R : WordPress keeps failing me with the automatic update, I’m pissed ! ಠ益ಠ
Xu Zhen’s recovery was going to take time. Despite the funds, the film crew still had to prepare many things from scratch. Even though *Supermodel* hadn’t wrapped up, Luo Ding wasn’t in a hurry. He estimated that filming for *The Assassin* wouldn’t begin until at least October.
Duan Xiubo, after much deliberation in front of the mirror, finally swapped his blue striped tie for a plain iron-gray one. Satisfied, he tossed the discarded tie onto the floor.
Mi Rui, used to this behavior, dutifully bent down to pick it up, carefully coiling it before placing it neatly back in the drawer.
“Oh, sorry,” Duan Xiubo muttered, glancing at him. After spending so much time on set, he had gotten used to casually discarding dirty clothes. He hated tidying up after himself.
Mi Rui, accustomed to taking care of Duan Xiubo, didn’t mind. After all, he was well-paid, so occasionally acting as a personal attendant wasn’t a big deal. He calmly watched Duan Xiubo pace back and forth, then picked up a new can of hair gel and headed toward the bathroom.
He couldn’t help but ask, “Are you really going all out for this? Is it necessary?”
Duan Xiubo sneered. “Have you ever been in love?”
“My girlfriend and I aren’t as clingy as you two,” Mi Rui, who often worked overtime, couldn’t help but feel exasperated by the couple. Even though they saw each other every day on set, Duan Xiubo had still called Luo Ding to go out for dinner after an entire day of work.
Duan Xiubo, unimpressed, retorted, “With your personality, only your girlfriend could tolerate you. Anyone else would have left you ages ago.”
Having suffered a few heartbreaks before, Mi Rui had no response to that.
Feeling overly pleased with his appearance, Duan Xiubo finally dragged Mi Rui over to compare their reflections. After ensuring he looked significantly better, he left, fully content.
Mi Rui, used and discarded, silently cursed Duan Xiubo, wishing him to gain five pounds from dinner.
All of Duan Xiubo’s grand expectations for their dinner date crumbled as soon as he arrived at Luo Ding’s house.
Luo Ding stood there in a white T-shirt, beach shorts, and black flip-flops, with a pair of black-rimmed glasses covering half his face. His hair was naturally tousled, with no sign of any grooming—looking more like a college student on his way to campus than someone on a date.
Of course, a college *heartthrob*, at least.
Duan Xiubo, in his suit and tie, stared at Luo Ding in silence for ten seconds before Luo Ding sighed and said, “I’ll go change.”
“Wait!” Duan Xiubo grabbed him. “I… I thought we were going to the mountainside hotel like last time.”
“That place is too far. It takes hours just to drive there and back. Aren’t you tired?” Luo Ding looked at him, his brows furrowed in concern. “Mi Rui told me you’ve been working all day, and you haven’t even had dinner. That’s the only reason I agreed to go out with you. The night market is just downstairs—only a few steps away. It’s lively at night. I didn’t realize you were planning a fancy date.”
“Don’t worry!” Duan Xiubo, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, jumped a foot in the air and bolted for the door. “I’m fine with the night market! Just give me a minute to change.”
The crowded street at night, full of people walking shoulder to shoulder, eating snacks, and shopping together… Duan Xiubo had seen it countless times on TV. Imagining it now with Luo Ding made him feel so excited—how romantic!
Yeah, right.
There was nothing romantic about it!
Duan Xiubo, now expressionless, walked beside Luo Ding, feeling the stares of people passing by. Some even turned around to look again after walking past them. Inside, Duan Xiubo was screaming at them to stop staring, but outwardly, he had to act as though nothing was wrong.
Holding hands was out of the question, but at least putting an arm around Luo Ding’s shoulder still looked like something brothers might do, saving them from an awkward side-by-side stroll.
Serves him right for trying to show off.
Luo Ding, who had thrown on a hat that covered most of his face, rolled his eyes at Duan Xiubo. They could have owned the street just with their presence, even without showing their faces. But Duan Xiubo just couldn’t resist showing off his looks, refusing to cover up even a little. If it weren’t for the fact that it was dark, the people asking for autographs would have completely ruined their dinner.
After spending twenty yuan on a street vendor’s baseball cap, Luo Ding handed it to Duan Xiubo, grinning. “Wear it. You’re so stiff you’re walking in sync.”
Once the hat was on, things improved. Though people still occasionally glanced their way, there was no longer that air of recognition. Now, it was just admiration for two handsome guys.
The hot summer night made the evening breeze feel especially refreshing.
When they finally sat down at an outdoor table, Duan Xiubo was filled with a sense of novelty. The smell of stir-fried food from nearby carts drifted over, and his stomach, which hadn’t seen dinner, growled audibly.
He had never eaten at a street stall before, just as Luo Ding had rarely dined in high-end restaurants. The clash of their lifestyles made every day feel like an exciting adventure for Duan Xiubo. He could almost imagine Luo Ding’s thoughts when he saw him in that suit earlier—there wasn’t a single other person dressed so formally in the entire area. With a pitcher of beer and some side dishes, the tank tops and casual wear around them suddenly seemed much more fitting.
Luo Ding was a regular here. In his previous life, he would come whenever he had free time. The stall owners didn’t follow celebrity news; they were solely focused on their business and wouldn’t recognize even the biggest stars. Most importantly, they made excellent Sichuan food. The place wasn’t too busy now, but by ten, the whole square would be packed with their customers.
Duan Xiubo wasn’t picky, and the greasy table and chairs didn’t bother him. Watching Luo Ding carefully wiping down the table while chatting with him was enough to make Duan Xiubo feel lightheaded with happiness. He smiled dumbly to himself—could life get any better?
He had everything he wanted. Even the gods must be jealous of him, right?
Luo Ding ordered two pitchers of beer. He usually didn’t drink, and since he no longer had to deal with social drinking obligations, he rarely touched alcohol. But tonight was an exception, marking a special occasion.
“I’m treating you to dinner as a thank you for the gift.” Luo Ding’s voice was soft, his gaze gentle as it rested on Duan Xiubo’s face, glowing in the night. “I really liked it. But investing in a film isn’t a small matter. Don’t be so impulsive next time.”
A meal that cost less than 200 yuan in exchange for a movie contract worth seven figures—Luo Ding said it so matter-of-factly that Duan Xiubo had no choice but to accept it in the same way.
Looking around to make sure no one was paying attention, Duan Xiubo reached under the table and held Luo Ding’s hand.
Why did he love holding hands in public so much? Luo Ding shot him a glance but was already used to his habit of sneaking touches. He didn’t even bother to resist anymore. If Duan Xiubo wanted to hold hands, so be it. Luo Ding smiled to himself, curling his fingers playfully in Duan Xiubo’s palm.
Duan Xiubo squeezed his hand and pulled it closer, his gaze growing intense.
“Don’t make trouble,” Luo Ding chuckled, then started introducing the signature dishes from the stall.
“Do you come here often?” The familiarity in Luo Ding’s tone suggested he wasn’t a newcomer, and Duan Xiubo was surprised. He hadn’t expected someone as refined-looking as Luo Ding to be such a fan of casual street food.
Luo Ding froze for a moment, his smile faltering. “Yeah,” he replied. He had indeed come here often in his previous life, but Xu Zhen never did. Xu Zhen didn’t like noise, so it had always been Su Shengbai who accompanied him.
Thinking about it now, Luo Ding realized that Su Shengbai probably preferred more upscale places like five-star restaurants and cafés. Whenever they ate at street stalls, Su Shengbai would obsessively sanitize the utensils with boiling water and line the seats with napkins. Even so, he’d barely touch the food. Luo Ding used to think it was thoughtful of him to make such accommodations, but now he knew it was more likely Su Shengbai was just tolerating it for the sake of gaining something.
Duan Xiubo, on the other hand, was the most natural companion Luo Ding had ever had in a place like this. From the moment they sat down, he hadn’t complained once.
The moment Duan Xiubo took his first bite of food, his eyes widened. “This is delicious!”
“Good, right?” Luo Ding grinned, tapping his chopsticks against the plate. “This portion of spicy diced chicken is 35 yuan. That’s pretty expensive for street food, but compared to the mountainside hotel, it’s missing a zero. Can you taste the difference?”
The more Duan Xiubo chewed, the dumber he felt. “…This is actually better.”
“Hahaha!” Luo Ding clapped his hands in laughter. “I wanted to laugh so hard when you talked about the air-freighted chili peppers last time. Good food isn’t made with air-freighted peppers. It’s the chef’s skill that matters. The chef here is generous with the Sichuan peppercorns. I bet that hotel was worried about catering to bland palates and didn’t use enough seasoning. Of course, this tastes better.”
Duan Xiubo glanced at him, noticing a rare hint of smugness on his face, and laughed along. “I’m so dumb.”
“Hahaha!” Luo Ding laughed even harder. “You are dumb! Next time, just come here if you want to eat. You could order an entire table of food for the price of one dish over there!”
Duan Xiubo didn’t mind being teased, just happy to see Luo Ding so joyful. They clinked their glasses together, enjoying their beer. Luo Ding didn’t eat much, and most of the food ended up in Duan Xiubo’s stomach.
Luo Ding still couldn’t hold his alcohol. Despite having trained for years, it seemed like he hadn’t made any progress. Even with low-alcohol beer, after just half a pitcher, his emotions were already running high. A simple joke that wasn’t particularly funny had him laughing for minutes on end.
Watching Luo Ding laugh until his eyes were barely open, Duan Xiubo couldn’t help but smile too. The two of them just sat there, laughing at each other, forgetting all about their beer.
The bill came to 194 yuan. Duan Xiubo, feeling generous, waved off the six yuan in change, but the no-nonsense boss gave him a pocketful of coins anyway, looking at him like he was crazy.
Duan Xiubo was in such a good mood that he and Luo Ding took a detour through the back alleys, away from the crowds, finally getting to hold hands.
Even though there weren’t any people around, just the stars twinkling above them, Duan Xiubo’s heart felt incredibly full.
Luo Ding leaned into him, mumbling, “Old Duan, why are you so good to me?”
Duan Xiubo switched hands to hold Luo Ding’s, then put his arm around his shoulders. “Because I love you.”
“Old Duan…”
“Hmm?”
“Say it again.”
“Say what?” Duan Xiubo bent down, meeting Luo Ding’s serious gaze. Startled, he stopped walking and carefully enunciated: “I—love—you.”
At that moment, Duan Xiubo saw an expression in Luo Ding’s eyes that was both teary and joyful, a mix of emotions too complex to describe.
Then Luo Ding’s smile broke through, and he leaned in to kiss him.
Duan Xiubo was stunned. They were outside! They were already pushing it just by holding hands, and now Luo Ding was kissing him in public? Was he drunk, or was this genuine?
Instead of thinking, Duan Xiubo started responding. He gently moved to reciprocate the kiss, but then Luo Ding’s arms came around his neck, pulling him closer.
By the time Duan Xiubo realized what was happening, Luo Ding had pressed him up against the wall of an old residential building, the dark alley ensuring they wouldn’t be seen. Luo Ding kissed him again, more forcefully.
This time, Duan Xiubo wasn’t confused. Clearly, this was real emotion, not just drunkenness.
He happily wrapped his arms around Luo Ding, savoring the hint of beer and chili pepper on his lips. The world seemed to glow brighter.
He undid his belt without getting slapped.
He touched Luo Ding’s waist and still didn’t get slapped.
Growing bolder, Duan Xiubo finally worked up the nerve to try pulling down Luo Ding’s pants.
“Get lost!” Luo Ding broke the kiss, swatted Duan Xiubo’s hands away, and kicked him. “What’s the rush? We’re only five minutes from home!”
Duan Xiubo nuzzled closer, acting pitiful, kissing Luo Ding’s ears, cheeks, nose, lips—he didn’t even spare his arms. “I just want to touch, just touch, I won’t do anything.”
Luo Ding nudged him aside while continuing to kiss him, deftly zipping his pants back up.
Duan Xiubo was desperate. How could he let his prize slip away now?
Luo Ding squinted, smiling as Duan Xiubo angrily nipped at his neck, amused by his sulking behavior.
“You pig,” Luo Ding teased, stroking the bristles of hair at the back of Duan Xiubo’s neck, his voice trembling with laughter. “We’re only five minutes from home. Will you die if you wait five minutes?”
“…” Duan Xiubo suddenly froze. “What does that mean?”
Luo Ding’s eyes gleamed with mischief, softened by his smile. He ruffled Duan Xiubo’s neatly styled hair.
Meeting someone like this in this lifetime—he had to be content. If he wasn’t, even the heavens might strike him down.
Keep me fueled with caffeine! Support me on Ko-fi! It helps a lot ! Thank you so much ♡(´･ω･)(･ω･`)♡
thank you for the chapter 😊🤗