After Gu Weixuan, Gu Yazhen, Director Chen, Zhuo Fan, and Fang Feiyan left first by elevator, Chu Qing went over to the assistant director.
"Director Yu, I don't have any scenes this afternoon. I'll head back to the hotel first."
Director Yu turned. "Didn't you hear that Presidents Gu are treating everyone?"
Chu Qing gave a helpless smile. "I'm not an important actor. It shouldn't matter if I don't go."
"Of course it matters. President Gu specifically said he was treating the whole crew. How can you not go?"
Chu Qing had appeared on camera earlier. President Gu might not remember who he was, but what if he suddenly asked why one of the actors was absent? Would that not look disrespectful?
Seeing Chu Qing hesitate, Director Yu looked puzzled. "What's wrong? Are you afraid of going to lunch? The young women aren't scared. What are you afraid of?"
Chu Qing had no choice but to say, "I only wanted to go back and rest early. Since you put it that way, I'll go."
"That's more like it. A grown man should be straightforward. No dragging your feet."
Director Yu called the others over and entered the elevator with them. Staff who stayed behind to guard the equipment would have lunch delivered separately.
Downstairs, everyone boarded the production vehicles and followed the cars ahead to the restaurant.
Before long, they stopped outside a well-known establishment.
Chu Qing got out but did not crowd forward. He deliberately walked at the very back.
Inside, the waiters led them to a large private room on the second floor.
The room held three tables and could seat about forty-five people.
Everyone chose seats. Chu Qing quietly took a place as far from Gu Weixuan as possible, lowered his head, pulled out his phone, and started playing a game without looking in Gu Weixuan's direction.
He would simply pretend he did not know President Gu and was not curious about him, lest Gu Weixuan misunderstand and think he had some ulterior motive.
A while later, the dishes began arriving.
Chu Qing put down his phone and looked at the braised fish, sweet-and-sour ribs, kung pao chicken, braised sea cucumber, stir-fried shrimp, smoked pork slices, and other dishes covering the table. He silently picked up his chopsticks and began eating.
For the past several days, all three of his daily meals had been free crew food, with plenty of vegetables and very little meat. Seeing such a spread, he immediately felt that nothing was more important than eating properly.
• • •
Gu Weixuan picked up a piece of sea cucumber and placed it in his mouth. Almost unconsciously, he glanced toward Chu Qing.
He saw Chu Qing put a piece of sea cucumber into his mouth, then two shrimp, and while still chewing with his lips closed, reach for a piece of meat.
He looked extremely busy.
Still, although Chu Qing ate quickly, he always chewed with his mouth closed and did not speak while eating, somehow preserving a perfectly refined image.
Watching him, Gu Weixuan felt as though the sea cucumber in his own mouth suddenly tasted better.
When Director Chen said something to him, Gu Weixuan looked away, gave a perfunctory nod, swallowed, ate a bite of rice, then put a shrimp into his mouth.
It was quite fresh. No wonder Chu Qing liked it.
His gaze drifted toward Chu Qing again.
Sure enough, Chu Qing had just eaten another shrimp. Perhaps realizing he had taken too many and fearing others would not get any, he switched to a different dish.
Gu Weixuan looked away and continued eating, only to glance over again shortly afterward.
In the elevator and on the filming floor, Chu Qing had pretended not to know him. Now he was entirely focused on the food and had not looked at Gu Weixuan even once.
Gu Weixuan frowned faintly.
Gu Yazhen ate while chatting with Director Chen and the others.
By chance, she noticed where her brother was looking and followed his gaze.
At the far end of another table sat a handsome young man.
The young man had his eyes lowered as he ate, apparently unaware that someone was watching him.
Gu Yazhen looked back at Gu Weixuan. He was still watching the young man and had even frowned.
It was not the same expression he wore when angry. It looked more as though he were thinking about something.
Gu Yazhen did not understand his reaction at all.
When Gu Weixuan suddenly set down his chopsticks, she asked, "What's wrong, Brother?"
"I'm going to the restroom. Keep eating."
He wiped his mouth with a napkin and left the room.
The moment he was gone, Zhuo Fan, Fang Feiyan, Weng Kai, and the others visibly relaxed. Even Director Chen, Director Yu, and Screenwriter He seemed more at ease.
Gu Weixuan's presence was simply too strong and made everyone feel pressured.
Even the rebellious Zhuo Fan had said nothing after greeting him. He had sat obediently eating like a well-behaved child, privately thankful he had behaved himself. Otherwise, Brother Gu would certainly have brought up his older brother.
Fang Feiyan, Weng Kai, and Shi Menglian had wanted to establish connections with Gu Weixuan, but after saying a few words without attracting his attention, they had lost courage.
Under his oppressive presence, they eventually did not dare speak much at all.
Some people simply could not be flattered no matter how much one wanted to flatter them.
Gu Yazhen felt a little disappointed. Zhuo Fan was already an acquaintance, and she did not think much of Shi Menglian. Fang Feiyan and Weng Kai both had good looks and personalities, yet neither had attracted her brother's attention.
Then the handsome young man from earlier popped into her mind.
She turned toward his seat, only to find it empty.
Strange. Where had he gone?
Glancing at the private room's other door, she made a guess.
Had he gone to the restroom too, just like her brother?
Surely it could not be that coincidental.
• • •
Chu Qing finished using the restroom and washed his hands. He pulled out a tissue, dried them, threw it away, and went to the door.
When he opened it, someone was standing outside.
He looked up and saw Gu Weixuan.
Chu Qing froze.
Gu Weixuan's gaze was naturally sharp. Even when he was not glaring, he gave off a severe, intimidating feeling.
After meeting his eyes, Chu Qing instinctively lowered his own and stepped back several paces to let him pass.
Perhaps because he had read the novel and knew Gu Weixuan was not someone to provoke, Chu Qing could not help feeling afraid of him.
Their relationship was already unclear, and their social status was completely unequal. Every time he saw Gu Weixuan, Chu Qing felt as though he stood a head shorter.
Gu Weixuan walked inside and stopped beside him. "You're afraid of me."
Chu Qing did not know whether he should admit the truth, so he remained silent.
Gu Weixuan looked at his expression. "I remember that I didn't hit you that night."
He had been rough, but he had never struck Chu Qing. After Chu Qing begged him to stop hurting him, Gu Weixuan had even become somewhat gentler despite continuing.
Chu Qing paused and realized what night he meant.
He looked uncomfortable and answered quietly, "You didn't."
"Then why do you react like this?"
Chu Qing said nothing. What was he supposed to say?
That he was scared of Gu Weixuan? That would be too embarrassing.
Seeing that he would not answer, Gu Weixuan changed the subject. "I want to ask you something."
Chu Qing looked up in confusion. "What?"
Gu Weixuan stared at his face. "Did I hurt you that night?"
Chu Qing's face turned scarlet. He even started stammering. "N-no… no."
Gu Weixuan found his reaction faintly amusing, though his own face remained expressionless. "Really?"
Chu Qing hurriedly shook his head. "Really."
Even if he had been injured, he did not want to discuss something like that with Gu Weixuan.
"Did I make you hurt that night?" Gu Weixuan asked again.
Chu Qing became embarrassed and irritated. Why was this man asking endlessly?
"No…"
Before he could finish, Gu Weixuan said, "You begged me that night. You asked me to be gentler. Later you said it hurt and begged me not to…"
Chu Qing forgot Gu Weixuan's status entirely and slapped a hand over his mouth.
He had never expected Gu Weixuan to say such things aloud. "How can you be so shameless? Why would you say something like that?"
Looking at Chu Qing glaring at him, Gu Weixuan thought his expression finally looked lively.
He removed Chu Qing's hand. "Because you lied to me."
"I didn't—"
"You weren't telling the truth, so I deliberately provoked you with those words."
Chu Qing stared at him, suddenly pulled his right hand out of Gu Weixuan's grasp, and became cold.
"What is the point of asking all this, President Gu? I already told you I won't cling to you. Why do you need to toy with me?"
Gu Weixuan tried to explain. "I didn't—"
Chu Qing interrupted him. "There's no need. Don't worry, President Gu. From now on I'll do exactly what I did today and pretend I don't know you. I definitely won't cause you any trouble."
With that, he turned and left the restroom.
Gu Weixuan watched his back with a complicated expression.
He had never said Chu Qing needed to pretend they did not know each other.
Why had Chu Qing misunderstood him?
