After hanging up the phone, Jing Li felt a flush of heat rising to his cheeks. He drew his knees up, burying his face against them while pressing a palm to his chest. He couldn’t help wanting to shout to the heavens.
This was too foul a play.
~~~
Jing Li hadn’t expected to see Yun Qingzhuo again so soon—and for the man to come looking for him specifically, no less. He’d figured that after leaving Kerry, it would be at least half a year, if not a full year, before they crossed paths again.
“Shall we find somewhere else to talk?”
They were standing outside Zhao Yunjing’s villa right now. He’d just finished his class, and Yun Qingzhuo must have looked up his schedule to time his arrival perfectly.
Yun Qingzhuo knew as well as he did that this wasn’t the place for a proper conversation. “Sure.”
Though Yun Qingzhuo’s popularity couldn’t compare to Ji Yunzhang’s, he still had a solid fanbase—mostly young people. Picking just any spot at random would make it far too easy for someone to recognize him.
In the end, they settled on a highly private teahouse.
Once the door to their private room clicked shut, Jing Li and Yun Qingzhuo sat facing each other. Only then did Yun Qingzhuo finally remove his sunglasses, revealing a pair of eyes shadowed with exhaustion that no amount of makeup could hide.
“Did Ji Yunzhang tell you I got dropped from The Banquet?” Yun Qingzhuo curled his lip, staring straight at Jing Li. “Bet that felt pretty damn good, huh?”
Jing Li met his gaze honestly. “A little, yeah.”
“Is Ji Yunzhang’s bed easy to climb into?” Yun Qingzhuo’s tone turned biting, a mocking smile playing on his lips. “Weren’t you the one who said you absolutely refused to play the casting couch game? Where’d all that pride of yours go?”
Jing Li thought to himself that he wasn’t really all that proud—he just had high standards. The guy couldn’t be short and scrawny on first sight, couldn’t be ugly, couldn’t be sleazy, couldn’t be married, couldn’t have a shitty personality. He had to be polite, gentlemanly, faithful, and know how to respect people.
But people who met those criteria were usually stand-up types themselves. They didn’t go around trying to sleep their way into advantages or groping others like animals.
As for whether Ji Yunzhang’s bed was easy to climb into… well, he hadn’t tried. But he figured it wasn’t, or else Ji Yunzhang wouldn’t have zero scandals after all these years.
None of that was worth sharing with Yun Qingzhuo, though.
“If that’s all you came to say, then there’s nothing to talk about.” Jing Li made to stand.
“I’m jealous of you.”
Jing Li paused mid-step.
“You’re good-looking, you’ve got a ton of talents, and you’re a natural when it comes to acting. If Mu Ge hadn’t been poached, you’d probably be on my level at Kerry by now—neck and neck.”
Yun Qingzhuo gripped his teacup, staring down at his own fingers. “Jian Mi likes you too. He only turned to me after you turned him down. He said my eyes look a bit like yours when I lower them.”
Jing Li: “…”
He turned back, fixing his gaze on Yun Qingzhuo and studying him for a long moment before saying, “They don’t look anything alike. I’m better-looking than you.”
Yun Qingzhuo: “…”
How was this guy so infuriating? He was going to die of sheer aggravation!
Jing Li sat back down and poured himself a cup of tea, offering his candid assessment. “Jian Mi’s got bad eyesight. Tell him to get it checked by an ophthalmologist ASAP.”
“Also.” He glanced up at Yun Qingzhuo. “Why are you telling me all this? Trying to play the pity card? Newsflash: I’m not some saint. You deliberately stole my resources before—you know how important those were to me? That was money!”
Yun Qingzhuo blinked, stunned for a beat, then couldn’t help muttering, “Director Li’s film, and all you’re worried about is the money? How tacky can you get?”
Jing Li shot him a look. “Easy for you to act all high and mighty—you’ve got enough cash stacked up. I’m broke, so yeah, I’m worried about money.”
Yun Qingzhuo was left momentarily speechless.
A long moment passed before he said, “That day in Kerry’s parking lot, when I wished you a bright future? I meant it. You were a huge threat to me at Kerry. It’s not a big company—resources are limited. If you blew up, I wouldn’t be able to compete.”
Jing Li made a small sound of acknowledgment. “And?”
“I’m sorry,” Yun Qingzhuo said, taking a deep breath. “I apologize.”
“Oh. And then?”
Yun Qingzhuo looked at him. “That’s it.”
Jing Li was a bit surprised. “You just came here to apologize?”
“Yeah.” Yun Qingzhuo stood and headed for the door, pausing to glance back. “Ji Yunzhang said begging him wouldn’t do any good. The person I wronged was you, so I should apologize to you.”
“Your apology doesn’t seem all that sincere.” Otherwise, he wouldn’t have started off with all those snide digs.
Yun Qingzhuo owned up to it. “Yeah, I had to swallow my pride.”
Jing Li arched a brow. “You’re surprisingly upfront about it.”
Yun Qingzhuo rolled his eyes. “Because I couldn’t hold it in at first.”
Jing Li said sincerely, “Your real personality is way more interesting than the image you put out there.”
Yun Qingzhuo let out a dry chuckle, slipped his sunglasses back on, and left without another word. Jing Li lingered a bit longer, finishing two cups of tea before heading out himself.
Once he was in the car, Le Xiaoxiao stared at him curiously, his face practically screaming “I want the gossip.”
Jing Li found it a little funny and didn’t hold back. “Yun Qingzhuo came to apologize.”
Le Xiaoxiao froze for a couple of seconds before his eyes flew wide in disbelief. “Holy shit.”
Jing Li buckled his seatbelt and slouched comfortably into the seat. “Teacher Ji told him to come.”
Le Xiaoxiao wasn’t all that surprised by it. After all, Yun Qingzhuo wouldn’t show up to apologize unless he had no other choice. He fell silent for a moment, then said, “Ji Yunzhang’s good to you.”
Jing Li smiled. “Yeah, Teacher Ji’s a good guy.”
Le Xiaoxiao shot him a look, tempted to warn him not to get any ideas, but he thought better of it and held his tongue.
Personally speaking, Le Xiaoxiao rather hoped Jing Li and Ji Yunzhang would fall for each other over time and make it official. After all, a divorce two years down the line would kick up a massive storm, and that wouldn’t be ideal for anyone.
On top of that, Ji Yunzhang was flawless—looks, personality, family background—and Jing Li was exceptional in his own right. Together, they were a match made in heaven.
What a ship!
Le Xiaoxiao quietly shipped them for a bit before clearing his throat. “Teacher Ji lands at five tomorrow afternoon, right?”
“Yeah.” Jing Li gave him a puzzled look. “Why do you ask?”
The more Le Xiaoxiao mulled it over, the more perfect they seemed. Eager to play matchmaker, he pressed, “You gonna pick him up? If so, I can swing by at three to get you. We’ll hit the airport right on time.”
Propping his chin on his hand, Jing Li shot back, “What would I even do there picking him up?”
Le Xiaoxiao: “…”
Seeing his friend tied up in knots, Jing Li laughed and shrugged. “So, yeah. Why bother?”
~~~
In the end, Jing Li went anyway—it was Ji Yunzhang’s arrangement.
Their marriage registration was fast approaching, and it was time to start leaking hints, giving the fans a chance to adjust mentally. That way, when the official announcement dropped, if they couldn’t handle it, they wouldn’t turn Jing Li into their emotional punching bag, dumping all their fury on him—or worse, lash out in some extreme way under the heat of anger.
Jing Li pulled up to the airport at 4:55. The flight hadn’t landed yet, but a crowd of fans had already gathered at the arrivals gate, support signs emblazoned with Ji Yunzhang’s name. Ji Fans, clearly.
They were there to greet him, but they weren’t causing any chaos or bothering other travelers. A few of the big-name fans had things well in hand—everyone lined up neatly, no shoving, no shouting.
Jing Li swung by the gate, then headed back. Too conspicuous down there. Better to wait for Ji Yunzhang, then step out.
The plane touched down right on schedule, no delays. Jing Li hadn’t been waiting in the car long when he spotted Ji Yunzhang approaching, shielded by bodyguards and trailed by a cluster of people.
He climbed out, planted himself by the car, raised a hand, and waved at Ji Yunzhang from a distance, flashing a smile.
Ji Yunzhang caught sight of him, and the corners of his mouth lifted. He smiled back.
Jing Li’s sudden appearance left a number of fans stunned. The girl nearest Ji Yunzhang even caught the way his smile bloomed the instant he saw Jing Li.
She stood there, rooted to the spot, and suddenly remembered that wildly outlandish theory floating around online not long ago. A knot of unease twisted in her gut.
Once they were in the car, Jing Li let out a long breath.
Ji Yunzhang chuckled softly. “Something wrong?”
“First time facing your fans up close. Kind of weird.” Jing Li leaned back, relaxing, and tilted his head with a grin. “A few of them definitely aren’t fans of mine.”
Their expressions had said it all.
The amusement faded from Ji Yunzhang’s face, replaced by a touch of regret. “Sorry.”
“No apologies necessary. I came prepared.” Jing Li winked at him, all bright smiles and easy optimism as he joked, “I’m about to steal away their favorite idol, after all. A bit of hate comes with the territory.”
Ji Yunzhang shook his head, his gaze steady on him. “I’ll do everything I can to keep the damage to you to a minimum.”
The sincerity in Ji Yunzhang’s voice wiped the grin from Jing Li’s face. He met the other man’s eyes, his own crinkling in a breathtaking smile. “I know. And I trust you.”
