I Became Famous in the Entertainment Industry with High Martial Arts Skills - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: The Male Fox Spirit

The muffled voices of the characters delivering their lines from the television drifted toward Xie Ci, who was standing at the entrance.

“Brother Ji, are you watching Han River Crossing too?” Xie Ci asked curiously as he stepped into the entryway slippers, glancing toward the living room.

Ji Xiuheng’s breathing was still a bit ragged. He had been cleaning up his own mess in the kitchen and hadn’t even had time to tidy his hair before opening the door for Xie Ci.

Xie Ci had been downstairs several times now. His relationship with Ji Xiuheng had surpassed that of senior and junior, evolving into the natural comfort of friends. Standing in Ji Xiuheng’s home, he no longer felt the stiffness of their first meeting; instead, he had a casual, relaxed languor, looking very much like a stray cat that had finally grown accustomed to its home, possessing an air of “owning the place.”

The little cat ears on Xie Ci’s slippers twitched with every step, matching the pair on Ji Xiuheng’s feet. One pair white, one pair black. A perfect match.

Ji Xiuheng closed the door. “The drama is so popular right now. It’s not just me; several employees at our studio are chasing it.”

With a click, the hanging light in the dining area turned on. On the mahogany-grained table sat several dishes covered with porcelain plates to keep them warm. Ji Xiuheng’s voice was like jazz flowing from a record player; in the private environment of his home, the sense of intimate, ear-whispering ambiguity was even stronger.

“Didn’t you say you hadn’t eaten? Come try it while it’s still hot.” His well-defined fingers moved the porcelain covers away. Steam and fragrance rushed toward Xie Ci, luring him to the table.

Under the warm yellow light, the handsome man sat to the side. The dishes on the table a mix of meat and vegetables were exquisitely plated, looking appetizing enough to make one’s index finger move.

Xie Ci had changed into loungewear before coming. Seeing this scene, he instinctively thought of a play he had once seen in a theater back in his old world.

Unlike the common stories of gifted scholars and beautiful ladies or fox spirits and female ghosts, the protagonists of that play were two men. A scholar traveling to the capital for the imperial exams was passing through the wilderness with an empty purse. Late at night, with nowhere to stay, he sought shelter in a ruined temple.

In a daze between sleep and wakefulness, the scholar hallucinated a refined courtyard with carved beams and painted pillars. A handsome man treated him with great courtesy, and after hitting it off, the two went into the inner chamber.

On the “Eight Immortals” table, two red candles stood at the edge. Under the warm yellow light, the table was full of wine and meat, perfect in color, aroma, and taste. The scholar, hungry and chilled, saw the man’s sincere hospitality and unreservedly ate his fill. Seeing the scholar accept his kindness, the handsome man smiled even more tenderly.

Little did the scholar know, once he was full and could no longer deny the favor, the man demanded he stay to become his “wife” and form a lifelong bond to spend the spring night together. The scholar was stunned speechless, stuttering, “We are both men, how can we marry?” But the man said it didn’t matter and with a shake of his body transformed into a male fox spirit!

Unfortunately, Xie Ci had been busy traveling the martial world on horseback back then. He had only seen half the play before galloping away; now it was hard to even know the ending.

Looking at the exceptionally handsome Movie King Ji perfect in both bone structure and features and the fragrant Osmanthus Pork in the center of the table, Xie Ci blinked. He actually imagined a scene where Ji Xiuheng spoke affectionately about forming a lifelong bond with him.

“Don’t you like eating this?” Seeing Xie Ci dazed, Ji Xiuheng placed a piece of Osmanthus Pork into Xie Ci’s bowl.

“Mm, it’s delicious!” Xie Ci felt very ashamed. He forcefully brushed the messy thoughts from his mind and took a bite. “Brother Ji, your skill is amazing! It tastes exactly like the restaurant!”

Xie Ci’s eyes were bright. It was crispy, fragrant, and had the rich depth of well-rendered fat.

Seeing him eat with such satisfaction, a hint of a smile appeared in Ji Xiuheng’s eyes. Luckily, he had stopped himself in time and called Zhou Mo to order the meal; otherwise, with that pot of charcoal in the kitchen, Xie Ci wouldn’t have been able to praise it even with his eyes closed. The kid was tired enough after filming all day; as a senior, Ji Xiuheng decided to polish his cooking skills more before showing them off.

The two ate quietly. Xie Ci, hungry and cold after a day on set, finished two large bowls of rice under the warm light and the company of the handsome man. When the youth ate, his cheeks puffed out and his thick lashes hung low, giving him a particularly obedient, homey aura. Ji Xiuheng held his chopsticks, eating while watching.

After the meal, Xie Ci took the initiative to wash the dishes. Knowing his personality, Ji Xiuheng didn’t refuse but helped clear the table and followed him into the kitchen. One held the plates in front, and one held the bowls behind.

In the kitchen, various seasonings stood on the clean, orderly counter, nearly brand new. There were still some small black spots in the pot, as if they hadn’t been cleaned up in time. Ji Xiuheng secretly nudged a trash bag showing its corner toward the door, regretting that he hadn’t destroyed the evidence in time.

Xie Ci was buried in the sink washing dishes, not noticing Ji Xiuheng’s little scheme. “By the way, Brother Ji, I missed a plate. Can you bring it over?”

He spoke this command naturally. The person who heard it also naturally went to get the plate, without a hint of annoyance at being told what to do; instead, there was a faint sweetness in his heart. If Zhou Mo were here to see this “Great Ancestor” Ji Xiuheng acting like a virtuous husband, his jaw would surely drop.

Ji Xiuheng grabbed the plate, but when entering the kitchen, he forgot about the bag he had kicked into the corner. He stepped on the edge, his foot slipped, and his body swayed violently. His wet hands couldn’t hold the object, and the white porcelain plate fell straight toward the floor.

Xie Ci had just finished the dishes. Turning around to see this, he instinctively lifted his leg, caught the plate with his toe to flip it back into the air, then stepped forward. While catching the plate, he wrapped his arm around Ji Xiuheng’s waist.

Xie Ci: As expected, at least six-pack abs.

Feeling the strength at his waist, Ji Xiuheng—who had actually steadied himself—swayed again and grabbed hold of his “savior.” Xie Ci was pulled headfirst into the man’s embrace, his cheek pressed out of shape, his nose filled with the pine scent from Ji Xiuheng. It was a cold scent, but at this moment, it made the tips of Xie Ci’s ears burn.

Ji Xiuheng lowered his head. Beneath his high nose was Xie Ci’s soft black hair, emitting a faint, refreshing scent. He instinctively rubbed his nose against the hair, feeling immensely satisfied. Back at He Pizheng’s birthday banquet, when he saw Xie Ci holding Qiao Mingyue’s waist, the smile on his face had almost cracked. As the person closest to Xie Ci in the crew, he had never been this close to him off-camera.

He knew Xie Ci did it to save someone and had deliberately kept his distance from Qiao Mingyue, but “when an old house catches fire,” even the fire of jealousy burns magnificently. Not until just now did the feeling of being held by Xie Ci finally turn into a real experience, dousing the jealousy that had never quite gone out.

“Brother Ji, are you okay?” Xie Ci looked Ji Xiuheng up and down. After confirming he was fine, he put the plate in the sink.

“Luckily you were here.” Ji Xiuheng savored the warmth of the embrace, feeling he hadn’t had enough, but he began to play a little scheme. “Maybe I really am getting old…”

Seeing the faint look of dejection on Ji Xiuheng’s face, Xie Ci said hurriedly, “How could that be? Brother Ji, your physique is so good!”

The moment the words left his mouth, Xie Ci realized he had spoken his inner thoughts out loud. He clearly meant to comfort him; why did it turn into a comment on Brother Ji’s physique?

Seeing the youth with his head lowered and ears red, the dejection Ji Xiuheng was feigning vanished instantly. He let out a low laugh, took Xie Ci’s damp hand, and pulled up his loungewear.

Cold and soft. Hot and hard.

Both made their assessments in their hearts. The water on Xie Ci’s hand slid down the firm, beautiful abdominal muscles, leaving several crystal-clear trails that flowed ambiguously downward.

“Well? Does it feel good to touch?”

Xie Ci’s snow-white face instantly turned bright red. Feeling like a complete lecher, he quickly pulled his hand away.

Ji Xiuheng pushed his luck. “Want more?”

No matter how oblivious Xie Ci was, he could tell Ji Xiuheng was teasing him. “Brother Ji, you… how can you be such a hooligan?” He was young and thin-skinned, only feeling that the better his relationship with Ji Xiuheng became, the more the man revealed a somewhat “wicked” nature.

He’s exactly like the male fox spirit in that play, Xie Ci thought. He suspected that the scholar couldn’t escape being married off; facing a male fox spirit of this caliber, even a strong-willed martial artist like himself had lost the battle. A frail scholar would likely find it even harder to resist such temptation.

Ji Xiuheng followed Xie Ci out of the kitchen with full satisfaction, pride showing in his eyes. On the living room TV, episode six of Han River Crossing was still playing. Since it was screencasted from an online platform, the bullet comments appeared one by one on the screen.

“The Sixth Prince can actually hold back from a kiss? Let me do it!” “I love these scenes of the beauty in distress, hehehe…” “The extras are working so hard; they’re red in the face from cursing. My throat hurts just watching.”

The comments were about everything. Ji Xiuheng knew the crew’s rules and didn’t ask questions about the future plot; instead, word for word, he read out a highly-liked comment:

“Currently offering free shelter for a homeless little beauty; restrictions apply: surname must be Wan, name must be Yuya.”

He read the words “homeless little beauty” with exceptional tenderness. This little beauty was currently being sheltered by him, so there was no need for the netizens to worry.

Hearing this, the now-wiser Xie Ci quickly changed the subject.

“By the way, Brother Ji, is that a Chinese iris on your balcony?” Xie Ci stood up, walked to the balcony door, and squatted down to fiddle with the somewhat withered plant.

It was early winter now. The Chinese iris is a plant with strong vitality and cold resistance, yet this one on the balcony showed signs of drying out, clearly neglected by its owner.

Hearing this, Ji Xiuheng also rose and walked to the balcony. “I bought it casually while filming at a Northwest film base. Zhou Mo occasionally waters it when he picks me up, but maybe he’s been too busy lately to look after it.”

Xie Ci plucked away the lifeless leaves. “The flowers of the Chinese iris are very beautiful. It’s a pity to leave it like this.” He stood up and held out his palm toward Ji Xiuheng.

In his fair palm lay a woven grass dragonfly.

“Brother Ji, this is for you.” Xie Ci’s eyes curved into smiles, and the small dimple on his cheek the one Ji Xiuheng had been thinking about for a long time appeared.

The cool grass dragonfly was held in Ji Xiuheng’s palm. Its two pairs of wings twitched slightly, and just like the person holding it, they pulsed for every move Xie Ci made.

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