Begging for the Moon

■ A free-spirited, carefree shou & a methodical, scheming actor gong

■ Equally matched leads | Mostly sweet | Rekindled romance | Who's the hunter? | A masterclass in acting

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Three years ago, they met for the first time in Northern Europe.

On Somaroy Island, amid what seemed like an endless polar night.

Holding a lantern, Dan Ling strolled toward him, his smile brighter than the aurora filling the sky.

"Zhong Yibai, I don't want the sun. Moonlight is the rarest thing of all."

That night, Zhong Yibai shed his refined gentleman's facade. He gripped the slender waist beneath his hand, his teeth clenched as he held back. He looked incredibly sexy.

Dan Ling lay on his back, one arm beneath his head, his long fingers lightly brushing the Adam's apple of the man before him. Teasingly, he said, "Bro, you've been hiding quite a lot."

One night of passion, months in each other's company, and more blissful nights than they could count, lost in a world without day or night.

But Dan Ling had always believed that beautiful things never last. So he was used to coming and going as he pleased, with no real attachments.

That's why, when the time came to make a difficult choice, Dan Ling made the decision for Zhong Yibai without a moment's hesitation.

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Three years later, they met again in the same place.

Zhong Yibai, a genius actor who had retired years ago, returned to the public eye after a photo of him appearing on a variety show with his last leading lady went viral, sending his fans into a frenzy.

Dan Ling, a photographer traveling with the show's production team, stuck to his job and focused on helping his ex promote their on-screen couple.

But one disastrous attempt later, they landed on two hundred and fifty trending topics. More than half of them were about shipping him with Zhong Yibai.

Photographer Dan: ...I really don't want to get back together.

Photographer Dan: ...I'm a professional.

Actor Zhong said nothing. He just waited until the dead of night to sneak a look at his little notebook. On the list of 365 clever ways to seduce an ex, he enthusiastically checked off each one.

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On the final day of filming, everyone went out to celebrate.

During a game, Dan Ling drew a truth question: Are you a good horse who won't return to old grass, or a rabbit who won't eat the grass by its burrow?

He turned to look at the person beside him, who had inexplicably been giving him the cold shoulder for two days.

Then he deliberately answered, "Sorry, I'm a carnivore. I don't eat grass."

Zhong Yibai gave a cold snort.

Dan Ling frowned and challenged him. "What? Got a problem with that?"

"No." Zhong Yibai leaned back in his chair and glanced under the table. "I just wonder if you could move that wandering toe off my leg before saying things like that..."

#That night, he whispered in my ear that he only wanted the moon.

#He willingly offered everything he had, hoping to give me the blazing sun as well.

◎ The setting is loosely based on reality, and many details are made up. Please don't take it too seriously.

◎ The story opens with their reunion. Flashbacks are interwoven throughout, not set apart into their own chapters.

Theme: Loving someone is a kind of ability, and so is being loved.