Chapter 106:
Returning to the apartment, Jiang Yunjian lay face down on the bed, silently enduring the scolding without saying a word.
“I was just about to have dinner! My wife rarely cooks, and today she made a meal. I barely picked up my first bite when Assistant Cheng called me!” Bo Zhen stood at the bedside with his hands on his hips, growing more aggrieved as he spoke. “Are you crazy? With your current status, what resources can’t you get? There’s a line of scripts waiting for you for the next two years! What are you lacking that you have to go after Cheng Peng? If you’re dissatisfied with the work I’ve arranged for you, we can discuss it, can’t we? You’re pushing yourself to the edge of a cliff!”
“Brother, I’m sorry,” Jiang Yunjian’s voice was still hoarse.
Bo Zhen regretted it; he really shouldn’t have let Jiang Yunjian go!
“Are you apologizing to me or to yourself?” Bo Zhen was almost driven mad by him. “How many days off have you had in the past few years? How many times have you been injured while filming? You’ve finally reached this level, and now what are you doing? Besides, you’re about to join a new production soon. Where will you find the time to accompany Cheng Peng?”
Two years ago, Bo Zhen wouldn’t have been this emotional. But Jiang Yunjian’s popularity had skyrocketed this year, with all his actions under the spotlight, nowhere to hide like before.
Just last night alone was enough to keep him on edge!
After a long silence, Jiang Yunjian finally said, “Isn’t the next filming location in Mancheng?”
Bo Zhen was shocked. “What do you mean?”
Jiang Yunjian pursed his lips. “…I’ve read the script, there aren’t many night scenes.”
Bo Zhen was speechless. “What, are you planning not to sleep? The next project is full of action scenes. Do you think you can ascend to godhood right there? Besides, even if you manage to find the time, what about the promotions after filming? You’ll be flying all over the place. Do you plan to take flights back and forth at night?”
Jiang Yunjian replied, “…I haven’t thought that far.”
“No, we must plan this in the long term—” Bo Zhen stopped mid-sentence.
Right, how could he forget? Last time, Cheng Peng and Jiang Yunjian’s “arrangement” only lasted a mere two weeks, with few meetings. The next project was a film, at least two months of shooting. Judging by their previous behavior, there wasn’t much to worry about.
Bo Zhen took a sip of water to calm down. “In any case, whether as your manager or as a friend, I don’t recommend continuing this improper relationship with President Cheng.”
Jiang Yunjian defended, “…It’s my poor judgment, it has nothing to do with him.”
Unbelievable.
Absolutely unbelievable.
Jiang Yunjian wasn’t usually like this. On the contrary, his professional skills were exceptional. Of all the artists Bo Zhen had managed, Jiang Yunjian was the most talented. Whether in acting, variety shows, or even singing, he excelled. He was born for this industry. Coupled with his good personality, high emotional intelligence, and tireless work ethic, he had almost no scandals since his debut.
If Jiang Yunjian had a weakness, it was Cheng Peng.
“Brother Bo, I’ve really thought it through. I have experience; I’ll keep myself hidden well. I won’t be discovered.” Jiang Yunjian paused. “If, and only if, I get caught, I’ll take full responsibility. I won’t let you or the company get involved. I’ll pay any fines. And since my contract with the company is about to expire, whether or not I renew it will be entirely up to you.”
Hearing this, Bo Zhen knew there was no turning back.
What could he say? Calling Jiang Yunjian irresponsible would be unfair, considering the profits he had generated for the company in recent years, far surpassing other artists. He was diligent and never made extra demands outside his contract. Calling him reckless, well, it was his own business, and nobody else’s concern.
After a long silence, Bo Zhen sighed deeply, filled with frustration. “…Xiao Jian, promise me this will be the last time.”
There were some things he couldn’t bring himself to say.
“Thank you, Brother Bo,” Jiang Yunjian said, “About our previous conversation, I won’t be taking my annual leave. What’s scheduled for the next few days?”
“Schedule?!” Bo Zhen frowned. “Stay home. Your annual leave remains; get some proper rest.”
After a bit more nagging, as he was about to leave, Bo Zhen awkwardly reminded, “Also, take care of yourself. Don’t get sick. Your voice is hoarse; I’ll have someone bring you some food and cold medicine.”
Once, after returning from Cheng Peng’s place, Jiang Yunjian had a fever for three days, scaring Bo Zhen.
Jiang Yunjian felt a bit embarrassed. His throat had been uncomfortable for days, and last night’s shouting only made it worse.
“No need. I have medicine at home. You should go back. I can cook for myself.”
After Bo Zhen left, Jiang Yunjian rolled over and started playing on his phone.
He had been filming a major drama recently, where he played the lead role, with a heavy workload. Usually, he would fall asleep as soon as he hit the bed, or spend his rare free moments reading scripts. It had been a long time since he enjoyed such leisurely rest.
He was indeed tired, in every way. But he didn’t feel like sleeping.
His Weibo account was a small one with no followers, mainly for checking hot topics. While reading a social news story, a WeChat notification popped up.
It was from Bo Zhen, reminding him to take a few casual selfies during his annual leave.
Jiang Yunjian replied with a “got it” and was about to exit WeChat when he noticed a glaring red “1” on the contact recommendations.
It was WeChat’s default feature suggesting Cheng Peng as a contact.
Jiang Yunjian had saved Cheng Peng’s number for years. He had even applied to add Cheng Peng as a friend before, but the request had never been accepted.
He stared at the prompt for a long time and couldn’t resist applying again.
What should he write in the friend request?
Lying on the bed, phone in hand, Jiang Yunjian contemplated for a long time. It couldn’t be too brief or too elaborate. Using his name… would Cheng Peng even remember?
After nearly ten minutes of indecision, he was on the verge of falling asleep.
Why was this so hard to decide?
Moments later, nearly asleep, Jiang Yunjian’s head tilted left, and his finger pressed the phone screen due to the movement.
Some time passed before a light vibration from the phone woke him.
He opened the message list groggily.
[Cheng Peng: I’ve accepted your friend request. We can chat now.]
Jiang Yunjian read the message several times. His drowsiness vanished instantly.
_______
Cheng Peng received Jiang Yunjian’s schedule the same day.
Looking at the densely packed agenda, Cheng Peng frowned. The film crew’s shooting alone occupied most of the schedule, more packed than his own.
Are actors this busy nowadays?
Not thinking much of it, he glanced at it briefly before filing it away. The partnership secured two days ago still had many details to finalize, leaving little time for other matters.
So, two days later, when Jiang Yunjian sent him a WeChat message, Cheng Peng was surprised.
[Jiang Yun Jian: Hello, I’m Jiang Yunjian.]
The sudden self-introduction made Cheng Peng chuckle. Just out of a meeting and planning to leave the office, he sat back down upon receiving the message.
Feeling a bit fatigued, with no energy to type, he decided to call instead.
The response was swift, “President Cheng… hello.”
“Is there something you need?” Cheng Peng asked.
Jiang Yunjian’s voice sounded flustered, “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”
“No, I just finished a meeting.”
“…That’s good.”
A ten-second silence followed.
Cheng Peng chuckled, patiently, “What’s the matter? Feel free to speak.”
He didn’t know that on the other end of the line, Jiang Yunjian was gripping his phone so tightly from nervousness that his fingers had turned white. “It’s nothing… I just wanted to ask if you received my schedule.”
“I got it,” Cheng Peng replied. “It’s quite packed.”
Jiang Yunjian quickly said, “I can make some adjustments and definitely find time. You… you can reach out to me anytime. Don’t worry too much about that.”
“No problem. Like I said, I won’t make it hard for you when it comes to time,” Cheng Peng said, finding the conversation oddly amusing. “So, you called me just to ask if I received your schedule?”
“No…” Cheng Peng heard the person on the other end take a deep breath, followed by a barely audible voice, “I… I’m on annual leave these days, no work. Did you happen to notice that?”
Cheng Peng raised an eyebrow and, after a brief pause, let out a soft laugh. “Planning to indulge a bit during your vacation?”
Trying to ease his nervousness, Jiang Yunjian was gulping down water. At Cheng Peng’s words, he choked and coughed for nearly half a minute, his face turning bright red.
He’d been found out.
“No, it’s not like that,” he hastily explained. “I just wanted to let you know… It’s not what you think.”
“If you’ve got free time, come over,” Cheng Peng interrupted.
Jiang Yunjian fell silent, then cautiously asked after a long pause, “Is that okay?”
“I’ll send the address to your phone,” Cheng Peng said.
Jiang Yunjian quickly replied, “Which hotel is it? Can I go early and wait for you?”
Cheng Peng: “It’s not a hotel.”
“Huh?” Jiang Yunjian didn’t quite understand.
“You’re not suited for a hotel right now,” Cheng Peng said as he put on his suit jacket. “Come to my place instead. It’s safer.”
Sitting in the taxi, Jiang Yunjian had his scarf wrapped almost entirely around his face, staring out the window, desperately trying to calm his racing heart. Luckily, it was winter, so wearing layers wasn’t unusual. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared take a cab.
He had never dared to dream of visiting Cheng Peng’s home. Now, it felt as if a pie had fallen from the sky and hit him, leaving him dizzy and overwhelmed.
The address Cheng Peng provided led to an apartment building. Upon reaching the floor, Jiang Yunjian removed his coat, leaving only a fitted sweater underneath.
Wearing too many layers might make him look bulky.
The door soon opened. Cheng Peng, dressed in a cream-colored casual outfit with sleeves rolled up to his elbows, appeared more relaxed than Jiang Yunjian had ever seen him. “It’s so cold outside, and you’re dressed like this?”
“The heater in the car was on full blast, so I took off some layers,” Jiang Yunjian lied.
“Come in,” Cheng Peng said. “There are slippers in the shoe cabinet, they’re new. Change into those.”
Jiang Yunjian nodded, following him inside.
The apartment was exactly as he’d imagined—simple yet elegant, with alternating brick red and white tones, exuding an understated sophistication. Clearly, thought had gone into the design.
But Jiang Yunjian had no capacity to take it all in. The moment he stepped inside, it felt as if the entire space was filled with Cheng Peng’s scent. Mystery solved—the fragrance he’d caught on the hotel bed that day must have been Cheng Peng’s usual cologne.
Someone who could normally adapt to any environment now stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do next.
“Why are you still standing there?” Cheng Peng emerged from the bedroom. “I need to head out for a bit.”
Jiang Yunjian was taken aback. “Where to?”
“I overlooked something. The house is out of condoms and lube. I need to go buy some,” Cheng Peng said as he walked past, playfully pinching Jiang Yunjian’s ear. “I’ll be back quickly. Feel free to look around. Don’t just stand there like a fool.”
Even that brief physical contact made Jiang Yunjian almost forget how to breathe.
As Cheng Peng was about to leave, Jiang Yunjian grabbed the hem of his coat.
“I brought them.”
Cheng Peng paused, turning to look at him.
Jiang Yunjian, flustered, blinked rapidly. “I just happened to pass by a convenience store when I got off the car… so I bought them on the way.”
Jiang Yunjian still remembered those fleeting moments with Cheng Peng from a few years ago.
At that time, Cheng Peng’s company was undergoing a leadership transition, leaving him swamped with work. Besides being in bed, they barely had time for anything else. Almost every time, Cheng Peng would start still dressed in his suit, finishing up without a single item of clothing out of place.
Now, Cheng Peng was wearing soft, casual home clothes. The occasional brush of the fabric against his skin made Jiang Yunjian feel incredibly comfortable.
His throat felt dry, and fearing that any sound he made would be unpleasant, Jiang Yunjian tried his best to hold back.
Cheng Peng found this amusing, lightly flicking Jiang Yunjian’s Adam’s apple. “Let it out. I like hearing it.”
Jiang Yunjian froze, his body turning even redder. Embarrassed but obedient, he let out a sound.
Perhaps it was the long abstinence, but Cheng Peng was particularly enthusiastic. He even wanted to prolong the moment, but his phone suddenly rang.
Jiang Yunjian lay on the bed, breathing heavily, still trying to catch his breath. His face was flushed. Cheng Peng lit a cigarette and answered the call.
It was a partner, calling to discuss the contract further and asking if Cheng Peng had time for a video conference.
Listening to the conversation, Jiang Yunjian could roughly guess the topic. After Cheng Peng hung up, Jiang Yunjian propped himself up, sitting on the bed. “I won’t bother you any longer. I’ll head back now.”
“Stay put,” Cheng Peng said as he stood up, casually slipping on his clothes. He ruffled Jiang Yunjian’s hair. “It’s just a quick job. Won’t take long. Stay for a late-night snack before you leave.”
Jiang Yunjian felt as if Cheng Peng was not just ruffling his hair, but also stirring his heart.
After a brief moment, he found his voice. “…Alright.”
When Cheng Peng left the room, he didn’t close the door. Jiang Yunjian could hear him talking with the partner in the living room.
In the dim light, Jiang Yunjian’s eyes glimmered faintly, unable to hide his emotions. With no one around, he saw no need to conceal them.
Suddenly, he recalled a conversation from years ago when Bo Zhen asked him if it was worth planting a ticking time bomb for two weeks with Cheng Peng.
At the time, he simply smiled and stayed silent. First, their relationship was already over, so there was no need to discuss its worth. Second, the question was too bitter to express; he preferred to keep it to himself.
But now, he felt a bit regretful. After all, apart from Cheng Peng and himself, Bo Zhen was the only one who knew about their relationship. If Bo Zhen were to ask him again, he would answer without hesitation.
It was worth it.
Even if that sense of happiness lasted only two weeks, two days, or even two hours, he believed it was worth it.
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
