Chapter 048 Huang Xiaoming: Can you two scumbags please leave me alone?

In the golden autumn of October, at the bustling railway station of the capital city, Qin Lan stepped off the train carrying her suitcase. She looked around, searching for an available taxi while rubbing the slip of paper with the pre-written address in her hand, feeling immensely pleased with herself.

Let's see me catch that scumbag completely off guard this time!

Hmph, writing only one letter every half month, making a single phone call every two or three days, and often taking forever to reply to text messages.

She wanted to see for herself whether Yan Li was really as innocent of reuniting with his ex-girlfriend as he claimed.

"Beauty, need a ride?"

As Qin Lan was searching for a taxi, someone suddenly tapped her on the shoulder. With lightning-fast reflexes, she sidestepped, slapped the hand away, and turned her head, ready to snap at the offender.

Only to find standing right behind her the exact scumbag she had been longing for over the past few months.

"Beauty, you're gorgeous, the ride is free."

Yan Li was dressed in a black leather jacket, wearing sunglasses, and chewing gum. His tone was frivolous, making him look exactly like a hoodlum hitting on girls on the street.

"Fine then."

Surprised and delighted, Qin Lan broke into a bright smile, shoved her bag into his hands, and followed Yan Li away, leaving a young man nearby standing in utter astonishment.

Is chatting up girls with a car really this easy?!

Yan Li led Qin Lan to a Santana sedan, shoved her suitcase into the trunk, while Qin Lan walked around the car with great interest.

"Boss Yan is doing quite well for himself, you've even bought a car."

"Rented."

Yan Li closed the trunk. "Didn't I get it specially to pick you up? Well, touched, aren't you?"

"It's alright."

Qin Lan put on an air of haughty indifference, but her light, bouncy tone clearly showed how satisfied she was with Yan Li's special gesture of picking her up.

Still, Qin Lan had one lingering doubt: "How did you know I was coming to the capital today?"

"Take a guess."

Yan Li started playing coy, leaving Qin Lan to figure it out herself. "I didn't tell many people... my manager, you don't know her, Huang Yi? I didn't tell her which day... You couldn't possibly have been waiting here every day, could you?"

Qin Lan looked at Yan Li in shock. After a moment of hesitation, Yan Li decided that telling that particular lie would be a bit too absurd.

"I asked Huang Yi, and when I called you before, I also dropped a few subtle hints to roughly calculate which day you might arrive. Then I checked the relevant train schedules, and I got pretty close."

Only then did the realization dawn on Qin Lan. "So when you told me last time about going to Suzhou to shoot a film, you were actually fishing for information about when I was arriving."

With that, she cast a reproachful yet fond look at Yan Li. "You have way too many schemes in that head of yours. Dealing with you means having your heart in your mouth every single day."

However, despite her verbal complaints and feigned fear, Qin Lan hopped into the car with practiced ease, showing not the slightest intention of keeping her distance.

"Where to?"

Yan Li got into the driver's seat, started the engine, and turned to ask Qin Lan, who answered without the slightest hesitation.

"Your place."

Yan Li looked somewhat troubled. "Isn't it a bit too soon to go to my place right after arriving? It's too fast, I'm not mentally prepared yet. We should at least take things step by step."

"Puh-lease."

Qin Lan spat playfully. "My lease on my old place is up, so I'm just crashing at yours temporarily. What on earth are you thinking?"

"Even so, you should stay at a hotel."

Yan Li muttered under his breath, which instantly provoked a mix of embarrassment and annoyance in Qin Lan. "Is it forbidden for me to not want to stay in a hotel? Why are you such a stingy man?"

"It's not about being stingy," Yan Li retorted with a completely straight face, "I'm just afraid you harbor illicit designs on me."

"Oh, stop flattering yourself."

Qin Lan laughed and scolded him, playfully swatting his arm, her voice taking on a slightly spoiled tone. "Just take me to see it. We're good friends, aren't I allowed to know where you live?"

"Fine, fine."

Resigned, Yan Li turned the steering wheel and drove away from the railway station. A little over half an hour later, the car turned into a residential compound. Qin Lan quietly glanced at the name of the estate.

Ah, yes, exactly Guanghuali Residential Compound!

Arriving downstairs at the apartment building, they got out to grab the luggage, and Qin Lan couldn't help asking, "Why did you rent a place all the way out here?"

"I originally rented near our school, but later, when I started playing around with stocks, it was more convenient to be over here in Chaoyang, so I moved."

What Yan Li said was mostly the truth: it was true he originally lived near the Beijing Film Academy, true that he dabbled in stocks, and true that living in Chaoyang was more convenient.

What he didn't mention, however, was that the apartment near the film academy hadn't been given up, and he actually spent far more time living there than here.

More importantly, the rental date for this apartment in Guanghuali was more than two months later than the date indicated on the first letter he had sent to Qin Lan.

...

The apartment Yan Li rented was on the second floor. As soon as Qin Lan stepped inside, she saw a two-bedroom, one-living-room layout with decent decor, though it lacked any real traces of daily habitation.

"Of course there aren't any traces," Yan Li said righteously. "I haven't spent many days in the capital since coming back from Hengdian. I was away shooting in Shijiazhuang for a month or so, and then I went on a business trip for several days just recently. I feel like the rent for this place is money down the drain."

Thinking about it, Qin Lan figured that made sense. She strolled around the interior of the apartment and finally set her mind at ease.

No initial signs of another woman living here—he was still behaving himself!

Yan Li silently lit a cigarette, thanking his lucky stars that he had played it safe.

If he had been forced to bring her to the apartment in Jimenli, leaving aside the risk of running into Dong Xuan later on, the traces of domestic life would have been a nightmare to clean up.

Clothes and toothbrushes were easy enough to deal with, but what if a stray hair was left behind? That would be impossible to explain, especially if found in his bedroom or near the bed—not even blaming his roommates as a shield would save him.

Even if he successfully fooled Qin Lan this time, once she left, he would have to put all of Dong Xuan's belongings back exactly as they were.

Extremely troublesome!

Therefore, the best strategy was that of the cunning hare with three burrows—starting fresh saved effort, trouble, and ensured safety.

"I'll take the second bedroom."

Having finished inspecting the apartment, Qin Lan conveniently picked her room. There wasn't much choice anyway, since there were only two bedrooms: either take the second bedroom or share a room with Yan Li.

"Alright."

Yan Li nodded, though he felt compelled to give a warning: "Once you've picked your room, don't wandering around aimlessly at night. If you end up going into the wrong room to use the bathroom, don't blame me for being impolite."

"Right back at you. If you dare to play any tricks and pretend to go into the wrong room, I brought scissors with me."

Qin Lan fiercely mimicked the gesture of a pair of scissors. Yan Li felt a sudden chill down there and looked deeply dissatisfied.

"Not charging you rent is already generous of you, and yet you're threatening me."

Without a retort, Qin Lan stuck out her tongue and went back to her room to unpack, leaving Yan Li feeling somewhat conflicted.

Should he walk into the wrong room tonight or not?

After going out for dinner that evening, Qin Lan made the decision for him by buying a heavy-duty padlock on the way back and hanging it ostentatiously on her bedroom door.

Her stance was crystal clear: she didn't want things to move that fast!

At least until Yan Li made an explicit commitment to being in a proper relationship, she had no intention of letting him take advantage of her so carelessly.

Yet, Yan Li wasn't particularly keen on clarifying things just yet, preferring the ambiguous "just friends" dynamic he had with Dong Xuan.

Well, let things take their time then. After all, the meat was already served on the table; eating it sooner or later made no difference, and a little wait wouldn't hurt.

Still, even if he couldn't taste the meat just yet, extracting a bit of interest was necessary—consider it payment for the rent.

Holding her change of clothes, Qin Lan walked into the living room just as she intended to ask Yan Li if the shower in the bathroom was cold, only to be suddenly pulled into his arms as he clamped onto her lips for a fierce barrage of kisses.

"Mmm... mmph..."

Qin Lan was kissed completely dazed. It took her more than half a minute to snap out of it, break free from Yan Li's embrace, and ask while gasping for breath, "What has gotten into you?"

Yan Li didn't let go, lowering his head to lightly kiss her again. "I just saw Huang Xiaoming on TV, guarding against him for you."

"Huh?"

Qin Lan was utterly confused. This was Yan Li's rented apartment; where on earth would Huang Xiaoming be?

Yan Li pointed toward the turned-on television, which happened to be broadcasting the historical drama *The Prince of Han Wu* starring the actor.

"Pfft."

Qin Lan couldn't help laughing, giving Yan Li a pinch. "You never quit, do you? You won't even spare him."

Yan Li looked thoroughly innocent. "Wasn't I just helping you out? Gotta see a good deed through to the end. Oh, he's looking over this way again..."

Lowering his head, he kissed Qin Lan once more. After struggling feebly for a few moments, the latter slowly lost herself in the moment.

On the television, *The Prince of Han Wu* continued to play, coincidentally broadcasting the scene where Li Ling is captured.

Emperor Wu of Han, played by Huang Xiaoming, mistakenly believes he has betrayed him and loses his composure entirely—his eyes wide with fury, veins bulging, shouting in unbridled rage and pointing angrily at the camera...