ARTBFAEWM 40

Chapter 40: Heavy Rain

Leaving the hotel, Jin Yanliu went straight to the restaurant where he had arranged to meet Zhao Sili.

Before going, he sent a message to Willow Leaf Fall with the restaurant’s address.

“Dear, is this for real?” Willow Leaf Fall asked.

He hadn’t been in contact with his “Melting Gold Chopping Willow” brother for a while. Suddenly receiving such a big scoop, he couldn’t quite believe it.

“I’ve sent you the address. Do what you want with it.”

Jin Yanliu thought his plan was perfect, killing two birds with one stone.

His recent days had been so sweet and fulfilling that he hadn’t even contacted Willow Leaf Fall. He hadn’t given him any useful news for so long, he was being a bit negligent as a villain cultivator.

If he was going to give him something, it might as well be a big one.

If things went according to plan, this would be his first scandal since his debut, a same-sex scandal at that. Giving Willow Leaf Fall such a big scoop would greatly enhance his influence.

Willow Leaf Fall was also excited. “Okay, I’ll go right away!”

Jin Yanliu’s plan wasn’t just to support Willow Leaf Fall; it was also to thoroughly offend Zhao Sili.

In the original story, the imposter merely rejected Zhao Sili privately, and that was enough to offend him. If he rejected Zhao Sili and then spread the news, using Zhao Sili for hype, Zhao Sili would definitely explode.

A big shot’s face was more valuable than anything. For a villain like Zhao Sili, who was both cunning and proud, being used was even more unbearable than losing face.

Thinking about this, Jin Yanliu felt a thrill of excitement.

It seemed that the closer he got to being transmigrated, the crazier he became.

Hate, hate, the more hate, the better. That way, when the imposter arrived, Zhao Sili would be an even more ruthless and vicious villain.

He arrived ten minutes earlier than the agreed time. Unexpectedly, Zhao Sili arrived even earlier. As soon as he got out of the car, he saw Zhao Sili standing in the night, waving at him.

“Why did you arrive even earlier than me?” Jin Yanliu asked with a smile.

“I just got here a few minutes ago.” Zhao Sili asked, “Aren’t you cold dressed like that?”

It was already autumn. The days were still warm, but the temperature dropped in the evening. It was overcast today, and the forecast predicted rain, but he was only wearing a white T-shirt. The autumn wind blew, and he did feel a little cold.

He was dressed casually and low-key, but Zhao Sili was in a formal suit, his hair meticulously styled, showing that he attached great importance to their meeting.

Jin Yanliu remembered their first meeting, Zhao Sili’s handsome but pale appearance. However, in their recent encounters, Zhao Sili’s complexion had visibly improved, and he appeared more composed and had a stronger aura of authority.

This was partly thanks to him.

In the original story, although Zhao Sili was the most formidable villain, he still couldn’t compete with the imposter. One of the main reasons was his failure in the Zhao family’s internal power struggle, which severely impacted his later strength.

To enhance his villainous power, Jin Yanliu had helped Zhao Sili find the best legal team for his property lawsuit. The lawsuit hadn’t concluded yet, but victory seemed within reach. With greater financial resources, his aura naturally grew stronger.

“I’m planning to establish an entertainment company. Are you interested in collaborating with me?” Zhao Sili asked.

Jin Yanliu wasn’t surprised that Zhao Sili wanted to enter the entertainment industry. In the original story, Zhao Sili was introduced as the general manager of Lile Media. It was also how he met the minor villain Lu Yao. The two joined forces, becoming the imposter’s two most significant enemies in the entertainment industry.

“I’m not trying to sign you, I want to collaborate with you, as partners, to start a company together,” Zhao Sili added.

Jin Yanliu smiled. “I’m used to working alone, I’m quite happy with the way things are. But I can recommend someone to you, someone with unlimited potential.”

Zhao Sili asked, “Who?”

“Yan Huihua, the third male lead in our drama. As far as I know, his contract with his current company is about to expire. Our drama is a seasonal series. In the second and third seasons, he’s the undisputed main lead. He’ll definitely become a huge star then.”

Jin Yanliu even showed him a picture of Yan Huihua.

Zhao Sili was a businessman. He wouldn’t miss out on such a talented artist.

A sudden clap of thunder rumbled outside. Jin Yanliu turned to look out the window. When he turned back, he heard Zhao Sili say, “I’ve started paying attention to the entertainment industry because of work recently, and I realized I’ve caused you so much trouble.”

“Are you talking about the rumors?” Jin Yanliu said. “The media is like that. With Into The Abyss being so popular, and it being a danmei adaptation, people can’t help but speculate about my sexual orientation. You’ve been visiting the set frequently, so they misunderstood and thought you were pursuing me.”

Jin Yanliu smiled and looked at Zhao Sili.

Zhao Sili, a seasoned veteran, immediately saw through his ambiguous gaze. He looked at him intently and said, “Do you think they misunderstood?”

He smiled. “I thought my pursuit was quite obvious.”

Here it comes.

Jin Yanliu suppressed his excitement and raised an eyebrow.

Zhao Sili gazed at him, his eyes fervent. “Do I have a chance? I was smitten with you the first time I saw you.”

Jin Yanliu had received countless confessions throughout his life. Recently, with top-tier men like Yan Huihua and Zhou Beiyang, Zhao Sili’s qualifications seemed rather average in comparison.

“If I say no, can we still continue this dinner?”

Zhao Sili laughed. “You think too little of me. You’re a big star, it’s normal for you to be hard to pursue.”

When they finished dinner and left the restaurant, it was pouring rain outside. The wind carried the rain, making it chilly. He couldn’t help but shiver, and then he felt a jacket draped over him.

He looked back. Zhao Sili had taken off his own jacket.

“I told you you weren’t dressed warmly enough.”

“Thank you.” Jin Yanliu glanced outside. Because of the heavy rain, he couldn’t see clearly, and he didn’t know if Willow Leaf Fall had arrived.

“My legs aren’t very convenient, so I won’t hold the umbrella for you,” Zhao Sili said with a smile.

The cold wind blew against him. It was the kind of rainy day Jin Yanliu loved. He looked at Zhao Sili, hoping that this man was merely trying to satisfy his own insecure and twisted desires, pursuing him with the intention of sleeping with the most famous male star in the world, rather than genuinely liking him. He reached out and hugged Zhao Sili. Zhao Sili seemed surprised by the sudden gesture. After a moment, he smiled and patted Jin Yanliu’s back. “Think about what I said today.”

Jin Yanliu released him. “Which part?”

“Both.” Zhao Sili replied.

The light illuminated Jin Yanliu, making his fair skin and beautiful features even more striking. His aura and beauty weren’t approachable, more like a flower on a high peak, brilliant and proud.

“Mr. Zhao, you’re a discerning man. Why can’t you see through some people? They may appear glamorous on the outside, but their inner selves are completely different. You don’t understand me. I’m not as good as you think. I just look good, good enough for a fling. If you truly fall for me, you’ll be miserable. Mr. Zhao, I’m warning you.”

Zhao Sili laughed. “I never believed that anyone who thrives in the entertainment industry could be a pure and innocent fool. I like you just the way you are.”

Some loved delicate flowers, some rode wild horses.

A top-tier, wealthy, and beautiful man like Jin Yanliu wouldn’t be interesting if he was docile. The more arrogant and hateful he was, the more exciting it was to conquer him. This most beautiful man in the entertainment industry would eventually be his, a cripple’s conquest. The thought excited him.

Jin Yanliu patted Zhao Sili’s shoulder and turned to leave.

A waiter held an umbrella and escorted him to the car. He got in and immediately closed the door. Fatty Xiao, in the front, said, “Why didn’t you wear a mask? And you talked at the entrance for so long. Aren’t you afraid of being photographed?”

“It’s raining so heavily, there’s no one around.” Jin Yanliu glanced at the restaurant entrance through the car window. Zhao Sili, leaning on his cane, was still standing there.

“Hello, Xiao Ai!”

“Dear!”

“Zhao Sili isn’t a good person, right?”

“In the original story, no, he’s a major villain.”

“Besides the imposter, he’s done other bad things, bullied other people, right?”

“Of course, he’s a villain. He must have done plenty of heartless and unscrupulous things. The worse the villain, the more satisfying it is to see them get their comeuppance. Otherwise, it would just be bullying honest people,” Xiao Ai said. “Dear, you can’t be so soft-hearted. You’ve been getting tougher recently, but why is your heart getting softer?”

Jin Yanliu: “…Okay, you can go now.”

The car slowly drove out of the parking lot. As they passed a white van, he suddenly saw someone holding a camera, the lens pointed at him.

The sudden sight startled him. His instincts as a celebrity for many years kicked in, and he quickly raised his hand to shield his face.

It was Willow Leaf Fall.

It was raining so heavily; who knew how much he managed to capture.

Back at the hotel, Zhou Beiyang wasn’t in the room. He immediately called him.

“I’m at the director’s. Are you back?”

Jin Yanliu hummed. “Come back quickly. Let’s make love.”

Zhou Beiyang: “…Okay.”

He hung up the phone, stood up, and said, “Director Liu, let’s stop here for today.”

Liu Qichang said, “In love?”

Zhou Beiyang’s phone had been on the table. When the call came in, the screen lit up, and he saw the contact name displayed: “Little Baby.”

Not just “Little Baby,” but “Baby.” Young people in love were so sickeningly sweet. Zhou Beiyang, who seemed so calm and aloof, was so clingy in private.

Zhou Beiyang was used to Jin Yanliu’s bluntness.

Perhaps it was his personality. Jin Yanliu rarely felt embarrassed. He was also dominant in bed, directly stating his desires. Even if he was shy, he would hide it with dominance, quite like a queen-type uke.

He entered Jin Yanliu’s room. Fatty Xiao was about to leave. “Brother Yanliu is taking a shower,” he said.

Zhou Beiyang hummed. “I’m here, you can go back.”

Fatty Xiao didn’t know they were now living together. Although Zhou Beiyang was always there when he left in the evening, and he was also there when he arrived in the morning, it had always been like this. He spent all day attending to Jin Yanliu. Fatty Xiao was used to it.

After Fatty Xiao left, Zhou Beiyang went to the bathroom and knocked on the door. “Brother?”

“Come in and scrub my back,” Jin Yanliu said.

Zhou Beiyang opened the door and saw Jin Yanliu facing him through the shower glass, showering.

He took off his clothes and asked, “Should I take everything off?”

Jin Yanliu frowned. The water was too hot, scalding his back, a painful yet pleasant sensation. When Zhou Beiyang entered, he immediately hugged him. Zhou Beiyang was also scalded by the hot water and quickly turned off the shower. “Why is it so hot?”

Jin Yanliu’s neck and back were flushed red. He held him, saying nothing.

“What’s wrong?” Zhou Beiyang asked.

“It’s raining outside, it’s so cold,” Jin Yanliu said.