CH 10

Chapter 10: Disguise

A taxi slowly pulled into the riverside park behind the hotel. Despite the late hour of the summer night, a group of young people sat by the river, enjoying their drinks. The carefree laughter of the youth echoed strangely in the stillness of the night.

Yan Huihua sat inside the car, peering through the window. His gaze landed on a blue Porsche parked not far away, with a figure leaning against it, a lit cigarette held in their hand.

It was the first time he had laid eyes on Jin Yanliu smoking.

Suddenly, the familiar top-tier superstar he often saw on screens and billboards seemed strangely unfamiliar. It was Jin Yanliu, yet somehow not quite the same.

“Driver, this is where I’ll get off.”

The taxi halted by the roadside, and Yan Huihua stepped out of the vehicle, removing his baseball cap. He made his way toward Jin Yanliu.

With a cigarette dangling from his mouth, Jin Yanliu asked, “Do you know why I asked you to come to the hotel in the middle of the night?”

A faint flush colored Yan Huihua’s handsome face, but his expression remained serious as he nodded in response.

“Are you willing?”

“You’ve misunderstood,” Yan Huihua replied, “I came to find you simply to have a face-to-face conversation.”

Jin Yanliu breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Xiao Ai interjected, “See, I told you, Yan Huihua would never succumb to the unwritten rules!”

“You’re stating the obvious. Now, off you go,” Jin Yanliu retorted.

Xiao Ai signed off with a “beep.”

Quite well-behaved.

Jin Yanliu turned his gaze towards Yan Huihua. “Continue,” he urged.

Yan Huihua spoke up, saying, “I would like to request that you give me the role of Ye Hengyang. I have confidence that I can portray this character effectively, and I hope you can grant me this opportunity.”

Jin Yanliu approached him, still holding the cigarette, his fiery red hair appearing even more vibrant under the streetlight. He wore a plain white T-shirt, devoid of any patterns, exuding a minimalistic charm. His face, bathed in the glow of the light, possessed a captivating beauty that stirred the depths of one’s soul. Yan Huihua’s heart throbbed like a drum, his lips pressed tightly together, as if afraid to draw a breath.

Jin Yanliu was undeniably stunning, with a face that seemed almost astonishing when seen up close. His finely arched eyebrows and lively eyes added to his allure.

“What should I do? The more you resist, the more I’m drawn to you. I appreciate your refusal to conform,” Jin Yanliu said. “In the past, there were several others like you, who refused to follow me, but ultimately ended up obediently in my bed. Those who are too compliant bore me.”

Certainly! Here’s an improved version with better localization, grammar, fluidity, accuracy, and readability:

Yan Huihua’s eyes revealed a hint of disbelief upon hearing those words.

“What does that mean?” he thought. Could this attractive man before him actually be someone who takes advantage of unspoken rules?

He felt as though he wouldn’t be able to look his past male co-stars in the eye anymore.

Yan Huihua’s face slightly reddened. “I’m not like them,” he replied.

Jin Yanliu’s hair appeared even more voluminous and soft than it did in daylight. The wind blowing from the river had tousled it, and he held a cigarette delicately between his fair, slender fingers. A silent smile emerged, one that was undeniably charming yet carried a touch of contempt.

Yan Huihua seemed provoked by that contemptuous smile. He pressed his lips together and turned to leave.

Jin Yanliu extinguished his cigarette and watched Yan Huihua slowly walking away.

He truly deserved to be a leading male candidate. His refusal to yield to malicious forces showcased the qualities of a true male lead. This was exactly the type of man counterfeit individuals favored the most. By severing their connection, he experienced a sense of satisfaction.

He hopped into his car, catching up with him in his sports car, honking the horn twice. Then, he leaned out, wearing a somewhat arrogant expression. “Get in. I’ll give you a ride.”

Yan Huihua remained silent, continuing on his way. Jin Yanliu smiled and remarked, “Don’t you want to play Ye Hengyang anymore?”

Yan Huihua halted in his tracks, and even his eyes reddened slightly. Observing his sincerity, Jin Yanliu no longer wanted to tease him and said, “My way of doing things is different from others’. If someone else is rejected, you won’t get the role. But with me, it’s not the same. I’ll still give you the role. I won’t mistreat you because I believe that one day, you’ll willingly step into my car.”

With those words, he stepped on the gas pedal, producing a “vroom” sound, and drove off in his sports car.

Yan Huihua stood by the riverside, his fists clenched. His throat quivered slightly. At that moment, he had almost agreed when Jin Yanliu approached him.

Eventually, he turned and left. It wasn’t just about resisting the unspoken rules; he wanted Jin Yanliu to understand that he was different from the people with whom he had engaged in such behavior in the past.

When Jin Yanliu arrived home, it was almost eleven o’clock.

The house was shrouded in darkness, and he assumed Zhou Beiyang had already fallen asleep. He ascended the stairs cautiously. However, when he passed by Zhou Beiyang’s room, he noticed a faint light emanating from within. He knocked on the door and entered.

To his surprise, the room was filled with smoke.

Zhou Beiyang looked up abruptly, his gaze fixed on Jin Yanliu.

“Brother?” He immediately stood up, seemingly taken aback by his return.

Jin Yanliu coughed due to the smoke. “Since when did you start smoking?!”

Zhou Beiyang quickly stubbed out the cigarette in his hand, appearing somewhat flustered.

Jin Yanliu couldn’t believe his eyes. Smoking was one thing, but the room filled with smoke indicated that he must have smoked at least half a pack in just over an hour. His addiction was surprisingly strong!

“We have a smoking room in the house. Why didn’t you go there to smoke?” Jin Yanliu walked over and opened the window, turning on all the lights.

“Why did you come back so soon?” Zhou Beiyang asked.

“Did you think I wouldn’t return, so you sneaked around and started smoking?” Jin Yanliu said. “It’s only been a few days since you entered the industry, and you’re already smoking?”

Zhou Beiyang replied, “I… occasionally…”

Jin Yanliu directly took the cigarettes from his desk and stuffed them into his pocket.

In truth, there was nothing wrong with men smoking. He occasionally indulged himself as well. However, he didn’t expect Zhou Beiyang, who had never touched tobacco or alcohol before, to start smoking behind his back. Had he influenced him? Was it because he introduced him to the entertainment industry and smoking?

“Don’t try to imitate everything I do. Now that you’re an idol, if fans find out you smoke, you’ll lose followers,” Jin Yanliu advised.

“Brother…”

Jin Yanliu turned to look at him.

Why did Zhou Beiyang seem so affected?

Was he… too strict just now? Was he too harsh?

Unable to bear seeing him like this, Jin Yanliu quickly added, “I’m not saying you can’t smoke. Just smoke less and don’t smoke so heavily. It’s not beneficial.”

After hesitating for a moment, he took out the cigarettes from his pocket and handed them to Zhou Beiyang.

Seeing the tall man with red eyes looking at him, Jin Yanliu felt a bit overwhelmed.

Zhou Beiyang didn’t take them. Instead, he threw the half pack of cigarettes directly onto the table, pursed his lips, and walked away.

Sigh, children grow up so fast.

Zhou Beiyang glanced at the time. Jin Yanliu had been gone for fifty-three minutes.

Fifty-three minutes, excluding the time spent on the road, around ten minutes. They probably couldn’t accomplish much in that time.

However, he still felt a bit tormented. After Jin Yanliu fell asleep, he quietly got up, got in the car, and left the house.

He first drove to Kaihua Hotel on the highway, then circled around at a steady speed. After personally trying a few times, he finally felt at ease.

No matter how fast he drove, there wouldn’t be enough time to engage in that activity.

However, as he returned home and sat on the bed, he felt restless once again.

Just because nothing happened this time doesn’t mean that the same holds true for the next. Last time, when Jin Yanliu got drunk, if Xiao Pangzi hadn’t informed him, who knows what the consequences would have been.

That night, the person being touched and nibbled on indiscriminately might not have been him.

It could have been someone else.

Zhou Beiyang stood on his tiptoes, his legs trembling continuously, his hands rubbing his knees, his gaze somewhat unsettling.

He felt like he was truly twisted, mentally distorted to a certain extent. A lifelong relationship with Jin Yanliu was impossible. If he were to speak out, their brotherhood would surely be severed. But he couldn’t bear the thought of Jin Yanliu being with another man.

Should he ask Jin Yanliu to accompany him, never pursuing love or getting married in their entire lives?

That was unimaginable.

It couldn’t happen.

Jin Yanliu was already twenty-four years old, most likely with physical desires, wanting to be in a romantic relationship.

He undressed and stepped into the bathroom, adjusting the showerhead to its coldest and highest setting, letting the water pour over his head.

The cold water struck his scalp, splattering in various directions. Some trickled down his neck, flowed over his broad shoulders and lean waist, before eventually cascading down his long, sturdy legs. His feet were submerged in the accumulating water, but the drainage couldn’t keep up. His youthful and strong body stood motionless amidst the cold water, yet it failed to extinguish the fire in his heart.

Suddenly, memories of that midsummer night surged in his mind—when he and Jin Yanliu shared a bed and he dreamt of Jin Yanliu. He woke up abruptly from that dream, and since then, he harbored a secret that he couldn’t reveal to anyone.

Early the next morning, Jin Yanliu received a phone call from Liu Qichang.

“Luo Yao is coming for an audition,” Liu Qichang said.

Jin Yanliu responded with a simple “Hmm” before ending the call. He remained in bed for a while, then abruptly sat up.

The first thing he did after getting out of bed was tear off a page from the calendar.

He clenched the torn piece of paper in his hand, heaved a long sigh, and said to himself, “Time is too tight, there’s no room for sorrow. Today’s workload is still massive.”

After taking a shower, he stood in front of the mirror, blow-drying his hair. Zhou Beiyang entered the room with the clothes Jin Yanliu was going to wear that day, placing them on a nearby shelf. He instinctively reached out and took the hairdryer from Jin Yanliu’s hand.

Jin Yanliu asked, “Could you teach me? Why is it that when we both blow-dry our hair, yours always looks better than mine?”

Zhou Beiyang replied, “This is something that someone else should do. It requires both hands. You don’t need to learn.”

Having him was enough.

Jin Yanliu had been fond of looking good since he was young, and Zhou Beiyang had perfected his skills over the years. He dared to say that even Jin Yanliu’s stylist might not understand what suited him best.

Just let him continue being an unbearable little lazy bug. It would be best for him to not learn because his life would crumble without Zhou Beiyang.

Zhou Beiyang thought wickedly and despicably.

Who else in this world could love Jin Yanliu more than him, care for him, and take care of him? He had worked so hard over the years, striving to achieve everything until the end. How many people were more outstanding than him? He even thought vulgarly about his physical attributes and was confident that few men could surpass him in that aspect.

He blew the hairdryer towards the back of Jin Yanliu’s ears, causing them to instantly turn red. Jin Yanliu tilted his head and laughed, “It’s so itchy.”

“Is it itchy?” Zhou Beiyang asked, his gaze becoming mysterious.

Jin Yanliu looked into the mirror and saw the extraordinarily handsome and gentlemanly face of Zhou Beiyang.

Author’s Note: Xiaoliu: It’s my fault for being too naive, damn it!