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

They run over the scene a few more times, before Liao Min is satisfied with what they have.

After that, makeup descends on them again, as they get ready for the next scene.

Liao Min calls the scene, and they take their marks.

Han Yu circles Xi Zirui and hugs him from behind, inhaling the scent of his loose hair. As Hai Yaomei, Xi Zirui gasps at the feeling of his clever fingers over his bare waist.

Han Yu gathers all of Xi Zirui's hair in one fist and moves it over to his left shoulder, so he can drop fluttering kisses on his right, and all the way up his neck, towards his trembling throat.

Overcome, Xi Zirui angles his neck to the side to allow him better access.

Taking that as the invitation it is, Han Yu wraps his arms around Xi Zirui's waist more tightly and pulls him towards the bed.

Xi Zirui lets himself be guided and pushed down when Han Yu changes their positions.

He looks up at Han Yu with wide eyes as he looms over him, still fully clothed.

Han Yu runs his fingers down Xi Zirui's neck and towards his chest, almost grazing a nipple. "A-Yao is so beautiful. I'm very lucky to have him as a husband."

Xi Zirui whimpers and closes his eyes, looking to the side to avoid Han Yu's heated gaze.

It's a bit of improvisation on his part, to prevent himself from laughing at that frankly terrible bit of dialogue.

He feels sorry for Hai Yaomei, his new husband is glad they're married because he's beautiful. What a stupid reason to marry someone. What a shallow reason to fall in love.

Xi Zirui doesn't have long to ruminate over the sorry state of a fictional character's love life before Han Yu's lips are pressing down on his. It's the kind of chaste, family-friendly, kiss that the Broadcaster's Association loves, and that Xi Zirui is supposed to react to as if Han Yu is fucking his mouth with his tongue. He moans into the lackluster kiss and throws his arms around Han Yu's neck.

He runs his hand up the sides of Han Yu's robe, and asks, "Take off your clothes," his tone pleading.

"Cut! That was great." Liao Min says. "Let's run the scene a few more times, and then have short break."

Han Yu grins down at Xi Zirui. "Didi was really into it."

Xi Zirui rolls his eyes and slaps him on the arm, to try and get him to get off him. "I was acting," he says, smoothing down his wig. In a lower register he adds, "Gege hasn't seen anything yet."

He doesn't miss the way Han Yu's pupils dilate and his mouth falls open on a harsh pant. It makes him look stupid with lust. It's a good look on him.

---

They keep their distance during the break. Xi Zirui gravitates towards Su Xueyi's side looking pitiful and shy, clutching the two halves of his robe together in front of his chest.

Su Xueyi tries to comfort him, doing a poor job of hiding his smugness every time Han Yu looks in their direction.

The last two scenes of the day are going to be the 'consummation' and the morning after. Xi Zirui isn't looking forward to either of them.

"Ok, the next scene are going to be a little more intimate, so all non-essential personal please leave the set," Liao Min says, surprising Xi Zirui.

He didn't think they would have the luxury of privacy, but he's glad for it when a line of people starts filing out of the pavilion, Su Xueyi among them, leaving only Liao Min, a few cameramen and lighting technicians behind.

For this scene both he and Han Yu will be only in their robe's underpants, their upper halves bare, and the lower hidden by the red sheets, so the audience will get the impression they are wearing nothing at all.

Xi Zirui lets his robes fall down to the floor again. He tries to disguise his interest as Han Yu does the same, and fails miserably.

He can't help taking notice of the muscle definition on his chest and abdomen, slim and sleek like a swimmer's build. Elegantly broad shoulders tapering down to a trim waist, a sculpted ass, and legs that go on for miles.

Han Yu catches him staring and wiggles his eyebrows suggestively at him.

Xi Zirui scoffs and turns around from him. Leaving Han Yu to look at the sinuous curve of his back, the elegant dip of his tight waist and the twin dimples above his ass.

He thinks he hears an abortive gasp him, and smiles to himself, feeling pleased. Good, let Han Yu stare. Xi Zirui likes it when he's all flustered and needy.

Xi Zirui walks towards the bed and lays down on his back beneath the sheets, Han Yu follows after him like an eager puppy. He settles above Xi Zirui's body, his arms coming up around his shoulders, supporting his weight. Xi Zirui raises his knees to bracket his hips and links his arms around Han Yu's neck.

He's overly conscious of all the places his skin is touching Han Yu's, and of the weight of his body between his straining thighs. Han Yu is conscious too, and presses himself fully against Xi Zirui with a tiny roll of his hips.

Xi Zirui almost swallows his tongue. The bastard is hard!

Predictably, Han Yu's smirk only widens in the face of Xi Zirui's indignation.

He's such a kinky bastard, doing something like this while people are watching, Xi Zirui shouldn't be surprised. He tries not to let the fondness show on his face, it's best not to indulge Han Yu's whims.

In any case, he suspects Han Yu likes it when he's mean to him.

"We're rolling people, silence on set," Liao Min says focusing on the cameras showing their intertwined bodies on the bed.

Han Yu fits his palm behind Xi Zirui's neck only to dip it backwards in a slow languorous kiss. Xi Zirui's brows knit in pleasure as he moans into the kiss. Han Yu takes the opportunity to slip his tongue inside, running it teasingly against the edge of his upper teeth.

Xi Zirui ponders whether to bite him.

"We'll only do as much as A-Yao wants," Han Yu says, taking on Xiu Xianren's considerate voice and mellow words.

In the first display of backbone Hai Yaomei has shown since entering the nuptial chamber. Xi Zirui tightens his arms around Han Yu's neck and growls, "Shut up," bringing their lips together again.

Han Yu lets out a growl of his own, and snaps his hips in a long languid roll, this time because the script explicitly calls for it.

And, "scene", Liao Min calls, pumping her closed fist once into the air. "That was great, I really liked the improvisation. Sexy stuff. Let's do it like this a few more times, and then stick to the script in case we aren't cleared to air the raunchier version."

Han Yu hides a chuckle against Xi Zirui's neck. "Did you hear that, didi? You were sexy."

Xi Zirui tightens his legs around Han Yu's waist, driving his hips down into his, making him hiss when they rub together. "Keep teasing and we're going to be fined by the Broadcaster's Association for lewd and inappropriate content when they see this footage."

Han Yu gives him a pleading look, but keeps any further remarks to himself.

The good think about Han Yu's kinks is that he gets flustered when he's threatened with exactly what he wants. Xi Zirui will need to find a way to use that to his advantage.

---

By the time they're finally done for the day, the sky has grown dark outside the pavilion they're shooting in, and Xi Zirui has an inconvenient, persistent erection. Being this horny makes him moody and he snaps at Su Xueyi when he comes to collect him at the door.

Thankfully for him, Su Xueyi chalks it up to him being upset after prolonged exposure to Han Yu.

He gets rid of Su Xueyi in the hotel's lobby, and, making himself sound much more mellow than he feels, thanks him for his friendship again and tells him he's feeling really drained and doesn't want to be disturbed until the next morning.

He gets into his room only long enough to take his wig off and change into more comfortable clothing than a tracksuit. After that, he slips out of his own room and into Han Yu's.

"Is she on her way?" he asks, once he walks in and finds Han Yu glued to his phone.

Han Yu crosses the room with long strides and presses Xi Zirui bodily against the door, kissing the breath out of him. This is nothing like those stage kisses on set, Han Yu kisses him like he wants to swallow him whole and something in Xi Zirui preens under all that much naked hunger.

He returns the kiss, and doesn't even push Han Yu away when he grabs his ass. He's feeling generous. Besides, he likes the feel of Han Yu's broad, elegant hands kneading into his cheeks, pawing at him like every moment he isn't touching Xi Zirui hurts him.

Unfortunately, tonight they have other things to do besides indulging their desires.

"Focus, is she on her way?" Xi Zirui asks again, lifting two fingers up to Han Yu's mouth to stop his seeking lips.

Han Yu frowns in disappointment, but steps away. "She is, she said she was coming as soon as I sent her the massage during lunch. She should be arriving any time now."

As if on queue, there's a light knock on the door.

Whispering, Xi Zirui says, "Remember the plan." He pecks Han Yu's lips one last time. "I'm going to hide."

He goes into the bedroom, and hides inside the closet which with its shuttered doors makes the perfect hiding spot to record the bedroom and a great portion of the living room.

He hears the sound of Han Yu opening the door and then the sound of high heels clicking on hardwood.

When Bai Mi comes into his view, she looks no different from the photos he has seen of her. She's beautiful in a way that at first seems welcoming and charming, and which is probably why she has landed so many roles as the sweet innocent protagonist, but her cold eyes betray all her arrogance and sense of superiority.

She casts her eyes across Han Yu's room with a subtle sneer of disdain on her plush lips. As if she can tell by the room alone that the production he's acting in is well beneath her. It pleases her immensely.

"I'm glad you finally came around," she says folding her hands in front of her waist. "I was thinking we could announce a spring wedding."

Han Yu scowls. "I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing this for my child."

Bai Mi's lips stretch into a contemptuous smile as she sits down in the divan in the living room. "Are you?"

"Of course, why would I want to stay with anyone as despicable as you if it wasn't because of the child."

Han Yu's face shows his open disdain and contempt for Bai Mi, but it only makes her calculating smile widen.

"You really are stupid, uh," she says, shaking her head. "There is no child."

Han Yu staggers a few steps backwards, stricken. "What?"

Xi Zirui curses under his breath, he's usually such a great actor why is he hamming it up now of all times.

Here's to hoping that Bai Mi is as much of a self-absorbed snake as he says.

"Do you really think I'd let someone as pathetic as you get me pregnant?" she scoffs, and rummages inside her designer bag. She fishes out a neat folder of legal documents and throws it on the floor in front of Han Yu's feet. "The only thing I need from you is your star power. And even without a child, you're going to sign this non-disclosure agreement, and comply with every item on it. Unless you want a very intimate video of you, having sex with a woman who on first glance you might think is me, but video editing software will make sure she most definitely isn't."

She crosses her legs demurely and smiles sweetly up at Han Yu. "How is it going to be, hubby?"