IOLYF Chapter 17

After finishing his scene at ten in the morning, Mo Ming left the set. Now, he only had one final scene left for The Residual Sword, scheduled for the afternoon after tomorrow. His colleagues invited him to a dinner gathering that evening, but Mo Ming politely declined. He had purchased a ticket to a play by the Da Shang Theatre Group for that night and planned to catch up with some old friends after the show.

After all, he would be leaving soon…

The show was scheduled for 7:30 PM. To get to the Da Shang Theatre Group, he had to cross most of Chuanhai, which would take over an hour by car. So, Mo Ming was already dressed and ready to leave his apartment by 5 PM, only to be surprised when Han Shao Zhou returned home at that time.

Han Shao Zhou had returned to Chuanhai at 3 PM, then headed straight to the office. With no social engagements that evening and his mind lingering on Mo Ming, he hurried home right after work.

As soon as he walked in the door, Han Shao Zhou saw Mo Ming stepping out of the bathroom, still adjusting his collar. Mo Ming was dressed in a camel-colored coat with an English flair, a white turtleneck peeking out from under the collar. The belt around his waist was neatly fastened, giving him a dignified, vintage look.

Han Shao Zhou stared at Mo Ming, dazed, before snapping out of it after a couple of seconds. “Are you going out?”

“…Yeah, I’m planning to see a play.” Mo Ming hadn’t expected Han Shao Zhou to be home so early. He hesitantly asked, “Do you have any evening plans, Shaoge?”

“No, I just got back to Chuanhai this afternoon.”

Han Shao Zhou closed the door and, without even changing his shoes, walked straight to Mo Ming. He skillfully wrapped an arm around Mo Ming’s waist and gave him a quick kiss. “You look great. It’s like you’re going on a date with someone.”

Mo Ming couldn’t help but laugh softly, his hands resting on Han Shao Zhou’s shoulders. Tilting his head slightly, he looked closely at Han Shao Zhou and asked, “A date with who?”

Standing so close, Han Shao Zhou could almost see his reflection in Mo Ming’s dark, glossy eyes. He tightened his grip on Mo Ming’s waist, lifting him slightly so that their eyes were level. Then he smiled and said, “Who else could it be? Who else do you want to go out with?”

Mo Ming’s eyes sparkled with a playful smile as he rubbed his little upturned nose against Han Shao Zhou’s and whispered, “How about I return the theater ticket and let Shaoge take me out tonight?”

A warm, tingling sensation spread through Han Shao Zhou’s chest as he pulled Mo Ming in for another long, indulgent kiss before finally letting go. “No need. I’ve got nothing planned tonight, so I’ll go with you to see the play.”

Han Shao Zhou knew how much Mo Ming loved theater. Over the years, he rarely had time to join Mo Ming, and the thought of this little guy always watching plays alone made his heart ache a little…

“I only bought one ticket, and it’s probably sold out online by now. Even if we manage to get one, we won’t be able to sit together.”

“So what? We’ll figure it out when we get there.” Han Shao Zhou chuckled. “I’ll let you have your way tonight, but when we get back home, you’ll have to follow Shaoge’s lead, okay?”

“…”

Han Shao Zhou changed into a loose-fitting black cashmere coat that highlighted his tall, straight legs. Mo Ming draped a soft camel-colored scarf around his neck, adding a touch of casual elegance.

Han Shao Zhou liked the scarf. It matched Mo Ming’s coat, making them look like a pair.

The tag was still attached to the scarf, and Mo Ming reached up to remove it, smoothing out the wrinkles in the fabric as he did.

“You got this just for me?” Han Shao Zhou smiled knowingly. “You know, this seems like the first time you’ve ever given me a gift.”

“…Huh?” Mo Ming looked up, puzzled.

Han Shao Zhou pinched Mo Ming’s cheek. “You sly little thing. What’s with the matching colors, hmm?”

“…”

Mo Ming debated whether to confess that the scarf was actually a freebie from the store where he bought his coat. He hadn’t meant it as a gift for Han Shao Zhou; he’d just thought the coat looked a bit too somber and decided to use the scarf to brighten it up a bit. It was more of a loan…

Even though the scarf was made of cheap synthetic cotton, it was soft and comfortable against the skin. Mo Ming had originally planned to keep it for himself.

But now…

“As long as Shaoge likes it,” Mo Ming said with a forced smile.

Han Shao Zhou casually tossed one end of the scarf over his shoulder. “Let’s go. After the play, I’ll pick out a gift for you.”

On the way to the Da Shang Theatre Group, Mo Ming checked the ticket availability on his phone and found that all the tickets had sold out.

The Da Shang Theatre Group had been established in Chuanhai for over ten years, with a significant cultural and commercial influence. Many of their original productions were hugely popular, and some had even been adapted into films. They had a loyal fanbase that loved theater.

Friday nights were always sold out.

Today was Friday, so the only option left to get tickets would be to find a scalper.

But as soon as they arrived at the theater, Mo Ming, wearing a mask, started looking around for scalpers. Before he could spot one, Han Shao Zhou had already approached a couple entering the theater and politely asked if they would sell him their tickets.

The woman, holding her boyfriend’s arm, wasn’t too happy. “We bought these tickets from a scalper for almost two thousand yuan. Why would we sell them to you?”

“I’ll pay you twice that.”

“We’re not selling,” the woman said firmly. “We’re not short on money, okay?”

“Ten times the price,” Han Shao Zhou said, “and I’ll transfer the money immediately.”

“Well, since you’re offering, don’t back out!”

The woman quickly pulled out her phone to show the payment QR code, nudging her boyfriend with her elbow. “Hurry up and get the tickets.”

Mo Ming watched the whole scene unfold, his lips twitching slightly.

It didn’t take long before Han Shao Zhou returned to Mo Ming, happily waving two tickets. “They’re together, and they’re in the front row, center seats.”

Mo Ming: “…”

Well, money is meant to be used for convenience, after all.

Their seats were indeed the best in the house, right in the middle of the fourth row. They didn’t have to crane their necks, and they could clearly see the actors’ subtle expressions and movements.

The lights focused on the stage actors, and the live performance, with its dramatic storytelling, captivated everyone in the audience. Han Shao Zhou had come just to accompany Mo Ming, but he soon found himself engrossed in the play as well.

He didn’t have a deep understanding of theater, but he found the script compelling, and the live acting was far more impactful than anything he’d seen on screen. Suddenly, he recalled the night he visited Mo Ming on set—the sharp, mesmerizing presence that seemed to belong to another world…

Han Shao Zhou leaned over slightly, his lips brushing against Mo Ming’s ear as he whispered, “I think you’re better than them.”

Mo Ming couldn’t help but smile softly, whispering back, “Have you seen me perform?”

“Of course. I watched you the other night when I visited the set.” Han Shao Zhou searched his mind for the right words to describe how he felt that night, how captivated he was by what he saw. But in the end, all he could manage was a simple, “It was amazing. I liked it.”

Mo Ming: “…”

The stage lights cast shadows on one side of Han Shao Zhou’s sharply defined face, creating a mix of light and dark that made him look even more intense. But his eyes, when looking at Mo Ming, were filled with a tender smile, adding a surprising warmth to his usually stern features.

As Mo Ming gazed at Han Shao Zhou’s smiling face, he felt a strange, soft warmth spreading through his heart. Almost without thinking, he leaned over and lightly brushed his lips against Han Shao Zhou’s.

Han Shao Zhou hadn’t expected Mo Ming to kiss him out of the blue, and he was momentarily stunned.

“Ew—”

A middle-aged woman’s voice suddenly came from behind them, filled with disdain and restraint. “Can’t you two control yourselves? Seriously…”

Mo Ming suddenly realized what he’d done, pulling back like a startled bird. He quickly tugged his mask back up over his face, his cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Han Shao Zhou, still lost in the lingering sensation of Mo Ming’s kiss, was about to look back when he heard the scolding. He turned to see a stern-looking woman in her fifties or sixties, wearing glasses, glaring at him. Her expression clearly said, “This world is going downhill. How shameless.”

“Kiss again, and I’ll record it,” the woman warned sternly.

Han Shao Zhou: “…”

Mo Ming’s face grew even hotter as he awkwardly shrank into himself, trying to pull his mask over his eyes to hide.

Suddenly, Han Shao Zhou leaned in and kissed Mo Ming on the forehead before turning back to flash the woman a very friendly smile.

The woman: “…”

By the time the play ended, Mo Ming felt like he wanted to crawl into a hole.

As the audience started to leave, Mo Ming held Han Shao Zhou back, waiting until the people behind them had passed before finally getting up.

“You shouldn’t have… done that,” Mo Ming muttered.

Han Shao Zhou, with his hands in his pockets and clearly in a good mood, asked, “Done what?”

“In public, you shouldn’t do that,” Mo Ming said, taking a deep breath to steady himself. “It doesn’t look good.”

Han Shao Zhou couldn’t hold back a laugh and leaned in close to Mo Ming’s ear again. “Aren’t you the pot calling the kettle black?”

“…”

Mo Ming said nothing, just lowered his head and quickly walked ahead.

“Hey, are you really mad?” Han Shao Zhou laughed, catching up and taking Mo Ming’s hand. “Alright, alright, my bad. I’ll be more restrained next time.”

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