The elevator had surveillance, so the two of them pulled their hats lower, exchanging glances in a corner out of sight from the camera. They stood shoulder to shoulder, not minding the heat, arms stuck together, tightly pressed.
Luo Ding lowered his head, smiling.
Duan Xiubo, with one hand pressing down the brim of his hat, tried to discreetly hook his arm around Luo Ding’s without being noticed. Luo Ding glanced at the camera, calculated the safety of the situation, and then flipped his hand to hold Duan Xiubo’s.
Duan Xiubo looked as if he was about to cry with joy. He immediately grabbed Luo Ding’s hand tightly and wouldn’t let go.
When the elevator opened, Luo Ding swiped his key card, but before he could take a few steps, he felt himself lifted into the air. Duan Xiubo, unable to contain his excitement, had already hoisted him onto his shoulder.
“Old Duan!!” Luo Ding was shocked, flailing his legs in panic. “Put me down!!”
Duan Xiubo chuckled, breathing heavily as he helped Luo Ding out of his shoes, kicking off his own in a couple of swift moves. Familiar with the routine, he headed straight for the bedroom.
Luo Ding was thrown onto the soft bed, bouncing slightly before the weight of Duan Xiubo crashed down on him.
His lips were quickly captured in a kiss, leaving him no chance to call for a pause. Duan Xiubo’s dominant and forceful approach quickly dispelled any thoughts Luo Ding had about reasoning with him. At first, Luo Ding tried to resist, but soon gave up, furrowing his brow as he felt the increasingly aggressive nips at his neck. He let out a long sigh and wrapped his arms around Duan Xiubo’s back.
“Take it easy…”
Duan Xiubo did lighten his actions, the large head burrowing into Luo Ding’s neck feeling less oppressive now. Luo Ding laughed and gently held the back of Duan Xiubo’s head, stroking him in a comforting manner.
“Luo Ding… Luo Xiaoding…” Duan Xiubo couldn’t think of anything else to say but call out Luo Ding’s name. He had waited too long for this day—for the moment when Luo Ding would willingly offer himself, when the timing felt right for him. Luo Ding was slow to warm up, and principled, his heart like a block of ice that had to be cradled carefully and melted gradually. The long-term uncertainty in their relationship had always made Duan Xiubo feel like Luo Ding didn’t truly belong to him. That was one reason he had accepted the role in *Supermodel*. Luo Ding never gave him the feeling of being in a passionate relationship.
Luo Ding thought Duan Xiubo liked to act spoiled, but in reality, it wasn’t that—only in those moments of playful banter did Luo Ding treat him like a proper lover. Over time, Duan Xiubo grew to love this unusual dynamic.
But in that instant just now, Duan Xiubo really felt Luo Ding’s love for him. The occasional aloofness and coldness were merely flaws in his personality.
His fingers trembled, failing several times to undo the buttons of Luo Ding’s shirt. Unwilling to waste time, Duan Xiubo kissed him deeply, sharing breaths as they embraced.
Luo Ding’s fingers stroked the short, bristly hair on Duan Xiubo’s head, the part that never changed no matter how many hairstyles he tried. Suddenly, with a burst of strength, he flipped Duan Xiubo off of him.
Duan Xiubo froze, his actions halting as he looked at Luo Ding, eyes filled with confusion and hurt: “…?”
Luo Ding chuckled softly, straddling Duan Xiubo, and swiftly pulled off his T-shirt, revealing his lean upper body. He leaned down, fingers finding the small buttons of Duan Xiubo’s shirt.
Duan Xiubo stared at his body, utterly captivated, reaching out to touch him.
But Luo Ding smacked his hand away. “Don’t mess around,” he teased like one would playfully scold a cat.
Those words, often said in jest, now felt like fuel poured on a fire. Duan Xiubo’s desire flared, sweat pouring from him as his eyes reddened with passion. His fists clenched against the bedspread as he watched Luo Ding’s every move.
It felt like everything was happening in slow motion. Each button that was undone came with a slight smile on Luo Ding’s face.
How could Duan Xiubo hold back? When Luo Ding leaned down to lick his chest, it was like a volcano erupting inside him.
Duan Xiubo became serious, and with Luo Ding being smaller, he naturally had no chance of resisting. But Luo Ding liked it this way, a bit more intense. Duan Xiubo’s occasional biting gave him the illusion of being completely in control of this man beneath him.
“Ah…” Luo Ding furrowed his brows, the mild pain turning into an electrifying tingle.
His eyes gleamed with tears, legs curling as Duan Xiubo’s strong arms held him, his thighs resting on his broad shoulders.
Staring up at the ceiling, the room’s soft light blurred into a kaleidoscope of colors, as if soaking into the night.
He gasped, pulling Duan Xiubo’s head closer to him, a faint smile of pleasure playing on his lips.
The long-forgotten joy left him momentarily lost.
But soon, that secure feeling of holding onto something real grew strong enough to drown him. Hugging the man in his arms tightly, Luo Ding fought the urge to cry. He was lucky, and he knew he had to cherish the mercy life had shown him.
*******
That night’s sleep was the deepest he had ever experienced. Physically and emotionally spent, he didn’t stir, basking in the sweet peace of rest.
Luo Ding opened his eyes to find himself lying on his stomach, his face resting on a pillow.
The building’s central air conditioning kept the temperature at a perfect level, and the soft bedding, along with the slightly firm mattress, had allowed his body to relax throughout the night. But… it was no use.
A small movement made his bones creak.
Rolling over felt like climbing six flights of stairs while carrying five gas tanks. Luo Ding lay back, staring blankly at the ceiling.
…Had he miscalculated?
How many condoms did Duan Xiubo use last night? Was he pent up, or was this just his usual stamina? Thinking about how he, who never shed tears, had cried on the bed last night, Luo Ding felt too embarrassed to face anyone. When he said he was tired and wanted to sleep, Duan Xiubo’s reply had been, “It’s fine, you sleep, I’ll continue.” What nonsense! Who could sleep through that?
He stared at the nightlight clock, which had been turned the other way to avoid shining in his face. He adjusted it to see the time. 1:30?
Oh, it must be 1:30 in the afternoon. They hadn’t called a truce until after 3 a.m.…
The blackout curtains were drawn tightly, making the room as dark as midnight. Luo Ding caught his breath, stretched a little, and found his body wasn’t in as bad shape as he had imagined.
Duan Xiubo might have been aggressive during foreplay, but he was gentle when it mattered, comforting him throughout. Besides, Luo Ding’s regular workouts had kept his body from being too fragile. Everything had been cleaned up afterward, and his body felt fresh, with no stickiness from sweat. He had slept soundly, and Duan Xiubo had probably taken him for a bath. Speaking of Duan Xiubo, where was he?
The bed was empty except for himself.
When Luo Ding opened the curtains, blinding light flooded into the room, causing him to shut his eyes quickly.
After a few moments, he reopened them, feeling an immense sense of peace. There was a sense of closure, as if everything had finally settled into place. Perhaps it wasn’t just Duan Xiubo who had been waiting for this day.
He couldn’t help but smile.
The room was so well-insulated that it wasn’t until he opened the door that the faint, odd smell reached him. He also began to hear voices, albeit muffled.
Descending the stairs, the noise became clearer: “What’s going on? It’s not working! The yolk broke and spilled into the pot! And the porridge is bubbling over like crazy!”
From what sounded like a speakerphone, someone impatiently exclaimed, “Turn the heat down! Turn the heat down! Are you an idiot?!”
There was a clattering, and everything went quiet. After a moment, Luo Ding heard Duan Xiubo’s calm voice say, “What did you just call me?”
The person on the other end fell silent for a while before changing the subject. “Put a spatula over the pot; it’ll stop it from boiling over.”
Duan Xiubo: “Heh.”
Perhaps hearing Luo Ding’s footsteps, Duan Xiubo turned around, eyes widening when he saw him. The first thing Duan Xiubo did was grab the pot, dumping something black into the trash can.
Luo Ding peered over. “What did you just throw away?” Duan Xiubo quickly stepped in front of him, laughing, then bent down, scooped Luo Ding into his arms, and carried him over to the couch, holding him close without letting go.
Luo Ding patted his head.
Duan Xiubo leaned in for a kiss, and Luo Ding didn’t refuse, gently reciprocating. The afternoon was calm, serene, like a peaceful morning. Sunlight streamed through the windows,bathing them in warm light. Duan Xiubo’s breathing became visibly more rapid.
This wasn’t good—Luo Ding quickly pulled away from him.
Duan Xiubo looked dejected, gazing at Luo Ding with a mixture of frustration and disbelief. But seeing the unwavering resolve in Luo Ding’s eyes, he immediately shrank back, defeated, like a wilted flower. He didn’t dare push things any further, so instead, he leaned in and nibbled gently on Luo Ding’s earlobe, sucking on it softly.
Luo Ding chuckled, leaning in to return the favor by kissing Duan Xiubo’s ear. “I’m hungry.”
“I made breakfast!” Duan Xiubo said with pride, but then he paused for a moment, as if remembering something. “…It might take a bit longer, it’s not ready yet. Do you like fermented tofu?”
Luo Ding blinked in surprise, then nodded. Duan Xiubo continued, “And olive vegetables?”
Luo Ding nodded again.
Duan Xiubo let out a sigh of relief. “That’s great! We’ll have porridge with fermented tofu and olive vegetables… If you really want eggs, I can boil some for you.”
The odd burnt smell in the air was getting stronger. Luo Ding sniffed again and couldn’t help but laugh. “Did you try to fry eggs?”
Duan Xiubo stayed silent, just looking at him.
Luo Ding, holding Duan Xiubo’s head in his hands, kissed him on the forehead in reassurance. “It’s okay. I’m not great at frying eggs either. Cooking is hard—you’re already better than me since you can cook porridge!”
Duan Xiubo’s face immediately lit up with joy, his smile wide and bright like spring sunshine.
******
The atmosphere on the set of *Supermodel* had never been better.
The whole crew seemed lighter, more cheerful, like something big had happened that made everyone unusually happy.
The reason, when traced back, was mostly due to the two leading actors, both arriving on set in particularly high spirits.
Today, several scenes were planned between Luo Ding and Duan Xiubo. The shooting schedule had progressed smoothly, and if everything stayed on track, *Supermodel* would wrap filming within the week. If it weren’t for that, Luo Ding wouldn’t have accepted the role in *The Assassin* so quickly. It’s irresponsible for an actor to juggle two major projects at once, especially when both are lead roles. Luo Ding wasn’t just a supporting character with minimal screen time—he was the main star in both. Jumping into *The Assassin* without first wrapping *Supermodel* would have been reckless.
The director squinted, watching the two of them sitting together in the rest area, chatting and laughing. It wasn’t unusual for Duan Xiubo to be playful with Luo Ding, but seeing Luo Ding laughing along with him like this was something new.
The assistant director came over, watching them for a moment, and couldn’t help but feel a bit envious. “Luo Ding really has great chemistry with people. Look at Duan Xiubo, a big star like him, yet he doesn’t act all high and mighty when he’s around Luo Ding. I remember when I first heard they were close, Luo Ding wasn’t even that famous yet. I thought it was just another case of someone trying to ride the coattails of a bigger star, but now…”
He gestured to where the two of them were practically glued together, laughing. Duan Xiubo must have said something that made Luo Ding laugh so hard his eyes crinkled into crescents, and Duan Xiubo, seeing Luo Ding’s smile, couldn’t help but grin as well. Their heads leaned in close, and if they weren’t both so good-looking, you could almost mistake them for a couple of silly kids.
The female producer, sitting nearby and fanning herself, couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight. “Those two… hahaha.”
Tang Rui, the veteran director, leaned back, throwing in his usual sharp comment: “What’s the big deal? They’re practically the official couple of the show.”
Both the assistant director and the producer went silent. The assistant director, who had worked with Tang Rui for years and looked up to him as a mentor, was stunned to hear something like that from such a seasoned, professional director. After a long pause, he finally forced a laugh and asked, “Director Tang… do you even know what ‘official couple’ means?”
“Of course I know!” Tang Rui shot him a look. “You think I haven’t done my research on the two of them? I searched their names online, found a forum, found a fan club. After looking through all that, I got it. You think I don’t know how to use the internet?”
The assistant director: “…”
The producer: “…”
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