Chapter 48

The next day, the program team made a rare early call, rousing everyone to watch the sunrise.

The eastern sky had just begun to lighten when they were all pulled from sleep. Jing Li sat up in a daze, but exhaustion dragged him back down as he clutched the blanket, determined to keep sleeping—until Ji Yunzhang fished him out again.

“Be good. You can sleep when we get back.”

That low, resonant voice murmured right by his ear. Even in his half-awake haze, Jing Li found it irresistibly soothing, a pleasant tingle racing through his chest like a mild electric shock.

He finally pried his eyes open.

The room’s main lights were off, leaving only the bedside lamp’s soft, warm glow—gentle enough not to jar someone freshly awakened. Jing Li sat up, his soft hair a tousled mess from sleep, hugging the blanket like a docile child. Ji Yunzhang ruffled his head. “Feeling more awake?”

Jing Li scrunched up his face. Waking at the peak of drowsiness was sheer torment. In a soft, petulant tone that bordered on coquettish, he murmured, “My head hurts. I’m still not awake.”

Ji Yunzhang chuckled. “Here, let me rub it for you.”

He pressed the index fingers of both hands to Jing Li’s temples, massaging with gentle, practiced motions until the tension eased and comfort set in. Only then did he stop. “Can you get up now?”

Jing Li nodded, threw back the covers, and slid out of bed.

After washing up and changing clothes, his energy finally returned. He stepped out of the room alongside Ji Yunzhang.

They were all bunked in the same villa this time. Down on the first floor, Lang Yan and Yu Miyue were already there, along with Zhou Shi and Chen Xiaohan, and Yang Yi and Zhou Yan. Lang Yan was brewing coffee and glanced up as they descended. “Want some?”

“Teacher Ji and I would, thanks.”

Lang Yan waved it off. “No worries.”

Zhou Yan looked every bit as bleary-eyed as Jing Li felt, slouched against Yang Yi’s shoulder. He managed a weak greeting to Jing Li, while Yang Yi fed him bites of bread.

Chen Xiaohan sidled up to Yu Miyue, chatting animatedly, while Zhou Shi cradled his phone, gaming furiously to shake off the sleep.

Moments later, Shen Ru and Yu Jiayuan joined them.

With dawn just breaking, the group headed out together.

The villa sat mere steps from the beach, just across one road, and they arrived in no time.

Chen Xiaohan had never seen a seaside sunrise and brimmed with excitement. She turned to Yu Jiayuan and Jing Li. “You two grew up in coastal cities. Is the sunrise over the ocean pretty?”

Jing Li stuffed his hands in his pockets, eyes fixed on the distant horizon. “Never seen it.”

Yu Jiayuan, who’d truly spent his childhood frolicking by the waves, assured her, “Gorgeous. The instant the sun breaches the waterline, sea and sky blending seamlessly—it’s breathtaking.”

Chen Xiaohan’s eyes sparkled. “Now I’m even more pumped!”

The morning air carried a chill, sharpened by the sea breeze. Jing Li tugged his jacket tighter. Ji Yunzhang’s voice came softly. “Cold?”

“A little.”

No sooner had he spoken than a jacket, still warm from body heat, settled over his shoulders. Jing Li caught the faint, woody scent of incense clinging to the fabric.

He glanced back. Ji Yunzhang, now down to a patterned shirt—casual cut, top two buttons undone—had traded some of his polished maturity for a roguish edge that made him seem younger, more vibrant.

“Won’t you get cold?” Jing Li asked, concerned.

Ji Yunzhang’s lips curved. He met Jing Li’s gaze. “A bit. Scoot closer?”

Jing Li froze, but Ji Yunzhang laughed, flicking his forehead with a light, affectionate touch. “Kidding. I’m fine. Button up.”

Jing Li studied him, then reached out to clasp his hand, checking its warmth—nice and toasty, no lie. Even so, his body betrayed him, leaning instinctively toward Ji Yunzhang until they pressed close.

Ji Yunzhang glanced sidelong, his eyes lingering on Jing Li’s face for several seconds. Then he lifted an arm, curving it around Jing Li’s shoulders to draw him half into his embrace.

“Warmer this way,” he murmured, laughter rumbling low. Jing Li felt the subtle vibration in his chest.

A flush crept into Jing Li’s cheeks, embarrassment prickling, but a quick glance around showed everyone else huddled together for warmth too. They weren’t the odd ones out.

Reassured, he settled in comfortably, fighting the upward twitch of his lips.

Waves whispered against the sand, a few seagulls skimming low over the water now and then. Rosy hues bloomed along the horizon. Suddenly, Chen Xiaohan cried out, “There it is!”

An orange glow unfurled across the sky and sea, and in the next heartbeat, the sun vaulted free of the waves. Clouds parted in a rush, bathing the world in light.

Rays poured from the heavens, gilding clouds and waves alike—and illuminating the early risers who’d come for this very moment.

The young sun held no glare, only a tender warmth that cradled the world in its glow.

Jing Li blinked, snapping back to reality. Awe swelled in his chest at the sight, and his first impulse was to share it with Ji Yunzhang.

He turned his head, only to unexpectedly lock eyes with Ji Yunzhang. The man had been watching him the whole time.

They were so close that Jing Li could see his own reflection as the sole figure in Ji Yunzhang’s pupils, with nothing and no one else.

The next second, Ji Yunzhang smiled. The warmth of it rippled through his gaze, catching the morning light in a way that was gentle and utterly beautiful.

The words Jing Li had been about to say vanished from his mind. He stared at Ji Yunzhang in a daze, catching the tender affection swirling in those eyes. A sudden thought bloomed in his heart.

—Had Ji Yunzhang fallen for him too?

He parted his lips to ask, but Chen Xiaohan’s gasp of wonder yanked him back to reality. He remembered they were still on camera, with an audience watching their every move.

This wasn’t the time.

Jing Li tamped down his swirling emotions, broke eye contact with a smile, slipped out of Ji Yunzhang’s arms, and turned to chime in with Chen Xiaohan.

“It’s really stunning.”

Chen Xiaohan clutched Zhou Shi’s hand in excitement. Hearing his agreement, she turned to him and bobbed her head enthusiastically. “Yeah! Yeah! Isn’t it?”

Everyone had risen brutally early for that spectacular sunrise. Once back at the villa, exhaustion hit hard, and they all retreated to their rooms for a quick nap.

By the time they stirred again, it was nearly half past nine.

Jing Li didn’t spot Ji Yunzhang when he woke up. Downstairs yielded no sign of him either. Zhou Shi, mug in hand, noticed him pacing and spoke up. “Looking for Teacher Ji?”

“Has Teacher Zhou seen him?”

“Nope, I just got up myself,” Zhou Shi replied. “He must’ve headed out. Give him a call?”

Jing Li nodded and trotted upstairs for his phone. He dialed, and Ji Yunzhang answered promptly. “Awake?”

“Yeah, just got up.” Jing Li’s voice lilting playfully, he added, “Where are you?”

“In the village we shopped at yesterday. Want to come?”

“Definitely.”

After hanging up and receiving Ji Yunzhang’s location pin, Jing Li headed downstairs.

The village was close enough for a twenty-minute walk. Driving felt like overkill, especially with parking woes. Jing Li borrowed an electric scooter from the program team, strapped on a helmet, and rode off.

A brief stretch of coastal highway later, he veered onto a side road into the village.

The crash of waves faded, giving way to lively chatter all around.

Life moved at a leisurely pace here among the villagers, as if time itself had slowed to match the relaxed vibe.

A young girl munching ice cream outside a corner store spotted Jing Li and called out. He turned, and she waved vigorously, pointing ahead. “Teacher Ji’s at the square up front!” Then, louder still: “You and Teacher Ji be happy together!”

Jing Li flashed a brilliant grin. “We will. Thanks!”

A few more minutes of riding brought the thumping rhythm of square dance music into earshot.

He rounded the corner, and there at the road’s end sprawled a massive square. Right in the center, a lively troupe of aunties and grannies danced away. Folks clustered in small groups nearby—some locked in chess matches, others deep in conversation, while children dashed about in playful pursuit.

Ji Yunzhang stood out like a beacon amid the crowd. Jing Li’s eyes found him instantly.

He sat in a pavilion off to the side, encircled by a gaggle of elderly gentlemen, locked in a chess game with one of them.

Jing Li parked the scooter and approached the pavilion.

Ji Yunzhang’s assistant Lin Li and the trailing VJ noticed him first. Jing Li pressed a finger to his lips in a silent “shh,” crept up behind Ji Yunzhang, and watched the game without a word.

It was Chinese chess, and Ji Yunzhang held a clear advantage. Most pieces remained in play, with checkmate just a few moves away. The old man scowled in concentration, desperately seeking an escape, while the peanut gallery of onlookers piped up with conflicting advice.

“Go with my idea—move the horse!”

“No, advance the soldier. That cannon can back it up.”

“Rubbish, his cannon’s pinned.”

The barrage irritated the old man; he shot them dirty looks. Jing Li sized up the board, rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and tossed in his two cents. “Grandpa, move your elephant. He’ll bring out the chariot next, and you’ll be stuck between a rock and a hard place.”

His voice drew Ji Yunzhang’s head up at once. Jing Li raised a hand and wiggled his fingers in a cheeky beckoning wave, smirking with exaggerated smugness. “Right, Teacher Ji?”

“Spot on.” Ji Yunzhang’s mouth quirked into a smile as he conceded.

Jing Li jutted his chin out triumphantly and threw up a V-sign.

Ji Yunzhang nodded at the board. “Let me wrap this up. Hang on a sec.”

“Sure thing,” Jing Li said brightly. He sidled over to a cluster of tea-sipping old-timers, sweet-talked a cup off them, plopped down, and settled in to hear their tales of family life.

Ji Yunzhang finished his chess game with the old man. He spotted Jing Li perched on a little stool, propping his cheeks in his hands as he listened to the villagers’ gossip with rapt attention, his expressions vivid and animated. Ji Yunzhang couldn’t help but smile.

“Jing Li,” he called.

Jing Li reluctantly pulled himself away from the gossip—drama juicier than any prime-time soap opera. He thanked the old fellow who’d given him tea, then hopped up and dashed over to Ji Yunzhang’s side.

“Why’d you come all the way over here?” he asked.

“I was just taking a stroll and chatting with some villagers about Yu Feng.” Ji Yunzhang paused in his explanation. “Yu Feng is the character I’m playing in my next film. He’s a guy who grew up right here in H Province.”

“Field research?” Jing Li said.

“You could call it that.”

Jing Li hummed in acknowledgment, then asked, “Why didn’t you wake me up so we could come together?”

Ji Yunzhang shot him a glance, amusement threading through his voice. “You were sleeping like a log, clutching the blanket tight. The second I tried to nudge you, you buried your head under the covers and tried to wrap yourself up like a little silkworm.”

“…”

What nonsense—that definitely wasn’t him!

Jing Li cleared his throat lightly, his gaze drifting off to the nearby flower bed as he steered the conversation elsewhere. “Where to next?”

“Let’s wander around a bit more.”

Jing Li remembered his electric scooter. “Want me to give you a ride?”

Ji Yunzhang, unaware that Jing Li had arrived by scooter, looked puzzled. “Huh?”

Jing Li puffed out his chest with a cheeky grin. “Teacher Ji, let me take you for a spin on my little e-scooter.”

…

Jing Li kept the speed leisurely, the sea breeze wafting gently and refreshingly over them. They toured the whole village like casual sightseers and made it back to the villa just before noon.

After returning the scooter to the Program Team, Jing Li scampered a few steps ahead of Ji Yunzhang. He spun around to face him, walking backward with laughter bubbling in his voice. “Teacher Ji, how was it?”

Ji Yunzhang had ridden electric bikes plenty of times while shooting films, but this was his first time in the passenger seat. It wasn’t exactly a thrilling novelty.

What made it special was the beaming happiness on the face of the guy giving him the ride.

Jing Li’s joy was contagious, lifting Ji Yunzhang’s spirits too.

“Not bad at all.”

He tugged Jing Li’s wrist, giving him a gentle reminder. “Walk properly—it’s dangerous like that.”

Jing Li wasn’t the least bit concerned. The words slipped out naturally. “No worries—you’re right here.”

It was pure, unreserved trust. Something light as a feather brushed across Ji Yunzhang’s heart. He smiled, tightening his grip on Jing Li’s hand until their fingers laced together, affection shimmering in his eyes.