Chapter 36: Guan Yaoming
When he brawled with the little fresh meat on the bed, Guan Yaoming could clearly tell that the kid’s solid muscles meant he was not losing because he was weak.
The truth was, the other party had a sharp tongue but soft heart. He talked a big game, saying he would toss you aside like an old shoe, got angry the second he wanted, started a cold war whenever he pleased. Yet when it came to real blows, he could not bring himself to be ruthless. He would rather take the hits than strike back.
“…Lin Mo, Lin Mo, Lin Mo… Lin Mo…”
Guan could not sleep. He tossed and turned, then sat up, grabbed his phone, and messaged Li Dong: “I am sorry for laying hands on you just now.”
Li Dong had already made it home. He replied at once: “Would an apology fix it?”
Guan: “How badly are you hurt?” He was truly worried. Last time one punch from Zhao Mian had left the kid wailing for days. Tonight he had lost his temper and gone too far. Regret gnawed at him so hard he could not sleep.
“You can see for yourself.” Li Dong’s next message included a photo.
In it he wore pajamas, brows slightly knit. The corner of his eye and his lip were both visibly bruised and cut.
Guan: “I am very sorry. Tomorrow I will take you to the hospital for a checkup.” Seeing that mark near Li Dong’s eye made his gut clench. A little off and it could have hit the eye.
Those eyes were so bright and alive. Just looking at them made him want to…
“I have my own hands and feet.” Li Dong: “I need you to take me to a hospital for something that small?”
Guan: “Calm down. Let us talk this through…”
Li Dong: “You just beat me and now you want me to calm down and talk? You are real something, Guan Yaoming.” Then: “I am going to sleep. You may withdraw.”
Guan touched his own bluish, swollen lip and did not bother correcting him. A mutual fight and a one-sided beating were two different things.
The next morning, Jin Dachuan arrived, per orders, to pick up the boss.
“Holy sh*t, Yao-ge, what happened to your face?” The more he looked, the more it seemed like his boss had been pummeled. “Who the f*ck dared to hit you? Tell me and I will go make trouble at his door.”
Guan: “That is trouble you cannot afford to make.”
“Eh?” Jin instantly deflated. He trusted that Guan had no reason to lie. “Then… I will go buy some spray or something to help it heal faster.”
Guan: “It is almost year-end. Arrange the company’s annual banquet.”
Jin: “Isn’t it a bit early?” There was still time before the New Year. No need to rush.
Guan: “Do it. Less chatter.”
“Yes, yes.” Jin scurried off to prepare.
On Li Dong’s side, Director Yang called first thing: “Lin Mo, we are starting publicity. I hope you can free up time and attend as many events as possible.”
Li Dong: “No problem, Director. But… my face is not very presentable for a few days. Could we push the events back a bit?”
Director Yang: “?”
Li Dong hung up, then sheepishly sent a photo of his battered face. Mortifying.
“…Good grief…” Director Yang stared. President Guan had no idea how to cherish a delicate flower. Just a lovers’ spat and he had to go that far?
The next day he met with Guan Yaoming in person.
Now it all made sense.
Look at them. Even after trading blows, President Guan was still throwing full support behind the film. Why?
Because of love.
Their agenda that day is publicity, more money, and Lin Mo.
Guan: “I am very optimistic that Lin Mo will blow up.” And that was not just lip service. “Director Yang, I have already commissioned a tailor-made script for him. I hope you will direct the next one too. Funding is not a problem.”
Director Yang: “President Guan, if you do this…” Was that not a slap in Best Actor Zhao’s face?
Guan: “Just take care of Lin Mo. I will handle the rest.” After the meeting he poured more money into the current film’s promotion, leaving the veteran director grinning from ear to ear.
The older you get, the more you enjoy working with generous investors.
Meanwhile, since winning his Best Actor award, Zhao Mian had not filmed for nearly half a year. There were two reasons: either he found the scripts lacking, or the good one was snatched by a little fresh meat.
That day he brought a script to the company to find Guan. “Yaoming, I think Director Chen’s new film is pretty good. Would you be interested in investing?”
“You must be joking,” Guan said. “He always partners with Huashuo, and despite his fame he mostly shoots commercial fare. Joining his film as a Best Actor, what is your goal?” Money?
Zhao withdrew the script. “So you are not interested? Fine.” It had only been a pretext to come. “I heard you are having someone write a new script lately. How thoughtful.”
His official partner had not filmed in six months. Why was Guan not commissioning a script for him?
Guan: “You already have your own direction. You know what you want to do.” His explanation carried a distinct impatience. “Lin Mo is just a newcomer. He will accept my arrangements. You?” Would you accept anyone telling you what to do?
Of course not.
“So you find even talking to me annoying now?” Zhao said. “Yaoming, I thought you had cut it off with him. You saw him once and you cannot wait to prop him again.”
A dog cannot stop eating sh*t really is eternal truth.
“Are you angry that I went to see him or that I am supporting him? Figure it out,” Guan said icily. These days, just seeing Zhao made him feel suffocated. He felt his three years of devotion had been wasted.
“Do not be like this. I do not want to fight.” He finally realized Guan Yaoming had changed somewhat. He seemed to constantly maintain a skeptical attitude and carry many grievances.
“Then please leave,” Guan said. Thinking back, aside from arguments, he could not recall any deep, meaningful moments with Zhao.
More and more, he felt that the heat he had with the little fresh meat was what love was supposed to feel like.
A few days later, Li Dong’s face was mostly healed. With a touch of concealer he could appear for promo.
The first wave of fans followed the tour nationwide. Li Dong was flattered. With his old-fashioned temperament, he could not say romantic lines and had none of the slick sweet talk he had around Guan. He just smiled, said thank you, and treated everyone to meals.
He believed that when an actor pours his heart into a role and chooses craft for craft’s sake, fame and money fade into the background. In those moments he was simply Li Dong.
Fans who liked him should see the real Li Dong, not a carefully crafted persona.
Even though the industry was littered with personas, and every now and then there was news of one collapsing.
Those stories were just for fun. After an apology, a new trendy persona would get slapped on anyway.
No need to push the publicity too hard. After half a month, Li Dong returned just in time for the company’s annual banquet.
Since he had been on a hot streak, agent Liu Hong dropped her Peachy meimei the moment she heard he had arrived and hurried over to fuss and coo.
Tonight’s fresh meat wore a black-and-white suit. He had slicked back his hair, an Asian look that is hard to pull off, but on him it was bright and striking, softened by the boyish curve of his smile.
A high-quality young idol like this was guaranteed to turn heads. People stared openly or stole glances.
“Lin Mo.” Zhao had been watching him for a long while. He finally walked over with a glass of champagne and smiled. “Wishing you success with the new film.”
“Thank you, Mian-ge,” Li Dong said with a smile. “Since we finally run into each other, why not talk about Yao-ge?”
“Too many people here,” Zhao replied. With the hand holding his glass, he gestured to a corner. “Shall we talk over there?”
“You are not going to hit me, are you?” Li Dong asked, looking genuinely traumatized.
“You jest,” Zhao said smoothly, utterly unruffled, like a man who had never thrown a punch in his life. “I promised Yaoming I would not touch you.”
“That’s good then,” Li Dong said at last, and followed. They slipped through a side door onto a closed balcony filled with greenery.
It was not cold there, so they could speak freely.
“Mian-ge,” Li Dong said. “I came today to ask you to please let Yao-ge go.”
Zhao sipped his champagne, puzzled. “What do you mean? Between me and Yaoming, what is there to let go of?” Everyone knew they were an in-love pair.
“Because you don’t love him at all,” Li Dong said. “I think Yao-ge knows it too. He cheated because he loves you. He cannot break up with you because he loves you. He is conflicted because he loves you. You have been trampling that love. I think it is despicable. You are no different from any villain. You just harm people in a different way.”
“You are ridiculous,” Zhao said. “Do I love him or not? Does he love me or not? Since when is that for you to declare?” He turned, face cold. “Lin Mo, do not overestimate yourself. I will warn you seriously. Keep meddling between us and I will not let you go.”
He jabbed a finger at Li Dong’s chest, spat out the threat, and turned to leave.
“Hey, wait. I am not done,” Li Dong said. “Your career is thriving. Why not let it go?” Or, if he truly had the guts, he could go to Thailand and deal with Guan Zhengtao directly, without dragging Guan Yaoming into it.
“I have no idea what you are talking about. Maybe your brain is misfiring,” Zhao said, tapping his temple with a mocking smile and a hint of irritability. “There are many ways to make someone disappear.”
“You mean you want to kill me?” Li Dong asked. “If you dare, the law will punish you.”
“Hahaha. Funniest thing I have heard,” Zhao murmured in his ear. “If the law worked, there would not be so many wrongful deaths.”
So he really was fixated on his father’s death and wanted to use Guan Yaoming to get back at Guan Zhengtao.
Li Dong shut his mouth and sifted through the original plot. What had triggered Zhao to imprison Guan?
It was when the undercover Lin Mo found some evidence. On February 13, Guan’s mother’s birthday, Guan Zhengtao returned with his wife for the celebration. The police seized the opportunity to haul him into court.
When the judge announced insufficient evidence and released him, Zhao’s urge to kill ignited.
He lured Guan to a remote house, planning to murder him. In the end he couldn’t do it, so he chose humiliation instead.
This time without Lin Mo’s evidence, the police would not arrest Guan Zhengtao.
Zhao would still do something. Most likely he would strike at the birthday banquet.
Li Dong’s head throbbed. He did not want Zhao to ruin himself with revenge or for Guan to become a piece on his board.
“That is all,” Zhao said. “Remember what I told you.” As he left, he lifted his glass above Li Dong’s head, ready to pour it down.
“Stop.” A voice sounded behind them. Zhao turned, startled. Standing there was Guan Yaoming.
The handsome, straight-backed man looked on with a cold face.
“Yaoming…” Zhao turned around. “Because I love you too much. Every word I said just now came from jealousy.” Every legitimate partner facing a mistress had this attitude, without exception.
Guan walked over, took the glass from Zhao’s hand, and tossed it to the floor. “Jealousy? Forgive me for not feeling it.” After hearing Li Dong, he felt he had lived in vain. A big boy saw love more clearly than he did. “Lin Mo is right. You do not love me at all.”
He had to admit that for years Zhao had stayed with him largely for resources and career.
“I love you, Yaoming, but this is my personality,” Zhao said, worthy of his Best Actor title, smiling wryly. “You think I lack the passion of wildflowers and grasses outside, right? But that is not an excuse for your cheating. Do you understand?”
“Enough, Zhao Mian. Stop blaming personality. Just admit you do not love me,” Guan said. Anyone who has truly loved knows love is not like that.
Love boils. Love is wanting him every minute, or wanting to be taken by him every minute.
“Do you love me then?” Zhao asked. “If I do not love you, do you? Is your love the kind that runs out to play the moment you start to doubt me?” He pointed at Li Dong.
“Put your finger away,” Guan said, stepping in front of Li Dong and keeping space between them. “This is between us. It has nothing to do with him.”
“Then whose fault is it?” Zhao asked.
“No one’s,” Guan said. “If there is no love, we break up. Is it that complicated?”
“What do you mean?” Zhao looked at them both, very calm. “Are you breaking up with me, Yaoming?”
Standing behind Guan, Li Dong shivered.
This, he felt, was the real Zhao. The bone-deep obsession that made your skin crawl. No wonder he would later lock someone up.
“Obviously, we should break up,” Guan said.
“Heh.” Zhao gave a cold laugh.
“Love is simple,” Guan said. He glanced back at Li Dong, who stood quietly. “If you are happy, stay together. If you are not, break up. Do you disagree?”
“You fell in love with him?” Zhao asked. “You think you two can be happy forever?” In his heart he did not believe Guan loved Li Dong. It was a passing taste for something new, a flaw men were born with.
He'd been entangled with Guan Yaoming for three years and knew very clearly that this man valued relationships to an extreme. He'd rather hurt himself than hurt those around him.
Guan Yaoming said, “That’s between him and me.” He continued, “A peaceful breakup won’t affect your career. In the future, wherever I can help you, I won’t be stingy.”
After a long while, the atmosphere remained tense.
Silence stretched.
“OK,” Zhao said at last. “You propose the breakup. Of course I will not make a scene.” He did not feel that sadness anyway, just a deep sense of insult. “Then let us end it, Guan Yaoming. I hope you two can stay happy a bit longer.”
He proudly stepped back a few paces, then turned and left like a gentleman with his arms folded.
This emotional performance could be said to be masterful. Even after breaking up, Li Dong believed that as long as Zhao Mian wanted to order Guan Yaoming around, it would be a matter of minutes.
Because Guan Yaoming felt guilty toward Zhao Mian.
This retreat-to-advance finale was textbook. Ptui! Li Dong was not happy at all.
He turned to follow Zhao Mian’ departure.
“Where are you going?” Guan grabbed Li Dong’s wrist in a rush.
“Kindly remove your hand,” Li Dong said. “I hate people with exes the most.” Always entangled, never clean. As if suffering from that disease called “we can still be friends.”
“Why is your temper so big lately?” Guan asked. Just now he had begged Zhao to let him go, and now he was tossing his head with pride. He could not figure him out.
“Is it?” Li Dong said. “I remember it has always been big.” Even so, when Guan came up to walk beside him, he did not pull away.
Indeed sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. So adorable it made one’s heart tremble. Even his angry appearance made one only want to indulge him.
“When I say I broke up with Zhao Mian, I mean it,” Guan said. “Have you forgotten who I am? Do you think I will let an ex make demands?” He would not.
Li Dong rolled his eyes. Right, the underworld man. Always trumpeting what he was like it was an honor.
“Since you chose to break up, then end it cleanly,” he said. “Joint assets, shares, influence, separate everything cleanly.” For the record, he did not covet any of it. It was just a small piece of advice.
“Got it.” Taking advantage of the empty corridor, Guan quickly pinched Li Dong’s nose. “Our lives were not as intertwined as you think.” Looking back, Zhao had never truly merged into his life. He had been forcing it all along.
“Good.” Still, Li Dong did not feel the relief he had expected. He frowned. “I really do not know what you ever saw in him.” If Guan had not chosen Zhao in the first place, there would not have been so many ridiculous messes.
Of course, there would not be this book either.
“Let us not pick at the past,” Guan said, returning with Li Dong to the hall. He was eager to lay his cards on the table. “Lin Mo—”
Jin Dachuan’s booming voice crashed in. “Yao-ge, here you are!” He shoved a microphone into Guan’s hand and dragged him away. “The speech is starting. Say a few words about the year and your outlook for next year.”
“…” To h*ll with outlooks.
“Good luck,” Li Dong called with a sweet squinting smile, then melted into the crowd for another champagne, waiting for Guan’s remarks.
Their devastatingly handsome president took the stage and gave off free hormones.
“Another year together. This is Star Emperor’s fourth year. But this one is special…”
Your CEO was two-timing and finally successfully crashed today. Fortunately, every cloud has a silver lining, not only saying goodbye to past rotten peach blossoms but also seemingly finding true love.
When the president’s gaze drifted across the room, Li Dong winked at him. In full view of everyone, they flirted shamelessly.
Spicy. It made Guan think of that time they sneaked off to the restroom together.
“Thank you,” Guan finished.
As he stepped down, his eyes kept hooking toward the little fresh meat, deliberately and otherwise. After all, the kid had baited him first. Naturally he had to bait back.
“Flirtatious President~~” Li Dong murmured, a smile tugging at his lips. Just then a soft warmth rose in his chest as he thought of Lingling tucked away in his heart, making his gaze go tender.
He remembered Lingling liked gentleness, while Guan preferred a little rough.
“Mm…” Guan grunted as the little fresh meat slammed him against the door. They tore at each other like lions.
After a good while, five or six minutes.
“Lin Mo…” Guan stopped the little wolfdog’s enthusiastic rooting and managed, with effort, “Wait. I have something to say.”
Li Dong respected people’s wishes. When the other said stop, he stopped. “Alright. Talk.” He looked into Guan’s eyes, serious.
The gesture was almost dizzyingly swoony.
Guan felt hopeless. The man was younger than him, yet he made him feel safe.
Compared to Zhao’s insistence on surface elegance, Guan truly loved Li Dong’s earnestness and clean efficiency. It made him want to yield.
“You are still so young. I cannot guess what you are thinking,” Guan said. “But I like you very much.” He kissed the little fresh meat.
“With respect,” Li Dong said, “you just broke up and now say you like me. How much weight does that carry?” He looked leisurely at this male lead bottom who’d achieved new levels of being a scumbag and said coolly, “True heart for true heart. Mine is expensive. I do not hand it out.”
“Do you think my past with Zhao makes me a frivolous man?” Guan leaned in, unwilling to leave the heat of him. “Lin Mo, I admit sleeping with you may have been a frivolous decision. But breaking up with Zhao and wanting to be with you, those are things I decided after careful thought.”
“Give me a break,” Li Dong said, puncturing the story at once. “Tonight was a random accident. Both of you were improvising.” Only he had rehearsed, already knowing exactly what bad thing he planned to do.
“What are you planning now?” Guan’s voice went cold. He shoved Li Dong away. “Are you going to keep treating me with that ‘if I do not take advantage I am a fool’ attitude?”
“Getting angry already?” Li Dong said, “Then why aren't you angry about being deceived by a scumbag for three years?” He continued, “Do you still think he's good even now? Tsk tsk, could you use your brain?”
When the Guan family held the birthday banquet, anyone with half a brain would know Guan Yaoming would not stop Zhao Mian from attending.
At the end of the day, Li Dong was just angry. Why did Guan Yaoming repeatedly tolerate Zhao Mian, but with him, he’d get physical at the slightest disagreement?
“Do not push it,” Guan said through clenched teeth.
“You have not seen me push it yet,” Li Dong said. “Enough. I do not want to see you right now.” It was his apartment. He picked up Guan’s coat and tossed it to him. “Put on your clothes and get out.”
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