AAUMOBIP C8

Chapter 8

An accident occurred during filming, forcing the shoot to halt.

Liu He wanted to squeeze his way through to check on Yun Jingqiu, but there were too many people surrounding him— the director, the assistant director, the screenwriter, fellow actors, even crew members— all encircled him tightly.

He simply couldn’t get in.

Liu He was so anxious he paced in circles.

“Make way, I’ll take him to the hospital for a check-up.” A burly man pushed his way in, pulling Yun Jingqiu out of the crowd.

As he led Yun Jingqiu past Liu He, Yun Jingqiu’s eyes lit up upon seeing him. Ignoring the pain in his arm, he was just about to call out to Liu He when his manager tugged him straight into a car.

Liu He and Jiang Yi had only just gotten out of their own car and were still standing beside it. When they saw this, they quickly slipped into the vehicle as well.

Two strangers had suddenly boarded the car. Brother Wang was about to say something when his injured treasure of a charge leaned over with a look of pure eagerness, practically begging Liu He for praise: “Xiao He, did you see my acting just now? Handsome, wasn’t it?”

He was still in costume, with prop blood spilling out of the blood pack strapped to his arm, staining the outfit.

Liu He felt distressed and amused at the same time: “Look at the timing— and you’re still worried about that?”

Liu He had spoken the very words Brother Wang had intended to, and the latter nodded repeatedly.

Seeing Yun Jingqiu’s attitude, he now understood that this must be Yun Jingqiu’s online lover.

As his manager, he of course knew about Yun Jingqiu’s dating history.

Liu He sat beside Yun Jingqiu, carefully freeing his injured arm from the bundle of costume fabric, then wiping away the prop blood.

The muscles of his arm felt firm and resilient to the touch.

At the moment, there were no visible wounds on the skin.

“It might be the bone that’s hurt. Only a proper scan can tell.” Brother Wang remarked.

Yun Jingqiu nodded: “The prop wasn’t right. Brother Wang, find someone to check into it.”

Saying that, he leaned weakly against Liu He’s shoulder, putting on a fragile appearance.

Brother Wang hesitated but eventually chose to turn a blind eye.

He gave orders to look into the matter, then notified the PR department to keep an eye on public opinion online.

The moment an accident happened on set involving Yun Jingqiu, the incident shot straight onto trending searches.

【#Yun Jingqiu accident on the set of Crossing the River#】

【#Yun Jingqiu injured#】

Liu He didn’t have time to check trending topics. He was holding Yun Jingqiu’s hand instead.

Yun Jingqiu’s left hand felt slightly cold.

Thankfully, it was his left arm that was injured, not his dominant right.

The fingers in Liu He’s palm twitched slightly, brushing against his palm.

Liu He turned his eyes toward Yun Jingqiu.

“My fingers can still move, but raising my arm hurts,” Yun Jingqiu said. “Best case, it’s just a muscle strain. Worst case, it’s a fracture.”

“Don’t spout nonsense.” Liu He snapped.

Though there was no external wound, Liu He soon noticed Yun Jingqiu’s arm swelling, the color darkening to red and looking rather serious.

The assistant drove fast and got Yun Jingqiu to the hospital quickly.

The results came back soon: it was a bone fracture.

There was a crack along the bone— not long, but one that required rest and recovery.

The assistant arranged hospitalization, and Yun Jingqiu was admitted into a private room.

“That’s it. At least a month of rest.” Brother Wang, upon seeing the results, immediately contacted the film crew as well as the company’s PR team.

Yun Jingqiu had been injured on set in front of so many eyes— this wasn’t something they could possibly keep under wraps.

They decided to make his injury public.

“You can’t film like this. With your arm in a cast, what else can you do? Just treat it as a month off.” After saying that, Brother Wang left the ward.

Holding his inconveniently raised hand, Yun Jingqiu looked pitifully at Liu He: “Xiao He, Brother Wang abandoned me. Can you adopt me?”

A manager typically had several artists to juggle, so Brother Wang wouldn’t stay by Yun Jingqiu’s side for long.

He had originally planned to leave once Yun Jingqiu got used to the environment in City C, but this unexpected incident changed things.

Soon after, the crew’s investigation report was released.

【On the filming of Crossing the River: Regarding @Yun Jingqiu’s injury during filming, our investigation confirmed that a prop master had used the wrong material when making a prop weapon, resulting in the sword being overweight, which caused the accident during filming.

The person responsible has been disciplined. The entire staff of Crossing the River wishes @Yun Jingqiu a speedy recovery.】

【A prop problem?】

【Didn’t the co-actor realize the sword was too heavy the moment they picked it up?】

【Classic— something goes wrong, find someone to take the blame.】

Liu He read the comments aloud to Yun Jingqiu one by one, and looking at Yun Jingqiu lying weakly in bed, helpless and unable to care for himself, his heart ached.

“Yun-ge, do you want some fruit?” Liu He asked, spearing a piece of dragon fruit with a fork and holding it to Yun Jingqiu’s lips.

It was from the large fruit platter the assistant had bought.

Yun Jingqiu opened his mouth to eat, praising: “So sweet.”

Liu He couldn’t resist feeding him more fruit.

From the side, Jiang Yi couldn’t hold back and said: “He only hurt his left arm. His right hand is fine, and his legs work too. He can take care of himself.”

Liu He knew that was true, but still couldn’t stop himself from feeding him.

Yun Jingqiu also thoroughly enjoyed being doted on by Xiao He.

Soon, half the large platter of fruit was gone.

“Xiao He, I want something dry.” Yun Jingqiu said.

The fruit had too much water. Eating so much of it left him unsatisfied.

It felt like chewing grass— filling, but not gratifying.

“Preferably something spicy, salty, and oily.”

Liu He: “You want spicy sticks?”

“Brother Wang told me before he left— none of that for you.”

To heal properly, he had to eat light. Even if Brother Wang hadn’t said so, Liu He wouldn’t give him greasy, salty foods.

As dinner time approached, the assistant came in carrying everyone’s meal.

“Yun-ge, the doctor said you can be discharged tomorrow.”

It was just a minor fracture in the arm. Once treated, he could leave— it wasn’t the sort of injury requiring long hospital stays.

“Brother Wang said you should eat something good tonight, so I bought steamed dishes from a nearby restaurant. Sister-in-law and Jiang-classmate, come and join too.” The assistant invited warmly.

The private room came with a small table. The assistant laid the dishes out one by one, beckoning them over.

“At least better than the low-fat meals I usually eat.” Yun Jingqiu muttered.

The assistant had made sure the dishes were lightly seasoned, mostly bringing out the natural flavor of the ingredients with minimal condiments.

After finishing dinner, it was late. Liu He still had to be in the lab for experiments the next morning.

He had to leave.

“Yun-ge, can I get an autograph?” Jiang Yi asked, pulling out a poster he had specially prepared.

It was from a movie Yun Jingqiu had starred in before. Jiang Yi’s copy was official merchandise, which he had managed to snag from the official website with Xu Yi’s help.

Jiang Yi left with another autograph from Yun Jingqiu, glowing with happiness.

“Yun-ge, I’m leaving.” Liu He said reluctantly. “I’ll come back to see you tomorrow evening.”

With Yun Jingqiu injured and inconvenienced, someone needed to take care of him.

Liu He was willing to, but the hospital was far from school, so it wasn’t convenient to commute.

If his experiments went smoothly tomorrow, he should be able to come visit earlier.

Yun Jingqiu didn’t insist on keeping him: “Let Xiao Song drive you back. Be safe on the road, and text me once you’re at the dorm.”

Liu He nodded repeatedly: “Alright.”

Xiao Song was the assistant who had brought them to the set, full name Song Zhiyuan, who had been working as Yun Jingqiu’s assistant for two years.

Hearing Yun Jingqiu call his name, Song Zhiyuan answered: “Yun-ge, I’ll take sister-in-law back first. There are bodyguards outside— if anything comes up, just call them. I’ll be right back.”

He still couldn’t change the way he addressed him.

Liu He had grown used to being called “sister-in-law.” Since he couldn’t make others stop, he could only adapt to it himself.

“Yun-ge, I’m back at the dorm. Jiang Yi’s back too.” As soon as Liu He returned to his dorm, he called Yun Jingqiu.

Yun Jingqiu, bored out of his mind, answered almost immediately.

A handsome face appeared on the phone screen, then retreated a little, revealing the arm still in a cast.

He had set up a small folding table on the hospital bed, with the phone propped on it. The camera captured his upper body.

With his uninjured hand, he casually picked up the script beside him to continue reading.

Yun Jingqiu replied: “Good, as long as you’re safe. Xiao He, want to help me run lines?”

“How?”

“You read the other characters’ lines, I’ll read mine.” Yun Jingqiu smiled. “I’ll send you the script.”

“Isn’t the script supposed to be confidential? Can you just send it like that?” Liu He was worried.

He had never done this before, and didn’t want to mess up.

A file soon arrived on his phone.

Liu He transferred it to his computer and opened it. It was a section of the script.

“It’s fine.”

“My character is Qian Sheng, the Swordsman in Red. You just read the other lines.”

Liu He looked at the script, took a deep breath, and began: “People have been searching for you for years, and you’ve been hiding in such a filthy place? Where is your integrity?”

He read stiffly, without technique or emotion.

When he tried to inject feeling, it sounded even stranger.

He glanced at Yun Jingqiu, who had laughter in his eyes, though he didn’t mock him.

“Integrity?”

Just that single word made Liu He’s ears prick up.

The hoarse voice carried self-mockery and despair. Listening to it alone could drag one straight into the whirlpool of hopelessness.

“What good is that to me? Can it buy me a few taels of silver? Can it let me wield a sword again?” Yun Jingqiu continued.

With no exaggerated gestures and little change in expression, his voice alone carried the acting, embodying the character’s desolation.

The role and Yun Jingqiu overlapped— both men with injured arms.

“Trash! Swordsman in Red? Just living is a disgrace to that name!” Liu He read the next line.

“Then kill me.” The Swordsman in Red’s tone turned flippant. “My neck’s right here. Grip your sword steady and stab.

Aim true, or I’ll look down on you!”

…

After a whole scene, Liu He realized he truly had no talent for acting, while also being completely floored by Yun Jingqiu’s mastery of dialogue.

He sighed in admiration: “You’re amazing.”

Yun Jingqiu suddenly lowered his voice: “I’m hungry. Xiao He, can you order me some delivery?”

“I want barbecue… and bubble tea.”

Liu He: “No, I promised Brother Wang…”

Yun Jingqiu cut him off: “Brother Wang’s not here right now.”

“I eat diet meals every day. Finally I get some rest, and I can’t even have something I like?”

On the screen, his eyes lowered pitifully.

He even pushed forward his arm in a cast, showing off his miserable state.

Even knowing Yun-ge was acting, Liu He still couldn’t stop himself from feeling sorry for him.

He quickly said: “Alright, alright, I’ll order it for you. I’ll get you bubble tea.”

“But no barbecue. I’ll pick something light.”

A push notification popped up on Liu He’s phone: 【Your special follow @Yun Jingqiu has posted a new update, check it out~】

【Yun Jingqiu: While recovering, I received supper and bubble tea. I’m a pampered patient~

[photo][photo]】

【Baldy Wang: Not allowed to eat that!】

【Yun Jingqiu replied to Baldy Wang: Cheat meal.】

Even knowing Yun Jingqiu’s injury wasn’t too serious, Liu He couldn’t stop worrying.

But once he started working on his experiments, he became completely absorbed, forgetting the outside world.

By the time he finished recording data from this round of experiments, it was already 4 p.m.

He had only eaten a little in the morning and nothing since— his stomach growled with hunger.

He removed his lab coat and put it away neatly, then stepped out of the lab and pulled out his phone.

There were lots of messages waiting, most from 【187 Boyfriend】.

【187 Boyfriend: Why aren’t you replying yet?】

【187 Boyfriend: If you don’t answer soon I’ll blow up your lab!】

【187 Boyfriend: Did you get the food I ordered for you?】

【187 Boyfriend: I’m coming to your school to drag you out!】

Food?

Scrolling up, Liu He finally found the source.

He had started experiments in the morning and ignored his phone. Yun Jingqiu had messaged him at noon, even ordered him food and had it left at the lab building downstairs.

And only now was he seeing it.

The food must be cold by now…

Liu He felt guilty. Whenever he worked on experiments, he lost track of time. It wasn’t really his fault.

【fon: Just finished my experiment】

【fon: Ate the lunch you ordered, was too busy to reply】

He told a little lie.

He hurried downstairs to the table outside the lab building where food deliveries were placed, but his was gone.

It might have been cleared away or stolen.

【187 Boyfriend: How was the roast duck I ordered you at noon?】

So it was roast duck.

【fon: Delicious】

【187 Boyfriend: Liar! I ordered luosifen for you at noon!】

His lie was exposed.

【fon: My bad】

【fon: I just finished my experiment, haven’t eaten yet】

【187 Boyfriend: [location pin]】

【187 Boyfriend: I knew it】

【187 Boyfriend: Come over】

【187 Boyfriend: Jinxiu Jiayuan, Building 2, Unit 1, Apartment 1801】

【fon: ?】

Isn’t that near their school?

Footnote:

• Luosifen (螺蛳粉): A specialty noodle soup from Liuzhou, China, known for its pungent smell. It’s made with rice noodles, pickled bamboo shoots, peanuts, tofu skin, and river snail broth, giving it a sour, spicy, and savory flavor.