Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two

Lu Yan woke up hungry.

He squinted at the unfamiliar ceiling, momentarily confused before the aroma of bread brought back his memories.

The curtain was slightly open, and a sliver of light fell right on his eyes.

He shielded his eyes with his arm, smiling.

Lu Yan sat up and realized he was sleeping right in the middle of the bed. The warmth of the sheets suggested he’d been there a while.

...He wondered how Gu Xu had slept.

The bed smelled like Gu Xu. Lu Yan buried his face in the pillow, planning to lounge for five more minutes when his phone on the bedside table rang.

Lin An: "Are you out for a morning run?"

Lu Yan used to go for morning runs a few years ago, but he stopped going as he got busier. He’d sometimes run when he was home.

Lu Yan stretched: "I’m at home. What’s going on?"

"I’m at your place. Where are you?" Lin An’s voice came through as he looked around Lu Yan’s bedroom. "Oelas has released a new flagship model. We’ll be shooting promotional photos soon. They gave me two samples for you to post on Weibo and generate buzz."

Oelas was the watch brand Lu Yan endorsed.

Lu Yan: "I’m at Gu Xu’s place. I’ll be right down."

Lin An: "??"

Lu Yan hung up and walked out to find Gu Xu sitting on the living room sofa, going over reports.

Seeing him, Gu Xu put down the documents and asked, "What’s for breakfast?"

Lu Yan: "Whatever’s good. Did you eat?"

Gu Xu replied, "I waited for you."

Lu Yan chuckled: "I’ll be right back."

Lin An met Lu Yan as soon as he got home: "Did you stay at Gu Xu’s last night?"

Lu Yan walked past him and headed to the bathroom: "Yeah."

"You’re moving way too fast," Lin An followed him in, "Does Gu Xu live here too?"

Lu Yan nodded with a toothbrush in his mouth, mumbling, "Where’s the watch?"

Lin An: "In the living room. Hey, you didn’t wear a mask earlier. What if other residents saw you?"

Then, as if remembering something, he asked, "Since you’ve already got Gu Xu, do you want to take a look at those scripts I mentioned before? I haven’t returned them yet."

Lu Yan: "Just return them."

Lin An asked, puzzled, "Why?"

Lu Yan turned his head to look at him: "I’m in the honeymoon phase. I’m not filming any dramas."

"..."

After Lin An left, Lu Yan picked up the wristwatch from the table and went upstairs.

Gu Xu was just coming out of the kitchen holding two plates, each with a fried egg and two hot dogs. The dining table also had toast and milk.

Gu Xu glanced at the box: "What is it?"

"It's a wristwatch from Oelas," Lu Yan sat down at the dining table and took a sip of milk, "I'm their brand ambassador, and they've released a new model recently. I need to post an advertisement on Weibo."

After saying that, he opened the two boxes, inside were two stylish black wristwatches.

Lu Yan: "Do these watches look like a matching pair?"

A matching pair for men?

Gu Xu laughed: "They do."

Lu Yan took out one of them and asked with a smile: "Mind being my hand model for a bit?"

Five minutes later, Gu Xu's phone made a ding sound—"From a special contact, Lu Yan V: I really like it, thank you @Oelas. [Picture]"

In the picture, two hands were placed side by side, each wearing a black wristwatch.

At 5 PM, Xu Fei arrived on time to take Gu Xu and Lu Yan to the wrap party.

The hotel was a ten-minute drive away, but the traffic in City B was terrible, especially during the rush hour. They arrived at the hotel exactly at 5:30.

The private room was packed, with only two adjacent seats left.

As they sat down, Chen Jing immediately raised her glass: "Alright, everyone is here. We've all been working hard, let's toast."

No one refused, and everyone stood up to raise their glasses. Even Lu Yan took a sip under Gu Xu's watchful eye.

Shi Qing was sitting next to him. Lu Yan scanned the room and didn't see Yun Anqing, so he teased: "Where's your partner?"

"He's out working to support me. He got a new job and landed a good role. The crew is having a discussion meeting tonight," Shi Qing leaned over and said to Gu Xu, "Thanks for looking out for me, Mr. Gu."

Gu Xu swiftly replaced the wine in front of Lu Yan with plain water: "No problem."

Halfway through the drinks, several people were already tipsy, including Shi Qing and Chen Jing.

Chen Jing was so drunk that she got up and started dancing, which amused everyone at the table. She was eventually pulled back to her seat by the assistant director.

Shi Qing's eyes were half-closed, and her hand rested on Lu Yan's shoulder, occasionally giving it a shake: "Although I always tease you, I actually think we get along quite well. Let's stay in touch, and go out for meals occasionally, okay?"

Lu Yan let her shake him and chuckled: "Got it."

Lin Qing sat directly across, eating silently and occasionally glancing over.

After the meal, Shi Qing's manager picked her up, and Chen Jing was dragged into a car by the assistant director. Everyone said their goodbyes and dispersed.

Xu Fei's car was parked at the entrance, and as they were about to get in, they heard a voice from behind: "Brother Xu."

Turning around, Lin Qing was standing there. He smiled: "Brother Xu, can you take me home? Chen Li's phone suddenly can't be reached."

Gu Xu: "Take a taxi."

Lin Qing bit his lower lip: "I didn't bring a mask, I'm afraid of being recognized."

Gu Xu opened the car door and said to Xu Fei: "Arrange a car to take him home."

With that, he placed his hand on Lu Yan's lower back, gesturing for him to get into the car.

"No need to call a car, Xu," Lu Yan said, then smiled at Gu Xu, "I'm a bit stuffed, how about we take a walk?"

Gu Xu replied, "What if someone recognizes us?"

Lu Yan pulled out a mask and dangled it in the air.

Gu Xu chuckled, took the mask, and deftly put it on him. "Let's go," he said.

Long after they had left, Xu Fei slowly rolled down the car window. "Mr. Lin, hop in. I’ll take you back."

Lin Qing, already feeling slighted, was further upset by Xu Fei’s switch from "Young Master Lin" to "Mr. Lin."

He got in, slammed the door, and shot Xu Fei icy glares the whole ride.

Xu Fei, ordered by his boss to change his address, remained unfazed.

*

With autumn in the air, the night breeze was refreshingly cool.

Gu Xu was on the phone, his black wristwatch still adorning his wrist.

Lu Yan leaned against the bridge railing, his gaze fixed intently on him.

Gu Xu, suppressing a laugh, reached out and turned his face away, but it snapped right back as soon as he let go.

After hanging up, he smiled and asked, "Haven’t had enough of looking at me?"

Lu Yan shook his head. "Not nearly enough."

He murmured to himself, "It’s only been a few months, but I’m already so into you."

Gu Xu replied, "That’s only fair."

Lu Yan laughed, ignoring the onlookers, grabbed his hand, and said with relief, "Good thing I signed with you—where else would I go to cry?"

Gu Xu asked, "Why did you pick Mingsheng back then?"

Lu Yan: "Well, good prospects, long-term vision, and my mom nudged me..."

Gu Xu, with a half-smile, cut in: "And?"

Seeing no way out, Lu Yan admitted, "Alright, I actually wanted to invest in Mingsheng back then."

Gu Xu asked, "How much were you planning to invest?"

Lu Yan: "Not anymore, though."

Gu Xu: "Why’s that?"

Lu Yan turned to him and said earnestly, "Because now I’m more interested in Mingsheng’s boss."

Gu Xu thought to himself, if they weren’t in public, he’d have devoured Lu Yan on the spot.

Back at the apartment, on the 26th floor, just as Lu Yan was stepping out of the elevator, he was yanked back by the person behind him.

Gu Xu frowned. "Not coming up tonight?"

Lu Yan chuckled: "You go up first, I need to get some toiletries."

After returning home, Lu Yan grabbed some everyday items and two clean outfits. As he was heading upstairs, he noticed a few messages on WeChat.

Lin An: "Haha, I heard 'This Time for Real' is toast!"

Lin An: "It's that reality show Lin Qing snagged."

Lu Yan: "?"

Lin An: "The show was pretty big a few years ago, but it's been losing steam lately. This season, they finally got the hot new singer to boost the ratings, but he bailed at the last minute."

Lu Yan paused for a moment before replying, "And then?"

Lin An: "What then? The rest can't carry the show. It's probably gonna get axed."

Lu Yan: "Reach out to the producers and let them know I'm in."

Lin An: "????????"

Lu Yan had never participated in a reality show before. What’s he thinking, stepping in to save it now?

Lu Yan: "I don’t know the going rate for reality shows. You handle it; as long as it’s reasonable, I’m fine with it."

Lin An: "Did you miss something? That’s Lin Qing’s show. Isn’t it a good thing it’s getting axed?"

Lu Yan: "Just reach out."

After sending this message, he stuffed his phone back into his pocket, picked up his clothes, and headed out.

He’d done his part. If Lin Qing still couldn’t make it, there was no saving him.

The next day, Lin Qing suddenly sent a friend request.

He must’ve caught wind of something, because he straight up asked, "What’s your angle?"

Lu Yan was lounging on Gu Xu’s shoulder, legs over the sofa arm, munching on grapes while watching a movie. He replied with a "?".

Lin Qing: "I don’t buy that you’re just being nice and helping me out."

After a while, he added, "Did Brother Xu ask you to help me?"

Lu Yan half-closed his eyes and didn’t respond.

Some people just can't see reality clearly. There's no point in saying more.

Lu Yan looked up at Gu Xu's chin and said, "Lin Qing's variety show has run into trouble. I'm going to step in."

Gu Xu also looked down at him, "Why?"

Lu Yan showed his white teeth, "I want to be involved in everything that concerns you."

Then he joked, "Others say 'husband and wife return home together.' Can we say 'husband and husband return favors together'?"

Gu Xu's throat tightened, and he leaned down to kiss him.

The phone screen lit up again. He thought it was still Lin Qing, but it was a message from an unfamiliar number.

"Xiao Yan, we'll meet soon. I'm looking forward to it... Whose hand is that in your new Weibo picture?"

Afraid that Lu Yan might not recognize him, the sender thoughtfully left a signature: Xu Ze.

What the heck?

Lu Yan tsked, locked his phone, and tossed it on the table.

In the afternoon, Gu Xu received a call from Xu Fei.

Xu Fei: "Mr. Gu, I have something to report about Mr. Xu of Xu Corporation."

Gu Xu was cooking: "Go ahead."

"He's about to participate in a reality show," Xu Fei paused, "The reality show lineup is out, and Mr. Lu is on it."

Gu Xu frowned: "Why would they invite Xu Ze to the reality show?"

Xu Fei: "Lately, reality shows have been inviting celebrities from other fields to boost ratings."

Gu Xu interrupted him: "I wasn’t invited?"

"..."

Xu Fei thought to himself, who’d even dare to invite you?

Though he thought so, he still had to say: "Of course—you were on the list."

Gu Xu was satisfied and served the dish.

"Go ahead and accept it."