16

 It was nearly midnight. In the hotel room with the curtains tightly closed, the phone screen next to the pillow kept lighting up.

The boy, who had most of his face covered by the blanket, still had weak hands.

Bo Chi: [I smell like you.]

Bo Chi: [Did you cry? You look beautiful even when you cry.]

Bo Chi: [I won't be able to sleep tonight.]

Bo Chi: [I should have kissed you first.]

Bo Chi: [Are you asleep?]

Bo Chi: [What do you want to eat tomorrow? I'll bring it to you. Chinese or Western food? What do you want to drink? Oh, right, I recently bought a lot of comics and puzzles. Do you want to come over?]

Bo Chi: [Or just bring them to my house!]

The glaring light lasted for a while before finally going out.

Song Yu turned the phone upside down, feeling dizzy. He was very tired and sleepy, and his eyes were glued shut.

As the boy fell asleep, some light from the screen shone through the gaps.

Bo Chi: [It's too late to take it back. If you're unhappy, just pretend I didn't say anything.]

Bo Chi: [Goodnight.]

In the villa on the other side, the butler was woken up by the young master's nighttime antics in the kitchen. At his age, it was hard for him to fall back asleep after waking up in the middle of the night.

He looked at the culprit, perfectly concealing his displeasure: "Young Master Bo, why are you up in the middle of the night making…"

What are you making? A pot of blackened food.

You couldn't even tell what the ingredients were.

Bo Chi coughed twice, choked by the smoke: "No, no need to worry about me."

He probably couldn't stand it himself either. The next second, he came out of the kitchen, glanced at the pot, and paused for a moment: "Will eating this cause poisoning?"

"…" The butler thought for a moment, "You say it should be fine, but as for Young Master Song…"

Song Yu's body is so delicate, of course everything has to be the best.

Bo Chi thought it over and decided to give up on the loving breakfast.

He took a shower, casually put on a bathrobe, and stared at his face and figure in the mirror.

It should be alright, right?

At least he could compare to pretty boys and older men.

Bo Chi looked aloof, pretentious, and quiet, but he had one advantage over most men—he wasn't narcissistic. He

wasn't particularly particular about his clothes, often just throwing on a black T-shirt and heading out, but his tall stature and good physique made him look stylish in anything.

Many rich kids in the industry even imitated his minimalist yet stylish look. However, their faces and physiques didn't quite meet his standards, making them look even more ordinary.

After leaving the bathroom, the man lay down, forcing himself to sleep so he wouldn't be late for the next morning.

But no matter how much he tossed and turned, Song Yu's expression kept replaying in his mind.

Those light-colored eyes were already beautiful, but when they were misty, they became even more alluring, the corners of her eyes were tinged with red, her expression was dreamy and unfocused, her lips were parted, and her pearly teeth and pink tongue were faintly visible.

Her cheeks were covered in tear stains, and her eyelashes were sticky with tears.

...

Bo Chi got up and showered for over an hour before his body slowly calmed down.

He regretted it a little. He

should have just kissed her without thinking about anything else.

But Song Yu's breath smelled so sweet; not only would the other person find it offensive, but even he himself didn't dare to kiss him easily.

Bo Chi lay back down on the bed, staring at the slightly ajar curtains, his mind filled with Song Yu.

It was as if he were lovesick.

Song Yu had given him something to eat; should he give him something too?

His body was so delicate; how could he possibly eat?

A jumble of thoughts swirled together, and Bo Chi actually drifted off to sleep, only remembering those watery, light-colored eyes before he fell asleep.

*

The next morning, when Song Yu woke up and checked his text messages, he was almost startled by the dozens of messages Bo Chi had sent.

He thought only the main characters' feelings had gone astray, but even Bo Chi, who was supposed to be chasing after his wife, had stopped.

The last message was from the morning, saying he would come over to bring breakfast.

Song Yu declined, saying the hotel had breakfast, and quickly washed up and went to the restaurant to avoid bumping into Bo Chi.

But it seemed the other person knew he was coming; he was already there waiting for him.

Bo Chi was wearing a white coat today, and his hair was neatly styled; he had clearly taken the time to dress up. He handed over the bag in his hand: "Are you trying to avoid me?"

Song Yu felt guilty: "No..."

"I'm pursuing my own goals, why are you avoiding me? I'm not a bad person."

Song Yu pursed his lips, knowing he couldn't avoid him anyway, so he simply obediently found a seat.

Bo Chi had even inserted the straw for the soy milk and presented it to him like a treasure.

Song Yu took a sip, his cheeks puffing out. He always ate slowly, and time seemed to stand still next to him.

How happy he would be if they could eat together like this in the future.

It would be even better if they could sleep in the same bed at night.

While Bo Chi was already planning the wedding in his mind, Song Yu was already looking at rental apartments.

Anyway, there was still 5% left, so he didn't care much and just found an agent and signed a contract. That afternoon, he packed his bags and moved in.

Afraid of disrupting the plot, after settling in, Song Yu returned the money that the others had been transferring money to, and mailed back all the expensive gifts. After doing all this, he quickly blocked them.

The men, with their high status and power, could easily investigate someone, but seeing Song Yu's strong aversion, they dared not act rashly.

They only secretly sent people to protect the boy's safety.

Song Yu thought he was hiding well, staying at home all day waiting for the progress bar to move on its own.

He waited a whole week, but the progress bar didn't budge.

009: [Host, you returned the money and gifts Gu Zeshu sent you, and you've become depressed, hitting a creative block. You even missed the banquet in the original story where the director noticed you.]

Song Yu didn't understand why he suddenly became depressed. According to the world's setting, Gu Zeshu was the protagonist, talented and lucky.

009: [Maybe he feels he's been deceived, both physically and emotionally.]

Song Yu: "?"

Thinking about it... it seems so.

A few days ago, Gu Zeshu sent him a message saying it was his first time, that his body had only been shown to him, and so on.

That spiked drink was only to help him out of a predicament, not in the original story.

He was definitely influenced by him.

Song Yu pursed his lips guiltily. Whether it was to complete the mission or to get Gu Zeshu back on track, he had to do something to bring the director and Gu Zeshu together.

009 pulled up the director's schedule and discovered that he was attending an engagement party for someone in the industry the next day.

How could he get Gu Zeshu to attend? He couldn't just remove him from his blacklist and send him a message ordering him to go.

Seeing his host racking his brains, 009 said: "It's actually very simple. Just go there yourself and then post a location-based message on your WeChat Moments."

Song Yu replied: "I don't think I'm qualified to go now."

The news had spread for a month; the Song family had offended the Bo family, no one dared to cooperate with them, and their social circle would no longer welcome them. Their company was also facing bankruptcy, so naturally, they wouldn't invite him to such an event .

Song Yu lowered his eyes, searched through his WeChat contacts, and found that Zhou Xie was the only one he could contact.

He hesitated for a moment, but finally sent a message to Zhou Xie, asking if he would attend the engagement banquet.

He had only intended to try, but unexpectedly, Zhou Xie called him back as soon as he sent the message, asking if he wanted to go and offering to take him.

Things went smoothly. Song Yu thanked Zhou Xie, arranged a time and place, and even bought a formal suit in advance.

The next morning, as soon as Song Yu arrived, he saw Zhou Xie's car.

Zhou Xie rolled down the window: "Do you live around here?"

Song Yu nodded, and as soon as he opened the car door to get in, he was directly lifted into the car.

The familiar scent wafted over, and Song Yu was pulled onto the man's lap. He turned around and saw Bo Chi's cold face, and was so frightened that he tried to escape. However,

he was too weak to break free.

Bo Chi didn't say anything and quickly released him.

Song Yu sat down and felt the space suddenly become cramped. He glanced at Zhou Xie in the driver's seat.

The other man probably sensed what he wanted to say and immediately apologized, "Xiao Yu—" He

was just about to say it when someone behind him stepped on his chair, so he quickly changed his words, "Song Yu, this isn't my fault. He was right next to me when you messaged me yesterday. No, he's been coming over every now and then lately, telling me he's heartbroken, that he was used and then dumped. Now that you two have met, you should talk it out if there's any misunderstanding."

Song Yu was stunned and looked at Bo Chi.

The other man crossed his arms and looked at him, looking a little aggrieved.

Aggrieved?

Song Yu thought about what Zhou Xie had just said and corrected him, "I didn't play you. You can't talk nonsense like that."

In Bo Chi's mind, he had been played. The man refused to continue the conversation: "What are you going to the Zhao family's engagement banquet for?"

"Just bored, going to take a look," Song Yu mumbled.

"To see Gu Zeshu?"

"..."

Silence was tantamount to acquiescence. Bo Chi sneered, his expression showing obvious annoyance.

He knew Song Yu didn't care about him, yet he still fawned over her like a lapdog.

Bo Chi inwardly felt hopeless, but still took Song Yu to the banquet.

After the Qin family's birthday banquet, no one had seen Song Yu again, assuming she had been abandoned by Bo Chi. But today, she was not only beautiful and well-maintained, but Bo Chi even opened the car door for her himself.

Song Yu asked 009 to find Gu Zeshu, and as expected, he wasn't there.

He casually took a picture of the flowers in the banquet decorations and posted it on his WeChat Moments, visible only to Gu Zeshu.

【Will this work?】

Song Yu wasn't sure.

009: 【Yes, host. Only 5% progress left, almost there.】

Song Yu wandered around the venue for an hour out of boredom, not waiting for Gu Zeshu, but instead encountering Bo Rancen.

The uncle and nephew exchanged a glance, their tension palpable, but their outward appearances were impeccable.

Fearing the other might say something strange again, Song Yu quickly slipped away to a quiet corner. About ten minutes later, 009 alerted him: [Host, Gu Zeshu is here.]

[About a hundred meters away, at ten o'clock.]

Song Yu looked up, only to meet the other's gaze.

Gu Zeshu was wearing a black shirt today, looking handsome and aloof, with a hint of fierceness in his eyes.

He seemed quite angry… and was striding towards him.

Song Yu had a feeling he'd be severely beaten if caught.

009: [A kiss is more likely.]

Song Yu: “…”

That was even more terrifying.

He immediately turned and followed 009's lead, hoping to lure Gu Zeshu and his benefactor, the director.

Sure enough, Gu Zeshu was led there. Suddenly,

a sound of someone bumping into him came from behind.

Song Yu turned around and saw several people surrounding Gu Zeshu, one of whom, a tall man, looked somewhat familiar.

[That's Gu Zeshu's older brother, Gu Chengming. You saw him at the hospital.]

[The other person in the white suit is Gu Zeshu's younger brother, Gu An. Next to him are several friends of the Gu family. According to the original timeline, Gu Zeshu has already gained fame, and the Gu family has realized his importance, so they asked Gu Chengming and Gu An to persuade him to return to the Gu family. Of course, Gu An has always been jealous of his second brother and doesn't want him to return.]

Song Yu stopped and looked at the group.

Gu Zeshu was surrounded, only half his face visible. Even so, his impatience was evident.

"Brother, Dad misses you a lot. Please come back soon." Gu An feigned gentleness, but secretly wished Gu Zeshu would live like a dog after leaving the Gu family.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Gu Zeshu not only thrived but also gained the attention of the Gu family.

The thought of being ignored was unbearable for Gu An, and his handsome face twisted in pain.

Gu Zeshu was chasing someone when his path was blocked. He didn't even bother to glance at them, simply walking past them. Gu An deliberately bumped into him, stumbled to the side, and immediately grabbed Gu Zeshu, shouting loudly enough for everyone around to hear, "Brother, do you hate me that much?"

Hmm… Song Yu could tell he was faking it.

Gu Zeshu finally gave Gu An a look, his expression sinister, and uttered a single word: "Get lost."

Gu An's face stiffened, instantly feeling embarrassed in front of his friend.

Gu Chengming, standing nearby, was also surprised that Gu Zeshu would speak to Gu An like that: "He's your brother, is it appropriate for you to talk to him like that?"

If it were before, Gu Zeshu might have argued with them, but now his mind was entirely on Song Yu, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, and he couldn't be bothered with anyone, simply pushing Gu An aside and trying to leave.

Gu An noticed that Gu Zeshu was only wearing a worn-out chain on his wrist, without even a watch, and scoffed inwardly. So, when he was pushed aside, he deliberately tugged at the chain.

Only after the bracelet hit the ground did he begin to apologize: "Brother, why are you wearing such a bracelet? I'll replace my watch with yours, please don't hate me anymore."

Gu Zeshu didn't speak, his face dark as he bent down to pick up the bracelet, along with the beads beside it.

After picking it up, he clenched it into a fist in his palm, and the look he gave Gu An was like looking at a dead man.

Gu An was startled by the brutality in his eyes and felt a chill run down his spine.

More and more people gathered around. At first, they thought Gu Zeshu's attitude towards the Gu family was terrible, but after hearing Gu An's sarcastic remarks, they couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

Seeing Gu Zeshu about to throw a punch, Gu Chengming, though realizing Gu An was doing it on purpose, said for the sake of the Gu family's reputation: "Gu Zeshu, he's your brother. Don't act like this. Do you want others to laugh at you?"

Gu Zeshu didn't look at them.

He stared down at his palm; the anklet he'd received recently, worn by Song Yu, now had its star pendant pulled off.

He suddenly remembered when Gu An had run into his room in middle school and damaged his mother's belongings.

Everyone sided with Gu An, thinking he was just a child, didn't understand anything, and that even if he damaged it, it wasn't intentional.

Back then, he didn't have the ability to protect what he cherished, but now, he couldn't let the other person trample on those things anymore.

Gu Zeshu's aura grew colder, his eyes bloodshot. He gripped the anklet in his palm, clenching it into a fist.

Just as he was about to swing it at Gu An's face, his clothes were suddenly tugged.

Turning around, he saw Song Yu standing behind him.

"Gu Zeshu, stop fighting."

The fist that had been thrown lingered in the air for a moment before finally being withdrawn.

The voice was soft, yet it made Gu Zeshu obey so readily. Everyone couldn't help but look at the young man, and when they saw his face, they couldn't help but gasp. He

really was handsome.

But why did he look so familiar? There were only a few people in the circle, and someone immediately recognized Song Yu.

"Isn't that Song Yu? He's always following Bo Chi around."

Song Yu didn't have a good reputation in the circle; he was just a sycophantic son of a nouveau riche. Many people had heard of him, but this was the first time they had seen him.

The young man stood by the flower bed, wearing a simple, clean white shirt, with skin as white as lamb's fat, and a pair of light-colored almond-shaped eyes. Whether viewed separately or together, he was exceptionally handsome.

It made everyone wonder... why they weren't Bo Chi.

Noticing everyone's gaze, Gu Zeshu immediately shielded Song Yu with his body.

Gu Zeshu found that Song Yu seemed to have a kind of magic, making him both nervous and at ease.

For example, right now, the anger that had been churning in his chest suddenly subsided, as if no one else mattered to him except Song Yu.

Song Yu lowered his head and slowly unfolded Gu Zeshu's hand, seeing the broken ornament in the man's palm.

He looked up, not even glancing at Gu An, and said to Gu Chengming standing beside him, "Aren't you going to pay for it?"

Gu Chengming paused, as if just coming to his senses.

"...What?"

"That's my anklet. Your brother broke it. Aren't you going to pay for it?"

In both meetings, Gu Chengming had sided with the villain.

Thinking of the impression he had left on the boy, he said with difficulty, "...Pay for it."

He then looked around at the people who had gathered around and said sternly to Gu An, "Quickly apologize to your brother."

Gu An looked surprised. Although they weren't blood relatives, Gu Chengming had always been on his side. Why this time?

"Not brother, it's Gu Zeshu," Song Yu stubbornly corrected.

Finally, under Gu Chengming's serious urging, Gu An apologized. Song Yu didn't say anything and pulled Gu Zeshu back to the path they had originally intended to take.

"I wonder if I'll ever run into the director again?"

009 suddenly spoke up: "[The director is up ahead.]"

Song Yu looked up. Several people were standing in front of him, all looking similar. He hadn't recognized them from the photos in the file.

009: "[It's the one wearing the black hat. The director stays up all night every day; he's gone bald.]"

"..."

Song Yu stopped, seeing that the other person was looking at Gu Zeshu, clearly wanting to see him.

He took off his watch and put it on Gu Zeshu's wrist: "Someone over there seems to want to see you."

Gu Zeshu was still immersed in the joy of being protected by Song Yu, not even looking up, only giving a perfunctory "hmm.

" "..."

Song Yu now understood why 009 called him love-struck.

He took the broken bracelet from the man's hand, his small face cold and fierce: "I'll fix this."

"...Go quickly!"

Gu Zeshu reluctantly went over.

The other person was a famous director who wanted to work with him on his next film. Gu Zeshu spoke fluently about professional matters. Before he knew it, more than ten minutes had passed.

When Gu Zeshu looked into the distance, Song Yu was nowhere to be seen.

She was like a princess who had left behind a glass slipper and had to return before midnight.

*

Song Yu didn't say goodbye to anyone and left the venue by taxi.

After arriving home, the progress bar finally increased slowly by a small increment.

Only 1%.

009 comforted her: [After Gu Zeshu collaborates with the famous director, he will win the Best Screenplay Award.]

The progress bar follows the protagonist's career and love life, and in this world, Gu Zeshu's life will reach its peak on the awards stage.

However, the two have only just begun their collaboration, and there's still a long way to go before winning the award.

009: [It will probably take another year or so. Host, you can travel all over the country; this will also be considered a nomadic life, which fits your ending.]

?

After her initial surprise, Song Yu pouted at 009: [Why didn't you say so earlier? I'm almost out of money.]

009: [Gu Zeshu just transferred you another sum of money.] Song

Yu checked his text messages and indeed, there was a transfer notification. This time, it was a large sum of money, enough for him to live comfortably for years.

However, fearing it would affect the plot, he returned the money.

Gu Zeshu didn't transfer any more.

After dinner and washing up, Song Yu had been staying home a lot lately and getting plenty of rest. Even at 10 PM, he wasn't sleepy and sat on the bed slowly fixing the broken bracelet.

He had thought it was a small job and hadn't wanted to bother 009, but now it seemed he was quite delicate and couldn't do anything.

After fixing the bracelet, Song Yu put it in a box, planning to mail it to Gu Zeshu the next day.

Just as he was about to calculate how much money he had left, the doorbell rang.

Song Yu opened the door and found Gu Zeshu.

It seemed to be raining outside; the man was soaked to the bone, his hair plastered to his sharp, pale face, his shirt clinging to his skin, and he was completely devoid of warmth.

He looked like a homeless stray dog.

It was pitiful.

Song Yu thought for a moment and then let him in.

He told Gu Zeshu to take a hot shower first, and then went to find a clean towel and loose clothes.

The other man came out quickly, his hair still wet.

"If you don't dry it, it'll be bad—" Song Yu reached out, but when he touched Gu Zeshu's forehead, he found it was burning hot.

Looking closer, Gu Zeshu's lips were very pale, and his face was flushed an unnatural red.

"You have a fever!" Song Yu looked at him. "How long have you been in the rain? Didn't you bring an umbrella?"

Gu Zeshu shook his head, just staring at him, then suddenly reached out and opened his hand—

in his palm was a blue gemstone.

Song Yu was stunned.

He had seen this sapphire at the auction last time; its star-shaped design left a deep impression.

Had Gu Zeshu bought it?

Was the man there then?

"I've come to exchange this for your anklet."

Song Yu was dazed: "You have a fever, why are you still concerned about these things?"

"The anklet is something you gave me." Gu Zeshu said, each word distinct, "Things you gave me can't be taken back."

Even if Song Yu was slow-witted, he knew Gu Zeshu wasn't referring to the anklet this time.

But he didn't have time for that now.

He dried Gu Zeshu's hair, fed him his medicine, and found two thick blankets to cover him.

And so, in the misty, drizzling night, Gu Zeshu, holding Song Yu's hand, gradually fell asleep.

*

The next morning, Gu Zeshu woke up feeling himself being hugged.

He opened his eyes; the boy's sleeping posture was somewhat domineering, so small, yet taking up two-thirds of the entire bed.

Gu Zeshu's lips curled into a smile, his movements slow and gentle, careful not to wake the other.

Even so, Song Yu still woke up.

The boy didn't open his eyes, but as if instinctively, he reached out and placed his hand on Gu Zeshu's forehead.

Gu Zeshu paused.

"The fever's gone down..." Song Yu mumbled, not even opening his eyes before falling back into a deep sleep.

Gu Zeshu stared at that face, slowly tightening his embrace.

It was as if someone falling into an abyss had grasped the most important rope in their life.

*

When Song Yu woke up, it was noon. The person beside him was gone.

He got up and left the bedroom, hearing noises from the kitchen.

Gu Zeshu had already prepared breakfast. Seeing him get up, he pushed him into the bathroom, even squeezing toothpaste for him.

Song Yu slowly brushed his teeth and washed his face, only remembering afterward that the other was still a patient.

"You're all better now," Gu Zeshu said proactively, as if guessing what he was thinking.

For the next two days, Gu Zeshu stayed there, being exceptionally clingy. At first, Song Yu thought Gu Zeshu wasn't fully recovered and didn't say anything. But when Gu Zeshu started asking for a goodnight kiss, Song Yu finally couldn't help but ask, "You...you don't want to go back to work..."

It would have been better if he hadn't said anything, because after he did, Gu Zeshu actually took out all his bank cards, properties, and other belongings: "These are all yours."

Song Yu was surprised and was about to refuse when Gu Zeshu interrupted him: "There's soup simmering in the kitchen."

"..."

He pursed his lips, thinking about the difference in strength between himself and Gu Zeshu, and didn't bring it up again.

But two days later, Gu Zeshu made an even more outrageous request, asking if he could eat Gu Zeshu's saliva while kissing him.

Song Yu's cheeks flushed red, and he looked away, but in the end, he was lifted onto the table and kissed for a long, long time.

Fortunately, a phone call came at the end.

It seemed to be the director, saying that the outline was finalized and they were preparing to film, and that he should join the crew.

Song Yu breathed a sigh of relief when Gu Zeshu agreed.

Otherwise, his lips would be kissed raw.

Gu Zeshu hung up the phone and immediately came over, resting his chin on Song Yu's neck like a clingy large dog.

"I'm going to start saving up for my wife."

Song Yu: "?"

"I might be away on a business trip for three months."

"Hmm..."

"Wife."

"..."

A sudden touch on his lower back caused Gu Zeshu to chuckle softly: "You've gained weight."

Song Yu: "!"

Just as he was about to explode, the man spoke again, his tone now indistinguishable from a rogue: "Let me see, okay?" (

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