Spilling the Tea on the Movie Star Who Won't Leave Me Alone - Chapter 45

The moment Gu Jingxuan’s message arrived, Xu Chi immediately tossed all that nonsense about Zeng Shuqi and the online brawls to the back of his mind.

He scrambled to knock on Lin Tao’s door in a frantic hurry, dragging him toward the airport.

“What’s the rush? Gu Jingxuan probably sent that message in advance so you could get ready.”

In response, Lin Tao received a massive roll of the eyes from Xu Chi. “Brother Gu is coming by plane, not by car. If he hadn’t actually landed, how would he have his phone back to message me?”

It seemed that only when it came to matters involving Gu Jingxuan did Xu Chi’s brain actually start working and thinking things through.

Lin Tao sighed inwardly, lamenting that staying with Xu Chi for too long was clearly lowering his own IQ. He decided he really ought to spend less time acting like a “dumber-than-dirt” duo with Xu Chi in the future.

The Southern weather was so cold it discouraged anyone from stepping outside. Xu Chi couldn’t bear to imagine how frozen Gu Jingxuan must be at the airport. He had to use every ounce of self-control in the taxi to keep from constantly pestering the driver to go faster.

Lin Tao caught the “constipated” look on Xu Chi’s face in the rearview mirror, glanced at the driver’s speed, and cleared his throat. “Excuse me, sir, could you pick up the pace a little? It’s freezing out, and someone is waiting for us at the airport.”

“Right you are! Speeding up a bit.”

Xu Chi gave Lin Tao a look of immense gratitude, pursing his lips and smiling at him.

As the car pulled into the parking lot in front of the airport, Xu Chi immediately spotted Gu Jingxuan standing by the main entrance with a suitcase.

He wore a long black down jacket that reached past his knees, yet it still made his legs look exceptionally long and lean. A pair of black leather boots added to his commanding height. With a black mask and a black hat, only a pair of slightly curved, smiling eyes were visible. The stud in his ear caught the light with a faint glint.

When Xu Chi got out of the car and approached, he realized the logo on Gu Jingxuan’s hat was his own. His face instantly flushed, and he didn’t know where to look.

The airport was busy; travelers were rushing out with their suitcases. A few people glanced at Gu Jingxuan, noting his striking aura and handsome silhouette, before turning back to their own paths.

Looking at Gu Jingxuan dressed in black from head to toe, Xu Chi’s heart hammered so fast it felt like it might spiral out of his control.

Gu Jingxuan’s eyes crinkled even more when he saw him. He stepped forward and pulled Xu Chi into his embrace with a soft chuckle. Xu Chi could feel the vibration of Gu Jingxuan’s chest and laughed as he hugged him back.

Several passersby stared, finding it quite unusual to see two grown men hugging so tightly.

Feeling self-conscious under the gaze of strangers, Xu Chi gave Gu Jingxuan a gentle nudge and whispered, “Brother Gu, let’s get in the car and go back to the hotel. It’s freezing out here.”

Whether it was from the excitement of meeting Gu Jingxuan or from having spent a few days in the South, Xu Chi’s voice carried a hint of sweetness and softness that made Gu Jingxuan’s heart itch.

Gu Jingxuan took Xu Chi’s hand. Xu Chi flinched slightly at the cold temperature of Gu Jingxuan’s skin, then immediately took the initiative to grip his hand firmly.

“Let’s go. The car is right there.”

In the car, Lin Tao had seen the entire hugging scene clearly. When Xu Chi climbed in, Lin Tao gave a cold snort, causing Xu Chi’s face to turn bright red.

Gu Jingxuan stowed his luggage in the trunk and got into the car, sitting next to Xu Chi. He brought the lingering chill from outside with him, and his presence beside Xu Chi made the younger man shiver slightly.

“Sir, could you please turn up the heater?”

The weather had indeed been exceptionally cold these past few days. Recognizing that Gu Jingxuan must have been waiting at the airport for a while, the driver cranked the heater to the maximum without a word of complaint.

He even started mothering them: “Young man, next time just wait in the lounge after you land. Don’t come out so early. The South has been freezing lately; it’s very easy to catch a cold.”

Once inside the car, Gu Jingxuan removed his mask and hat. The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror, simply thinking the lad was remarkably handsome. Since he wasn’t interested in entertainment news, he didn’t recognize him as the famous Movie King Gu.

While Lin Tao wasn’t looking, Xu Chi stealthily took Gu Jingxuan’s hand, trying to warm it with his own body heat.

Gu Jingxuan was leaning his head against the window, watching the scenery outside. He didn’t stop Xu Chi’s movement; instead, he let his lips curl into a secret smile, his entire face radiating happiness.

Lin Tao initially tried to make small talk with Gu Jingxuan, but finding it a bit awkward, he eventually fell silent.

The South had changed quite a bit in recent years. The last time Gu Jingxuan was here, there weren’t nearly as many high-rises; most of the landscape consisted of small earth and brick houses nestled among green trees. In just a few years, the Southern economy had developed rapidly, and the roads were now teeming with vehicles.

Watching the blur of the scenery flashing past the window, frame by frame, Gu Jingxuan felt the warmth of the person he loved in his palm while his eyes took in the sights of the place where he once lived.

Gu Jingxuan turned his head and locked eyes with Xu Chi. In those eyes, he saw a fleeting moment of panic, awkwardness, and shyness. His heart stirred. He traced his fingers lightly across Xu Chi’s palm before sliding them between Xu Chi’s own, locking their fingers together.

Palm to palm, the difference in their temperatures made the sensation vivid for both of them. Xu Chi was stunned for a moment, but then he tightened his grip on Gu Jingxuan’s hand, his warm fingertips resting against the back of Gu Jingxuan’s cool hand.

On the way from the airport to the hotel, traffic was much heavier than it had been on the way there, and their speed slowed down.

Gu Jingxuan and Xu Chi didn’t say a word. Their hands were joined as they each looked out their respective windows. Gu Jingxuan could sense Xu Chi’s emotions; the occasional, inadvertent movement of those fingers on the back of his hand sent ripples through his heart.

As the houses flashed by, Xu Chi suddenly felt that it would be fine if the car just kept driving like this forever—endlessly, with his hand never having to let go of Gu Jingxuan’s.

Sitting in the passenger seat and hearing no sound from the back, Lin Tao assumed they had both fallen asleep. When he turned around, he saw their hands clasped together, even though the owners of those hands were both staring out of their windows. Touched by the sight, Lin Tao took out his phone and snapped a flurry of photos of their intertwined hands.

Initially, it was just a whim because Lin Tao felt the scene was exceptionally harmonious. Little did he know that later on, these photos would become the only tangible memories Xu Chi had left of Gu Jingxuan.