Chapter 30

After finishing his shower, Jing Li realized he’d rushed in too quickly and forgotten to bring any clothes. He wasn’t in the habit of wearing a bathrobe, leaving him with just a towel wrapped around his waist.

It would be awkward to go out like that.

He cracked the bathroom door open and poked his head out. “Teacher Ji, could you help me out?”

Ji Yunzhang looked up at the sound. With most of Jing Li’s body still hidden behind the door, he could already guess what had happened.

“In the wardrobe?”

“Yeah, the white set.”

Ji Yunzhang rose, pulled Jing Li’s pajamas from the wardrobe, grabbed a pair of underwear, and handed them over.

The underwear sat on top. Jing Li’s cheeks warmed as he snatched the clothes. “I’ll be quick.”

The door snapped shut.

One minute later, it opened again. Jing Li’s face was bright red.

Meeting Ji Yunzhang’s gaze, his mouth moved faster than his brain. “It’s just the steam.” As soon as the words left him, he realized how suspicious that sounded, and his face burned even hotter.

His eyes darted aside. In silence, he slipped behind Ji Yunzhang, placed his hands on the man’s shoulders, and nudged him toward the bathroom. “All right, Teacher Ji. Your turn. It’s late.”

Ji Yunzhang allowed himself to be steered to the bathroom door before halting. He glanced back, amusement brimming in his eyes. “I haven’t grabbed my clothes yet. You bringing them in for me?”

Jing Li: “…”

He had no face left to show.

Stiff-faced, he spun on his heel, marched to the bed, kicked off his shoes, clambered on, and burrowed into the covers like a silkworm in its cocoon. “I’m going to sleep. Good night, Teacher Ji.”

Once more disarmed by the sheer cuteness, Ji Yunzhang let out a soft chuckle. He returned to the bedside, gently unearthed Jing Li’s head from the blankets, and checked his hair roots to confirm they were dry. Satisfied, he switched off the main light, leaving only the bedside lamp glowing.

“Good night.” His gaze was tender, his voice as soft as a summer breeze.

Jing Li lay on his side, half his face sinking into the plush pillow. The moment Ji Yunzhang gathered his clothes and headed for the shower, he sat up clutching the covers and pressed a hand to his chest.

His heart was pounding.

Faster than before.

He squeezed his eyes shut and flopped back onto the bed. A few seconds later, he couldn’t help it—he rolled side to side, still tangled in the blankets. Ji Yunzhang was too much!

Ugh, he was really starting to fall for him!

~~~

Jing Li had wondered if he’d lie awake once Ji Yunzhang finished showering and climbed into bed.

After all, he’d never shared a bed with anyone before.

But the mattress was so soft, the warm lighting so inviting, he trusted Ji Yunzhang completely—and he’d been burning the candle at both ends on set lately, leaving him exhausted. Before long, his eyelids grew heavy, drooping until they sealed shut.

Without realizing it, he drifted off.

Ji Yunzhang emerged from the shower on quiet feet and approached the bed. Beneath the bedside lamp’s glow, he gazed down at Jing Li’s sleeping face.

Jing Li slumbered peacefully, one hand fisted in the covers, his breaths light and even.

His features were relaxed, long thick lashes casting faint shadows beneath his eyes, the corners of his mouth curved up in what looked like a sweet dream.

Ji Yunzhang watched in stillness for a long while, his smile deepening into his eyes, his expression softening immeasurably. With careful movements, he lifted the covers and slipped into bed beside him.

He slept soundly through the night.

When Jing Li woke, Ji Yunzhang was already up, a cup of coffee in hand as he leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the view. Hearing the rustle, he turned. “Awake?”

Then: “Sleep well?”

Jing Li was still groggy, not fully roused. He sat there for a few minutes before shaking off the haze.

Sliding from the bed, his voice came out husky from sleep, softened further by a hint of his southern accent. “Morning, Teacher Ji.” He added, “Slept great.”

“And you?” he shot back.

“Very well,” Ji Yunzhang said with a smile. “You sleep like an angel. Barely moved all night—no blanket-stealing, no kicking.”

It took Jing Li a beat to process, staring blankly before remembering those were his own words from the night before.

He let out a relieved breath.

“Coffee?” Ji Yunzhang offered.

Jing Li nodded. “Sure.”

“Thanks, Teacher Ji.” Scooping up the clothes he planned to wear that day, he headed to the bathroom to freshen up.

Brushing his teeth in front of the mirror, Jing Li pondered. Last night had gone off without a hitch? Sharing a bed wasn’t so bad after all. He hadn’t lain awake—he’d adapted just fine.

Ji Yunzhang seemed plenty rested too. Clearly used to it.

Freshened up and dressed, Jing Li emerged. Ji Yunzhang nodded toward the coffee on the table. “Sugar and milk are right there if you want them.”

Jing Li didn’t add any. He wrinkled his face and downed a cup of black coffee in one go, his expression as if he’d swallowed the bitterest medicine. Then he hurriedly poured himself a glass of water and gulped it down.

Ji Yunzhang watched him with a mix of amusement and helplessness. “If you don’t like it, why not add sugar and milk?”

“I need to reduce the swelling,” Jing Li said in distress. “Stayed up too late—my eyes are all puffy. Coffee’s the only thing that works, or Director Ding will chew me out.”

Ji Yunzhang raised an eyebrow. “He chewed you out?”

Jing Li tattled, “He did.”

Ji Yunzhang joked, “Want me to chew him out for you?”

Jing Li nodded right along with the joke, then grinned, tapping his chin with his index finger, his tone light and cheerful. “Turns out tattling really does feel pretty good.”

Ji Yunzhang smiled faintly.

“But he didn’t chew me out yesterday,” he added with a squinty-eyed grin at Ji Yunzhang. “That’s all thanks to you.”

Last night, in their scenes together, Jing Li had basically been carried by Ji Yunzhang. Before he knew it, he’d nailed every take perfectly.

Ji Yunzhang shook his head. “You’ve improved.”

His ears perked up, and Jing Li dashed right over, tilting his face up to meet Ji Yunzhang’s gaze. His eyes caught the sunlight streaming in from the window, clear and bright. “Really?”

Ji Yunzhang looked down at him, his voice warm. “Really.”

Jing Li’s face lit up with a huge grin. “Then I’ll take your word for it.”

“You were really good yesterday.”

“Teacher Ji, I’ll get carried away,” Jing Li said, cupping his cheeks. His words were humble, but his sparkling eyes plainly begged for more praise.

Sunlight poured in from the window, bathing Ji Yunzhang in a golden halo that softened his features. “You won’t get carried away. I’ll keep you grounded.”

“You’re really excellent.”

~~~

They arrived on set, where Xiao Ya and the male lead were already shooting. Director Ding had pulled an all-nighter until past three and was still catching up on sleep, so the assistant director was running things.

Jing Li politely greeted the crew, then headed into the makeup room with Ji Yunzhang.

While getting his hair styled, he flipped through the script. When he reached the kissing scene with Ji Yunzhang scheduled for that afternoon, he unconsciously licked his lips. He caught the motion in the mirror and immediately felt guilty.

It was like he was actually looking forward to it.

He shook his head, trying to clear out those silly thoughts—but forgot he was mid-styling. The makeup artist reminded him, “Don’t move.”

“Sorry,” he apologized at once.

The makeup artist was a young woman, caught off guard by his earnest apology.

She smiled. “It’s fine.”

After that, Jing Li set the script aside, but his mind kept drifting back to the kiss.

This was actually the only intimate scene between Nan Xing and Chu Huian.

Chu Huian liked Nan Xing but had never laid a hand on him amid the pleasures of the quarter. Their time together was always restrained—just chess, music, reading, and stories.

He didn’t just want Nan Xing’s body. He wanted a proper marriage, to bring him home in grand style.

But just as Chu Huian scraped together the money to redeem him and confessed his love and intentions, a massive fire reduced him and the entire Chu Mansion to ashes.

—The Imperial Examination Cheating Case. He’d dug too deep.

Nan Xing never got his rescue, never made it to Jiangnan, the vast deserts, or the open seas with Chu Huian.

The thought of their tragic end in this life suddenly left Jing Li feeling down. He sighed, his mind drifting far from the kiss.

Once his styling was done, he thanked the makeup artist.

With no scenes for him that morning, he clutched a hot water bottle, dragged over a little stool, and parked himself up front to watch Ji Yunzhang run lines with the others.

He’d collected every one of Ji Yunzhang’s films and shows on Blu-ray and binged them all—but he’d never seen him live.

He could hardly wait.

Truth be told, a real film set was a chaotic mess: equipment everywhere, people swarming. Being right there in the thick of it was pretty immersion-breaking.

But great actors had real magic. Their performances made you tune out the clutter and the crowds, drawing you straight into the story, eyes only for them.

Ji Yunzhang was exactly that kind of actor.

He rarely did TV dramas. He’d broken out in movies, and in the decade since, you could count his TV gigs on one hand—mostly from seven or eight years back.

Big-screen acting differed from small-screen work. Movies demanded visuals, camera awareness, atmosphere, with emotions rendered in finer detail to suit the viewing experience.

Actors switching from cinema to TV often struggled with the rhythm, coming off stiff or overdone.

Not Ji Yunzhang.

He adapted seamlessly. Shooting TV now, he nailed the small-screen pace and style. In front of the lens, he was Chu Huian. No one could tell them apart, no immersion lost.

They were now filming the scene where Chu Huian had dug too deeply into the case. His investigation had led straight to the Crown Prince, who had been planting his own people by manipulating the imperial examinations.

The Crown Prince sent an emissary to find Chu Huian. Through hints and subtle pressure, the man urged him to turn a blind eye, drop the matter, and hand over all the evidence they had so far.

But Chu Huian was stubborn. He refused to compromise and insisted on pressing forward.

The argument escalated.

The minister sent as a mediator took one look at Chu Huian’s unyielding stance and decided there was nothing more to say. With a huff, he flung his sleeves and stormed off.

The actor playing the minister was a real pro. Even though he’d been pulled in last-minute through Flying Pages, he nailed every beat, perfectly matching the pace Ji Yunzhang had set.

They got it in one take.

Jing Li watched with wide-eyed fascination, completely absorbed. His mind was filled with thoughts like, “Wow, he’s amazing—not surprising since he’s my idol!” When he overheard someone nearby praising Ji Yunzhang, he couldn’t help puffing out his chest, beaming with pride by association.

Le Xiaoxiao sat beside him and caught the look on his face. Unable to resist, he teased, “They’re not praising you, you know.”

“But I’m Teacher Ji’s partner now.”

Le Xiaoxiao: “…”

He was speechless.

Their voices weren’t loud, but with people standing right nearby, their words were easily overheard. The CP girls immediately stomped their feet in excitement, letting out squeals of “Aah!” at how sweet it was.

Even those not into shipping couldn’t help thinking: What a sweet, soft little darling. Ji Yunzhang sure is lucky.

Ji Yunzhang walked over and immediately drew several envious, jealous stares—no doubt all thanks to Jing Li. He took Jing Li’s hand and led him off to their private resting area. “What were you two chatting about?”

Jing Li had been so confident a moment ago, but now, face-to-face with the man himself, he felt a little shy. His gaze drifted aside as he mumbled softly, “Showing off our love.”

“How exactly?” Ji Yunzhang’s voice was low and pleasing, his question casual.

Jing Li’s ears turned pink.

He thought Ji Yunzhang was being a little wicked.

Putting on a fierce front, Jing Li glared at him. “I’m not telling.”

Ji Yunzhang laughed.

The smile lingered on his lips as he stopped teasing. He poured Jing Li a cup of ginseng tea, then asked his assistant to fetch the script. Flipping it open, he started memorizing lines for the next scene.

In the afternoon, Ding Yixiang returned from his nap, and the crew was already prepping the kiss scene between Nan Xing and Chu Huian.

Ding Yixiang strolled over to Jing Li and Ji Yunzhang, waggling his eyebrows in that infuriating way. “You two better hold back—no getting carried away with improv. No tongues, no opening wide. Keep it beautiful. Keep it pure!”

Jing Li: “…”

Ji Yunzhang cut straight to it: “Get lost.”

Ding Yixiang didn’t budge right away. Grinning, he asked, “Want some chewing gum? I’ve got some.” Without waiting for an answer, he added, “Nah, you guys don’t need it.”

Then he sauntered off. He’d come purely to rib them.

Ji Yunzhang looked at Jing Li and said mildly, “Don’t mind him. He’s just bored.”

Jing Li’s eyes crinkled in a smile. “Mm.”

He tugged at Ji Yunzhang’s sleeve and shuffled closer, then leaned in to whisper by his ear, “Teacher Ji, got any chewing gum?”

Ding Yixiang’s jab had reminded him!

Ji Yunzhang lowered his eyes, his gaze lingering on Jing Li’s lips for a few seconds. With a soft chuckle, he said, “No chewing gum, but I’ve got milk candy. Want some?”

Jing Li blinked, utterly surprised.

“Teacher Ji, you like milk candy? That’s so cute!”

Ji Yunzhang patted his head lightly. “What’re you imagining? It’s from one of the kids.”

A few child actors from their crew—seven or eight years old—had mobbed him that morning for autographs, offering candy as thanks.

“Want it?” he asked again.

Milk candy would do—better than nothing. Jing Li nodded. “Yeah!”

After sucking on the candy until it was gone, Jing Li discreetly cupped his hand over his mouth, breathed out, and sniffed. Mm, a faint milky fragrance.

He breathed a sigh of relief.