Not Mind If I Bring a Little Friend Along?

[Ding. Host Song Mingzhou's key plot point has been successfully repaired. Current task progress: 26/100.]

The sounds in the air gradually subsided. Song Mingzhou's limbs were weak, and he could not move at all, only limply nestling in Duan Xun's arms.

Duan Xun held him, lowering his head from time to time to kiss his forehead, then the tip of his nose, then his lips.

As if it could never be enough.

Song Mingzhou did not even have the strength to speak. He let Duan Xun take advantage of him, but he felt sticky all over and terribly uncomfortable.

Duan Xun was also afraid he would catch a chill. After some thought, he covered Song Mingzhou with a blanket and made sure nothing was visible before getting up to open the door.

"President Duan."

Lin Cheng lowered his head respectfully.

Duan Xun's voice was husky and low as he lazily lifted his eyes. "Go buy some throat medicine."

Lin Cheng said, "Yes."

Impressive. He had come to visit the set and somehow made Mr. Song hoarse??

Lin Cheng hurried away. Shen Qing had instructed his assistant to keep an eye on what was happening over there. The moment he saw Lin Cheng leave, Shen Qing immediately stepped out and headed for Duan Xun's lounge.

"Brother Xun."

He knocked on the door.

Hearing his voice, Song Mingzhou frowned again. He glanced at Duan Xun and complained in displeasure.

Of course, only in his heart.

Duan Xun guiltily rubbed his nose. Ahem, this really had nothing to do with him.

Song Mingzhou's gaze remained razor-sharp.

Duan Xun truly could not take it anymore. He softened his voice and affectionately kissed him. "Go open the door. Say whatever you want, all right?"

That was more like it.

Though that was what he thought, Song Mingzhou still obediently asked in a soft voice, "Can I really? Brother, what if Shen Qing gets upset when he sees me? Maybe I should avoid him after all."

If you dare tell me to avoid him, I'll go home and castrate you. I'm so mad, you damned homewrecker!

How dare you steal my man, Shen Qing? You've really got nerve. If I don't beat you up the next time I see you, my surname isn't Song!

Why does Duan Xun keep staring at me?? What is he looking at? Is there something on my face again? Could it be what he left earlier... Didn't I wipe it clean???

Song Mingzhou suspiciously touched his face. Mm, there seemed to be nothing there. He had wiped it.

With great difficulty, Duan Xun tore his unreadable gaze away. He took a deep breath before speaking. "Go open the door. I'll avoid him. Just say I'm sleeping inside."

With that, Duan Xun walked into the lounge's attached bathroom.

Song Mingzhou looked back at him.

[Ding. Plot point triggered. The host will throw his weight around under Duan Xun's name, deliberately provoking Shen Qing.]

Oh?

There was even a task like this.

Exactly what he wanted.

Song Mingzhou rubbed his palms together and excitedly went to open the door. Shen Qing's knocking hand froze in midair before he could pull it back, and he came face-to-face with a teasing expression.

"Xun..."

The word that slipped from Shen Qing's mouth froze in his throat. He looked at Song Mingzhou with an unreadable expression, hostility creeping into his voice. "Why are you still here??"

After all this time, Song Mingzhou had not left even once? Why were the two of them alone in the lounge? Since when had they become so familiar???

Shen Qing's mind was full of questions, but he would not ask Song Mingzhou directly. That would make it seem like he and Duan Xun were not close. He would ask Brother Xun later.

Song Mingzhou studied him with interest, a faint smile on his lips. His entire bearing carried an uninhibited confidence. "What are you here for?"

Shen Qing was inexplicably shaken by his aura. Frowning, he said, "I'm here to see Brother Xun. What are you here for? Move aside."

"No."

"Move."

"Heh, I won't. Brother Duan told me to guard the door." Song Mingzhou cocked his head with an infuriating expression. "He's sleeping inside and doesn't want to be disturbed, so hurry up and leave."

"He doesn't want to be disturbed? Then what are you doing here?"

"Me?" Song Mingzhou blinked. "Is that any of your business?"

"You..."

"Be careful not to anger Brother Duan. He won't get mad at me. He said he sleeps more peacefully with me guarding him here. But you're different. Brother Duan said no one except me is allowed inside. Hehe, that includes you."

"Song Mingzhou!!" Shen Qing was truly angry.

Song Mingzhou shrugged. "Make any more noise and I'll throw you out. Get lost."

Bang.

The door slammed shut.

It nearly hit Shen Qing in the nose. Gritting his teeth, his face twisted with anger. Just then, Lin Cheng returned. Surprise flashed through his eyes when he saw Shen Qing still standing at the door, but he calmly said, "Mr. Shen, please step aside."

Shen Qing did not dare confront him directly and obediently moved back a step, but his gaze fell on the bag in Lin Cheng's hand.

He had gone to buy something??

What had he run off to buy halfway through??

Shen Qing wanted to ask, but Lin Cheng had already knocked on the door. Song Mingzhou was the one who opened it again. Lin Cheng did not seem surprised in the slightest as he handed the bag to Song Mingzhou. "President Duan asked me to buy this. Please pass it on to him, Mr. Song."

Song Mingzhou took it. "All right, thank you."

"You're welcome."

Then the door closed. Lin Cheng continued guarding the entrance like a door god, and Shen Qing was left staring in disbelief.

What was going on??

Why did Lin Cheng not seem surprised by Song Mingzhou at all, as if he had done this so many times that he was already completely used to it??

Unable to hold back, he struck up a conversation with Lin Cheng. "Brother Lin, um, why has Song Mingzhou been inside this whole time? Hasn't he come out?"

Lin Cheng kept a straight face. "I don't know."

"Then what did Brother Xun ask you to buy?"

"No comment."

"Is it inconvenient to say?"

"Is Mr. Shen very free?"

"Huh?"

"Don't you need to film?"

"..."

No matter what else Shen Qing asked, Lin Cheng did not answer. Shen Qing did not want to make a fool of himself, so he left in embarrassment once again.

That entire afternoon of filming, Shen Qing was somewhat distracted and got scolded by the director several times.

Finally, close to five o'clock, when filming was about to wrap up, the door opened. Duan Xun and Song Mingzhou emerged side by side.

No one else noticed the details, but Shen Qing had been watching the two of them closely, so he spotted it the instant they came out: Song Mingzhou had changed clothes.

Duan Xun had not.

"!!"

Shen Qing narrowed his eyes. A bold suspicion gradually took shape. Well, well, Song Mingzhou. He truly had kept quiet until making a stunning move.

Shen Qing pulled out his phone and messaged Duan Xun:

--[Brother Xun, I have something to tell you. Are you free tonight? Or tomorrow?]

--[Brother Xun, were you with Mingzhou all afternoon? He and I had a bit of an unpleasant encounter on set. How about the three of us have a meal together?]

--[My dad mentioned you last time, too.]

Duan Xun's phone kept vibrating, but he merely took it out, glanced at it, and ignored it. This caught Song Mingzhou's attention.

[Ding. Plot point triggered. The host snatches Duan Xun's phone, acts spoiled and arrogant as he deletes Shen Qing from his contacts, enraging Duan Xun.]

The moment the notification ended.

Duan Xun paused as he put away his phone. The next second, a hand swiftly snatched it and unlocked it, revealing the messages Shen Qing had sent.

"Brother, I don't like him. I'm deleting him!"

Song Mingzhou swiftly deleted Shen Qing from Duan Xun's contacts. The entire operation was seamless and fluid, so fast that even Duan Xun was stunned.

Had this guy rehearsed it in his head countless times already?

Song Mingzhou shoved the phone back into Duan Xun's arms and said with a stern face, "I deleted your Shen Qing."

Duan Xun was definitely going to get angry now.

Sure enough.

Duan Xun narrowed his eyes, and a dangerous aura instantly enveloped him, chilling Lin Cheng beside him enough that he silently moved several steps away.

But Song Mingzhou was not afraid. He argued with perfect justification, "I don't like him, and he sent you messages, so I deleted him."

Duan Xun resisted the urge to pat his head, pressing down the corners of his mouth that were about to rise. He put on a stern face and scolded him, "Who told you to touch my phone?"

"Huh?"

Was that the important part?

Then Duan Xun added, "You dared delete my contact. You've got some nerve. I'll settle accounts with you tonight."

[Ding. Host Song Mingzhou's key plot point has been successfully repaired. Current task progress: 28/100.]

Huh?

Wasn't the important part that he had deleted Shen Qing from his contacts?

Forget it.

After threatening Song Mingzhou, Duan Xun went to chat with the director. The two arranged to have dinner together that night.

As for everyone else, naturally, they were not qualified to dine with Duan Xun. Not even Shen Qing, the male lead, had been invited.

The director was a middle-aged man who had some friendship with Duan Xun. By the time filming wrapped up, most people had already left, and fewer and fewer people remained on set.

With a smile, Duan Xun asked, "Director, you don't mind if I bring a little friend along, do you?"