Fu Xingyun:...
Lin Qiong held the popcorn bucket in his arms, and there was still a lot of popcorn inside, suggesting that the movie had just started when he fell asleep.
Lin Qiong lowered his head, looking at the popcorn, feeling somewhat hesitant to meet Fu Xingyun's eyes.
The recent actions of Fu Xingyun in the movie theater, even though Lin Qiong didn't bring it up, didn't mean it didn't happen.
As Lin Qiong felt a bit parched, he refrained from licking his lips now, as if there were traces of Fu Xingyun's touch, and his heart was beating rapidly, breathing somewhat disordered.
Both of them sat next to a distant bench waiting for the bus. Fu Xingyun looked at Lin Qiong, whose face had turned red, and raised his hand to touch him.
The moment his fingertips touched Lin Qiong's cheek, it seemed as if Lin Qiong was instantly electrified and quickly moved away.
"Lin Qiong."
"Ah?" Lin Qiong's gaze dodged, avoiding eye contact. "What's wrong?"
"Why is your face so red?"
"Is it?" Lin Qiong raised his hand, rubbing his face. To divert attention, he opened his coat and fanned himself. "Maybe it's too hot."
Fu Xingyun said with a hint of irony, "It's minus eight degrees today."
"..."
It seemed a bit cold.
Lin Qiong fastened his clothes and shrank his neck. Like a quail, he buried his cheeks in the collar of his coat. He didn't know what was wrong with him; he felt feverish since leaving the cinema.
Previously, everything was fine, but now, every time he glanced at Fu Xingyun, he involuntarily lowered his head.
Fu Xingyun looked at Lin Qiong's appearance, his brows furrowed. "Uncomfortable?"
Lin Qiong shook his head with his face still buried, using a random excuse. "Just a bit sleepy."
Then he saw the approaching bus. "The bus is here; let's get on."
Lin Qiong settled Fu Xingyun on the bus, and he sat down as well, but there was a gap of half a person between them.
In the past, Lin Qiong's little mouth would have started babbling when bored, but today was different.
Fu Xingyun turned his head to look at Lin Qiong, who kept his head low, unexpectedly quiet.
"Lin Qiong."
He made a humming sound. "Hmm."
"Come over."
Lin Qiong's body instantly stiffened, and then he shook his body like a roly-poly. "No thanks."
However, right after he said that, the vehicle suddenly made a sharp turn, and Lin Qiong tumbled directly next to Fu Xingyun.
"..."
Lin Qiong peeked out his head a little, looking at Fu Xingyun with a slightly embarrassed expression.
Coincidentally, Fu Xingyun was also looking at him.
Lin Qiong instantly felt a heat on his face. Just as he was about to move backward, he sensed that something had looped around his waist.
"You..."
Fu Xingyun lifted his hand and pulled Lin Qiong into his arms, his gaze fixed ahead. His expression remained as cold as ever, as if this intimate distance only concerned Lin Qiong.
"Go to sleep."
The man's deep voice sent shivers through Lin Qiong's ears. Though he wasn't actually sleepy leaning against the man's chest, he had to pretend. His heart was beating too fast, fearing that Fu Xingyun might unexpectedly kiss him again. This time, Lin Qiong buried his chin in his collar and closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep.
After a while, Fu Xingyun lowered his head, looking at the person who was obediently pretending to be asleep in his arms. The hand placed at his side clenched into a fist, a sign of triumph.
Fu Xingyun! You did it!
As the car drove, Lin Qiong would feel the hand around his waist tighten whenever there was a slight bump. Just before reaching home, Lin Qiong pretended to wake up, forcing himself to interact with Fu Xingyun as usual. However, whenever he looked at the man's face, he felt a feverish heat all over his body. Later, he sneaked into the kitchen under the pretext of cooking.
During lunch, Fu Xingyun looked at him. "When will you be back this time?"
Lin Qiong thought for a moment. "About a month. The movie will be released after that."
Fu Xingyun nodded after hearing this.
Not long after lunch, Lin Qiong carried his suitcase, preparing to catch the plane. Although he seemed shy, he couldn't abandon the role of the lovey-dovey brain. Standing next to Fu Xingyun, he lowered himself to meet his gaze and said affectionately, "Xingyun, I'll think of you every day. The days without you feel like an eternity."
"Really?"
Lin Qiong nodded sincerely, "Of course, in this whole world, I only love you. If there's someone else, may lightning strike me."
Fu Xingyun frowned upon hearing this, "Don't say those useless things."
"Why are they useless?" Lin Qiong looked at him, "I'm speaking from the heart."
The man didn't reply, but his gaze remained fixed on Lin Qiong.
----
Once he left the house, Lin Qiong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Wang Cheng looked at Lin Qiong who had just arrived, "How did you spend these days off?"
Unable to see Fu Xingyun, Lin Qiong relaxed into the chair. After thinking about the events of the past few days, it seemed that everything was fine except for this morning. "It's been okay."
Seeing Wang Cheng looking at him, Lin Qiong raised an eyebrow, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Just checking if you've gained weight."
Before the holiday, the two had agreed to control their weight. Lin Qiong sat up straight immediately, "Of course not, do I look like someone who breaks their promises?"
"Then why are you sucking in your stomach?"
"..."
Lin Qiong raised his hand to touch his belly.
Wang Cheng: "You've gained weight."
Lin Qiong instantly bristled, "No, I haven't!"
Wang Cheng asserted again, "You've gained weight!"
"I haven't!" Lin Qiong said, closing his clothes, "I just finished eating, and it hasn't settled yet."
When they flew to another city, it was already seven or eight in the evening. After handling hotel check-in procedures, they hurried to a meeting.
This time, Qin Wei Chu and the female lead Bai Ying were also there. Bai Ying greeted Lin Qiong as he walked in, "Long time no see."
During the filming, Lin Qiong, playing just a minor character, only had scenes with Bai Ying. Meeting again naturally brought a sense of familiarity, "Long time no see."
Bai Ying looked at him, "I heard you've been busy promoting with the crew."
Lin Qiong nodded.
"How's it going? Are you adapting well?"
"It's okay."
While chatting with others, Lin Qiong suddenly felt a hot gaze and turned around to see Qin Wei Chu staring at him without blinking.
Lin Qiong raised his hand slightly in greeting.
Qin Wei Chu approached, "Long time no see."
Lin Qiong was puzzled, "Didn't we meet just the other day?"
Qin Wei Chu: ...
----
The next day, during the promotional activities, Lin Qiong felt less exhausted than before. Although the previous month of promotion brought him considerable attention and fans, compared to Bai Ying and Qin Wei Chu, who were a triple-crown award-winning actress and a top star, respectively, he was still a small fry. Being with these two naturally led to being overlooked. Nevertheless, Lin Qiong was happy to be free from carrying on conversations.
Today, the number of fans and reporters that came was several times more than the past month combined.
After it ended, Wang Cheng pulled Lin Qiong aside, "Did you feel it?"
Lin Qiong: "Feel what?"
"The sense of disappointment," Wang Cheng pointed to the large crowd of fans that hadn't dispersed yet. "Look at all these people; not a single one is rushing towards you. Don't you feel disappointed? Don't you feel sad?"
Lin Qiong shook his head, "No."
Given his previous controversial persona, even if someone were rushing toward him, it would likely be to criticize him.
Wang Cheng, frustrated, said, "Can't you show a bit more enthusiasm? Can't you try to become a big star like those celebrities in the industry?"
Lin Qiong, looking serious, replied, "One shouldn't just follow the crowd."
"..."
Seeing Lin Qiong's lack of ambition, Wang Cheng began to lay out his plan, "I've figured it out. After the movie airs, we'll ride the wave of popularity and participate in a variety show to maintain momentum, then take on more projects."
Lin Qiong didn't argue. He probably would divorce Fu Xingyun soon, and by then, he should have plenty of time.
For some reason, the thought of divorcing made Lin Qiong feel sad.
On the way back to the hotel in the car, Lin Qiong suddenly received a message on his phone. When he checked, it was from Ji Yao.
"Sis, I just had a breakup."
Lin Qiong: "When did you start dating? Why didn't I know?"
"Three days ago," Ji Yao replied. "We broke up today."
Lin Qiong was momentarily shocked but, out of deep sisterly affection, he decided to comfort Ji Yao, "That's really unfortunate for you."
Ji Yao: "It is."
Remembering something, she asked, "I heard you're out working. Where are you now?"
Lin Qiong mentioned the city he was in, and Ji Yao excitedly said, "What a coincidence! I'm here too. Let's go out for dinner."
Lin Qiong was surprised, "You're here too?"
Ji Yao: "Yes, let's have a meal together."
With no other plans, Lin Qiong readily agreed.
----
At 7 PM, they reached the hotel Ji Yao had booked and met up.
Ji Yao, looking at Lin Qiong, patted his shoulder excitedly, "Let's go, I've already figured out what to eat today."
Lin Qiong watched Ji Yao, unable to discern any signs of heartbreak.
It wasn't until half an hour later, as Lin Qiong saw Ji Yao singing with a wine bottle in hand, "Give me a cup of forgetfulness, don't shed tears," that he went over, "Ji Yao, are you okay?"
Ji Yao, crying, looked at Lin Qiong and broke down, "Why can't I have a sweet romance!"
Lin Qiong: ...
After 10 PM, Lin Qiong helped Ji Yao back to his hotel room, completely unaware of the cameras following him.
----
The next day, dark clouds covered the sky. Fu Xingyun got up, looked out the window, opened it for ventilation, and then began watching the daily financial news.
After a while, he heard a tapping sound on the window. Looking, he saw that it had started snowing and raining outside.
The financial news continued playing on the TV. As Fu Xingyun reached for something, he accidentally pressed the remote control. The male host reporting financial news on TV instantly transformed into a female entertainment news host.
Fu Xingyun, with a slight frown, raised his hand to change the channel, but suddenly, Lin Qiong's photo appeared on the screen.
"Newcomer actor enters a hotel with a woman, revealing their relationship."
A thunderous roar echoed outside as if responding to Lin Qiong's words before he left.
"I love only you in the whole world. If there's someone else, may lightning strike me."
Fu Xingyun: ...