For the past three months, every time Cheng Wenhui went to the airport to pick someone up, he couldn't help but think his job was getting rather strange. Two years ago, Qi Bailu had cursed him for being a pimp; now, Qi Bailu no longer scolded him, yet Cheng Wenhui still felt like he was procuring. Ruan Qiuji didn't visit often, perhaps only once or twice a month, seemingly because Qi Bailu didn't want him around more than that.
Cheng Wenhui was somewhat baffled by the state of their relationship. To say they were in love felt wrong, as they hadn't formalized anything; to say they weren't felt equally wrong, as they never quarreled. Seeing them interact with such harmony and sweetness, Cheng Wenhui could only conclude that Qi Bailu had simply "seen the light" and moved on.
Cheng Wenhui wasn't the only one watching from the sidelines. Whenever Ruan Qiuji came to visit the set each month, he would notify Lin Yuewei in advance. Lin Yuewei turned a blind eye to their trysts, though she still remembered Qi Bailu saying, "He’ll have to pay the price eventually." However, since Qi Bailu never brought up Ruan Qiuji with her again, the matter eventually slipped her mind. It wasn't until a cast dinner hosted by Ruan Qiuji, while they were playing Monopoly in a KTV lounge, that she happened to look up and catch Qi Bailu watching Ruan Qiuji. Ruan Qiuji was rolling the dice; he casually threw a six. He was always the winner in these sorts of games.
It was Qi Bailu's turn next. After rolling, he looked down at the cards in his hand. His gaze toward Ruan Qiuji had actually been quite ordinary, yet Lin Yuewei felt something was off. She made a mental note to ask him about it later, but by the time she woke up from her hangover the next day, the minor detail had already been tossed to the back of her mind.
That Qi Bailu and Ruan Qiuji shared a history didn't surprise her. With a face like Ruan Qiuji's and a status like his, pursuers had always flocked to him. If Qi Bailu hadn't suffered at his hands before, he might have been utterly infatuated with the man.
What did surprise her was that Qi Bailu also seemed to be getting close to Xue Fang. He knew perfectly well that Lin Yuewei had never gotten along with Xue Fang, yet he had still agreed to let him visit the set in November. Lin Yuewei had publicly criticized Xue Fang, bluntly stating she looked down on the commercial trash he directed; everyone in the industry knew it. From that perspective, the relationship between Qi Bailu and Xue Fang seemed a bit subtle.
In November, while looking at her mobile calendar, Lin Yuewei felt there was some important date that month besides the production wrap-up. While Qi Bailu was in the makeup chair, she asked, "Is there an important day in November? Or someone's birthday?"
Lydia, the makeup artist, was busy selecting brushes nearby and chimed in, "Double Eleven?"
Qi Bailu glanced at Lin Yuewei. Before he could speak, Lydia tilted his chin up to adjust his hair, and his silent gaze drifted back into the mirror. Lin Yuewei was puzzled. Was it really just Singles' Day? She felt certain someone had a birthday this month; the memory was there, faint and flickering.
Late October in Xiamen brought crisp, pleasant autumn weather. Even in early autumn, the nights weren't too cold; one could still see girls in short skirts walking the streets. Xue Fang had worn a jacket before boarding his flight, but after landing, he could get by with just the short-sleeved shirt underneath. He hadn't brought much luggage, and upon exiting the airport, he saw the car waiting for him. To his pleasant surprise, Qi Bailu was also in the car. He seemed particularly sensitive to the cold, wearing a thin cardigan over his clothes.
Qi Bailu had finished work early today, so they drove to the city center. The assistant, young and fond of fun, was naturally happy to act as the driver for the errand. Xue Fang knew Qi Bailu was busy and feared being a nuisance, so he only planned to stay for a single day. When Qi Bailu asked when he was leaving, Xue Fang said, "I booked a flight for the twenty-ninth."
"Why not stay a couple more days?" Qi Bailu asked, his tone casual.
"As long as you don't find me annoying."
Qi Bailu let out a short laugh. Xue Fang rarely saw him smile like that and couldn't help but say, "Then I'll change my flight."
"I happen to have two tickets for a play on the night of the thirtieth."
Qi Bailu’s words were a clear invitation for him to walk into the net, but the moment Xue Fang looked into his eyes, he forgot all sense of propriety. He asked, "Can I go with you?"
Setting down his cutlery, Qi Bailu curled the corner of his mouth. Xue Fang knew this was a "yes" and spent the entire evening in a state of ignorant bliss. After returning to his hotel, he sent Qi Bailu a goodnight message. Qi Bailu replied and told him, "See you tomorrow."
The next day, he went to the set to visit. He ran into Cheng Wenhui there, who was a bit surprised to see him but offered no particular reaction, let alone reporting back to Ruan Qiuji. Work finished late that day; he and Qi Bailu didn't have time for dinner before taking a taxi to the play, only eating a late-night snack afterward. During the meal, Qi Bailu’s phone sat on the table. A WeChat notification chimed once; Qi Bailu picked it up, looked at it, and set it back down. As they were settling the bill, the phone rang again, but Qi Bailu didn't answer. He switched it to silent and put it in his pocket.
Since Xue Fang had treated him the day before, Qi Bailu paid for this meal. When Qi Bailu scanned the QR code, Xue Fang saw that the WeChat message from fifteen minutes ago was from Ruan Qiuji. It read: *I've arrived in Xiamen.*
Xue Fang had heard some rumors about Qi Bailu and Ruan Qiuji, but he hadn't taken them to heart; after all, Qi Bailu had rumors with many people. That message didn't necessarily mean anything; perhaps Ruan Qiuji was just there as the investor to oversee the work.
They weren't staying at the same hotel. Xue Fang decided to see Qi Bailu back first. He felt Qi Bailu was a bit different today; he had become silent as soon as they got into the car, perhaps out of exhaustion. The two square pockets of the cardigan were quite shallow. On the way back, Xue Fang saw Qi Bailu’s silenced phone light up twice more. Qi Bailu didn't answer. On the third time, Xue Fang couldn't help but gently remind him. To his surprise, Qi Bailu looked at him and said, "Do you want to come up for a drink?"
Xue Fang’s Adam’s apple bobbed. If he said there was no suggestion in those words, he would be lying to himself. In the darkness, he tried to touch Qi Bailu’s hand. Qi Bailu didn't pull away, still watching him quietly. He didn't dare go any further for fear of startling him, so he tried to say "Sure" in as relaxed a tone as possible.
Lin Yuewei had once mockingly told Qi Bailu that these male directors, having taken so many advantages, always thought about snatching a bit more, believing that possessing beauty could create beauty—calling it a "Muse" to make it sound grand. For Xue Fang, he could normally treat Qi Bailu as a friend with perfect decorum, but if he actually managed to get him into bed, it would be his gain. After all, this was Qi Bailu.
After getting out of the car, they were met by a whistling autumn wind. Xue Fang followed Qi Bailu across the road. A whole street of phoenix trees rustled in the night breeze. The flowering season had long passed, leaving only yellow leaves shaped like scimitars on the trees. The blades were constantly bent low by the wind, as if grave dangers lurked within the dim shadows of the trees. Qi Bailu hugged his arms. Xue Fang looked at him and asked, "Are you cold?"
Qi Bailu shook his head.
Xue Fang walked ahead to push the glass revolving door. Once they reached the hotel lobby, Qi Bailu dropped his arms. New visitors needed to register, so Qi Bailu accompanied Xue Fang to the front desk. While waiting, Xue Fang felt someone was watching them, but when he stole a quick glance back, he saw no one strange. There were several people in the lobby's lounge area, but the sofas were hidden behind pots of green plants.
Qi Bailu appeared preoccupied. Once Xue Fang finished registering, they took the elevator together. The elevator rose slowly, giving a slight sensation of weightlessness, like being in a very surreal dream. After entering the room, Qi Bailu placed his phone on the coffee table and went to pour wine for them both. Xue Fang said he needed to use the restroom—actually an excuse to hide his nervousness. By the time he came out, Qi Bailu had poured the wine and turned off the living room lights. Qi Bailu was using the remote to select a film on the TV, choosing a suspense movie: *Vertigo*.
In such an atmosphere, Qi Bailu was truly giving him a sign. Xue Fang took off his jacket, draped it over the sofa, and sat down next to Qi Bailu with feigned composure, picking up the red wine to drink. He looked at Qi Bailu’s profile and was about to say something when his attention was diverted by the taste of the wine; it seemed to have a slight, faint bitterness.
Xue Fang glanced at the glass in his hand. Qi Bailu asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Xue Fang finished the wine in one gulp and reached to pour more. Qi Bailu saw his awkwardness, pressed down on his hand, and took the glass away. As soon as Qi Bailu withdrew his hand, Xue Fang grabbed his wrist, wanting to kiss him, but Qi Bailu pushed him away. Xue Fang looked at him, feeling somewhat hurt, and wanted to try again. Qi Bailu gave a soft "shh," pulled his hand away, and removed Xue Fang’s glasses, placing them neatly beside the wine glass. Then he stood up to go to the bathroom, saying, "I'm going to shower."
The movie had just finished its opening credits and the plot was beginning. Xue Fang looked at the screen in a daze. Did Qi Bailu mean they could continue after he showered? This was the first time in his life he had been handled like this; he felt quite frustrated and almost wanted to just barge in, but he didn't dare.
He watched the movie for over twenty minutes in a state of distraction, not absorbing a thing, nearly falling asleep. When Qi Bailu emerged, he had changed into a bathrobe. Xue Fang pulled himself together to look at him. Qi Bailu sat back in his original spot, his hair blown half-dry. Xue Fang reached out an arm to wrap around Qi Bailu’s waist and said, "I'm a little sleepy."
Qi Bailu glanced at him but didn't pay him any mind.
Reason told Xue Fang that he should open his eyes and do something at this moment, but in the next second, he slumped over, his body sliding down until his head rested on Qi Bailu’s lap.
Qi Bailu picked up the remote and turned up the volume. He picked up his own unfinished glass of wine and took a sip. Xue Fang lay there, motionless. After a while, Qi Bailu grabbed Xue Fang by the back of his collar and moved him to sleep at the other end of the sofa. Then he tore open a bag of potato chips and leaned back to eat his snacks. The flickering phone screen, the man fast asleep in the room, the love and passion in the movie—none of it had anything to do with him.
He wondered if Ruan Qiuji had enjoyed such a beautiful night back when he was playing tricks on him.
***
