Ming Qi felt he had already learned how to interact naturally with Yu Qinchou, but when he heard the faintly suggestive word “wouldn’t,” he still felt a bit embarrassed.
He looked away and refocused on Weibo.
Although the police had already announced the capture of a long-wanted fugitive, it hadn’t attracted much attention yet. Likes and comments were sparse.
By tomorrow, it might be different.
With complicated thoughts, the car drove into West Scenic Bay. During dinner, Yu Qinchou told him something.
“I’m going on a business trip to Country C tomorrow.”
Ming Qi looked at him slightly blankly, suddenly feeling a strange sensation rise in his chest.
He had originally thought he would be the one leaving West Scenic Bay for Jiang City first. He didn’t expect Yu Qinchou to be the one going out of town ahead of him.
“Surprised?”
“Not really. I just didn’t react in time.” Ming Qi answered honestly. “Is the Yu Corporation expanding overseas?”
“The overseas expansion plan has always been in progress. But now that the head of the family has changed, some decisions need to be adjusted.” Yu Qinchou took a sip of wine, letting the sharp liquid slide down his throat. “In the next couple of years, days like this will probably only increase.”
In other words, his time with Yu Qinchou wouldn’t be as abundant as it had seemed recently.
Ming Qi considered this and asked, “What time do you leave tomorrow?”
If it didn’t overlap with his stills shoot, he could at least fulfill his role as a partner and send Yu Qinchou to the airport.
Unfortunately, Yu Qinchou gave an answer that was slightly disappointing.
“Eleven in the morning.”
Ming Qi poked at his rice with his chopsticks, then looked up with a regretful expression. “Then I won’t have time to see you off.”
“Then I’ll see you off.” Yu Qinchou said slowly, as if casually, “I’ll be back in about half a month.”
Ming Qi immediately understood the implication.
He straightened up, eyes brightening slightly. “Then I’ll come pick you up when you’re back.”
But after thinking about it, he hesitated and added quickly, “That’s if I haven’t gone into filming. If I’m already on set, I definitely won’t be in Beijing, so I won’t be able to pick you up.”
…
Thinking about Yu Qinchou’s upcoming separation from Xiao Ba and his “son,” Ming Qi, before bed, thoughtfully carried the cat to Yu Qinchou’s bedroom door and knocked.
A faint “come in” sounded from inside, and Ming Qi didn’t think much of it, pushing the door open.
The moment his eyes lifted, he froze.
Yu Qinchou had clearly just come out of the shower. He was only wearing a pair of simple sleep pants; his upper body was bare. He was casually drying his wet hair with a towel. His lean waist and well-defined, thin muscles were exposed, and the sight struck Ming Qi’s eyes so directly that his pupils trembled.
As Yu Qinchou paused mid-motion, droplets of water fell from his hair, sliding down his chest and tracing all the way to his abdomen.
It was even more striking than seeing his physical exam report.
Wasn’t this a little too… outstanding?
Ming Qi felt a surge of heat crawling up his back, like flames licking at his skin.
“Ming Qi.” The low voice pulled him back from that burning sensation, though the heat didn’t dissipate at all—it only intensified, climbing up his neck. He gave a muddled “mm,” still overwhelmed by the sight, when Yu Qinchou asked,
“What did you see?”
“Strange—”
Big.
A single word slipped out of his mouth. It was like a basin of cold water had been dumped over him, instantly sobering him up, and his thin lips snapped shut at once.
He hugged Xiao Ba tighter and immediately started throwing the blame around, striking first: “Why aren’t you wearing clothes?!”
Yu Qinzhou found it amusing. “I’m in my own room. Not wearing clothes doesn’t seem like a problem.”
Ming Qi: “……”
The logic checked out.
Even if he stripped completely, no one would say anything.
“But I came in.” He pointed at his own nose with a serious face.
“But you’re my legal partner,” Yu Qinzhou gave him no face verbally, though his hands were considerate as he picked up the shirt he had casually tossed onto the bed.
Just when Ming Qi thought this unexpected scene and conversation would end here, the man spoke again, his voice unhurried, carrying a hint of laziness. “You’ll have to get used to it.”
His gaze landed on the still-reddened tips of the young man’s ears.
He added the final half of the sentence: “Next time, it won’t just be the shirt.”
Ming Qi’s mind worked too fast and automatically understood what he meant.
Next time, there would be pants coming off too.
He felt that if he stayed here any longer, he’d be burned to death by the heat surging through his body. So he simply stuffed Xiao Ba into his arms, his whole face screaming run, and tossed out a line: “You’re going on a long trip tomorrow. Xiao Ba will sleep with you tonight.”
“Bonding?”
“Otherwise, what if Xiao Ba forgets you by the time you come back?”
Xiao Ba sat blankly on Yu Qinzhou’s arm, tilting its head with a pair of confused cat eyes as it looked at Ming Qi.
Ming Qi couldn’t resist bending down to rub Xiao Ba’s round little head, then said to Yu Qinzhou, “You’re its Daddy, after all.”
“And you?”
“What?”
“Will you forget me?” Yu Qinzhou asked him.
Ming Qi retorted, “I’m not Xiao Ba.”
He wasn’t a goldfish with a seven-second memory. How could he possibly forget Yu Qinzhou, his legal partner?
“Is that so?” Yu Qinzhou seemed to sigh. “What a pity.”
Ming Qi: “?”
What did that mean!
He wouldn’t forget Yu Qinzhou—so what was there for Yu Qinzhou to feel regret about?
That question lingered all the way until Ming Qi returned to his room, still echoing in his mind. He thought it over and over but couldn’t figure it out. Not until after washing up and lying in the soft blankets, when his relaxed body suddenly stiffened.
Wait…
Because he was worried Xiao Ba might forget Yu Qinzhou’s scent, he let Xiao Ba sleep with him. So if he himself might forget Yu Qinzhou, then… it would be his turn to sleep with Yu Qinzhou?
Ming Qi: “……”
Some dirty thoughts started flooding his mind again.
He shut his eyes and played dead.
…
Yu Qinzhou did exactly as he said. Early the next morning, he sent Ming Qi to the filming studio. Ming Qi looked through the lowered car window at the young man sitting in the back seat. His youthful face carried a smile as he waved. “Stay safe on the road, and make sure to rest.”
Yu Qinzhou rested his left arm against the car window frame and reminded him, “Given our relationship, if I’m going on a half-month business trip, Qiqi should be looking reluctant to part, then kissing me like we can’t bear to separate—instead of happily saying goodbye.”
Ming Qi ignored his teasing.
The old man wasn’t here.
He politely asked the driver to roll the window up, leaving only his back view for Yu Qinzhou.
Yu Qinzhou chuckled and picked up his phone to text him.
Y: I’ll bring you a gift when I come back.
Ming Qi was just about to reply when Yu Qinzhou’s second message followed right after.
Y: I suggest Mr. Ming learn from me how to be a qualified partner.
Ming Qi deliberately replied: Got it, Mr. Yu /polite smile.jpg
Modern drama styling photos were much simpler than those for costume dramas. By the time Ming Qi arrived, Bo Hongfang had already finished shooting. He had done two sets. One was in a police uniform, holding a peaked cap. After makeup, his face no longer looked youthful; instead, it carried a heavy sense of weariness and hardship. Even so, his gaze remained firm and powerful, his expression solemn and dignified.
The other set was more ordinary, like a simple mechanic. The outfit and expression both looked plain and unremarkable.
Zhang Cong was very satisfied. Seeing Ming Qi arrive, he urged him to go change. As a forensic doctor, Ming Qi also needed two sets. One was a white lab coat, with a shirt and tie underneath. His overly striking face was framed by gold-rimmed glasses, giving off a refined yet dangerous aura.
The second set was a dissection outfit. The blue suit wrapped around his tall, slender figure. Beneath the mask and cap, only his narrow eyes were visible. His hands rested in front of him, holding a scalpel, stained with blood.
Bo Hongfang and Huai Manyun, who had already arrived for the shoot, couldn’t help clicking their tongues. “Being good-looking really is different. This uniform temptation is something else. If I were an audience member, my morals would follow my face.”
Zhang Cong shot them an annoyed glance. “Never seen a handsome guy before?”
Bo Hongfang crossed his arms and said faintly, “Of course I have, but not one like this. If Ming Qi had been born ten years earlier, my title as the entertainment industry’s number one pretty boy back in my youth would’ve been handed over to him.”
Zhang Cong rolled his eyes. “Who gave you that title?”
Never heard of it.
Bo Hongfang laughed twice and turned to ask Ming Qi, “How are you getting back later? Want me to give you a ride?”
Ming Qi thought for a moment and asked, “Which direction are you heading, bro?”
“City center.”
On the way to the city center, they would pass Xijing Bay, so Ming Qi didn’t stand on ceremony. The two of them said goodbye to Huai Manyun, Zhang Cong, and the others. When Bo Hongfang heard that Ming Qi lived in Xijing Bay, his eyes widened. “Not bad, Ming Qi. You’re really hiding your strength.”
Ming Qi explained, “My family lives there.”
Bo Hongfang automatically assumed Ming Qi had a pretty well-off family and didn’t connect this so-called “family” to a partner at all.
At 2 p.m., the Undercover official account, which had been quiet all along, finally released its first update.
“It’s Bo Hongfang’s styling photos.”
[“I’m crying, my bro is playing a good guy!”]
[“That变态 from Death Notice still haunts me to this day.”]
After that, every hour, the production team’s official Weibo released one character’s styling photos.
Two hours later, near evening.
Ming Qi received an @ from the official Weibo of the film Undercover. He tapped in and immediately saw a topic the production had specially attached—#ChosenByFateShenYushan#
Shen Yushan was the name of the forensic doctor.
[Holy sh*t! What am I seeing?!]
[A wild unlucky guy appears!]
[The person above is savage, but I suddenly understand Director Zhang’s like back then]
[Wuwuwu, I didn’t expect Brother Bo and Ming Qi to collaborate again, so nice. This time it’s not murderer and victim.]
[Wait, Shen Yushan is Ming Qi? Maybe some people still remember Le Siyu mentioning in a livestream that he auditioned for Shen Yushan, and Zhang Cong thought highly of him.]
[What does that mean? A role that should’ve belonged to Le Siyu was snatched by Ming Qi?]
Public opinion fermented instantly like this, especially when the official account replied below: “Dear, audition results always choose the best one.”
[The tone feels a bit shady, but I’m not sure, let me look again]
[Let me explain what the official account means—Zhang Cong did think highly of Le Siyu, but not as much as Ming Qi]
[No wonder Le Siyu’s face darkened during that livestream. So he really didn’t get the role]
Meng She scrolled through the comments under the official account, rubbing his hands in excitement. He turned his head to look at the young man sitting cross-legged on the sofa and asked, “Should I contact the paid commenters now?”
Ming Qi nodded.
So, after Undercover released the styling photos, a topic titled #LeSiyuManagerHiredAnAssailant shot into the top ten of the trending list at an astonishing speed.