It wasn't just a matter of each taking what they needed; from Qi Bailu’s tone, it sounded as if he intended for there to be no next time. Ruan Qiuji calmly braced his hands against the vanity, pressing forward until Qi Bailu’s upper body leaned back.
"Do you 'take what you need' from others as well?" Ruan Qiuji asked.
"No."
"Why not?"
"What do you mean, why?"
"It seems they can't satisfy you."
"..." Although Qi Bailu hadn't exactly had the time to look for anyone else, he didn't rush to deny it.
Ruan Qiuji kissed his cheek, then moved toward his collarbone. Qi Bailu caught his chin just in time. "What are you doing?"
"Taking what I need."
"It was just one night. I don't want anything from you. Keep your money for someone else."
Having this kind of relationship once was enough. Given his past experiences, he would have to be insane to let Ruan Qiuji keep him as a plaything.
Ruan Qiuji saw that his mind was made up, so he simply stared at Qi Bailu without moving, as if there were something fascinating written on his face.
Qi Bailu didn't get angry under his gaze. "Or do you feel like you got the short end of the stick and want to claim some compensation?"
Ruan Qiuji followed his lead. "What do you think?"
"My Alipay balance still has sixty thousand yuan. I can transfer it to you right now."
As he spoke, Qi Bailu actually fished out his phone and opened the app. Ruan Qiuji reached out, caught the phone, closed the screen, and tossed it aside. The phone hit the marble vanity with a sharp, angry clatter, yet Ruan Qiuji wasn't angry; he merely furrowed his brows slightly.
"Sixty thousand... to buy a boyfriend?"
This indirect confession arrived out of nowhere, like a UFO hovering suddenly in mid-air. Qi Bailu stared at him like a wooden doll for a long moment before spitting out a single word: "No."
Ruan Qiuji stared back, waiting for an explanation.
"...I don't want to," Qi Bailu said.
He was telling the truth. He truly had no desire to be in a relationship right now—and as for dating Ruan Qiuji, that was even more unthinkable.
He hadn't taken the situation seriously until the door opened and a woman’s voice, one that sounded vaguely familiar, drifted in. Qi Bailu slowly turned off the faucet, suddenly alert. He wrapped his bath towel tightly around himself, ears pricked.
*It couldn't really be a 'catching them in the act' scenario, could it?*
He couldn't hear the first few lines of their pleasantries. It wasn't until they moved closer to the bathroom door that he heard the woman ask, "Why haven't you been answering your phone?"
They seemed to be speaking in the foyer. Qi Bailu poked his head out to look. Sure enough, they were standing with their profiles to him; they likely wouldn't notice him. Ruan Qiuji held an unlit cigarette in his hand. The woman wore a conservative qipao, and even from the side, it was clear she was a poised and elegant beauty.
"I didn't hear it just now," Ruan Qiuji said.
The woman glanced toward the living room. "Do you have company?"
Ruan Qiuji didn't deny it, replying politely, "Is something the matter?"
The moment she turned her head, Qi Bailu recognized her instantly. It was Guan Chengzhu, though her aura was softer now. Years ago, he had attended her birthday party and seen Ruan Qiuji kiss her cheek with his own eyes... Over the past year, Guan Chengzhu had suddenly faded from the screen, with rumors circulating that she had secretly married.
"I happened to be in Shanghai. You haven't been answering the family's calls, or you just say you aren't coming back. Of course I had to come see you. You know Grandfather is ill. Are you coming back with me tomorrow?"
The sound of high heels moved toward the living room. Qi Bailu turned his face away, leaning his back against the wall and lowering his head in a state of slight disarray. He tried to move, only to find his fingers pressed against the wall tiles were stiff.
"I'm staying until the closing gala."
"Is it for work, or for someone?"
"I'll head back once I've finished things here."
"I can't control you. Call them yourself and tell them."
With that, Guan Chengzhu actually seemed intent on supervising Ruan Qiuji’s call. Ruan Qiuji said, "I'll call tonight."
The rest of their conversation was just small talk. Qi Bailu’s mind wandered, and he didn't listen closely. It seemed Ruan Qiuji poured her some water, asked which hotel she was staying at, when she was leaving tomorrow, and if she wanted his driver to take her to the airport. Guan Chengzhu agreed. After about ten minutes, she left.
Ruan Qiuji returned to the bathroom. Seeing Qi Bailu leaning against the wall, he paused at the doorway and lowered his head to light his cigarette. Qi Bailu looked up at him. "Are you married?"
The cigarette wasn't lit yet; the flame flickered. Ruan Qiuji glanced at him, finished lighting up, then took the cigarette from his mouth. "To whom?"
"Guan Chengzhu."
Ruan Qiuji looked at him with surprise, then suddenly chuckled. Qi Bailu turned his head, intending to leave, but Ruan Qiuji caught his shoulder. He smiled. "I'm not getting married. Bailu, what exactly did you overhear just now?"
"I wasn't eavesdropping."
"Fine, you weren't."
"Your voices were just that loud."
"She is my cousin-in-law now," Ruan Qiuji said calmly.
Qi Bailu hadn't expected Guan Chengzhu to actually abandon her career for marriage, let alone marry Ruan Qiuji’s cousin. He was momentarily shocked; after all, for an actress of Guan Chengzhu’s caliber, marriage would be nationwide news. This was the legendary "marrying into a wealthy clan."
"Will she not act in movies anymore?"
"Probably not."
"Could she really give it up?"
Ruan Qiuji leaned against the wall beside him. "I never asked."
Since the visitor was gone, Qi Bailu draped the towel over his shoulders like a shawl. Ruan Qiuji asked, "What are you thinking about now?"
"I thought you used to like her..." Qi Bailu caught his expression. "I hit the mark, didn't I?"
"I've liked many people."
Qi Bailu couldn't help but curl his lip slightly in private. Then he heard Ruan Qiuji add:
"But I've only ever waited for you."
After Ruan Qiuji said those words, Qi Bailu stared at him without blinking. Ruan Qiuji’s tone just then had been very different—there was a calm, serious quality to it. But Qi Bailu deliberately pretended not to notice, remaining silent. Seeing that he had nothing to say, Ruan Qiuji smiled and continued smoking.
A moment later, Qi Bailu suddenly reached out and took the cigarette from Ruan Qiuji’s lips. He bit the filter and took two puffs. Ruan Qiuji turned his body and looked down at him.
Qi Bailu said, "Let's just leave it at this between us. I won't date you."
Having said his piece, Qi Bailu got up and left. Ruan Qiuji did not stop him. Qi Bailu finished the cigarette and got dressed. Ruan Qiuji saw him to the door and hooked an arm around his waist; Qi Bailu did not stop him.
Ruan Qiuji asked, "And if we don't date?"
Qi Bailu looked back at him. Ruan Qiuji waited for two seconds, gave him a kiss, and then let him go. "You know the room number. You can find me anytime these next few days."
Qi Bailu glanced at the digits on the door and slightly arched an eyebrow.
That night, Ruan Qiuji sent another friend request on WeChat. Qi Bailu accepted it, but neither of them said a word. The next day, Ruan Qiuji didn't make Xue Fang stay late to revise the script. After Qi Bailu and Xue Fang finished watching a movie, they ran into Ruan Qiuji in the hotel lobby as he was heading out. After exchanging greetings, Ruan Qiuji invited them to dinner by the river the following day. Xue Fang hesitated and asked Qi Bailu if he wanted to go; Qi Bailu said he had no objection.
On the third day, Ruan Qiuji’s secretary drove them to the restaurant. On the way back, the secretary was tactful enough to help the tipsy Xue Fang into the passenger seat. Sitting in the back, Ruan Qiuji reached for Qi Bailu’s hand resting on his thigh, only to have his palm pinched by Qi Bailu. Ruan Qiuji said he would see him back to his room, but the moment the door clicked open, Ruan Qiuji kissed him and followed him inside. Qi Bailu used his foot to hook the door shut.
It truly wasn't a relationship; it was merely flesh against flesh, an equivalent exchange of desire. Both tacitly accepted this "friends with benefits" arrangement—no pressure, no need to be responsible for one another. All words lost their efficacy in the face of pure physical intimacy; they didn't speak the entire night. Ruan Qiuji could sense that Qi Bailu had shed some of his disguises. In those eyes, clouded with the mist of climax, were many things that hadn't been there before. He had once been a clear, shimmering pool where one could see the bottom at a glance; now, he had become cold, silent, and profound.
On the fourth day, they overdid it. They woke up late and went to see *The Godfather* together.
In the daylight, donning their impeccable clothes, the two of them reclaimed the art of verbal communication. During dinner, while peeling shrimp, Qi Bailu struggled to suppress his admiration as he remarked that Al Pacino was still incredibly handsome even in his old age. Ruan Qiuji, who was pouring champagne, smiled at the comment. After finishing the pour, he leaned back against his chair. At the neighboring table, a couple was discussing how Michael’s personality in the film was the least like the old Don, yet he ended up becoming even more cold-blooded and ruthless than his father.
Ruan Qiuji suddenly realized what the feeling Qi Bailu gave him was. His body inevitably bore the marks of the past—marks carved by a pair of cold, unscrupulous hands.
Within him, there was an aura learned from Zheng Kunyu, and there was also an aura from Ruan Qiuji himself. In certain moments when his expression shifted, he seemed to become mysterious and unpredictable, which only made him more alluring.
On their last day in Shanghai, Qi Bailu walked the closing red carpet with the crew of *The Spring Water is Fierce*. Returning to the spotlight and accepting interviews felt like a lifetime ago, yet the enthusiasm of the reporters made it seem as though he had never left the screen. Backstage, he received flowers and letters from fans brought by his assistant. He didn't open them immediately, letting the envelopes sit before him until Ruan Qiuji’s voice rang out.
"The awards ceremony is about to start," Ruan Qiuji asked. "What are you dazing off for?"
Enjoying the story? Rate this novel:
Countless Blossoms: The Actor's Gamble | Chapter 76 | A Mutual Exchange | Novela.app | Novela.app
