“OK, you two have worked hard. Take a break and go grab some lunch; we’ll change into a few more sets of clothes for the afternoon shoot.” The photographer put down his camera, not forgetting to flatter Huo Yang. ” Huo-laoshi worked the hardest. Your expressions were superb even I felt my heart skip a beat watching you.”
Huo Yang dressed himself and looked toward the corner at Bai Tan, seeing him with his head lowered as if he had fallen asleep.
Huo Yang cast a faint glance at the surrounding staff. Seeing everyone busy organizing equipment, he strode toward Bai Tan in the corner.
He stared at him for a long time, wondering what he was so focused on; Bai Tan didn’t even lift his head despite Huo Yang standing beside him for a while.
So, he reached out, his finger lightly brushing across the boy’s jawline.
Bai Tan suddenly felt an itch on his chin and finally looked up. Seeing who it was, he hurriedly handed over the shirt.
“Follow me,” Huo Yang said in a low voice.
The Lounge.
The staff had already hired a chef to prepare a sumptuous lunch, which was laid out in advance.
Knowing this lounge was exclusively for Huo Yang, no one dared to approach. Even those passing by walked on tiptoe, fearing they might disturb the big star.
Huo Yang sat on the sofa, having changed into his shirt.
After a long silence, he asked softly:
“Yesterday was supposed to be the last day of your internship. I want to ask for your opinion—are you renewing your contract, or do you have other plans?”
Bai Tan’s mouth opened slightly, a deep frown suddenly knitting his brows.
A decision that had long been settled, for some unknown reason, became thick and difficult to utter as it rolled in his throat. He couldn’t squeeze out a single word for a long time.
Huo Yang watched him quietly. Sensing his hesitation, he changed his way of asking:
“This past month, do you feel the work has been tiring?”
Bai Tan shook his head.
Huo Yang wasn’t like other celebrities who constantly demanded their assistants bring tea, pour water, or massage their backs and legs. Nor did he harass him with phone calls after he had gone to bed. The work Bai Tan did was just ordinary coordination simply a matter of speaking. Aside from waking up early, there were no difficulties.
Huo Yang nodded and asked again:
“And the salary? Are you satisfied, or do you have other requirements you’d like to raise?”
Bai Tan shook his head again.
As Huo Yang’s assistant, he earned 12,000 a month, and it was said it would be even higher after becoming a permanent employee.
“Are you dissatisfied with me?” Huo Yang leaned forward, moving very close to Bai Tan.
This time, Bai Tan shook his head without a second thought.
The corners of Huo Yang’s lips hooked up slightly, his brows smoothed out, and his voice rose with a hidden undertone:
“Then, do you want to leave?”
Bai Tan shook his head.
Suddenly realizing something, his body stiffened.
Because he had shaken his head for the first three questions, it had become muscle memory; he hadn’t even listened carefully to what Huo Yang asked.
“Good.” Huo Yang stood up and loosened his collar, appearing as if he were breathing a sigh of relief. “I will inform the manager as soon as possible to help you process your formal enrollment.”
Bai Tan suddenly felt the deep weight of what Huo Yang had said that night:
Some questions, if not answered at the time, lose the meaning of being answered later.
To have it settled so muddledly made it seem inappropriate to go back on his word now.
Only, Yang Yueqian…
Bai Tan’s folded hands tightened.
He looked up at Huo Yang, his eyes filled with complex, indescribable emotions.
Huo Yang was looking back at him.
He didn’t immediately withdraw his gaze as he used to when their eyes were about to meet.
Huo Yang walked up to Bai Tan, leaned down, and looked earnestly into his eyes:
“Stay.”
Bai Tan’s fingers trembled, and his heart suddenly began to buzz and ring.
Countless emotions surged into his heart, filling his chest until it felt like it would explode.
His Adam’s apple bobbed. This time, seemingly without careful thought, he nodded.
Having received his answer, Huo Yang let out a light chuckle from his nose and reached out to cup the back of his head:
“Well done.”
That hand, which had been lightly stroking the back of his head, slid down slowly. It rubbed gently over his sensitive nape, slipped into his collar, brushed his collarbone, and then reached his chest. With a casual twist of the fingers, one shirt button popped open.
Then the second, the third…
Bai Tan tilted his head back, the watery light in his eyes trembling.
His heart beat like thunder, a clamor that wouldn’t stop.
“The break time is very long,” Huo Yang whispered an ambiguous sentence into his ear.
Immediately after, his earlobe was gently bitten by teeth.
“Out… we’re outside,” Bai Tan turned his head away, raising a hand to protect his fragile, sensitive ear.
“So?” Huo Yang grabbed both of his hands and pinned them down, a light laugh in his tone.
Bai Tan’s mind went blank.
So?
He didn’t know how to answer that “So?”.
“Let’s try our best not to make any sound, okay?” Huo Yang coaxed. He hooked one leg up, resting it on the sofa.
His tall stature tightly hemmed in the person before him.
On the rectangular table, Bai Tan kept his eyes tightly shut. The rhythm of the impact and the creaking of the table matched perfectly.
The physiological longing cried out to be released, but because of the occasionally audible, deliberately softened footsteps in the hallway, he could only endure with all his might.
He bit his lower lip deathly hard. After an unknown amount of time, a faint metallic taste of blood spread through his mouth.
Huo Yang propped his hands on the table, looking at the speck of blood-red on Bai Tan’s pale lips.
He frowned, lowered his eyes, and whispered into Bai Tan’s ear:
“Open your mouth.”
At this moment, Bai Tan was like a puppet without thought. Every part of his body had sprouted invisible strings, all of which were held firmly between Huo Yang’s fingers.
He opened his mouth and was kissed by Huo Yang. Only then was he able to let out a soft moan, all sounds instantly melting into the long, dense kiss.
“Oh, Yueqian-ge, are you here to see Huo-laoshi?”
Suddenly! The voice of a staff member came from outside the door.
“Yes. Has Huo-laoshi finished lunch?” Yang Yueqian’s voice followed.
Bai Tan snapped his eyes open. Every inch of his muscle tightened instantly at the sound of that voice.
Above him, Huo Yang knitted his brows tightly. With a wrinkle of his nose, he pressed a hand against Bai Tan’s chest and said in a low, husky voice:
“Be good, relax.”
Outside the door, the conversation between the staff and Yang Yueqian continued.
A second later, he heard a knock.
“Huo-laoshi, are you in there?”
Bai Tan let out a heavy gasp, fine beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead.
What on earth was he doing? He had clearly agreed not to intervene between two people who admired each other, yet because of a few words and an action from Huo Yang, he had thrown all morality and righteousness to the back of his mind.
A strong sense of guilt washed over him. Bai Tan shifted his hips, trying to break free.
But at that moment, a stronger stimulation hit his body. He was turned around and laid flat on the table.
He finally couldn’t help but let out a soft cry. Realizing there was someone at the door, he quickly covered his mouth.
The weather in early September was still lingering with heat. Bai Tan saw the fine sweat at the corner of Huo Yang’s eye.
“Huo-laoshi? Huh? Is he not here?” Yang Yueqian knocked on the door again.
Whether out of fear of the scandal being discovered or because the sensation was too deep, Bai Tan’s body trembled uncontrollably.
Self-reproach and guilt began to assault his brain; he really wanted to run away.
But just then, Huo Yang’s necklace fell out from his collar due to the large movements.
Bai Tan’s eyes widened suddenly.
That crucifix necklace used for the shoot in Western culture, it always represents the sacred and inviolable, a symbol of the intersection of God’s love and justice.
And beneath that cross, while Huo Yang’s beloved “White Moonlight” stood at the door, he was entwined with Huo Yang on a table.
In this setting, the crucifix seemed hypocritical and laughable.
“Don’t mind him,” Huo Yang lowered his body. “Just look at me.”
It was another feather-light sentence, but it completely shattered the shackles named “Morality” in Bai Tan’s heart.
His eyes grew unfocused, and he turned his face away from the crucifix.
Then, he slowly raised his sweat-drenched arms and tightly hugged Huo Yang’s body.
Everything was completely ruined.