Chapter 24

Yan Zhao gave several rules to Lu Yinnan: be punctual and not arrive late or leave early during the filming; no contact with any talent agencies during the shooting period; read the script for each character and provide a brief biography of Huo Panpan; go to the director every day to memorize lines.

Lu Yinnan nodded nervously, cutting off all entertainment and leisure activities. In his dreams, all he could see was the stern gaze of Teacher Yan.

One day, the crew organized a script meeting. Everyone gathered around a big table with small chairs, reading their lines like elementary school students going through a lesson text. The goal was to familiarize themselves with the plot and avoid mistakes during the actual filming.

After going through the lines, it was already eight o’clock in the evening.

After the meeting, Yan Zhao stretched lazily, walked out of Building Four, and the street lamps cast a faint glow on the deserted street. A few days later, students returned to school, bringing life back to the campus.

…and he had to be fully armed at that time too.

Yan Zhao, Xiao Dou and Zhong Ling walked towards the parking lot. Only a few cars were scattered on the spacious grounds. Next to their own nanny car, there was a black luxury car. In contrast, it looked like a small lamb next to a gray wolf.

A man leaned against the car, holding a cigarette between his fingers, sparks flickering like tiny stars.

Yan Zhao rushed over, and snatched the cigarette from his hand. “I didn’t know you were a smoker.”

Shen Yuanting glanced at him sideways. “Occasionally, no addiction.”

“Even more reason not to smoke. What if you end up liking it? That would be a big loss.” Yan Zhao crushed the cigarette and threw it into the trash bin.

Yan Zhao asked his two assistants to go back first and questioned Shen Yuanting, “Why didn’t you tell me you were picking me up? What if I missed you?”

Shen Yuanting replied casually, “I didn’t think much about it, just came when I wanted to see you.”

…So annoying, clingy!

Yan Zhao inexplicably felt his face warming up, he turned his eyes away. “Shall we take a stroll for a while?”

Yan Zhao had been immersed in filming these days, not playing games and having nothing else interesting to do, so he picked up a script and chatted with Shen Yuanting. “Guan Ying’s character development is subtle. As the male lead, if he needs psychological growth, he was a naive guy before, not cool enough. If he needs to grow in abilities, it’s not thrilling enough…”

Shen Yuanting quietly listened to his analysis of the character and asked, “He broke up with the female lead, what about the ending?”

Yan Zhao looked at the stars in the night sky, “Reunion after breaking up. In fantasy stories, there always needs to be a happy ending. If placed in reality… it might just end, both people being able to sustain a relationship for ten years, the probability is too small.”

Shen Yuanting fell silent for a moment and said, “The obsession with what one cannot obtain often lasts longer than love or hatred.”

As he spoke, he looked into the distance, his profile somewhat hazy under the moonlight, like a moon falling into the water, shattered with a gust of wind.

Yan Zhao thought he hadn’t considered this aspect yet and needed to note it down in the script. Upon second thought, Shen Yuanting could say such things, it was remarkable. Not sure if he read it in some youth pain novel or if it was his own insight. Did Shen Juju’s inner heart so delicate?

“Let’s not talk about that,” Yan Zhao said, “Regardless of how reality is, in novels, people endure for love.” If romance novels had to conform to reality, life would be too tough.

Shen Yuanting nodded in agreement.

Yan Zhao said, “The variety show I filmed last time will be aired this weekend.”

Last week, the production team released the teaser, without applying any beauty filters to Yan Zhao, letting him appear natural in front of the camera.

Shen Yuanting smiled, “The episode where you applied fiery red lipstick?”

Yan Zhao couldn’t help but laugh, “Thanks to you for describing the wounded man so spicy.”

Halfway through, Yan Zhao suddenly stopped, “I forgot something.”

“What?”

“Gloves.”

When the shooting started, he had put the gloves in the drawer and forgot about them after the meeting. The place wasn’t far, so going back to get them wasn’t a big deal.

Building Four hadn’t closed yet. Yan Zhao retraced his steps, took out a pair of ice cream blue woollen gloves from the drawer, with a crooked “Zhao” sewn on them.

Yan Zhao showed off to Shen Yuanting, “This is a gift from a fan.”

Shen Yuanting chuckled disdainfully.

As they descended in the elevator, the numbers flashed, about to reach the second floor. Yan Zhao felt a momentary darkness in front of him. Soon, he realized it wasn’t just his perception; the lights flickered twice, followed by a loud bang. Along with the sensation of the elevator halting, darkness enveloped them.

The elevator was stuck.

Yan Zhao: “…………”

What the heck, what’s going on?

“Is there a power outage?” Shen Yuanting turned on the flashlight on his phone, casting a pale light in the confined space.

Yan Zhao pressed the emergency button in the light, and the control room said they would come immediately after hearing the situation.

“Turn off the flashlight.” Yan Zhao nervously suggested, feeling like in the next second, a pair of red shoes would appear where the light swept through…

No, don’t think about it!

He leaned against the wall, his hand touching the cold metal. His pupils had adjusted to the darkness, making it slightly easier to distinguish objects. But this blurry vision in the darkness wasn’t much better than seeing nothing at all.

There was a bright mirror inside the elevator, reflecting the figures of the two. Yan Zhao couldn’t help but wonder if his reflection in the mirror would move when he blinked…

No, no, no, don’t think about that! In a school full of vibrant students, even ghosts would be scared away!

——Legend has it that Building Four is haunted. Construction was halted for various reasons until they set up the Bagua Array.

Yan Zhao narrowed his eyes, and sealed his lips tightly. Building Four is in the shape of the Chinese character “凹,” and in the courtyard surrounded by tall buildings, there do seem to be a few gray stone tablets. If you look down from the sky, they would connect to form a Bagua pattern…

Most people who are afraid of ghosts are scared by their own imagination. Yan Zhao, lost in various thoughts, became increasingly anxious, feeling like a cat that had just discovered its companion lost its “eggs.”

Suddenly, his palm warmed, and a hand held his.

—Oh my goodness! Do you believe I will tear you apart?!

Yan Zhao didn’t even have time to contemplate the philosophical question of why a ghost’s hand would be warm. He slapped away the hand, but the other person skillfully grabbed his arm, pulled him close, and they ended up shoulder to shoulder.

In a steady tone, Shen Yuanting said, “It’s me.”

Yan Zhao stammered, “Oh, okay.”

In the midst of shock, his emotions were a bit unstable. On one hand, he breathed a sigh of relief, but on the other hand, he was somewhat annoyed. Shen Yuanting does whatever he wants without saying a word!

Yan Zhao questioned, “Did I give you permission to hug me?!”

Shen Yuanting replied nonchalantly, “Is that not allowed?” He tightened his grip a bit!

Yan Zhao was on the verge of getting furious.

Feeling a slight shiver under his touch, Shen Yuanting asked, “Are you trembling? Scared?”

Yan Zhao retorted, “I’m just cold!” A man shouldn’t be afraid of ghosts, especially not in front of others!

The hand that was hugging him let go, and in the darkness, the man took off his coat, pulled Yan Zhao in front of him, and draped the coat over him.

“Still cold?” Shen Yuanting asked.

The coat still retained the man’s body warmth, like a flickering flame burning across his back, scalding every limb and bone.

Yan Zhao held onto the man’s coat tightly, staring at the ground, and muttered a muffled “Hmm.”

Now, he had no thoughts about whether ghosts existed or not; all his thoughts were focused on the man beside him.

Although Yan Zhao had never been in love, he wasn’t the type to be hopelessly oblivious.

He discreetly glanced at Shen Yuanting, and their eyes met. Yan Zhao guiltily shifted his gaze away, but his hand, disobediently, moved in a certain direction.

His hand touched the man’s fingertips, just grazing a small patch of skin, and it felt like an electric shock, making him pull away as if startled.

What if it’s just him being sentimental… whatever, no turning back now!

Yan Zhao reached out nervously to touch Shen Yuanting’s hand again, but this time, the man immediately caught him, separated his fingers, and forcefully interlocked their hands.

Yan Zhao felt a thunderous roar in his mind. Blood surged from his heart, rushing upwards, and his face turned thoroughly red. Even the tips of his ears were hot, and he didn’t know what to do.

Shen Yuanting, I… . Yan Zhao thought, from now on, there was one more straight guy in the world who had been brutally turned gay.

The maintenance personnel arrived quickly, and Yan Zhao even felt they came too fast, disrupting the private world he and Shen Yuanting had created.

Just a few minutes ago, he had hoped for the destruction of this cursed elevator, but now Yan Zhao just wanted to dismantle it and preserve it in a museum.

On the way home, they stopped to buy breakfast for the next day. There was a cake shop with exquisite and warm decor along the roadside.

Yan Zhao looked up and saw the sign that read “Cheesy Singles Cake Shop.”

He smirked; after all, he wasn’t single—

But Shen Yuanting hadn’t confessed, and he hadn’t either.

The smile on Yan Zhao’s lips gradually faded: “…”

Upon reflection, except for Shen Yuanting saying, “I’ll take care of you for a lifetime,” they hadn’t exchanged sweet words or made any commitments. So, was he still a single dog???

The sudden reality of going from single to possibly breaking up left Yan Zhao feeling like he had been on an emotional rollercoaster. He looked dazed, shaken out of the “Do I have a boyfriend?” question by Shen Yuanting’s two shakes.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Shen Yuanting: “Which cake do you want?”

Yan Zhao, feeling dizzy and overwhelmed, randomly pointed to two cakes.

Shen Yuanting glanced at the labels, smirking: “Oh?”

Yan Zhao felt a shiver in his heart at Shen Yuanting’s teasing tone. Taking a closer look at the cake names, they read, “Hurry up and kiss me” and “Waiting for a confession.”

“…” Feeling like his thoughts were exposed, Yan Zhao quickly said, “No, no, I mean those two next to each other!”

Taking another look: “Waiting for you tonight” and “You by my side.”

Yan Zhao: “…………” Boss, you’re quite cheeky.

In the end, Yan Zhao chose the innocent “Teach me math” and “Be my desk mate” as breakfast. His face was almost too embarrassed to show.

The cake shop had a promotion in the evening and gave him two bottles of sugar-free oolong tea.

Yan Zhao glanced at the familiar face and signature on the packaging.

He exclaimed, “I endorsed this!”

This was probably the most widely recognized product he endorsed. After all, high-end jewelry wasn’t accessible to everyone, but when it came to beverages, with the advertisement airing, the product gained visibility as it entered large malls, ordinary supermarkets, and small convenience stores.

Shen Yuanting smiled, twisted open two bottles, handed one to Yan Zhao, and drank the other himself.

Yan Zhao secretly observed him. The man’s neck was elegantly long, and when he drank, the prominent Adam’s apple moved up and down, as if enticing him to take a bite…

Aaahhhh, stop, don’t be so insatiable! Yan Zhao shook his head, raised his neck, gulped down the water, feeling the weight in his stomach. It helped him regain some composure.