Chapter 22
Monday morning seemed particularly vibrant. The pale orange sunlight warmed the asphalt that had been cold all night, and a family cat from somewhere was walking briskly along the path.
The leisurely footsteps approached gradually, but the shy little cat darted into an alleyway in an instant.
Disappointed that he couldn’t play with the cat, Lin Lu walked back to Xue Wensong. He felt a bit resentful as he said, “It ran away.”
Xue Wensong hadn’t worn summer clothes when he went out. He was wearing a light blue shirt, with two buttons undone at the chest, and his sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows.
He naturally took Lin Lu’s hand and said, “If you like it, we can get one when we go back home.”
“Really?” Lin Lu’s eyes sparkled. He suddenly remembered that there was already a cat in his family.
A big tabby cat.
It usually looked lazy, but it turned fierce and domineering when it got angry.
Thinking of this, Lin Lu chuckled to himself. Xue Wensong glanced at him lightly and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Lin Lu smiled and said, “I have a cat.”
Xue Wensong instinctively asked, “From when?”
Lin Lu shook his head and said mysteriously, “Now.”
Xue Wensong raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Huh?”
Lin Lu tiptoed and whispered in Xue Wensong’s ear, “It’s you.”
After saying that, Lin Lu took a few steps forward, then turned around and looked at Xue Wensong, as if waiting for his reaction.
Xue Wensong chuckled and hooked his mouth, taking big strides to hold the little flower deer in his arms. Then, he tickled him and said mockingly, “If the tiger doesn’t roar, do you think I’m a sick cat?”
The two of them continued to joke around as they walked to the seaside. At this moment, the crew of “Burning Passion” was preparing for another day of filming.
Lushaoyang was sitting on a lounge chair, reviewing the script. When he lifted his head to rest his eyes, he saw Lin Lu walking with a tall, handsome man by the seaside.
That scene, he had to admit, was quite pleasing to the eye.
Putting down the script, Lushaoyang left the crowd and walked towards Lin Lu. Since they weren’t far apart to begin with, they soon reached each other.
Seeing Lushaoyang approaching, Lin Lu immediately wrapped his arms around Xue Wensong’s arm, as if eager to prove that what he said last night was true: “This is my husband, Xue Wensong.”
Xue Wensong raised an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn’t expected Lin Lu to progress so quickly, even calling him his husband in front of others.
Lin Lu continued, “And this is my former idol, Lushaoyang.”
He deliberately emphasized the words “former idol.”
Lushaoyang chuckled, thinking that this kid was really naive.
He nodded at Xue Wensong and then said, “Keep an eye on your wife. This silly boy doesn’t know when he’ll be seduced.”
Lin Lu quickly retorted, “I would never do such a thing!”
“Is that so?” Lushaoyang raised an eyebrow. “You said you were my fan, yet you were still climbing walls.”
“That… that’s because I didn’t know your true identity,” Lin Lu said indignantly.
“What true identity?” Lushaoyang chuckled. “You don’t even wear a wedding ring. Who would know you’re married?”
Xue Wensong furrowed his brow slightly. This was indeed something he had overlooked.
Lushaoyang continued, “If we must speak frankly, you deceived my feelings. Pretending to be single to seduce me. I asked you directly if you liked me, and you said yes.”
“You, you, you!” Lin Lu pointed at Lushaoyang’s nose, wanting to curse, but he couldn’t find the right words in his limited vocabulary.
“Alright,” Xue Wensong said, pressing down Lin Lu’s hand, “Don’t be angry with him.”
“He slandered me,” Lin Lu said, feeling wronged, “I never tried to seduce him.”
Xue Wensong smiled. “I know.”
Lushaoyang, feeling inexplicably fed up, clicked his tongue and said to Xue Wensong, “Do you know Qin Chuan arranged for him to come here?”
Not many people knew about this, but Lushaoyang, who was acquainted with the director Tang Xu, knew. So he subconsciously didn’t think Lin Lu was a decent person.
Xue Wensong made a noncommittal sound and said lightly, “I had Qin Chuan arrange it.”
There was a deeper meaning in this statement. Lin Lu didn’t catch it, but Lushaoyang did.
In other words, Lin Lu’s husband was someone who could make the young master of the Qin family do things for him.
Having been in the entertainment industry for a long time, Lushaoyang naturally understood how complex social networks could be. He bid farewell to the two without showing any emotion and then returned to the filming location. He took out his phone, intending to search for the man who had an unusual presence just now.
However, when he entered the name, he paused. What was Lin Lu’s husband’s name again?
He couldn’t remember it at all.
He tried typing Xue Aihua, Xue Jianguo, Xue Guoqing, but eventually gave up.
In a remote town with no entertainment facilities, Lin Lu didn’t feel bored at all with Xue Wensong.
After having lunch at a seaside restaurant, they bought two bottles of Coca-Cola in glass jars from a convenience store and sat under a parasol in front of the store, enjoying the leisurely afternoon.
When they were paying for the cola just now, Xue Wensong grabbed an extra straw and bought a lighter.
Holding the glass bottle and biting the straw, Lin Lu watched curiously as Xue Wensong skillfully folded the extra straw, turning it into the shape of a rose with a pull and a burn, then sticking the ends together with the plastic to create a ring.
Amazed, Lin Lu put down the glass bottle and asked, “Is this a wedding ring?”
Xue Wensong smiled and took Lin Lu’s hand, slipping the makeshift ring onto his ring finger perfectly.
“I’ll get you a proper one later, but wear this for now,” Xue Wensong said.
Lin Lu pursed his lips, unable to hide his happiness.
Xue Wensong tousled his hair, thinking how easily satisfied Lin Lu was.
Suddenly, Lin Lu had an idea and said to Xue Wensong, “Give me your phone.”
Xue Wensong handed Lin Lu his unlocked phone.
Lin Lu opened the front camera and leaned in, and Xue Wensong immediately realized he wanted to take a picture. So he cooperatively put his arm around Lin Lu’s shoulder.
After they posed, just as Lin Lu pressed the shutter, he turned his head and kissed Xue Wensong on the cheek, capturing the moment perfectly.
Lin Lu checked the photo, and this time, it was Xue Wensong who looked stunned, perfectly matching his phone’s wallpaper.
Lin Lu chuckled as he set the photo as the wallpaper, then returned the phone to Xue Wensong, mimicking his tone, “No changing it.”
Xue Wensong chuckled and replied, “Won’t change it,” before leaning in and giving Lin Lu a more mature kiss.
Lin Lu hesitated for a moment before tentatively letting his tongue intertwine with Xue Wensong’s.
Under the gentle afternoon sun, the two men kissed under the umbrella.
An elderly woman passing by with a bag frowned and commented, “Young people nowadays, they don’t even know to be discreet in broad daylight.”
Lin Lu embarrassedly shrunk his neck but then smiled in sync with the unconcerned Xue Wensong.
Time always flies when one steals moments of leisure. After idly wandering around outside all day, Lin Lu and Xue Wensong still felt unsatisfied when night fell.
So after returning to the hotel and showering, Lin Lu, still feeling unsatisfied, got some ideas.
Though he indeed didn’t know much about that aspect, he couldn’t deny that Xue Wensong had made him exceptionally comfortable during their previous encounters.
He suddenly found himself looking forward to the night’s activities.
Little did he know, what he anticipated was nothing more than child’s play in Xue Wensong’s eyes.
After getting into bed, Xue Wensong noticed Lin Lu peering out from under the covers with a hopeful expression. He immediately understood: the little deer wanted some affection.
Recalling the countless nights he had spent alone during this time, Xue Wensong couldn’t help but feel mischievous and deliberately said, “Go to sleep, baby.”
Lin Lu’s eyes, sparkling with anticipation, immediately dimmed with disappointment. His reaction was too straightforward. Xue Wensong couldn’t help but chuckle and reached out to embrace Lin Lu. However, at that moment, his phone rang untimely.
Checking the caller ID, it was Ji Xingye.
On the other side, Lin Lu, curious, also peeked over. As soon as he saw who was calling, he sullenly turned away.
Xue Wensong said, “Maybe it’s something urgent.”
Lin Lu mumbled, “Hmm.”
Xue Wensong answered the call on speakerphone. “What’s up?”
“In Future Intelligence,” Ji Xingye’s voice immediately filled the room. “Where are you?”
The tone was too intimate, as if they were still on familiar terms.
Lin Lu immediately turned over, facing the other side.
Xue Wensong reached out to comfort Lin Lu, rubbing his head gently, and frowned, asking, “What’s the matter?”
“Want to go out for a drink?” Ji Xingye suggested.
Xue Wensong hung up the phone directly.
In less than two seconds, the phone rang again. Xue Wensong hesitated for a moment, then answered, saying, “Don’t call me if it’s not urgent.”
About to hang up, Ji Xingye urgently said, “Wait, I have something to discuss with you.”
Xue Wensong didn’t say anything, waiting for him to continue.
“I suggest we go back to Future Intelligence,” Ji Xingye said quickly.
Xue Wensong lazily replied, “Not interested, goodbye.”
“I don’t believe you can’t see that they want to swallow you up,” Ji Xingye said.
Of course, Xue Wensong was well aware of this.
“But you don’t need to worry about it,” he replied.
