TLSOTMTKOGAYWHTDI Chapter 15
by VolareZhuo Huaimo took Qi Yanwang to the private lounge on the top floor of the company, pushed open the bathroom door, and casually said,
“You go shower first, I’ll come later.”
Qi Yanwang nodded, walked into the bathroom, and closed the door.
The sound of water soon filled the air, and mist gradually spread.
Zhuo Huaimo leaned against the wall outside the bathroom, listening to the sounds inside, a slight smile on his lips.
He quietly counted down, “Three, two, one!”
Sure enough, Qi Yanwang’s voice came through the door.
“Zhuo Huaimo, it seems there are no towels in here!”
Zhuo Huaimo leaned against the wall, silent.
“Zhuo Huaimo?”
After a moment, Zhuo Huaimo finally responded blandly,
“Okay, wait a moment.”
He raised his hand and knocked on the door, the sound of his knuckles mixing with the humid air, spreading sticky warmth.
“Qi Yanwang, towels.”
A sliver of the door opened, and a section of wet forearm stretched out from the crack. The large hand had distinct joints and radiated heat.
Zhuo Huaimo’s fingertips were cool. He handed over a clean, brand new towel, and as he retracted his hand, he brushed against the inside of the other’s wrist—the most vulnerable part of the human pulse.
He clearly felt the other flinch slightly, and the towel was snatched away.
Qi Yanwang took the towel, his voice muffled,
“Thanks.”
A triumphant smile crept onto Zhuo Huaimo’s lips as he turned and walked to the lounge nearby.
When Qi Yanwang came out, drying his hair, Zhuo Huaimo was sitting with his legs crossed, flipping through a script.
A black silk shirt slid open, revealing a patch of pale skin on his chest. He was sinking into the leather sofa like a sheathed blade.
“A modern business war drama, the male lead rises from the bottom to become a capitalist.”
Zhuo Huaimo tossed the script over, and his watch clattered against the glass coffee table with a “clang.”
“You can pull off that crazed energy.”
Qi Yanwang’s hand, which was about to open the title page, paused.
The gilded title stung his eyes—”Hyena.”
“Does Zhuo always think so highly of me?”
He looked up, meeting the other’s abyss-like eyes.
“I’m never wrong about people.”
Zhuo Huaimo leaned over to pour him tea, and the heat from his open collar wafted over the back of Qi Yanwang’s hand.
“Thanks!”
Zhuo Huaimo waved his hand. “Don’t just say thank you. Play the role well, make money for the company, that’s more important than anything! Besides, you’re an artist in my company. Naturally, I want to make long-term plans for you.”
As they were talking, Qi Yanwang’s phone suddenly rang.
Catching sight of “Sister Chai” calling, his brow furrowed.
Zhuo Huaimo knew that Qi Yanwang was someone who valued relationships, especially with his former agent who had been kind to him.
He took a sip of tea, the sound of his Adam’s apple bobbing was clearly audible. “Answer it!”
The sound of shattering glass came from the other end of the phone. Sister Chai’s voice was tearful.
“Yanwang! They’re smashing the company!”
Qi Yanwang shot to his feet, but Zhuo Huaimo grabbed the back of his collar.
“I’ll drive.”
The temperature of the other’s fingertips seeped through his skin. “When you’re going to fight, you need someone to hold down the fort.”
At the entrance of the former agency, five tattooed burly men were swinging baseball bats, smashing the glass door. Sister Chai was huddled in the corner, trembling. When she saw Qi Yanwang, tears streamed down her face.
“Yanwang, they want you to pay back the penalty for breaking the contract. They didn’t dare cause trouble at Xingyue, so they came here!”
The people blocking the door were sent by the first agency. Back then, in order to get rid of them, Qi Yanwang was forced to sign an IOU.
The money he had worked so hard to earn in recent years had all gone to filling this hole.
“I said I would pay the money!”
Qi Yanwang clenched his fists and charged forward, but Zhuo Huaimo grabbed him by the back of his collar.
“No, why should we pay the money?”
Zhuo Huaimo took off his watch and stuffed it into his hand, rolling the sleeves of his loose shirt up to his elbows.
He walked straight toward the flowery arm man leading the group, his leather shoes crunching over the broken glass.
The flowery arm man spat. “Does Zhuo want to wade into this muddy water?”
“Qi Yanwang is my man now.”
Zhuo Huaimo smiled as he undid his cuffs. “If you touch him, you’re hitting me in the face.”
The air suddenly froze.
The flowery arm man’s pupils contracted. Zhuo Huaimo was famous for being a crazy person.
Two years ago, he took on three stalker fans alone. Rumor had it that he was holding a bloody folding chair, smiling as he asked the paparazzi,
“Can this make the trending topics?”
“We’ll give Zhuo a face today.”
The flowery arm man took a half step back, and the baseball bat crashed to the ground. He turned to leave.
“Wait!”
Zhuo Huaimo’s voice was as cold as ice. “Tell that Li guy to bring the IOU and get his ass to Xingyue tomorrow to find me!”
Hearing this, the flowery arm man left without looking back.
Qi Yanwang stared at Zhuo Huaimo’s backlit figure.
The hem of the man’s shirt was stained with dust, but it made his waistline appear even sharper.
He suddenly remembered the moment of skin contact on the basketball court, and his Adam’s apple involuntarily bobbed.
Zhuo Huaimo suddenly turned around, a cigarette in his mouth, and grinned.
“What are you looking at?”
Qi Yanwang snapped back to reality and quickly averted his gaze.
Sister Chai came out of the corner, trembling. “Zhuo, Mr. Zhuo, thank you for today!”
Zhuo Huaimo smiled and put an arm around Qi Yanwang’s shoulders.
“You’re welcome. Yanwang is my brother, and you’re all his family. It’s only right that I take care of you!”
At this moment, Che Ye rushed over breathlessly. Clearly, Sister Chai had called him too.
He grabbed Qi Yanwang’s shoulders, gasping for air.
“I… I rushed over as soon as I saw the message. Yanwang, are you okay?”
Qi Yanwang nodded. “I’m fine!”
Che Ye looked at Zhuo Huaimo beside Qi Yanwang. The man’s posture was upright and imposing.
Even in a simple casual outfit, it was hard to conceal his innate superstar aura.
This was someone they could only see on the screen in the past, but now,
Zhuo Huaimo was standing right in front of him,
And Qi Yanwang was standing next to him.
Che Ye reached out his hand. “Mr. Zhuo, hello, I’m Che Ye, Yanwang’s brother.”
Zhuo Huaimo glanced at him, immediately noticing the desire and shrewdness in the man’s eyes.
He released his arm from Qi Yanwang’s shoulders and warmly shook the other’s hand.
“Hello! Zhuo Huaimo. You’re Yanwang’s brother, so you’re my brother too!”
Che Ye’s brow twitched. He had just called Qi Yanwang “Yanwang!”
The next second, Zhuo Huaimo withdrew his hand and put his arm around Qi Yanwang’s shoulders again, the heat of his palm seeping through the fabric.
“Let’s go, I’ll arrange an audition for you tomorrow!”
Che Ye watched the two men leave, already formulating plans in his mind.
The car drove across the river bridge, and the lights on the river reflected on the car windows, creating a mottled pattern.
Qi Yanwang suddenly spoke. “Thank you for today.”
Zhuo Huaimo rested one hand on the steering wheel, turning his head slightly to glance at him.
“Thank me for what? You’re a person in my company. If I don’t protect you, who will?”
“Deduct the money for the contract termination from my future salary!”
Zhuo Huaimo laughed coldly. “Who said I was going to give them the money?”
Qi Yanwang was stunned and turned to look at him.
“Then what do you mean by telling that Li guy to bring the IOU tomorrow?”
Zhuo Huaimo didn’t answer immediately, but leisurely took out a can of ice-cold Coke from the car refrigerator, opened the ring pull with one hand, and handed the Coke to him.
“Don’t worry! I won’t give them a single cent. I’ll get the IOU back for you! I have dirt on those bastards. Not only will I not pay, but I’ll make them spit out all the money they’ve cheated you out of over the years, with interest!”
Qi Yanwang took the Coke. “Why are you helping me?”
Zhuo Huaimo’s lips curved into a wicked smile as he said something lewd,
“I can’t × you, so I’ll be your brother, and stick knives in my ribs for you. Sticking knives in my ribs is still sticking knives!”
Qi Yanwang almost spat out the ice-cold Coke.
“Zhuo Huaimo, you bastard!”
But the other man’s smile was as bright and open as the sun.
He admitted that Zhuo Huaimo was indeed a rogue, but as a brother, he was pretty damn good!