Lin Zhu watched helplessly as David Muller suddenly got so scared that he collapsed onto the floor and burst into loud sobs. There was no way to explain things anymore.
…
Even after being led back to the hotel by Zhong Yao, Lin Zhu was still in a daze, reflecting on whether he had really been a bit too fierce lately.
“Alright, isn’t this actually a good thing?”
Zhong Yao was inspecting how his agent had been living alone over the past month. After looking around and feeling fairly satisfied, he wrapped an arm around Lin Zhu and sat him down on the bed, carefully checking how much weight he had lost.
“I was just worried you’d get bullied. As for you bullying others… I’m not by your side, how could I control that?”
The usually upright and principled Film Emperor Zhong saying something like that was clearly blatant favoritism.
Lin Zhu’s face warmed. Just as he was about to speak, Zhong Yao rubbed his head and gently pinched his ear.
Zhong Yao lowered his head, smiling softly. “Besides… I know you’re a good kid to begin with.”
Lin Zhu’s breathing hitched, and his heart suddenly softened painfully.
Closing his eyes, Lin Zhu buried himself into Zhong Yao’s neck. “Ge, if you keep treating me like this, you’ll spoil me…”
“It’s fine. You’re mine anyway.”
Zhong Yao adjusted him in his arms, making him lie more comfortably. “If I spoil you, then I’ll be the one to take responsibility.”
The person in his arms had already grown thin and fragile. The bit of weight he had finally put on while they were together before had almost completely disappeared. Holding him now, he even felt a little bony.
Zhong Yao had also missed Lin Zhu these past days, and with the nonstop rush to finish filming, he had been working hard too, but he hadn’t ended up like this.
Remembering what Lin Song had told him about his younger brother’s condition, Zhong Yao tightened his arms slightly, his brows faintly furrowing.
He still hadn’t spoiled him enough.
Lin Zhu’s health had never been good. Partly because of the hardships he suffered as a child, and partly because the emotional knots in his heart had never truly been untied over the years. Back in China, Zhong Yao had spoken with Lin Song a few times; even just from his descriptions, he could imagine what kind of life Lin Zhu had been living all these years.
With such heavy burdens in his heart, eating poorly and sleeping badly day after day, how could his body possibly recover?
Zhong Yao placed his hand on Lin Zhu’s back, slowly feeling along it while silently planning how to cook more nourishing food for him in the coming days.
Lying in Zhong Yao’s arms, Lin Zhu gradually relaxed from his earlier embarrassment and tension at being held and touched, and only then realized Zhong Yao was “checking” him.
Before going abroad, he had confidently promised he would take good care of himself. Now he felt a bit guilty. Reaching back to hold Zhong Yao’s wrist, he said softly, “Ge, actually I didn’t lose that much weight…”
Zhong Yao raised an eyebrow, meeting the rare unease in his manager’s eyes, and couldn’t help but smile lightly first. “Mm, I know.”
Lowering his head, he kissed Lin Zhu’s lips, then gently laid him down, making him lie on his stomach. “I’ll give you a massage. It might hurt a bit, but bear with it.”
These past days, Lin Zhu had mostly been hunched over a computer typing, with little chance to move around. His shoulders and neck had already become stiff.
Zhong Yao tugged down the collar of his sleepwear slightly and applied some pressure, carefully kneading each point to relieve the tension.
“Ge, you just got off the plane— ah— rest a bit first…”
Lin Zhu sucked in sharp breaths from the pain, forcing the words out through clenched teeth. “I’m not tired—”
“If it’s blocked, it hurts. If it hurts, it means you’re tired.”
Zhong Yao ruffled his hair, watching his manager who still couldn’t fully relax. The corner of his lips lifted as he bent down and kissed the spot he had just massaged. “I’m not tired either. Relax a little.”
Rolling up his sleeves, Zhong Yao lowered his voice with a smile. “After I finish… we’ll discuss the tie.”
Lin Zhu: “!!!”
The spot that had just been kissed quickly grew hot. Lin Zhu reached under the pillow to touch the tie hidden there, then immediately lay still, obedient and motionless.
Zhong Yao chuckled softly, helping him out of his sleepwear and continuing the massage unhurriedly.
He had learned these massage techniques while preparing for a role, studying under a professional therapist for half a year. He hadn’t let the skill go to waste since.
Lin Zhu was still young, and though he had indeed been extremely busy these past days, after relaxing and being thoroughly massaged by Zhong Yao, he felt much better. Lying on the pillow, his eyelids gradually drooped.
Zhong Yao had only gotten halfway through when the agent, who had insisted he wasn’t tired, completely relaxed, his breathing steady and long. He had already fallen asleep.
Zhong Yao raised an eyebrow slightly and quietly softened his movements.
With the time difference between China and abroad, even though Zhong Yao had instructed his team back home to adjust their schedule, it was impossible not to overwork a team that often worked until one or two in the morning.
Lin Zhu, being overseas, paid even more attention to domestic developments and had unknowingly fallen into staying up late. When things piled up, he often had no fixed time to rest.
Now that Zhong Yao was finally by his side, the burden Lin Zhu had placed on himself suddenly lightened, and his heart relaxed. No wonder he couldn’t get enough sleep.
Zhong Yao gently stroked Lin Zhu’s hair, crouched halfway down, and softly called his name twice.
Lin Zhu slept deeply, groggily opening his eyes for a moment. Seeing it was Zhong Yao, he relaxed and sank right back into deep sleep.
Zhong Yao laughed softly, unwilling to wake him again. He turned Lin Zhu over carefully, held him in his arms, and coaxed him into putting on clothes.
Half-asleep, Lin Zhu almost thought he was dreaming again. But today, the familiar presence was far too real. After getting dressed with difficulty, he kept nuzzling into Zhong Yao.
It took Zhong Yao some effort to steady the person wriggling in his arms. He rubbed the head resting against his neck again and again, taking a light breath.
…Careless.
They had only just reunited and hadn’t had enough time to be close. Zhong Yao had been eager to find out how Lin Zhu had been doing these days, so he had been coaxing him to talk about work in New York, not leaving much time to talk about his own situation.
For example… early tomorrow morning, they would start filming that travel wish-fulfillment reality show.
And the location wasn’t even here.
Zhong Yao rubbed his forehead and looked at the manager sleeping contentedly in his arms.
Originally, he had planned to give him a heads-up. But now… it seemed he could only give him another unexpected surprise.
Zhong Yao sent a message to his assistant team, who had followed him to the U.S., then efficiently bundled Lin Zhu up in clothes, picked him up, and quietly slipped out of the hotel overnight.
After finally getting a good, uninterrupted sleep, Lin Zhu woke up to find that it was already fully bright outside.
Lin Zhu pushed himself up into a sitting position, still a bit dazed.
Had he… sleepwalked?
The surroundings were clearly no longer the hotel décor. Instead, it looked like a small suburban villa.
The bedroom was tidy and warm, decorated in a simple style. A thick beige carpet covered the floor, and the wooden furniture looked like it had some age to it. Shelves were staggered across the brick wall, holding photo frames and dried flowers. Through the frost-patterned window, he could see a fence outside, half-buried in snow.
Lin Zhu rubbed his eyes and hesitantly climbed out of bed.
Did he accidentally read someone’s mind again…?
This dream felt unusually real.
He had never lived in a place like this before, and curiosity quickly took over. After sneezing twice and adjusting to the cold air after leaving the blankets, he eagerly threw on some clothes and began exploring, stepping across the soft carpet.
Strangely, although it was his first time here, everything he saw felt familiar and likable.
Since childhood, Lin Zhu had been used to waking up in different places. No matter where he was sold to, he would always manage to escape. His nerves had long been trained to be exceptionally tough. He felt no fear at all, only excitement as he wandered around, touching things here and there. When he casually glanced at a photo frame, his steps suddenly halted.
His eyes widened, and he quickly backed up a few steps.
He recognized the photo in the frame.
He instantly recognized it. He owned the same one, tucked inside the leather cover of a small notebook he always carried.
It was a still from Zhong Yao’s first film, shot when he was eighteen, after being discovered by a casting director.
Lin Zhu’s heart suddenly started racing, and last night’s memories flooded back.
Zhong Yao had come to find him. He had dragged Zhong Yao around, showing him off to everyone. And under the mistletoe, Zhong Yao had kissed him in front of everyone…
Maybe none of that was a dream!
Lin Zhu’s dreams were always vivid, and recently he’d been having more of them, so he was used to that brief, hazy state upon waking. But this time, it felt like fireworks were exploding inside his chest, snapping him fully awake.
After that, they had returned to the hotel. Zhong Yao gave him a massage, and he accidentally fell asleep… and then what?
His memory more or less stopped there. Vaguely, he recalled Zhong Yao coaxing him into putting on clothes and carrying him somewhere.
He had been too tired. Once he confirmed it was Zhong Yao moving him around, he had simply gone back to sleep without worry…
And when he opened his eyes again, he was here.
A thought quietly surfaced in Lin Zhu’s mind, and his eyes lit up instantly.
His heart pounded wildly. Unable to suppress his excitement, he flung open the door and rushed down the stairs from the second floor.
Zhong Yao was in the living room. Hearing the noise, he turned around, raising an eyebrow.
The villa wasn’t large. The living room was divided into several functional areas, and Zhong Yao was by the window preparing breakfast.
He was dressed casually in home wear today, wearing an apron, radiating a warm, everyday domestic charm that felt real and within reach.
“Ge!”
Lin Zhu’s face flushed with excitement as he ran down the stairs. “Did you bring me home? Are we still going to Columbia? Are we going to Broadway? You said you’d recite poetry—”
Before he could finish, Zhong Yao scooped him up, lifted him slightly, and placed him onto the sofa by the fireplace.
Putting on a mock stern face, Zhong Yao tapped his head. “No shoes? You’ve gotten bold, haven’t you?”
Lin Zhu’s face warmed. “There’s carpet upstairs. It’s really comfortable. I forgot…”
Zhong Yao curled his lips slightly but said nothing.
Some people loved something simply because it was connected to someone they loved. Clearly, Lin Zhu hadn’t noticed at all that Zhong Yao had asked Lin Song to secretly transport the carpet from his study overseas.
What Lin Zhu feared wasn’t the room itself, but the memories within it… those times of self-doubt and isolation.
That room had become a prison in his heart. Even though he no longer lived there or had to face those things, he still couldn’t completely break free.
Lin Song had once told Zhong Yao that Lin Zhu had undergone guided therapy due to psychological issues. Every time he drew something, it was that bedroom.
They had tried changing the layout, moving him to a different room, even buying him another house, but it only backfired. Because for the teenage Lin Zhu, the thing he feared most and longed for most had been the same.
Unable to change it yet unable to leave it unchanged, Lin Song had resorted to filling the room with countless cushions.
That went on for over ten years…
Previously, Zhong Yao had deliberately guided Lin Zhu into a video call, linking that lonely environment from his past to himself. Lin Zhu’s acceptance had improved significantly.
Zhong Yao fetched a pair of spare slippers, crouched down to place them by the sofa, then wrapped Lin Zhu tightly in a blanket and ruffled his hair in satisfaction.
Step by step.
As long as they took it slowly, he would eventually lead Lin Zhu out of that cage.
Zhong Yao poured him a cup of warm water and cleared his throat lightly. “By the way, there’s something else.”
Still riding his excitement, Lin Zhu looked up happily, holding the cup.
Zhong Yao turned slightly and pointed to the filming crew in the corner. “We agreed to start filming that variety show this morning. I didn’t get the chance to tell you last night…”
Lin Zhu: “……”
Lin Zhu: “!!”
His face flushed instantly. Remembering how he had just run downstairs barefoot without any composure, he choked on his water. “C-can that part be cut—”
“Yes, yes, don’t worry, Lin-laoshi.”
The on-site director stood up quietly and waved at him with a friendly smile. “Actually, we have to cut it. You already spoiled the next three days of filming just now.”
Lin Zhu: “……”
“Don’t worry, just treat it like daily life. Do whatever you normally do. The studio already arranged leave for you. The suburbs aren’t far from the city. If anything comes up, you can get there easily.”
Zhong Yao patted his back gently. “We agreed earlier. I’d talk with you at the hotel and then take you home, and today we’d start filming here. But I didn’t get to tell you last night… so I had to sneak you out overnight.”
Knowing it could be edited out, Lin Zhu relaxed and let out a long breath, nodding confidently as he switched into work mode. “No problem, leave it to me.”
Still, he couldn’t help glancing around.
The two of them here together… it was basically a honeymoon, right?
Even three days counted, and it was being recorded on camera. Even if it didn’t air, as long as he could get the raw footage…
His heart raced. He felt like he could go outside and shovel a path through the snow.
If he could get that footage, anything would be worth it!
Energized, Lin Zhu slipped into slippers, wrapped in the blanket, and went to wash up while listening to the director explain the filming points.
“The goal is to show each guest at their most relaxed during travel. The crew will try to stay unobtrusive. Don’t worry too much about us.”
The director sighed. “Other guests are going to deserts or islands. Zhong-laoshi choosing ‘home’ as a travel destination… this is a first for us.”
Lin Zhu felt a bit apologetic. “I’ll try to take him out more.”
The director was deeply grateful. “Thank you! If you can persuade Zhong-laoshi to go out more, that’d be great. His backup wish was to stay home and sleep for three days…”
Lin Zhu coughed twice, suppressing a smile.
“One more thing,” the director added. “You and Zhong-laoshi don’t need to act distant all the time, but… try to give us some footage we can edit.”
“This show focuses on traveling with a partner, but there are also solo guests or friends traveling together. Editing will stay objective, no deliberate narrative manipulation.”
He hesitated slightly. “After all, Zhong-laoshi hasn’t publicly announced anything back home yet, and his popularity is still rising…”
Lin Zhu understood and nodded. “Thank you. We’ll cooperate.”
Even though the industry was more accepting now, he had never planned to come out publicly with Zhong Yao. Especially with Zhong Yao at the peak of his popularity, it wasn’t the right time to stir controversy.
Lin Zhu was already satisfied.
The director finally relaxed and led the crew back to their corner, quietly filming the peaceful life in the snowy suburban villa.
They made breakfast together, ate together, shoveled snow, and built two snowmen.
In the afternoon, as the snowstorm intensified, they curled up by the fireplace reading, occasionally leaning close to chat.
The fire crackled warmly.
Lin Zhu went to fetch freshly baked cookies, while Zhong Yao stayed behind to brew tea.
While Lin Zhu was gone, Zhong Yao quietly stepped outside and carefully carried both snowmen into the fridge to hide them.
Looking at the footage with absolutely no boundary-crossing behavior, the director fell into deep contemplation about how to distinguish friendship from romance.
By evening, the snow finally stopped.
Zhong Yao received a message from Marlensius’ team asking him to come into the city for a formal meeting.
Lin Zhu had played too wildly in the snow and had a slight fever. After being forced to drink ginger soup, he was sweating it out under the blankets. Zhong Yao didn’t let him come along, leaving an assistant behind while he headed into the city with the crew.
The meeting went smoothly. Since filming wasn’t allowed inside, Zhong Yao and the director decided to frame the trip as grocery shopping, making it part of the “homebody travel” narrative.
As soon as they entered the supermarket, Zhong Yao’s phone rang.
“Give me a moment.”
He checked the caller ID, frowned slightly, and signaled the crew to pause filming before answering. “It’s me. What’s wrong?”
“Zhong-laoshi?” The PR staff’s voice came through, tense. “We just got word. Photos of you and Lin-laoshi leaving the building together yesterday were taken. They’re set to be released at 6:30 this morning…”
Zhong Yao’s heart skipped slightly as he checked the time in China.
Less than three minutes left.
There was no time for damage control. Turning toward the exit, he asked, “You didn’t tell Lin-laoshi, right?”
The staff hesitated. “We… already did. PR is trying to reach him…”
Zhong Yao’s gaze darkened.
Going public was inevitable, and he didn’t mind—but Lin Zhu would definitely panic over this.
And Lin Zhu was still running a fever.
“I understand,” Zhong Yao said after a brief pause. “We can’t just let gossip accounts control this. I have some clearer photos, I’ll send them over now.”
Then, remembering Lin Zhu’s concerns, he added pragmatically, “Edit them a bit. Lin-laoshi looks too thin.”
PR staff: “……”
Struggling, the PR staff tried to emphasize the seriousness. “Zhong-laoshi, a significant portion of fans might not want you to settle down right now—”
Zhong Yao raised an eyebrow, about to respond, when the voice suddenly tightened.
“Oh no, they’ve already posted it!”
The on-site director quickly pulled out his phone and opened a gossip account.
A post from one second ago, yet comments were already flooding in.
[Holy sh*t?!?!?!?!]
The director, completely forgetting about show promotion after a whole day of emotional investment, muttered anxiously, “This is bad…”
He braced himself and scrolled down.
[Wait. They just got together??? Then what was I shipping before?!?!]
