An Affair

"Ah? A kid?"

"Yes, a kid. He's from your production crew too."

The director burst out laughing. "There are other people in our crew you know? Sure, bring whoever you want. Don't tell me it's Shen Qing? I think he already left."

The director had also heard that Shen Qing and Duan Xun knew each other and seemed fairly close.

But Duan Xun shook his head. "Not him. Another kid."

Duan Xun made a call.

A few minutes later.

Song Mingzhou came jogging over, his face covered in fine beads of sweat. He was breathing lightly, his cheeks flushed red.

Duan Xun's mouth went a little dry at the sight. He simply looked away. "It's him. He spent the whole afternoon asking me about the script and acting. He's very diligent, so I thought I'd bring him along for dinner."

The director gave Song Mingzhou an unreadable look, but he did not refuse.

The three got into the car.

The director sat in the front, while Song Mingzhou sat in the back with Duan Xun. The moment they got in, Duan Xun naturally took his hand, startling Song Mingzhou.

This man was getting bolder and bolder.

The director was still there. He could see their little movements in the rearview mirror, yet Duan Xun seemed to have no intention of restraining himself. Not only did he hold Song Mingzhou's hand, he even took the opportunity to stroke it.

"..."

Song Mingzhou sat up straight. As a qualified canary, he could not refuse any of his patron's requests.

Besides, it would not matter if their relationship became public. As long as they did not admit it was a patron-and-lover relationship, it would just be a scandal. A romance.

There was nothing bad about it for him.

No matter how he looked at it, he was getting an incredible bargain.

Having thought it through, Song Mingzhou let Duan Xun hold and play with his hand. Duan Xun chatted with the director while Song Mingzhou quietly listened without saying anything.

"President Duan, we're here."

"Okay."

The director got out first. Lin Cheng opened the rear door, and Duan Xun stepped out before naturally extending his hand to Song Mingzhou.

Song Mingzhou paused for a moment, then smiled and placed his hand in Duan Xun's palm, getting out of the car with his help.

The director stroked his chin as he watched their interaction, suspicion in his eyes. But when the two looked over, he immediately withdrew his gaze and pretended nothing had happened as he continued chatting with Duan Xun.

The three were led into a private dining room.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the director brought up business. "You're so busy, yet you still came to visit the set. Do you have a project you want me for?"

In the adult world, there was no need to beat around the bush.

Duan Xun readily admitted it. "Of course. Everyone can see Director Han's abilities. I do have a project here, and I'd like to invite you to direct it."

"Oh? You're investing in it?"

"I'm producing it." Duan Xun held out his hand to the side. Lin Cheng immediately passed him a document, which Duan Xun then handed to the director. "Take a look."

The director took it and flipped through it. It was a script.

"This is just the first draft, and it hasn't been finalized. The screenwriter will still make adjustments later. I'm very satisfied with this story, but I haven't found a suitable director, so I thought of you."

"Good. Not bad. I can do it."

They more or less settled the project over dinner. "Then will you be acting in this one yourself?"

"No. I have someone to recommend for the male lead, but whether he gets chosen will depend on your audition."

The director's gaze seemed to drift toward Song Mingzhou beside them. He nodded in understanding. "Of course. But if his acting isn't up to standard, I won't take him. I need to make that clear."

"No problem."

"Good. I'll go to the restroom first. I'll be back in a moment."

"Mm."

Lin Cheng also stood up and left, closing the door behind him. Only the two of them remained in the private room, and Duan Xun pulled Song Mingzhou onto his lap.

Song Mingzhou startled. "You..."

"I missed you."

After tossing out those words, Duan Xun pinched his chin and kissed him. Song Mingzhou was swiftly overwhelmed, surrendering before long and unable to withstand the assault.

[ Ding, a plot point has been triggered. The host must reject Duan Xun's teasing and anger him. ]

Why was this task so insistent on making him anger Duan Xun?

The temperature in the private room rose rapidly, while the air seemed to vanish just as quickly. The two kissed inseparably, and Duan Xun, unable to restrain himself, grabbed Song Mingzhou's hand and guided it downward.

Song Mingzhou: "!!!"

No!

Director Han could return at any moment. He did not mind being found out, but he did not want to put on a live sex show—especially not as the one on the bottom.

This time, he really had to refuse.

Song Mingzhou immediately pulled his hand back. Duan Xun loosened his hold slightly and looked at him with displeasure, even biting him once.

Song Mingzhou winced in pain, then glared at him with complete conviction. "It's dangerous. No. What if someone sees us? I can't. Don't do this."

Duan Xun narrowed his eyes. "Are you that afraid of people finding out about us?"

"No, that's not it." Song Mingzhou explained, "Being found out is one thing. Being seen in the act is another. Can we do it after we go back?"

Song Mingzhou pleaded with Duan Xun in a soft, gentle voice.

That counted as a refusal too.

The thrill of sneaking around like this was too exciting, too... unbearable.

Tsk.

Duan Xun's gums tingled. He truly wanted to devour him right now, but he could not. His wife still had a mission.

Pfft, anger me? How could such a cute kid possibly make me angry? Duan Xun sighed, but put on a furious, stern expression as he stared at him. "You're rejecting me?"

Song Mingzhou blinked. "Not right now, really. Don't be like this."

"What if I insist?"

"Big brother~" Song Mingzhou softened his voice.

Duan Xun nearly lost control. His expression changed several times before he managed to arrange it into something relatively proper. He huffed. "Playing pitiful won't help. You're playing with fire."

Tsk.

That line... wasn't that too greasy? Would Zhouzhou be scared away? Duan Xun thought, his gums tingling again.

Sure enough, Song Mingzhou's expression gradually cracked. He rolled his eyes in utter speechless exasperation, though it vanished in an instant as he resumed his pitiful expression and tugged at Duan Xun's clothes. "Big brother, let's do it after we go back."

"..."

He had been despised.

The hand around Song Mingzhou's waist slowly tightened, and even his toes curled inside his leather shoes.

"You're finished. How many times have you angered me today, huh? Song Mingzhou, who gave you the nerve?" Duan Xun gripped Song Mingzhou's chin, his gaze sharp as though he had truly been angered.

[ Ding, host Song Mingzhou's key plot point has been successfully repaired. Current mission progress: 29/100. ]

Phew...

He had fooled that stupid system.

Song Mingzhou also let out a breath of relief. He had no intention of truly angering Duan Xun. He was still his canary and still had to rely on him to get by.

So he obediently leaned closer. "Then... can we just kiss for a little while?"

"!!!"

Duan Xun could not endure it any longer. He lowered his head and captured Song Mingzhou's lips again. But enough time had already passed that he did not make any further excessive moves, only focused wholeheartedly on kissing him.

Song Mingzhou relaxed as well and responded willingly.

Knock, knock, knock.

Someone suddenly knocked on the door, and Lin Cheng's voice came from outside. "President Duan, Director Han has come out."