My Boyfriend Seemed Normal

Wen Shuang had his pants stripped off. Wrapped in Xuan Zhe's jacket the whole way, he saw a bunch of elderly men and women gathered downstairs in the apartment complex, chatting away. You could beat Wen Shuang to death and he still would not get out of the car. He could only bury his head deeply in his knees and mumble, "Let's go to your place."

Xuan Zhe remained perfectly composed and unapologetically stepped on the gas.

Clear Day Manor was silent and still. This was the "pure land" Xuan Zhe had carved out amid the noisy mundane world. Even if Wen Shuang ran around naked here, nobody would see him.

Before Xuan Zhe could even get out of the car, Wen Shuang had tied his jacket around his waist and dashed upstairs.

President Xuan waited until he had run out of sight before chuckling softly. No, were other people's wives this cute too?

There was something about Wen Shuang that Xuan Zhe particularly liked: he was not pretentious. Now that they had confirmed their relationship, Wen Shuang openly entered the master bedroom. After searching through the wardrobe for ages, he dug out a pair of casual pants he could barely wear, rolled up the cuffs, and returned to the living room. Seeing Xuan Zhe leaning tiredly against the sofa, his heart instantly tightened. "Sleepy?"

"Not sleepy, but hungry."

Wen Shuang nodded rapidly, then plunged into the kitchen to get busy.

Neither of them mentioned Chen Maosheng's disgusting behavior. Wen Shuang was thin-skinned, and since it had been handled already, he did not want to bring it up. Xuan Zhe, meanwhile, could not bring it up. Just then, a message came from Cao Nanyu: [President Xuan, Chen won't be able to use his right hand for the next few months. Should we notify the Chen Household?]

Xuan Zhe replied: [No need to be polite with them.]

If he had not been worried about frightening Wen Shuang earlier, Xuan Zhe personally stepping in would not have ended with just one body part. He knew the young man was especially captivating on camera, but the speed with which these vermin tracked him down was truly irritating.

It was just a simple bowl of scallion egg noodles, but Xuan Zhe ate two bowls in one go. Wen Shuang was not hungry, so he sat across from him and watched him eat, filled with a sense of accomplishment.

"You're not angry anymore, right?" Wen Shuang asked cautiously.

Xuan Zhe put down his chopsticks. "You did nothing wrong."

Those four words completely put Wen Shuang at ease. He had plenty of "dark history," and what he feared most was Xuan Zhe thinking that it took two to tango.

After showering, the two of them fooled around in bed for a while. Xuan Zhe was the sort who learned without a teacher, and he learned absurdly fast. The first time, his kisses had actually hurt Wen Shuang a little, but now he was utterly skilled, completely controlling the rhythm. When he was fierce, he could turn someone into a lone boat on the sea; when he was gentle, he was even harder to withstand. Xuan Zhe breathed lightly and leaned close to Wen Shuang's ear, his voice low. Every word he exhaled made the young man tremble. "When can I officially start work?"

Start work? Start what?

Wen Shuang was utterly confused. Then something hard poked the root of his thigh, and his mind exploded with a buzz.

It was as if a door to a new world had opened before him. He had long known couples would eventually reach this stage, but... but... Countless thoughts swirled through his mind. He looked at Xuan Zhe blankly and recklessly asked, "Do you know how?"

Asking a man in bed whether he knew how, and that man was Xuan Zhe.

President Xuan gritted his teeth. "Want to try?"

Wen Shuang immediately burrowed beneath the blankets. "No! I'm not ready yet!"

Xuan Zhe sighed softly, patted Wen Shuang through the blanket, and got up to go to the bathroom.

Wen Shuang was not doing much better himself, but it still felt too fast. The sound of water began, and the tall, lean silhouette of a man appeared on the curtain used as a partition. Wen Shuang's entire face flushed red, and he did not even dare look.

The two fell asleep in each other's arms. The feel was still first-rate, and President Xuan was very satisfied.

The next day at the company, Zhu Lian burst into the lounge the moment Wen Shuang arrived. She came in with great force, but her words were soft and cautious. "You and President Xuan..."

Wen Shuang understood what she meant. Embarrassed, he scratched his head. "I pursued President Xuan for a week, and he agreed." Though, technically, Xuan Zhe had been the proactive one. But that man was such a macho type and cared about his pride.

A strange gleam flashed through Zhu Lian's eyes, as though Wen Shuang were some living treasure. After a long silence, she finally squeezed out, "You're incredible."

So many handsome men and beautiful women had once exhausted every trick just to leave an impression on President Xuan. The unlucky ones had even been "exiled to the frontier" by him. It was a life-risking project where risks and rewards went hand in hand. Yet Wen Shuang had just lightly drifted into it and succeeded?

But right afterward, Zhu Lian inexplicably felt a little proud. Wen Shuang was so cute. It was perfectly normal for President Xuan to like him.

Wen Shuang was not modest about it either. "Not bad, I guess."

Zhu Lian had secured Wen Shuang an advertisement endorsement for a crispy snow rice cake snack. When they arrived at the shoot, the photographer and prop crew were still preparing. Wen Shuang sat to one side, opened a sample, and started eating. It really was crispy. He had brought a black backpack with him and, figuring these were free, stuffed several packets into it. Zhu Lian happened to see and teased, "What, stocking up?"

"No." Without even lifting his head, Wen Shuang said, "They're pretty good. I'll bring some upstairs for Xuan Zhe to try later."

Zhu Lian: "..." Why did she have to say anything?

They were in the passionate early stage of their relationship, yet unlike other couples who wanted to cling together every second, Wen Shuang really liked their current atmosphere. It was like summer sunlight filtering through layer after layer of leaves—bright but not dazzling, warm and comforting.

"Wow, is that Zheng Yuanfei? Hey, hey, hey, it really is!" Two young women from the coordination department instantly grew excited. Zheng Yuanfei had enjoyed excellent resources these past two years, and his acting had found its footing. His popularity remained high, and his fan support team was even more impressive than Jiang Ning's. He was taking the serious actor route, and a well-known director had once declared that Zheng Yuanfei would certainly win Best Actor within three years. With layers of halos piled upon him, he was gradually acquiring the basic traits of a male lead: cheats.

I hate cheaters the most, Wen Shuang thought, completely forgetting about his ceiling-level boyfriend and his own lucky-koi constitution.

Zheng Yuanfei had not expected Wen Shuang to be there too. Their filming studios were right next to each other, and his expression immediately looked as though he had stepped in dog shit.

His manager, Tang Li, stepped forward and exchanged a superficially pleasant smile with Zhu Lian. "Sister Zhu is here too?"

Tang Li was a rising star among Power One's managers. He had a sharp eye and knew how to handle people. The first artist he brought out had been a popular young idol, and he had quickly become one of Power One's money trees afterward. He wore glasses and looked refined, but he was actually ruthless and calculating. Zhu Lian did not like him much.

"You're here?" Zhu Lian nodded.

Tang Li stood beside Zhu Lian and looked at Zheng Yuanfei, who had begun styling in the middle of the set. He sighed. "Such a good artist. How could you bear to let him go, Sister Zhu?"

When Zhu Lian said she would take Wen Shuang, Zheng Yuanfei had immediately applied to change managers. He had enough clout that the company indulged him, allowing Tang Li to pick up this bargain for free.

"If I could bear to let him go, would he have ended up with you?" Zhu Lian's words turned barbed as well. "You can't have both fish and bear's paw. I chose one, you got one. Just right."

Tang Li chuckled without speaking, the contempt in his expression obvious. He looked down on Wen Shuang. There were countless newcomers in the entertainment industry with good momentum, but how many truly reached the peak? Wen Shuang's future was bleak, while Zheng Yuanfei's was bright as brocade. The two were not comparable at all.

Once Wen Shuang was ready, he was somewhat nervous facing the camera for the first time. But he was naturally made for clothes, his eyes clear and bright. Whenever he smiled, everything around him seemed to be trying to complement him. No matter how they shot him, he looked good. The photographer felt that it was not Wen Shuang seeking out the camera—it was the camera seeking him out. Simply put, heaven was chasing after him to feed him.

Today's photographer was famously hot-tempered. If an artist did not cooperate, he would launch into a tirade without warning. In his eyes, any passive work exposed before the camera was blasphemy against photography. He could lose the job, but never his principles. That distinctive style had instead made him one of the gold-medal photographers Power One's departments fought to book.

Originally, Wen Shuang would not have had access to him, but President Xuan had pulled some strings.

Zhu Lian watched nervously from the side, worried that Wen Shuang might do something wrong and offend this fierce god. Yet after taking a few shots, the photographer muttered something under his breath, and his expression remained acceptable.

Zhu Lian stepped forward. "How is it, Brother Zhang?"

Tang Li had somehow followed over and smiled from the side. "Exactly. Wen Shuang is a newcomer. If there's anything wrong, it needs to be corrected promptly."

"There's nothing wrong." Brother Zhang stared intently at the camera. A moment later, he smiled in satisfaction, as though he had already obtained the perfect finished product. "The kid is good-looking. It's been years since I met someone this gifted."

Zhu Lian immediately straightened her back. "Great. Thank you for your hard work, Brother Zhang."

Brother Zhang waved a hand. "No hardship at all. He's a feast for the eyes."

Tang Li's smile vanished. His unreadable gaze fell on Wen Shuang. Then he adjusted his glasses and turned away.

Serves you right! Zhu Lian thought.

During the break halfway through filming, Wen Shuang drank water while watching Zheng Yuanfei pose next door. Honestly, this so-called top male model was nothing special. Maybe he drank too much protein powder, but the muscles around his waist and abdomen looked somewhat frightening—not very pretty. Wen Shuang could not help thinking of Xuan Zhe. His own boyfriend's muscles were what truly looked good, without an ounce too much.

The moment Xuan Zhe came in, he saw Wen Shuang staring unblinkingly at Zheng Yuanfei. A wicked flame immediately rose in his heart, and he took out his phone with a dark expression.

Once the call connected, Xuan Zhe's voice betrayed neither pleasure nor anger. "What are you doing?"

"Taking a break and watching Zheng Yuanfei shoot." Wen Shuang told the truth, quite frankly. "I really haven't found what's so charming about the number one male model. He's nowhere near as good as you."

Cao Nanyu watched helplessly as President Xuan's face, dark with storm clouds just moments ago, instantly cleared. He was not smiling much, but the skies had definitely cleared!

"How is he worse?" Xuan Zhe asked.

"He's worse in every way. I looked up, down, left, and right, and he was just so-so."

"You've got some nerve." Xuan Zhe sighed. "Staring at another man?"

Wen Shuang's heart tightened. He immediately shifted his gaze away. "Fine, I won't look anymore." And he truly did not look again, his expression carrying the guilty unease of someone who had been caught.

Xuan Zhe pressed his tongue against his lower teeth, as if trying to restrain all those tingling emotions along with it before they overflowed. Sometimes, he wondered whether Wen Shuang was doing it on purpose, teasing him so relentlessly.

"Come here," Xuan Zhe said.

Wen Shuang said, "Hm?" As if sensing something, he looked over. Then his eyes lit up. After greeting Zhu Lian, he got up and ran over with quick little steps.

Tang Li was checking Wen Shuang's information and did not notice, but Zheng Yuanfei saw it when he turned his head. Wen Shuang ran over with a little too much cheer. Then a well-defined hand reached out from behind the curtain, a luxurious watch on its wrist. It grabbed Wen Shuang and pulled him inside, concealing everything from view. Though it had only lasted an instant, Zheng Yuanfei still saw it. It was President Xuan.

Zheng Yuanfei was not unaware of the company rumors, but he had never taken them seriously. Wen Shuang surely had such intentions—after all, attaching himself to the powerful was in his nature. But what about Xuan Zhe? What kind of beauty had he not seen? Could he possibly take a liking to Wen Shuang? Yet that pull just now had clearly carried a trace of impatience...

Zheng Yuanfei began to feel uncertain.

Beyond uncertainty, there was also an indescribable emotion in his heart, one he could not explain.

Wen Shuang knew nothing about any of it. At the moment, he was pressed against Xuan Zhe's chest, sharing their routine kisses.

"The snow rice cakes from my new endorsement are good. I saved some for you." Having had a great deal of air stolen from him by Xuan Zhe, Wen Shuang lazily hung off him.

"Okay." Xuan Zhe did not lack such things, but Wen Shuang seemingly never thought that way. He simply liked them, and so he saved a share for the person he liked too.

Xuan Zhe had to go out. He had only dropped by to spend a few intimate minutes with Wen Shuang, but once he held him, he could not bear to let go. At last, he patted the young man's back. "If you get hungry tonight, have Zhu Lian take you out to eat. Call me if anything comes up, okay?"

Wen Shuang kissed the edge of his ear. "Okay."

When Wen Shuang returned, the lingering sheen in his eyes had yet to fade, and his lips were visibly red and swollen. It was like a thorn piercing Zheng Yuanfei's heart. He felt irritated, thinking Wen Shuang truly had no self-respect. Then he thought, what the hell did it have to do with him? That emotion quietly buried itself in his veins, making Zheng Yuanfei feel uncomfortable with every small movement. The afternoon shoot did not go smoothly, and Brother Zhang even criticized him twice.

Tang Li was not in a good mood either, especially whenever he saw Zhu Lian beaming like a flower.

Soon, however, Zheng Yuanfei had no time to concern himself with any of that.

Friday was sunny. Zheng Yuanfei canceled all his plans and arrangements and waited at the airport early. As people streamed out, he immediately put on sunglasses and a cap, his sharp gaze sweeping back and forth.

Lu Li stood out sharply among the crowd. He was thin but not short, nearly one meter eighty tall. His skin was so pale it carried a hint of sickliness. With brown hair, black eyes, and slightly furrowed brows, he seemed to carry a fine, winding sorrow. His features leaned somewhat feminine. Perhaps due to the long journey, his complexion did not look very good, instantly making Zheng Yuanfei's heart ache.

After picking up Lu Li, Zheng Yuanfei held him in the car for a long time. A reunion after a long separation was sweeter than newlyweds, and he even had time to think that this was how it should be. What was Wen Shuang compared to that?

"Lu Li is back?" Wen Shuang heard staff members gossiping.

"Yes! Zheng Yuanfei personally picked him up. Do you think they really have that kind of relationship? The brotherhood excuse is way too ridiculous."

"I think so too!"

Wen Shuang froze instantly.

Whether Lu Li had returned did not matter to Wen Shuang, but he suddenly felt uneasy. He thought of how the original novel described Xuan Zhe's first encounter with Lu Li: "The sky cleared, and suddenly everything in the world had color." Well, that was it. He could not keep filming. Wen Shuang found an excuse to leave, took the elevator to the executive office floor, and entered the spacious corridor. Yet it felt exceptionally cramped to him, as though even the air had been compressed into a ball. Wen Shuang walked faster and faster until he finally broke into a jog.

The door to Xuan Zhe's office was half-open. As Wen Shuang drew near, he could hear voices from inside. One soft voice, smiling as it spoke, stood out especially clearly. It said, "Thank you, President Xuan," but it scraped harshly across Wen Shuang's heart.

His heart clenched. Without even knocking, Wen Shuang pushed the door open.

Everyone in the office looked over in surprise, including Xuan Zhe, who sat in his chair.

Wen Shuang panted urgently, a thin layer of sweat on the bridge of his nose. He had witnessed this world's will and could roughly guess at the halo carried by the protagonist shou. Given Xuan Zhe's personality, he probably would not fall for it—but what if he did? What if the person who made Xuan Zhe feel that everything in the world had color became Lu Li? What would he do then?

The mere thought of that possibility made Wen Shuang unable to accept it.

Surviving in this world had not been easy for him. Xuan Zhe was the first person he had ever liked across both his lives. If someone took him away for no reason at all... Wen Shuang sniffed, panic seeping into his eyes.

That frightened Xuan Zhe badly.

The moment Lu Li saw Wen Shuang, his face went pale and he looked frightened. Zheng Yuanfei immediately shielded him behind himself. Tang Li said irritably, "Wen Shuang, who let you in? Do you know how to knock?"

Wen Shuang's heart sank. Was it over? Otherwise, Tang Li would not...

"Wen Shuang can enter and leave my office whenever he wants. Who are you to speak?" Xuan Zhe rose to his feet, his presence fully unleashed. Tang Li was instantly silenced in fright. "Get out!"

His boyfriend seemed normal. At this moment, his eyes held only him.

Wen Shuang: "..." That scared him to death!!!