Quite coincidentally, this happens to be the continuation of the bath scene I was just reminiscing about.

After an all-nighter two days ago, the shoot went quite smoothly the next day. The director didn’t call for a single cut.

From galloping on horseback to rolling on the grass, the entire long take flowed seamlessly and naturally.

Although Lu Guanlan is only three centimeters taller than me, when he pinned me down to the ground, I found myself completely powerless to resist.

Lying on the vibrant green grass, surrounded by the hot breath of a young man, looking up at the solitary red clouds and the vast blue sky. The endless grasslands stretched beneath the grand, fervent setting sun.

It truly felt like the heavens were the roof, and the earth was the floor.

A young man laid bare his sincere heart—no technique, just raw emotion. In this boundless wilderness, a wild and free forbidden love was unfolding.

---

But right now, staring at the two energetic young men rolling around on the 75-inch HD screen, I covered my face with my hands, only wishing to escape.

Lu Guanlan was sitting very close to me. The heat from his body underneath his robe was radiating toward me, making me unbearably restless.

Feigning a yawn, I tried to slip away. “I’m getting old. I’m sleepy. You keep watching.”

Lu Guanlan grabbed my wrist. He looked up at me, his eyes meeting mine. “What I said in the secret room was out of anger.

“I won’t marry and have children. I also can’t bear to wish you happiness with someone else.

“Brother, can you give me another chance?”

My steps faltered.

Lu Guanlan’s eyes began to redden slightly. The same person who had just been bullying me was now looking as pitiful as a lost puppy.

I’ve never been able to resist that expression.

Back when we were filming that movie, we naturally grew closer and eventually got together.

Everything happened naturally.

But not even half a year later, Lu Guanlan’s family came to find me.

It was the most clichéd of moves—they offered money to make me leave.

The Lu family is what you’d call a wealthy family, while I was just some poor kid who happened to have a good-looking face and managed to graduate from university by the skin of my teeth.

They belittled me until I felt worthless, pinning all the blame on me. They were convinced I was the one who led Lu Guanlan astray.

I was young and hot-headed, so I went straight home and threw Lu Guanlan out. “Master Lu, you come from wealth and privilege. This rundown place can’t house a big Buddha like you. Go back to your luxurious life!”

I tossed all his things out.

He banged on the door all night, but I never opened it.

The truth was, I couldn’t admit that deep down, it was my own insecurity.

Lu Guanlan’s demeanor and upbringing were engraved in his bones. From the first moment I saw him, I knew we were from different worlds.

But I was greedy.

Even with my legs stuck in the mud, I wanted to reach up and touch the moon in the sky.

I was lucky to have briefly held it, and unlucky when the dream shattered all too soon.

---

That was our first breakup. After Lu Guanlan left, my heart and home both felt empty.

Our tiny apartment suddenly seemed overwhelmingly vast.

A month later, I took a commercial gig and paid next quarter’s rent.

When I got home, I found a shadow crouching outside the security door.

The voice-activated light in our old building had broken, but by the moonlight streaming through the stairwell window, I called out in surprise, “Guanlan?”

He’d had a falling out with his family.

He ran away from home, bringing nothing but his ID.

Lu Guanlan had waited outside for who knows how long. His legs had gone numb, so he couldn’t stand, and he clung pitifully to my jacket.

“Brother, I’ve got nowhere to go. Please don’t abandon me.”

Tch.

I bent down, meeting his red-rimmed eyes, and couldn’t bring myself to say anything cruel to this pitiful stray puppy.

Oh well.

I ruffled his hair and held out my hand.

“Welcome home.”

---

The grip on my wrist tightened, snapping me out of my thoughts. I was just about to remind myself not to make the same mistake twice when Lu Guanlan’s phone rang.

The caller ID showed it was “Mom.”

It seemed like his relationship with his family had improved over the years. That was a good thing.

Lu Guanlan frowned slightly, not looking too keen on answering.

I immediately swiped to accept the call for him. He shot me a glance but resignedly took the call with one hand, while still holding onto me with the other so I couldn’t leave.

“Hello? What’s up?”

The voice on the other end started nagging, complaining that he never came home, urging him to come back for a meal.

Lu Guanlan sounded distracted, giving a perfunctory “We’ll see.”

His mother continued her long-winded speech.

I was getting tired of standing, so I tried to sit down, only to be yanked onto Lu Guanlan’s lap.

“Ah—!”

I quickly covered my mouth.

But the person on the other end heard it.

“Guanlan, is someone with you?”

“Mm.”

There was an odd silence, followed by a slow, deliberate question: “Is it Han Songyu?”

I froze.

She could tell it was me from just a single sound?

Did his mom become my fan or something?

“Yes.”

As soon as Lu Guanlan confirmed, the voice on the other end let out a dismissive snort. “In the dead of night, it could only be him. After all these years, why are you still hanging on to this crooked tree?”

“He’s not crooked. He’s quite handsome.”

“…”

Another silence fell.

After a while, his mother sighed softly. “When you have time, bring him home for a meal.”

Lu Guanlan gave a slight smile and finally agreed.

“Okay.”

---

I was completely dumbfounded. Lu Guanlan’s mom invited me to their house for a meal? A feast of doom, perhaps?

“Has your mom been brainwashed?”

Lu Guanlan chuckled. “She couldn’t out-argue me, so she’s given in.

“So, when do you have time?”

I laughed awkwardly, trying to deflect like him. “We’ll see.”

His smile faded as he cupped my chin.

“Why are you so afraid of meeting your in-laws? You’re not ugly.”

I swatted his hand away.

“Stop saying weird things. We haven’t been like that in years.”

Lu Guanlan’s face grew cold.

“You still haven’t answered my earlier question.”

Will you give me another chance?

I’d nearly given in earlier.

But our problems aren’t just about his family.

I pried his hand off and softly said, “No.”

---

Honestly, the first breakup didn’t hurt me that much. At the time, I was fired up, thinking that as long as I worked hard and became a big star, no one could ever say I wasn’t good enough for Lu Guanlan.

But I was too naive.