Chapter 42
Wei Yuan’s heart pounded as he looked at the man standing a few meters away.
Although only a few days had passed, it felt like an eternity.
He couldn’t bear to look away.
Lu Dingyun was still as handsome as ever, but Wei Yuan noticed he had lost weight and that there was a hint of sadness in his eyes.
He must miss the kitten terribly.
Wei Yuan clenched his fists, resisting the urge to rush into his arms.
Suddenly, he was enveloped in a tight hug.
“Wuwuwu, Yuan Er, is it really you?!” Fan Tian cried, hugging him tightly, then pulling back slightly to scrutinize him. “Wuwuwu, I’m not dreaming, am I? Or am I hallucinating from all the alcohol?”
Wei Yuan, startled, remembered he was human again.
And he and Lu Dingyun were still practically strangers. He couldn’t act too familiar.
So, he looked at his sobbing friend, feeling both touched and amused.
He flicked Fan Tian’s forehead. “Does that hurt?”
“Y-yes, a little,” Fan Tian said, dazed.
Then he realized. “I’m not dreaming!”
He wiped his tears, circled Wei Yuan, then punched his shoulder lightly. “You didn’t even tell me you were awake, how could you?”
“I wanted to surprise you,” Wei Yuan chuckled, his eyes sparkling, his face breathtakingly beautiful.
Fan Tian clutched his chest, taking a few steps back. “Wow, I haven’t seen you smile like that in a while. It’s a bit overwhelming.”
Not only was he overwhelmed, but everyone else present was also stunned.
They only snapped out of their daze when Wei Yuan gestured towards the speedboat, asking them to help unload the supplies he had brought.
It was Wei Yuan, it was really him!
The man whose mere existence could generate trending topics, even while in a coma!
The island had abundant seafood, but eating only seafood for a week would be unbearable.
Yesterday, at the beginning of the show, the director had told them they would have to find their own fresh produce.
And today, Wei Yuan had arrived with a speedboat full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and various meats, solving their problem.
But everyone was too excited to care about the supplies, crowding around Wei Yuan.
The news of his recovery had been kept secret, so his sudden appearance was a complete surprise.
The comments in the livestream, which had been mostly silent, now exploded.
All the livestream channels were flooded with “Ahhh,” “Wei Yuan,” and “Young Master.”
Wei Yuan’s fans were ecstatic, screaming, laughing, and crying.
They had waited so long, almost giving up hope.
And now, he was back.
[Wuwuwu, is that really Young Master? Someone tell me I’m not dreaming.]
[Young Master, wuwuwu! He emerged from the darkness of the sea, I’m saved, wuwuwu!]
[Such a dramatic entrance, it has to be Young Master, haha, wuwuwu, I’m laughing and crying, my mom thinks I’ve gone crazy, haha!]
The internet was in a frenzy, the viewership of all the livestream channels skyrocketing.
Even popular channels like Lu Dingyun’s and Qi Lesheng’s experienced lag.
Weibo, which hadn’t crashed in a while, crashed three times.
Wei Yuan, surrounded by the cast and crew, patiently answered their questions for a few minutes.
His usual impatience was gone, and he had even learned to make polite small talk, perhaps influenced by Lu Dingyun.
But his patience was limited.
After a few minutes, feeling slightly annoyed, he instinctively looked past the crowd, towards Lu Dingyun.
Lu Dingyun was still standing in the same spot, not joining the commotion, seemingly oblivious to everything, gazing at the moon.
Wei Yuan: “…”
Was the moon more interesting than him?
He had even dressed up specially, hoping to impress Lu Dingyun.
Lu was going to pay for this!
Wei Yuan strode towards Lu Dingyun.
The crowd around him instinctively parted, creating a path, their eyes following him.
They suddenly remembered the recent rumors about these two.
The millions of viewers also realized.
Right, they had both come out.
The wind ruffled Lu Dingyun’s shirt and hair.
Sensing someone approaching, he turned his head.
The beautiful young man’s slightly long hair framed his face, the wind tugging at his loose shirt collar, revealing glimpses of his collarbone.
Wei Yuan stopped two meters away.
There was a slight height difference between them, their physiques also different, their skin tones contrasting, one healthy, the other almost translucent.
The two undisputed visuals of the entertainment industry, both wearing similar black and white shirts, their auras completely different.
This wasn’t the first time they had stood together, but previously, there had been an undeniable tension between them.
But now, there seemed to be an invisible force field around them, separating them from everyone else.
The onlookers held their breath, afraid to move, as if fearing to break the spell.
The viewers also felt a surge of excitement.
Wei Yuan looked at Lu Dingyun, his expression as haughty as ever, but his toes curled nervously.
Help!
What was he doing?!
With so many people watching, why had he come here?!
Should he say something? What should he say? “Long time no see”?
They weren’t close enough to just start a conversation!
And with so many cameras on them, they were still rivals, at least publicly. Approaching Lu Dingyun like this made him seem too eager. What if Lu Dingyun ignored him? Wouldn’t he lose face?
And what was with Lu Dingyun’s strange gaze? It made him feel incredibly self-conscious.
One second, two seconds…
Say something, Lu Dingyun!
Just as Wei Yuan’s neck was starting to ache from the tension, Lu Dingyun finally spoke. “You’re awake.”
Wei Yuan’s tense muscles relaxed.
His persona! He couldn’t forget he was human now! A top star with millions of fans!
So, he didn’t act too enthusiastic, simply nodding casually. “Mm, I’m awake.”
Silence.
The world seemed to fall silent after his reply.
Wei Yuan: “…”
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
Being human was hard!
Even the usually oblivious Fan Tian cringed at the awkward atmosphere.
No, he had to save them.
“Oh, what’s this?” Fan Tian suddenly picked up a few sparklers, running over to Wei Yuan and grabbing his arm. “Yuan Er, let’s go set off some fireworks!”
What a bro!
Wei Yuan was almost moved to tears, ready to follow him.
But his hand, acting on instinct, grabbed Lu Dingyun’s as he turned.
He froze, slowly turning his head.
He looked at their intertwined hands, then slowly looked up, meeting Lu Dingyun’s thoughtful gaze.
Damn it!
Wei Yuan quickly let go, taking a few steps back.
His already confused mind short-circuited.
Lu Dingyun, also seemingly lost in thought, looked at Wei Yuan’s face, then down at his own hand.
Their strange atmosphere and interaction were hard to ignore, and the cameras followed them relentlessly.
Fan Tian quietly retreated.
He had done his best.
Wei Yuan’s throat tightened as he saw Lu Dingyun approach, his body tensing.
Lu Dingyun stopped before him, then asked hesitantly, “Are we… together?”
Wei Yuan: “…”
Could they please move past this joke?!
Lu Dingyun’s unexpected question, however, dispelled some of Wei Yuan’s embarrassment. He glared at the man, asking awkwardly, “Do you want to play with fireworks?”
Lu Dingyun paused, then, before Wei Yuan could get angry, said, “Okay.”
“Then go get the things. I bought some fireworks and sparklers. They’re on the speedboat,” Wei Yuan instructed him matter-of-factly.
Lu Dingyun glanced at him, then turned and walked towards the speedboat.
The onlookers exchanged puzzled glances, then someone said, “Let’s help,” and they all started unloading the supplies from the speedboat.
Young Master Wei, asserting his privilege, and still recovering from his illness, didn’t help, instead lighting two sparklers and playing with them, squatting on the sand.
Lu Dingyun was strong enough to carry everything, so he wouldn’t lift a finger.
Lu Dingyun, after unloading the last box of beer, straightened up, rolling up his sleeves, and instinctively looked for Wei Yuan.
The young man wasn’t short or particularly thin, but squatting on the beach, he looked surprisingly small.
His spine was visible beneath his shirt, his waist incredibly slender, and although there was no logical reason, Lu Dingyun was reminded of his Xiao Yuan.
The kitten also often squatted like that, a small, round figure, retaliating with a kitty punch whenever its head was patted.
Wei Yuan, holding a sparkler in one hand, was digging for seashells with the other when someone patted the back of his head.
He frowned, turning around and swatting at the person with his sandy hand.
His wrist was caught, and he looked up angrily.
Lu Dingyun, as expected!
Why did this man like patting his head so much?!
He was about to scold him when he suddenly froze.
Wait, he wasn’t a kitten anymore!
His anger instantly turned into embarrassment, and he cautiously studied Lu Dingyun’s expression.
But Lu Dingyun was bent over, his face hidden in the shadows, making it difficult to see.
The sparkler sputtered, sending out a shower of sparks.
Lu Dingyun slowly lowered himself until he was half-kneeling before Wei Yuan, his right knee touching the cold, wet sand.
Wei Yuan finally saw his expression.
He looked calm.
His gaze was soft and focused, his deep eyes reflecting the flickering light of the sparkler and Wei Yuan’s face.
Wei Yuan’s heart pounded, and he bit his lip.
Lu Dingyun suddenly smiled, his gaze fixed on him.
“You—” Wei Yuan couldn’t meet his eyes.
“Do you want some grilled fish?” Lu Dingyun interrupted him, his voice soft and gentle.
Wei Yuan blinked.
Lu Dingyun’s voice was almost hypnotic. “I make very good grilled fish.”
Wei Yuan’s throat tightened, and he stammered, “Y-you’re going to grill fish for me?”
“Mm,” Lu Dingyun’s eyes shone. “I…”
Before he could finish, the director called them over. It seemed a new task was about to be announced.
Wei Yuan, as if waking from a dream, quickly pulled his hand away from Lu Dingyun’s and stood up. “The director is calling us, let’s go.”
He hurried away without looking back.
Lu Dingyun stood up, watching the young man flee, silently finishing his sentence in his mind.
I…
My cat also loves grilled fish.
The way they both automatically glance at each other when anything happens ☺️