FLME Ch62

Before sending the message, Yu Wen copied the heartfelt confession he had so painstakingly edited. Having just replied with an “Mm,” he felt too embarrassed to send anything else right away. Xie Heyu’s message was so concise; if he replied with a lengthy monologue, he’d seem overly melodramatic.

Adults—when adults date, they should be concise, clean, and crisp. In hindsight, his previous reaction was rather inappropriate, twisting and turning, wasting time.

After reflecting a little, Yu Wen touched the hot tips of his ears, tried his best to calm down, and pasted his lengthy monologue back into the chat box. Although he didn’t plan on sending it, he couldn’t bear to delete it either. He’d just leave it there to admire for a few days.

After calming down a bit more, Yu Wen tapped on Xie Heyu’s profile picture, went to his nickname, deleted “Teacher Xie,” and slowly typed: Boyfriend.

As he typed those few characters, his mood was peculiar. It wasn’t entirely shyness, but rather a certain peace of mind that came with the dust finally settling. He realized then that during the time he had been acting like an ostrich, his brain had already honestly rehearsed this exact scene countless times.

A staff member called him over to prepare for the shoot. Yu Wen still hadn’t pulled himself out of his emotions. Dazed and flustered, it took him a while to turn off his phone screen and hand it to his assistant.

In the car, Xie Heyu stared at the brief “Mm” in the chat box, his expression as calm as ever.

Mm, he agreed.

That’s good.

Thinking this, he locked his screen, rested his head against the backseat, and continued his nap.

Less than a minute later, he opened his eyes, unlocked his phone, and stared at that “Mm” for a while longer.

Mm, very good.

Teacher Xie nodded in satisfaction and resumed his nap…

Thirty seconds passed, and he opened his phone once more.

Xie Heyu thought to himself, I’ll just look one more time, just one more time. I really need to nap. I didn’t sleep well last night, I’m mentally exhausted, I really need to rest in peace now—

Ding. A new message popped up in the chat box.

Their previous conversation had ended ten minutes ago. This new message arrived abruptly. He lowered his eyes, and merely glancing at a few words was enough to make his heart nearly stop.

[I wouldn’t have rejected you… Because I like you too…]

[Hahaha… In short… I just want to tell you, I actually really like you…]

[Wanna date?]

A massive block of carefully weighed text, revealing the sender’s cherishment and caution between the lines. Just looking at the last sentence, Xie Heyu understood that in the time leading up to his request to date, Teacher Xiao Yu had been struggling just as he had, attempting to carefully dissect and piece together his own true feelings.

A single “Mm” was powerful, but a full confession was deafening.

Xie Heyu could no longer hear any sound.

An eerie, intense silence enveloped the car. After a moment, he moved his nearly numb wrist and began typing:

[Mm, let’s date.]

[Are you coming out again?]

[I want to see you.]

[Has the shoot started?]

[If you see this, no need to reply. I’m coming to find you.]

[I’m coming in.]

Teacher Yu’s phone kept buzzing. Assistant Xiao Zhou had her arms full of clothes and couldn’t spare a hand, so she asked Yi Ming, who had already finished her makeup, to help bring the phone to Yu Wen.

Yi Ming sipped plain water from a straw, pretending it was milk tea, pulled the phone from the assistant’s pocket, and headed to the makeup room to find Yu Wen.

From outside the door, she heard the makeup artist say, “…How did your lip get busted here? It’s going to sting when I put makeup on it later…”

Yi Ming strolled in as Yu Wen smiled sheepishly, claiming it was from internal heat. Yet to Yi Ming, that wound looked an awful lot like it had been gnawed on by something.

The makeup artist shook her head and tried to conceal the mark as gently as possible.

For Song Mingzhu’s styling, Director Miao had referenced parts of Yu Wen’s previous makeup looks. For instance, the eye makeup with the upturned, reddish outer corners from the Immortal Sect office tour was perfect for Song Mingzhu’s hidden side.

Yu Wen’s eyes were large with naturally upturned corners. With a little modification, the innocence vanished, leaving only a pitiful, vulnerable allure.

When he lowered his eyelashes, it was lethally seductive.

Referencing another look from one of Yu Wen’s livestreams, Director Miao paired him with gold-rimmed glasses. With the glasses on, he was an impeccably dressed, noble young master; with them off, he was an enchanting sprite with a built-in allure buff—this was the exact effect the director wanted to achieve.

However, the makeup team’s accessory selection was limited, and Director Miao’s idea had been a spur-of-the-moment whim. The gold-wire glasses they found just didn’t quite fit—they were either not noble enough, or the frames were too large and covered half his face.

Yu Wen then offered, “I’ll bring the glasses from that livestream next time.”

Those glasses belonged to Xie Heyu. They looked simple, but the details were exquisite; they framed the face perfectly without pressing heavy on the nose bridge. The lenses were detachable, and they came with a matching single-side chain. According to Teacher Xie, the gold-rimmed chain looked incredibly good.

After that livestream, he had returned the glasses to Xie Heyu. If the production needed them, he would have to ask Teacher Xie for them again. But that didn’t matter—he was now Teacher Xie’s boyfriend. Asking for a pair of glasses would be a breeze.

Director Miao agreed to the suggestion, temporarily giving him a similar pair to shoot the character posters and test the waters.

Stepping under the spotlights, Yu Wen instantly entered the zone. Some people were simply born for the camera. A few months ago, Yu Wen had to take classes specifically to learn blocking and camera awareness; a few months later, he could quickly dive into a role, bringing his own interpretations and emotions to seamlessly merge with the character.

He had high EQ, was quick-witted, thrived on variety shows, and possessed a somewhat metaphysical, lucky constitution. He could survive in any lane. The entire entertainment industry was his comfort zone; he only needed to choose the path he liked best.

Song Mingzhu was introduced as a twenty-year-old. Amidst the power struggle between the Fu and Song families and the back-and-forth clashes of his older brothers, this youngest master had almost zero presence. Every time he appeared, he stood submissively in the corner with lowered eyes. Even when mocked, he merely pursed his lips and smiled quietly. This little monster had already found the skin that suited him best, calmly observing the infighting around him, analyzing the behavioral logic, and adopting it onto himself piece by piece.

Only when his disguise was near perfect did he begin to bare his fangs.

The boy in the camera lens looked delicate. Occasionally lowering his eyes in a mask of pure benevolence, the shy and overly accommodating young master of the Song family was already beginning to reveal his sharp edge through Yu Wen’s subtle movements.

Watching through the monitor, Director Miao couldn’t help but marvel, “Not bad, not bad at all.”

This styling had capitalized on Yu Wen’s advantages to the absolute fullest. Even that teardrop mole—which usually only served as eye candy for fans with little real presence—played a crucial role in shaping Song Mingzhu’s duality.

Standing nearby, Yi Ming casually chimed in, “Not bad indeed. One look and you can tell I’m not the target audience.”

Director Miao: “The tailored shirt and vest really highlight Xiao Yu’s physical advantages.”

Yi Ming: “Wow, that waist, that butt.”

Director Miao: “He’ll definitely stun the audience.”

Yi Ming: “He’s top-tier meat in the gay community!”

Director Miao: “…We are a proper, serious production crew.”

Yi Ming silently zipped her mouth shut.

Raising her hand, she finally remembered she was holding a phone. As she turned it, the screen lit up, displaying six new messages. The last one read: [I’m coming in.]

Yi Ming didn’t pay much attention, but just as she looked away, she suddenly realized something and slowly moved her gaze back.

The sender of this message was: Boyfriend.

…Oh, wow.

She had just stumbled upon a massive melon.

Truly worthy of being the Melon King.

After finishing the first set of character posters, Yu Wen took his phone back from Yi Ming. He noticed that her gaze toward him was very subtle, the corners of her lips carrying an intriguing curve.

Yu Wen: “…There’s no new gossip lately.”

He assumed his Second Master’s old habit was acting up and she wanted to eat melon. But it hadn’t even been two days since the Best Actor Zhuang incident. Even if he was the ultimate passerby protagonist, he couldn’t possibly stumble into another massive event so soon.

Yi Ming’s smile deepened. “You didn’t catch any, but I did. Don’t worry, your Second Master will keep your secret. I won’t breathe a single word of it.”

Yi Ming said a bunch of baffling things, and after finishing, she walked away, thoroughly satisfied. Yu Wen was completely lost in the clouds and didn’t pay it much mind.

Unlocking his phone, he saw a string of messages from Xie Heyu. Before he could read them closely, Xiao Zhong called out, “Teacher Yu, Brother Xie is here.”

His boyfriend, who had just confirmed their relationship on WeChat moments ago, pushed the door open and walked in. With so many people and so many heads in the studio—many taller and more eye-catching than him—Xie Heyu didn’t pause for a single second. Like a magnet, his gaze accurately bypassed the crowd and locked onto Yu Wen.

Yu Wen gripped his phone tightly, his breathing hitching slightly.

Xiao Zhou asked, “Brother Xie, did you finish discussing the schedule? Why didn’t you wait for us outside? There are too many people in here, it’s hot.”

Xie Heyu turned his head slightly to answer Xiao Zhou, but his eyes never wavered, continuing to stare at Yu Wen through the crowd. “Missed Teacher Xiao Yu. Came in to take a look.”

Xiao Zhou didn’t overthink it, merely smiling. “Brother Xie, you’re such a dedicated manager. You treat managing your artist like you’re dating them, always keeping them in your thoughts.”

Xie Heyu didn’t deny it, casually asking a few questions about their progress.

People bustled around them, yet Yu Wen stood perfectly still.

It wasn’t until Xie Heyu finished talking to Xiao Zhou and walked straight toward him that Yu Wen finally took a stiff step forward. His chaotic brain rebooted, spinning frantically: Do I stay where I am or go meet him? Is it bad if I don’t move at all? What’s the first thing I say when we meet?… Hi, hello, boyfriend?

Amidst his jumbled thoughts, he sluggishly dragged his feet forward twice. Suddenly, someone squeezed into the direct path between him and Xie Heyu and said, “…You’ve rested enough, go to the makeup room and try on the second outfit…”

“…”

Focusing his eyes, his tall, long-legged boyfriend was completely blocked from view, replaced entirely by Director Miao.

Yu Wen: “…Oh.”

He dragged the syllable out slowly, as if it took him quite a while to accept reality.

“How many more outfits are there today?”

Xie Heyu walked up and asked softly. Director Miao replied, “Two or three. Today is all about finalizing the main looks. We’ll be grinding through them slowly, probably take the whole day.”

Hearing his voice, Yu Wen felt his mood improve a little. Xie Heyu accompanied him to the makeup room. Looking at Xie Heyu’s large, prominent-knuckled hand hanging by his side, Yu Wen felt an itch. He wanted to copy what Xie Heyu did that morning and mischievously tease him, but as he reached out, he grasped thin air—Xie Heyu had already raised his hand to open the door.

“…Xiao Yu, you were glowing just a minute ago. I didn’t see you for a second, and now you look so wilted.” Director Miao noticed his shifted mood and teased, “Tired? Go on, there are cookies on the table. Eat some to regain your strength.”

Hearing this, Xie Heyu cast a sidelong glance at him.

Yu Wen was too embarrassed to admit he was just sulking because he missed holding hands. He forced himself to perk up. “Not tired! Xiao Yu can fight through another hundred outfits!”

When he came out in the second outfit, Xie Heyu was still in the makeup room, clearly planning to supervise the entire process today.

Yu Wen took a seat, and the makeup artist began adjusting his makeup. Xie Heyu sat on the sofa to the side, his gaze unwavering. Unnamed heat simmered within those calm eyes. Occasionally, his gaze would collide with Yu Wen’s in the mirror; he would narrow his eyes slightly, and the intensity in that split second felt hot enough to burn straight through the glass.

Even the makeup artist sensed the tension. “Your manager’s expression looks so fierce. Hahaha, is he unhappy with Teacher Yu’s styling…?”

Yu Wen snapped back to reality and explained, “He’s always like this. Dead fish face. Today it’s probably because, probably because…”

“…Received a confession, wants to hug him, but can’t reach,” Xie Heyu stated, dropping an absolute bombshell.

“A confession? From who?” Yu Wen whipped his head around in shock.

The makeup artist gently pushed his head back straight, laughing, “I know the feeling. Back when I got a confession from my crush while at work, my mind had already sprinted a hundred miles away, but my body was still stuck working…”

Xie Heyu thought to himself, It’s still a bit different.

His crush was sitting right in front of him—visible but untouchable—which made the itch in his heart even worse.

Meeting Xie Heyu’s eyes in the mirror for a split second, Yu Wen suddenly understood something. He immediately whipped out his phone. Just as he unlocked the screen, he realized the makeup artist and several assistants were still around, so he placed it face down again. But in his heart, he already knew exactly what had happened.

It wasn’t a big deal, just a bit shameful.

So shameful that he didn’t dare look Xie Heyu in the eye for the rest of the session.

The makeup adjustments took half an hour. Once the general style was locked in, the makeup artist and assistants trickled out to fetch other tools and accessories. At some point, the small makeup room was left with just the two of them.

Seizing the empty moment, Yu Wen hastily opened his chat history. Sure enough, his finger had slipped, and he had sent the mini-essay sitting in his draft box.

Following it were several messages from Xie Heyu. That “I want to see you” was simple and direct. Though trapped within the cold smart device, the scalding emotion broke through the digital screen and washed over him.

Yu Wen thought to himself, So there’s no need to feel shameful after all.

Those words, which he felt were a bit awkward and melodramatic, were cherished as priceless treasures by Xie Heyu. He couldn’t even wait for Yu Wen to reply, marching straight into the studio.

He wanted to see him, incredibly badly.

It was rare to see Teacher Xie act on impulse, unable to even maintain his usual expression, looking excessively cold.

This adult romance is truly childish. Him, and Xie Heyu too.

Thinking this, the corners of Yu Wen’s lips turned upward slightly.

Only the two of them were left in the room. Xie Heyu pulled the curtains shut, blocking the security camera. He locked the door, mentally prepared a few sentences, and turned around, only to see Yu Wen already standing up, having taken off his outer jacket.

“…Wanna hug?” He adjusted his complicated costume, tightening the belt buckle to ensure it wouldn’t dig into Xie Heyu. Keeping his head down as he adjusted, he whispered, “You just said you wanted to hug… We can only hug for a bit, you can’t mess up my styling… Also, no kissing, I have lipstick on…”

Before he could finish, a powerful force gripped his arm, yanking him directly into an embrace.

Contrary to his aura, Xie Heyu’s body temperature was high. With the cold AC blowing in the makeup room, being held by him felt incredibly comforting. The slight discomfort of his waist being squeezed tightly was completely negligible.

Yu Wen nuzzled against him, finding a comfortable position in his arms, and said, “I always loved leaning on you before. Because you’re tall and have muscles, hugging you is super comfortable… After the confession misunderstanding, it’s been a long time since I could just lean on you with such peace of mind.”

Xie Heyu let out a soft hum, his voice deep and pleased. Holding Yu Wen, it was as if a massive boulder had been lifted off his chest. The lingering sense of unreality finally vanished. His thin lips continuously pressed kisses and nuzzled against Yu Wen’s cheek and hair, his subtle movements brimming with absolute contentment.

He said, “You can hug me from now on. After all, I am your boyfriend.”

Yu Wen said, “We haven’t even held hands yet. I tried to hold yours earlier, but missed.”

Xie Heyu said, “We’ll hold hands when we get back tonight.”

Yu Wen said, “No, today is for hugging. I want to hug tonight too.”

Xie Heyu said, “Then we’ll hold hands tomorrow.”

Yu Wen thought that was a viable plan and smiled. “Okay.”