Provocation

Song Mingzhou curved his lips. "Sure."

Half a minute later, there was a knock on his door. Lin Cheng stood outside, handed him the items impassively, gave a slight nod, and left.

So cold.

Song Mingzhou thought to himself, then remembered Duan Xun. Sometimes cold, sometimes gentle, sometimes fiery—his temperament was impossible to read.

Though he had always been fiery in bed.

Not long after.

His assistant, Chen Fei, came knocking. Song Mingzhou said, "Today—no, from now on, we won't be taking the production crew's car. Can you drive?"

Chen Fei nodded. "Yes."

"Are you steady?"

"Very steady. Don't worry, Teacher Song." Chen Fei patted his chest in assurance.

"Okay. Then we'll drive ourselves to the set from now on. Help me pack up our things, and then we'll leave."

"Okay."

When Song Mingzhou arrived at the parking lot and saw the two outrageously expensive cars, he nearly stumbled and fell. Was Duan Xun thinking too highly of him? Could a washed-up nobody like him really drive luxury cars like these??

After a moment of silence, Song Mingzhou took out his phone and tapped on Duan Xun's profile picture.

—[Brother]

—[Aren't these two cars... a little too expensive? They don't seem to fit my current status as a flop. Can I drive them?]

Duan Xun was in the car at the time. His phone vibrated, and his assistant Lin Cheng skillfully picked it up, saw Song Mingzhou's message, and reported truthfully.

"President Duan, it's a message from Mr. Song. He says those two cars are too expensive and don't suit his status."

Duan Xun had been resting with his eyes closed. Only then did he slowly open them, hesitating for two seconds. "They're expensive?"

Lin Cheng pursed his lips and nodded. "Yes. Expensive."

They were both million-yuan luxury cars. To Duan Xun, they were indeed merely ordinary vehicles, even relatively low-end ones. But given Song Mingzhou's current status, they were undeniably a little too conspicuous.

They would bring him trouble.

Hearing Lin Cheng say that, Duan Xun hesitated for a while. "Then buy him two more ordinary ones."

Lin Cheng had been Duan Xun's assistant for years, so his competence went without saying.

After silently weighing the price range and brands, he nodded.

"Yes."

Then he added, "Mr. Song probably won't make it in time for the set today."

Duan Xun had not intended for it to be so urgent.

"Let him put up with it for one more day."

"Yes."

Lin Cheng used Duan Xun's phone to reply to Song Mingzhou, informing him that he could take the production crew's car to the set that morning and that the new cars would be ready for use in the afternoon.

Song Mingzhou received the message, his face falling.

Sigh.

The original owner's status had just been too low.

"Teacher Song?"

"Hm?" Song Mingzhou came back to himself and looked away from the luxury cars. "Let's hitch a ride with the crew today. We'll drive ourselves tomorrow."

"Okay."

When Song Mingzhou arrived on set, Shen Qing had not yet arrived. Only the director and staff were busy setting up and making preparations.

This was a modern idol drama, so the makeup and styling were relatively simple. Today's scenes were simple as well, and Song Mingzhou was in no hurry.

He moved a stool over and sat on set, pulling out his phone to message Duan Xun. [I'm at the set.]

He attached a photo of the set.

Ding-dong.

Duan Xun's phone rang. He was waiting for his scene in the lounge, and his assistant directly picked up the phone before reporting to him.

Duan Xun looked over. "Let me see the photo."

Lin Cheng opened the photo Song Mingzhou had sent and handed it over. It was just an ordinary photo of the set. The only difference was that Song Mingzhou had captured half of his own arm in it.

There was a faint ring-shaped mark around his slender, pale wrist, as though something had gripped it.

Duan Xun's gaze fixed on it. He looked at it again and again, and the tips of his ears began to redden.

He tossed aside the phone and undid one button of his shirt. Lin Cheng immediately poured him a glass of water and handed it over. "President Duan."

Duan Xun took it and drained it in one go.

Only then did he reply: [Mm.]

Lin Cheng took back the phone, glanced at Duan Xun, then long-pressed the photo to save it and even created a dedicated album for Song Mingzhou.

Song Mingzhou held his phone and smiled, remembering Duan Xun at night. Tsk, what a difference. He really knew how to put on an act.

"Teacher Song, Shen Qing is here."

Chen Fei reminded him nervously. The two had clashed yesterday, and he was still worried that his own artist would suffer a loss. After all, he had never gotten the upper hand before.

Yesterday had been an exception. Today might not be.

At the mention of Shen Qing's name, Song Mingzhou put down his phone and looked over with dark eyes, meeting Shen Qing's...

Oh, no.

It was Gu Yanting beside him whose gaze met his.

Immediately afterward, the set grew noisy as everyone enthusiastically gathered around them. The place became lively in an instant.

Qin Xiao had arrived as well. He sidled up to Song Mingzhou, nostrils pointed at the sky. "What's so great about it? He's just visiting the set. Is this really necessary?"

He had fallen out with Shen Qing yesterday too.

Song Mingzhou wanted to laugh but held it back. "Maybe it is necessary. Gu Yanting is famous, after all. You'd get this treatment too if you were famous."

"Tch. I wouldn't like it. What's so amazing about liking a man? If you're going to be gay, at least keep it low-key. Coming to visit the set so openly—aren't they embarrassed?"

"..."

Song "Likes Men" Mingzhou stopped talking.

Qin Xiao rambled on by himself for a long time before realizing Song Mingzhou had not said a word. Only then did he belatedly react, scratching his head awkwardly. "Um, I'm not discriminating against gay people, I'm just..."

"I know."

"Huh? You know?"

"Mm, I know." I know you're thoughtless. The original plot said so—you're a brainless fool.

Qin Xiao was so touched that tears welled in his eyes. "I never thought I'd find a kindred spirit. My life is complete."

"..."So cheesy.

As they were talking, another colleague came over and asked curiously, "Aren't you two going over? Teacher Gu brought gifts for everyone. He's handing them out right now."

Song Mingzhou smiled. "No, thank you."

Qin Xiao followed suit. "Me neither."

"Okay, then."

The well-meaning person left in confusion. They presumably did not know about the tangled history between Song Mingzhou and Gu Yanting, or they would not have come over to ask.

Everyone else knew better than to ask.

In the end.

Gu Yanting walked toward Song Mingzhou carrying a box of fruit, with Shen Qing following at his side. The air instantly seemed to turn foul.

Song Mingzhou resisted the urge to stand up and walk around them. For the sake of his pride, he forced himself not to move.

Gu Yanting spoke first. "This is fruit I brought for everyone. Want some?"

[ Ding, plot point triggered. Faced with Gu Yanting's ambiguous display of goodwill, the host is overwhelmed by jealousy, overturns the fruit platter, and curses Shen Qing as a slut. ]

[Gu Yanting deserves to be cursed too.]

"Hm? Why aren't you eating?"

Shen Qing chimed in as well, deliberately putting a few hints of nervousness and ingratiation into his tone. "Yeah, Ming... Teacher Song, Yanting specially brought this for everyone. You're part of the crew too, so..."

Song Mingzhou abruptly looked up. The cold, indifferent look in his eyes shot straight at Shen Qing, who instinctively took a step back.