Not long after signing the contract, Ji Yunzhang received a phone call with some urgent business and had to leave early. Jing Li hummed in acknowledgment and rose to his feet as well.
They emerged from Ji Yunzhang’s Studio, and it was still early—not even four o’clock yet.
Once they were in the car, Jing Li finally pulled out the documents and check from the folder. The long string of zeros after the five made his eyes sparkle, his joy practically bubbling over.
So much money!
Just hold on two more years for my wonderful retirement life!
As a lowly working stiff, Le Xiaoxiao was seeing a real-life check for the first time. He stared at it for several long moments before dragging his gaze away. Bringing up Jing Li’s earth-shattering “husband” from earlier, he asked, “…You planning to call him that from now on?”
Jing Li laughed. “No way, I was just messing around. Didn’t you think Teacher Ji was way too smooth? A sudden curveball like that should catch him off guard and make him show a different side.”
Le Xiaoxiao hadn’t witnessed Jing Li’s previous two surprise “attacks.” He shot him a glance. “Not really. He still had everything under control.”
—And even turned the tables with some flirting of his own.
Without holding back, he teased, “Your face was beet red earlier.”
Jing Li: “…”
Little did he know Ji Yunzhang had adapted so quickly.
The car pulled out of the parking lot, and Le Xiaoxiao asked, “Where to? Home?”
“Let’s swing by the mall first. I need to pick up a few gifts.”
“Gifts? For who?” Le Xiaoxiao looked puzzled.
“Teacher Ji’s grandparents.”
Le Xiaoxiao knew the reason for their sham marriage. He let out an “oh” and said nothing more.
~~~
Jing Li had already decided on the gifts that morning, so the shopping trip was quick—less than half an hour from start to finish.
For Ji Yunzhang’s grandfather, he chose a White Jade Go Set. For his grandmother, a silk scarf and a stylish vase. The prices were evenly matched, polite without extravagance.
Le Xiaoxiao rarely saw Jing Li swipe his card so freely and couldn’t resist ribbing him. “How’s sudden wealth feel?”
“Feels amazing!” Jing Li threw up a hand with lavish flair. “Come on, dinner’s on me tonight. Your pick of restaurant, order whatever you want—eat one, pack one!”
Le Xiaoxiao burst out laughing. “Isn’t the saying ‘eat one, toss one’?”
“Nope, wasting food is a sin.”
“Fair point. Eat one, pack one it is!”
Talk was cheap, though. In the end, Le Xiaoxiao didn’t let Jing Li drag him to some fancy spot. Five years older and well aware of Jing Li’s rocky family ties—unreliable parents and all—he treated the younger man like a little brother. No way was he burning through his cash.
Jing Li didn’t drive and nursed a glass of red wine. With the evening breeze, he started feeling a touch woozy. Le Xiaoxiao saw him safely home and only left after confirming he could manage alone.
Maybe it was the new surroundings, but Jing Li suffered a bout of insomnia that night. He didn’t drift off until past three in the morning and woke early the next day. After tossing and turning without luck, he finally dragged himself out of bed.
Freshened up and clad in loose loungewear, Jing Li started with vocal warm-ups and line readings, then projected a video of acting lessons and watched with rapt attention.
After Mu Ge’s departure, Kerry had stopped funding his training, putting his acting classes on ice. Le Xiaoxiao had pushed hard on his behalf but gotten nowhere.
With no other options, Le Xiaoxiao had called in favors to score a full set of professional acting tutorials for Jing Li to study in his downtime.
Jing Li had a free day and planned to immerse himself in learning, but an afternoon phone call shattered that.
~~~
Jing Li paid the cab driver and stepped out. The young woman who’d been pacing anxiously in front of the private club spotted him and bolted over.
“You’re finally here! Hurry, follow me.”
Jing Li kept pace, probing as they hurried along. “What’s the story? What happened to Wen Yang?”
Wen Yang had debuted a year ahead of Jing Li and was another Kerry artist. He’d always dreamed of being a singer-songwriter, but the music scene was brutal these days. After signing him, the company produced just two songs before shoving him into acting gigs.
He’d been in Jing Li’s debut drama too. On set, he’d lent Jing Li a hand more than once, and later, when Jing Li’s old manager tried pushing him to entertain investors, Jing Li had stepped in to bail him out.
They’d been tight ever since.
The woman was Wen Yang’s assistant, Luo Feifei. She gave him the rundown in a rush. “Teacher Wen took a song he’d written to Brother Zheng this morning, begging to release it, but Brother Zheng shot it down. They had a huge blowout, and now he’s plastered and refusing to budge.”
Jing Li acknowledged with a hum. “Where’s Zheng Xiaoyun?”
“Brother Zheng caught a flight to S City an hour ago.”
Jing Li’s brow furrowed. They’d reached the private room door, so he pushed it open without further questions.
Five bottles of red wine cluttered the table in front of Wen Yang, two already empty. He clutched another to his chest, perched motionless on the sofa, his longer bangs veiling his brows and eyes, masking his mood.
“Wen Yang,” Jing Li called.
Wen Yang slowly raised his head. His features weren’t like Jing Li’s flamboyant beauty—they could only be called refined. Not stunning at first glance, but easy on the eyes.
He peered carefully at Jing Li, recognized him, and broke into a smile. “You’re here, Jing Li.”
He held up the empty bottle cradled in his arms and offered it to Jing Li. “Drink with me.”
Jing Li snatched the bottle away and set it aside. He sat down next to him and flicked his forehead. “Still drinking? Don’t you have to sing?”
“Sing?” Wen Yang waved a hand, grinning. “Not anymore. They won’t let me… Never again.”
His smile faded, his expression crumbling into deep loss and melancholy. He reached for the bottle on the table, but Jing Li blocked him. “Enough drinking. You’ve had plenty today. I’ll take you home.”
Wen Yang shook his head. When he realized he couldn’t reach it, he flopped forward onto the sofa. “Leave me be. Just today… By tomorrow, I’ll be fine.”
Seeing he wouldn’t cooperate, Jing Li simply hauled him upright. He signaled Luo Feifei to help dress him and pull on his hat, then slung Wen Yang’s arm over his shoulder.
They were about the same height, but it took all of Jing Li’s strength to drag him out of the private room. The moment they stepped into the hallway, though, Wen Yang dug in his heels, clutching the door handle and refusing to budge.
Jing Li: “…”
They stood deadlocked at the private room door.
“Jing Li.” Ji Yunzhang’s pleasant, unmistakable voice rang out.
Jing Li’s eyes lit up. He looked toward Ji Yunzhang, standing a short distance away, and the words tumbled out naturally, laced with familiarity. “Teacher Ji, give me a hand.”
Ji Yunzhang wasn’t alone. Three others flanked him—his friends.
They eyed Jing Li with keen interest, wondering about his connection to Ji Yunzhang. After all, Ji Yunzhang had veered toward them only after spotting him; they’d been headed for the elevator.
Since when had Ji Yunzhang gone out of his way for anyone?
“Your friend?” Ji Yunzhang glanced at Wen Yang.
“Yeah, he’s wasted.” Jing Li said. “Help me get him out?”
Ji Yunzhang murmured agreement and pried Wen Yang’s white-knuckled grip from the door handle. He steadied him while Jing Li grabbed his other arm.
Maybe the booze had fully kicked in, but Wen Yang went compliant this time. He shuffled along obediently, though his feet barely touched the ground—he thought he was walking, but he had no strength left.
Luo Feifei had already summoned the valet to pull the car up front. She waited by the vehicle and swung open the door as they emerged, helping bundle Wen Yang inside.
Jing Li turned to thank Ji Yunzhang, who replied warmly, “Think nothing of it.”
He glanced at the trio behind Ji Yunzhang. He knew them all. One was Zhou Suye, general manager of Xingxiu Entertainment—he’d heard all the rumors.
The other two were Xu He, the first actor in the industry to publicly marry his partner the year same-sex marriage became legal. Last year, he’d claimed his inaugural Film emperor crown. The man at his side was his partner and manager, Yu Bohai.
Zhou Suye spoke up then, his tone playfully irreverent. “Ji Yunzhang, you gonna introduce the kid?”
Ji Yunzhang shot him a cool look laced with warning. Zhou Suye arched a brow, suspicions confirmed, and dialed back the teasing.
He extended a hand to Jing Li. “Zhou Suye.”
Jing Li shook it with a smile. “Jing Li.”
Xu He cut in suddenly. “Haven’t we met?”
“Once, yeah. March, on the Midsummer set. I was Teacher Chen’s hand double.”
Xu He nodded as it clicked. “You’re the kid who plays guqin like a pro.”
“Yep.”
It was simple truth, but Jing Li owned it without a shred of false modesty. Xu He blinked, caught off guard, then chuckled. “You’re a character.”
Jing Li blinked back, figuring that counted as high praise.
He flashed Xu He a smile before turning to Ji Yunzhang. “Gotta run. See you tomorrow.”
Ji Yunzhang’s lips curved. “Tomorrow it is.”
He watched their car pull away. When he turned back, his three friends fixed him with unabashed curiosity. Before they could pry, he tossed out a casual bombshell. “He’s the partner I’m about to marry.”
~~~
Meanwhile, online.
A video barely thirty seconds long exploded across platforms. #Encountering Ji Yunzhang# clawed its way onto the hot search list, and feeds overflowed with fans’ ecstatic shrieks.
【It’s really Teacher Ji!】
【Video’s got Zhou Suye, Xu He, and Yu Bohai too. Teacher Ji out with friends? That sister’s luck is off the charts.】
【Both fandoms ecstatic—spotting Teacher Ji and Teacher Xu together in the same video! Their friendship is everything.】
【Checking in for Yu-Xu Eternity. My ship is sweetly stable today, and shipping these real-life husbands feels amazing!】
【Did no one else notice Teacher Ji chatting nonstop with that super handsome guy? Is he just a random civilian? He totally holds his own sharing the frame with Teacher Ji.】
【Gotta be a civilian. If that face was in showbiz, he’d have blown up ages ago—no way he’d be this untraceable.】
【Drooling over that face.】
The internet never lacked armchair detectives, and besides, Jing Li wasn’t truly obscure—he’d acted in shows before. It didn’t take long for netizens to dig up his background.
【This is wild. There are really people this gorgeous who haven’t blown up?】
【Bad acting? Forgettable face?】
【Not necessarily. Sometimes fame is just luck.】
【Whoa, you’re all seriously analyzing this, but I just wanna know how that cutie became friends with Teacher Ji. I want in too!】
…
That day, for the first time since his debut, Jing Li suddenly crash-landed on the hot search.
