Chapter 258 – The Runaway Little Sweetheart of the Top Actor – The Male Lead’s Little Thoughts (02)
In the early morning, a gentle breeze blew in, and warm sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains, landing softly on the arms of the two people lying in bed.
Pu Hexu opened his eyes, a dull ache blooming in his chest.
He looked down and saw a delicate, adorable boy sleeping soundly against his chest.
Pu Hexu’s slender fingers brushed over the kiss marks trailing from the boy’s collarbone downward. The wild and passionate scenes from last night replayed vividly in his mind.
Both of them had been completely immersed in it, reluctant to let such intense joy come to an end.
He wasn’t someone who indulged in lust easily, but after meeting this boy, it was like he’d become addicted. Even though there were certain factors at play, he knew himself well—this boy was different. He meant something special.
“Mmm~”
The boy in his arms let out a soft murmur, uncomfortable from the sunlight shining on him.
Instinctively, Pu Hexu gently patted the boy’s back to lull him back to sleep. “It’s okay, go back to sleep.”
But after making this gesture, Pu Hexu froze, staring at his own hand and the boy—who reacted like a small animal. The boy even nuzzled his face against Pu Hexu’s chest, completely trusting and dependent.
Pu Hexu couldn’t help but laugh softly. He tightened his arms, pulling the boy even closer.
Not long after, Pu Hexu received a message on his phone detailing everything that had happened with the drugging incident the night before.
He compared the person in the photos to the boy in his arms. They were clearly the same person, yet somehow gave off completely different feelings.
The boy in the photo was undoubtedly beautiful, but Pu Hexu felt nothing from it. Meanwhile, the one lying in his arms now—Pu Hexu tugged the blanket up slightly over Bai Tang—was the one he was most deeply attached to.
With Bai Tang still in his embrace, Pu Hexu continued reading on his phone. The real culprit behind the incident was the second male lead from their current drama shoot. Unable to secure the male lead role due to poor acting skills, he grew resentful of Pu Hexu, who had been invited by a director he had a good relationship with. Out of spite, he had orchestrated this whole setup.
Since his debut, Pu Hexu had always avoided being tied to anyone else in the media. He didn’t use gossip for promotion, and whenever rumors involving other celebrities surfaced, his PR team swiftly handled them.
Chances were, there were already swarms of reporters waiting outside the hotel by now.
Pu Hexu sneered. There would always be people who overestimated themselves, trying to scheme against others without considering their own abilities. Like striking a rock with an egg.
He sent a message back to his assistant, instructing them to handle everything thoroughly—except for Bai Tang. As for that sleazy man from the hotel, he was to be dealt with as well.
Pu Hexu held grudges, and the actions of that fat man last night had crossed his bottom line.
Bai Tang slept all the way until noon—the sun was already high overhead.
The stifling heat made him kick off the blanket, but someone kept pulling it back over him.
He frowned, kicked it off again, only to have it covered once more. This cycle repeated until Bai Tang got annoyed. It was too hot! Who was being so meddlesome, constantly covering him up?
He woke up in a grumpy mood and glared at the person beside him, only to feel a sharp pain from last night’s exertions. Just a small movement made it feel like his waist might snap in two.
“Ow…” The intense soreness brought tears to his eyes.
The choked, teary sound of his voice struck Pu Hexu right in the heart, leaving a dull ache.
“I’ll massage it for you,” Pu Hexu said, reaching over to gently rub Bai Tang’s waist.
His clear, pure apricot eyes shimmered with tears, and with a blink, crystal drops rolled down one after another.
His voice was soft and childlike, like a melted milk candy—its sweet scent left Pu Hexu flustered, completely at a loss for what to do.
“Don’t cry…” Pu Hexu hurried to wipe his tears away.
But the more he wiped, the more the boy cried. The tears just wouldn’t stop.
“It hurts…”
Hearing Bai Tang say it hurt left Pu Hexu helpless. He wished he could take the pain for him. “It’s my fault. I’m sorry… it’s all my fault.”
“Then why aren’t you hugging me~?”
Pu Hexu instinctively opened his arms and pulled the boy into his embrace.
In his previous world, whenever Bai Tang was uncomfortable, the male lead would always hold him close and rest his head in the crook of his shoulder.
The male lead’s shoulder was the little squirrel’s favorite place—especially in his squirrel form, it was the comfiest spot of all.
The male lead stood at the pinnacle of the world, and the little squirrel perched on his shoulder, as if trampling the world below that had tried to constrain him with the role of a mere side character.
“Do you remember what happened last night?” Pu Hexu asked nervously, watching Bai Tang’s expression closely.
“Yeah, what about it~?”
The boy was a little shy—he had just arrived in this world, and already ended up doing intimate things with his dear old gong. None of the previous worlds had progressed this fast with him.
Pu Hexu’s smile widened. “Last night was my fault. I’m willing to take responsibility.”
According to the information from his assistant, Bai Tang had been tricked into a setup last night. But judging from the boy’s reactions, it was obvious he was thin-skinned—otherwise, he wouldn’t have drunk the spiked wine himself as well.
Speaking of the drugged wine, the memory of last night made Pu Hexu break out in a cold sweat.
“From now on, you’re not allowed to eat or drink anything given to you by strangers. If there’s something you like, just tell me—I’ll buy it for you,” Pu Hexu said gently.
Even though the scheme with the spiked wine wasn’t Bai Tang’s doing, it had been orchestrated by the original owner of his body. To outsiders, they were one and the same.
Bai Tang’s face flushed red, and he stammered, “Last night… it was me… I’m sorry.”
“Shh.” Pu Hexu pressed a finger to Bai Tang’s lips. “If that hadn’t happened, how would I have discovered such a precious treasure like you?”
“Tang Tang. I’ll call you Tang Tang from now on. Last night… was it because you really like me?”
Bai Tang gave a tiny nod, and Pu Hexu felt like his heart was about to soar.
“That’s perfect. Because I think I’ve fallen for Tang Tang too. And besides, I took advantage of you last night. Let’s be together.”
Xiao A was stunned by the male lead’s sudden romantic progression. He hadn’t traveled through many worlds with Bai Tang yet and still didn’t fully understand the male lead’s feelings toward him. But in every mission world Bai Tang had visited, he was always the one showered with love and affection.
Qiu’er bit into a rag doll, as if the doll represented the male lead.
“Took advantage of Tang Tang… Took advantage of Tang Tang again…”
Xiao A didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Qiu’er had been like this all night. It didn’t make sense—he knew Qiu’er was genuinely happy for the host’s happiness, so why was he so annoyed by the male lead?
“This all started back in the first world…” Qiu’er stopped chewing and began to ramble on about the past.
…
Pu Hexu’s efficiency was impressive—by noon, he had already gathered all the information about Bai Tang’s background.
Bai Tang was born into an ordinary family. His parents were both factory workers who had been laid off ten years ago. Since then, they had been growing vegetables in their hometown to make ends meet.
Bai Tang was sensible and didn’t want to be a burden to his family. He dropped out of school before graduating high school and went out to work. At the time, he was still underage, and legitimate businesses wouldn’t hire him. So he ended up working in unlicensed sweatshops, getting exploited over and over again. It wasn’t until he was handing out flyers on the street that he was spotted by a talent scout—and from that moment, he stepped into the entertainment industry.
Bai Tang had no background, no particular talents, and no one had any faith in him. After debuting, he became a minor celebrity so far down the ranks he was barely even an 18th-tier star, and his fanbase consisted of just two or three people at most.
That was the extent of his background—and the more Pu Hexu read, the more his heart ached for him.
His boy had taken on many bit roles. In modern dramas, he’d wear heavy mascot costumes under the scorching summer sun without ever showing his face. In the freezing winter, he’d work as a stunt double, jumping into icy rivers. And when he finally landed a fifth male lead role, the character was one that appeared three times before being written off.
Pu Hexu brought Bai Tang to an apartment he had bought. “I bought this place—two bedrooms and one living room. One’s the bedroom, the other’s a study. The study still needs tidying before it can be used, so for now, why don’t you stay in my room? I’ll sleep in the living room.”
Even though they had skipped past all the early dating stages during their first meeting and gone straight to home run, Pu Hexu still hoped their relationship wasn’t bound by that event, but rather formed from mutual affection—genuine love.
He gently pressed Bai Tang down onto the sofa and bustled around, while Bai Tang watched with a soft ache in his heart.
“Let me help you too~”
As soon as the boy spoke, a steaming cup of milk was placed in front of him.
“I’ve got it. You just drink your milk. Are you feeling any better? Want me to apply some ointment?”
Pu Hexu’s gentle care made Bai Tang feel warm and cherished. The boy spoke in a soft, sweet voice, “I’m the guest—how can I let you sleep in the living room? The sofa’s actually really comfy. I’ll sleep there instead.”
“Listen to me on this one,” Pu Hexu replied gently. “Tang Tang, don’t feel burdened. Who said you’re a guest? Just treat this as your home. Be comfortable—no need to be so polite with me.”
Last night had been the wrap party for the drama, which gave the schemers the perfect opportunity to act.
Now, with the apartment tidied up, Pu Hexu looked at the boy curled up on the sofa, happily munching on snacks. A sense of joy unlike anything he’d felt before welled up in his chest—greater even than when he’d won an international award.
Just what kind of magic did this boy have, to make him so completely and utterly smitten?
Pu Hexu didn’t want to think about it—refused to even consider it. Life only lasts a few decades, and it was only after meeting the boy that the emptiness in his soul had finally been filled.
“Adam, I’ve agreed to do Director Li’s Above the Firmament, but I’m bringing someone into the crew. Find a role for him,” Pu Hexu said into his phone.
Adam—Pu Hexu’s manager—was stunned. “You’re kidding, Hexu! That’s a BL-leaning script. There’ll inevitably be intimate scenes. You’ve always hated physical contact, remember?”
Pu Hexu had never liked romantic or touch-heavy scenes. What on earth had gotten into him today that he was not only volunteering for a role but even choosing a BL-themed project?
“Just take the role for me. I’m bringing someone in. I’ll send you their info later,” Pu Hexu said, cutting off his manager before he could argue and hanging up.
“Tang Tang, Tang Tang!” Qiu’er seized the opportunity to tattle, “The male lead is sneaky—he’s doing this just to satisfy his selfish desires! He wants to act with you in Above the Firmament! That’s a BL drama, you know…”
Bai Tang paused mid-snack and looked over at Pu Hexu.
“I got you a role,” Pu Hexu said with a smile. “Auditions are next Monday.”
“But… I’m not good at acting,” Bai Tang said in his naturally soft voice—like sweet, sticky milk candy.
“That’s okay. I’m playing the lead, so I can coach you.” Bai Tang’s concern played right into Pu Hexu’s plans.
They always said love blooms on set. No matter what the script was, if it helped him fall for Tang Tang, then it was a good script.
Author’s Note:
Pu Hexu: Any script that helps me grow closer to Tang Tang is a good script.
Bai Tang: But… our relationship is already great as it is.
Pu Hexu: Then any script that helps us seal the deal is a good one.
Bai Tang (aggrieved): But you already got everything you wanted… Don’t tell me you’re planning to pretend nothing ever happened?!