APCF – Chapter 134 Cycle

During the court’s public trial, any citizen could enter and observe by presenting their ID. Without permission, media were prohibited from taking photos or recording, so the appearance of Qi Xingchen and Bo Ye did not cause much of a stir.

Because the suspect Tao Tao was involved in a major crime and confessed to her crimes without denial, the first-instance court sentenced her to death, with lifelong deprivation of political rights, and ordered her to pay compensation. Nie Dawei was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, lifelong deprivation of political rights, and compensation as well.

After the first trial, both convicts chose not to appeal. Ten days later, once the appeal period ended, the first-instance court submitted the ruling to the High Court and the Supreme Court for approval. Once approved, the death penalty could be carried out.

Typically, the approval process takes a long time—around six months. During this time, Tao Tao must serve time in prison. As for Nie Dawei, if he commits no intentional crimes during the two-year reprieve, the sentence would be commuted to life imprisonment.

It could be said that it was his desperate effort to protect the evidence that helped him.

After the verdict was announced, Qi Xingchen requested to visit the convict. As the greatest victim in this case, the prison naturally agreed and brought Qi Xingchen and Bo Ye to the visitation room.

About five minutes later, Tao Tao appeared on the other side. Only then did Qi Xingchen realize that in just a month’s time, Tao Tao had changed drastically. Her once pure and delicate appearance was gone. Her eyes were calm. Even though her physical appearance was still that of a woman in her twenties, she now emitted an aura of weariness and aging from within.

“You came to see me,” Tao Tao spoke first, “because of this book, didn’t you?”

Since she went straight to the point, Qi Xingchen did the same. “Yes, I want to confirm with you—under what conditions can you be reborn?”

Tao Tao was stunned. “Reborn?”

“Yes, reborn,” Qi Xingchen leaned forward, hands folded. “I want… to restart this book.”

If Peach of the Night could be restarted, then none of the tragedies that followed would happen—those dozens of people at Tiancheng wouldn’t have to suffer the fire, Dad Qi wouldn’t lie awake at night, Director Li’s child wouldn’t be mocked by classmates, Nie Dawei could have continued his impoverished but happy life.

The Qi family would avoid massive financial loss and imprisonment. Tao Xuan… wouldn’t have to die.

Of course, this all hinged on Tao Tao no longer being obsessed, no longer insisting on following the storyline.

But Qi Xingchen wasn’t worried about that. The moment Tao Tao grabbed Tao Xuan’s hand and gave him back the recorder, he felt it—she had let go of her obsession.

In the end, Tao Xuan used his life to bring back the resilient and independent sister he once knew.

Upon hearing this, both Bo Ye and Tao Tao looked at Qi Xingchen. Because restarting Peach of the Night didn’t just mean doing everything over again, it also meant…

Tao Tao asked, “Are you and Bo Ye still alive in the real world?”

“We are. Our injuries were minor.”

“If your injuries are minor, then it’s very likely you won’t be able to enter again. I analyzed this. Last time, it was because of my strong obsession with retrieving Bo Ye that I was able to pull you both back before you completely left the book’s dimension. Otherwise, logically speaking, you should have returned to reality at that point.”

“If my analysis is correct,” Tao Tao said, “you’ll have to give up everything you currently have—the chance to live a peaceful life here. Are you willing to do that?”

Qi Xingchen smiled.

Was he willing?

From the moment Bo Ye asked whether he would return, and all through the past month, he had been thinking about this question.

In reality, he was all alone, surviving on meager earnings from acrobatics performances and scholarships. Apart from studying, his only joy in life was listening to Bo Ye’s songs.

But here, he had a family who held him in their hands like a treasure, immense wealth, food that ordinary people might never taste in their lifetime. He had fans who adored him, flowers, applause, honor, and…

And Bo Ye.

The night sky he used to long for was now sitting beside him, holding his hand.

Was he willing to give that all up?

To be honest, he had hesitated. He had never felt the warmth of a family before, and he was reluctant to leave his father, sister, brothers, and Liang Jing.

He was also reluctant to leave Bo Ye.

So, when Bo Ye asked him, he couldn’t answer right away.

It was Tao Xuan’s death later on that solidified his decision.

If their departure could bring peace and harmony to everyone else, then—

“I’m willing,” Qi Xingchen said. “I’m willing to give it all up.”

Bo Ye held his hand tighter. To him, everything inside the book was identical to his original life. Staying or returning made no difference. But he knew how much Qi Xingchen was sacrificing for this.

His lover was a kind and wonderful person.

Tao Tao stared at Qi Xingchen for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled. “Now I understand why he loves you. I really am no match for you. But there’s still one more question—have you considered this?”

Tao Tao paused. “Judging from the first time you met during Let’s Budget Travel, it’s obvious you didn’t know each other. This suggests that once you leave Peach of the Night, you might forget everything that happened in the book — including falling in love. Would you… be okay with that?”

Qi Xingchen lowered his eyes. That was precisely the main reason he had struggled with this decision for over a month.

Every time he thought about becoming strangers with Bo Ye again, it felt like his heart was being sliced repeatedly with a blunt knife — the pain was so sharp it nearly disabled his ability to think. He liked Bo Ye too much, so much that he couldn’t bear imagining a bad ending.

But Bo Ye had family in the real world. If Bo Ye stayed behind in the book for him and ended up in a coma or even dead, how despairing would that be for his family?

And how devastated would the Night Sky fans, who followed Bo Ye, be?

He couldn’t be that selfish.

He opened his mouth but couldn’t speak. After taking a few deep breaths, he was just about to say, “Yes, I can accept it,” when—

The person beside him spoke for him: “It’s okay. I’ll definitely remember him.”

As a big heroine novel, the purpose of Peach of the Night was to serve Tao Tao. Both Qi Xingchen and Tao Tao believed that if she willingly chose death, the in-book world would continue to function. But if she died with resentment in her heart, the story would reset to the beginning and repeat itself, again and again, until the female lead obtained the ending she desired.

Before Qi Xingchen visited the prison, Tao Tao had already come to terms with the fact that what didn’t belong to her could never be forced. She had planned to calmly accept death and reunite with Tao Xuan in the afterlife.

Now that Qi Xingchen had made a request, she considered it for a moment and said, “Alright. I’ll give it a try. If I really can be reborn again, I’ll stay away from the Qi family, cure Xiao Xuan as soon as possible, and live a peaceful, healthy life with him. If it fails, please bury me and Xiao Xuan in the same cemetery… I know I don’t deserve to be buried next to him. I just want to watch over him from afar.”

A person’s words are kindest near death. When visitation time ended, Qi Xingchen agreed to her request and left the prison with Bo Ye.

On the flight to the film set, Qi Xingchen asked Bo Ye, “Do you blame me for making the decision on my own?”

“No,” Bo Ye replied. “If I were you, I’d have made the same choice. I’m proud of you.”

“Brother Ye…” Qi Xingchen leaned against Bo Ye’s shoulder. “Whether you remember me or not, I’ll always, always love you.”

Bo Ye rubbed his chin against the top of his head and gave a soft “Mm.”

By the time they arrived at the filming location, it was already dark. As producers, Qi Xingchen and Bo Ye treated all the crew members to a meal — both as an apology for not showing up during pre-production, and as a morale booster before filming began.

Bringing personal emotions into acting was taboo. The next day, after the opening ceremony was conducted according to custom, the two of them never again mentioned what had happened the day before and threw themselves fully into filming You and Me.

The story of You and Me spans the 1960s to the 1990s. In the early ’60s, the protagonist, Shen Xing, was born into an extremely ordinary family. To ensure he had enough to eat, the Shen family sent him to a circus troupe to learn acrobatics, and thus began Shen Xing’s turbulent life.

In an era when televisions were still uncommon, acrobatics were one of the favorite pastimes for both the old and young. Moreover, families that could afford to invite acrobatic troupes for holidays or birthdays were considered very well-off.

Within the troupe, Shen Xing was the most handsome and had the best physical condition. As a result, he was always assigned to perform aerial silk. The locals couldn’t remember the name of this act and liked to call it “Flying Immortal” — flying through the air with silks.

Shen Xing was one of the best “Flying Immortals.” After every performance at a wealthy household, while the other disciples ate in the back, Shen Xing would often be invited to dine at the host’s table. Over time, the other apprentices grew distant and, behind his back, would scoff: “Tch, just a pretty face. Did you see the way he looks during his act? Must be seducing some rich old man!”

After hearing that, Shen Xing cried in silence and threw himself into more intense practice. He even asked the troupe leader to stop assigning him aerial silk performances — he wanted to prove he wasn’t that kind of person.

But no matter what he did, their prejudice only deepened. In the end, he gave up and actually started seeing a nouveau riche patron.

That man treated him very well — but the good days didn’t last. Before long, the patron was toppled politically. Shen Xing lost his means of survival, couldn’t return to the troupe, and didn’t dare go home. So he took the money the man left behind and went to the big city.

But in the big city, acrobatics were already outdated. With no troupes willing to take him, he set up a small street stall to perform tricks. That’s when he met a woman.

The woman said she admired him and wanted to build a life together. Shen Xing believed her — only to have her disappear a month later with all his savings.

It was then he realized he had been tricked. With no money, he took a job at a disco club. There, he met Jiang Yuan — played by Bo Ye.

At first, the two lost souls simply used each other’s bodies to vent their desires. But with time, hazy feelings began to blossom. As their love deepened, Shen Xing discovered Jiang Yuan used drugs. He tried everything to stop him but failed. Eventually, he followed Jiang Yuan into the abyss.

The first scene of You and Me depicts the young Shen Xing meeting Jiang Yuan for the first time.

“Scene 26 of You and Me. Single take. Action!”

The disco of the 1980s was filled with men and women in flared pants, swaying their hips with a boldness and openness unique to the youth of a new era. Coming from the countryside, Shen Xing had never seen anything like it. He wiped glasses behind the bar while curiously observing everything around him.

“Hey, little guy. New here?”

Suddenly, a lazy voice called out from his left. Shen Xing turned around and saw a man lounging casually against the bar.

The man had a fashionable 2/8 parted hairstyle, a high nose bridge, and narrow eyes. Shen Xing had never seen someone so good-looking before and stood there stunned. It wasn’t until the man repeated “Two beers” for the third time that he finally snapped out of it and quickly poured two drinks.

But Jiang Yuan didn’t leave. Instead, he pushed one of the glasses toward Shen Xing. “Drink with me.”

Shen Xing panicked and refused. “I-I don’t know you. I can’t drink your beer!”

“If you drink, then we’ll know each other,” Jiang Yuan said, stopping Shen Xing from pushing the glass back. “Or… you don’t want to be friends with me?”

“I-I… Aiya!”

Shen Xing didn’t finish speaking. During the pushing and pulling, the glass accidentally slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor.

Seeing the golden-yellow beer splashed across the ground, Shen Xing quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, I’ll pay for it!”

As he spoke, he reached into his pocket, but after fumbling around, he couldn’t find anything.

Noticing his embarrassment, Jiang Yuan offered a compromise, “How about this—pour me another glass of beer and drink it with me. Then we’ll pretend this never happened, how about that?”

What choice did he have? He couldn’t afford to pay anyway. Shen Xing had no option but to comply. He poured the beer and downed it in one gulp.

Jiang Yuan had never seen anyone drink like that before and burst out laughing. After laughing, he looked at Shen Xing’s now flushed cheeks. “Never had alcohol before?”

“Mm.” Shen Xing shook his head, covering his face.

“Just arrived here?”

“…Been here for a little over a month.”

“Then stop wearing those burlap pants—you’ll be mocked,” Jiang Yuan’s gaze slid down to his lower half. “You’re on shift tomorrow, right? I’ll bring you a pair of imported jeans. I bet your butt would look great in them.”

Shen Xing blushed even more. Jiang Yuan instantly understood something, gave a low whistle at him, and hummed a tune as he strolled off to dance on the floor.

“Cut!”

“Nice!” Director Qian raised the megaphone, his eyes gleaming with admiration. “Xiao Bo, you nailed that teasing—perfectly balanced. I was worried you might come off too sleazy, but now? Tsk, tsk, I almost want to go home with you myself!”

What?! He wants to go home with Bo Ye?!

Qi Xingchen shot him a death glare like a flying knife.

Director Qian: “…Forget I said anything! Everyone, get ready for the next scene!”

“Hahahahahaha!” The crew burst into laughter.

Actually, it wasn’t just the director—Qi Xingchen himself had also been flustered by Bo Ye’s whistle. His blush wasn’t acting; it was real.

Bo Ye rarely took acting jobs, but his performance was amazing. Qi Xingchen was so excited, his fingers fidgeted along the seam of his pants, the groundhog in his heart squealing:

Aaaahhhhhh no wonder he’s my idol ahhhh!!!

So amazing ahhh!!! Everyone chase him! CHASE HIM!!!

The successful first take was a great start for You and I. From then on, the two of them fell into a smooth rhythm. Of course, it also helped that they were a real couple and didn’t need time to build chemistry.

In just over ten days, they completed most of the scenes between Shen Xing and Jiang Yuan. You and I had a tight shooting schedule, and every day they could squeeze in was a win. Qi Xingchen was over the moon.

But then… they got stuck on the bed scene.

Inside a classic ‘80s-style communal apartment, per Bo Ye’s request, only two camera setups were kept.

However, just as Qi Xingchen began to undress, Bo Ye frowned instantly. “No, too much skin.”

“…Oh my dear ancestor,” Director Qian scratched his head, “he’s only showing his upper body, and his lower half is fully covered. Seriously, look—he’s wearing three pairs of safety shorts.”

Bo Ye took a glance but still didn’t look pleased.

Director Qian had no choice and finally decided to film only above the neck with Qi Xingchen and Bo Ye. The lower half would use a body double.

Bo Ye was satisfied and finally stopped sulking, lying down on the bed. Qi Xingchen changed into a wide-necked top and straddled Bo Ye’s hips.

As the clapperboard snapped, Qi Xingchen became inexplicably nervous, stiffly wriggling his body.

Director Qian waved, “Cut! One more take.”

Second take: body was better, but facial expressions were too awkward. Director: “Again!”

Third take: body and expressions on point, but the sound was off. Bo Ye realized this wouldn’t work and propped himself up, whispering in Qi Xingchen’s ear, “If you keep grinding on me like that, I don’t think I’ll be able to keep filming.”

Qi Xingchen’s eyes shimmered from his words. Seizing this charged moment, Director Qian guided the cinematographer to capture the mood in fine detail. The scene finally passed.

That evening, Bo Ye held Qi Xingchen in his arms, his tone dissatisfied. “After we go back, do you still want to keep acting? If you do, sign with my studio. I need to personally vet every script you take.”

Scenes like today’s, with such bold content, must never happen again.

But Qi Xingchen shook his head. “I majored in biology in college. If possible, after graduation, I want to become a biology teacher. In my spare time, I want to stay at the acrobat troupe and tutor the kids.”

“Then I’ll have to call you Teacher Qi,” Bo Ye kissed his earlobe, “Teacher Qi, I have a question.”

Qi Xingchen giggled at the ticklish kiss and shrank his neck. “What question? Ask.”

“What were we doing during the day? I have no idea. Teach me, won’t you?”

With that, Bo Ye flipped them over, pinning Qi Xingchen under him, right between his hips…