Song Lijun quickly noticed the section of Zhao Muqing’s shirtsleeve dampened by red wine, and promptly shrugged off his own outer jacket to drape it over Zhao Muqing’s shoulders. “It doesn’t look too good like this. You should put this on.”
Zhao Muqing originally wanted to say it doesn’t matter, since he could just change into a fresh outfit once they got back to the studio anyway. But since someone was showing him kindness, he naturally couldn’t voice such thoughts. “Thanks. I’ll get this washed and return it to you later.”
“No worries, I’m not short on this one jacket.” Song Lijun flashed that formulaic, gentle, and friendly smile once more.
Zhao Muqing didn’t have the face to say anything further, merely offering a light nod. Shen Guanzhi started the car, and Zhao Muqing sat leaning against the passenger window, his gaze fixed on the street scenery outside while paying little attention to Song Lijun sitting beside him.
Logically speaking, if Zhao Muqing wanted to prevent Shen Guanzhi and Song Lijun from developing a deep bond, he should have stopped the other man from getting into the car in the first place. But considering that running out of phone battery in modern society is genuinely distressing, helping out once or twice was no big deal.
Besides, with him sitting right here and Shen Guanzhi driving, it would probably be difficult for the two of them to have any sort of moment anyway.
“Muqing,” Song Lijun suddenly patted Zhao Muqing’s shoulder gently. “Can I add you as a friend?”
“Sure.” Zhao Muqing had no reason to refuse. Song Lijun reached out to ask for his phone, explaining that his WeChat handle could be searched via his mobile number, and Zhao Muqing could just add him once he charged his phone back at the studio.
Zhao Muqing unlocked his WeChat search bar and handed his phone over to Song Lijun, watching the other man type in the digits. Just as the numbers were halfway entered, Shen Guanzhi abruptly slammed on the brakes, nearly sending the phone flying from Song Lijun’s grip.
“What’s wrong?” Zhao Muqing asked instinctively.
“Red light.” Shen Guanzhi answered in a flat, indifferent tone.
Slamming on the brakes for a red light? Sitting in Shen Guanzhi’s car, Zhao Muqing suddenly grew deeply concerned for his own personal safety.
“Are you alright?” Song Lijun instinctively reached out to steady Zhao Muqing. The latter hurriedly waved a hand to indicate he was completely fine.
The phone number was finally entered in full. Zhao Muqing watched with his own eyes as Song Lijun tapped the button to send a friend request, before handing the phone back to him.
Simultaneously, the car pulled to a stop downstairs at the studio. After stepping out of the elevator, Song Lijun parted ways with the other two first, leaving only Shen Guanzhi and Zhao Muqing in the studio’s front lobby.
“To my office.” Shen Guanzhi’s tone didn’t sound particularly pleasant.
Zhao Muqing didn’t dare talk back, obediently following Shen Guanzhi upstairs. The moment they stepped inside the office, the door was slammed shut forcefully behind them.
Before Zhao Muqing could even react, Shen Guanzhi ruthlessly tore Song Lijun’s jacket off his shoulders and shoved it directly into the office trash can.
He snatched a shirt from his own coat rack and shoved it straight into Zhao Muqing’s arms. “Change into this.”
This attitude genuinely shocked Zhao Muqing into complete silence. After a long pause, he finally mustered up the courage to ask timidly: “Change here?”
“Minding?”
“How could I dare! I’ll change, right now.” Zhao Muqing quickly stripped off his wine-stained shirt in a flash and slipped into the clean garment Shen Guanzhi had handed him. The latter sat right in front of him like a spectator watching a performance, his gaze landing unabashedly on his body.
Zhao Muqing didn’t pay it much mind. The moment he buttoned up the last button, Shen Guanzhi motioned for him to come closer. “Get over here.”
“Let’s talk nicely, no need to be upset,” Zhao Muqing hurried forward. “I didn’t do anything, did I? He insisted on giving me his jacket and insisted on adding me as a friend. Heaven and earth are my witness, I have no intention of cheating on you.”
“You promised me there wouldn’t be a next time,” Shen Guanzhi grabbed Zhao Muqing’s palm and began stroking it, as if toying with a treasured plaything. “Stay away from him.”
“I want to, but everyone’s at the studio, we run into each other all the time. I swear on my life nobody’s going to gossip about you, alright?” Zhao Muqing held up four fingers and swore to the heavens.
Shen Guanzhi pressed Zhao Muqing’s palm against his own cheek, before catching him completely off guard by lightly biting down on his index finger, leaving a distinct mark of teeth behind. “That’s not the issue.”
He met Zhao Muqing’s gaze, looking as though he wanted to bind the other person entirely with his eyes. “Stop playing dumb. I don’t want to play your push-and-pull games anymore.”
Zhao Muqing failed to comprehend a single word of that.
If it wasn’t about cheating, what else could it be? Zhao Muqing’s brain raced, rapidly arriving at a bold hypothesis.
Perhaps Shen Guanzhi was already starting to develop feelings for Song Lijun, which was why he minded Zhao Muqing getting close to him.
Zhao Muqing felt like rubbing his temples; this tangled web of fate was truly difficult to sever.
“Fine, I’ve already sworn my oath.” Zhao Muqing turned around, attempting to make his escape through the office door, but Shen Guanzhi caught him by the wrist and bit down hard on his earlobe.
Ouch. Zhao Muqing couldn’t help wincing. Is this how Shen Guanzhi expresses his dissatisfaction? Biting people randomly like a stray rabid dog.
“Remember what you promised me,” Shen Guanzhi finally loosened his grip slightly. “Don’t make me remind you a third time.”
When Zhao Muqing walked out of the office, he ran straight into Song Lijun coming the other way.
He instinctively glanced around. He had pulled the office door shut behind him as he left, so Shen Guanzhi’s line of sight couldn’t reach this side.
“Muqing,” Song Lijun took the initiative to greet him. “What happened to your ear?”
Embarrassed, Zhao Muqing hurriedly raised a hand to cover it. “Nothing, got bitten by a dog.”
Song Lijun seemed to sense his embarrassment and didn’t press the matter further. After a brief farewell, he walked alone down the corridor, finally coming to a halt right in front of Shen Guanzhi’s office door.
Zhao Muqing stopped in his tracks as well. He wasn’t trying to eavesdrop; he was simply standing in a section of the corridor a short distance away from the office.
With considerable patience, he waited until the two of them appeared at the doorway. Shen Guanzhi wore his usual expression, while Song Lijun was smiling with his eyes crinkled into crescents.
Zhao Muqing couldn’t hear what they were exchanging, but he could clearly see Shen Guanzhi handing a delicate small box to Song Lijun. The latter received the box with an expression of delighted surprise, appearing to cherish whatever was inside.
Gifts were being exchanged already? And judging by the packaging, it didn’t look like cheap merchandise either. Zhao Muqing suddenly felt an overwhelming impulse to march right over and tear the two of them apart. Don’t you guys know your tangled fate involves someone’s life? Zhao Muqing thought in inner turmoil. My life matters too!
Feeling utterly disheartened, Zhao Muqing quietly backed away and pressed the elevator button. Perhaps Shen Guanzhi’s feelings weren’t too deep yet, meaning he still had room to intervene, specifically by stopping Shen Guanzhi from showing up before Song Lijun’s shooting session.
Whether it worked or not, he had to try. Zhao Muqing took a deep breath.
Li Shuqiao called without any prior warning, waking up a groggy Zhao Muqing and telling him to head over to the studio immediately.
Upon receiving the call, Zhao Muqing had to force himself awake, quickly throwing on some presentable clothes before sprinting to the elevator. The driver was already waiting downstairs, so they didn’t waste much time on the road.
When he arrived at the meeting room, aside from Li Shuqiao, Song Lijun was present as well. Zhao Muqing casually found a seat and sat down. Seeing that everyone had arrived, Li Shuqiao cut straight to the point: “I’m planning to have the two of you collaborate on a magazine cover shoot this time.”
Zhao Muqing nearly spat out the cold water he had just taken a sip of. What kind of plot twist was this? Why hadn’t he seen this part in the book? Who did he think he was, collaborating on a shoot with Song Lijun?
“Why look so surprised?” Li Shuqiao clearly noticed Zhao Muqing’s reaction. “Your face isn’t even going to be in the frame.”
Zhao Muqing thought: “He truly hadn’t anticipated that kind of arrangement.”
“If I actually had you and Song Lijun show your faces together right now, you’d get flamed to death by netizens accusing the studio of forced favoritism,” Li Shuqiao explained. “To present the right visual effect, you’re just going to act as a prop. Think of it as a bit of work experience and an opportunity to learn something from Song Lijun. Your pay won’t be shorted either.”
Zhao Muqing took a deep breath. It seemed that fateful turning point was about to arrive. “Alright, no problem.”
Song Lijun, who had been silent for a while, turned his head and offered Zhao Muqing a faint smile. “Hard work for you, Muqing.”
Zhao Muqing kept his nerves on edge in the period leading up to the day of the shoot. He constantly checked the time on his phone, and half an hour before entering the studio, he went out of his way to find out Shen Guanzhi’s current whereabouts, finally learning from Li Shuqiao that the man was currently in his office.
With such a short distance, he could come downstairs at any moment. Zhao Muqing tried contacting Jian Shigu for backup, but the other person was clearly unavailable.
Just then, someone urged Zhao Muqing to get ready. With no other choice, he had to head into the dressing room to change first.
Not long after he arrived, Song Lijun entered the studio as well. Zhao Muqing finished his makeup and waited outside for a bit before Song Lijun completed his styling session too.
Watching Song Lijun, Zhao Muqing couldn’t help drifting into a daze. It was no wonder Shen Guanzhi fell for him at first sight; a Song Lijun dressed like this was countless times more dazzling than usual.
“Can we begin?” Song Lijun asked, giving his hair one final adjustment in the mirror.
“Of course, go right ahead, Mr. Song, Mr. Zhao.” An assistant guided the two of them to their designated spots. Once they struck their poses, the photographer pressed the shutter button.
Right before a mid-shoot break, before Zhao Muqing even had a chance to stand up, he heard footsteps approaching from outside the door.
He raised his head instinctively, and with terrible timing, the person who walked in was none other than Shen Guanzhi.
Panicking to the point of breaking into a cold sweat, the moment Shen Guanzhi stepped inside, Zhao Muqing lunged forward and grabbed Song Lijun, who was just about to stand up and leave.
Song Lijun, whose movements were abruptly restricted, was startled by Zhao Muqing’s unexpected action. “Is something wrong?”
“N-nothing, just wanted you to rest in my arms for a moment.” Zhao Muqing forced Song Lijun to face him directly. “You, you just wait a second, I’ll be right back.”
Zhao Muqing sprinted over to Shen Guanzhi, his body intentionally or unintentionally blocking the man’s line of sight toward Song Lijun, and swiftly dragged him into the adjacent dressing room.
Good, he thought. I’ll lock the door in a second. The shoot will finish in no time anyway, and at worst, I can just claim it was an accident.
Before Zhao Muqing could even open his mouth to bullshit his way out, he was pinned against the dressing room wall by Shen Guanzhi.
Both of his wrists were firmly immobilized by the other man, and Shen Guanzhi leaned down to bite the side of his neck, as though marking his prey.
“Zhao Muqing, you broke your promise.” Shen Guanzhi’s thumb gently stroked the tooth mark he had just left behind. “Don’t think I’ll keep spoiling you forever. Tell me yourself, what punishment do you want?”
Meeting Shen Guanzhi’s gaze, Zhao Muqing saw a terrifying look in his eyes for the very first time, one cold enough to send a chill straight down his spine.