More than forty people, seven or eight per table, almost filled the space on the second floor of the small restaurant. During the filming period, artists shouldn't overeat to watch their figures, especially at night when eating would mean gaining weight. But opportunities to enjoy barbecue during filming were extremely rare. Occasionally indulging in meaty dishes wouldn't hurt too much in comparison.

Each table was filled with a large spread out of skewers of lamb,  beef, and squid, as well as chicken wings and two large pots of crayfish and lamb scorpions¹Don't ask me what in the world these are, I am vegetarian.. The aroma filled the air, and the mistress²The mistress here refers to the owner's wife or the co-owner sweated profusely as she shuttled back and forth serving dishes, while the boss, bare-chested, carried crates of beer upstairs.

The atmosphere was unprecedentedly harmonious. Everyone was tapping plates, clinking glasses, laughing and joking with each other. Even before they had taken a few bites, they were already clamoring for a toast.

In such an atmosphere, even Huo Xie was pulled down and forced to drink, while only Duan Xiubo and Yuan Bing remained calmly seated at the main table. Just a smile from Duan Xiubo was enough to keep people in check.

As a director, Huo Xie needed to foster a warm atmosphere among the crew. While he could afford to be aloof during work, he couldn't afford to be arrogant in private. Besides, he quite enjoyed being surrounded by stars and treated like the center of attention. However, as he attempted to grab ten skewers of lamb from one table and eat five chicken wings from another, everyone collectively decided to keep him away from the food and instead offered him drinks directly.

Huo Xie was indignant, "What's wrong with me having just one skewer!? I'm paying for this!"

The angry crew at the photography table, whose lamb scorpions had been devoured by Huo Xie, sent someone to refill their dishes, flipping him off, "High cholesterol! Don't you know you need to lose weight!?"

Huo Xie made a retching gesture towards them, "Comradeship doesn't match a plate of lamb! Shame on you!"

Luo Ding didn't particularly enjoy drinking, especially beer. The bitter bubbles tormented him, and even on the hottest summer days, he never felt the supposed joy of cold beer. The same went for red wine; being from a humble background, he only began to appreciate art after he became successful. Appreciating the fragrance of red wine was something he had never experienced. In comparison, he preferred baijiu, which was spicy going down, had a mellow aftertaste, and smelled like his own life, never lonely.

But today's drinking contest wasn't aimed at getting the other person drunk. Strong liquor wouldn't be served at the table. Seeing his companions getting hyped up and looking for drinking partners, Luo Ding quietly moved his chair towards the corner, hoping he wouldn't be unlucky enough to be picked.

However, apart from the three hosts, he was already the fourth most attention-grabbing figure on the set. No matter how much he tried to hide, he couldn't escape the attention directed at him.

His alcohol tolerance was poor, and busy with filming, Luo Ding didn't have time to exercise privately. After drinking a few glasses, his face turned red, his eyes shiny with drunkenness. He sat there, small and uncomfortable, with a frown on his face, making many of those who wanted to drink with him feel a bit sorry for him.

Luo Ding was genuinely well-liked. Many people were more than superficially friendly with him. Although he wasn't the kind of friend who would come to the rescue in times of crisis, he was always willing to help with small favors.

Surrounded by a group of people intentionally or unintentionally blocking his way, Luo Ding shook his head and turned to lean against the window, trying to catch some fresh air.

The summer heat hadn't subsided, and the smell of the wind was warm and stuffy. The lights along the river in the film and television city illuminated the night, and several bases in the distance were probably shooting night scenes, equally bustling.

The intoxication grew stronger, and Luo Ding felt increasingly uncomfortable, clutching his stomach and leaning against the window, feeling nauseous.

Suddenly, his ears felt a chill, causing him to shiver, and he lifted his head.

Duan Xiubo was holding a bottle of frosty mineral water, bending down and looking at him with gentle eyes.

"...Thank you." He took the mineral water and found that the cap had already been unscrewed, feeling even more touched by Duan Xiubo's thoughtfulness. The cool, tasteless liquid down his throat significantly eased his nausea.

Duan Xiubo asked him, "Did you drink without eating? Last time at Uncle Gong's banquet, you couldn't hold your liquor after two drinks. Did you never drink before?"

Luo Ding smiled, "I never had the chance before."

Duan Xiubo thought about it, considering Luo Ding's limited fame before. He probably wasn't even acknowledged at social gatherings. Suddenly transitioning to his current status was bound to be difficult.

He pulled a chair next to Luo Ding and touched his head, saying, "I grew up abroad, where regulations were strict. I hadn't touched alcohol before I turned sixteen. But then suddenly, I grew up, and it was all fair game. Everyone around me started smoking, drinking, getting tattoos, even smoking weed. I thought to myself, 'The world of adults is truly decadent.'"

Luo Ding chuckled.

Duan Xiubo looked at him with soft eyes, the emotional turmoil almost drowning him, but as soon as Luo Ding looked up, all those feelings vanished.

He remembered the words Luo Ding said to him in the martial arts hall that day.

"I'm not a child."

"I'm a man."

Suppressing the urge to pity him, Duan Xiubo continued, "Next time, exercise alone at home with baijiu. Two hours every night before bed. For the first time, try one glass. If you're not drunk after an hour, have another glass, and keep drinking until you're drunk. The next day, add half a glass or a full glass to what you drank the previous day. That's how I trained before, and now I can handle two liters without a problem."

Luo Ding's alcohol tolerance was developed through numerous banquets, with many embarrassing moments leading to eventual victory. This method seemed good; he could drink alone at home without anyone seeing his embarrassment. He nodded with a genuine "Thank you."

Then he noticed Duan Xiubo's smile seemed a bit more genuine.

The atmosphere froze at that moment, the two of them locking eyes, their gazes reflecting the same warmth, but underneath that warmth, the falsehood had already faded away.

But there were some who lacked discretion.

Suddenly, someone pushed him from behind, causing Luo Ding to stagger forward directly into Duan Xiubo's arms. Duan Xiubo was startled and opened his arms to catch him, but luckily, Luo Ding quickly regained his balance and didn't fall into Duan Xiubo's embrace.

"Luo Ding! Come on! Have a drink!" Luo Ding turned around and faced a flushed-faced Yen Haixiang, who was waving a bottle of alcohol in one hand and gesturing insistently with the other. "Give me some face! Have a drink! Finish a bottle!"

"Yan ge..." Luo Ding pushed aside the uncomfortable look he had just shown and said, "I'm almost drunk. Finishing this bottle will definitely make me pass out."

Yan Haixiang had a good alcohol tolerance; even after drinking so much, he wasn't drunk. But now, his brain, stimulated by alcohol, was much more excited. He couldn't accept Luo Ding's refusal; after all, drinking was part of the social etiquette!

"Are you not giving me face!?" Yan Haixiang widened his eyes and brought the bottle closer. "Drink! If we're brothers, drink up!"

Who the hell is your brother!

Luo Ding wanted to spit in his face, but even though he was drunk, he still had his wits about him. He could only try to explain earnestly that he couldn't hold his liquor.

But Yan Haixiang felt a little embarrassed. Initially, when they were on set, Yan Haixiang wasn't too interested in Luo Ding. He was an artist with a bit of fame, and compared to a minor internet celebrity like Luo Ding, he felt a bit superior. But later, as he saw Luo Ding becoming more and more popular on set, even winning over the two leads, and gaining more and more attention during the filming process with a promising future, Yan Haixiang couldn't sit still anymore. He began to vie with Luo Ding using his seniority and tried to assert his dominance.

Yan Haixiang wasn't good at reading people's faces. Otherwise, he wouldn't have stayed in the entertainment industry for so long, playing supporting roles while holding onto his identity as a veteran actor. This made it difficult for Luo Ding, who always carefully considered others' feelings. If Luo Ding directly refused to drink, it would make everyone unhappy, and reasoning with him would be useless. He stared at Yan Haixiang for a while, frowned, and reached out to take the bottle of alcohol. Just as he was about to drink, a hand suddenly reached out and took the long-necked beer bottle away from him.

Duan Xiubo, holding the neck of the bottle, casually tapped it against the bottle in Yan Haixiang's other hand and then poured the entire bottle of beer down his throat.

With a shake of the bottle, not a drop of liquid spilled. He smiled and looked at Yan Haixiang, "Luo is feeling unwell, so I'll drink for him. Is that okay?"

Everyone around, who had been prepared to persuade Yan Haixiang not to force Luo Ding, was stunned. Duan Xiubo was drinking on behalf of Luo Ding? How much face did Luo Ding have to pull off such a feat? The two of them didn't seem particularly close in normal circumstances, and this kind of action, usually only seen between subordinates and superiors, was effortlessly done by Duan Xiubo for Luo Ding.

Yan Haixiang was stunned for a moment, took a step back, and looked around. Even though everyone was trying hard to suppress their expressions, he could still tell that something was wrong. Even if he was stupid, he knew he had done something wrong.

Facing Duan Xiubo head-on was something he hadn't expected. He laughed awkwardly, nodded hastily, mumbled a few words of "I didn't mean to," and then turned back, embarrassed and fearful, disappearing into the crowd.

Luo Ding was also surprised. He watched as Duan Xiubo casually placed the empty bottle on the windowsill, and a complex and inexplicable emotion surged within him. Did Duan Xiubo... just help him avoid drinking?

He had once enjoyed such treatment in his previous life, but by then, he was already successful, surrounded by friends who sought to gain his favor for their own benefits. But now, as a nobody with no fame, no status, and no resources, was he really worth Duan Xiubo's consideration?

After drinking, one tends to overthink things, and Luo Ding's mind was filled with chaotic thoughts, leaving him staring blankly at Duan Xiubo. He didn't know what he should do.

"What's wrong?" Duan Xiubo didn't think his actions were anything out of the ordinary. Artists shouldn't get drunk outside; Luo Ding couldn't handle alcohol, but he could, so he simply drank on his behalf. As long as he was willing, there was nothing wrong with it. As for how others viewed it? It didn't matter. The problem with drinking on behalf of someone else was once you started, you couldn't stop. At first, the artists in the room didn't dare to approach him, but now, one after another came up to him, pretending to be familiar.

After downing six or seven bottles, Duan Xiubo's stomach felt uncomfortable. He covered his forehead, pretending to be drunk, and managed to shake off the group of people. Just as he returned to Luo Ding's side, he saw him sitting on the chair, propping himself up, staring at him with a dazed look. Luo Ding's features were delicate and refined, with large eyes, thick eyelashes, and pupils slightly larger than normal. They looked perfectly fitting in his slightly larger eye sockets, not particularly remarkable at first glance, but upon closer inspection, they were related to the gentleness in his eyes. After drinking, his brain was a bit confused, and Luo Ding's control over his expressions wasn't as precise as usual. His long eyelashes blinked, his eyes blinked, and his pink lips hung open, looking bewildered and adorable.

Duan Xiubo was completely captivated by him, and it took him a lot of effort to resist the urge to touch his face. They locked eyes for a while, maybe ten minutes, and Luo Ding maintained the same expression. Seeing this, Duan Xiubo realized that something was wrong.

"Luo Ding?" Duan Xiubo leaned in cautiously, observing Luo Ding's movements while calling out.

After about a minute or so, Luo Ding's nose wrinkled in confusion, and he uncertainly opened his mouth wider, saying, "...Huh?"

Duan Xiubo couldn't help but purse his lips in resignation, standing up. Luo Ding seemed to be drunk. He quickly returned to the crowd, grabbed Huo Xie, who had been busy playing rock-paper-scissors with someone while braiding their hair, and loudly asked him, "Where's Wu Fangyuan?"

Huo Xie, with a ridiculous-looking braid on his head and a gleam of battle in his eyes, continued to make scissor-hand gestures, saying, "Who?! Who?! Who's surnamed Wu?"

Duan Xiubo rolled his eyes internally, leaning in to whisper in his ear, "Luo Ding is drunk! Get Wu Fangyuan to take him home and rest!"

Only then did Huo Xie understand. He shook his head and said, "It's already so late, and I'm supposed to keep Wu Fangyuan around? I sent him home this afternoon. Luo Ding can just stay overnight; isn't he staying in a different hotel from you?"

Huo Xie's response caught the logistics manager playing rock-paper-scissors off guard. "Luo Ding? I already checked him out of his room at noon. Isn't he done filming today? Some new crews arrived at the studio today and said there weren't enough rooms. When the landlady asked me if there were any rooms to be returned, I told her about Luo Ding's room. I even asked you about it."

Huo Xie was dumbfounded as well. The fist he had extended froze in midair as the girls surrounding him swarmed in to braid his hair.

"Well, well..."

"Oh, come on, it's not that complicated! Everyone can squeeze in a bit!"

As the conversation was interrupted by someone eager to join the fun, Huo Xie's eyes lit up. He looked around the table, grabbed a skewer of grilled chicken wings, and stuffed it into Duan Xiubo's hand. "Consider this my contribution. I'm busy over here."

Duan Xiubo returned empty-handed, holding a skewer of grilled chicken wings, his brow furrowed deeply. Despite his concern, there was a hint of excitement in his heart.

But this excitement was not a good sign for either him or Luo Ding.

"Yuanjie³Sister Yuan," he found Yuan Bing. "Can Luo Ding stay at your place tonight?"

Yuan Bing stared at him as if he were crazy. "Have you been drinking too much?"

"...Quite a bit." Duan Xiubo felt a bit foolish himself, rubbing his head while still contemplating his next conquest. When he turned his head, he saw Yan Haixiang leaning towards Luo Ding.

A sense of unease, as if his own child were about to be kidnapped, surged through Duan Xiubo. His brows suddenly sharpened, and he quickly walked back, overhearing Yan Haixiang trying to tempt Luo Ding, "There's an empty bed in my hotel room..."

Luo Ding's bewildered and puzzled expression was heartbreakingly cute.

Duan Xiubo stared at Yan Haixiang, feeling his mouth twitching. Was tonight's mistake going to be on this guy's hands? He stepped forward, grabbed Luo Ding's arm, helped him up, and then wrapped the other's arm around his own neck, while placing his hand on Luo Ding's waist. With a standard drunk-carrying posture, he made his position clear, "Brother Yan, you don't have to bother. My room is a bit larger. We're all tired tonight, and you won't be able to take care of him alone. Director Huo said he should sleep in my room."

Yan Haixiang blinked, feeling a chill down his spine. He quickly took a few steps back, smiling flatteringly at Duan Xiubo, "Sure, that's fine. You've been helpful. If you need anything, just call me. I'm on the third floor, room 6330. You can use the internal line to reach me for assistance."

Duan Xiubo watched him leave, then turned back to meet Luo Ding's quiet and puzzled gaze. He felt as though someone had struck him on the head.

On the way back, he dared not have too much physical contact with Luo Ding, maintaining the state of mutual support. Luo Ding's head was lowered as he walked out, making it hard to gauge his emotions. Fortunately, his steps were steady, albeit a bit sluggish, which made it easier for Duan Xiubo to support him. However...

When they arrived at his hotel room, Duan Xiubo realized Luo Ding was no longer there.

Luo Ding had pulled open the curtains and sat on the windowsill, smoking. He opened the window slightly, tilted his head to look at the sky, supported his chin with one hand, and held a cigarette with the other.

Duan Xiubo hesitated to speak. The Luo Ding before him seemed completely different from the one he usually interacted with.

Although he still had that puzzled expression, Luo Ding's eyes were devoid of their usual warmth, and his lips were pressed together. After staring at the sky for a long time, he withdrew his hand from the window frame and took a puff of his cigarette.

His smoking posture was quite appealing, exuding a sense of artistic melancholy. As the white smoke rose from his lips, enveloping him, the young man's melancholy seemed so intense that Duan Xiubo almost thought for a moment that this frail body would not be able to withstand such strong negative emotions and collapse.

But Luo Ding remained standing. He quietly resumed the position he had when Duan Xiubo first saw him.

Duan Xiubo sighed. He sighed more tonight than ever before. Only Luo Ding could make him feel so helpless.

He approached Luo Ding, asking with concern, "Xiaoding⁴Little Ding, used to refer to someone affectionately, or someone younger than you., what's wrong?"

Luo Ding turned to him as if startled, as if he couldn't understand why there was another person in the room. His gaze was dull, tinged with uncertainty. After a while, he gradually returned to his previous absent-minded state and said, "...Oh."

What does 'oh' mean...

Duan Xiubo was defeated. He reached out to take the cigarette from Luo Ding's hand, coaxing him, "Smoking stains your teeth and gives you bad breath. Stop smoking. Come on, let's get you into the shower."

As he pushed Luo Ding into the bathroom, he asked uncertainly, "Can you undress yourself?"

Luo Ding began to lower his head, first pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and tossing it on the ground, then pulling out a lighter from the other pocket and starting to search his clothes' pockets. After getting rid of everything, including his wallet, he finally attempted to remove his T-shirt.

Duan Xiubo stood silently, watching the young man who was struggling to pull his knees into his T-shirt, still looking confused as to why things were going this way. He sighed again, feeling defeated, and rolled up his sleeves, saying, "Let me help."

When Luo Ding was down to his underwear, Duan Xiubo didn't intervene further. He guided Luo Ding into the bathtub and then wrapped a towel around his hand to help him wash his body.

Luo Ding sat in the tub with his legs curled up, watching him. He chuckled when Duan Xiubo washed him in ticklish spots, but remained expressionless the rest of the time.

The atmosphere became stagnant for a while, and only Duan Xiubo felt the awkwardness. He stared at the young man's snowy white skin under his hands, afraid to touch directly. Luo Ding probably didn't get much sun, as his skin was pale as if it had never seen sunlight. However, his figure was slightly better than Duan Xiubo had imagined. Although he was skinny, his waist and arms were covered with a thin layer of muscle, making him look healthier than when he was wearing clothes.

The young man's quiet and non-disruptive attitude made their interaction much more harmonious than Duan Xiubo had imagined. He gradually let go of his guard, sitting at the edge of the bathtub and letting Luo Ding lie down to wash his hair. As he awkwardly held the shower head to rinse off the foam from Luo Ding's hair, Duan Xiubo suddenly realized that this was probably the first time he had been so caring towards someone.

"Don't play with the foam," he pressed down Luo Ding's hand, which was trying to catch the foam under his hair. His gaze softened to the point of melting.

When Luo Ding's face was covered with a large towel, he seemed a little panicked.

Duan Xiubo quickly wrapped him up in the towel, relieved. Luo Ding stood on the tiled floor, curling his toes and saying softly, "It's cold."

"It'll be fine in a moment." Duan Xiubo dried his body, then fetched a bathrobe for him to wear. Finally, he helped Luo Ding remove the last layer of his underwear, heaving a long sigh of relief. "Alright, let's go out. I'll blow-dry your hair."

Luo Ding furrowed his brows and reached out to grab the bathrobe on his body, probably feeling uncomfortable in the hotel's robe. As soon as Duan Xiubo opened the door, he saw a naked figure standing in place. His lower abdomen tightened, and he hastily turned his head, his voice tinged with annoyance, "What's wrong!?"

Luo Ding seemed oblivious to his discomfort, calmly saying, "It's uncomfortable."

Duan Xiubo had no choice but to go to his suitcase and find one of his shirts to put on Luo Ding. It was long enough to cover his thighs, but the shoulders were too wide, hanging down, and the white fabric contrasted with the delicate skin, with the long and straight thighs bare, Duan Xiubo's mouth and eyes began to twitch uncontrollably, this appearance was even more...

Watching the young man who finally emerged from the room in his new pajamas and obediently sat on the bed, waiting for him to come and blow-dry his hair, it took Duan Xiubo three seconds to consider whether it was still possible to find someone to switch rooms now, and then he finally resigned himself to shifting his gaze away from the other's thighs and onto the black hair dryer.

As the soft strands slid through his fingers, Duan Xiubo's fervent thoughts gradually faded away as he touched the other's fine and dense hair, replaced by warmth that gradually filled the room instead of ambiguity. His touch was too gentle; he didn't use too much force when manipulating the strands, occasionally giving a light scalp massage with his fingertips. The pressure of his thin calloused fingers on the top of the head was just right, coupled with the intoxication, Luo Ding quickly fell into a sleepy daze.

Turning off the machine, Duan Xiubo smiled as he saw the young man's bewildered eyes only half open.

Although there was only one bed in the hotel room, it was quite large. He stuffed a pillow in the middle of the bed, then tucked Luo Ding into the right side of the blanket, patting his head affectionately, "Go to sleep."

Feeling that familiar sense of family from Luo Ding, Duan Xiubo, who had never experienced normal affection, felt like a thirsty traveler holding a pot of unknown water. His reason told him that this liquid might bring him fatal harm, but emotionally, he couldn't resist such a strong temptation.

After drinking alcohol, one might not always act rationally. Unsure if he could control his own desires, Duan Xiubo rarely touched Luo Ding's skin tonight, even keeping a distance when speaking. Yet, at this moment, the satisfaction and excitement in his heart were still overwhelming, almost occupying his entire chest... all for the sake of briefly being intimate with the person in front of him.

This feeling... it's like poison.

He stood up, turned off the light for Luo Ding, and watched him close his eyes and fall asleep in the darkness before going back to the bathroom to take a shower for himself. During the shower, he lowered his head to look at that part of him that was slightly raised, furrowing his brows deeply, activating the power of ignoring to avoid touching it.

Casually washing Luo Ding's clothes clean and hanging them up to dry, Duan Xiubo tiptoed to the other side of the bed and lay down quietly, staring at Luo Ding in a daze before falling asleep.

Stretching out his arm to tidy up the fallen blanket for the other, he let out a soft sigh.

Let it be like this, without bothering anyone, that would be the best.