MACRM Chapter 54

Near this period, with Zhong Yao supervising him to rebuild his health, Lin Zhu’s fever subsided in the middle of the night. The next day he slept with his head buried under the covers until evening, and once he’d fully rested, he really didn’t feel uncomfortable anymore.

Zhong Yao still wasn’t at ease. Claiming he himself wasn’t in good shape these two days, he forcibly pushed back even the top-priority work by another day.

“Ge, I’m really fine now.”

Lin Zhu held the brown-sugar ginger tea, using all his willpower not to throw the cup away, holding his breath in concentration. “I’m all better, really. If you don’t believe me, arm-wrestle me…”

Zhong Yao couldn’t hold back a smile and reached out to ruffle his hair. “Hate it that much?”

Lin Zhu’s ears turned red. He shook his head vaguely, brought the cup to his lips, shut his eyes in tragic resolve, and lifted his hand, ready to pour it into his mouth.

Saying he “didn’t like drinking it” was being generous toward the shredded ginger inside.

He’d never once lowered his head for ginger tea in his life. If it weren’t made by Zhong Yao himself, Lin Zhu would’ve snuck off to pour it on a plant ages ago.

Their relationship had only just settled into place, and Lin Zhu had immediately come down with a fever. Last night he’d sweated layer after layer, and Zhong Yao stayed with him for a whole day and night, changing his clothes several times and the bedsheets four or five times, working so hard that Lin Zhu didn’t feel even a hint of discomfort.

Lin Zhu had long gotten used to bearing illness alone. Now that he was being fussed over, he was a little overly tense. He didn’t know where to put his hands and feet.

Other than acting, this was his first time being sick and having someone take care of him. A bit afraid to seem ungrateful, a bit afraid to seem dramatic; he bent too far the other way. Whatever Zhong Yao said, he did. Very, very obedient. He even pinched his nose and swallowed the Chinese medicine. But drinking ginger tea… this was the first wall he couldn’t get over.

Just as the sharp smell reached his nose, Lin Zhu’s hand suddenly bumped into Zhong Yao’s palm.

Lin Zhu blinked in slight shock. “Ge—”

Zhong Yao burst into a soft laugh. He deftly took the cup from his hands, turned it, and set it down steadily without spilling a drop. “Alright, alright, you don’t have to drink it.”

His warm palm patted Lin Zhu’s hair indulgently, then slid down to gently pinch the back of his neck. “I learned it from my mom. When I got a fever as a kid, she’d boil this. I actually never drank it either. We always let it cool and fed it to the fish…”

Lin Zhu had never imagined Zhong Yao could have such an unsteady, mischievous side. He looked up in astonishment, eyes widening. “Do… fish like it?”

Zhong Yao shook his head. “Probably not. No matter who stood near them, the fish would leap out, banging against the tank. My mom used to wonder why she had to change the water every time I had a fever…”

Lin Zhu couldn’t hold it in. He burst into laughter, and all the tension from not drinking ginger tea evaporated instantly.

Zhong Yao’s eyes stayed on him, warm and soft, a faint smile blooming in his gaze. He rubbed Lin Zhu’s ear, turned up the AC by two degrees, and went to the bathroom to run warm water for him.

Only then did Lin Zhu realize Zhong Yao was deliberately telling jokes to coax him. His chest filled with a glowing warmth. He hugged a pillow and rolled back and forth on the bed, letting out a long, satisfied sigh.

It was already the next day, yet he still couldn’t help wondering if that night had only been a dream.

He really was… too happy.

Lin Zhu pressed his face into the pillow, breathing in the familiar scent of Zhong Yao everywhere, closing his eyes.

He’d been uncomfortable all night, and after sleeping the whole day, only now was he fully clear-headed enough to think about what happened.

It probably wasn’t a dream… right?

If it was a dream, it was too good.

Lin Zhu was thrilled, lips involuntarily curling upward, but reminded himself not to celebrate too soon.

When he was small, he’d fainted for days before, and dreamed his dad, mom, and older brother had all accepted his ability, lifted him in their arms, and beat up everyone who avoided him… only to wake up to reality. An important cautionary tale.

Lin Zhu was cautious. Wrapped in the blanket, he peeked left and right, confirming that Zhong Yao wouldn’t come out soon, then slid his hand under the covers.

He didn’t know how many times he’d pinched himself while half-conscious. Now when he touched the familiar spot on his thigh, it hurt immediately.

A sheen of sweat gathered at the back of his neck. He sucked in a breath, grinning through the sting.

Not a dream.

Lin Zhu kind of wanted to run laps again.

But he’d just had a fever, so going downstairs wasn’t great… Could he run laps inside the house? Maybe… run two circles around Zhong Yao?

He really couldn’t stay still. Crawling out from the covers, he headed toward the bathroom to find Zhong Yao.

He hadn’t touched the ground all day; when he stood up, he still felt dizzy. Instinctively he steadied himself on the table, just in time to see Zhong Yao’s phone vibrating nonstop.

Lin Zhu had burned up badly the night before. Zhong Yao, worried sick, hadn’t slept at all and didn’t let the agent spend extra energy either. He took all work matters on himself, not letting anyone call Lin Zhu.

When both of them were busy, their phones could end up anywhere. They were used to answering each other’s calls. Seeing the PR contact, Lin Zhu reflexively answered. “What’s wrong?”

“Zhong—”

The PR manager hesitated for a moment, then corrected himself, “Lin-laoshi?” 

Lin Zhu was still riding the high of happiness and didn’t notice the odd tone. “It’s me. Zhong-laoshi is in the bathroom. Is something up?”

PR manager: “…”

He carefully probed, “You two… just finished?”

Lin Zhu was confused. “Huh?”

“It’s nothing, nothing,” the PR manager instantly corrected. “Nothing major. Just confirming tomorrow’s Clozeya endorsement shoot. The PR team is… banging their heads against a wall. I’m helping them out. Will you be able to get up by 2 PM?” 

Though Lin Zhu browsed forums, his account level wasn’t high enough to access the hidden boards. He only ever saw the heavily censored versions. He completely missed the insinuation. “Yes, 2 PM. Why wouldn’t I be able to? …Why is the PR team banging their heads?”

PR manager: “……”

PR manager: “No idea. Must be inexperienced. They’ve been at it since last night.”

Lin Zhu remained doubtful but didn’t press further. He praised the team for their hard work these two days and briefly went over the upcoming schedule.

That historical costume drama had been officially confirmed. It was called [Serving the Sovereign¹OG is 奉君. 奉 is “to offer/to present/serve/to revere”; 君 is “Lord/Ruler/Sovereign”. I chose the title with the alliteration appeal], a major production with a historical educational angle. Zhong Yao was playing the male lead, and the directors were the veteran team he’d worked with before. According to the contract, filming was set to start mid-month.

Today was already the 13th. If the endorsement filming took a few more days, Zhong Yao really wouldn’t get any rest at all. Finishing here and immediately flying out to join the crew.

His illness had ultimately delayed things. Rubbing his temples, Lin Zhu closed his eyes and calculated the schedule. He told PR to find someone to reschedule the flights, pushing them back as much as possible.

“Even if he has to join the crew right at the deadline… as long as he’s not late. I’ll try to give Zhong-laoshi a few more days to rest.”

Lin Zhu felt sorry for Zhong Yao and didn’t want him catching up on sleep on the plane. “I’ll apologize to the director then. If anyone asks, just blame it all on me. Say the agent didn’t arrange the schedule well, it was too tight…”

The PR manager was used to his temperament and nodded. “Got it. It’s just—”

Lin Zhu waited for him to continue.

After a moment of hesitation, he didn’t go on. “Never mind. You just… you sound tired. It’s nothing major. We’ll talk when we meet.”

Lin Zhu was surprised.

The PR manager had grown much bolder after several “evolutions,” and usually nothing was too hard for him to say. This was the first time he seemed so hesitant.

Freshly recovered, Lin Zhu hadn’t felt anything lying down on the bed, but standing made him dizzy. Afraid the team would notice and panic, he didn’t pry. Instead, he said a few more things and hung up.

Zhong Yao finished running the bath and let Lin Zhu rinse off with warm water, staying outside the door to watch over him.

Steam filled the bathroom, and the air conditioner was set warm enough to make someone sweat. There’s no risk of catching a cold again.

Standing under the shower, letting the warm water run down from his head, Lin Zhu thought about Zhong Yao’s impending termination of contract with Canxing. He’d borrowed a legal team from his big brother and the process was underway. Within a week at most, they’d have formal confirmation. Starting with this endorsement, none of Zhong Yao’s earnings would go to Canxing anymore.

Before, when accepting new projects, he had to calculate how much the company would skim off. Now, with no such worries, he could start planning to fight for better resources for Zhong Yao.

At the top of the pyramid, competition was fierce. Veteran agents fought tooth and nail for everything.

Lin Zhu touched his own arm, which probably didn’t look very intimidating, and lingered under the warm water. His thoughts drifted, bouncing around, eventually wandering to some clips he’d seen on the forum.

Not very intimidating… but the feel was still noticeable.

The hand feel was… okay.

His face heated, and he coughed lightly.

Last night, after clearing things up, he’d been sick the whole time. Zhong Yao had spent all his energy taking care of him, so they hadn’t had the chance to do anything different from usual.

Now… were they officially dating…?

If they were dating, then they could do some things they normally wouldn’t.

While showering, he could “accidentally” drop the body wash, slip, and have someone rush in from outside…

Lin Zhu felt he’d been poisoned by those shameless fanfic writers. He scrubbed his face vigorously, banishing all the wrong thoughts.

It was late, and Zhong Yao hadn’t slept for a whole day and night. Lin Zhu didn’t want him to stay up any longer. He dried himself with a towel, put on clean pajamas, and walked out.

Zhong Yao was waiting outside. Seeing him come out flushed, he touched his forehead first and relaxed when he found no fever. He took a towel and began drying Lin Zhu’s hair. “Do you feel dizzy?”

Seeing Zhong Yao, all Lin Zhu’s messy thoughts vanished. He obediently let him dry his hair and shook his head. “Ge, the PR called. He said the endorsement shoot is at 2 PM. tomorrow. Should I have the assistant come pick us up?”

“No need… let’s go out for lunch. I’ll drive.”

After handling his workload for a day, Zhong Yao had a rough idea of the schedule. Hearing this, he shook his head and smiled. “Will you be okay going out tomorrow? You’re really not uncomfortable anymore?”

Lin Zhu shook his head with full energy.

He truly felt no discomfort, just a bit of post-fever fatigue and dizziness, which were normal. With another nap, he’d be fine.

Zhong Yao looked at him carefully, laughter softening in his eyes. He pulled him into his arms and rubbed his hair, voice low and gentle: “Then… starting tomorrow, I’ll formally court you. Is that alright?”

Lin Zhu blinked in surprise and looked up.

Holding him, Zhong Yao’s expression was solemn, as if he were taking on a state-appointed year-end drama. “I looked up the proper process of dating, and even asked them for several scripts… Even though we’re ahead of schedule, I can’t let you feel wronged. Just because we were already close doesn’t mean we can skip steps. After defining the relationship, we need to proceed gradually. Each stage has its own meaning…”

Lin Zhu stared blankly for a moment, then burst into laughter and buried himself in Zhong Yao’s chest.

How could he… like this person so much?

Just recovered, he didn’t have much strength. Leaning against Zhong Yao made him sleepy, and he closed his eyes, rubbing his cheek lightly against his neck. “Then… what stage are we at now?”

Zhong Yao lowered his head to look at him.

Lin Zhu looked gaunt, as if he’d lost weight in just two days.

Zhong Yao touched his cheek and held him tighter. He chose to speak honestly. “I am courting you. We go on dates, eat meals, and in about half a month… depending on the moment, we’ll have our first kiss.”

Lin Zhu’s ears burned hot. Though his eyes were closed, his body stiffened imperceptibly.

Half a month…

He couldn’t help wondering where Zhong Yao got his “scripts,” and whether he could beg a screenwriter to secretly swap them with a faster-paced one.

Zhong Yao was embarrassed himself and didn’t go deeper into the steps. He dried Lin Zhu’s hair, then gently carried him to the bed.

Lin Zhu hadn’t sweated much today, but Zhong Yao still worried he might feel uncomfortable. He changed the entire set of bedding again. The sheets had been sun-dried outside all day, soft and carrying the faint scent of sunlight.

Both were exhausted. The moment they lay down, their bodies sank heavily, and soon the room held only the sound of steady breathing.

After a while, Lin Zhu quietly opened his eyes.

Zhong Yao’s breathing was even. His brow carried faint traces of fatigue. He’s clearly deeply asleep.

Lin Zhu was tired too, but the thought of “half a month” kept circling in his mind, refusing to let him sleep. After struggling awhile, he clenched his fists, summoned every ounce of courage, and shakily leaned closer.

His arm tense, after a long internal battle, he steeled himself and lightly brushed his lips against Zhong Yao’s forehead.

Zhong Yao stirred faintly.

Lin Zhu nearly died of fright and darted under the blanket like a startled animal.

After a long moment with no other movement, he carefully lifted the edge of the blanket. Seeing that Zhong Yao had only turned over, he finally relaxed, inching back down and pressing a hand to his wildly beating heart.

Holding the blanket, fireworks burst across Lin Zhu’s mind.

He had just secretly kissed Zhong Yao!

Those writers were absolutely right — he really wanted to set off a twenty-meter skyrocket right now!

Careful not to touch Zhong Yao, he rolled around the bed a few times, crushed his excitement behind pursed lips, and flipped his hand over to place the back of it lightly against his own lips.

The young master of the Lin family, experiencing the first romantic relationship of his life, had just done something so daring he almost felt heroic. His chest was filled to the brim with sweetness, and he drifted off to sleep, utterly content.

…

He almost rolled off to the other end of the bed. In his first-ever relationship, Zhong Yao opened his eyes and silently sat up.

He’s a Film Emperor after all, there was no way Lin Zhu could notice anything off about his acting. Lin Zhu slept poorly, and Zhong Yao had gotten used to using this method to help him fall asleep. Every time, Lin Zhu’s rest was much better than his own.

Just from the doctor’s few brief words about Lin Zhu’s physical condition when he was young. Without knowing any details, Zhong Yao already felt heartache.

Zhong Yao couldn’t bear to let Lin Zhu suffer even a little. He was determined to give him a complete romance, rigorous and flawless. But the flutter in his chest refused to be suppressed. He hadn’t slept at all just now. He had planned to wait until Lin Zhu fell fully asleep, then quietly give him a kiss as if nothing had happened.

Careless.

Zhong Yao took a deep breath, placed his palm on the top of Lin Zhu’s head, and gently rubbed.

Lin Zhu was half-asleep and drowsy; his closed eyes curved slightly as he instinctively nuzzled into Zhong Yao’s palm.

Zhong Yao looked at him for a while, then smiled softly. He eased his movements, pulling Lin Zhu into his arms, letting him rest on his own arm, holding his breath as he leaned closer.

He had spent so many years in front of cameras that his control over his body was precise down to the smallest detail. Bit by bit, he closed the distance, and his tightly pressed lips landed silently, flawlessly, right at the corner of Lin Zhu’s lips.

Lin Zhu had just taken a shower not long ago, and because of the fever’s dehydration, his lips were softened and warmed by the lingering steam. Zhong Yao kept his eyes closed, letting the faint airflow of Lin Zhu’s breathing brush across his cheek.

After a few seconds, Zhong Yao calmly held Lin Zhu and settled him back into the covers, tucking the quilt corners the way they were before, then lay down gently himself.

Half an hour later, Zhong Yao sat up.

Lin Zhu had just finished dreaming; he vaguely sensed movement, struggled to open his eyes, and reached out to tug Zhong Yao’s sleeve. “Ge…”

Zhong Yao soothed him softly, gathering his hand and giving it a light squeeze. “It’s nothing, I’m just going to the bathroom.”

Lin Zhu rubbed his eyes, wanting to sit up too.

There was still an endorsement shoot tomorrow. PR had seemed like they had something more to say earlier—it was obvious that something new had gone wrong at work, but they hadn’t wanted to trouble Lin Zhu with it while he was sick.

The progress of the shoot couldn’t be delayed even a single day, and the schedule for joining the crew was already pushed to the limit. Lin Zhu slept uneasily, worried about everything, wanting to check his phone to see if there was any new message. But the moment he managed to lift his upper body, Zhong Yao immediately pulled him into his arms again.

Lin Zhu kept his eyes closed, fumbling for his phone. Zhong Yao caught his hand in time and set the phone on the table.

Skillful and practised, Zhong Yao wrapped him tightly again with the blanket, holding him in his arms, letting him rest against his chest while he gently patted him in slow, steady motions.

Lin Zhu had been forcing himself to stay awake, but this whole tender sequence coaxed his body into relaxing without realizing it. Sleepiness swept over him once more, and he burrowed into Zhong Yao’s arms.

Zhong Yao felt his heart melt from the nudge. He held him and gently patted his back, patiently waiting for him to fall asleep again before carefully laying Lin Zhu back onto the bed.

Zhong Yao got up steadily. He didn’t go to the bathroom but turned into the side room instead.

He changed his clothes.

He quietly opened the door and went downstairs to run laps.

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  OG is 奉君. 奉 is “to offer/to present/serve/to revere”; 君 is “Lord/Ruler/Sovereign”. I chose the title with the alliteration appeal