***
Chapter 51 – Love Song
Once the hot spring shoot wrapped, filming for the day was officially over. Just like the previous night, no cameras would be installed in the rooms, allowing the guests to relax and rest properly.
Jiang Liusui emerged from the hot spring pool, his legs slightly weak from soaking for too long. At that moment, He Yujing reached out and wrapped an arm around him, their shoulders hooked together. Xu Miao teased, “You two are such good buddies.”
He Yujing lazily smiled, acknowledging her comment.
Despite their brotherly posture, He Yujing’s words were ambiguous as he whispered, “Come to my room?”
Jiang Liusui fell silent for a few seconds, then gave a soft, almost inaudible “Mm.”
Ever since He Yujing mentioned writing a new song, Jiang Liusui’s mind had been in disarray. Although they later shifted to other topics, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.
After soaking in the hot spring, they had to shower. Once they entered the room, He Yujing locked the door behind them. “Shower together?”
When the two entered, they were still maintaining the posture of having their arms around each other’s shoulders. Jiang Liusui still nestled his head in the crook of He Yuijng’s arm. He met He Yujing’s gaze for a moment before nodding.
Seeing him so obedient, He Yujing couldn’t resist kissing him on the cheek before leading him into the bathroom.
The single rooms prepared by the production team for the guests were all very spacious. The bathroom not only had a shower, but also a built-in marble bathtub.
Thinking they could each use a separate spot to wash, Jiang Liusui removed his soaked bathrobe and paused when he saw He Yujing undressing as well.
Because he often practiced dancing, He Yujing’s muscle definition was strikingly pronounced. His limbs were long and firm, exuding a distinctly masculine explosiveness.
He didn’t seem to care whether his accessories could get wet—he still wore a delicate silver necklace while soaking in the hot spring. As he undressed, the chain swayed and glimmered against his collarbone. Lingering steam from the hot spring clung to his skin, and transparent droplets slid down his broad shoulders, tracing the contours of his well-defined waist and abdomen.
No wonder he looked thin, yet felt so heavy when pressing down—He Yujing’s muscle density should be very high.
Jiang Liusui’s gaze swept downward, and his eyes could not help but widen slightly.
Damn! How could it be so…!
He cursed inwardly and abruptly averted his eyes. To cover up his discomfort, Jiang Liusui asked proactively, “Which side are you using?”
“I thought we were doing this together?” He Yujing removed his necklace and suddenly glanced at him, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. “What were you looking at, Jiang Liusui?”
Caught off guard by being called by his full name, Jiang Liusui’s heart skipped a beat. He feigned nonchalance. “Looking at you. Is that not allowed?”
No response came for a long while.
Jiang Liusui grew increasingly uneasy under the other’s intense gaze, even considering whether he should just dash into the bathtub. Just then, He Yujing reached out and turned on the shower, a steady stream of water cascading from the showerhead.
“Come here.” His pale brown eyes gleamed faintly in the steam, his voice edged with a low, dangerous rasp.
Jiang Liusui walked over as told.
He Yujing cupped the back of his head with one hand, thumb pressing against his neck, forcing Jiang Liusui to tilt his head back and accept the kiss.
They stood under the shower, water droplets splashing freely around them.
Since they still had to film tomorrow, neither of them was too forceful. Yet, this lingering intimacy became a gentle torment, stretching on as if it would never end.
Jiang Liusui’s arms draped weakly on He Yujing’s shoulders. Mid-kiss, he opened his glistening eyes and met He Yujing’s gaze.
He Yujing’s eye shape was slightly upturned, and the color of his pupils was lighter than most people’s, often making him appear sharp and indifferent.
But now those eyes were filled with intense affection, the hidden possessiveness no longer restrained, the burning emotion inside was almost about to overflow.
Jiang Liusui stared at him in a daze, a thought suddenly flashing through his mind—He Yujing is really good-looking.
In his muddled state, Jiang Liusui’s fingers gradually curled. He was kissed into senselessness, barely able to stand steady. Wrapped in that embrace, the heat of He Yujing’s body felt almost scorching, far more urgent than usual.
Is it going to happen this time…?
But at that moment, He Yujing turned off the shower.
His finger brushed across Jiang Liusui’s lips, then lightly patted his dazed face. Jiang Liusui came back to his senses and saw He Yujing pull a bath towel from the side. Immediately, the scene before his eyes was covered by the pure white towel.
Someone wiped his slightly damp hair and wrapped him in the soft towel.
He Yujing’s Adam’s apple bobbed slowly as he gave a gentle push. “Okay. Out you go.”
Jiang Liusui changed his clothes and lay down on the bed.
On the bedside table, there were cigarettes, the silver hoop earrings he’d removed, and He Yujing’s phone.
The muffled sound of running water drifted from the bathroom. Jiang Liusui’s thoughts were in disarray.
When He Yujing had applied shower gel for him earlier, he clearly hadn’t been unaffected.
Was he supposed to wait until the shower was over?
If He Yujing really wanted to sleep with him, of course he would cooperate properly. But remembering what he had seen earlier, Jiang Liusui unconsciously hugged the pillow tighter.
With tomorrow’s filming in mind, he thought a gentle reminder might be enough to make He Yujing go easier. Otherwise… he might really break.
After some time had passed, the bathroom door opened. Someone emerged, carrying the scent of shower gel.
Seeing Jiang Liusui lying motionless on the bed, He Yujing made no demands. He dried his own hair, changed into pajamas, and got into bed from the other side.
Jiang Liusui felt the bed dip slightly, then a sudden weight on his waist. The rich fragrance of rose and musk spread through the air. Smelling the identical scent on He Yujing as on himself, Jiang Liusui hesitated for a moment before actively burrowing into his embrace, nuzzling his chest with his head.
He Yujing paused, then tightened one arm around him while the other arm turned off the bedside lamp.
Jiang Liusui blinked, thinking He Yujing might want to start in the dark. But after waiting for quite a while, He Yujing made no further moves.
He vaguely sensed that something was completely different from what he had imagined. He had always viewed their relationship as a transaction, avoiding deeper thoughts about He Yujing’s feelings. But if it were truly just a transaction, the indulgence He Yujing showed had already exceeded normal boundaries. He never pressured him, not even now, not even a hint of insistence. It was as if He Yujing was… waiting.
Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Jiang Liusui murmured, almost shyly, “We’re not going to…?”
He Yujing did not answer.
The room was filled with silence. After a long moment, Jiang Liusui heard his pleasant voice, in which one could not discern any emotion.
“Sleep.”
***
On the final night of filming, they returned to the city where they had stayed on the first day. During the day, the guests went back to the mountain peak to see the snow. Coming down from the mountain, everyone was somewhat tired, so the evening schedule was relatively relaxed. The production team arranged for the guests to dine at a restaurant converted from a church, then take a stroll along the riverbank in the old town district.
Back in the city, the production team returned everyone’s luggage. He Yujing finally got his clothes and accessories back, changing into a fresh outfit before coming out to film. His striking presence, combined with the diligent cameraman following him, drew glances from passersby whether they recognized him or not.
Xu Miao walked behind He Yujing and whispered to Jiang Liusui, “With the luggage back, Yu-ge is back too. The past few days really limited his style.”
Mu Zhe also sighed in admiration: “I thought he was already meticulous enough wearing a headband in the mountains.”
He then glanced at the person beside him and joked, “But Suisui, why aren’t you walking with Yu-ge? Aren’t you two usually inseparable[mfn]形影不离 (xíng yǐng bù lí) – lit. the body and its shadow never part[/mfn]?”
Since last night, Jiang Liusui had been feeling somewhat unsettled. Although he had chatted and laughed with He Yujing today, he hadn’t clung to him as habitually as before.
Jiang Liusui casually made an excuse, “I don’t match well standing next to him.”
Xu Miao and Mu Zhe both froze with the “are you kidding me?” look. Xu Miao, who had been praised by a bunch of girls in the livestream yesterday as a matchmaker, suddenly felt a sense of responsibility in that role. “Sweetie[mfn]宝贝儿啊 (bǎo bèir a)[/mfn], it’s others who don’t match well standing next to him, not you.”
Jiang Liusui didn’t respond. Seeing this, Mu Zhe changed the subject, “Miaomiao-jie, you went to the restroom during dinner and missed it—a foreign guy came up to Suisui to ask for his contact info.”
As soon as he started, Xu Miao immediately got excited, “Wow—! Really? Handsome? Is he handsome?”
“Handsome! Tall too, and he had gray-blue eyes!” After Mu Zhe finished, Xu Miao squealed in delight. The two of them chatted so harmoniously it was like sisters gossiping. Mu Zhe continued, “He was pretty bold too. Didn’t care that we were filming, just walked right over and started chattering away to Suisui with a smile.”
Xu Miao nudged Jiang Liusui with her elbow, “Wow! Getting hit on by a handsome guy in a foreign country—aren’t you even a little thrilled?”
Jiang Liusui smiled but didn’t reply.
He wasn’t exactly denying it, but his calm, indifferent demeanor spoke volumes. Xu Miao inwardly clicked her tongue, thinking this guy was truly a heartbreaker.
“And then? What happened next?” Xu Miao pressed.
Mu Zhe said, “Suisui didn’t understand him, so Yu-ge spoke to the foreign guy and sent him away.”
Xu Miao purred, “Oh~ Yu-ge even moonlighted[mfn]兼职 (jiān zhí) – lit. part-time job[/mfn] as a translator.”
Mu Zhe, being straightforward, didn’t catch the subtle fangirl signal behind the drawn-out “Oh~”. Jiang Liusui listened absentmindedly to their conversation when the person they had just mentioned suddenly stopped walking ahead.
Not far away, a brightly lit cafe had a street singer performing on the riverside. She wore a flowing slip dress, the hem and her long brown hair caught in the gentle wind, and her blue eyes sparkled with carefree delight.
She was accompanied by a guitarist and a bassist, with speakers and a computer set up in front of them. After she finished her song, amid the applause from the crowd, He Yujing walked over and started talking to them.
Xu Miao quickly tugged Jiang Liusui forward and asked, “What is Yu-ge going to do?”
Jiang Liusui looked over and said, “He probably wants to sing.”
“Seriously?!” Xu Miao practically squealed. “Right here?! He’s just going to sing??”
“Yu-ge, are you going to sing?” Shang Qingzhi and Mu Zhe immediately gathered around after hearing this, and the program crew’s cameraman focused intently, ready to capture the moment. Jiang Liusui’s gaze involuntarily followed He Yujing. From his angle, he could only see a small part of the man’s profile.
He Yujing exchanged a few words in English with the group, and the female singer briefly glanced at her companion before all three nodded in agreement.
He Yujing smiled and thanked them. The guitarist enthusiastically patted his shoulder and gave him a thumbs-up gesture.
After they stepped aside, He Yujing connected his backup phone to the computer and pulled up the accompaniment.
The prelude was soft and soothing, with piano and electric guitar chords interwoven with faint sounds of rain. He Yujing stood by the music equipment, holding the microphone in one hand as he began to hum.
Some people passed by the river, while more stopped to listen as he sang, even though they couldn’t understand the language. He Yujing’s voice drifted like strands of wind, seamlessly blending into the foreign night.
Jiang Liusui couldn’t look away. His eyes were locked on He Yujing, entirely captivated.
He Yujing had the most beautiful voice he had ever heard—neither a deep bass nor a sharp high pitch. Listening to him sing felt like a gentle caress to the eardrums. His highly distinctive tone was almost sensual, yet remarkably clean and clear.
His vocal control was flawless, gliding effortlessly from soaring highs to rich lows. He Yujing’s expression was especially gentle as he sang, the flickering lights beside him reflecting in his eyes like fragments of stars.
~ To hold the flower that won’t love me too,
I lay my shining, hollow words for you.
When I lose myself and fall apart,
What scares me most is us being strangers at heart. ~
“——EVIN! EVIN!!”
Within the crowd, a few young foreign girls recognized He Yujing. They covered their mouths, screaming excitedly as they scrambled to pull out their phones to record.
Xu Miao hadn’t expected to run into fans here. Most celebrities overseas barely get recognized, and she whispered in awe, “Yu-ge really is famous.”
Then, unable to contain her excitement, she added, “… Ahhh, it sounds so good! How does he sing love songs as if he’s confessing? It’s so moving!”
Mu Zhe was equally captivated, looking slightly dazed. “I haven’t heard this song before. Is it new?”
Xu Miao suddenly remembered something. “If it’s a new song, Yu-ge mentioned he’d sing it for someone first. Could it be…?”
She instinctively glanced at Jiang Liusui but quickly dismissed the thought as too ambiguous and absurd.
It probably just meant he was going to sing it once before the official release, right? Even if he sang it here, it wouldn’t stop him from performing it privately for someone else later… could it?
Jiang Liusui didn’t hear a word they were saying. His eyes were fixed on He Yujing, as if he had returned to that concert—where all the light in the world seemed to gather on one person.
As if sensing his gaze, He Yujing looked up at him at that very moment.
~ Then, let me make a love reservation with you,
To hold you close before the world breaks through.
Let tangled hearts be all we ever knew,
When the world falls down and splits in two,
Only in the wreckage do we come true. ~
“Oh my, Xiao Mu… what’s wrong with you?” Xu Miao caught a glimpse of the person beside her looking distraught out of the corner of her eye. When she turned, she was shocked to see Mu Zhe crying.
Mu Zhe shook his head, then sobbed, “I’m fine, Yu-ge just sings too well!”
He Yujing reached the final chorus, weaving between chest voice and falsetto with effortless grace. His eyes lowered slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. He wasn’t looking at anyone in particular, yet it felt as if he was looking straight at them all.
Xu Miao clutched her chest, utterly overwhelmed. “I… can’t handle this… so handsome—ahhhhh!!”
As the song ended, the female singer excitedly applauded before stepping forward to hug He Yujing. The surrounding applause continued without pause. Several girls who had been filming earlier hurriedly crowded around, asking for autographs. By the time he emerged from the enthusiastic crowd, the usually steady and reserved Qin Yi patted He Yujing’s shoulder. “You sang really well.”
Qin Yi seemed to struggle for a moment, as if wanting to say more, before finally offering a heartfelt compliment: “So cool! Really amazing.”
Watching the scene, Xu Miao couldn’t stop laughing. “Hahahahaha! Qin-ge, why are you more excited than me?”
Amid the laughter, Jiang Liusui’s gaze remained fixed on He Yujing. He was just as deeply moved as everyone else—his eyes, stark and bright, glimmered with emotion—but all he could see was one person.
He Yujing’s gaze suddenly found him.
Their eyes met.
Jiang Liusui parted his lips. He wanted to praise He Yujing for singing so well, for being so captivating on stage, for how touching his new song was… Countless thoughts swirled in his mind, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words.
A fleeting, crucial thought crossed his mind, and in the next instant, Jiang Liusui blurted out, “What’s the song called?”
He Yujing looked at him, his voice soft as he replied. Amid the surrounding clamor, Jiang Liusui heard him with perfect clarity.
“⟪Love Reservation⟫”
—Then let’s start by making a reservation for love.
— — — —
Authors Note:
The title is actually a love song, www[mfn]www – modern slang in online community indicating laughter or lightheartedness; like “lol” (laugh out loud)[/mfn].
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