I Became the Koi Actor After Entering the Book

**Chapter 53: Affection Can’t Be Hidden**

Translator: Namizaki

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Zhong Yin’s attempt to warn Chi Zhongqiao failed. By the time he reached the airport, he had missed the last morning flight and was forced to squat miserably in the terminal, waiting for the first afternoon flight.

He tried calling Chi Zhongqiao repeatedly, but there was no answer. He paced anxiously, muttering, “Brother Qiao, President Lu is on his way! Why aren’t you answering your phone?!”

Zhong Yin clung to the hope that Lu Yuzhou’s flight would be later than his own. But at 2 PM, his hopes were dashed when Lu Yuzhou emerged from the arrivals gate, Qi Chuyang trailing behind him.

Zhong Yin ducked behind a luggage cart, clutching his phone in despair. “Brother Qiao, please answer my call!”

Two and a half hours later, Zhong Yin dragged his suitcase and gestured with his hand, “President Lu, this way.”

Lu Yuzhou nodded.

Zhong Yin awkwardly withdrew his hand with a sheepish grin.

Qi Chuyang nudged his shoulder and whispered, “Did you tell Brother Qiao?”

Zhong Yin’s face fell. “If I had, I wouldn’t be so terrified right now. Brother Qiao’s going to tear me apart! I actually brought his Boss here!”

Qi Chuyang’s expression softened with sympathy.

Since waking up that morning, Lu Yuzhou had replayed the previous night’s events in his mind, his rationality crumbling completely. A burning sensation flared in his chest, and the myriad emotions that had long suffocated him boiled over. Amidst the chaos, one clear thought emerged: I need to see him.

After all, he had already laid bare his most shameful desires before Chi Zhongqiao.

Lu Yuzhou only wanted an answer. If Chi Zhongqiao said he didn’t reciprocate, Lu Yuzhou would immediately withdraw. But if…

Standing before a door, Lu Yuzhou murmured, “Is this the right room?”

“Yes…” Zhong Yin replied, though he wasn’t sure if Chi Zhongqiao was inside.

After a moment of silence, Lu Yuzhou said, “You and Qi Chuyang should go rest.”

Zhong Yin hesitated, but Qi Chuyang quickly tugged him away. “Let’s go.”

Zhong Yin whispered, “What if they start arguing?”

Qi Chuyang dragged Zhong Yin away. “President Lu would never argue with Brother Qiao.”

Their President Lu might have an iron will in front of outsiders, but when it came to Brother Qiao, he was as soft as silk wrapped around a finger.

Zhong Yin was pulled away by Qi Chuyang.

Lu Yuzhou’s raised hand didn’t knock. Instead, he spread his fingers and gently pressed them against the door.

If I go in now, what expression will Brother Qiao wear? Will he think I’m being relentless, annoyed by my lack of understanding, or… will he look like he did last night?

Lu Yuzhou lowered his head and pressed it lightly against the cold door. He couldn’t tell if the tenderness he’d felt from Brother Qiao last night had been real or just his imagination.

Now, with only a wall separating him from Brother Qiao, the burning fire in Lu Yuzhou’s heart suddenly died down.

He pulled out his phone and sent a message: [ Where are you, Brother Qiao? ]

Less than two minutes later, Chi Zhongqiao replied: [ At Xiazhou Hotel. ]

Lu Yuzhou’s fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before slowly and firmly typing: [ Can I see you, Brother Qiao? ]

He made up his mind: If he didn’t receive a reply within five minutes, he would leave.

No matter what, he never wanted to make things difficult for his Brother Qiao.

Huddled in the hotel room, Chi Zhongqiao’s hand trembled in shock, and his phone slipped from his grasp, landing on the carpet.

He slowly turned his head, staring at the door with a mix of surprise and uncertainty.

After a moment of stunned silence, Chi Zhongqiao realized that running away wasn’t an option. He had to explain everything to Yuzhou eventually.

He picked up his phone: [ Where are you? ]

Lu Yuzhou: [ Outside the door. ]

Sure enough, he was there.

Chi Zhongqiao thought absently: When Yuzhou sobers up and remembers what happened last night, he’ll probably feel awkward and embarrassed too.

Should I hide and pretend to be dead, or…?

Chi Zhongqiao didn’t want to pretend to be dead. He wanted to see him.

He suddenly stood up and yanked open the door, only to be pulled into a tight embrace. The person’s voice was muffled, so low it sounded almost aggrieved: “Brother Qiao, if you didn’t open the door, I was going to leave.”

The moment Chi Zhongqiao saw him, all his tangled thoughts vanished. A natural smile crept onto his face. “Is that all the patience you have for me?”

After all, he was used to spoiling Lu Yuzhou.

Lu Yuzhou: “I missed you so much.”

The closer he got, the more timid he became.

Chi Zhongqiao paused for a moment before coaxing him inside.

“What brings you here?” Chi Zhongqiao released Lu Yuzhou’s hand.

Lu Yuzhou’s fingers clenched abruptly, then relaxed when he realized his loss of composure.

He grasped Chi Zhongqiao’s wrist. “Did I hurt you, Brother Qiao?”

Chi Zhongqiao chuckled. “No.”

Noticing Lu Yuzhou’s downcast gaze, Chi Zhongqiao suddenly reached out and tilted Lu Yuzhou’s chin upward, forcing him to meet his eyes.

Lu Yuzhou startled, his face flushing crimson even before Chi Zhongqiao could do anything.

Chi Zhongqiao: “Lift your head. What are you afraid of?”

The color slowly drained from Lu Yuzhou’s face.

Chi Zhongqiao’s heart began to race uncontrollably. He bit the tip of his tongue to steady himself, forcing his voice to sound casual as he asked, “Did last night’s incident make you rush over here in such a panic?”

Lu Yuzhou desperately wanted to avoid Chi Zhongqiao’s gaze, yet he couldn’t bear to let go of the warmth of his palm. Torn between these conflicting desires, he lowered his lashes, unsure how to respond.

Silence filled the room. Chi Zhongqiao struggled to breathe, unbuttoning his collar and thinking he should turn on the air conditioning.

Lu Yuzhou’s lashes trembled. “…Yes.”

Chi Zhongqiao exhaled softly. “What do you want to say now?”

With this, he surrendered the emotional initiative to Lu Yuzhou.

Lu Yuzhou gripped Chi Zhongqiao’s wrist, his hand trembling visibly. Even Chi Zhongqiao could feel the tremor.

He suddenly smiled. “I was drunk last night, but not a word I said was drunken nonsense.”

Shattering all restraint and taboo, he laid bare his suppressed feelings before Chi Zhongqiao.

“I like you, Brother Qiao. Not because you’re good to me, but because you’re just… good.”

Chi Zhongqiao blinked in slight confusion. He had expected Lu Yuzhou to use a more tactful approach to avoid any potential awkwardness between them, but Lu Yuzhou had been surprisingly direct.

When Chi Zhongqiao had relinquished control of the conversation, he had mentally rehearsed over a dozen scenarios, ready to offer a suitable response to match Lu Yuzhou’s approach. Yet he had never anticipated Lu Yuzhou would avoid any evasiveness whatsoever.

For a moment, Chi Zhongqiao felt a sudden urge to retreat, instinctively trying to pull his hand free from Lu Yuzhou’s grasp.

Sensing his resistance, Lu Yuzhou obediently released his hand.

Having reached this point, Lu Yuzhou no longer cared about the consequences, nor did he intend to brush things off as if nothing had happened.

“I don’t remember when these feelings started. Just seeing you makes me happy, and I even love hearing your voice. But I was scared and never dared to say anything.”

“I was afraid that if I confessed, Brother Qiao would avoid me, and we wouldn’t even be able to maintain our current relationship. But I’m greedy. I always want more. The kinder Brother Qiao is to me, the more I crave.”

“I was also afraid that by the time I finally mustered the courage to tell you, you would already have someone you liked.”

Chen Zhou’s attentiveness had been like a warning bell ringing in Lu Yuzhou’s ears. What surged through him wasn’t jealousy, but a sense of impending crisis.

If Chen Zhouqiao didn’t like him, what about someone else?

He held back the urge to speak, yet couldn’t stop others from liking Chi Zhongqiao.

Torn between fearing it was too late and too early, unable to confess his feelings, he knew no torment could be greater.

Chi Zhongqiao, unaware of the turmoil in Lu Yuzhou’s mind, found himself speechless, his thoughts warring within him.

Lu Yuzhou looked up at him, his lashes thick and dark, his features more pronounced than most. Even in silence, he exuded an air of deep affection.

“I’m afraid of so many things. I keep wondering if I’m holding Brother Qiao back, if I’m even worthy of him…” He chuckled softly. “Being part of the Lu Family, I haven’t even managed to escape its clutches myself. How could I dare to burden Brother Qiao? Last night, drunk, my feelings spilled out, making a fool of myself in front of you.”

“I’m not telling you this to earn your sympathy,” Lu Yuzhou said calmly, meeting Chi Zhongqiao’s gaze. “I just want you to know that the reason I can’t confess when I’m sober isn’t because I don’t like you enough—it’s because I like you too much.”

Chi Zhongqiao stood frozen, taking a few steps back, feeling utterly lost.

Lu Yuzhou asked softly, “What about you, Brother Qiao? What do you want from me?”

Chi Zhongqiao was still thinking about Li Xi and Lu Yuzhou. He had too many reservations. He couldn’t bring himself to dislike Lu Yuzhou, but he also couldn’t agree to his proposal.

He was caught in a dilemma.

Chi Zhongqiao wanted to speak, but the words caught in his throat, too bitter to voice.

In the silence, Lu Yuzhou felt a pang of disappointment. He forced a wry smile, knowing his words were futile. He had repeatedly warned himself on the way here, but when the moment arrived, he couldn’t maintain his composure.

Forcing himself to remain calm, Lu Yuzhou stood up, avoiding Chi Zhongqiao’s gaze. “I understand… I’ll leave now…”

Chi Zhongqiao interrupted him. “Yuzhou, come here.”

Lu Yuzhou froze.

“Come,” Chi Zhongqiao said. “I have something to tell you.”

Lu Yuzhou glanced back, his eyes still clouded with lingering disappointment. Chi Zhongqiao exhaled softly and smiled faintly. “Don’t just stand there.”

Lu Yuzhou carefully sat back down beside Chi Zhongqiao.

Chi Zhongqiao stroked his hair. “After filming <The Patriot> is finished, if Yuzhou still likes me, then I’ll agree to be with you.”

If he remembered correctly, Lu Yuzhou had fallen for Li Xi during the filming of <The Patriot> in the original novel. Chi Zhongqiao didn’t want to interfere between them, but if no sparks flew between the two after <The Patriot>, he wouldn’t feel like he was stealing someone else’s love.

Lu Yuzhou: “Brother Qiao, are you serious?”

Chi Zhongqiao: “Have I ever lied to you?”

Lu Yuzhou sat quietly for a few seconds, pressing his lips together to suppress his excitement before finally pulling out his phone.

He now resembled a child who knew he would receive a gift on his birthday, his eagerness overriding any concern for appearances.

Lu Yuzhou dialed Fu Jingshen’s number and put the call on speakerphone. “How’s the script preparation for <The Patriot> coming along?”

Chi Zhongqiao never expected Lu Yuzhou to call Fu Jingshen directly.

Wait…

<The Patriot> wasn’t being directed by Fu Jingshen. Shouldn’t he be asking Li Xi about the script?

Fu Jingshen’s lazy voice drifted from the phone: “President Lu, can’t you let people nap in peace? The script’s still in early stages. Didn’t we say filming wouldn’t start until the second half of the year at the earliest? Xiao Xi is still revising the script.”

Chi Zhongqiao glanced at his phone—it was almost five o’clock.

Still asleep after his nap?

Lu Yuzhou: “It’s 4:46 PM.”

Fu Jingshen clicked his tongue. “Single dog. I haven’t been asleep for long.”

Just then, Li Xi’s drowsy voice came from the other end of the line: “President Lu? Is Brother Qiao there?”

Chi Zhongqiao froze, his mind reeling. Wait, that’s too much information to process at once.

Fu Jingshen had just woken up, and Li Xi was in his room…

Chi Zhongqiao felt a sudden chill— Could they be… involved?!

Lu Yuzhou glanced at Chi Zhongqiao. “Brother Qiao’s here.”

Li Xi: “I need to discuss the script with Brother Qiao… Get off me! Don’t touch me! Get up and go die somewhere else.”

The last part was clearly directed at Fu Jingshen, as evidenced by his muttered complaint afterward: “You turn on me so fast.”

Chi Zhongqiao took Lu Yuzhou’s phone and continued discussing the script with Li Xi, his mind still reeling.

Meanwhile, shortly after Chi Zhongqiao took the call, Fu Jingshen sent Lu Yuzhou a message on his backup phone: Can’t you single guys leave us couples alone? Stop talking to my man and get him to come back here in bed already!

Lu Yuzhou deleted the message without a flicker of emotion.

Fifteen minutes later, after finishing the script discussion with Li Xi, Chi Zhongqiao held the phone, turning his head in confusion. “Li Xi and Director Fu…”

Lu Yuzhou: “They’ve been together since last year.”

Chi Zhongqiao: “……”

Lu Yuzhou tentatively reached out, and when Chi Zhongqiao didn’t pull away, he gently hooked his fingers around Chi Zhongqiao’s. “Does Brother Qiao still mean what he said about agreeing to be with me after filming <The Patriot>?” he murmured.

Chi Zhongqiao replied woodenly, “No, I can agree right now.”