Chapter 88 — Playing It Cool
Gu Xi spoke in that cool, almost frosty tone of his. The extreme contrast lit a spark in Rong Jing’s chest that wanted to run wild.
Rong Jing sat down quickly, angled his gaze away, and acted like he had not heard a thing. To everyone else, it looked like the two of them simply took their seats with zero interaction, a clean line drawn between them.
Seeing this, the Alphas who had been hovering and eyeing those seats started whispering:
“Why did Rong Jing get in so easily? I thought Gu Xi would ‘politely’ tell him to go pair up with someone else.” Now that would be the Gu Xi they knew.
“Use your head. Do you know what their status is? One is a top star, the other is on the rise. Even just for appearances, they need people to think things are not that bad. Besides, did anyone actually ask Gu Xi? How do you know he would have refused?”
“Rong Jing really is an Alpha’s Alpha. Look at him, so decisive. He has not spared Gu Xi a glance.”
“That calm vibe. Veteran at the top of the food chain.”
Gu Xi had just pulled out his Bluetooth earbud and heard the crude banter.
He glanced at the “unmoved” Rong Jing. Meanwhile Rong Jing was still stuck on one question: which version of Gu Xi was the real Gu Xi? Pure and dewy, like a blank page, or sinfully alluring enough to take a man’s soul.
Two starkly different auras, switching at will, and Rong Jing had to admit it was getting to him.
Speaking of getting to him… yeah.
Rong Jing felt the fingers resting on his knee gently lifted up by a soft hand. Something small was pressed into his palm. A Bluetooth earbud.
Gu Xi blinked, a little message in his eyes.
Rong Jing set the earbud in his right ear. A lively, bright melody flooded in and caught him off guard. The tempo was quick and beautiful. It was not a complete track, more like a draft arranged inor DAW Cubase
In the original story, Gu Xi had been imprisoned for months and forced by Chu Yang to sing until his throat bled, and after he escaped, he never composed again. To the public he said he had no inspiration. Even when the media called him washed up, Gu Xi never responded.
The novel had skimmed past it, but here the experience was painfully real.
Gu Xi had no idea what Rong Jing was thinking. He was still flying from last night, so thrilled he nearly ran to the balcony to shout. He held back, so he would not scare Rong Jing, and settled for being dignified about it.
Inspiration had hit, and he had composed several tunes overnight. He had been looping them ever since, planning to tweak the arrangements, then add lyrics.
He silently mouthed a few words. Rong Jing understood and opened his palm. That pale forefinger traced across his skin.
Soft and distracting.
Words formed, one by one: Wrote it for you. Like it?
Warmth surged through Rong Jing before he could stop it. He nodded.
Both of them were smiling without realizing it. Rong Jing listened closely to the unfinished songs. Gu Xi kept glancing at his hand, as broad and warm as his chest, something you wanted to reach for and claim.
A quick glance around to ensure no one was watching anymore. Thankfully those bored Alphas finally lost interest in them.
Gu Xi’s finger drifted closer. He was about to make contact when Director Liu Yu’s voice boomed through a loudhailer, making Gu Xi yank his hand back.
Liu Yu said, “Someone whispered in my ear just now: Director, director, the road trip is so boring. I am a very open-minded director, so let’s play a game. How about a chengyu relay?”
~chengyu relay details~
Here's how it works:
-Everyone takes turns saying a chengyu: a four-character idiom that sounds super wise and Confucius-approved.
-Each person’s idiom has to start with the last character of the previous one.
“Too old-school. Pass!”
“Pick something spicy!”
“Hard no!”
Liu Yu still had authority with the team. He nodded, smiling like a fox. “Since everyone is so enthusiastic, we will do this one. Five seconds per person. If you cannot continue, you come up and perform.”
Groans filled the bus, but the chengyu relay began anyway.
Gu Xi was still looking at Rong Jing’s hand. It was not the rough, blocky hand you would expect from an Alpha, but long-fingered and strong, with clean joints and elegant lines.
When it was Gu Xi’s turn, he stared blankly ahead. A supporting actor prompted, “Rong Jing had just finished the tracks and was about to offer a few notes when he caught Gu Xi’s soulful look.
Fallen flowers are willing, flowing water is ruthless.
That was as pointed as it got. This little seducer.
When it reached Rong Jing, the person before him had said “meaning rare or outstanding) Bai li tiao yi.
Gu Xi snapped his head around so fast he nearly pulled something. He reset his face in seconds. One look and it is love at first sight? Who are you kidding? We are not even at slow-burn territory. There has been exactly one time.
A few people fumbled and had to go up to perform, everything from actual skills to pure comedy.
Everyone had mocked the game for being outdated, but once they started, the atmosphere lifted. The bus grew lively.
Next turn to Gu Xi. The phrase before him was “brushing lightly”) Fu xiang lian pian.
a startled swan”) pian, ‘pian ruo jing hong’.
goblet together,”
often romantic) gong zhi yu zhong.
of times among the crowd…”) Zhong li xun ta qian bai du.
Gu Xi: “!”
And the next line after that is…
His heart spun out of control.
No one noticed the two of them sending messages with idioms and poetry, flirting in plain sight, testing the waters.
It was their private word game and the way their relationship inched forward.
“Wait, we said chengyu, right? That’s a poem,” someone protested.
“Rong Jing, caught red-handed! You’re up! Go perform!”
Gu Xi could not stop the fireworks exploding in his chest as he thought of the line that followed. They would not stop going off.
~what happened~
Better explanation:
-Gu Xi hits Rong Jing with a “Fallen flowers are willing, but the flowing water is heartless” basically saying that: “I like you but you don’t feel the same.”
-Rong Jing, completely unbothered, returns fire with “Love at first sight”.
-Later, Gu Xi uses a line that describes someone beautiful and untouchable.
-Rong Jing then follows with a romantic line from a famous poem about searching for someone through a crowd and finally finding them.
-They started quoting poems instead of chengyu while the rest were still trying not to butcher their turn until someone on the bus found out about the derailing and pointed it out.
Rong Jing went up, scratching his cheek. He claimed he had no real talent and would just sing a little. The song’s original artist was not here, so please do not overthink it.
He sang a love song from his past life, “For the Rest of My Life.” His voice was low and warm, carrying a quiet pull.
He reached the line, “For the rest of my life, winter and spring are you, everywhere my eyes fall is you.”
Gu Xi could not even name what he felt after that. It was too much and too strong. He felt weightless.
When Rong Jing came back to his seat, Gu Xi’s fingers started to itch again. He was ready to finally take that big, warm hand.
He had barely moved when the hand he had coveted for so long wrapped his own and closed gently but firmly.
It felt like he was being gathered in and kept safe from the world.
Had Rong Jing seen him reaching? He said nothing, only held on as if he knew exactly what Gu Xi wanted.
They had done more intimate things before, but a simple handhold now felt especially moving.
Do you know? Your arrival lit up my whole life.
After they got off the bus, everyone went to collect their luggage. The Alphas naturally became porters, hauling every Omega’s suitcase up to the nearby hotel rooms.
As people filed into the elevators, Rong Jing noticed a red stain on the back of Xia Manni’s skirt. A few Alphas made jokes, the kind that were common among Alphas but would make any Omega uncomfortable.
Rong Jing knew he could not change an entire system. All he could do was handle himself.
He had just started to shrug off his jacket when someone darted ahead of him and draped a coat over the back of Xia Manni’s skirt.
Gu Xi gave the joking Alphas a cool, flat look. Under that wordless censure, they shuffled and muttered an apology.
After glaring at them, Gu Xi flicked another look at Rong Jing: try giving your jacket to another Omega and see what happens.
Faced with that cute, ferocious stare, Rong Jing surrendered completely.
The other Alphas, seeing how frosty Gu Xi was toward Rong Jing, clapped Rong Jing on the shoulder in sympathy. “Bro, want to join us tonight? There’s another crew next door. I hear they have a lot of gorgeous Omegas.”
They had just coordinated it on the way over. The other side insisted on Rong Jing attending or they would not show. No Rong Jing, no party.
Rong Jing smiled and declined. “I have plans.”
They tried a couple of times. When he held firm, one Alpha nodded. “Got it. Mr. Rong is that legendary type who is immune to Omegas.”
“Who on earth could ever win you over? I want to see it.”
“Maybe no one. He even keeps Gu Xi at arm’s length.”
Rong Jing thought: that is not true.
Xia Manni let out a mortified little squeak. She had miscounted and her period had started.
She thanked Gu Xi profusely. As an Omega herself, she felt her goodwill doubling. With you and Rong Jing taking each other off the market, who else could match either of you? You might as well be together.
She leaned in and whispered, “So, are you two…?”
Gu Xi, seven parts reserved and three parts pleased, said, “Do not spread it.”
Xia Manni: Ahhhh! It is real. My first time shipping a couple and they are canon! I could cry. Every couple I shipped before sank. This rare, surviving pair, please stay strong forever!
I want to scream in the group chat. Arctic-circle CP forever, may you grow old together!
After checking in, the directors still needed to scout the new location and test a few shots, then hold an internal meeting. Tomorrow, after the table read, they would shoot several key scenes. Once those were done, the show would be nearly wrapped.
That meant the leads had a rare free day.
Rong Jing carried Gu Xi’s suitcase to his room. He was about to help the other Alphas deliver the remaining luggage to the Omegas when, at the last second before the door closed, Gu Xi slipped a note into his pocket.
Rong Jing turned. Gu Xi stuck out his tongue, playful, and shut the door.
Rong Jing had not expected Gu Xi to defy the wind in public. Still, there was something thrilling about a secret romance hidden from everyone else.
Rong Jing had promised to drop by the set of Absolute Idol. The stage build was in the suburbs, only an hour away.
With Zhou You at the wheel, Rong Jing pressed down his racing pulse and unfolded the note.
Dare to come? Tonight.
Oh.
He rubbed his heated eyes and worked to dump the stray thoughts out of his head.
This Omega was out of control.
Did Gu Xi realize how easily that could be misunderstood? If the wrong Alpha saw it, he would take it as an invitation.
Gu Xi was still too pure. He had no idea Alphas were hungry wolves who were never full.
Even with most of his soul already stolen by this Omega, Rong Jing still felt Gu Xi was straightforward and innocent.
By the time he finished thinking it, he had reached the venue.
This episode of the variety show was set in a faux Nordic castle complex, with lawns, a lake, and blue skies. The scenery was gorgeous. It happened to be a Xie family property, which Rong Jing had rented for far below market price.
Xie Ling insisted family did not need to pay, but Rong Jing believed in keeping the books clear between brothers. Unable to win the argument, Xie Ling agreed to “charge” him and had Zhou Xiang draft a lease. Everything matched a standard contract except the price, which, inspired by Gu Xi’s unconventional logic, was set at 1 yuan.
Xie Ling must have picked that up from the Zhou brothers and used it perfectly.
The place was stunning, originally meant as a resort. It was in soft launch when Rong Jing swooped in and borrowed it.
When the trainees arrived, they shrieked on camera in exaggerated delight. Some of it was just for footage, but the location truly was beautiful. Most viewers would assume Xietian Entertainment was ridiculously rich.
After settling in on day one, the trainees would jump straight into the first evaluation.
Rong Jing watched quietly from the wings, so low-key that many people did not realize the “poison-tongued” judge had arrived.
Beside him, Manager Gao coaxed, “Take a look at the show’s page. Comments begging for you to be on camera have hit the top. Are you sure you do not want to make a quick appearance?”
“The show is about one hundred trainees working toward a debut. What would I be doing stealing their thunder?” He was here to check on progress, not to hog attention.
Even in his old world, he rarely did variety. Not because he disliked it, but because he was boring and had no variety sense.
Also, he put everything into one thing at a time. There was not much left over.
“Just a few shots. It will boost the show.” Seeing Rong Jing waver a little, Manager Gao pushed his advantage. One thing about their young master, he never insisted on his own way. “Your popularity has not dipped. Since the internet has already matched your face to your name, why not be a little Easter egg and let the camera drift past?”
Rong Jing: “…” Who are you calling an egg?
Manager Gao winced. “If you are an egg, you are the handsomest egg.”
Rong Jing: “Focus.”
Manager Gao: “You care about this program. Helping it grow into the season’s flagship matters most.”
Practicality won in the end. Rong Jing compromised, but only allowed a few quick shots that would not change the show’s focus.
During the break, he swung by backstage and got recognized by a few trainees. He greeted them, offered a few encouraging words, then left.
They had all been shredded by Rong Jing’s critiques. Seeing him look so gentle in person left them flustered and flattered.
“First time realizing the judge actually has a warm aura. Someone slap me.”
“So this is the rare ‘poison and comfort’ combo.”
“Why is the judge not competing? Before I came, I saw his search index in the top 30.”
That metric tracks popularity. The top spots belong to A-listers. For a newcomer with no released work to rank that high was wild.
“Why should he compete? He is filming a prestige drama with Gu Xi. Why join a ragtag show?”
“You call our multi-million-budget variety show ragtag? Is your brain okay?”
They did not know the cameras kept rolling during breaks.
Rong Jing had just rounded a corner when an exquisitely handsome guy stumbled straight into him. As the man tipped backward, Rong Jing caught him.
The guy got his footing and thanked him over and over.
When he realized who he was looking at, he stammered, “H-hello, Mr. Rong.”
“Hello. I was walking too fast and bumped you.”
“No, no, I wasn’t watching where I was going!”
Rong Jing was about to leave when the guy blurted, “Do you… not recognize me?”
Rong Jing met countless people every day. He studied the face, found it familiar, then noticed the slimmer frame. “You really lost the weight? Congrats.”
“It was your encouragement. All thanks to you!” The guy beamed. Mr. Rong remembered him at last.
“I only said a few words. That credit is yours.” During auditions, his looks alone had won the panel. He hardly needed to show talent. What stuck with Rong Jing was a backstory similar to Gu Xi’s, and the fact that the kid had once weighed nearly two hundred pounds, yet cut down in a short time. That took iron will.
Rong Jing told him to push hard all the way. The guy had taken it to heart.
As Rong Jing walked off, the guy stood rooted, then could not fight his own impulse. He jogged after him. “Excuse me, do you have a lover?”
Unspoken: if not, could you consider me? I just want to stand where I can look up at you.
Rong Jing turned, surprised.
A familiar “f**k” echoed from not far away. He looked over and spotted Wu Fuyu lurking beside a potted plant, clearly enjoying the show.
Since learning Rong Jing ran multiple companies, Wu Fuyu had wrangled an entertainment company from his father Wu Hanqi. He believed in this variety show and would have bought it himself if Rong Jing had not. He was here to observe, learn, whip his own rookies into shape and, oh look, fate had led him straight to Rong Jing.
Caught, Wu Fuyu swaggered over and eyed the S-tier handsome trainee. “So now even confessions require competitive bidding? Let me help him out. This guy only likes Omegas. Straight as a line.”
The trainee’s eyes dimmed. Rong Jing saw it and answered seriously, “Sorry. I have a beloved. A partner. A lover.”
He could feel the young man’s sincerity, so he would not brush him off. Whatever the answer, he respected people’s feelings.
Before the kid could reply, Wu Fuyu practically jumped. “Are you kidding me? You have that many? Where do you get the time?”
Between acting, running companies and a pile of other tasks, Rong Jing barely slept. And he was juggling three? Clone technique?
Rong Jing gave him a side look and stepped into the elevator. Wu Fuyu hustled in after him and sent the video to Gu Xi.
Pure motives? Hardly. He was “testing their trust,” that was all. If Gu Xi truly trusted Rong Jing, he would not doubt him, right? Hahahaha.
I am a homewrecking genius.
Inside the elevator, Wu Fuyu asked, “So you lie now to scare off all the buzzing flies?”
Rong Jing watched the numbers climb. “I was not lying.”
A bad feeling prickled Wu Fuyu. “Do not tell me they are all Gu Xi?????” That thousand-year-old fox! How did he end up with Tang Monk’s flesh?!
Rong Jing: “Mm.” Gu Xi’s words, three-in-one. Pick whichever you like.
At the name, a smile slipped onto Rong Jing’s lips.
Wu Fuyu rolled his eyes. I didn’t want to know. Let me live in ignorance for two more days, can I?
They stepped into the parking area. A car pulled up and idled beside them. A mild voice floated out.
“When did you two get so chummy?”
Rong Jing froze. That voice belonged to Wu Hanqi.
Sure enough, through the window, Wu Hanqi sat with a faint smile, looking straight at them.
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