LR – Chapter 42

***
Chapter 42 – Teasing

Jiang Liusui slowly opened his eyes.

His vision filled with fair, smooth skin—a slender neck with a prominent Adam’s apple and sharply defined collarbones. Further down was a broad, firm chest, radiating an unmistakable, masculine sense of strength.

Blinking, he finally registered just how completely intimate their positions had become.

Seeing his own arms wrapped around He Yujing and his leg brazenly draped over the other’s body, Jiang Liusui couldn’t help feeling a twinge of guilt.

Had he rolled over in his sleep and used He Yujing as a body pillow, too?… That did sound like something he’d do.

But then again, He Yujing was the one who told him to ditch his pillow—surely that didn’t count as offending his benefactor.

Even as he thought this, Jiang Liusui cautiously shifted backward, hoping to pretend nothing had happened before He Yujing woke up. At the very least, he wanted to put his legs down.

But he hadn’t moved far when he felt the man beside him stir.

He Yujing drowsily opened his eyes, his expression slightly gloomy.

“…What are you doing?”

He hadn’t slept well at all that night, and barely a few hours in, the rustling beside him had already dragged him awake. Even a saint would’ve snapped under those conditions.

Hearing the sharp edge in his voice, Jiang Liusui was startled and, in his nervousness, ended up kicking He Yujing hard.

Jiang Liusui: “……”

Damn, was he about to get fired on the spot?

He Yujing hissed in pain, now fully awake.

“Are you a rabbit?” Having been kicked awake twice in such a short time, He Yujing couldn’t muster any real anger toward Jiang Liusui. He could only say helplessly, “Do you go around kicking people for no reason?”

Jiang Liusui offered a guilty little smile. “Does it hurt?”

He looked almost adorably innocent. If not for the lingering ache in his thigh where he’d been kicked, it might have been convincing.

He Yujing gave a strained smile. “Yes.”

As if one word wasn’t enough to convey his current mood, He Yujing emphasized, “It hurts a lot.”

Jiang Liusui paused thoughtfully, then his smile softened even further. “Then… you could kick me back? Don’t hold back for my sake.”

He Yujing: “……”

Sometimes, he really wanted to know what went through Jiang Liusui’s mind.

“Give me a massage.”

Jiang Liusui glanced at him, and to He Yujing’s surprise, wordlessly slipped under the covers.

He Yujing’s eyes widened slightly as he felt Jiang Liusui’s hand land gently on his leg, pressing tentatively.

This guy… really!

Clearly clueless about this sort of thing, yet sometimes his natural actions were unbearably provocative. Jiang Liusui moved carefully, as if afraid of hurting him again. He Yujing’s gaze darkened as he watched the little human shape shifting beneath the blanket.

Jiang Liusui massaged for a while, unsure if he was even targeting the right spot. Plus, staying under the covers for too long made it hard to breathe, Jiang Liusui pulled back and peeked out. “Does it still hurt—?”

An arm shot up to brace near his ear.

He Yujing rolled over and pinned him down, burying his head at the crook Jiang Liusui’s neck, his breathing unconsciously growing heavier.

The weight pressed down on him like a small mountain. For a moment, Jiang Liusui was completely frozen. A sudden thought crossed his mind: He Yujing wasn’t exactly bulky—tall, yes, but muscular to this extent? How could he feel so heavy?

Just as the thought crossed his mind, a sharp sting pricked the side of his neck.

Sharp teeth pressed against his skin, and Jiang Liusui stiffened all over.

The teeth pressed down with slightly more force, but didn’t truly break the skin to hurt him—like a rough yet restrained kiss. For a moment, Jiang Liusui felt almost like a prey entirely at He Yujing’s mercy. What made Jiang Liusui even more nervous was that he felt…

After a long while, He Yujing slowly rose.

Jiang Liusui remained motionless until He Yujing got off the bed and headed toward the innermost bathroom. Only after what felt like an eternity did he blink, as if finally returning to himself.

Was He Yujing just now…!?

He couldn’t deny being affected either. Lying on the bed, Jiang Liusui slowly calmed himself down.

After a while, he propped himself on the bed and slowly sat up.

Mechanically, Jiang Liusui picked up his phone, hoping to distract himself. But as he played with it, his gaze involuntarily drifted toward the direction He Yujing had gone.

From the bed, all he could see was the corridor lined with clothing and accessories; the innermost bathroom was completely out of sight. The room’s soundproofing was too effective—not a single sound could be heard.

Jiang Liusui withdrew his gaze, trying hard to focus on his phone. After a short while, he couldn’t resist glancing toward the bathroom again.

Why was He Yujing taking so long?

Unable to stop his wandering thoughts, Jiang Liusui didn’t know how much time had passed before he finally heard the sound of a door opening.

He Yujing emerged, freshly showered and dressed. Spotting Jiang Liusui still curled up on the bed, he stopped, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.

He had honestly expected the other person to have bolted by now.

“Were you waiting for me?” He Yujing offered the only explanation that came to mind. “Do you need to use the bathroom?”

“……” Jiang Liusui had been lost in thought earlier and hadn’t even considered going back to his own room to wash up. Only when He Yujing mentioned it did he realize.

He threw off the covers and got out of bed. “No, I’ll head back.”

“Then is there something else?”

“Mm…” Jiang Liusui racked his brain. He’d initially planned to brush the question off, but then he actually remembered something. “Right… there is something.”

“Thank you for speaking up for me and helping me secure the Shengyun contract early.” He paused, his tone turning earnest. “Also, I didn’t expect the matter to be resolved so quickly, and I didn’t expect you to help me to this extent.”

Originally, he’d thought He Yujing would merely suppress the online commotion, letting the issue fade without much fuss. Xingshi Entertainment had planned to handle PR that way when they contacted him. Although it would have resolved the immediate problem, it might have been brought up repeatedly by ill-intentioned people in the future.

But He Yujing had taken the most complicated route, personally clearing everything up from beginning to end. Not only did Jiang Liusui keep his role in ⟪Eternal Bell⟫, but from that moment on, the incident would have no lingering effect on him.

Even though he had already thanked He Yujing over the phone, he still wanted to express his gratitude in person.

Jiang Liusui sincerely said, “Thank you for helping me.”

Hearing that, He Yujing’s expression suddenly lost its warmth. The calm, relaxed aura he had carried earlier gradually slipped away.

Jiang Liusui’s gratitude was genuine. Yet the more unreserved and genuine he sounded, the clearer it became—he truly saw their relationship as nothing more than a transaction.

Jiang Liusui really hadn’t lied before.

He really… didn’t like him at all.

He Yujing laughed mockingly to himself. Seeing how cooperative Jiang Liusui had been, he had thought he might hold some special place in Jiang Liusui’s heart.

But thinking it over, if anyone else had offered the same help under the same conditions, Jiang Liusui would probably have agreed just the same.

“No need,” He Yujing said evenly, his voice smooth and unshaken. “It was just an agreement, nothing more.”

Jiang Liusui nodded.

Earlier, Zhou Xun had found this arrangement bizarre and couldn’t resist asking why He Yujing would propose such a condition, but Jiang Liusui simply shook his head, unwilling to discuss it.

What He Yujing was thinking wasn’t his concern.

He had agreed to the condition—so all he needed to do was fulfill his part. There was no reason to pry into his boss’s thoughts.

Besides… he didn’t want to make careless guesses about He Yujing.

***

Shengyun assigned a new agent named Wang Cen to Jiang Liusui. Wang Cen managed actress Wen Xiao, who had gradually withdrawn from the industry in recent years. In reality, Wang Cen currently only managed Jiang Liusui.

Ding Yan followed Jiang Liusui into Shengyun’s headquarters. Despite having worked at a subsidiary for several years, this was his first time stepping inside the main building. The skyscraper’s glass curtain walls reflected a cascade of dazzling colors, and one entire floor was designed with fully transparent walls, letting outsiders catch a glimpse of the interior. Inside, the air-conditioned lobby stretched out bright and open. Employees moved swiftly along the corridors, their high heels and polished shoes clicking against the gleaming marble floors.

The elevator ascended smoothly. Ding Yan noticed a rising young actress rushing in, her fishtail gown trailing behind her. Two female assistants carefully held the diamond-studded hem, clearly hurrying to an event.

Inwardly, Ding Yan couldn’t help thinking how different the headquarters’ level of operation was. To make sure Jiang Liusui didn’t lose face, he stiffened himself, trying to act composed no matter how bizarre the scene appeared.

Compared to now, everything that happened last week felt like a dream.

Before, when Jiang Liusui ran into trouble, no matter how anxious he was, there was nothing he could do—he could only argue online with people for three days and three nights. Just as he was growing numb and thought there might be no way out, the situation completely reversed within a single day.

The subsequent developments were even more unbelievable. Jiang Liusui told him they were moving but didn’t specify where, only sending a formally dressed assistant to help pack their belongings. Then Jiang Chuan was sidelined, and Jiang Liusui signed with Shengyun—the dream company countless industry professionals longed to join.

With the situation having improved so dramatically, Ding Yan was genuinely happy for Jiang Liusui.

The elevator stopped at the eighth floor, and Jiang Liusui stepped into Wang Cen’s office. Wang Cen had been reviewing documents at his desk but stood up with a smile upon seeing them. “I was just looking through your files, and here you are.”

“Nice to meet you[mfn]初次见面 (chū cì jiàn miàn) – lit. first time meeting; it is a formal greeting[/mfn],” Wang Cen said, reaching out his hand for a handshake. “And in the future, how should I address you? Can I call you by your real name?”

“That’s fine,” Jiang Liusui replied with a smile. “Hello, Wang-ge.”

Wang Cen chuckled and nodded, then glanced at Ding Yan. “And you must be the assistant, Xiao Ding, right?”

Ding Yan hadn’t expected that Wang Cen had even looked over his profile too and quickly said, “Yes, hello, hello.”

After exchanging brief greetings, Wang Cen gestured for Jiang Liusui to sit on the sofa and poured him a glass of water. Then he started, “I’ve roughly reviewed your materials. The projects you’ve participated in before…”

Wang Cen phrased it tactfully, “…show some inconsistency, but fortunately, you haven’t taken on anything particularly messy.”

“Rest assured, now that you’re here, we’ll make sure everything is properly planned for you. You’re still young. With your looks and temperament, there will be plenty of opportunities ahead.”

Wang Cen spoke with great tact, his demeanor calm and approachable. Jiang Liusui acknowledged with a nod. Wang Cen went on, “I’ve been in touch with Director Pei. The production has finalized the male and female leads, so you’ll be able to join the set and start filming soon.”

“Finalized?” Recalling how Director Pei had planned to appeal to Qin Yi with a pitiful story a few days ago, Jiang Liusui had no idea how it had turned out. He quickly asked, “Who got the roles?”

“What a coincidence—they’re both people you know. The male lead is Qin Yi, and the female lead is Shang Qingzhi.” Jiang Liusui’s face immediately lit up with a smile. Seeing this, Wang Cen grinned and asked, “You’re happy, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Jiang Liusui said, nodding enthusiastically. “I’m very happy to be able to work with them.”

Director Pei is impressive—he really managed to pull Qin Yi in to save the project.

When they meet, he’d have to ask in detail how Director Pei managed to trick God Yi into into joining their humble little crew[mfn]草台班子 (cǎo tái bān zi) – lit. grass-stage troupe; means a small, amateur, or makeshift production team[/mfn].

Also, the female lead is Shang Qingzhi… On variety shows, she didn’t speak much and had a calm, non-competitive personality. Her gentle demeanor had left a good impression on Jiang Liusui.

Seeing Jiang Liusui’s eyes curve in a smile, Wang Cen thought he was even more pleasant than expected. Going along with Jiang Liusui’s thoughts, he said, “That’s good. Being able to work with actors you want to collaborate with—and with Director Pei behind the camera—this is bound to be a quality project.”

“I’m aware of Director Pei’s rules—actors aren’t allowed to take on other projects while filming. As for commercial work, we’ll wait until the movie wraps. Maybe you’ll have a chance to appear at fashion events or shoot a cover. If suitable opportunities arise, we’ll do our best to secure them.”
After explaining the follow-up work plan, Wang Cen looked at Jiang Liusui and said, “You must be a bit tired, right? There’s just one last thing.”

Wang Cen’s explanation was clear and straight to the point, much easier than dealing with Jiang Chuan. Jiang Liusui listened intently. “I’m not tired at all, Wang-ge. Please continue.”
“After everything that happened recently, there’s a lot of attention on you, and your fans have been worried. Since you’re at the office today, how about getting some makeup and styling done and doing a livestream? It’ll give everyone a chance to see how you’re doing now.”
“Your last live stream reached a lot of people,” Wang Cen said with a smile. “It’s like using the same method to wrap up this matter—show your face now that the storm has passed. Sure, you have variety shows coming up, but they’re airing about half a month later, so the timing isn’t ideal.”

“There are no special requirements for this livestream. I’ll provide a script, and you can just chat with everyone, talk a little about your work changes. Shengyun will also officially announce your joining.”

Wang Cen spoke very reasonably. Jiang Liusui didn’t hesitate much and agreed immediately.

***

Shen Jie pushed open the studio’s glass door, walked across the front hall, and headed straight for the first corner room.

Inside, the mixer and soundboard glowed softly, with speakers of all sizes lined up neatly. Besides the equipment used for arranging music, the spacious room held a long sofa. A large oil painting hung on a protruding pillar, depicting flocks of gray-white birds, cloud-like, along a deep blue lakeshore, with sunlight glittering across the water.

He Yujing, headphones on, was tweaking something on the computer. A nearby tablet glowed, and Shen Jie’s quick glance confirmed it: this section of the lyrics was new to her.

She was somewhat surprised. “A new song?”

Unlike producers who worked at a steady pace, his speed wasn’t remarkable—but when inspiration hit, he could craft a catchy melody in a single night.

Noticing Shen Jie enter, He Yujing paused, lifted off his headphones, and leaned back lazily against his chair.

“Did you write this while on your Japan tour? …And it’s a love song?”

He Yujing didn’t answer but instead asked, “What brings you here?”

“I’m here to discuss Qiming’s beverage endorsement. They want to renew the contract with you, offering double the price from two years ago.” Shen Jie reported. She added, “Oh, and Jiang Liusui came to the company. Wang Cen asked him to do a live stream—should be in the studio on the third floor.”

He Yujing gave an indifferent hum, showing no particular reaction. Shen Jie took it as a sign that he wasn’t particularly concerned and didn’t press further, only double-checking the endorsement details with him.

After wrapping up his work, He Yujing took the elevator down to the third floor.

The third floor was primarily used for various types of filming, housing both photography studios and workspaces with different styles. Shengyun’s styling rooms were also mostly concentrated on this level. He Yujing walked familiarly toward the livestreaming area and, as expected, found one of the studio doors wide open.

Inside, the room was warm and uncluttered. A rabbit-shaped floor lamp cast a soft, hazy light. Jiang Liusui sat perched on a high stool, a wooden table before him holding a graffiti art book and a vanilla iced drink. He scrolled through the comments on his phone, occasionally answering a question or two.

“Where am I? At the new company.” Jiang Liusui propped his chin on his hand. “You can take a guess…” Whatever he saw made him smile, and he gave up on the suspense. “Never mind, it doesn’t seem that hard to guess. Yes, it’s Shengyun.”

The comments in the livestream scrolled rapidly:

【Holy—this smile! Shengyun really knows how to sign people! Gallery’s cold palace[mfn]冷宫 (lěng gōng) – lit. cold palace; originally refers to imperial concubines banished from favor. Internet slang meaning being sidelined, ignored, or abandoned by power structures.[/mfn] doesn’t deserve a beauty like this!】

【The company’s official account has announced it too!!】

【I don’t know if it’s because that last livestream left such a deep impression, but it always feels like Suisui is about to say, ’Is everyone here?’[mfn]a callback line from his previous livestream, turned into an in-joke among fans[/mfn] next.】

【Hahahahaha that livestream deserves to go down in history. Our Xiao Jiang is a rose with thorns[mfn]带刺的玫瑰 (dài cì de méi guī) – describing someone beautiful but sharp, resilient, or not to be messed with.[/mfn]! Looking back now, he was insanely cool that day!】

【Reporting in! Everyone’s here this time!】

【Even though we heard some rumors before, actually seeing it confirmed still feels unreal. I’ve watched Suisui grow step by step over the years—today feels as happy as the New Year.】

【Just came in and got smacked by the streamer’s visuals. So this is what it’s like when a porcelain doll speaks?】

【Baby, baby, I missed you so much! Have you been doing well lately?!】

“Things have been going really well lately—no troubles at all,” Jiang Liusui admitted. “Sleeping habits? I like hugging something when I sleep.”

The live comments were frantically flashing with cute, cute, cute. Thinking about how he had forced himself to hug He Yujing all night, and then ungratefully kicked him in the morning, Jiang Liusui felt a bit guilty and said, “I’m not sure if this is a good habit… I just hope I’m not causing anyone trouble.”

【No trouble, no trouble! Come hug me ahhhhhhh!】

【My goodness, what misunderstanding do you have about yourself? No one thinks you’re troublesome!!】

Despite the easygoing vibe on camera, behind the scenes, the lighting crew and live-stream operators were intensely focused, and all the staff were on high alert.

As soon as they saw who was approaching, the staff at the door couldn’t hide their surprise. Wang Cen, however, remained calm and collected, giving He Yujing a small nod and a smile.

Inside the room, Jiang Liusui was still focused on his livestream, unaware of the commotion at the door.

“I’m terrible at gaming and don’t play much,” Jiang Liusui said, seeing that the viewers kept asking whether he played games. “One of my friends said that playing ranked with me is like carrying a newbie—his Samoyed dog actually has better skills than I do.”

【It’s okay! Fiee said a few days ago that he’s your fan—he would happily play games with you! Please arrange some esports-related activities, give our league’s number-one ADC a chance!】

【Jiang Liusui is such a heartthrob[mfn]斩男 (zhǎn nán) – lit. kill men; slang meaning extremely attractive to men, or very charming/playfu[/mfn]. Are all guys into cute and quirky types? Watching the third episode ⟪Fantasy Holiday⟫ with him and Qin Yi, it’s literally like an older brother guiding a younger brother.】

Mentioning the third episode… it reminds me of someone, you know who I mean.】

【The third episode could be renamed “The Avoiding Suspicion Episode.” That certain someone finally realized they went too far in the first two episodes and toned it down in the third.】

【Wahhh, am I the only one who thinks they’re in a cold war? So afraid they actually argued.】

Finally, someone couldn’t resist asking: 【Suisui, have you been in touch with Yu-ge lately?】

Jiang Liusui saw the discussion in the comments.

Wang Cen had told him in advance to interact more with the fans—but if sensitive questions came up, simply ignore them and not answer.

In the past, he could casually chat about He Yujing, especially since he’d just mentioned Qin Yi. But now, his relationship with He Yujing was genuinely ambiguous. Jiang Liusui decided to pretend he hadn’t seen the question—

Then, a soft knock came from the open door. Just a lazy tap, almost a casual hello.

Jiang Liusui looked up and saw someone walking in from outside.

The livestream camera in the room only captured the person from the shoulders down. Even without showing his face, it was easy to guess who it was from his impressive physique and the accessories glinting on his slender, well-defined fingers.

【Holy… I’m not dreaming, right!?】

【He shows up right after we mentioned him? Is this livestream magical, or is Jiang Liusui magical??】

【Just dropping by to visit his boyfriend, everyone understands.】

【Just a shareholder checking in on an employee, everyone understands.】

【Whether it’s a cold war or avoiding suspicion, it officially ends today. Today is September 8th, a great and celebratory day—let’s pop the champagne!】

【Dammit, the cameraman doesn’t know what’s going on, show me his face already!!!】

“I heard you’re at the company… doing a livestream?” The voice was casual, magnetic yet clear.

His voice was too distinctive. Even without seeing his face, the livestream went wild, comments scrolling rapidly.

Jiang Liusui masked his surprise with a smile and gave a quiet, “Mm.” Then, as if to cover up his reaction, he added, “You’re at the company too?”

They’d come in the same car, so Jiang Liusui knew He Yujing was at Shengyun—but the way He Yujing casually strolled into his livestream was something else entirely. For a moment, Jiang Liusui almost wondered if one day He Yujing would openly announce their relationship to the world.

After a moment, he dismissed this explosive thought.

No way, no way. He Yujing was just impulsive, not stupid.

He Yujing simply said, “Wait until you finish streaming, then we can leave together.”

Jiang Liusui, thrown off by He Yujing’s nonchalance, agreed without thinking: “Okay.”

He Yujing left as casually as he had arrived, leaving behind a stunned Jiang Liusui—and a livestream chat exploding with question marks and exclamation points.

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