The bathroom was a private space where there would be no filming, and they could openly turn off their microphones.
That was why many celebrities on livestreamed variety shows chose to discuss things or take work calls in the bathroom.
Nan Zhou had already received a message from his manager, Hao Jia, telling him to find a chance to go to the bathroom because he needed to call and ask him something. He had repeatedly reminded him to turn off his microphone.
The booming voice from his phone made Nan Zhou frown slightly and hold it farther away. He said, "It's him."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner, for the love of God?!" Hao Jia shouted.
He had originally planned to accompany Nan Zhou to film this variety show today, but the company had suddenly assigned him to negotiate an important contract for another artist. Since Nan Zhou had also said he would be fine, Hao Jia had left after dropping him off at the filming location.
But on the way, he hadn't forgotten to watch the livestream on his phone, keeping track of Nan Zhou's performance at all times.
Before they came to the show, Hao Jia had already discussed it with Nan Zhou. As long as he showed up, he wouldn't have to pay a breach-of-contract penalty anyway. If his partner was polite, he could cooperate and go through the motions. If they were rude and wanted to take advantage of him to hype up a pairing, he could simply stop trying.
What Hao Jia hadn't expected, however, was that Nan Zhou's drastically changed personality after his breakup would actually win him quite a few fans on the show.
What he had expected even less was that Nan Zhou's partner on the show would be Huo Xingye, the wildly popular, top-tier movie star and Best Actor winner!
And what had truly left him stunned was that Nan Zhou and Huo Xingye actually knew each other-and Huo Xingye was the Alpha who had marked him!
The whole thing was so surreal that it went beyond Hao Jia's comprehension.
It felt like a dream.
Nan Zhou said, "I didn't know him before that. How was I supposed to tell you?"
Hao Jia was losing it. "Come on, that's Huo Xingye! How could you not know him?"
"Is he really famous?" Nan Zhou asked.
They had been filming together for several hours, and from the way the other guests and the production team treated Huo Xingye, he had more or less picked up on the fact that Huo Xingye was probably doing pretty well in the industry.
But the production team hadn't formally introduced him, and he and Huo Xingye had never introduced themselves to each other either. He really didn't know much about him.
Hearing his question, Hao Jia finally couldn't stop himself from cursing. "Do you only have eyes for that scumbag Lu Zhou?! Let me put it this way: comparing Lu Zhou to Huo Xingye is a reach so far you'd land on the moon!"
Got it. Very famous.
"The youngest Best Actor winner in film history. Every movie he's starred in has been a box-office hit, and he's the darling everyone in fashion is fighting over."
"If even the tiniest scrap of the resources and connections he has access to trickled down, that bitch Lu Zhou would get on his knees and be his Omega."
"Forget the internet-even people in the industry were shocked that he came on this show!"
Hao Jia was still frantically filling him in while freely putting Lu Zhou down, but Nan Zhou wasn't interested.
"Calm down a little." He was so loud that Nan Zhou's ears hurt.
"How am I supposed to calm down?! That's Huo Xingye! What on earth brought him here? Don't tell me it really was for..."
Before Hao Jia could finish, he heard Nan Zhou say, "Then let's talk once you've calmed down."
Then the call was cut off.
Hao Jia: "..."
When Nan Zhou came out of the bathroom, he smelled crab roe.
He sat down at the dining table and propped his head on his hand, watching Huo Xingye cook noodles with practiced ease in the kitchen, his back turned to him.
His gaze swept over that broad back, wandered down his narrow waist, then landed on his firm, rounded backside... apron.
Huo Xingye turned around.
"Hungry?"
"Mm." Nan Zhou withdrew his gaze and pretended to leaf through the fashion magazine on the table.
The spread he opened to featured Huo Xingye too.
So handsome.
"Almost ready." Huo Xingye glanced briefly at the magazine before turning back to the stove, his Adam's apple bobbing and his eyes darkening slightly.
Just now, the gaze behind him had felt like an electric current traveling down his body, heating his blood until he could barely control the desire and urges buried deep inside him.
[Ah, so handsome. An Alpha focused on cooking is the hottest.]
[Xingye's body... drool, drool.]
[I'm dying. Nan Zhou, isn't that gaze a little too blatant?!]
[Hungry? Where are you hungry? Hmm?]
[I hope you won't take this too far. Your repeated obscene remarks about my husband already constitute sexual harassment. As Huo Xingye's wife, I can't tolerate this any longer. Please stop this shameless behavior immediately, and spare a thought for my feelings!]
[That shameless, scheming bitch is seriously making Huo Xingye cook for him? Puke, puke, puke!]
Huo Xingye brought the Crab Roe Noodles to the table and set a large, full bowl in front of Nan Zhou.
Every strand of noodle soaked in crab roe sauce gleamed gold, topped with several large shrimp, scallops, abalone, and a generous heap of crabmeat.
The aroma filled his nose.
Nan Zhou took a deep breath and eagerly picked up his chopsticks to dig in.
His first mouthful was full of the fresh sweetness of seafood. Nan Zhou's eyes half closed in bliss, like a cat that had stolen a tasty morsel.
Taking in his expression, Huo Xingye asked with a smile, "Good?"
"Really good." As he ate, Nan Zhou gave Huo Xingye a thumbs-up.
"Have some more if you like it." Huo Xingye sat down opposite him, his long, nimble fingers making short work of peeling a shrimp before placing it in his bowl.
Nan Zhou didn't stand on ceremony. He obligingly ate the large shrimp, then graciously gave him another thumbs-up, lavish with his praise. "You really are a perfect lover."
He looked both adorable and amusing. Huo Xingye smiled and said, "As long as you're satisfied."
Of course I'm satisfied.
He couldn't have been more satisfied to have met him on this variety show.
What a treat.
Nan Zhou quickly finished his bowl of Crab Roe Noodles.
Seeing that Huo Xingye, who had been slowly eating while peeling shrimp for him, was nearly finished too, the cameraman following them finally braced himself after Pei Feng's repeated urging and spoke up. "Mr. Huo, Mr. Nan Zhou, it's almost time. You should get ready to head to work."
Nan Zhou had just been planning to open his laptop and take a look once he was full. At those words, his eyes instantly went wide.
"Work?"
"Your job at the bar."
"I still think this character setup of yours doesn't hold water." Nan Zhou leaned back in his chair, looking every inch the big shot. "Only an idiot would turn down the songs I write."
[Has he lost his mind? Huo Xingye spent a day kissing his ass, and now he's so full of himself he's forgotten who he is??]
[What songs has Nan Zhou written? Did he write that flop group's songs?]
[Quit putting on airs, you scheming bitch. Without our idol, what notable songs would your group even have?!]
[You up there, what the fuck do you mean, kissing his ass? Your fave could stick his ass out and still wouldn't be worthy of scrubbing Xingye's toilet!]
[With all due respect, every song by their group sucks!]
Before you continue