"Clause one of the marriage agreement: party B must satisfy all of party A's physical needs within the scope of a marriage between husbands, including but not limited to kissing, hugging, and xx;
Clause two of the marriage rules: party B must satisfy all of party A's material desires, including but not limited to shopping, dating, and getting married;
Clause three of the marriage agreement: party B must ensure that party A is not bullied by others, and even if he is bullied, must demand compensation a hundred or a thousand times over;
In exchange, party A must guarantee that he will not abandon party B, cheat, fall for someone else, or take a liking to any other pretty little things.
Nor may he have overly intimate physical contact with anyone else, or party B shall have the right to withhold party A's personal freedom..."
"Wait!" Before Wen Jiu could even react, the man had forced him to listen to this long string of awkward, bizarre marriage rules. The more he heard, the stranger it sounded.
By the time he reached that final, sweeping passage, Wen Jiu finally couldn't help raising his hand.
"Who's party A?"
The man elegantly lifted his chin and answered succinctly, "You."
Wen Jiu: ...
He truly hadn't expected to get a turn at being Daddy Client in his lifetime.
Even if he might only be a poor little client whose personal freedom could be confiscated at any moment.
Commonly known as being locked in a little black room.
Wen Jiu raised his hand, unwittingly getting sucked into his line of reasoning. "I can't do that. Actors need to have physical contact with other people."
"And I don't need you to satisfy any desires, either. Really."
This humble monk truly has no such worldly desires.
Even if I did, it would have to be with a pretty girl.
That was his bottom line as a straight man.
Seeing what Wen Jiu was thinking, Feng Chi's expression darkened almost instantly. But he was indeed the big-shot male lead of this book, and soon soothed himself-
After all, the young man had already been led astray by his reasoning.
He hadn't realized at all that he didn't actually need to consider any of this bullshit marriage agreement and could simply leave.
Instead of staying here arguing over the terms with him.
"This is only a marriage of convenience. I need your help dealing with my family. In exchange, I'll clear away those filthy fools who get in your way, and you can pursue your dreams as freely as you like."
"For three years. After three years, if you want to leave, I'll set you free."
The man turned to the end of the agreement and motioned for him to look. "The contract is proof. If I break my word, all assets under my name will automatically be transferred to your account and belong entirely to you."
Was it tempting?
How could it not be?
Wen Jiu didn't consider himself a saint. The clause about "pursuing your dreams as freely as you like" alone was tempting enough to make him choose.
Wen Jiu's identity in this world was that of a bottom-tier entertainer. Although he was only twenty-five, he had already spent seven years in the entertainment industry.
In seven years, the real-world Wen Jiu had already reached the pinnacle of the entertainment industry.
Yet this poor unlucky soul was still struggling at the bottom, where anyone could step on him.
His career had been so utterly miserable that even a seasoned veteran like Wen Jiu fell silent reading about it.
The original owner had debuted in a boy band during his sophomore year of college and accumulated a few million fans, but the group disbanded after he graduated.
The other members gradually established themselves in the entertainment industry in other capacities. Only he, having offended a director at the company, saw his resources plummet and became embroiled in plenty of scandals.
A green tea in the group had used him as a stepping stone.
He languished like that for two years until a veteran manager at the company finally couldn't bear it anymore and picked him up like a grubby stray kitten, directing a few resources his way.
Fortunately, the original owner had worked hard and never stopped improving himself, earning a small burst of popularity on a variety show through his own ability.
But the good times didn't last. Before long, he offended the investors once again by openly refusing a casting-couch proposition on camera...
The cycle repeated over and over. Seven years passed, and after constant turnover among his Weibo followers, he still only had a little over eight million.
If his resources hadn't improved in the last two years, bringing him quite a few new fans, he would probably still have had that measly two million, a number that might drop a little by the time he woke up.
After half a lifetime out in the world, he returned still a "newcomer."
Wen Jiu, who had two hundred million fans: ...
If he could, Wen Jiu would have sincerely liked to ask, "Aren't you afraid someone will quietly off you for acting like this?"
But he knew that this young man, whose real name was Shen Nian'an but who shared his stage name, was all alone in the world just like him. Naturally, he wasn't afraid.
The real-world Wen Jiu had been very lucky. Aside from one or two instances of harassment when he debuted, his later career had practically been smooth sailing, and none of the entertainment industry's filth had touched him.
But had he been in those shoes, Wen Jiu believed his own stance would only have been firmer and more brazen.
He might well have vanished from the entertainment industry long ago.
Faced with the big shot's tempting offer, Wen Jiu fell into a rare silence.
Pursuing dreams and all that...
It might sound laughable in the entertainment industry, but he was precisely that sort of "naive" person.
He couldn't live without the stage, couldn't live without scripts.
Wen Jiu said, "I..."
Wen Jiu tilted his head up to look at the man. Meeting his inexplicably gentle gaze, he suddenly felt his nose sting.
But this man is terrifying. I'd be an idiot not to run.
Who knows what might happen later? Maybe all this big shot has to do is move a finger and open his mouth, and I won't have a future at all.
The man could see his wavering, but didn't know why all these terms still couldn't persuade him, much less understand where things had gone wrong.
Always calculating every possibility, calm and self-possessed, he found himself uncertain for once, so nervous that his palms were beginning to sweat.
He could rack his brains forever and never guess that the damned author's exaggerated description, written just to make him look badass-
"He kills without blinking and can eat two children in one bite," would become the last straw that broke him at this moment.
Wen Jiu said, "I think I'll pass."
Feng Chi said, "...Why?"
Wen Jiu said nothing.
The man did his utmost to restrain the spreading darkness of his emotions, the effort making even the rims of his eyes redden.
He bent down, both hands sinking into the soft bed, his tall frame enclosing the young man in his arms.
His husky voice was gentle, yet inevitably carried a trace of his habitual commanding tone.
"Tell me. I need a reason."
Wen Jiu: ...
I can't exactly say I'm afraid you'll eat me, can I?
"Be good. Don't be afraid."
"If you can convince me," he said with restraint, "I won't force you."
Wen Jiu: ...What do I do if I'm even more scared now?
"But..." Wen Jiu instinctively leaned back, managing a smile. "You don't look like you're going to let me leave."
He looked like he was going to eat someone.
If his soul left his body, Wen Jiu thought silently, he would probably be able to see just how pitiful and wretched he looked right now.
Like a little bunny pinned down by a fierce, terrifying lion, all its fur licked into a wet, disheveled mess, wanting to lift a foot and kick the beast away but not daring to flail at all.
With those big red eyes staring at it, it didn't even dare groom itself.
Terrified that one careless move would have the beast gulp it straight down.
Without leaving so much as a hair.
Wen Jiu wanted to cry but had no tears. Trembling, he thought, The author really didn't lie to me.
When this big shot gets vicious, he really does eat people!
Two children might be a bit much, but one adult would be just right!
Feng Chi lowered his eyes to the young man, who was trembling with his eyes shut, and realized he had frightened him.
It seemed this approach wouldn't work.
Feng Chi steadied his breathing, resisted the urge to gather him into his arms and soothe him, then got up and sat to one side.
The man lowered his head, obscuring his expression, but his tone sounded rather hurt. "You're afraid of me?"
Wen Jiu: I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare.
But with his imposing air reined in, the big shot didn't seem quite so fierce anymore. Wen Jiu sat up too, watching him cautiously.
"No, I'm not afraid of you." He chose his words carefully. "It's just... why did you come to me?"
The big shot is so powerful. Even for a marriage of convenience, wouldn't there be crowds of people lining up?
How would a scandal-ridden nobody like me ever get a turn?
Could it be that sleeping together last night left him satisfied?
Feng Chi said, "We were very compatible last night. Your looks and temperament suit my tastes, too. If I'm looking for someone to marry, you're currently the best choice."
Wen Jiu: ...
Oh.
So it really was.
All right, that makes sense. In domineering-CEO romance novels, one-night stands do seem to have that kind of magical power.
There are no feelings that one round in bed can't resolve. If there are, make it two.
Seeing the young man nod in realization, apparently convinced, Feng Chi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Without betraying anything, the man pressed his advantage. "Besides, you were the one who threw yourself at me last night."
Wen Jiu: ???
"You threw yourself into my arms, kissed and touched me all over, and even begged me to give it to you."
Wen Jiu: !!!
"Everyone at the banquet saw it. The news about us is everywhere now. Everyone knows you slept with me. Check the trending searches if you don't believe it."
Wen Jiu: Σ( ° △ °|||)︴