Top Dupe CH 082 Sobriety Is A Crime Part 1

"If you don't tell me, I'll think about it all night," Luo Yu said.

"Then keep thinking, over and over again," Gu Xiaowei said, waving the hand holding a cigarette in front of Luo Yu's face. His fingertip brushed against Luo Yu’s nose, like teasing a child.

Luo Yu immediately grabbed his wrist, keeping his gaze fixed on Gu Xiaowei. He turned his face slightly and bit down on the cigarette in Gu Xiaowei's hand, taking it between his lips.

Gu Xiaowei's hand remained in the air as Luo Yu took a step back, straightened up, and smiled at him.

"Who hasn’t crossed the line before?" Luo Yu said, taking a light drag.

"What?" Gu Xiaowei asked.

"Take a guess," Luo Yu flicked the ash off the cigarette, exuding a bit of carefree charm as the sparks by his lips flickered. He walked past Gu Xiaowei without a care.

And then he left.

The next episode of the drama started, and Xiao Qin and Ye Shengyi were excited. The duck necks were finished, leaving a pile of bones on the coffee table in front of the couch, where Luo Yu happened to sit down beside them.

"Brother Luo, aren't you watching with Brother Gu?" Xiao Qin asked curiously.

"We spend enough time acting together. Do I really need to discuss the drama with him too? Let me catch my breath," Luo Yu said half-jokingly.

The others immediately chimed in in agreement.

Gu Xiaowei stood above them, looking down at the top of Luo Yu’s head and his pale neck.

His left hand was still clenched, never loosening.

Because earlier, on the terrace, when Luo Yu took away that cigarette, his lips had brushed against Gu Xiaowei’s palm.

It felt like an unintentional move, yet also like a deliberate test.

After two episodes of “Counterattack”, there was a heated discussion online, with many enthusiastic fans and abundant spontaneous reactions.

The underwater scene between Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu was particularly buzzworthy, with audiences praising their realistic acting and the intense atmosphere they created.

The clip was replayed endlessly by viewers on video platforms.

There were even three trending topics related to the drama.

While many praised Gu Xiaowei for being the ratings king, Luo Yu was given his first positive label: "Hidden Gem Actor." There aren't many young actors who can portray such a complex character like Bai Ying.

That night, while Luo Yu was still studying the script, Sister Cui called.

"Han Yang called me right after watching the latest two episodes! He said that no matter when ‘Beast and Rose’ wraps up, the drama he’s producing will wait for you!"

Luo Yu was stunned. "You mean... once this movie is done, I’ll be the lead?"

"Yes! Are you excited? Happy? Even President Jiang is looking out for this lead role for you! He was planning to invite Han Yang to a meeting, but now it’s Han Yang inviting him!"

Luo Yu closed his eyes and smiled, imagining Jiang Yinchuan’s smug expression.

"Oh, and have you heard of the brand PURE COLOUR?"

Luo Yu's heart skipped a beat. Wasn't that the brand of aftershave Gu Xiaowei used?

"I know. Their aftershave smells great."

"They’ve just launched a new line that focuses on soothing effects after tightening. The tagline fits your vibe perfectly, so they want you to endorse this series."

Luo Yu touched the tip of his nose and asked with a smile, "Which series?"

"The Downfall series—because of you, sobriety is a crime."

What an interesting tagline. Someday, he’d have to make Gu Xiaowei use it, so he could experience what "sobriety is a crime" really means.

"Oh, and one more thing."

"The episode of ‘Burn, Little Cosmos’ you participated in set a record for the show’s highest replay rate in three years! Even if you don’t want to be a permanent guest, Director Xu Mu still hopes you can record another episode before ‘Storm’ airs! You can’t avoid promoting the show, right?"

"They can invite the lead actor, Cheng Fei."

"Uh... It’s a good idea to showcase your bromance with Cheng Fei. But if it’s just him... people might worry he’ll end up starting a world war with He Mu."

"Hahaha! Knowing Cheng Fei, that’s entirely possible! He’d roast He Mu until he passes out."

"Which, for the show... might be great for ratings too."

"But He Mu probably wouldn’t appreciate that kind of attention."

"Speaking of He Mu, his resources have noticeably downgraded lately. First, ‘Burn, Little Cosmos’ proposed lowering his appearance fee for the next season. He Mu refused, and both sides have been fighting over it. Although it hasn’t blown up on social media yet, the higher-ups at the show have already decided that if He Mu won’t agree to the fee cut, they won’t renew his contract."

Luo Yu's expression darkened. He could use He Mu as a cautionary tale—knowing which paths not to take, which directions to avoid.

"It was inevitable. He Mu’s overexposure in variety shows has lessened his chemistry with the programs, and his appeal to viewers is fading. The production team isn’t stupid; if the ratings don’t improve, they’re not going to keep throwing money at him."

"The key issue is that ‘Burn, Little Cosmos”'s decision to lower He Mu's fee has spread in the industry, and other variety shows are making similar demands. Plus, the luxury brand that had been negotiating with He Mu has now reached out to you!" Sister Cui’s excitement was evident.

Luo Yu had never paid much attention to luxury brands. He was a fashion black hole, so he could only listen with a smile as Sister Cui spoke.

"Although it's just as a brand ambassador and not the spokesperson, at least now you won’t have to worry about borrowing clothes for important events! Doesn’t it feel like every day ‘Counterattack’ airs, your resources level up?"

Luo Yu laughed, "You just mentioned they’re also talking with He Mu. Won't it be awkward if he’s the spokesperson and I’m the ambassador?"

"Don't be silly! The fact they’re approaching you means they’re considering dropping He Mu! Look at He Mu—what has he done lately that’s worth mentioning? Even for the young general role he's currently playing, he had to take a sick leave after two days of wirework. It’s said that the director was so furious, he and the producer raised hell at Ou Juntao’s office, demanding a replacement! But Dijun Media has no other decent actors to offer!"

Luo Yu lowered his eyes and smiled. This industry’s fortunes change quickly; maybe very soon He Mu would get a taste of the five years of obscurity Luo Yu had experienced.

After hanging up the phone, Luo Yu turned to look outside the door. The sound of running water in the bathroom hadn’t stopped, but Gu Xiaowei had been in there for almost twenty minutes.

Luo Yu narrowed his eyes. For a man with such excellent physical fitness to stay in the bathroom for so long—it was bound to stir some imaginative thoughts.

A mischievous idea crept into his mind.

Luo Yu approached the door and leaned against it. "Teacher Gu, you’ve been in there a while. Are you out of oxygen? Fainted? Need me to come in and save you?"

After a second or two, the door suddenly opened, and the steam from the hot water billowed out through the crack, moistening Luo Yu's eyelashes and bangs with a fine mist.

Luo Yu’s eyes met Gu Xiaowei’s, dark as the depths of the ocean, and the feeling of being overwhelmed crept over him once more.

A towel was wrapped around Gu Xiaowei's waist, his shoulder and abdominal muscles sharply defined. His previously cool gaze suddenly burned when it landed on Luo Yu, making Luo Yu feel strangely tense.

"If I had passed out from lack of oxygen, how would you save me?" Gu Xiaowei’s gaze flickered with amusement.

"Step one, drag you out," Luo Yu replied.

Gu Xiaowei leaned against the door without moving, leaving only two fists' worth of space between them.

Even through his casual clothes and Gu Xiaowei’s towel, Luo Yu could feel the heat emanating from his body.

"And step two?" Gu Xiaowei asked, not in a hurry to leave.

"Cardiac resuscitation," Luo Yu said. He had originally wanted to say mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, but who knows where the conversation would lead if he said that.

Gu Xiaowei didn’t move closer, still maintaining the distance. "I thought it should be mouth-to-mouth."

Luo Yu had the impulse to pat him on the shoulder but felt awkward since Gu Xiaowei wasn’t wearing a shirt and was still slightly damp. He hesitated.

Though mostly because he had ulterior motives and felt guilty.

"Don't worry. I'll perform that mouth-to-mouth scene perfectly!"

Gu Xiaowei’s smile deepened. "The scene in the script is cardiac resuscitation, not mouth-to-mouth. If you’re really eager to learn, I can practice with you."

Just cardiac resuscitation?

Luo Yu felt a twinge of disappointment.

"The director specifically arranged for professional first aid personnel to teach me hands-on," Luo Yu politely replied.

"I meant mouth-to-mouth."

Before Luo Yu could react, Gu Xiaowei had already walked back to his room.

Luo Yu opened his mouth, about to say something, when he heard the "click" of Gu Xiaowei locking the door.

One moment it's cardiac resuscitation, the next it's mouth-to-mouth—it's enough to make one's brain spin in circles. And he just left? Although Luo Yu wasn’t sure if the other was teasing him or just in a good mood after a bath and speaking casually.

Damn, if you’re so good, go lock the door forever.

Luo Yu entered the bathroom, then remembered he hadn't brought a change of clothes, so he turned back to his room.

He sighed, scratching the back of his head, feeling like he was outmatched. One ambiguous, sudden move from Gu Xiaowei could throw him off completely, yet no matter how Luo Yu provoked him, Gu Xiaowei's emotions always seemed perfectly controlled, yielding no results.

If he were truly in his early twenties, Luo Yu would’ve already stormed in, grabbed the other’s collar, and said, "If you don't mean it, stop messing with me."

But the problem was, he cared too much about him, afraid of making a wrong move, and losing even the chance to joke around without awkwardness in the future.

Someday, if I truly get my hands on you, you’ll be begging to live but unable to die.

Luo Yu picked up his clothes and headed back to the bathroom.

He deliberately turned off the ventilation, as if that could somehow let him stay in the other’s lingering presence.

Looking up, standing where Gu Xiaowei had showered earlier, Luo Yu took a deep breath. Besides the usual scent of his body wash, there was a faint hint of musk.

Luo Yu frowned, feeling the need to clear out the junk in his mind. Was this some sort of "old flames reigniting, everything becoming a threat" situation?

With a splash, he turned on the hot water and took a proper shower.

When he came out, Gu Xiaowei's door was still closed, so Luo Yu returned to his own room.

He had just put his things down when, in the next instant, he drew a sharp breath.

There, by his bedside, was a picture frame, but it didn’t contain an oil painting—it was a sketch.

It was from tonight’s broadcast of “Counterattack”, when Bai Ying was submerged in water and lost consciousness.

His hair floated in the water, and though his eyes were closed, his expression was ethereal, evoking a desire for destruction that was both fragile and powerful. The contrast between the black and white and the light and shadows was stark.

But this stark contrast was like a rift in an abyss, allowing no light in, with all kinds of mad, deviant desires seeping through.

The rough, frenzied strokes somehow conveyed a barely restrained, on-the-edge-of-collapse intensity.

In that moment, Luo Yu’s heart was gripped and lifted to its peak, the feeling even stronger than when he had been watching the drama with Gu Xiaowei, shoulder to shoulder, earlier.

With every step closer, he moved nearer to a veiled, burning desire.

From the first stroke to the last, the force behind the pencil and the wild emotions of the artist were apparent.

For the first time, Luo Yu felt as though he’d been captured by a drawing.

His fingers touched it, the indentations of the lines etched into the paper were so clear.

When had Gu Xiaowei drawn this sketch?

When Luo Yu had been on the phone with Sister Cui? But didn’t Gu Xiaowei go to take a shower?

So it must’ve been while Luo Yu was in the bathroom… Just how skilled was he, to finish a drawing so quickly?

And why had he placed it in Luo Yu’s room, framed so carefully, almost ceremoniously, as if it were a confession?

Luo Yu ruffled his hair, took a deep breath, and grabbed the drawing, walking to Gu Xiaowei's door, knocking forcefully.

"Gu Xiaowei, open the door."