” Luo Yingbai fought back while laughing: “Weren’t you quite talkative just now? Why are you now speaking word by word? Idiot, believing everything!” The two used to fight a lot when they were young, but now they rarely did so. Without using any magical techniques, the stronger Xia Xianning quickly gained the upper hand. For someone like him who talks but doesn’t fight, encountering Xia Xianning’s style of few words but many punches was exhausting. Luo Yingbai raised his hands: “Okay, okay, you win, you’re impressive, I won’t play anymore, I’m dead tired!” He said this and couldn’t help but yawn, having been through various tumultuous events all night, now tired to the point of tears. Xia Xianning’s hands were propped on either side of Luo Yingbai, encircling him in the chair, but didn’t let go for a moment. He whispered: “If you’ve forgotten, I’ll have to remind you properly.” Their faces were extremely close. Xia Xianning could even feel Luo Yingbai’s warm breath. The person he longed for was in his arms – truly a miraculous and wonderful thing. Xia Xianning’s hand unconsciously rose, caressing Luo Yingbai’s brow and eyes. Those slanting eyebrows were probably the most heroic part of his appearance. A tear, probably from his earlier yawn, hung precariously on his eyelashes, making one’s heart itch. And then… there were the lips. “
Luo Yingbai’s lips still carried a hint of a smile, red and enticing, seeming to invite a kiss. Remembering the previous interruption, Xia Xianning kissed him. He kissed away the tiny tear, then moved downward, kissing Luo Yingbai’s lips. His kiss was urgent and infatuated, but when their skin touched, he ultimately gentled out of fear of hurting the other. Xia Xianning kissed without warning. When his lips landed, Luo Yingbai was startled by the unfamiliar sensation, but Xia Xianning’s kiss quickly drew him into the same infatuation, leaving no room for further thought. Their relationship transformed naturally, as if they were always meant to be this way. They held each other tightly, hearts filled with joy, until the phone rang, reminding them they were still in the special investigation unit’s office. Luo Yingbai pushed Xia Xianning slightly, drawing back: “Stop kissing, are you going to eat me? Answer the phone.” Xia Xianning’s voice was slightly hoarse: “Won’t answer. Whoever it is, let them be.” He tried to kiss again, but Luo Yingbai pressed a finger to his forehead: “No way. Even if you’ve found a rich second-generation official as a boyfriend who’ll support you, slacking off is still wrong.” Luo Yingbai leaned back in the chair, half-tilting his head. Xia Xianning supported himself on the chair’s back, looking down. Their gazes met, breaths intertwining, separated by a single finger.
The phone rang, then stopped, then rang again. It was work time, and as a department head, Xia Xianning had many matters to attend to.
Finally, Xia Xianning sighed, his mouth curving in a smile: “Right, I’ve got a big backer now.”
He grabbed Luo Yingbai’s finger, pressed it to his chest, and leaned close. Luo Yingbai instinctively closed his eyes, then rubbed his nose against Xia Xianning’s before drawing back.
Luo Yingbai stood: “You should call back. I’m leaving. I’ll be going to the film set in a few days.”
Two people had just confirmed their feelings. Xia Xianning didn’t want to be separated from him, but he also knew that Luo Yingbai had been traveling all night and was surely very tired. He had matters regarding the Buddha amulet and Gai Xiao to handle, so even if Luo Yingbai stayed, he couldn’t accompany him. Reluctantly, he said, “I can’t see you off today. Be careful on the road.”
Luo Yingbai responded with an “Mm” and was about to leave when Xia Xianning suddenly called out, “Shixiong.”
Luo Yingbai turned back, and Xia Xianning paused before saying, “When you get home… remember to send me a message.”
Luo Yingbai said, “Okay.”
Then he suddenly leaned in, hugged Xia Xianning, and quickly kissed his cheek, laughing, “Don’t worry, this is all real. We’re really together. When you wake up tomorrow morning, nothing will have changed. Goodbye.”
Stunned, Xia Xianning watched as Luo Yingbai disappeared outside the office door. He touched the spot where he was kissed and suddenly smiled.
A few days later, Chang Weiyu, the new male supporting actor for “Yan Chi Xiao Hong Qiao,” officially joined the production. Zhou Junyi and the female lead Wen Qianqian both had scenes with him, arriving at the set early in the morning.
They were shooting on the grasslands, and the summer morning sunlight already carried some heat. Zhou Junyi removed his sunglasses and quickly scanned the people on set – Luo Yingbai hadn’t arrived yet, but a familiar luxury car was parked nearby.
He withdrew his gaze and signaled his assistant to put his things in the adjacent area, walking towards the temporary makeup room.
Before entering, he heard two women discussing something, coincidentally talking about Luo Yingbai whom he had just been thinking about.
He paused for a moment, his tone still quite friendly, as if joking: “Or are you saying you think your talent isn’t enough, and you’re planning to train and switch to being a paparazzi?”
Ruan Lin blushed from his words. Zhou Junyi knew how to handle people. Although the words were originally spoken by her and Wen Qianqian together, Zhou Junyi didn’t mention a word to Wen Qianqian. When the topic turned to her, he was practically pointing at Ruan Lin’s nose, saying her acting was poor and she was gossiping.
Because Luo Yingbai had just arrived and the directors were paying him special attention, there was a lot of discussion about him in the crew. But once Zhou Junyi’s attitude was displayed, anyone sensible would shut their mouth.
He usually never interfered in others’ business, and no one knew why he was so supportive of Luo Yingbai.
Ruan Lin could only stammer in agreement and find an excuse to leave the makeup room.
On the other side, after hearing Zhou Junyi’s words, Wen Qianqian walked to the parking area and indeed saw her husband Feng Zhengyang’s car parked nearby. She walked over, feeling somewhat strange.
Before she even reached the car, the driver had already spotted Wen Qianqian and said a few words to Feng Zhengyang in the passenger seat. The driver got out of the car and opened the door for Wen Qianqian.
Wen Qianqian got in, and Feng Zhengyang thoughtfully helped her, smiling and saying, “I thought you were filming and didn’t want to disturb you. I didn’t expect you to see me.”
He was especially gentle and considerate towards Wen Qianqian, often praised by the media as the “ideal husband,” which made Wen Qianqian the envy of many.
Compared to Feng Zhengyang’s gentle attentiveness, her attitude seemed quite flat. She just looked a bit surprised: “You’re not here to find me? Why did you come to the set?”
Feng Zhengyang smiled slightly: “Do you know what day it is today?”
Wen Qianqian, who didn’t like him being cryptic, said flatly: “No.”
Feng Zhengyang was unconcerned: “Starting tomorrow, the pre-meeting for the government handover will be held. It’s time for the power shuffle among Beijing’s major families.”
Wen Qianqian looked at him suspiciously. She didn’t understand much about Feng Zhengyang’s business, only knowing that he was always trying to network with high-level officials.
Wen Qianqian said: “You’re not a government official. What does this have to do with you?”
Feng Zhengyang laughed: “Let me tell you something interesting. A big shot up there has always been praised for being fair and incorruptible, but one day he was caught being intimate with a student more than twenty years younger, even spending the night together in the same house. Isn’t that shocking?
