“How… how are you…” In my room!
Jing Li stared wide-eyed at the person inside, losing his usual composure for the first time. He hesitated at the doorway, unsure whether to enter or not.
It was as if he was the one who had walked into the wrong room.
“There’s no bathroom in the guest room,” Gu Tingshen explained while drying his hair.
Noticing Jing Li’s blushing, shy demeanor, he couldn’t resist the urge to tease him. “Or if you’d like, I could say I did this on purpose to seduce you.”
He raised an eyebrow suggestively at Jing Li, the corner of his mouth curling up mischievously. Combined with his half-covered state, it created quite an alluring effect.
“What nonsense are you talking about?! I wasn’t thinking that at all!” Jing Li’s face burned even redder, his gaze shifting uncomfortably to the side.
“Is that so?” Gu Tingshen smiled noncommittally. Seeing his hair was mostly dry, he tossed the towel onto a nearby table and moved to retrieve his robe from the sofa.
The sofa was in the corner, requiring him to pass by Jing Li.
He had barely taken two steps when Jing Li, thinking his words had provoked Gu Tingshen into fulfilling his promise, panicked. He quickly stepped forward, circling behind Gu Tingshen to push him towards the door. “It’s late, hurry back to your room to sleep.”
As he spoke, Jing Li placed his hands on Gu Tingshen’s waist. But the moment he made contact, the warm sensation of skin-on-skin caused him to hastily withdraw his hands as if burned. He moved them lower to the towel wrapped around Gu Tingshen’s body.
However, in his flustered state, he accidentally tugged at the knot of the towel. In an instant, the towel loosened, threatening to fall from Gu Tingshen’s waist.
Jing Li’s panic intensified. His mind went blank, and he instinctively lunged forward, tightly embracing Gu Tingshen while fumbling to find the knot and retie it.
Gu Tingshen stiffened in Jing Li’s embrace, then let out a soft, low chuckle. “It seems Xiao Jing is even more eager than I am.”
Jing Li’s hands froze. He was caught between continuing and stopping, his face burning hotter than ever. “You…”
“Er Shao, in Mr. Gu’s room…”
At that moment, the assistant knocked on the door. Finding it unlocked, he pushed it open and walked in. Seeing the two men embracing, he froze momentarily before quickly lowering his head. “I’m sorry, I saw the door was unlocked and came in. I, uh, didn’t see anything. Please continue!”
He added hastily, “I just came to say that the sheets in Mr. Gu’s room haven’t been changed. But since you’re sharing a room, it’s not an issue anymore.”
With that, he swiftly exited, locking the door behind him.
Jing Li: “…”
The room fell into silence.
After a moment, Gu Tingshen’s low laughter broke the quiet.
“It seems I’m destined to stay here and serve Er Shao tonight.” Gu Tingshen placed his hand over the pair wrapped around his waist, turning his head to look at the man behind him.
His laughter made Jing Li’s heart race. Woodenly, Jing Li covered Gu Tingshen’s hand with his own, pressing the towel’s knot firmly in place. Then, without looking back, he strode quickly into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
Outside the bathroom door, Gu Tingshen chuckled softly at Jing Li’s slightly unsteady retreat, then continued to put on his robe.
Inside the bathroom, Jing Li gazed at his flushed reflection in the mirror, taking a moment to calm his racing heart.
He patted his face and turned to shower. However, his gaze fell on the shower stall, and he froze.
The stall was still wet, steam clinging to the walls and glass. The lingering scent of body wash in the air all testified to Gu Tingshen’s recent presence.
The scene he’d witnessed earlier involuntarily replayed in his mind. He could still recall the faint fragrance emanating from Gu Tingshen, identical to the shower’s scent.
Jing Li’s face heated up, his heart rate climbing once more.
Yet, as if possessed, he found himself entering the shower stall.
By the time he regained his senses, he was standing under the showerhead. Hot water cascaded down, causing him to shiver as it hit his skin.
…
Half an hour later, Jing Li came out from his shower. He’d been worrying about facing Gu Tingshen, still feeling awkward about earlier events.
But he couldn’t stay in the bathroom forever.
Taking a deep breath, Jing Li opened the door and stepped out.
To his surprise, he saw a slight bump on the bed near the window. Gu Tingshen lay there, eyes gently closed, already asleep.
Jing Li paused, feeling first relief, then amusement at his own reaction.
He tiptoed to the bed, changed into fresh clothes, and slipped under the covers on his side.
The warmth from Gu Tingshen’s body had permeated the bedding. Jing Li relaxed, lying back with a contented sigh.
Hearing soft breathing beside him, Jing Li turned his head. His gaze immediately softened.
Asleep, Gu Tingshen looked gentler than when awake. The night seemed to have softened his features, giving his face an innocent air.
Jing Li’s eyes traced every inch of Gu Tingshen’s face, a tender smile unconsciously forming on his lips.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, Gu Tingshen’s eyelashes fluttered. He turned, pulling Jing Li into his arms, mumbling something incoherently.
Startled by the sudden movement, Jing Li looked up to see Gu Tingshen’s eyes still closed, having fallen back into deep sleep.
Gazing at the handsome face, Jing Li smiled silently. He adjusted his position in Gu Tingshen’s embrace, finding a comfortable spot before closing his eyes and drifting off.
This sleep was particularly restful. When Jing Li next opened his eyes, daylight filled the room.
He blearily glanced out the window. As he turned his head, something felt off. Then he belatedly remembered he’d shared the bed with Gu Tingshen last night.
He stiffened, about to look up at the man when Gu Tingshen’s voice came from above, “Baby, are you awake?”
His tone was deep and pleasant, with a hint of morning huskiness that added sensuality and intimacy to the moment.
Jing Li’s face flushed slightly. He gave a soft affirmative and tried to create some distance between them.
However, Gu Tingshen noticed his movement and pulled him back into a firm embrace. Lowering his head, he pecked Jing Li’s lips. “Good morning, baby.”
Stunned by the kiss, Jing Li felt a flutter in his heart. He couldn’t help but smile and return the kiss. “Good morning.”
Gu Tingshen looked at his well-behaved appearance and liked him so much that he couldn’t resist teasing him further.
“I suddenly feel like this good morning kiss was a bit perfunctory,” he frowned playfully, leaning closer as Jing Li looked at him quizzically. “I want to…”
“Stop it. We haven’t even brushed our teeth yet,” Jing Li gently pushed him away.
“It doesn’t matter. I like you in any state,” Gu Tingshen chuckled, nuzzling Jing Li’s neck.
Ticklish, Jing Li laughed out loud as they playfully tussled.
Their antics continued until Wang Lele called to say goodbye, temporarily halting their play.
After hanging up, they got out of bed to wash up and have a simple breakfast before leaving together.
*
After finishing the film, Jing Li didn’t rush into new work. Firstly, his recent schedule had been packed with projects, providing sufficient exposure.
Secondly, the Dark Forest issue remained unresolved, and he feared bringing danger to ordinary humans on a new set.
More importantly than acting, the priority was eliminating potential threats.
Since Gu Tingshen severely injured the mastermind behind Dark Forest, they had been hiding in their lair. However, they frequently sent Wang Xiaoning to relay information about Jing Li and Gu Tingshen.
Jing Li seized this opportunity, having Wang Xiaoning leak a mix of true and false information to lower their guard, while also investigating the exact location of their hideout.
As Gu Tingshen gradually recovered, his body adapted to the powerful soul within. They were just waiting to pinpoint the enemy’s lair before striking decisively.
To misdirect attention, Jing Li took on a few advertisements and endorsements, hurriedly leaving after shooting to feign an unwillingness to linger outside.
Though urgent, this wasn’t a quick task. They had Wang Xiaoning monitor Dark Forest’s activities while secretly probing the southwest for clues about their hideout.
During this temporary calm, Jing Li faced another highly anticipated awards ceremony.
The Golden X Award was comparable in prestige to the Feitian Award but with higher audience participation. It garnered more attention from netizens and fans.
Online discussions heated up a month before the ceremony, intensifying after the nominee list was released as fans ardently debated.
As a newcomer who had just won Best Newcomer and Best Supporting Actor at last year’s Feitian Awards, Jing Li became a significant topic of discussion.
This year, the Republican-era TV drama Jing Li starred in once again exploded in popularity, even trending on social media.
This work was also nominated for the Golden X Award.
Jing Li’s fans, already eagerly anticipating the awards ceremony, grew even more excited, hoping their idol would bring home another trophy.
This anticipation reached a fever pitch when Jing Li’s name appeared on the nominee list. Koi fans rallied to support their idol’s work, determined to contribute to his success.
However, where there’s competition, there are always dissenting voices, especially for such a high-profile awards ceremony. The previously dormant haters sprang into action.
“Ha, what do they think the awards ceremony is? Their personal playground? If awards were won by fan votes, why bother with judges? Might as well just give all the awards to their fans!”
“The audacity! Just because they call him ‘Koi Fish’, they think he really is one? Do they expect to sweep every award?”
“As expected of a rich boy, always making a grand show wherever he goes.”
“I advise some fans to keep a low profile. It’ll be embarrassing if they miss out on the awards!”
…
Such rumors and snide remarks were rampant. However, Koi fans seemed incredibly resilient. They ignored the sarcastic comments and reported any uncivil behavior. They focused solely on supporting their idol.
The haters, realizing their attacks on Jing Li were ineffective, begrudgingly turned their attention elsewhere, frustrated by the fans’ composure.
Amidst the online frenzy, Jing Li himself remained unperturbed. He merely reposted one award-related Weibo before disappearing from public view.
It wasn’t until the day of the ceremony that he appeared on the red carpet with his team. His entrance immediately stunned the crowd, causing fans online to go wild with admiration.
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