Chapter 36

The next day, during the Appreciation of Chinese Art class, Chen Yan noticed a faint blush on Ji Wei’s face as he looked at his textbook. He asked strangely, “What’s wrong, do you have a fever?”

Ji Wei quickly denied it. “It’s just a little hot.”

It was already summer, and although the air conditioning was on, the classroom was crowded, making it inevitably a bit warm. Chen Yan didn’t press the issue.

During the break, he opened his phone and said in surprise, “The apartments at Hua Ting are finally going on sale.”

The vice class president was indifferent. “Can ordinary people afford Hua Ting’s prices? One hundred thousand per square meter, and they’re all lavishly decorated luxury apartments over two hundred square meters.”

Several other classmates joined the conversation.

“Isn’t Luo Na from the physics department’s dad planning to buy her a unit?”

“Her family is really rich.”

“Anyway, we can’t afford it, but it’s worth celebrating after class. At least we won’t have to listen to the clanging and banging during the day in the dorm anymore.”

Ji Wei didn’t join the discussion, instead organizing his notes from the class. The name Hua Ting was not unfamiliar to him. The new development was built near the university. Construction had started before he even came to Yan University, and after nearly three years, it was finally about to be completed.

After class, he scrolled through Weibo as he walked. The news of Great Nation’s Artifacts premiere last night was completely silent, not because its ratings were low, but because trending topics were overwhelmingly dominated by The Forbidden City’s Little Shop.

#JiWeiAThousandLiOfRiversAndMountains#

#AreJiWeiAndLuShenxingMarried#

#ZhaoYueAndXiaoChiSuspectedFallingOut#

…His Weibo followers had shot up from just over one million to more than three million, the exact same number as Gu Huaiyi’s. Inevitably, some troublemakers started making comparisons.

[ChaoyangDistrictGossipHound]Gu Huaiyi’s ability to attract fans has been greatly underestimated. Does anyone object if I say half of Ji Wei’s three million followers are CP fans? The day the show ends and he’s no longer tied to Film Emperor Lu, it’s uncertain whether his fans will be purified or just leave.

The post had over a thousand comments and retweets.

[TofuPuff]Film Emperor Lu’s fans may be chill, but they won’t just stand by and watch Ji Wei purify his fanbase, right?

[WhinyMonster]Aren’t people saying Lu-Wei is real now? Several girls on my timeline are producing Lu-Wei fan works.

[FrozenPear]Uh, don’t these variety shows always ship couples? Look at how the popularity of The Forbidden City’s Little Shop is crushing Great Nation’s Artifacts. Only the CP fans are taking it seriously.

Suddenly, his phone screen switched to the call interface.

—It was a call from Lu Shenxing.

Ji Wei walked towards the Mangrove Forest, avoiding the noisy crowd of students after class, and answered the call. It was a bit noisy on Lu Shenxing’s end, with the clinking of glasses in the background. The man’s voice was slightly louder than usual. “Are the apartments at Hua Ting okay?”

Hua Ting? He must be asking if he liked it. Everyone wanted to buy one, so it must be a very nice place.

So Ji Wei nodded. “They’re okay.”

“Is a light-colored decoration style okay?”

“It’s okay.”

“Is having a fireplace in the living room okay?”

“It’s okay.”

…After answering more than a dozen questions, he heard the man sigh with what sounded like resignation. “Weiwei, how can you be okay with everything?”

Ji Wei was taken aback. He was just… used to it. He didn’t seem to have any strong preferences. He could accept anything, not out of quiet endurance, but genuine indifference. He even felt like he was detached from this world, desperately needing to grasp onto an anchor.

“Is living with me okay?”

The man asked in a low voice.

Ji Wei subconsciously said “okay.” By the time he realized what he’d said, the man had already hung up. He held his phone in a daze, thinking he must have misheard.

***

It wasn’t until the afternoon, when the moving company called him, that he knew he hadn’t misheard. When Chen Yan returned to the dorm, he saw Ji Wei packing his things, even taking down Lu Shenxing’s poster. He asked in shock, “Classmate Ji Wei, where are you moving to?”

Ji Wei carefully put away the poster and said after some thought, “Probably Hua Ting.”

Chen Yan sighed and walked over, pinching his cheek. “My silly Weiwei, Hua Ting only starts selling tomorrow. Luo Na’s family is rich enough, right? Even they have to wait until tomorrow.”

“Some people get to choose their apartments in advance, but those are the kind of people who appear in financial newspapers. Don’t even think about it.”

“Lu Shenxing should count, right?”

Ji Wei answered after a moment of contemplation, though his idol mostly appeared in gossip magazines, rarely in financial newspapers.

Chen Yan chuckled. “You’re not going to say you’re married to Lu Shenxing, are you?”

Ji Wei nodded. He had previously thought his idol wanted to keep their marriage a secret, which was why he hadn’t told Chen Yan and the others. But his idol didn’t seem to have any intention of hiding it, so he decided to be open about it.

Chen Yan’s expression was complicated as he patted his shoulder, looking very concerned about his love life. “Forget it. Since you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t force you. If you need anything, remember to find your big brother. I think of you as a little brother.”

Ji Wei was speechless. “…”

Still, he said thank you to Chen Yan.

Ji Wei didn’t have many clothes, but with his art supplies and other things, he had filled three large boxes. The movers from the moving company helped him carry them down from the dorm. He had wanted to treat everyone to a meal before he left to thank them for their care, but the other dorm mates hadn’t returned yet, so he would have to wait for another time.

He slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked down from the dormitory building, holding Lu Shenxing’s poster. He had rolled it up carefully and tied it with a cloth string, afraid it would get crushed in a box. Suddenly, he saw a Maybach parked in front of the dormitory building.

—It was his idol’s car.

He quickened his pace and walked over. Standing by the car door, he hesitated whether to knock on the window when the door suddenly opened. Lu Shenxing, dressed in a suit, was sitting by the window. He closed the book in his hands, looked up, and said, “Come in and sit.”

Ji Wei got into the car, holding the poster. He sat a little far from Lu Shenxing. The man frowned slightly and glanced at Ying Guanxiao. Ying Guanxiao felt Lu Shenxing’s gaze like a thorn in his back.

He shouldn’t have come!

Ji Wei closed the car door. As he was fastening his seatbelt, Ying Guanxiao saw the rolled-up posters he was holding through the rearview mirror. “Weiwei, why didn’t you let the moving company move those too? It’s so much trouble to hold them.”

He suddenly remembered Ji Wei’s major. “Oh, it must be your paintings. They are indeed more important.”

Ji Wei shook his head. “They’re not paintings.”

“But they’re very important.”

The car hadn’t started yet. Ying Guanxiao turned his head to look and asked uncertainly, “Looking at the material, it looks a bit like a poster. Is it a poster of Old Lu?”

Ji Wei glanced at Lu Shenxing and “mhm-ed” shyly. Apart from acting, his idol had very little public exposure. Even his official posters were from when he first debuted and were now almost impossible to find, which made them very important. Some people said that Lu Shenxing’s fame was a miracle in the entertainment industry. If he were any less handsome or his acting any worse, he would never have made it this far.

After fastening his seatbelt, he noticed that the cloth string tied around the poster had loosened a bit, so he bent his head and retied the knot. The man leaned against the car window, quietly watching the young man’s actions. He suddenly spoke, “The real person is right in front of you.”

Ji Wei looked at Lu Shenxing, his eyes filled with confusion, not understanding what he meant.

Lu Shenxing’s expression was impassive. “You can look more.”

In the enclosed space of the car, Ji Wei’s heart beat rapidly. He heard himself reply in a nervous, quiet voice, “Okay.”

As Ying Guanxiao started the car, he couldn’t help but grumble to himself. Lu Shenxing, this guy, how could he get jealous of his own poster?

Ji Wei thought they were going to Hua Ting, but the scenery along the way didn’t look like it. Instead, it seemed like they were heading towards Xicheng District. He asked Ying Guanxiao, “Brother Ying, where are we going?”

Ying Guanxiao was about to answer when Lu Shenxing beat him to it. He said flatly, “To your home.”

Ji Wei had also wanted to go home when Lu Shenxing had time, but he hadn’t expected it to be so soon. He “oh-ed,” but the man’s next sentence made him blush to the roots of his ears.

“Thank you for the gift, Mother-in-law.”

***

When Ji Wei pushed Lu Shenxing out of the elevator, he found that his family’s door was ajar, and his paternal aunt’s incessant voice could be heard from inside.

“You should persuade Weiwei to get a divorce. His partner must not have a house or a car. How can they live like that? I’ve already picked out a second husband for him. He’s a young man who just started at my workplace. Although he can’t compare to the one his cousin found, he still earns seven or eight thousand a month. With Weiwei’s condition, he can’t be picky anymore…”

“Old Fifth, it’s not that I’m criticizing you, but I disagreed when you married Ye Zhi back then. Her personality is too strange. She doesn’t seem like one of us.”

…Ji Wei sighed. His paternal aunt wasn’t a bad person, but she and Ms. Ye Zhi were naturally at odds. Whenever something happened in his family, she would blame his dad for marrying Ms. Ye Zhi.

Lu Shenxing suddenly took out his phone and seemed to send a message. He pushed Lu Shenxing through the door.

Ji’s Paternal Aunt was still showing Ji’s Father a photo. “I’m not lying to you, am I? The young man looks average, but he’s 1.8 meters tall. That’s considered tall in Yancheng. It’s just that he likes men, otherwise, a lot of girls would be after him.”

Ji’s Father had a headache from her talking. Just as he was about to stand up for some air, he saw Ji Wei and the others. He said happily, “Xiao Lu is here? Why didn’t you say so beforehand? I could have gone to the market to buy more groceries.”

Lu Shenxing lowered his gaze. “I just didn’t want to trouble you.”

“No trouble, no trouble at all.”

Ji’s Father waved his hand cheerfully.

Ji’s Paternal Aunt had sharp eyes and pointed at Lu Shenxing. “Isn’t that Lu Shenxing from TV, the one who was on the show with Weiwei?”

As Ji’s Father passed by Lu Shenxing, he reminded him, “This is Weiwei’s paternal aunt. She doesn’t have a filter.”

Ji Wei deeply agreed.

Ji’s Paternal Aunt was displeased. “What are you saying in front of an outsider? Yes, Weiwei is good-looking and does well in school, but go look at the second-hand marriage market. Can he find anyone good? He still has to rely on introductions from people like us who are well-connected.”

In her heart, she actually understood. Ji Wei had been more outstanding than her son since they were young, but he had stumbled when it came to his marriage partner. Her son’s spouse earned nearly a hundred thousand a month and was tall and handsome. This younger brother of hers must feel like he’s lost face, not letting her, his aunt, interfere.

He was suffering for the sake of his pride. She sighed.

Lu Shenxing lowered his gaze. “Hello, Aunt.”

Ji’s Paternal Aunt thought it was Ji Wei calling her. When she realized it was Lu Shenxing, she stood up in shock. “What… what did you call me?”

“There’s no need to trouble Aunt to find a second husband for Weiwei.”

“There’s no need for that.”

The man said slowly, his eyes unreadable.

It took more than half an hour for Ji’s Paternal Aunt to recover from her shock. She glared at Ji’s Father. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Ji’s Father said helplessly, “I was afraid you’d shout it all over the streets.”

Just then, the door opened, and Ying Guanxiao walked in, handing a box to Ji’s Paternal Aunt. Lu Shenxing lowered his gaze. “A small gift for our first meeting. I hope Aunt likes it.”

Ji’s Paternal Aunt opened the box. It was a Cartier platinum necklace. She had heard the young girls at her workplace talk about this brand; a single necklace cost over a hundred thousand. She said in pleasant surprise, “I love it, I love it so much.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

Lu Shenxing’s expression remained calm.

Ji’s Paternal Aunt happily accepted the gift, unable to help but sigh. People really couldn’t be compared. It was one thing for Ji Wei to be good at his studies since he was a child, but the partner he found was also someone ordinary people couldn’t hope to reach. The thought of her earlier talk about finding a second husband for Ji Wei made her blush. “I have some things to take care of at home, so I’ll be leaving now. Weiwei, you guys should come visit often.”

Ji Wei found it a bit strange. His paternal aunt left without even staying for dinner, which was completely unlike her usual style. After seeing his aunt off, he asked Ji’s Father, “Where’s Mom?”

“She’s in her room reading.”

Ji’s Father couldn’t help but glance at the study, looking like he wanted to go in but didn’t dare. In the end, he tied on his apron and went into the kitchen to cook. It wasn’t until dinner time that Ms. Ye Zhi came out of her room. She was still wearing her oversized work clothes. Seeing Lu Shenxing, she merely nodded.

Ji Wei and Ji’s Father were used to Ms. Ye Zhi’s silence. She preferred dealing with cold, hard numbers over people. At the dinner table, Ji’s Father kept putting food on Ms. Ye Zhi’s plate until it was piled high like a small mountain. But she didn’t say anything and ate it all in small bites.

Ji Wei was different. He only served Lu Shenxing… half a small mountain. Lu Shenxing glanced at Ji Wei faintly. It seemed his little one’s habit of serving others food was a family trait.

Ji Wei didn’t notice Lu Shenxing’s gaze. He just thought his idol had a particularly good appetite today. Usually, when Ying Guanxiao brought him food, he could only eat a small portion, but today he finished all the dishes Ji Wei served him.

After dinner, Lu Shenxing gave Ji’s Father a can of new tea from his family’s tea garden and gave Ms. Ye Zhi a painting. Ji’s Father accepted it happily, and Ms. Ye Zhi also seemed quite pleased, awkwardly saying “thank you” to Lu Shenxing.

As they were leaving, Ji Wei couldn’t help but ask Lu Shenxing, “Can I know what you gave my mom?”

“An ordinary painting.”

Lu Shenxing said faintly.

“Then why was she so happy?”

Ji Wei was puzzled.

“Probably because your father was very happy.”

The man lowered his gaze.

Ji Wei was taken aback. He had actually chosen to study painting because of Ms. Ye Zhi. It was hard to imagine that she, whose mind was filled with only numbers and formulas, would be interested in abstract art. He only remembered that when he was very young, Ms. Ye Zhi would occasionally take him to art exhibitions. She would stand in front of those paintings with chaotic lines and just watch quietly.

It was only when he grew up that he understood that Ms. Ye Zhi was lonely. She had her own world, and she didn’t let anyone in. But she had quietly opened a small crack for Ji’s Father.

***

After going downstairs, Ying Guanxiao drove them to Hua Ting. It had to be said, Hua Ting’s high price was justified. In the heart of the city where land was as precious as gold, they had managed to create a flat lake. The lake water rippled under the cover of night, reflecting the fragmented golden lights. Each unit had its own private elevator.

Ji Wei pushed Lu Shenxing into the elevator. After the elevator doors slowly closed, the man in the wheelchair suddenly asked in a hoarse voice, “Do you want to study tonight?”

Ji Wei was about to nod, but through the glass mirror lining the elevator, he clearly saw the man’s usually cold eyes tinged with desire, exuding a kind of ascetic sexiness. He then realized that the “studying” his idol was talking about was probably not just studying, but… the kind of studying they did yesterday.

In an instant, his face turned completely red.