Chapter 31: Provocation

Chapter 31: Provocation

Well, well… he walked right into it.

The familiar scent resurfaced in his mind, like a poppy, stirring deeply buried desires, intoxicating and utterly irresistible.

Qi Lian’s eyes narrowed, fixed on Lin Shenshi. His dark gaze held a hint of amusement.

Lin Shenshi, however, remained oblivious, merely pulling his down jacket tighter and staring intently at Yu Lanzhao.

Beside him, Bai Yuxi noticed Qi Lian's gaze and spotted the young man among the crew. "Someone you know?"

Qi Lian lowered his eyes, then looked up again, his expression all business. He stepped forward, placed his incense sticks on the altar, and said indifferently, "Something like that."

Bai Yuxi pursed her lips. "Poor guy."

Qi Lian glanced at her, offering no comment.

After their chance encounter in the mall restroom, they met again on set. Was it relentless pursuit? Or just a coincidence?

Qi Lian pondered. But… whatever the answer, the person from the hotel hadn't been found, and now this one had delivered himself. Could it be anything but fate?

The young man's scent was perfectly to his liking—a slender waist, a soft, yielding rear. The brief contact in the restroom had left a lasting impression.

If not for the even more exquisite experience with that person from the hotel, he might have already ordered his assistants to scour the entire city.

Now that the lamb had offered itself, how could he possibly refuse?

His tongue grazed his lips, and a greedy glint flickered in his dark eyes.

A little diversion wouldn't hurt.

"By the way…" Bai Yuxi finished offering her incense and followed him, her peripheral vision catching sight of someone behind them. "He seems to have a boyfriend."

Not just any boyfriend, but a very beautiful one.

One of the most stunning faces Bai Yuxi had ever seen in the entertainment industry. Though unfamiliar, he was destined for greatness.

Qi Lian's smile grew even more unrestrained, his head tilting like a devil. "So what?"

Having a boyfriend just makes it more thrilling, doesn't it?

Bai Yuxi froze, then glared at him.

"You really are… as awful as ever."

Bai Yuxi had known Qi Lian for many years. As an actor, he was skilled, dedicated, and highly accomplished; as an idol, he was disciplined, strict with himself, and had never had a single scandal throughout his career.

But as a person…

Qi Lian was hardly a good man.

It wasn't that he was a scumbag, but rather… he had never truly immersed himself in a relationship.

He was like a detached tourist in a nightclub, effortlessly navigating the scene. No matter how deeply others fell for him, he could always walk away with an unruffled expression.

Over the years, Bai Yuxi had never heard of him truly settling down with anyone, male or female. The only romantic news was the "bite mark" incident from a few days ago.

And that kind of obsession with a stranger's body was less about love and more like a sexual addiction.

Once the addict had indulged, the poor, used soul would inevitably be abandoned.

Sigh!

Who on earth could ever tame him?

*

Yu Lanzhao's first scene was scheduled for the afternoon.

It was an ensemble scene where the male lead, the Eldest Senior Brother of the sect, returned to the immortal mountain with the female lead, who had transformed from a demon beast, while the other junior disciples welcomed them at the mountain gate.

Actors, both named and unnamed, were all crowded together. Yu Lanzhao stood among them. Though slightly shorter due to his youth, his exquisitely beautiful face was enough to make everyone else fade into the background.

Lin Shenshi stood at a distance and spotted Yu Lanzhao instantly. But just seconds before filming began, the crowd surged, pushing Yu Lanzhao to the back, where only a faint glimpse of his hair ornament could be seen through the gaps.

Lin Shenshi was frantic.

For his first scene, such a position would make it impossible for him to be seen on camera!

Yu Lanzhao was also trying to fight his way forward, but the crowd seemed to have conspired against him—a solid wall, giving him no chance to emerge.

Someone smirked maliciously, their eyes full of mockery.

Lin Shenshi suddenly understood.

—They were doing it on purpose.

Yu Lanzhao's beauty was too striking, too likely to provoke jealousy from petty people.

At school, his classmates were jealous of him, cursing him as the doomed "Yu Beauty" (a pun on his name and "poppy," implying doomed beauty). Now on set, he faced being sidelined by fellow actors—even for a single shot, they never gave him a chance to appear in the frame, afraid his beauty would outshine them.

Rage burned in Lin Shenshi's chest. He was about to run over and argue with the director when the assistant director shouted "Action!" and filming officially began.

Supported by wires, Qi Lian and Bai Yuxi descended from the sky.

The moment the handsome, captivating man appeared, he commanded everyone's attention. Qi Lian's beauty was more mature and aggressive than Yu Lanzhao's. If Yu Lanzhao was an ethereal deer spirit from a mountain stream, then Qi Lian was the authoritative dark wolf king atop a cliff, exuding power without effort.

Under his presence, no one dared to overstep.

The shifting crowd fell silent.

Qi Lian landed steadily at the mountain gate, with Bai Yuxi close behind. One of the junior disciples stepped forward: "Eldest Senior Brother, you’re finally back. Was the journey smooth?"

According to the script, it was Qi Lian's line next, but he remained silent, watching the crowd.

Was he… forgetting his lines?

Bai Yuxi glanced curiously at Qi Lian.

Director Tang Sen also looked up from behind the monitor.

Since his debut, Qi Lian's professionalism had been top-tier. No matter how thick the script or how long the additional pages, he could recite them flawlessly.

He had never forgotten his lines on set before.

What was wrong today?

Was Actor Qi not in good form?

The silence stretched on. Just as everyone grew uneasy, Qi Lian pointed at the crowd before him, his expression serious, and said: "You, you’re in the wrong spots."

The actors: "Huh?"

But Qi Lian didn't speak to them further; instead, he turned to Tang Sen: "Director Tang, if I remember correctly, in a moment I will introduce the female lead to everyone, and then assign the sixth male lead to take her to the wing, right?"

Tang Sen nodded: "That's correct."

Not only that, but on the way to the wing, the sixth male lead and the female lead begin to get familiar with each other, which is also the moment the sixth male lead starts to like her.

It could be said that in this scene, the sixth male lead is the most important supporting role aside from the male and female leads.

Qi Lian pressed on, his tone carrying a hint of interrogation:

"Then, where is the sixth male lead?"

Tang Sen quickly turned toward the crowd. The crowd was packed, yet the figure of the sixth male lead was nowhere to be seen. But before filming started, he had clearly seen the actor playing the sixth male lead standing at the very front…

Qi Lian strode over. At 190 cm tall, he could look down on everyone, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, exuding natural authority. The crowd automatically parted. He reached out and grabbed the stunningly beautiful youth who had been blocked layer upon layer by the supporting actors.

Like a pristine lotus emerging from the water, Yu Lanzhao was pulled to the front row.

Qi Lian announced firmly:

"The sixth male lead should stand here."

Tang Sen nodded hurriedly.

Not only because of the needs of the subsequent plot, but also because Yu Lanzhao was slightly shorter and had the best looks. Having him stand in the center of the front row would make for the most visually balanced and appealing shot.

Truly worthy of being a Triple Golden Best Actor—even in such an ordinary scene, he considered the often-ignored placement details and framing.

"Director Tang, one more thing," Qi Lian's gaze swept over the supporting actors, a warning glint in his slanted phoenix eyes, "The set is a place for filming and work. I don’t want anyone to ruin everyone’s efforts and hard work because of some petty motives."

"Of course," Tang Sen, reminded by the Assistant Director, learned about how Yu Lanzhao had been pushed to the back earlier. Understanding the deeper meaning behind Qi Lian’s words like the savvy person he was, he snapped sternly, "Everyone, behave! If anyone dares to bully the newcomer again, don’t bother coming tomorrow!"

With Qi Lian’s backing and Tang Sen’s warning, the supporting actors didn’t dare cause any more trouble. Yu Lanzhao stood firmly in the front row.

Qi Lian and Bai Yuxi returned under the wires, ready to start filming again.

In the brief moment as the wires were slowly hoisted, up high, away from the crowd, Bai Yuxi asked doubtfully, "Since when have you been so caring toward newcomers?"

Qi Lian: "Always."

"Pfft." Bai Yuxi nearly rolled her eyes to the sky. "Do you think I just met you today? Weren’t you interested in that young agent? Why are you being so intimate with his artist now?"

The Qi Lian that Bai Yuxi knew never got overly familiar with people he wasn’t close to. But just now, Qi Lian not only verbally defended the sixth male lead but also pulled him so close it was almost into an embrace. This was highly unusual.

If she didn’t know that Qi Lian was actually interested in the young agent, she would have suspected Qi Lian had some ulterior motives toward the actor playing the sixth male lead.

Could it be that after a thousand years of not blooming, the old tree suddenly sprouts a double bloom?

As the wires slowly rose to the designated height, Qi Lian curled his lips into a smile and said nonchalantly, "Why can’t it be?"

Bai Yuxi: "???"

A low chuckle escaped Qi Lian’s lips. Bai Yuxi knew she had been teased.

The man simply smiled, and everything around him seemed to lose its color, leaving only a vibrant glow blooming around him.

Qi Lian looked down.

Amid the bustling crowd of actors, Yu Lanzhao stood in the best position. No matter how the camera framed the shot, he would be captured from the most perfect angle.

This was a treatment few newcomers could hope for, and one that Qi Lian had gone out of his way to secure for him. The favor of a Triple Golden Best Actor would leave anyone stunned for a while.

Even Bai Yuxi, who had known him for years, felt a moment of doubt.

But…

Qi Lian narrowed his eyes slightly.

Though there was some distance between them, the youth within his line of sight appeared calm, his dark eyes showing no trace of excitement or joy—even…

There was a faint, hidden wariness.

"It seems the person in question hasn’t been bewitched by me," Qi Lian murmured playfully.

But it was just as well…

His real goal had already been achieved.

Far outside the camera’s view, a delicate-featured young man had long since risen from the resting bench, watching anxiously toward the filming location.

His amber eyes were filled with unease and worry, as if afraid something might be snatched away.

Was it for him? Or…

"Action!"

Everything was ready for filming. At the Assistant Director’s command, the wires moved, and the winter wind brushed against their cheeks, leaving a cold, sharp sensation.

Hair fluttered, robes billowed.

Suspended by the wires, Qi Lian flew toward the mountain gate, landing steadily. Yu Lanzhao happened to be standing directly in front of him.

Their eyes met.

Sparks seemed to fly.

One of the junior brothers from the crowd stepped forward: "Eldest Senior Brother, you’re finally back! Was your journey smooth?"

"Smooth."

Qi Lian seamlessly delivered his line. After a brief exchange with everyone, he gestured to Bai Yuxi behind him: "Let me introduce…"

"This is my fiancée."

He spoke the lines, but with a hidden meaning, his gaze settling on Yu Lanzhao at the center of the crowd:

"Junior Brother, could you trouble yourself to take care of 'him' for me?"