SM Chapter 35

Chapter 35: I’m Here to Find Mingqian, I’m Taking Him Home

The bed scene was finally over. Ye Lai shifted his body, quietly leaned close to Sheng Mingqian’s ear, and spoke in a breathy voice that only the two of them could hear.

“Director Sheng, before filming this bed scene, you taught me hand-in-hand. At that time… I felt like you were hard, I shouldn’t be mistaken, right?”

Ye Lai’s tone was flirtatious, and his hand wasn’t idle either, giving Sheng Mingqian’s side waist a pinch, as if momentarily impulsive, throwing a hook at Sheng Mingqian, wanting to fish out an answer from his mouth.

Only he himself knew how much anticipation was hidden beneath the flirtation.

Sheng Mingqian leaned close to Ye Lai’s ear in return, and asked him in the same volume: “So, what answer do you want to hear? Hard, then I kicked you out in the end, not hard, then I’m not interested in you…”

With Sheng Mingqian’s one sentence, the sense of suspension that Ye Lai had just been hanging in mid-air was instantly emptied, losing its buoyancy, and he crashed heavily to the ground. He even felt the dust flying up in that instant, a hazy gray.

How annoying, Ye Lai laughed at himself.

He really knew how to ask for a scolding, neither answer was any good.

After staying with Sheng Mingqian in Finland for more than a month, Ye Lai received two bank deposit notifications, which were the final payments for the variety show he participated in before and the idol drama that had already aired.

As usual, he kept a portion for himself, and transferred the remaining money to the Dean’s bank card.

The Dean called Ye Lai as soon as she received the bank card information. The Dean’s voice sounded very haggard on the phone, and she was a little out of breath when she spoke, and her cough was also very severe.

It was already midnight in China, and the Dean was still not asleep. Ye Lai was a little worried about her: “Why are you coughing so badly? Do you have a cold?”

“The temperature has dropped in the country these past two days, and I probably caught a cold from the cold wind. I’ve been coughing a bit lately.”

“Did you take any medicine? You have to go to the hospital for a check-up.”

“I went to a nearby clinic to see a doctor, and the doctor prescribed some anti-inflammatory and cough-suppressing medicine for me. I’m taking it, so you don’t have to worry about me.”

Ye Lai could hear that the Dean had been suppressing her cough on the phone. After saying only a few words, she hurriedly hung up the phone after telling him to pay more attention to his health in Finland.

Ye Lai was not very reassured, and thought to himself that he would take her to the hospital for a comprehensive physical examination after returning to China.

Because he was worried about the Dean, the two of them changed their tickets and returned to China a week earlier.

Before returning to China, Yuan Ling and Sheng Dehui prepared many gifts for them, all couple styles, two of each, matching watches, belts, formal wear, crystal cufflinks, and all kinds of small gifts, which dazzled Ye Lai.

Yuan Ling also wrapped a large red envelope for Ye Lai. Ye Lai didn’t take it, first glancing at Sheng Mingqian beside him with the corner of his eye. Yuan Ling directly stuffed the red envelope into Ye Lai’s arms: “Don’t look at him, this is from me and his father to you. You have to take the red envelope from your elders.”

There was a little man in Ye Lai’s heart dancing excitedly. He happily took the red envelope. A red envelope from his elders, that counts as a kind of recognition.

In addition to what Sheng Mingqian’s parents prepared for them, the two of them went out separately to buy a lot of things. Ye Lai bought some to give to friends, and the rest were gifts for Xin Xin and the children at the orphanage.

Sheng Mingqian also bought a lot of things. Ye Lai guessed in his heart who those gifts were prepared for. Although curious, he didn’t ask.

–

–

The plane landed, and Lin Han came to pick them up at the airport, first taking Ye Lai back. Lin Han said there was something at the studio, and directly took Sheng Mingqian away.

Ye Lai went into the house and simply tidied up, carrying large and small bags, and drove to the orphanage alone, distributing the gifts to the Dean and the children. Then Ye Lai wanted to take the Dean to the hospital for a check-up.

The Dean refused to go, saying that there were still many things to be busy with, and that her cough was already much better, and there was no need to go to the hospital.

Ye Lai understood. Ever since the Dean had a physical examination a few years ago and found many geriatric diseases, she now disliked going to hospitals more and more.

“You just came back, and you came over without resting.”

“I slept for several hours on the plane, and I can’t sleep after coming back.”

Ye Lai finally booked an appointment with a specialist for the Dean, for next week, and said forcefully that he would come to pick her up that morning for the examination.

The Dean saw that he was so persistent, and didn’t push back, nodding in agreement.

In the afternoon, after leaving the orphanage, Ye Lai carried his things to Zhang Yihao’s house. Xin Xin and her mother had gone to her maternal grandma’s house. Zhang Yihao made a few dishes, and the two drank a lot of wine together.

Zhang Yihao kept asking Ye Lai if he and Sheng Mingqian had gained anything from their trip to Finland, whether Sheng Mingqian’s parents were easy to get along with, and when he could receive their invitation so he could go and drink their wedding wine.

The wine that Ye Lai drank began to slowly flush his face, and he was bubbling with heat. He patted his face with his hand, and spoke to Zhang Yihao in a very low voice, as if sharing something he treasured very much, afraid that others would eavesdrop.

“Sheng Mingqian’s parents are really, really, really good. Brother Hao, I experienced what it’s like to have a family, to have parents, it’s really good.”

Thinking of the gifts Yuan Ling gave him, Ye Lai’s eyes sparkled. He rummaged through his empty pockets, only to remember that the sandalwood box containing the jade lock had been carefully put into the drawer in his bedroom, pressed to the innermost part, in a place where it wouldn’t be easily broken or lost.

Thinking of this, Ye Lai cast aside those complex and illusory prefix conditions, and only felt very proud in his heart, bragging to Zhang Yihao: “His mother also likes me very much, she even gave me the family’s ancestral jade lock, and when we left, she gave me a big red envelope…”

Zhang Yihao smiled: “Our Xiao Lai is so good, it’s normal for people to like you.”

After that ethereal and false show of pride and smugness, Ye Lai’s mind returned to a blank slate, like a dandelion after being blown away by the wind, leaving only a bare flower stalk.

Ye Lai shook his head helplessly again, his limbs were drunk with alcohol, and had begun to go numb. His fingertips and toes felt like ants were gnawing at them, and in the end he couldn’t even sit still, and his body swayed.

Zhang Yihao was quick to support him, so that Ye Lai wouldn’t fall directly from the stool.

Ye Lai drank a lot of wine, and Zhang Yihao told him to sleep at his house tonight, and stood up to tidy up the guest room for him.

Ye Lai grabbed him: “Brother Hao, I should still go back.”

He wanted to see Sheng Mingqian. Holding onto Zhang Yihao, he stood up crookedly, and only stood firm after the numbness in his legs passed.

Zhang Yihao was worried about him being alone, and hailed a taxi with him.

Halfway there, Ye Lai remembered that Sheng Mingqian should be at the studio. He changed the destination midway, he wanted to pick up Sheng Mingqian and go home together.

–

–

Lin Han stood in front of his desk, fiddling with the perfume that Sheng Mingqian had brought him for a long time, complaining to him: “You’re really not as good at giving gifts as Ye Lai. The last time Ye Lai came, he knew to bring me a bottle of good wine. This thing you gave me, a rough guy like me can’t use it.”

“It’s not for you. Didn’t you say you’ve been pursuing someone recently? This perfume scent is neutral, both men and women can use it.”

Lin Han chuckled twice: “So that’s how it is.”

Sheng Mingqian started gossiping about him: “So, who have you been pursuing recently? You’re keeping it so secret, I’ve never seen you like this before.”

Lin Han still kept his mouth shut. No matter how much Sheng Mingqian inquired, he wouldn’t let go. He put the perfume away, and changed the subject: “Those few scripts that I sent you before, did you like any of them?”

“None of them are good.”

“I knew you would say that,” Lin Han had already expected it, “I don’t even understand the scripts myself, but those people insisted that I show them to you. I could only send them to you. If you don’t like any of them, then don’t take any of them.”

“I’m planning to come up with a script myself later.” Sheng Mingqian lit a cigarette.

“Got inspiration again?”

“Yeah.”

“What kind of story do you want to write this time?”

Sheng Mingqian closed his eyes, his gaze swept to the crystal cufflink on his clothes. It was the couple style his mother had bought for him and Ye Lai. Before boarding the plane, Ye Lai insisted on putting it on him, one for him, one for Ye Lai.

The light blue crystal cufflink shone, and he smiled as he stared at the cufflink, exhaling a puff of smoke: “I haven’t thought it out yet, I only have a little inspiration now.”

As the two were talking, there was a knock on the door, three knocks, deep and rhythmic.

Sheng Mingqian turned his head and glanced at the door with a cigarette in his mouth. Lin Han had already gone to open the door.

“Brother Han…” The man outside the door called out with a smile.

Lin Han recognized the person outside the door. Because he was too surprised, he didn’t control his volume: “Qin, Ziming? Why are you here?”

Sheng Mingqian was sitting on the sofa with his back to the door. Suddenly hearing that name that was already very unfamiliar to him, his finger trembled, and the ash on the cigarette column fell on the back of his hand, burning him a little. He quickly stood up, put out the cigarette butt in the ashtray, patted the ash on his pants, and frowned as he turned his head to look at the door.

Lin Han was blocking the doorway, and was also looking back at him. The two’s eyes met, and Lin Han gave Sheng Mingqian a ‘good luck to you’ look, and opened the door a little wider.

The man in the trench coat walked in. Only then did Sheng Mingqian see clearly. After not seeing him for several years, Qin Ziming hadn’t changed much, his chestnut natural curly hair paired with those unpredictable brown pupils, and maintaining his usual refined smile on his face.

“Mingqian, long time no see.”

Sheng Mingqian quickly recovered: “Long time no see.”

Qin Ziming handed the things he was carrying in his hand to Lin Han: “Brother Han, a 1990 Romanée-Conti.”

“What a waste.” Lin Han gave a dry laugh, and took the red wine gift box from Qin Ziming’s hand.

“It’s good that Brother Han likes it.”

Qin Ziming handed another gift box that he was carrying in his other hand to Sheng Mingqian: “Mingqian, this is for you.”

Sheng Mingqian glanced at it, it was a tie. He didn’t take it: “You don’t need to give gifts.”

The smile on Qin Ziming’s face froze for a moment. In the end, he embarrassedly retracted his hand. Sheng Mingqian sat back on the sofa, Qin Ziming put the things on the table, and walked over to sit opposite him.

Lin Han looked at this one, then looked at that one, and found a random excuse to slip away. He didn’t want to be stuck in the middle, it was awkward and uncomfortable.

Zhang Yihao sent Ye Lai to the door, and only left in a taxi after watching him enter.

As soon as Lin Han came out, he ran into Ye Lai who was rushing in. He turned his head to look at the closed office door on the second floor, and sucked in a breath of cold air.

He quickly walked over, and grabbed Ye Lai: “Ye Lai, you’re not resting at home, why did you think of coming to see me.”

Ye Lai was still a little tipsy. Suddenly being stopped, it took him a few seconds to recognize Lin Han: “Brother Han, I’m here to find Mingqian, I’m taking him home.”

Lin Han’s scalp went numb. He had already smelled the alcohol on Ye Lai’s body. He didn’t dare let him go up now.

These three people, none of them were easy to deal with. If they lost control later, they would smash his office.

More importantly, he had always known about Ye Lai and Sheng Mingqian’s marriage of convenience. He didn’t understand what their relationship was like now. At this moment, he even felt a little sorry for Ye Lai, and didn’t want him to go upstairs.

Although Sheng Mingqian has indeed had many scandals over the years, Sheng Mingqian rarely responds directly, because he doesn’t care about those at all.

Others may not know, but he knows very well, none of those that have been exposed are real, they are all fictitious things, either deliberate hype or sneak shots, all some low-down and unpresentable tricks.

But at this moment, the man sitting opposite Sheng Mingqian on the second floor, has never been exposed before. Sheng Mingqian used to do a very good job of keeping it secret, that was the person who had seriously dated Sheng Mingqian.

“Brother Han, where’s Mingqian?”

Ye Lai looked up the stairs to the second floor, his gaze was fluttering and hadn’t landed on anything solid, when his arm was grabbed by Lin Han. Ye Lai was turned around by him, and after being inside for less than two minutes, he went out again.

“Mingqian went out for something, Ye Lai, you drank tonight, right? I’ll drive you home first, and I’ll have Mingqian go back later.”