After Yuli Entertainment’s announcement was posted, it didn’t initially make much of a splash. After all, it was only an announcement about the start of production, and there hadn’t been much other news. However, once the tagged leads and Director Zhang all reposted the news, along with several influential entertainment accounts controlled by Yuli Entertainment, the hype started to build.
Usually, when this type of announcement is made, the first things that catch attention are the director and the lead actors. Director Zhang had just won an award at one of the world’s top three film festivals, the Elmos Film Festival, and was still riding the wave of that success. Lead actor Liu Yanqing is a talented performer who earned the title of Best Actor over a decade ago, and his recent film choices have consistently been high-quality, performing well both critically and commercially. Xu Luoyang, among the top rising stars, is also highly skilled and has a strong fan base.
After this initial wave, people began to notice that the last person listed as both lead actor and producer was the same person.
“—Am I seeing things, or did the entertainment press mess up? Producer… Ye Shanshan??!! A producer! The big-shot financier!”
“—And it’s not even a co-producer credit! So, did he fund this movie entirely on his own? Or nearly all of it? Damn! I need a moment. Back when I was younger, I used to dive deep into posts accusing Ye Shanshan of being a kept man, but now I’m thinking, *he* might be the actual sugar daddy here! But seriously, coming out this strong, is it a good idea? Can we maybe not jump straight into movie funding right away?”
“—It’s probably not completely solo-funded. After all, the pie needs to be shared; otherwise, getting screen time and promotions could be tricky. But this is heading for the stars! How much money did he invest? It must be over a billion, right?”
“—After seeing this, all my dreams of working hard to buy houses, cars, snacks, pig farms, and vegetable plots for my darling Ye have been shattered… After all, he’s funding his own movie! What kind of idol am I even a fan of? But seriously, why invest in a movie and then cast yourself as the fourth lead? I don’t get it!!”
“—I’m not asking for much—just let my Ye be the male lead, or, you know, we’re happy with the third male lead, too!”
As the news outlets caught wind of the story and the topic started trending, Ye Shanshan merely reposted the official announcement and didn’t check it again. He was too busy, diving into some intense study.
Ever since successfully growing his own bok choy (cabbage), Ye Shanshan had been planning to expand his greenhouse. He was considering planting potatoes, sweet potatoes, and maybe even some high-end gourds. However, these crops were more difficult to cultivate, so Gong Yue helped him contact a teacher. Ye Shanshan figured he could squeeze in some lessons before heading off to shoot his next project.
He imagined a bountiful harvest, with towering pumpkins to his left, plump potatoes on his right, and a huge basket of bok choy (cabbage) in front. The corn would make the perfect backdrop. The thought of all this produce made him feel confident he could take great care of his ‘big boss.’
Just as he finished watching a video on seedling cultivation, Butler Hawke knocked on the door.
Ye Shanshan paused the video. “Uncle, is Gong Yue about to arrive?”
“Young Master Ye, Assistant Qin called to say that the young master has had a slight fever since this afternoon. He’s on his way home now and should be here in about 20 minutes.”
Ye Shanshan’s grip on his pen tightened. He immediately stood up and headed for the door. “A fever? Has the family doctor been notified?” He was fine when he left this morning, so how did he suddenly get a fever?
“The doctor has been notified and is on the way,” Hawke said, following closely behind. “Assistant Qin mentioned that it’s not serious—he’s just feeling a bit weak and sweating.”
Ye Shanshan nodded, but he couldn’t relax until he saw Gong Yue in person. He opened the front door and stood at the entrance, anxiously pacing back and forth as he looked down the driveway, waiting for the car to arrive.
The wind was cold. Butler Hawke took out Ye Shanshan’s cashmere coat. Ye Shanshan took it, draped it over himself, and pulled it tight, unable to resist asking softly, “He’ll be okay, right?”
He exhaled a breath of white mist. Deep down, Ye Shanshan knew that no matter the answer—positive or negative—it wouldn’t make much difference, but he just wanted some kind of reassurance.
“Young Master Ye, the young master will definitely be fine.”
About ten minutes later, Ye Shanshan’s hands were starting to go numb from the cold when a black car finally appeared, driving along the private road. The bright headlights pierced through the darkness, and the car eventually came to a stop in front of Ye Shanshan.
Before Qin Xuan could even get out of the car, Ye Shanshan opened the door himself.
Gong Yue was leaning back in the rear seat with his eyes closed, resting. His face was slightly flushed. Hearing the door open, he turned his head slightly and saw Ye Shanshan bending down, reaching out to check the temperature of his forehead.
Gong Yue lifted his hand to cover Ye Shanshan’s cold one, gently rubbing it before kissing his palm. “Shanshan, I’m fine, just feeling a bit weak and dizzy.”
“Okay, I’ll help you.” Ye Shanshan carefully helped him out of the car. While Butler Hawke was talking to Qin Xuan to get more details, Ye Shanshan put Gong Yue’s arm over his shoulder and walked him inside, all the way to the bedroom.
Once there, he gently laid Gong Yue on the bed, helped him take off his coat, changed him into loose-fitting pajamas, and tucked him under the covers. Only then did Ye Shanshan exhale in relief. By that time, Gong Yue had already closed his eyes.
A little while later, Butler Hawke arrived with the family doctor. After a series of tests, Ye Shanshan quietly followed the doctor outside to talk.
“Young Master Ye, we’ve ruled out early-stage malignant tumors, chronic inflammation, and other serious conditions. The preliminary diagnosis is that the young master’s fever is caused by a disruption in his body’s temperature regulation, likely due to prolonged stress and emotional tension. The exact cause of the persistent low-grade fever is still unclear, so it’s best to avoid medication for now. A good night’s rest should help alleviate the symptoms. You can also use warm water to wipe him down. If the fever hasn’t subsided by tomorrow, he will need to go to the hospital for further examination.”
When Ye Shanshan returned to the bedroom, he found that Gong Yue had already woken up and was lying on the bed, looking towards the door with a slight frown.
Realizing that Gong Yue was waiting for him, Ye Shanshan quickly sat by the bed. “Ge.”
“Mm,” Gong Yue’s gaze remained focused on him as he loosely held Ye Shanshan’s slightly cold hand. “Why are your hands so cold?”
“I left in a rush, and it’s freezing outside.” Ye Shanshan lowered his head and kissed the back of Gong Yue’s hand. “Are you feeling better?”
“Mm,” Gong Yue replied, placing Ye Shanshan’s hand on his carotid artery. “I’m all sweaty. It’s sticky,” he said with a hint of distaste.
Knowing that Gong Yue’s cleanliness habits were acting up, Ye Shanshan stood up. “Wait here, Ge. I’ll get some warm water to wipe you down.”
He quickly prepared everything. After setting the basin of water on a nearby table, Ye Shanshan wrung out a towel, unbuttoned Gong Yue’s pajama top, revealing his defined muscles. Due to the mild fever, a thin layer of sweat covered his skin.
Ye Shanshan carefully wiped down Gong Yue’s arms, legs, and torso, then re-wet the towel and gently wiped his face.
As he watched Ye Shanshan’s focused expression, Gong Yue lifted his hand and gently pressed it over Ye Shanshan’s, offering a silent gesture of affection.
Ye Shanshan’s hand was held down, and he instinctively moved, only for Gong Yue to press it down firmly with both of his hands. Feeling the firm muscles beneath his palm and the slightly quickened heartbeat, Ye Shanshan set the towel aside. Gong Yue’s left arm wrapped around his back, gently pulling him down, and Ye Shanshan naturally leaned in, bringing them very close.
Their noses touched, and Gong Yue’s breath was warm. He gazed intently at Ye Shanshan and called his name, his voice a little hoarse, “Shanshan.”
“Mm?” Ye Shanshan instinctively nuzzled his nose against Gong Yue’s, their breaths intertwining.
“I’m a little thirsty.”
Hearing that, Ye Shanshan thought to get some water for Gong Yue, but the arm around his back didn’t loosen. Then Gong Yue spoke again, “I don’t want water.”
“Then what do you want?” Ye Shanshan asked.
Without replying, Gong Yue’s hand, resting on Ye Shanshan’s back, began to slowly trace up along his spine, sending shivers through him. Finally, Gong Yue’s hand slid into Ye Shanshan’s hair, pulling him closer.
Gong Yue captured his lips, sucking deeply, as if drawing in much-needed moisture.
At that moment, Ye Shanshan understood what “thirsty” really meant. He hesitated slightly—though he still craved kissing Gong Yue, he couldn’t forget that Gong Yue was still running a fever.
But when he saw the look in Gong Yue’s eyes, Ye Shanshan found it impossible to refuse. He shut his eyes and opened his mouth, allowing Gong Yue’s tongue to slip in.
“Good boy,” Gong Yue murmured approvingly, his words muffled as he gently nibbled on Ye Shanshan’s tongue, teasing him. Ye Shanshan quickly softened in response, his body reacting. Gong Yue’s hand was now firmly kneading his waist. It took all of Ye Shanshan’s willpower to pull back just a little.
“Ge, you have a fever,” Ye Shanshan whispered.
Ignoring his words, Gong Yue kissed him even deeper. Every time he fell ill, he would show a rare streak of stubbornness. Ye Shanshan knew there was no way he could refuse, so he kissed the corner of Gong Yue’s lips and said, “Let me take over.”
He flipped over and straddled Gong Yue. Gong Yue’s hand gently traced Ye Shanshan’s face, his thumb brushing over his lips. Ye Shanshan turned his head slightly and took Gong Yue’s fingers into his mouth, licking them like candy. The red birthmark at the corner of his eye, still unremoved, added a touch of delicate sensuality to his expression.
As Ye Shanshan moved down slowly, he adjusted to the size, his body instinctively tightening. At first, there was discomfort, but as time went on, it eased. He shifted slightly and stirred, feeling the intensity of the sensation. The overwhelming feeling brought tears to his eyes, and he looked at Gong Yue, his gaze watery and beautiful.
Gong Yue gently stroked the corner of Ye Shanshan’s eye with his thumb, brushing over the teardrop-shaped birthmark. Only when he was sure Ye Shanshan was completely in his arms did the deep-seated anxiety in his heart finally ebb away like the receding tide.
And with that, they shared a moment of quiet affection.
1You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you and Enjoy reading! ❤️” -TL: Ysiad
