Who Wants to Be the Affectionate Cannon Fodder?! [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 42

The original source material for The Song of the Broken Array was a female-led power struggle novel. It told the story of the female protagonist, Xiao Xiyun, who met the male lead, Luo Heng, while investigating a case of border military funds and warhorses. Together, the female general and the civil official worked to stabilize the state.

During her investigation, Xiao Xiyun discovered that all clues pointed toward the Marquis of Anding, Xiao Jingke. She deliberately staged a chance encounter on his way back to the capital after a rotation of guard duty and used the opportunity to propose a visit to the Marquis’s personal stud farm.

At that time, Xiao Jingke’s younger brother, Xiao Jingyan, was galloping through the fields, waiting to show his long-returned elder brother the results of his months of diligent practice in horsemanship and archery.

The description of this scene in Yu Lin’s script was minimal, consisting only of a few words: “Xiao Jingyan gallops forward, draws his bow and notches an arrow, looking dignified and heroic.” All other details were left to the actor’s own design.

The lighting and cinematography were ready, and Xiao Jingyan’s stunt double was positioned outside the set. After all, everyone knew Shen Xingzhuo was famously difficult to please. If the horse-riding shots were poor, the stunt double would have to complete them, and Shen would then use a fake horse to film a few close-ups.

This was also the reason why Li Rui had not given Yu Lin a friendly look from the start. How could a texture stitched together through fraud compare to the realism of an actor performing the scenes personally?

Zhou Yao patted his back reassuringly and leaned in to whisper, “It is fine. If it really does not work, we will still let the stunt double handle it.”

Yu Lin said nothing. He set down the script, stepped forward, and patted the reddish-brown horse brought over by the staff. The horse seemed to be a veteran actor itself; it was very docile, and when Yu Lin’s hand touched it, it tilted its head to nuzzle him and let out a snort.

Seeing him reach for the reins, a staff member cautiously came forward to assist, reminding him, “Teacher Shen, be careful.”

To their surprise, Yu Lin kicked off with his left foot and swung his long leg across. The hem of his robes flared in a stylish, sharp arc as he settled firmly onto the horse’s back. The staff members let out a collective gasp of surprise.

Yu Lin took the bow, held the reins with one hand, and playfully arched an eyebrow. The sunlight fell from behind him, draping a fine veil of light around his silhouette. With his chin slightly raised and a trace of a smile at the corners of his eyes and lips, an arrogant and spirited face appeared on the monitor.

Li Rui, who had been distracted, suddenly sat up straight. Even if he had many complaints about Shen Xingzhuo as an actor, he had to admit that the assistant director was right about one thing: his aura perfectly matched the description of Xiao Jingyan in the original novel.

Dressed in fine silk on a spirited horse, with a silver saddle and white feathers, he was once the carefree young master of Jinling City.

The clapperboard snapped. Yu Lin pulled the reins, turned the horse, and rode toward the vast expanse of the grassy fields. The camera crane followed closely. The youth in fine silk galloped at high speed, the cool wind whipping his long hair and robes with a hunting sound, while bits of grass flew up from beneath the horse’s hooves.

As the camera zoomed in, the youth was bathed in the brilliant sunlight, his clean eyes appearing so deep that one could seemingly see to the bottom. Suddenly, he spotted someone in the distance, and his eyes lit up as if a pool of starlight had fallen into them.

Yu Lin squeezed the horse’s belly with his legs, and his movements became more urgent. The long bow drew a sharp arc in the air. Yu Lin released the reins with both hands, pulled an arrow from the quiver on the horse, drew the bow, and notched the arrow. His tightly pressed lips and the glimmer in his eyes betrayed his excitement.

The next second, the arrow flew out and hit the bullseye. Without stopping, Yu Lin pulled out three more arrows in quick succession, firing them one by one at the distant straw targets. The sound of arrows piercing the air and the thud of the arrowheads hitting the targets echoed across the empty field.

Seeing that all three shots had hit their mark, the corners of Yu Lin’s eyes quirked up into a triumphant smile. He steered the horse and galloped toward the two people watching quietly from beneath the martial arts platform.

Li Rui stared fixedly at the monitor. Lively characters were the hardest to portray; if one tried too hard, their features would fly all over the place like a brainless fool, or an adult would look excessively greasy trying to act young and cute. However, if the performance lacked fire, it would be devoid of spirit and stiff as a piece of wood.

Yu Lin’s expressions, from beginning to end, remained within a comfortable range. Most of his emotions relied on his eyes, and his relaxed, fluid body seemed naturally born for horsemanship. Li Rui actually forgot to call “Cut.”

“Brother! I missed you so much!” His voice was cheerful and excited, loud enough that it seemed he wanted everyone to hear. The reddish-brown horse let out a neigh as he pulled the reins sharply, its front hooves rearing high. But before the horse could even settle, Yu Lin flipped off the horse under everyone’s astonished gazes and ran quickly toward Ning Jinghe.

The previously arrogant youth became incredibly well-behaved in front of his elder brother. He transformed into an enthusiastic puppy, crashing into Ning Jinghe’s embrace like a small ball and wrapping himself around him with both hands and feet.

Ning Jinghe froze. He glanced awkwardly at Tang Mo, who was playing Xiao Xiyun, before raising a hand to tap Yu Lin’s forehead and peeling him off himself. “There are outsiders present. You are making trouble again.”

Although the words were a reproach, the tone was gentle. In the original novel, Xiao Jingke appeared as a humble, refined gentleman on the surface, but in reality, he was cold-blooded and ruthless. The only bit of warmth he had left was reserved for his younger brother, Xiao Jingyan, whom he had raised since childhood.

Yu Lin chuckled, tilted his head to look at Tang Mo, and said with a beaming smile, “Which sister is this? She is so beautiful. I fear she must be a fairy from the heavens.”

Before he could finish, Ning Jinghe covered his mouth. “This is Princess Pingning. Offer your greetings properly.”

Yu Lin gave him a resentful look and obediently greeted Tang Mo.

“Where did you learn all that banter?”

Tang Mo replied, “It is no matter. We are all military people; there is no need for such secular formalities. I just saw that the Second Young Master’s horsemanship and archery are already accomplished. In time, he will be a rare talent for the Great Wan.”

“Sister Ningping has a good eye. You have no idea how long I practiced. I wanted to give my brother a surprise when he returned, but I did not even get a word of praise.” Yu Lin pouted aggrievedly and held out his palm to Ning Jinghe, showing him the callouses on his hand. “My hand is almost worn raw. This is a hand meant to write the finest stories in Great Wan.”

Ning Jinghe gazed at his face. The usual nonchalance on Yu Lin’s face was gone, replaced by a vivid and spirited expression. As he spoke, a clear shimmer of moisture appeared in the corners of his eyes. He looked like a small animal, making it impossible for one to look away out of pity and affection.

Ning Jinghe’s Adam’s apple bobbed unnaturally. His hand, hidden beneath his wide sleeve, tightened secretly, and his fingertips became damp. He continued to recite the lines from the script without showing any emotion, but his heart had long since drifted elsewhere.

When Yu Lin pounced on him, he seemed to carry a faint scent of vanilla, like ordering a vanilla latte in a coffee shop on a warm afternoon. The milky scent melted in the mouth, sweet but not cloying. The hands wrapped around his neck were very cold, perhaps chilled by the wind. His waist was also very thin; it could be encircled with a single hand.

“Since the Princess is curious, feel free to walk around here at your leisure.”

As Ning Jinghe’s final line fell, the scene finally ended. Li Rui snapped back to reality at the assistant director’s prompt and belatedly shouted “Cut.” He then began to rewatch the filmed segment without blinking.

“Good! Good!” He shouted twice and slapped his thigh. “This is exactly the feeling I wanted!”

It had to be said that Yu Lin’s horsemanship and archery movements were as fluid as flowing water. Even using a stunt double might not have achieved such a smooth scene, let alone those three arrows hitting the bullseye in succession. It saved a great deal of time for editing and reshoots.

Although Xiao Jingyan was only a supporting character, to the habitually nitpicking Li Rui, he was more than just a supporting character. Every character had a soul and should not be judged as high or low based on screen time. Even a brief glance should be used to leave a unique color behind. His mood, which had been suppressed by a “pretty vase” actor entering the cast through financial backing, instantly became much more cheerful.

“Xingzhuo! Let me see, you are not hurt, are you? You scared us to death when you suddenly jumped down earlier! It was so high, and the horse had not even stood still yet. What if you sprained your ankle, fell, or the horse got spooked and kicked you?” Zhou Yao rushed forward, looking Yu Lin over from head to toe. After confirming he was fine, he let out a sigh of relief.

Yu Lin took the water handed to him. The expressions belonging to Xiao Jingyan faded completely, and he instantly reverted to his usual nonchalant and languid state. He took a dull sip of water and said, “I am not made of porcelain. It is not that easy to break.”

“But when did you learn to ride a horse? You were still using a fake horse in the last drama. And those three arrows! Did you go for special training behind my back?”

Yu Lin replied, “Perhaps I am naturally gifted.”

Zhou Yao thought to himself that it was not just horsemanship and archery that were gifted; even his acting skills seemed to have made a sudden leap forward. Was this the power of a “love-brain” awakening?

After studying the segment they just filmed, Li Rui called Yu Lin over again, his tone much softer this time. He pointed to several spots on the monitor, wanting to add a few more shots from different angles and close-ups of Yu Lin’s archery.

“Your performance just now was good. I apologize for what I said earlier.” This strict director was quite a straightforward and honest person.

Yu Lin nodded and allowed the makeup artist to come forward to adjust his clothes and fix his makeup. He stood expressionless outside the canopy, the soft sunlight falling on his pale face, his eyes as light as amber.

Yu Lin entered a character quickly and left it just as fast. In a short time, all traces of Xiao Jingyan had vanished from him. However, when the clapperboard snapped, the parts belonging to Yu Lin were instantly occupied by another soul. The bright and spirited youth reappeared on the monitor.

Watching from under the canopy, Ning Jinghe lowered his brows, took a sip of water, and stood behind Li Rui. Li Rui looked up at the shadow looming over him, then glanced at Yu Lin’s flying expressions on the monitor. He said thoughtfully, “How long has it been since you acted?”

Ning Jinghe frowned and asked in confusion, “What?”

“Maybe I saw it wrong.” Li Rui paused. “I always felt that you seemed a bit stiff today, your reactions were not particularly natural, and the rhythm was a bit strange.”

Ning Jinghe remained silent for a while, rubbing the jade pendant at his waist. After half a minute, he said, “If it is not good enough, let us film it again.”

Li Rui did not agree. “There is no need for that. Given Xiao Jingke’s personality, he does not like close physical contact with others, even if that person is his brother. Your reaction is actually acceptable.”

Ning Jinghe pondered the phrase “does not like close physical contact” several times and gave a muffled “Okay.” He probably did not dislike it, but rather, it felt more like a sense of being at a loss.

In another film set a few kilometers away, the lead actor had reached an unknown number of NGs, and progress was being delayed further and further.

Li Yao was reading a script under a tree. The harsh sunlight shone directly on his face, and the sweltering air seeped into his clothes. An assistant fanned him, but sweat still flowed uncontrollably. The director under the canopy sighed heavily and said something to an assistant. The latter walked coldly over to Li Yao and said mechanically, “Teacher Li, there is not enough time today. Your scenes might have to be pushed back.”

Li Yao forced a smile, gave a stiff nod, and said “Okay.” However, the moment the assistant director turned to leave, he looked back and rolled his eyes at his own assistant.

Since he was only a supporting character with two weeks of screen time, he had no room to speak and could only resignedly return to the hotel to remove his makeup.

The extras crouching in the corner were chatting. As he passed by, Li Yao sharply caught the name “Shen Xingzhuo.”

“They are still filming at the stud farm. I heard from my friend that Shen Xingzhuo is even more handsome in person than on TV. Wherever he stands, he seems to glow, and everyone’s eyes are drawn to him.”

“Wasn’t he called a ‘pretty vase’? They usually film horse scenes at the stud farm. Did they see him get scolded again?”

“How is that possible? My friend said he is amazing at riding. He fired three arrows in a row while on the horse! What ‘pretty vase’? Even if you brought in a martial arts double, they might not be able to film that effect! Li Rui seems very satisfied and is taking close-ups now. It is not like here, where we have been filming the same scene for so long.”

The name “Shen Xingzhuo” was like a curse. As soon as he heard those three words, every cell in Li Yao’s body began to scream. If he had heard criticism, it would have been fine, but it was praise instead. One’s own misfortune is terrible, but the success of an enemy is what truly pains the heart.

“How far is it from here to the stud farm?” Li Yao asked his assistant while gritting his teeth.

The assistant paused. “Only about ten minutes or so.”

Li Yao did not believe Shen Xingzhuo was truly as they claimed. They had filmed together in their last project. At that time, Shen Xingzhuo did not even know how to get on a horse and ended up holding a fake horse and moving for a long time.

“Since it is so close, it would be wrong not to visit my senior colleague.”

The scenes at the stud farm were limited, and Li Rui wanted to finish all related shots within the limited time. Not long after Yu Lin got off the horse, he was called back up to film a few more shots. At Li Rui’s request, he even rode several more laps with different variations.

When Li Yao arrived outside the set, he saw Yu Lin flipping off the galloping horse, his long legs kicking the ground twice before he nimbly got back on. Galloping to the front of Ning Jinghe, Yu Lin turned the horse around again, his long legs swinging in the air with a wide arc. He then leaned down arrogantly and said, “I am amazing, right, Brother?”

Ning Jinghe gave a helpless laugh and reached out to grab his arm to pull him down from the horse. “Did you forget about the time you broke your leg?”

Yu Lin leaned against him, feeling soft and boneless. “This time, I have Brother to catch me.”

Li Yao heard the crew members around him whispering in admiration. Everyone was praising Shen Xingzhuo’s acting, saying he had saved the crew a lot of time. Even the martial arts double let out a cry of surprise the moment he got off the horse. Li Yao was so angry his teeth were almost crushed from clenching them.

After all the shots were finished, Yu Lin took the water handed to him by Zhou Yao. He rolled his sleeves up to his shoulders and leaned in front of the monitor to look at the scenes. Ning Jinghe stood behind him with a fan, but the airflow was not directed at himself.

Apparently seeing something on the screen, Li Rui excitedly slapped his thigh, grabbed Yu Lin’s clothes, pulled him into his arms, and shouted something while pointing at the monitor. Yu Lin seemed a bit uncomfortable. After nodding, he moved away from under Li Rui’s hand without leaving a trace.

“Director Li Rui is famously strict,” Li Yao said irritably. “As expected, one still needs to be born into the right family. I am so damn envious.”

the assistant beside him froze and hurriedly looked around. After confirming that not many people had heard, he reminded him, “Brother Yao, there are many people here. Be careful.”

Li Yao rubbed his phone with his finger and gave a cold chuckle. He stared at Yu Lin and whispered viciously, “I really want to see the expressions on their faces when they find out that Shen Xingzhuo is a homosexual who follows men around while crying and wailing.”

The assistant did not hear clearly. “What?”

“Nothing, I just thought of something interesting.” Li Yao tapped his phone twice and suddenly found that Yu Lin had turned around at some point. His calm gaze was fixed directly on him.

Li Yao instinctively stiffened for a moment, feeling the guilt of being caught. But he quickly adjusted and shouted hypocritically, “I am filming nearby and came over to see! Brother Xingzhuo, that was a great performance just now!”

Yu Lin did not respond, but he said a few words to his manager. In the next second, Li Yao saw Zhou Yao walking toward him. He looked confused as Zhou Yao took a strip of lozenges out of a white and green box and held it in front of his eyes with a blank expression.

Li Yao asked, “What is this?”

Zhou Yao said without emotion, “Fat Sea lozenges. Xingzhuo said he could not hear what you were saying. Either your voice is hoarse or your body is too weak. I am giving you a lozenge to moisten your throat first.”

Li Yao was speechless. I suppose I have to thank him, right?

By the time all the shots were finished, the sky had turned dark. The staff members were systematically packing up the equipment on set. Li Rui took the opportunity to walk to Yu Lin’s side and patted his arm in a friendly manner. “It was hard work today. You are indeed different from what I imagined.”

Yu Lin asked, “What did you imagine?”

Li Rui said bluntly, “A delicate flower who would call an ambulance to the hospital immediately if he got a scratch. A pretentious and arrogant person who relies on resources. A rich kid who came to the entertainment industry just to mess around.”

Beside them, Zhou Yao’s eyebrows twitched, fearing Yu Lin would walk away on the spot.

Yu Lin said neutrally, “Thank you for confirming that I am good-looking and wealthy.”

Li Rui had not expected this reaction and could not help but burst into laughter. “I booked a private room at a restaurant near the studio city. It is all people from the crew. Will you come along later?”

Yu Lin glanced at Zhou Yao’s bright, affirming gaze and asked, “What are we eating?”

“Sichuan-Chongqing cuisine and Hunan cuisine. If you cannot handle the spice, they can also make mild dishes.”

Yu Lin’s eyes lit up. “Is there Mao Duck Blood?”

Li Rui paused, then said, “Of course.”

Yu Lin: “I’m in!”

Li Rui hadn’t expected that a single bowl of Mao Duck Blood would lure him in so easily; he couldn’t help but find it a bit amusing.

Yu Lin hopped into the car, humming a tune that wandered through three paths and eighteen bends. He planned to head back to the hotel first to remove his makeup, shower, and change before going out to eat.

Zhou Yao followed behind him. Seeing no one else around, he leaned in and whispered, “Didn’t you stop eating spicy food because of Jiang Shiyan?”

Yu Lin pulled out his phone and resumed The Breaking Snow, which he hadn’t finished before filming. He said nonchalantly, “Didn’t you say I’ve moved on? What I want to do has nothing to do with that guy.”

“Fair point,” Zhou Yao replied sheepishly. His eyes drifted down to the screen, catching a glimpse of Ning Jinghe’s face. He raised his voice curiously. “Wait, I remember you were at this exact part the day before yesterday. Why are you still on it? Is the scene where Lu Xueyao kills his master really that good?”

Yu Lin opened his mouth to respond, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ning Jinghe—who was about to board his own car ahead—suddenly freeze. Ning Jinghe turned his head slowly, looking at him with a look of pure disbelief.

Anyone else caught in such a “stalker-like” moment would have wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

But Yu Lin, seemingly oblivious, simply blinked at Ning Jinghe and asked, “Brother Ning, are you coming to dinner tonight too?”

Ning Jinghe averted his gaze and gave a curt “Mhm.” He then got straight into the car, appearing to have no intention of continuing the conversation.

Yu Lin lowered his eyes with a hint of regret and tapped the face on his screen.

Zhou Yao was baffled. “Why do I feel like the roles are reversed? You’re the one who got caught; shouldn’t you be the one running away in embarrassment?”

Yu Lin mumbled gloomily, “How should I know?”

Since Zhou Yao had other work to attend to, he drove back to Xiamen shortly after returning to the hotel.

Over the past few days, Yu Lin had asked Zhou Yao to refresh Shen Xingzhuo’s entire wardrobe. Most of the clothes he brought this time were simple, convenient casual wear.

After showering, Yu Lin grabbed a black printed T-shirt. The hem was tucked into his waistband, revealing his slender waist. He gave his wet hair a quick, messy blow-dry; with it ruffled and loose, he looked like a fresh-faced college student who had just turned eighteen.

The restaurant Li Rui booked was near the hotel. It was a frequent haunt for actors due to its excellent privacy.

When Yu Lin arrived at the private room, Li Rui and the assistant director were already there. Tang Mo was sitting by the window, idly playing Candy Crush. Seeing him enter, she happily patted the seat next to her, only to watch Yu Lin turn on his heel and sit right next to Ning Jinghe.

Tang Mo clutched her heart dramatically. “This afternoon you were calling me a fairy sister, and by tonight you’ve already cast me aside.”

Yu Lin said playfully, “Between a brother and a friend, one must always be let down. I can only let the Princess down.”

He was reciting the lines Xiao Jingyan says to the female lead when his brother’s plot is exposed and they confront each other.

Seeing him sit down, Ning Jinghe naturally reached for a glass and filled it with Coke for him.

Having likely just showered as well, Ning Jinghe carried a faint, clean fragrance that drifted from his wrists into Yu Lin’s nose. Yu Lin looked up at Ning Jinghe’s face, his thick lashes lifting to reveal dark, bright pupils.

“Thanks, Brother.”

Ning Jinghe’s movements faltered. “No problem.”

As the dishes were served, the assistant director encouraged everyone to start eating while engaging in casual small talk.

Yu Lin wasn’t one for social graces in these settings. His eyes were fixed entirely on the large bowl of Mao Duck Blood in front of him and the vibrant red and green of the stir-fried pork with peppers. Once he picked up his chopsticks, he didn’t put them down.

Ning Jinghe listened to Li Rui discuss the upcoming filming schedule while watching Yu Lin out of the corner of his eye.

The way Yu Lin ate reminded him of a hamster—not refined, but not crude either—it just seemed like whatever he ate tasted incredibly delicious. His pale pink lips were coated in a vibrant red from the chili oil. Perhaps numbed by the Sichuan peppercorns, he tucked his red tongue behind his teeth with a slightly aggrieved expression.

It was hard to tell if it was sweat or tears clinging to his lashes, but the corners of his eyes were flushed with a lingering, beautiful color.

The air conditioner hummed overhead, yet Ning Jinghe felt a strange, inexplicable heat rising within him.

His gaze swept over Yu Lin’s slender waist. The arch of his back created a graceful curve, his shirt disappearing into his waistband in a series of folds. The thin belt was cinched so tight it looked like it wouldn’t even span the width of Ning’s palm.

He wondered where all that food was actually going.

“The last time someone gave me a surprise like this was Ning Jinghe’s performance as An Ning. In Sleepless Night back then, you played a similar character—lively on the outside, but sickly and ruthless on the inside.”

As Li Rui finished speaking, Yu Lin finally shifted his attention away from the food and looked up.

Thinking Yu Lin was interested in the topic, Li Rui smiled and said, “That was a good movie. You should watch it if you have time.”

“…Five times,” Yu Lin said indistinctly.

Li Rui: “What?”

Yu Lin glanced sideways at Ning Jinghe and said, “I’ve watched that movie five times… um, to study Brother Ning’s acting.”

“No wonder! I knew today’s performance felt familiar,” Li Rui said. “An Ning’s persona is indeed very similar to Xiao Jingyan, but there are also major differences. You can’t just copy it all over.”

“Mhm. I know.”

Tang Mo chimed in, “Well, imitation is a form of acting training. After all, a person’s experience is limited, and it’s hard to react appropriately to every situation. Sometimes you just have to learn from past great examples. Everyone goes through it. Xingzhuo did really well today—my heart actually fluttered when I saw him riding that horse!”

The others at the table chattered away, but the other person involved had no reaction. Ning Jinghe stared at his glass, lost in thought. It wasn’t until Li Rui called his name that he lowered his head and whispered self-mockingly, “So that’s what it was.”

The topic quickly shifted. The assistant director introduced the house-made peach blossom wine, urging everyone to have a small glass. Since there was filming tomorrow, no one wanted to overdo it.

Without giving the system, 007, a chance to warn him, Yu Lin took the small glass Ning Jinghe handed him and downed it in one go. He savored the residual sweetness in his mouth for a moment before returning to his food.

The wine didn’t taste much like alcohol; it was more like a sweet beverage.

However, the aftereffect was quite potent.

Before long, the alcohol made Yu Lin’s brain feel hazy. The lights above seemed to be spinning.

He used his chopsticks to poke a few holes in the duck blood in his bowl. While this place’s duck blood was good, for some reason, it couldn’t compare to what he used to eat—specifically what Lin He used to make for him.

At the thought, Yu Lin instinctively lowered his head, pouting with dissatisfaction as he poked the bowl a few more times.

If Lin He were here, what would he say? Yu Lin thought absently.

He would probably stop him from eating so much, or block that glass of wine for him. He might even mock him by saying, “I wonder who it was that ended up in the hospital last time.”

He missed Lin He a little.

Yu Lin propped his head up with his elbow and looked at the stoic Ning Jinghe beside him.

Warm liquid welled up in his eyes. Yu Lin’s eyes curved, the shimmer of moisture settling deep within them. His voice was soft and pleading as he called out, “Brother… Brother… why do you keep avoiding my gaze today?”

No one expected a single glass of house-made peach wine to get Yu Lin drunk.

At first, nobody noticed anything was wrong. Yu Lin was a quiet drunk; he just sat there propping up his head, aimlessly poking at his bowl. But then he raised his dark, bright eyes, which were now clouded with a misty haze. His eyelids were flushed red, making his already striking features even more vivid, yet imbued with a touch of vulnerability.

Ning Jinghe was caught off guard when their eyes met. His heart suddenly began to thud wildly out of rhythm, and his breathing grew shallow.

To see someone usually so unrestrained show such rare emotion was truly…

Tang Mo leaned in excitedly to examine Yu Lin’s face, even reaching out to touch his reddened ear, but he frowned and pulled away.

Li Rui: “Can Shen Xingzhuo still walk? This wine is only about 15% to 20% alcohol; how did one sip do this?”

“I never would have guessed Xingzhuo was a one-glass lightweight.” Tang Mo leaned on the table, casting a half-smile toward Ning Jinghe, who had just stood up behind her. “We should probably find someone to help him. If he falls outside or gets caught on camera, God knows what kind of stories people will spin.”

Ning Jinghe remained noncommittal.

The warm yellow light of the private room fell on Tang Mo’s back, casting a shadow over Yu Lin’s face. He lifted his eyelids slowly, appearing not to have heard their discussion. He merely pushed Tang Mo’s arm aside and looked behind her with an anxious frown.

“Where’s my brother? Why did my brother disappear again?”

Tang Mo laughed mischievously. “Little treasure, your brother is a grown man. I couldn’t hide him in my pocket if I tried.”

“Though I haven’t heard much about your family, are you really that close with your brothers?”

Before she could finish, Yu Lin reached out and grabbed Ning Jinghe as he was passing by.

Ning Jinghe hadn’t expected Yu Lin to grab his hand; his body stiffened unnaturally.

He then saw Yu Lin look up, his fluffy hair falling back to reveal a smooth, pale forehead. His face, illuminated by the light, looked like cool white porcelain.

Yu Lin’s hand slid down Ning’s arm. Those cold fingers felt like they were lighting a fire on his skin—both itchy and agonizing.

Finally, Yu Lin’s hand gripped Ning’s palm. His beautiful, brilliant face leaned down, lightly pressing against the back of Ning Jinghe’s hand.

“Brother, I am so sleepy.”

“Let’s go home.”

Ning Jinghe felt as if he had been scalded by the warmth of Yu Lin’s face. His entire arm trembled, yet for some reason, he did not pull away.

Tang Mo gasped, looking from Ning’s face to Li Rui and the assistant director, who were equally shocked. A few seconds later, she said loudly, “It seems Xingzhuo has already chosen the person to take him back.”

Ning Jinghe’s Adam’s apple moved. He slowly withdrew his hand from Yu Lin’s grasp and, under Yu Lin’s dazed gaze, grabbed his wrist to pull him up from the chair.

“Fine. I will take him.”

As Yu Lin stood up, he seemed to lose all structure, instinctively leaning toward him. Ning Jinghe caught him in a hurry, his lips pressed tight. He suddenly remembered the filming this afternoon; Yu Lin had leaned in just like this.

Ning Jinghe asked, knowing the answer, “Can you still walk?”

“…Mhm.”

The soft hair brushing against his neck still carried the faint scent of shampoo. Ning Jinghe turned his back, pulled Yu Lin’s arm over his shoulder, and hoisted him up into a piggyback.

The sudden lift made Yu Lin’s eyes widen in surprise, like a startled cat with its fur standing on end. But once he realized who was carrying him, he obediently draped his other arm over Ning Jinghe’s shoulder, circling his neck. He buried his head close against him.

Ning Jinghe’s muscles were tense. Yu Lin’s soft voice, carrying a light breath, tickled his ear: “Brother, your shoulders and back are well-trained.”

“A taxi ride from your left shoulder to your right would probably cost forty bucks.”

Ning Jinghe didn’t want to engage with a drunkard’s nonsense, but his thoughts couldn’t help but drift. He wondered which “brother” Yu Lin was mistaking him for.

He knew a little about Shen Xingzhuo’s family situation. He had dined with investors before, including Shen Xingzhuo’s eldest brother, whom he remembered as a stern, humorless man. The second brother was a famous playboy who was rarely home; they didn’t seem the type for such fraternal affection.

The person on his back seemed to be in high spirits, humming a tuneless song. His forearms swayed with the rhythm of Ning’s steps, his fingers occasionally tapping against Ning Jinghe’s chest—a few times perfectly in sync with his heartbeat.

The ten-minute walk felt as long as a century.

Ning Jinghe declined Li Rui and the assistant director’s offers to help and carried Yu Lin out of the elevator alone.

“Where is your key card?” He said this more to himself, not expecting a drunk person to be coherent. He awkwardly reached out to pat Yu Lin’s thigh and felt a hard object in the right pocket.

The summer trousers were made of thin fabric, and the pockets were even thinner. His fingers accidentally brushed against warm skin. Blood rushed from his extremities to his head, making his brain feel like it was steaming.

To make matters worse, just as he managed to get the card out and push the door open, the left arm draped over his shoulder moved, feeling for his chest.

His stray thoughts surged out at that moment, as if trying to escape his physical body.

“It’s beating so fast, Brother.” Yu Lin’s tone held a hint of a smile, the end of his sentence curling upward like a feather brushing against Ning’s neck.

Ning Jinghe asked, feigning calm, “Shen Xingzhuo, what exactly are you trying to do?”

Ning Jinghe was no naive high school student.

Adults usually keep their distance and maintain boundaries. Yet this person used an innocent, clean expression to say ambiguous things time and time again, as if he were truly in love. It made one prone to delusions that shouldn’t be there.

But the nonchalant look Yu Lin usually wore told everyone that those delusions were just that—delusions. All those feelings were merely the listener’s own misunderstanding.

He was like a seductive ghost playing with people’s hearts.

“…Mhm.” The seductive ghost tilted his head dizzily, seemingly unable to answer the question.

As Ning Jinghe silently placed him on the bed, Yu Lin’s arms fell limp, revealing the raw, red skin on his palm from the reins.

“I want you to talk to me.” Yu Lin’s head sank into the pillow. He tilted his head, looking at Ning Jinghe’s face with a serious, stubborn gaze. “Didn’t I say it before? I don’t like it when you ignore me. It makes me sad.”

Ning Jinghe’s heart stirred. He said, “You have the wrong person. You never said that to me.”

Yu Lin’s nose twitched, and a look of almost sorrowful bitterness appeared on his face. “You promised.”

Ning Jinghe’s heart beat even faster. Such a vulnerable expression on Yu Lin’s face was a lethal weapon. He awkwardly looked away, and out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a medical kit someone had left on the coffee table. He turned to walk toward it.

But Yu Lin thought he was leaving. He suddenly bounced up from the bed and lunged at him.

“Brother!”

But his legs gave out, and he crashed right into Ning Jinghe, who was turning back.

“If you’re this energetic, you should have walked back yourself.”

“You’re not leaving?”

Ning Jinghe sighed and pressed him back onto the bed. He placed the medical kit on the nightstand and said, “I’m applying medicine. Why didn’t you say your hands were hurt this afternoon?”

Yu Lin blinked and called him out without mercy: “You’re changing the subject again.”

Ning Jinghe wanted to crack his head open to see if he was actually drunk or just faking it. He looked down, applied iodine to Yu Lin’s right hand, and signaled for him to hand over the left.

Yu Lin looked at him and said nothing.

Ning Jinghe, almost resignedly, soothed the drunkard. “I get it. I won’t ignore you anymore.”

Only then did Yu Lin place his paw in Ning’s palm.

“And you can’t deliberately avoid looking at me either.”

“…Fine.”

Ning Jinghe couldn’t help but find it slightly funny. He opened a new iodine swab to apply to the wound. Since the survival variety show, he had felt that Yu Lin’s pain tolerance was beyond that of a normal person; it seemed no matter the injury, he felt nothing.

Even when he cried out in pain, it felt like a deliberate move to get attention, not something heartfelt.

After treating the abrasions on both hands and applying a layer of liquid bandage, Ning Jinghe placed his hands back on the bed.

“Answer a question for me too.”

Yu Lin: “Hmm?”

Ning Jinghe asked, “Why watch my old movies?”

Yu Lin’s answer was perfectly straightforward: “I don’t know how to act. I don’t want to watch anyone else’s, so I can only watch yours.”

“Just that…”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Ning Jinghe was startled by the disappointment in his own tone. He chuckled and rubbed his nose. When he turned back, he saw Yu Lin give a tired yawn. Yu Lin curled onto his side, buried his face in the pillow, and closed his eyes toward him.

“…I don’t know either. I just wanted to watch.”

His thick, long lashes were like crow feathers, fluttering twice.

Ning Jinghe uncontrollably raised his hand. Before he could touch him, the vibration of his phone snapped him back to his senses.

Ning Jinghe frowned and checked his phone. It was a message from Jiang Shiyan.

For some reason, since the survival show ended, Jiang Shiyan had been contacting him periodically. Even when met with a cold reception, he persisted.

[ SY: I heard you’re filming at the Xiamen studio city today. In such hot weather, and in costume too, it sounds exhausting. ]

[ SY: I saw your partner is Shen Xingzhuo. Is the filming going smoothly? No delays, I hope? ]

Ning Jinghe looked at Yu Lin’s quiet sleeping face and his curled-up posture, then sent back a cold reply.