Chapter 318: Fu Yujun & Guan Han [15]

Cui Jiaran half-supported, half-carried the drunken Fu Yujun as they walked a few steps out. She then turned back to look at Guan Han, who was still frozen in place.

"Manager Guan?"

Guan Han snapped back to reality, gave a soft "hmm," and said, "Let's go."

Fu Yujun swayed unsteadily, causing Cui Jiaran to stagger along with her.

Guan Han followed closely, walking slowly on the other side of Fu Yujun, ready to steady her at any moment. Suddenly, Fu Yujun stumbled, losing her balance and pitching forward. Cui Jiaran, gripping her arm, stumbled a few steps along with her.

Their forward momentum was halted by an arm. Fu Yujun looked up with bleary eyes, meeting Guan Han's perpetually icy expression.

"Thank you, Manager Guan." She suddenly gasped, "Guan—"

Without a word, Guan Han wrapped an arm around her waist and said to the stunned Cui Jiaran, "I'll take her. I'm stronger."

Guan Han took hold of one of Fu Yujun's arms, crouched down in front of her, and in one smooth motion, effortlessly hoisted her onto her back.

Her dark pupils calmly fixed on Cui Jiaran.

"Aren't you leaving?"

Cui Jiaran closed her gaping mouth and said, "...I'll lead the way."

She glanced at Fu Yujun on Guan Han's back. Fu Yujun's eyes were open, intently fixed on the back of the head of the person carrying her. How could one describe that gaze? It was like looking at an unreachable dream, an untouchable silhouette, filled with an indescribable sorrow.

Her arms hung limply at her sides, not even daring to wrap around the other's neck.

Cui Jiaran then observed Guan Han's expression. Guan Han's gaze was fixed straight ahead on the road, without a trace of softness or hesitation in her eyes. Yet her slightly bent posture, the gentle way she supported Fu Yujun's back, and her steady steps all contradicted her aloof demeanor.

Cui Jiaran recalled a conversation in their dormitory group chat earlier that year during the filming of Wu Zetian. Fu Yujun had once refuted Wen Shuxian's claim that Guan Han was gentle. Back when the two of them went to watch Fu Yujun's play together, although Guan Han often wore an expressionless face, she had always been unconditionally accommodating to Fu Yujun, almost to the point of indulgence.

When it comes to matters of the heart, only the person involved truly understands their own feelings. Perhaps it was this unique treatment from Guan Han that had led Fu Yujun to fall so deeply, convinced that no one else would do.

Among the four roommates, Tang Ruoyao and Fu Yujun had both, as if by tacit understanding, chosen the "hard mode" in love. Wen Shuxian was too busy with her career to invest time or emotion in a relationship. As the saying goes, one either self-destructs under pressure or becomes twisted by it. The high-stress work environment had somewhat assimilated her into the entertainment industry's moral chaos. To relieve stress and satisfy physical needs, she engaged in relationships that were purely physical, with no emotional attachment.

Only Cui Jiaran had followed a conventional path, smoothly progressing with her childhood sweetheart to this day. Their biggest conflicts revolved around last-minute overtime causing missed dates, and their arguments never lasted more than a day.

This ordinary, uneventful life was her greatest blessing.

"Manager Guan," Cui Jiaran said as she accompanied them to where Guan Han's car was parked.

Guan Han looked at her.

Cui Jiaran continued, "I'm getting married at the end of the year. I hope you'll honor us with your presence."

Guan Han nodded. "I'll definitely be there."

Guan Han unlocked the car doors, and together they helped Fu Yujun into the back seat. After covering her with a blanket, Guan Han closed the rear door and walked around to the driver's seat.

Cui Jiaran stood by the lowered window, waving goodbye. Guan Han nodded in acknowledgment before driving away.

Fu Yujun lay in the back seat, the car's swaying making her stomach churn. She groaned uncomfortably, propping herself up on the sofa and leaning her head against the window. Though she stopped groaning, she looked even more miserable.

Guan Han kept glancing at her through the rearview mirror, her heart tightening with worry.

Gripping the steering wheel tightly, she tilted her head slightly and spoke softly to reassure her, "We're almost home. Just hang in there a little longer."

Fu Yujun's face was drenched in sweat, her skin pale. She shook her head, struggling to focus on the person in front of her, and managed to say politely, "Sorry to trouble you, Manager Guan."

Guan Han's delicate brows furrowed almost into a knot.

At that moment, she just wanted to pinch Fu Yujun's ear hard for addressing her so formally.

The black sedan pulled into the underground parking garage of the residential complex. Guan Han helped Fu Yujun out of the back seat, pausing for a moment to gaze at her slightly reddened earlobes—flushed from the alcohol—before gently brushing her thumb over them.

Fu Yujun insisted stubbornly, "I can walk by myself."

It had been a while since Guan Han had shown her domineering side. The security in Fu Yujun's residential complex was tight, and the underground garage was completely empty. Without a second thought, Guan Han scooped Fu Yujun up into her arms.

Fu Yujun: "!!!"

Thankfully, she was "drunk"—otherwise, her face, now as red as a monkey's bottom, would have given her away.

When suspended in midair with nothing to hold onto, the instinct is to cling to something. Fu Yujun wrapped her arms tightly around Guan Han's neck, protesting, "Put me down."

Guan Han ignored her completely.

She still had Fu Yujun's elevator card and swiped it open with practiced ease. Carrying Fu Yujun in her arms into the elevator, she set her upright inside.

Fu Yujun: "..."

'What's the big deal about carrying me this far? If you're so capable, why not carry me all the way to bed?'

She was genuinely drunk, relying on her last shred of consciousness to stay somewhat alert. She leaned crookedly against the corner of the elevator for balance. Guan Han kept an eye on her out of the corner of her eye while watching the floor numbers rise.

When they reached the right floor, Guan Han half-supported, half-carried her to the front door and said, "Open it."

Fu Yujun stared blankly at the lock, searching around for something. "Where did it go? It was here earlier."

Guan Han asked, "What are you looking for?"

Fu Yujun replied, "Where are my hands?"

Guan Han: "..."

Guan Han took her hand and lifted it in front of her eyes, saying, "Right here."

Fu Yujun may not have lived a life of extreme luxury, but she had been doted on all her life. As a female artist meticulous about skincare, her skin was smooth and delicate. Touching her fingertips felt like stroking fine jade.

The warm yellow light in the hallway cast a soft glow on her hand.

Guan Han resisted the urge to lean in and kiss her fingertips, averting her gaze as she placed Fu Yujun's hand on the fingerprint scanner. The lock clicked open.

"Do you still remember the code?"

"I remember."

Fu Yujun entered a series of numbers, and the lock clicked open. Guan Han pulled the door open, and the two stepped inside one after the other. Guan Han still held onto her arm to prevent her from stumbling.

"Thank you for bringing me home." Fu Yujun said, leaning against the shoe cabinet in the entryway and turning back to speak, with no intention of inviting Guan Han inside.

Guan Han paused for a moment before saying, "Then I'll take my leave."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Guan Han turned and walked out.

Fu Yujun kicked off her shoes and lay down on the floor right there in the entryway, closing her eyes to sleep.

Guan Han, who had been about to close the door: "..."

'Is this how she lives her life? This little troublemaker.'

Guan Han gently patted her cheek. "Wake up."

"Don't... make noise..." Fu Yujun turned her face away, murmuring indistinctly.

"You'll catch a cold sleeping like this."

"..."

"Fu Yujun."

"..."

Guan Han sighed, picked Fu Yujun up, and headed toward the open bedroom door. Halfway there, she slowed her pace, eventually stopping completely, standing motionless.

Fu Yujun seemed to have fallen asleep, obediently nestling against her chest. From Guan Han's downward perspective, she could see long, thick eyelashes, an exquisite nose and lips—each feature a gift from creation.

She lowered her head slightly, irresistibly drawn toward the slightly parted red lips.

Fu Yujun's breath brushed against her face. Just a little closer, and she could have more—soft, warm, smooth, moist. The fleeting kiss from last time replayed in her dreams.

In her dreams, it was just the two of them. Fu Yujun held her face with both hands, kissing with deep devotion. They embraced passionately, lost in each other, uncaring if the world collapsed, letting the wild flames burn freely.

Guan Han stopped three millimeters away from the woman's lips and slowly pulled back.

She carried Fu Yujun to the master bed, covering her with a blanket.

Fu Yujun tilted her head back slightly, revealing a pale, slender neck, her delicate brows furrowed, lips dry and moving thirstily. Guan Han leaned in closer to listen.

"Water... I need water..."

Guan Han brought her water, helping her sit up to drink. Fu Yujun drank unsteadily, half of it spilling down her chin, dampening the front of her clothes.

Guan Han hurriedly fetched a towel to wipe her down, then changed her into pajamas with her eyes closed. Fu Yujun fidgeted restlessly, making Guan Han's hands unsteady. Occasionally, she touched places she shouldn't have, causing her fingers to stiffen and her movements to slow to a crawl.

By the time she finished changing Fu Yujun's clothes, Guan Han was drenched in sweat.

Fu Yujun lay clean and refreshed on the bed, her long lashes casting a small shadow over her eyes, concealing those beautiful, deep tea-colored irises.

Guan Han brushed aside the strands of hair on her forehead, her gaze tender, then bent down to place a gentle kiss.

Fu Yujun's fingers twitched, and she turned to wrap her arms around Guan Han's waist, nuzzling her cheek affectionately. "Don't move, Maomao [Fiuffy]," she murmured to herself. "Let me hold you for a while."

Maomao was her family dog, who had made multiple appearances in her conversations.

Guan Han didn't remove her hands, allowing her to hold on. After a long while, Guan Han lay down beside her, gently pulling Fu Yujun into her embrace, resting her chin against the woman's soft hair. Fu Yujun adjusted to a comfortable sleeping position in her arms and drifted into a deep slumber.

When exactly Guan Han left that day, Fu Yujun didn't know. When she woke, the warmth beside her was gone, leaving only a single strand of hair on the pillow as proof that it hadn't all been a dream.

Both of them tacitly avoided mentioning what happened that day.

Half a month later, Fu Yujun joined the cast of an original martial arts drama as scheduled. Guan Han accompanied her to the set, where they ran into an old acquaintance—the martial arts director for the series was a disciple of her grandfather. Guan Han addressed him as Uncle Qu.

The bond formed through such mentorship ran deep. Moreover, Guan Han had often seen him at her grandfather's martial arts school as a child and had even been taught by him. He was practically like a dear uncle to her.

How could Fu Yujun possibly pass up such a perfect opportunity to learn more about Guan Han?

She often chatted with the martial arts instructor Qu Qing, steering the conversation toward Guan Han. Qu Qing said that Guan Han was the most talented among that group of disciples—she learned quickly and excelled, eventually becoming the leader. When their master was away, she, as the senior sister, was responsible for training her junior disciples.

Kids love to slack off. Practicing martial arts every day was exhausting, and with their master finally gone, why would they obediently follow the training routine?

Qu Qing said, "On her first day leading the juniors, only three people showed up at the training ground. There were over twenty in that group of disciples—only three came." He held up three fingers, looking quite embarrassed.

Fu Yujun exclaimed, "Huh?"

She glanced at Guan Han with a smile. Guan Han looked exasperated—Uncle Qu was great in every way except for his big mouth.

Curious, Fu Yujun asked the talkative Qu Qing, "What happened next?"

Qu Qing replied, "She took those three and turned the surrounding streets upside down. The internet café, the rented book store, the riverside—she rounded them up one by one, gave them a brut@l beating, and they couldn't get out of bed for three days."

Fu Yujun laughed heartily, "Hahaha, so fierce!"

Qu Qing chuckled, "It's good for girls to be a bit fierce—they won't get taken advantage of." He glanced at Fu Yujun and added, "Of course, someone like you is great too."

Fu Yujun, as if hinting at something or perhaps just speaking casually, said, "I think being fierce is good too."

Guan Han, who had been silently playing the role of a mascot nearby, glanced at her with an unreadable expression.

Qu Qing continued, "When Xiaohan was around sixteen or seventeen, she dated a junior from the martial arts school who was a year younger. Later, that junior cheated on her. Without a word, Xiaohan beat him so badly he was bedridden, and they broke up immediately."

Fu Yujun raised an eyebrow slightly, "Cheated?"

Hadn't Guan Han said it was due to incompatible personalities?

Qu Qing said, "Yeah, so young, and instead of learning responsibility, he learned to be a scumbag. Honestly, I think she went too easy on him. If it were me, I'd have broken that brat's leg!"

Guan Han interjected coolly, "It was broken. The right leg, along with the left hand."

Qu Qing laughed, "Really? That's good." The big-mouthed and gossipy Uncle Qu then asked, "How about you now? Do you have someone you like?"

Guan Han remained silent.

Qu Qing took the hint and didn't press further. He picked up his teacup and strolled off leisurely.

Fu Yujun moved closer, gently nudging Guan Han's shoulder with her own. Guan Han lifted her eyelids and gave her a cold, indifferent look, asking, "What?"

Fu Yujun said, "I just think your past life was quite exciting."

"What's so exciting about it?"

"Being the senior sister, the martial arts school, training your juniors—it's so full of martial spirit, just like the drama I'm filming now."

"Not bad, I guess." Guan Han's lips curved slightly as she averted her gaze.

"Is your grandfather's martial arts school still open?"

"Yes, but they don't take in as many students anymore. Fewer people are willing to learn martial arts these days, and my uncles and aunts are getting older. Only my youngest uncle is still teaching at the school."

"Could you take me to see it sometime? I'd like to experience it and pay my respects to the elders."

"..." Guan Han felt there was some deeper meaning behind her words, but Fu Yujun's expression was open and sincere, like clear skies after rain. Was she overthinking it, judging a noble heart by her own petty standards?

Guan Han replied, "Sure." It wasn't like it was some secret anyway.

Fu Yujun's filming for this drama was exceptionally challenging. The crew often traveled to remote mountains and wilderness for location shoots. If they couldn't return the same day, they had to sleep in tents or cars, enduring relentless mosquito bites throughout the night that left them covered in red welts.

Dressed in practical short-sleeved attire, Fu Yujun filmed night scenes under the glaring studio lights. The moment the director yelled "Cut!", she immediately began scratching her arms frantically. No matter how elegant and poised she appeared on camera, she couldn't maintain her composure against the vicious att@ck of mosquitoes.

Scratching her arm, she walked toward the rest area.

Ai Ya rummaged through her bag and pulled out prepared mosquito repellent lotion, then suddenly frowned and bent slightly at the waist. "Manager Guan, I need to use the restroom."

Guan Han replied, "Go ahead."

Ai Ya shoved the mosquito repellent into Guan Han's hand. "Sorry to trouble you. I'll be right back."

Guan Han stared blankly at the suddenly acquired bottle of lotion: "..."

Fu Yujun had already approached and happened to see Ai Ya's hurried departing figure. "What's wrong with her?"

"Stomach trouble." Guan Han answered.

Fu Yujun sat down in a chair, unbuckled her leather wrist guard, and rolled up her sleeve all the way to her shoulder, revealing a pale, slender arm. The fair skin was marred by several swollen red mosquito bites, some already showing faint bl0odstains from scratching - a distressing sight.

"It's so itchy, quick, put some lotion on me." Fu Yujun naturally extended her arm while watching the busy crew members in the distance.

Guan Han remained silent for a moment before resignedly unscrewing the bottle cap. She poured the lotion into her palm and pressed her cool hand against Fu Yujun's arm. Fu Yujun shivered slightly.

It was unclear whether it was from the cooling sensation of the lotion or Guan Han's touch.

Guan Han applied the lotion over the entire length of the arm. The skin beneath her palm felt smooth and delicate, causing her movements to gradually slow and her gaze to deepen. The dappled shadows from the trees danced around them, making the jade-like arm before her appear even more luminous and soft.

Guan Han breathed slowly, increasing pressure with her fingertips as she passed over the inner elbow where bl0od vessels were most visible.

Fu Yujun closed her eyes, gently biting her lower lip.

......

Guan Han carefully rolled down Fu Yujun's sleeve and fastened the leather wrist guard, attending to every detail meticulously while avoiding eye contact throughout the process.

Fu Yujun skillfully pretended nothing unusual had happened.

Ai Ya returned just in time to take over from Guan Han, applying lotion to the other arm and sparing Guan Han further awkwardness.

Guan Han moved a small stool aside and sat down, staring blankly at her own hand.

This hand was becoming increasingly disobedient.

Guan Han sighed.

Fu Yujun had used up all the pink-packaged items she brought and had her assistant buy several more boxes. Recently feeling particularly restless, she could only rely on self-satisfaction to relieve her tension. Each time afterward, she would wonder if Guan Han felt the same way.

Days passed like this, with the crew's conditions fluctuating between tolerable and difficult. Fu Yujun's serialized novel required weekly updates. During stays in better accommodations, she would race against time to write extra chapters to sustain her through the following week or two of wilderness living.

Sometimes when she updated her story in her room, with Guan Han staying next door, Fu Yujun experienced a peculiar sensation.

QinTangIsReal: [Author, your recent updates have been irregular. Is everything okay in real life?]

For_Love_lf: [On a business trip with frequent signal issues. Capital letters MISERABLE]

QinTangIsReal: [If you're too busy, you can pause updates. It's really okay.]

Fu Yujun didn't dare to stop updating. Cultivating a reading habit was such a difficult thing, and the two of them had maintained this regular communication for nearly three years. If Guan Han were to disappear because of her neglect, she'd have nowhere to cry.

Suddenly, an idea struck Fu Yujun.

For_Love_lf sent her a private message: [Want to add each other as friends?]

Guan Han didn't reply.

Fu Yujun set her phone aside and went to take a shower. When she returned, she found a QQ number in the private message box. Nowadays, most work communication happened on WeChat, and it was rare to exchange QQ numbers to add friends.

Even so, Fu Yujun could tell from the level of Guan Han's QQ account that it was a secondary account.

Guan Han was very cautious, especially with strangers. If it weren't for the three years of consistent writing and the back-and-forth exchanges in the comments, she probably wouldn't have even shared this secondary account.

Fu Yujun also used a secondary account to add her.

The system notified them that they had become friends, but neither initiated a conversation, and they returned to the fanfiction platform.

Two months into the filming of the new drama, Fu Yujun concluded another Qin-Tang fanfiction series. At the end, she left an unexpected note: [The author has recently fallen into the Fu Yujun & Guan Han CP pit. The next story will be a Fu-Guan fanfiction. Those who like it, please continue to support. Those who don't, maybe we'll meet again someday.]

zzzz: [Support! Fu-Guan is real!]

Drawing a Circle as My Prison: [No matter what pit the author jumps into, I'll read it! I'm here for the author's writing style!]

Shi River: [Ahhhhhhhh I'm dying! I'm a loyal Fu-Guan fan, but ever since they broke up a while ago, there's been even less content. My favorite author is now shipping my favorite CP!]

Guan Han: "!!!"

QinTangIsReal: [Author, when did you fall into the Fu-Guan pit? [shaking]]

For_Love_lf: [Actually, I've been in it for a while. This story took too long to write, so I can finally update the CP. Do you not ship this pair?]

Guan Han fell silent.

She typed: [It's not that.]

But shipping her own CP? Wasn't that a bit too wild?

For_Love_lf: [You must continue to support me, okay? Leave a comment on every chapter. You're my first reader. If I don't see you, I'll be very sad.]

Guan Han remained silent for even longer.

[I'll keep up with the updates in time.]

QinTangIsReal: [Will you still continue writing Qin-Tang?]

For_Love_lf: [Yes. Fu-Guan is just a side interest, Qin-Tang is my true love.]

Guan Han felt relieved.

To protect the only fanfiction writer in the entire online sphere who perfectly captured Qin-Tang's character dynamics, Guan Han felt she could "endure the humiliation" and get through this Fu-Guan phase. At worst, she could act as an emotionless hype machine.

Besides, she knew Fu Yujun's personality all too well. All the fanfiction online was severely out of character, with no sense of immersion. She could hold her nose and read it without any problem—there was no way she'd develop any inappropriate thoughts about Fu Yujun.

And so, Fu Yujun, overflowing with inspiration, posted the first chapter of the Fu-Guan CP fanfiction.

After reading it, Guan Han was completely thrown off.

Why was this author so skilled? When writing Qin-Tang, it felt like Qin-Tang. But when writing about her and Fu Yujun, the characterization was even more accurate than with Qin-Tang, with details that perfectly matched reality. How was she supposed to face this story?

To be honest, Guan Han had once suspected that "For_Love_lf" was someone in the industry who knew both Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao. She'd even had a specific suspect in mind—someone from Qin Yinong's assistant team, like the incompetent A'Xiao and the others.

Back in the days on the set of True Colors, they had secretly shipped the couple, with those youngsters being particularly vocal and constantly surfing the internet. Even someone like her, with striking thick eyebrows and big eyes, had gotten into shipping, so it was only natural for Xiao and the others to write fanfiction behind the scenes.

Guan Han held onto this suspicion until today, only to have it shattered by the facts.

Xiao and the others were hardly familiar with Fu Yujun—they hadn't even met her more than a few times.

So who was it, then?

Guan Han hugged her pillow, lost in thought. Was there really someone in their circle who had connections with all four of them and shared a deep bond? A makeup artist? A photographer? Cui Jiaran? Wen Shuxian? Could it be one of them?

Guan Han shook her head, dismissing the absurd speculation.

'It must be a coincidence,' she thought.

Just a case of a blind cat stumbling upon a de@d mouse.

In the real world, her relationship with Fu Yujun was unclear and distant, with occasional moments of losing control only leading to increased restraint. But in the world of fanfiction, they were deeply affectionate, inseparable, and utterly devoted to each other.

Guan Han had fallen in love with the versions of themselves depicted in fanfiction—uninhibited, unburdened, with only two hearts drawing closer, loving each other sincerely and passionately.

It wasn't just the readers indulging in the sweetness of these stories, even she herself sought solace in them.

But as much as she envied it, fiction remained fiction—it would never become reality.

Yet, getting too immersed in it also brought its own troubles.

One night after work, Guan Han lay on her hotel bed, reading the latest chapter of the fanfiction "For_Love_lf," and contentedly left a comment: [KSWL KSWL, this is so sweet it's making me lose my mind.]

Just then, a knock sounded at her door.

Guan Han got up to answer it. Standing at the door was Fu Yujun, dressed in a snow-white bathrobe, her dark, wet hair cascading over her shoulders. Her gaze was soft as she murmured, "The hairdryer in my room is broken. Can I use yours?"

Guan Han felt a momentary daze.

Fu Yujun bit her lip, looking at her with a hint of grievance. "Is it inconvenient?"

Guan Han snapped back to reality. "No, not at all. Please come in."

Fu Yujun retrieved the hairdryer from the drawer in her room and plugged it in.

As Guan Han went to close the door, it suddenly struck her: Wasn't this the exact scene from the latest update of the fanfiction?

In the story, the two were already together. Guan Han had accompanied Fu Yujun on a filming trip, but to avoid suspicion, they booked separate rooms. Fu Yujun, being the clingy type, couldn't resist visiting her at night, using the flimsy excuse of borrowing a hairdryer.

Guan Han, of course, saw right through it. But who could resist their girlfriend's soft, pleading voice? She even knew that once she let her in, some affectionate moments were inevitable, so she locked the door in advance.

Sure enough, in the story, Fu Yujun couldn't resist teasing her even before her hair was fully dry. Still in the honeym0on phase of their relationship, a single glance between them was enough to ignite sparks...

Guan Han wondered what the author, "For_Love_lf," had been going through lately. While their stories about Qin and Tang were relatively chaste and plot-driven, the ones about Fu and Guan were filled with sticky-sweet daily life, frequent kisses, and an obsession with int!macy—written so vividly it was both satisfying and torturous to read.

According to the plot, this was the moment for a passionate kiss, one that could easily escalate.

Guan Han swallowed hard.

The hairdryer hummed as Fu Yujun's slender fingers combed through her waterfall-like dark hair. The contrast between her fair knuckles and the glossy black strands was strikingly beautiful.

Guan Han averted her gaze, but while she could control her eyes, she couldn't control her thoughts.

Lines from the story flashed through her mind—the vivid descriptions, the person standing within reach. If she just reached out, she could turn it all into reality: the warmth of real skin, the sweetness of tender int!macy.

More, she wanted more.

Guan Han licked her dry lips, her breath growing hot.

The sound of the hairdryer stopped. Fu Yujun had dried her hair halfway, unplugged the hairdryer, coiled the cord, and handed it back to her. Her warm fingertips brushed lightly against the back of Guan Han's hand, sending an almost imperceptible electric current through her.

Guan Han lifted her gaze, her eyes dark and intense, and in one swift motion, she seized Fu Yujun's wrist, pulling her into an embrace.

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