TL: Hua

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Chapter 134: Wife

There’s still some time before the New Year, but there are already many year-end galas popping up.

This year, several platforms invited Gu Siye and Lin Yanran to their year-end shows, but they turned them all down.

According to the official schedule, the only gala they confirmed attendance for was the annual Golden Crane Awards. The reason was simple: Lin Yanran’s debut film, Becoming An Older Brother Again, had received multiple nominations.

The film ended with a box office total of 4.2 billion, making it the biggest hit of the past year.

Not only were the box office numbers explosive, but the word-of-mouth was exceptional. Besides Lin Yanran’s rise in fame, even the supporting actors saw their careers take flight because of this movie.

As the lead, Lin Yanran was nominated for Best Newcomer and Best Actor. When the official list was released, the entire fandom erupted.

Everyone expected the Best Newcomer nomination, and many hoped he would win it outright. However, for a newcomer to be nominated for Best Actor for his very first film alongside four veteran powerhouses of the industry was truly beyond everyone’s expectations.

In the entertainment industry, whether a star is famous or not, representative work is vital.

Over the past two years, Lin Yanran’s popularity had surged to the point where he could be called a top-tier star without reservation.

Yet, before “Becoming An Older Again,” many refused to acknowledge him, viewing him merely as a variety show celebrity without a real body of work.

Even though every song he adapted became a hit and his stage performances went viral, it wasn’t until now that people stopped saying such things. His excellence in musical theater was obvious to all, not to mention his investment and performance in a phenomenal film.

Now, with box office success, acting skills, and two Golden Crane nominations—one of which was practically a guaranteed win—Lin Yanran stood head and shoulders above his peers.

Netizens flooded social media with congratulations, praising his incredible achievements.

However, while passersby were busy congratulating him, netizens noticed that the Jingshi group, who usually praised him to the heavens, were being unusually low-key. They only reposted the news with a simple “congratulations” without any exaggerated flattery.

A netizen asked: [Your Young Master got two nominations! Where’s the hype?]

The group quickly replied: Shh, keep it low-key. We’ll brag once he actually wins Best Actor.

Netizen: […]

Damn! As expected of the Jingshi group!

While domestic netizens were debating whether Lin Yanran would take home the prize, the man himself was traveling in the Southern Hemisphere with Gu Siye.

On the beach, the two walked hand-in-hand wearing sunglasses. Amidst the bustling crowds, they enjoyed a rare, leisurely vacation under the sunset.

“Does your leg still hurt?”

Gu Siye’s leg had just healed. Although the doctor said it was 99% recovered, Lin Yanran was still worried.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Lin Yanran looked down, his eyes still full of concern. He reached out to gently touch the spot where Gu Siye’s ribs had been injured. “And here?”

Gu Siye frowned slightly. “It still hurts a bit.”

Lin Yanran’s expression changed instantly. He grabbed Gu Siye’s hand to lead him back. “Let’s go rest over there.”

But Gu Siye didn’t budge. Thinking the pain was severe, Lin Yanran looked at him with frantic concern, only to see Gu Siye’s lips curl into a smile, his peach blossom eyes burning as they watched him.

“It doesn’t hurt when Teacher Yanran’s hand is right here.”

Realizing he was being teased, Lin Yanran pulled his hand back. “Teacher Gu, you’re becoming more and more…”

Before he could finish, Gu Siye leaned in and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. “Nothing hurts anymore. Don’t worry.”

Lin Yanran couldn’t bring himself to say another word.

Although Gu Siye said the wound didn’t hurt anymore, it still takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, so Lin Yanran didn’t dare let him walk outside for too long. After wandering around for a while, they turned back.

On the way, they passed a coconut stall. Feeling thirsty, Lin Yanran stepped forward to buy one for each of them.

He felt his pockets only to realize he hadn’t brought any money. Since mobile payments weren’t an option here, he looked at Gu Siye. “Teacher Gu, did you bring money?”

Gu Siye fished a bill out of his pocket, but it was only ten dollars.

Ten dollars wasn’t even enough for half a coconut…

Seeing the lack of funds, Lin Yanran prepared to give up.

Just as he walked back to Gu Siye’s side, a ball rolled past his feet.

A child in the distance waved at him, asking for help. It was a small favor, so Lin Yanran jogged a few steps and tossed the ball back.

The little boy leaped up and caught the ball, then happily shouted “Thank you!” to Lin Yanran.

He then added, “Brother, you’re so handsome!”

Lin Yanran made a gesture back and praised, “You too.”

When he turned back, he found Gu Siye holding a coconut.

Lin Yanran was baffled. “Did the owner give you a discount?”

Gu Siye smiled and hummed in affirmation, holding the straw to Yanran’s lips. “Take a sip.”

Lin Yanran leaned down and took a sip; the sweet freshness of the coconut immediately filled his mouth.

“Is it sweet?” Gu Siye asked.

Lin Yanran didn’t answer. Instead, he turned the straw toward the other man. “Teacher Gu, try it yourself.”

The coconut was delicious, and Lin Yanran liked it a lot. He intended to share it, but after that first sip, Gu Siye refused to drink any more.

It wasn’t until they were almost back to the villa that Lin Yanran noticed Gu Siye’s expensive sunglasses were gone.

He looked at the coconut in his hand and suddenly realized. Gu Siye had traded his sunglasses for the coconut.

Thinking of the price of those limited-edition glasses, Lin Yanran frowned. “Teacher Gu, we lost out on that deal.”

Gu Siye looked at Lin Yanran’s slightly furrowed brow and laughed. “How so?”

Lin Yanran shook the coconut. “We should have gotten two.”

Gu Siye froze for a moment at that logic, then couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Back at the beach villa, Lin Yanran went for a swim in the pool.

When he got out, his phone vibrated. It was a message from Zhang Shanfeng.

He had sent an invitation—a wedding invitation. Was Director Zhang getting married?

Lin Yanran opened it quickly, only to see: Zhang Shanfeng and Song Yingming invite you…

Seeing those two names, he almost dropped his phone in shock. Although everyone in the industry knew they were best buds for years, were they actually… real?

After a few seconds of shock, Lin Yanran realized something was off and clicked the invite further. A paragraph popped up:

Zhang Shanfeng and Song Yingming sincerely invite Mr. Lin Yanran to participate in the season finale of the variety show “Incredible Journey Season 3.”

Looking at the chibi images of Zhang Shanfeng and Song Yingming laughing, Lin Yanran couldn’t help but laugh too. The same old formula, the same old tricks—and he had fallen for it again!

Lin Yanran: …

Lin Yanran: Director Zhang, you really are something!

Lin Yanran: [Thumbs up emoji]

On the other side, Zhang Shanfeng’s eyes crinkled with laughter as he explained.

Zhang Shanfeng: Emergency rescue! Emergency rescue!

Zhang Shanfeng: I knew you were busy and didn’t want to do variety shows, so I didn’t bother you.

Zhang Shanfeng: But yesterday, that [redacted] person was caught for tax evasion and is now banned from the whole industry. We have to cut all their footage. You’re the only one who can save the show now.

Zhang Shanfeng: The final episode is a live broadcast, and the audience really hopes you can come back one last time.

Lin Yanran didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he looked at the invitation again.

Fine, since Director Zhang had pulled out his “trump card,” he had no reason to refuse.

Lin Yanran: Send me the schedule.

Lin Yanran confirmed the timing with Zhang Shanfeng and told his assistant, Yingying, so she could arrange it.

He was so focused on his phone that he didn’t notice much as he entered the house.

It wasn’t until he reached the living room and realized the lights were off and the room was pitch black that he sensed something was wrong.

Because of his injuries, Gu Siye couldn’t swim, so usually, while Yanran was in the pool, Gu Siye would shower and wait for him in the living room. But tonight, there was no sign of him.

On WeChat, Yingying was asking when he planned to return so she could book the tickets. Lin Yanran ignored it and called out into the dark, “Teacher Gu?”

Two rows of lights flickered on in the living room. Lin Yanran followed the lights, which pointed toward the second floor. Clutching his phone, he stepped onto the stairs barefoot. With every step he took, another light illuminated.

Following the guide, he reached the second-floor terrace. The moment he stood still, tiny star-like lights lit up around the broad open balcony.

Under the moonlight, Gu Siye, dressed in a formal suit, looked like a prince who stepped out of a painting. He sat at a piano, elegantly playing “Clair de Lune” (Moonlight). He looked breathtakingly handsome.

Moonlight.

Moon and Light.

Gu Siye and himself.

Gu Siye looked up, his eyes deep and filled only with Lin Yanran’s reflection.

He smiled slightly and said tenderly, “Baby, happy birthday!”

—

The day after his birthday, the two returned home.

Not wanting to be photographed together, they took separate flights.

As Lin Yanran boarded the plane, Gu Siye gave him a photo album.

On the plane, Lin Yanran opened it to find a collection of photos Gu Siye had taken of him during every single musical theater performance.

It was a detailed record of every show, every scene, every movement; moments of emotion, sadness, joy, and conflict…

Everything was there.

The photographer had been incredibly meticulous; when these hundreds of photos were linked together, they formed a complete musical.

It took Lin Yanran a long time to look through every single one with careful detail. As he closed the photo album, he couldn’t help but wonder how much time and effort Gu Siye had spent organizing this.

He opened his phone and looked at a photo they had taken together.

Was this what it felt like to start missing someone the very moment you part ways?

It was currently winter, the coldest season of the year.

Back in the Southern Hemisphere, wearing short sleeves, he hadn’t felt the chill at all. But the moment Lin Yanran stepped off the plane, a gust of cold wind hit him head-on, making him shiver uncontrollably.

He quickly buried his neck into his down jacket, yet he still felt the biting cold.

Perhaps due to the sudden change in climate upon his return, Lin Yanran realized he had caught a cold as soon as he got home. He usually had a strong constitution and rarely got sick. However, for those who don’t catch colds often, the experience is usually much more miserable than for the average person.

His throat hurt terribly, and after taking some medicine, he lay in bed, unwilling to move an inch. In a daze, he felt someone calling his name, but he didn’t want to open his eyes or get up.

Seeing Lin Yanran burning with such a high fever, Gu Siye immediately called his private doctor and asked him to come over urgently.

As Lin Yanran ran a low-grade fever, Gu Siye wiped his body down to help break the fever while trying to feed him warm water to soothe his symptoms.

But Lin Yanran, who only wanted to sleep, was not cooperative at all; he refused to drink even though his lips were starting to dry out.

Having no other choice, Gu Siye held his head and fed him the water directly from his own mouth.

In his sleep, Lin Yanran seemed to love this method. His tongue kept entangling with Gu Siye’s, sucking persistently as if trying to draw more sweetness from him.

Lin Yanran was rarely this proactive during kisses, but in his sickly state, he was like a seductive fairy spirit.

Gu Siye was so entangled that he nearly lost his sanity.

Looking at Lin Yanran with his flushed cheeks and faint panting on the bed, Gu Siye couldn’t help but curse himself for being a beast.

After the doctor arrived, he prescribed some medicine, gave a few instructions, and left quickly.

However, fearing that Lin Yanran might suddenly spike a high fever during the night, Gu Siye basically didn’t close his eyes all night, constantly checking his temperature.

Then, in the middle of the night, he saw a cute side of Lin Yanran. The young man seemed to be sleeping poorly, mumbling incessantly.

Initially, Gu Siye couldn’t hear clearly and thought he was just restless from the discomfort. But when he leaned closer, he realized Lin Yanran was repeatedly calling his name.

“Gu Siye.”

Gu Siye stroked his forehead and gave a low “Mm” in response.

As if he had heard him, Lin Yanran immediately switched the name. “Brother Ye.”

Gu Siye smiled and responded again.

Lin Yanran seemed satisfied, but after a moment, he continued, “Teacher Gu.”

Just as Gu Siye was about to answer, the name changed again rapidly.

“Puppy!”

And so, Gu Siye’s low “Mm” followed right after the word “puppy.”

Gu Siye lightly pinched Lin Yanran’s cheek and whispered through gritted teeth, “You little rascal, tell me, why is ‘Teacher Gu’ followed by ‘puppy’?”

Lin Yanran’s cold came on fiercely but left just as quickly.

Two days later, his fever broke, and he was back to being lively.

However, since he wasn’t fully recovered and had a program to record the next day, he stayed home.

The sick have privileges, so Gu Siye took over all the household chores while Lin Yanran simply lay on the sofa watching TV and playing with his phone.

After a while, finding nothing interesting on TV, he opened his phone to look for interesting videos.

As soon as he opened a certain video-sharing site, the first item on the trending recommendation page was a fan-made edit of him and Gu Siye.

Lin Yanran couldn’t understand why the algorithm was pushing Siran CP videos to him, but as if possessed, he clicked on it anyway.

After a brief second of a black screen, the video began. Unlike the previous ancient-style video “Love Tribulation,” this story was set in modern times.

This creator had somehow gathered so much footage that they managed to edit a taboo brotherhood drama of him and Gu Siye.

In the plot, he and Gu Siye were half-brothers from a wealthy family. They plotted against each other but couldn’t help being attracted to one another.

From their school days, the two brothers were at odds, and later in the business world, they clashed head-on, neither showing mercy.

In the end, the completely blackened older brother emerged victorious. He locked his younger brother away, pinning him to the bed, wanting to destroy his pride and make him submit.

The “suggestive” high-tech transition shots used footage of Lin Yanran from the music video “Love,” where he was lying on a bed wearing a deep-V suit. His collar was wide open, his fair fingers gripped the snow-white sheets tightly, his red lips were slightly parted, and his gaze was alluring.

The camera then cut to Gu Siye’s face as he squinted dangerously at the person beneath him.

“What do you call me?”

“Bro… Brother.”

He gave a light chuckle, seemingly unsatisfied with the title. “What did you call me?”

The camera pulled back, and amidst various ambiguous sounds, the younger brother closed his eyes.

“Husband…”

After watching this skillful editing technique, Lin Yanran felt something was very wrong.

He glanced at the author’s name.

Good grief, it was the famous teacher SiranDuAi again!

As expected of you!

Even that “husband” was synthesized so naturally!

Lin Yanran closed his phone and looked up to find Gu Siye standing behind him at some point.

“What were you just watching?”

Gu Siye wrapped his arms around Lin Yanran from behind, lightly biting his neck as his warm breath brushed against the crook of his shoulder.

Lin Yanran’s neck was his most sensitive spot; every time Gu Siye bit him there, his body went weak.

He moved slightly and placed the phone on the sofa. “A fan video of us.”

Lin Yanran thought Gu Siye would ask more, but he didn’t. He just covered him in dense, fine kisses, finally nipping at his lips.

Ever since the car accident, because Lin Yanran had been worried about Gu Siye’s health, they hadn’t been intimate for a long time.

As the kiss deepened, the mutual longing grew more intense. Gu Siye picked Lin Yanran up, carrying him while kissing him all the way from the living room to the bed.

But just as the ambiguous atmosphere reached its peak, Gu Siye hit the brakes in time.

He kissed the reddened corners of Lin Yanran’s eyes, pulled the blanket over him, and said in a husky voice, “Your cold isn’t fully gone yet, and you have a show to film tomorrow. Go to sleep.”

Stopping at that point was miserable for Gu Siye too, so he went to the bathroom alone to take a cold shower.

When he came out, he found the bed empty. He turned his gaze and saw Lin Yanran leaning by the window. He was wearing only one of Gu Siye’s shirts and holding a necktie in his hand.

Gu Siye’s footsteps faltered, his eyes darkening significantly. Seeing Gu Siye come out, Lin Yanran walked over to him. He pushed him down to sit on the bed, straddled his lap, and used the necktie to blindfold his eyes.

“Yanran…” Gu Siye’s voice was terrifyingly hoarse.

Lin Yanran just gave a soft “shh” in his ear, signaling him not to speak. After finally tying the tie into a beautiful bow, Lin Yanran whispered softly into Gu Siye’s ear, “Husband…”

The next day, when the alarm went off, Lin Yanran couldn’t even open his eyes.

Looking at his skin in the mirror, which was covered in marks, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of regret.

One really shouldn’t play with fire when “playing games” with Teacher Gu.

It was fun when he was saying it, but… it was truly exhausting for his throat.

Lin Yanran quickly put a throat lozenge in his mouth, worried his voice would be too hoarse to speak during the recording that evening.

Before leaving, a high-spirited Gu Siye helped Lin Yanran wrap his scarf.

His eyes were tilted up, his voice full of laughter. “Will you still go around calling me ‘husband’ recklessly?”

Having experienced the consequences, Lin Yanran waved his hand frantically. “No more, no more.”

Gu Siye continued to tease him, “But what if I’ve become addicted to it?”

Lin Yanran glared at Gu Siye and then waved the phone in his hand. “I’ll call you after I finish filming.”

“Okay.”

That evening, Lin Yanran arrived at the recording site for the third season of Incredible Journey.

While putting on makeup, he felt fortunate that it was winter; he could wear a turtleneck to hide his skin. Otherwise, broadcasting this would probably count as a “live accident.”

Since he had participated before, he didn’t feel like a stranger and had a great time throughout the process.

The audience, hearing that Lin Yanran was coming, had been waiting on the live platform.

Watching Lin Yanran play games all day, both old and new viewers were fully satisfied, lamenting that he was naturally born for variety shows.

Soon, the recording reached its end. The host stood up with a smile.

“Everyone, unknowingly, our third season is coming to a close. Before the show ends, we’ve set up a small segment.”

The host brought out a blind box.

Lin Yanran looked at the familiar box and thought, Director Zhang, this won’t do. How are you still doing this after so many years? A true blind box fanatic?

Just as he was thinking this, one of the guests was cued by the host to draw a task from the box. By the time he reacted, the content of the slip was already displayed on the big screen.

The production team required every guest tonight to take out their phones and make a surprise call to the first celebrity friend in their contact list.

Hearing this, the netizens screamed in excitement.

After all, making calls to celebrity friends had led to much gossip in the past.

Accidental relationship reveals, overheard secrets… in short, it was very thrilling.

The other celebrity guests cried out and waved their hands. This was way too stimulating.

Meanwhile, Lin Yanran froze as he looked at the requirement.

He quickly thought: who was the first celebrity friend on his phone…

Who else could it be? It was Gu Siye.

Although the other guests claimed they didn’t want to make the call, basically everyone finished it quickly.

Those who dared to make such a direct call were actually certain they wouldn’t accidentally expose anything.

Thus, the audience watched as the celebrities chatted with their friends for a while. Though there were no major bombshells, it was still a satisfying and enjoyable watch for the viewers.

Ten minutes later, more and more stars had completed the task. When the second to last celebrity guest was also completed, everyone’s focus fell on Lin Yanran.

Seeing him clutching his phone and hesitating for a long time, the host couldn’t help but urge him several times.

“Teacher Yanran, what’s wrong?”

Lin Yanran asked helplessly, “Can I choose to accept a punishment instead?”

Before the host could speak, the other guests began to tease and jeer with gossipy expressions. “No can do, Teacher Yanran! We’ve all finished.”

Lin Yanran wanted to hold out a bit longer, but everyone started pressing him.

“Teacher Yanran, call! Just call so we can go home. Even one sentence is fine.”

Although they were joking, the show was indeed nearing its end, and the results were stuck on him.

Seeing the “we’re not leaving until you call” stance everyone had taken, Lin Yanran didn’t want to waste any more of their time. Finally, he dialed the number.

He figured that as long as he spoke quickly enough, everything should be fine.

The moment the call connected, netizens pricked up their ears, dying to hear who he was actually calling.

After ten seconds of ringing, the call was suddenly picked up.

Lin Yanran was just about to speak.

On the other end, Gu Siye thought Lin Yanran had already finished the show and decided to tease him playfully.

“Wife…”

Over the phone, his voice was tender and lingering like never before. “I just got off the plane.”