I Became the Koi Actor After Entering the Book

**Chapter 61: CP Fans**

Translator: Namizaki

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Before leaving, Chi Zhongqiao specifically instructed Xu Ling not to disclose his visit to the outside world.

“The children are still young and shouldn’t be exposed to the public eye. It would disrupt their normal lives…” Chi Zhongqiao murmured, careful not to be overheard by the other children.

Though young, Xu Ling was remarkably reliable when it came to serious matters. She immediately agreed, swearing on her life that she wouldn’t breathe a word to anyone.

Chi Zhongqiao chuckled, bending down to ruffle the hair of the child clinging to his leg.

The boy looked up. “Brother, will you come again? I want you to teach me how to write.”

The handsome brother never scolded or yelled, and even taught them to write with such gentle patience.

Chi Zhongqiao squatted down to meet his gaze. “I’ll come whenever I have time, okay?” He was a man of his word; if he promised to visit, he would definitely come.

With the filming of <The Secret to Getting Rich> completed, Chi Zhongqiao was finally free. Du Yusheng had granted him an extended vacation, promising not to schedule any new work for him between the end of filming and the broadcast of <Invisible Crime>.

Although Chi Zhongqiao had been granted a long vacation, he still couldn’t muster any enthusiasm while lounging at home. He’d been back for two days, but Lu Yuzhou was still away on a business trip.

He wanted to rush over there, but flying was far more likely to get him photographed than driving himself. Besides, Lu Yuzhou was there for business—what would he do? Whisper sweet nothings in his ear?

Demon Consort Chi Zhongqiao leaned back on the sofa and sighed deeply.

The absence of one person made the house feel half-empty. Staring at the halo cast by the ceiling light, Chi Zhongqiao drifted into thought until a faint sound startled him.

His half-closed eyes snapped open, and he turned to meet the gaze of the person entering the room.

“Yuzhou? Weren’t you supposed to be back tomorrow?”

Lu Yuzhou wheeled his suitcase into the living room and gently closed the door behind him.

Chi Zhongqiao was still dazed.

“I missed you, Brother Qiao,” Lu Yuzhou said, approaching the sofa. He knelt beside it and leaned over. Chi Zhongqiao instinctively tried to sit up, but Lu Yuzhou pressed him back down.

The light dimmed before Chi Zhongqiao’s eyes as Lu Yuzhou leaned closer. Their lips met, their mouths entwining in a passionate embrace. As the kiss deepened, Chi Zhongqiao found himself struggling to breathe. He gripped Lu Yuzhou’s wrist and gently pushed him away.

His push was futile. In the humid, chaotic heat, Chi Zhongqiao heard Lu Yuzhou’s panting voice: “Brother Qiao provoked me…”

Chi Zhongqiao remembered the perfume card he had impulsively sent. That last shred of reason gradually evaporated in the kiss. He struggled to think: It wouldn’t matter if we did something. After all, I have nothing to do tomorrow.

But in the end, Lu Yuzhou did nothing.

Chi Zhongqiao closed his eyes. The thin shirt he wore was half-unbuttoned, exposing large patches of skin marked with red streaks beneath his collarbone. “Hot,” he murmured.

He rolled over and felt something beneath him. After a few seconds of groping, he pulled out a crumpled suit jacket.

Chi Zhongqiao: “……”

This looks like the one I took off. Feeling slightly guilty, Chi Zhongqiao stuffed the jacket back onto the sofa and was about to pretend nothing had happened when he spotted a vest draped over the armrest.

Chi Zhongqiao: “……”

He extended a finger, flicked the vest off the armrest, and quickly retracted his hand.

Lu Yuzhou got up, grabbed the air conditioner remote, adjusted the temperature, and sat back down beside Chi Zhongqiao. He lowered his head and kissed Chi Zhongqiao’s fingers.

Chi Zhongqiao curled his fingers and gently brushed them across Lu Yuzhou’s brow and eyes.

After indulging in a moment of affection and savoring the sweetness, Lu Yuzhou finally buttoned up his half-unbuttoned shirt, his long, strong fingers moving with practiced ease.

Chi Zhongqiao tilted his head to watch him. Just as Lu Yuzhou reached the top button, Chi Zhongqiao suddenly reached out, his fingers interlacing with Lu Yuzhou’s.

Lu Yuzhou obediently relaxed his grip, letting the collar fall open to reveal his slender neck. He leaned down. “What’s wrong?”

Chi Zhongqiao propped himself up on his right arm and leaned in for a quick kiss. “Still dressing so formally at home?”

Lu Yuzhou’s lips curved slightly, a faint smile lighting his eyes. “It’s a habit.” Ever since receiving the perfume card Chi Zhongqiao had sent, he’d been completely bewitched. Seeing him again in person had thrown even his usual restraint into the Pacific Ocean.

And his Brother Qiao had never been one to hold back when it came to intimacy—he always did exactly what he wanted.

After savoring the kiss for half a minute, Lu Yuzhou obediently unbuttoned his shirt as Chi Zhongqiao wished, then straightened up. “Brother Qiao, are you hungry?”

Chi Zhongqiao didn’t feel particularly hungry, but he suspected Lu Yuzhou hadn’t eaten much, so he replied, “A little.”

Lu Yuzhou headed into the kitchen.

Chi Zhongqiao quickly grabbed his vest and jacket, hanging them on the coat rack in the entryway. But the clothes, having endured their rough handling, were now so crumpled they looked beyond repair, likely requiring an iron.

He patted the expensive jacket, thinking, A kiss sure comes at a high price.

Oh, wait, that wasn’t just a kiss.

Chi Zhongqiao quickly shook off his lingering embarrassment and headed into the kitchen.

Lu Yuzhou had pan-fried a piece of cod. As an entertainer, Chi Zhongqiao didn’t gain weight easily, but he still avoided overly greasy foods. Consequently, the meat most often stocked at home was fish and beef.

Considering the late hour, Lu Yuzhou had only fried two pieces of cod. Given Chi Zhongqiao’s lack of appetite, one piece was smaller than the palm of his hand, perfect as a post-meal snack.

Chi Zhongqiao took the plate and poured himself a drink. He wasn’t particularly hungry, so he ate slowly, but the small portion of fish was soon finished.

Lu Yuzhou rarely spoke while eating. Once Chi Zhongqiao had finished, he reached for Lu Yuzhou’s glass.

Chi Zhongqiao had poured himself a glass of milk, while Lu Yuzhou had a glass of red wine.

Lu Yuzhou didn’t suffer from jet lag, but after long journeys, he often struggled to fall asleep at night. Chi Zhongqiao once woke up in the middle of the night to get a drink and noticed a sliver of light under Lu Yuzhou’s bedroom door. When he knocked, he discovered Lu Yuzhou hadn’t slept at all, his glasses perched on his nose as he reviewed documents.

A little wine usually helped ease this restlessness.

Holding a fork in one hand, Lu Yuzhou pressed down on Chi Zhongqiao’s hand without even looking up. “Brother Qiao will just get rowdy after drinking.”

Red wine had a potent aftereffect; finishing this glass would likely leave Chi Zhongqiao half-drunk.

Chi Zhongqiao wasn’t much of a drinker; he was simply curious about the taste of what Lu Yuzhou was having. But he knew he’d get drunk and inevitably cause trouble for Lu Yuzhou.

With that thought, Chi Zhongqiao settled down.

Lu Yuzhou quickly finished his meal and loaded both their plates and glasses into the dishwasher.

Chi Zhongqiao watched for a moment before deciding to unpack Lu Yuzhou’s suitcase. He turned to leave, but Lu Yuzhou grabbed his wrist. He looked back. “What is it?”

After a few silent seconds behind him, Lu Yuzhou said casually, “Brother Qiao, why don’t you sleep with me tonight?”

Twenty minutes later, Chi Zhongqiao was curled up in Lu Yuzhou’s bed. The room wasn’t his, but the scent of the pillows and blankets was familiar.

Items worn or used close to the body for a long time become imbued with their owner’s essence. This isn’t necessarily a tangible scent, but rather an indescribable feeling.

Chi Zhongqiao sat in a daze, unable to comprehend how Lu Yuzhou’s two simple sentences had coaxed him into following him into the bedroom as if he’d been drugged.

The sound of dripping water that had been echoing in his ears had abruptly ceased. Chi Zhongqiao suddenly felt tense. Moments later, the bathroom door opened, and Lu Yuzhou emerged in his pajamas.

Chi Zhongqiao took a moment to compose himself, then rose as naturally as possible and picked up the hairdryer to dry Lu Yuzhou’s hair.

Lu Yuzhou lowered his head without hesitation, allowing Chi Zhongqiao’s fingers to weave through his hair. The warm air from the dryer made Lu Yuzhou squint slightly, his eyes growing heavy under the dim light.

“All done,” Chi Zhongqiao said, setting down the hairdryer when the strands between his fingers felt completely dry.

Lu Yuzhou took his hand and kissed the tips of his fingers. “Sleep well.”

Chi Zhongqiao lay back down, his body involuntarily tensing. After a rustle of the thin blanket, a warm body pressed against him, and his thoughts began to wander uncontrollably.

Lu Yuzhou seemed oblivious, pressing a kiss behind Chi Zhongqiao’s ear. “Good night, Brother Qiao.”

Chi Zhongqiao had initially thought he might not be able to sleep at all that night, but he fell into a deep slumber shortly after closing his eyes. The next morning, even five alarms couldn’t rouse him.

Lu Yuzhou, who naturally woke up at six, silenced Chi Zhongqiao’s phone. He gently brushed Chi Zhongqiao’s eyelashes and murmured, “Brother Qiao.”

Chi Zhongqiao frowned, turned his face away, and pressed it against Lu Yuzhou’s hand.

He didn’t have morning grumpiness, but once asleep, he was notoriously difficult to wake. Lu Yuzhou had provided wake-up services many times and was well aware of Chi Zhongqiao’s chronic sleep deprivation.

Lu Yuzhou leaned down and patiently coaxed him for a long while before Chi Zhongqiao finally shook his head and stirred awake.

His first glimpse was of Lu Yuzhou. Still groggy, he mumbled, “Morning.”

Lu Yuzhou smiled. “Go wash up. I’ll make breakfast.”

He rose and headed to the kitchen, the soft click of the closing door jolting Chi Zhongqiao fully awake.

Chi Zhongqiao rubbed his temples and sat up. He had slept remarkably well the night before, and the presence of another person beside him hadn’t bothered him in the slightest. He turned his head and found neatly folded clothes placed within reach.

Chi Zhongqiao: “……”

He had never understood why his partner was so domestic.

Unaccustomed to being fussed over, Chi Zhongqiao quickly changed his clothes and washed up before attempting to fold the quilt.

He usually folded quilts roughly, rolling them into a long bundle just wide enough to crawl into at night. Expecting him to fold it neatly into a square was wishful thinking.

But this wasn’t his own bed. He sighed, resigned, and climbed onto the bed to fold the quilt.

Unfortunately, the thin summer quilt proved difficult to manage. After several attempts, it kept collapsing into a shapeless heap. On the fourth try, as it slumped into a pile again, Chi Zhongqiao heard a chuckle.

He turned to see Lu Yuzhou leaning against the doorframe, his eyes brimming with amusement.

Chi Zhongqiao stared at the crumpled quilt, falling silent.

Lu Yuzhou grinned. “Brother Qiao, come have breakfast.”

“I’ll try again…” Chi Zhongqiao muttered.

Lu Yuzhou walked over and took his hand. “I don’t fold it like that either.”

After breakfast, Chi Zhongqiao asked, “Do you have any plans for today?”

Lu Yuzhou replied, “I’m off today. Are you going out, Brother Qiao?”

Chi Zhongqiao nodded. “I’m free too. When I came back the other day…” He briefly explained the situation at the Virtue Education Welfare Home. Lu Yuzhou listened thoughtfully.

After leaving the house, they first stopped to buy some gifts (慰問品, comfort items) and stationery before heading to the welfare home.

On the way, Chi Zhongqiao called Xu Ling. Her cheerful voice came through the phone: “We have other volunteers today, but don’t worry, Brother Qiao, they’re all very discreet. By the way, Brother Qiao, could you teach the kids calligraphy? Your brushwork is so beautiful, and we can’t afford to give them other art lessons, so…”

Xu Ling’s voice trailed off, as if she felt her request was too much. “I’m sorry…”

In truth, many of the volunteers came from modest backgrounds themselves, lacking any marketable talents to teach the children.

Chi Zhongqiao understood perfectly. “No problem. But calligraphy requires consistent practice; it can’t be mastered in just a month or two. I might not be able to come often, so while I’m teaching the children, you can learn too. When I’m not here, I’ll rely on you to guide them.”

Xu Ling’s concern was valid. When Chi Zhongqiao was nineteen, he had lost the male lead role he’d been promised, which led him to begin studying calligraphy. He practiced diligently for eight or nine years, cultivating remarkable focus and a natural aptitude for the art. This dedication allowed him to achieve his current level of proficiency.

For undisciplined children, sporadic practice sessions would yield little progress.

Chi Zhongqiao considered hiring a professional calligraphy teacher. It wouldn’t be too expensive, after all. With this plan in mind, he lowered his head to search for suitable candidates.

Lu Yuzhou remained silent throughout the drive. When the car stopped at a red light, Chi Zhongqiao, having already contacted a teacher, eagerly picked up his phone to share his plan with Lu Yuzhou.

Lu Yuzhou listened quietly until Chi Zhongqiao finished, then said, “We can provide funding under the Lu Corporation’s name.”

Chi Zhongqiao slapped his forehead. “I forgot about that!”

Lu Yuzhou kept his eyes on the road as he spoke, “The Lu Corporation can fund the children’s education at the welfare home, especially preschool education and for teenagers who have completed their compulsory nine years of schooling. We can support them all the way through their Bachelor’s degrees. Smaller welfare homes often need assistance with daily necessities, so the company can coordinate with local authorities or reach out to other social…”

Chi Zhongqiao’s mind drifted slightly. He had only mentioned the welfare home briefly, having visited it only once and lacking in-depth knowledge. Yet even this casual mention was enough for Lu Yuzhou to methodically devise a series of countermeasures.

Despite his handsome and youthful appearance, Lu Yuzhou’s demeanor and composure when discussing serious matters belied his early twenties. Perhaps because he was speaking to Chi Zhongqiao rather than a subordinate, his tone and expression were gentle, a subtle curve playing at the corners of his lips.

Chi Zhongqiao thought absently, He truly enjoys special privileges.

Noticing the lack of response, Lu Yuzhou glanced over at a red light. “Brother Qiao, what’s wrong?”

Chi Zhongqiao suddenly leaned over and kissed him.

Lu Yuzhou froze in surprise.

Chi Zhongqiao smiled. “Nothing. Just admiring your good looks.”

The Maybach glided to a stop in the shadows. Chi Zhongqiao and Lu Yuzhou, carrying their bags, knocked on the door of the Virtue Education Welfare Home.

Xu Ling took a moment to answer. “Sorry for the delay,” she said, “we were teaching the children a craft.” She looked up and froze— Oh my god, did Brother Qiao bring his colleague here?! He looked strangely familiar…

Lu Yuzhou, towering over her, glanced down and gave a polite nod. “Hello, I’m Lu Yuzhou.”

Oh, Lu Yuzhou… Lu Yuzhou?!

Isn’t that President Lu?!

Xu Ling stiffened, letting them in.

Xu Ling was a longtime fan of Chi Zhongqiao, but not a solo stan. She was a shipper, though her preferred pairing was the “heretical” Xu Xingzhou x Chi Zhongqiao.

She stared blankly at their retreating figures. As they entered, Lu Yuzhou instinctively reached out to shield Chi Zhongqiao’s head from the low doorway.

Xu Ling: “……”

It wasn’t just her overthinking things. No pair of brothers would be this attentive, right? Shielding him from the doorframe?!