I Became the Koi Actor After Entering the Book

**Chapter 54: Five Hundred and Five**

Translator: Namizaki

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Chi Zhongqiao’s sudden change in demeanor caught Lu Yuzhou completely off guard.

“Brother Qiao?” Lu Yuzhou called out tentatively.

Chi Zhongqiao flashed a sudden smile. “I mean it.”

Lu Yuzhou reached out, wanting to embrace him, but hesitated, afraid that the other man’s agreement was just a figment of his own desperate longing. His hand froze in mid-air, unable to commit to the touch.

“Why the sudden…” Lu Yuzhou stammered, feeling utterly flustered.

Now that they had made things official, Chi Zhongqiao dropped his aloof facade. He reached out and hooked his fingers around Lu Yuzhou’s hand. “Silly, aren’t you tired of standing?”

Lu Yuzhou: “I, I…”

Chi Zhongqiao’s abrupt shift in attitude was jarring, even to himself. He knew his rapid change of heart must seem bizarre, especially to Lu Yuzhou, who couldn’t possibly guess what was going through his mind.

Just as Chi Zhongqiao was about to offer some reassuring words, two loud knocks echoed from the door.

Chi Zhongqiao: “…..” Which little rascal has such impeccable timing?

The knocking jolted Lu Yuzhou back to his senses. He tugged playfully at Chi Zhongqiao’s fingers and smiled. “I’ll get it. It’s probably Qi Chuyang and the others.”

Chi Zhongqiao slumped his shoulders. “I’ll go.”

Chi Zhongqiao forced a gentle smile and opened the door.

Ge Fangyu tried to squeeze inside while greeting, “Qiao, let me tell you—”

Chi Zhongqiao slammed the door shut.

Ge Fangyu: “???” What did I do wrong this time?

Lu Yuzhou, who had been folding Chi Zhongqiao’s blanket, heard the door slam and rushed over, thinking something was wrong. “Brother Qiao, what happened?”

Chi Zhongqiao shook his head. “Just a straight guy.”

Lu Yuzhou: “Brother Qiao, invite him in. I’ll go to the bedroom.”

The production team, with their deep pockets, had booked one-bedroom suites for the guests. Reluctantly, Chi Zhongqiao reopened the door and let Ge Fangyu in.

Ge Fangyu peered around nervously, afraid Chi Zhongqiao might suddenly pull out something and throw it at his face. “What was that about earlier?”

Chi Zhongqiao blocked Ge Fangyu’s view. “Nothing, just a bit groggy after waking up from my nap. Brother Fang, why are you here now?”

Ge Fangyu replied, “To get you for lunch. It’s already five o’clock.”

With Lu Yuzhou still in the bedroom, Chi Zhongqiao desperately wanted to kick Ge Fangyu out and had no intention of going out to eat with him.

Oblivious to Chi Zhongqiao’s thoughts, Ge Fangyu casually slung an arm around his shoulder. “Come on, let’s go while…”

Chi Zhongqiao was caught off guard when Ge Fangyu suddenly grabbed his shoulder. He heard Lu Yuzhou’s voice from behind: “Brother Qiao?”

Lu Yuzhou held a teacup in one hand, his gaze sweeping over Ge Fangyu before returning to Chi Zhongqiao.

He recognized Ge Fangyu. During the filming of <Invisible Crime>, his Brother Qiao had often complained to him about Ge Fangyu’s “straight man” tendencies.

Seeing Lu Yuzhou, Chi Zhongqiao subtly pushed Ge Fangyu’s arm away.

Ge Fangyu looked puzzled. “Is this your Manager?” He had initially wanted to ask if Lu Yuzhou was a new assistant, but Lu Yuzhou clearly didn’t look like one.

But wasn’t it rumored that Zhongqiao’s manager was Du Yusheng?

Lu Yuzhou replied, “I’m Brother Qiao’s friend. My name is Lu Yuzhou.”

Ge Fangyu didn’t dwell on it. His enthusiasm surged as he invited Lu Yuzhou, “Nice to meet you! You look about the same age as Zhongqiao. I’m Ge Fangyu, a friend of Zhongqiao’s from the industry. It’s fate that we met—let’s grab a meal together. The seafood here is famous, and I know a place that’s both private and delicious.”

Chi Zhongqiao couldn’t muster any enthusiasm.

Lu Yuzhou guessed that Chi Zhongqiao hadn’t eaten anything since getting off the plane and immediately agreed, “Sounds good.”

Chi Zhongqiao was forced to follow the two men downstairs and into the car. He had no objection to eating seafood, nor to being with Yuzhou.

But adding Ge Fangyu to the mix made things awkward.

The genuinely straight Ge Fangyu cheerfully slid into the passenger seat, leaned back, and looked at Chi Zhongqiao and Yu Zhou. “Xiao Lu, how long are you staying here?”

“Leaving tomorrow morning,” Lu Yuzhou replied. He had handled some project matters earlier but postponed a few meetings, so he needed to return promptly to deal with them.

Chi Zhongqiao felt sorry for him having to travel back and forth so much. Unable to say anything in front of Ge Fangyu, he could only avert his gaze.

Ge Fangyu nodded. “That’s tough. Let’s relax and enjoy a good meal later.”

Ge Fangyu had indeed chosen an excellent place. Members had a private entrance and a direct elevator to the sixth floor. The staff barely glanced at them as they passed.

The three settled into a private room. All were easygoing and ordered efficiently.

After the waiter left, Ge Fangyu sighed.

“What’s wrong, Brother Fang?” Chi Zhongqiao asked.

“I’m not sighing for myself,” Ge Fangyu said, lowering his voice. “I’ll let you in on some insider information: The surprise guests for this episode are Li Jinghong and Duan Yudang.”

Li Jinghong and Duan Yudang were the male and female leads of the drama <A Sea of Falling Stars>.

In addition to its five permanent hosts, <The Secret to Getting Rich> invites two surprise guests each episode, who appear during specific segments. These guests are primarily brought in to generate buzz and boost viewership.

For the sake of the show’s impact, the permanent hosts aren’t informed of the surprise guests’ identities beforehand. It was only because Ge Fangyu had extensive connections and sufficient seniority that he managed to obtain some insider information.

Lu Yuzhou, who was sterilizing Chi Zhongqiao’s utensils, paused slightly.

Chi Zhongqiao calmly replied, “I figured they’d invite them eventually, but I didn’t expect them to appear in the very first episode.”

Ge Fangyu continued sterilizing his own utensils, grumbling, “Now that <A Sea of Falling Stars> theatrical run is over, they need to start thinking about streaming rights. Of course they’d want to generate some buzz. Just a heads-up: Our director also directed <Great Joyful Battle>. He’s got a wild streak and loves stirring up trouble, so watch out.”

<Great Joyful Battle> was another highly popular variety show known for its Director’s penchant for creating conflict while simultaneously generating comedic moments, earning him a reputation as a notorious troublemaker in the industry.

Before Chi Zhongqiao arrived, Du Yusheng had already warned him to be cautious on the show, though he added that performing well could also attract a lot of fans.

Feeling a bit thirsty, Chi Zhongqiao reached for a drink. Before he could, Lu Yuzhou silently handed him a glass of perfectly tempered water.

Chi Zhongqiao took a sip, then frowned at the plain water. “I want yogurt. Yuzhou, do you want some too?”

Lu Yuzhou pressed him down. “There seems to be some plain yogurt. I’ll go get it. Mr. Ge, would you like something to drink?”

Ge Fangyu: “A beer, please.”

As soon as Lu Yuzhou left, Ge Fangyu said enviously, “Your friend is so considerate.”

Chi Zhongqiao glanced at him. “Brother Fang, just keep doing what you’re doing.”

Ge Fangyu: “Keep doing what?”

Chi Zhongqiao: “Keep being straight. You’ll stay single forever, and every time a friend gets married, they’ll remember to ask about you.”

Ge Fangyu: “…That sounds terrifying!”

After dinner, the three parted ways at the hotel reception desk.

“Why aren’t you going upstairs?” Chi Zhongqiao asked Lu Yuzhou, who had stayed behind.

Lu Yuzhou: “I’m booking a room.”

Chi Zhongqiao paused for two seconds before asking, “Why don’t you just share my room?”

Lu Yuzhou’s ID card clattered onto the counter.

Chi Zhongqiao picked it up, tucked it into his pocket, and headed straight for the elevator. “I’ll give it back when you leave tomorrow.”

Clutching his wallet, Lu Yuzhou glanced at the receptionist, whose cheeks were flushed crimson. “Sorry, I won’t be needing a room.”

Receptionist: “…Okay, okay!”

Ahhh, this guy is so handsome! The one who left earlier had his mask on too tight to see his face!

Another receptionist chimed in quietly, “He looks kinda gay.”

The hotel suite featured a king-size bed, spacious enough for two tall men to lie comfortably without feeling cramped.

Lu Yuzhou felt a little awkward.

The sudden shift in their relationship made Chi Zhongqiao uneasy as well. After a moment of awkward silence, he picked up Lu Yuzhou’s small bag containing his clothes and handed it to him. “Go take a shower first.”

Chi Zhongqiao silently picked up the script for the show after handing over the clothes.

Only when the footsteps behind him had faded away and the sound of water running in the bathroom filled the air did Chi Zhongqiao finally put down the script.

He couldn’t understand why he was so nervous. In his mind, even if they were dating, they were still two grown men who spent every day together. There shouldn’t be any awkwardness.

Chi Zhongqiao stared blankly at the ceiling for a while before gradually drifting off to sleep.

When Lu Yuzhou emerged from the bathroom, Chi Zhongqiao was already curled up asleep on the sofa. He first took out Chi Zhongqiao’s clothes for the next day and hung them on the rack, then placed his pajamas on the bathroom rack before settling down beside Chi Zhongqiao.

Chi Zhongqiao’s long eyelashes cast a dense row of shadows across his face under the soft lamplight. Lu Yuzhou reached out and gently brushed his fingertips across them.

The bedroom was dimly lit by a small lamp, its gentle glow enveloping Chi Zhongqiao. He frowned and turned his face away, looking utterly annoyed.

The tension in Lu Yuzhou’s heart suddenly dissipated. “Brother Qiao, go take a shower and then get into bed.”

This scene would likely repeat itself countless nights from now until the future.

Chi Zhongqiao slept so soundly that even an alarm clock couldn’t wake him. This minor disturbance only made him furrow his brow. After much coaxing from Lu Yuzhou, Chi Zhongqiao finally groggily opened his eyes.

“Go take a shower,” Lu Yuzhou said.

“Okay,” Chi Zhongqiao replied, his eyes half-closed.

He had slept all day, yet the more he slept, the sleepier he became. Even after showering, he couldn’t muster any energy and collapsed onto the bed.

“Sleep well,” Lu Yuzhou said, tucking a thin blanket over Chi Zhongqiao. He gazed at him for a moment in the soft light, then leaned down and pressed his lips briefly against Chi Zhongqiao’s.

“Good night.”

With a click, the room plunged into darkness.

**********

The next morning, Chi Zhongqiao woke up naturally, much to his surprise. Lu Yuzhou’s flight had been early, and he was already on the plane.

Chi Zhongqiao picked up a note from the bedside table, written in Lu Yuzhou’s handwriting:

Brother Qiao,

Your clothes are hanging in the closet. Sunscreen and other essentials are on the living room coffee table. Zhong Yin will come by at 7 AM to wake you up and bring breakfast.

Chi Zhongqiao stroked the note a few times, carefully folded it, and tucked it into his wallet.

Since filming was starting today, Chi Zhongqiao got up immediately after waking up. After washing up, Zhong Yin knocked on the door and entered.

“Brother Qiao, breakfast is here.”

Zhong Yin set down the meal. “The production crew’s cameras are already outside. They’ll start filming as soon as you step out.”

Chi Zhongqiao felt a sudden sense of unease.

As expected, the cameras were waiting outside. The moment he stepped out, they focused on him.

A crew member responsible for distributing props and instructions handed him an envelope.

Chi Zhongqiao thanked her, opened the envelope, and read: “Proceed immediately to the hotel entrance to draw a clue.”

Remembering he was being filmed, Chi Zhongqiao spoke as he walked, “I wonder if I’m the first one… Brother Fang!”

As Chi Zhongqiao emerged from the corridor, he spotted Ge Fangyu ahead. Neither of them knew what the production crew had planned, so they speculated wildly as they walked downstairs together.

Before them, another regular guest, Fei Zheng, had already arrived. He was holding a slip of paper, standing in front of a red cardboard box with only a hand-sized opening.

Fei Zheng was a rookie who had just debuted this year, with little fame. His participation in the show was likely to gain exposure.

The two quickened their pace to join Fei Zheng, who nodded at them. “Brother Fang, Brother Qiao, good morning.”

Chi Zhongqiao smiled. “Good morning. You’re here early.”

Ge Fangyu chuckled. “I thought I was early enough, haha.”

He rubbed his hands together. “So, we just draw now?”

He reached to put his hand into the box, but a staff member stopped him.

“Not so fast, Brother Fang. You and Brother Qiao need to take turns drawing.”

Chi Zhongqiao protested. “Why?”

Ge Fangyu didn’t mind. “Sounds good to me! Let’s get this over with.”

The staff member explained, “The rule is that if two people arrive together, the results they draw must be exchanged.”

Reluctantly, Chi Zhongqiao stepped forward and pulled out a slip of paper. “Starting capital: 500.”

Ge Fangyu rubbed his hands together and drew his own slip. “Starting capital: 5…”

Chi Zhongqiao tensed up. “5 what?”

Ge Fangyu swallowed nervously. “5 yuan…”