A stand-in

Feng Wanting gripped the steering wheel with both hands. Shadows of trees cast by the setting sun fell through the window across the contours of his face, and his heart felt numb.

A moment later, his phone chimed twice.

Pei Yang had sent him two messages.

A transfer of 11,050, accompanied by a message: [Sorry, Director Feng, something came up. Remember to accept the money.]

Feng Wanting lowered his eyes and stared at the two messages for a long time.

Something came up? He got into his Ex-Boyfriends' car. What could possibly have come up?

Was he planning to get back together with him? Even knowing what kind of person he was, he still wanted to reconcile?

Did he love him that much?

Feng Wanting tossed his phone aside, stepped on the gas, and drove aimlessly for a while before a call came in.

When he answered, Wei Ziyun's flippant voice came through the car speakers. "Hello? Young Master Feng, how's it going?"

Feng Wanting's voice was slightly hoarse. "No progress whatsoever."

"How's that possible?" It was noisy on Wei Ziyun's end, with the echo of a microphone. He was probably in a private room at some nightclub. "Didn't you go wait for him outside his office? Is he so strong he managed to break free of you?"

"I was a step too late," Feng Wanting said. "Someone else picked him up."

"Damn, he's pretty popular, huh?"

"..."

Feng Wanting lowered his eyes and drew a breath. "...If he was going to get back together with his Ex-Boyfriends, why did he call me?"

Why did he sleep with me a second time?

"What? It's too noisy here. I didn't catch that. What did you say? He went to see his Ex-Boyfriends?"

"Forget it." Feng Wanting had no desire to share. "I'm hanging up."

"Hey, wait!" Wei Ziyun moved somewhere quiet, and his voice suddenly became clear. "I'll send you a location. Come over."

"I don't have time."

"Don't fucking ditch your friends for a hookup. You have time to stake out his office, but not to keep your buddy company?"

"I have to spend time with my son," Feng Wanting said.

"Oh, please. Don't think I don't know you sent Xile back to the family home. Get your ass over here. If you don't come, we're done!" Wei Ziyun hung up first, then sent a location. Sure enough, it was a nightclub.

He was a grown man, yet he still threatened to end their friendship. Feng Wanting disliked noisy places like this and rarely visited them, but for some reason, he actually felt like going out tonight.

After all, the moment things went quiet, he would think of Pei Yang getting into his Ex-Boyfriends' car.

He opened the location and stepped on the gas.

Wei Ziyun had always been extravagant. He had transformed the club's private room into a haven of excess, with leather in interwoven shades of dark gold and black, walls upholstered in imported cowhide and inlaid with gilded trim, and a sofa long enough for more than a dozen people to sprawl across. The subwoofer thumped hard enough to rattle their chests. Feng Wanting felt uncomfortable the moment he stepped inside.

"Wanting! You're here?"

Wei Ziyun lounged in the center of the sofa with a roguish air, both legs propped shamelessly on the table. He was the picture of a spoiled playboy.

He waved for the servers in the room to turn off the music, then stood and pulled Feng Wanting over beside him. "My buddy's here!" he called to a waiter. "Bring out the drinks."

"One moment, Young Master Wei."

The doors slid open soundlessly, and male waiters filed in, their pristine white gloves supporting trays of liquor wreathed in icy mist.

Wei Ziyun's gaze roamed unabashedly over their faces, waists, and asses. "Heaven on earth," he said happily.

Feng Wanting didn't even want to look. "Let's get this straight. I'll have a couple of drinks with you, then I'm leaving."

"Why are you in such a hurry? It's still early." Wei Ziyun casually plucked an ice cube from the bucket and popped it into his mouth, then wiped his wet hand twice across the waist of the waiter arranging the drinks beside him. The waiter turned, his little face flushing, and took the opportunity to fall into Wei Ziyun's arms. "Young Master Wei... you've dirtied my clothes," he said coyly.

"How about I buy you ten new outfits?" Wei Ziyun asked, pinching the waiter's chin.

The waiter was about to speak when Feng Wanting said coldly, "Wei Ziyun, disgust me again and I'm leaving right now."

"All right, all right. I'll stop." Wei Ziyun heartlessly pushed the waiter away, his smile vanishing in an instant. "Everyone out. I'll call if I need anything."

The waiters bowed and nodded, then left the room in an orderly line.

"Okay, now that everyone's gone, let your buddy break it down for you." Wei Ziyun draped an arm over Feng Wanting's shoulders. "You've already managed to do it with that guy... what's his name again..."

"Pei Yang."

"Right, Pei Yang. Even his name's got an uncommon character." Wei Ziyun said, "You've already done it with him twice. If you ask me, your condition's long since cleared up. What's this bullshit about your dick recognizing its master?"

Feng Wanting said, "..."

"Listen to me, buddy. Try it with someone else. If it really works..."

"I told you," Feng Wanting said. "I don't like men."

"Then there's something fucking wrong with your head. Isn't Pei Yang a man?" Wei Ziyun asked. "You've seen each other naked twice. Does he not have a willy?"

"You're obviously gay, just like me. Why won't you admit it? The way you were raised made you think you liked women, that you were supposed to like women. But sexual orientation is written into your genes. You can't change it. You can't make yourself like women, so why put yourself through this?"

"..." Frustrated, Feng Wanting poured himself a drink. The amber liquid swirled in the glass, and he downed it in one go.

"Wanting, I know you can't accept this right away..."

"But I really have no interest in the boys you keep around you. None whatsoever," Feng Wanting interrupted.

"That's because you don't like my type." Wei Ziyun snapped his fingers. "I like them flashy and slutty. The boys around me are all dolled up and would go out with their asses bare if they could. But that's not you! I saw Pei Yang's photo. How should I put it? He's definitely good-looking, but too understated. He's clearly the innocent, aloof type. Our tastes are at opposite extremes. How could you possibly be interested in the ones I like?"

Feng Wanting actually thought that made some sense.

Seeing him waver, Wei Ziyun clapped his hands. "Anyone there?"

Someone immediately opened the door and came in. "What can I do for you, Young Master Wei?"

"Go find a few boys to drink with us. Innocent, aloof, pretty, and bare-faced. Skip anyone wearing makeup!"

"Of course. One moment, Young Master Wei."

The door closed, and Wei Ziyun raised an eyebrow at Feng Wanting. "You can take any of the male hosts here out with you. Just have whoever you like sit beside you. Once you've had your fill of drinks, there are rooms upstairs."

Feng Wanting truly despised this kind of amusement, but with his condition, Wei Ziyun had a point. He had to try before he could know whether Pei Yang really was the only person he could get hard for.

"Can you stop looking so cold? The Pei Yang you can't stop thinking about is having fun with his Ex-Boyfriends right now. You two aren't even together. Are you really planning to stay chaste for him? Haven't you heard the saying about not putting all your eggs in one basket?"

As they spoke, the club's floor manager brought in a group of neatly dressed young men. More than a dozen stood respectfully shoulder to shoulder in a single row, all with good looks and figures.

"Wow..."

Wei Ziyun had said he liked the flashy type, but the innocent-looking ones stopped him in his tracks too.

He nudged Feng Wanting with his elbow. "See anyone you like?"

Feng Wanting gave them a cursory glance, his brow furrowing so tightly it could have crushed someone.

What was this lot supposed to be?

Not one of them could compare to Pei Yang.

When Feng Wanting gave no response, Wei Ziyun grew so anxious he tried choosing for him. "Aren't they all pretty good-looking? Look at that one. Isn't he the same type as Pei Yang? His eyes look a lot like Pei Yang's."

Feng Wanting looked in the direction Wei Ziyun pointed and nearly blacked out. He waved a hand. "Everyone out."

The young men exchanged looks. They were already the club's top male models. Hearing that a big shot had arrived, they had hurried over to audition, only to be sent away before they had even been there a few seconds.

"Hey! Don't go! Feng Wanting, you're too picky!"

Feng Wanting said nothing. He lowered his eyes, unwilling to spend another second looking at those faces.

Wei Ziyun chose a few himself and gestured for them to sit on either side of the two men.

"Stop playing coy, Feng Wanting." Wei Ziyun pinched the cheek of the young man beside him. "You really don't like any of them? Even someone this pretty... does nothing for you?"

Feng Wanting was so irritated that he simply shut his eyes. His gloomy expression left the young man beside him too scared to move.

Wei Ziyun was at his wit's end, but then inspiration struck. "I'll just post Pei Yang's photo in the group chat and have them find someone who looks like him! Finding you an identical stand-in should work, right?"