24.

The study was dimly lit, orange-yellow light falling across the Alpha's slightly hazy eyes.

Xie Yanci braced one hand on the desk and clamped the other firmly over his mouth.

He tipped his head back, his Adam's apple bobbing sharply twice, the fingertips braced behind him on the desk curling unconsciously.

There was a click-

His belt came undone.

[!!!]

Xu Shi's eyes widened, and he cautiously brought the hand holding the measuring tape closer.

"...It's my age."

Xu Shi would turn twenty-five before the New Year, and their marriage alliance contract would automatically end.

It would be time to divorce.

Xie Yanci didn't much like that number being mentioned.

He leaned down, his long, well-defined fingers suddenly lifting Xu Shi's chin, his dark eyes narrowing slightly.

"Time to help me out, baby."

"..."

Three days later, Xu Shi received an audition invitation from Song Zhixing's assistant.

Dressed in a simple white top and long pants, he yawned lazily and climbed into a white passenger van parked by the roadside.

"Morning." He greeted Xiao Chi.

"Morning..." Xiao Chi glanced over his face, his eyes instantly widening. "What happened to your mouth?"

Xu Shi was holding a cup of iced Americano against his face to reduce the swelling. Droplets slid down his fair cheek and landed on the scab at the corner of his mouth.

He leaned against the seat, looking weary as he pulled a blanket over himself. "Ate the wrong thing. Got some mouth sores."

He didn't want to explain.

He couldn't explain, either.

It was just some scraped skin.

Why the hell did that damned Xie Yanci have to be so big?!

Xu Shi seethed, his brows drawn tight, making his striking face look even more intimidating.

Xiao Chi instantly lost the nerve to ask anything else and only reminded him timidly, "We still have an audition later..."

Having something wrong with his face at a time like this would cost him points.

Xu Shi knew full well how precious this opportunity was, but he had simply been utterly bewitched by that little thing at the time.

Who knew Xie Yanci would be so rough?

Who knew it wouldn't heal even after three days?

[Fuck!]

[Damn you, Xie Yanci!]

Unable to swallow his anger, Xu Shi took out his phone, snapped a selfie, and found the contact saved as "Free Duck" among his hundreds of WeChat contacts.

He sent it.

Elsewhere.

The atmosphere in the enormous conference room was solemn, and an industry professional in a sharp suit was presenting the details of a collaboration.

The distinguished Alpha at the head of the table remained impassive, giving no hint of his emotions.

Ding-

A phone suddenly chimed in the quiet, solemn conference room.

Everyone was required to silence their phones during company meetings, Xie Yanci included, but this message had a special priority alert.

Xie Yanci reached for the phone on the table and lowered his eyes to glance at it.

It was a message from Xu Shi.

Just a selfie.

In the photo, the Beta lounged against his seat, his fair, rosy face rubbing against a fleece blanket as he winked one of his peach-blossom eyes, their inner corners dipping and outer corners tilting upward.

Xie Yanci didn't understand why Xu Shi had sent the picture. His long fingers tapped the screen, and he replied expressionlessly:

[Looking good.]

Xu Shi nearly spat out his iced Americano when he saw the reply.

"Dude, who asked you whether I looked good? I wanted you to look at my mouth!"

"If I fail this audition today because of this scab, you're dead!"

"Just you wait."

Xu Shi sent a string of voice messages.

Anyway, if he failed the audition, it was all Xie Yanci's fault. He never turned his frustrations inward.

Xiao Chi didn't know whom he was messaging, but those words made him anxious too. "I heard the auditions were originally scheduled for next month. I don't know why they suddenly moved them up."

No one in the industry had received any word. Even Wen Yu had only gotten the script a couple of days ago.

Everyone had been caught off guard. Xu Shi wasn't the only one left scrambling.

"We're actually doing pretty well," Xiao Chi comforted him. "At least we've had over ten more days with the script than everyone else, and ours was the complete version."

"True..." Xu Shi raised an eyebrow, feeling a little guilty.

When he thought back to the script, all that filled his mind was Xie Yanci's chest measurement of 110 and waist measurement of 68...

What little cunning he had had all gone into teasing a man.

The auditions were being held at Song Zhixing's own small company.

Xu Shi got out of the van, and as soon as he entered the ground-floor lobby, he was greeted by the sight of all sorts of stars and actors.

Almost all of them were recognizable names in the industry.

With Song Zhixing's reputation for winning a major award for every film he made, half the entertainment industry had shown up.

"Do we really have a chance of getting picked?" Xiao Chi asked timidly, hiding behind Xu Shi.

"No idea." Xu Shi shook his head in despair.

All he had to offer was his beauty, but good-looking people were the last thing the entertainment industry lacked.

The lobby was crowded with people waiting. Many A-list stars didn't even get a chance to audition for Director Song in person, yet Song Zhixing's assistant escorted Xu Shi straight to a lounge.

He wasn't particularly surprised. After all, he had Song Zhixing's business card and was indeed on the "invitation list."

Xu Shi had always felt he deserved good things, and he waited quietly in the lounge for the production's makeup artist to do his makeup.

"This is Director Song's film! The company won't allow you to give up your shot at the male lead, much less audition for the second male lead!"

The sounds of an argument came from outside the lounge.

Xu Shi exchanged a glance with Xiao Chi, made a shushing gesture, and pricked up his ears to eavesdrop.

"Did you hear me? The company won't let you lower your standing by playing the second male lead!"

"The second male lead has a richer characterization than the lead and more room for interpretation. No matter what you say, I'm not listening to the company this time."

The moment those words fell, the lounge door was pushed open.

Xu Shi instantly met the eyes of the person in the doorway.

It was Wen Yu.