Chapter 32

Chapter 32
When the plane landed, Ming Huai was woken by Ji Tingqian. Having slept for just over two hours, he remained groggy upon awakening, momentarily unable to discern what day or time it was. Ji Tingqian didn’t rush him; instead, he waited patiently nearby until Ming Huai regained his composure.
Even as they exited the airport, Ming Huai still looked half-asleep. He was pushing a large 28-inch suitcase, and if Ji Tingqian hadn’t been watching closely, he would have already collided with something or wandered off aimlessly with the luggage.
After Ming Huai nearly bumped into a pillar yet again, Ji Tingqian finally couldn’t hold back and reminded him, “Ming Huai, perk up. You can sleep again once we’re back at the hotel.”
Ming Huai lifted his eyelids slightly. His mask covered most of his face, leaving only his eyes visible—glistening with moisture, resembling those of a fluffy little animal caught doing something wrong. That look made it impossible for anyone to scold him. His voice came out soft and gentle, “I’m really sleepy.”
After speaking, Ming Huai raised his hand to rub his eyes, likely trying to shake off the drowsiness.
Fu Hairong had sent someone to pick them up. The location where Ji Tingqian and the others stood was still some distance from the parking area. As he walked, Ji Tingqian kept a close watch on Ming Huai’s movements; the other man was far too exhausted, his head nodding forward repeatedly.
Just as Ming Huai was drifting into sleep, a strong grip suddenly seized his arm. He jolted awake, halted in his tracks, and followed the pull of that force until his gaze met a pair of deep, dark eyes.
“Wait here and let Director Fu’s people come to us,” Ji Tingqian said in a calm tone. Then, turning to Amy beside him, he added, “Get in touch with them.”
Amy nodded.
Ming Huai stared blankly at Ji Tingqian, then down at the large hand resting on his arm. Before he could fully process what was happening, Ji Tingqian suddenly pulled him aside along with his suitcase. Glancing back, Ming Huai saw Ji Tingqian’s assistant, Amy, already on the phone.
“Stand here for now,” Ji Tingqian said, then added, “If you’re too sleepy, just lean against me and catch a quick nap.”
Sleeping while standing was impossible, but leaning against someone’s shoulder for a brief moment could certainly ease the exhaustion. That was exactly what Ji Tingqian had in mind.
Ming Huai’s drowsiness vanished instantly, his eyes lighting up uncontrollably. He looked nothing like someone ready for sleep, yet how could he pass up such a perfect opportunity? Even if he wasn’t tired, he had to pretend to be.
“Thank you, Brother Ji.” Ming Huai smiled, his eyes curving into crescents, and leaned against Ji Tingqian without hesitation. Since Ji Tingqian was the one who had said it, he now found himself stiffening, unable to push the other man away.
But that wasn’t enough; Ming Huai intended to provoke Ji Tingqian’s nerves further. Pretending nonchalance, he murmured, “I’ll just lean for a bit. Wake me up later, Brother Ji.”
With that, Ming Huai closed his eyes, his hands clasping Ji Tingqian’s arm. His heart overflowed with sweetness, while the large suitcase beside him had already been forgotten in some distant corner, standing lonely and abandoned.
Even if Ji Tingqian were incredibly slow on the uptake, he would know that Ming Huai was teasing him. One glance at the face leaning against his shoulder confirmed it: those eyelashes fluttered violently, a dead giveaway of someone wide awake and far from sleepy.
“Ming Huai.” Ji Tingqian closed his eyes for a moment to steady the turbulent emotions surging within his chest, then called out in a low, heavy voice.
Ming Huai remained unmoved, his hand movements becoming even more pronounced. Beneath his mask, the corners of his mouth secretly curved into a wide grin; he thoroughly enjoyed this sensation, being enveloped by Ji Tingqian’s scent.
“If you’re not tired, then get up. We’re in public; don’t cause a scene,” Ji Tingqian said again, his furrowed brows making it clear that his mood was far from pleasant.
The two stood in silent confrontation here, unaware that Tang Lili and Amy behind them were utterly stunned. Exchanging glances, they both saw a hint of embarrassment and helplessness on each other’s faces; it seemed these two had completely forgotten they were out in public.
Tang Lili kept Yu Fanglan’s instructions firmly in mind, pondering how to broach the subject so Ming Huai and Ji Tingqian wouldn’t carry on like this. As if heaven had heard her silent plea, the car sent by Fu Hairong arrived right then.
Ming Huai sighed inwardly, wishing they had arrived just a little later.
Together, they loaded the luggage into the trunks. Fortunately, two cars had been sent; with so many bags belonging to Ming Huai and the others, one vehicle simply wouldn’t have been enough.
They arrived at the hotel just after one-thirty. No one had eaten yet, but the production team had thoughtfully arranged meals in advance; the staff had already ordered food and were simply waiting for their arrival. Since everyone was starving, they decided to merely drop off their luggage in their rooms and head straight to eat.
After lunch, everyone returned to their rooms to unpack. Tang Lili initially offered to help Ming Huai, but he declined. Thinking how tiring the long journey must have been for her, he insisted she should rest and take an afternoon nap first.
Ming Huai’s room was on the same floor as Ji Tingqian’s, right next door. This arrangement pleased Ming Huai immensely, enough to chase away some of his drowsiness.
He opened his suitcases one by one. Inside were mainly changes of clothes and skincare products. Ming Huai sorted and stored everything meticulously; with so many items, it took him over an hour to finish.
Once everything was done, despite the air conditioning running in the room, Ming Huai was still sweating profusely. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he grabbed a tissue to wipe the sweat from his forehead before completing the final step: standing up to put away the suitcases.
Fu Hairong had taken some people ahead to scout the location, saying they would return very late. He had mentioned this even before Ming Huai and Ji Tingqian arrived, suggesting they postpone the welcome dinner until the next day.
After taking a shower, Ming Huai began feeling sleepy again. Snuggled under the covers, he glanced at his phone and sent a message to Tang Lili, saying he was going to sleep and that she didn’t need to call him for dinner that evening.
Once the message was sent, Ming Huai switched his phone to silent mode and set it aside.
Just before falling asleep, Ming Huai suddenly remembered that Lin Zhimeng was also on the film set. Regarding this woman, Ming Huai still felt somewhat uneasy and uncomfortable.
Ming Huai was truly exhausted; he wasn’t particular about his bed, and it didn’t take long before he fell into a deep sleep.
When he woke again, it was already eight-thirty in the evening. He had slept for nearly four hours. The room was pitch black. Ming Huai turned on the light, yawned, stretched his arms, then slipped on his slippers over his pajamas and walked to the window.
Outside, the city lights had just begun to glow. Ming Huai stood there, lost in thought, gazing at the scenery for quite a while. Only when he fully regained his clarity did he turn away. He went to the bathroom, splashed water on his face, and finally shook off the last traces of drowsiness.
Ming Huai picked up his phone as usual, but the moment he turned it on, he saw several missed calls—all from Ji Tingqian. His heart skipped a beat, and he immediately opened his call history.
Ji Tingqian’s calls came at different times: once at five, again at six, and the last one just half an hour ago.
Ming Huai frustratedly pounded the bed with his fist.
Ji Tingqian had actually called him! Such a rare initiative on his part, yet he had been asleep and, worse still, had his phone set to silent!
The only sensible thing to do now was to call back immediately. Filled with regret and self-reproach, Ming Huai dialed Ji Tingqian’s number. To his surprise, Ji Tingqian answered almost instantly.
“Brother Ji, I’m so sorry. After packing my luggage this afternoon, I took a nap and just woke up. My phone was on silent, so I didn’t hear your call,” Ming Huai explained briefly as soon as the call connected.
Then he asked, “Did you need something from me, Brother Ji?”
“I wanted to ask if you’ve had dinner yet,” Ji Tingqian replied, flipping through the script in his hand.
Having missed the chance to share a meal together, Ming Huai strove to keep his composure.
“Not yet,” Ming Huai replied honestly. Only after Ji Tingqian mentioned it did he realize he was actually a bit hungry.
Ji Tingqian gave a faint “Mm” and then said, “Come to my room.”
Huh? Ming Huai froze for a moment, wondering if he’d misheard. What did he mean by going to Ji Tingqian’s room?!
Though utterly baffled, Ming Huai quickly agreed. After hanging up the phone, he walked as if treading on cotton wool and knocked on Ji Tingqian’s door.
Hearing the door click, Ji Tingqian set down the script in his hand, thinking Ming Huai was surprisingly quick—how long could it have been since he hung up the phone? At that thought, an unconscious smile spread across Ji Tingqian’s face.
The moment the door opened, Ming Huai’s face appeared, beaming with a wide smile. Ji Tingqian stepped aside to make room for him and said, “Come in first.”
Once inside, Ming Huai subtly surveyed the surroundings. The room was identical to the other one, yet here it carried the distinct imprint of Ji Tingqian’s life—the cup placed by the table, the few books resting on the nightstand, all bore his touch.
Ji Tingqian gestured for Ming Huai to sit on the small sofa. Confused yet still basking in the delight of Ji Tingqian’s spontaneous invitation, Ming Huai complied without hesitation.
It was only when Ji Tingqian set several food containers on the table before him that Ming Huai suddenly snapped back to reality. His eyes widened instantly as he watched Ji Tingqian, scrutinizing every single movement with intense focus.
Ji Tingqian opened the food containers one by one, revealing congee and some light snacks. After arranging everything, he sat down opposite Ming Huai and said, “It’s still warm. You ate too much at dinner; this will help prevent indigestion.”
Ming Huai glanced from the food containers to Ji Tingqian, attempting to read something in his expression. But as soon as Ji Tingqian finished speaking, he picked up his script and began reading, his brows and eyes as cool and detached as ever.
Surprisingly, Ming Huai asked nothing. He felt somewhat dazed, yet he diligently finished every last bite. Once his stomach was full and hunger vanished, his intellect still hadn’t returned.
“Thank you, Brother Ji.” Ming Huai’s cheeks flushed inexplicably red. He ruffled his hair, his gaze wandering uncertainly, unsure where to rest.
Only then did Ji Tingqian look up. Setting aside his script, his eyes swept over the several empty food containers on the table. A hint of puzzlement crossed his face as he asked, “Are you too full?”
“No, no,” Ming Huai replied, shaking his head.
Ji Tingqian wasn’t sure what had come over him today. After several calls to Ming Huai went unanswered, he asked Amy to contact Tang Lili, who informed him that Ming Huai was still asleep. Thinking that Ming Huai probably hadn’t eaten yet, he found himself inexplicably instructing Amy to pack some easily digestible food.
“Are you full now?” Ji Tingqian asked again.
Ming Huai nodded, his eyes especially bright. “Yes, yes, I’m full.”
“Mm, that’s good.” Ji Tingqian looked away and picked up the script once more.