A month ago, he was sitting at home or in the office every day, dishevelled and dispirited, constantly berated by his boss. But now, he found himself happily pushing a cart with his idol. They were both being scolded, but they were extremely happy.

‘I love this job,’ Xiao Yi thought.

"Thank you, Zhou Ge," Xiao Yi said, then turned around and vigorously pushed the car, putting all his strength into it. Lu Zhou, looking exasperated, pushed alongside him. Together, they finally managed to get the car out of the ditch.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Lu Zhou exclaimed. "If we push any further, we'll end up at the bottom of the mountain!"

Both of them were untidy and covered in mud as they arrived at the halfway point. Lu Zhou went to take a shower, and Xiao Yi, drenched from the rain and sweat, prepared dinner, which he brought up to Lu Zhou's room. Afterward, he cleaned up the leftovers and returned to his own room to wash up.

The crew had returned, and Xiao Yi's hair was still wet when he finished washing up. He was wearing slippers and his wrists were slightly red from the cold. He lined up to get his meal. He suddenly realized that he had understood something important during the car-pushing incident earlier. He found his work fulfilling and filled with camaraderie.

He started to comprehend why his previous job was stagnant. He felt that the prospects for the future were slim and uncertain. It wasn't just a lack of passion or love for his job; even if he did love his job, it wouldn't be sufficient.

"I'm so happy every day," a makeup assistant teased Xiao Yi. "You are very serious."

"Ah?" Xiao Yi chuckled. "You're too kind."

"He has a good temper," Ninya's life assistant, an older woman, said with a smile. "I saw you helping Lu Zhou so diligently, even on your first day. It's hard work."

"Everyone is the same," Xiao Yi replied. "It's hard work, but it's also a lot of fun."

Xiao Yi got his food, ate it at the entrance, and washed the dishes. He then went to collect Lu Zhou's leftovers. Lu Zhou was lying on his bed when Xiao Yi walked in.

"Do you need your phone?" Xiao Yi asked. "I can have Lin buy it and deliver it directly here."

"Tell him not to come," Lu Zhou declared. "We'll talk about it when I get back. I don't feel like contacting the outside world these days."

Xiao Yi acknowledged and took out his iPad. Suddenly, Lu Zhou asked, "Is my love scene really that bad?"

Xiao Yi was taken aback for a moment. "…"

Xiao Yi couldn't help but laugh. "Lu Zhou, didn't you want to improve that aspect of your acting? Now that you've started working on it, you want to give up?"

"I'm asking you if it's really that terrible?" Lu Zhou repeated.

Xiao Yi couldn't help but wonder, ‘Why do you still care about this?’ However, upon Luzhou's request, he quickly grabbed his iPad and searched for several of the previous music video clips he had edited for Luzhou to watch.

Xiao Yi explained, " Zhou-ge, I used to work as a video editor for a music video production company. When I edited MVs, I focus on the subject of love. I paid particular attention to the emotions conveyed through the actors' eyes, their actions, and the overall atmosphere from the beginning to the end."

Luzhou glanced at the iPad with indifference as Xiao Yi selected an MV that depicted a love story, featuring various scenes of a man and a woman sharing passionate kisses. The background music was Enya's "Summer Love."

Xiao Yi pointed at the screen and said, "Take this scene, for instance. It's a classic representation of love, where the connection between a human and a ghost transcends death. They're completely absorbed in each other."

Luzhou watched the MV, and then he looked at Xiao Yi, asking, "Isn't that what Zhang Xiran and I portray as well? What's the difference?"

 

Xiao Yi thought for a moment and said, "In the love scenes, your eyes sometimes look a bit nervous."

Lu Zhou said, "Mmm, I felt a little uncomfortable."

Xiao Yi nodded. "Maybe you're just not used to it. It takes time to get comfortable with intimate scenes."

Xiao Yi showed him another MV, "Here's another classic. The kiss between two boys is also iconic."

Lu Zhou started to realize something. "It's all about the way they look at each other, right?"

"Exactly!" Xiao Yi said with a smile. "That's the key.”

Lu Zhou, sitting in a bathrobe and slippers, began to contemplate the conversation. After a while, he spoke, "I don't like making eye contact with my partner."

"Oh!" Xiao Yi laughed. "I think that's part of the issue."

Lu Zhou pressed his ten fingers together, lost in thought, and continued pacing around the room. Xiao Yi continued, "In reality, there are many ways to express love. Some people enjoy being pinned against a door, while others prefer whispered sweet nothings in their ear. And then, there's another way..."

Xiao Yi reached out and grabbed the collar of Luzhou's bathrobe. He pulled Luzhou closer and used him as a demonstration on the bed. Lowering his head to get closer to Luzhou, Xiao Yi then got up and, blushing, said, "My girlfriend liked this. This kind of approach... it's intense, with both of you looking at each other face to face. Everything else just fades away, and the world in each other's eyes is incredibly beautiful..."

Luzhou: “……”

Xiao Yi: “……”

Lu Zhou got up, placed his arm around Xiao Yi's waist, and pushed him against the table. He locked his gaze onto Xiao Yi's eyes, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Like this?"

Luzhou suddenly leaned closer to Xiao Yi, causing his heart to race. The way Luzhou looked at him was entirely different, and the emotions in his eyes were so captivating that even other men would be ensnared. Xiao Yi immediately pushed Lu Zhou away and said, "Not… quite the same, but that expression you just had, it's quite close."

After a moment of thought, Luzhou said, "You're finished with your work."

Xiao Yi was still taken aback by how close Lu Zhou had come to him earlier, which had made his heart race. Xiao Yi couldn't help but think that Luzhou truly was an idol who could captivate people of all genders; he was incredibly hard to resist. There was no lust involved, but he had felt as if he was being controlled, a willing and contented feeling.

This was perhaps the power of idol worship, unrelated to lust, but rather a complete and unconditional admiration.

"I… I'm going to bed," Xiao Yi said. "We have to get up early tomorrow, right?"

Lu Zhou replied, "Wait a bit, come over here."

Xiao Yi , "???"

Lu Zhou continued, "Sit."

Xiao Yi hesitated and then followed is order. Lu Zhou pulled a chair over and sat in front of him, holding Xiao Yi's hand and saying, "I want to try this, don't be nervous."

Xiao Yi: “!!!”

Xiao Yi, ‘No, male god, even though I admire you greatly… Zhou Ge, my love for you is unwavering, but we're not really suitable for…’

" What are you talking about!”?" Lu Zhou asked. "You think we have to fall in love just because we're acting? When I was acting, I've even held monkeys and dogs, and the one who was taken advantage of was me. I was the one who got taken advantage of, all right!

Xiao Yi couldn't move, and Lu Zhou said, "Give me a reaction. Imagine you're the female lead."

Xiao Yi stammered, "Alright… Alright."

Lu Zhou seemed to put effort into it, looking intensely and seriously at Xiao Yi, squeezing his hand, and sliding his fingers. Xiao Yi's skin tingled.

"Put some more effort into it," Lu Zhou said. "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking."

Pff… Xiao Yi couldn't hold back his laughter as he looked at Luzhou's bored face and said, "Didn't you laugh while acting?"

Lu Zhou seemed bored as he scolded Xiao Yi. "Clowns are the ones who laugh all the time. They think they're cute, but they're just messing up everyone's work. When everyone is working hard, and you break out into laughter, the whole scene falls apart. The crew despises actors who laugh all the time, and if you enjoy laughing so much, why don't you go take a 'Three Laughter Elixir'? Be serious!" (NT: Xiao Yao San or three laughter elixir is a blend of herbs used in traditional chinese medicine, supposed to relieve from depression and PTSD)

Xiao Yi thought,’Is that so?’ He realized that everyone on the set disliked actors who laughed all the time. Actors might find their laughter amusing, but if a scene is ruined due to constant laughter, it's no fun for the rest of the crew.

Lu Zhou took a deep breath, and Xiao Yi realized that he was serious. Xiao Yi adjusted his mindset and tried to imagine himself as Lu Zhou's lover.

Though it felt strange, Xiao Yi had a slight admiration for Lu Zhou, which allowed him to immerse himself in this love scene.

Lu Zhou was silent, lowering his gaze and looking at the back of Xiao Yi's hand. He tightly held Xiao Yi's hand and moved his fingers, while Xiao Yi did the same, holding onto Lu Zhou's hand. Lu Zhou leaned in closer, and their breaths intertwined.

Lu Zhou's magnetic voice filled the room as he said, "I'll be with you through life and death, holding your hand as we grow old, Shulu Ping...."

Then he locked eyes with Xiao Yi.

Xiao Yi, "…"

Lu Zhou's gaze, filled with a uniquely male tenderness, returned. Xiao Yi's breathing stopped when he found himself locked in that gaze. Their hands were still entwined, but something unexpected happened.

As they held each other's hands, their breaths mixed, and Xiao Yi felt himself getting aroused.

Xiao Yi's entire face turned red, and he felt his heart racing. He was stunned, but Lu Zhou's unexpected reaction made him even more embarrassed. Lu Zhou, with a flushed face, immediately let go of Xiao Yi's hand.

Lu Zhou said, "You…"

Xie Yi felt extremely embarrassed and said, "I'll go back to my room first." He quickly got up and left.

Xie Yi returned to his room, and while taking a shower, he had three black lines on his forehead. It was the first time in his life that he had experienced such a strange feeling. Lu Zhou was indeed charismatic and enigmatic. He could even affect other men.

After showering, Xie Yi suddenly remembered that he had forgotten his phone in Lu Zhou's room. He cautiously entered Lu Zhou's room, noticing the window was open. Lu Zhou was sitting on the bed, looking dazed, and seemed a bit shivery.

"Why didn't you close the window?" Xie Yi said, "Be careful not to catch a cold."

Xie Yi walked over to close the window, and Lu Zhou gave him a quick glance.

"I'm going to bed. Good night, Zhou-ge," Xie Yi said, still feeling a bit awkward.

"Um, go to sleep early," Lu Zhou replied.

Xie Yi came out of the room, feeling relieved. That night, he checked his phone. The signal was very unstable in the area. He couldn't open any images or news. However, he noticed some pictures posted by people visiting the set. He was preparing to go to sleep when he received a call from Du Mei.

"What's the situation over there?" Du Mei asked.

Xie Yi truthfully reported the situation within the film crew. Du Mei said, "I'll be coming to Hengdian tomorrow. I'll come find you all then."

Xie Yi suddenly felt like he was about to face an inspection by his mother-in-law. He was worried about the impending scrutiny of his work. Du Mei then gave him instructions, "Has Qi Quan called you yet?"

"No," Xie Yi replied, "Should I call him to apologize?"

Du Mei said, "Let's wait for now. When Qi Quan calls you, talk to him, and focus on apologizing. But your apology might not make much of a difference. Let's handle it this way for now."

Xie Yi hung up the phone, and he realized that Monday was approaching. Nearly a month had passed since he arrived in Hengdian. Lu Zhou's schedule was ending in less than two months. Xie Yi had learned a lot during this period and decided he would continue learning from Lu Zhou in the future. With these thoughts in his mind, he turned off the light and drifted into his dreams.

*

The next morning at 8 a.m., after dropping Lu Zhou off at the hill, Statistician came to talk to Xiao Yi and asked, "Xiao Yi, is your phone charged?"

Xiao Yi checked his phone and said, "Yes, do you need to borrow it?"

Statistician said in a hushed tone, "Take a look at Weibo yourself."

Xiao Yi asked with confusion, "What's going on?"

Xiao Yi was about to drive down the mountain to the market to buy some ginger. Lu Zhou had a runny nose in the morning, so buying ginger to make soup for the entire crew was on his agenda. While he was checking Weibo on his phone, his mind suddenly buzzed when he saw the headlines on various entertainment news websites. The headlines featured a photo of Ning Yaqing leaning against Lu Zhou!

Xiao Yi was at a loss for words. Wasn't this supposed to be postponed? Why did it get posted so soon?

Xiao Yi immediately called Du Mei. She was already on a call, and after a while, she said, "I've seen it too. Keep things stable on your end no matter what. Don't let Lu Zhou know about this. I'll go find the person in charge of the entertainment section."

Xiao Yi asked about Zhang Xinran, "What about Zhang Xinran?"

Du Mei responded, "Let's take it one step at a time."

Du Mei was obviously in a hurry, unable to catch a flight, as she rushed to deal with the situation involving Lu Zhou. Xiao Yi was feeling disoriented. He knew that the online community would be in an uproar. Normally, he enjoyed following entertainment gossip, but seeing this news about Lu Zhou felt like someone had exposed his own family's secrets. It was an uncomfortable feeling.

Xiao Yi was confused, and he quickly bought the ginger before heading back up to the set. During lunchtime, the catering crew brought boxed lunches. Lu Zhou asked, "You didn't cook?"

Xiao Yi replied, "I went to buy ginger, and it took some time."

Lu Zhou shrugged, saying, "No problem. We can just have lunchboxes."

Everyone was eating in silence while checking their phones. Lu Zhou, who had a cold, ate very little and then stopped.

The set was unusually quiet today, and everyone seemed to be preoccupied. Lu Zhou found it strange as he glanced around. He didn't know what had happened.

In the afternoon, the sun was shining, and the lake sparkled beautifully. Lu Zhou and Ning Yaqing began filming a scene of A Baoji and Shulu Ping’s romantic moment by the lakeside. They both looked stunning in their Liao Dynasty costumes. Lu Zhou took Ning Yaqing's hand affectionately, and her face turned red as she glanced away.

" I will be holding your hand as we grow old, Shulu Ping...."," Lu Zhou said, his voice filled with emotions. He gently caressed Ning Yaqing's nose bridge.

The director interrupted, saying, "Cut! Lu Zhou, your eyes lacked emotion in that take."

Lu Zhou felt exhausted. These romantic scenes were the ones he dreaded the most. The more he was told to act passionately, the harder it became for him to get into character. He could easily navigate other types of scenes, but these tender and affectionate moments felt like a routine.

Even if Ning Yaqing were replaced with a tree, a gold bar, or a lollipop, Lu Zhou's gaze and tenderness could be replicated identically.

Lu Zhou, was sniffling, he playfully tapped Xiao Yi on the head and said, "What are you doing? Tissues!"

Xiao Yi immediately pulled out a big roll of tissues, and everyone around burst into laughter. Lu Zhou moved to the side to blow his nose, aggravating his cold.

After wiping his nose, Lu Zhou carelessly tossed the tissue aside. Xiao Yi quickly went to retrieve the tissue, folding it carefully, and continued scrolling through his phone.

Today, all the major headlines were pictures of Lu Zhou and Ning Yaqing. What's worse, at noon, Zhang Xinran had posted a Weibo:

Zhang Xinran: Parting ways, each seeking their own happiness.

Another crack in Xiao Yi's brain sounded, and he was mentally thunderstruck.

Xiao Yi: ...

Everyone: ...

All of them were watching the drama on Weibo. Sympathetic glances were cast toward Xiao Yi, and not far away by the lakeside, Lu Zhou was still passionately and gently kissing Ning Yaqing.

"Click!" The director shouted, "Take a break, NG."

Ning Yaqing was also a bit tired. They had been standing by the lake the entire afternoon, and Lu Zhou's cold was making him feel dizzy. He was sniffling like a bellow. As soon as Ning Yaqing approached, everyone quickly put away their phones.

"Let's check the shots from the scenes later," the director said.

The coordinator went to consult with the director, and he came back after a while. The sun was about to set, and they had spent the whole afternoon re-shooting this scene. It was as if the tables had turned. Previously, it was Ning Yaqing who was slowing down the progress, and now it was Lu Zhou. He struggled to get into character and was a little out of it. Shaking himself to regain focus, he stood and put on a determined expression.

" I'll be with you through life and death, holding your hand as we grow old, Shulu Ping....," Lu Zhou said passionately. "I'd rather give up all the riches in the world, all the territories, for a lifetime like this with you."

"A Baoji," Ning Yaqing replied, her eyes filled with affection, though tinged with some sadness.

Then, Lu Zhou lowered his head, and a strand of mucus ran down his nose and onto Ning Yaqing's face.

Ning Yaqing: ...

Lu Zhou: ...

"I'm sorry... Ahchoo!" Lu Zhou blocked his face as Ning Yaqing smiled and went to wipe her face and redo her makeup. The makeup artist came over to touch up Lu Zhou's makeup, and everyone was speechless.

 

Translator : DarNan