Lin Shuangyi didn’t call “cut,” so the two continued acting.

After stepping on Song Zhian’s chest, the stifling gloom in Gu Qichi’s chest finally dissipated a little, replaced by a sense of satisfaction.

Accompanied by Lin Shuangyi’s shout of “Cut,” Gu Qichi withdrew his leg and left without looking back. Song Zhian tried to reach out and grab him, but his fingers only brushed against the fluttering hem of Gu Qichi’s costume.

Gu Qichi hurriedly had his wig removed by the hair stylist and handed the soaked costume to the wardrobe staff. Only then did he find a moment to check the message Bo Yu had sent him.

It was a short video.

The person filming didn’t have the best technique; the camera shook a bit, but fortunately, it captured the entire sunrise completely.

There was also a voice message. Surrounded by people, Gu Qichi lowered his eyes, his lashes casting shadows that obscured his expression. Usually, he would convert voice messages to text just to get the necessary information, but this time…

Song Zhian’s disgusting, cloying gaze seemed to still linger on his body, impossible to ignore.

Gu Qichi’s heart throbbed with a dull pain. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he spoke with difficulty: “Qianqian, can you help me find my headphones?”

Luo Qianqian, who had been squatting nearby, was surprised by the request but dutifully fished the headphones out of her canvas bag and handed them to him.

They were wired headphones.

Luo Qianqian watched his movements—

Gu Qichi first put the earbuds into his ears, and only then plugged the jack into the phone.

She suddenly remembered a meme she had seen on TikTok: When receiving a call from someone important, do you put the headphones on first, or plug them in first?

At first, Luo Qianqian hadn’t understood the significance of the question. To her, the order didn’t matter. Then, a top comment explained it:

“You put them on first, then plug them in, so you don’t miss a single word they say. Because you’re afraid that in the moment you take to plug them in, you might miss his voice…”

Some people even commented below, “I hope you never understand this sentence.”

Luo Qianqian had found it funny at the time and scrolled past without much thought. But now…

Her gaze fell on Gu Qichi’s fingertips. He tapped on the short voice message. The cold, despondent aura around him dissipated, and a very clear smile appeared in his eyes.

Bo Yu’s voice was beautiful, slightly husky and magnetic. Processed through the electric current, it sounded even deeper as it slowly rang in his ears:

“Gu Qichi, this is the 5:00 AM sunrise in Los Angeles. It’s beautiful, but not as beautiful as you.”

The voice message paused for a moment, followed by his smiling voice:

“I miss you so much. I hope the next time I see the sunrise, the person beside me is you.”

Gu Qichi’s heartbeat skipped a beat uncontrollably, then accelerated rapidly. The frantic thumping in his chest was deafening, as if his heart wanted to leap out of his throat.

Having been soaked in the rain for three or four hours, his hands and feet were ice cold, even turning slightly purple. despite being in the dressing room for a while, he felt shrouded in a layer of chill he couldn’t shake off; his limbs were numb and stiff.

There were a few more voice messages sent by Bo Yu at different times while he was filming. Gu Qichi clicked them open one by one.

“There’s a big time difference between Los Angeles and where you are. Go to sleep right after you finish filming, don’t wait for me.”

“Wife, I miss you so much. Can you send me a few more voice messages…”

“Gu Qichi.”

The haze over his heart was gradually driven away. Warmth returned little by little, flowing through his heart and into his limbs until his blood felt hot again.

Gu Qichi listened to these messages many times. Only when his makeup was completely removed did he stand up and return to the hotel.

---

In the hotel, Master Liu had already prepared ginger soup kept in a thermos. The sweetness of red dates and goji berries neutralized the spiciness of the ginger, driving out the cold from his body. Dinner was stir-fried beef with plenty of chili peppers to induce sweating and prevent a cold.

Despite all these preventive measures, Luo Qianqian was still worried. She went downstairs to buy several boxes of cold prevention granules and watched him drink them before leaving with peace of mind.

The granules quickly took effect. The medicine made him drowsy. Gu Qichi squinted, unlocked his phone to confirm again that Bo Yu was currently in a meeting and couldn’t talk, then buried himself completely in the quilt.

He slept curled up, his impossibly long legs drawn in—the protective posture of an infant in the womb.

Outside the window, the wind had picked up at some point. It howled, beating against the camphor leaves outside, making them rustle.

The wind grew stronger. Unknowingly, muffled thunder rolled in from the distant horizon, oppressive and low. Gu Qichi was already fast asleep under the influence of the medicine, yet he seemed to sense something, curling up uneasily.

A flash of purple-white lightning tore through the night sky. Heavy clouds piled up, dark and rolling, until the rain finally poured down.

Bean-sized raindrops smashed onto the ground and the windowsill. The torrential rain wove a curtain of water from the eaves, splitting inside and outside into two different worlds.

Looking out from the inside, the world was a blur.

The light was dim and oppressive. Gu Qichi lay in the center of the large bed, trying to wrap himself into a cocoon. His brows were tightly knit, a layer of fine sweat covered his forehead and the back of his neck, and his face was full of pain.

In this humid sultriness, without Bo Yu’s habitual companionship, Gu Qichi panicked. He uncontrollably dreamed of the past.

Because he had experienced it too many times, the dream was incredibly clear; not a single detail was missed.

---

It was at Gu Yuning and Song Zhian’s engagement party. Gu Qichi was hiding in a corner drinking wine. The banquet lights were bright and scorching. Amidst the clinking of glasses, Gu Qichi heard many compliments:

“President Gu, you really taught him well. Yuning is so outstanding, it’s obvious you cultivated him carefully.”

Gu Chengtian was chatting with a partner, wearing a proud smile. He exchanged pleasantries: “Of course, Yuning is my favorite son. Being able to get engaged to the second son of the Song family is all due to his own efforts; I, as his father, didn’t help at all.”

“That’s not right. If you weren’t so magnanimous, if you hadn’t taken him in and raised him so well, where would he get the chance to marry into the Song family?”

In the dream, Gu Chengtian seemed very satisfied with such praise, smiling until the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes showed.

The rest was just flattery toward Gu Yuning and Song Zhian. Gu Qichi had no mood to listen. Just as he wanted to go to the garden window to get some fresh air and sober up, the sofa beside him sank. Song Zhian, the center of attention, had walked over at some point, holding a glass of champagne.

The Second Young Master Song had a good appearance—refined, polite, and scholarly. Theoretically, he should be very likable, but for some reason, Gu Qichi disliked him.

Perhaps it was his eyes. The way he looked at Gu Qichi always held an indescribable darkness.

Like being stared at by a venomous snake living in a dark, damp place—it gave the illusion of being sticky, wet, and cold. Gu Qichi instinctively wanted to flee.

Song Zhian stared at him, a faint smile spilling onto his face: “Brother Qichi, right? I’m Ningning’s boyfriend, Song Zhian.”

He shook the champagne in his hand toward Gu Qichi, inviting him to drink, but Gu Qichi coldly refused.

In the dream, his expression was extremely cold. He loathed Song Zhian’s proximity, even though the other party hadn’t done anything yet.

Song Zhian looked at him thoughtfully, appearing hurt. His slightly aloof eyes lowered as he whispered, “Does Brother Qichi not like me? That really hurts my feelings…”

Gu Chengtian and Gu Yuning were attracted by the commotion. They walked over in panic. Gu Chengtian’s face was full of fawning, while Gu Yuning’s face held hatred and resentment.

But when Song Zhian looked back, Gu Yuning quickly switched back to that pitiful look, like a fragile white flower, carefully tugging at Song Zhian’s sleeve: “Brother Song, my older brother still has some questions for you…”

Song Zhian was led away. Gu Qichi breathed a sigh of relief.

The rain outside the window got heavier.

The drainage system in Dongcheng hadn’t been maintained well over the years. Coupled with the uneven ground, rainwater accumulated in low-lying areas, forming a turbulent river on the road surface.

The dream continued. Thick ink-like darkness surged, threatening to swallow him. The pain of suffocation was overwhelming.

Gu Qichi didn’t dare get drunk. His heart was panicking severely, beating uncontrollably, the sound drumming against his eardrums.

Song Zhian hadn’t gone far. His gaze remained glued to Gu Qichi, undisguised.

In the dream, it was a rainy day just like this. The sky was so dark not a trace of light could be seen. Sultry, humid moisture seeped into the texture of his skin; even his clothes were dyed with dampness.

The engagement ceremony wasn’t held in Dongcheng, but on the Song family’s private island. All guest accommodations were arranged by the Song family. Gu Yuning had specifically given instructions for Gu Qichi’s guest room—it was at the end of the corridor, remote and desolate.

When he returned to the guest room, Gu Qichi’s heart beat faster and faster. The veins at his temples throbbed. He had an intuition that something bad was about to happen.

As if to verify his guess, overwhelming, greedy malice pressed down. In the air mixed with the smell of alcohol and heat, Gu Qichi was pinned heavily against the wall.

The dream began to fragment. Those noisy, broken sounds flooded in scene by scene, like twisted monsters clawing their way out to drag people into hell, never to be reincarnated.

Gu Qichi sank into the large bed, his lips trembling uneasily, pale and bloodless. Tears flowed from the corners of his eyes endlessly, quickly soaking the sheets and pillow beneath him.

The wet patch spread, but he still didn’t wake up.

The dream he least wanted to recall finally had its last fig leaf torn away—absurd and ridiculous.

The protagonist gong (top) from the original novel, who was labeled as deeply affectionate, had his character completely collapse, revealing his hideous and ugly true face.

Taking advantage of everyone’s absence, Song Zhian cornered Gu Qichi, pinning him to the wall, intending to assault him.

That gaze that made Gu Qichi uncomfortable stuck to him without concealment. In that moment, he finally saw clearly what was hidden deep in Song Zhian’s eyes.

It was a man’s blatant, filthy emotion, exposed to the light without shame. Like an airtight net, it sought to entangle Gu Qichi, tighten, and finally devour him whole.

His plot failed. In his desperation, Gu Qichi found strength from somewhere, grabbed the vase by the door with one hand, and smashed it directly onto the back of Song Zhian’s head.

Thick blood flowed from the black hair. The dark red color was shocking, running down to stain Song Zhian’s white shirt collar.

At the other end of the corridor, Gu Yuning finally arrived late with the Gu family.

Gu Yuning had long noticed Song Zhian’s strange mood upon seeing Gu Qichi. After being shaken off by Song Zhian with an excuse, his heart jumped. He hurriedly found Gu Chengtian and Geng Tingxun. Gu Yuanan, woken by the noise, also realized something and hurriedly got up, following Gu Yuning to Gu Qichi’s room.

They stumbled right into this scene.

Even with his head covered in blood, Song Zhian refused to give up. He had torn Gu Qichi’s shirt open, revealing a glimpse of thin collarbone and a section of shoulder and neck that was blindingly white.

“Brother Song!”

Gu Yuning screamed in panic, his eyes full of fear. He almost trembled as he squeezed the words out of his throat: “Brother Song, I’m right here. Did you mistake him for me?” His face was pale, his body tottering. If Gu Yuanan hadn’t been supporting him from behind, he might have collapsed from weak knees.

Song Zhian actually wasn’t drunk; he was very sober. But his future father-in-law and mother-in-law were there, and Gu Yuning had actively given him an out. Even if he was unwilling, he had to pretend he had mistaken the person.

The whole house was full of guests invited by the Song and Gu families. If this blew up, he would be the one losing face.

Thinking of this, Song Zhian pretended to be heavily drunk, swaying as he walked. He squinted, as if only just realizing the person in his arms wasn’t Gu Yuning but Gu Qichi, and stepped back a little.

He was then supported away by Gu Yuning.

Only Gu Yuanan, Gu Chengtian, and Geng Tingxun were left, their expressions extremely ugly.

The vase used to smash Song Zhian had shattered, leaving fragments all over the floor.

It was blue and white porcelain. The cold white shards were stained with crimson blood, as were Gu Qichi’s hands.

His hands were born extremely beautiful—well-defined joints, fair and slender, fingertips a soft pink like peach blossoms.

But now, there were many tiny cuts from the flying porcelain shards, and a deep gash in his palm where the flesh rolled out, bleeding profusely. It looked terrifying.

He slid down the doorframe to sit on the floor as if all his strength was gone, only to be yanked up by the collar by Gu Yuanan.

For so many years, Gu Yuanan had never given Gu Qichi a pleasant look. He gave all his tenderness and patience to Gu Yuning, as if that was his biological brother, while Gu Qichi was an irrelevant stranger.

He slapped Gu Qichi. The force was heavy. Gu Qichi’s face swelled up quickly. Because his face was so pale, the bright red handprint was shockingly visible; one could even see the broken capillaries.

But Gu Yuanan’s words were even more vicious, hurting far more than the slap.

He said, “Gu Qichi, are you that cheap? You have to try and steal the person your brother likes?”

In Gu Qichi’s life, he had never been this wretched.

He looked at Gu Chengtian and Geng Tingxun nearby. Neither showed the slightest intention of caring about him; they were only anxious about the cooperation with the Song family.

Gu Yuanan’s arrogant accusation, Gu Chengtian’s indifferent gaze, Geng Tingxun’s furrowed brows and look of disgust—all of it stabbed at Gu Qichi’s heart.

They were sharper than the broken porcelain in his hand, stabbing his already riddled heart until it was bloody.

That rainy night, Gu Qichi did the most outrageous thing in his life.

He gripped the shard of porcelain tightly in his palm. Without any hesitation, letting it cut his hand, he stabbed it into Gu Yuanan’s abdomen.

They shared the same blood, yet they seemed like mortal enemies.

Gu Qichi looked indifferently at the dripping blood. His own blood ran bone-chillingly cold. He lifted his eyelids, smiled carelessly, his face full of mockery: “Gu Yuanan, are you a fucking idiot?”

…

The fragmented dream was shattered completely. A purple bolt of lightning cut the sky into jagged shapes, the blinding white light searing the eyes.

Gu Qichi jolted awake from the bed.

He was soaked through. Cold sweat made his white T-shirt stick to him clammily. His body shivered uncontrollably.

His soft, dark hair was messy and stuck to his face. His eyes were soaked with tears, flushed red and swollen.

Gu Qichi curled his fingers. His throat was dry. He subconsciously looked toward his phone.

Then he looked away.

After that engagement, he was completely exiled, sent off the private island overnight. To save face, the Gu family couldn’t call the police, so they hastily suppressed the matter with a random excuse.

They claimed Song Zhian and Gu Yuanan were drunk and accidentally broke a fire escape door in the corridor, causing their injuries.

No one cared about the disappeared Gu Qichi, because to everyone, he was an irrelevant person.

---

The rain still hadn’t stopped. Gu Qichi slowly sat up, leaning against the headboard, knees bent, burying his entire head in his arms, lost in thought.

He didn’t call Bo Yu because he didn’t know how to explain where this terrible mood came from.

If Bo Yu asked, what should he say?

That he was someone who had transmigrated into a book? Or that he had been reborn again and again?

Either reason was unbelievable. Let alone Bo Yu, even he himself found it hard to believe.

Gu Qichi didn’t sleep again after waking up. He kept his eyes open—eyes that were wide, red, and swollen.

The young man just stared at the water stains in the gap of the curtains, motionless, until the darkness dissipated and daylight returned. Finally, he moved.

He didn’t live on a high floor. Surrounded by commercial buildings large and small, he could only faintly see sunlight trying to enter the window, mostly blocked by the blackout curtains.

It was now 6:00 AM. Bo Yu was thirteen hours behind, meaning it was 5:00 PM in New York. Bo Yu should be awake.

Gu Qichi moved his numb limbs, blinked his dry eyes, and slowly fumbled for the phone by the bed.

He had come back in a hurry last night and felt dizzy after taking the medicine, forgetting to charge his phone.

Only 9% battery left…

Gu Qichi lowered his eyes, staring blankly at the red battery bar. Then, he slowly clicked on Bo Yu’s avatar and selected voice call.

Bo Yu loved staring at him. No matter how weird Gu Qichi’s angle was, or how distorted his face looked on camera, Bo Yu persisted, forcefully demanding video calls and refusing other methods.

This was the first time Gu Qichi had chosen a voice call. After several ringing tones, Gu Qichi gripped the phone tight, his heart shrinking in his chest.

Bo Yu picked up. His voice was thick with sleepiness, sexy and hoarse.

“Wife.”

Gu Qichi heard rustling sounds on the other end, as if he was getting dressed.

Bo Yu was dealing with jet lag. The negotiation with Mr. Peter in the morning had gone exceptionally smoothly, meaning there would be no more errors with this cooperation, and Bo Yu could return to Dongcheng as soon as possible to see Gu Qichi.

The man’s voice contained unstoppable drowsiness. He glanced at the time, calculated the time on Gu Qichi’s side, and was startled.

“Why are you up so early today? I remember you don’t have morning scenes.”

He paused, frowning, sounding very dissatisfied: “Wife, turn on the camera. Let me look at you.”

The phone battery was dropping bit by bit. Gu Qichi wanted to speak, but his voice was hoarse, far from its usual cool pleasantness: “Just didn’t sleep well, that’s why I’m up early.”

He scratched the sheets beneath him, silent for a moment, trying hard to keep his voice normal: “Bo Yu, I’m very ugly today. Not pretty at all. I don’t want you to see.”

He rarely had moments where he exposed his emotions with such self-abandonment. Bo Yu, who was intimately familiar with his every word and action, immediately sensed something was wrong.

He stopped getting dressed and coaxed him with extreme patience and tenderness: “Gu Qichi, you are beautiful. You are the most beautiful. No matter when, in my eyes, you are always the best looking. Don’t think so much.”

He hung up the call and tried to start a video call, but Gu Qichi ruthlessly hung up on him.

Bo Yu persisted, and finally, Gu Qichi accepted the video call.

But he still didn’t show his face. On the phone screen, there was only Bo Yu’s face.

Gu Qichi’s gaze stuck to him. He spoke with a raspy voice: “Bo Yu, let’s just talk like this. I want to look at you.”

“When are you coming back? Bo Yu, I miss you.”

His emotions completely broke the dam. Gu Qichi choked up, seemingly losing control. In the past, he liked to dangle Bo Yu, watching him get anxious, playing hard to get and throwing out hooks one by one, waiting for Bo Yu to bite, never actively expressing anything himself.

Whoever makes the first move loses.

This was an eternal truth, and Gu Qichi believed in it deeply and used it well.

It was rare to have a moment like today, where he uncontrollably poured out his heart.

Gu Qichi thought aimlessly: Bo Yu says he misses me every day. So if I say it once, is that okay?

Things wouldn’t turn out that bad. Bo Yu would still like him, worry about him.

He just… really missed him.

On the other end of the line, Bo Yu’s breathing stagnated for a moment. He punched the bed in agitation, wishing he could fly back right now.

Everything about Gu Qichi was too hard to come by. He was too afraid of getting hurt, living like a hedgehog, hiding all his soft insides deep down, terrified of being discovered.

Just showing a little bit of it made it feel precious.

Bo Yu never tired of testing his moods and attitudes. It was like digging for treasure buried deep underground—active and full of drive.

Whenever he unearthed even a little bit, he wanted to guard that treasure and admire it repeatedly.

Gu Qichi chatted intermittently with Bo Yu about everything and nothing. The phone was plugged into the charger, the back of the device scorching hot against his palm.

He didn’t know how long they talked until Luo Qianqian knocked on the door. Gu Qichi finally snapped out of it and got up to open the door.

The call wasn’t hung up. As the door opened, Bo Yu could easily hear Luo Qianqian’s exclamation:

“Teacher Gu, why are your eyes swollen?”

Luo Qianqian was holding freshly made shrimp porridge. She hurriedly put it down and leaned in, her tone unable to hide her concern: “Did you cry? Or do you have a fever? How did they get so swollen?”

She had arranged Gu Qichi’s hotel room. She quickly pulled the first aid kit from the bottom of the wardrobe, took out a thermometer, and handed it to Gu Qichi.

Luo Qianqian: “Teacher Gu, check your temperature quickly. If the fever is bad, I’ll go ask Director Lin for leave.”

Naturally, none of her words escaped Bo Yu’s ears. The man’s voice was deep, sounding somewhat displeased as he picked up on the keywords:

“Gu Qichi, what exactly happened? Why were you crying?”

“Also, how did you get a fever? Did you get cold from not dressing properly, or is it a stomach flu from not eating well?”

Gu Qichi was rendered speechless by the questions and could only remain silent.

Luo Qianqian was urging him in front, and despite Gu Qichi repeatedly emphasizing he didn’t have a cold, she insisted. Bo Yu was also unrelenting on the phone. Unable to win against them, Gu Qichi obediently took his temperature.

37.4 degrees Celsius.

A low-grade fever.

On the phone screen, Bo Yu’s face immediately turned cold. Luo Qianqian also rummaged through boxes and cabinets to bring out all the medicine she had prepared.

Under the gaze of both of them, Gu Qichi obediently ate breakfast and took the fever and anti-inflammatory medicine. Only then did he manage to earn back smiles from both of them.

After applying ice packs to his eyes, the swelling went down a lot, but upon arriving at the set, Lin Shuangyi still noticed.

Lin Shuangyi was very surprised, his voice raising a few decibels: “Gu Qichi, what’s wrong with your eyes? Why are they so red?”

It wasn’t strange for Lin Shuangyi to react this way. Gu Qichi was usually too exquisite, like a beautiful piece of porcelain—cold and unapproachable. Today, however, he looked weak, his eyes swollen from crying. Coupled with the despondent aura around him, he looked like a flower trembling as it bloomed on barren land.

Seeing the entire crew’s gaze shifting toward him, Gu Qichi helplessly made up a random excuse to brush it off before going to change into his costume and get his makeup done.

Fortunately, the plot had reached the point where Shi Tianlin was exiled to the Western borders to win people’s hearts and establish his career. Song Zhian had been transferred to Group A, while Gu Qichi remained in Group B. Not having to face that disgusting face anymore, Gu Qichi’s mood lightened considerably.

Calculating the days, he had been filming for almost a month. Once the notices for Group B were finished, and after filming a few famous scenes for the drama—including Shen Qingye’s death—he would be able to wrap up.

Then, he could return to Dongcheng to see Bo Yu.

Once a person has something to look forward to, they become full of hope and energy for everything.

Lin Shuangyi clearly noticed that after Song Zhian moved to Group A, Gu Qichi’s condition improved significantly, and he became more spirited.

Plus, Wen Shi’s acting was good and complemented Gu Qichi. The performance collision between the two created a wonderful chemical reaction.

They portrayed the treacherous atmosphere of the court and palace perfectly, with almost no flaws. Most of the time, they passed in one take.

As a result, Group B was extremely efficient. The filming speed was surprisingly fast, and the atmosphere in the entire group relaxed. Additionally, Luo Qianqian often helped Gu Qichi treat the crew to milk tea or barbecue.

Gu Qichi had surprisingly good popularity here.

After all, no one would dislike an actor who was breathtakingly beautiful and extremely skilled at acting.

Gu Qichi will definitely be famous, red-hot famous. This was everyone’s shared thought.

Not because of any personal bias, but simply because of Gu Qichi’s effort and attitude.

A few days later, Gu Qichi suddenly received a message from Wen Xi—

[Wen Xi]: Little Chi baby, I’ve already negotiated the schedule for the Youth magazine shoot. It’s tomorrow. I’ve already asked for leave from Lin Shuangyi. Just relax and go with Luo Qianqian tomorrow.

[Wen Xi]: Also, the shoot is in S City. I booked the flight tickets and sent the flight number to Luo Qianqian’s phone. You must rest well and strive to slay everyone with your face!

Magazine?

It seemed Wen Xi had been trying to lock down this resource for him recently.

Gu Qichi blinked, a sparse smile unconsciously revealing itself in his eyes and brows. He pursed his lips and slowly replied:

[Little Chi Baby]: I know, Sister Wen. Don’t worry about me.

After sending the message, Gu Qichi switched to his chat with Bo Yu and found that the other party hadn’t sent him a message in a long time. He couldn’t help but feel a bit strange.

When exactly is Bo Yu coming back?

Lin Shuangyi was ready to start filming again and called Gu Qichi’s name. He hurriedly put down his phone and threw himself into the new round of work.

That evening after wrapping up, Luo Qianqian didn’t take Gu Qichi back to the hotel. Instead, she drove that inconspicuous nanny van through twists and turns until they reached a restaurant they had never been to before.

The night lights were bright and dazzling. Amidst the feasting and revelry, the evening breeze was clear, and cold white moonlight paved the ground.

Bo Yu stood under a warm yellow streetlight, arms spread open in a gesture for a hug.

His facial features were relaxed, his narrow phoenix eyes full of laughter, his thin lips curved upward:

“Gu Qichi, look at me.”

“I missed you too.”

---

Author’s Note:
Bo Yu: Came back to kiss my wife!
Gu Qichi: I can start fishing (flirting/baiting) again.