Shen Jintai felt that he had gained insight into a secret that was truly frightening. Certainly, it wasn’t what he thought, right? Yan Qiuchi probably just didn’t want his younger brother to chase someone who had chased him, right?
Would Yan Qiuchi like him?
No, he didn’t think so. Yan Qiuchi obviously has the taste of a straight man. His type is those 0 seductive beauties since he has such an offensive temperament. Could it be because of his beauty rewards that they triggered Yan Qiuchi’s desires?
He took his clothes off and looked at his body. He was sure that he was what a handsome guy in his early twenties should look like. Sure, his ass was unusually fair and tender, but it’s not like Yan Qiuchi could see it!
“Xiao Ai!” Shen Jintai yelled angrily.
Xiao Ai didn’t respond.
“Hello, Xiao Ai!”
With a ding dong, Xiao Ai came online. “Dear!”
“Dear my ass! Let me ask you, is it possible for Yan Qiuchi to like me? How does he feel about me now? What is my favorability for him?”
“Dear, don’t get excited. It’s like this. Because your task is to attack the male’s protagonist official match, steal his white moonlight, suppress him, and sharpen him, our love system only detects two data points. The first is Bai Yueguang’s favorability for you, and the second is the value of the male protagonist’s dislike for you. This means the score can only rise with a negative point value. That is to say, if the male protagonist hates you more, more points will be rewarded to you, but if the male protagonist doesn’t hate you, even if his favorability for you has risen, sorry~ that’s not within our test range!”
“So does he like me now, don’t you know?”
“Xiao Ai only knows that he doesn’t hate you now. As for whether he loves you, Xiao Ai doesn’t know.”
Why did Shen Jintai feel that this calculation method was full of conspiracy. He seems to have fallen into a trap.
“Dear, don’t worry. Xiao Ai brings you good news. Would you like to hear about your sexy reward for your next level?”
Shen Jintai: “…”
“Your reward for the next level are killer feet! You will have a pair of the best-looking men’s feet in the world. The soles of your feet are well-proportioned, the toes are slender and well rounded, and the cheeks are ruddy and fair. At first glance, it’s a pair of handsome feet that will make people overwhelmed by love when they look at them!”
Shen Jintai: “…”
Can you please be quiet, alright?!!!
“Okay,” Xiao Ai had heard his inner voice. “Then Xiao Ai will go offline, beep!”
Fuck.
God damn it.
Shen Jintai closed the door quietly. He didn’t even bother to listen to what Yan Qiuchi and Yan Yaoxuan were talking about.
Yan Qiuchi patted Yan Yaoxuan on the shoulder. “Go back and get a good night’s sleep. Dad is drunk, so I will pick him up.”
Finished with his conversation with Yan Yaoxuan, Yan Qiuchi headed downstairs. He was a bit ashamed and sympathized with Yan Yaoxuan, but he also felt relief now that the issue with Yan Yaoxuan had been solved smoothly.
Shen Jintai must have never considered Yan Yaoxuan, as his love may not be considered love in a romantic sense. Otherwise, how could he retreat so easily? If it were him in Yan Yaoxuan’s position, even if his confession failed, he would never be reconciled. If he couldn’t catch him, he would wait.
Shen Jintai was sitting on his bed. After the initial shock, he began to calmly think about it. He felt that maybe he was just overthinking too much. Yan Qiuchi had no reason not to love a little 0 beauty like Bai Qingquan. That was the type he liked, right?
He was indeed not the former Shen Jintai but others didn’t know this. Would Yan Qiuchi really like someone who he has looked down on since the episode where they were entangled in bed together? This would be a huge slap in the face. How could a domineering president bear such a thing?
Though Yan Qiuchi had treated him well recently, it was simply his nature as a thoughtful gentleman. It made sense to treat him as a good friend since his behavior had improved. Shen Jintai suddenly thought of the night Yan Qiuchi was drunk, where he held him and pressed him down.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
No! Shen Jintai felt that he was taking it too seriously. He lay on the bed, anxious, as he kept tossing and turning, sweating profusely. He couldn’t lie still because it was getting on his nerves, so he got up and prepared to go to the pool.
When he went downstairs, he ran into a maid who lived on the first floor. She said to him, “Xiao Jin, why haven’t you slept yet?”
Shen Jintai: “It’s hot and I can’t sleep, so I’m going out for a walk.”
The maid watched him go out. He had grabbed a robe and put it on. Looking at his back, she saw a tall, romantic, good-looking figure. He looked like he was walking on a catwalk.
It was windy at night. The air was neither hot nor cold, giving a comfortable climate. The flowers and trees were faint along the path as the streetlights were hidden behind their lush leaves. Insects buzzed in the light and shadow. Shen Jintai stood by the swimming pool, looking at the sparkling water that was reflecting the light from the streetlamp. He sat down by the pool and put his feet into it, causing a ripple of small waves that broke the light reflection.
He recalled what Xiao Ai was saying earlier. What was his next sexy reward? Feet?
He looked at his feet and thought they looked good enough. Moreover, it doesn’t matter if a man’s feet looked good or not. Who would show off their feet? Fans wouldn’t care. When shooting movies or dramas, it wasn’t like his feet would be the focus.
Thinking about it like this, the only person that would notice this part would be an intimate lover. What can a pair of feet do…
Not good! His thoughts had wandered to Yan Qiuchi again!
Shen Jintai jumped into the pool and held his breath for a while before he emerged from it. The water in the pool had become much colder. He stayed in the pool as he thought about this beauty system. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that these rewards were doing more harm than good to him.
The clouds had covered the moon and dotted out the stars. There was wind blowing everywhere as the flowers and trees swayed slightly, creating rustling sounds. He climbed out of the pool, put on his bathrobe, and prepared to go back to his room.
When he arrived in the front yard, he saw a car parked in front of the villa. He entered the living room and found that Yan Tiefeng was back. Yan Qiuchi and the driver were helping him upstairs. Mrs. Yan was standing at the head of the stairs in her pajamas, frowning and covering her nose with her hand. “It reeks of alcohol.”
“Uncle Yan drank too much?” Shen Jintai hurriedly asked.
Yan Qiuchi looked back when he heard Shen Jintai’s voice, causing Shen Jintai to feel embarrassed.
Mrs. Yan said, “Lao Wang and the others insisted he wouldn’t be happy if he didn’t get drunk on his birthday. I told him so many times before leaving, and yet he still got drunk!”
Yan Tiefeng’s driver spoke up, “It’s his birthday today, so the boss was really happy that he had two more drinks.”
Yan Tiefeng suddenly turned his head. Although his body was being held by Yan Qiuchi, he still shouted at Mrs. Yan, “I… I’m not drunk. You… don’t be fierce!”
Mrs. Yan laughed angrily and followed them upstairs.
Shen Jintai followed to the door of their room and saw Yan Qiuchi and the driver put Yan Tiefeng on the bed. Yan Tiefeng grabbed the blanket and covered his head.
“Then I will go back first,” the driver said.
Mrs. Yan: “Thank you for your hard work.”
“You’re too kind.” The driver and their family were close acquaintances. He gave them a smile and left. When he saw Shen Jintai at the door, he froze for a moment before blurting out, “Li Xu?”
Shen Jintai smiled and nodded at him.
After the driver walked away, he couldn’t help but look back a few more times. It was really Li Xu. He was more handsome in person than on TV. His skin was extremely good, so fair, and he was tall. Seeing him on screen, he thought the actor would be only about 175 cm at most. He didn’t expect he would be at least 180 cm, especially for such a young man.
Yan Qiuchi took off Yan Tiefeng’s shoes and wanted to take off his coat, but Yan Tiefeng didn’t cooperate. Mrs. Yan was next to him and said, “Forget it. The bed’s already dirty anyway.”
She looked at Yan Qiuchi and asked, “Why is he so drunk?”
“When they saw me coming, Uncle Wang and the others refused to let me go, so they had a few more drinks,” Yan Qiuchi said. “I also drank a bit too much and spilled some all over me.”
“That old man is the worst,” Mrs. Yan said. “The maid will come up to help later, so hurry up and go wash and sleep. Don’t you have to go to work tomorrow?”
Yan Qiuchi walked out. When he saw Shen Jintai at the door, he asked, “Why is your hair wet? You went swimming again?”
Looking at Yan Qiuchi like this, he didn’t really sense anything strange. Shen Jintai responded with a “Nn” and looked at Yan Qiuchi straight in the eyes.
Yan Qiuchi avoided his direct gaze and said, “Alright. It’s late, so you should go back and rest.”
“All of you, go to bed,” Mrs. Yan said.
A maid came up with some hangover soup as Shen Jintai followed Yan Qiuchi upstairs. Yan Qiuchi’s body was drunk. He suddenly staggered under his feet. Shen Jintai quickly stretched out his hand and supported him.
Yan Qiuchi smiled and said, “I drank a lot.”
Shen Jintai took a step forward and grabbed Yan Qiuchi’s arm. “I’ll help you.”
Yan Qiuchi was shocked by his sudden diligence, but refused reluctantly, saying, “I didn’t drink that much. I can go by myself.”
“You’re poor at drinking, so you should drink as little as possible in the future,” Shen Jintai said.
Shen Jintai’s voice was extremely gentle and unfamiliar, but it was particularly charming to Yan Qiuchi. His heart was trembling as he said, “It’s mainly Uncle Wang and the others. They have a relatively iron relationship with my dad. The wine they had wasn’t that good, so I didn’t drink too much.”
“Then why were you so drunk when you visited the set last time?” Shen Jintai said. “Do you know what you did when you were drunk?”
Shen Jintai opened the door of the room, turned around, and propped one hand behind him as he leaned on the door frame. He stared at Yan Qiuchi, smiled, and said, “Did you know that you kissed me?”
A little flush appeared on Yan Qiuchi’s handsome and resolute face. He felt that he was looking at an illusion of Shen Jintai. He had no resistance to this gentle Shen Jintai. Even the subtle and unpredictable ambiguities could make his heart beat wildly.
Shen Jintai saw the strong tenderness in his eyes. It was enthusiastic while dodgy, restrained yet eager to strike, titillating inside him. It seemed Yan Qiuchi would confess at any moment.
“Rest well and have a good night,” Shen Jintai said. He walked towards his room, and when he reached the door, he glanced back and saw Yan Qiuchi still standing in front of the door to his room and was staring at him.
Oh god.
Yan Qiuchi likes him!
Fuck.
The author has something to say:
It’s a day*, but it’s a pity it’s not you.
*Clarity: Day (日) is slang for “fuck”. The ending is Shen Jintai’s inner thoughts saying fuck and the author is responding to it by saying: It’s going to be a day (fuck), but it’s a pity it’s not (fucking) you.
Kinky Thoughts:
Why did Shen Jintai feel that this calculation method was full of conspiracy. He seems to have fallen into a trap.
Chapter 93: What the Hell do you Mean Sister-in-Law!
In good conscience, the script of <When You’re Older> was superb. After Yan Qiuchi completely calmed down, he read the script again earnestly. He originally didn’t approve of Shen Jintai appearing in a same-sex role again. Li Xu was already a relatively extreme character, and oftentimes homosexuality was used as a gimmick, making it easy to label, but after reading the script, he felt that he could indeed pick it up.
The story’s span was large and touching. The revised version was reasonable. If it was shot according to the first version, while it would attract attention, the scale was too large, and it could easily blur the focus. The emotional drama of this kind of story was its essence. Considering the audience issues, the revised version was more conducive to the box office and review.
He also understood why Xingyun Entertainment was so active in trying to get Shen Jintai to star in it. With the aura of Li Xu, if Shen Jintai were to star in a same-sex story again, it’d create a ton of topics.
The cooperation between Bai Qingquan and Shen Jintai was also a strong union. The story started in high school, spanned middle age, and then old age, then went through several cycles of reincarnation, giving ample room for performance.
It was truly a good story. It was just between Bai Qingquan and Shen Jintai, who would be the shou and who would be the gong?
—
Bai Qingquan felt that he was a little confused today. It could be because of the scene that he saw tonight by the pool. Shen Jintai’s butt was so stunning that it was still on his mind as he lay in bed.
How did he work out to get it that way?
When he was in the draft for <Pick Me>, he didn’t notice that Shen Jintai’s ass was so firm. Bai Qingquan felt that once they became even closer, he would ask him. If his ass was this attractive and this was with wearing swimming trunks… If he didn’t have anything on…
Then there was also Shen Jintai’s body. His skin was like porcelain, and his hips were like white tofu.
Ahhhhhhhh. How envious. So Jealous.
Just thinking about it gave Bai Qingquan heartache. White tofu was always tender and delicious.
—
Yan Yaoxuan couldn’t sleep either. Shen Jintai’s chest kept appearing in his mind.
Why so…
Then…
Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it.
Yan Yaoxuan was still too honest. When he thought that Shen Jintai would become his “sister-in-law” in the future, he felt that it would be a sin for him to think more about it now.
Why was his complexion still so fair? The scenes he had been filming were in the northwest, and he was there for a few months now, yet his skin hadn’t tanned at all.
Could he really just give up and hand him over to his brother? Did he really want to fight for Shen Jintai again?
Although there were three members for this movie, his name didn’t seem to even appear in the credits*!
*Clarity: He’s saying the entanglement between him, Shen Jintai, and Yan Qiuchi is like a movie, but his part is so insignificant that he wouldn’t even be listed on the credits.
Yan Yaoxuan sat up from the bed with a stiff neck. He got dressed and went outside until he was standing in front of Shen Jintai’s door. After fighting between heaven and man for a long time, he knocked on it.
Shen Jintai was reading his script. Xingyun’s side seemed to really want him to participate in the movie. Bai Qingquan had just left the villa, yet the people from Xingyun had already emailed him the script. Except for company insiders, scripts were rarely ever sent by email for fear of them leaking. It seems Xingyun was quite impatient.
It was understandable since filming was about to start yet the important male lead had not yet been decided, and they were in a rush to cast him.
“They actually offered to have the two protagonists be equal,” Li Melian said. “What’s even more surprising was that Bai Qingquan actually agreed.”
The sincerity was touching, especially Bai Qingquan’s sincerity.
“When You Get Old” was very poignant. While sad, it was warm because love was always there. The setting was sci-fi, but the plot focused on the protagonists Yu Nuo’s and Luo Wensheng’s love lives. It spans from when they fell in love as teenagers and stayed together until their old age. Add in time travel, and it was the perfect complement to love.
Shen Jintai was reading intently when he heard a knock on the door. “Come in,” he said as he raised his head.
Yan Yaoxuan opened the door. As soon as he entered the room, he smelled a unique fragrance that only Shen Jintai possessed. It was faint and smelled good. He looked at Shen Jintai and said, “Fortunately, you haven’t slept yet.”
Shen Jintai: “You haven’t slept either?”
“No, I can’t sleep. I want to chat with you,” Yan Yaoxuan said. “What are you looking at?”
“Script,” Shen Jintai sat up straight. He was only wearing shorts, so he didn’t get out of bed. He pointed to the chair in front of the window. “Come sit.”
Yan Yaoxuan sat down as his face flushed slightly.
Shen Jintai: “Why can’t you sleep? Is there anything wrong?”
Yan Yaoxuan suddenly felt very embarrassed; his face flushed even more. He didn’t dare to look into Shen Jintai’s eyes. He lowered his head and said, “Xiao Jin… It’s been almost a year. I want to ask you, has your answer still not changed?”
After speaking, he finally plucked up the courage to raise his head and look at Shen Jintai.
—
Yan Tiefeng drank too much tonight and accidentally got drunk. His friends didn’t dare call Mrs. Yan, so they called Yan Qiuchi.
Yan Qiuchi hurriedly got dressed and went out. As soon as he came out, he saw Yan Yaoxuan coming out of Shen Jintai’s room with a drooping face.
Yan Qiuchi was taken by surprise. Yan Yaoxuan glanced at him and walked towards him. Without waiting for Yan Qiuchi to ask, Yan Yaoxuan said, “Don’t worry, I’m really giving up completely this time.”
Yan Qiuchi patted him on the shoulder and drove the knife in. “That’s good. After all, he will be your sister-in-law in the future.”
Crit!
Yan Yaoxuan felt that his fragile mind had been severely smacked again!
The last time Shen Jintai rejected Yan Yaoxuan, he was still sympathetic. He found that this didn’t work and only led to awkwardness. This time, Shen Jintai refused him directly and harshly. After hearing his words, Yan Yaoxuan quickly left.
Yan Yaoxuan was still young. Shen Jintai felt that what Yan Yaoxuan was feeling for him wasn’t really love but just admiration from the perspective of a fan.
Shen Jintai quietly opened the door and peered out to look at Yan Yaoxuan. Who knew when he did so he heard the conversation between the two brothers?
After all, he will be your sister-in-law in the future.
After all, he will be your sister-in-law in the future?!
Crit!
Shen Jintai also felt the crit.
What the hell?! Sister-in-law?!
Yan Qiuchi, what do you mean?!
The author has something to say:
It’s what it literally means.
Kinky Thoughts:
Ahhh I’m excited. I really wanted Shen Jintai to star in <When You’re Older>.
Shen Jintai: What do you mean sister-in-law?! Yan Qiuchi: Oops sorry. Brother-in-law. Better?
Yaoxuan, there’s more than one fish in the sea. Literally in the last chapter, there was a hot 100% shou waiting for his gong! Also, wasn’t he supposed to fall in love with Bai Qingquan in the original novel anyway? Well, now that Qiuchi is out of the way, you’ve got no competition!
Bai Qingquan turned his head and stared at him. The swimming pool in front of him was huge. The blue water shimmered in the night. In this hot summer, there was nothing more comfortable than taking a refreshing swim. But how could he swim in someone else’s house—not to mention he didn’t bring any swimming trunks.
“If you want to swim, you can go,” Bai Qingquan said to Shen Jintai with a smile. “I’ll just watch from the side. I don’t know how to swim very well.”
Shen Jintai felt that he had obtained a useful piece of information. Bai Qingquan wasn’t very good at swimming. Now he has an excuse to interact with him more often by teaching him how to swim. This, in turn, could promote feelings.
Shen Jintai said, “I want to swim. Wait for me here. I’ll go change clothes.”
A while later, Shen Jintai returned. There was a maid who came with him. She brought fruit and a bottle of red wine. After opening it, she left.
“Sit on the recliner chair and let’s chat,” Shen Jintai said.
Bai Qingquan looked at the bottle of red wine cravingly. He was a person who liked red wine. Smelling the scent from the bottle, he knew that it was good quality wine.
Shen Jintai was excited. He could finally show off his figure. After more than a month of filming with the crew, he felt he was much buffer than before as he had been working out the whole time. He felt the only way to overcome Bai Qingquan was to first make him realize that he was no longer the person he used to be. His figure and temperament were very different from when he was filming <The East Palace is Coming>.
He untied his bathrobe and stood in the moonlight with only his swimming trunks on. He gave Bai Qingquan a glance and smiled. Bai Qingquan was pouring wine. When he saw Shen Jintai undressing, he couldn’t help but do a double take.
Shen Jintai felt proud. His abs were barely developed, as they weren’t too obvious yet. His pecs had good contours that were neither too thin nor too fat; perfect for a young man of his age. He stared at Bai Qingquan and asked, “You really don’t want to swim together?”
Bai Qingquan felt that he was shaken by Shen Jintai’s gorgeous body. My god!
Shen Jintai’s figure was too good! Those killer hips and slender waist. That porcelain skin. Those straight and long legs, graceful shoulders, fair complexion, and rosy lips. This was Shen Jintai! The best temptation out there!
When it all came down to it, it was mainly the ass. Bai Qingquan couldn’t help but feel it looked even sexier than when he was in the underwear commercial.
There are no absolute 0’s in this world. He was also a man with a handle. When he saw this kind of perfection, even his heart would skip a beat.
With a splash, Shen Jintai jumped into the swimming pool. Bai Qingquan also let out a pop in his heart and drank his entire glass of red wine with a single mouthful.
Shen Jintai’s slender body looked like a fish as he swam in the water. He reached the other end of the pool and turned around to do backstrokes as he slowly floated towards Bai Qingquan. He was lying on his back, so from his perspective, Bai Qingquan was upside down. The pool water had moistened his face and accentuated his fairness. His eyebrows became darker, and his lips became redder. As he floated on the water, there was an aura of amazement around him.
“Do you want a glass?” Bai Qingquan asked.
Shen Jintai turned over, causing the pool water to ripple. When he crawled out of the pool, water flowed down from his hair and slid across his shoulder. “Yeah. I’ll take a glass.”
Bai Qingquan poured him a glass and handed it to him. His heart was still pounding. Was it because he had been holding back for too long? When he looked at Shen Jintai, he couldn’t help but have a weird sinking feeling in his heart.
But they are good sisters!!!
Bai Qingquan felt that his understanding of attributes was addled. He felt Shen Jintai was truly the best 0. He seemed to… impossible!
The two of them have such similar personalities and temperaments!
Suddenly, a ding dong rang out, and Xiao Ai came online. “Dear! Congratulations. You finally got the beauty reward. Healthy and white teeth until the age of 60 now belong to you!”
Shen Jintai: ‘Fuck yes!’
Though pleased that he finally got his reward, he was happier about the fact that Bai Qingquan had finally seen him as more than just a friend! He looked at Bai Qingquan and could truly appreciate “Moonlight Qingquan”.
Bai Qingquan was like the image of a fairy. Going to the Yan’s villa as a guest, he dressed very neatly. With a white t-shirt and casual pants that had a gray belt around it, these clothes highlighted his thin waist. It was very su.
—
The birthday banquet had come to an end. Yan Qiuchi looked at his watch, seeing that it was half past 9.
“Qiuchi.” Yan Tiefeng beckoned to him.
He walked over and respectfully greeted several old men opposite Yan Tiefeng.
“I heard that Sunshine Media has been successfully listed. The young man is very promising. Lao Yan, a father tiger has no dogs*.”
*(虎父无犬子啊) Metaphor referring to the fact that a good father will not give birth to ordinary children. It’s used to compliment the children of others. Source is from the 83rd chapter of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
“There is still a bit of a gap between me and him,” Yan Tiefeng said with a smile.
The other party glanced at Yan Qiuchi with a smile, his eyes were full of approving glances, and asked, “Does Xiao Yan have a partner?”
“Yes,” Yan Qiuchi said.
Yan Tiefeng glanced at him, smiled, then said nothing.
The other party showed a very regretful expression. He exchanged a few more words with Yan Tiefeng then left, accompanied by the staff.
After sending off the important guests, Yan Tiefeng was ready to change destinations. He planned to accompany his old friends to go to Lan Kwai Fong for a get-together.
Yan Yaoxuan originally loved to play, but because Shen Jintai was still at their house, he forwent going out with his friends and got into the limo.
When Mrs. Yan, accompanied by Yan Qiuchi, got into the limo, she was surprised when she saw Yan Yaoxuan. She asked, “You’re going home too?”
“I drank too much.” Yan Yaoxuan said. He wasn’t in a good mood. He was full of drink as he had to toast constantly with all those uncles.
Yan Qiuchi didn’t drink much, as he rarely touched alcohol. Everyone knew this, and he only had two drinks while greeting the important guests. Mrs. Yan gave him a look. Her son must be in a rush tonight.
“Let’s go. Go straight home,” she said to the driver.
The mother and sons returned home but did not see Shen Jintai. Mrs. Yan took off her high heels and asked the maid, “Where’s Xiao Jin?”
“Swimming in the backyard.”
Yan Yaoxuan went directly to the backyard when he heard this. Yan Qiuchi glanced at him and went upstairs with Mrs. Yan. When he arrived in his room, he did not change his clothes. Instead, he walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, opened the corner of the curtains, and glanced down. He saw Shen Jintai standing there talking to Bai Qingquan with only a swimming trunk on.
Bai Qingquan was neatly dressed, while Shen Jintai only had on his swimming trunks, showing off his porcelain body that illuminated in the moonlight and was reflected on the water.
Bai Qingquan planned to leave, taking advantage of the fact that the Yan family hadn’t returned yet.
“You can think about what I told you. Director Sun seems particularly eager to cooperate with you. Xingyun also has the intention to cooperate. Otherwise, I would not have invited you.”
“Then let them get in touch with Monsoon. Let me look at the script first,” Shen Jintai said.
Shen Jintai was in a cheerful mood. He had just received a beauty reward and also became aware of the loosening of Bai Qingquan’s heart. What Xiao Ai said made sense. He must first complete the task, be a normal person, and be able to live a good life. Then he could consider other things.
In this way, seeing each other for a day or two every few months or the year of the monkey, the month of the horse*, he would eventually be able to complete the task. Bai Qingquan was in his early 20’s. He would eventually fall in love one day. Shen Jintai needed to rush.
*(猴年马月) Idiom refers to the years to come. From Guhua’s “Furong Town”.
It seems that there’s no better way than to make a movie together and fall in love because of the drama!
Bai Qingquan looked very happy and said, “Then I’m waiting for your good news. I really want to act with you. The last time I made a cameo, I didn’t enjoy it at all!”
After Bai Qingquan finished speaking, he glanced back, and saw a thin and tall young man in formal clothes walking over. He thought it was Yan Qiuchi and became nervous.
Shen Jintai stretched out his hand to grab the bathrobe next to him and put it on his body before he could see that the person was Yan Yaoxuan.
“Back so early?” Shen Jintai smiled and said. “Do you need me to introduce you?”
“Yan Yaoxuan. I have seen you on The East Palace set before.” Yan Yaoxuan smiled and stretched out his hand.
Bai Qingquan shook his hand. “Bai Qingquan.”
“Is Auntie Fang back?” Shen Jintai asked.
Yan Yaoxuan: “They’re back.”
“Then I’ll go say hello.” Bai Qingquan glanced at Shen Jintai.
“Did you drink too?” Yan Yaoxuan asked.
“We both drank a bottle of red wine,” Shen Jintai said with a smile. “I think you have also drunk a lot. Your face is red.”
“My dad and I are the only ones in our family who can drink.” Yan Yaoxuan suddenly glanced at Shen Jintai’s chest as he was speaking. He was stunned. He had also watched Shen Jintai’s underwear ad, and while it did shock him somewhat, in the end, it was only through a screen that was heavily filtered and wasn’t real. Now, seeing it in person under the moonlight, he could only focus on the dazzling white skin and tender red areas. With just a glance, the burst of heat had burned through all the alcohol he had consumed.
Yan Yaoxuan quickly averted his eyes, as his heart was beating furiously. A strange thought popped into his head. ‘This man is going to be my sister-in-law. How can I look at his chest like this.’
This had a feeling like some weird NTR* vibe.
*This acronym is short for the Japanese phrase “Ne To Ra Re” (寝取られ). It means someone else slept with one’s date or partner.
“Let me accompany you to greet Auntie and the others.” Shen Jintai said to Bai Qingquan as he tightened his bathrobe.
Bai Qingquan nodded.
“Go ahead. I’m taking a swim.” Yan Yaoxuan said as he was about to undress. Shen Jintai left with Bai Qingquan. After walking some distance, Bai Qingquan glanced back only to hear a plop sound. He turned to Shen Jintai and said, “President Yan’s younger brother is not at all like him.”
“The personality is very different,” Shen Jintai said.
When they arrived in the living room, they didn’t see Mrs. Yan but instead saw Yan Qiuchi. His cuffs were rolled up. Bai Qingquan immediately shouted respectfully, “President Yan.”
“Nn.” Yan Qiuchi looked at Shen Jintai. “Did you go swimming?”
Shen Jintai: “Yeah. I swam for a bit.”
Mrs. Yan had changed her clothes and came downstairs. Bai Qingquan greeted her and prepared to leave. He didn’t feel comfortable when it wasn’t just him and Shen Jintai. Especially when facing Yan Qiuchi, he felt that he was too serious and felt under a lot of pressure because of it.
“You can’t drive after drinking, right?” Mrs. Yan said. “I will ask the driver to take you home.”
The bathrobe on Shen Jintai’s body was loose, and it became even looser when he walked around, revealing a little bit of his chest. When he was standing on the side of the road to send Bai Qingquan off, Yan Qiuchi suddenly stretched out his hand from behind him and pulled up his bathrobe to tighten it.
Shen Jintai was taken aback for a moment. He turned around, bumping into Yan Qiuchi’s shoulder, and felt embarrassed. It was actually too hot since it was at the end of July, the hottest period of the season. His bathrobe was also too thick.
“You should think about the movie.” Bai Qingquan said when he got in the car.
“Will do.” Shen Jintai smiled and waved goodbye with his hand.
When the car drove off, Mrs. Yan asked, “What movie?”
“Qingquan picked up a movie, and there is still a role yet to be cast. The director and producer want to invite me to star in it.”
“You want to pick it up?” Yan Qiuchi asked.
Shen Jintai said, “I haven’t read the script yet, but they are quite sincere and said they are willing to wait for my schedule.”
<Pilot> would finish filming in August, and <Welcome Rain on a Spring Night> would start filming in December. There was a small gap in his schedule between them, so it was doable. Shen Jintai told Mrs. Yan the general content of the movie.
“What?! You want to make a love drama with Bai Qingquan?!” Mrs. Yan glanced at Yan Qiuchi with complicated eyes.
Shen Jintai put his hands in the pockets of his bathrobe, smiling brightly. “Are you looking forward to it?”
Former rivals who joined hands to make a love movie together. Everyone should want to see it!
Before her feelings could even settle down, they rose again. The corner of Mrs. Yan’s mouth moved, but she didn’t know what to say. She would never interfere with Shen Jintai’s career.
—
Yan Qiuchi asked Fang Yun to send the electronic version of the script of <When You’re Older> to his email that night. He stayed up all night to read it. The more he read it, the more frightened he became.
What intense entanglement, what ears were side by side, against the forehead, and what mixed with tears and hot kisses. This love drama was stronger than a bottle of wine!
Is this a movie that should be performed by a top superstar?! After filming this kind of drama, it would be crazy if emotional feelings didn’t develop! The special parts had to be tape*, right?!
*Tape on special parts and use it to make it fake. Literally means to tape up their privates during bed scenes and fake the sex.
Yan Qiuchi’s brain was about to explode. As an actor, it was inevitable that Shen Jintai would have close contact when acting. He wasn’t such an old-fashioned person that would deem this kind of thing unacceptable. It’s just that same-sex dramas were not mainstream. Shen Jintai shouldn’t be starring in so much same-sex drama in his life. As for acting in a regular love drama with an actress, he really didn’t care. Although sex scenes do convey emotional progress in a relationship between the protagonists, for a top flow, this scale is just too big…
He had doubts about the brokerage department picking up this book for Bai Qingquan. It was obviously not suitable for his image.
Just when Yan Qiuchi was about to combust, a ding came through, signaling another email had arrived. He opened it and saw Fang Yun’s message: [Ahhhh boss. I made a mistake. This was the first version released by Xingyun. Later, the creators modified it and toned a lot of it down. This version is the most recent.]
Yan Qiuchi: “…”
He would deal with her tomorrow for this mistake.
His stimulation was so great that he hurriedly read the final draft again. After finishing, he calmed down. Seeing that this was the version that Bai Qingquan’s team picked up, he recomposed himself and became warmer.
Despite it being more moderate, there was still a kiss scene.
Shen Jintai hadn’t had his first kiss yet, right? Was his first kiss going to be dedicated to Bai Qingquan?!
The author has something to say:
Yan Qiuchi: NO WAY. The first kiss can only be mine.
Kinky Thoughts:
Note: (Drinking/eating) vinegar is slang for being jealous.
Shen Jintai #1 shou who can even make other shous into gongs.
As soon as Shen Jintai reappeared, he immediately occupied the hot topics of all major entertainment sectors.
“Touhua is finally out of the mountain!”
“Have you noticed that Shen Jintai is getting better and better, and it’s completely different from before?”
“I discovered a long time ago that Touhua becomes more beautiful every time he appears. Maybe he’s had plastic surgery, but it doesn’t feel like he has the time. If you look closely, his facial features hadn’t changed much, but it feels different somehow.”
“Red can nourish people. After the fire, the quality of the team will go up. His makeup, wardrobe, and style will all be improved. That being said, his eyebrows, eyes, and nose do look different than before. I think it might be because he’s still growing. After all, he’s not even 21 yet.”
“He has a good height and good bone structure. He usually doesn’t look particularly stunning, but he has never lost in a group photo. After the past two years, he has become prettier. The peak of a man’s facial value is about 25, and Touhua is still a few years away. It can only go up from here.”
Shen Jintai was getting prettier. This was everyone’s opinion, especially Yan Yaoxuan, who hadn’t seen him for a long time.
Shen Jintai already had the temperament of a big star. His facial features were outstanding, and they complimented his fair skin and rosy lips. He becomes especially charming when he smiles. It could immediately brighten anyone up, which made Yan Yaoxuan particularly dumbfounded whenever he looked at it.
“I got a gift for you. Come to my room later to get it,” Shen Jintai said.
Yan Yaoxuan was taken aback for a moment and asked, “You got me a gift?”
Without waiting for Shen Jintai to answer, he heard his brother interject, “He bought gifts for everyone in the family.”
Yan Yaoxuan sneered in his heart. His brother hasn’t even snagged Shen Jintai yet, and he’s already acting like this. Yan Yaoxuan gave Shen Jintai a smile and said, “I’ll like whatever you give me.”
“I didn’t know what to get, so I picked out a watch for you.” Shen Jintai laughed. “I hope you like it.”
Naturally, he would treat both brothers equally. After thinking about it for a long time, he didn’t know what gift would be similar to a watch, so he decided to give them both watches. To avoid any conflict, he held the two brothers at the same weight in his heart.
He patted Yan Yaoxuan on the shoulder and went to greet Mrs. Yan. Yan Yaoxuan followed, leaving Yan Qiuchi with a darkened face.
Shen Jintai’s gift to his younger brother was also a watch? Isn’t that the same as his? Does this mean he was the same as Yan Yaoxuan in Shen Jintai’s mind?
On the surface, there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with that. However, if the watch was the same as the one he was wearing…
Yan Qiuchi put his hands in his pockets and followed slowly.
—
There were two birthday banquets for Yan Tiefeng. One was held in a five-star hotel, where acquaintances and friends were invited, and the other was at his own home, where there would only be relatives and close friends.
“I also sent invitations to your dad and his family,” Mrs. Yan said. “Did you come back this time to see them?”
“I came here after I went home first,” Shen Jintai said.
Mrs. Yan nodded and said, “Last time when I returned, Qiuchi also went to your house and gave them some Northwest specialties for you.”
Recalling this, Mrs. Yan couldn’t help but feel proud. Her son was more careful and thoughtful than she was.
Shen Jintai was surprised. He looked back to Yan Qiuchi and said, “I didn’t know about this.”
Yan Qiuchi had an unassuming character when he did good deeds, so he usually didn’t tell others about it. Fortunately, there was Mrs. Yan!
“Thank you very much,” Shen Jintai said to Yan Qiuchi.
Yan Qiuchi said lightly, “It’s nothing.”
“Xiao Jin, aren’t you going to give me my gift? I can’t wait to see it,” Yan Yaoxuan interrupted.
Shen Jintai took him upstairs. Mrs. Yan watched them go and said, “Xiao Jin is finally staying in our house for two days. You have to seize the opportunity.”
“Not in a hurry,” Yan Qiuchi said.
Mrs. Yan who was arranging flowers, suddenly paused when she heard his words. She gave him a look.
Not in a hurry? Seriously, are you really not in a hurry?
Yan Qiuchi glanced upstairs and saw Yan Yaoxuan with one hand on Shen Jintai’s waist, looking very affectionate.
“Look at how good Yaoxuan’s and Xiao Jin’s relationship is.” Mrs. Yan also sighed with emotion. They looked just like brothers.
Yan Qiuchi discovered that the first thing he had to solve was Yan Yaoxuan. He knew Shen Jintai didn’t like Yan Yaoxuan in that way. There was no ambiguity between them. The main issue was to make Yan Yaoxuan give up. Not only to give up but to draw the line between him and Shen Jintai. He needed to have the awareness that a younger brother-in-law should have. They had to have a clean break so that they could get along well in the future.
Shen Jintai himself was also figuring out how to get along with Yan Yaoxuan. Yan Yaoxuan had confessed to him previously. There was a brief period of embarrassment, but they have stopped mentioning the event of that day and returned to a state of friendship. He felt this current state was pretty good.
Shen Jintai: “I bought one for you and your brother. I hope you’ll like it.”
Yan Yaoxuan put on the watch and said, “If you get along with my brother, you must tell me in advance.”
Shen Jintai was stunned. “I haven’t told you, but that’s all in the past now. Between me, Qiuchi, and you, we’ll all be brothers in the future.”
Yan Yaoxuan glanced up at him, feeling that Shen Jintai didn’t seem to be lying. He became puzzled and said, “He is chasing you, yet you’re not at all tempted?”
Shen Jintai laughed. “Do you think your brother is someone who will take the initiative to pursue others?”
Yan Yaoxuan realized that his brother hadn’t officially started his pursuit yet. It turns out that it was still in the stage of secret admiration. A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he said to Shen Jintai, “He used to treat you like that, and even if he wants to chase you in the future, you must not easily agree to him.” It was best never to agree; this was his selfishness.
Shen Jintai smiled. Despite telling everyone that it was impossible between him and Yan Qiuchi, it seems others refuse to fully believe him. Perhaps his previous crazy pursuits were too deeply rooted in their hearts that only time would dilute their views.
During lunch, Yan Qiuchi saw the watch on Yan Yaoxuan’s wrist. Fortunately, it wasn’t the same model as his, and the color was also different. Yaoxuan’s was blue. This gave him a bit of comfort.
The birthday party held at the five-star hotel was tonight. Everyone had been busy in the afternoon. The Yan and the Fang families were both powerful, so all the guests attending were either rich or elite. Even if there was a professional team hired to take care of things, there were still honored guests that needed to be entertained personally. After lunch, their group headed over to the hotel.
Mrs. Yan specially put on the necklace that Shen Jintai gave her. She was dressed in a red evening dress, which made her look plump and luxurious. Yan Yaoxuan and Yan Qiuchi were both in black formal wear. When the brothers came down from upstairs, Shen Jintai felt like he was watching a blockbuster movie.
The two sons of the Yan family were eye-catching. One was icy and cold, and the other was warm and sunny. They were both like walking clothes hangers.
Shen Jintai didn’t plan to attend such a public occasion. Mrs. Yan had told him to take a good rest at home.
Mrs. Yan: “I see dark circles around your eyes. Go and get a good night’s sleep. Just let the chef know what you want to eat for dinner, and they’ll cook it for you.”
“Qingquan asked me to have dinner just now, and I want to invite him to come here to eat. Is it okay?” Shen Jintai asked.
Mrs. Yan was taken aback for a moment and said, “This is your own home, so you can invite anyone you want.” Hearing her own words shocked both Mrs. Yan and Yan Qiuchi.
Yan Yaoxuan also asked, “Qingquan, is Bai Qingquan? Is it the handsome guy you acted with in The East Palace?”
Shen Jintai nodded. “That’s him.”
Mrs. Yan glanced at Yan Qiuchi with complicated eyes and found that Yan Qiuchi was in a sordid state. He was overcome with anxiety because he felt the possibility of Shen Jintai and Bai Qingquan getting together could commence at any time. Who knows what would happen if the two of them were together alone tonight.
Yan Qiuchi’s heart was disturbed, but as the eldest son of the family, he could not be absent for Yan Tiefeng’s birthday party. No matter how worried he was, he needed to attend to his obligations.
Yan Yaoxuan wanted to drive his own sports car, so Mrs. Yan took Yan Qiuchi’s car.
“It should be fine,” she comforted Yan Qiuchi. “Isn’t Bai Qingquan from your company? Why don’t you find a way to find someone to ask and see where his heart lies?”
Yan Qiuchi was distracted all night. The birthday party was destined to run late into the night, and even after it was over, he had to stay behind to see off the guests.
Yan Tiefeng’s birthday party was held very solemnly. Celebrities from all walks of life came. For the two sons of the Yan family, tonight was also a time for them to broaden their contacts, especially Yan Qiuchi. His film and television company had done such an excellent job proving his abilities and aptitude. In the next few years, Yan Tiefang most likely would put more responsibility on his shoulders, so he had to visit those big bosses and high-level officials one by one.
Yan Qiuchi was the focus at the banquet. He was outstanding among the younger generation in terms of height, appearance, and abilities. His reputation was good and wasn’t hampered by any gossip. Let alone single women, even married ones couldn’t help but give him multiple glances. He stood upright behind Yan Tiefeng, exuding his heroic and abstemious appearance, which touched numerous hearts that night.
Yan Qiuchi raised his hand and looked at his watch. It was 8 PM.
—
A sports car was driving through the deep woods. Bai Qingquan saw the villa in the distance, shining in the dark night. The Yan family mansion was so famous that even he had heard about it. Sure enough, seeing was better than hearing.
The car stopped in front of the villa. Shen Jintai was smiling as he stood in the courtyard with one hand in his pocket. Bai Qingquan got out of the car and glanced up at the villa in front of him. He gasped, “Wow.”
“I’m starving to death waiting for you,” Shen Jintai said.
“I went to record a show in the afternoon, but it went over time and didn’t end until almost 6.” Bai Qingquan took a fruit basket from the car, and a maid immediately took it off his hands.
Bai Qingquan followed Shen Jintai into the house as he kept looking around with a smile. The interior was different from what he thought. It wasn’t a European royal style but a combination of Chinese and Western. There was lots of furniture, but because the mansion was so big, it looked very spacious.
The next area by the mansion was the municipal government, making this area the most expensive in Nanchang. A villa with a manor like the Yan’s was not something that you could afford with just money.
Near the end of July was the hottest time of the season. After eating, the two of them went out for a walk and wandered around under the moonlight. It was particularly luminescent in July. The fragrance of the flowers and trees wafted, and the night breeze was warm and damp.
Shen Jintai was just listening to the sound of nature when suddenly a ding dong rang and Xiao Ai came online: “Dear!”
Shen Jintai immediately said, “I know what you are going to say. Heroes often see eye to eye!”
Xiao Ai: “It is indeed a good time. My dear, you haven’t made any progress at all recently, so we can’t send out the beauty reward!”
Isn’t the current mood exciting?
“Just watch,” Shen Jintai told Xiao Ai.
When they reached the swimming pool in the back yard, Shen Jintai coyly asked Bai Qingquan, “Do you want to go for a swim?”
The author has something to say:
It’s time to use the rewards of becoming beautiful to create a shura field.
Kinky Thoughts:
As many of you are already aware, many translators have taken down/deleted/locked/password protected their translations, and a lot of their works are no longer listed on NovelsUpdate. The reason behind this is because jjwxc, the publisher where most danmei are published, recently announced they are launching an international version that will have novel translations hosted on their website.
While this should be good in theory and help support the authors by having their work reach a wider audience, the implementation can only be said to be absolute garbage. They are offering a monetary incentive for translators, but the conditions are stringent, and you need to be a Chinese citizen with a Chinese bank account. The worst part is that there is no plagiarism protection in place, so anyone can just steal translations from someone else and post them there to earn money off of someone else’s hard work. (Oh BTW if you think you can make money off of being a “translator” good luck with that. You’re going to be earning pennies on the dollar; actually you’ll be lucky if you earn even pennies).
This has now led to many translators removing their works or taking extra measures to protect themselves because:
They don’t want their works stolen and profited off of.
They don’t want to be hit with a DMCA and forced to take their work down or deal with legal action.
This has now created a knee-jerk response in the danmei reading community, where readers are angry and disappointed that they can no longer read the novels they wanted. In turn, some have even harassed the translators for their decision to protect themselves (which I find quite abhorrent). Know that as a reader, you are not entitled to anything. What you get is free for your own enjoyment, courtesy of someone else’s hard work. You’re literally turning into black powder when you harass others. It’s quite disgusting to see. I can understand your disappointment, as I too have many novels that I can no longer read. What I don’t do is shit talk and attack the very people who spend their free time providing enjoyment for me and ask nothing in return except to be nice and respectful.
My thoughts regarding this matter are this: I will continue posting my translations until I receive a DMCA notice. You think Yan Qiuchi is face-slapping himself hard right now? Think about how a translator would feel getting a DMCA notice against their own stolen translation being posted by someone else. That is a face slap. The chances of getting a DMCA are probably pretty low, but probable doesn’t mean impossible. I will wait it out and see how this new system jjwxc implements goes, though I predict it’ll crash and burn.
Besides, my translation has already been stolen with no credits given and posted on aggregator sites. Now that there are monetary incentives, it’s a given that any translation will be stolen. But that’s what happens when you share things online. There’s no use crying over spilled milk. Ultimately, my goal is to provide a good reading experience for a novel I really like so that people who read this book won’t be turned off by the horrible translation quality. If this means that my translation will get stolen… well, so be it.
Anyway, until further notice, everything remains unchanged. I get enjoyment from translating, and I figure I might as well share it with others. It’s a shame that other translators are pulling out, but I don’t blame them. Too many shitty people in the world. Best we can do is read some danmei and comfort ourselves.
“Ready to shoot. All departments are in place. Three, two, one, action!”
The rocker camera slowly raised and merged into the sun. A group of young men in flight suits stood in formation. In front of them, a middle-aged man in a military uniform put his hands on his waist and said, “Today’s the day you’re entering the battlefield. All eyes of China are watching you. Fly high and crush those Japs and come back to me safe and sound. Squadron leader…”
Squadron leader Liu Gang stepped forward. “Here!”
“I’m trusting you with this group of outstanding men. Remember, your lives are far more important than the planes. We must bring everyone back safely!”
“Yes!”
Everyone went to their own fighter jets. Chen Zheng walked in hurried steps, catching up to a young man. “Ye Wen!”
Ye Wen turned his head and grinned. “We are finally going to fight.”
“Did you hear what the instructor said just now?” Ye Wen and he were about the same age, both 20. Due to this, they had the best relationship in the group. While Chen Zheng was calm, Ye Wen’s personality was hot-headed. He wasn’t afraid of anything.
Ye Wen: “Don’t worry. Even if I die, I will use my last breath to take down those Japs!”
Chen Zheng said, “The instructor said that our lives are more important than the plane’s. If the plane is bombed, you must try to protect yourself. Don’t be too combative. As long as you survive, you can take down more of those little devils in the future!”
Ye Wen smiled and nodded. “Don’t worry, I know it in my heart.”
He gave a casual military salute and said, “I’ll see you in the skies!” After he finished speaking, he climbed into his fighter jet with eagerness.
Chen Zheng glanced at him before climbing into his fighter jet.
The instructor patted Liu Gang on the shoulder. “The enemy’s Type 96 is 60 kilometers faster than our Hawkeye. If you can’t hold it, you must first pay attention to your own safety. Did you go home to see your wife and child yesterday?”
Liu Gang smiled and said, “No, but during training yesterday, I flew around my house. My wife and daughter must have seen it.”
Liu Gang got into his fighter jet, looked at his teammates next to him, and shouted, “The Chinese Air Force, the Fourth Brigade, is taking off!”
Aircraft after aircraft flew off the ground, one after another. Liu Gang led his group of Hawkeyes towards the distance, leaving behind the rumbling sounds. Their first mission was to raid a Japanese airbase.
After this scene was filmed, the crew officially moved to the Republic of China Film and Television City to shoot three consecutive air battles. Each was more tragic than the other.
Ye Wen had died during the first battle. He was planning to refuel at an airbase. Before the plane landed, he received a call from the captain saying that the enemy planes were besieging the base. Hearing this, he took off again before landing. He fought with the enemy planes for a few minutes before his plane was shot down, causing him to eject from it. Chen Zheng had provided him cover so he could safely skydive to the ground. Unfortunately, he strayed into the enemy’s position. Remembering Chen Zheng’s words that he must stay alive, Ye Wen yelled, “We cannot let ourselves be captured alive! For China!”. He then took out a gun and shot himself in the head with the last remaining bullet.
Li Meilan cried while reading the script in the car. This story was adapted from history, so it was easy to make people emotional. She was worried that Shen Jintai would enter the play too deeply, especially given that the adaptation was based on real events and Chen Zheng was also a historical prototype. This kind of movie was more exciting than The East Palace because Lu Ming had made <Pilot> extremely bloody and cruel.
In the next scene, Chen Zheng had to mourn for his brother, who had tragically died during the battle.
“I’m fine,” Shen Jintai said as he lay exhausted in the car. “Most of them are war scenes, and many of them are scenes of flying planes against the green screen. At the juncture of life and death, there is not that much time to be sad.”
The script was passionate and hot. The movie could be regarded as a tribute to this group of heroic pilots of the past.
“Have you bought the gift I asked you to buy?” Shen Jintai asked Li Meilan.
Li Meilan wiped her tears and said, “After so many years you still doubt my abilities? I already bought it and it’s shipped to Nancheng.”
Shen Jintai had asked Liu Peng, a master of stone carving art, to craft him a Phoenix Tree.
—
Yan Tiefeng’s 50th birthday was very grand. Mrs. Yan and the others had started planning the matter a week in advance. Even Yan Yaoxuan flew back from abroad to help his mother organize it.
“Your brother has been very busy recently. He hasn’t been home for several days,” Mrs. Yan said.
Yan Yaoxuan: “What gift did brother prepare for dad?”
“Probably the usual. When it comes to gifts, he’s not very creative. For me, it would be jewelry. If it’s your father, it would be the four treasures of the study. For you, it’s probably a car.” Mrs. Yan smiled and said, “You little clever devil. What are you giving your dad this time?”
Yan Yaoxuan said complacently, “Mine should be kept secret as a surprise.”
“Okay, fine. You don’t have to tell me.” Mrs. Yan took out her phone and said, “I have to call your brother and ask him to pick up Xiao Jin from the airport today, so he doesn’t forget.”
“Is Xiao Jin coming back too?” Yan Yaoxuan’s eyes immediately became radiant.
“He’ll be back this evening,” Mrs. Yan said. “I’ll tell you some good news. Your brother is chasing Xiao Jin.”
Yan Yaoxuan was stunned. “What… brother?”
Did his brother take the initiative to chase Shen Jintai?
Yan Yaoxuan was in utter disbelief. In fact, he would be surprised if his brother took the initiative to chase anyone, let alone Shen Jintai. In his heart, even if his brother secretly loved another, he didn’t seem like the kind of person who would take the initiative.
“Didn’t Xiao Jin stop liking him a long time ago?” Yan Yaoxuan said quietly.
Mrs. Yan: “He did, but I still have confidence in your brother. He’s a good man, so he should be able to net him back if he wanted to, right? Xiao Jin used to like him so much, so the emotional foundation is still there.”
Mrs. Yan called Yan Qiuchi. When he answered, she said, “Xiao Jin is coming back today, so go pick him up at the airport. Don’t forget about it when you get too busy with work.”
“How could I forget?” Yan Qiuchi said. “I’m already on my way to the airport.”
After hanging up the phone, Yan Qiuchi looked out the window. The car had reached the northern suburbs of Nancheng. He raised his eyes to see a field, and in the distance, he could see the undulating mountains of Yuqing.
It had only been 10 days since the set visit. These last 10 days were more difficult than the previous 10 years. Perhaps it was due to his enlightenment. He knew how wonderful the taste of holding Shen Jintai was, but his heart had become greedier, and he couldn’t hold back his needs. The days of fasting and eating vegetarian food will no longer suffice. The palm of his hand still remembers the touch of Shen Jintai’s skin, and his chest still remembers the outline of Shen Jintai’s figure. The most irritating thing was that the moment he pressed onto Shen Jintai, he felt a cool feeling that he almost couldn’t help but want to burst. He persevered, and the uncomfortable and enraged feelings lingered in his heart.
He had always been sexually disciplined and wasn’t a man who indulged in obscenity, so he restrained himself and completely buried his thoughts towards work. He knew that a large part of his personal charm was due to his successful career. He cannot be a man who is driven only by love. Shen Jintai’s career was growing by the day, and he needed to do the same.
His demeanor changed from the icy President Yan to a passionate youth with exciting thoughts at the prospect of seeing the person he liked return. He was relatively low-key this time as he drove a commercial vehicle. He didn’t get out of the car and opted to wait inside.
Shen Jintai’s itinerary was made public. He hadn’t appeared in public since he joined the crew to film <Pilot>. The gold powders were very anxious and wanted to see him. Monsoon Entertainment also felt that he should show his face to consolidate his popularity.
“Looks good?” Shen Jintai asked the makeup artist.
The makeup artist helped him straighten his hair again. His clothes and hair were meticulously designed to match. Usually, when celebrities exit the airport, they liked to give the image of “I didn’t dress up today and want to keep a low profile, so please don’t take pictures of me”. However, Shen Jintai didn’t do that. He thought that since his fans wanted to see him, he must let his fans see his most radiant side. Recently, he had been filming night scenes, so he put on sunglasses to cover his tired eyes as he exited the airport.
The gold powders have long crowded around the airport. There was tons of airport security to help maintain order. Unlike the previous few times, this time there was advance notice. The gold powders were well prepared. Under the leadership of several big fans, order was maintained very well. Before Shen Jintai came out, they all waited there quietly.
Suddenly, they saw Xiao Tang. They were familiar with the assistants that were around their cooking, so when they saw him, the crowd immediately roared, “He’s coming! He’s coming! He’s coming!”
Almost instantly, many people raised their phones at the same time.
Shen Jintai was now facing a popular fried chicken* battle. His team surrounded him while two bodyguards in black suits led the way. He was dressed casually with his sunglasses on as he walked at a chic pace with a smile on his face.
*(当红炸子鸡) Buzzword to refer to a person or thing that had become popular recently.
“Shen Jintai! Shen Jintai!” someone screamed.
People at the entire airport were attracted to all the commotion. Many unsuspecting passersby turned their heads to look at the scene. Amidst the surging crowd, they saw a handsome young man in a white T-shirt and black pants. He took off his sunglasses and bowed to everyone, causing the crowd to scream endlessly.
A lady nearby, who had just learned about what was going on, excitedly pulled her husband’s arm and shouted, “It’s Li Xu! It’s Li Xu!” There were some people who didn’t know the name Shen Jintai, but everyone knows who Li Xu was.
Yan Qiuchi was sitting in the car as he heard the screams of the star-chasing girls. He looked up and saw nothing at first but could feel the commotion in the air. Suddenly, a group of young girls started pouring out. Then he saw Shen Jintai within the hordes of people. He was surrounded by Xiao Tang and his team as he was holding a few bouquets in his arms, struggling to move forward against the crowd.
Star chasing could become contagious as Yan Qiuchi felt the excitement of these girls at that very moment. An assistant had already reached the car and stretched out his hand to usher Shen Jintai in. As soon as he stepped into the car, his body was suddenly infused with the faint smell of cologne. Yan Qiuchi exchanged a glance with him, and his heart accelerated instantly. Shen Jintai immediately turned his head and waved his hand outside the car. Facing hundreds of phones, he bent over and nodded slightly as he reached out and closed the door.
He was already a superstar.
As soon as the car door closed, it instantly blocked the commotion from outside. Shen Jintai hadn’t experienced this kind of battle in a long time. A thin layer of sweat appeared on his body as he took off his sunglasses and leaned on his seat to catch his breath. Only then did he have time to greet Yan Qiuchi, “Long time no see.”
To Shen Jintai, this was just a polite greeting, but for Yan Qiuchi, it truly felt as if it was a long time since he’d seen him. Because he often didn’t get the chance, he had to seize the opportunity every time he met Shen Jintai.
The author has something to say:
Rush.
Kinky Thoughts:
Mrs. Yan: “I’ll tell you some good news. Your bro has the hots for Xiao Jin now.”
“We saved some breakfast for you,” Shen Jintai said to Yan Qiuchi after he went up. “There are buns, porridge, and soymilk fritters.”
“I have no appetite,” Yan Qiuchi said. “You worked hard yesterday.”
“Actually, I didn’t help much,” Shen Jintai said. “It’s just that Auntie Fang was worried about you, so drink less in the future.”
“I was talking to him about that just now. What are you doing drinking so much alcohol by yourself?” Mrs. Yan said.
She just seized the opportunity and hurriedly asked Yan Qiuchi about the situation last night, but she didn’t expect him to say that nothing happened.
Such a good opportunity was wasted. However, she didn’t believe Yan Qiuchi’s words. According to her son’s temperament, even if something happened, he probably wouldn’t say it. Yan Qiuchi was quite conservative in this regard, and their mother-son relationship had not reached the point where they could talk about everything.
Shen Jintai went to Yan Qiuchi’s room to get his blanket. He saw that it had been neatly folded and that Yan Qiuchi’s bed was clean and tidy.
Yan Qiuchi followed him in and asked, “Didn’t you use the hotel blanket?”
Shen Jintai: “No, I brought this one myself to sleep more comfortably.”
Usually, he would use the sheets and blankets provided by the hotels. This time, because he had to stay for a long time, he brought his own blanket. He felt it was cleaner.
Shen Jintai picked up his blanket and said, “Do you remember being drunk yesterday?”
Yan Qiuchi said, “I remember vaguely.”
Shen Jintai laughed. “You are quite clingy when you are drunk.”
Yan Qiuchi: “Did I bother you?”
Shen Jintai said, “No, but I was worried. I was afraid that when you wake up and see me lying next to you, you would think that I was harassing you. Don’t worry. I was very upright last night. I did sleep in the same bed with you without your consent though. I hope you don’t mind.”
Shen Jintai was obviously joking around, causing Yan Qiuchi to smile faintly. “I don’t mind.”
When Shen Jintai was about to leave, Yan Qiuchi shouted, “Jintai.”
“Hmm?” Shen Jintai turned his head.
Yan Qiuchi: “You often tell me that you are different from before, so I can rest assured… In fact, I also want to tell you that I have seen your changes with my very own eyes. My attitude towards you… is also changing. I now think… you are good, truly.”
He felt that it was necessary for him to talk to Shen Jintai about this, although this topic was a bit embarrassing for them both. But every time Shen Jintai made such half-truths about himself, he worried that Shen Jintai thought he was still stuck in the past and still hated him. He wanted Shen Jintai to know that they had all changed. He wouldn’t mind or worry about being harassed. Truthfully, he would even welcome it.
Shen Jintai wasn’t sure if it was because the sun was affecting his mood, but it seemed that their relationship had improved. He felt that when Yan Qiuchi looked at him, it seemed to be different from before. It was very bright and focused. He couldn’t help but smile, feeling a bit moved. Everyone has now seen his changes. The clothes he had stripped in front of Yan Qiuchi were slowly being put back on one by one.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. The door wasn’t locked and immediately opened after the knock. Shen Jintai saw that it was Yan Qiuchi’s assistant, Fang Yun.
Yan Qiuchi was usually busy with work. In the two-day break since he came to visit the set, he had accumulated a pile of work.
Fang Yun had become anxious as the people below kept urging her. Yan Qiuchi was devoted when working, but when he takes a break, in principle, he doesn’t allow people to contact him unless it’s an emergency. He was supposed to return yesterday, but after a day of delay, Fang Yun rushed over to personally deliver documents.
As soon as she knocked and entered the room, she saw Shen Jintai. She immediately became excited as she was one of the thousands of gold powders.
Shen Jintai looked a little more muscular than before. He had a more heroic and upright feel as well. He was truly a star. His temperament was good, and his porcelain skin and beautiful appearance were not heavily exaggerated, making him look a little above average. There were many handsome men that were probably better looking than him, but compared to him, Fang Yun thought that Shen Jintai was more dazzling.
Of course, this was due to her fan filter.
Yan Qiuchi saw her and said, “Come in and talk.”
She bowed to Yan Qiuchi, then nodded to Shen Jintai, and then entered the room.
“Then I’ll leave you guys to it.” Shen Jintai hurriedly left while holding his blanket.
Fang Yun’s heart was pounding. She just witnessed Shen Jintai coming out of President Yan’s room holding a blanket. What did this mean? Was it what she thought it was?
“Give it to me.” Yan Qiuchi sat down on the sofa.
Fang Yun hurriedly took out a few important documents from her bag. “This is a major project candidate for the fourth quarter. Here’s the summary of the proposal for <Ten Thousand Lights>. The internal review passed yesterday, and Director Zhao has signed it. Please give your final confirmation. This proposal is for <Welcome Rain on a Spring Night>. It contains the revised script by Director Qiu Hong as well as the company’s proposed changes based on their internal audit. The changed parts are marked with fluorescent labels.”
The script for <Welcome Rain on a Spring Night> was brought to Yan Qiuchi himself. Fang Yun wasn’t sure why, as he had always ignored script selection in the past.
Yan Qiuchi nodded, took out the script, and handed it to her. “You can send it to Shen Jintai.”
Fang Yun was stunned as she took the script from his hand.
“Don’t you like him very much?” Yan Qiuchi said to her while reading the documents. “Go. You can also ask him for an autograph.”
“Can I?” Fang Yun was very excited when she heard this. She hurriedly went to Shen Jintai to give him the script and ask for an autograph.
Shen Jintai was surprised when he saw Fang Yun. He didn’t expect that there were people around Yan Qiuchi who were his fans.
“I like you very much,” Fang Yun said excitedly. “You acted beautifully in The East Palace. My parents also like you a lot.”
When speaking about <The East Palace is Coming> or the role of Li Xu, she felt that they provided great significance to society. Before it, she never thought her parents would one day like a gay character. It was also because of this that Shen Jintai had become a cinnabar mole* in the minds of many people.
*Referencing Eileen Chang’sRed Rose, White Rose. The white rose represents the white moonlight (bai yueguang) while the red rose represents the cinnabar mole. The white moonlight is your first love, that you cannot be with, while the cinnabar mole represents the person you spend a lifetime with. || In this context, it means that Li Xu’s character made a deep impression on the audience and is now with them for a lifetime. See my Kinky Thoughts for more details.
Fang Yun: “Like everyone else, I am waiting for the makeup photo for <Pilot>.”
“It will be released this morning,” Shen Jintai said with a smile.
<Pilot> adhered to Director Lu Ming’s consistent style, that was, it did a very good job in confidentiality. The crew had been filming for so long, and not a single picture had been leaked. As the first work after Shen Jintai’s East Palace, not only gold powders but even passersby were looking forward to it.
“I heard that the makeup shots will be released at 10 in the morning, and the trailer will be released at 8 in the evening!”
“Finally, I have some materials to eat! Shen Jintai is acting as a soldier. I am so looking forward to it!”
“Because of him, I watched a bunch of film and television materials on the pilots during the Republic of China a few days ago. Oh my god, I was sobbing like crazy watching them. I was so excited and moved. Lu Ming’s directing skills are top notch, and Shen Jintai’s going to explode again!”
“Shen Jintai’s resources are really amazing. Seems like all the rumors in your district are about movie pies, right? He has so much negative news and he’s gay. I really want to thank The East Palace for giving him these resources. It’s great luck that he got to participate in a popular national drama.”
“The East Palace three masters’ follow-ups are so good. Bai Qingquan seems to be joining a group to make a movie, and Zheng Siqi is paired with Yang Lizhi, who’s a hua dan. However, Shen Jintai is the one who reaped the most benefits. He’s considered to be at the nuclear explosion level. The endorsements are poor, and the movie pie can’t be eaten*.”
*Clairty: The last sentence is meant to be a diss, saying his endorsements are poor quality and the movie he’s making won’t be palatable.
“I think he is completely worthy. When he signed the contract with Monsoon Entertainment, it’s rumored that the blockbuster <Pilot> was one of the stipulations. They also promised to make him the resident MC for <Full Preparation>. This is a popular variety show for top stars. In the end, Shen Jintai rejected the variety show in order to make a movie. Not everyone possesses this kind of courage.”
“If it suits him, then actors should make good movies and participate less in variety shows. Speaking of which, I will hate myself if it doesn’t meet my expectations!”
“Shen Jintai’s Weibo followers are about to break 30 million. He’s about to overtake Bai Qingquan!”
Shen Jintai was so busy with filming and work that he hadn’t shown up for a long time. He was one of the few top-line actors who made the fewest public appearances after becoming popular. Despite this, he remained topical and trendy. This was partially due to <The East Palace is Coming> continued to rise in popularity as it attracted more and more gold powders every day.
Gold powders have been like reclusive monks lately. In the beginning, they fought with black powders to defend their brother. Recently, there hadn’t been any anti-black powder work that needed to be done. Since Shen Jintai’s rise to fame, the black powder couldn’t make any waves, so the gold powders didn’t bother paying attention to them. Being so worry-free as an idol fan was not something they were used to. They were like Buddhist* eagerly waiting for <Pilot>.
*Buzzword referring to anything will do. || In this context it’s basically saying they would be satisfied with any kind of news, no matter how big or small, from Shen Jintai.
Fang Yun left after getting her autograph. There was still urgent work to be done. Yan Qiuchi and Mrs. Yan had to leave at noon. Before leaving, Mrs. Yan ordered a batch of packed lunches at the best local restaurant and sent them to the crew. It contained all types of seafood and fruits.
“We won’t go to the set,” Mrs. Yan said to Shen Jintai. “Make sure to take care of your health while you’re here.”
“I’ll see you again in a bit. Uncle Yan’s birthday is only a few days away,” Shen Jintai said. “I have asked the crew for leave in advance.”
Mrs. Yan nodded and hugged him.
Shen Jintai then glanced at Yan Qiuchi, who was standing behind Mrs. Yan. He wasn’t sure if it was fine to hug him and felt that shaking hands was too polite. He gave Yan Qiuchi a smile instead and bid him farewell.
Shockingly, Yan Qiuchi stepped forward and took the initiative, stretching out his arms. It seems that the two have now completely cleared the air of their past grievances. It had all been written off and they could move forward to becoming friends, or even brothers.
“Thank you for coming to see me,” Shen Jintai said to Yan Qiuchi.
The height difference between the two wasn’t too far apart. Shen Jintai’s chin was just on Yan Qiuchi’s shoulder, making it convenient to hold it up. Yan Qiuchi didn’t say anything. He simply pressed Shen Jintai’s back with his large hands and then let go.
Don’t worry. Take your time.
Yan Qiuchi was determined to snag him. He was a confident person. His cautiousness in front of Shen Jintai was not due to a lack of confidence. Eventually, he would get what he wanted. Even if it wasn’t his and belonged to someone else, he could always take it back.
—
At 10 in the morning, the official blog for <Pilot> released the makeup photos. Relying on Shen Jintai’s popularity, it jumped to first place in the hot search.
Unlike ordinary single-person stills, the crew posted a group photo of seven male actors, imitating the group photo of the pilots in history. The photos were deliberately made to look old, with yellow gloss and in black and white. Seven male actors in their prime stood in a row wearing flight suits. Shen Jintai was third from the left, standing out with his tall figure. The old photo made him look even more handsome and heroic.
As the top flow, under this kind of official blog, hot comments were naturally dominated by gold fans.
“Ahhhhhhhhh, uniform temptation! Too good!”
“Brother, rush, fly into the sky!”
Shen Jintai forwarded the stills from the official blog with a post saying [Hello, Chen Zheng.]
Kinky Thoughts:
As mentioned in my footnote, the white moonlight/cinnabar mole is from Eileen Chang’s novel, Red Rose, White Rose. The white rose is the first love that is unforgettable, while the red rose is the Cinnabar Mole that you spend a lifetime together.
Here’s an excerpt from her novel explaining it: [Perhaps every man has had two women like this. Marrying a red rose, over time, the red rose becomes a smear of mosquito blood on the wall, the white one is still the bright moonlight in front of the window; the white one is a grain of rice stuck to the clothes, and the red one is a cinnabar mole on the heart.]
It’s quite beautiful actually and if you think about it in the context of <The East Palace>’s Zhou Ying and Li Xu… Zhou Ying is the white moonlight, and Li Xu is cinnabar mole. I now realize why white roses were tied to Zhou Ying and red roses were tied to Li Xu. It was a reference to this.
Regarding near the end of Yan Qiuchi’s inner thoughts, I think that he’s not referring to Shen Jintai as some kind of object that he could just “take”. It’s more like he’s a confident person and has this whole domineering president vibe going on, so it’s more like he’s saying, I’m confident that one day I can make Shen Jintai fall for me. Even if Shen Jintai is with someone at that time, he’s confident he can win him back. That’s my hot take anyways.
Yan Qiuchi couldn’t do anything else, nor did he dare to. He simply hugged Shen Jintai tightly as his face flushed. This kind of ruthlessness of wanting to hold people as if you wanted to absorb them into your own flesh and blood was uncontrollable once released.
Shen Jintai felt that he was about to be suffocated to death. His face was turning green as he clung onto Yan Qiuchi’s neck. He tried to shove Yan Qiuchi’s body away, but it didn’t budge an inch. Yan Qiuchi’s strength was too strong. He tried again, but still it didn’t move.
“Yan Qiuchi.” He called.
Yan Qiuchi remained silent. He was excited and embarrassed. Coupled with the influence of the residual alcohol, his sobriety had already burned up into clouds and mists.
Shen Jintai himself likes men. When he was hugged and pressed by a man like this, he couldn’t control his heartbeat. He can’t honestly admit that he didn’t feel anything at all, and it felt embarrassing. He opened his eyes and put one hand on his chest, preparing to prevent Yan Qiuchi from kissing him.
However, Yan Qiuchi didn’t do anything other than tightly embrace him. Shen Jintai remained still for a while, then he suddenly pushed Yan Qiuchi away and broke free. He was covered in sweat. He knelt on the side of the bed and looked at Yan Qiuchi while panting for breath. Yan Qiuchi was still lying on the pillow; his expression was unclear. Shen Jintai could only see that his ears were completely flushed.
Shen Jintai thought it was because of the wine and didn’t put much thought into it. Yan Qiuchi was drunk, and it must have triggered his skin hunger. With the loss of his consciousness, he probably was unable to control it.
Shen Jintai retreated to the other side as he sat down and panted for a while. The feeling of being hugged tightly by Yan Qiuchi just now made his heart beat rapidly. After he calmed down, he picked up the blanket and covered Yan Qiuchi’s body again. He looked at the air conditioner. It was set to 26 degrees. He found the remote controller and lowered it a few more degrees.
Shen Jintai sat next to Yan Qiuchi for more than half an hour before his drowsiness came back. He was careful this time, and he leaned towards the edge of the bed as much as possible. He used his blanket to cover himself only up to his stomach, then turned off the light.
The moonlight outside was bright. As soon as the light was turned off, its light poured in through the window, giving Shen Jintai’s upper body a luminescent glow. Lying still, he was drifting off and eventually fell asleep.
Suddenly, Shen Jintai heard a bang and immediately opened his eyes in shock. He quickly sat up and found that Yan Qiuchi was no longer in bed. He turned on the lights and saw Yan Qiuchi holding the bathroom door while looking back at him.
Shen Jintai rushed out of bed and ran over barefoot. Yan Qiuchi looked a little embarrassed and said, “Sorry for the noise…” He didn’t want to disturb Shen Jintai as he cautiously got out of bed. Who knew that his body was being disobedient as he staggered around? When he pushed the bathroom door open, it slammed into the wall.
Shen Jintai was still half asleep, and his eyes didn’t open fully. He grabbed Yan Qiuchi’s arm and led him into the bathroom.
Yan Qiuchi’s face turned redder and he said, “No need.”
“Just hurry up. I’m so sleepy,” Shen Jintai said. He was actually a bit sullen, thinking Yan Qiuchi could still be so polite in this kind of situation. He helped Yan Qiuchi to the toilet, tilted his head slightly and closed his eyes. “I won’t look.”
Yan Qiuchi: “…”
Shem Jintai stood in a daze for a long time without hearing the sound of water. When he opened his eyes, he saw Yan Qiuchi standing there with a blushing complexion. He took half a step back and turned around so his back was facing and pressing against Yan Qiuchi.
Yan Qiuchi’s ears were still red. He couldn’t possibly tell Shen Jintai that he got up in the middle of the night and went to the bathroom, not to pee… He already had shady thoughts, and now Shen Jintai was standing in front of him with his back pressing on him. Yan Qiuchi could feel the heat emanating from him through the thin layer of clothes.
Shen Jintai suddenly laughed. The laughter spread through his body, causing his back to vibrate. Yan Qiuchi turned to look. Shen Jintai suddenly stopped leaning against his body and took two steps forward. He opened his sleepy eyes and, in a hoarse voice, said, “I didn’t expect you to have such thin skin that you can’t pee in front of me.”
He chuckled and went out. When he closed the door, he said, “Then stand firm by yourself.”
Yan Qiuchi lingered inside for a while before coming out. Shen Jintai faintly heard the sounds of water coming through the door. After hearing the flushing noise, he immediately went in and helped Yan Qiuchi back to bed. He asked, “Do you want to drink some water?”
Yan Qiuchi shook his head. His face turned abnormally red.
Shen Jintai: “Do you feel better now?”
“Still uncomfortable,” Yan Qiuchi said.
“It’s like this when you drink too much. It’s only past 2. Let’s go back to sleep.” Shen Jintai sat on the bed and put down his phone.
Yan Qiuchi didn’t speak. He pulled the blanket to cover his lower body and lay down. As soon as he lay down, he saw Shen Jintai turn off the lights. He turned his head to slightly gaze at Shen Jintai, only to suddenly meet Shen Jintai’s gaze. He quickly turned his head away, feeling guilty as if he was a thief.
Shen Jintai softly laughed. His laughter held a hint of anger and his smile was unpredictable, causing Yan Qiuchi’s heart to skip a beat.
Shen Jintai was too sleepy and still trusted Yan Qiuchi devotedly, so he quickly fell asleep again. Yan Qiuchi, however, couldn’t fall asleep anymore. He was a little sleepy, but he didn’t want to sleep. Today he had witnessed a new word, more beautiful than he could’ve imagined. After seeing it once, he would never forget it again.
He wanted to be with Shen Jintai. He wanted to be his lover so he could hold him when they were sleeping together every night.
This kind of longing, mixed with mental and physical needs, belonged to the kind that got more and more excited the longer he thought about it. Yan Qiuchi quickly became tormented again. The emptiness in his arms had reached its pinnacle. He closed his eyes and stopped looking at Shen Jintai’s face.
That night was the most torturous night of his life.
—
Mrs. Yan got up early the next morning. She was fidgeting around, wondering if anything had happened with Yan Qiuchi. Obviously, it was impossible for anything too absurd to happen overnight, plus Shen Jintai was completely sober. Even if he had been drunk, her son is not the type of person who would take advantage of someone in that state. He was a gentleman who didn’t cave in to chaos.
Still, she had the luxury of making some progress between them, and at least hoped she added a little affection. She decided not to disturb them and didn’t go knocking on Yan Qiuchi’s door.
Xiao Tang and the others, including Bai Qingquan, were also up. They had gone out for a walk. After eating breakfast, Bai Qingquan planned to go back. He knocked on Shen Jintai’s door, but there was no answer.
He happened to meet Mrs. Yan coming out of her room, and he asked, “Is Jintai still in President Yan’s room?”
Mrs. Yan: “Yes, he’s taking care of him.”
Bai Qingquan was embarrassed to call. He wasn’t sure if Shen Jintai still had any ideas towards President Yan currently. Perhaps old feelings could be rekindled after being alone all night with him. Besides, if he and Yan Qiuchi were locked in the same room all night, he couldn’t guarantee that his heart wouldn’t move. After all, Yan Qiuchi was the best man he’d ever seen.
Shen Jintai heard faint noises coming from outside, so he opened his eyes. He yawned, got up from the bed, and turned his head to look at Yan Qiuchi, who was lying next to him. Yan Qiuchi was still asleep. It was probably too hot at night since Yan Qiuchi didn’t have a blanket covering him.
Shen Jintai picked up the phone from the table and looked at it. It was 7 in the morning. He got out of bed, rolled up his blanket, and was about to pick it up and leave when he suddenly saw Yan Qiuchi’s crotch. It completely shocked him awake. He hurriedly scurried out with his blanket around his arms, running into Mrs. Yan.
“You’re up,” Mrs. Yan said. “I was about to call you.”
“Good morning, auntie,” Shen Jintai said shyly.
“Thank you for your hard work last night. You go wash up,” Mrs. Yan said as she entered Yan Qiuchi’s room.
Shen Jintai hurriedly stopped her as he felt embarrassed to death. He thought it wouldn’t be good if Mrs. Yan came in and saw the vigorous vitality of her son’s young man in the morning. It would be too awkward, right?
“He is still sleeping,” Shen Jintai said. “Let him sleep for a while.”
Mrs. Yan noticed that something was off with Shen Jintai and became surprised. She thought a little crookedly and simply said, “Oh, okay.” There may be scenes from the aftermath that shouldn’t be seen by others.
“Get ready to eat. Xiao Tang has brought up breakfast,” Mrs. Yan said.
“Auntie, you go eat first. I’ll come over after washing my face,” Shen Jintai said. He returned to Yan Qiuchi’s room and threw the quilt on Yan Qiuchi’s body, then left. He went back to his room to clean up, but the image kept lingering in his mind.
He remembered that when he was reading <Everyone Loves Bai Yueguang>, the author once described the male protagonist was “born with a great weapon”.
He had left a comment saying: [Catching bugs*, big, is it natural?]
*(捉虫) The full sentence is “catching bugs and shit” where shit refers to the ass. It means putting bugs (dick) up the ass, asking for trouble, self-defeating.
For a bold and domineering president, big bucks* were not a problem.
*(一掷千金) Refers to you don’t care about spending money. Extreme extravagance.
The author replied to him: [Darling, there’s nothing wrong with it.]
A group of cuckoos ran over to the top the post, and it dawned on him what the author had meant! Looking at it in person just now, he realized that he wasn’t wrong in his assumption. He hasn’t seen the whole picture, but still knew its greatness.
After he finished washing up, he went to eat breakfast. Bai Qingquan asked, “Is President Yan okay?”
Shen Jintai: “He’s fine. Still sleeping.”
“He didn’t cause trouble yesterday, did he?” Mrs. Yan asked.
“No. He’s very honest,” Shen Jintai answered.
“He’s like your Uncle Yan. When drunk, he doesn’t cause trouble and will go to bed honestly.” As Mrs. Yan was speaking, she paid close attention to Shen Jintai’s subtle expression. She noticed the corners of Shen Jintai’s mouth moving slightly. It seemed Yan Qiuchi wasn’t entirely honest.
“Why did President Yan drink so much?” Bai Qingquan said.
“I don’t know,” Shen Jintai said.
“Probably something is bothering him. He rarely drinks. He doesn’t smoke either, and has developed good living habits,” Mrs. Yan said.
Bai Qingquan had to catch his flight and was going to leave after breakfast. Shen Jintai escorted him to the car. As he was about to get in the car, Bai Qingquan suddenly raised his head and waved his hands, looking upwards.
Shen Jintai turned his head to look in Bai Qingquan’s direction and saw that Yan Qiuchi had already changed his clothes and was standing in the corridor of the hotel looking down from the window.
“I’m leaving now,” Bai Qingquan said.
“Be careful on the road,” Shen Jintai said. “I will return to Nancheng in July. If you are there, we will get together again.”
“I have received an invitation from Auntie Fang and will definitely go there when the time comes,” Bai Qingquan said with a smile.
After sending Bai Qingquan off, Shen Jintai walked back. When he arrived upstairs, he saw that Mrs. Yan was talking to Yan Qiuchi. Mrs. Yan was very serious. Yan Qiuchi had his hands in his pockets, his head slightly lowered, as he continually nodded.
It was still the same icy Yan Qiuchi who was cold and abstinent, pure, clean, and restrained, just like his name, like a pool of autumn water, clear and cold.
It felt as if the drunk Yan Qiuchi who was clingy and shy from yesterday was like an unreal dream.
Who would have thought that beneath the surface of a man who looked so abstemious, frigid, refined and gentlemanly, was hidden a large amount of energy?
The scene was chaotic as there were people around them eating supper. In addition to Yan Qiuchi, there was also another drunk man holding a wine bottle going crazy. A few of his friends were dragging him away. Fortunately, Yan Qiuchi made no other movements.
Shen Jintai gestured to Xiao Tang to come over. Xiao Tang stretched his arm out and pulled on one of Yan Qiuchi’s arm. “President Yan.”
Yan Qiuchi continued hugging Shen Jintai. The empty feelings that his arms felt for many years were suddenly satisfied. One of the manifestations of skin cravings is that he likes to hug very much. If he didn’t hold something in his arms, he would feel desolated. It was fine when he was used to it, but now that he suddenly hugged someone that he liked, this kind of satisfaction had triggered a deeper desire.
“President Yan…” Xiao Tang stretched out his hand timidly.
There were already people staring at them. Fortunately, Yan Qiuchi was tall enough to almost completely block Shen Jintai. Shen Jintai managed to barely break free and hurriedly helped Yan Qiuchi into the car.
Yan Qiuchi had drunk heavily. While some sanity still remained, he had lost control under the influence of alcohol and let out the desires of his heart. The moment he kissed Shen Jintai, he was in a daze, almost unconscious. That all disappeared when he hugged Shen Jintai.
It felt so fucking good, and after tasting this sweetness, he could no longer maintain control. Who would want to chew bones after tasting meat? He had long since become unlike himself. Taking advantage of the situation, he fell on Shen Jintai, half-drunk, half-sobered, and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. This was his opportunity, and he couldn’t let it go.
Shen Jintai felt that he couldn’t ask too much from a drunk person and felt that perhaps Yan Qiuchi just liked rubbing against people when he was drunk. There was no sign of obnoxiousness as he still maintained an honest and restrained demeanor. He held onto Yan Qiuchi’s shoulder with one hand and signaled to Xiao Tang. “Hurry up and drive.”
Xiao Tang hurriedly started the car. In his mind, Yan Qiuchi was a big boss, more promising than a star. This big boss had always been cold and abstinent, and it made him nervous whenever he talked to him. Now said big boss was slumped on Shen Jintai, his arms around his neck, being very quiet. Xiao Tang, seeing such intimacy, made him feel… horrified.
It turned out that even a big boss was also a human being and became very clingy when he was drunk. Xiao Tang had almost forgotten that despite this big boss being young and promising, he was only a few years older than them.
All Shen Jintai could smell was alcohol from Yan Qiuchi’s body. It was the smell of beer mixed with wine. Yan Qiuchi’s face was very hot, and he felt his neck would get hot every time Yan Qiuchi rubbed against it. Unexpectedly, Yan Qiuchi looked like this when he was drunk.
Shen Jintai couldn’t help but think it was a bit funny. Drunk Yan Qiuchi was clingy, reminding him of the big golden retriever he had raised in the past. This must be because of his skin hunger and thirst that made him so sticky.
It suddenly dawned on Shen Jintai that in this world, apart from Yan Qiuchi himself, he was the only one who knew about his skin hunger condition. It was like a secret that only belonged to a domineering president, but he knew it and it gave him a sense of secret happiness. It wasn’t easy for Yan Qiuchi. He only dared show this side of himself when he was drunk because the shame it brought was too high. Not only that, but his relationship was intercepted by the system. Such a miserable life!
In this regard, Yan Qiuchi had concealed it well, maintaining his tall and ascetic temperament. He didn’t usually talk much and was very light-hearted. Shen Jintai thought that this wasn’t merely a disguise, but that Yan Qiuchi was truly self-disciplined. Otherwise, for a successful young man in his twenties who faced so many temptations, how could he have lasted without such daily self-discipline?
Such a male protagonist in a danmei had its own charms.
Shen Jintai lowered his head to look at Yan Qiuchi. He saw the usual cold face was a bit more wine-colored. His hair had a little bit of a messy look, his eyes were heroic and fierce, and his voice was tall and poised.
“Shen Jintai…” Yan Qiuchi murmured again. The voice was gentle and low, with a hint of tipsiness.
Shen Jintai gave a “Nn” and said, “Why do you drink so much?”
Yan Qiuchi didn’t answer but instead tightened the arms around Shen Jintai’s neck. His heart was beating rapidly, and his cheeks were hot. It felt amazing to be able to hug Shen Jintai like this. The smell he smelled every time he breathed made his reaction stronger. He hoped that the car would continue driving forever.
Mrs. Yan had been waiting outside the hotel. Even Bai Qingquan had come down. He had just washed his face and gotten his hair wet, so he had put it in a braid. When he saw Shen Jintai’s car arriving, he quickly came over to greet them.
Shen Jintai helped Yan Qiuchi out of the car, and Bai Qingquan hurriedly came to help. It was the first time he saw Yan Qiuchi drunk. He was nervous and didn’t dare say a word. On the contrary, Mrs. Yan complained, “You’re full of alcohol. Why did you drink so much?”
She originally suspected that Yan Qiuchi was pretending to be drunk, but now, looking at the current situation, it was really true that he had drank too much. Mrs. Yan hated drunk men. Yan Tiefang drank almost daily for a period of time when he was young. Luckily, like his father, Yan Qiuchi remained honest when he was drunk and didn’t go crazy.
Though Yan Qiuchi was tall and looked thin, he actually had strong muscles and was very heavy. He kept tilting towards Shen Jintai, making him stagger under his weight. Xiao Tang had to quickly support Shen Jintai’s arm.
They sent Yan Qiuchi back to his room and put him on the bed. His energy was completely sapped from the wine, leaving him speechless. The little rationality he had left was used to miss the moment he shared with Shen Jintai in the car just now.
Shen Jintai took great care in giving Yan Qiuchi face, so he said to Bai Qingquan, “Go back to your room and rest first.”
Bai Qingquan didn’t want to stay in Yan Qiuchi’s room either. He was smart and knew that Yan Qiuchi might not have wanted him to witness his current state. He simply nodded and said, “Call me if you need anything.”
After Bai Qingquan left, Shen Jintai took off Yan Qiuchi’s shoes, and Mrs. Yan took a pillow and stuffed it under his neck.
“Thirsty,” Yan Qiuchi said vaguely.
Mrs. Yan got up, and Shen Jintai hurriedly said, “I’ll do it.”
Shen Jintai ran to pour some water while Mrs. Yan sat at the head of the bed. She stared at Yan Qiuchi and then patted him on the head. Yan Qiuchi opened his eyes slightly. His eyes were dazed, confirming to Mrs. Yan that he was indeed not pretending to be drunk. Mrs. Yan didn’t know if she should be happy or worried.
If he was pretending to be drunk, it would mean that Yan Qiuchi was on the right track and had taken the initiative to start his attack, but this was not his usual persona. If he wasn’t pretending to be drunk, it meant that he was still the same as before and still hadn’t found the track yet. However, from the perspective of a lover, he was practical and trustworthy*.
*Clarity: She’s saying that if Yan Qiuchi was pretending to be drunk, that means he’s starting to play the game and is on the right track to chasing Shen Jintai. However, this means he would give up some of his golden beliefs in honesty and integrity. If he wasn’t pretending, then it means he’s still the same old abstinent Yan Qiuchi, but in the context of a lover, this is the kind of person you would want to have (honest and upright).
She felt, thinking about it like this, he had always been like this. Only when he was drunk would he dare call Shen Jintai so blatantly. She couldn’t let his opportunity go. If her son was an honest man, then she could only add to the fire as a mother should!
“Water.” Shen Jintai handed it over.
Mrs. Yan took the cup of water as Shen Jintai sat down on the side of the bed and lifted up Yan Qiuchi into his arms. The two cooperated to let Yan Qiuchi finish drinking his glass of water before letting him lie down again.
Mrs. Yan: “I don’t know what’s bothering him. He rarely ever gets drunk. I don’t think he can wash up when he’s in this state. Let’s just let him sleep. You can go back and rest. I’ll watch over him.”
Shen Jintai couldn’t let Mrs. Yan stay to watch him. Not mentioning the fact that Mrs. Yan had always loved him, even for Yan Qiuchi, he had never had any hostility towards him. He could fully understand Yan Qiuchi’s past behavior due to the previous Shen Jintai’s actions and the entanglements they’ve been through. Yan Qiuchi was not at fault, and he still remained gentlemanly.
Now that Yan Qiuchi was drunk and it was inconvenient for others, he would naturally volunteer. Yan Qiuchi had no ideas about him, and he had no ideas about Yan Qiuchi. Even if the two of them slept in the same bed, there would be no possibility of accidental gunfire*. Shen Jintai said, “You have been uncomfortable today, so let me do it.”
*(擦枪走火) Refers to a minor incident that can spark a war. || In this context, it means Shen Jintai believes sleeping on the same bed will not spark anything since they don’t have feelings for each other and they are both 1’s (supposedly).
Mrs. Yan asked, “Are you able to? Don’t delay your rest. Aren’t you filming tomorrow?”
“It’s okay. It’ll be easier for me to take care of him in case he needs to use the bathroom or something,” Shen Jintai said.
Mrs. Yan couldn’t help but feel like she was hurting the wrong person. Shen Jintai was so kindhearted and dedicated to taking care of Yan Qiuchi. She gave a glance at her son, then got up. Her task had been completed.
When she reached the door, she turned her head and said, “You have to sleep as well. If he needs anything, you can just get up again. The double bed can fit two, so it should be comfortable for you. Though he’s drunk, he’s still an honest person.”
Shen Jintai smiled and said, “You don’t have to worry about us. Go and rest.”
Shen Jintai sat next to Yan Qiuchi for more than half an hour. Yan Qiuchi lay motionless the entire time. Shen Jintai put away his phone and checked the time. It was really late. He went back to his room and washed up hastily, then carried his blankets over to Yan Qiuchi’s room.
The hotel conditions here are relatively poor. The sofa was too small, so he couldn’t sleep on it. He decided then to sleep on the bed with Yan Qiuchi. He first put his blankets on the bed and climbed in and pushed Yan Qiuchi. “President Yan?”
Yan Qiuchi remained silent and unmoving. Shen Jintai knelt on the bed and moved Yan Qiuchi aside. As he moved closer to the bed, he remembered the scene from when he first crossed over. He was on Yan Qiuchi’s bed as he was biting his neck. Yan Qiuchi then suddenly shoved him away.
He was unsure of what would happen in the morning when Yan Qiuchi woke up after a night of drunkenness and saw him in his bed. Would he think that he was trying to take advantage of him again?
Yan Qiuchi’s heart was pounding. He had heard the entire conversation between his mother and Shen Jintai. His heartbeat couldn’t slow down. Shen Jintai wanted to take care of him.
What was Shen Jintai doing? He seems to be making the bed. Is Shen Jintai going to sleep with him? Guessing… No, no. Don’t guess. He’s already sharing the same bed!
When Shen Jintai’s hand touched his body, Yan Qiuchi felt as if he had been shocked by electricity. He was only human, and at that, a man. Wine had corroded his willpower. He had restrained things for so many years that it was to the brink of collapse and his remaining sanity finally couldn’t resist his male instinct.
It was hot during the summer, so Shen Jintai was only wearing a t-shirt. Shen Jintai had moved Yan Qiuchi to the other side of the bed, inch by inch. Yan Qiuchi breathed deeply; his throat bobbed. He then stretched out his hand and embraced Shen Jintai. The hug was strong and fierce.
Shen Jintai: “…”
He was hugged so suddenly by Yan Qiuchi that before he had a chance to react, Yan Qiuchi had turned over and overwhelmed him on the bed. Yan Qiuchi had lost his self-restraint and exploded. His hug had so much pressure that he left Shen Jintai speechless.
Yan Qiuchi was hesitant when he stretched out his trembling arm but thinking he could be more presumptuous due to his drunkenness, it gave him the confidence to act. He would not cross any more lines than this. He was not so lewd and lustful. He only wanted to hold Shen Jintai in his arms.
The Shen Jintai that was in his heart and who could establish a relationship with anyone at any time. Yan Qiuchi didn’t expect that he wasn’t able to suppress his self-control and couldn’t help but feel… shaken.
The author has something to say:
When the old tree blooms, it is inevitable that everything will be shocking for the first time. I have never seen such a chick in the world!
Kinky Thoughts:
The difference between the Yan brothers is that one was too cowardly while the other went “to hell with integrity!” I will take full advantage of my drunken state!
Mrs. Yan thought the two of them were quite a match. They have similar appearance, height, condition, and personality, and most importantly, she was Yan Qiuchi’s mother, and she also loved Shen Jintai the most. It would definitely be a good marriage if they could become a true family in the future.
The past was the past. There was no need to mention it any longer. Mrs. Yan had resolved to help your son! With her women’s intuition, Mrs. Yan felt the relationship between Shen Jintai and Bai Qingquan was slightly subtle.
Shen Jintai: “How long are you able to stay here for?”
“One night. I need to leave tomorrow morning,” Bai Qingquan said.
“I think you can shoot one of the two cameo scenes today, which will save you time in the future. When your new film starts shooting, it’ll be hard to adjust your schedule,” Shen Jintai said.
“I promised so readily, but I should have asked Wei Ge and the others for their opinions first,” Bai Qingquan said with a smile.
“Your boss is here,” Shen Jintai looked at Yan Qiuchi. “When he speaks, what other opinion could Wei Ge and the others have.”
“You still need to discuss it with your own team,” Yan Qiuchi said to Bai Qingquan. “I will not interfere in your personal business.”
Still so businesslike.
Shen Jintai said, “If he makes a cameo, the box office will be much higher. As long as we join forces now, it will create hot news.”
Bai Qingquan thought the same. He felt that the matter of making a guest appearance would be mutually beneficial. He could follow a billion-dollar box office movie to make an appearance on the big screen, and the movie could borrow some of his popularity, which would benefit both Shen Jintai and him. Their former rivalry would create waves of gossip.
“Just let him participate,” Shen Jintai said. “If Qingquan gets delayed, or it’s not good for him, I’ll stop it. There’s no loss to Sunshine Media. This will also help him establish a relationship with Director Lu and could potentially open new doors for cooperation in the future.”
Yan Qiuchi felt that Shen Jintai’s words “just let him participate” had a coquettish feeling behind them. The tone wasn’t guardian-like but a bit more childish. He liked it very much. Honestly, he felt that the matter of doing a cameo was up to Bai Qingquan to decide for himself. His team would agree, but since Shen Jintai had begged him like this, he was happy to show favor. He said, “Nn. Then I’ll talk to Wei Ge…”
“Then it’s settled,” Shen Jintai said to Bai Qingquan cheerfully.
Bai Qingquan was surprised. He didn’t expect Yan Qiuchi and Shen Jintai to have such a harmonious relationship.
According to the original plan, Mrs. Yan and Yan Qiuchi were going to leave in the afternoon. However, Mrs. Yan felt she couldn’t leave and allow Bai Qingquan and Shen Jintai to be together by themselves. Who knows what unimaginable things could happen? An energetic young man has the worst self-control.
Though Bai Qingquan looks like an outstanding young man, compared with her son, there was a huge gap. Thinking about this, Mrs. Yan couldn’t help but feel a bit heartbroken.
“Auntie, why aren’t you eating as much?” Shen Jintai asked with concern.
“I’m a bit uncomfortable. Maybe it’s because of the heatstroke,” she said to Shen Jintai.
Shen Jintai was very nervous and immediately stood up. “Why didn’t you say earlier? Let’s go to the hospital to have a look.”
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Sit down,” Mrs. Yan said. “I just feel a little uncomfortable. It’s not a big deal.”
“It’s hot here,” Bai Qingquan was also very nervous. “The fires on the other side of the studio are still burning, so it’s even hotter over there.”
Yan Qiuchi said, “If you are really uncomfortable, you should go to the hospital. I will take you.”
Mrs. Yan: “No, I’ll just go lie down. Qiuchi tell the driver we’ll return tomorrow. I need to take a break. I’m tired from flying.”
When Mrs. Yan went back to her room to rest, Yan Qiuchi was still not at ease. “You’d better go to the hospital to have a look so I can rest assured.”
Mrs. Yan lifted the pillow and sat up. “Are you really that blind? I was just faking it.”
Yan Qiuchi looked at her with astonishment. He didn’t expect his mother to have this kind of side, as she has always been a bit harsh in front of him.
Mrs. Yan: “You sit down. Let’s have a good chat.”
Yan Qiuchi pulled over a chair and sat down by the side of her bed.
Mrs. Yan: “What happened yesterday, mom was wrong. I can’t say that it was completely your fault, but how can I put it… You said too much, and now you like Xiao Jin. It’ll be difficult to chase him, and it means that you’re slapping yourself in the face, but if it means you can succeed and live a happy life, then you can endure this slap. A man’s self-esteem is sometimes valuable and sometimes worthless. Do you understand what mom means?”
Yan Qiuchi said, “I have never considered the matter of getting or not getting slapped.”
He said what he said, so he now had to bear the consequences. It was his responsibility. The key problem wasn’t here but the fact is that Shen Jintai no longer liked him.
Mrs. Yan: “It’s best if you think like that. Do you know why I stayed?”
Yan Qiuchi: “I know. You wanted to create opportunities for me.”
“Wrong,” Mrs. Yan said. “If you want to chase Xiao Jin, you still got a long way to go. This is not something that happens overnight. Don’t worry about it at this moment. I stayed because of Bai Qingquan.”
Yan Qiuchi looked up.
Mrs. Yan said, “Xiao Jin… likes Bai Qingquan. Did you know this?”
Yan Qiuchi was stunned. He leaned back against the chair as his legs shook unconsciously. He then put his hands into his pockets. “He said this?”
Yan Qiuchi had this problem since he was a child. Whenever he was nervous or excited, his legs would shake. When his mood was complicated, he liked to put his hands in his pockets.
Mrs. Yan glanced at him and said, “He admitted it himself. He said he doesn’t like you anymore and prefers Bai Qingquan. At first, I thought he was just saying it casually, but today when I observed them, he did really seem to be interested in Bai Qingquan.”
Hearing this confirmed Yan Qiuchi’s suspicion as well. Hearing his mother’s words, the thoughts he had during dinner instantly poured out. He had a sneaking suspicion that the person he liked also liked someone else, and his uncertainty had finally been realized.
Mrs. Yan said, “But you don’t have to worry too much. In my opinion, the two of them haven’t moved past that stage yet. They are just showing signs. At this critical time, you have to show your courage and step up. Be ruthless, act faster, and be decisive. You can’t be just poking around like this.”
Yan Qiuchi looked slightly embarrassed and nodded. “I’ll listen to you.”
Mrs. Yan was very satisfied with his docile appearance. Yan Qiuchi had always been assertive since he was a child, and rarely did he ever listen to her like this.
Mrs. Yan: “First, don’t be impatient. After Bai Qingquan leaves, make your move. Okay, I’ll lie down for a while. You can let Xiao Jin in. Your mother isn’t good at acting…”
“I know. You’re doing it for me,” Yan Qiuchi said.
Mrs. Yan was happy. Her voice was gentle. “Go and ask Xiao Jin to come in.”
Yan Qiuchi went out. He had never lied to anyone, especially when he looked at Shen Jintai’s eyes. He didn’t know how to lie. He felt that honesty was a valuable trait for men to possess.
Shen Jintai: “Is Auntie okay?”
“You should go in and visit her,” Yan Qiuchi said to Shen Jintai.
Shen Jintai went into the room immediately. He came out after a while and said, “Let Auntie take a good rest. I’ll ask the crew for a break this afternoon.”
“You shouldn’t be too concerned since you have a busy schedule. Don’t worry, I’m still here to watch over her.” Yan Qiuchi said. After speaking, he glanced at Bai Qingquan in the distance. Bai Qingquan was speaking on the phone as he stroked his hair in the wind.
Mrs. Yan took a nap. After waking up, she was bored, so she chatted with her best friend for a while, then turned on the TV to watch <The East Palace is Coming>. When the scene of Zhou Jing’s death was played, Mrs. Yan watched with tears in her eyes. Suddenly, she heard a knock on her door. She quickly wiped away her tears, got up and opened the door, seeing Yan Qiuchi.
“Are you feeling better?” Yan Qiuchi asked.
Mrs. Yan’s eyes were still a little red. “Why are you still here? Didn’t Xiao Jin and the others return to the crew?”
Yan Qiuchi nodded.
Mrs. Yan: “Then why are you still here?”
“Someone has to watch you,” Yan Qiuchi said.
Mrs. Yan: “What are you watching me for? I told you I was just pretending.”
Yan Qiuchi didn’t say anything. Mrs. Yan was sick, at least to Shen Jintai anyway. If he didn’t watch over her and instead visit the crew, wouldn’t Shen Jintai think he was unfilial? Filial piety was also a very important quality for men.
Yan Qiuchi’s phone suddenly rang. It was Shen Jintai calling him.
“How’s auntie. Is she feeling better?” Shen Jintai asked.
It was a bit noisy on set as the wind was strong. Shen Jintai’s voice was a bit floaty. Yan Qiuchi answered, “She’s doing better. Don’t worry about it and focus on filming. I’m here to watch her.”
Mrs. Yan was listening next to him, lost for words.
—
In the afternoon, their crew temporarily adjusted and filmed one of the cameo scenes for Bai Qingquan. He had put on his robe and stood in front of the mirror. He looked like a zhilan yushu* scholar from the Republic of China.
*(芝兰玉树) Translated means orchid eucalyptus. It’s a metaphor for a promising child. From “The book of Jin Xie A Biography”.
Lu Ming came over to tell him about the scene, “Huang Chunjiang, who’s your character, is Chen Zheng’s old classmate. You heard that he gave up his dream of being a movie star and came here to participate in the air force recruitment, so you rushed here to dissuade him.”
Bai Qingquan nodded and looked at the script for the scene. It was well written. Huang Chunjiang’s introduction was in order to elicit Chen Zheng’s next impassioned lines. He also saw a group photo with a banner on the back that said, “In time of crisis, strong men will fly and swear to serve the country to death.”
Bai Qingquan became passionate and moved when he saw it.
“I heard that Chen Zheng has a historical prototype?” He asked Shen Jintai.
Shen Jintai said, “Strictly speaking, he doesn’t. His character represents the epitome of several historical figures, but the director asked me to focus on one person’s historical information.” Shen Jintai took out an old photo to show him. The man in the photo had meticulously combed hair, a sloping head, and was dressed in a military uniform. Although the photo was blurry, the man’s dark eyebrows and starry eyes could still be seen.
“So handsome.” Bai Qingquan said sincerely. He was a good young man at the right age, who had the temperament of a man and the perseverance of a soldier.
Shen Jintai: “Before filming started, I watched some documentaries. Most of these pilots are very handsome, with good origins and bright prospects. They joined the air force for the sake of their country and to support the war resistance.”
Bai Qingquan pinched the photo and nodded. In the worst of times, it was fortunate that these respectable people existed.
—
Huang Chunjiang had come to see Chen Zheng on behalf of Chen Zheng’s mother. She had him when she was in her thirties. Unfortunately, her husband died prematurely, so she regarded her son as her only treasure. When she heard her son had joined the air force, she had many sleepless nights tossing and turning. Hearing that Huang Chunjiang was coming to visit Chen Zheng, she beseeched him to bring him a letter.
After Chen Zheng read the letter, he sat by himself on a hill for a long time.
Mother Chen knew that her son had a firm stance and wouldn’t be easily dissuaded. She only hoped that he would make plans to get married and have children.
“You are the only male in our family. As a pilot, you don’t know if you will ever come back down when you go up. If you don’t think about it for yourself, you have to think about what I should do alone if something happens to you.”
“I am going to war. If I have a lover, I will inevitably get distracted. If something goes wrong, wouldn’t this hurt my lover’s life? I will not consider the matter of marriage. I am determined to serve the country, so naturally I will put it first above all else. Brother Chunjiang, you and I have known each other for many years. I can trust you. If anything happens to me, I hope you will take care of my old mother on my behalf based on our friendship we had as classmates for many years.”
Bai Qingquan’s throat was sour. Of his two scenes, one was to dissuade Chen Zheng, and the other was to go to the place where he was killed to find his body. Nothing was found except for his dog tags.
Chen Zheng was killed during the battle. He was besieged by seven enemy planes and died as he took them down with him. He was only 22.
The climax of <Pilot> was the bombing of Chongqing. The casualties were very heavy. Except for the male lead who played the instructor, almost all of them died. Of the deaths, the second male lead, who was played by Shen Jintai, died the most heroically.
When Huang Chunjiang visited Chen Zheng the first time, Chen Zheng, who looked like he was in the prime of his youth, looked up to the sky and made an appointment with him. After the war, he would return to his hometown and have a drink with Huang Chunjiang.
“Although we have a determination to die, we don’t have to be too pessimistic. Perhaps we will win the war* and I’ll be fine. You always say that your Shaoxing wine is delicious. One day, after driving the Japs away, I will fly to Shaoxing and find you for a drink.”
*Clarity: The war that this movie is referencing is the Second-Sino Japanese War.
“I’ll hold you to your word. The most famous wine in our hometown is Erhong. Let’s get drunk.”
The last scene showed Bai Qingquan putting a bottle of Shaoxing Erhong wine in front of Chen Zheng’s tomb.
Bai Qingquan himself felt that his acting skills were better than before, because it was easy to enter into the drama, and his mind was much more sensitive and delicate. He turned his head towards Shen Jintai and saw that his eyes were clear and moist. Bai Qingquan smiled and raised his head to face the sun.
“Cut!”
Shen Jintai took a breath, then stood up from the hill. He stretched out his hand and helped Bai Qingquan up. He was wearing an officer’s uniform and looked brave and heroic. At that moment, Bai Qingquan suddenly felt “offensive energy” coming from Shen Jintai.
“This one will pass. It’s amazing,” Shen Jintai said with a smile.
Bai Qingquan said, “As it should.” Whenever he acted with Shen Jintai, he always filmed well.
—
Yan Qiuchi was very anxious. All afternoon, he was thinking about what to do if Shen Jintai and Bai Qingquan really fell in love. Lying on the bed, he looked at the photos taken today on his phone. He also had the photo that Shen Jintai took with Bai Qingquan. Looking at Shen Jintai in the photo, his eyes were bright, and his smile was sweet.
When it came to appearances, Shen Jintai and Bai Qingquan were polar opposites. Shen Jintai’s facial features were more glamorous, his lips rosier, his complexion fairer, and his eyes darker. His hand was casually hung across Bai Qingquan’s chest, and Bai Qingquan looked natural holding it. He wasn’t clasping the entire hand but rather just gently holding a few of Shen Jintai’s fingers.
Yan Qiuchi counted: one, two, three fingers. The picture looked really ambiguous. He had originally thought the picture he took with Shen Jintai was very charming, but it pales in comparison with this one. Especially the first photo, where Shen Jintai had put his hands in his pockets and was just standing behind him with a smile. His eyes and smile were faint, giving off a polite look.
Yan Qiuchi felt that he really couldn’t stand this kind of emotional rollercoaster. He was not used to it. He was used to always being indifferent. He suddenly recalled Mrs. Yan’s words about what would happen if Shen Jintai fell in love with someone else.
Yan Qiuchi thought hard about it and found that he really couldn’t bear it. He couldn’t stand it. It made him feel possessive and jealous.
The sun was setting as its orange rays shone through the window. The air conditioner was noisy as it buzzed from time to time. Yan Qiuchi suddenly heard Shen Jintai’s voice and immediately jumped up from the bed. When he opened his door to look, Shen Jintai was with Bai Qingquan and Xiao Tang walking upstairs. Shen Jintai had his hands around Bai Qingquan’s shoulder.
When Bai Qingquan saw Yan Qiuchi, he immediately bowed and greeted him, “President Yan.”
Shen Jintai retracted his arm and asked, “Is Auntie Fang all right?”
“Much better,” Yan Qiuchi said.
During dinner, Yan Qiuchi’s feeling of loss was even more obvious. Perhaps he was too hung up on his mother’s words, but now he would zoom in on every small detail. The more he observed, the more he felt that Shen Jintai really liked Bai Qingquan. He felt Shen Jintai’s eyes had an ambiguous movement in them as they talked about the filming details on set today.
Hearing their conversations, he couldn’t help but feel out of touch. Yan Qiuchi was also part of the entertainment industry, but there was still a large difference between a CEO of an entertainment company and the actors. They had very little in common.
That feeling that he had was still the same. He couldn’t say what he wanted to say, and the things he could say he didn’t know how.
Feeling despondent, he left early and went for a walk by himself. He suddenly wanted to smoke, so he went to a nearby supermarket to buy cigarettes. As soon as he entered, he saw the owner and his family leaning in front of the TV. They were watching <The East Palace is Coming>.
The scene showed Li Xu sitting in a chair as he listened to the kneeling prisoner. He suddenly sneered and lowered his eyebrows slightly. This kind of contempt, indifference, and performance was worthy of three points*.
*Clarity: I have no idea what kind of scale he’s using, but I would assume it just means superb acting skills given the context.
“Handsome guy, what do you want to buy?”
“A pack of cigarettes,” Yan Qiuchi said.
The owner put down his dinner and came over to get his item. Yan Qiuchi said, “I also want a lighter.”
After receiving it, he asked, “How much?”
“Twenty. You don’t need to pay for the lighter. Are you from out of town?”
Yan Qiuchi nodded. He opened the pack and took out a cigarette, not in any rush to leave. He put the cigarette in his mouth, lit it, and smoked it while he kept looking at the TV.
The owner smiled and said, “It’s <The East Palace is Coming>. The one playing Li Xu is making a movie in this area now.”
“I know. It’s Shen Jintai.” The light from the lighter illuminated Yan Qiuchi’s eyes.
“Yes, yes, Shen Jintai,” the owner said. “He’s a big star. Very good at acting.”
On the day Li Xu sent off Zhou Ying, his leg was frostbitten from the snow. Due to this, it was difficult for him during the winter season. When Li Xu returned to his chambers, he trembled and used a chair to support himself. Chang’an knelt on the ground and took a hot towel to wrap around his legs. Li Xu raised his head, his expression foreboding, and said to Chang’an. “Today is the anniversary of his death.”
The breath and his delivery were astounding. Even his facial expression matched the mood as his cheeks slightly trembled, showing a sad and calm demeanor.
Amazing. Shen Jintai’s acting is spectacular. So good.
Yan Qiuchi left the small supermarket and smoked on the street in the cool night. He wasn’t someone who could be ruthless. He was always decisive when doing things but was never sloppy about them. He had achieved such success at a young age, and it wasn’t due to relying on his famous father.
—
It was late at night. Shen Jintai and Bai Qingquan were video chatting with Zheng Siqi. The three of them had forged a deep friendship since The East Palace. While they were chatting happily, a loud knock suddenly came from the door.
“Xiao jin!” Mrs. Yan shouted from outside.
Shen Jintai hurriedly ran over and opened the door. Mrs. Yan continued calling to him as she said, “Qiuchi seems to be drunk… You wait, wait. I’ll call him.”
Mrs. Yan said as she gave him her cell phone. Shen Jintai hurriedly took it and answered, “Hello?”
There was only a slight sound of breathing on the other end of the phone.
“Hello?” Shen Jintai glanced at Mrs. Yan with a worried expression. “Yan Qiuchi?”
Yan Qiuchi: “Nn.”
Shen Jintai: “Where are you?”
Yan Qiuchi “In…”
Suddenly, a loud female voice came from the phone. An auntie shouted in her local dialect, “Sister Liu BBQ Restaurant!”
“Just stay there and wait for me.” Shen Jintai hung up the phone. He handed back the phone to Mrs. Yan.
Mrs. Yan said, “Where is he?”
“I know the place,” he said. “I’ll go pick him up.”
Bai Qingquan had already hung up the video chat. He came over and asked, “President Yan drank too much? Do you want me to go with you?”
Shen Jintai: “I’ll just go with Xiao Tang.”
Shen Jintai was being thoughtful. At the end of the day, Yan Qiuchi was Bai Qingquan’s boss. He might not want his subordinate to see him drunk.
Shen Jintai went to put on his shoes. As he and Xiao Tang headed downstairs, Mrs. Yan stood in the corridor in a complicated mood that she couldn’t describe. She wasn’t sure if Yan Qiuchi was drunk or pretending to be drunk. She felt it was 90% true and 10% false.
“President Yan seemed to have something on his mind when he finished eating today.” Xiao Tang said this while driving.
Shen Jintai searched for the navigation on his phone and said, “He didn’t drive yet he still walked so far.”
When they arrived at the BBQ restaurant, it was already late in the night. The restaurant was still lively, with multiple stalls placed outside. Many men were drinking and chatting. Shen Jintai immediately saw Yan Qiuchi and hurried over.
Yan Qiuchi was lying on the table. Shen Jintai patted Yan Qiuchi on the back. “Yan Qiuchi.”
Yan Qiuchi immediately raised his head when he heard his name being called, startling Shen Jintai. Yan Qiuchi must’ve drunk a lot. His face was completely red and he looked extremely inebriated.
Yan Qiuchi gave him another once over and said, “You… you’re here.” His voice was light and gentle.
Yan Qiuchi wasn’t obnoxious when drunk. He still maintained his usual gentlemanly demeanor.
Shen Jintai asked Xiao Tang to pay, while he supported Yan Qiuchi and helped him up. “How could you drink so much?”
Yan Qiuchi whispered something to him, but he couldn’t clearly hear it. He asked, “What?”
“Not good,” Yan Qiuchi said.
Shen Jintai was stunned for a bit, then he smiled. Seeing his smile, Yan Qiuchi’s eyes lit up, and he suddenly leaned forward and kissed Shen Jintai’s face.
Shen Jintai: “…”
Xiao Tang: “…”
Yan Qiuchi wanted to kiss him again, but Shen Jintai blocked his mouth with his hands. Yan Qiuchi’s lips were hot and soft and wet with wine stains as they pressed against the palm of his hand. Shen Jintai quickly withdrew them.
Holy shit.
“Shen Jintai,” Yan Qiuchi said.
Xiao Tang was so scared that he stretched out his hands, not knowing if he wanted to help Shen Jintai or to hold it.
Yan Qiuchi’s entire body fell on Shen Jintai. Shen Jintai tried his best to support them while still keeping a bit of distance. Yan Qiuchi was mumbling to Shen Jintai. Shen Jintai responded to Yan Qiuchi by saying, “Nn. I’m here.”
Yan Qiuchi seemed to be really drunk, otherwise he would not have acted like this. A man can look like a dog when he’s drunk, so he shouldn’t be bothered by this. Yan Qiuchi didn’t speak but instead stretched out his long arms and hugged him. His tall body was strong and warm, giving off a very domineering vibe.
Yan Qiuchi then called to him, “Shen Jintai.”
The author has something to say:
Boo.
Kinky Thoughts:
Author: I’m not going to write anymore dog-blooded dramas. I promised. Next drama Shen Jintai’s in… he dies… again. -___-
When Shen Jintai saw Lu Ming, the director suddenly asked him, “Help me ask Qingquan if he would like to make a cameo in this movie.”
Hearing this, Shen Jintai immediately recruited Bai Qingquan.
“We have a character who is good friends with Chen Zheng. He’s a weak academic. After the war, he invites Chen Zheng to his hometown in Shaoxing for a drink. There are about two scenes. We haven’t found a good actor for this role yet. Would you like to do a cameo?” Lu Ming asked with a smile.
Lu Ming was a big director who was making <Pilot> that was bound to be a blockbuster. Making a star cameo would be suitable for any celebrity. Bai Qingquan immediately agreed, thinking he might attract the attention of other great directors in the future if they saw him on the big screen. He just needed to coordinate the schedule with his agent.
“Is it settled? “Shen Jintai asked.
Bai Qingquan: “It shouldn’t be a problem. I actually have nothing else to do except participate in promotional activities recently.”
With things settled, everyone returned to the county town and had lunch together. Shen Jintai found that Bai Qingquan was particularly shy in front of Yan Qiuchi. This shyness might be out of awe for the boss, but Shen Jintai felt that it might also be a mask in front of someone who he has a crush on.
People tend to be shy in front of the one they like. Bai Qingquan didn’t dare look directly at Yan Qiuchi. Not only was Shen Jintai attentive to Bai Qingquan, even Mrs. Yan and Yan Qiuchi had noticed his odd behavior.
Shen Jintai: “Try this. It’s the local specialty.”
Shen Jintai: “This is a bit spicy, so your stomach might get upset. Eat less of it.”
Shen Jintai: “Don’t you like to eat sweets? Try this.”
Yan Qiuchi found that Shen Jintai was very familiar with Bai Qingquan, and he knew all his tastes.
“I saw your English notes in your RV today,” Mrs. Yan awkwardly coughed. “Are you learning English?” “
Shen Jintai laughed. “In my current role, I have some English lines. The director said that we must use original sounds* for the movie, so I’ve been practicing. I’m afraid that my pronunciation is not up to standard. I have been getting tutoring from a foreign language teacher.
*Clarity: He’s saying that lines must be spoken by the original actor during the filming instead of just acting out the scene and having the lines dubbed by someone else later.
“You should let Qiuchi teach you. His English is exceptional.” Mrs. Yan gave Yan Qiuchi a meaningful glance.
“President Yan speaks English really well.” Bai Qingquan’s tone held sincere admiration, drawing suspicion that he was trying to flatter his boss.
Shen Jintai glanced at Bai Qingquan and smiled. He looked at Yan Qiuchi and said, “I’m a slacker so I’m afraid of being tutored by such an elite. Hahaha. It’s better to use a foreign language teacher. At least if I’m paying for it, I won’t feel shame if I say things badly.”
Bai Qingquan’s phone suddenly vibrated. He took it out, looked at it, and then showed it to Shen Jintai. Shen Jintai leaned over to look and saw that it was a food video Bai Qingquan had taken and sent to Zheng Siqi. Zheng Siqi had replied: [I seem to have heard Jintai’s voice?]
Bai Qingquan used his phone to take a picture of Shen Jintai and sent it to Zheng Siqi with a voice message, “Come and eat together.”
Zheng Siqi replied back in a cheerful tone, “You guys don’t hook me up. I’m still filming and I’m so hungry.”
Seeing this interaction, Mrs. Yan couldn’t help but feel that when Shen Jintai was with Bai Qingquan, he had a noticeably young feeling. He wasn’t like this when he was with Yan Qiuchi, as he usually puts a bit of distance between them. But Yan Qiuchi was only a few years older than him. In fact, his face looks pretty young. It’s just that his temperament was more mature, giving him an old vibe.
“Should we do a collab and post on Weibo?” Shen Jintai suggested.
Bai Qingquan: “Ok.”
Shen Jintai looked at Yan Qiuchi and asked, “Can I trouble you for a bit, President Yan?”
Yan Qiuchi responded with a “Nn”, took Shen Jintai’s phone, and took a picture of them.
“Did you already take the picture?” Shen Jintai asked.
Yan Qiuchi let out a “Nn”.
Bai Qingquan didn’t say anything, but Shen Jintai was blunt. “You have to count to three so we know when you’re going to shoot so we can set up a pose.”
Yan Qiuchi’s throat bobbed. He picked up the phone again. Shen Jintai stood behind Bai Qingquan and wrapped his arms around Bai Qingquan’s shoulders. Bai Qingquan smiled and reached out and held Shen Jintai’s other hand. Their actions looked very intimate and natural, and Shen Jintai’s eyes were sparkling.
“One, two, three.” Yan Qiuchi said faintly.
“Wait!” Bai Qingquan suddenly shouted, as he blushed slightly. “President Yan, remember to use the beauty filter…” Photos without a beauty filter weren’t good, especially for a star!
Yan Qiuchi didn’t usually engage in this kind of thing. He had never taken a selfie and rarely took pictures of others. He didn’t understand the psychology behind taking pictures and posting about them. Unaware of how to activate the beauty filter, he fiddled with the phone for a long time.
Eventually, Shen Jintai went over, leaned closely to his shoulder so that his face was almost against his, and said, “Shit, you actually used the default setting for the iPhone camera. This is way too ugly. Here. Use this app.”
Shen Jintai opened the app and showed it to Yan Qiuchi. He started looking through all the filters as Yan Qiuchi remained motionless, daring not to breathe. He felt that if he moved even slightly, he would rub against Shen Jintai’s cheek. He could feel the heat radiating from Shen Jintai’s cheek, and from time to time, his hair would rub against the end of his eyes, making it a little itchy, which only added to his accelerating heartbeat.
“Alright.” Shen Jintai finished setting up the filter and went back to his original position.
Yan Qiuchi pursed his lips. Several shots were taken consecutively.
“He’s a bit outdated. He’s so busy at work that he rarely has time for other things, let alone knowing about camera filters and such,” Mrs. Yan said.
“Relying on his beauty to commit murder, eh? President Yan must be very handsome if he doesn’t need to use a filter,” Shen Jintai teased.
Yan Qiuchi had an angular and tough appearance. The more authentic he is, the more handsome he looks.
After the photo had been taken, Shen Jintai took a picture with Mrs. Yan. He hugged her neck and stood behind the back of her chair. He interlocked his hands as Mrs. Yan put her hand on his elbows and smiled brightly.
Yan Qiuchi felt that Shen Jintai, who used to be so coquettish, was now extraordinarily cute. He felt warm in his heart, seeing this scene, and a smile appeared subconsciously at the corner of his mouth. Shen Jintai made an exaggerated expression, pretending to kiss Mrs. Yan on the cheek, purposefully acting cute. Seeing this action, Yan Qiuchi’s mouth completely widened.
“Are you going to take a picture with President Yan?” Shen Jintai asked Bai Qingquan. He felt that Shen Jintai had taken a picture with everyone except Yan Qiuchi, making things a bit awkward. Although Yan Qiuchi was a big boss, Bai Qingquan felt he was completely different than those other big bosses that loved to take pictures.
Since Bai Qingquan had mentioned it, Shen Jintai now couldn’t refuse given the situation. He smiled as he looked at Yan Qiuchi and asked, “Do you want to take a picture together too?”
Yan Qiuchi handed the phone to Bai Qingquan, signaling his desire.
Mrs. Yan’s heart felt stabbed by her own son’s sullenness. She felt Yan Qiuchi was slowly improving. She knew the root of the problem. Her son was a good, clean, and self-disciplined man who never messed around. Even so, she knew she was indeed a bit selfish. Her son didn’t like Shen Jintai before, and she could empathize with why he said the things he did to him. However, she was standing on Shen Jintai’s side and not her son’s, so she couldn’t help but scold him. Recalling their earlier conversation, she realized that she had shown the least maternal love to Yan Qiuchi.
If she could match him with Shen Jintai, it would be considered compensation for her previous neglect, right?
She watched as Shen Jintai walked towards Yan Qiuchi with a smile. Shen Jintai wasn’t as open as before. He could put his arms around Bai Qingquan’s shoulders and hug Mrs. Yan’s neck, but he didn’t touch Yan Qiuchi. He was willing but was afraid it would make Yan Qiuchi uncomfortable.
Instead, Shen Jintai stood behind Yan Qiuchi, put his hands into his pockets, and stood upright. Yan Qiuchi was also standing upright, looking at the phone camera.
While others didn’t notice, Mrs. Yan saw through it all. She knew her son’s own careful thinking and could see the hints of shyness in his majestic posture.
Just like a child.
Her maternal instinct had activated, and she couldn’t help but feel this scene was pleasing to the eye.
The photos Shen Jintai had taken with Bai Qingquan and Mrs. Yan were like photos between good friends and family, while the one taken with Yan Qiuchi was like a picture between distant acquaintances.
“I was so intimate when I took a photo with Xiao Jin just now. Why are you so rigid, Qiuchi? Stop looking too stiff,” Mrs. Yan said.
Yan Qiuchi was obviously wooden. He was about to take a picture with Shen Jintai. How could he not feel excited? The depression he had felt in the past few days had been immediately swept away. Is it because he was too uptight?
Yan Qiuchi pursed his lips and leaned back on the chair. As soon as his body relaxed, he noticed Shen Jintai had leaned over and put his arms on the back of the chair. While it wasn’t particularly intimate, this was enough for Yan Qiuchi.
Bai Qingquan: “I’m taking the picture. One, two, three.”
Yan Qiuchi remained expressionless, giving off a quiet and cold aura, while Shen Jintai smiled brightly, emanating warmth. Only Mrs. Yan knew that these feelings were completely reversed. While warm-looking on the outside, Shen Jintai was actually the cold one on the inside, and vice versa for Yan Qiuchi.
Shen Jintai sent the photos to each of their phones, respectively, except for Mrs. Yan, who wanted all the photos. When she got them, she zoomed in on Shen Jintai’s and Yan Qiuchi’s photos. She could see the smile that was coming from Yan Qiuchi’s eyes.
People’s personalities were cultivated since they were young. It was the so-called country and mountains were easy to move, but their nature difficult to change. Yan Qiuchi would probably never be the kind of man who would say “cheese” while taking a picture.
Even so, this kind of serious and restrained man had his own charm. Love was hidden in his heart, and wasn’t easily revealed. What would that look like if there came a day where he couldn’t hide it any longer?
Kinky Thoughts:
Hmm I can dig this. I’m finding Yan Qiuchi to be getting cuter and cuter.
The more I read about the interactions between Shen Jintai and Bai Qingquan, the more I feel they lean towards friendship more than romance… but I guess it has something to do with Bai Qingquan totally disregarding Shen Jintai as a potential romantic partner given he thinks he’s a 0.
Kinky Translations 