“Yes,” Ren Bai said. “When Yuanyuan gets discharged from the hospital, she can’t keep staying at your place. I was thinking of renting a whole apartment. That way, it’ll be easier to move in later.”
Hearing that, Lin Shuang also nodded. “Right, we can’t keep bothering you like this. All of us living here is too much.”
Ren Bai continued, “Once I sell Yu Shiqing’s old house, we won’t even need to rent. We can just buy a new one.”
Hearing this, Jiang Yu turned to Yu Shiqing. “Did the variety show not pay you?”
After all, with Yu Shiqing’s wealth, he shouldn’t need to sell a house just to buy another one.
Ren Bai didn’t hide anything and replied casually, “We still need that money for a lawsuit.”
“A lawsuit?” Jiang Yu frowned.
“Oh, not Auntie’s case,” Ren Bai explained. “It’s Wang Ling’s lawsuit. Didn’t Huaze blacklist him? Yu Shiqing wants to help him out. After all, Wang Ling got into this because of Yu Shiqing.”
Only then did Jiang Yu remember who Wang Ling was. He turned to Yu Shiqing. “You want to help that omega terminate his contract?”
Yu Shiqing nodded. “Yes.”
Ending a contract with Huaze was much more complicated than Lin Shuang’s divorce case. It was still in the preparation stage, and Huaze had clearly shown they didn’t want to let go.
After all, the trouble Wang Ling helped solve was what got Huaze into a mess. Huaze hated Wang Ling even more than Qi Taihua did.
Ren Bai sighed. “It’s a shame Huaze is dead set on making Wang Ling’s life miserable.”
He could already see that Yu Shiqing might end up putting all his money into this and still not succeed.
Jiang Yu said, “I can—”
“No need,” Yu Shiqing cut him off. “I’ll handle this.”
Jiang Yu frowned slightly. “Are you sure?”
Yu Shiqing said, “If I need your help, I’ll ask.”
Since he said that, Jiang Yu didn’t insist.
After the three finished talking, Lin Shuang spoke up. “Xiao Bai, should we go take a look at the new place? I want to remember the way too.”
Ren Bai quickly said, “I’ll take you now.”
He had driven over and took all three of them.
Lin Shuang sat in the front passenger seat. Jiang Yu had no schedule today and sat in the back with Yu Shiqing.
On the road, Jiang Yu looked out the window at the passing streets. His fingers tapped lightly on his knee.
In another week, when Yu Shiqing left in this car again, he might never return.
Would the closeness they had finally built slowly fade again?
No. He had to find a reason to keep him here.
Yu Shiqing noticed Jiang Yu’s stiff side profile and unmoving posture. “Are you in a bad mood?”
In the front seat, Ren Bai was describing the new house layout to Lin Shuang in vivid detail, nearly covering Yu Shiqing’s voice.
“No,” Jiang Yu looked away. “I was thinking about your injury.”
Yu Shiqing’s gaze softened. “I took off the sling. It’s mostly fine now.”
“Mostly fine isn’t fully healed,” Jiang Yu said. “You still have trouble getting dressed.”
Hearing this, Lin Shuang glanced back at Yu Shiqing’s injured right arm. Her eyes lingered there for a moment before turning back. She didn’t say anything but kept Jiang Yu’s words in mind.
When they arrived, Ren Bai parked in front of the building and led the way upstairs.
“I chose a neighborhood with good security,” he said. After all, they had moved previously out of fear of being found by Gao Fan. “It’s completely safe!”
Inside, he introduced, “Four bedrooms, two living rooms, kitchen, balcony, and bathroom everything you need.”
Then he showed Lin Shuang around the rooms.
“Auntie, what do you think? Do you like it?”
Lin Shuang smiled brightly. “I like it. I really do.”
But since there were still small items to arrange, Lin Shuang didn’t rush to move in. Over the next week, she came by only when free to tidy up.
When Gao Yuan was discharged from the hospital, it was Ren Bai who drove her home.
They had lunch together, and Ren Bai suggested they move.
Lin Shuang’s luggage had long been packed, and the moving company was already waiting downstairs. Just as Yu Shiqing was about to go get his script, Lin Shuang called him.
“Shiqing.”
She hesitated a moment. “You don’t need to move, okay?”
Before Yu Shiqing could speak, Ren Bai asked, confused, “Why not?”
Lin Shuang said, “I’ve already troubled you and Jiang Yu so much, making you move back and forth. Now that everything’s settled, why should you have to be separated again?”
Ren Bai: ?
Even after a week, he still didn’t get what Lin Shuang meant.
Yu Shiqing was also puzzled. “You don’t want me to move with you?”
“Exactly,” Lin Shuang said. “And your injury still hasn’t healed. Jiang Yu won’t stop worrying and will run back and forth. Wouldn’t that be more troublesome?”
Ren Bai: ??
Are Yu Shiqing and Jiang Yu really that inseparable now???
He couldn’t help but say, “Auntie, aren’t you overthinking it? If Jiang Yu’s worried, he can always call.”
Just after finishing his sentence, he shivered.
His neck felt cold again.
This time, before he could even turn around, Lin Shuang’s voice came: “Call?”
Ren Bai nodded quickly. “Yeah, phone or video both are convenient. No trouble at all.”
Lin Shuang looked at him and remembered he was still single. She smiled and said, “You don’t understand. It’s not the same.”
Ren Bai: …
What’s going on? Auntie’s like some kind of monk now. Her words are getting harder and harder to understand.
Jiang Yu didn’t need to say anything he’d prepared. But he wasn’t upset. Calm on the outside, he asked evenly, “Auntie, are you worried Yu Shiqing can’t take care of himself?”
Lin Shuang smiled again. “That’s one way to put it.”
Young people always had thin skin.
Jiang Yu glanced at Yu Shiqing, then asked, “What about you two?”
Lin Shuang said, “We won the case, Yuanyuan’s discharged, there’s nothing more to worry about. Once she recovers a bit more, I’ll bring her to see you.”
Jiang Yu, standing beside Yu Shiqing, said with meaning, “She just got out of the hospital. She still needs care.”
Yu Shiqing paused.
Lin Shuang already had so much to worry about. Today was one of the few peaceful days she’d had in a long time. There was no need for her to care for two patients at once.
But staying here with Jiang Yu.
“You haven’t finished six weeks of my soup yet,” Jiang Yu said just in time. “Don’t even think about sneaking away.”
Yu Shiqing looked at him and smiled. “Okay. I won’t leave.”
Ren Bai twitched.
He’d seen countless scenes like this on variety shows, but in real life, he still couldn’t get used to it.
He couldn’t watch anymore. “Then Auntie and I will go. You’re still injured, and you have a shoot tomorrow. Stay home and rest.”
Lin Shuang agreed.
So, Yu Shiqing only walked them to the door before turning back.
As he turned around, his eyes met Jiang Yu’s.
Jiang Yu was staring at him, gaze focused, as if thinking about something. But as soon as their eyes met, all his thoughts disappeared into the depths of his eyes.
“What do you want for dinner?” Jiang Yu asked casually. “You get to choose.”
Yu Shiqing didn’t think much. “I might waste this chance.”
Jiang Yu looked at him. “Why?”
Yu Shiqing smiled. “Everything you cook suits my taste. I can’t choose one over the other.”
His words and smile caught Jiang Yu off guard, making his heart skip.
As Jiang Yu stood still, Yu Shiqing walked up beside him.
Jiang Yu snapped out of it and looked away. “You just know how to talk nicely.”
Yu Shiqing didn’t hear clearly. “What?”
Jiang Yu gave him a sideways glance, then smirked. “I said, smart choice.”
Yu Shiqing asked, “So, what are we eating tonight?”
With a smirk, Jiang Yu answered without mercy, “Pork rib soup.”
Yu Shiqing: “…”
Jiang Yu chuckled. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning. I said you have to drink it every day not a single day off.”
Before Yu Shiqing could respond, he turned and walked into the kitchen.
“What do you need?”
Seeing that Jiang Yu wasn’t going to change his mind, Yu Shiqing walked into the kitchen and went straight to the fridge.
Leaning against the counter, Jiang Yu listed a few dishes and watched Yu Shiqing’s back quietly. His eyes grew deeper.
This time, Yu Shiqing didn’t move out.
But maybe there would be a next time and a time after that.
Being injured wasn’t a long-term excuse. He couldn’t keep using coincidence to make Yu Shiqing stay.
After thinking it through, there was only one reason that could make him stay for good.
But how could he make it sound natural?
At that moment, Yu Shiqing took out ingredients and turned to ask, “Is this the one?”
“Yes.” Jiang Yu looked up and stood straight. “I’ll help you.”
After dinner, the two of them washed up and got ready for bed. Before sleeping, they each got a call Ren Bai and Meng Chen called to inform them about the award ceremony happening in three days.
“It’s right after your last filming day,” Ren Bai said. “You’ll stay one night there, and we’ll fly over the next morning.”
Meng Chen told Jiang Yu basically the same thing.
Before hanging up, Ren Bai added, “By the way, Du Han will be there too. Like you, he’s nominated for Best Supporting Actor. The other two nominees are veteran actors. Based on online feedback, it’s a strong competition.”
The Last Rescue was a sci-fi film heavy on special effects, which meant less time for deep character portrayal compared to story-driven films. Even though Yu Shiqing’s performance was excellent and praised, he still didn’t dare expect much.
Ren Bai chuckled, “Du Han’s nominated film is an old one from last year. Since then, except for Dawn, he hasn’t joined any new projects. With Huaze in trouble, his resources have dropped. He’s probably hoping to use this award to boost his image. That’s why I’m rooting for the two veteran actors if you can’t win, at least one of them should. I just don’t want Du Han to win and keep dreaming.”
But knowing that Yu Shiqing never cared much about awards, Ren Bai didn’t push it. He ended the call with, “Now that Auntie’s divorced, my new biggest wish is for Du Han to flop and Huaze to go bankrupt!” He laughed and hung up.
Jiang Yu had been standing next to Yu Shiqing the whole time and heard everything. He thought for a moment.
Those two things weren’t entirely impossible to arrange.
Yu Shiqing saw the look on his face and guessed what he was thinking. He said calmly, “Go to sleep.”
Jiang Yu looked at him and turned to pull back the blanket. “After you, Teacher Yu.”
Yu Shiqing laughed.
After he lay down, Jiang Yu got in on the other side.
“Yu Shiqing.”
Yu Shiqing turned to face him.
“I want to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
But suddenly, Jiang Yu fell silent. He just stared into Yu Shiqing’s eyes.
With such close distance and perfect timing, he almost said the thing he wanted to say the most.
But the words stopped at his lips. So many worries crowded his mind.
If Yu Shiqing really knew what he was thinkingwould they still have this closeness? This atmosphere?
Or would there even be a “next time”?
Jiang Yu looked down, avoiding his gaze.
Yu Shiqing asked, “Is something on your mind?”
“Yeah,” Jiang Yu replied honestly. “I have something on my mind.”
“You don’t want to tell me?”
“No,” Jiang Yu said. “I really want to tell you.”
Yu Shiqing asked again, “Then what are you afraid of?”
Jiang Yu said, “I’m afraid.”
Halfway through the sentence, he looked into Yu Shiqing’s eyes again… and paused.
His fingers slowly curled.
The process might not be smooth.
But in those eyes, he only wanted to see his own reflection.
“Jiang Yu?”
His heart stirred. Then he said, “I’m afraid it’s too soon. I need a little more time to prepare.”
“Prepare?”
“Yes.” Jiang Yu’s eyes grew determined again. “It won’t be long. I’ll definitely tell you.”
