The Beautiful but Obscure Star Is Targeted by a Scheming Movie Star - Chapter 17

After finishing his meal, Gong Yingxiao told Tang Jingran to stay seated while he went to wash the dishes himself. Once finished, he came back and called Tang Jingran to the bedroom.

“Let’s go, time to rest.”

“Where am I staying?” Tang Jingran asked, following behind him.

Gong Yingxiao turned back, meeting those dark, obsidian eyes. “We’re staying together.”

Tang Jingran stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowing slightly. Before he could speak, Gong Yingxiao interrupted him.

“I’m sorry, I don’t live here often,” Gong Yingxiao said, his eyelids drooping slightly. “The other guest rooms haven’t been prepared.”

“But my bed is very large; it can easily accommodate two people.”

Seeing that Tang Jingran remained silent, Gong Yingxiao let out a sigh. “If you mind, I can sleep on the sofa.”

“No need,” Tang Jingran interrupted. There was no logic in making the host sleep on his own sofa. Since it was only for one night anyway, he could just make do.

“I’ll sleep on the sofa. You’re sick, so you should sleep in the bed.”

“Could you please get me a blanket and a pillow?” Tang Jingran said, walking toward the sofa.

The next second, a burning palm gripped his wrist. The heat seeped into his skin, triggering a small shiver.

Tang Jingran looked at the other man nervously. “What is it?”

“Jingran.” The man’s voice was low and hoarse, carrying a trace of imperceptible coaxing. “You are a guest. It would be rude to let a guest sleep on the sofa.”

“Besides, I’m not entirely sure where the housekeeper put the extra bedding.”

Gong Yingxiao tightened his grip on Tang Jingran’s wrist, pulling him a little closer. “Why don’t you take a look at the bedroom first before you decide?”

“Alright?”

The distance between them closed, and the man stared directly at Tang Jingran.

“Okay, let go of me first,” Tang Jingran said, avoiding the man’s blunt gaze and feeling somewhat uneasy.

“Sorry.” Gong Yingxiao spoke politely, as if he had only just realized he was holding his wrist. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“No,” Tang Jingran shook his head, pulling his wrist back.

Gong Yingxiao led Tang Jingran to the master bedroom. The bed inside was absurdly large—not just for two people, but even five people could have slept there.

Tang Jingran stopped protesting. With a bed this big, the two of them wouldn’t even touch each other if they rolled around.

“Then, sorry for the intrusion.”

Gong Yingxiao smiled slightly. “Not at all.”

Tang Jingran had come in a hurry and hadn’t expected to stay, so he hadn’t brought any clothes or toiletries.

“Um, Teacher Gong, do you have any toiletries here?” Tang Jingran stood to the side and asked after watching the other man finish his medicine.

“Yes. That set of bath towels on the left is new; you can use those.” Gong Yingxiao set down his water glass and pointed toward the bathroom.

He then stood up and asked Tang Jingran, “I have a set of pajamas in a smaller size. Would you like to wear those for now?”

Tang Jingran originally didn’t want to wear the other man’s clothes, but he couldn’t exactly lie in someone else’s bed naked after showering, so he nodded.

“That works.”

Gong Yingxiao picked up the clothes and handed them over, but Tang Jingran didn’t pull them away immediately.

Tang Jingran looked up. “What?”

Gong Yingxiao used his hand to gesture toward Tang Jingran’s frame. “Do you need underwear?”

Tang Jingran’s face slowly turned red. Before he could speak, the other man added:

“They’re new.”

“But they might be a bit large on you.”

With a flushed face, Tang Jingran shot a quick, indignant glance at the man.

“Don’t look down on people!”

Gong Yingxiao chuckled twice and handed over the new underwear as well.

“That’s not what I meant.”

He was answered by the sound of Tang Jingran slamming the bathroom door shut.

Click.

Inside, Tang Jingran leaned against the door, crouched down, and rubbed his reddening cheeks, unable to stop himself from grumbling.

What is there to be proud of?

His isn’t small either, okay?

The image he had just glimpsed flashed through his mind.

Tsk, it does seem a bit… than mine…

After the thought crossed his mind, he suddenly stood up and splashed cold water on his face.

Damn it.

Who cares if it’s big or not? It has nothing to do with me anyway.

With that thought, he stood up and went into the shower.

After Tang Jingran went in, Gong Yingxiao had nothing to do, so he leaned against the headboard to rest. Soon, the pitter-patter of water filtered through the wall and into his ears.

Gong Yingxiao stared intensely at the bathroom, feeling a bit restless.

Tang Jingran washed quickly. After a brief rinse, he came out wearing the pajamas.

Click.

The sound of the door opening interrupted Gong Yingxiao’s thoughts. He looked toward the sound, and his pupils flickered sharply.

The pajamas Gong Yingxiao had given him were a simple set of black short-sleeved and shorts. The shorts ended about ten centimeters above the knee, revealing well-proportioned, fair, and smooth legs.

Tang Jingran’s skin was a shade fairer than most people’s. Right now, fresh from the shower, he looked like polished jade soaked in cool rain. His black hair and dark eyes made him look exceptionally elegant and clear.

His cheeks were slightly flushed from the steam, and his eyes seemed to hold a misty shimmer.

Up close, one could even clearly see the faint blue veins beneath that fair skin.

Tang Jingran was drying his hair with a towel as he walked toward the bed, replying to a message from Yan Jun. As he moved, Gong Yingxiao caught the scent of his own body wash on the other man.

Even though it was the same body wash, Gong Yingxiao never found it particularly fragrant when he used it himself. But at this moment, he found the scent incredibly alluring.

Gong Yingxiao’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His voice was terrifyingly deep. “Why aren’t you blow-drying your hair?”

Tang Jingran sat on the chair by the bed, drying his hair while replying to Yan Jun.

“My hair isn’t long; it’ll dry on its own in a bit.”

Gong Yingxiao saw a drop of water slide from a strand of hair, drip onto the neck, and slowly disappear into the black pajamas. His tone became firm. “Go dry your hair.”

Tang Jingran finished his message and unexpectedly met that dark, heavy gaze. His movements paused for a moment.

“No need.”

“Do you want me to dry it for you?”

He made a move to get up.

Seeing that the man was serious, Tang Jingran quickly stood up. “Don’t. You stay lying down; I’ll dry it myself.”

When Tang Jingran came back out, he saw Gong Yingxiao already lying in bed with his eyes closed. Thinking the man had fallen asleep, he prepared to tuck himself into the covers quietly.

Just as he settled in, he heard the man’s voice. “Why are you lying so far away?”

The distance between them was enough for two more people to lie down.

Tang Jingran told a blatant lie with his eyes wide open. “It’s not far. We can both see each other.”

Gong Yingxiao sighed and then let out a laugh. “Then should I move over?”

“Don’t!”

Fearing the man would actually move toward him, Tang Jingran hurried to move inward himself, stopping about thirty centimeters away from Gong Yingxiao’s arm.

“Is this okay? Hurry up and go to sleep.”

Gong Yingxiao looked at the distance but didn’t say anything more. He reached out a long arm to turn off the main light, leaving only a bedside lamp that cast a pale yellow glow in the darkness.

Tang Jingran looked at him in surprise. “You…”

When Tang Jingran was a child, after being locked in a dark room, he indeed didn’t dare to sleep with the lights off. Although he had gradually overcome it as he grew up, he still only left the lights on when he was very afraid. Since he didn’t have much money back then, he mostly slept with his phone screen lit up.

“I’m worried you won’t be able to see clearly if you have to get up in the night to check on me,” the man’s deep voice whispered in Tang Jingran’s ear, blending with the night and sounding exceptionally gentle.

Tang Jingran pulled up a corner of the quilt to cover the lower half of his face. “Oh.”

“Isn’t it stuffy?” Gong Yingxiao moved a bit toward Tang Jingran and pulled back the corner of his quilt.

“No.” Tang Jingran tugged the quilt back and turned his back to Gong Yingxiao. “Patient, go to sleep.”

Gong Yingxiao stared at Tang Jingran’s back for a few seconds, his gaze finally landing on that small section of fair neck.

“I can’t sleep. Talk to me for a bit.”

Tang Jingran turned around, intending to give him a lecture on health, but seeing the man’s slightly sad and dim gaze, he forced himself to swallow the words.

A person like him actually has moments of vulnerability?

So, he lay flat on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

“Fine.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

Gong Yingxiao lay on his side, his gaze tracing the lines of the other’s face in the dim light.

“I don’t know.”

“You said you wanted to chat, so how can you not know what to say?” Gong Yingxiao’s words made Tang Jingran laugh. With eyes curved in a smile, he turned his head to look at him. “Then you…”

But upon meeting that deep, intense gaze, Tang Jingran lost his voice.

“I what?” Gong Yingxiao continued to watch him.

“Nothing,” Tang Jingran answered.

“I really don’t know what to say.” Gong Yingxiao’s hand on the bed moved as if to touch Tang Jingran’s fingers, but it stopped halfway.

“I just wanted to hear your voice.”

In an instant, the air became terrifyingly quiet.

For a long time, Tang Jingran didn’t answer.

Tang Jingran could hear his own heart thumping wildly in his chest, as if it were about to jump out. He did have feelings for Gong Yingxiao, but he didn’t dare respond right now.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought about being with him, but every time he made up his mind, some unexpected accident would always crop up. Therefore, he didn’t dare make a reckless decision.

Gong Yingxiao noticed the lack of an answer and pursed his lips. He sighed, making his voice sound as normal as possible. “Why aren’t you wearing the bracelet?”

Gong Yingxiao hadn’t seen Tang Jingran wear the bracelet since the day he gave it to him.

“I already have one on my hand; wearing one is enough. Besides, having too many is inconvenient,” Tang Jingran finally spoke.

“Mhm.” Gong Yingxiao nodded a bit listlessly. “I suppose so.”

“Actually, I’m very happy you could come today.”

Tang Jingran nodded. “Yeah, after all, you’ve looked after me before, and you’re sick.”

“When I was working hard on my own before, I always wished someone would come take care of me when I was sick.” Gong Yingxiao lowered his eyelids. “But no one ever came.”

“When you stay alone for a long time, you occasionally feel a bit of loneliness.”

“But since you came today, I don’t feel that way anymore.”

“Um, so what did you do for work before?” Tang Jingran didn’t follow the other man’s lead and instead found a new topic.

“I’ve done a bit of everything—waiter, handing out flyers, being an extra.” Gong Yingxiao didn’t mind the change of subject and continued, “Of course, I hit a lot of walls too.”

Tang Jingran spoke in surprise, “You were even a waiter?”

“Mhm.” Gong Yingxiao nodded. “Is that surprising?”

“When I left home, I didn’t have much money. I had to earn money first to find a place to live before I could do anything else.”

“A person like you would succeed at anything they do.” Tang Jingran truly understood now why everyone admired Gong Yingxiao so much.

Gong Yingxiao laughed upon hearing that. “Succeed at anything?”

“Yes.” Tang Jingran nodded.

“Then you…”

“It’s too late. Patient, go to sleep,” Tang Jingran interrupted him. “Goodnight.”

After saying that, he turned his back and stared at the corner of a nearby cabinet leg.

Gong Yingxiao watched the silhouette of his back and didn’t say anything more, only speaking in a low voice.

“Goodnight.”