Top Dupe CH 088 You Did That On Purpose (Vlog Filming) Part 1

"Perfect! Perfect! Fans love these kinds of relatable, down-to-earth questions!" Ye Shengyi set his chicken wings aside, eagerly sharing his opinion.

Brother Yan reminded, "Even if neither of you are wearing makeup, remember to put on sunscreen. The sun's really strong today."

"Got it!"

After lunch, the two of them exited the villa to begin filming the day's vlog.

Ye Shengyi held up his phone, excitedly introducing, "Today, I’m honored to film a vlog with Teacher Gu and Teacher Luo to commemorate ‘Counterattack’ staying at the top of the ratings for a week! Let’s show the audience what these two are like in everyday life!"

Before he could finish, Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu had already spotted two free bicycles by the roadside and hopped on.

Both wore white T-shirts and baseball caps, making it nearly impossible to tell them apart from the back.

"Why are you guys going off the beaten path? Wait for me! I need to find a bike too!"

"Then hurry up! We're not waiting!" Luo Yu turned his head and laughed, a smile reminiscent of a scene from “Plum Blossom Rain”.

Except this time, Gu Xiaowei was riding right beside him.

Ye Shengyi mounted his phone on the bike’s handlebars and quickly followed.

"Look at me—I can ride with no hands; can you?" Luo Yu knew of Gu Xiaowei's competitive streak and wanted to show off a little. He spread his arms, casting a challenging grin in Gu Xiaowei’s direction.

But Gu Xiaowei wasn’t impressed, only saying, "Safety first."

Just as he said this, Luo Yu’s front wheel hit a small rock, making him nearly topple over.

In a flash, Gu Xiaowei veered over, balancing with one foot on the ground, and reached out to steady Luo Yu.

The bicycle fell to the ground, its wheels spinning with a whirring sound. Luo Yu barely realized what happened when he heard Gu Xiaowei's voice in his ear, "Is this what you meant by ‘no hands’? Just wanted me to hold you, didn’t you?"

"Uh…" Luo Yu glanced back at Ye Shengyi, who was filming with enthusiasm. "Make sure to cut this part, okay? Cut it!"

Ye Shengyi muttered behind him, "No way!"

This was prime footage; what else would the audience watch if they cut out the good stuff?

Luo Yu got back on his bike and chased after Gu Xiaowei, while roses bloomed on their right, light and shadow dappling across their backs.

Gu Xiaowei acted like he was ignoring Luo Yu, clearly expressing his displeasure.

Feeling a bit guilty, Luo Yu knew he had to coax his younger friend. He tried to grab Gu Xiaowei's hoodie from behind.

But just as he reached out, Gu Xiaowei suddenly braked, making Luo Yu crash right into his back.

The impact was like a boiled egg hitting a rock—enough to crack the shell.

"Gu Xiaowei—you did that on purpose!" Luo Yu held his nose, steadying himself.

Gu Xiaowei turned to him leisurely, saying bluntly, "Yeah, I did."

The implication: What are you gonna do about it?

Remembering that Gu Xiaowei held a seventh-degree black belt, Luo Yu wisely decided to turn his handlebars and ride past him.

"Are you mad?" Gu Xiaowei followed.

"No."

"But I think you are."

Following behind, Ye Shengyi felt exasperated. "Gentlemen, are you sure you want your fans to hear such childish banter?"

To his surprise, both turned to the camera.

"Why not?" Luo Yu laughed, "Fans would love to see Teacher Gu's childish side."

"No problem," Gu Xiaowei lifted his chin slightly, "I’ll give him plenty of face."

"Who wants your face?"

By this time, Luo Yu had ridden far ahead, while Gu Xiaowei bent down to search for something under the rose trellis.

Ye Shengyi was about to get closer for a shot when Gu Xiaowei hopped back on his bike to chase after Luo Yu.

"Senior Brother—"

Under the bright sun, amid blooming roses, Gu Xiaowei’s normally cool voice sounded warm and soft, carrying a faint hint of affection when recorded.

"En?"

Luo Yu looked back just as Gu Xiaowei extended his hand, scattering rose petals over Luo Yu’s head.

"Ah…" Luo Yu tilted his head back, sunlight outlining his jawline, casting a soft halo where it turned.

Petals settled on his hat, shoulders, and collar, creating a moment of delicate beauty usually seen only in romance dramas.

Ye Shengyi was left stunned, not just by the captivating contrast between Luo Yu's masculine presence and the softness of the rose petals, but by Gu Xiaowei’s gaze—focused, tender, and profound.

Yet, before Ye Shengyi could fully process it, Gu Xiaowei had already ridden away.

Luo Yu quickly chased after him, calling loudly, "Just wait—I’ll find a foxtail and stuff it down your collar!"

"Good luck finding one."

They didn’t find any foxtails, but when they arrived by the lake, they spotted a sea of red-brown reeds.

"Wow… when the wind blows, it looks like a wheat field."

Luo Yu stopped his bike and walked in.

Trailing behind, Ye Shengyi called out, "Teacher Gu—how about a 4.0 or 5.0 photoshoot?"

Just then, Xiao Qin and Brother Yan arrived, having set up afternoon tea by the lakeside.

Gu Xiaowei looked over at Xiao Qin, saying, "I’ll skip it. How about Xiao Qin take some pictures of me and Senior Brother?"

Luo Yu nodded enthusiastically, "I haven’t taken many photos with Teacher Gu aside from on-set shots!"

"Then I’ll capture some candid ones! You two just act natural!"

"What counts as acting natural?"

Pretending to think about it, Luo Yu moved closer to Gu Xiaowei, just as he was about to try lifting him up, Gu Xiaowei suddenly stopped him, hoisting Luo Yu onto his own shoulder instead.

"What the—Gu Xiaowei, put me down!"

"Senior Brother, your acting is terrible."

Looking up, Gu Xiaowei gazed at Luo Yu, his eyes bright with laughter.

In that moment, it was as if all of the brooding of his character, Lu Pingfeng, vanished.

Luo Yu rested his hands on Gu Xiaowei's shoulders, finding this view of him strangely exhilarating, as if he were Gu Xiaowei’s god, holding the power to control his every emotion.

Xiao Qin went on a photo-snapping frenzy.

"My acting is bad? How?"

"Whenever you plan to do something mischievous, I can tell." Gu Xiaowei’s smile held a mature ease.

"That’s impossible. When I’m truly being bad, you’d never know."

Like when I clumsily try to provoke you—you remain so composed, never as stirred as I am.

"Being bad? What would that look like?"

With that, Gu Xiaowei gave Luo Yu a playful jostle, his strength impressively steady despite looking so thin.

Luo Yu wrapped one arm around Gu Xiaowei’s neck and plucked a reed to tickle him.

"Do you think I’m being bad now?"

Expecting him to let go, Luo Yu was surprised when Gu Xiaowei didn’t even flinch, instead shifting his grip as he lowered them both into the reeds.

Xiao Qin froze, capturing the shot, struck by the look in Gu Xiaowei's eyes—a yearning as intense as a moth drawn to flame.

When Luo Yu’s back hit the thick reeds, he didn’t feel any pain.

Opening his eyes, he saw Gu Xiaowei’s arms braced beside his head, completely enveloping him.

"Take it out."

The tone was commanding yet coaxing.

"Take… what out?"

"The reed you stuffed in my collar."

Gu Xiaowei leaned in closer.

Luo Yu tilted his head, laughing, as he tugged at Gu Xiaowei’s collar without actually retrieving the reed. "Ticklish?"

Holding his position, Gu Xiaowei replied plainly, "Yes."

Direct, clear, without any hint of ambiguity—yet Luo Yu felt the reed was no longer under Gu Xiaowei’s collar, but pressing into his own heart.

He slowly pulled the reed from Gu Xiaowei’s collar.

The reed brushed down Gu Xiaowei’s back, causing a slight twitch. "You did that on purpose."

Luo Yu’s wrist was caught by Gu Xiaowei’s hand.

"What did I do on purpose?"

"Tickling me with the reed."

Then Gu Xiaowei pulled him up.

A wave of disappointment swept over Luo Yu—it was rare for them to be so close, and he hadn’t even managed to do anything to fluster Gu Xiaowei.

As Gu Xiaowei helped him to his feet, Luo Yu mischievously yanked, trying to tip Gu Xiaowei onto him.

Who knew... could it be that Gu Xiaowei was a mountain reincarnated? With all the strength Luo Yu was using to pull him, Gu Xiaowei was still steady as a rock—truly… so oblivious!

Luo Yu never imagined he’d one day describe someone else as “oblivious.” According to Sister Cui, wasn’t “oblivious” supposed to be Luo Yu’s own label?

“Be careful.”

As Gu Xiaowei pulled Luo Yu back, he placed his other hand on Luo Yu’s back—probably to prevent him from falling again—drawing him into his arms.

The wind blew gently, and a soft rustling sound came from nearby, as if something was brushing against the gaps in their hearts.

“Thank you,” Luo Yu murmured as he leaned into the crook of Gu Xiaowei’s neck.

His breath brushed over Gu Xiaowei’s skin. Luo Yu was waiting for Gu Xiaowei to turn his face away, but instead, Gu Xiaowei leaned his cheek towards Luo Yu. Only after Luo Yu regained his balance did Gu Xiaowei let him go.

“Are you fine now?”

“I’m fine.”

Gu Xiaowei’s ears were tinged with pink as he looked away from Luo Yu and turned toward Xiao Qin.

Xiao Qin and Ye Shengyi pushed through the reeds, walking toward them.

“Brother Gu! Brother Luo! You suddenly fell into the reeds! I thought you were planning to burrow into them!” Ye Shengyi shouted.

The words “burrow into the reeds” made Luo Yu’s heart race, as if the seal on a box had been torn open. He was reminded of that night when he and Gu Xiaowei had overheard secret rendezvous murmurs under the shadow of the rose trellis, feeling a tugging at his heart.

But Xiao Qin laughed cheerfully and said, “Why not? This reed bed is no less photogenic than the rose trellis—it’ll make some amazing shots!”

Saying this, Xiao Qin proudly handed her phone to Gu Xiaowei. “Brother Gu, check out this candid shot I captured! Isn't it great?”

Gu Xiaowei took the phone, and Luo Yu leaned over to look. The screen showed the moment when Gu Xiaowei had lifted Luo Yu up, with Luo Yu’s hands clasped around Gu Xiaowei’s shoulders.

The reeds, bending in the wind, cast soft shadows over them both. Gu Xiaowei was looking up at Luo Yu with a clear smile, while Luo Yu looked visibly surprised.

“Not bad,” Gu Xiaowei said, flipping through more photos.

“What’s so ‘not bad’ about it? Is this an idol drama?” Luo Yu shot Gu Xiaowei a glance and nudged him with his elbow. “Looks like a wedding shoot; people might even think we’re on a honeymoon!”

He waited for Gu Xiaowei to refute this, maybe saying something in a pretend serious way like, “Who’s wearing a wedding dress here?” or “There’s no kissing, so where’s the wedding photo vibe?” But Gu Xiaowei, without hesitation, handed the phone back to Xiao Qin and said something that almost made her jump with excitement.

“Save my wedding photos; they need a bit of retouching before posting.”

Luo Yu froze. This guy didn’t even bother to find an excuse; he just went with it. For the first time, Luo Yu couldn’t figure out what was going on in his mind.

Is he really that open-hearted? Or is he covering up something?

Then why were his ears blushing earlier?

As Luo Yu walked behind Gu Xiaowei out of the reed bed, he suddenly regretted not noticing him back in film school. If they had been closer back then, had meals together, or joined in on school activities, wouldn’t that have been nice?

But Luo Yu quickly dismissed these unrealistic thoughts.

After all, after “Plum Blossom Rain, Luo Yu had frequently gone out for auditions and shoots, and Gu Xiaowei had also started his career during university. The chances of them running into each other on campus had been slim.

Just then, Luo Yu realized he hadn’t gotten smacked in the face by reeds much at all, because Gu Xiaowei was walking ahead, bending them down as he went.

Luo Yu chuckled, then walked up behind him and, like he would with his old dorm mates, draped his arms over Gu Xiaowei’s shoulders and lightly hopped up.

He only meant to tip him forward a bit, but Gu Xiaowei went along with it and hooked Luo Yu’s legs, giving him a piggyback.

“I didn’t—”

“Hmm?”

I didn’t mean for you to carry me.

But since you already are, you might as well keep going.

When they emerged from the reeds, Gu Xiaowei set Luo Yu down.