Chapter 31: Guan Yaoming
Artists on the rise, the somewhat famous ones, get company apartments.
Minor shrimps like Lin Mo who were half-dead in their careers could only rent their own places.
Following the address took Guan Yaoming a while. He ended up at a tiny, run-down compound. His luxury car clearly couldn’t drive into this run-down corner, so he could only get out and walk.
“Seeing the dump I live in, does your conscience hurt a little?” Li Dong drawled as he opened the door in pajamas. He poked Yao-ge in the chest, milking it for sympathy.
“I’m not going in. Get changed,” Guan Yaoming said. He had zero interest in stepping into this pigsty.
“No clothes to change into. I’m going like this.” Li Dong grabbed his phone and keys and headed out in slippers.
“Your going-out clothes. Change into a set,” Guan Yaoming said, annoyed.
“They’re washed and still wet,” Li Dong replied. “I only have two sets for going out. The rest are rentals. I returned them today because I can’t afford the fees. The show money hasn’t hit yet. I’m literally eating air.”
Guan Yaoming, who had been rich since childhood: “…”.
“Let’s go. What’s wrong with pajamas? They’ll be coming off anyway.” Li Dong smiled, then slung an arm around his shoulder and stole a kiss from the CEO’s cheek.
Not satisfied with that, he lifted the person’s chin and gave another loud kiss.
“You really don’t look like someone this poor.” Guan Yaoming studied him with suspicion. From the first moment, he’d thought this kid had the bearing of a well-bred young master.
Most people can’t fake that.
“So what do you think I am? Loaded?” Li Dong glanced back at his own pigpen. “Have you ever seen a rich person living in a broken house? And f*cking unable to afford clothes?”
“Then why don’t you butter me up?” Guan Yaoming asked. For someone supposedly broke, that temper was something else.
“If flattery gets me money, great.” Li Dong’s smile bloomed like a poppy. He suddenly shoved Guan Yaoming against the wall and kissed him hard.
Some shou prefer gentle kisses, but tastes differ from person to person.
Guan Yaoming did not care for gentle. He liked it rough and taut, a thunderstorm kind of kiss.
That was how men kissed men, even the taste of blood was acceptable.
“Yao-ge, is that kind of flattery enough? Worth a condo?” Li Dong stopped right at the peak, voice low and baiting.
“…”
A not-small transfer later, Li Dong buckled his seat belt with satisfaction. “All right, drive.”
Guan Yaoming saw him fish a lollipop from his pocket, peel off the plastic, and pop it in his mouth.
Only then did Li Dong notice the stare. He grinned shamelessly and stuffed the wrapper into Yao-ge’s pocket. “Lychee flavor. Want a taste?”
Stone-faced, Guan Yaoming said nothing. He pulled his gaze away and focused on the road.
Halfway there, he realized the kid had fallen asleep.
Head tilted, eyes closed, the lollipop about to tumble from his lips.
Guan Yaoming moved fast and caught it.
When they arrived at the villa, Li Dong woke up and yawned. He looked blankly at the candy handed in front of him.
“Still want it?” Guan Yaoming asked.
Li Dong shook his head, dazed. “No.” The nicotine itch had passed so why keep sucking on that?
When they got out, Li Dong saw Yao-ge toss the candy neatly into a trash bin along the path.
So the big boss had held his lollipop and driven one-handed the whole way?
That mental image was… better left unimagined.
“Yao-ge, wait for me!” Li Dong called, then proceeded to amble down from the car like he was strolling a park, slippers slapping as he wandered into the villa.
Looked like another sleepless night ahead. In the bedroom, Guan Yaoming was in the shower.
Bzz bzz… bzz bzz…
His phone buzzed on the nightstand.
“Zhao Mian?” One glance and Li Dong saw the scumbag gong’s name. He picked up the phone, wondering if answering it would tick Yao-ge off.
“What are you doing?” Guan Yaoming appeared suddenly, snatching the phone from his hand with such fierceness that Li Dong jumped.
F*ck, scared me to death.
“Nothing. Your phone kept ringing, so I checked who it was,” Li Dong said. Before he finished, Guan Yaoming had already walked out with the phone. Even without thinking, Li Dong knew he was stepping out to take Zhao Mian’s call.
Hmph. A little sour.
Door closed, standing in the corridor, Guan Yaoming answered. “It’s late. How come you’re calling?”
The tone was remarkably mild. Hearing that, Zhao Mian could tell his mood had improved. He laughed. “So many days and you didn’t call me once. You’re really ruthless.”
“You didn’t call me either,” said Guan Yaoming. No matter how much he loved Zhao Mian, he wasn’t going to go begging for reconciliation, especially when the fault had been on the other side.
“Fine. I apologize. But you should trust me. That whole thing really was a bolt from the blue, not me trying to anger you,” Zhao Mian said. “I’m at our place tonight. Want to come over? I’ll make you a late snack.”
“It’s a bit late,” said Guan Yaoming. He glanced back at the bedroom door. “How about tomorrow? Let’s eat then.”
Zhao Mian checked the time. A bit past ten so not that late. He pressed, “We haven’t seen each other in a while. I want to see you.”
Something softened in Guan Yaoming. He did love Zhao Mian, and the anger had mostly blown over.
But the kid in his room… standing him up tonight would be messy.
“I just finished my shower. I don’t want to go out. I’ll come tomorrow,” said Guan Yaoming.
“Are you still mad?” Zhao Mian asked. In the past, Guan Yaoming would have come without a word.
They had a place outside the company, where they met in secret.
Zhao Mian was grateful that Guan didn’t like sleeping with people. In almost three years, they had done no more than lie together, kiss, and hug.
“I’ll come tomorrow,” said Guan. He hung up. That was how he loved Zhao Mian. On his terms, at his pace.
Which was why Li Dong thought this male-lead shou wasn’t “cheap,” He was just pitiful.
From golden boy, winner at life, to a captive, humiliated at will.
The son of a bad man, should he be hated?
Was the son of a bad person worthy of resentment or not?
From a human perspective, he definitely deserved resentment because Guan Yaoming enjoyed the benefits obtained from his father’s misdeeds.
From a legal perspective, he also seemed unable to escape the connection.
If Guan Yaoming clearly knew what his old man was doing, then he was equivalent to committing the crime of harboring.
Thinking of it that way, scumbag top Zhao Mian’s hatred wasn’t incomprehensible.
He simply shouldn’t have chosen that way to torture Guan Yaoming. Doing so made him no better than Guan Zhengtao.
“…,” Guan Yaoming opened the door and was ambushed by Li Dong’s heated attack, which, truth be told, he liked very much. This was the sensorial rush he wanted, hormones flying.
The phone could go. Everything could go.
He never imagined that one day he would be picked up by a man and tossed onto the bed.
“Yao-ge, how was my performance tonight? Satisfied?” Li Dong grinned, angling for praise, slipping in a kiss.
More than satisfied. Turning Zhao Mian down hadn’t been for nothing; Li Dong didn’t disappoint.
“Not bad. Think carefully about what you want. A car or a house, I can give you either.”
“What about work?” Li Dong asked. “I want to work. I want to be a big star.”
“You treat what I said before as wind in your ear? I won’t let you get famous. Understand?” Guan Yaoming pushed his face away. “And don’t let Zhao Mian find out you’ve slept with me.”
A living, breathing scumbag shou.
Li Dong rolled over and lay down, silent, and started to sleep.
“Hey.” Guan kicked his foot. “Get this straight. I’m your boss. I can snow-store you any time.”
“Please. It’s not like you aren’t snow-storing me now,” Li Dong said. “Fine, you’re the boss. You call the shots. Good night.”
Could he really sleep like that?
Apparently yes. Li Dong drifted off quickly and slept like a rock till morning.
At dawn, after washing up, he bent over to kiss Guan. “Morning. Bye-bye.”
Half-asleep, Guan jerked awake, sat up and started dressing. “Hold on. I’ll drive you.”
“No need. Morning walks are nice,” Li Dong said. “And also, don’t come looking for me again.” After a few steps, he turned back. “PS: If you’ve got the guts, snow-store me for life.”
The greenery in the villa district was lovely.
In pajamas and slippers, strolling through it, Li Dong was a singular sight.
Guan drove up, leaning on the horn, impatient. “Get in.”
The sulking youth ignored him, arms folded, legs churning. For someone in slippers, he moved fast.
Drama king.
“What are you honking at? People are still sleeping!” Li Dong yelled at the car, then kept walking, face set.
Guan could only laugh in anger. He truly didn’t know where the kid got such a massive temper, daring to show him attitude again and again.
“I’m asking you one last f*cking time. Are you getting in or not?” If the answer was no, he’d do exactly what the kid had said, snow-store him for life.
“Yelling at me?” Li Dong smiled. He had been yelled into adulthood. Worst case, he could drift through this world and get by.
“F*ck…” Guan swore, dumbfounded. Li Dong actually broke into a trot. Rage rattled his lungs. I’m going to die of anger!
Li Dong jogged to where he could catch a ride. He looked back. Guan’s car hadn’t followed. Looked like he’d gone back.
Tsk. A two-timer with zero sincerity. No wonder he’d be abused later.
After a night of going back and forth, Zhao Mian finally called. “Yaoming, when are you coming? Want to have breakfast?”
“Not hungry,” said Guan. He paused, reined in his temper. “Make lunch. I’ll come at noon.”
“What’s up? Didn’t sleep well?” Zhao Mian asked.
“No. I’m fine.” As for anything involving Li Dong, Guan didn’t want to say a word. “All right. I’m hanging up. See you at noon.”
Staring at the ended call, Zhao Mian finally sensed something was off lately.
In two or three years together, their cold wars had never lasted more than ten days.
“Dachuan, I want to ask you something.” Playing it safe, Zhao Mian rang Jin Dachuan. “Has anything been bothering Yao-ge lately? I feel like his mood’s off.”
“Has it?” Jin Dachuan said. “I haven’t noticed.” Their Yao-ge had a new fling, why would he be in a bad mood? He chuckled. But he couldn’t spill; he had to cover for the boss.
“Nothing particularly thorny?” Zhao Mian didn’t buy it.
“Nope,” said Dachuan. “Maybe ask A-Gou?”
“All right. I’ll hang up.” With Guan coming soon, asking subordinates was pointless compared to asking the man himself.
When they met, Zhao Mian could tell something was different. The man looked occupied, like something else had his mind.
“Yaoming.” Zhao leaned in and kissed him, rare for him.
“Being proactive today?” Guan was pleased and pulled him closer, wanting to deepen it.
But no matter how he kissed Zhao Mian, there was none of that thrill and joy he’d felt with Li Dong.
Instead, he felt it was dull and tasteless, very lackluster.
Then Li Dong’s face flickered across his mind, and his senses jolted awake.
“Yaoming… you’re being too rough,” Zhao Mian said, pushing him away with a frown. “All right. I’ll go make lunch.”
Guan Yaoming immediately felt like Zhao Mian had poured a bucket of cold water on him. His previous feeling quickly disappeared without a trace.
“You’re leaving right after lunch?” Zhao Mian asked. “Busy lately?” He had wanted to talk things through so Guan wouldn’t stay angry.
“A bit,” said Guan. “I wired five million to your card. Consider it compensation for our last fight.” He looked at him. “You know, I wasn’t angry about the scandal with that actress. I was angry about your attitude.”
Zhao Mian’s attitude toward him had always been lukewarm, tepid. Between them there was no passion, no heat.
And the bitter part was that Guan had found both now in someone else.
“You know this is just who I am,” Zhao Mian said, defending himself. In front of Guan, he had always played the refined, aloof persona, a high flower not to be profaned, making others fall for him.
“I’m leaving,” said Guan. He gave him one last glance and walked out without looking back.
That morning, Li Dong took a taxi back to his shabby apartment. The fare was two hundred.
He wasn’t heartbroken. Last night, Yao-ge had been generous, a single wave and half a million transferred.
With that “sold-body” money, Li Dong could say bye-bye to the tiny rental Lin Mo had taken.
After all, in his last life he had lived decades as a rich young master, throwing money around. Dropping back to the starting line all at once was hard to adjust to.
“Lin Mo, the appearance fee from the show was just wired. Check if it landed,” Liu Hong called.
So that little bit was his payment. A shrimp’s going rate, inhumanly low.
“Hong-jie, can you book me more shows like that?” Li Dong asked. A mosquito’s leg is still meat. Work was work. Better than being idle.
“Those junk shows are useless to you if you do too many,” Liu Hong said. “I got you an event. Go with your Peach-jie. Her popularity’s dipped a little. Maybe you two can stir a CP.”
Peach was the other artist under Liu Hong, who took the lively and cute route and had never had any scandals.
Though they shared an agent, they weren’t close.
“Is she willing?” Li Dong asked. As long as it wasn’t real, he didn’t mind playing along.
“She’s willing. Peach keeps saying you’re handsome,” Liu Hong said. “Dress well. You look too good to waste. I’m making you famous.”
Li Dong was suddenly moved. He really couldn’t bear to tell her that he was Yao-ge’s designated snow-store target number one.
“Okay, Hong-jie. I’ll dress to stun and outshine every flower present.”
“Enough with the jokes. Go get ready,” she said.
Li Dong spent Yao-ge’s money to rent an outfit at the mall. Not a giant brand, still painfully expensive. With only five hundred thousand to his name, if he bought a suit he wouldn’t be able to eat.
“Two days before the event, have dinner with Peach,” Liu Hong arranged.
“Does the company reimburse dinner?” Li Dong asked immediately.
“Peach can afford one meal…” Liu Hong sighed. Could their artist be a little less stingy?
“I’m broke,” Li Dong said. “All right, I’ll spruce up and get to work.”
For this kind of “news,” artists bring their own photographer. Simple reason: your status is too low for paparazzi to squat you. Brutal, right?
The headline read: Sweetheart Queen Peach MM Has a Night Out with Junior Little Fresh Meat. Lin Mo didn’t even get his name printed. But he was so handsome that the facial close-ups were lethal.
Peach’s fans: “OMG! So handsome I can’t close my legs! Peach-jie, I’m going to steal your boyfriend!”
Please calculate Peach’s psychological shadow.
On the day of the event, a bit of grooming and the mirror nearly blinded Li Dong. He had to admit he was handsome.
Pity the industry wasn’t just about looks. You needed resources, seniority, sometimes even a sugar daddy.
Once inside, he realized he and Peach were just there to make up the numbers, bring a photographer, take pictures, push press releases later.
Also brutal, right?
In this business, you discover new brutalities every day.
Before you become top tier, if you don’t have a heart of steel, better quit to save your life.
“Look, President Guan and Mian-ge.” Peach’s voice rose, delighted.
Li Dong looked over grudgingly, then was instantly snagged by that domineeringly handsome face. Tsk. Scumbag shou.
“Honestly, Mian-ge has such presence, and President Guan is so handsome. They look perfect together,” Peach sighed.
Everyone at Star Emperor knew something was going on between Guan Yaoming and Zhao Mian. Online, their CP shippers were a crowd, though no one had ever come out to confirm they were actually together.
Mainly because Guan’s status wasn’t that of a star or singer. Gossip rags didn’t dare write nonsense about him, unless they wanted to die early.
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