QT: Don't fall in love with the Male Lead

Xi Zirui would also like to know what the fuck he did for Han Yu to be speaking with him in that tone of voice.

He crosses his arms in front of his chest, making the large sleeves of his costume bunch up unattractively, and raises an eyebrow at Han Yu. "Excuse me?"

Han Yu scoffs. "Don't play the innocent," he steps in closer to Xi Zirui crowding him in against the trailer's door. "You know what you did."

Is he talking about him letting Su Xueyi bridal carry him in front of everyone earlier?

"Su Xueyi is my body-"

Han Yu frowns. "What do I care about your damn bodyguard? I'm talking about you being all cute with Ji Limei."

That's what this is about? Xi Zirui being nice to his coworker?

He wants to put some distance between himself and Han Yu, but his face is so close to Xi Zirui's that he can't even look up without their noses brushing.

He tries to shimmy away by ducking under Han Yu's arm, but Han Yu takes hold of his wrist and pins it in place above his head.

His breath is warm on Xi Zirui's skin when he speaks. "Don't fuck this up for both of us."

Xi Zirui tries to turn his head to the side to avoid the awkwardness of such an intimate position, but Han Yu uses his free hand to turn his chin forward and make him look at him.

"You know the fans of the novel were already worried that our character's relationship would be replaced with a straight romance. If they see photos of you acting all chummy with Ji Limei they will assume the two of you have a lot of scenes together, and that our character's romance will be erased. That could make interest in the drama plummet."

Xi Zirui is at once worried and fascinated that Han Yu spends his time trying to understand the thought process of the fans of a piece of media called 'Demonic Sect Leader, I'll make you fall in love with me!"

"Do you listen to yourself speak? You sound insane." He's fed up with Han Yu's theatrics. He tears his wrist free from his grip, managing to push him away and finally putting some space between them.

Han Yu's expression darkens. "I sound insane? Don't forget you agreed with this too, so the least you could do is keep your end of the bargain."

If it wasn't for his stupid system, and the fucking popularity rank or whatever it is, Xi Zirui would call off the agreement immediately.

Han Yu's arrogance is getting on his nerves. "If you want me to go through with this, stop ordering me around."

Xi Zirui turns around to open the trailer's door, but Han Yu slams his chest into his back, pressing his cheek against the cool surface of the door.

"When did you get so fiesty? You used to do everything I said like a good little puppy," Han Yu says, almost whispering the words into the shell of Xi Zirui's ear.

Xi Zirui struggles to free himself, but Han Yu doesn't let up, continuing to whisper into his ear, his words low and mellow. "You know, I think I like you better like this. You're finally showing your claws... I was afraid everyone else was right, and you were just a brainless pretty boy."

One of Han Yu's hands crawls over his waist and presses him more closely against his body. "Are you acting out because you want me to pay attention to you?" He runs one sharp canine over the soft skin of Xi Zirui's earlobe. "That's cute."

Who does Han Yu think he is, to touch Xi Zirui with such propriety?

Xi Zirui prides himself on being an even tempered person, he's never quick to anger, and he's usually happy to go with the flow.

The flow never manhandled him against a door, though.

And he's beginning to realize that his laid-back attitude is what got him into this mess, in the first place!

The best time to plant a tree was ten years ago, the second best time is today.

Xi Zirui is ready to plant some trees and turn a new leaf.

His first order of business is to elbow Han Yu in the spleen so hard that he almost falls over himself.

Han Yu clutches at his side and bites his lower lip to prevent himself from letting out a pained gasp, but through the haze, still summons the energy to glare menacingly at Xi Zirui.

Xi Zirui is almost sorry for him. Almost, then he remembers he's going to stop letting people walk all over him.

"Why don't you scream?" he asks, returning Han Yu's glare with a smirk. "Maybe the illegal photographers around the set will hear it and think we're fucking."

If Han Yu has any smart retort to make, Xi Zirui doesn't hear it, because he opens the door and steps out of the trailer.

And directly into Su Xueyi's chest.

Su Xueyi's arms come around his shoulders to steady him. "Sorry, I didn't see you," he says, flashing a brief glimpse of his devastating dimples, before it's gone and replaced by a worried look. "Are you okay? I was waiting for you outside the trailer, and I didn't mean to pry, but, I heard noises, and...I'm sorry, I know it's none of my business."

There's a faint pink flush over the top of his ears, and Xi Zirui comes to the terrible realization that maybe Han Yu didn't need to scream for everyone to come to their own conclusions regarding just what exactly they were doing locked inside his trailer.

Forget planting trees. Xi Zirui is going to start digging a hole he can bury himself in.

Su Xueyi doesn't notice the mortification taking over Xi Zirui's face like a death mask, and continues talking, "I thought you were having a fight, but then I remembered there are other reasons why you might be being loud."

He rubs the back of his neck self-consciously, and averts his eyes, leaving Xi Zirui to fend for himself with the weight of his mortification.

"We were fighting, we were having a fight, but it's fine, it's fine now," he says, the words rushing out of him like a speeding train. "There's nothing to worry about, I'm sure I left Han Yu alive."

Su Xueyi blinks down at him in confusion. "What?"

Won't the ground just open up and swallow him up? What is Xi Zirui saying. This is all Han Yu's fault, he hates him so much.

"Nothing! I'm hungry, aren't you hungry? Let's grab something to eat."

"Oh, don't you want to eat with the other actors?" Su Xueyi asks.

So he can act like a fool in front of them, too? Not really.

At least the damage is already done with Su Xueyi, so he supposes he can continue to impose on him.

The fruit basket he's going to gift Su Xueyi once he's done shooting this cursed drama just got a few yuan more expensive.

He's an actor, he can probably afford it.

"I'd rather have lunch with you, if that's okay."

Su Xueyi nods, and his dimples make another fleeting appearance, before he says, "Do you want me to get us something from the cafeteria, or would you rather go into town?"

Xi Zirui doesn't want to risk running into Han Yu, so he would much rather go somewhere away from the set. "Somewhere else, please."

Su Xueyi gives him a searching look, his eyes soft and understanding. "I'll bring the car around."

Oh, no. He's probably thinking Xi Zirui is heartbroken over his fight with Han Yu.

It's not like he can set the record straight without making himself sound like a huge asshole, so he just watches him leave, feeling a little like an asshole for taking advantage of Su Xueyi's kindness to run away from his problems.

He's watching him leave with a mix of conflicting emotions swimming around his mind, when he hears an annoyingly familiar chime.

"Congratulations host, on resisting the Male Lead's advances and preserving your chastity. Remember you can't fall in love with the Male Lead, or you'll fail the mission and die," Ni Ni says, her robotic voice as monotone as ever, which unfortunately doesn't make her words any less worrying.

"What chastity? Why is everyone in this world obsessed with my non-existent virginity?"

He only realizes belatedly that he's in the middle of a busy set screaming into his wrist

He chances a look around, and let's out a sigh of relief when it seems that no one heard him.

At least Xi Zirui can be thankful for one thing, under no circumstance is he going to be falling in love with Han Yu.

---

Su Xueyi picks him up in the same electric car of the previous day, and just like last time, Xi Zirui sits down on the passenger side next to him.

They're silent the whole drive into town, mostly because Xi Zirui is too embarrassed to say anything.

Eventually the silence grows oppressive and he turns on the radio just to have something to fill the air with.

He switches into a random station, some sort of bubblegum, synth-heavy tune is playing. Not Xi Zirui's usual style, but he leaves it playing.

It takes him an embarrassingly long time to realize the voice singing is his own.

The voice coming from the speakers is high-pitched and breathy, almost moaning, singing about feeling someone's body moving above his own, the heat of the moment, and passion catching like wildfire.

Xi Zirui turns off the radio so fast that his fingernails scratch the touch screen panel.

"Too bad," Su Xueyi says, the corner of his lips curling up in amusement. "I like that song."

Xi Zirui blinks owlishly at him. Is Su Xueyi teasing him?

How can he enjoy listening to a song where the person sitting next to him moans about wanting...to be fucked, honestly, if you strip down, the frankly terrible, euphemisms.

He has to wonder who has been making this world's Xi Zirui's career decisions for him, because there's no way he read the lyrics to that song, and that terrible, over processed musical arrangement, and thought. "Yeah, this sounds great!"

Then again, that same man agreed to fake a relationship with Han Yu for publicity, so maybe Xi Zirui is giving him too much credit.

"Where do you want to eat?" Su Xueyi asks, after some time.

Xi Zirui shrugs. "I have no idea, whatever is fine."

"I know a place that makes great whatever," Su Xueyi says, and raises his eyebrows at Xi Zirui as if acknowledging his own terrible joke.

Xi Zirui can't help smiling. "Sure, take me there."