Chapter 4: Don't get undressed in front of your bodyguard

What exactly did Xi Zirui get himself in with Han Yu?

It's better for him not to ask too many questions and try to get Han Yu out of the room as soon as possible.

"Of course, the photographers," Xi Zirui says, smiling. "I'm sorry, my head is killing me. Maybe we can talk tomorrow?"

Han Yu doesn't move from the bed. "Tomorrow I was thinking we could have a meal together, not only for the behind the scenes filming, that will eventually come out after the drama, but also in full view of the fansite photographers. Maybe I could feed you a few bites." He wiggles his eyebrows at Xi Zirui, smirking mischievously.

He can only nod in agreement, while pretending like any of those words make any sense to him. Is that something actors do? Pretend to be romantically involved to generate online speculation and, what, get trending on weibo?

Han Yu doesn't seem to notice anything unusual about Xi Zirui's behavior and continues talking, "You know those two who filmed 'Shizun, this disciple will have to kill you?', last year?"

"Uh uh," Xi Zirui nods, completely clueless.

"Well, they went public with their relationship last week, and now they have 5 new endorsement deals, and are even going to be brand ambassadors for three multinationals in their overseas advertising campaigns." Han Yu's grin threatens to split the corners of his mouth. "I think if the drama does well, we should confirm a relationship six months after it finishes airing."

Han Yu is wasted as an actor, Xi Zirui thinks, while trying not to look too obviously judgmental. He should have been a mercenary.

"But aren't they in an actual relationship?" Xi Zirui asks, hoping to the heavens they are, or he'll lose all faith in humanity.

"I guess, but what does that have to do with us? We'll just get our money, and then say we broke up after enough time passes," Han Yu says, leaning back on the bed with a smirk.

Xi Zirui hums, faking interest. "Great idea, we'll talk about it another day. I really need to sleep now, if you don't mind."

Han Yu finally gets up from the bed, and struts to the bedroom door, his hands in his pockets, as if he's going down a catwalk.

He stops just inside the room, while Xi Zirui holds the door open for him.

"You know, if you're having second thoughts about faking a relationship for popularity, we don't have too," Han Yu says suddenly, his smile surprisingly candid.

That would make Xi Zirui's life much easier. He breathes a sigh of relief.

"Yes, that woul-"

"We don't have to fake it I mean," he continues, his smile morphing into a lascivious smirk, as his eyes run over Xi Zirui's chest, where the two ends of the bathing robe don't quite meet. "Your personality sucks, but I can't say you're not easy on the eyes."

Before Xi Zirui has a chance to react, Han Yu draws him by the front of his robe, and plants a searing kiss on his lips.

Somewhere down the hotel's hallway, Xi Zirui sees a camera flash go off.

He draws away from Han Yu in a panic, and darts an anxious look across to corridor to see if someone saw them.

Two doors away, Su Xueyi is holding a keycard in one hand and takeout in the other, frozen in front of his room door. When their eyes meet, he raises the fingers of the hand holding the keycard to Xi Zirui in awkward greeting.

Xi Zirui moves back into his room, staring wide eyed at Han Yu.

"Sleep well," Han Yu says, and pulls the door closed in front of Xi Zirui's stunned face.

---

As soon as the door closes, Ni Ni chimes, "Host, please remember not to fall in love with the Main Lead Actor."

"He's the one who kissed me!" Xi Zirui says, exasperated. Then again how can he expect a machine to understand nuance.

He ignores her warning, and decides instead to investigate what is already being said about him and Han Yu on social media.

Pulling up weibo on the holo screen, he steels himself for a deep dive into the world of celebrity gossip.

What he finds is eye-opening to say the least.

Hundreds of candid pictures of him and Han Yu, taken directly on set, by the illegal photographers he mentioned, he can only assume.

Anyone looking at these pictures would think that Xi Zirui and Han Yu were flirting with each other. In one picture he's leaning into Han Yu while laughing at whatever he's saying. In the other, Han Yu has his arm around his waist as he helps him navigate a flight of stairs in his costume.

But perhaps the most damning of all is the one where Han Yu takes Xi Zirui's hand in his and brings it to his lips, looking heatedly into Xi Zirui's bashful eyes.

The speculation in multiple threads under these photos is no less enlightening.

Mei Li: I knew it! Han Yu only auditioned to the role of Xiu Xianren because he was in love with Xi Zirui

Lu Ping: Wasn't Han Yu dating that actress from his previous drama? Now he moved on to Xi Zirui?

Mei Li: Everyone knows he was only with her for publicity. He and Xi Zirui are the real deal.

Xi Zirui has to laugh at that. Poor Mei Li, he'd hate to burst her bubble, but he could bet his last yuan that Han Yu has never been in a relationship that didn't start because of publicity.

DarkPeony: I can't blame Han Yu, Xi Zirui is so dreamy!! He always looks so ethereal and otherworldly in his photoshoots.

123123123: I think Xi Zirui is the lucky one! Han Yu is one hot piece of ass, anyway good for them.

HaiYaomei88: I'm just glad that their chemistry seems to be this good. 'Evil sect leader, I'll make you fall in love with me!' deserves a good adaptation.

XiuXianren1: I don't think that Xi Zirui is good enough to play our amazing evil little shidi, but if at least he and Han Yu can portray the relationship in a convincing manner, I'll be happy.

Mei Li: I'm just glad the drama brought the two of them together <333

Lu Ping: @ Mei Li, Are you interested in the drama at all, or just here for the actor cp?

Mei Li: HanZi forever <333

After reading a dozen variations of this same exchange, Xi Zirui finally logs off weibo and calls it a day. He at least understands why Han Yu is so adamant in both of them putting up this front for the public. Their names have been trending on weibo for weeks, and "Demonic sect leader, I'll make you fall in love with me!", is at the top of the most anticipated upcoming dramas for several weeks running.

He chances a longing glance at a switch thrown over the sofa, but decides it's in his best interests to sleep if he wants to have a fighting chance at looking like a halfway competent actor tomorrow.

Xi Zirui is just getting comfortable in the massive bed, having made a cocoon with the comforter around himself. When a sudden thought enters his mind.

"Fuck, the lines!" he shoots up in bed with a start, and lets out a pained groan.

He turns on the side table lamps and gets up to fetch the script.

He'll have a long night ahead of him.

---

Xi Zirui fell asleep sometime just before dawn, and it feels like not long after someone is banging loudly on his door.

He puts on a thin robe, and opens the door to what looks like an army of makeup artists.

They all greet him politely, but barge inside the the room without much fanfare, dragging him along with them to the front of large vanity.

Everyone starts working on his wig and face at the same time, and there's nothing else he can do besides stay as still as possible and let them do their work.

He hears the rustling of a plastic bag, and cracks one eye open to see Su Xueyi approaching.

"I brought you breakfast," he says, raising the bag towards Xi Zirui.

Xi Zirui takes it and opens it to find sweet, carbonated soy milk, and sweet bean filled baozi.

Uh, the original Xi Zirui has a real sweet tooth.

Su Xueyi must notice his apprehension while looking at the contents of the bag, and asks. "Is everything okay? Your assistant told me these were your favourites."

"No, no, it's fine," he says, popping open the metal tab on the soy milk and pushing a straw inside. "Uhm, speaking of which, shouldn't she be here?"

Ni Ni informed him yesterday that his assistant was called Li Siqi. She didn't have much information on her relationship with the original Xi Zirui, but it only took an educated guess to conclude they were not close.

Su Xueyi's next words confirm it. "She bought everything herself, but told me it would be better if I brought it to your rooms."

"I'll be sure to thank her later," Xi Zirui says, feeling bad on Li Siqi's behalf, even though it's not his fault their relationship isn't good.

He continues to have his drink in silence while the makeup artists and hairdressers work on him. The mood is somewhat stilted, no doubt because everyone has already heard about the kiss.

Su Xueyi stands to the side with his hands shoved inside the pockets of his slim fit pants. Xi Zirui can't help noticing that for a bodyguard he's always very stylishly dressed.

After what feels like three hours, his makeup and hair are finally done. On the upside, he thinks he's starting to get used to the extra weight on top of his head, on the downside, he feels like he's wearing a mask with how thick his skin feels.

Everyone leaves except Su Xueyi, and Xi Zirui goes back inside the bedroom to put on some clothes to go to set.

He starts getting changed in the middle in the room, and it's not until he hears the sharp intake of breath coming from Su Xueyi and the sound of his socks moving on the carpet as he turns his back to him that he realizes he was doing it in full view of him.

Is he being weird because he saw the kiss? Su Xueyi seems like such a nice person, it would be very disappointing if he turned out to be a homophobe.

Xi Zirui finishes putting on his clothes, plain back shorts and a printed t-shirt, and tells Su Xueyi "Let's go," perhaps more frostily than necessary.

All hell breaks loose as soon as they step outside the hotel's glass doors.

There are hundreds of gathered people outside the hotel, all of them screaming over each other, and holding microphones and cameras in front of Xi Zirui's face.

He freezes, completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people. Su Xueyi opens a black umbrella in front of his face, and pushes him forward towards a waiting car, with a hand on the small of his back.

"Xi Zirui, are the rumours about an intimate relationship between you and Han Yu true?", someone screams as he makes his way through the crowd.

"Don't say anything, don't look at them, don't acknowledge them," Su Xueyi says, whispering the words close to Xi Zirui's ear.

He manages to crawl into the backseat of the car in a daze, Su Xueyi climbing in after him, the last thing he hears, before Su Xueyi closes the car door is someone shouting:

"Xi Zirui, what do you think about the rumours that Han Yu has a child with another actress?"