The CP fanbase was growing faster than Fan Qing had imagined.
Especially one day, when he casually passed by Gan Mo and glanced at Gan Mo’s screen from the corner of his eye.
The two people on it looked all too familiar.
Wasn’t that him and Nie Luo?!
If he remembered correctly, this was a commission Tang Sheng had issued not long ago.
Even though Fan Qing had orchestrated the “Warm Water Frog” scheme himself, he was still a little shocked.
These days, the gender ratio of CP fans was becoming more balanced?
He couldn’t help but tell Nie Luo the news.
After saying it, Fan Qing laughed to himself first.
“Bro, maybe we could go public now?”
“Not impossible.”
Fan Qing was just joking.
But Nie Luo took it seriously.
Fan Qing froze slightly.
What did Nie Luo just say?
Nie Luo looked up at him, eyes earnest.
“Ah Qing, sometimes you don’t need to worry so much. I now have my own studio, with plenty of people signed who can be profitable. If we go public, I’m fine with it.”
He knew exactly how much effort Ah Qing had put into planning their public exposure.
Recently, Ah Qing had been so busy with the new company that he barely had time for anything. Yet he still came by the set whenever he could—just to increase their exposure and stir up the CP hype.
Ah Qing really wanted to go public with their relationship.
Nie Luo thought for a moment, then added:
“Also, about Gan Mo… I think he got hooked because I often mention you in front of him. And then there’s Lu Qia, so he got pulled in too.”
Fan Qing was genuinely surprised.
“Bro, what do you say about me in front of Gan Mo?!”
Curiosity overwhelmed him!
He truly had no idea Nie Luo had been doing all this behind the scenes!
Now the question was:
What exactly did Nie Luo say to Gan Mo that made him fall in?
Fan Qing couldn’t help but ponder.
“….”
Why did he always miss the point when Ah Qing talked?!
He had just been talking about going public!
Nie Luo got a little exasperated.
“That’s not important! The important thing is, I said we can go public!”
Then he reached out and cupped Fan Qing’s face, expression serious.
“I said we can go public. Ah Qing, do you hear me?”
“I hear you.”
Of course he did.
If Nie Luo hadn’t deliberately diverted the topic, he would have just wanted to pull Nie Luo close and spoil him—on his own terms.
How could someone be this adorable?
Fan Qing couldn’t help recalling their first meeting.
Back then… Nie Luo…
Tsk. That single glance and decision he made was the best choice he had ever made in his life.
“Ah Qing? What are you doing?”
Nie Luo’s voice snapped Fan Qing out of his daydream.
Huh?
When did his hand wander onto Nie Luo like that?
It was an accident. Purely accidental.
Fan Qing thought this, yet couldn’t resist leaning closer to Nie Luo.
“Bro… the lounge… is it okay?”
No matter how he thought about it, Nie Luo was too irresistible. He just wanted to show him some love.
Nie Luo froze for a moment, then gave a look that said, I knew it all along.
Fan Qing’s expression immediately stalled.
He couldn’t be seeing things, right?
Why did it feel like Nie Luo had that I knew this would happen expression on his face?
“But we’ll only have half an hour. I’ll ask my assistant to order some milk tea—once it arrives, then you know…”
Nie Luo spoke methodically while dialing his assistant.
Fan Qing watched as Nie Luo rifled through his backpack.
And then… pulled out a whole set of suits???
Fan Qing slowly typed a question mark.
Nie Luo, what are you doing?
And what exactly had Nie Luo prepared?
Nie Luo closed the door with a click and turned to face Fan Qing.
“Just so you know, only once. Ah Qing, don’t get too clingy.”
Fan Qing wanted to protest, but when he saw Nie Luo start unbuttoning, he shut his mouth.
Words could wait, but a beauty changing clothes? That deserved his full attention.
Nie Luo tossed him a shirt slightly loose for Fan Qing.
Fan Qing’s view was blocked.
He hurriedly grabbed the shirt off his face.
Nie Luo’s back was to him, a smooth, arched expanse like a meticulously polished bow.
The taut muscle lines flexed with each movement, strong but not exaggerated. A simple stretch of his leg sent marble-like contours swaying, making Fan Qing’s head spin.
And when Nie Luo pulled the shirt over his shoulders, it made Fan Qing ache with longing.
Even the act of buttoning up looked charged with tension to Fan Qing.
Most importantly, this man was his.
Fan Qing watched as Nie Luo, “fully armed,” walked toward him step by step.
Nie Luo even still wore those gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose.
He drew near and paused.
Looking down at him, Nie Luo spoke slowly.
“I’ve secured a new endorsement for you. You know what to do.”
Powerful. Cold.
The commanding gaze, ice-like in its detachment.
This was a Nie Luo Fan Qing had never seen.
Stepping closer.
The black eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses gradually revealed themselves in the light.
Pure black, almost animalistic, void of human emotion—only primal desire.
Closer.
A large hand swept to the back of Fan Qing’s head.
The knuckles pressed lightly, forcing him to lean into Nie Luo.
This position…
Fan Qing’s breath caught.
Above him, that cold, commanding voice rang again.
Low, yet explosive in his ears, sending shivers down Fan Qing’s spine.
“I told you—you know what to do.”
…Damn it!
Fan Qing silently cursed.
Instantly, he felt his blood rush as if it had a mind of its own.
Strange. Tense. Slightly fearful. And—thrilling.
The man naturally carried two stances:
To conquer, and to be conquered by the strong.
And right now, he was the latter.
Fan Qing’s eyes began to redden, his breath quickened.
Finally, he spoke, voice hoarse and foreign even to him.
“Of course…I know what to do.”
His heart raced, words spilling out without a second thought.
“…Master.”
In that instant, a sudden force pressed against the back of his head.
Fan Qing winced slightly, yet pressed closer.
He couldn’t stop a low laugh from escaping.
Nie Luo stood straight, and for the first time muttered an inward curse.
“Ah Qing, I see you’re asking for trouble.”
He had known it.
No matter how prepared he was, Ah Qing always had a way to tease him.
In this game between them, he was the one being conquered.
Outside the door, the assistant stood silently, holding a cup of hot milk tea.
He sipped it calmly.
“Go grab the milk tea and rest a bit. Mr. Nie is reviewing the script.”
Gan Mo: “……”
Lu Qia: “……”
They hesitated, words caught in their throats.
After five seconds, Lu Qia stiffly forced a laugh at Gan Mo.
“Right, Mr. Nie’s amazing acting comes from studying the script. Let’s go rehearse at my place?”
Gan Mo’s composure finally cracked.
He hurriedly nodded.
“No rush. Let’s get two cups of milk tea first. If needed, we can add some exercise tonight. After all, it’s the first time Mr. Nie invited us for milk tea.”
Lu Qia laughed stiffly.
“Haha, right. It’s Mr. Nie’s first time inviting us, so we must show some respect.”
They both turned to leave.
Whether they realized it or not, the assistant watched silently.
Those two…
Veered off.
He watched them walk away, then sipped his milk tea again.
Sweet. Chocolate-flavored, with mango and taro, and some chocolate pearls. Quite good.
He thought while exuding a protective aura—usually only activated to shield the employer from trouble.
Since following Mr. Nie, he rarely used it.
But today, it was the first time he had.
Then, he slowly pulled out his Bluetooth earphones.
Blocked his ears.
Done, he finally exhaled.
Had those two not suddenly appeared earlier, this step would have come much sooner.
Now… it was a bit late.
He hated for the first time that their training included hearing that was better than ordinary people’s.
Because of it, he overheard something he shouldn’t have.
Up until the word “Master”, he really didn’t want to hear any more.
He was just an ordinary assistant, unlike the others. Still single, still a pure, lonely soul—he shouldn’t know too much!
Meanwhile, Lu Qia and Gan Mo, limbs still stiff from embarrassment, had gone to grab a cup of milk tea each.
They found a corner, clearly playing the roles of supporting male and female characters, yet acting like two schoolchildren with no composure whatsoever.
Lu Qia’s gaze was blank; her eyes, lifeless.
Though she tried to sip, a tapioca pearl blocked her straw, and nothing came up for a long while.
She forced several swallowing motions anyway.
Gan Mo wasn’t doing much better.
He managed to drink, but all he tasted was cold, pure bitterness—an iced Americano.
And Gan Mo? Never one to endure bitterness.
The two of them seemed almost out-of-body; it took Lu Qia quite some time to regain just a small piece of her soul.
“…You said just now, Mr. Fan went into Mr. Nie’s rest area?”
“…Are you sure?”
Gan Mo’s scattered gaze gradually sharpened.
“…Yes. I originally wanted to ask if I could take a photo with Mr. Nie, and maybe one with Mr. Fan too.”
Lu Qia: “……”
Gan Mo: “……”
Lu Qia took a deep, forceful gulp!
A pearl shot straight up into her upper palate.
She bit down hard and ground her teeth.
“So tell me, why did Mr. Nie’s assistant block the door?”
Gan Mo also took a big sip of the iced Americano.
“…To watch the script, maybe. Didn’t he say Mr. Nie was reviewing it?”
Lu Qia fell silent.
“…Do you believe that?”
As if they didn’t already know, Mr. Nie had memorized the script, including the parts they were acting!
Gan Mo’s expression became complex.
He tasted a hint of bitterness on his tongue, but more than that, a sweetness he had never experienced before.
“Maybe… Mr. Nie was reading the nocturne script?”
Lu Qia choked.
For a long moment, she felt something deep inside her completely shatter.