Chapter 188 Condoms and Sin Chili

Lu Yanhe was thin-skinned, and he dared not hide this matter from the beginning, because he could not hide it.

Shame is something you either have or you don't; it's innate. To cultivate it, you have to go through fire and water.

Lu Yanhe didn't know what would happen to him in the future, but for now, he didn't have the nerve to pretend he knew nothing and hadn't heard anything.

After Jiang Yuqian finished filming her last scene, Lu Yanhe stood by and waited for her.

Luo Xiaoyu stepped forward and handed Jiang Yuqian a tissue.

After filming the scene, Jiang Yuqian was sweating on her face and neck.

"Sister Yuqian," Lu Yanhe called out to her.

Jiang Yuqian looked at Lu Yanhe with some surprise and asked, "Did you need something from me?"

Lu Yanhe glanced to the side, hesitated for a moment, but still said, "Are you aware that there have been some rumors circulating about you and me on set lately?"

Jiang Yuqian was taken aback at first, then laughed and nodded, "Oh, I know about this. I heard about it a couple of days ago. You just found out?"

"Hmm." Lu Yanhe nodded, looking somewhat uneasy, and said, "I'm sorry, Sister Yuqian, I've caused you to be misunderstood as well."

“Misunderstandings are common, don’t take it to heart.” Jiang Yuqian gave him a reassuring look. “Don’t overthink it. You’ve finally finished work, go home and rest early.”

Jiang Yuqian didn't intend to discuss the matter further with him. After finishing her sentence, she took Luo Xiaoyu and prepared to leave.

The production crew provided her with a car, so she didn't have to wait for the shuttle bus; she could just get in and go back to the hotel.

Lu Yanhe breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Jiang Yuqian didn't seem to care about the matter at all.

-

"Look, did you see that?"

On a bus parked nearby, Cao Yong sat in the driver's seat and gestured with his chin to the person next to him.

Following his gaze, one could see Lu Yanhe.

"Look at his eyes. Who would believe he doesn't like Jiang Yuqian?" Cao said with the air of an experienced person. "Even actors who have been acting for a long time can't avoid developing feelings for each other on set, let alone a young actor like Lu Yanhe who is acting for the first time. He played Jiang Yuqian's lover in the play. How could he not be moved? I don't believe it."

Those around Cao Yong thought what he said made a lot of sense.

"Aside from the large age gap, the two of them are actually quite compatible in other aspects, and they look good together."

“That’s just a woman’s perspective. What level of star is Jiang Yuqian? What level is Lu Yanhe? How many couples with a weaker man and a stronger woman can last?” Cao Yong immediately retorted.

You're right.

Cao Yong looked at Lu Yanhe, who was still standing there dumbfounded, and clicked his tongue twice.

This young man, just beginning to experience love.

-

Lu Yanhe followed the shuttle bus to the hotel, but instead of going in directly, he went to a convenience store next door to buy some food.

He had a scene to film that night and missed dinner. By the time he could eat, the cafeteria had almost no food left, only a few takeout boxes.

Lu Yanhe ate a box, but he was still not full. He had been filming all day until after 11 p.m., so he was starving.

As soon as Lu Yanhe entered the convenience store, he bumped into Huang Kairen.

He was wearing a hood and a mask, making him almost unrecognizable.

However, Lu Yanhe bumped into him at the door and happened to see his eyes, recognizing him.

"Brother Ren!" Lu Yanhe greeted him with delight.

Huang Kairen quickly put the things he had bought into his pocket.

Lu Yanhe could only vaguely make out that it was a dark blue object, and he couldn't tell what it was.

Huang Kairen looked at him, smiled, and asked, "Are you done with work?"

"Mm." Lu Yanhe nodded.

"Get some rest." Huang Kairen nodded to him. "I'm going upstairs now."

"Oh, okay." Lu Yanhe nodded, stepped aside, and Huang Kairen hurriedly left.

Lu Yanhe found it a bit strange.

He seemed to be in a hurry, as if something was very urgent.

But what could be so urgent at this hour?

Lu Yanhe grabbed a sandwich, went to the counter to pay, and glanced at it out of the corner of his eye, then paused in surprise.

Next to the counter was a small shelf with a row of dark blue boxes with the words "Extra Lubrication" clearly written on them. Below that was the brand name, and below that was a line of small white text that included the words "Condoms".

"..." Lu Yanhe's gaze shifted downwards, and he remained stunned for a long time.

Did he see it wrong?

Did he see it wrong?

Lu Yanhe recalled the blurry figure that flashed before his eyes the moment he bumped into Huang Kairen.

I'm not sure.

Brother Ren... isn't he single?

-

After seeing everyone off, Cao Yong drove back with the other drivers. They then found a roadside restaurant, sat down together, ordered a plate of edamame and a dish of peanuts, and each opened a can of beer. They drank and chatted, and the conversation turned to the rumors circulating online.

“You guys didn’t see the innocent look on Lu Yanhe’s face,” Cao said with certainty. “Don’t make wild guesses, he’s definitely fallen for Jiang Yuqian.”

"So, according to you, he and Jiang Yuqian are really dating?"

"That's obvious!" Cao Yong nodded immediately. "Look at Jiang Yuqian's reaction. The news has been circulating online for days. If there was nothing between them, would Jiang Yuqian not be avoiding Lu Yanhe? Lu Yanhe is just a greenhorn who doesn't know anything. Doesn't she know everything?"

"The main thing is that they just don't look alike at all." A burly guy next to him looked incredulous. "Jiang Yuqian is such a proud and aloof woman, how could she like Lu Yanhe, that greenhorn?"

"Who told you they wouldn't like young, inexperienced men? These days, wealthy and powerful women also like young, handsome men," someone immediately retorted.

Cao Yong: "Exactly. These people in the entertainment industry all look glamorous, the men are handsome and the women are beautiful, and they all seem clean and innocent. But how many of them are truly clean and innocent? Don't they say that those divas often go out together to meet male models? It's like an emperor choosing his concubines. Once they have money, regardless of gender, they'll be attracted to beauty. Who knows, right now, there might be someone lying in someone's room in that hotel room."

-

Huang Kairen looked at the woman in front of him.

The woman in front of him was also looking at him.

Inside the room, the curtains were drawn, and they lay on the bed, their skin touching.

Even after it was all over, they were both covered in sweat, but neither of them wanted to separate. They stayed together, their breaths mingling with each other's.

"What if the online exposé really is about us?" Xin Zixing asked, her eyes still wet with tears, looking at the man standing right in front of her.

Huang Kairen remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "Then admit it."

When Xin Zixing heard Huang Kairen say those words, her eyes seemed to glisten with tears.

She hugged Huang Kairen and whispered, "It's okay. Even if you deny our relationship to the outside world, it doesn't matter, Kairen. I just hope you're doing well."

Huang Kairen sighed softly.

"I'm sorry, I've wronged you all these years."

"As long as you love me, I won't feel wronged." Xin Zixing smiled, her eyes filled with Huang Kairen.

-

Early morning.

Huang Kairen was already asleep.

Xin Zixing suddenly opened her eyes and, using the faint light shining in from the window, silently gazed at the man in front of her.

They have been dating for four years, which is quite a long time.

She wasn't an entertainer and didn't work in front of the camera. When they first met, Huang Kairen wasn't as famous as he is now; he was just a small-time actor who was mostly unemployed and spent most of his time at home. Back then, they spent a lot of time together and were very much in love.

Later, Huang Kairen became famous.

After they became famous, Huang Kairen's manager demanded that they not go public with their relationship, as it would affect Huang Kairen's career. After that, they kept it a secret from everyone; Xin Zixing didn't even tell her family that she had a boyfriend.

Hsin Tzu-hsing has experienced all the joys and sorrows of dating celebrities.

She also went from a confident girl to someone who became insecure and anxious.

Huang Kairen became the perfect male god in the hearts of countless girls. In comparison, Xin Zixing, who is a standard beauty in real life, became much less attractive.

Xin Zixing glanced at the sleeping Huang Kairen, got out of bed, picked up her phone which was charging on the bedside table, and walked towards the bathroom.

She logged into Weibo and switched accounts.

The login was successful very quickly.

There are still a lot of new comments today, and my private messages are almost overflowing.

Every day, countless people ask her who the person she's going to expose is, and who is pretending to be single.

Xin Zixing glanced at the private messages, then at the newly added comments, and looked up at her right.

To her right was a frosted glass wall, blocking her view of the bedroom, but her gaze seemed to penetrate the glass wall and reach the person on the other side.

--It doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter if you deny our relationship to outsiders.

—Kai Ren, I just hope you are doing well.

—As long as you love me, I won't feel wronged.

She spoke sincerely, but years of anxiety, worry, and panic prevented her from remaining rational at all times.

She sat in the bathroom for ten minutes before finally steeling herself and deleting her account.

-

The day after returning from Nanhe University, Lu Yanhe slept in, which was a rare occurrence for him.

However, what he called "lazy sleeping" was actually waking up at 8:30 in the morning.

For the past few days, I've had to get up early to film almost every day and come home late at night, so I'm exhausted.

There are no scenes featuring Lu Yanhe today, and not only today, but also tomorrow and the day after.

Lu Yanhe's main scenes were those at the school. After that, he filmed a conflict scene in the classroom and his most important scene protecting Guan Zhu. Then his filming for this drama was over.

Simply put, it's a role with very little screen time.

But the character's personality is so good, and she is so important to the female lead, Guan Zhu, that's why she's received so much attention.

With no filming scheduled for the next couple of days, Lu Yanhe decided to take a stroll around the city of Langhua.

I've always had a dream of traveling around the world, but I've already traveled through time before it came true.

I don't know if it will ever be possible.

Lu Yanhe went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast first.

It feels so good to be able to have breakfast at a leisurely pace without having to rush.

The hotel restaurant was quite crowded, with people coming and going.

Many people also recognized Lu Yanhe.

The film crew of "The Golden Era" booked three floors of rooms in this hotel, and all the guests staying at the hotel knew that there were celebrities there.

Unlike many movies and TV dramas where "celebrities are surrounded by fans wherever they go," in most cases, unless you are extremely famous, when you go out in your daily life, you will at most be recognized and asked to take a photo or sign an autograph.

Lu Yanhe was also recognized. Halfway through his breakfast, someone asked him to take a photo. Lu Yanhe was in a good mood, so he readily agreed. However, what was a bit awkward was that a mother with a junior high school student suddenly came over and pointed at Lu Yanhe to her son, saying, "This brother's grades are really good. He scored 657 points on the college entrance exam, which is enough to get into Zhenhua and Yuming schools. You should learn from this brother and stop playing games all day long."

It's not unusual to be said such things to someone's face, but what embarrassed Lu Yanhe was that the mother didn't give him any prior notice. She treated him like a decoration, pointing at him and starting to lecture her child. He didn't know whether to react or not.

There were many similar incidents, and Lu Yanhe became more and more used to them.

But at that moment, a beautiful woman with long black hair suddenly sat down opposite Lu Yanhe, holding a plate with toast, jam, and a fried egg on it.

She smiled slightly at Lu Yanhe and asked, "Is there anyone else sitting here?"

Lu Yanhe looked at her, her smile making him momentarily lost in thought. He only snapped out of it when he heard someone's voice, nodded, and said, "No."

"Don't be nervous. I'm not a reporter, nor am I here to ask for your autograph. Of course, I know you. You are Lu Yanhe, a celebrity. I know that."

Xin Zixing spoke so generously, her demeanor calm and open, which made Lu Yanhe feel inexplicably pressured.

Lu Yanhe nodded, smiled, and continued eating his noodles.

Xin Zixing was a little curious. She pointed to the noodles in front of Lu Yanhe and said, "I've seen online that celebrities rarely eat staple foods and only carbohydrates to maintain their figure. You actually eat noodles?"

Lu Yanhe grunted and shook his head, "I didn't do that."

"It seems the news online isn't true either." Xin Zixing laughed. "I heard you're filming right now, don't you have to film today?"

Lu Yanhe: "I don't have any filming assignments today."

"I see." Xin Zixing finished her toast and fried egg while chatting with Lu Yanhe, wiped her hands, and said, "Then you can eat slowly, I'm done, bye-bye."

Xin Zixing stood up, smiled at Lu Yanhe, and turned to leave.

Five minutes after everyone had left, Lu Yanhe was still in a state of inexplicable confusion.

What puzzled him was why a stranger would chat with him so naturally and casually for ten minutes from the very beginning, as if they were very familiar with each other.

Moreover, he actually continued chatting with her, asking and answering her questions.

Lu Yanhe was not an outgoing person like She Niu, nor did he have the ability to chat and laugh with strangers. He was puzzled by this beautiful woman and by his own behavior just now.

-

After having breakfast, Lu Yanhe slung his backpack over his shoulder, put on his fisherman's hat, and left the hotel.

He didn't notice that a tail was following him.

Xin Zixing's attention to Lu Yanhe was completely unexpected.

Huang Kairen went to film a movie and wasn't at the hotel; she was alone.

Xin Zixing had originally planned to leave today; she couldn't stay overnight at Huang Kairen's place any longer. This morning, when she left Huang Kairen's room, she was extremely cautious, feeling guilty and afraid that the people next door would see her coming from Huang Kairen's room.

But the moment Xin Zixing saw Lu Yanhe at the restaurant, another thought crossed her mind. She had been hiding behind Huang Kairen, remaining invisible, even afraid to appear beside him when others were present. Why not give herself a legitimate reason?

Xin Zixing knew about Lu Yanhe because he was really popular recently.

She followed Lu Yanhe in order to create a chance encounter with him.

Too much of a good thing can be bad. After a few chance encounters and becoming familiar with each other, she could naturally get to know Lu Yanhe better.

Xin Zixing is a website editor. She used to work for a fashion magazine, but the magazine stopped publishing due to low sales. So she changed jobs and became an editor for a website, where she was in charge of the fashion section.

Because of her work and her relationship with Huang Kai-ren, Hsin Tzu-hsing has a much better understanding of the entertainment industry than the average person.

Even without Huang Kairen's influence, Xin Zixing would still want to get to know Lu Yanhe, a top student idol who suddenly became popular this summer.

Because he has a story.

-

Lu Yanhe had his first chance encounter with Xin Zixing at a secondhand bookstore.

He was surprised, and Xin Zixing's expression was even more surprised.

"What a coincidence! Did you come here specifically to browse this bookstore?" Xin Zixing asked Lu Yanhe.

She was holding an old fashion magazine.

Lu Yanhe shook his head and said, "I just happened to come here. What a coincidence."

He felt a mixture of indescribable confusion.

Xin Zixing nodded. "I thought you were like me, here specifically to hunt for used books. I watched your live stream, and I heard you really enjoy reading novels."

“I… I sometimes read novels when I have nothing to do.” Lu Yanhe’s gaze fell on the fashion magazine in Xin Zixing’s hand. It was a magazine from more than ten years ago. He was a little surprised and said, “A fashion magazine from more than ten years ago, you still want to read it?”

Xin Zixing said, "Oh, this is for my job. I used to work at a fashion magazine, but now I've switched to being a website editor. However, I'm still responsible for clothing and fashion. I'm currently working on a project that involves digging out some classic fashion elements from old magazines."

Lu Yanhe's face showed a look of sudden realization.

"So that's how it is."

Xin Zixing took the magazine to the owner to settle the bill.

"I'm leaving, bye-bye." Xin Zixing nodded to Lu Yanhe and left.

Lu Yanhe watched her departing figure thoughtfully. She was very thin and wearing a white fitted vest. As she walked into the sunlight, she seemed to blend into the whiteness.

The phone rang at that very moment, interrupting his thoughts.

"Old Lu, are you filming on set right now?" It was Li Zhibai.

Lu Yanhe: "I don't have any scenes to film today, so I'll just wander around outside."

“What a coincidence! Yan Liang and I came to Langhua to visit you on set,” Li Zhibai said. “Where are you now? Send me your location and we’ll come find you.”

Lu Yanhe was overjoyed.

Half an hour later, Li Zhibai's car appeared on the side of the road.

Lu Yanhe got into the car, feeling quite excited.

"You two are really considerate, choosing this time to visit the set." Lu Yanhe chuckled.

Yan Liang sat in the passenger seat and said, "We were planning to go to the film set to find you and bring you a car full of milk tea and snacks to feed the crew and give you a good show, but we didn't expect you to not be filming today."

On set, actors' friends often visit, bringing tea, snacks, and drinks.

At this time, there will also be banners that read "XXXX invites everyone to eat/drink XX".

Lu Yanhe met Huang Kairen once during the filming of "The Golden Era." It was when Huang Kairen's friend visited the set and brought everyone iced plum juice and fried chicken.

But more often than not, the lead actors themselves pay out of their own pockets to give everyone a treat.

After listening to them, Lu Yanhe smiled and thanked them a few times, then said, "It's better not to spend any more money. It's just a publicity stunt, too much of a loss."

He wasn't a lead actor in "The Golden Era," so there was no need for him to steal the spotlight from the main actors.

-

Because Li Zhibai was driving, Lu Yanhe's range of activities expanded significantly.

He searched online for places worth visiting in Langhua, and the results were all tourist attractions or landmarks.

These are not the places Lu Yanhe wants to go to.

He preferred to go to a secondhand bookstore that he had stumbled upon that morning.

"Have you not been working these past few days? How come you have time to come here?" Lu Yanhe asked.

Yan Liang said, "We both happen to be free today and tomorrow, so we came. But we have to go back tomorrow afternoon because Li Zhibai has a shoot the day after tomorrow."

"The timing is really perfect; I haven't been filming these past few days either," Lu Yanhe said. "Have you been to Langhua before?"

"without."

"Then let's go shopping together."

"By the way, didn't someone named Victor post a message online saying that the lead actor of your 'Golden Era' wasn't single? That person deleted his account late last night," Li Zhibai said. "Everyone says it was a successful PR move. You were on set, did you hear anything?"

Lu Yanhe shook his head and said, "Don't say anymore. Many people in the crew actually think this news is about Sister Yuqian and me. Just because Sister Yuqian usually takes good care of me, it has become an ambiguous relationship in other people's mouths."

"You and Jiang Yuqian? Huh? Who said that?" Li Zhibai asked incredulously. "I've seen similar claims online before, but isn't that just them spreading rumors?"

"The people in the crew don't think so," Lu Yanhe sighed helplessly.

Li Zhibai looked even more puzzled.

“I thought you were on set and knew more about this,” he said.

Lu Yanhe also found it strange: "Why are you so curious about this?"

Li Zhibai wasn't actually that gossipy about people and things that didn't concern him; most of the time he was too lazy to listen.

This time, they were surprisingly proactive in wanting to know the details.

Li Zhibai: "Just asking."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Yan Liang came to his chagrin.

"He's so curious about this because Sister Qiuling asked him about it," Yan Liang said immediately. "Officer Qiu is a fan of Huang Kairen, and she really wants to know if this person who is no longer single is Huang Kairen."

Lu Yanhe originally wanted to say it was impossible, but the image of that dark blue thing from yesterday suddenly flashed through his mind, and he couldn't say the words.

It's not impossible for Huang Kairen to do it.

Lu Yanhe clicked his tongue and immediately looked at Li Zhibai with disdain.

"Why doesn't Sister Qiuling ask me, someone from the 'Golden Era' crew, but instead asks you?"

Li Zhi sighed impatiently and said, "It was just a casual question, why are there so many questions?"

Yan Liang is sabotaging us again.

"That's because he chats with Officer Qiu every day."

Lu Yanhe looked at Li Zhibai in disbelief, "Do you have to be so dramatic?"

The age gap between Li Zhibai and Qiu Ling isn't that big, but... they just don't look like a good match.

Li Zhibai is like a poodle with its fur standing on end; he's really not suited to be in the same frame as Officer Qiu Ling, who sometimes has a mature and sophisticated image.

Lu Yanhe knew before that Li Zhibai was somewhat interested in Qiu Ling, but he didn't expect him to be this interested.

Are you sending messages to people every day?

Li Zhi glared at Yan Liang, both embarrassed and angry.

"If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute!"

Yan Liang laughed and made a gesture as if he were zipping up his mouth.

At this point, Lu Yanhe finally found a place online that he was somewhat interested in.

"There's a place called Qing Shi Qiao here. It's a stone arch bridge that's over two hundred years old. Shall we go take a look?"

There is nothing wrong with Li Zhi and Yan Liang.

Qingshi Bridge is just a 20-minute drive away.

The area around Langhua is not very developed to begin with, and it looks even less developed.

It's even a bit desolate.

The roadside is lined with low, single-story houses.

When they arrived at the Qing Shi Bridge, they saw that it was actually just a small stone bridge about five meters long. Underneath the bridge, it didn't really feel like a river, but rather a slightly wider stream with water no more than half a meter high. The stones and aquatic plants at the bottom of the river were clearly visible.

I was somewhat disappointed.

However, at least I've been here.

The three of them took a selfie together in front of the more than two-hundred-year-old bluestone bridge, their smiles beaming.

When they're together, they don't actually need to go to any particularly exciting places.

Wherever they go, they're happy, as long as they're together.

For lunch, they returned to a more bustling area of ​​the city.

The restaurant was chosen by Yan Liangxuan.

On the riverbank, in an antique-style building, upon ascending the steps, a figure in the outdoor courtyard looks remarkably familiar.

Lu Yanhe looked at her in astonishment, his expression so surprised that Li Zhibai and Yan Liang were completely baffled.

Although the woman was beautiful, he didn't know her. Why was Lu Yanhe so surprised?

At this moment, the woman seemed to notice the gaze. She had been looking down at her phone, but she looked up and gazed at him with a hint of confusion.

Her eyes met Lu Yanhe's.

This time, even she herself was somewhat surprised.

After watching Lu Yanhe get into the car, Xin Zixing originally wanted to take a taxi to follow him, but she couldn't get one for a long time, so she gave up. She came here by herself to have lunch and read for a while, planning to go back in the afternoon. She never expected that Lu Yanhe would appear here.

This coincidence was so strange that she wondered for a moment if he was also following her while she was following him.

Could he have fallen for her?

(End of this chapter)