Yeah, It's Very Spicy

Yan Ningke was exhausted, but he was in a wonderful mood.

After wrapping up and returning to his room, he plunged straight into the bathroom and took a refreshing shower.

When he came out, the corners of his mouth were still turned up.

He pulled on an oversized white T-shirt, fished out his phone, and made a video call to Shao Ke.

It rang for a long time. Only when the system was about to hang up automatically did the call connect.

Yan Ningke's disappointed eyes instantly lit up.

"What took you so long to answer?"

On the phone screen, the young man was wreathed in moisture, his hair damp and his voice soft.

Shao Ke's eyelids fluttered slightly. "What is it?" he asked evenly.

Yan Ningke instantly forgot everything else and began recounting his moment of glory, gesturing excitedly.

He was like a child who had won a prize and come home to show off his achievement to an adult.

Shao Ke listened quietly and patiently, his gaze never leaving him.

"Mr. Shao, aren't I amazing!"

It was not a question. He wanted affirmation.

Shao Ke seemed to smile. "Yes, amazing."

Happiness was written all over Yan Ningke's face.

"But did your pay go up too?"

Yan Ningke hated his tactlessness. "How vulgar!"

Shao Ke curled his lips indifferently. "Remember to send the money."

So annoying!

Yan Ningke's eyes widened and his cheeks puffed up. He looked thoroughly angry.

Shao Ke finally started acting like a decent person. "When are you coming back?"

Only then did Yan Ningke have the chance to take a proper look at him.

Shao Ke looked particularly different today. His usually loose hair was neatly styled, and he wore a dark gray suit, his shirt buttoned all the way to the top. The watch on his wrist, resting on the desk, looked very expensive.

His effortless handsomeness was enough to make someone weak in the knees.

Yan Ningke felt his heartbeat suddenly quicken. "Soon."

"Mm."

Silence suddenly fell. Shao Ke seemed to be busy on his end, his fluent, perfectly pronounced English making his voice sound deep and cool.

A mist gathered in Yan Ningke's beautiful eyes. He slowly drew his legs up, resting his heels on the edge of the chair and pressing his knees together.

When Shao Ke looked over again, the first thing he saw was a pair of fair, pink-tinged knees. With Yan Ningke's legs drawn up, his gaze followed downward.

"What are you doing?"

The young man seemed enveloped in desire, the corners of his moist eyes startlingly red.

Soft breaths traveled through the phone into Shao Ke's ears.

Shao Ke closed his eyes and let out a forceful breath.

Yan Ningke was a young man, after all, and had never experienced anything like this in either of his lives. Once the sudden impulse took hold, there was no reining it in.

Unable to quite bear it, he called softly, his voice like a sponge that would release nothing but water with a squeeze. "Mr. Shao..."

Outside the window, a light rain had begun to patter at some point. Inside, damp heat surged.

Shao Ke produced a cigarette from somewhere and gently pressed his lighter.

A click rang out in the quiet space.

The young man seemed startled. His body trembled slightly, his eyes full of bewilderment.

Shao Ke pinched the bridge of his nose and slowly exhaled smoke, as though conceding defeat. "Gently. Don't rush."

His deep, magnetic voice was like a surging sea, instantly overturning Yan Ningke's little boat and carrying him through its rises and falls.

At last, daylight broke through.

The young man lay upon the calm waves, sobbing softly as he uttered each syllable. "Shao Ke."

Amid the curling smoke, Yan Ningke seemed to hear salvation.

"Good boy. A-Ning did so well."

The call ended in a flurry of fumbling. It was easy to imagine how flustered the person on the other end was.

Shao Ke leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed, a vein throbbing on his forehead, his whole body taut as though he were holding something back.

After a long while, a soft laugh echoed through the quiet room.

Meanwhile, Yan Ningke, who had already showered, slipped back into the bathroom with a flushed face.

Warm water struck his face, instantly clearing his muddled head.

Yan Ningke looked down, then covered his face in mortification and wailed, "How could you dare!!"

Secretly lusting after the man's body was one thing, but now he had actually done it right in front of him.

Absolutely shameless!

In his chagrin, he furtively pinched the culprit as punishment.

He took a lightning-fast shower, then crawled into bed to sleep as though nothing had happened.

As long as I forget fast enough, the embarrassment can't catch up.

His scenes on the last day were all easy. Unlike when he had first arrived, people kept greeting him from the moment he stepped out of his room.

"Morning, Teacher Yan."

"Hello, Teacher Yan."

Yan Ningke had gone from feeling embarrassed at first to responding earnestly now.

After eating breakfast on set, he went into the makeup room.

Wendy, the makeup artist, teased him with a smile. "Good morning, Teacher Yan."

Yan Ningke pressed his lips together shyly. "Wendy, why are you doing it too?"

"Please stop teasing me. You're making me so nervous."

Over the past few days, the two had grown considerably closer and occasionally joked with each other.

Wendy gave him a fondly exasperated look. "What's there to be nervous about? You earned all this through your hard work. Everyone has seen it. Even the director has nothing but praise for you, so what are you afraid of? It's only a matter of time before you become famous!"

People instinctively sought advantages and avoided harm. If he were just an ordinary extra who could not even get a moment with the director, who would bother paying him any attention?

Yan Ningke was also considerate. He worked conscientiously while filming, and when he was not filming, he sat in a corner studying seriously. Occasionally, he helped the set crew with odd jobs and moved props.

Who would not like someone so undemanding and perceptive?

Wendy patted his back. "Just put your mind completely at ease. You deserve to be called Teacher Yan."

There was a confrontation scene that morning. Yan Ningke shouted himself hoarse for nearly an hour, and only afterward did he realize his throat was itchy and sore.

Wendy quickly pressed a bottle of water into his hands and pulled him over to the rest area.

Seeing him gulp it down, Wendy aimed a handheld electric fan at him. "Drink slowly. There's more if that isn't enough."

Yan Ningke downed over half the bottle in one go. Only after quenching his thirst did he manage to thank her.

Wendy waved a hand, telling him not to stand on ceremony. "Keep the fan. I need to get back to work."

Before leaving, she also pressed a packet of tissues into his hands.

Yan Ningke suddenly felt that good luck was about to come his way.

Lunch consisted of two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes. Yan Ningke did not have his own private lounge, so he could only join the costume, makeup, and props crew.

There were plenty of girls in the makeup room, which meant plenty of snacks. One gave him a handful of spicy gluten strips, another a bag of spicy duck necks, and even the unappetizing boxed lunch became enjoyable.

Wendy did not eat the boxed lunch. She ordered malatang and shared it with him.

They worked on film sets year-round and had long since grown sick of boxed lunches.

Yan Ningke did not turn her down. Although he had only eaten them for two days, how could his palate, spoiled by premium ingredients, still tolerate such hardship?

And the man who had supplied him with those premium ingredients...

Some terrible images suddenly flashed through his mind.

Yan Ningke abruptly slapped himself!

Aaaaah, don't think about it! Don't think about it! Get that stuff out of your head!

"Ningke, what's wrong? Is it too spicy?"

Wendy looked at his face, red enough to drip blood, and asked in confusion.

She had only ordered it mildly spicy.

Yan Ningke kept his face blank. "Yeah, it's very spicy."