"Don't get any ideas about him." Gu Nan immediately grew nervous. "He actually really dislikes selling BL in private. He forces himself to act every time. Good thing he has the ice prince persona, or he'd have given himself away ages ago."
On-screen, Fang Jin wore an icy expression as he watched Xie Weishui and Zhou Yang's intimate interactions across from him.
Gu Nan said, "I've also heard rumors that Xie Weishui stopped wanting to sell BL with him a long time ago. That's why he went to Zhou Yang."
Uninterested, Chi Li changed the channel again.
By the time Gu Nan had introduced every trainee in the Raising House, Li Ming finally called.
"Come to my office."
"Xiao Li, what made you come around?" Li Ming personally poured Chi Li a cup of tea and asked with a smile. "Didn't you used to say you'd rather die than give in?"
As the shared manager of a whole bunch of trainees, Li Ming naturally knew which prospects would do best in the Raising House.
With Chi Li's face, even if he didn't deliberately sell BL, just having him in the Raising House as a mascot would be a powerful weapon for attracting fans.
Li Ming had wanted to send him in two months ago.
But the boy was incredibly stubborn. He flatly refused to take the Raising House shortcut, saying he wanted to wait to debut onstage.
But with survival shows now banned, where in the domestic entertainment industry were there any good stages that drew much attention?
No matter how Li Ming tried to persuade him, he couldn't get the stubborn little brat to budge.
Worried that forcing him in might lead to something he couldn't control, Li Ming had shelved the idea for the time being.
Who would have thought that just two months later, he would change his tune and volunteer to sell BL?
Li Ming really wanted to buy two strings of firecrackers to celebrate immediately.
"I suddenly realized how pretentious I used to be." Chi Li gave Li Ming an innocent smile.
Chi Li would never, even under pain of death, admit that he had turned down the opportunity because Zhou Yang looked down on selling BL, and as his boyfriend, he hadn't wanted anything to do with something Zhou Yang hated.
"Pfft, you don't have to put it that way." Li Ming looked at Chi Li fondly. "But... your biggest problem right now is that there's no suitable partner for you to sell BL with."
"I don't care. I want to start selling BL as soon as possible." Chi Li kept a straight face, being completely unreasonable.
Li Ming ran through the candidates in his head but still couldn't find anyone suitable. "Or you could make friends with the people in there. Selling friendship works too."
"I want to sell BL." Chi Li was firm.
Li Ming: "..."
The kid looked positively possessed.
But Chi Li rarely wanted anything this strongly, so he would certainly fulfill his wish.
"Then give me a few days. I'll scout someone from another company for you."
Chi Li said, "Fine. Make it quick."
Ever since people had stirred up controversy over the "BL-selling House" once, the company had opened its doors for business. As a result, the Raising House often had "exchange students" from other companies. Gu Nan had explained this to him earlier.
"Got it, Your Highness."
Leaving Li Ming's office, Chi Li walked over to the elevator and pressed the down button.
He planned to return to the lounge and keep watching the Raising House livestream to get to know his future colleagues in advance.
After a while, the elevator doors slowly opened.
Chi Li instinctively looked inside. There was only one unfamiliar face in there.
The man had the classic looks of an actor. Prominent brow bones, a straight nose, and a sharply defined jawline.
Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, just the right amount of chest muscle, a lean, powerful waistline... One look was enough to tell that this body had undergone years of training. Every inch exuded restrained strength.
A prime stud top.
The words surfaced uncontrollably in Chi Li's mind, and his Adam's apple bobbed just as uncontrollably.
"Not coming in?"
Shen Xunye pressed the door-open button to stop the elevator doors from closing automatically and raised an eyebrow at the slightly dazed Chi Li outside.
"Ah, yes." Chi Li silently cursed himself and hurried into the elevator.
Damn it, that bastard Zhou Yang warped my taste so badly that seeing a genuinely handsome man shocked me into embarrassing myself... I'll remember this and settle it all with him later.
"What floor? Or are you going to the first floor like me?" Shen Xunye suddenly spoke.
"Uh, three."
...Embarrassed myself again.
Another mark against Zhou Yang.
A long, slender finger pressed the button for the third floor.
Silence returned to the elevator.
Chi Li stood diagonally behind Shen Xunye, staring at his broad back and taut waist.
Every look at a handsome man in the wild is one less left to take. Surely I won't get caught from this angle?
Damn... What a perfect body. I really want to touch it.
...Wait, why do I have to tilt my head up to look at him?
I'm 181.6 centimeters and still have to look up. How tall is this guy?
Ding-
While Chi Li was muttering away in his head, the elevator had smoothly reached the third floor.
Though reluctant to leave, he was determined not to embarrass himself a third time, so he lowered his head and stepped out.
The next second, a hand landed on his shoulder.
A gentle yet irresistible force drew him back into the elevator.
Chi Li instinctively turned around and nearly crashed into Shen Xunye's arms.
"Don't you have anything to say to me?" came a teasing voice. Shen Xunye bent down slightly, his warm breath brushing Chi Li's ear.
Chi Li leaned his head back, putting some distance between them.
What was he supposed to say?
What was there to say to a stranger?
Was he supposed to apologize for taking a couple of extra looks at him?
Wasn't he a little too possessive of his own good looks... He wouldn't even let people look...
Psycho...
Might as well just curse him out.
Huh? Wait.
A sudden spark flashed through Chi Li's mind.
He really did have something to say!
Chi Li reached up and caught Shen Xunye's hand, his eyes full of eager anticipation. "Would you perhaps be willing to sell BL with me?"
"...What is selling BL?" The smile on Shen Xunye's face froze for a second before returning. "But if it's with you, I think I'd be willing."
Tch. Such a playboy act.
But that act really would make him a good partner for selling BL.
Chi Li had made up his mind. "Come to the fifteenth floor with me."
Back in Li Ming's office, Chi Li brought Shen Xunye right up to him. "He agreed to sell BL with me. Make the arrangements."
Looking at the man standing before him, Li Ming's eyes nearly popped out in shock.
He grabbed his phone and messaged his boss while saying distractedly, "...Young-uh, young man, are you voluntarily agreeing to sell BL with him?"
Shen Xunye had already learned what selling BL meant from Chi Li's fragmented explanation on the way upstairs.
He shrugged, looking unconcerned. "Of course."
"Would I lie to you?" Chi Li was eager to get things settled. "Hurry up and submit the request. I already can't wait to start selling BL."
Shen Xunye said, "You want it that badly?"
"Uh..." Without a reply from his boss yet, Li Ming didn't dare make the decision himself. "Don't rush. Go downstairs and rest first. I'll talk to him about... uh, about his compensation."
"Fine."
Chi Li knew these "outside reinforcements" all had to sign a separate contract, so he said nothing more.
He poked Shen Xunye's waist and showed him his friend QR code. "Add me first. Message me when you're done talking."
Shen Xunye did as asked. "My name is Shen Xunye."
"Chi Li."