Chapter 30: Guan Yaoming
At the celebration that night, Zhao Mian was in a foul mood and walked around absent-mindedly. He even forgot what Lin Mo had been up to.
Now, running into Lin Mo at the company, he saw that handsome, eye-catching little fresh meat chatting and laughing with staff.
The female employees couldn’t take their eyes off Lin Mo. Some didn’t even notice Zhao Mian had arrived. That stung.
By rights, Zhao Mian had already won Best Actor and his career was blazing; with the “big Buddha” Guan Yaoming behind him, he shouldn’t be jealous of a young pretty rookie.
Wrong.
He was very jealous of Lin Mo’s looks and youth. Just seeing the kid was a painful reminder that maybe it was time to buy long-term care insurance.
“Mian-ge?” Li Dong strolled over with a smile. “What brings you here today? Looking for Yao-ge?”
“Yao-ge is what you call him too?” Zhao Mian frowned, displeased. He didn’t love Guan Yaoming, but who did Lin Mo think he was, using the same address as him?
“Sorry, Mian-ge. Slip of the tongue,” Li Dong apologized with an easy smile. As things stood, Zhao Mian believed Lin Mo hated Guan Yaoming, and also believed Lin Mo didn’t realize Zhao had seen through everything and intended to use him like a borrowed knife.
“What happened at the celebration that night?” Zhao Mian asked loftily, remembering Lin Mo had hitched a ride with him.
So how had he left later? And what had happened with Guan Yaoming?
“Nothing much. I caught another ride back to the city,” Li Dong answered obediently. “But I did meet President Guan. He remembered me as the kid who follows Mian-ge around, so for your sake he gave me a shot at an endorsement.”
“What endorsement?” Complicated emotions flashed through Zhao Mian. Once again he confirmed that Guan Yaoming loved him very, very much. Even mid-fight, the man was still looking after his follower.
Being loved by the son of your father’s enemy… what a bitter taste.
“XX Juice. The commercial’s already shot,” Li Dong said. “It should start airing soon, but I’ve no idea if it will do any good. It’s just a small ad, probably won’t boost my name.”
Zhao Mian’s thinking matched Guan Yaoming’s: they didn’t want Lin Mo to go big at all. “Take it slow. Getting famous isn’t that easy. Besides, you’re still young.” He patted Li Dong’s shoulder with feigned warmth. “I’ll keep an eye out for work for you.”
“Thank you, Mian-ge.” Li Dong’s naturally double-lidded peach blossom eyes blinked once then twice.
“Besides, entering showbiz isn’t always about getting famous, right?” Zhao Mian said with meaning. “Focus on what you came to do. I think you’ve got it.”
He turned to leave with a chic, self-assured air, Best Actor through and through.
It was understandable that Guan Yaoming liked Zhao Mian. His looks and presence were one in ten thousand.
But Lin Mo’s face didn’t lose to anyone either, or else he wouldn’t have stirred Zhao Mian’s jealousy. “Lin Mo, get back to the office, quick. Chuan-ge’s looking for you.” On the phone, agent Liu Hong’s voice was taut with nerves. “Did you do something bad?”
Li Dong paused, then chuckled. “If that counts as bad…” He took a guess. If Jin Dachuan was looking for him, it had to be related to Guan Yaoming. “Okay, I’m on my way.”
The blindingly good-looking rookie strolled in. “Chuan-ge, what’s up?”
“…” Jin Dachuan wasn’t slow. The instant he saw Li Dong, he suddenly understood exactly what Yao-ge meant.
Damn. This was blatant cheating…
Pah. Zhao Mian cheating counted as two-timing. Their Yao-ge was just looking for a little thrill, a change of flavor. Yes, that was the word.
“Come with me.” His face was cold, and if you listened closely there was a hint of awkwardness.
“Okay.” Li Dong straightened his look and waved at Liu Hong. “Bye, Hong-jie. I’m heading out with Chuan-ge.”
Liu Hong stood there stunned. So her artist had found a connection upstairs?
Was Jin Dachuan “unspoken-ruling” Lin Mo?
Bah, not likely. For Jin Dachuan to come personally, this was too brazen.
Then… no way, right?
“Chuan-ge, is Yao-ge asking for me?” Li Dong sat in the backseat with a sunny grin, so bright it almost dazzled Dachuan through the rearview.
“Quiet.” Jin Dachuan did not want to talk to a duck who sold his body. There is a big difference between the official partner and a fling for kicks.
They would call Zhao Mian, who had followed Guan Yaoming for two or three years “Mian-ge,” but they sure as hell wouldn’t respect a bed-climbing upstart.
“Alright.” Sensing Dachuan didn’t like him, Li Dong only shrugged, unbothered.
They reached Guan Yaoming’s villa. Another car was already parked in the courtyard.
“Yao-ge’s home. Go up to the third floor yourself.” Jin Dachuan added a warning, “And be smart. Don’t offend him. Otherwise, you won’t just get snow-stored.” So he knew about Lin Mo being sidelined.
“Got it.” Li Dong looked meek and harmless as he smiled and saw Dachuan off.
Then he turned on his heel and walked in, wind at his back, taking in what he hadn’t had time to admire last time. Yao-ge’s taste was very manly; the decor skewed toward a simple, imposing style.
Since he was still young, a trace of deliberateness peeked through.
Young, high-ranked, eager to present steadiness and competence to the world, often, the grandeur hid anxiety and sharp edges.
Along the quiet corridor, a few knocks sounded.
At the door, Li Dong drew his hand back from knocking again and undid the top buttons of his shirt, a small, calculated move.
Old Li Dong would never have known this kind of flirty trick.
He had to thank Xi Xingling for this. Decades together had put him through plenty of “training.”
“You’re awfully self-aware.” Guan Yaoming opened the door and saw Li Dong’s handsome face and a touch of understated sexy. He had to admit, he was happy to accept this kind of offering.
“Yao-ge.” Li Dong smiled as if nothing were out of the ordinary. With his 360-degree, no-bad-angle face, he leaned to Yao-ge’s ear and murmured, “How about a hello kiss? Would you mind?”
“Of course I don’t mind,” Guan Yaoming replied with a cold little laugh. He pinched Li Dong’s chin and kissed him, simple and rough.
“…” All right then. Our domineering, leak-power-everywhere male lead shou was a bit hard to withstand.
After that stormy exchange, a chill crawled up Li Dong’s soles. At first he thought the fierce anger was directed at him.
Later he realized Yao-ge was venting anger that came from someone else. It had nothing to do with him.
That someone else was Zhao Mian. They still hadn’t made up. How delightful to see.
“Lin Mo, cut the seductive act in front of me. I don’t buy it,” Guan Yaoming said. “I can give you money and resources, but don’t you dare think about things you shouldn’t.”
“Then what do you take me for? An intelligent automatic d*ldo?” Li Dong shot back.
“And if I say yes?” The “intelligent automatic d*ldo?” line choked Guan Yaoming for a beat. He held back a smile. “If you don’t want to be that, then what do you want to be?”
The kid had guts. Not only did he climb the bed behind Zhao Mian’s back, he even dared to bargain.
“Anyway, I’ll be anything except an intelligent automatic d*ldo. If that’s what you think…” Li Dong shoved him lightly. “Then I’m out.” He turned on his heel. That ringing refusal and brisk stride were downright dashing.
He wasn’t leaving in a temper. On the contrary, his head was very clear.
“Stop,” Guan Yaoming said. “Get back here.”
Li Dong stopped, but he didn’t move closer. “You can call me over whenever you want, but don’t insult me.”
In the spacious luxury room, the storm cleared and the air turned harmonious.
“Didn’t expect your temper to be this big,” Guan Yaoming said, genuinely surprised. The stray fires in his chest were long gone. Now he was in a decent mood, teasing his new favorite.
“It’s fine. That’s my real temper,” Li Dong said. “The first night I met Yao-ge, I looked timid. Thinking it over, Yao-ge isn’t some unpardonable villain. No need to cower.”
“You? Timid?” Guan Yaoming smirked. First meeting and this kid dared to “do” the boss. That wasn’t timid, that was bold to the sky.
“Yao-ge, this society eats people and doesn’t spit out the bones. Some things you have to fight for,” Li Dong said, flipping over to lie beside him, smiling. “I’m someone who relies on myself. If I don’t plan for me, who will?”
Then, with an itch to his mouth, he smacked his lips. “Yao-ge, got any lollipops? I want one.” Over these years, he’d quit smoking on and off but could never completely quit.
“No…”
“Then I’ll kiss you instead,” Li Dong said, leaning in with a grin.
“Scram. That’s enough for today,” Guan Yaoming said, mouth saying no while very happily accepting the rookie’s kiss.
The original text said Guan Yaoming secretly longed to be pursued. No matter how strong, he couldn’t hide that he had the heart of a shou.
So Li Dong chose the “little wolf-dog” persona for a reason: he really wanted Guan Yaoming to feel what it meant to be loved.
They wrapped up for the Nth time by noon.
“I’m so sleepy, Yao-ge. Mind if I crash right here?” Li Dong mumbled. Step one: increase the time they spent together. Stick to Guan Yaoming as much as possible.
“Mm,” Guan Yaoming murmured. “Sleep.”
Sure enough, the young fresh meat lying beside him quickly fell asleep, faint snoring sounds vaguely drifting over.
Guan Yaoming stared at Li Dong’s sleeping face, expression unreadable.
Funny thing: Li Dong was picky. He couldn’t just cuddle and nibble anyone, or else he would have been out of singlehood long ago and never gotten so bored he read a few novels and ended up transmigrated.
When he saw Guan Yaoming for the first time, he felt no aversion. The other person had an inexplicably familiar feeling about him.
How toxic. A ruthless big boss actually gave him a sense of familiarity?
“Hey.” Guan Yaoming patted his cheek, voice stiff. “Get up and eat.”
“Mm?” Li Dong smelled food in the air. He opened his eyes. “You actually brought it up? Afraid I wouldn’t get out of bed to eat?”
“…” Yes. Why the f*ck did I bring it up?
While he was silent, Li Dong washed up in a flash and came out shirtless to eat. “Mm, this is great. Thanks, Yao-ge.”
“Get lost.” Guan Yaoming frowned and wiped meat sauce off his own cheek where Li Dong had kissed him.
“…” Li Dong put down the fork with a snap, then under Yao-ge’s startled gaze, scooped up his clothes and stomped away like an aggrieved little prince.
Guan Yaoming froze on the spot. He subconsciously stood up and followed.
Li Dong was moving fast, shrugging on his clothes as he went, kiss marks still faint on his skin.
He was down the stairs in moments and headed straight for the door. Yes, he was going to walk out and catch a ride.
“F*ck…” Standing at the doorway, Guan Yaoming finally realized what Li Dong was doing and looked absurdly shocked.
A little artist… throwing a fit at him?
Heh. Who gave him that confidence?
Li Dong had no confidence at all. He really was a bit angry.
The main thing was that in his last life, Xi Xingling obeyed his every word, Han Tiancin obeyed his every word, and Wang Yun obeyed his every word. Forget telling him to get lost. Even speaking loudly to him was a crime.
Guan Yaoming went back inside and dropped into a chair, eyes on the plate Li Dong had barely touched.
Crash! Everything f*cking flew out.
“D*mn it!”
Far away at the airport preparing to board, Zhao Mian thought it over. He felt he should still call Guan Yaoming.
The line rang a long time before it was picked up. He softened his voice. “Yaoming, I’m boarding. You really don’t want to travel with me?”
“Have a nice trip. And I’m in a sh*tty mood. Don’t f*cking bother me.”
Click. The call ended.
Zhao Mian stared at his phone. He felt that Guan Yaoming was angry for no reason this time. Was it that serious?
Still, if a baseless scandal could rile him that much, it only proved how much he loved him.
After the XX Juice ad wrapped, Li Dong returned to a snow-stored artist’s life. He had ticked off Guan Yaoming and didn’t think he would be getting any work.
“Shao Yi, someone up top wants to see you. Please come back to Police HQ.”
His resignation hadn’t been approved. As an undercover, the procedure couldn’t be handled publicly.
They called him back, interrogated him for a long time, and conducted psychological evaluations.
All the signs indicated Li Dong really wasn’t suitable to be undercover anymore or even an ordinary officer.
“We’ll notify your father.”
“…”
If disaster from a clear sky had a definition, it was this: after leaving Police HQ, Li Dong was immediately summoned home by his so-called dad and got a beating.
Great. This supporting-role dad was a lot to handle.
“Hong-jie, I split my lip. I can’t work for a while,” he told his agent.
“Got it. No need to ask me for leave. Sigh, I thought you were going to flip your salted fish over,” Liu Hong said, disappointed to see him as quiet as ever.
Just when Li Dong figured he was about to be unemployed, a gig landed in his lap.
XXX Pretty Boy Night, a not-so-great variety show. He made the cut by virtue of his face.
He wasn’t famous, but with looks like his, the PD happily gave him extra shots.
The real Li Dong was an “old cadre” type and he didn’t do cutesy or clowning. Putting him on a jokey, hip-hop variety was a mistake.
— “There’s a super handsome guy this episode. Oh right, I mean Lin Mo.”
— “Found a hottie~~ Is he a singer or an actor? Why haven’t I seen him before?”
— “At 18:31 Lin Mo rolls his eyes, hahaha.”
— “I saw someone rolling his eyes, haha. How bored is he?”
— “Everyone’s joking around and his face screams awkward, but it’s so cute, what do I do!”
— “Feeling bad for someone with a high laugh threshold, 2333333!”
— “Feel worse for the people on the show with him, okay 23333.”
— “Isn’t his agent going to scold him later?”
— “He carried the whole ep’s highlights. It worked! No scolding~~”
A small show that by all rights Guan Yaoming wouldn’t see, but not only did he see it, he watched it with great interest.
Seeing others out there getting exasperated somehow balanced him out.
“Who is it?” A strange number. Li Dong originally didn’t want to pick up.
What if it was a crazed fan after his show appearance?
“Where are you?” Guan Yaoming asked.
He was organizing his words, thinking about what to say next, when snap, the other side hung up on him.
“…”
A moment later, the phone rang again. “Hello? You still there? Is that Yao-ge?”
“Why did you hang up just now?” Guan Yaoming swallowed down a bellyful of fire. “Big temper, aren’t you? I told you to get lost once and that’s all it took?”
“I was angry,” Li Dong said. “No one has ever told me to get lost since I was a kid.” However, the truth was that he’d been raised by his parents with double beatings since childhood. His parents’ educational philosophy was: if you can use your hands, try not to talk.
Still, the fact that Guan Yaoming called first was interesting.
“But thinking it over, it’s not a big deal, right?” Li Dong said. “Drinks tonight, Yao-ge?”
“There are reporters outside. Come to my place,” Guan Yaoming said. As the head of an entertainment company, he wasn’t about to get photographed by paparazzi having a private night meeting with a minor celebrity.
“Then forget it,” Li Dong said. “First, I don’t have a car. Second, your place gives me psychological trauma, you know? Last time I walked so far my feet blistered.”
“…” For once, Yao-ge had nothing to say.
“Not talking? Then I’m hanging up.” Li Dong said it lightly and started counting seconds in his head.
“…You little sh*t,” What kind of d*mned bad temper was this? Guan Yaoming thought, itching to hang up but unable to do it. “Send me your address. I’ll come get you,” he said through gritted teeth.
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