LOI Chapter 50 — Fashion Night

Rong Ke jokingly warned to be careful of Yan Zhi’s “little brother” slipping out, but Yan Zhi took it seriously, and his “little brother” didn’t make an appearance all night.

The harsh sound of the morning alarm shattered the peaceful atmosphere. An exhausted Rong Ke swiftly silenced it.

He attempted to roll over, but his entire body ached as if his bones were falling apart. The most embarrassing areas burned fiercely, as though he consumed ten pounds of the spiciest chili peppers.

The man beside him stirred at the alarm’s sound, unconsciously shifting closer to Rong Ke, half his body pressing against him.

His peaceful sleeping face was angelic, a stark contrast to last night’s devil.

Seeing him sleeping so soundly irritated Rong Ke. He nudged him with his elbow, saying, “Wake up.”

Thick eyelashes fluttered, and Yan Zhi’s eyes opened, the fog of sleep gradually clearing from his gaze.

Upon recognizing Rong Ke, he flashed a dazzling smile, his voice husky with morning roughness. “Good morning, wife.”

The smile of this Beauty God was so captivating that Rong Ke almost fell under its spell again.

He averted his gaze, staring at the ceiling as he spoke, “I think we need to discuss something.”

“Discuss what?” Yan Zhi leaned in, planting a kiss on Rong Ke’s cheek. “Morning kiss,” he murmured.

Maybe we shouldn’t discuss anything, after all, Rong Ke thought fleetingly.

With a husband this gorgeous, what more could he ask for?

Sure, it was exhausting, but the pleasure was undeniable.

No, no, no.

Reason pulled Rong Ke back from the brink.

This kind of unrestrained pleasure might shorten his lifespan.

“This isn’t healthy for us. It’s affecting our sleep,” Rong Ke said. “I’ve thought of two solutions. Listen to them.”

“First, we limit the frequency and duration.”

“Second, no limits, but we take turns. I’ll be gentler.”

“Limiting frequency and duration seems unrealistic, so I prefer the second option.”

Rong Ke turned to face Yan Zhi and asked, “What do you think?”

Yan Zhi appeared to be listening intently. “What do you mean by taking turns?”

“It means next time, I’ll be on top,” Rong Ke said matter-of-factly. “I can be versatile for love.”

Yan Zhi paused briefly before asking, “Was I not good last night?”

“That’s not it. We’re adults. We should learn to exercise restraint,” Rong Ke replied. “Fortunately, I have no work today. Otherwise, how could I leave the house?”

“I understand,” Yan Zhi said. “I’ll show more restraint the night before you have to go out.”

“No,” Rong Ke firmly rejected.

He had no upcoming tours and no desire to take on other work for the time being. Wouldn’t he be at Yan Zhi’s mercy at home every day?

“I still think it’d be better if I topped next time,” Rong Ke said earnestly. “You should experience my rhythm.”

“Fifteen seconds?” Yan Zhi asked.

Rong Ke’s lip twitched. “You’re asking for a beating, aren’t you?”

“I’ve already experienced it,” Yan Zhi rolled on top of Rong Ke, his tone apologetic. “Give me another chance? I’ll be gentler next time.”

With such a demanding boyfriend, Rong Ke found it hard to ascend to immortality.

Softening, he conceded, “Fine, but don’t be so ‘rough’ next time.”

“Alright,” Yan Zhi agreed, kissing Rong Ke’s lips as his hands began to wander.

Sensing trouble, Rong Ke asked, “What are you doing?”

Yan Zhi replied, “Starting over.”

Rong Ke’s heart raced. “I didn’t mean right now!”

Yan Zhi, who had selectively hearing, responded, “There’s only one condom left. I’ll be quick.”

Rong Ke’s breath caught in his chest. “You fucking…”

Yan Zhi noticed a pattern: his wife tended to swear more during sex.

–

As the summer drew to a close, Rong Ke spent his days at home.

He preferred his former relaxed lifestyle, resisting a world consumed by work. His days were filled with tending to flowers, watching dramas, and experimenting with recipes. It was a life of contentment.

Online, many netizens were paying attention to his movements, but even the most skilled paparazzi couldn’t track his whereabouts.

Simply because Rong Ke rarely left the house.

Sometimes out of laziness, other times due to Yan Zhi’s passionate attentions, he enjoyed a peaceful and stable period as August faded into September and leaves began to yellow.

The warmth of “Patchwork Family” extended into the “Actors’ Summer” program, where Liu Qing clinched the title of Most Popular Actor. Rumors of his SPL endorsement deal spread like wildfire.

However, the controversy surrounding him and Jiang Si persisted. A daring blogger conducted street interviews about the true public perception of trending celebrities, with the couple infamously ranking at the bottom.

This sparked a firestorm, with many industry insiders speaking out about the pair’s diva-like behavior.

Although their fans tried their best to clean up the situation, someone leaked a video of Liu Qing scolding a staff during a treasure hunt variety show. Jiang Si’s fans demanded the couple’s separation, while Liu Qing’s fans retaliated against Jiang Si, igniting a heated online battle.

Rong Ke couldn’t be bothered with such drama. Instead of following their scandals, he focused on tonight’s MQ event – Fashion Night.

Since Yan Zhi became a consultant for MQ China, the magazine had produced several covers praised by domestic and international fashion media, asserting its dominance over other MQ editions.

Therefore, this year’s Fashion Night promised to be especially grand, with numerous high-end sponsors and many retired celebrities making appearances.

In the hotel bathroom, Rong Ke examined his outfit, hesitating before voicing his concerns to his esteemed stylist, Director Yan.

“Isn’t the dress code vintage? Why am I posing in a bathtub…”

The white shirt, when wet, became incredibly sheer. The semi-transparent effect was far more alluring than being completely bare.

If he didn’t know this was for a pre-event photo, Rong Ke might have thought he was shooting adult content.

“The elastic suspenders you’re wearing are a classic from SPL’s ’99 spring/summer collection. They’re designed to hug your body’s contours. What’s wrong with a wet photoshoot?” Director Yan asked.

Right, and those damn suspenders made it even more provocative…

Rong Ke reasonably suspected that someone was mixing business with pleasure.

When it came to fashion-related matters, Rong Ke rarely had a say against Yan Zhi.

He cooperatively took the pre-event photos, but hesitated again upon seeing the outfit Yan Zhi had prepared. “Am I not wearing anything under this coat?”

“No, this is SPL’s classic silhouette. It’s meant to create this effect,” Yan Zhi said, tearing off some black tape. “But I’ll place two crosses over your nipples.”

Imagining the scene, Rong Ke bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. “No way! That’s too risqué!”

“Baby,” Yan Zhi said patiently, “tonight is Fashion Night. Everyone will be pushing boundaries.”

Yan Zhi’s dress code requirements, besides vintage, included “playful.”

Rejecting fairy dresses and conventional suits, the aim was to be as fun as possible. Other celebrities had already posted their pre-event photos on Weibo, with one even dressed as a radio.

“I won’t do it,” Rong Ke insisted, but compromised slightly, “At most, I’ll wear the tape for you when we get back tonight.”

Yan Zhi raised an eyebrow, finding the suggestion appealing. “That works.”

“And this suit is too revealing,” Rong Ke pushed further, seeing Yan Zhi relent. “Let me wear an undershirt.”

This time, Yan Zhi’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Don’t you dare.”

Fair enough.

Rong Ke knew that questioning Yan Zhi’s aesthetic sense was challenging his bottom line, so he set off wearing the flamboyant suit.

It wasn’t their first time attending an event together, but strictly speaking, it was their debut as an official couple.

Fashion Night was held in a theme park converted from an abandoned factory. The plain cement floors and aged buildings exuded a strong sense of history, while the parade of celebrities added a touch of glamour.

Other stars walked the long red carpet alone, but Rong Ke was accompanied by MQ’s consultant, highlighting his unique status.

The pair wore matching SPL suits from the same series, fingers intertwined, walking in sync through a sea of camera flashes.

A self-media employee managing the livestream commented, “Our ‘Yan Wang’ is being modest. His outfit isn’t too flashy. It is obvious that he does not want to steal the limelight from his wife.”

Another added, “But it’s our main event tonight. Yan Wang is so loving.”

“Rong Ke hasn’t been in public for a long time, showing he dislikes crowds, but he still came to support Yan Wang. Who loves who more?”

The livestream comments flooded with: “So sweet!¹”

On Weibo, many melon-eaters were following this fashion extravaganza. When Rong Ke and Yan Zhi appeared, their CP super topic skyrocketed to #1 in real-time rankings.

[RK finally appeared, I’m crying!]
[I’m alive again, Cough Syrup is sailing!]
[Although Rong Yan Forever is dead, I can still ship Cough Syrup]
[Don’t you think RK makes a better wife? The husband’s always out there being a flirt, imagine how stressed the wife must be]
[tbh, the wife’s outfit is more provocative today. Let me lick those abs.]
[On a serious note, was that 15 minutes with the Beauty?]
[No way, they weren’t together then. It must’ve been something else.]
[Hope the wife acts in more films. I’ve missed him so much!]
[…]

After walking the red carpet at the beginning, Rong Ke and Yan Zhi temporarily separated because Yan Zhi had various social obligations with the fashion world’s elite attending tonight.

Entering the banquet hall and taking his assigned seat, Rong Ke initially planned to chat with familiar faces to pass the time. However, many strangers approached to greet him, forcing him to engage in small talk.

——Wearing the revealing suit, he felt as if he were chatting while naked.

When things finally quieted down, Yan Zhi also came back.

He sat beside Rong Ke and, looking in a particular direction, whispered in his ear, “Liu Qing is here.”

Rong Ke raised an eyebrow, following Yan Zhi’s gaze. “You really lured him in.”

For tonight’s Fashion Night, Yan Zhi invited many entertainment industry celebrities, including Jiang Si and Liu Qing.

Jiang Si was quite self-aware, recognized this as a trap, and didn’t dare show up. Liu Qing seemed to be unwilling to miss any opportunity for exposure and actually came into Yan Zhi’s territory.

Then again, he had participated in “Actor’s Summer” despite knowing SPL sponsored it, indicating he didn’t take Yan Zhi seriously.

“There’s something even more interesting,” Yan Zhi said. “He’s wearing SPL clothes.”

Rong Ke was surprised. “Would SPL lend him clothes?”

“Of course not,” Yan Zhi replied. “I asked around. Liu Qing did approach SPL, but they politely declined.”

“So, where did he get the clothes?” Rong Ke asked.

“SPL is still investigating,” Yan Zhi said, amused. “But check Weibo.”

Rong Ke took out his phone and saw that the top entertainment news was indeed Liu Qing wearing SPL at Fashion Night.

Admittedly, his taste wasn’t bad. He had chosen a classic SPL piece paying homage to their original designer, standing out among the night’s big-name celebrities.

However, Rong Ke found the post from Liu Qing’s super fan embarrassingly presumptuous.

“…The SPL piece Liu Qing is wearing tonight holds a pivotal place in fashion history… Celebrities who’ve worn the same series include… Thanks to SPL for choosing Liu Qing…”

At first glance, it appeared to be an official collaboration between Liu Qing and SPL.

Soon after, rumors spread in Liu Qing’s super topic about him potentially becoming SPL’s spokesperson.

The news seemed so convincing that even marketing accounts began analyzing how Liu Qing’s win as the popular actor in “Actor’s Summer” made the SPL deal seem inevitable.

Fans started celebrating, eagerly awaiting SPL’s official announcement.

However, just an hour later, Liu Qing’s super topic fell silent.

SPL acknowledged Rong Ke’s photos while simultaneously announcing:

[SPL Official Account: SPL is honored to announce Rong Ke as SPL China’s ambassador. He is a multifaceted actor and an embodiment of positive energy. SPL and Rong Ke will bring you more surprises together.]