After their late-night snack, Ruan Qiuji intended to have his driver take Qi Bailu home, but his manager was uneasy and asked for the restaurant’s location to pick him up personally. Before the manager arrived, Ruan Qiuji stood with him on the stone steps at the restaurant’s entrance, waiting for the car. Because it was freezing outside, Ruan Qiuji suggested that if he was cold, he could wait inside while Ruan stayed out there. Qi Bailu, lost in thought, looked up silently. He didn’t move; instead, he asked, "Are you this kind to everyone?"
"What do you think?" Ruan Qiuji wore a cashmere scarf, but it didn't cover his mouth or nose; puffs of white vapor escaped with every word. His dark eyes searched Qi Bailu’s face. Without waiting for an answer, he lowered his head slightly and said, "Perhaps you’re willing to repay me now."
The gesture was dangerously deceptive, as if he were leaning down to kiss him. Qi Bailu did not flinch; he looked Ruan straight in the eye. "And if I don't have what you want?"
Ruan Qiuji merely smiled. "Bailu, don't underestimate yourself."
With that, Ruan Qiuji straightened up, leaving him there to ponder those words alone. When Cheng Wenhui drove up, Ruan Qiuji saw him to the car. As Qi Bailu settled into the passenger seat, Ruan held the door and said, "See you tomorrow."
Tomorrow was the New Year’s Eve Gala—a rehearsal during the day and a live broadcast at night. On the way back, Qi Bailu was clearly exhausted, yet even with his eyes closed, his mind replayed the night’s events. Cheng Wenhui drove in silence, asking nothing, until Qi Bailu spoke up: "Aren't you going to ask what we talked about?"
"That’s your private business."
Qi Bailu fell silent. After a moment, Cheng Wenhui glanced seriously at the rearview mirror. "Bailu, I can't make decisions for you in these matters. I can only say that even President Zheng yields a step to a man like Ruan Qiuji."
Nothing more needed to be said; the implication was clear: *Be careful not to get played to death.* One Zheng Kunyu was enough; with Ruan Qiuji added to the mix, how could someone like Qi Bailu, who lacked even basic social maneuvering skills, possibly hold his own?
Qi Bailu remained silent. Cheng Wenhui, unable to help himself, turned to observe his face. "Regardless of what he said to you or what you said to him, everything is negotiable. You’ve always known President Zheng’s bottom line."
At this, Qi Bailu suddenly laughed. He leaned his head back against the seat. "So that’s why you insisted on picking me up. What, were you afraid I’d sleep with him?"
"Exactly."
Cheng Wenhui was well-acquainted with the chaotic romantic entanglements of the industry, and his admission was blunt. If it were any other artist, he might have let them cling to Ruan Qiuji’s coattails, but Qi Bailu was different. Zheng Kunyu paid him to work, and that work involved keeping a close eye on this specific person.
Qi Bailu seemed to let out a short laugh. Cheng Wenhui wanted to see what he was smiling at, but Qi Bailu turned his head toward the window, resting his forehead against the glass. He remained in that position for the rest of the trip. By the light of the streetlamps streaking past like falling stars, Cheng Wenhui could only see him curled in his seat, a small, solitary figure. From his angle, only the sharp point of Qi Bailu’s chin was visible.
The next day, they arrived at the Cultural Center in the morning and were frantic all day. Ruan Qiuji was nowhere to be seen during this rehearsal, nor was the Deputy Director. By evening, the entire team hurriedly ate takeout. Between shooting promotional photos, Qi Bailu had to have his hair and makeup done, try on clothes, change, and handle a continuous stream of press interviews. Knowing the media would inevitably bring up the recent scandal, they had to stay sharp.
Singing in front of a national audience was nerve-wracking; that tension didn't ease even as Qi Bailu stepped onto the stage. He had no room for other thoughts; his mind was entirely focused on performing the song well. Right before his segment, he kept his headphones on, listening to the *Dewy Night Run* theme on repeat. Lydia didn't dare disturb him, only checking his makeup occasionally.
Today, he wore a slightly exaggerated stage look. Sequins were applied around his eyes; when he looked down, they caught the light like shimmering teardrops. Though he had chosen the outfit himself, it was the most conservative of the options provided. He didn't quite understand how a cut could be so flamboyant—it featured heavy, draped ribbons that fluttered when he walked. Lydia remarked that he looked like an ethereal fairy in white.
When the stage lights converged on him, a tide of applause surged forward. Qi Bailu lifted his eyes to the audience, where glowing light-boards flickered. For the first time, he realized that *this* was the view from the summit so many craved. He couldn't distinguish a single face, only a sea of moving heads and dancing neon, while he stood alone on a distant peak, gazing out. Perhaps anyone standing there would, for a moment, taste the vanity of being enveloped by such overwhelming love.
Singing in such a place felt like sleepwalking. For some reason, Qi Bailu felt Ruan Qiuji was watching him from the darkness below the stage. It was a powerful intuition, one that only intensified after he stepped down. Once the performance ended, he descended the steps, removing his earpiece while talking to his manager. Before he reached the bottom, he spotted Ruan Qiuji in the front row.
Ruan Qiuji was in a formal suit, standing beside a lady and holding her clutch for her. Qi Bailu recognized her face—she was a top-tier diva, a legendary singer and an artist under Yuntian Media who had performed the opening act that night. The person next to her was likely her manager. The three were talking; the singer had her arms crossed, smiling brightly and appearing quite intimate with Ruan Qiuji. However, Ruan’s eyes were fixed on Qi Bailu.
The manager took Qi Bailu’s elbow, guiding him down. Noticing Qi Bailu was looking at someone, he followed his gaze, but Qi Bailu withdrew his eyes just in time, following him and Lydia toward the backstage area. The next act was a rising boy band; the area near the stage was deafeningly loud. His manager leaned in and whispered that there was an unavoidable dinner party after the gala—the Deputy Director was hosting, and they couldn't refuse the invitation.
Now Qi Bailu understood what Ruan Qiuji meant by "see you tomorrow." His performance had been late in the program; by the time he finished two exclusive interviews, it was nearly time for the group photo. Since Lydia had to rush back to spend time with her boyfriend, he didn't remove his makeup after changing out of his stage clothes. He simply pulled on a baseball cap and climbed into the van to head to the dinner. Cheng Wenhui had a bad feeling about it, but he figured as long as he was there, nothing would happen, so he set off with a measure of confidence.
The restaurant wasn't far. By the time they arrived, most of the others were already there. It turned out to be a "real" industry dinner. Because there were many celebrities at the table, their respective managers were seated in a separate private room. Qi Bailu was the last to arrive. As soon as he entered, an actor he had worked with previously greeted him and naturally stood up to introduce him to the strangers at the table.
The restaurant featured a large, traditional Chinese round table. There weren't many guests—about eight in total. Qi Bailu shook hands or nodded, greeting everyone in turn. When it came to Ruan Qiuji, who sat directly opposite him, he politely addressed him as "President Ruan." Ruan Qiuji gave a faint smile and said nothing else. Instead, the female singer beside Ruan looked at him with curiosity, likely because he was the only male present in casual clothes, with his stage makeup still visible.
The last person to shake hands was President Pan of Jiaxing Entertainment, seated to Qi Bailu’s right. Qi Bailu didn't reach out first; it was Pan Xiaoyan who extended his hand. Qi Bailu was forced to meet it. Pan Xiaoyan gripped his fingers with excessive force, holding on for a long moment before letting go. He squinted at him with a beaming smile. "Long time no see, big star."
Hearing this, the actor Qi Bailu knew laughed. "So President Pan and Bailu already know each other."
"More than just know each other. We have quite a history," Pan said.
His tone was suggestive. After Qi Bailu sat down, Pan reached over and patted his shoulder. Some people at the table shared a knowing smile, as if they had just uncovered a secret. Qi Bailu’s face remained expressionless. As the server came to set the dishes, he turned to accept a cup of tea, using the movement to dodge Pan Xiaoyan’s hand. When he turned back, he saw Ruan Qiuji across the table, scrutinizing him wordlessly.
"Scrutinizing" wasn't quite the right word. The others likely couldn't tell Ruan was looking at him, and the moment their eyes met, Ruan picked up his white porcelain cup and lowered his head to sip tea, effortlessly breaking the gaze.
Such dinners were usually polite and stiff. Qi Bailu wasn't the type to crack jokes, so he ate much and spoke little, offering only the occasional polite smile. The female singer next to Ruan Qiuji actually knew of him—she had even seen his movie—and joked that he looked different in person.
Qi Bailu smiled slightly. "Film has its own unique charm."
This clearly pleased the singer. She began to chat with him about the song he had just performed. She smiled. "When we were listening down there, Qiuji said you were just an actor. I didn't quite believe him; your vocal quality is actually quite good."
Qi Bailu looked at her and said, "Thank you." The singer chatted a bit more about the production of *Dewy Night Run* before turning to Ruan Qiuji with a playful pout. "I really liked Bailu’s performance. Director Lin wanted us to collaborate before, but you wouldn't agree. Now that the film is out, you finally admit it's good. We must find a proper opportunity to work together next time."
Qi Bailu withdrew his gaze, glancing at Ruan Qiuji in passing. But the other man wasn't looking at him. Ruan Qiuji set down his wine glass and looked up; his smile was somewhat distracted, though his tone remained gentle. "There will be an opportunity."
Pan Xiaoyan, hearing their conversation and seeing how well-received Qi Bailu was, turned his attention back to him. He chuckled. "You certainly have a way with the ladies. Even my Shen Mo is always praising you. A pity, though."
The remark was flippant. The female singer was clearly offended and immediately lost her appetite, picking up her juice instead. Those not in the know might have thought Pan Xiaoyan was complimenting him and smiled along, but Qi Bailu’s grip tightened on his wine glass.
The comment was practically an insult, because Pan Xiaoyan knew about his relationship with Zheng Kunyu.
Seeing Qi Bailu’s reaction, Pan Xiaoyan grew smug. He began ostentatiously pressuring Qi Bailu to drink, using various excuses to ply him with alcohol. He likely sensed that Qi Bailu wouldn't dare speak up because Pan held "leverage" over him. Pan didn't dare offend Zheng Kunyu, nor did he want to truly ruin Qi Bailu, but amusing himself by toyed with the boy was a fine way to vent his frustrations.
Qi Bailu knew that with someone like Pan Xiaoyan, the more you engaged, the more aggressive they became. So, he simply drank in silence. He lost count of how many glasses he had. Eventually, he was quite drunk, but Pan Xiaoyan kept pouring. The others at the table could see that Pan was doing it on purpose, and that there was a touch of lewdness in his persistence. But since he wasn't openly bullying him—rather, he was "coaxing" him with a smile—no one felt they could intervene. They simply watched from the sidelines.
Seeing that Qi Bailu truly couldn't drink anymore, Pan Xiaoyan reached out and patted his back, stroking it up and down. He held out his own glass. Qi Bailu glanced at him and tried to push the glass away, but Pan let out an "Ai," leaned forward to take a sip himself, and then smilingly pressed the remaining half-glass toward Qi Bailu’s hand. "I’ve drunk so much for you. How about this last bit?"
Qi Bailu didn't speak. He stared at the glass, waves of dizziness and nausea washing over him. Pan Xiaoyan pushed it an inch closer. This time, instead of taking it, Qi Bailu "accidentally" knocked it over.
The wine splashed across the table, dripping wetly onto the floor. If Qi Bailu had offered an apology then, he might have smoothed it over. But he said nothing. He was too drunk to speak. The atmosphere at the table instantly turned cold and tense; even those who had been chatting stopped to stare.
With such a natural "stage" set, Pan Xiaoyan deliberately darkened his face, preparing to lash out. But Ruan Qiuji, who had been quiet until then, picked up his napkin and dabbed the corner of his mouth as if he hadn't seen a thing. His gaze brushed lightly over Qi Bailu’s face before he asked, as if nothing had happened, "Now, where were we?"
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
潘效言 | Pan Xiaoyan | A character from Jiaxing Entertainment; appears to have a history with Qi Bailu.
佳兴娱乐 | Jiaxing Entertainment | An entertainment company.
云天传媒 | Yuntian Media | An entertainment company; the one Ruan Qiuji is associated with.
副台长 | Deputy Director | A high-ranking official at the television station.
白衣仙女 | Ethereal fairy in white | Literally "white-clothed female celestial/fairy"; used here to describe Qi Bailu's stage aesthetic.
鸿门宴 | Hongmen Banquet | A historical idiom referring to a feast intended as a trap for a guest.
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