Perfect Divorce [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 43

The day he signed the contract, Yuan Xingzhou steeled his heart and booked a flight to visit the film set the very next day.

He couldn’t quite explain why he was being so impulsive; it felt as though he couldn’t wait another second. His heart was a chaotic mix of joy, nerves, and a hint of anxiety—a feeling that was not unfamiliar to him. Back in junior high, he had felt exactly like this right before giving a gift to the boy he had a secret crush on.

Yuan Xingzhou still remembered that the boy’s birthday fell in winter. In his memory, the wind and snow in his hometown were always particularly harsh. When he heard from a classmate that the boy’s birthday was approaching, he found every way possible to scrape together enough money to buy him a sports watch.

At the time, Yuan Xingzhou lived in absolute poverty. He wore socks with holes inside his sneakers and old, faded thermal underwear beneath his school uniform. He never ate out, choosing the school cafeteria only because it was cheap. Every other expense was avoided if at all possible. Although the watch wasn’t expensive by standard measures, to him back then, it was an astronomical price.

Yuan Xingzhou had hesitated repeatedly, wavering back and forth, and when he finally bought it at the counter, his face was flushed deep red with nerves. He knew he was “slapping his own face to make it look fat”—acting richer than he was—but the thought of the other person’s happiness upon receiving the gift made him feel that the impulse was worth it.

For the next few days, he carried the gift box everywhere. He couldn’t focus in class, stealing glances at it every so often, feeling a private, quiet joy. However, a few days later, when he finally gave it to the classmate, the boy merely thanked him politely and gave him a planner in return.

The scene Yuan Xingzhou had fantasized about—the boy unwrapping the gift himself and being overjoyed—never happened. Later, he discovered that the price of the planner was roughly equal to the price of the watch. While that amount represented six months of living expenses for Yuan Xingzhou, for his classmate, it was merely a week’s worth of pocket money.

The incident left him feeling ashamed for a long time, and he lived in genuine hardship for a while afterward. Now, many years later, the details had faded, leaving only that vivid impression of the cautious, hopeful anticipation he felt before giving the gift.

Yuan Xingzhou never expected that after all these years, he would feel this way again—traveling to see someone with a heart full of excitement and nerves.

So, am I harboring a secret crush?

If so… it wasn’t actually a bad thing. To have a crush on someone he lived with, to be able to look at his face at any moment, eat and chat with him, play games and memorize lines together—what more could he ask for?

Of course, if their relationship ever affected Ye Huai—whether it be his career or his personal life—Yuan Xingzhou would be sensible enough to bow out and find a way to dissolve the relationship. If there was no “perfect” solution when the time came, he would protect Ye Huai alone. Whether it was public opinion or the contract, these were his own choices, and he should have the courage to take responsibility for them.

Before he knew it, the plane was approaching its destination. Yuan Xingzhou took a short nap, and by the time he woke up, the plane had just touched down.

Ye Huai’s film crew was at the Movie & TV City, but Yuan Xingzhou had booked a hotel in the city center. He needed to check in first before catching a connecting ride. He hailed a taxi and called Xiao Tie after getting in.

Xiao Lü answered the phone instead, sounding clearly excited: “Have you arrived, Brother Yuan? Should we pick you up now?”

“Not yet!” Yuan Xingzhou said hurriedly. “It’ll take me another three hours to get over there.”

“Alright. This place is hard to find. Brother Tie said you should just wait by the roadside after you get out of the taxi; he’ll go pick you up.” Xiao Lü gave a giggling snort and added proactively, “Brother Huai is still filming.”

Yuan Xingzhou gave a soft “mm” and couldn’t help but ask, “Did you tell him?”

Xiao Lü replied, “Of course not! This is a surprise!”

Yuan Xingzhou: “…”

“Don’t mess around,” Yuan Xingzhou laughed. “I’m just passing through.”

Before coming, he worried that Ye Huai wouldn’t like him visiting the set, so he told Xiao Tie he was just passing by. This was a tourist city anyway; if Ye Huai didn’t welcome him, he would just say he was here for a vacation, take one look, and leave.

However, the “Metal Duo” (Xiao Tie and Xiao Lü) were incredibly sharp. Yuan Xingzhou couldn’t stop their imaginations from running wild, so he hung up after confirming the address.

He checked into his hotel in the city, freshened up, and changed into a hoodie and distressed jeans, trying his best to look like a casual tourist. Noticing his bangs were a bit long, he had a sudden whim and used a hair tie from the hotel to tie his hair into an “apple top” knot. Only then did he put on his mask and sunglasses and head out excitedly with his backpack.

The weather here was fickle. It was sunny when he left, but halfway there, dark clouds began to crawl slowly across the sky.

When Xiao Tie realized Yuan Xingzhou was almost there, he was helping Ye Huai go over his lines. Xiao Lü, holding an umbrella, came splashing through the puddles from a distance and pulled Xiao Tie aside to whisper. This immediately caught Ye Huai’s attention.

“What are you two doing, acting all secretive?” Ye Huai frowned slightly, looking dissatisfied.

He was covered in mud and water. Today was an action scene; Ye Huai was supposed to be thrown into the mud by the Movie King (Best Actor) via an over-the-shoulder toss, after which he would become enraged and start fighting back.

This was a long take. Although Fu Sheng had great acting skills, he was thin and lacked the strength to actually throw Ye Huai. Consequently, the martial arts choreographer had to change the movements: Ye Huai would deliver a flying kick, Fu Sheng would dodge gracefully, and Ye Huai—unable to check his momentum—would crash into the mud himself.

Even though it was a fight scene, the director was exceptionally fastidious about the aesthetics. Ye Huai was thrown back and forth, hitting the ground hard every single time. Even with his athletic build, it was taking a toll.

In reality, he had been holding on purely for the sake of his pride these past few days. This was a massive production, and as a complete newcomer playing the second male lead, several actors whose roles were ranked below his were very resentful. Although Ye Huai looked down on those people, he didn’t want to be treated like a “vase” (eye candy). If the director made a request, he rarely said “I can’t” or “I won’t.”

Today, the director was being particularly stubborn, insisting that the two of them capture a sense of “beauty” in the struggle. Ye Huai’s clothes were already filthy. The director wasn’t in a hurry to finish and instead told them to think about the scene some more.

Unexpectedly, as they were thinking, the weather turned. First came a misty drizzle, then the rain intensified until pea-sized droplets were slamming down.

Everyone scrambled to pack the equipment and seek shelter. Since the director hadn’t called it a day, they had to wait for the rain to stop before continuing. At this rate, they might be there until midnight. Ye Huai had a bruise on his leg from the falls and was already in a foul mood; seeing his two assistants whispering and smirking only fueled his irritation.

However, contrary to his usual behavior, Xiao Tie didn’t wait for permission. He grabbed an umbrella and dashed off.

“Where is he going?” Ye Huai asked with a dark expression.

“To pick up a friend,” Xiao Lü said. “The friend is almost here. Don’t worry, Brother Huai, Brother Tie will be back in a bit.”

Ye Huai was annoyed. He set aside his script and asked with a scowl, “What friend? A girlfriend?”

Xiao Lü looked mysterious and simply said, “You’ll see when they get here.”

“I’m not a fortune teller, how am I supposed to know who it is!” Ye Huai snapped. “Whoever it is, they pay for their own lodging. Don’t let them take advantage of the production crew.”

“You have the final say on that,” Xiao Lü smiled. “Cough—look, they’re here.”

Ye Huai didn’t take it seriously. He frowned and narrowed his eyes to look into the distance, but then he froze.

Yuan Xingzhou had been caught in the rain. His brows and the corners of his eyes were damp with moisture, and the little sprout of hair on top of his head bobbed up and down. He was huddled under Xiao Tie’s umbrella, greeting everyone and handing out snacks from his backpack, stopping every few steps. He looked like a fresh, vibrant young poplar tree.

Ye Huai’s heart swayed for a moment, but then he grew angry. Walking so slowly—is he really that fond of chatting with outsiders?

From a distance, Yuan Xingzhou saw Ye Huai staring at him. After finishing the snacks, he followed Xiao Tie toward Ye Huai. Before he could even speak, he found himself smiling inexplicably.

“How is it?” Yuan Xingzhou asked from under the umbrella, smiling. “Is everything going smoothly?”

Ye Huai continued to stare at him, his expression full of dissatisfaction and grievance.

Xiao Lü looked at one, then the other, and without a word, he too rushed under the umbrella. The three of them were suddenly cramped. Yuan Xingzhou had to step out, run up the steps, and stand right next to Ye Huai.

“Don’t come over,” Ye Huai said, looking down at his mud-stained body with a look of annoyance. “I’m filthy.”

“It’s filming; it’s normal.” Yuan Xingzhou had already heard the story from Xiao Tie on the way over. Knowing that today’s shoot hadn’t gone well and that Ye Huai had been falling in the mud, he offered comfort: “Autumn isn’t so bad. It’s a nightmare filming these scenes in winter. In that Xianxia drama I did before, an actress had to film underwater scenes during her period. She was in the water for four or five hours before they finished. When she came up, her face was as white as paper…”

Ye Huai gave a soft “oh.”

The wind picked up again, and the rain turned into a deluge. The curtain of water falling from the eaves blurred their vision. Xiao Tie and Xiao Lü ran off together to seek shelter elsewhere, their shoulders huddled. In the distance, someone could be heard shouting something.

Ye Huai tilted his head slightly to look at the rain, but he couldn’t stop himself from stealing glances at Yuan Xingzhou out of the corner of his eye. However, the moment Yuan Xingzhou turned his head to meet his gaze, Ye Huai quickly looked away, pretending to stare straight ahead.

Yuan Xingzhou: “…”

Since Ye Huai wouldn’t look at him, Yuan Xingzhou simply turned his head and looked at him openly—taking in the silhouette of his profile, his damp and bright eyes, the scrape on his cheekbone, and the faint stubble on his chin. He looked a little disheveled; it was the first time Yuan Xingzhou had seen him like this, and he felt a mix of affection and heartache.

“Why are you here?” After a long silence, Ye Huai finally shifted uncomfortably and asked, “I didn’t hear anything about you coming.”

“Oh, I’m just passing through.” Yuan Xingzhou had intended to tell the truth, but seeing Ye Huai like this, he suddenly changed his mind and tested the waters: “I’m here for a vacation and decided to drop by to see you.”

Ye Huai was stunned, and his expression changed instantly. “On vacation?”

Yuan Xingzhou: “Yeah.”

Ye Huai: “How many people?”

“I set out alone,” Yuan Xingzhou said. “Now there are two.”

Ye Huai seemed surprised. After processing this for a moment, he stopped talking, his expression turning cold.

A moment later, Xiao Tie returned with an umbrella to tell Ye Huai that the director had just called it—they wouldn’t be filming anymore today since the rain wasn’t going to stop anytime soon. However, all staff were forbidden from leaving and had to remain on standby at the hotel. After delivering the message, he handed Ye Huai an umbrella.

“What would you like to eat, Brother Yuan?” Xiao Tie asked. “I’m heading out to buy some things; we need to restock our supplies anyway.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Ye Huai said expressionlessly. “He’s leaving in a bit.”

Xiao Tie froze, his eyes widening as he looked at Yuan Xingzhou. Yuan Xingzhou shook his head at him, and Xiao Tie quietly slipped away.

“I’ll walk you to a car.” Ye Huai opened the umbrella and, without looking at him, walked straight into the rain. “Did he drop you off?”

“No.” Yuan Xingzhou ducked under the umbrella to stay close to him, blinking. “I took a taxi.”

Ye Huai turned to glance at him and then took a deep breath.

The crew members were leaving in small groups. The filming location was sparsely populated and felt quite desolate. Ye Huai was walking so fast that Yuan Xingzhou had to call out to him, “Slow down!”

“It’s almost five o’clock. If you wait any longer, will you even be able to get back?” Ye Huai was suppressing his temper. Seeing that Yuan Xingzhou had fallen half a step behind, he had to double back slightly.

“Is it Zhu Mingyue?” Ye Huai asked, his eyes cold. “You’re truly crazy. For him, you aren’t even afraid of…” He stopped abruptly and pivoted. “You don’t need to come see me. I appreciate the sentiment, but have a safe trip back. I won’t see you off.”

“No,” Yuan Xingzhou said. “It’s not the Class Monitor.”

Ye Huai said coldly, “I don’t care who it is. Take the umbrella. I’m leaving.”

He moved to hand over the umbrella, but Yuan Xingzhou hid his hands behind his back.

“No, no, don’t. You’ll get soaked. If anyone is leaving, it’s me.” Yuan Xingzhou put on an embarrassed expression. “There’s a pavilion up ahead. I’ll wait there.”

Ye Huai didn’t speak, staring blankly elsewhere. Yuan Xingzhou made a move to step out into the rain, but just as he reached the edge of the downpour, his wrist was caught.

Ye Huai grabbed Yuan Xingzhou’s hand and yanked him back.

Yuan Xingzhou’s heart began to race, and his limbs felt a bit weak. He couldn’t help but purse his lips, looking into Ye Huai’s eyes.

“What is his name?” Ye Huai stared at him, articulating each word. “When did you meet him?”

Yuan Xingzhou didn’t speak, still looking into Ye Huai’s eyes. Ye Huai increased the pressure on his grip slightly, staring at him tenaciously.

After the two of them locked eyes for a moment, Yuan Xingzhou finally said, “I’ve known him for several years.”

Ye Huai took a deep breath and nodded.

“His name is… Ye Huai,” Yuan Xingzhou said. “I came all this way to find him by myself, and he didn’t even know to pick me up…”

Ye Huai was stunned, and then his entire body went still. At first, Yuan Xingzhou thought Ye Huai would joke around like usual, but he hadn’t expected the man to actually get angry. And now that the explanation was out, it sounded incredibly embarrassing.

He couldn’t help but touch his neck, wanting to pull his hand back. But Ye Huai gripped him even tighter.

They were the only two people on the empty street, standing in silence under the umbrella. Yuan Xingzhou pursed his lips. Seeing that Ye Huai remained silent, he started to feel flustered.

“I…” He felt uneasy, regretting his impulsive decision. He whispered, “I just…”

“Shit!” Ye Huai suddenly burst out with a curse.

Yuan Xingzhou was startled. He instinctively looked up, only to feel the rain from the sky splashing against his face.

Ye Huai, filled with a mix of anger and frustration, threw the umbrella aside. He pressed a large hand against the back of Yuan Xingzhou’s head and kissed him fiercely.