Chapter 031
On the day of the costume photo shoot, Ming Huai was in excellent form; without needing any direction from the photographer, he kept gravitating toward Ji Tingqian. Ji Tingqian, on the other hand, seemed to have misplaced his professionalism entirely. Whenever Ming Huai drew near, he would stiffen his entire body and wear a stern expression.
The photographer mentioned this issue repeatedly, yet the atmosphere between the two remained consistently off.
Eventually, Fu Hairong, watching from the sidelines, could no longer hold back. He blurted out urgently, “Tingqian, in this drama, you two are brothers bound by life and death! Look at the way you’re gazing at Ming Huai—it’s all wrong! What is going on with you?!”
Ji Tingqian was rarely reprimanded by a director. Realizing his mistake this time, he immediately refocused and began reflecting on his behavior. Fu Hairong observed all of this; knowing that shooting while their dynamics were off would inevitably yield unsatisfactory results, he decided to let Ji Tingqian take a short break.
During this time, Ji Tingqian touched up his makeup on the side. Though his eyes were closed, he couldn’t shake the feeling of a gaze firmly pinned upon him. Suddenly opening his eyes and glancing sideways, he caught Ming Huai looking at him with an expression of utter openness. The other man’s eyes didn’t flinch or dodge; he was staring so blatantly it was almost audacious.
Before long, Ji Tingqian subtly shifted his gaze away. He closed his eyes once more, and when he opened them again, they had returned to their usual state—calm and unruffled as a still well.
The rest of the filming proceeded smoothly. Ji Tingqian unleashed his presence completely. It was Ming Huai’s first time collaborating with him in this capacity, and the other man’s serious demeanor forced Ming Huai to respond with equal professionalism. There was simply no time, nor any room, for playful teasing.
No one could detect the subtle undercurrents between the two. As the afternoon drew to a close, Fu Hairong was undoubtedly the most delighted. Watching their seamless chemistry, he felt only certainty that he had chosen the right actors for the role.
By early August, filming was set to begin. After returning home that day, Ming Huai devoted himself even more earnestly to studying the script. A stack of A4 pages lay before him, marked up in various colored pens; beneath key lines of dialogue, he had jotted down numerous notes—clear evidence of the intense effort he had invested.
Ming Huai’s thoughts were simple: Ji Tingqian was so outstanding that he, standing beside him, had to strive just as hard. Even if he couldn’t be equally brilliant, the gap between them couldn’t be too wide; otherwise, the label of “clinging” that Ji Tingqian’s fans had pinned on him would become undeniable truth.
This state persisted until just before filming began. Since the young general in the movie was portrayed as a slender, refined youth, his physique needed to be quite lean. Among all the artists, Ming Huai already belonged to the slimmer category, yet no matter how thin he was, once dressed in ancient costumes and captured through the camera’s lens distortion, his figure would still appear slightly off.
To prevent this from happening, Ming Huai still chose to lose weight before joining the production—not much, just two kilograms.
Before he joined the crew, Aunt Chen prepared a lavish meal for him. Knowing the peculiar demands of Ming Huai’s profession, she didn’t press him to eat much; she simply wanted him to enjoy a few bites and indulge his taste buds.
Little Dudu, unusually this time, showed no reluctance to part with Ming Huai. Although his big, watery eyes still gazed fixedly at his father, his mood remained surprisingly cheerful.
That evening, Dudu wrapped his arms around Ming Huai’s neck and asked, “Dad, are you going with Uncle Ji this time?”
“That’s right,” Ming Huai replied, gently tapping Dudu’s nose.
Ming Huai had told Dudu about this trip long ago. Back then, Dudu had eagerly asked if he could come along too. Naturally, Ming Huai had refused, leaving Dudu upset for a little while. He had even complained that both his dad and Uncle Ji were being mean and didn’t want him anymore.
In truth, it’s common for family members to visit actors on set during filming. However, Ming Huai’s situation was somewhat special. With only Aunt Chen looking after Dudu at home, and given the considerable attention Ming Huai attracted within the industry, bringing Dudu to the film set carried risks. Even if the probability of someone malicious targeting his son was slim, Ming Huai simply couldn’t bear to take that chance.
Dudu squinted and smiled, saying in his soft, childish voice, “Then Uncle Ji must take care of Daddy!”
“Why?” Ming Huai asked, slightly surprised.
“I’m worried Daddy might feel unwell,” Dudu said, scrunching up his little nose.
This incident had happened last year. Back then, Ming Huai hadn’t adjusted well to the local climate and environment upon arrival; within just one week, he developed a high fever overnight. Since he was living alone, his assistant didn’t notice anything amiss until the next morning. By the time they discovered it, Ming Huai was already delirious from the fever. Afterwards, he suffered on and off with recurring symptoms for several days before finally recovering.
So much time had passed, yet Ming Huai never expected Dudu to remember everything so clearly. His heart ached with a tender sweetness as he repeatedly murmured, “Alright, alright, it’s all good.”
Early the next morning, Yu Bin arrived downstairs with Tang Lily to pick him up. Their destination was quite far away, with the primary filming location situated in a small town in the south. Consequently, they had to pack an excessive amount of belongings; even after sorting through everything and shipping some items ahead, they still ended up filling two large 28-inch suitcases.
Dudu was still asleep, so Ming Huai didn’t wake him. Instead, he instructed Aunt Chen, “Make sure he attends his piano lessons. If he misses me, just give me a call, and I’ll video chat with him.” Then, remembering something else, he added, “If I’m on set and can’t answer, please call Ji Tingqian instead.”
Ming Huai figured that Dudu would be happy to see either one of them.
Yu Bin escorted Tang Lili and Ming Huai to the airport, and after settling all arrangements, he returned to the company. Yu Fanglan, Mi Wei, and Yu Bin would arrive at the filming location three days later.
Fu Hairong’s team had departed a week earlier. As fate would have it, Xu Hanchao and Yu Fanglan reached an agreement: Ming Huai and Ji Tingqian would travel on the same flight, each accompanied by only one assistant. They were to keep a low profile, maintain strict confidentiality regarding their itinerary, and look out for one another along the way.
Yu Fanglan had consulted Ming Huai about this arrangement, and Ming Huai, naturally delighted, readily agreed. Ji Tingqian raised no objections either, and thus their travel plans were finalized.
Upon arriving at the VIP lounge, Ming Huai spotted Ji Tingqian wearing a baseball cap. He wasn’t scrolling through his phone; instead, he leaned back on the sofa with his head bowed—a posture entirely consistent with his usual demeanor.
Ji Tingqian was lost in thought; he had only learned today that he would be traveling with Ming Huai. As for why the party involved found out only now, the reason lay in Ji Tingqian’s habit of never concerning himself with trivial matters—such arrangements had always been left to Xu Hanchao to decide.
Suddenly, a pair of white canvas shoes appeared in Ji Tingqian’s line of sight. Looking up, he saw a refreshingly simple Ming Huai, dressed in a white pullover short-sleeve shirt and beige casual pants, carrying a backpack. His mask hung halfway down his face, revealing one side adorned with a dimple. This outfit made Ming Huai look like a high school student of seventeen or eighteen.
“Ji Tingqian,” Ming Huai called out with a smile, his dimple deepening.
Ji Tingqian lifted his chin slightly and said, “Have a seat first; we still have to wait a while longer.”
Ming Huai sat down readily, pressing close against Ji Tingqian. The sensation of their arms touching sent a tingling warmth through Ming Huai’s heart, lifting his spirits immensely. Uncharacteristically, Ji Tingqian remained still; he likely knew that no matter how far he moved, Ming Huai would inevitably draw near again.
Just as Ming Huai settled in, Tang Lily headed to the restroom, and Ji Tingqian’s assistant had also disappeared somewhere, leaving only the two of them in that moment.
Ming Huai glanced around, then leaned even closer to Ji Tingqian. A beautiful smile played on his lips, his eyes clear and bright. “Brother,” he said softly.
“Brother?!” Ji Tingqian’s body stiffened, followed by a sigh of helplessness. What kind of mischief was she up to now?
Sure enough, the next second, Ming Huai teased, “Brother Ji, just rehearsing lines.”
Ji Tingqian calmed his emotions. All he could do now was adapt. Over time, he had caught glimpses of Ming Huai’s true nature; her stubbornness far exceeded his expectations. Once she set her mind on something, she wouldn’t turn back until she hit a wall.
In truth, Ming Huai wasn’t that bold. Once the assistants returned, she became much more restrained, addressing him as “Brother Ji” with every breath, acting utterly obedient.
Ji Tingqian’s assistant was also a woman, slightly older than Ming Huai. Due to the online controversies between Ming Huai and Ji Tingqian in the past, she had never held much fondness for Ming Huai. However, after just a few interactions like this, she was only a hair’s breadth away from becoming a devoted fan.
Once aboard the plane, Ming Huai finally settled down. Perhaps exhausted, he leaned against the seat, his head nodding gently as if all strength had drained from his body.
Ji Tingqian sat right beside him, and it wasn’t long before Ming Huai drifted off to sleep. The assistant sat a short distance away; the two young women huddled together, chattering animatedly about something unknown. Ji Tingqian didn’t disturb them, instead reaching for a small blanket from the side to cover Ming Huai.
Whenever Ming Huai fell asleep, he instinctively sought warmth. Unable to control his movements, he unconsciously leaned toward Ji Tingqian. Since waking him was out of the question, Ji Tingqian had no choice but to allow the person beside him to continue these unconscious actions.
Holding this position for so long left both Ming Huai and Ji Tingqian uncomfortable. Feeling the ache spreading through one arm, Ji Tingqian frowned slightly. After glancing at Ming Huai, who was sleeping soundly, his frown deepened.
Without further hesitation, Ji Tingqian awkwardly yet carefully shifted Ming Huai’s body, drawing him completely into his embrace. The strain on his arm eased, and Ming Huai seemed to sleep even more peacefully.
Tang Lili had arrived at some point without either of them noticing. Her eyes widened as she stared at the pair, her face a mask of sheer astonishment. She dared not even breathe loudly. What was she seeing? What exactly was she witnessing!
Tang Lili felt a sudden urge to capture this moment on camera. The next time anyone claimed that Ming Huai and Ji Tingqian were on bad terms, she would shove this photo right in their faces. Look! Take a good, hard look! Ask yourself honestly, does this resemble a strained relationship?!
“What’s wrong?” Ji Tingqian asked softly.
Tang Lili snapped out of her daze, shaking her head vigorously like a wind-blown drum. Whatever had been troubling her before now seemed utterly insignificant. “Nothing, nothing at all,” she murmured.
Ji Tingqian nodded slightly before lowering his gaze back to the magazine in his hands. The blanket draped over Ming Huai’s shoulders slipped down a little; he noticed immediately, setting the magazine aside to gently pull it back up.
Every one of these gestures was witnessed by Tang Lili. She made a mental note: once they reached the hotel and she had a moment alone with Ming Huai, she would definitely tell him everything. Look how gentle Brother Ji is—nothing like the rumors we usually hear!