Chapter 14

The entertainment industry is the most fickle place, quick to fawn over success and abandon those who fall.

The production team knows better than anyone what can be aired and what cannot.

Whether it's the Zhuang family from City B or the Fei family from Hong Kong, neither is someone a small production team can easily afford to offend.

Therefore,

when Lu Tingchao pattered along, trailed by Zhuang Ji, walking back to the "Love Cottage"—

all cameras stopped filming, and the crew confiscated all active mobile phones.

Everyone on set fell silent under Zhuang Ji's intense pressure, an exceptional quietude.

Only Fei Xiuqi whistled.

His T-shirt was fastened with only one button, revealing a large expanse of firm, wheat-colored abs. He said to Zhuang Ji, "Looks like the talk fell through. You don't look so good."

Fei Xiuqi turned around: "Chao Chao, need the best lawyer in all of Asia? No charge."

The moment of dejection broke.

Lu Tingchao's eyes sparkled: "I’ll take one, thank you."

People can unleash astonishing resilience in extreme situations.

Since everyone had already witnessed this farce, Lu Tingchao decided he had nothing left to lose and whispered, "Stingy ex-husbands are all the same, but wealthy new admirers come in droves…"

Zhuang Ji stopped in his tracks: "What did you say?"

"You heard wrong!"

Lu Tingchao turned ninety degrees, trotted over to the director, and asked, "Can I take half a day off tomorrow? I’ll be back by the morning of the day after at the latest. It won’t delay filming."

Director: "!!"

The director simultaneously received glares from both Zhuang Ji and Fei Xiuqi.

Zhuang Ji sneered: "I remember small variety show sets are charged by the day. Chao Chao, taking leave like this will make things difficult for the director."

Fei Xiuqi smiled: "BB won’t. The Fei family fully funded this show. A day or two doesn't matter to me. Even if you want to go to the amusement park, I can have the set wait for you."

Director: "…"

The director forced a strained smile: "Anything goes, anything goes. Xiao Lu—ah, no, Mr. Lu, whatever you say goes."

Lu Tingchao’s eyes shone with genuine sincerity: "Then thank you, director! I’ll do my best to rush back tomorrow night!"

Director: "…"

Fei Xiuqi strode to Lu Tingchao’s side, leaned down, and whispered close to his ear: "BB, are you going to dump him?"

The air conditioning indoors was set very low.

Fei Xiuqi’s warm breath brushed against Lu Tingchao’s right ear, sweeping over the tip and making him shiver slightly.

"Nice reaction… Chao Chao."

Fei Xiuqi’s expression suddenly darkened. He seemed to instinctively reach out, his fingertips nearing the smooth earlobe. "BB is so beautiful. This would be a perfect spot for a piercing."

"Enough!"

A strong arm abruptly pushed away Fei Xiuqi’s fingers touching Lu Tingchao’s ear. Zhuang Ji’s face had completely frozen over. "Back off!"

He was the one who had been with Lu Tingchao the longest.

Of course, he knew better than anyone… every detail about his beloved.

How dare Fei Xiuqi touch him!

The two stood right in front of him, and just that brief touch—was enough to drive Zhuang Ji insane.

If not for the crowd, he would have already thrown a punch.

Zhuang Ji suddenly realized he couldn’t bear the fact that Lu Tingchao was leaving him more than anyone else.

Lu Tingchao was the one and only existence in his glorious life that could not be separated, abandoned, or touched.

Both men were equally tall and upright, equally distinguished in background, equally well-dressed.

Fei Xiuqi, interrupted twice in a row, could no longer maintain his false facade. He shoved Zhuang Ji back with a backhand, revealing a hunter’s smile: "Shouldn’t you be the one to get lost?!"

"Zhuang Ji, in the eyes of fans, you’re extraordinary and peerless. In the eyes of the audience, you’re a three-time award-winning actor."

Fei Xiuqi lightly patted his own sleeve. "But to Chao Chao, you’re a shameful past, a dull health product with no emotional value…"

Fei Xiuqi’s eyebrows lifted contemptuously. "You’re nothing."

"You—!"

Zhuang Ji’s eyes instantly reddened, his fist suddenly rising to swing at Fei Xiuqi.

"No, no, no!"

Lu Tingchao wrapped his arms around Zhuang Ji’s waist. "Don’t be angry, don’t be angry. Getting angry easily leads to an early grave!"

Zhuang Ji: "…"

Everyone: "…"

A crew member couldn’t help but laugh aloud before forcibly stifling it.

Lu Tingchao looked up at Zhuang Ji with pleading eyes, asking softly, "Since we’re getting divorced anyway, don’t mind all this. He’s just talking nonsense… You’re not going to change your mind and call off the divorce, are you?"

Zhuang Ji looked down at Lu Tingchao in his arms.

After a long time,

Zhuang Ji lowered his fist and took the hand of the person in his embrace.

He closed his eyes, then leaned down and kissed Lu Tingchao’s forehead. "Let’s go home first."

Lu Tingchao obediently said "Oh," waved, and bid goodbye to the others: "Then, director, see you tomorrow—no, the day after tomorrow."

Director: "…" Please leave quickly, my lord!

"Lu Tingchao."

The two hadn't walked far when Fei Xiuqi suddenly called out from where he stood.

Lu Tingchao turned back: "Huh?"

Fei Xiuqi curved his lips into a smile and beckoned: "Come here, I have a gift for you."

Lu Tingchao: "?"

A freebie's a freebie.

Zhuang Ji's icy, severe expression fixed on Fei Xiuqi. Lu Tingchao slipped his hand out of Zhuang Ji's large grasp and tiptoed lightly over to Fei Xiuqi, coming to a halt before him and extending his hand.

Lu Tingchao asked curiously: "What gift—"

The trailing "ah" was cut off by another pair of suddenly covering thin lips in a deep, consuming kiss.

Fei Xiuqi's right index finger easily hooked under Lu Tingchao's fine, pointed chin, tilting it upward, before he abruptly leaned down and kissed him.

It was a kiss full of domineering aggression and control.

Zhuang Ji was seeing red with rage.

"Fei Xiuqi!!"

Lu Tingchao's mind went blank; it took several seconds before he shoved Fei Xiuqi away forcefully, "You... what was that for?"

Almost at the same time.

Zhuang Ji's fist slammed hard into Fei Xiuqi's left temple, the force filled with venom and blazing anger instantly sending Fei Xiuqi stumbling backward several steps, knocking over a large array of originally delicate decorative bottles and jars in the room.

Ceramics hit the floor, shattering into a cacophony of broken pieces.

Fei Xiuqi propped himself up on his elbows, stood, wiped the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, and grinned: "Want to fight, huh?!"

Zhuang Ji: "You're asking for it!!"

"What is this?!"

"Oh my god, stop them, stop them!"

The staff were thrown into disarray, and even the on-site guests were on their feet, stepping forward—one restraining Zhuang Ji, another holding back Fei Xiuqi. The scene was utter chaos and overwhelming.

Lu Tingchao was stunned, then instinctively tried to flee the scene.

Just as he turned around, he was harshly yanked back by a blue team guest grabbing his clothes.

The blue team guest clearly couldn't understand: "Holy shit, you're just going to run away?! These two top-tier guys are fighting over you, and not only are you not breaking it up, you're not even going to choose one?!"

Lu Tingchao opened his mouth: "Ah... I, I have to choose one?"

The blue team guest laughed in frustration: "Yeah? Or do you want both? Think you can handle both?!"

Lu Tingchao: "...QAQ"

Lu Tingchao shrank back, step by step retreating until he was against the wall.

Lu Tingchao thought, no matter how time moves forward, he really was still the same Lu Tingchao.

He still wanted to run away when he did something wrong, still didn't want to take any responsibility, he was still timid and afraid of trouble, he still... needed someone to stand in front of him.

He was just this kind of person who’d turned out all wrong... Lu Tingchao.

It seemed fast, yet also seemed to drag on.

Zhuang Ji's face was sporting injuries. He coldly pushed through the crowd and walked over to Lu Tingchao standing by the wall: "Hand."

Lu Tingchao meekly gave him his hand to hold.

Zhuang Ji's right hand was still stained with blood, but he used that hand to stroke Lu Tingchao's face, leaving smears of fresh blood onto his cheek.

Zhuang Ji said: "Let's go home."

So Lu Tingchao went with him.

After a few steps.

Fei Xiuqi said: "BB."

This time, Lu Tingchao didn't dare stop again.

Fei Xiuqi's voice laughed: "Chao Chao, that just now was a kiss. Am I much better than him?"

Lu Tingchao: "..."

*

Lu Tingchao hated Fei Xiuqi to death.

At home, the bedsheets kept getting soaked through and replaced, replaced and soaked through. Later, the carpet, curtains, even the tablecloth were all completely changed out, thoroughly and cleanly.

Lu Tingchao didn't even dare wear pure cotton pajamas because cotton fabric really irritated his already tender, raw spots painfully.

Zhuang Ji changed him into one set after another of the finest gambiered Guangdong gauze, only to ruin set after set of gambiered Guangdong gauze.

Finally, holding Lu Tingchao, who was wearing a gambiered gauze nightgown, in the water, he kissed him while holding his hand, fingers entwined: "Chao Chao, it's going to be ruined again."

Lu Tingchao's brain had almost stopped working. Nestled in Zhuang Ji's arms, he had forgotten how to resist, recalling the price Zhuang Ji had once whispered in his ear for a piece of gambiered gauze. His flushed, red lips murmured: "The clothes... the clothes are ruined..."

"The clothes are ruined."

Zhuang Ji murmured gently, "Chao Chao's falling apart too."

Ruined? I'm... I'm ruined?

Lu Tingchao was frightened into crying, sobbing while rasping curses at Zhuang Ji: "You liar! You promised! You said if I changed into a girl's dress you wouldn't... wouldn't do this."

Zhuang Ji "mm-hmmed" in agreement: "That's right, baby remembers. I said if you changed into the dress, I wouldn't bully you."

Lu Tingchao cried even more pitifully: "Then you, then you still..."

"I'm not bullying Chao Chao."

Zhuang Ji kissed Lu Tingchao again, "Baby, look, this is me loving you."

Lu Tingchao had completely submitted.

Nursing his grievances, he hid under the covers, curled up like a little silkworm, presenting his back to Zhuang Ji.

After a while, he rolled over on his own, looking at Zhuang Ji with his eyes red from crying.

Zhuang Ji kissed Lu Tingchao's eyes: "Good boy, baby. Time for bed."

Lu Tingchao didn't close his eyes.

Zhuang Ji: "Next week, Xinya's auction has two Imperial Green jade rough stones. I'll buy them for you to play with."

Lu Tingchao didn't speak.

Zhuang Ji: "The car you like has been ordered too. It'll arrive tomorrow or the day after. Let's take the new car out to show off, okay?"

Lu Tingchao shook his head.

Zhuang Ji: "Zhuang Corp is building a new office tower. I'll give it to you as a birthday gift."

After a long while.

Lu Tingchao, with a hoarse voice, tugged at Zhuang Ji's pajamas: "When... when are we going to get divorced?"

Zhuang Ji snapped off the light, his voice gentle: "Sleep."

Lu Tingchao's hand slid upward and wrapped around Zhuang Ji's arm: "You... why won't you answer me directly? You promised."

Zhuang Ji's steady breathing came from beside him.

Lu Tingchao's eyes reddened again: "Are you lying to me... Zhuang Ji! You weren't like this before! You used to keep your word, you did everything you promised me, whimper... you did..."

The bedside lamp suddenly turned on again.

The light reflected in Lu Tingchao's red eyes, also illuminating all the bruises on his body.

Zhuang Ji: "That's right."

He leaned in close.

Lu Tingchao could almost feel the hot, pounding heartbeat in Zhuang Ji's chest.

His voice was low, like the words of a devil, "Chao Chao, I'm not as easily fooled as I used to be. From now on, you'll feel this more clearly with every passing second."

Zhuang Ji got out of bed, his muscles perfectly defined, several deep red scratches still seeping on his back.

He paid no mind, grabbing the clothes by the bed and putting them on casually, even tying his tie.

Now fully suited up, Zhuang Ji kissed Lu Tingchao on the lips: "We have a perfect life together, shared assets. Lu Tingchao, I lied—how could I possibly divorce you?"

Lu Tingchao: "!!!"

"I'm going back to the set to shoot. Mrs. Zhang will come look after you tomorrow."

Zhuang Ji opened the bedroom door, "Baby, you should stay home these couple of days. Other clothes would irritate you."

Lu Tingchao bit his lip hard: "Zhuang Ji, I hate you!"

Zhuang Ji: "Mhm, but I love you."

The bedroom door closed, and moments later, the front door downstairs closed too.

The room fell quiet.

Lu Tingchao lay in bed with his eyes closed, counting sheep for a long time, but still couldn't fall asleep... It wasn't exactly pain, just unease.

Since he couldn't sleep, others were easily bothered too.

Lu Tingchao rubbed his eyes and got out of bed.

He picked up his phone, glanced around, and bluntly made a call.

The person on the other end took a moment to answer.

Even though it was midnight, the voice on the other end was still alert: "Lu Tingchao, disturbing people late at night is against the law."

Lu Tingchao rocked back and forth while sitting cross-legged, speaking slowly: "Oh... then is Uncle Mo angry?"

"Very angry."

Lu Tingchao, with his usual thick skin: "Then can I ask angry Uncle Mo for a favor?"

"Speak."

Lu Tingchao: "I have a friend who wants a divorce, but his husband won't agree. They're at a standoff now. Uncle Mo is so smart, you'd know how to handle this, right?"

The breathing on the other end of the line grew heavier, but they said nothing.

Lu Tingchao: "Mo Lingnan?"

"Yes."

After a moment.

The voice on the phone said, "But Uncle Mo needs that person to come see me in person to make it happen."