It was already one in the morning by the time they left Cassini. The driver, who had been dozing off in the front seat while listening to the radio, quickly switched it off and snapped to attention when he saw them approaching. Ruan Qiuji came out to see Zheng Kunyu to the car, and the two men shook hands in farewell. Both were dressed in dark overcoats and were of similar height; standing there, they looked almost like brothers.
The snow had begun to fall more heavily. After tightening his scarf, Qi Bailu shoved his hands into the pockets of his down jacket. Just then, Ruan Qiuji reached out to shake his hand as well, leaving Qi Bailu with no choice but to offer his own. The wind and snow dissipated some of the scent of alcohol clinging to them. Ruan Qiuji gave Qi Bailu’s stiff fingers a gentle squeeze, looked him in the eye, and said, "Goodbye."
Upon returning to the hotel, they found the agent still awake, waiting for them on the sofa in the suite’s living room. A stack of new scripts lay beside him. Seeing Zheng Kunyu enter, he called out, "President Zheng." Zheng Kunyu gave a brief nod. Qi Bailu casually tossed his coat and suit jacket onto the sofa and picked up a glass from the table to pour himself some water, his posture suggesting he had something to say to the agent. Seeing that Qi Bailu wasn't following him, Zheng Kunyu glanced back, but said nothing and headed straight into the bedroom.
Once the bedroom door clicked shut, the agent turned to Qi Bailu and asked, "Why are you back so late?"
They were only staying in Beijing for a day and had to return to Hengdian early tomorrow morning to continue filming. With such a tight schedule, they should have returned much earlier tonight. Qi Bailu remained silent for a moment before asking, "Didn't Zheng Kunyu tell you about tonight's itinerary?"
The agent set down the script in his hand, looking surprised. "Who did you go to see?"
Qi Bailu didn't answer immediately. Seeing him lost in thought, the agent called his name. Qi Bailu gave a dazed "mm" in response. Noticing how unnaturally flushed his face was, the agent frowned. "How much did you drink? Can you even get up tomorrow morning?"
Sinking into the sofa, Qi Bailu suddenly asked, "Do you know Ruan Qiuji?"
"President Zheng took you to see him?"
"Mm."
"He’s the Vice President of Yuntian Media, specifically in charge of film investment. Though he’s young and has a somewhat unusual name, his background is far from simple."
At this point, the agent hesitated as if wanting to say more, but changed the subject instead. "Was it for the film *Spring Water is Fierce*? But there shouldn't have been such a rush for that."
Qi Bailu had his answer: tonight’s meeting with Ruan Qiuji had been a last-minute arrangement by Zheng Kunyu. Why? Simply because of what happened at the auction? However, it seemed Ruan Qiuji hadn't told Zheng Kunyu about their brief encounter in the VIP lounge.
"How did the talk about the role go?"
"Eighty percent certain."
Hearing this, the agent felt relieved. Having answered the agent's questions, Qi Bailu set down his water glass and pulled out his phone to type Ruan Qiuji’s name into a search engine.
Ruan Qiuji was clearly keeping a low profile. His personal entry didn't contain much—no photos, only stating that he had graduated from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland with a degree in business. His maternal grandfather was a famous opera performer, and his mother was a film actress. Although there were several tabloid rumors involving him and various starlets, there weren't any actual photographs of him.
Staring at the phone screen, Qi Bailu let out a cold sneer in his heart. *No wonder someone as haughty as Zheng Kunyu is so polite to him,* he thought.
He specifically checked Ruan Qiuji’s date of birth: thirty years old, birthday on November 1st. It had nothing to do with autumn.
The agent let out a yawn and checked the time. "It’s late. You should get some rest."
Qi Bailu gave no definitive answer, remaining on the sofa to fiddle with his phone. His temperament had always been this way; the agent, long accustomed to it, gathered the scripts and left the suite.
The water from the showerhead was lukewarm, feeling as though it could soak through his entire being as it poured over his back. Qi Bailu leaned his head against the wall tiles and reached out to turn the temperature higher. He couldn't say how long he had been in the bathroom—perhaps ten minutes, perhaps longer. That was when the knocking started—two soft "thuds." Qi Bailu slowly straightened up. The only person who could enter his room was Zheng Kunyu; there was no one else. He stood there for a moment. The knocking didn't resume, but Qi Bailu went to open the door anyway.
Standing at the door, Zheng Kunyu was wearing a bathrobe and was without his glasses, having clearly just finished washing up.
Qi Bailu hadn't turned off the shower. Standing there naked amidst the steam, he looked like a Siren from ancient Greek mythology standing upon a misty reef, with countless skeletons and shipwrecks beneath his feet.
"I'll be done in a moment," Qi Bailu said, preparing to close the door, but Zheng Kunyu braced his hand against it, stepping inside and pushing him against the wall.
The body wash hadn't been rinsed off yet, and Qi Bailu’s body kept sliding down against the tiles. Zheng Kunyu caught him, using one hand to sweep all of his damp hair back, revealing a smooth forehead. Qi Bailu realized he intended to do it here and grabbed his wrist. "I'm tired. I have a flight to catch tomorrow morning."
Zheng Kunyu gave his ear a careless kiss, showing no intention of leaving. His hot breath was still laced with the scent of alcohol.
Qi Bailu pushed against his chest, his resistance obvious, but Zheng Kunyu suddenly pinned his hands and pressed him against the side of the vanity, then gripped Qi Bailu’s waist and forced his upper body down. Qi Bailu was pinned so firmly he couldn't move an inch. Knowing the man was using the alcohol as an excuse to act out, he closed his eyes and said, "If you're going to do it, be quick."
(Omitted)
Qi Bailu’s gaze dropped, his expression one of dazed oblivion. Zheng Kunyu reached out and pinched his chin, forcing him to look into the mirror.
"Did you two know each other before?"
"No."
Water droplets from Qi Bailu’s hair trailed down his cheeks like tears, but he wasn't crying; his eyes held only a cold, watery glint.
Zheng Kunyu stared at him intensely for several seconds before finally letting go. Then, glancing at the mirror, he leaned in to kiss Qi Bailu’s face, lingering until he had kissed away the icy droplets.
Though the kiss was gentle, it made Qi Bailu shudder. He looked at his own face in the mirror, flushed with lust, his dark pupils nearly out of focus. Looking deeper, they were hollow, containing nothing at all.
Yet his eyes were so beautiful—at the brink of nothingness, they were terrifyingly beautiful.
By the time they tumbled onto the sheets, both soaking wet, Qi Bailu thought it would finally be over. He stared up at the ceiling. The room was decorated with opulent elegance, gilded accents everywhere. In Qi Bailu’s eyes, those patches of gold twisted into golden clouds, surging forward to bury him.
Zheng Kunyu propped himself up to look into his eyes, his palm stroking Qi Bailu’s neck, his thumb sliding slowly over the fragile windpipe as if toyed with a piece of precious porcelain. Qi Bailu murmured, "I haven't taken my medicine yet."
"Didn't you stop last month?"
Qi Bailu brushed his hand away and sat up to rummage through the drawer. Once he found the pill bottle, he unscrewed the cap, poured several tablets into his palm, and swallowed them dry. Watching his slightly hunched shoulders, Zheng Kunyu sat up and asked, "Do you take them on set, too?"
"It's none of your business."
At those words, Zheng Kunyu grabbed Qi Bailu’s arm and pinned him firmly back onto the pillow.
Only a single desk lamp was lit in the room, casting flickering shadows. Zheng Kunyu’s expression was indistinct, and Qi Bailu didn't particularly want to see it clearly. Still angry over what happened in the bathroom, he simply turned his face away.
(Omitted)
On the nightstand sat a lamp with a glass shade, its edge draped with a ring of crystal pendants. Exhausted at the time, Qi Bailu only remembered how, in his jolting vision, the crystal pendants swayed back and forth—icy and cold, as if they were about to splash against his face like falling rain.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
:--- | :--- | :---
卡西尼 | Cassini | The name of the high-end club/establishment.
圣加仑大学 | University of St. Gallen | A prestigious research university in Switzerland.
潘小匀 | Pan Xiaoyun | The name of the antagonist/second male lead character in the film "Spring Water is Fierce."
