Freshly showered in their hotel room, Cheng Yue walked into the living room with his bathrobe half-open, drying his hair.
Bright sunlight flooded the floor. Behind the bar, Ji Ming’an stood in the light, humming a cheerful tune. He held a small glass, carefully pouring something along the inside of a wine glass.
He leaned slightly forward, his smooth short hair falling on either side of his face. His half-lowered eyes accentuated his thick, curled lashes. The top two buttons of his black shirt were undone, revealing his well-defined collarbones and a small patch of even paler chest.
Cheng Yue stopped in his tracks, gazing at him tenderly. He watched until Ji Ming’an finished pouring, set down the glass, and straightened up to admire his handiwork.
Two wine glasses stood on the bar, each containing three distinct layers of liquid. The one in front of Ji Ming’an had deep red at the bottom, orange-yellow in the middle, and sea blue on top. The other, from bottom to top, contained milky white, lemon yellow, and watermelon red.
Cheng Yue tossed his towel aside and leaned against the bar. “What did you mix?”
Ji Ming’an looked up, his smile naturally widening. “Rainbow cocktails.” He pushed the other glass towards Cheng Yue. “This is yours, the juice version.”
Though Cheng Yue asked about the drink, his gaze remained fixed on Ji Ming’an. “Isn’t that shirt a bit too big for you…?” Suddenly, realization struck him. “Is it mine?”
Ji Ming’an reached over to pinch his cheek. “Congratulations on figuring it out, Mr. Slow.”
With that, he turned and walked along the bar.
Cheng Yue’s eyes followed him. The moment Ji Ming’an rounded the bar, Cheng Yue’s eyes widened, and he unconsciously straightened up.
Ji Ming’an wore only Cheng Yue’s black shirt. The fabric draped beautifully, its hem covering Ji Ming’an’s long, well-proportioned legs. Being oversized, it fluttered slightly as he walked.
Cheng Yue felt his throat go dry, the heat that the air conditioning had just dispelled now enveloping him again.
“You…” His voice was hoarse. “What made you decide to wear this…”
Ji Ming’an approached him, leaning against the bar. He glanced down at the shirt, running his hand over it. “This fabric feels nice. I should buy a couple for myself.”
He picked up both wine glasses, handing one to Cheng Yue.
Cheng Yue tore his gaze from the shirt’s hem and accepted the glass.
Ji Ming’an clinked their glasses together. “Revisiting old places, this is our last stop. Shall we visit the university tomorrow?”
At the mention of “university,” Cheng Yue sobered. His eyes darkened as he took a large gulp before answering, “I’d rather not go to the university…”
Ji Ming’an sipped his drink, asking curiously, “Why not?”
The university held most of their memories together.
Cheng Yue looked at him, guilt rising in his eyes. After a moment, he said, “Though we began there, we also ended there. We’ve just started over, and I’m a bit afraid…”
Ji Ming’an was stunned, not expecting the usually confident Cheng Yue to be intimidated by the past.
“Then we won’t go,” he said, caressing Cheng Yue’s face. “Or how about this: we’ll visit the university on our tenth anniversary, then again on our twentieth. Let’s see how many times we can return in our lifetime.”
As Cheng Yue listened, the unease in his eyes gradually faded, his lips slowly curving upward. “Alright, we’ll definitely go back many, many times.”
Ji Ming’an leaned in with a smile, kissing the corner of Cheng Yue’s mouth before retreating to continue drinking.
They drank and chatted about old times.
Ji Ming’an reminisced, “I remember when you won that basketball game with your final shot. Your department went wild. I ran over to congratulate you, wanting to hug you, but you avoided me. I was upset for days after that.”
Cheng Yue paused. “That was… I was drenched in sweat after the game. If you’d hugged me, you’d have gotten all sweaty too.”
Ji Ming’an gazed at him, licking his lips. “I wouldn’t have minded. Sweat is the essence of youth, full of pheromones.”
Cheng Yue was taken aback again.
Ji Ming’an looked him up and down. “That must have been your physical prime. It’s been five or six years; you can’t compare to back then.”
As he spoke, he squeezed Cheng Yue’s arm. “Your muscles don’t feel as firm as they were then.”
Cheng Yue’s eyes narrowed slightly. He set down his wine glass and took Ji Ming’an’s, placing it on the counter as well.
Ji Ming’an: “?”
Cheng Yue bent down and hoisted Ji Ming’an over his shoulder.
Ji Ming’an was startled, kicking his legs and pounding on Cheng Yue’s back. “What are you doing?!”
Cheng Yue turned his head to kiss Ji Ming’an’s leg. “Proving to you the physical prowess of a current salesman.”
Ji Ming’an shuddered at the kiss. “Who gets jealous of their past self? Put me down!”
Cheng Yue remained unmoved, turning towards the bedroom. “I’ll put you down soon.”
Ji Ming’an struggled more fiercely. “Hey! It’s still daytime!”
Both his slippers flew off, and Cheng Yue’s robe slipped down, exposing one shoulder.
Cheng Yue hitched him up, lightly slapping the buttock near his face. “Our first time was also during the day.”
Ji Ming’an protested, “I made dinner reservations for tonight!”
Cheng Yue replied, “I’ll call and reschedule later.”
Cheng Yue carried Ji Ming’an into the bedroom, laying him down on the soft waterbed.
Kneeling on the bed, Cheng Yue leaned down to kiss him.
The room’s temperature rapidly rose, the air conditioning seemingly ineffective.
Ji Ming’an’s eyes grew misty from the kisses. He whispered tremulously, “The curtains…”
Cheng Yue’s voice was even hoarser. “Don’t worry, they can’t see inside when it’s bright out.”
He reached for the buttons of the black shirt, finally able to act on the desire he’d felt since first seeing it.
Ji Ming’an’s hands clutched at Cheng Yue’s robe, tugging it down haphazardly.
The robe finally slipped down, pooling at Cheng Yue’s waist and revealing his broad back.
◆
Filming bed scenes was physically demanding.
Unlike the previous time, this scene couldn’t be shot in one go. The shots were fragmented, with only the cameraman and director busy on set. Jiang Lin and Li Qianxing were in character at first, but as they were directed to film minute close-ups, the initial atmosphere dissipated.
By the time they finished, it was dinnertime.
He Zhanpeng waved his hand. “Let’s eat first, then continue.”
Jiang Lin exhaled. “At least the next scene isn’t as complex, just one angle.”
He Zhanpeng smiled. “But the next scene is a silhouette through frosted glass. You’ll need to make big movements, or the effect won’t come through.”
Li Qianxing retrieved his previous robe and changed. He and Jiang Lin left together, returning to their floor.
Jiang Lin held the small air cushion He Zhanpeng had given them, turning it over in his hands.
Li Qianxing asked, puzzled, “What’s wrong?”
Jiang Lin replied, “It just feels… flatter than before.”
Li Qianxing replied, “It might lose some air over time. We’ll ask the prop department for a pump to refill it later.”
After dinner, they returned for makeup.
This scene depicted the main characters’ university days, requiring more extensive makeup. Jiang Lin’s hair was cut into a youthful, energetic style, finally replacing the temporary wig used in earlier scattered shots. Li Qianxing’s hair was dyed completely black, eliminating the need for frequent color changes.
After two hours of hard work, the two returned to the room where they had just filmed.
The crew had finished preparations and cleared the set. Only He Zhanpeng and the cameraman remained.
With their energy levels high, they decided to film the most demanding shot first.
The pair entered the bathroom, which was brightly lit with several high-powered lamps.
Jiang Lin stepped out, closing the door to observe Li Qianxing’s silhouette. He remarked, “The frosted glass is surprisingly clear.”
He Zhanpeng explained, “This door is a prop, specially made. Plus, the lighting inside is intense.”
Jiang Lin marveled at this.
He Zhanpeng ushered Jiang Lin inside, adjusting the door to leave a hand-width gap for visibility.
“Xiao Li, lean on the sink. Xiao Jiang, embrace him from behind. The shot will catch a bit of the mirror, but it’ll only show Xiao Li’s chest. Remove your pajama tops but keep the pants on – they won’t be visible.”
They removed their shirts and positioned themselves as instructed, rehearsing movements to determine the right intensity. He Zhanpeng then announced they were ready to film, allowing the actors to improvise.
Li Qianxing gripped the sink’s edge, focusing on his emotional state and expressions.
Jiang Lin placed one hand on Li Qianxing’s waist and the other on the countertop, intertwining their fingers. His chest pressed against Li Qianxing’s back.
Feeling Jiang Lin’s warmth on his waist and back, Li Qianxing’s heart began to race.
Jiang Lin leaned in, his breath brushing Li Qianxing’s ear.
The atmosphere grew intimate.
However, just as the mood intensified, Li Qianxing sensed Jiang Lin suddenly stiffen.
He turned his head slightly, whispering, “Hmm?”
Jiang Lin mumbled without moving his lips, “The air cushion… it’s leaking…”
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