TLSOTMTKOGAYWHTDI Chapter 25
by VolareCrystal chandeliers cast dappled light on the gilded wallpaper. Qi Yanwang, tugging at his bow tie, sat to the right of the host.
Zhuo Huaimo’s silver-gray suit gleamed coldly amidst the clinking glasses. The way he caressed the rim of his glass resembled toying with prey.
“President Zhuo, this is the first time you’ve brought someone to a dinner party, right?”
Li Yang, the CEO of the JinYu video platform, winked suggestively. “This Teacher Qi is…”
“An artist from my company!”
The ice clinked in Zhuo Huaimo’s glass as he tapped it against another. “He has good potential, so I brought him out to see the world!”
“Just an artist?”
Zhuo Huaimo’s lips curved into a smile. “What do you think?”
Qi Yanwang stared at the amber liquid swirling in his glass, seemingly unsatisfied with his answer.
He tossed back half a glass of whiskey, the sound of his Adam’s apple bobbing lost in the laughter.
Zhuo Huaimo never befriended anyone without value.
Li Yang was notorious for his playboy ways, but undeniably had abundant resources and connections.
Seeing Zhuo Huaimo bring someone out for the first time, he naturally assumed their relationship was unusual.
Plus, fueled by alcohol, he inevitably became talkative.
“I heard you recommended someone for Director Wang’s new drama?”
Li Yang continued, his smile greasy. “Why not recommend little Qi? Can you handle it all?”
Zhuo Huaimo said blandly, “He’s not suitable!”
Qi Yanwang gripped his fork tightly, crushing the broccoli into mush between his teeth.
He suddenly stood up, saying softly, “I’m going to the restroom.”
Watching Qi Yanwang disappear through the door, Li Yang nudged Zhuo Huaimo, leaning in to whisper.
“Is it that he’s not suitable, or you can’t bear to part with him?”
Zhuo Huaimo took a deep drag from his cigarette, slowly exhaling,
“This year, release one of your platform’s S-tier dramas.”
Li Yang understood instantly, saying meaningfully, “You’re going all-in!”
In the hallway, Qi Yanwang loosened his collar, inhaling deeply on his cigarette.
Back at the dinner table, Li Yang’s question, “Can you handle it all?” and Zhuo Huaimo’s statement, “He’s not suitable,” were like two boulders, crushing his heart.
Handle it all?
Besides him, who else would Zhuo Huaimo be busy for?
He’s not suitable? What wasn’t suitable about him? If he wasn’t suitable, who was? That person?
Qi Yanwang really wanted to drag him out of that private room and interrogate him!
At two in the morning, Zhuo Huaimo leaned half his body on Qi Yanwang’s shoulder.
The strong scent of alcohol mixed with cedar burrowed into his nose. Qi Yanwang batted away his wandering hands for the 18th time,
“Touch me again, and I’ll throw you into the bushes!”
“You can’t bear to…”
Zhuo Huaimo suddenly bit his earlobe, the wet heat of his tongue tracing sensitive skin.
Qi Yanwang staggered as he pushed open the door, both of them collapsing onto the sofa.
Moonlight filtered through the yarn curtains, outlining Zhuo Huaimo’s reddened eyes. Qi Yanwang undid the third button of his rumpled shirt, wiping his body. His gaze involuntarily drifted to the faintly visible collarbone.
He couldn’t help but feel his Adam’s apple bob, but suddenly remembered the irritating behavior of this man at the dinner table.
Qi Yanwang abruptly stood up, tossing the towel onto the bedside table. He nudged Zhuo Huaimo’s calf with his foot,
“Hey! About what you said at the dinner table… who did you recommend to that director?”
“Hmm… who… what person?”
Zhuo Huaimo mumbled incoherently.
Qi Yanwang kicked him twice more. “It’s the one you said I wasn’t suitable for, the one he was suitable for. Who is it? How am I not suitable?”
Seeing Zhuo Huaimo so drunk, he probably wouldn’t remember anything when he woke up tomorrow. He kicked him twice more,
“I’m asking you, who is that person? Why say he’s suitable and I’m not? How am I not suitable?”
“Hmm, he… he’s suitable!”
Zhuo Huaimo mumbled, nearly falling off the bed as he rolled over.
Qi Yanwang reacted quickly, catching him and slamming him back onto the bed.
After much tossing and turning, Qi Yanwang also felt exhausted, sprawled out beside him.
Zhuo Huaimo, however, restlessly clambered on top of him, still muttering,
“Hmm, he… he’s suitable!”
As he spoke, he pressed his knee between his legs. “You like… like this… suitable…”
“Zhuo Huaimo!”
Qi Yanwang instinctively used his hands to block him, feeling the firm chest muscles and the close proximity of the thin lips. This face was even more perfect than on screen.
The two remained locked in a stalemate less than five centimeters apart, their breaths filled with the aroma of red wine.
As he once again saw Zhuo Huaimo’s dazed expression, he lost his strength.
Zhuo Huaimo fell straight down, landing squarely on his lips.
Cool, soft, and fragrant with red wine.
Qi Yanwang’s heart pounded wildly, his face burning, so hot that he thought it must be an illusion, so hot that he was sure he was drunk too.
“Damn it!”
Then he fled into the bathroom in a panic, his flushed face reflected in the mirror.
He frantically turned on the shower, but the cold water couldn’t extinguish the heat within him, his mind filled with the image of Zhuo Huaimo’s bobbing Adam’s apple in a moment of passion.
In the following days, Qi Yanwang clearly avoided him.
Zhuo Huaimo wasn’t one to chase after people. Due to work, he flew to Hai City for three days.
Coincidentally, Che Ye was also in Hai City during those three days.
“Did you hear? The second male lead in Director Wang’s new drama seems to be confirmed. It’s a newcomer, personally recommended by our President Zhuo.”
“From our company?”
“Seems like he’s signed with another company!”
“President Zhuo is so attentive even to someone from another company? What’s the relationship?”
“Shhh, we all know what’s going on. If it gets to President Zhuo’s ears, we’re all finished!”
Qi Yanwang, just back from the set, overheard this “explosive” piece of gossip while taking a smoke break outside the makeup room.
When he went inside, the two staff members immediately shut up.
Qi Yanwang pretended to be calm, nodding and smiling.
The water bottle in his hand, however, was crinkling loudly as he squeezed it. The air conditioning in the makeup room couldn’t suppress the fire in his heart.
Che Ye happily brought peach blossom cakes from Hai City to the set to see Qi Yanwang.
As soon as he entered, he saw Qi Yanwang with a dark expression.
He presented the peach blossom cakes like a treasure, placing them in front of him. “What are you thinking about? You look terrible!”
Qi Yanwang came back to his senses, his gaze involuntarily falling on the conspicuous hickey on his neck.
Fresh, recently planted!
A bad feeling suddenly arose in Qi Yanwang’s heart, and his expression immediately darkened.
“What’s wrong? He just came back from Hai City to see you. Why are you making that face?”
“You went to Hai City?”
Qi Yanwang asked, his voice noticeably lower than usual. “Alone?”
Che Ye was already sensitive and observant, and his years in the nightlife industry had honed his ability to read people’s expressions. Plus, the person in front of him was Zhuo Huaimo.
He deliberately hid the hickey on his neck, feigning shyness,
“Oh, no, I didn’t! I went with a friend!”
As he spoke, he handed the peach blossom cakes to Qi Yanwang. “Try them quickly, I bought them especially for you!”
Qi Yanwang glanced at the peach blossom cakes, his tone indifferent. “You eat them, I’m cutting carbs recently.”
“Ah?!”
Che Ye feigned disappointment. “I can’t eat them either, I’m joining a production crew next month!”
“Joining a production crew?”
Qi Yanwang’s heart leaped into his throat. “You, you got a role?”
“Yeah, didn’t President Zhuo tell you?”
Che Ye said with a smile, “It’s in Director Wang’s drama. President Zhuo even helped introduce me!”
Director Wang’s new drama, Zhuo Huaimo’s recommendation, the trip to Hai City together, and that conspicuous hickey!!
Everything was connected. Qi Yanwang suddenly felt a dense, stabbing pain in his heart.
He was furious! He felt deceived. Zhuo Huaimo had clearly said he didn’t like Che Ye!
He felt ashamed. Che Ye was his best friend, and he should be happy that he got a good script and a chance to join a production crew.
But why did he feel jealous? Why did he feel disgusted by the person in front of him?
Qi Yanwang abruptly stood up, suppressing the surge of emotions within him,
“Che Ye, stay here for a while, I suddenly remembered that the director seems to need me for something!”
Che Ye looked at him with his usual innocent expression,
“Oh, okay!”
Watching Qi Yanwang’s departing figure, he casually picked up the peach blossom cake on the table, crushing it into powder. The corner of his lips curled into a cold smile.
Qi Yanwang yanked his tie open with one hand and furiously called Zhuo Huaimo.
“Hello!”
His usual lazy, deep voice came from the other end of the phone.
“Where are you?” Qi Yanwang cut to the chase, his voice clearly suppressing anger.
“Home, just got back from Hai City, exhausted. What’s up?”
One sentence, two triggers!
“You just wait for me!”