Why Is the Male Lead Looking at Me Like That [Entertainment Circle] (BL) - Chapter 10

The faint scent of Nan Qingyan lingered around him.

Nan Qingyan always carried a subtle, almost imperceptible fragrance.

The first time he smelled it, he was immediately captivated.

When you like someone, you often grow fond of their scent—sometimes it’s their natural body odor, sometimes it’s perfume, shampoo, or shower gel. In high school, boys’ scents were not always pleasant, especially in the hot summer. When boys came back from playing basketball and sat together, they smelled so bad that girls didn’t want to pass by.

But Nan Qingyan always smelled good.

The scent was very faint, almost illusory, yet always present.

Being subtle to the extreme made it very alluring, just like his whole being.

He used to ask Nan Qingyan what perfume he wore. Later, he realized it wasn’t the smell of a single perfume, or shampoo, or shower gel. It was a complex, mixed aroma generated by a person’s long-term hygiene and lifestyle habits. Therefore, it was unique to Nan Qingyan. He called it: The Nan Family’s Scheming Male Scent!

Back then, when he took a nap on his desk, he liked to put Nan Qingyan’s jacket underneath. His clothes carried that same scent. He slept exceptionally well when resting on it.

How could there be such a fragrant male high school student?

And so handsome, too!

It was a beautiful spring day, and the sunlight carried a green hue. Nan Qingyan sat primly beside him, seriously grading his test paper.

“You did pretty well this time,” Nan Qingyan said. “I’d say you’ve improved.”

“This test was relatively easy,” Xia Xu said humbly.

“Good that you know,” Nan Qingyan said.

Xia Xu: “…”

Forget it, forget it.

“But no matter what, the score still increased. What if the college entrance exam is just as easy? Wouldn’t it be a breeze for me to get into Beijing Sport University? I feel like we can take a day off tomorrow for the Dragon Boat Festival. How about we go to Happy Valley? Liu Jie said they opened a new haunted house there. Want to go experience it together? Are you afraid of ghosts?”

If he’s afraid of ghosts, he’ll burrow into my arms, right?

Also, a scholarly pretty boy like Nan Qingyan probably hasn’t been on a roller coaster, right?

Maybe he’ll be so scared he’ll take the initiative to hold my hand.

The more Xia Xu thought about it, the happier he became. Holding the beauty in his arms felt like only a matter of time. He almost laughed out loud. He straightened up, refolded Nan Qingyan’s jacket, and leaned on it again. He had read an ABO novel yesterday that talked about nesting behavior. Is this what it feels like?

“Did you receive a love letter again this morning?” Nan Qingyan suddenly asked.

Xia Xu was startled: “Huh?”

Nan Qingyan’s eyes were still fixed on the test paper, his red pen quickly marking, but he didn’t repeat the question.

“Oh, that… I saw the girl looked quite shy, so it wasn’t easy to publicly reject her.”

In their school, Nan Qingyan’s reputation was bigger than his; after all, he was the local school heartthrob. His own reputation as a transfer student had just started, so he couldn’t compare. But he was more popular than Nan Qingyan, at least in terms of receiving love letters. Since he transferred here, he had received no less than ten love letters.

One must know that their school was a key high school with a strict ethos, and there weren’t many students dating early. This was enough to show how popular Xia Xu was.

“Do you want to see?” He sat up and pulled a love letter from his backpack: “I haven’t even opened it.”

Nan Qingyan said: “Since you have no intention, stop provoking people.”

Xia Xu said shamelessly: “Too handsome, what can I do?”

Nan Qingyan forcefully drew an X: “Hmm, it’s not your fault. Too many people are thinking about you.”

There was a slight tone of worried sigh in his voice.

Unfortunately, the straightforward Xia Xu didn’t pick up on it. He leaned over and said: “A lot of people are thinking about you, too. It’s just that you’re too aloof, can only be admired from afar, and shouldn’t be touched irreverently. [It emerges from the mud, but is not sullied; it is cleansed by clear ripples, but not enchanting. Its core is hollow, and its structure is straight; it does not creep or branch. Its fragrance is clearer and purer the farther it spreads; it stands upright and clean. It can be admired from afar but should not be touched irreverently.]”

He recited the Ode to the Lotus: “Did I get that right? I only reviewed it yesterday.”

Nan Qingyan probably hadn’t expected him to transition so seamlessly from talking nonsense to reciting a classic text. His lips moved, and he said, “Mhm, I can only be admired from afar. You are not, you can be…”

Nan Qingyan stopped mid-sentence.

The only reason was that Nan Qingyan was so pure and sacred in his heart at the time that he didn’t think much of it. Later, when Nan Qingyan “touched him irreverently,” he was completely stunned.

“Are we going or not? I haven’t had a break in ages, and everyone else is on holiday while I’m still here tutoring with you.”

“Are you studying for me?” Nan Qingyan asked.

Xia Xu stopped talking, deliberately making himself look very disappointed.

“Half a day,” Nan Qingyan said.

Xia Xu immediately beamed: “Half a day is fine! Let’s go to the haunted house! I heard it’s super thrilling!”

On the Dragon Boat Festival, he got his wish and finally took Nan Qingyan to the haunted house.

Eighteen-year-old Xia Xu put his hands on his waist and laughed wildly at the sky.

He didn’t believe he wouldn’t make any progress today!

“If you’re scared, you can hold my hand,” he told Nan Qingyan.

Nan Qingyan gave a simple “Mhm.”

Half an hour later, he came out of it holding Nan Qingyan’s hand, his eyes red.

The sunlight made him feel even worse.

Nan Qingyan bought him an ice cream. He licked it blankly, all the spirit he had when he went in was gone.

“I’m definitely going to have nightmares tonight,” he told Nan Qingyan seriously.

Nan Qingyan suddenly started smiling, watching him eat the ice cream.

But he didn’t notice Nan Qingyan’s gaze at all. His soul was still stuck in the haunted house, but his courage to flirt was already reviving.

“Let’s go, let’s ride the roller coaster. Since we’re looking for thrills, let’s go all the way.”

He was possessed by Allie’s spirit.

It was only later that Nan Qingyan told him that at that moment, he was also thinking of Hong Shixian’s classic line (from a famous TV drama, meaning a scumbag line).

And he really wanted a bite of his ice cream.

It must be very sweet.

“Xia Xu. Xia Xu.”

Xia Xu came back to reality and saw Teacher Qi say: “Why is your face so red?”

Xia Xu was a bit embarrassed. Teacher Qi and the others looked a little like they were enjoying the show: “So shy.”

“You’ve made Qingyan blush too,” Director Zhang said.

Xia Xu glanced at Nan Qingyan, feeling even more awkward. But it really wasn’t his fault! He only found out this morning that he would be acting opposite Nan Qingyan, and tonight he was expected to kiss his throat! He hadn’t even had time to prepare mentally.

“Sorry, I’ll try to adjust as quickly as possible,” he said.

“Take your time,” Nan Qingyan said.

Nan Qingyan was famous, and the staff treated him with caution. Since he said to take their time, who else dared to say anything?

Even Director Zhang, who seemed amiable but was actually very strict, was extremely polite to Nan Qingyan.

It was as if he was afraid Nan Qingyan would run off.

“It is a bit rushed to have you shoot this on the first day. Take some time to adjust, get to know each other, and chat,” Director Zhang said.

“Is there water here?” Xia Xu asked a staff member.

“Room temperature or iced?” the staff member asked.

“Iced.”

The staff member went to get the water. Xia Xu and Nan Qingyan went to look at the photos they had just shot. A master is a master; the photographer was very good at capturing moments. Even the photos they felt were rejects looked excellent to Xia Xu.

The staff member handed the water through the crowd. Just as he reached out to take it, he saw Nan Qingyan intercept the bottle and immediately unscrew the cap.

He was a little embarrassed, thinking Nan Qingyan had mistaken it for his water and accidentally taken the wrong one.

Unexpectedly, after opening it, Nan Qingyan handed the bottle to him while still staring at the finished photos on the computer.

Xia Xu was stunned for a moment. Nan Qingyan seemed to realize something himself and also handed him the bottle cap.

It seemed to be an unconscious action.

This was what Nan Qingyan was like when he pampered someone. Logically, as a man, and an athlete at that, there was no bottle cap he couldn’t open. But after they started dating, Nan Qingyan took the initiative to handle all these little things.

He wouldn’t let him do anything.

In Nan Qingyan’s words, he enjoyed it.

A twenty-four filial piety, chivalrous Top!

Xia Xu took two sips of ice water: “It looks pretty good.”

Nan Qingyan’s Adam’s apple was indeed very prominent and sexy. He strongly suspected this poster was custom-made for Nan Qingyan.

“The posture is not good. Both of you are a bit stiff,” Director Zhang said. “If you’re in this state during the actual filming, I definitely won’t pass it.”

“Aren’t our intimate scenes much later in the script?” Xia Xu quickly asked.

Their drama was filmed and broadcast simultaneously, one episode a week, strictly following the chronological order. The intimate scenes between Zhao Xuanmei and Chen Liuqing were very late in the plot.

In the early stages, these two barely had any contact, being extremely devoid of sexual desire.

In a novel full of suggestive content, they remained pure to the end, which was one of the reasons why this couple was so compelling.

“Yes, they’re much later, but in your current state, being this shy, is that how Zhao Xuanmei should be?” Director Zhang asked.

Xia Xu pursed his lips, feeling a little nervous.

He was very afraid Director Zhang would replace him.

Perhaps because of his fear, he suddenly found courage. Although he had been worn down by the entertainment industry for three years, his impulsive, fierce nature was still there. When they shot again, he was decisive and direct. The moment “action” was called, he directly kissed Nan Qingyan’s throat.

Once, twice, thrice—the more he kissed, the more he let loose. He forgot all shyness and even felt a strange determination rise in his heart.

Nan Qingyan remained expressionless.

Only his Adam’s apple kept moving up and down.

“Perfect! Perfect! Perfect!” Teacher Qi praised, snapping photos vigorously. The surrounding staff were either delighted or had their hearts fluttering.

The chemistry between this pair was simply too strong.

Xia Xu’s boldness was a little too straightforward, lacking the Tyrant’s full madness and arrogance. Nan Qingyan’s aloofness wasn’t completely ruthless; subtle hints of trembling could be seen. But for a static poster, it was absolutely enough.

At eleven o’clock at night, the shoot finally wrapped up.

Xia Xu was completely physically exhausted, more tired than running a marathon.

“You worked hard, everyone.”

Xia Xu bowed: “Everyone worked hard.”

“It’s getting late. Go back and rest. That’s all for today,” Director Zhang said.

They left the studio, greeted by a rush of evening wind. Xia Xu took off his jacket and handed it to the staff. He looked back at Nan Qingyan and saw that Nan Qingyan had also taken off his jacket. His shirt underneath was sweat-soaked and clinging to his back, half-transparent. His tall, slender back, with the faint lines of muscle, disappeared into his suit pants. The originally cinched white shirt hung loose on one side.

Staff members accompanied them back to the dorm. Nan Qingyan’s assistant, Xiao Li, also came to pick him up.

Xia Xu was talking to the staff when he heard Nan Qingyan tell his assistant: “I’m fine here. You don’t need to stay. Go home and rest for a few days.”

“I’ve left your suitcase at the door, and also some herbal medicine Auntie asked me to bring you. She told me to tell you to drink it before bed; it’s good for sleep…”

Xia Xu immediately looked back at that point, his eyes meeting Nan Qingyan’s. In the darkness, Nan Qingyan, wearing a white shirt, was tall and fair, indescribably handsome.

He turned back, thinking, Is Nan Qingyan still prone to insomnia?

Nan Qingyan’s sleep quality was poor in high school. He claimed he slept best when hugging him. But they couldn’t sleep together all the time back then. Later, he came up with a good idea: he gave Nan Qingyan a few of his old pajamas and told him to sleep with them as a pillow.

Nan Qingyan’s evaluation of that was: “Better than nothing.”

In the studio, Director Zhang and the others were still looking at the photos taken today, which would be edited later once the final selections were made.

Teacher Qi couldn’t help but laugh: “Look at these few pictures.”

These were some of the better shots taken later. At first glance, there wasn’t much difference; the poses and expressions were very similar. But when Teacher Qi zoomed in on the details, Director Zhang saw the difference.

“You really made the right choice casting Nan Qingyan as Chen Liuqing. He is truly composed. No matter how he’s feeling inside, you can’t see it on his face.”

Director Zhang zoomed in and saw that in these photos, Nan Qingyan’s ears were getting redder with each frame.

A very subtle difference, but they were increasingly red, while his expression remained completely unchanged, utterly aloof.

Director Zhang sighed, his eyes shining.

In the dorm building, Nan Qingyan, who had just taken a cold shower, still had a cool water mist around him.

He lay quietly for a moment, then reached out and covered his face with an old pair of pajamas.