Lu Xianqing woke after just over half an hour. “Bring me some water.”
He Xing handed him a glass. After he drank, she held it in her hands and scolded gently, “You got hurt and didn’t tell anyone? What’s the point of risking it?”
“Minor wound, no need,” he replied.
Seeing him pale and listless, she couldn’t bring herself to scold further. She sighed and went over the business at hand. “Xu Zhao called about Sizheng’s contract. He freaked when he heard your one million. We don’t need that money anyway. I didn’t want him to profit, but there’s no way he’d sign for that. Give him a bit more, save ourselves the trouble.”
“You know what,” Lu Xianqing said lightly.
That was the money he paid Xu Zhiliang for compliance.
He Xing: “Fine, fine. Then wait it out. Don’t push him to the edge or ruin it. If he refuses to negotiate, and your Yan Yan ends up elsewhere, don’t come crying!”
Lu Xianqing smiled faintly, arrogance and pride painting his pale face. “Sister He Xing, check around this industry. Who dares steal my man? And tell me—would my Yan Yan ever go to someone else?”
He Xing choked on her own amusement.
“Show some restraint,” she said.
With his arm wrapped like a mummy, Lu Xianqing struggled to hold chopsticks, annoyed, and tossed them onto the table. “I’m not eating.”
An Ning quickly switched a fork for him. He Xing warned, “Calm down. Zhou Changjiang nearly died of worry. If anything happened, he couldn’t even cover it.”
Lu Xianqing picked up his phone, then put it down, looking at them sideways. “You didn’t tell Qin Sizheng, right?”
He Xing raised an eyebrow teasingly, knowing exactly what he meant. “What? Not selling a little drama at a time? That’s not like you.”
An Ning lowered her head, guilty. She knew Lu Xianqing would be upset but couldn’t help sending a message to Qin Sizheng. If he could see it, he’d be happy.
Lu Xianqing was like a child—fragile, but easily placated with a little “sweetness.”
“That candy” should come now.
After all, she was still a little selfish—hoping that when Lu Xianqing got hurt, Qin Sizheng could be by his side.
“Knock, knock.” Zhou Changjiang stood at the door and rapped lightly.
The filming of Between Good and Evil had been cursed from the start, with endless troubles along the way. Zhou Changjiang even found himself thinking that maybe this whole production was jinxed and wondered if it were better not to shoot at all.
He stiffly looked at Lu Xianqing’s arm, his voice hard as stone. “How are you? Are you sure you don’t need to go to a hospital? This could be serious—it’s not something to rush.”
Lu Xianqing leaned back in the chair, a thin jacket draped over his shoulder. His shirt was only half on, casually resting on his shoulder, exposing the bandaged right arm.
He smiled lightly. “I’m not made of paper.”
Seeing him joke, Zhou Changjiang felt even more guilty. “Last time Sizheng got hurt, luckily he reacted quickly and it wasn’t serious. Then he had that allergic reaction and had to be hospitalized. And now you’re hurt… this show, I really—”
“Good drama,” Lu Xianqing interrupted.
Zhou Changjiang looked up to see the curve of Lu Xianqing’s smiling eyes. “Our love scene with Qin Sizheng,” he said.
“…Be serious,” Zhou Changjiang muttered, biting back the urge to slap him. “Rest properly first. Once you’re better, continue filming. Adjust the schedule—shoot the later scenes first.”
As they spoke, the door suddenly slammed open with a loud bang.
“Fourth Brother!”
Lu Xianqing had been facing away. The sound made him freeze, his spine stiffening, and after a second, he turned.
Qin Sizheng stood at the door, face flushed, gasping, eyes red like a startled rabbit, unable to step forward.
Lu Xianqing glanced at He Xing, who looked innocent but glanced toward An Ning. She timidly stepped back and lowered her head. “Sorry.”
He Xing sighed. “Alright, this is nothing for us. Go on.”
For a moment, only the two of them remained. Qin Sizheng at the door, Lu Xianqing half-draped in his jacket, eyes dark and intense, making the other feel weak in the knees.
“Come here.”
Seeing that Lu Xianqing’s complexion, though pale, was otherwise fine, and that his bandaged arm wasn’t as serious as imagined, Qin Sizheng’s pounding heart eased.
Lu Xianqing tried to stand, but he pressed him back down. “Don’t get up.”
He sat again, reaching for Qin Sizheng’s hand and pulling him onto his lap. Concerned for his right arm, Qin Sizheng didn’t resist, clutching the chair in surprise.
“What are you doing here?” Lu Xianqing asked.
Qin Sizheng carefully lifted the jacket, saw the thick bandages, and tenderly touched them. “How did you get hurt? Does it still hurt?”
“It hurts,” he admitted.
Hearing that, Qin Sizheng’s eyes immediately reddened again. He wanted to touch him but hesitated, unsure of the extent of the injury.
Seeing him so worried, Lu Xianqing swallowed the words he had planned to soothe him. He placed his hand on Qin Sizheng’s lips, then moved it to his ear, repeatedly pressing and massaging back to his lips. “Yan Yan, my arm really hurts.”
He hadn’t said anything excessive, nor done anything overstepping, yet Qin Sizheng felt as if he’d been thoroughly affected—ears hot, eyes averted—only to be turned back by Lu Xianqing’s steady hand, fingers gently pressing his lips.
Qin Sizheng swallowed hard, yet the kiss did not come.
It was as if a patient hunter had caught his prey, toying slowly until exhaustion left it defenseless, before finally consuming it.
“Fourth Brother.”
“May I?” Lu Xianqing asked politely, like a gentleman, which only heated him further.
Qin Sizheng nodded softly, but Lu Xianqing remained still, simply watching him.
Blinking, Qin Sizheng placed his hands on Lu Xianqing’s shoulder and, still seated on his lap, leaned down to kiss him, opening willingly, teasing his tongue into a gentle entanglement.
Lu Xianqing had meant to see if he would shy away, to distract from the pain—but he took the initiative fully.
He then cupped the back of his head with his left hand, deepening the kiss, long and endless.
Qin Sizheng, dizzy and intoxicated, still retained a shred of reason. When released, he remembered to breathe, collapsing against Lu Xianqing’s shoulder, panting heavily like a small creature just ravaged.
Patting his back, Lu Xianqing smiled and kissed his ear. “Just a few days without shooting kissing scenes and you forgot everything the teacher taught you. You returned it all in one go.”
“Not my fault—the teacher didn’t teach well.”
Lu Xianqing chuckled lightly. “Hmm, a teacher’s negligence. Next time I’ll teach more strictly. If you can’t learn, you get a spanking. Yan Yan, how should your teacher punish you?”
Burying himself in Lu Xianqing’s neck, Qin Sizheng nibbled softly on the skin and murmured, “No hiding things from me next time. Actually, no next time. Don’t get hurt again.”
Like a doting parent, Lu Xianqing smiled gently, letting all emotions condense into a single “Alright.”
For you, I won’t hurt myself, and I’ll try not to get hurt again.
Even a world-weary person like Lu Xianqing felt a flicker of valuing life.
All because of the little person in his arms—someone willing to risk everything for him, yet worried red-eyed over just a small injury.
Long darkness broke unexpectedly with a flash of daylight.
“I promise, I’ll take good care of myself from now on.” Lu Xianqing finished—and unexpectedly heard a soft “grumble.”
Qin Sizheng’s face turned bright red. Lu Xianqing reached out, rubbing his stomach. “Skipped lunch rushing here?”
Shaking his head, Qin Sizheng had only just prepared to eat when he received a WeChat message and had been too worried to eat on the way.
Lu Xianqing called loudly, “An Ning!”
An Ning immediately entered, eyes downcast, guilty. “Fourth Brother.”
Lu Xianqing gave her a cold glance. “Remember your debt. Go heat up the food.”
An Ning efficiently heated the food and placed it on the table, standing respectfully as if receiving a lecture.
Seeing how intimidated she looked, Qin Sizheng couldn’t help but say, “Don’t be so harsh—don’t scare her. An Ning is only trying to help.”
Lu Xianqing snorted. “Following the boss’s words with hidden defiance counts as helping? When did that meaning get added? Nobody told me—I’m not important?”
He Xing, overhearing from the doorway, snickered. “Yes, yes, you’re the god of this world. Everything has to be reported to you.”
Qin Sizheng waved An Ning off to leave and tried to reason with Lu Xianqing. “It’s wrong to just superficially obey the boss, but…”
“But what?” he prompted.
Qin Sizheng picked up a carrot slice and shoved it into his mouth, matter-of-factly saying, “But I’m the boss’s wife!”
Lu Xianqing shivered, caught off guard, and scrutinized him. “Tsk, I haven’t even married you yet, and you’re already putting on airs?”
Qin Sizheng pressed the chopsticks into Lu Xianqing’s hands. “I don’t care! Give the boss’s wife some face—don’t be harsh to her, or I’ll hit you! You know I can be fierce.”
In the past, no plea would have worked. An Ning would have been punished regardless. But Qin Sizheng? To Lu Xianqing, it was like a special treat from a doting ruler. One bite, and he was completely under Qin Sizheng’s charm, agreeing to everything.
However…
Lu Xianqing wasn’t so easy when it came to him. Qin Sizheng immediately noticed the wary, ready-to-refuse look in his eyes.
“I won’t kiss you—scared.”
Qin Sizheng let out a relieved breath. Then Lu Xianqing continued, “Ah, my hand’s injured, can’t hold chopsticks—how am I supposed to eat?”
???
Looking at his right hand wrapped like a mummy, Qin Sizheng realized he couldn’t use it. His left hand might work, but he wasn’t accustomed.
“I’ll give you a fork,” Qin Sizheng said.
Lu Xianqing sighed. “Who knows if this hand will ever be normal again? Maybe I’ll be disabled, can’t even wear clothes properly, my boyfriend won’t feed me—tragic life of a modern-day film emperor. Ugh, so boring.”
Qin Sizheng worried he’d exaggerate further. “Fine, I’ll feed you, alright?”
Lu Xianqing, feeling victorious, started taking advantage of him mid-meal, nibbling a piece of watermelon and insisting Qin Sizheng share it.
Hesitating a moment, Qin Sizheng watched as he began to act pitifully. “Ah, you see, I—”
With no choice, Qin Sizheng leaned across the table, biting the half of the watermelon in his mouth. Unexpectedly, Lu Xianqing cupped the back of his head, and the juicy fruit squished between their lips.
One hand holding a bowl, the other chopsticks, Qin Sizheng couldn’t push him away. For a while, Lu Xianqing took full advantage, leaving juice all over his chin.
“If you kiss me again, I won’t feed you. Starve!”
That threat worked. Lu Xianqing obediently finished his meal. While he took a nap afterward, Qin Sizheng slipped out to greet the crew.
Everyone was thrilled to see him back, bombarding him with questions about his contract. A few braver ones even shouted, “Sister-in-law! Visiting Fourth Brother, so sweet!”
Qin Sizheng had left single, but returned as Lu Xianqing’s “family.” Hearing everyone call him sister-in-law, his face flushed bright red.
Chen Qiu ran over, grabbing his shoulder. The contact made him flinch at the heat. With a face full of mock despair, he complained, “I said it! When I hugged your shoulder and called you Yan Yan while Fourth Brother tormented me—I didn’t know! My scenes were hell, and he said he was teaching me, no thanks needed! Ah! Is this how you teach? I’m just a kid! High-pressure training is not for me! Qin Sizheng! When did you two get together? Sleeping in the same bed and you didn’t tell me? You’ve ruined me!”
Qin Sizheng, stunned by the tirade, said, “…I’ll help educate him later. Don’t be mad, don’t be mad.”
Chen Qiu sniffled in a theatrical way. “Better. Make him kneel on durian! Make it hurt nine points!”
Qin Sizheng suppressed a laugh. “Fine, fine. I’ll have An Ning buy durian, let him kneel all night.”
Everyone was gossipy; even a few veteran actors curiously gathered around, asking questions.
Qin Sizheng couldn’t handle it, so he found an excuse to leave.
“By the way, I had Changfeng order some fruit and tea. Assistants can distribute them later.”
Zhou Changjiang stood a little way off, watching Qin Sizheng surrounded by the crew—clearly the center of attention—and felt a bit of relief.
He had risen from internet backlash to this moment—it hadn’t been easy.
Technically, he was shelved with no work. He could have come to the set with Lu Xianqing, but he feared affecting Lu Xianqing’s image, so he didn’t.
Before the incident, he could have leveraged Lu Xianqing and Mingfei Entertainment’s pressure to terminate his contract, but he didn’t ask for anything and even tried to protect Lu Xianqing.
When the media pressed him and the whole internet insulted him, he refused to overexplain, simply saying he had a secret crush on Lu Xianqing, knew nothing of the events, and didn’t want anyone to bother him.
If Lu Xianqing hadn’t been so reckless, Qin Sizheng might still be bearing heavy grievances now.
Zhou Changjiang really liked this young man—obedient, principled, with an unwavering inner strength.
Finally free from the crowd, Qin Sizheng approached Zhou Changjiang and handed him a cup of fruit tea.
“Director Zhou.”
Zhou Changjiang took a sip. “How do you have time to come out?”
Qin Sizheng didn’t understand.
The director tilted his head to the sky, calmly saying, “Tell Lu Xianqing to be more careful next time—swollen lips.”
Qin Sizheng suddenly coughed, face flushed.
Zhou Changjiang handed the tea to his assistant and added, “You’re no longer part of our crew, so no room prepared for you—figure it out yourself.”
Qin Sizheng couldn’t listen any longer and ran off.
Zhou Changjiang chuckled behind him, and the assistant director laughed too. “Why are you bullying the kid? Knowing he’s shy and still saying those things on purpose.”
Zhou Changjiang said, “I can’t bully Lu Xianqing, but I’m not allowed to bully his kid too?”
The assistant director was speechless. “You really hold grudges, don’t you.”
Qin Sizheng circled the set, found a suitable spot, and watched them film all afternoon.
Around four o’clock, Lu Xianqing woke up, buttoned his shirt, draped his suit over his shoulders, and came looking for him. From a distance, it was as if they had returned to the days they were still filming.
Ding Chenhai walked slowly, casually lifting his head, meeting Chu Jing’s gaze on the second floor. Back then, a thin veil of ambiguity lay between them—neither dared to poke at it—yet they had to film intimate scenes, always making Qin Sizheng’s heart race.
“Yan Yan,” Lu Xianqing called, standing not far away, curling his left hand toward him.
Qin Sizheng jumped down from the platform and ran to him. “You’re up.”
“Mm, going back now.”
An Ning, knowing she had erred, didn’t dare make a fuss. Quiet and unlike her usual self, she packed up and left, gently closing the door behind her.
Returning to familiar grounds, his mindset was completely different this time.
Qin Sizheng couldn’t help but nervously glance at the massage chair by the window. He remembered thinking his massage skills were good, imagining helping him when he was tired. He had also thought about cooking for him here, being kissed while washing, while showering…
He forced himself to stop thinking.
“Fourth Brother, I…” He turned only to be pressed against the door, immediately caught in a storm of a kiss that stole all the air from him.
Only then did Qin Sizheng realize how restrained Lu Xianqing had been at lunch.
In matters like this, Lu Xianqing was all or nothing. Qin Sizheng’s waist softened as he tried to reach for his neck but immediately calmed when he made contact.
“Fourth Brother, your hand is injured!”
“Yeah,” he replied.
His seemingly meaningless “yeah” didn’t loosen his lips. Qin Sizheng struggled to look up, feeling him nip at his Adam’s apple, tracing over and over.
Qin Sizheng hated this the most—trying to struggle, he was pinned, unable to move.
Lu Xianqing’s voice was cold. “Qin teacher, weren’t you having fun last night? Getting bold, even teasing me?”
Qin Sizheng thought he’d forgotten, but he had spent the whole afternoon waiting for him.
Having risked it last night, today it came back full force—who could be worse off?
“Well… Fourth Brother, your hand is injured. Maybe we could… take it easy?”
He tried negotiating, offering a kiss in exchange. “Please, don’t bully me.”
Lu Xianqing grasped his chin. “If you didn’t call me that, maybe I wouldn’t have thought to bully you—but now…”
Qin Sizheng’s plan backfired. He tried to push the matter aside. “Your hand’s hurt. Record the debt and punish later, alright? You can’t do it now, right?”
“True,” Lu Xianqing admitted, letting him breathe a sigh of relief.
He lowered his head, pressing his forehead to Qin Sizheng’s. “I can’t do it, but you can.”
Lu Xianqing traced his lips. “Hm? Yan Yan, now that I’m hurt, enjoying being cared for isn’t too much, right?”
Qin Sizheng didn’t know whether it was the “Yan Yan” or the suggestion of pampering that made his chest warm. He quickly avoided Lu Xianqing’s gaze.
“What pampering? Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Really don’t understand?”
“No, I really don’t.”
“Lu teacher will show you. I’m very easy to care for, you just need to…”
Qin Sizheng lost control of his thoughts, drifting farther with his words.
He remembered being pressed down in this very room during lessons, how he had already liked him, taking advantage under the guise of teaching.
During kiss practice, he had even shoved his hand into Qin Sizheng’s mouth, making him flee and too shy to meet his eyes the next day. Returning now, it was even more embarrassing.
Lu Xianqing grabbed his hand and placed it on his shirt buttons. “Back then your hand was injured, I said if you couldn’t shower, I’d help you. So considerate, right? Now it’s my turn, and Qin teacher doesn’t even repay the favor?”
Qin Sizheng snatched back his hand. “No, you do it yourself.”
“Touching water could cause infection, maybe even amputation, worse—might cost your life…”
Fearing his words, Qin Sizheng hastily pressed his lips to his, hoping to block such ominous talk.
Lu Xianqing’s eyes crinkled in a smile, anticipating the kiss, teasing his tongue. “Qin teacher, am I getting it?”
The double entendre left Qin Sizheng silent. He pushed him toward the bathroom to run water.
Lu Xianqing’s arm was severely injured. When he got up in the afternoon and dressed, the wound split, staining the gauze red. It had to be redressed.
After helping him shower, Qin Sizheng carefully removed the gauze and applied medicine, heart aching at the sight of the injury.
“I haven’t even cried out yet, and you’re already worried?” Lu Xianqing wiped at his eyes, softly reassuring him it didn’t hurt.
Qin Sizheng couldn’t help it, leaning down to press a gentle, loving kiss onto the wound.
Having been often injured before, he could tell how severe the impact was and how much pain it caused.
Lu Xianqing’s heart raced; that soft kiss was more overpowering than any temptation.
He swallowed, thinking that even if Qin Sizheng held a knife to his neck, he’d submit without hesitation.
“It doesn’t hurt as much as you think. Really. I could even carry you.”
Even saying this, when removing the gauze and reapplying the medicine, Lu Xianqing broke into a cold sweat.
Qin Sizheng carefully wrapped the bandage, and Lu Xianqing, afraid he’d fuss forever, urged him to hurry and take a shower.
He He called, saying Qin Sizheng was trending again—this time for giving fans a cold shoulder at the airport.
Comments accused him of being arrogant, claiming that ever since getting close to Lu Xianqing, he had started acting up.
Whereas before he would always talk about “Xiao Qinxian,” now people were saying he had security block fans at the entrance, that he had forgotten his roots, and so on—complaints kept coming.
He He had thought of mentioning Lu Xianqing’s injury, which would have explained everything immediately, but she couldn’t make the decision without consulting the two of them, so she asked for his input.
Lu Xianqing said, “I’ll handle it myself.”
He He stiffened. “What are you going to say? Tell me first!”
Lu Xianqing glanced toward the bathroom, thought for a moment, and said, “A small injury, and the kid gets so anxious? I suggest you all start dating—less idle time, more watching our sweet couple clips.”
He He: “…Skip the last part.”
But Lu Xianqing insisted, refusing to back down. “I have to defend Qingshan You Si’s territory. You’re not going to make me hide it now, are you?”
He He considered it and conceded. “Fine, post it.”
Though irritating, as long as it explained the situation, it was fine—he could show off however he wanted.
Moments later, she realized: wait, who allowed him to defend Qingshan You Si? Weren’t we talking about Qin Sizheng trending? Once again, that old trickster had twisted her logic!
He He felt ten years older, collapsing on the bed, staring at the ceiling, then immediately grabbing her phone when it chimed to scroll through the comment section.
Comments:
- “Stop showing off! Your arm’s injured—rest, Fourth Brother!”
- “I saw the video—Xiao Fengzheng was about to cry. Clearly worried. Does anyone think celebrities have no private life? You want a signature anytime? Are you the ancestor?”
- “Haters step back, official explanation posted. Look at people accusing my treasure of arrogance—they’re just hearting their husband!”
- “Sizheng’s fine—Fourth Brother just got hurt, and he dashed over immediately. Officially good stuff.”
- “Fourth Brother’s dog food is different from everyone else’s. Infuriatingly cute. I eat and get angry, love Xiao Fengzheng, gnash my teeth at Fourth Brother, envy them, almost losing my mind.”
After scrolling for a while, He He finally relaxed—fortunately, everyone was used to Lu Xianqing’s shamelessness.
Qin Sizheng came out of the shower, still unaware of the social media storm.
Lu Xianqing lounged on the bed, one knee bent, smiling at something on his phone.
He leaned over, but Lu Xianqing immediately pulled the phone away.
“What are you curious about? Who allowed you to look at your husband’s phone?”
The word “husband” struck Qin Sizheng’s heart like a small hammer, leaving him flustered. “I’m not calling—”
Lu Xianqing enjoyed watching him blush to the neck, especially seeing him soft and flustered at home after being so strong in public.
“Not calling what?” he asked.
Qin Sizheng couldn’t answer; Lu Xianqing tilted his head, waiting, and the moment grew tense.
“Why aren’t you saying it?”
Qin Sizheng, throwing caution to the wind, blurted, “Wife.”
Lu Xianqing immediately perked up. “Wife called me?”
Qin Sizheng froze—he had… called himself wife?
Lu Xianqing waved for him to come closer, then bit his ear. “Husband, pamper me, okay? My darling…”
Qin Sizheng’s throat burned, his ears aflame, every pore radiating heat.
“Don’t call me that randomly.”
“Don’t like it?”
Blushing, Qin Sizheng whispered, “It’s not that… just strange.”
“Strange how?”
“I don’t know. Just… don’t call me that.”
“Then what should I call you?”
Swallowing nervously, Qin Sizheng murmured, “Call me Yan Yan.”
Though he knew it was his cat’s name, he had never changed it and didn’t care. Every time he heard it, it felt uniquely intimate.
“Yan Yan.”
“Mm.”
“Come up.”
Qin Sizheng climbed onto the bed, seeing Lu Xianqing’s latest Qingshan You Si video.
He was proactive; Lu Xianqing passive.
The BGM was particularly seductive, and at the first turn, a low sigh played. The footage was his boxing video previously posted on Weibo.
Next, it cut to a past endorsement Lu Xianqing had filmed, with color grading and music making it breathtakingly tense.
Qin Sizheng swallowed with a “gulp,” face burning red.
“You swallowed—so greedy,” Lu Xianqing teased, eyes curved in a smile.
Qin Sizheng hesitated, then pulled the covers over himself.
Lu Xianqing stared at the small mound of blanket, then realized the imminent grab and froze.
“Yan Yan, what are you doing?”
A head peeked from the covers, resting on his chest, eyes misted with a hint of embarrassment. “If I do it wrong, don’t laugh at me.”
Lu Xianqing laughed, patting his head. “I’m teasing—you’ll see later. Come out to sleep.”
“No…”
Qin Sizheng’s stubborn, husky voice murmured, “I want to make you happy.”
Lu Xianqing rubbed his head. “You’re here with me, that makes me happy. Don’t force yourself, come on.”
Though Qin Sizheng wasn’t usually enthusiastic, he always tried his best to fulfill his wishes.
“Yan Yan…” Lu Xianqing felt a rare pang of tenderness, yet indulged in the ecstasy he provoked, ultimately surrendering.