ITOTIABSAM | Extra | 197
Early autumn, deep into the night.
Xie Ye finished his performance, feeling slightly weary as he rubbed his temples, then lowered his gaze to head to the dressing room to change.
He was a bit of a laid-back person, only taking on roles in scripts he liked in recent years. But once on set, regardless of how smoothly things progressed, staying up was always common.
Having signed the contract, he also had to live up to the price they paid.
The layers of intricate ancient costumes often required assistance from the wardrobe department to put on and take off, but fortunately, Xie Ye's life experience was rich enough that he could manage on his own in front of the mirror.
As he emerged, he heard someone cautiously knocking on the door.
Seating himself on a nearby chair, Xie Ye, who had intermittently exerted his imposing presence for several hours, called out, "Come in."
Click.
The door opened and closed, followed by the appearance of a pale pink head peeking in.
It was Xie Ye's makeup artist on the new drama set.
She seemed to be looking for someone and also afraid of stumbling upon something, quickly scanning the room before straightening up. "Teacher Xie, isn't Teacher Gu with you?"
Xie Ye's movement of removing his hairpiece paused slightly.
This month, he was shooting, while Gu Cong was recording a new album. Considering their schedules, they were indeed spending more time apart. Keeping his expression neutral, Xie Ye replied calmly, "Has he arrived?"
"Yes, he came after dinner, and he even bought bubble tea and snacks for everyone, sharing the treats," the makeup artist said as she took over the task of removing the hairpiece. She smiled, "But you were busy filming at that time, and the director was keeping a close eye, so Teacher Gu didn't want to disturb you."
"What’s wrong? He didn't send you a message?"
Glancing at his phone, which he casually placed on the table and remained quiet, Xie Ye pursed his lips.
"Surely Teacher Gu wanted to surprise you," the makeup artist said with a teasing tone, not thinking anything negative. "Look at me, I've spilled the beans."
Xie Ye and Gu Cong, although not publicly acknowledged, were known within the industry as a same-sex couple. Even their fans turned a blind eye to it, implicitly acknowledging their years-long intimacy.
Initially, the highly publicized breakup of "True or False White Moonlight" caused a stir, with Xue Minglang and Su Qingyue quickly parting ways. Xue Minglang chose to terminate his contract with the company and set up his own studio.
However, over the next three to four years, his career failed to gain much traction and remained lukewarm, failing to make any significant impact.
As for Su Qingyue, although he could continue to live as a young master even after leaving the entertainment industry, the decline in Su family's stock price following Xue Minglang's contract termination took a toll on their overall financial health. The company's recent stock performance has been deteriorating, and it's far from the glory days of the past.
On the other hand, Xie Ye, once heavily criticized across the internet, steadily and consistently delivered quality work. While not every project he worked on received awards, they were all considered commendable. However, the main concern was his infrequent filming schedule, which left both fans and directors frustrated due to his laid-back approach to his career.
The professional makeup artist skillfully removed the wig in no time, leaving the young man's face still adorned with the dark makeup that emphasized his eyes. However, without waiting any longer, Xie Ye stood up, holding his phone, and picked up the cashmere coat draped over the back of the chair.
"Thanks for your hard work," he said.
"I have something else to attend to, so you should rest."
The makeup artist, who had already anticipated this development, couldn't help but smile. No matter how complex the entertainment industry may seem, love can still be simple. Whether it's public or not, it doesn't seem to matter as much. As long as the people involved are happy, that's all that matters.
Guessing that Gu Cong might be waiting for him at the hotel nearby where the crew was staying, Xie Ye had a clear goal in mind. He found the car keys left for him by Zhou Ming and unlocked the vehicle.
The lights came on.
He hadn't even settled into the driver's seat when he heard a muffled voice from behind:
"Brother."
It sounded like Gu Cong had just woken up, his voice thick with sleepiness, almost like a soft and cuddly plea.
Xie Ye turned around and saw Gu Cong with his blond hair, wrapped in a blanket, lying in the back seat, squinting and reaching out towards him, as if wanting to be held.
Although his features had matured with time, there was still a hint of youthful innocence about him when facing him. Xie Ye felt his ears heat up at being called "brother" and quickly looked away, saying, "You're all grown up now."
But he couldn't help but turn back and open the car's rear door.
"No matter how old you are, Xie Ye is still my brother," Gu Cong said, hugging the black-haired young man who had sat down beside him. He buried himself in Xie Ye's neck like a large dog, nuzzling against him. "I wanted to surprise you, but your scent on the blanket put me to sleep."
Xie Ye nodded knowingly, "Done with your work?"
Gu Cong obediently nodded, "Mm."
"Staying up late again, pushing yourself to catch the latest flight to the set?"
...
Sensing the change in Xie Ye's tone, Gu Cong stiffened slightly. He raised his eyes tentatively and observed carefully for a couple of seconds before pulling Xie Ye closer by the waist. "I missed you," he said.
"I wanted to see you very much."
Xie Ye reached out and pushed Gu Cong's forehead with his fingertips. "Cut it out."
"It's the truth," Gu Cong persisted, leaning in again. He couldn't hide his smugness as he kissed the corner of Xie Ye's lips. "I'm sure you missed me a lot too, otherwise you wouldn't have rushed over without even removing your makeup."
Caught off guard, Xie Ye retorted, "I didn't rush over.”
"That's not denying you missed me," Gu Cong, now more familiar with Xie Ye's temperament, felt content. "It's great. Finally, before the end of tonight, I get to see my long-distance boyfriend."
Boyfriend.
With a slight curl of his lips, Xie Ye no longer restrained himself. He gently tousled Gu Cong's soft blond hair like a large dog. "Mm."
The day was approaching midnight, considering that someone was still feeling sleepy, Xie Ye ended up driving, while Gu Cong sat in the passenger seat.
Entering the hotel, Gu Cong was nonchalant, wearing only a must-have celebrity item, a baseball cap, showing no fear of reporters taking photos.
When Xie Ye finished showering and found a set of pajamas he had prepared in Gu Cong's luggage, Gu Cong, who had already changed into them, smiled when he saw him. "Brother."
"Your eyeliner isn't completely removed."
Efficiently grabbing a pack of makeup remover wipes from his bag, he closed the suitcase, sat on the edge of the bed, and patted his left leg. "Come here."
"I'll help you."
All the items needed for the shoot were packed and organized by Gu Cong, so Xie Ye wasn't surprised by his proficiency. He closed his eyes and sat down, letting Gu Cong fuss over him.
He did miss Gu Cong a bit.
After passing the original plot's death point, he no longer suffered from insomnia but had grown accustomed to being accompanied.
However, it was clear that the well-rested Gu Cong wanted more than just companionship.
A light kiss landed on his brow and then slid down his nose, bringing a lemony scent that tasted sweet, like just having eaten candy, causing Xie Ye, who had intended to avoid it, to savor a hint of sweetness.
His slender fingertips unconsciously climbed up the other's neck, sinking deep into that silky and radiant golden hair. Suddenly, Xie Ye opened his eyes, his breathing heavy:
"Tomorrow's scene... also involves wirework."
With droopy puppy eyes that naturally exuded innocence, Gu Cong obediently responded, paused for two seconds, then leaned in for another kiss. "I'll help Teacher Xie."
Xie Ye lying in his embrace raised an eyebrow. "What about you?"
Gu Cong looked somewhat aggrieved. "There's cold water in the bathroom."
"Stupid." Knowing full well that the other was deliberately playing cute and pitiful, Xie Ye willingly fell for it, his expression softening as he leaned in and offered his crimson lips:
"Let's try a different position."
It would be best not to let him move.
At the same time, a relatively unknown marketing account on Weibo was eagerly posting:
【Shocking! Xie Ye, the Film Emperor, has a new affair on the set! A late-night rendezvous with a suspected mixed-race beauty.】 The post was accompanied by a blurry, indistinct paparazzi photo taken from a distance.
However, after purchasing promotion and waiting for a while, the comments section was filled with nothing but confused laughter, and there was no other response.
In the end, it was Gu Cong's only fan who couldn't bear it anymore and personally posted a similarly blurry candid photo:
【Thanks for the invitation.】
【...Although I really don't want to admit it.】
【But this "new love," should probably prefer to be called a mixed-race handsome man.】
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