Contract of Sale (Bonus Chapter, 4000+ Words)

Xuan Zhe came out of the shower and saw the bulge beneath the covers. He did not hurry over, instead quietly watching as he dried his hair.

How strange. This fluttering that spread from his heart and lungs was gentle yet powerful, taking root in every inch of his blood in an instant. Clearly, there was now one more person in his life, occupying an important place, yet it did not feel abrupt at all. Instead, it made him want to summon every bit of patience he had and protect him properly.

Hearing movement behind him but seeing no one come over, Wen Shuang could not resist turning over. Then he crashed straight into Xuan Zhe's smiling dark eyes.

Half of Wen Shuang's face was hidden beneath the blanket, but his eyes were still bright.

Xuan Zhe frowned slightly, stepped forward, and tugged him out from under the covers. "Your cold isn't even better yet. What are you hiding in there for?"

Wen Shuang instinctively grabbed Xuan Zhe's wrist. The man exerted a little force and clasped his hand instead. "Feeling unwell?" It sounded no different from usual at first, but the tenderness beneath it was clear enough to touch.

Wen Shuang occasionally played dumb to make life less difficult, but he was fundamentally thin-skinned. At that moment, he was red all over like a shrimp. His other hand stubbornly reached for the blanket; if he did not cover himself with something, the sense of shame would explode.

Xuan Zhe found it amusing. "Embarrassed now? Earlier, you clearly..."

"Enough!" Wen Shuang absolutely did not want to remember!

Xuan Zhe's gaze held him tightly. Something seemed to take shape within the black mist, only to vanish again quickly. He suddenly wanted to ask: who exactly are you?

The original Wen Shuang had made flattery and fawning a habit. It would have been a miracle if he had not tried to cling to him. He would never have panicked so badly over a kiss.

"President Xuan..." Wen Shuang said softly.

"Hmm?" Xuan Zhe raised a brow. "What did you call me?" They had already gone this far, yet he was still calling him President Xuan. Anyone unaware of the situation would think he was forcing an employee.

Wen Shuang froze for a moment, apparently picking up on something. Weakly, he said, "Darling?"

Xuan Zhe: "..."

The room fell deathly silent. Wen Shuang had successfully stunned both of them with three words.

That night, Wen Shuang slept in the master bedroom. At first, he tossed and turned for a while. Having another person's breathing beside him was always somewhat hard to get used to. By the third time he turned over, a long arm scooped him into a solid embrace. Xuan Zhe was far less composed than he looked, at least in Wen Shuang's opinion. His heartbeat was quite fast. That familiar faint scent, like sandalwood mixed with traces of nicotine, was unexpectedly pleasant. Wen Shuang savored it for a while, his consciousness gradually blurring, and he did not know when he fell asleep.

Early the next morning, Xuan Zhe suddenly woke from a dream. He reached beside him—empty.

Wen Shuang had gotten up forty minutes before him and was preparing breakfast in the kitchen. Strangely enough, though he had still had a slight fever yesterday afternoon, after kissing Xuan Zhe for a while and sleeping through the night, he woke up feeling refreshed. He still had three days of sick leave left, but Wen Shuang could not stay idle. He planned to go to the company today too.

After Xuan Zhe washed up and came out, the expected clatter of pots and bowls was the most wonderful sound of the morning.

Wen Shuang came out of the kitchen carrying porridge. The moment he saw Xuan Zhe, he nearly dropped the bowl. Did this man have to be like this?

Xuan Zhe had changed into a sapphire-blue shirt today, a color that could easily look tacky if handled poorly. And when President Xuan was in a lazy mood, he never dressed properly. His collar hung wide open, revealing endless scenery. Smooth muscle lines were exposed in the morning light, and hormones mixed with oxygen drilled directly into Wen Shuang's brain.

Honestly, even without any emotional foundation, Wen Shuang could spend a lifetime admiring that face alone!

After seducing him thoroughly, Xuan Zhe finally buttoned up at an unhurried pace. "Move in with me."

Wen Shuang thought about it, then shook his head. "I still have two months left on my lease. Let's talk after I've finished living there."

Xuan Zhe was dissatisfied. "I'll make it up to you." Holding him while sleeping last night had felt far too good.

"Stop joking." Wen Shuang did not want to continue the topic. "Come eat."

He liked Xuan Zhe because he liked him as a person. It had nothing to do with his wealth or status. They had only just begun and needed to take things step by step. It was Wen Shuang's first time, and he could tell it was Xuan Zhe's first time too. Getting too intimate too quickly would not be good. Distance made the heart grow fonder.

President Xuan ate breakfast with a sour expression. Even though Wen Shuang had prepared him a separate lunch with his favorite saliva chicken, it did not make him feel much better.

Cao Nanyu came to pick them up and nearly fell when he got out of the car. His gaze kept sweeping back and forth between Wen Shuang and Xuan Zhe. Something was different... Cao Nanyu could not tell whether he was happy or sad, but he could clearly feel it. The magnetic field between President Xuan and Wen Shuang had changed. It was no longer the relationship of a kept man and his patron, but the utterly ordinary atmosphere between a young couple.

But something so ordinary appearing on Xuan Zhe was extraordinarily unusual!

"Did you bring my lunch?" Xuan Zhe turned and asked.

Wen Shuang came out after putting on his shoes. "I did, I did. You won't starve."

Xuan Zhe opened the rear door but did not get in immediately. Instead, he stepped aside and let Wen Shuang enter first. Cao Nanyu saw it all clearly through the rearview mirror. For some reason, he had already begun silently reciting the Rebirth Mantra, the chanting buzzing in his head.

Wen Shuang had pulled the most otherworldly man down to earth. Unless Xuan Zhe let go, he would be tied to this man's side for the rest of his life.

Only after getting into the car did Wen Shuang have time to deal with what was happening online. The CP had evolved. "Shuang-Ning" and "Ning-Shuang" were fighting fiercely on the trending page. They were not insulting one another, though. Instead, they elegantly laid out facts and examples. Every sentence began gently with, "Dear, look at this..." as they tried to persuade the other side to join their camp. Some extremists would even go so far as to "sell off their family assets" to win people over.

[As long as you ship Shuang-Ning with me, I'll sell this XX limited-edition dress at 70% off! DM me if interested, but show proof that you used to ship Ning-Shuang and have now switched to Shuang-Ning.]

Wen Shuang: "..."

Was that really necessary? There was no way he and Jiang Ning could get together!

"Hmph." President Xuan had 20/20 vision. After glancing at it, he let out a disdainful snort through his nose.

Wen Shuang immediately leaned against his shoulder and rubbed against him, taking it as comfort. Then he seriously asked, "If one day those girls find out my boyfriend is you, will they make me pay them back?"

Cao Nanyu nearly slammed on the gas and drove straight off the overpass!

The corner of Xuan Zhe's mouth twitched suspiciously, only for him to force it down. "Young people start and stop shipping CPs quickly. Don't worry about it."

Wen Shuang gave a sound of acknowledgment, but seeing the fans' enthusiasm, he was still uneasy. Not uneasy about them, but about himself. Xuan Zhe was a huge vinegar jar. He should not let himself drown in jealousy.

What Zhu Lian had asked Wen Shuang to repost last night was a Weibo post in which Jiang Ning said he had greatly enjoyed working with Wen Shuang. Between the lines, it conveyed that they were good friends. Originally, Jiang Ning's agent had planned to ride the wave for a win-win situation, then step out to clarify once there were signs of backlash. But Jiang Ning was unwilling. Good friends were good friends; mixing in all that would be meaningless. Since Wen Shuang had not responded last night, there were still quite a few negative comments, all guessing that their relationship was not as good as it appeared on screen. Some speculated that Jiang Ning had forced him, while others claimed Wen Shuang had become arrogant.

Wen Shuang V: [Thank you for everyone's support. I've been sick and sleeping these past few days, so I couldn't stay awake until the program ended last night. I really had a wonderful time working with Jiang Ning. We're super close, but we're just friends!]

Almost the instant he posted it, his phone began vibrating. Jiang Ning must have been browsing Weibo, because he quickly commented, [You're still not better? This has lasted quite a while.]

Wen Shuang: [I'm better today. Going back to work.]

Jiang Ning replied with an "OK" hand gesture.

The comments section became lively. Wen Shuang's mom fans and older-sister fans howled things like, "Shuang baby, take good care of yourself, Mommy loves you," and "Take your medicine properly, don't make your big sisters worry!" The CP fans also arrived at the news and immediately seized the high ground.

[You two went into the bathroom together and stayed for over ten minutes. Jiang Ning came out with bright-red lips, but you're just brothers. doge.jpg]

[We understand, we understand. Don't worry, Wen baby. We'll ship quietly within our own space and won't project it onto the real people.]

[But I really want to know what they did in the bathroom!]

Wen Shuang: "..." No, you do not want to know. If you knew, the production team would eat me alive.

Zhu Lian had her bonus deducted, but she was in a very good mood. Wen Shuang only learned upon arriving at the company that he had already been transferred. His value had now multiplied, and it made no sense for him to remain an ordinary employee in the publicity department. So he followed Zhu Lian to the artist section of the Power One building. Without a pass, ordinary people could not come up here at all.

When Wen Shuang and Zhu Lian exited the elevator, they ran into Chen Zong, who had come to report to the company.

Chen Zong kept a straight face, only nodding at Wen Shuang. Then he said, "Hello, Sister Zhu," and left.

Chen Zong's popularity had fallen rather than risen over the past few episodes. Viewers thought he had pulled too many strange stunts, and Chen Zong himself had accepted it. Wen Shuang's entry into the entertainment industry was inevitable; the only question was how long he could stay, and whether certain people would allow him to stay.

Zheng Yuanfei blocked Zhu Lian on the way. He was still dressed like a stylish tough guy, radiating the irritability of an overbearing protagonist. Wen Shuang took one look and immediately retreated, leaving them plenty of space to talk.

Zheng Yuanfei had prepared a whole stomachful of words to drive Wen Shuang away, but he had not expected him to be so tactful. For a moment, he had nowhere to vent, and his heart and lungs ached faintly.

Zheng Yuanfei glanced at Wen Shuang, who looked as if he wanted to stand at the edge of the sky, gritted his teeth, and questioned Zhu Lian, "Sister Zhu, we clearly agreed..."

"I never agreed." Zhu Lian cut him off. "I never agreed not to take Wen Shuang on. Although agents at our company can generally only manage three artists, I can apply to higher management. I can take over Lu Li too, so you can still stay together."

"No!" Zheng Yuanfei rejected it without a second thought. "Lu Li can't stay with Wen Shuang. Wen Shuang has bad intentions!"

As Wen Shuang's secret mom fan, Zhu Lian instantly became unhappy. "No, which eye of yours saw that Wen Shuang has bad intentions?! His development direction is completely different from Lu Li's. There is very little competition for resources between them, so what exactly are you worried about? Chen Zong is my artist too, but how many times a month do you even see him? Yuanfei, I know you have great prospects, but don't exclude dissidents because of that. After all, we're all Power One artists."

Zheng Yuanfei nearly exploded from Zhu Lian's words. What did she mean, he was excluding dissidents? What methods was Wen Shuang using now? Why did everyone seem possessed?

"Sister Zhu." Zheng Yuanfei took a deep breath. Whether because she had provoked his rebellious streak or something else, his voice sank. "If you insist on taking Wen Shuang on, then I can only switch agents."

Zheng Yuanfei was currently on the rise, and plenty of agents wanted him. He refused to believe Zhu Lian would abandon someone important to protect someone insignificant.

To his surprise, Zhu Lian nodded, remarkably understanding. "Fine, do as you see fit. I'm taking Wen Shuang anyway."

Zheng Yuanfei: "?"

Zhu Lian turned around and waved at Wen Shuang. "Shuang?"

"Coming, coming!" Wen Shuang hurriedly put away his phone. The smile on his face had not fully faded, and it was filled with delight, almost dazzling in the sunlight.

Zheng Yuanfei saw it clearly, and his heart inexplicably skipped a beat. Wen Shuang liked someone else now? The thought gave rise to a baseless contempt. Zheng Yuanfei still remembered the devotion and infatuation in Wen Shuang's eyes when he first confessed to him—something unique and irreplaceable. So how could he possibly have fallen for someone else in such a short time? Even the things Wen Shuang had said to Xuan Zhe outside Power One last time, Zheng Yuanfei believed were deliberate. After all, it was not the first or second time he had used such tactics. Did he not get tired of acting every day?

Wen Shuang had just been messaging Xuan Zhe. President Xuan asked whether he needed help. As long as Wen Shuang said the word, he would immediately quit the program and return to the publicity department to continue living his leisurely retirement life. But Wen Shuang refused. Zhu Lian cared so much, and there were so many fans looking forward to him. He had to give them an answer.

Wen Shuang did not even look at Zheng Yuanfei. It was also to avoid interacting too much with the male lead and stepping on any landmines. But if I do not provoke others, they insist on provoking me. As they passed each other, Zheng Yuanfei suddenly said coldly, "Lu Li will be back soon. Put away those little schemes of yours!"

Wen Shuang had truly endured and endured, but in the end, he could not hold it in. He rolled his eyes and sincerely asked, "Mr. Zheng, do you think you're especially charming?"

You're just a little brother compared to Xuan Zhe! Wen Shuang roared inwardly.

Zheng Yuanfei was made deeply uncomfortable by the question. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing..." Wen Shuang kept his tone as calm as possible. "From now on, I absolutely won't disturb you and Lu Li. We'll each go our own way, okay?"

"It'd better be that way." Zheng Yuanfei finished coldly, lifted his chin, and left.

Damn, he was so irritating! Wen Shuang gnashed his teeth inwardly. When he had read the original novel, he had wanted to kick Zheng Yuanfei's huge face. Now, one kick did not feel nearly satisfying enough.

Wen Shuang stayed in Zhu Lian's office. Around noon, Zhu Lian came in with a delighted expression. "There's a dinner gathering tonight. I'll take you to meet a few major producers. Actually, people contacted me when you first appeared on screen, wanting you to audition for a role, but I thought it was too early and didn't agree. Of course, it mainly depends on you. Want to go?"

Facing Zhu Lian's expectant gaze, Wen Shuang truly could not bring himself to refuse. "I'll listen to Sister Zhu."

"Alright. Stay with me for now. The legal department will send over the contract later. If you see anything unsuitable, we can discuss changing it."

There was not much to discuss. When Wen Shuang received the contract, he saw that his salary had increased several times over from the original amount, not including endorsement and advertising fees. He would earn even more after appearing on a couple more variety shows. His dream of buying a house suddenly seemed much closer. Still not entirely reassured, he took photos and sent them to Xuan Zhe, completely forgetting that the wool came from the sheep. He was a Power One artist, and the biggest boss of Power One was his boyfriend.

Xuan Zhe: [No problem. Sign it.]

They were contracts of sale anyway, President Xuan thought.