ARTBFAEWM 47

Chapter 47: Deep Affection

Jin Yanliu had been feeling up Zhou Beiyong all the way back to the hotel.

Back at the hotel, after he went to shower, he asked Zhou Beiyang, “Want to shower with me?”

Zhou Beiyang actually refused him, saying, “I have something to do, I need to go out.”

“So late, what do you have to do?”

Zhou Beiyang said, “My company needs me, they’re waiting for me in my room.”

Jin Yanliu said “Oh,” and went in to shower. Zhou Beiyang, fully dressed, went out.

He hadn’t planned on doing anything with Jin Yanliu tonight. After a day of filming and the wrap party, he was exhausted. Besides, Jin Yanliu was just drunk and acting wild; if things got serious, he probably wouldn’t be willing.

However, without getting serious, he also planned to try other things, gradually getting Jin Yanliu used to it over the next few days.

No need for a condom, but lubricant is necessary.

The snow outside had intensified. Wearing a hat and mask, he bought some lubricant nearby and returned to find Jin Yanliu already asleep in bed.

Zhou Beiyang took the lubricant out of his pocket and put it in the bedside table. Then he sat on the edge of the bed, pulled the blanket over Jin Yanliu, and went to shower.

On a cold winter night, the best thing is to cuddle together to sleep. Zhou Beiyang, again without even pajamas, directly hugged Jin Yanliu. Jin Yanliu mumbled in his sleep, and Zhou Beiyang buried his head in his shoulder, inhaling his faint scent.

With the north wind whipping the fine snow outside, he was in a warm room holding his beloved, it couldn’t be more comfortable.

However, in the middle of the night, Jin Yanliu suddenly moved. Zhou Beiyang woke up groggily and found Jin Yanliu’s hands were getting restless.

At his young and vigorous age, how could he resist such touching? Zhou Beiyang was both sleepy and excited, saying, “It’s the middle of the night, aren’t you sleeping?”

Jin Yanliu chuckled, his warm breath spraying onto Zhou Beiyang’s chest, saying, “I just dreamt of you.”

Zhou Beiyang hugged him, smiled, and became more awake, “What did you dream about?”

“You guess.”

“Did you dream about… this?”

Jin Yanliu didn’t speak.

The two were clinging to each other, wishing to be skin to skin, legs intertwined, their breaths mingling.

Zhou Beiyang got up, retrieved the lubricant he had bought. Jin Yanliu clutched the blanket, his face flushed, saying, “Where did you get this?”

“I bought it.” It was Zhou Beiyang’s first time with this, a little clumsy, afraid of spilling it on the bed. He poured some onto his hand, then looked at Jin Yanliu.

Unexpectedly, Jin Yanliu cooperated very well, lifting the blanket and turning over to lie on his stomach.

Zhou Beiyang, suddenly seeing his naked body, felt his blood rush. He leaned closer, saying, “I’m bigger, you might not be able to handle it, let’s take it slow. Today, let’s just try a finger, okay?”

Jin Yanliu’s head was buried in the pillow, not saying a word, with a hint of sacrificial meaning.

He was going to be penetrated, and he didn’t have much time left. He wanted to do this with Zhou Beiyang.

Although they had often messed around before, he wouldn’t be shy, but to truly be the receptive partner, to be penetrated, Jin Yanliu felt a strong sense of shame, the shame of a male. His ears were red, as he lay on the pillow.

Seeing his rare shyness, Zhou Beiyang deliberately asked, “Which finger do you want?”

Jin Yanliu didn’t speak, so Zhou Beiyang asked, “The long one or the short one?”

Jin Yanliu tried to turn over, and Zhou Beiyang quickly held him down, “Don’t say it, don’t say it.”

They spent the night in passionate intimacy, a mix of coaxing and forceful actions. The next day, when Jin Yanliu woke up, he saw Zhou Beiyang lying on his side, gazing at him softly.

He pulled the blanket to cover half his face, “So early, what are you looking at?”

“Looking at you.” Zhou Beiyang hugged him along with the blanket, “My treasure is amazing.”

Zhou Beiyang had said this repeatedly last night, accompanying his actions, so that now, whenever Jin Yanliu heard it, his face would redden, “Get lost.”

“It’s a snowy white outside, the snow fell pretty heavily last night, sleep a little longer. What do you want to eat? I’ll go buy it for you.”

“Not hungry.” Jin Yanliu lazily said, “I just want to sleep in.”

“Then sleep.” Zhou Beiyang said.

“Open the curtains for me.” Jin Yanliu suddenly said.

Zhou Beiyang went and opened the curtains for him.

Such heavy snow! Large snowflakes were falling.

Jin Yanliu turned over, lying on his side, wrapped in the blanket, watching the snow.

His heart was both peaceful and sorrowful.

Zhou Beiyang went to wash up. As soon as he left, Jin Yanliu’s phone rang. It was Cheng Fei calling.

“Good morning,” he said with a smile.

Cheng Fei said, “Just got up? Haven’t checked your phone yet? You should be prepared.”

Jin Yanliu asked, “What’s up?”

“I saw some marketing accounts exposing your relationship with Zhou Beiyang.”

It wasn’t a big deal, the exposure was about their brotherly relationship, not a romantic one, and the spread wasn’t very wide. It was only after some of Jin Yanliu’s fans saw it and discussed it in a group chat that the studio staff noticed and immediately reported it to him.

But it wasn’t small either, because Jin Yanliu and Zhou Beiyang were already in a romantic relationship.

First, the brotherly relationship was exposed; if the romantic relationship was exposed later, it would inevitably raise ethical concerns.

“Think about how you want to respond,” Cheng Fei said, “It hasn’t blown up yet, but we have to prepare for the worst. If this spreads, how do you plan to handle it? You’d better talk to Beiyang and tell your family.”

Cheng Fei felt that the biggest obstacle to their being together would definitely be their parents.

Jin Yanliu hummed in response and hung up the phone.

He searched online and found it, not sure if it spread from yesterday’s wrap party.

But judging by the titles, it didn’t seem like it was done by anti-fans.

“[Into Demon]’s Two Top Stars Are Actually Brothers?! A Family of Stunning Looks.”

“Yi Yang and Yi Liu, Two Brothers – Let’s Talk About Those Family Relationships You Didn’t Know About in the Entertainment Industry.”

“Late Night Big Scoop: Jin Yanliu and Zhou Beiyang Are Brothers?!”

Jin Yanliu closed his eyes and thought for a while.

Zhou Beiyang finished showering and went to the dressing room to get dressed. Jin Yanliu, lying in bed, asked, “Someone online knows about our relationship.”

Zhou Beiyang, who was getting dressed, immediately came out of the dressing room, “What?”

“Maybe someone spread what we talked about at yesterday’s wrap party. Someone online is exposing our past brotherly relationship.”

Zhou Beiyang said, “You scared me. I thought you said our relationship was exposed. This couldn’t be hidden anyway, it was bound to be known sooner or later.”

Zhou Beiyang always thought this wasn’t a bad thing.

With their brotherly relationship as a protective umbrella, they could be together more openly.

The entertainment industry is special. He and Jin Yanliu are both top stars now. If their same-sex relationship is exposed, it would be a severe blow to both their careers. He himself didn’t care; he entered the entertainment industry for Jin Yanliu. But Jin Yanliu is different; he has a bright future in the entertainment industry and shouldn’t have it ruined by his love.

Even if public acceptance of same-sex relationships is high, coming out is a major blow for celebrities, especially affecting their acting careers.

So for them, the best approach was to be together under the guise of brothers. Some people in the entertainment industry publicly announce their sexual orientation for love, but that’s a last resort. Two strangers being photographed entering and leaving the same house – not coming out wouldn’t be acceptable. But they’re different, they’re brothers, it’s normal for brothers to live together.

Everyone thinks they’re brothers, but only they two know the little secret. They have a hard shell, only they know what the real other person is like.

“Then promise me you won’t go public,” Jin Yanliu said, “Even if I beg you to go public later, don’t agree. Going public will greatly affect your career. It might be a problem for you to take on heterosexual roles in the future. Look at the male stars in the entertainment industry who have come out; without exception, they’ve all flopped.”

Zhou Beiyang came out fully dressed, smiling, “You want to go public?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Then why would you beg me.”

Jin Yanliu pursed his lips.

He felt that the fake’s green tea, love-brained personality might very well pursue something like “being together openly”. Many entertainment industry BL novels use public relationships and declarations of love as the climax of the entire love story; as if without doing so, the male lead isn’t brave enough or loving enough.

Zhou Beiyang said, “If you want to go public, we’ll go public. As long as I have you, that’s enough. I’ll arrange everything else according to your wishes.”

He climbed onto the bed, kissed Jin Yanliu’s forehead, “Don’t be afraid, whether it’s a relationship exposure or a brotherly relationship exposure, don’t be afraid. What do we have to fear?”

They really didn’t need to be afraid; they had money, connections, and fame. Even if they couldn’t make it in the entertainment industry, they had mountains of gold and silver waiting for them. The worst-case scenario is that he quits the industry, takes over Jin Weinan’s business, makes money for Jin Yanliu, and invests in and produces his own films like Into Demon, as a personal hobby.

Jin Yanliu’s mood grew heavier.

Damn it.

He had such a wonderful life, a life full of golden opportunities, with money, looks, and early success. Now he’s so famous, he’s having a same-sex relationship with a man, and even has the brotherly relationship as a protective umbrella. This charmed life has been forcibly taken away by the fake.

So infuriating.

He grabbed Zhou Beiyang’s hair and looked at him.

He wanted to monopolize Zhou Beiyang, to kick him before being replaced, to cut ties with him and sever any possibility between him and the fake, but he was afraid Zhou Beiyang would be heartbroken.

But if he’s replaced like this, leaving his Zhou Beiyang to be ravaged by the fake, to be slept with by the fake… the thought made him want to explode.

It was a dilemma.

He fiercely squeezed Zhou Beiyang’s neck.

With a hateful look.

Zhou Beiyang frowned, smiling, “What’s wrong again?”

“It’s so hateful, I fell for you on a whim.”

If he hadn’t fallen for Zhou Beiyang, perhaps there wouldn’t be such jealousy and possessiveness. It might be easier for him.

He hugged Zhou Beiyang’s neck and looked at him.

They say this and that are the paths to a woman’s heart, so is this and that the path to a man’s heart too?

But one thing is true: physical intimacy does deepen emotional attachment. As long as both parties willingly participate, love truly deepens the relationship between them, awakening that private and passionate feeling.

“If I’m replaced,” Jin Yanliu asked, “My body is still this body, but my soul changes, becomes the fake, will you still be with me?”

“Definitely not,” Zhou Beiyang gazed at him, smiling, stroking his hair, “I love you, not your body.”

“That’s best.” Jin Yanliu said, “Otherwise, I know I’ll be heartbroken.”

He seemed to truly understand the feeling, like in his dreams before, the fake climbing into Zhou Beiyang’s bed, his soul drifting in the air, watching helplessly, powerless. Just the thought made him feel a little uncomfortable. But reason told him that was the best outcome; if the person is gone, why should Zhou Beiyang also suffer?

Zhou Beiyang, unaware, continuing his life with the fake, perhaps that’s the best outcome.

Jin Yanliu realized he truly cared for Zhou Beiyang.

He should let Zhou Beiyang have the real him, and he should also, while he’s still alive, have Zhou Beiyang.

“Get up, we have to be at the television station by ten,” Zhou Beiyang said.

The ratings for Into Demon were explosive, and the finale was approaching, so the television station was paying close attention. This time, the entire cast and crew, including some behind-the-scenes staff, were going to the television station to record a special Into Demon program.

This would also be Jin Yanliu’s last public appearance before being replaced.

Jin Yanliu sat up from the bed and went to the bathroom. When he reached the door, he looked back and, as he suspected, Zhou Beiyang was staring at his butt.

Jin Yanliu’s face flushed red, “What are you looking at? I’ll gouge your eyes out!”

When he’s shy, he either doesn’t speak or pretends to be fierce to ease his inner embarrassment. Zhou Beiyang knew this well.

He smiled, “I was seeing if you were uncomfortable.”

Yesterday he had been a little forceful, a man’s inherent nature. Even though Jin Yanliu had cried out in pain, he still added a finger.

“See, I told you you’re amazing,” Zhou Beiyang said.

Jin Yanliu slammed the bathroom door shut.

Zhou Beiyang smiled and went to prepare the clothes Jin Yanliu would wear today, his heart filled with sweetness.

It was still snowing outside. He brought the clothes over, pushed open the door and saw Jin Yanliu brushing his teeth. He put the clothes down and turned on the bathroom’s heated air, “It’s cold today, don’t freeze.”

Suddenly overcome with emotion, he hugged Jin Yanliu from behind, looking at the two of them in the mirror. Jin Yanliu wiped the foam from his mouth onto Zhou Beiyang’s face, and Zhou Beiyang didn’t dodge, only kissing his cheek.

He had never expected such happiness before. This was a moment of happiness he hadn’t dared to dream of before.