What reward do you want?

[Asking my husband for a reward.]

Xie Yanci lowered his eyes, meeting Xu Shi's deliberately seductive, unsatisfied gaze.

His dark eyes narrowed slightly. His long fingers tipped up Xu Shi's chin, his warm thumb gently stroking the Beta's glistening lips.

The slow, intimate motion carried a trace of indescribable desire.

Xu Shi unconsciously closed his eyes.

"Mmph..."

The kiss came down hard.

Deprived of sight, his other senses became especially sensitive. His lips were bitten and rubbed hard; the Alpha's kiss was so fierce.

All he could hear was low, heavy panting.

Xie Yanci was none too gentle. He gripped Xu Shi's neck and pressed him against the sofa, kissing him fiercely.

His other hand caressed the Beta's thigh, his warm fingertips traveling downward until they came to rest on Xu Shi's slender ankle.

A little bell jingled.

He toyed with the little bell around the Beta's ankle.

A low chuckle escaped his thin lips. "Tell me, what reward do you want?"

Xu Shi lay on the sofa with his head tipped back, struggling to steady his rapid breathing. "I want to play Xia Cen."

"All right."

Barely had Xie Yanci spoken when another round of fierce kisses descended.

"Mmph..."

Xu Shi arched, forced to tilt his head back and meet the Alpha's reward.

The bedroom was dimly lit. Xu Shi had no idea how many times he passed out; he could only vaguely make out the swaying light.

[My throat hurts so much...]

[Thirsty.]

Xu Shi opened his eyes groggily. The light outside the window was too bright, and he instinctively raised a hand to shield his eyes.

[Where am I?]

[A hospital?]

[Fuck...]

Xu Shi struggled to sit up in the large bed, aching all over.

His mind felt foggy as he looked down at the needle in the back of his right hand.

"..."

[Damn you, Xie Yanci!]

[I'm seriously pissed off!]

Xu Shi slammed his fist against the bedsheet. "Fuck, that hurts..."

He had barely let out a couple of groans when a large hand settled on his lower back.

The warm hand gently massaged his lower back. The movements were a little clumsy, but they did ease the pain somewhat.

[Who's being so gentle?]

[Boo-hoo...]

He looked up.

Xie Yanci's sharply defined, handsome face was striking.

Long hair fell over his slightly worried eyes and brows. The skin beneath his eyes had a bluish tinge, as though he had not slept for several nights.

"..."

Xu Shi felt like cursing.

But faced with the great CEO looking so earnest, he could not get a word out.

Xie Yanci disliked letting others see him looking unkempt. Lowering his eyes slightly, he ladled a bowl of congee for Xu Shi. "Have something to eat."

"..." Xu Shi stared at him for several seconds. "Oh."

[He really is pretty good-looking.]

"?"

[He's got a bit of a husband vibe.]

[I want to tease him.]

[If only he were someone else's husband. Playing with my own husband is no fun.]

"..."

Xie Yanci sighed. He had never understood Xu Shi's thoughts.

He shook his head helplessly and looked up at Xu Shi, who had just woken up and was obediently eating his congee. His thin lips moved. "I didn't control myself properly that day. I'm sorry."

He had clearly kept it suppressed for five years, yet lately, for some reason, his desire seemed to be growing more and more uncontrollable.

Even now, he was still thinking about the sight of Xu Shi seducing him in that loose white shirt that night.

Even though Xu Shi was only a Beta.

"There's no need to apologize," Xu Shi said, unconcerned. "Just remember what you promised me."

All he wanted was the role of Xia Cen.

Taking something from the bottom protagonist meant he could change the plot and would not have to die for someone else's love.

That mattered a great deal to him.

"...All right."

Xie Yanci nodded slowly.

That night had been nothing more than an ordinary exchange of benefits. He should not keep thinking back to it.

Neither of them had taken it seriously.

Xu Shi's lower back hurt terribly for several days in a row.

He lay on the sofa, watching lessons to study acting while waiting for good news from Xie Yanci.

"An inside scoop: I heard Xia Shian's going to play the male lead." Xiao Chi's gossipy voice came over the phone.

"Seriously?" Xu Shi instantly sat up on the sofa. "Then is everyone online asking for Wen Yu to play the second male lead?"

The male lead was a police officer and shared many scenes with the second male lead, Xia Cen.

Wen Yu and Xia Shian were a hugely popular ship...

"Not really," Xiao Chi reassured him. "Nothing's leaked online, and Director Song hardly seems like someone who'd listen to suggestions from netizens."

Even so, Xu Shi felt that if he broke up this ship, he would definitely get flamed.

"Oh, right." Xiao Chi suddenly remembered the important matter. "The red carpet at seven tonight. Don't forget!"

"Mm..."

The Starlight Awards red carpet event was exceptionally high-profile this time. All the stars invited either had notable works to their names or luxury endorsements. Xu Shi had no idea why his name was on the list.

Xiao Chi said this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to luck into something good.

The late-autumn evening was a little chilly. Xu Shi had no haute couture endorsement, so he casually picked out an expensive-looking suit from the villa's wardrobe and put it on.

He stood in the waiting area outside, yawning lazily.

"Isn't that Y's new suit for this season?"

"Yes. I tried ordering it months ahead and still couldn't get one."

"Is he a celebrity? I've never seen him before. Could he be an ambassador?"

"Wen Yu is this luxury brand's only global ambassador."

Xu Shi: "???"

What were they babbling about? He could not understand any of this baffling talk.

Xiao Chi did not understand either. The suits clearly all looked the same.

"Sir." A staff member suddenly came over. "There's been a change to the entrance order. Please go on next."

"Sure." Xu Shi had no objections whatsoever.

That saved him a long wait.

The camera flashes outside were especially bright, and reporters crowded the area.

Xu Shi took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and stood in the waiting area.

Someone suddenly walked up beside him.

Xu Shi glanced over.

The Omega wore a pure white suit and happened to look up at him too. Upon recognizing the brand of the clothes he was wearing, his eyes instantly widened.

Xu Shi was even more startled.

He was walking the red carpet with Wen Yu?

His standing was high enough to walk the red carpet side by side with Wen Yu?

"Gentlemen, it's time to move forward," a staff member urged beside them.

Only then did Xu Shi come to his senses. He stepped onto the red carpet beside an equally bewildered Wen Yu.

[Someone's setting me up.]

[I want to go home.]

[I want to see Xie Yanci.]

[I'm going to tell my husband on them!]