The next day, Xiao Lu “used the emperor’s power to command the princes” and forced Su Chengyang to trick her cousin brother into treating her to a big meal.
As a result, she was even happier than Su Chengyang and Lin Yu, the two parties involved. She drank so much that she became unconscious. When she returned, Su Chengyang had to take care of her.
Her relationship with Lin Yu was not much different from before. During work hours, Lin Yu was still strict, and if Su Chengyang took a few more bites, he would gently reprimand her. But when there was no one around, he would find a way to make Su Chengyang happy.
Su Chengyang didn’t like getting angry in the first place. If she was upset, she would calm down after a few minutes, let alone when facing Lin Yu. Just looking at his face, Su Chengyang would lose her anger.
After a two-day break, Lin Yu hired an assistant for her to accompany her on set.
Lin Yu couldn’t stay on the set all the time. He occasionally came to take a glance at her, brought some food and milk tea for the other actors on the set, and asked them to take care of Su Chengyang.
The filming of this drama lasted for three months and only ended right before the New Year. On the day of the wrap-up, the entire cast gathered together to have a hot pot dinner, and Lin Yu also rushed over.
The steam from the hot pot dispelled the chill in the air. Everyone’s faces were filled with joy. The actors and staff gathered together to chat and drink, creating a lively atmosphere.
“Chengyang, you’re amazing! You just posted on Weibo that we wrapped up filming, and it instantly became a hot topic.” The assistant director raised his glass to her and laughed, with his eyes barely visible.
“Who is our Chengyang? Even going out to watch a movie can become a hot topic.”
Su Chengyang smiled awkwardly and said, “It’s precisely because of this that I always get criticized, saying that I’m taking up public resources.”
Lin Yu sat on her right side and cooked a piece of fatty beef for her, putting it in her bowl.
“This proves that you’re popular. The movie you previously starred in, <Sludge>, just won the Flying Fish Award. Weren’t you also nominated?”
After the release of <Sludge>, it became a surprise hit at the box office this year. The character Yun Xiaoxi played by Su Chengyang was hailed as the nation’s first love. Netizens voted her as one of the top three most popular characters, alongside two previous winners of the Flying Fish Award for Best Actor and Best Actress.
“Do you remember Tian Rong, who framed you before? She recently bought a press release and spread rumors everywhere, claiming that she was more suitable for the role of Yun Xiaoxi. I guess she wanted to make a comeback, but she was criticized by netizens and pushed back.”
Su Chengyang doesn’t like to talk about irrelevant people, so she lowers her head and remains silent.
Lin Yu glanced at her, poured some tea into the cup, stood up, and everyone else quieted down, their gaze focused on him.
“Thank you all for taking care of Chengyang these days. I offer you a cup of tea in place of wine.” Lin Yu raised his head and drank the tea, putting an end to their conversation.
“Mr. Lin, this is where you’re wrong. You’ve been secretly dating without saying a word to us for so long, and you think you can brush it off with a cup of tea?”
The matter of Su Chengyang and Lin Yu dating was not deliberately hidden from those around them. Su Chengyang initially wanted to keep it low-key, but Lin Yu didn’t care at all. He did whatever he wanted without considering whether there were others around.
Others had long noticed that something was off between them, but it wasn’t until the screenwriter strongly suggested adding an intimate scene between Su Chengyang and the actor playing the male lead that Su Chengyang outright refused.
The screenwriter didn’t give up and thought Su Chengyang was unprofessional. He complained to Lin Yu, hoping he could persuade Su Chengyang. Lin Yu said, “I talked to the director before signing the contract, and there will be no unauthorized intimate scenes. That’s why I let Chengyang take on this role.”
The screenwriter said, “But the plot requires…”
“If the plot requires it, you can find a stand-in. Su Chengyang and I are in a romantic relationship, and I won’t let other men get close to her.”
The screenwriter: “???”
Can this be said?
The screenwriter was a bigger gossip than Xiao Lu, and the next day, the news spread throughout the entire crew. There were also vague rumors of Su Chengyang’s relationship online, but they never responded.
Lin Yu helplessly said, “Lu Yin is having dinner with her comrades, and Xiao Song was instructed to go home by me. Tonight, I’ll have to send Chengyang home myself, so I can’t drink.”
“Why not call a designated driver?”
Lin Yu shook his head and said, “I haven’t seen Chengyang for a long time, and I want some alone time with her.”
“What does Mr. Lin mean by this? Are we all just light bulbs?”
The people in the private room started making a fuss and teasing Lin Yu.
Su Chengyang lowered her head and continued eating as if she hadn’t heard.
After these months of getting along, Su Chengyang knew that Lin Yu was far from being as pure and polite as he appeared. Occasionally, when he said something outrageous, Su Chengyang was no longer surprised.
After the attention of the crowd shifted, they began discussing who in the entertainment industry was dating whom, and which top star had secretly married and even had children.
“The beef is gone.” Su Chengyang bumped Lin Yu’s arm and pointed to the empty plate.
Lin Yu chuckled and pinched her cheek, “After taking care of you like this, how do you plan to repay me?”
Su Chengyang learned a few vulgar phrases from him and casually replied, “Isn’t offering myself not enough?”
At first, Su Chengyang wasn’t as relaxed and uninhibited when facing him, but Lin Yu knew this and deliberately indulged her. Now that she was getting used to it, she was becoming more and more capable of bossing him around.
Her playful expression tickled Lin Yu a bit, and he squeezed Su Chengyang’s hand, saying, “Just wait.”
Then he got up and asked the waiter for a full plate of beef.
Because there wasn’t much work during the Chinese New Year period, Lin Yu pardoned her to eat and drink as she pleased, but she would need to lose weight for the upcoming filming.
Su Chengyang didn’t care at all. She felt that she had already endured the most difficult days of her weight loss journey, and besides, losing weight was actually quite easy for her.
After finishing their meal and bidding farewell to everyone, Lin Yu took Su Chengyang and left first.
Actually, Lin Yu wasn’t wrong. During this period, Su Chengyang was busy filming while Lin Yu had other things to attend to, and they hadn’t seen each other for almost a month.
Just as they walked out of the hot pot restaurant, passing by a dimly lit alley, Su Chengyang hadn’t reacted yet when Lin Yu led her in.
“What are you doing…” Su Chengyang looked at him confusedly.
Lin Yu took her to the depths of the alley and had her lean against the wall, “Kissing you.”
Su Chengyang: “…”
In the instant their lips met, a warm breath circulated between their noses. Lin Yu pressed half of his body against hers, kissing passionately and tenderly. For several consecutive days, they could only see each other through the phone screen, so now that they finally had the chance to touch each other, they certainly wouldn’t easily give up.
Su Chengyang slipped her hands under his coat and clumsily embraced his waist, responding to him.
Not far away, faint footsteps hurriedly came and went, but Su Chengyang felt that even if they were discovered, it didn’t matter.
After a while, Lin Yu, satisfied, moved his lips away from hers and lightly pecked her chin. Su Chengyang squinted and moved her neck, saying with a smile, “Ticklish!”
Lin Yu paused his movements, lifted his head, but didn’t let go of Su Chengyang. He held her in his arms and asked, “Where do you plan to go for the New Year?”
Su Chengyang lifted her head, resting her chin on his chest. “Are you going back to Italy?”
Lin Yu chuckled, “You haven’t done enough research. Italy is not celebrating the Lunar New Year.”
Su Chengyang: “…”
Lin Yu continued, “I’ll stay in the country this year and accompany my dad.”
Su Chengyang nodded, “I want to go back to visit my parents’ graves and then return to the capital.”
Although Su Chengyang had no relation to the parents of the person whose body she inhabited, since she occupied someone else’s body, she should fulfill her filial duty on their behalf.
Actually, this is pretty good. In the past, Su Chengyang didn’t have anywhere to go during the New Year, nor anyone to miss.
She increasingly feels that coming into this world was the best reward given to her by heaven.
Lin Yu nodded and said, “I’ll accompany you, let’s meet your parents and also go to the school to register you for the college entrance examination. I called in advance, and the administrative office will be open three days before the New Year.”
Su Chengyang looked at him in surprise, “You’ll accompany me back?”
Lin Yu raised an eyebrow, “Don’t you want me to go?”
“It’s not that, but if you go to my hometown, you’ll definitely attract attention.”
“It’s fine, I’ll accompany you to meet your parents. In return, after we come back, you can come home with me for the New Year.”
Su Chengyang was taken aback, visibly anxious, “Go home with you? But…”
“This year, Lu Yin and her dad are celebrating with us. You don’t need to be too nervous.”
Su Chengyang looked uneasy, “But… Uncle… Will he get angry?”
Having been in a relationship with Lin Yu for so long, he hardly mentioned his father to Su Chengyang. But she knew that his father had never approved of their relationship.
If she went home with him, wouldn’t it just cause trouble for the old man?
Lin Yu casually said, “It’s okay. He hasn’t been in good spirits lately, so it’s a good opportunity to bring you back and cheer him up.”
Su Chengyang: “…”
She might really not expect to be with Lin Yu in the future.
Su Chengyang’s face turned pale, while Lin Yu laughed and kissed her forehead, “I was lying to you. Don’t worry, my dad is not unreasonable, he just hasn’t met you yet. I believe he will like you.”
Su Chengyang glared at him, “You have so much confidence in me?”
“Yeah, after all, I’ve been alive for twenty-four years, and you’re the first person who has captivated me like this. You have to believe in yourself, your charm is enough to win my dad over.”
Su Chengyang was amused by him and finally agreed to go home with him for the Lunar New Year.
When Lu Yin found out, she happily pulled Su Chengyang along to prepare for the New Year’s goods. In the meantime, she secretly revealed to Su Chengyang that her father, who is Lin Yu’s uncle, also disagreed with Su Chengyang being together with Lin Yu.
Su Chengyang was dumbfounded at that moment, “Are you trying to discourage me and make me give up?”
Xiao Lu shook her head and said, “No, I just want you to be mentally prepared in advance.”
“Thank you, I’ve already prepared to break up with your cousin brother.”
Xiao Lu: “…”
Xiao Lu nudged Su Chengyang’s arm, and when Su Chengyang looked up, she saw Lin Yu standing opposite, looking at her with a meaningful smile.
“N-No, it’s not… listen to my explanation…”
Lin Yu said with a deep meaning, “When are you planning to break up with me?”
Su Chengyang: “…”
Xiao Lu lowered her head and chuckled with schadenfreude.
Su Chengyang stuttered, “No, I-I was just casually saying…”
Lin Yu approached her expressionless, “If you spout nonsense again, you won’t be allowed to eat meat or fish for three days.”
“I’m sorry, I was wrong! I won’t dare anymore!”
As Xiao Lu continued to chuckle, she suddenly felt her cousin brother slowly shifting his gaze towards her. She immediately straightened up, suppressing her smile. “My cousin brother and his wife are a perfect match, both in talent and beauty. Anyone who breaks up with my cousin brother must have something wrong with their head.”
Su Chengyang “…”
Lin Yu averted his gaze, “Let’s go.”
Three days before the new year, Lin Yu accompanied Su Chengyang back to a second-tier city.
After making prior arrangements with the school, they went to discuss Su Chengyang’s college entrance examination matters with the relevant personnel. Once everything was confirmed, the staff allowed Su Chengyang to return to school two days earlier to take the exam.
After leaving the school, the two of them walked along a small path by the street.
People passed by on the road, and the surrounding buildings revealed traces of time. Children chased and played, while groups of friends gathered here and there.
The presence of Su Chengyang and Lin Yu walking here was actually somewhat out of place.
