“Am I interrupting something?” A voice suddenly broke the silence, startling both of them. Luo Ding had intentionally left the door slightly ajar to avoid creating a suggestive atmosphere, and sure enough, standing just around the corner was Duan Xiubo.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes, you are,” Emma responded, slightly annoyed. “So why did you say anything?”
Duan Xiubo smiled apologetically. “My bad.”
“Do you like wine?” Emma offered the bottle to Duan, moving closer.
Though the situation was strange, Duan answered honestly, “I don’t mind it.”
“Oh~” Emma replied with a slight edge to her voice. “But I’m very picky about who I share my wine with.”
She sauntered out, her floral dress swirling gracefully as she moved. Duan watched her leave before locking the door and returning to the room, holding the item he had brought with him.
Luo Ding, still feeling awkward from the earlier encounter, tried to busy himself with his tasks. Folding his bathrobe for the third time, he asked, “What did you bring?”
Duan didn’t respond immediately. When Luo Ding repeated the question, Duan seemed to snap out of his daze, smiling, though the expression didn’t reach his eyes as it had before.
“Oh.” He seemed a little unfocused and said in a light tone, “This.”
“Lao Gan Ma?”1 Luo Ding laughed upon seeing the label of the familiar chili sauce. He reached out for it, saying, “I was going to bring some myself, but Fangyuan forgot…”
Duan didn’t hand it over. Instead, he stepped closer, until he forced him into a corner.
He lowered his head, his gaze intense as it focused on Luo Ding’s lips.
Luo Ding felt a sense of unease growing inside him and stammered, “…You…”
Duan lifted his hand and gently stroked Luo Ding’s face, his thumb brushing over Luo Ding’s lips before stopping at the corner of his mouth.
His voice was low, almost absentminded. “Lipstick.”
Oh!
Luo Ding quickly wiped his mouth. Sure enough, his fingers came away stained with the lipstick Emma had left behind. His head was starting to throb. He wondered if he should explain what had happened—whether explaining would make things worse. He awkwardly tried to deflect the situation. “People here are really enthusiastic.”
Duan Xiubo’s smile tightened. “Emma is very attractive. More than half the men in this production are interested in her.”
“Well, she’s America’s sweetheart,” Luo Ding replied with a dry laugh. “I could tell Uhm definitely likes her. Do you?”
“Me?” Duan Xiubo almost wanted to pry open Luo Ding’s head to see what was going on in there. The scene he had just witnessed had left him feeling utterly deflated. He’d gone to get the chili sauce, hoping to make Luo Ding happy, only to come back and find him sharing an intimate moment with the most stunning woman in the cast.
Emma’s allure was undeniable—her long line of suitors attested to that. Luo Ding was still young and had limited experience with women. Coming from a culture where things were more reserved, women in China were like delicate blossoms in a dewy orchard. How could anyone, used to such gentle beauty, not be captivated by a garden full of fully blooming peonies like Emma?
Duan Xiubo’s emotions were a mess. He knew he had no right to interfere with Luo Ding’s personal life, but the jealousy gnawed at him, leaving him sour and unsettled.
He rubbed his fingers together, feeling the remnants of Emma’s lipstick. That streak of red on Luo Ding’s lips had been so jarring, and the texture when he’d touched it—he couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to taste it himself.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
“Hah, interested in her… Anyone with sense wouldn’t dare touch her!” Duan’s tone grew harsh. “I warned you earlier today—there are a lot of people who like her, and just as many who will target you! Why was the door open?”
“Because I wasn’t planning on anything happening!” Luo Ding was already feeling embarrassed, and Duan’s accusation made it sound like he had been up to something inappropriate. That kind of blame was unbearable for anyone, regardless of age.
Duan could see Luo Ding was exhausted, and after a long silence, he shook his head. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m just tired. Just be careful. I’m heading back to rest.”
He grabbed the sauce bottle and walked toward the door. But just as he reached for the handle, he paused, placed the bottle on the wardrobe shelf, and left without looking back.
Luo Ding fumed. Being unjustly accused by someone close to you was deeply hurtful. Duan’s refusal to listen to reason infuriated him, and the awkwardness of being kissed by Emma only added to his frustration. Even after taking a shower, he was still too upset to sleep.
He turned on all the lights and sat cross-legged on the bed, mindlessly scrolling through Weibo while muttering curses under his breath.
Although his phone was within reach, Luo Ding didn’t typically check his social media often, so it was rare for him to open the app.
Despite having only been abroad for a short time, it felt like an eternity. His body was still adjusting to the time zone difference. It was morning back in China, so there weren’t many people active on Weibo, and new comments trickled in slowly.
Reading through the warm, encouraging messages from his fans helped ease some of his tension. The original “Fuzhu Support Club”, which had been renamed “Luoding Support Club”, had become one of the leading accounts, with numerous posts gaining high engagement.
Luo Ding recognized the fan club’s admin by name and decided to secretly follow her. As a celebrity, he needed to stay informed about the latest fan community trends.
Just after he clicked “follow,” a new post from the fan club appeared in his feed.
It was a retweet of Alessandro’s latest post—a familiar face.
Alessandro had written, “Feeling down, restless, can’t sleep.”
The fan club responded with, “Aww, what’s wrong?”
Wait, was Alessandro a big deal now?
Luo Ding, puzzled, clicked into Alessandro’s profile. Whoa! A pinned post with thousands of comments!
Opening the image, Luo Ding had to stifle a cough—it was a photo taken from above, showing stacks of his EPs, covering the floor and chairs. There must have been at least a thousand copies.
Accompanied by a single cold, high-class caption: “Goodbye.”
The comments were full of fans mirroring the dramatic goodbye, along with declarations of wealth and demands for leg-hugs.
Luo Ding chuckled at the sight. So Alessandro had become a fan club heavyweight too?
Reading through the comments, it seemed like Alessandro was a girl.
Luo Ding made a mental note to give her a heart on her autograph the next time he met her at an event.
As he lay back on the bed, he sighed. Living abroad was always lonely and difficult. Back when he had no one to talk to, he didn’t even understand the language—sometimes people would insult him to his face, and he wouldn’t know it. He had no one to rely on but himself. Now, he had someone like Duan Xiubo by his side, a friend who could share the burden. But here they were, arguing over something so trivial, and it felt worse than being insulted.
He lay awake until ten o’clock when the phone on the bedside table buzzed.
The screen lit up with an unexpected name.
“Tommy Lee”
This was the first time the young man had called him after getting his number.
After answering the call, all Luo Ding could hear was the sound of wind and heavy breathing.
“Hello?”
Tommy Lee spoke in heavily accented Chinese. “Luo Ding!”
“It’s me. Should I call you Tommy Lee or Li Tommy?”
“Whatever you want,” Tommy Lee replied. “I heard you’re back in the U.S.? Where are you now?”
“I’m staying at an inn near the set. I was just about to go to bed.”
“Pfft—” Tommy Lee sounded dismissive. “Go to bed? It’s not even that late. I know where you are. I’m coming to pick you up. Get dressed.”
“Hey!” Luo Ding sat up in surprise. “Why? Where are you taking me?”
“Just get dressed!” Tommy Lee hung up without waiting for a response.
He didn’t even give Luo Ding a chance to refuse. Calling him back was futile—Tommy Lee wasn’t answering.
Luo Ding, knowing Tommy Lee’s impulsive and self-centered nature, had no choice but to comply. He wasn’t tired anyway—his body clock was still on China time.
Tommy Lee, known for his flamboyant style, arrived in an eye-catching red sports car with modified wheels that glowed like flames under the streetlights.
The engine’s roar announced his arrival, and Luo Ding immediately guessed who it was.
“Luo Ding!” Tommy Lee shouted from the car.
At the same time, Duan Xiubo’s door opened.
As Luo Ding hurriedly put on his jacket and approached the car, he glanced back to see Duan standing in the doorway, silhouetted by the light, watching him closely. Instinctively, Luo Ding called out, “Duan-ge, I don’t know what’s going on either!”
“I’m taking you to a party!” Tommy Lee poked his head out of the car, his wild hairstyle adding to his rebellious look. Impatiently, he patted the car door. “Get in.”
Luo Ding was perplexed. “This is only the second time we’ve met.”
“So what?” Tommy Lee squinted at him, assessing him through narrowed eyes. “I do whatever I want. It has nothing to do with how many times we’ve met.”
By then, Duan had approached. “Where are you going?”
“A supermodel party,” Tommy Lee replied.
Luo Ding, confused, asked, “What’s that?”
Duan looked conflicted, trying to find the right words. “It’s… a private party attended by government officials, businessmen, and lawyers. It’s pretty exclusive.”
“No celebrities are invited,” Tommy Lee added smugly. “I guess you’re smart. I just didn’t feel like bringing a female companion, so I’m asking you to accompany me.”
Luo Ding hesitated.
He wasn’t a fan of parties, but if this one involved government officials, businessmen, and lawyers—high-ranking members of Western society—networking there could be hugely beneficial for his career in Hollywood.
“Do you want to go?” Duan asked, breaking his silence.
Luo Ding countered, “Are you going?”
Duan’s gaze locked onto his, reflecting the fiery glow of Tommy Lee’s sports car before slowly dimming.
With a resigned smile, Duan said, “Alright, I’ll go.”
“I’m not bringing you!” Tommy Lee snapped.
Duan’s smile faded as he shot the young man in the car a sharp look. “I have my own invitation.”
The drive to the party was filled with Tommy Lee’s complaints. “I can’t believe he rolled his eyes at me!”
The car’s engine hummed loudly, but all Luo Ding could think about was Duan Xiubo’s earlier intense, helpless gaze.
Without realizing it, his ears turned red, the blush slowly creeping from his earlobes.
The car was headed toward a place Luo Ding had never been to in his past life, explaining why he had no knowledge of this event.
Don manka villas, a luxury neighborhood in Los Angeles where the wealthy gathered. Each villa hidden behind trees, the area was distinctly different from the city, even the streetlights felt exclusive.
This was no ordinary place. Owning property here wasn’t just a matter of wealth—connections were required. A few top-tier Hollywood stars resided in this area, and whenever they appeared on TV, the hosts would proudly introduce their homes, as if simply living there was a badge of honor.
A parade of luxury cars converged on their destination, and Tommy Lee’s car pulled up to a brightly lit villa.
A group of burly Black bodyguards emerged from the gate to open Tommy Lee’s door and take his keys. Tommy Lee adjusted his suit as people began approaching to greet him, their voices warm and affectionate, “Sweetheart! Darling!”
In front of these people, Tommy Lee’s usual bad temper vanished. He smiled sincerely, all traces of impatience gone.
“Aunt Molly, Aunt Chrissy…” he greeted each person warmly. “It’s been a while, you’re looking even more beautiful.”
“Oh… such a sweet-talking rascal! Your mother always complains that you never visit. It must be her fault!” The women, arm-in-arm with their husbands, laughed with their hands delicately covering their mouths.
Duan Xiubo’s car arrived quietly behind them, its black, businesslike exterior blending in with the night. The bodyguards hesitated for a moment before approaching.
But as soon as Duan stepped out, someone recognized him.
“Oh! Ike!” One of the men standing with his bored wife beside Tommy Lee lit up with excitement. “I didn’t expect you to come! Your father turned down my invitation this morning!”
Ike?
Luo Ding turned to look at Duan, puzzled. Duan, however, didn’t seem surprised at all. As he buttoned his jacket, he strolled over casually. “Uncle Stanis, it’s been a while.”
Lao Gan Ma = Old Grandma Sauce brand , it’s a fermented soybeans in chili oil ↵
R : Sorry guys I have to go on break for few days, I’m sick. (✖╭╮✖)
I’ll be back next week with the next chapter ♥
The days are colder, please take care guys !
Keep me fueled with caffeine! Support me on Ko-fi! ★~(◡‿◡✿)
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