Top Dupe CH 078 Boiling Frog Part 1

Luo Yu was not interested in other people's affairs, and since Nie Yangchen was his colleague in the same crew, he had no intention of making things awkward for him. However, Nie Yangchen stepped closer, "That's right, this is my jealousy. Gu Xiaowei can use every acting role to openly express all his ambitions, gradually getting closer to you. Meanwhile, I am constrained by Ou Juntao's demands, forced to stay hidden. But Gu Xiaowei can act recklessly... Ah, no, he is still cautious. He fears that you might discover his little thoughts and avoid him."

Luo Yu's heart raced, nearly leaping from his throat. 

Why would Nie Yangchen think of this? He had only watched two episodes of "Counterattack" and had only been filming with them for two days.

Moreover, Director Lin and Screenwriter Hua, along with many actors, didn’t seem to have this thought. Why did Nie Yangchen come to such a conclusion?

"You’re confusing me," Luo Yu said, controlling his expression to appear steadfast and unyielding.

"Don’t believe me? Then let me verify." Nie Yangchen smiled and suddenly leaned closer to Luo Yu, the angle almost resembling a kiss.

Luo Yu's nerves tensed, reacting instinctively; he raised his elbow to press against Nie Yangchen's chest. But before he could exert any force, a fist swung in from the side, striking Nie Yangchen directly in the face.

Nie Yangchen fell to the ground, the impact sending him sliding across the floor.

Luo Yu stood frozen; he hadn’t thrown that punch.

And they still had filming tomorrow. If he were to hit someone, it wouldn't be Nie Yangchen's face.

He saw a figure storm past him, and the next moment, Nie Yangchen was yanked up by his collar, just as a second punch was about to come down!

What the hell!

"Gu Xiaowei—" Luo Yu rushed forward, wrapping his arms around Gu Xiaowei from behind, trying to pull him back.

Nie Yangchen's lip was already split, but he looked unconcerned, watching his opponent with a provocatively obvious expression, seemingly eager for a second punch to land.

"You... you... listen to me! If you smash his face to the point where makeup can’t cover it, how are you going to explain it to the director?"

Damn, Gu Xiaowei was so strong; Luo Yu couldn’t even pull his arms back!

"Then I'll aim for a place where makeup doesn’t need to cover."

Gu Xiaowei radiated a chilling aura; his voice and expression held no warmth, abandoning all restraint and decorum. With one kick, Nie Yangchen would be done for.

Luo Yu made a quick decision and hoisted Gu Xiaowei up by the waist, shouting at Nie Yangchen, "Get lost already—"

Nie Yangchen leisurely climbed to his feet, shrugging at Luo Yu, "Look, I didn’t do anything to you; I just got a little closer—why does he want to hit me?"

—Because of jealousy.

"Because you’re asking for it," Luo Yu shot a cold glare at Nie Yangchen.

Luo Yu was generally seen as gentle and tolerant, lacking an aggressive aura, but in this moment, his gaze was sharp, slicing through the space like a string, tightly gripping Nie Yangchen's throat, cutting off his blood flow and thoughts.

The warning and pressure made Nie Yangchen inhale.

"Aren't you leaving yet?"

Just those four words made Nie Yangchen experience what it felt like to flee in panic for the first time.

Once Nie Yangchen left, Luo Yu finally let go of Gu Xiaowei.

Gu Xiaowei's expression was completely cold, his gaze as if it were going to freeze Luo Yu in place.

"How did you suddenly appear?" Luo Yu asked.

"Can’t you figure it out?" Gu Xiaowei countered, looking into Luo Yu's eyes.

"So... since I left the villa, you’ve actually been following me?"

Luo Yu didn’t feel angry about being followed; after all, he was just out for a walk, not doing anything wrong. 

And it was understandable that Gu Xiaowei was worried about him, following from a distance at this late hour.

But how did Gu Xiaowei manage to do this without him noticing at all?

"Otherwise, would you come back by dawn?" Gu Xiaowei asked again, his voice lowered by an octave.

Luo Yu felt as if he were a child wandering outside after school, unaware that his father was following closely behind, observing whether he was buying snacks or giving candy to a girl.

"I thought you were asleep, so I didn’t call you," Luo Yu said, walking over and placing a hand on his shoulder, trying to persuade him gently, "Okay, okay, no more being upset. I couldn’t sleep and came out for a walk in the middle of the night. If you quietly follow me like that, I might think you’re a bad person and kick you, don’t underestimate my turning kick; it’s enough to send you to the hospital."

"You really know what a bad person is?" Gu Xiaowei tilted his head, looking at Luo Yu.

The gloom that belonged to Lu Pingfeng permeated the air.

"After living this long, how could I not know what a bad person is? Plus, with you following me, worrying I’ll get lost or be bullied by Nie Yangchen, does it matter whether there are bad people or not?"

"Maybe a bad person is someone who makes you let your guard down the most. Like me."

"Okay, okay, okay, you’re a bad person. Show me how bad you are..."

Before Luo Yu could finish, his wrist was grabbed by Gu Xiaowei, causing him to stumble and almost crash into him.

But Gu Xiaowei didn’t turn; instead, he pulled Luo Yu backward step by step until they reached the ambiguous statue.

"Wait, Gu Xiaowei! It’s really late; let’s go back!" Luo Yu looked into Gu Xiaowei’s eyes, feeling no ripple, yet sensing thousands of nerves were being pulled, even this distance that was neither far nor near was a torment. He would rather engage in a childish fight with him... or simply lean against his chest and hold him tight.

In that moment of impulse, Luo Yu's heart raced, hearing Nie Yangchen's words—Gu Xiaowei could use any acting role to openly express all his ambitions, inching closer to you.

This was not merely temptation, but rather shattering all reasonable excuses, revealing a maddening truth.

Suddenly, Luo Yu felt his waist being gripped; he knew Gu Xiaowei was very strong, but being lifted off the ground made him panic. He instinctively reached for Gu Xiaowei’s shoulder, but Gu Xiaowei coldly pressed him against the curve of the statue's back, "Do you know who Nie Yangchen was with last night?"

Such a Gu Xiaowei didn’t scare Luo Yu at all. No matter how forceful he appeared, he always restrained his strength, not causing Luo Yu any pain, as if putting on a show of power to frighten him.

The more he acted this way, the more Luo Yu wanted to draw closer to him.

"Someone beside him. I can’t remember exactly who," Luo Yu replied.

"It was a man," Gu Xiaowei said.

Luo Yu opened his mouth, momentarily stunned, searching his memory for the people around Nie Yangchen.

His makeup artist hadn’t changed, but his assistant seemed to be absent today. He vaguely remembered that it was a pleasant looking, organized person.

If Nie Yangchen liked his assistant and it was a man, then it would explain why Ou Juntao was so anxious to force Nie Yangchen to break up with him. Because Dijun Media's marketing strategy was to fill fans with fantasies about their artists. Once it was revealed that Nie Yangchen and his assistant were in a romantic relationship, the fantasy atmosphere created by Dijun Media would be completely shattered.

"Since he likes men, how can you be sure you’re not his type?" Gu Xiaowei leaned even closer, "You don’t look better than that man? Aren’t you more likely to ignite Nie Yangchen’s desire for conquest?"

The moonlight illuminated Gu Xiaowei's deep amber eyes, allowing Luo Yu to see the tightly restrained emotion within, as if once it surged forth, it would completely destroy him.

This was jealousy.

And possessiveness.

This was what Nie Yangchen intentionally approached him to prove.

Luo Yu could not describe the feeling at this moment; it felt as if he had been splashed with strong liquor, igniting an insatiable fire that even the vastness of the world could not contain.

He had already been reborn once, and Gu Xiaowei was the most important person in his life, his only recognized rival and comrade.

He couldn’t easily ask that question because he didn’t know if it was Lu Pingfeng crossing the line with Wen Yuchi or Gu Xiaowei suddenly losing control after scheming for him.

But so what?

This man made his heart race, not just once, but countless times... in the moments he unconsciously ignored and deliberately suppressed, it had happened countless times.

Suddenly recalling, Gu Xiaowei had recognized him in the elevator while he wore a mask, tying up his loose hair for him; that night in the studio city, he had hand fed him mint candy and sent him trending on Weibo; every straightforward show of support and share, along with every “Senior Brother” he had uttered... all seemed like subtle yet blatant declarations of love.

Damn... what kind of man is so eager to take pictures of his senior brother and post them on his Weibo, as if... showing off his affection? 

The more he thought about it, the faster Luo Yu's heart raced. 

He probably wouldn’t have a chance to be reborn again; his fate had already changed a lot, and what truly changed was his relationship with Gu Xiaowei. 

In the previous life, they admired each other but seemed to have an insurmountable boundary between them, and in this life... Luo Yu hoped to be reckless and fearless, wanting what he desired. 

Alright, Gu Xiaowei... If I’m being overly delusional, then it’s your fault. I will pull you into my world and make you mine. 

But if all your approaches are cautious, then I’ll let you know that we’re both addicted to each other. 

To bully you is the price for your temptation. 

I’ve never cared for flowers or applause, but I love acting, whether it's in TV dramas, movies, or stage plays. 

But you are different, Gu Xiaowei. With you, I can’t make mistakes, because once you retreat back into your world, the distinction between you and me will be clear, and that kind of regret cannot be compensated for, no matter what achievements I attain. 

So this time, we won’t compare who acts more passionately, but rather who makes the other absolutely dependent on him. 

“Luo Yu, what are you thinking?” Gu Xiaowei's voice was cold. 

Luo Yu looked up at the statue’s face and slowly asked, “Do you know who this statue is?” 

“En?” 

“The most famous hermaphrodite deity in Greek mythology is probably Hermaphroditus. He was originally the illegitimate child of Hermes and Aphrodite.” Luo Yu lowered his head and leaned closer to Gu Xiaowei bit by bit. 

The closer he got, the more forcefully Gu Xiaowei gripped his waist. 

“In the Louvre, there’s also a statue of him. It is said to look delicate and smooth, with an enchanting figure.” 

Luo Yu gazed at Gu Xiaowei, whose breathing was steady. The oppressive feeling from earlier had eased, and his eyes even carried a hint of mockery, as if he could see right through Luo Yu. 

“I’ve seen that statue. From the back, it looks like a woman with a beautiful curve, but when you go to the other side, it resembles a man more. It’s a work by the famous Italian sculptor Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini.” Gu Xiaowei, still holding Luo Yu’s waist, slightly pulled back the distance between them. He wasn’t embarrassed or shy but was deliberately making sure Luo Yu looked him in the eye clearly, “Senior Brother, are you discussing this statue with me to divert the topic from your dangerously reckless night outings?” 

Luo Yu’s heart skipped a beat; he had finally managed to steer the conversation toward something suggestive, and Gu Xiaowei ruthlessly turned it back. 

Ha, Nie Yangchen, I believe you like a fool.