Chapter 12 – Wrap-Up
By the time they stepped out of the private room, it was already past two in the morning. A fine night rain fell outside the hallway of the clubhouse. The fountain in the central garden glowed softly, and the rain traced a delicate, hazy yellow halo over its surface.
Jiang Liusui didn’t have a driver, and it wasn’t convenient to call Ding Yan at this hour. He Yujing, who was a few steps behind him, noticed and said, “I’ll have my driver take you home.”
“What about you?”
“I live in the same residential complex as Chi Lianxi, I’ll go with his car.”
Jiang Liusui hesitated, feeling like he was being too much of a trouble. “Maybe I should just grab a taxi—”
He Yujing pushed him forward with both hands. “It’s late and raining. Why take a taxi? I brought you out to have fun, how could I let you take a taxi home alone?”
The situation made it hard to refuse such enthusiasm. Thinking it would also be safer, Jiang Liusui turned back with a smile. “Then, thank you.”
He Yujing, however, let out a soft, almost teasing laugh. “Thanks for what? Can you stop being so polite with me?”
“……”
Jiang Liusui asked cautiously, “Are you still sober?”
In the private room, He Yujing had been forced to drink quite a bit. He didn’t show it on his face, and outwardly, he seemed completely normal, but this remark didn’t sound like something he’d say when sober.
Chi Lianxi, who was a few steps behind them, hadn’t heard the first part of the conversation but was thoroughly stunned by He Yujing’s words. He sincerely advised, “Cut down on the drunken antics. I don’t want to see you in the headlines tomorrow.”
He Yujing turned his head and lifted his chin, his tone deceptively calm. “I’m going with your car.”
“…?”
“If we end up in the headlines, you won’t escape either.”
Chi Lianxi was both annoyed and amused. Just then, Jiang Liusui shivered. He had come straight from the set wearing only a thin long-sleeve T-shirt. He hadn’t felt cold in the private room, but the rainy night seemed to let a biting chill seep into his bones.
Chi Lianxi’s jacket was draped over his arm. Noticing Jiang Liusui’s shiver, he asked, “Are you cold? Wear my jacket.”
He Yujing, however, frowned slightly. Without waiting for Jiang Liusui to respond, he took off his own perfectly worn jacket and draped it over Jiang Liusui.
The gray satin baseball jacket carried the scent of tobacco and a faint yet unmistakable hint of perfume—warm with a touch of sweetness, like the blended fragrance of dry sandalwood and vanilla.
He had changed his perfume again.
After this thought crossed his mind, Jiang Liusui froze, somewhat confused about what was happening. Meanwhile, He Yujing, having accomplished this, shook his wrist and shot a glance at Chi Lianxi, though his words were directed at Jiang Liusui: “Just wear mine.”
Chi Lianxi wondered if he’d had too much to drink, but he distinctly sensed displeasure in that glance—as if a disturbed wild animal was defending its territory.
“……” Chi Lianxi stood rooted to the spot, stunned. “Your drunken antics today are quite unique, huh?”
Realizing this was the previously mentioned “poor drinking manners”, Jiang Liusui felt like laughing.
Compared to people who curse and recklessly make a scene, this kind of unreasonable willfulness could almost be considered endearing. Knowing you can’t reason with someone drunk, Jiang Liusui didn’t protest. Instead, he asked, “Aren’t you cold?”
The jacket had been draped directly over him, and to keep it from slipping off, Jiang Liusui instinctively held on the sleeves.
He Yujing’s gaze swept over the snow-white wrist clutching the sleeve. Jiang Liusui’s frame was smaller, his body delicate, and the oversized coat somehow made him look even more fragile.
“I’m not cold. You wear it.”
Seeing him so drunk, Chi Lianxi also laughed along: “Fine, he can wear yours. I’m not going to fight you for it.”
But unexpectedly, He Yujing lowered his voice to a volume only the two of them could hear: “Don’t think I don’t know—lending and returning things back and forth is just a way to get close.”
He Yujing gave him a rather disdainful look: “No chance. He hasn’t even graduated yet. Stop trying to pull your little tricks on him.”
“……”
Faced with a drunkard’s unreasonable logic, Chi Lianxi felt wronged but couldn’t argue, thinking to himself:
I really hadn’t even considered that angle.
At the end of the hallway, Lin Chong was already waiting with an umbrella. He Yujing instructed: “Take Jiang Liusui over first. Tell Xiao Wen to make sure he gets home safely.”
Lin Chong repeatedly agreed, holding the umbrella mostly over Jiang Liusui: “Teacher Jiang, please come with me.”
After seeing Jiang Liusui get into the car, Lin Chong and Chi Lianxi’s assistant returned to pick up the others. Once almost everyone had left, Su Wan’s assistant noticed she was still standing motionless: “Sister Susu, shall we go?”
“…Let’s go.” Su Wan snapped out of her thoughts and replied softly.
The assistant knew how much she had been looking forward to tonight—she had spent ages picking her outfit and had carefully styled her hair and makeup. But once she was seated in the car, Su Wan leaned back silently, saying nothing.
Carefully, the assistant asked, “Did Teacher He eat what you made? How did you two get along?”
Su Wan didn’t answer.
She and He Yujing had debuted around the same time, yet their positions in the industry were worlds apart. In this flashy, unpredictable world, he was far too exceptional, far too bright—a presence impossible to ignore.
After a while, her slightly weary voice broke the silence. “No… he didn’t eat a single bite.”
The assistant comforted her: “He probably doesn’t know what you were thinking, that you made it especially for him.”
Su Wan waved her hand faintly and stayed silent.
Her expression was too forlorn. Having witnessed Su Wan’s changes over the past few months, the assistant knew she rarely developed genuine feelings for someone. Gritting her teeth, she advised: “Sister Susu, why don’t you just be straightforward with Teacher He? There might still be a chance, and at least you’ll have closure.”
“It’s useless. You haven’t been around him—you don’t understand.”
He Yujing had seen countless people trying to win his favor, vying for his attention. She had seen it all. Even if she confessed, it would likely mean nothing to him.
“That stubborn, all-or-nothing side of He Yujing… if he doesn’t want something, he just doesn’t.” Su Wan gave a self-deprecating smile. “I should have let go a long time ago. If I can’t… I’ll just keep liking him quietly and stop pushing myself on him.”
Continuing like this would only make him annoyed.
Tonight, he hadn’t even initiated a single conversation with her.
The assistant, sensing her disappointment, asked cautiously, “Then… what does he want?”
“What He Yujing wants?” Su Wan murmured, as if speaking to herself. Whatever he wants… there’s nothing he can’t have.”
***
The release date of ⟪Fading Colors⟫ was approaching. Because of the earlier director change, which had cost over a week, filming and post-production were becoming increasingly rushed. On the final day of shooting, He Yujing’s solo scenes were scheduled for the morning. Jiang Liusui, for once, slept in and leisurely had lunch at home before having Ding Yan pick him up. But as soon as he arrived at the set, he could hear Huang Zhicheng’s scolding echoing from a distance.
After being out of sight for most of the day, Director Huang seemed thoroughly exasperated by He Yujing. His usually cheerful face was flushed with irritation: “Right now you’re a frustrated artist—can you stop acting like you own the world? We’re not asking for award-winning acting in this MV, but can you at least make some sense?”
After scolding him, Huang Zhicheng added encouragingly, “Forget it, getting worked up won’t help… Next take will definitely be better. Honestly, compared to before, your progress is clearly visible.”
“Don’t lose heart, keep it up! Just this one scene left.”
He Yujing, feeling helpless, muttered: “…Let’s do this. We can make it work.”
Jiang Liusui couldn’t hold back a laugh, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Huang Zhicheng finally felt relieved to see someone dependable: “Xiao Jiang’s here? Go get your makeup done. Yujing’s solo scenes are mostly finished—we just have your final scene together left for today.”
By the time Jiang Liusui finished with hair and makeup, He Yujing’s shooting was nearly complete. After tormenting each other all morning, Huang Zhicheng finally caught his breath and carefully explained the final scene. Still slightly uneasy, he added, “This scene is both the opening chapter and one of the key moments of the entire film. Give it your all later—once we wrap this up, we’re done. Do you both have the script memorized?”
Jiang Liusui replied with a soft “Yes.” Huang Zhicheng wasn’t worried about him but turned his gaze to He Yujing. Under such scrutiny, He Yujing lost interest in drinking water and set aside his glass with a straw: “Don’t worry, I’ve got it memorized.”
Huang Zhicheng nodded: “You’d better.”
“……”
To capture the rich, romantic lighting they wanted, the final scene was scheduled just before dusk. The filming location was in the flower fields behind a small villa, with the staff busy adjusting flowerbeds and checking the rain equipment that would be used later.
Today’s finale was the characters’ first encounter. A painter of some renown, trapped in a creative slump, went out to clear his mind and, by chance, fell head over heels for a beautiful young man he met.
This initial meeting, serving as the MV’s opening, lasts less than half a minute. To fully convey the atmosphere, every detail needed careful refinement.
The pristine white studio was filled with countless unfinished canvases. In the center, the painter’s brow was tightly furrowed. With each brushstroke, his frustration became increasingly visible on his face.
He tossed the paintbrush aside and swung open the door. His hands were still smeared with paint, yet he didn’t have the energy to wipe them clean, walking aimlessly through the flower fields behind the studio. The brilliant sunlight streamed down, but it couldn’t touch the painter’s eyes, dulled and indifferent to everything around him.
As if deliberately opposing him, sparse raindrops began to fall unexpectedly from the sky, soon turning into a steady drizzle. Visitors enjoying the flower fields hurried away. The painter’s mood sank to its lowest, and he stood motionless in the rain, resigned to his misery.
Not far off, the field of evening primroses, as vivid as an oil painting, shivered slightly. A figure stirred and sat up.
It was a stranger—a young boy.
He seemed to have fallen asleep here, and his face, drenched by the rain, still wore a dazed expression. Petals that had rolled off the flower stems slid down his cheeks. The instant their eyes met, the raindrops clinging to his eyelashes could no longer hold and fell. As if amused that they were both drenched through, his fair, beautiful face broke into a radiant smile.
As the boy smiled, his eyes opened slightly wider, softening the naturally alluring curve at their corners into a more rounded, innocent sweetness.
Amidst the cold, translucent rain, the painter clearly heard the sound of his own heartbeat—
An entirely new sensation left his chest hollow, tumbling weightlessly downward, only to be swiftly filled with a rush of vivid, dazzling color.
“Cut—!” Huang Zhicheng beamed with joy. “Great, this take is perfect!”
The script supervisor’s voice followed immediately: “Congratulations, we’re wrapped!!”
The previously quiet set erupted with activity as the crew hurried to shut off the rain. Huang Zhicheng hadn’t expected the final scene to go so smoothly and scolded playfully: “If you’d performed like this in the morning, would I even have had to worry?”
Shooting an MV was different from filming a drama. Huang Zhicheng had kept his expectations low, only hoping for a take without mistakes. Unexpectedly, this scene was so perfect that not a single flaw could be found.
Especially that final shot—the way He Yujing looked at Jiang Liusui genuinely felt like he had fallen in love.
But the one being scolded didn’t respond, seemingly still immersed in the emotions of the scene. When He Yujing finally snapped out of it, he saw Jiang Liusui smiling at him.
“Wrap!” Jiang Liusui raised his hand, clearly inviting a celebratory high-five.
Unlike him, Jiang Liusui could switch in and out of character effortlessly. Although He Yujing knew this was an actor’s strength, he felt inexplicably displeased. It was as if he alone had been affected, left emotionally unsettled.
He reached out and half-heartedly brushed palms with Jiang Liusui, not even noticing Lin Chong rushing into the flower fields to hand him a towel.
“Getting the final scene in one take is a good omen. This MV—”
Jiang Liusui had been worried that Wu Qi’s issue might slow things down, but the shoot wrapped earlier than expected. He was in high spirits, just about to remark that this MV might be a hit, when a large, clean towel was suddenly thrown over his head.
The world became a blur of white. Beside him, He Yujing’s voice said, “Dry off. The rain’s almost getting in your eyes.”
Whether it was his imagination or not, he heard a hint of displeasure in He Yujing’s voice.
As if he wanted Jiang Liusui to shut up.
“……” Jiang Liusui discarded the malicious thought of reading into someone else’s mood, removed the towel covering his face, and saw Lin Chong equally puzzled. He couldn’t help but ask, “You gave me your towel, what are you using?”
The passing script supervisor chuckled. “Teacher He taking such good care of Teacher Jiang—are you still in character?”
Ding Yan, who had originally brought a towel, suddenly felt unsure, caught between giving it or not. Jiang Liusui simply grabbed an unused towel from his own assistant and held it out to He Yujing. “Then you can use mine. Let’s swap.”
Drops of water slid down Jiang Liusui’s neck with his every movement, tracing over his slender, straight collarbones before disappearing into his chest. The artificial rain had left his shirt nearly translucent, making his skin look impossibly fair and smooth, flawless in every way.
He Yujing’s adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he accepted the towel.
Jiang Liusui remembered something: “I have something for you. Can I come to your makeup room later?”
“Sure.” He Yujing agreed, then added, “Change your clothes and dry your hair first before coming over.”
By the time Jiang Liusui had freshened up and removed his makeup, the sun had already set. The small Western-style villa was brightly lit, and the staff was busily organizing the props used during the past few days of filming.
He raised his hand and knocked on the door of He Yujing’s dressing room. A voice came from inside.
“Come in.”
Jiang Liusui pushed the door open and entered. He Yujing had already changed into his casual clothes. As summer gradually approached, he wore only a white graffiti T-shirt paired with blue cargo pants, still adorned with the accessories from the earlier shoot. Jiang Liusui noticed multiple ear piercings on both sides of his ears, all decorated with sparkling studs and chains.
He Yujing sat idly, as if he had been waiting for quite some time. With his long limbs and broad, straight shoulders, even in simple, casual attire, the explosive muscle lines beneath were clearly visible.
Jiang Liusui’s eyes drifted over his toned forearms and then to his own slender arms, a flicker of envy crossing his mind. His gaze lingered on He Yujing’s face, and he couldn’t help thinking inwardly:
From his build to his features, He Yujing was undeniably perfect.
No wonder so many people liked him…
When Jiang Liusui walked in, He Yujing set his phone aside and looked up at him.
“The clothes you lent me earlier have been dry-cleaned.” Jiang Liusui placed the bag containing the clothes on the dressing table, then handed over a smaller gift bag. “It’s a wrap-up gift. I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I asked a friend. She said this would make a good gift for a singer.”
He Yujing’s gaze followed the bag, his expression reminiscent of a large cat lounging lazily. With a spark of interest, he asked, “Can I open it now?”
Jiang Liusui nodded. He Yujing carefully opened the beautifully wrapped box to find a pair of brand-new in-ear monitors inside.
Pure white, from a brand he often used.
He Yujing had a rough idea of the brand’s price range and joked half-seriously, “You’re giving me such an expensive gift? What should I do? I only prepared flowers for you.”
He shifted to the side, revealing the previously blocked area. Jiang Liusui finally noticed a bouquet resting beside the vanity mirror. A dreamy arrangement of pale blues, blooming hydrangeas layered with large delphiniums, and white warm-ivory roses that seemed almost to glisten with dew, vibrant and lush in full bloom.
“I’ll make it up to you next time,” He Yujing murmured, almost to himself. “Shouldn’t be long anyway.”
“There’s no need, I—” Jiang Liusui didn’t catch the latter part of his words and was about to explain that the gift was not only to celebrate the successful wrap but also to thank him for his help over the past days.
However, the other suddenly leaned in and asked in a conspiratorial tone, “After filming the MV for so long… do you want to hear the song?”
Jiang Liusui had only participated in the storyline scenes of the MV, and the original soundtrack had never been played during filming. He instinctively pressed further, “Really? Can I listen to it?”
After all, the song hadn’t been released yet. Despite his curiosity over the past few days, he had never asked.
He Yujing was amused by his reaction. “Why not? Close friends have heard it long ago, and Director Huang and the screenwriter have listened to it too.”
As he spoke, he unlocked another phone on the table and connected it to the earphones beside him. “Come sit next to me.”
Jiang Liusui set aside his reservations, sat down, and put on the earphones. The bright, playful intro filled his senses, followed by a lazy cascade of chords, and then He Yujing’s voice floated through.
His voice was neither too high nor too low, with a unique and magnetic timbre that blurred the line between youth and manhood. Hearing it just once was unforgettable. If Jiang Liusui had to describe it, He Yujing’s voice reminded him of flowers.
It wasn’t a delicate, fragile flower—but a beauty so bold it demanded attention, electrifying the senses.
Surprisingly, despite filming such a complete love story, this lead single wasn’t a sentimental ballad but rather a catchy, rhythm-driven track.
He Yujing’s voice carried a teasing, seemingly passionate tone, yet the lyrics hid a subtle cruelty.
~ In the blink of an eye, the warmth still grows,
One embrace, more special than anyone knows,
Like we’re still tied together somehow.
Every day I say you’re the rarest thing,
Yet once I hold you, the colors slowly fade. ~
“The final mix of the track is slightly different from the one on my phone, but it’s basically the same.” Watching Jiang Liusui’s reaction, He Yujing felt reassured. Despite all the praise he had heard countless times, he couldn’t help wanting to hear it from Jiang Liusui himself. With a teasing smile, he asked, “So… how is it?”
Jiang Liusui replied without hesitation, “It sounds great.”
~ They can drift in and out of sight,
But you’re forever my moonlight.
What never lingers is what shines the most,
The more distant it is, the prettier it grows. ~
Before he realized it, the song reached the chorus. The catchy melody filled his ears, and the more Jiang Liusui listened, the more he liked it. “It’s really good. A song you remember after just one listen—it will definitely be popular.”
He Yujing’s eyes sparkled, then he said playfully, Then I’ll take that as your good wishes, Teacher Jiang. If it doesn’t become popular, I’ll come find you to take responsibility.”
“……” Jiang Liusui was speechless for a moment and decided to flatter him instead. “That won’t happen. You’re He Yujing, after all.”
He had heard all kinds of praises but rarely encountered such a straightforward one. He Yujing couldn’t help but laugh. Jiang Liusui hadn’t thought much of it, but seeing him smile like that, he curved his eyes into a smile as well.
“I never got the chance to tell you—thank you for choosing me. I’m really glad I could be part of this MV.”
Unlike the selfish, teasing emotions sung in the song, He Yujing’s voice softened as he looked at him, revealing a rare, gentle warmth.
“I’m happy too.”
— — — —
