Love between Lines

Hu Xiu pushed him away, and the audience collectively gasped. Diao Zhiyu was puzzled—was she going to reject him in front of so many people?

Her eyes held swirling stars, the Milky Way reflected in them with flickering light. During those quiet seconds, the surroundings tensed up. If she refused, it would undoubtedly be the night's most dramatic twist.

Hu Xiu took a long time before she finally spoke.

"I'm sorry. I yearn for emotions to progress gradually, for love to grow at a steady pace, yet I've burdened you with the anxiety and fear of success.

I wish success could be conveyed as swiftly as language, precision has become my habit, and effort my muscle memory. I've been too harsh on you.

After you left, I got completely drunk, hating speed for the first time. I forgot that acting skills need polishing, love requires mutual complementarity, and assumed conflicts needed AED-like emergency rescue. In truth, we shouldn't be disturbed by other matters.

I've thought countless times about how to approach you again, what to say for you to accept me. Later I realized the reason I like you is so simple—from the moment I saw you, I recognized you as a muse-like presence. This is the most marvelous thing about acting.

Whether becoming another person through acting or drifting in darkness, you represent an irresistible inspiration for the audience, a reality reached through day after day of fantasy.

You're so unique, so irreplaceable, that even without possessing you, I would still feel happiness."

"But I can't..." Diao Zhiyu smiled: "I can no longer accept life without you."

Their embrace lasted an entire century, until finally players nearby shouted, "Director Han, that's enough! Our phones are almost out of battery from recording!"

Hu Xiu shrunk her neck so much she developed a double chin—What? Their entire encounter with Diao Zhiyu at the entrance had been recorded by everyone?

The players nearby had been egging them on, tired from shouting after such a long kiss. Surrounded by phones pointed at them, some with flashlights on, Hu Xiu remained in his embrace, wiping the corner of her mouth with her finger. Had she known she'd receive celebrity treatment, she would have touched up her makeup. Instead, she looked like a plain steamed chicken at noon—pale, disheveled, standing on tiptoe, appearing delicate and ravaged. This wasn't how it was supposed to be!

Faintly, she heard a girl say, "Oh my god, idol dramas really don't lie. Look how ordinary she is yet she landed Diao Zhiyu. What skills does she have? Is she good in bed?"

Diao Zhiyu heard this too, glancing at her while suppressing laughter. Hu Xiu felt frustrated—couldn't these women think critically? Besides appearance, comprehensive qualities include personality, emotional intelligence, ability, and loyalty. When jealous people can't find reasons, they blame it on sex life. How shallow!

Turning to look at Zhao Xiaorou, not only had she not stopped recording, she was even holding a DJI gimbal, steadily filming a vlog without any shaking.

She laughed joyfully: "My relationship channel hasn't had a viral video in ages! This trip was worth it even if we'd crashed into a tank instead of a BMW!"

"Zhao Xiaorou, know your limits... you absolutely cannot post this! I'm not wearing makeup!"

"Whether you wear makeup or not has nothing to do with me. With today's drama-worthy plot twists, I'm staying up all night to edit this. So many phones recorded it here—can you stop them all?"

She gasped sharply. Diao Zhiyu said calmly, "Wait for me, I'll change clothes and we'll go home together."Go home together? What home? Whose home? Who said you could come home with me?

When Diao Zhiyu emerged, dressed in black jeans and a black T-shirt, his curly black hair swept back, his pale complexion under the moonlight evoked every Mary Sue descriptor imaginable—Black Butler, Kaito Kid, vampire, Tuxedo Mask... It was as if he’d stepped right out of a manga.

The way he greeted the female players around him confirmed it—he was indeed the star of Shanghai Bund.

As Diao Zhiyu wrapped an arm around her shoulder and guided her into the car, he seemed to sense her thoughts. "What’s with that look? Haven’t you seen me like this before?"

Hu Xiu’s mind went blank. Though the earlier kiss had left her dizzy, it was nothing compared to the impact of seeing Diao Zhiyu step out just now. Her brain screamed: Damn! He’s too handsome! I’m done for!

But she caught herself. Diao Zhiyu took the passenger seat, ostensibly to ensure the women’s safety, yet his eyes in the rearview mirror held a winding, mischievous smile that veered into decidedly suggestive territory.

Hu Xiu remained composed, earnestly debriefing with Zhao Xiaorou about their second playthrough of I-Kuan Tao, which had landed them in an interrogation room complete with electric chairs, handcuffs, splints, and an impressive array of torture devices.

Zhao Xiaorou, of course, saw right through her. While maintaining surface-level conversation, she texted Hu Xiu: "I never should’ve gotten in this car. The hormone levels in here are off the charts. I’m supposed to be the chaste nun here!"

Chuckling at her phone, Hu Xiu noticed Diao Zhiyu saying nothing, just rolling down the window to let the wind rush in. She knew why—the air conditioning alone couldn’t cool him down.

After Zhao Xiaorou got out, Diao Zhiyu moved to the backseat and simply took Hu Xiu’s hand.

Both their ears burned red. Neither spoke a word, listening only to each other’s breathing as their fingers intertwined. His hand grew increasingly warm. Hu Xiu didn’t dare look at him, letting her gaze drift slightly. Surely, after two months apart, her young prince charming could still maintain some basic decency?

But when her eyes dropped to his jeans, they snapped back as if stung by a wasp... Damn, youth...

When they reached her neighborhood, Diao Zhiyu followed her with practiced ease, even holding the building door open for her. Hu Xiu protested, "Who invited you up? Did I agree to this?"

"Can’t I just get my things? My shirts, T-shirts, underwear—they’re all at your place."

His face flushed again—he was embarrassed. Taking the stairs two at a time, he glanced back at her with a visible spring in his step, clearly delighted.

Following behind, Hu Xiu watched his triumphant demeanor and thought to herself, Oh, you.

She still felt a simmering anger. Though this was meant to be the final move, she hadn’t yet sorted what was real from what was fake.

But just walking upstairs together, their footsteps intermingling, created the most pleasant sound. Walking alone was far too quiet.

Her irritation still brewing, Hu Xiu unlocked her door and murmured softly, "Welcome home..."

The moment the door closed, Diao Zhiyu pulled her into an endless kiss, as if making up for two months of lost time. Hu Xiu felt like he was treating her like a cat he couldn’t stop nuzzling—no amount of pushing made him let go.

"Let me go first, I need to turn on the AC..."

He clung to her like a koala.

"I’ve been out all day, I need to shower..."

"No..."

"Hey..."

"I haven’t seen you in two months."

Damn. Who was it that deliberately ignored her and made things difficult during the Live Action Role Playing Game? Who drew a clear boundary, forcing her to resort to shameless persistence? And now, the moment he steps through the door, he transforms?Dragged into the bathroom, the temperature was too high, and the cold water sent a shiver through her as it hit her body. Diao Zhiyu stood under the cold stream, but by the time it flowed over her, it had already warmed.

The kisses seemed endless. Even as the water gradually turned from cold to hot, their breathing and heartbeats quickened, and their clothes soaked through, neither wanted to pull away from the other's lips.

Water seemed to flood her brain, making it impossible to think yet craving the other intensely. The weight of her wet clothes pressed heavily on her body.

Diao Zhiyu reached out to stroke her neck, his kisses falling delicately on her earlobes and the space behind them. His hand rested on her chest, his palm eager to feel her accelerating heartbeat.

The rushing water masked their gasps. The soundproofing in the old apartment was poor, and every sudden cry escaped through the ventilation fan.

She stood on her toes, pleading intermittently for mercy. Privacy wasn't guaranteed just by closing the door; if they wanted to be unrestrained, they at least needed to retreat to the bedroom and shut the windows tightly.

The camel behind her covered her mouth, nibbling at her earlobes and delving deeper, clearly intent on embarrassing her.

He whispered in her ear, "I promise I'll never act in front of you again. I'll speak from the heart, honestly and sincerely."

But the cost of not acting was raw desire and teasing that left her defenseless. It was still a lesson for her—the source of pleasure wasn't just physical but emotional, rooted in misguided love and shame.

Their clothes hung on the glass of the shower, casting blurred reflections of themselves.

Losing her balance, she was pulled tightly against him, pressed against the glass as he brushed her hair aside. Leaning close to her ear, he murmured, "I've waited too long for this day."

So wicked!

After drying her hair and crawling back into bed, Diao Zhiyu reached out to hold her, only to be pushed away firmly.

He sat on the edge of the bed, raising his hands in surrender. Hu Xiu pointed at his chest, "From now on, answer truthfully."

"Okay..."

"When did you start planning to turn the tables on me?"

"You've already asked that. Next question."

"Were you so sure I'd take the bait?"

"Step by step. We had plenty of time, but without Snowpiercer, it wasn't as easy to play with you. In real life, you're too serious, always thinking about teaching and guiding, constantly figuring out how to make me succeed.

And—you're pretty difficult too. You'd disappear to the Northeast on a whim, and when I was on set, I had to fly and then take a train to find you. I was exhausted, almost missed my stop on the train."

"Then why did you agree so easily when I broke up with you for your future?"

"I was angry. I love acting and worked hard to prove myself, but you thought just because I'm handsome, I should be an idol star. You never really tried to understand what I wanted."

"You never said anything... If we hadn't stumbled into that Live Action Role Playing Game by chance, we might have ended things for good. Weren't you afraid it would go too far and we'd really break up?"

"At that time, I really thought we were over." Diao Zhiyu looked at her. "If you could give up our relationship for some cheap idol contract, then I could just as easily discard you too."

"Oh..."

"Are you done questioning?" Diao Zhiyu yawned. "I've been acting all day, I'm exhausted."

"And who was that fierce and energetic person earlier?"

"Mainly because I waited for you all day, nerves on edge. Seeing how hard you worked to vote and film videos to act as Shen Ling, and even sending Zhao Xiaorou to confront the company—I was nervous too, afraid I'd lose my job.

After all, I also wanted a chance in a Live Action Role Playing Game to act alongside someone I truly love."Her heart trembled at his words. He mimicked her gesture from Shanghai Bund when she’d slipped her hand into his pocket: "The moment you reached into my pocket during the scene, I nearly lost my mind."

"Wasn’t Minister Qin’s wife the most unforgettable part?"

Bringing it up only unleashed a flood of Diao Zhiyu’s pettiness: "Don’t even mention it! That bit about Minister Qin abandoning me, wandering for seven years to Shanghai just to marry Du Mingquan? Do you know how smug he was about that Marriage Certificate after the scene ended?"

"Huh?"

"No one in Shanghai Bund had ever seen a Marriage Certificate subplot before, and you even gathered everyone to sign and stamp it. He’s single right now and almost thought you were genuinely pursuing him."

"And then?"

"What more could you want? I warned him repeatedly to stay away from you—to not touch my woman. And let me tell you, his personal life is a revolving door of girlfriends, all curvy mixed-race beauties. Keep your distance."

Hu Xiu narrowed her eyes, growing increasingly suspicious. "The more I listen, the more I’m convinced you’ve been tense all day, pulling that confession-and-forced-kiss stunt in Shanghai Bund because you’re afraid I’ll develop sparks with Du Mingquan after playing Shen Ling’s marriage scene with him. Otherwise, with your Ninja Turtle patience, you’d have made me replay Shanghai Bund twenty more times."

She grabbed Diao Zhiyu’s collar. "I’m right, aren’t I?!"

"Even if I were acting, you can’t accuse me of being that calculating. Don’t you trust my judgment of you? Du Mingquan isn’t your type at all—he’s downright goofy offstage! When it comes to brains, I’m still the one."

"Not necessarily..." Hu Xiu tilted her head defiantly. "Dating a smart handsome guy is exhausting. Right now, I just want someone brawny and simple-minded—and to make money."

"Money-obsessed..."

"Diao Zhiyu, eight rounds of Shanghai Bund, eight thousand yuan! I was planning to upgrade to an elevator apartment this year, but every place I found raised the rent. If not for grinding Shanghai Bund, I’d be living in that high-rise across the street already... Whatever. Every ray of Shanghai sunshine comes with a price tag. Because of you, I’m doomed to coexist with moss and cockroaches."

She pushed him onto the bed. "Go to sleep. I have a big conference in Jiading tomorrow. My heart’s about to give out running around for you—I don’t even have time to earn weekend money. If I ever go back to Shanghai Bund again, I’m a dog."

Diao Zhiyu pulled a notebook from his bag. "I’ll keep you company..." But he fell asleep within five minutes. Hu Xiu gently removed his glasses, and he grasped her hand in his sleep.

She thought, even without promises for the future, what they had in this moment was everything.

After reviewing her materials until drowsiness overwhelmed her, Zhao Xiaorou sent a message: "Wake up, you two are trending."

What?

Opening Weibo, she saw "Dating a Script Murder NPC" was already on the hot search list.

Zhao Xiaorou’s vlog—"Mutual Crush with Top-Tier Script Murder Hunk"—had been edited into a cloyingly sweet clip shared over 10,000 times. In the video, Diao Zhiyu was devastatingly handsome, smiling with dimples that looked like parentheses, sweeter than ever before. Meanwhile, her own nose and eyes were reddened, filtered with a K-drama aesthetic that made her look pitifully delicate, somewhat resembling... Suzy.

After reading the long, poetic, and sincere confession in its entirety, she felt utterly mortified. How could she have said such cheesy things?!

The comments were even worse: "She’s not on his level. She’s good at reciting lines though—how long did she practice?""In real life, there are Cai Xukuns too! Is this really not an idol drama? I'm so jealous!"

"The last time I saw a plot like this was in a Taiwanese drama. Cheng Youqing and Li Daren, never mind, I'm going to rewatch it now."

"This is Han Yiqiu, the popular number one from Shanghai Bund who never budges. I was there at the scene, and everyone went crazy."

Hu Xiu trembled as she texted Zhao Xiaorou: "Oh my god, this commotion—sure enough, people are calling me ugly. If my dad finds out, he'll hunt me down again..."

"What are you afraid of? I posted your Bilibili account in the comments section. It's a good chance to gain some followers."

Sure enough, clicking the link led to a rapid increase in Hu Xiu's Bilibili followers, with comments and bullet chats filling up with visitors from Weibo.

In contrast, the super topic for Shanghai Bund was much quieter, as few female players were willing to congratulate their "husbands" on finding their true love. Diao Zhiyu, the popularity leader, was likely to lose followers.

Gradually calming down, Hu Xiu reflected on her past mindset: she never wanted attention and wished the trending searches would fade quickly. But now, she felt it wasn't so bad. Having regained what was lost, she realized she wasn't that terrible after all. Standing in the sunlight and being seen by more people wasn't something to fear.

Zhao Xiaorou's messages kept coming. Since becoming single, she was lonelier than expected: "What do you two innocent, clean-faced ordinary couples have to fear? If anyone's going to get criticized, it's me."

She sent a sticker: "Having a love like this documented will feel precious to you later. I genuinely envy you.

Right now, I have nothing but traffic and money. Earlier, the lights went out in the elevator, and I wasn't scared—I didn't even feel much, thinking it was no different from an urn. But in that moment, I... never mind, forget it."

"What happened?"

"I thought of Li Ai. If I died, would I leave a good impression in his heart? Over the past year or two, I've squandered all the goodwill and taken a bad elevator into a deep pit. He'd probably just think a troublesome friend of his had passed away unexpectedly.

Thinking of this, I feel unwilling to accept it, but there's nothing more I can do. Yes, I've given up.

I envy you so much. If I had been a bit more patient with emotions, a bit more persistent, maybe I would have waited for him."

Waking up in the morning, Hu Xiu found her WeChat flooded with messages asking if the person on Weibo was her.

Diao Zhiyu discovered that his Weibo, which had only 450 followers, had gained eighty thousand new ones.

His Weibo had no selfies, only photos of scenery and short clips, along with captions titled "I-s" featuring various shots of Hu Xiu's back: REGARD—swinging her legs on a barstool, dragging canvas shoes in the rain, sitting on the sofa staring out the window in a daze...

New followers joked that NPC Diao Zhiyu was probably a pervert.

After all, the male lead in "I-s" had some rather erotic fantasies about his crush, Tsukushi.

But Diao Zhiyu remained unfazed: "Not at all. I'm a lot like Ichitaka—the type who wants to confess but can't get the words out."

That was true. Thinking of this, Hu Xiu asked Diao Zhiyu: "About that hidden route in the escape room—do you have a chance to act in it? I think we need to give Li Ai and Zhao Xiaorou a push."