As Guan Chengzhu and Zheng Kunyu approached, Ruan Qiuji merely leaned back in his chair and smiled. Guan Chengzhu sized Qi Bailu up, one hand clutching her shawl while the other reached out to him. She smiled and said, "No need to introduce yourself. I’m certain I know who you are. Xiao Qi, right?"
Qi Bailu hurriedly stood up to shake her hand. "Hello, Sister Chengzhu."
"I remember you’re one of Kunyu’s people. Am I right?"
Qi Bailu had just sat back down, but his spine stiffened. Guan Chengzhu’s phrasing was far too easy to misinterpret. She likely meant he was "someone from Zheng Kunyu’s company," but to someone with a guilty conscience, the mind immediately jumped elsewhere.
As luck would have it, except for the guileless Guan Chengzhu, everyone present had a guilty conscience. Consequently, the air in the conservatory stagnated in an eerie silence for several seconds.
"Yes, President Zheng is my boss."
Zheng Kunyu glanced at Qi Bailu, as if wanting him to feel exactly what a "boss’s gaze" felt like. Qi Bailu kept his eyes lowered, refusing to give him the chance to intimidate him, and calmly stared at the tips of Zheng Kunyu’s leather shoes.
Ruan Qiuji toyed with the wine glass in his hand and suddenly laughed. "What were you looking for me for?"
Guan Chengzhu finally remembered her purpose and asked half-jokingly, "Do you have time to film something for me? Right now."
"Is the photographer not here? I’m not going to steal his credit."
"You’re different, of course."
Qi Bailu was a bit confused. From the way Guan Chengzhu spoke, did Ruan Qiuji know how to film?
Ruan Qiuji smiled enigmatically. "Why not let Old Zheng film it for you?"
Zheng Kunyu had started his career in the advertising industry, so Qi Bailu wasn't surprised that he knew his way around a camera.
Guan Chengzhu gave Zheng Kunyu a playful, reproachful look. "He won't film for me! He’s been terrible to me lately. Even when I invite him to dinner, he makes all sorts of excuses not to come. Tell me, if I hadn't invited you today, would you have forgotten my birthday entirely?"
Zheng Kunyu looked at Guan Chengzhu and said casually, "Who could ever forget you?"
His tone was fine, but his demeanor was undeniably distracted. Guan Chengzhu found his perfunctory attitude annoying and deliberately pulled a long face. "You say that, but who knows who you’re actually thinking about? I see I shouldn't bother your highnesses; I’ll just have to rely on myself."
As she spoke, Guan Chengzhu walked over to a white camellia to tend to its branches. Zheng Kunyu remained where he stood, unmoving. Ruan Qiuji suggested, "Why not have your assistant film a vlog for you? They’re popular now, and filming them yourself is quite fun."
"I hadn't thought of that, but now that you mention it—"
Qi Bailu listened as Ruan Qiuji and Guan Chengzhu went back and forth discussing vlogs. Qi Bailu had never filmed one. It was a popular promotional tool for many celebrity teams lately, and Cheng Wenhui had asked if he wanted to try it. However, Qi Bailu felt that vlogs were too revealing of one's privacy and true self, which made him feel insecure. Thus, he had no plans to film any for the time being.
Zheng Kunyu walked over to a camellia bush. Looking down at the fresh, snow-white blossoms, he idly plucked a petal and began crushing it between his fingers. His expression was unreadable, as if he were doing it out of sheer boredom. After mangling that petal for a while, he reached for a second one. Guan Chengzhu caught him in the act and pulled his hand away. "I’ve raised these for so long only for you to torment them. Why bother them if you don't care for them?"
Watching the petal in his hand, Qi Bailu suddenly remembered that time in the apartment on the Third Ring Road. There were these flowers at the lakeside villa too, but he had never paid them much mind. It seemed they were Zheng Kunyu’s favorite...
Zheng Kunyu indeed stopped. He tossed the petal back into the pot, walked to the table, and took a sip of his champagne. He stood right next to Qi Bailu but didn't look at him. Ruan Qiuji remarked, "Are these camellias? they’ve bloomed beautifully."
Looking at the delicate, pure flowers that resembled small clouds, Qi Bailu suddenly recalled the line: *Pitying the spring, I always fear the flowers bloom too early.* Though it wasn't yet March, he felt a strong sense that the new year was beginning with the spring. Clothes were taken off and put back on, just as flowers withered and bloomed again. Spring was always a season for rebirth.
"Yes."
Guan Chengzhu admired them with her arms crossed for a moment before someone outside hurried over with a phone, calling her name from the doorway. Guan Chengzhu said to Zheng Kunyu, "I have to take this call. It’s starting soon, so don't forget to come over in a bit."
Without waiting for a response from the three of them, she hurried away in her high heels. Once she left, the conservatory fell into a deep silence. No one spoke for a time, and this brief silence felt as though it were stretching out infinitely. Qi Bailu felt as if the sky had collapsed, leaving him alone to desperately hold up the glass roof while the other two remained indifferent to his struggle.
Zheng Kunyu moved closer without a word and rested a hand on Qi Bailu’s shoulder. The gesture was intimate and natural, causing Qi Bailu to give a slight shiver. However, Zheng Kunyu didn't speak to him; instead, he addressed Ruan Qiuji. "Did you tell him about the casting?"
"Not yet. I didn't want to discuss business today."
If they weren't discussing business, then what they had been discussing just now was personal.
Qi Bailu felt Zheng Kunyu’s hand resting on his shoulder like a branding iron, his grip tightening. Zheng Kunyu’s gaze loomed over him like the weight of a mountain, ready to crush him at any moment. Qi Bailu sensibly steered away from the "personal matters" Zheng Kunyu was thinking about and asked, "What about the casting?"
Zheng Kunyu remained silent, clearly leaving the explanation to Ruan Qiuji. Ruan Qiuji smiled. "The producers haven't made up their minds yet, so you’ll need to come in for a second audition for *Spring Water Rages*."
At first glance, it didn't sound like good news, but Qi Bailu knew it meant he had passed the first audition. Filming was set to begin in early March, so the second audition would be the final hurdle.
Qi Bailu didn't know what to say. Ruan Qiuji tilted his head slightly and said smoothly to Zheng Kunyu, "Come out for dinner with Old Fang and the others tomorrow. Bring Bailu along, too."
Qi Bailu was immersed in thoughts about the casting, wondering what format this audition would take. Seeing him unresponsive, Zheng Kunyu moved his hand from the back of Qi Bailu’s neck to cup the side of his face, pressing firmly. "President Ruan is talking to you," he reminded him.
"..." Qi Bailu seemed to snap awake, a question mark flashing in his eyes.
"Where did your mind wander off to? Didn't sleep well last night?"
Zheng Kunyu’s thumb slowly grazed his cheek in a display of practiced intimacy. Qi Bailu felt an itch and nearly shuddered, but he didn't dare pull away. He met Ruan Qiuji’s inscrutable eyes and felt that anything he said would be wrong.
Why hadn't he slept well? Who else could it be because of... but Zheng Kunyu acted perfectly nonchalant, offering a cold critique: "Pay more attention."
Qi Bailu said stiffly, "I understand..."
Standing behind him, Zheng Kunyu heard the response but still didn't lower his hand. Qi Bailu tilted his head slightly, trying to look at him, but no matter how hard he strained his eyes, he could only see Zheng Kunyu’s waist. Seeing him being restless, Zheng Kunyu turned his face back. "When is the second audition?"
"The day after tomorrow."
"Is Dai Ping in Beijing?"
"Dai Ping is already in Xiamen. We’ll meet directly down south when the time comes."
Qi Bailu interjected, "Is it being filmed in Xiamen?"
"We originally wanted to film in the north, but the location scouting team couldn't find a scene that was ideal enough. The producers are more familiar with Xiamen, so they decided to film there. The conditions might be a bit tougher, though."
Qi Bailu nodded after Ruan Qiuji finished. Ruan Qiuji looked at his face and asked, "Do you like the seaside?"
"I do."
"They say it’s in a small town by the sea. I’ve seen a few photos; it looks quite nice."
"Is the plan still to film for over three months?"
"Yes, the schedule isn't too tight."
In three months, it would be summer—perfect for enjoying the beach. Qi Bailu thought it would be nice to rest there for half a month after filming, but the thought of how crowded it would be made him hesitate.
Ruan Qiuji seemed to read his mind and smiled. "Xiamen might be quite crowded; it won't be very convenient for you to go out. Have you ever been to Tahiti? The sea there is the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. I have a friend who runs a private hotel there."
It was a clear invitation. Qi Bailu’s heart skipped a beat because Zheng Kunyu’s cold fingers were still pressed against his face. Zheng Kunyu said nothing, and since Qi Bailu couldn't see his face, he felt increasingly uneasy.
Qi Bailu shook his head. Ruan Qiuji continued, "If you want to go when you have time, I can arrange it for you. I’ll be staying there for a while this summer."
*Better not...* Qi Bailu said in his head.
Zheng Kunyu suddenly spoke. "Then let’s make it June. He’ll be coming with me."
Obviously, Zheng Kunyu would never let Qi Bailu run off with Ruan Qiuji alone, but Qi Bailu hadn't expected him to agree like this.
"Fine."
Ruan Qiuji answered quickly. He looked at Zheng Kunyu, the faint smile on his face unchanging. He placed his empty champagne glass on the table. Zheng Kunyu had finished his long ago and placed his own empty glass down as well. The two silent glass flutes stood facing each other from opposite sides of the round table.
*Fine? What’s fine about it...* Qi Bailu was utterly bewildered by the two of them. He felt as if their words were wrapped in a thousand layers of plastic film, and their testing, clashing gazes were wrapped in ten thousand more. He was beginning to lose his grasp on human speech.
A few seconds later, their gazes crossed and moved on. Ruan Qiuji gripped the armrests of his chair and stood up. "The wine is finished. Shall we head over?"
Zheng Kunyu looked down at Qi Bailu. Seeing him just sitting there like a fool, he wordlessly pinched Qi Bailu’s cheek, causing him to jump to his feet instantly. Qi Bailu glared at him, but Zheng Kunyu just waited for him to move with a condescending air. Qi Bailu had no choice but to follow sullenly.
In the living room, DJ music was playing, and a crowd of people was huddled together, heads bobbing as they danced. Ruan Qiuji took the lead, walking ahead of them. Once out of the glass conservatory, he was quickly called away by someone else. Amidst the bobbing heads of the revelry, Qi Bailu was handed a glass of wine by someone he didn't recognize and was pulled away by two acquaintances.
The three of them were soon separated by the flow of the crowd. After a while, Qi Bailu struggled to look back through the deafening music. He only caught a glimpse of Ruan Qiuji’s back, while Zheng Kunyu stood some distance away. He had taken a new glass of champagne but hadn't had a chance to drink it yet. Zheng Kunyu was looking in Qi Bailu’s direction, his face devoid of expression. Yet, precisely because he was expressionless, he looked strikingly out of place—even profound—amidst the laughing, playing crowd. He saw Qi Bailu looking at him, and after a moment, he turned his face away, as if that single glance had been nothing more than Qi Bailu’s hallucination.
***
