Top Dupe CH 037 Gu Xiaowei, Please Wait For Me Part 2
There was a car parked downstairs, the same black Mercedes that Driver Jiang had used to take him home.
A tall man in a dark wool coat stood by the car, looking down at his phone.
"Damn!"
Luo Yu grabbed his coat, put on his slippers, and rushed out with his phone and keys.
He felt like the elevator was moving too slowly, taking forever to arrive.
He sprinted all the way, realizing how long the distance from his building to the gate of the community was.
Panting, he reached the car.
"Gu Xiaowei!"
The man paused and looked up, "Senior Brother."
As soon as Luo Yu approached, Gu Xiaowei's first action was to fasten Luo Yu's coat buttons.
"Why are you here? Is 'Counterattack' wrapped up?" Luo Yu asked.
"No."
"Then what's going on? Don't you have scenes tomorrow?" Luo Yu asked with wide eyes.
"I'll drive back right away."
The streetlights cast a cold glow, the long street was deserted in the early hours, and the wind stirred the fallen leaves. Gu Xiaowei's figure appeared tall and solitary.
"Why did you come down like this?" Gu Xiaowei frowned, looking at Luo Yu's slipper-clad feet.
He opened the car door and pushed Luo Yu in.
"Slow down! Slow down! I'll hit my head!"
"I've got you covered."
Gu Xiaowei turned on the car heater.
Luo Yu grumbled, "You film during the day and drive for hours at night. Don't you know this is driving while fatigued? Did you get permission from the crew to come out?"
"I was afraid that if I didn't come, your mood would be affected," Gu Xiaowei said.
"My mood..." Luo Yu paused. "Did Brother Cheng tell you?"
Gu Xiaowei nodded, his voice still calm, "After he dropped you off, Brother Cheng apologized to me. He said he shouldn't have told you about the past without my consent. He blamed himself for not holding back."
Luo Yu looked at Gu Xiaowei's profile and then bent over in the car, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
"Do you think... do you think we have a kind of telepathy?" Luo Yu turned his face, his eyes meeting Gu Xiaowei's.
"Did you also want to come find me?" Gu Xiaowei asked.
"That's right. But I don't have a car. I couldn't get a taxi, and the ride-sharing service wouldn't be available until tomorrow. I was thinking about you so much that I couldn't sleep..."
Luo Yu suddenly realized his words had another meaning, "I mean, I was thinking about how you worked so hard to help me get those roles, those opportunities others dream of, and I gave them up so easily. I owe you more than just an apology."
"You've never owed me anything," Gu Xiaowei said, looking into Luo Yu's eyes, speaking slowly and deliberately, "I was just worried you'd spend the whole night wanting to apologize, so I came to find you. That night you were drunk, you told me you wanted a companion of your own. Do you remember?"
"Actually, I didn't remember what I said that night," Luo Yu said helplessly, patting the back of his head, "But when Brother Cheng mentioned the roles I gave up, I remembered."
"So do I," Gu Xiaowei said.
"What do you mean?"
"I also want a companion of my own. Someone who will immerse themselves in each role, acting as if it's for a lifetime."
Luo Yu felt warmth spread from his fingertips to his heart because of Gu Xiaowei's words.
"I need someone who, when the performance is over, will be there to tell me, 'I'm still me, and you're still you.'"
Gu Xiaowei looked at Luo Yu.
Against the light from outside, Gu Xiaowei's eyes were even clearer in the shadows, more real and powerful than anything tangible.
"I really want to know, why do you help me so much?" Luo Yu couldn't help but ask.
"Because you helped me with something that was very important to me," Gu Xiaowei replied.
His voice was calm, carrying a sense of naturalness and ease.
The answer was far simpler and more straightforward than Luo Yu had imagined, but it was immensely precious to him.
"What was that important thing?" Luo Yu asked.
"I'll tell you when I'm sure you won't give up so easily again."
Yes, if he gave up again, there would be no need to know the reason.
"Gu Xiaowei, please wait for me," Luo Yu said.
"Hmm?"
"I will catch up with you soon."
Gu Xiaowei smiled, like the morning star about to usher in the dawn.
"It's almost three o'clock, I have to get back now."
"Wait a minute! I'll get you something to eat on the way!"
Luo Yu opened the car door, put on his slippers, and ran out.
Gu Xiaowei wanted to stop him, but he had already run far away.
Luo Yu hurried back to his apartment, quickly started the coffee machine to grind coffee beans, took out eggs from the fridge to fry, and prepared ham slices and washed tomatoes. By the time the sandwich was ready, the coffee was also done.
Luo Yu put the coffee in a thermos and wrapped the sandwich in foil, then rushed back downstairs.
He passed the items through the car window.
"Here's coffee for the road! If you get tired, take a break. I'm afraid you won't have time for breakfast when you get to the film set! This sandwich can be your breakfast."
Gu Xiaowei rolled down the car window, took everything, and then suddenly hugged Luo Yu.
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Luo Yu patted his back, "Send me a message when you arrive at the set to let me know you're safe."
"Okay."
Luo Yu stood aside with his arms crossed, intending to see Gu Xiaowei off, but Gu Xiaowei said, "I'll leave after I see you go upstairs."
"No need!"
Gu Xiaowei smiled lightly, "I'm worried about your safety."
"What danger could there be? There's only you on the street—robbery or kidnapping?" Luo Yu asked with a laugh.
"Kidnapping," Gu Xiaowei replied.
Just two words, but with his unique voice, it seemed as if something was about to break free from his composed and serious exterior.
Luo Yu felt a tug at his heart. No wonder people are intrigued by Gu Xiaowei's restrained demeanor; the more he seems abstinent, the more people want to see him indulgent.
Had he not seen Gu Xiaowei still single ten years later, he might have thought this guy had developed a crush.
“Senior Brother is currently in debt, so there's no money to rob, only your person," Gu Xiaowei added.
See? Still joking seriously.
Luo Yu couldn't help but laugh, turned around, and went back to the apartment complex.
The first thing he did when he got home was to look out the window.
Sure enough, Gu Xiaowei's car hadn't left yet. Only when Luo Yu waved from the window did he drive away.
Even though they had just met briefly and exchanged only a few words, Luo Yu felt a sudden clarity.
He had a goal he must achieve.
For this goal, he could face any obstacles, overcome any challenge, and ignore any slander, forging ahead against the wind.
Because Gu Xiaowei was waiting for him.
Luo Yu lay down and soon fell asleep.
When he was awakened by his alarm, the first thing he did was check his phone. At the top was a message from Gu Xiaowei: [I arrived safely, don’t worry.]
Just a few words, but they made Luo Yu smile.
While eating breakfast, he was surprised to find that Gu Xiaowei had taken a photo of the coffee and sandwich he had prepared and posted it on his social media!
Luo Yu hadn't known Gu Xiaowei had such good photography skills. The car window framed a magnificent dawn with clouds flowing.
Under this splendid scene were the open coffee cup and foil-wrapped sandwich.
Gu Xiaowei's post had just two words: "With you."
Luo Yu instantly understood that Gu Xiaowei wanted to share this moment with him.
And his social media exploded.
Ah Yan: [Brother Gu, you finally updated your status!]
Xiao Qin: [Wah, Brother Gu, where did you get that sandwich? I want one too~]
Xie Shang: [Yan Ye, were you chasing the morning light so early in the morning?]
Cheng Fei: [Who is this "you"? Definitely not me. Signed, your sour old buddy.]
Chen Feng: [Wow! Finally saw Gu Xiaowei’s update! I thought you had blocked me!]
Hua Xingyun: [This is a rare sight!]
Lin Yue: [Isn't that thermos Luo Yu's?]
Hua Xingyun: [??? Whose? Did Luo Yu leave it behind?]
Xiao Qin: [Eh? Was it left behind when Jiang shifu sent Luo Yu home last time?]
Then the comments veered off, with Ah Yan saying Gu Xiaowei used the wrong cup and should buy a new one for Luo Yu.
Chen Feng said Luo Yu's cup brand was really good, and then Hua Xingyun said he wanted to switch to that brand too.
Everyone naturally assumed Luo Yu had left the thermos in Gu Xiaowei’s car and that Gu Xiaowei mistakenly used it for coffee.
Luo Yu chuckled.
Who knew Gu Xiaowei would message him: [From now on, this cup is mine.]
[En, it's yours, no one can take it from you.]
Maybe it was because he had cleared the air with Cheng Fei the night before, or because Gu Xiaowei had reminded Cheng Fei to get along well with Luo Yu, but the next day, Cheng Fei’s attitude toward Luo Yu had greatly changed in the makeup room.
It was as if he was an old buddy… ah no, a big brother shielding a fresh recruit.
Luo Yu didn’t have any scenes today, but because they had finished filming the night scenes, other scenes were rescheduled to 10 a.m., so he arrived a bit later, avoiding the rush with the 8 a.m. actors in the makeup room.
But as he reached the makeup room door, he overheard two actors chatting inside.
“He Mu is really unlucky. I heard he wanted to audition for the role of Huo Haoyan, but Dijun Media had to give Director Lin face, so he wasn’t allowed to come!”
“Ah? Why did giving Director Lin face mean He Mu couldn’t audition for Huo Haoyan?”
“Didn’t you hear clearly at the KTV last time? That Luo Yu hugged Director Lin’s thigh! He got extra scenes in ‘Counterattack’ and more resources introduced! Since Director Lin recommended Luo Yu for the role of Huo Haoyan, it was predetermined from the start!”
“Damn… How did he hug Director Lin’s thigh?”
“Can’t you guess? Look at Luo Yu’s face, that figure, such an artsy type…”
Luo Yu froze for a moment. They certainly didn’t expect him to be at the set today, so they dared to gossip so openly in the makeup room.
He was used to being talked about and knew that suddenly getting such a good role, many would be envious. But this time, it implicated Director Lin’s reputation, which he couldn’t tolerate.
Just as he was about to push the door, a hand stopped him.
“Let me handle these idiots. You, artsy type—step aside.”
Cheng Fei grabbed Luo Yu’s shoulder, pushed him aside, then suddenly opened the door and strode in.
The two gossiping actors fell silent immediately upon seeing Cheng Fei.
Cheng Fei leaned against their dressing table, arms crossed, looking at them.
“Keep chatting, why stop now? Who said the role of Huo Haoyan was predetermined for Luo Yu?” Cheng Fei asked.
“Well… we just heard it somewhere,” one of them stammered.
“Yeah, there are so many rumors in the crew, we just listen for fun,” the other added with a forced laugh.
Cheng Fei snorted coldly.
“I want to know where this rumor started. Many of our own actors at Xinghan Films wanted this role too. If it was predetermined, how is that fair to us?”
Standing outside the door, Luo Yu realized that Cheng Fei was helping him find out who spread the rumor.
After all, clearing it up repeatedly wouldn’t help; the source needed to be addressed.