Jiang Yu played “After the Rain, Clear Skies” again. This time, he didn’t look at the strings or lyrics, and his gentle smile wasn’t casual. He only stared at Yu Shiqing and sang the whole song for him. No mountain breeze or water sounds, no other audience. Just the two of them in the room, with Jiang’s voice carrying tender emotion.
Yu Shiqing listened quietly until the end. After Jiang put down his guitar, he didn’t ask anything. He simply said, “Alright, you’re free now.”
Yu asked, “Why did you play it again?”
Jiang smiled softly. “Because this one… I only wanted to sing it for you.”
Yu paused, touched by the sincerity in his voice calm and effortless, as if just speaking his heart.
Jiang stood and moved the chair back. “Do you want to rest?” he asked, looking back at Yu.
“Mmm,” Yu nodded.
Jiang looked at him heading to the bathroom, checked his watch, and covered the camera lens. At this hour, no need to stream after they washed up and lights out.
The audience reacted:
“Nooooo! I take back what I said! I can miss the sound, but not the visuals!!”
“It’s so early and he covered the lens even though there’s another group still chatting! Jiang Yu, so heartless!!!”
Meanwhile, two hashtags went viral: #JiangYuNewSongAfterTheRainClearSkies and #JiangYuWroteSongIn20Minutes. The livestream clip was already on major video platforms, hitting record views.
Callers from media bombarded Jiang Yu’s agency, asking if the new song was written for Yu Shiqing. The staff was confused. “New song? What? We didn’t announce anything?”
Ren Bai also received an inquiry:
“We heard Jiang Yu released a new song, ‘After the Rain, Clear Skies,’ a promise song just for Yu Shiqing is this true?”
Ren answered expressionlessly, “That’s a rumor, thank you.” And hung up.
When Yu Shiqing and Jiang Yu returned from the recording, Ren was fuming:
“Have these reporters gone mad? Don’t they have any basic thinking? They even circulated the wrong rumor before, and now they’re doing this again for clicks?”
Ren turned to see Jiang Yu looking down, writing lyrics, occasionally asking Yu Shiqing’s opinion. Their shoulders touched, and their hair often brushed together, oblivious to everything else.
Ren let out a frustrated sigh. Meng Chen, noticing, remarked:
“They’re sitting together again.”
Ren remembered the awkward mood earlier: for the first time, they sat apart. But within two days, they were already close again. He asked softly:
“Is your… test done?”
Jiang Yu glanced at Yu Shiqing, bumped elbows, “Test done?”
Yu was reading the script, replying calmly: “What do you think?”
Jiang said, “I’ll follow you.”
Yu looked at him, eyes smiling: “So you want to pass?”
Jiang corrected: “It’s ‘pass,’ not ‘finish.’”
Yu only smiled; no answer. Jiang didn’t push.
Ren waited but got silence. He shook his head, thinking: It was your question, not mine to answer!
He said, “Okay then.” And shifted:
“You should rest tonight. You’ll start being busy tomorrow.”
Yu Shiqing’s arm was healing, and his schedule had been delayed. Now, everything needed catch-up. Yu reviewed the schedule Ren had sent. Seeing tomorrow’s tasks, his eyes shifted briefly.
Ren continued:
“Be prepared, things are tight. The movie Mist is set to release on National Day, October 1, but there’s an early premiere on the 18th. You’ll need to do roadshows and the last two episodes of A Trip as it Goes. Your time will be calculated by the second.”
Yu closed the calendar. “Mmm.”
Back at home, dusk had fallen. Yu’s rest time was limited; Ren stayed downstairs. Jiang Yu had washed up and moved from the master bedroom to the second. Yu exited the bathroom as well. Seeing Jiang Yu was routine.
Jiang sat on the bed’s edge and removed his robe. Without waiting, he slid under the covers next to Yu. Yu frowned:
“Jiang Yu, please wear your pajamas.”
Jiang laughed softly, pulled Yu close, and blocked his move:
“I am wearing them.”
He lifted the covers so the light showed his shorts.
Yu frowned deeper:
“That’s still not okay.”
Jiang asked back:
“Why not?”
Then teased:
“If you didn’t feel anything, you wouldn’t care.”
Yu said, “Don’t twist logic.”
Jiang moved closer, bent a knee between Yu’s legs:
“Or do other alphas affect you too?”
Yu looked down, then back up, eyes locked on Jiang. Jiang’s voice lowered:
“My test is almost fully passed, how about giving me a chance?”
Yu stopped Jiang’s hand under the sheets. Jiang smiled:
“My hand… it doesn’t listen.”
He put it back by Yu’s side, but moments later it returned to his waist.
“This time I won’t move.”
“I promise.”
Yu said, “Go back to your side.” But Jiang clung tighter:
“You still haven’t answered.”
Yu met his gaze:
“Feelings aren’t vetoed, and this isn’t a joke.”
Jiang suggested:
“Then just try it, so you’ll know it’s not a joke.”
Yu turned off the side lamp:
“Sleep.”
Jiang looked at his relaxed face and lay back down. Yu listened to his breathing grow steady, then opened his eyes, he’d gotten his chance. Overnight, apart in space, not time, to truly feel if Jiang was serious.
Next morning, Jiang stood at the bedside, tying his tie. Jiang Yu rubbed his nose, surprised by the hour:
“So early?”
“Yes. I’m heading out. You keep sleeping.”
Jiang Yu lay in bed, watched him grab a coat:
“When are you back?”
Yu paused putting on his coat, then answered while buttoning:
“I won’t be back in the next few days.”
Jiang Yu froze, sitting up. “Not coming back? Is the schedule packed?”
Yu nodded. A hush fell.
Jiang Yu tightened his grip on the bed. “After you’re done, will you come back?”
Yu replied: “Yes.”
Jiang exhaled in relief:
“Then… safe travels.”
“Okay.”
Yu picked up his bag and headed out.
Jiang Yu got out of bed to see him off:
“Go back to sleep.”
Jiang Yu shook his head:
“I’m not sleepy.”
He watched Yu change shoes:
“Call me when you arrive.”
“Good.”
“Eat on time, rest too.”
“Okay.”
Yu stepped out, glanced back. Jiang Yu watched long, finally saying:
“Come back early.”
Yu replied with a soft smile: “I will.”
Downstairs, Yu entered the car bound for the airport. Ren accompanied him. On the ride:
“You okay? You usually never rest more than a month.”
Yu stared out the window:
“I’m fine.”
Ren was surprised. “No boredom?” Then realized: yoga and streaming filled much of it.
Yu glanced at his phone silently.
Ren stopped talking, focusing on the schedule. Yu’s recent days were jam-packed only brief free moments on flights. After landing, he dove into four straight days of work.
Yu called Jiang once with a brief check-in. Staff greeted at the airport. He was busy till the afternoon shoot. At makeup before a magazine cover session, he finally replied to Jiang’s message.
Jiang Yu had shared a photo of lunch. “This taste awful,” he wrote but he reminded Yu to eat.
Yu smiled and replied. Jiang Yu texted again:
“Are you busy? Have you eaten?”
Yu thought:
“I ate.”
Jiang asked:
“What did you eat?”
Yu answered:
“Lunch.”
Jiang teased:
“You sure you’re not lying?”
“Send me your address, I’ll order take-out.”
Yu sent the hotel. They’d worked together enough for Ren to notice:
“Finally you’re smiling, lover?”
Yu paused:
“No.”
Ren smiled, assured:
“I won’t tell.”
Yu didn’t correct him seemed too obvious.
Soon, delivery arrived. Ren picked it up clumsily it was for both Yu and staff. Everyone cheered. He brought Yu’s share:
“Jiang Yu is thoughtful told me to ask how many people. This place even delivers?”
Yu opened the food, feelings stirred.
Ren added:
“Looks like your favorites.”
Yu didn’t respond.
They worked until dark. Another delivery arrived; again, Ren got it:
“Forgot this one.”
Yu’s expression darkened. Being apart from Jiang meant distancing emotionally. Yu realized he had grown used to Jiang’s presence.
Despite Ren ordering for him, Jiang always ordered the same small dish. Ren joked:
“Favoritism alert!”
On the last day, Yu didn’t tell Jiang. On the drive back, Ren glanced differently:
“Something on your mind?”
Yu said:
“No.”
Ren didn’t press, drove him home. Yu got off alone. As he rode the elevator, his phone pinged:
“Still busy?” —a message from Jiang Yu.
The elevator door closed. Yu reached home and entered. Another ping.
Before he could open it, Jiang Yu called from the living room:
“Yu Shiqing?”
Jiang rushed forward, surprised:
“You’re home?”
Yu smiled, stepping forward:
“I’m back.”
Jiang Yu set down his phone, cleared his throat:
“Why didn’t you tell me? I missed you.”
Yu Shiqing answered:
“Me too.”
Jiang stopped in his tracks, startled:
“What?”
He hurried over, standing in front of Yu:
“You said you missed me?”
Yu placed his hands on Jiang’s shoulders:
“You said you missed me?”
Their bags fell to the floor with a thud.
Yu looked into Jiang’s bright eyes:
“Yes.”
The atmosphere felt right.
Yu Shiqing said:
“Yu Shiqing…”
Jiang smiled and gently touched the back of his neck. Before Yu could finish, Jiang pressed his lips softly:
A single kiss, his answer to the question left unasked.
