Huayu: Starting with Hextech

"Sister Mi, you're very good." Lin Xiao spoke slowly, his voice calm, "But feelings aren't a transaction. It's not about who pays more and who gets to choose. Tang Yan is the person I chose, that's a fact."

Yang Mi stared at him for a long time, then suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with sarcasm and self-mockery:

"Choice? Lin Xiao, stop fooling yourself. A man like you doesn't have a woman in his heart. What you have is ambition, the desire to climb up. Tang Yan, me, Wang Likun... we're all just scenery along your path."

Her words were like a sharp knife, precisely dissecting a hidden corner of Lin Xiao's heart.

Lin Xiao didn't deny it, but simply said, "Sister Mi, you're drunk. I'll take you home."

"Need not."

Yang Mi pushed away his hand that was trying to help her up, straightened her body, and the drunkenness and vulnerability on her face instantly disappeared, transforming her back into the radiant and flawless Yang Mi.

"I can walk by myself. Lin Xiao, we... have a long future ahead of us."

She gave him a deep look, turned around, and walked steadily down the corridor in her high heels, as if the drunken, emotionally unstable woman from before had never existed.

Lin Xiao watched her figure disappear at the end of the corridor and rubbed his temples.

Yang Mi is right, but not entirely right.

He returned to the banquet hall and dealt with several more rounds of toasts.

Finally, near midnight, the wrap party ended.

Lin Xiao bid farewell to the director, Yu Zheng, and all the co-stars, exchanging contact information and promising to meet again in the future.

Stepping out of the hotel, the cool night breeze dispelled the effects of the alcohol.

He glanced back at the still brightly lit hotel, and the memories of the past two months on the film set flashed through his mind like fast-forwarded movie clips.

He poured his heart and soul into the role of Zhou Yafu and received recognition for it.

Yang Mi's ambiguous advances, Wang Likun's gentle care, Tang Yan's unease... these emotional entanglements have come to a temporary end.

Lin Xiao got into the car and took one last look at the night view of Hengdian outside the window.

This small film studio witnessed his true takeoff after his rebirth.

From here on, his career will take him to a wider world.

The car started and headed towards the airport.

The chapter belonging to "Beauty's Rival in Palace" has now come to an end.

A new story awaits him in Shanghai.

……

In May, the air in Shanghai already carries the warmth of early summer, and the sycamore leaves rustle in the evening breeze.

Lin Xiao stood in front of that familiar apartment building, dragging his suitcase.

This is the apartment Tang Yan rented. It's located in a quiet neighborhood in the JA district, with a peaceful environment and good security.

Since filming wrapped on "Chinese Paladin 3", Tang Yan invited him to "stay temporarily", and this place has become his de facto "home" in Shanghai.

Looking up, their floor was bathed in warm light from the windows.

Tang Yan knew he was on a flight tonight and had said she would wait for him.

Lin Xiao took a deep breath, suppressed the complex emotions in his heart, picked up his suitcase, and walked into the building.

The elevator ascends, and the numbers change.

My experience in Hengdian over the past two months has been like a vivid and colorful dream.

Zhou Yafu's passion and tragedy, Yang Mi's fiery passion and provocation, Wang Likun's quietness and gentleness, Yu Zheng's appreciation and promises... and Tang Yan's suppressed crying and unease in the late-night phone call.

The elevator doors opened with a "ding".

The hallway was quiet except for the sound of his suitcase wheels rolling across the floor.

As he approached the familiar door, before he could even raise his hand, the door was pulled open from the inside.

Tang Yan stood at the door.

She was wearing a light blue dress, and her makeup looked freshly applied, exquisite and flawless.

Her hair fell smoothly over her shoulders, with slightly curled ends, and it exuded a delicate fragrance.

She stared at him, her eyes wide and unblinking, as if she couldn't believe he was really back.

Then, her gaze swept over him like a scanner, scrutinizing him from head to toe, inch by inch.

Lin Xiao could clearly sense the change in her eyes.

From anticipation to surprise, and then to a near-shocked state of disbelief.

Lin Xiao had changed so much in the month since they last met that even he himself noticed it when he looked in the mirror, let alone his lover whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

The transformation of the "Top 100 Handsome Faces" is basically complete.

His features seemed to have been meticulously sculpted by the hand of God, with every line approaching perfection, combining to create a strikingly handsome appearance.

It's not the effeminate beauty of a pretty boy, nor the ruggedness of a tough guy, but a unique charm that blends handsomeness, refinement, and a certain calm and composed temperament.

What's even more obvious is her figure and aura.

The continuous effects of the "Physical Enhancement" have made his figure more upright and well-proportioned, with broad shoulders, a firm waist and abdomen, and smooth, powerful muscle lines wrapped under his white T-shirt.

He stood there at the door, quietly watching her, but Tang Yan felt her heart pounding like a drum and her breathing becoming difficult.

She had always known Lin Xiaoshuai. From the first time she saw him on the set of "Chinese Paladin 3", she knew he was a man with excellent looks.

But in this past month... he seems to have undergone a complete transformation.

This kind of handsomeness transcends mere visual enjoyment; it has become a kind of "presence" that is both aggressive and attractive.

No wonder... no wonder Mimi acted that way.

No wonder some people in the crew secretly liked him.

No wonder... I felt so uneasy.

The string that had been taut in Tang Yan's heart for more than a month snapped with a "clang" at this moment.

Instead, there was a sense of amazement, pride, and a burning possessiveness.

This man is hers!

It can only be hers!

"Lin Xiao..."

She finally found her voice, and with a slight tremor, she threw herself into his arms, hugged his waist tightly, buried her face in his chest, and greedily inhaled his familiar yet somewhat strange scent.

"I'm back."

Lin Xiao put down the box, hugged her back, and gently stroked her back with his palm.

He could feel the body in his arms trembling slightly, and he could smell the carefully prepared fragrance in her hair.

"Um……"

Tang Yan responded sullenly, hugging him even tighter, as if she wanted to meld him into her body.

She hugged him for a while before letting go, pulling his suitcase inside: "Come in quickly, are you tired?"

The apartment remained the same, clean and tidy, with a warm and inviting atmosphere befitting a girl's residence.

The air was filled with the aroma of food, and the table was covered with a brand-new off-white tablecloth, set with exquisite tableware and a decanter containing a dark red liquid.

The living room curtains were drawn, and only a warm yellow floor lamp was on, casting a soft and ambiguous light.

"You...prepared dinner?" Lin Xiao was somewhat surprised.

He knew that Tang Yan had been very busy filming recently.

"Um."

Tang Yan nodded, a faint blush rising to her cheeks, her eyes slightly evasive. "I was thinking... since you're coming back tonight, eating out isn't as comfortable as eating at home. So... I just made something simple."

She said "whatever," but Lin Xiao could tell how much thought she had put into it just by looking at the beautifully plated steak, salad, freshly baked garlic bread, and the white wine chilled in the ice bucket next to her.

"Go take a shower and relax first, the food will be ready soon."

Tang Yan pushed him toward the bathroom, her tone gentle yet authoritative, "I've taken out your change of clothes and put them inside."