The Top Star Is a Hopeless Romantic - Chapter 3

A few days later, the company’s main work group chat announced the news of an end-of-year badminton tournament.

In front of Ding Song, Lin Yu placed his badminton bag into the trunk and instructed him to quickly set up a smaller group chat. Because of his special status as an artist, going to public venues made it easy to be secretly photographed; if they wanted to practice playing badminton, they could only organize internal groups to book courts.

“Brother, why are you so enthusiastic about this? You’re more proactive about playing ball than practicing dancing,” Ding Song couldn’t help but murmur.

Lin Yu poked his forehead. “Isn’t the end-of-year shooting schedule still unconfirmed? I’ve always been good at various ball sports. If I get a good ranking and catch the eye of the higher-ups…” For a company-wide event like this, as long as it was held, it would definitely be done with great grandeur, and President Lu might even present the awards in person.

“So that’s how it is.” Ding Song felt greatly relieved. It was a good thing that this old slicker finally knew how to feel anxious; he had to lend him a hand. He immediately ran around every floor shouting and recommending the event to everyone he met.

Entertainment companies took in many newcomers every year, and many were left sitting on the bench. As long as there was an opportunity to show their faces, it was impossible for them to let it slip by. In the blink of an eye, the badminton practice group chat swelled to nearly twenty people.

Lin Yu put on a complete act, missing almost none of the first few practice sessions and mingling warmly with the newcomers. Calls of “Brother Yu” rose and fell one after another.

By the fourth intensive practice session, he finally waited for that familiar figure.

Because of the release of his new drama, Xu Yiqing had been quite busy recently, with various interviews and promotions taking turns. Although he had been in the group chat for some time, this was his first time coming to play.

Even though he had joined “Xingchao” halfway through, his status in the company had risen due to the hit drama. Many newcomers recognized him, calling him “Teacher Xu” as they pushed him onto the court. And the person playing against him was precisely Lin Yu.

The company’s spur-of-the-moment union event and the rapidly created badminton group chat did not arouse Xu Yiqing’s suspicion. His personal friendship with “Heart Thief” had been established before he entered “Xingchao Entertainment.” From teaming up to play games to late-night private chats, the other party was enthusiastic, knew boundaries, and never pried into privacy, yet always offered comfort when he was down and helped brainstorm ideas when he was confused.

He was from out of province, and for certain reasons, he had almost no friends in Jincheng. Over time, he came to treasure this friendship across the screen more and more; it never even occurred to him to match “Heart Thief” with any face in real life.

What’s more, Lin Yu was the company’s “favored son,” signed by Xingchao before graduating from university and promoted all the way up, whereas he himself had signed with “Xingchao” only after auditioning for the currently popular drama. They were nodding acquaintances in daily life, so it was perfectly reasonable for Lin Yu to call him “Teacher Xu” upon meeting; after all, Lin Yu was a full nine years younger than him.

At this moment, separated by the net, their attire was vastly different from usual, each dressed in loose sportswear. When their eyes met, both were startled for a moment. Seeing those bright eyes look over, Lin Yu pulled a sly smile. “Teacher Xu, watch the ball!”

Taking a light breath, he squatted slightly, and his racket sliced through the air like lightning, smashing the shuttlecock fiercely toward the opposite court. The shot was packed with power and extremely fast, carrying a whistling wind as it headed straight for Xu Yiqing.

In any occasion or relationship, strength was the hard truth.

Xu Yiqing’s reaction was surprisingly swift. His body moved flexibly to the left, and at the same time, he leaped high into the air, smashing the shuttlecock back with a bit of spin.

Excitement flashed in Lin Yu’s eyes. Retracting, pushing off the ground, and soaring into the air, he precisely struck the shuttlecock back to Xu Yiqing’s backcourt again.

From then on, the two engaged in a tug-of-war across the net: sprinting, sudden stops, smashing, and lobbing high shots. Every swing of the racket was like drawing a bowstring to its fullest, with neither giving an inch in power or angle. The spectating newcomers were ignited by this sequence of offense and defense, and cheers broke out continuously.

Lin Yu’s ear tips turned red, warmed by the heat wave of cheers. His vision was extremely good; even across the net, he could see the other person’s originally cold-white skin gradually flushed with pink, which then quickly seeped into a deep red. Sweat rolled down his jawline, as if adding a breathtaking glaze to that face.

After twenty-one points were played, Lin Yu lost by a margin of five points. He hadn’t held back; he played basketball well, but badminton and tennis were only average, and he was thoroughly convinced by his defeat.

He wiped his sweat, walked to the bench on the sideline, and sat down to watch Xu Yiqing welcome the next challenger.

On such an occasion, there was no need to deliberately restrain himself; he could openly lock his gaze on that vigorous figure and jump up to clap and cheer when a good ball was played by either side.

After Xu Yiqing won four matches in a row, his breathing finally fell out of rhythm, and he lowered his racket to leave the court.

Small groups of this kind had always been hierarchical; only Lin Yu sat alone on a long bench, leaving most of the space empty. Xu Yiqing walked over, nodded, and sat down at the other end of the bench.

A wisp of soap scent mixed with a faint smell of sweat drifted over, smelling better than any perfume. Lin Yu stealthily moved half a foot closer and flashed a humble and friendly smile: “Teacher Xu’s acting is amazing, and I didn’t expect you to play ball so well too. I was hoping to get a ranking, but it looks like there’s no chance now.” This was the first time in real life he had spoken such a long sentence to Xu Yiqing. His voice was actually a little unnatural, but fortunately, the noise on the court covered it up.

“You flatter me,” Xu Yiqing responded politely. “You played quite well too.”

“Actually, rather than ball skills, I want to ask Teacher Xu about acting even more.” Lin Yu leaned a bit closer, his eyes bright. “Last night, I stumbled upon the scene where you confronted the villain. With just one look in your eyes, you held all those complex emotions in check. Amazing! Was that from life experience, or is there a routine to it?”

Xu Yiqing hadn’t expected that he wasn’t just making polite small talk. Stunned for a moment in a way visible to the naked eye, he then said warmly: “It mainly comes from pondering the character. This drama has several villains, and the protagonist’s feelings toward them aren’t singular; events promote the transformation of emotions. The eyes are more direct than lines and also easier to give things away.” Speaking of acting, he was noticeably much more talkative than usual. “Lines can be polished, but the eyes can’t lie to people. If you want the audience to believe it, you have to make yourself believe it first.”

Lin Yu put on an expression of having learned something. “I think what Teacher Xu says makes a lot of sense. Sometimes when I watch your scenes opposite Teacher Hou, I feel a bit strange…” Lowering his voice, he spoke almost pressed against Xu Yiqing’s earlobe, “Don’t mind me speaking bluntly. The character he plays is head over heels in love with you. Even if there are misunderstandings, love should be the underlying tone, but when I look at his eyes sometimes…”

While secretly “dripping poison” about Hou Chao, he slightly raised his eyes, only to see Xu Yiqing’s face turn blushingly pale.

Such a big reaction? Lin Yu felt a pang of bitterness in his heart: Was it true what the media wrote about them ‘turning fake acting into real romance and falling in love through the drama’? But what about that ‘Giant Macaque’ was worthy of his affection?

Before the thought could finish turning, seeing the cold sweat oozing from Xu Yiqing’s temples, he noticed something was off and grabbed his wrist in one motion: “Did you not eat?”

Startled by this action, Xu Yiqing subconsciously pulled back his elbow and said in a low voice, “Yeah, didn’t have time.” He had rushed to the court right after finishing his work schedule without time to eat; besides, he needed to lose weight anyway.

Lin Yu pulled a piece of candy out of his pants pocket, tore it open swiftly, and stuffed it directly into his mouth. Hot fingertips brushed across cool lips, making Xu Yiqing shrink backward.

As if noticing nothing, Lin Yu knitted his brows and muttered: “It’s eight or nine out of ten hypoglycemia; doing strenuous exercise on an empty stomach triggers it most easily.” After finishing, he added another sentence, “I’m just guessing, don’t be nervous.”

Holding the candy in his mouth, Xu Yiqing nodded gently. “It’s fine, thank you.”

“Why be so polite between colleagues?” Lin Yu smiled with a completely frank expression, casually slinging both of their badminton bags onto his shoulder. “Go home and rest well. Come on, I’ll drive you. I have an audition tomorrow morning, so I have to leave too!” Without waiting for Xu Yiqing to decline, he waved to the crowd and strode out of the badminton hall with long strides.

Xu Yiqing had no choice but to follow. Hesitating for two seconds, he still lowered his head and got into Lin Yu’s car.

“Teacher Xu, where do you live?” Even though Lin Yu knew the answer, he still asked as a matter of routine; in the actor and singer industry, details mattered, and it was impossible to expose any flaws over such small matters.

Xu Yiqing stated the name of his residential compound. Lin Yu nodded: “That happens to be on the way.”

The interior of the car remained quiet all the way. While waiting for a red light, Lin Yu opened the armrest box: “There are more candies inside. If you feel unwell, eat a few more.”

Once the dizziness from the hypoglycemia passed, Xu Yiqing finally noticed the color scheme of the candy wrapper and uttered a soft “Huh?”

“Not to your taste?” Lin Yu glanced at him. “Sorry, this is the only kind in the car. I quite like this flavor.”

“No,” Xu Yiqing felt slightly embarrassed, but still spoke the truth, “I endorse this brand, though just this series. The manufacturer said the flavor was niche, and sales were average.”

“Ah, is that so? Then what a coincidence,” Lin Yu curled the corners of his mouth. “I just happen to love eating it. Must Teacher Xu have hoarded a lot at home? Will you share some with me next time?”

“No problem.”

The two chatted casually back and forth, and in the blink of an eye, they arrived at the entrance of the residential compound. “Just pull over here, sorry to trouble you.” Xu Yiqing pushed the door open to get out.

Lin Yu wasn’t overly attentive either, poking half a head out from the car window: “Teacher Xu, you must definitely eat before playing ball next time.”

“Okay.” Xu Yiqing raised his hand and waved, turning around to enter the compound.

Lin Yu watched that receding figure disappear into the night, leaned forward over the passenger seat, and took a deep breath, as if wanting to gather that person’s remaining warmth and scent into his chest. A moment later, he lightly stepped on the gas pedal and drove away slowly.

Halfway through the drive, a message notification tone sounded with a “ding.” Opening the interface, there were four short words: “Come over and sit for a while?”

He replied with an “Okay,” turned the steering wheel, and drove toward the riverfront.

The riverside flat mansion boasted extremely tight security, letting him pass only after verifying the license plate. Parking in the underground garage, he took the elevator to the 40th floor. With one apartment per elevator floor, he scanned his fingerprint to enter. In the entrance courtyard garden, a graceful figure was holding a small pair of silver shears, trimming branches.

Hearing the noise, Su Xi looked back, her gaze lingering on his sportswear for a moment: “You went to play ball? So free.”

“Whenever Sister Su summons me, I’m always free,” he approached with a smile, first looking at the pot of night-blooming jasmine. “Oh, this flower has bloomed? Sister Su really knows how to raise them.”

“You certainly have a good memory.” Su Xi gave him a sideways glance.

Lin Yu continued to smile apologetically, but took half a step back: “I’ll take a shower first, so I don’t smell up the flowers and the beauty.”

He went straight into the inner room, and when he came out again, he had changed into a set of silk pajamas, his hair blown half-dry with a slight dampness. Holding the sandalwood comb that Su Xi commonly used, he squatted beside the rocking chair on the balcony, raised his head, and smiled: “Sister Su, be merciful and comb my hair a couple of times?”

Su Xi chuckled lightly and took the comb. He then smoothly leaned over, resting his head on her lap. The teeth of the comb shuttled through his chestnut hair, as long, slender fingers gently stroked his smooth cheek.

The night breeze drifted in from the balcony, and the air was filled with the fragrance of flowers.

“I heard you’re going to an audition?” Su Xi suddenly spoke up. “The sequel to that dual-male-lead drama?” Previously, Lin Yu had wanted to “take a roundabout route to save the country” and had mentioned this to Su Xi, but he spoke up too late, and Hou Chao had already signed the contract.

“Indeed, nothing can be hidden from Sister Su. The sequel added a new character, and I want to try for it.” Lin Yu closed his eyes, his voice low and soft, like a satiated cat.

However, Su Xi knew he was a sly fox. Tossing the comb aside, she pinched his nose: “Still planning to take this path?”

Lin Yu opened his eyes, the corners of his eyes rising with his usual lazy smile. He switched to the lounger next to her, resting his arms behind his head, yet his tone was incomparably serious: “I want to try.”

The fox’s cunning lay precisely in this: he didn’t refuse the olive branch handed to him, yet he understood better than anyone what a high-ranking, powerful woman truly wanted to hear and desire. In his interactions with Su Xi, he had never hidden his ambition, nor had he ever begged for resources. The role last time was the only time he had spoken up, and once it was signed, he dropped it. Nor was he like ordinary men, eager to drag a woman into bed, as if gaining a woman’s body meant he could control her heart. On the contrary, when he came by invitation, he mostly just accompanied her for a glass of wine, chatting about company anecdotes or tomorrow’s announcements.

Seventeen years of being a chief secretary had successfully turned Secretary Su into Vice President Su; with just one glance, she could see through the calculations in her male companions’ hearts. Yet toward Lin Yu, she had always maintained a degree of partiality.

A woman’s sensibility destined them to rarely be pure creatures of physical lust. Compared to those bedmates who carried motives and were eager to display their male prowess in bed, they preferred thoughtful companionship, sincere praise, and completely defenseless communication.

Su Xi picked up the wine glass beside her and lightly clinked it against the rim of his glass: “Have you made up your mind?”

Lin Yu nodded: “Such a beautiful night, I will always remember it, as well as the equally beautiful you. But, Sister Su, I won’t be able to come in the future.”

Su Xi took a small sip of red wine and raised her eyes to look at him.

Lin Yu met her gaze and nodded: “I’m going to genuinely pursue someone and have a proper relationship.”

“So,” Su Xi swirled her glass, half-smiling, “the previous ones, including Jiang Shiyue, don’t count as proper?”

Lin Yu touched his nose: “I’ve never pursued anyone growing up. Agreeing to date was a genuine wish to try.” He had never done two-timing; his interactions with Su Xi were also after breaking up with Jiang Shiyue. “But I really haven’t tasted the flavor of love.”

“Oh? What does love taste like?” Su Xi teased him.

Lin Yu was stunned for a moment. Having dated Jiang Shiyue for nearly two years, trust and tacit understanding were present; she always protected him and strove her best to secure resources for him. Toward Su Xi, it was admiration and worship; for a woman to sit in this position, both talent and hard work were indispensable.

But the feeling toward Xu Yiqing was exceptionally different; that crimson face after exercise flashed through his mind; he wanted to lick the sweat dripping from his neck, wanted to bite his soft, warm lips, wanted to… He sighed, “I probably know, but I can’t describe it.”

The little fox spoke completely openly and frankly, which not only made it impossible to dislike him, but instead birthed a few hints of admiration. Not everyone who used a ladder to go upstairs dared to expose their true inner desires in front of a benefactor. Half of it was recognition of her, appearing certain that she wouldn’t make things difficult for him because of it. The other half was a recklessness exclusive to young people: as if there was nothing under heaven that could not be lost, and no one who could stop him.

How wonderful it is to be young! Su Xi couldn’t help but sigh. She swirled her wine glass: “Wanting to act in a Danmei drama, wanting to fall in love, the one you like turns out to be a man?”

“It’s a person,” Lin Yu answered with absolute solemnity. “As long as the feeling is right, it’s fine. However, I haven’t dated someone of the same sex before.”

Su Xi was naturally clear about this. In the flashy and clamorous entertainment industry, he was a relatively clean man; otherwise, he wouldn’t have become a guest in her quarters.

“I had feelings for this person many years ago. You could say he was the trigger for me entering this circle.” Lin Yu raised his head, looking at the bright moon in the sky. “If I don’t walk closer and try, I’ll never be reconciled.”

Su Xi burst out laughing. “How old are you to say ‘many years’?” She shared the moonlight of the city night sky with him. “However, love might not be as wonderful as you imagine.” The scene of Li Jinglin confronting Zeng Run came to her mind. “Even if one is rich enough to rival nations and overwhelmingly famous, one might not necessarily get one’s wish fulfilled.”

“Isn’t that precisely where its beauty lies? Throwing around a thousand pieces of gold can buy touched feelings, but it can’t buy heart-throbbing attraction.” Lin Yu raised his head and gulped down a mouthful of wine.

Su Xi was startled for a moment, then immediately smiled softly: “That’s true as well.”

Looking at that face glowing brightly in the moonlight, she sighed from the bottom of her heart, “Lin Yu, you have talent; don’t indulge yourself excessively in romance.” She had heard him sing and had watched his stage performances. “Your President Lu has limited vision; you are suited for a larger stage. Accumulate some popularity using the heat of this drama; I’ll give you a breakup gift.”

“I don’t deserve it, but thank you for Sister Su’s recognition.” Naturally, Lin Yu wouldn’t reject resources delivered to his door. Rolling his eyes, he inquired about gossip again, “I heard President Lu and our big boss… is it true?” He was referring to the scandal between Lu Ke and Li Jinglin.

Shining bright light in those fox-like eyes, Su Xi laughed helplessly and poked him with a finger: “Mind your own business.”