Li Tong said, good girls don’t wait around; hesitation can lead to missed opportunities.

Lu Yiyao could now clearly feel the door of opportunity slowly closing.

He needed time to think clearly, but Ran Lin was under no obligation to wait for him.

Jumping out of bed, Lu Yiyao found Huo Yuntao’s contact and called him.

It took a while to connect, but the voice that answered was lively. “Hello, Lao Lu, how come you’ve decided to give me a midnight new year call? That’s rare.”

It sounded noisy on Huo Yuntao’s side, like he was surrounded by many people. Lu Yiyao realized Huo Yuntao always went home for the new year. But it was only for two or three days, and he was always busy being the distinguished “Young Master Huo”, so Lu Yiyao preferred to visit him in England rather than encroach on his precious family time during the new year.

“Are you at home?” Lu Yiyao still wanted to confirm.

“Of course.” Huo Yuntao seemed to have moved to a quieter room. “If my great-grandmother doesn’t see me, she’d fly to England herself, believe it or not.”

Lu Yiyao believed.

The Huo family was large and had a tradition of longevity. Conservatively estimated, at least thirty family members would gather for the new year, and Huo Yuntao was undoubtedly the jewel of the family.

“Getting sidetracked,” Huo Yuntao cleared his throat, becoming serious. “Happy New Year, Lao Lu.”

“Yeah, Happy New Year.” Lu Yiyao was genuinely grateful to have such a friend. “Lao Huo, I might be gay.”

“……”

“……”

“Is this really the news you want me to process in the first hour of the new year!!!”

……

When Huo Yuntao snuck out to the garage, he bumped right into his cousin, who had just finished setting off fireworks with the kids.

The cousin, an honest and kind man, asked, “Where are you off to?”

Huo Yuntao gestured for silence, whispering, “A friend’s in trouble. I have to go check on him.”

Huo Yuntao’s expression was so sincere that his cousin immediately showed concern. “What happened? Can I help?”

Huo Yuntao shook his head gravely. “It’s an accident, a sudden one. No one can help him. I’m just going to offer some emotional support.”

The cousin, holding his child’s hand, full of righteous kindness, asked, “Lu Yiyao?”

Huo Yuntao, caught off guard, stepped back. “How did you know…”

The cousin adjusted his glasses naturally. “You only have that one friend in China, don’t you?”

Huo Yuntao swallowed, feeling a bittersweet resignation.

Driving his sports car along the deserted second ring, he began to reflect on whether his life was a failure.

While Huo Yuntao slipped out, Lu Yiyao also stealthily drove off.

On New Year’s Eve, not many places were open, so the two arranged to meet at Lu Yiyao’s apartment.

When Huo Yuntao arrived, Lu Yiyao was already waiting. The room was warm, the lighting cozy, and even the lemon soda was ready.

After a long time apart, the two needed no pleasantries. As soon as Huo Yuntao entered, he urged, while changing his shoes, “Hurry up and get to the point. I want to hear all the details. Everything.”

While his words still sparkled with curiosity, Huo Yuntao’s demeanor was devoid of his usual playfulness and as serious as he could be, rivaling Lu Guoming.

Lu Yiyao understood; when it comes to sexual orientation, nothing is trivial. Everything can be joked about, but not this.

Half an hour later.

Lu Yiyao’s soda was half-finished, and Huo Yuntao’s was already empty; one might think the latter was the one recounting the story.

“So that’s it. I’m sure I like him now, so I suspect I’m gay.”

Huo Yuntao, who had hurriedly donned a cashmere sweater in his haste to leave, was now sweating in Lu Yiyao’s warm apartment.

“Find me a T-shirt first.” Huo Yuntao felt he might overheat. No, perhaps he already had.

Lu Yiyao rolled his eyes, waiting for a while only to hear “I need to change,” which was definitely something only a close friend would say.

Their sizes were similar, so Lu Yiyao found a new T-shirt he hadn’t worn yet for Huo Yuntao.

Without any hesitation, Huo Yuntao stripped off his cashmere sweater in front of Lu Yiyao and put on the T-shirt, instantly feeling cooler. His mood seemed to lighten a bit as well.

After downing Lu Yiyao’s soda water in one gulp, Huo Yuntao got straight to the point. “I just have one question for you: Do you want to sleep with him?”

Lu Yiyao froze, his mind instantly flooded with a tumult of censored images.

“Ahem,” Lu Yiyao regained his composure, cleared his throat, and said in a deep voice, “Your question is too crude.”

Huo Yuntao looked at him disdainfully. “Not nearly as crude as what you’re imagining.”

They stared at each other in silence.

After a while.

Lu Yiyao was the first to look away, a slow smile spreading across his lips.

Huo Yuntao held his forehead, resigned to the fact that his friend was beyond saving.

“But why have I never liked men before?” Lu Yiyao pondered, a question that had been bothering him.

At this point, as a friend, Huo Yuntao could only help his friend in his self-exploration. “Have you ever liked any woman before?”

Lu Yiyao frowned, dredging his memory but coming up empty.

“But when you changed clothes in front of me just now, I didn’t feel anything.”

“Thanks for confirming our rock-solid friendship,” Huo Yuntao said irritably. “Just because I like women doesn’t mean I’m attracted to every woman.”

Lu Yiyao fell silent.

Huo Yuntao sighed, suddenly feeling a bit sympathetic.

This was the result he least wanted to see, but it often happens that the more you don’t want something, the more it comes.

“Do you think,” Lu Yiyao suddenly looked up as if he had found the ultimate answer to the universe, “it might be because my dad sent me to an all-boys school?”

Huo Yuntao, also a graduate of an all-boys boarding school, thought, ‘It’s not fair to blame your father for this…’

……

Before the dawn of the new year, the two friends said their reluctant goodbyes.

Actually, apart from the initial struggle with sexual orientation, most of the night was Huo Yuntao listening to Lu Yiyao complain about “how full of pitfalls life’s script can be.”

Fate is an eternal theme of mismatches: you like me, I don’t like you; you don’t like me, I end up liking you. People meet, pass by, get to know each other, and forget each other amidst these crisscrossing paths.

Huo Yuntao understood Lu Yiyao’s frustration—what could have been mutual affection turned into unrequited love.

However, as they parted, as a friend, he still had to remind him one more time. “Whatever decision you make, I support you, but don’t forget, you’re both in the entertainment industry.”

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