Kiss me

Tong Zhao slowly went upstairs and walked down the corridor, past his former room and Shu Sizhuo's bedroom, before stopping outside the study at the end.

The study door was ajar. Tong Zhao couldn't be bothered to knock politely and pushed it open.

The faint scent of sandalwood in the study greeted him, and the familiar smell made his heart tighten slightly.

Shu Sizhuo leaned against the large solid-wood desk, replying to messages on his phone with his left hand. His bandaged right hand rested casually on the edge of the desk. When he saw Tong Zhao enter, he put his phone away and curved his lips slightly. "You're here?"

Tong Zhao had been full of anger, but it instantly fizzled out when he saw Shu Sizhuo's injured right hand. "Why hasn't your hand healed yet?"

"The bone's broken."

Shu Sizhuo's words made Tong Zhao's face change drastically. He crossed the room in a few strides and stared at the hand. "Really?"

Shu Sizhuo stared at his face. "I lied."

Tong Zhao looked up and glared at him.

Shu Sizhuo smiled. "It's nothing serious. The medicine was sticky, so I covered it with gauze."

Since it was nothing serious, it was time to get down to business. Tong Zhao got straight to the point. "Were you the one who cut Shi Ruohe and me off from that urban drama?"

Shu Sizhuo smiled and lazily asked, "Otherwise, why would you have come to see me of your own accord?"

He admitted it quickly enough, without beating around the bush at all. Tong Zhao asked incredulously, "Just because I didn't agree to your request?"

Shu Sizhuo gave a nonchalant hum, seeing nothing underhanded about his methods. "That's exactly why."

The more Shu Sizhuo took it for granted and brushed it aside, the angrier Tong Zhao became. "Shi Ruohe signed with Purple Goosefoot three years ago, and he finally managed to land a decent opportunity. Yet you went and cut us off from it for such a shitty reason! Shu Sizhuo, what the hell are you doing?"

Shu Sizhuo looked at Tong Zhao's face and listened intently to every angry word he spoke. He actually found a trace of a once-familiar feeling.

Yes, that was the look, that was the tone, that was the expression.

No one else could have brought it to life so vividly.

This was the real Tong Zhao.

"Shu Sizhuo, President Shu," Tong Zhao said, frowning as he tried to reason with him, "keeping a lover is wrong, and using your power to threaten others into submitting is wrong too. You shouldn't do this."

Shu Sizhuo first stared at him quietly, as if giving his words serious thought. Then a faint, mocking smile slowly spread across his face. "Tong Zhao, it's an urban drama that won't even air on satellite TV. Shi Ruohe's the third male lead, and you're the fifth, sixth or seventh. Is a lousy opportunity like that worth spending so much energy on?"

Of course Tong Zhao knew it was a lousy opportunity, but what choice did he have?

"Whatever the opportunity, we have to seize it," Tong Zhao said.

Shu Sizhuo really hated hearing Tong Zhao say "we." He sneered. "If you value opportunities so much, why not agree to my request? If you stay with me, the opportunities will all be S+. Whether it's you or that idiot Shi Ruohe, I can easily make either of you famous."

Shu Sizhuo took Tong Zhao by the chin and lifted it with a little force, his voice low and tender. "I, Shu Sizhuo, won't treat my lover badly."

Shu Sizhuo was so close that his scorching breath brushed Tong Zhao's face.

At this inopportune moment, Tong Zhao recalled scenes from when they were together: embraces, gentle kisses, with a force that would have ground the other into their very bones.

A pang of heartache followed.

Tong Zhao smacked his hand away, leaving a red mark on his fair chin. He glared at Shu Sizhuo. "Just how many lovers have you kept?"

Shu Sizhuo smiled. "Want to know? Stay with me, and I'll tell you in due time."

"Dream on."

Completely at ease, Shu Sizhuo leaned back against the edge of the desk and said dismissively, "Then you and Shi Ruohe can dream on about getting opportunities in the entertainment industry."

Tong Zhao was so angry that both his forehead and his chest hurt. He wanted to hold on to his pride, turn around and leave, but he couldn't. If he walked out that door, his mission would be ruined.

Shu Sizhuo, you bastard, now that you can turn clouds with one hand and rain with the other, you're coming straight for me, is that it?

The sky had gone completely dark. Insects chirped outside the window again, and the scent of osmanthus drifted in through the half-open window.

Neither of them spoke, as if they were engaged in a silent contest.

Shu Sizhuo was in no hurry. He picked up a pack of cigarettes from beside him, flicked one out and held it between his lips. He played with the six-figure Grand, opening and closing it between his fingers, but never used it to light the cigarette.

At last, Tong Zhao conceded. In a conciliatory tone, he said, "As you said, Shi Ruohe is only the third male lead, and I'm the fifth, sixth or seventh. It's a lousy opportunity, not worth going to such lengths over."

Shu Sizhuo raised an eyebrow with interest.

Tong Zhao took a small step forward. Though his tone was soft, his expression remained stubborn. "Ask for something else, as long as it's something I can do."

Shu Sizhuo lowered his gaze to Tong Zhao. His skin was fair, his eyes dark, and the tips of his lashes long and soft, making Shu Sizhuo's heart itch.

Shu Sizhuo weighed it up. In truth, there was no need to rush. With the bait on the hook, he could reel in the net slowly.

"Is that so?" Shu Sizhuo asked quietly.

Seeing a chance, Tong Zhao breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, as long as I can do it. Tell me what you want first."

Shu Sizhuo's gaze fell on his pale lips. "Then kiss me."

"Huh?" Tong Zhao hadn't heard clearly. He looked up. "What?"

"For Shi Ruohe's role as third male lead, and for your role as the fifth, sixth or seventh," Shu Sizhuo said, "kiss me, now."

Tong Zhao was still in a daze when Shu Sizhuo continued, "You have three seconds to consider. The offer expires after that. Three, two, one..."

Before he could finish saying "one," the cigarette was taken from his mouth, and a pair of soft lips followed.

Tong Zhao tilted his head up, both hands braced on Shu Sizhuo's shoulders, the cigarette he had just taken from Shu Sizhuo's mouth still held between his fingers.

This guy was much taller than he had been eight years ago. Back then, Tong Zhao clearly hadn't needed to stand on tiptoe.

Their soft lips had only just touched lightly, yet they both trembled.

Long-absent emotions surged over them, drowning them in an instant. Even Tong Zhao's fingertips trembled where they rested against Shu Sizhuo.

He knew things were going badly and was about to pull away, but a pair of arms wrapped tightly around his lean waist. An irresistible force turned Tong Zhao halfway around, leaving him with his back against the edge of the desk.

Then his teeth were pried apart, and the kiss turned fierce.

Unable to support himself, Tong Zhao leaned backward. A broad palm cradled the back of his neck as he fell onto the desk.

This kiss was getting a little out of control.

Tong Zhao knew it.

Tong Zhao also knew he should push Shu Sizhuo away, but the kiss had drained all his strength. He couldn't even hold on to the cigarette between his fingers, and it fell.

The sandalwood scent in the study and the osmanthus fragrance outside the window all receded. He was surrounded by Shu Sizhuo's scent, cool and faintly tinged with tobacco.

Tong Zhao didn't know how long Shu Sizhuo kissed him. He only knew that his face burned from lack of oxygen, and that when the corners of his eyes began to sting and his head grew a little dizzy, Shu Sizhuo finally released him. As he pulled away, he bit Tong Zhao's lower lip, neither too hard nor too lightly.

Tong Zhao winced and frowned, then stared at Shu Sizhuo in a daze, panting.

Shu Sizhuo straightened up and tugged at his disheveled collar. A smile appeared on his face. "Nice kiss. I'll give that opportunity back to you this time."