But it was fifty thousand yuan and Orca wasn’t afraid, so what did Ji Ran have to be afraid of? The other man was a major internet celebrity with millions of followers. Surely he was even less interested in filming intimate scenes than Ji Ran was.
With that thought, Ji Ran immediately felt at ease.
The filming had been scheduled for Saturday and from Tuesday onward, Ji Ran began praying that he wouldn’t be asked to work overtime.
Then, on Friday afternoon, the VP in charge of the smart technology integration project suddenly arranged for him to go on a business trip over the weekend.
Interns had no rights. Anyone could assign them work and they were expected to comply.
Ji Ran had always been good tempered. In the past, he had obediently agreed to every assignment but this time, he finally mustered the courage to say, “I have something to do on Saturday. I can’t go.”
The other person asked, “What is it? Can’t you arrange to do it at another time?”
Ji Ran replied, “…Not really.”
The other person said, “Young people still need to prioritize their work. Don’t get distracted by entertainment. I’ll have the administrative department book your flight. You’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning.”
Ji Ran was about to explode.
He came up with several different excuses but the other person rejected every single one of them without hesitation. Just as Ji Ran was preparing to march over and argue with him face to face, the man suddenly changed his mind.
“Forget it.”
Ji Ran: ?
The man continued, “You should have told me you were busy with Samuel’s work from the beginning. I wouldn’t have arranged for you to go to Jing City.”
Ji Ran’s heart, which had only just settled down, shot right back up at those words.
What was Han Shen planning to make him do?
Ever since the incident at the club, Ji Ran’s feelings toward this superior of his had become complicated.
At the club, he had seen another side of Han Shen. In some ways, Ji Ran felt that they had grown closer but in other respects, it seemed as though they had become even more distant.
His interactions with Han Shen in daily life had made Ji Ran realize that the two of them belonged to entirely different worlds. It was only because of their superior subordinate relationship at the company that he had mistakenly believed they were part of the same world.
If it weren’t for this job, he might never have had the chance to come into contact with someone from a background like Han Shen’s in his entire life. The distance between them was simply too great.
Neither Ji Ran nor Han Shen brought up what had happened that weekend. Apart from matters related to work, they also tried their best to avoid interacting privately.
But this time, Ji Ran clearly couldn’t continue avoiding him. So, he took the initiative to ask Han Shen about it.
“No.” Han Shen instead told him, “The work has been canceled at the last minute.”
The overtime work had been canceled at the last minute?
Ji Ran tried to detect anything unusual in Han Shen’s expression but the man still wore that same cold and imposing look. With an attitude that was polite yet distant, he asked, “Is there anything else?”
Ji Ran pressed his lips together and cautiously tested the waters. “Why was it canceled?”
“Personal matters.” Han Shen’s answer was brief and to the point. Then he instructed, “You can leave now.”
Ji Ran left the office and, for once, finished work right on time. He went to bed early but no matter how much he tossed and turned, he simply couldn’t fall asleep.
Lying on his back, Ji Ran stared at the ceiling above him, his thoughts wandering in every direction.
This filming opportunity should be legitimate, right? How is the brand going to guarantee that my face won’t be shown? Am I supposed to wear a mask throughout the entire shoot?
And besides…
Ji Ran rolled over and hugged the quilt between his legs. Unable to stop himself, he wondered, Will I get to see Orca’s face?
Ji Ran sprayed his favorite perfume all over the room, then hugged his quilt and eventually fell asleep.
…….
The following morning, Ji Ran put on a mask and headed to the agreed upon location.
The shoot was taking place at the Soli lunar Home Furnishings showroom, a three story villa that had been divided into different settings, including a living room, kitchen and bedroom, to showcase and sell the company’s products.
One of the people participating in the shoot was a photography blogger named Spotted. Her primary profession was fashion photography and she had photographed quite a few celebrities before eventually going independent and establishing herself as a freelance photographer.
Ji Ran really liked Spotted’s work. She had an exceptionally comfortable approach to color, was skilled at discovering the striking details hidden in everyday life and created images brimming with emotion and tension. Her work was deeply moving.
Ji Ran had even tried imitating her style before. He hadn’t expected to encounter the photographer herself here.
Feeling a little excited, Ji Ran hesitated over whether he should go over and say hello. Before he could make up his mind, a woman dressed in a black suit approached him.
“Excuse me, are you Working is bound to drive you crazy?”
Ji Ran confirmed that he was.
The woman extended her right hand. “Hello, I’m the Soli lunar PR representative coordinating with you. You can call me Rita.”
So professional.
A shiver ran down Ji Ran’s back and within a second, he had slipped straight back into his working mode.
“Hello.” He shook Rita’s hand and said, “You can call me No Work.”
Rita laughed. “That has a very good meaning.”
There was still some time before filming began, so Rita asked whether he wanted to look around outside or go to the lounge and rest.
Ji Ran had originally wanted to greet the photographer but the woman was too busy. He didn’t feel comfortable interrupting her while she was working, so he said he would rather go to the lounge.
He was feeling a little nervous and he thought he might be able to relax more easily on his own in a small room.
Rita handed him a bottle of water and told him she would come in to call him when it was time for the shoot.
“Wait.” Ji Ran stood up from the sofa.
Rita turned toward him. “Is there something else?”
Ji Ran was a little uncertain, so he sought confirmation once again. “Can you guarantee that my face won’t appear in the video?”
“Of course.” Rita reassured him. “Not only you but Orca doesn’t want people seeing his appearance either. Please rest assured. Our cameras won’t capture either of your faces directly and we’ll do everything we can to protect both of your privacy.”
After Rita left, Ji Ran picked up the script and flipped through it to pass the time.
He had read the script countless times and could practically recite it with his eyes closed but at the moment, he felt nervous if he wasn’t looking at something, so he continued reviewing it anyway.
Half an hour later, Rita came in to remind Ji Ran to prepare for filming. He changed into a hoodie with a distinctly youthful feel, put on his mask and made his way to the living room.
The lighting had already been arranged. The photographer was directing the staff as they worked out their positions. A long Bauhaus style sofa had been placed in the living room, with one staff member sitting on it. That was probably where Orca was supposed to be.
Another staff member was lying on their side in the open space in front of the sofa. That was Ji Ran’s designated position.
Filming was about to begin. Ji Ran swept his gaze around the surroundings but he couldn’t spot anyone who looked like Orca.
Instead, a girl with her hair tied into a low ponytail approached him, carrying a silk scarf. She said she was going to style him.
His character was supposed to appear with his eyes covered.
Ji Ran already knew this, so he cooperatively bent down.
The girl tied the scarf over his eyes and Ji Ran immediately lost his vision.
The sudden loss of sight caused a brief moment of panic. With his eyes covered, he could only rely on his hearing to figure out what was happening around him.
“Do you have a fear of the dark?” Rita asked him.
Ji Ran said he didn’t.
“That’s good.” Rita continued, “Suddenly losing your vision can be a little uncomfortable, so take some time to get used to it first. If you feel uncomfortable, you can call for a stop at any point during the shoot. We’ll do our best to accommodate you.”
Ji Ran was a little surprised. He had assumed that a demanding client with such a strong presence would be stricter but Rita only looked stern. She wasn’t the sort of person who would deliberately make things difficult for him simply because he was the contracted party.
The photographer was still making the final adjustments. Ji Ran decided to familiarize himself with the layout and the furniture around him first.
He began moving carefully through the area. With his eyes covered, the mask had started to feel stuffy and hot, so Ji Ran pulled it down beneath his nose to breathe more easily…
As he continued forward, he suddenly collided with a warm wall.
Ji Ran froze for a moment before realizing that he had walked straight into someone.
“Sorry.” He hurriedly took a step backward but he wasn’t accustomed to moving backward in the darkness and his body immediately lost its balance.
Just as he was about to fall, something suddenly tightened around his lower back.
“Careful.”
The person in front of him reached out and caught him, wrapping an arm around him.
Ji Ran’s cheek came close to the man’s chest and he caught the sharp, spicy scent of leather coming from the other person.
It was an unfamiliar fragrance, carrying an intense, almost aggressive impact. Someone who wore a perfume like this probably wasn’t an easy person to deal with either.
“I’m sorry.” Ji Ran apologized again. Unable to see anything, he reached up, intending to remove the black veil covering his eyes. However, the other person reached out and covered his eyes with his hand.
The material pressed against his eyes was soft and cool. It didn’t feel like human skin should. Instead, it was more like something soft bodied had wrapped itself over his eyes.
His thoughts began to wander uncontrollably and a fine, dense layer of fear spread through Ji Ran’s body.
He reached out and grabbed the other person’s palm, his voice trembling as he pleaded, “Excuse me, please don’t do this…”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the man released him and turned around, walking forward.
Ji Ran’s heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly pulled off the blindfold but all he saw was the man’s tall, straight back as he walked away.
He was wearing a long black coat, leather gloves and sunglasses. His entire figure radiated an intense, almost overpowering sense of aggression.
Someone told Ji Ran that the man was Orca.
Not long afterward, a staff member came over to inform Ji Ran that they were ready to begin filming. Ji Ran put the blindfold back on and was led to the living room. Another person then approached and said they needed to tie his hands.
Ji Ran had already known about this part, so he cooperatively held out both hands.
To fit the requirements of his character, Ji Ran was wearing an inexpensive hoodie. Beneath the loose sleeves, two slender, pale wrists were exposed.
“Then I’m going to start now.” The girl glanced at his wrists and seemed a little nervous. “If you feel uncomfortable, tell me immediately.”
Ji Ran agreed and the girl picked up the ribbon and began wrapping it around his hands.
She seemed to be doing something like this for the first time. She was even more timid than Ji Ran, apparently afraid that she might hurt him, so she handled the ribbon with extreme care. It hung loosely around his wrists and she kept asking him whether he felt comfortable.
Ji Ran felt a little like laughing and said, “You can make it a little tighter.”
“Ah, ah, okay.” The girl nodded hurriedly and pulled the ribbon tighter.
This time, the feeling of restraint around his wrists was unmistakable. In fact, it seemed a little too tight.
“You’ve tied it too tightly.” A strange, indifferent voice suddenly rang out. “His hands are turning red.”
“Ah? Ah, I.. I’m sorry.” The girl lowered her head in a panic. “Then I’ll do it again.”
The other person didn’t say anything else. Ji Ran felt a little curious but he also didn’t know who the man was and it seemed awkward to ask.
The ribbon around his wrists was tied and untied several times. After a while, Ji Ran heard the girl ask, “Is this okay now?”
Ji Ran initially thought she was asking the man from earlier but after waiting for a while without hearing any response, he realized that she was actually asking him.
“It’s fine now,” Ji Ran said.
“That’s good.” The girl let out a sigh of relief, still shaken by what had almost happened. “I nearly got scolded by Big Shot Orca.”
Ji Ran’s heart stirred slightly. “The person just now was Orca?”
“Yeah.” The girl nodded. “But he left again pretty quickly.”
After saying that, the girl helped Ji Ran over to sit nearby and gave him further instructions. “Wait here for a little while. We’ll be starting very soon.”
Ji Ran agreed. Another scriptwriter came over to explain the plot to him.
It seemed that the fifty thousand yuan really wasn’t going to be easy to earn. Ji Ran straightened his posture and began listening attentively.
The scriptwriter said, “At this point, you’ve already been imprisoned for three days. You’ve suddenly been brought into an unfamiliar environment, so you should naturally feel very confused and frightened but at the same time, there should also be a trace of curiosity. You hope that perhaps you can change your current situation in this new environment. Do you understand that feeling?”
Ji Ran nodded. Then he heard the other person continue, “As for the interaction between you two, just improvise as you see fit. We’ll first take a look at how it turns out.”
Ji Ran agreed but he felt somewhat uncertain inside.
He was completely hopeless at acting. Improvise as I see fit? Wouldn’t that make the result even worse?
The scriptwriter said, “Then let’s try the first take.”
The photographer replied, “Okay.”
Someone started playing music and filming began.
With his heart filled with nervousness, Ji Ran was thrown onto the carpet. He couldn’t see anything and his instinctive reaction was to search for somewhere he could hide or find cover.
Ji Ran felt around him, groping cautiously in every direction. His back soon came into contact with something hard. It seemed to be a coffee table, so he quickly ducked behind it.
The silence around him was terrifying. No one spoke and not even the staff members made the slightest sound.
According to the plot, Orca was supposed to be sitting on the sofa and watching him at this point but which direction was the sofa in? And why hadn’t the other man said anything yet?
Ji Ran’s heart began pounding nervously.
Several more seconds passed before a series of deep, muffled footsteps suddenly sounded behind him.
Orca was coming over.
Then came the rustling of clothing. Immediately afterward, Ji Ran felt warmth beneath his chin as the man reached out and tilted his chin upward.
Ji Ran was forced to raise his head. A soft light shone on his body from the side, casting a pale, jade like sheen over his cheeks and neck. His vulnerable Adam’s apple moved helplessly in the open air.
Beneath his sunglasses, Orca’s gaze was turbulent, concealing dark, surging emotions.
Not a single person in the living room spoke. The photographer adjusted the camera’s focal length, recording the scene in meticulous detail.
On the monitor displaying the footage, Orca’s hand was holding the boy’s chin, while his other hand moved upward toward the blindfold. In full view of everyone present, Orca slid his thumb along the bridge of Ji Ran’s nose and slipped it beneath the edge of his blindfold.
His eyelid was touched without the slightest warning and Ji Ran’s eyelashes began trembling uncontrollably.
What was happening? There was clearly no such action in the script. What was Orca trying to do? Was he planning to pull off his blindfold?!
No. He couldn’t let anyone see him here.
Ji Ran’s breathing caught. He was just about to resist when he realized that Orca’s movement had stopped right there.
“Cut.” The scriptwriter called for a pause.
Orca’s hand immediately moved away from him.
Only then did Ji Ran finally relax. His legs felt a little weak and he knelt on the carpet with both hands braced against the floor, trying to steady his tense breathing.
“The first scene is finished. Everyone, take a short break.” After saying that, the scriptwriter went over to look at the photographer’s monitor. “How did that section turn out?”
Ji Ran couldn’t see the footage. He could only hear the photographer’s response.
“The footage looks beautiful. It’s just that the positioning here is blocking the shot a little. It would be better if you turned slightly to the side.”
“That’s true. Let’s film this section one more time.” The scriptwriter rubbed her chin, then continued after a moment, “I feel like the interaction stopping here is missing something. The conflict isn’t intense enough. Besides, the main selling point of our living room is the sofa. As things stand, the focus has shifted to the coffee table instead…”
The two women continued discussing the scene nearby but the area around Ji Ran was frighteningly quiet.
He could sense that Orca hadn’t left yet he had no idea where the man was or what he was doing.
Orca, on the other hand, could see him clearly.
That unequal perspective made Ji Ran feel increasingly restless. He lowered his head and rubbed against the blindfold, loosening the fabric slightly. Through the narrow gap between the bridge of his nose and his eyes, he managed to catch a glimpse of light and shadow.
Ji Ran saw a pair of black pointed toe leather shoes.
They had an exceptionally angular design, with red soles and exaggerated skull patterns. It was the first time Ji Ran had ever seen shoes that strange.
His gaze continued upward. He could see the ankles covered in black socks, along with the sharply pressed seams of a pair of suit trousers.
The man seemed to be sitting on the coffee table, his legs crossed. The muscles of his thighs were compressed beneath the position, filling out the fabric of his suit trousers.
Higher up came the chest and waist.
High end suits were constructed using three dimensional tailoring, creating a subtle curve that supported and shaped the chest. It made Orca’s chest muscles appear particularly broad and prominent.
From this angle, Orca looked far too much like Han Shen.
For some inexplicable reason, Ji Ran’s mouth suddenly felt dry.
Just as he was about to raise his head further, Orca’s hand reached over and retied his blindfold for him.
The world before Ji Ran’s eyes once again sank into complete darkness.
Had he noticed that I was peeking at him?
Ji Ran’s face turned bright red. He immediately lowered his head obediently, not daring to make another unnecessary movement.
After a while, the scriptwriter came over and said to Orca, “You performed that section very well just now but you were too gentlemanly. Your movements can be a little rougher.”
Ji Ran: ?
Are you going to be even rougher?
“No Work, are you okay with this?” the planner asked Ji Ran again. “There will be some physical contact later but no obvious intimate behavior like kissing. We’re letting you know in advance, so don’t take it to heart.”
Ji Ran was still hesitating when the photographer, Spot, said, “It’s a bit frustrating right now but there’s a scene in the third act where you slap the orca. You can slap it back then.”
Ji Ran was amused by her, especially since he hadn’t planned to refuse in the first place.
The second shoot began.
This scene followed when the orca was about to remove his blindfold. The planner instructed Ji Ran to grab the orca’s hand to resist.
Ji Ran did as instructed.
Unexpectedly, the orca lifted him up and threw Ji Ran onto the sofa.
Ji Ran was a little dazed. He struggled to prop himself up on his elbows but before he could sit up, his breath caught in his throat. The orca grabbed his neck, forcing Ji Ran’s body into the sofa.
Then, the orca’s body pressed down.
This series of actions, seemingly complex, actually happened very quickly, taking less than a minute in total, during which Ji Ran experienced such a dramatic rise and fall.
Although he knew it was acting, when he was actually in this situation, he still instinctively felt fear.
A nearly unfamiliar man was pressing down on him, one hand gripping his neck, like prey caught in a spider’s web; Ji Ran was completely powerless to resist.
He could only watch helplessly as the air in his lungs decreased, his brain spinning from oxygen deprivation. Ji Ran’s head tilted back and he involuntarily opened his mouth to breathe.
If you ignored the feelings of the person involved, it was actually a rather beautiful scene.
The scene on the monitor was ambiguous and soft; due to the photographer’s style, it didn’t make the image appear violent but rather exuded a strong sexual tension.
The planner walked up to them and made a downward motion towards the orca.
The orca noticed her gesture and its breathing deepened.
Ji Ran was completely unaware of this; all his attention was consumed by his struggle with the orca.
Perhaps because he was acting so uncomfortable, Ji Ran soon noticed the pressure on his neck lessen. He assumed it was a sign the filming was over but unexpectedly, he suddenly felt a noticeable weight on his body.
The orca made a downward thrusting motion, its lower abdomen pressing firmly against Ji Ran’s body.
Ji Ran’s scalp tingled instantly. The orca’s body was so hot and so close, reminding Ji Ran of the scene he and Han Shen had acted out in the club’s bedroom.
When this person was the orca, it wasn’t a problem but once he transformed the person in front of him into Han Shen, Ji Ran’s cheeks suddenly flushed red and he couldn’t continue acting.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.
With so many people around, he wasn’t afraid of what the orca might do to him; he was mainly embarrassed for the orca.
If he were the orca and this happened during work, he would have already found a crack in the ground to disappear into.
Ji Ran turned his face away, his lips moving silently, as if trying to ease his embarrassment.
He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination but he felt the orca’s breathing quicken. Being embarrassed alone wasn’t so bad but being embarrassed with someone amplified the feeling.
Ji Ran was almost at his breaking point. How much longer did they have to film? Just let it end already!
Ji Ran silently urged in his heart.
“Stop for a moment,” the planner called but not to end the shoot. Instead, he said, “No work, your emotions are a bit off. You were suddenly offended. At this moment, you should feel fear, terror, even anger. The only thing you shouldn’t feel is embarrassment, do you understand?”
Ji Ran blushed deeply and obediently lowered his head, admitting his mistake: “I’m sorry, I’ll be more careful…”
“My problem,” the orca interrupted, offering to “take it again.”
The third scene finally didn’t require reshoots. As soon as the planner called “cut,” the orca straightened up from Ji Ran.
He remained remarkably calm throughout, even now. After the shoot, Orca sat at the end of the sofa, legs crossed, casually browsing his phone. No one knew the turbulent energy bubbling beneath his clothes.
There’s no know Han Shen doesn’t recognize Ji Ran! Aaaaaahh! How can he be soooo calm!
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
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← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · A cold-hearted bossChapter 2 · “Your skirt?”Chapter 3 · Ji Ran was caught off guardChapter 4 · Relax, you bit your lip until it bledChapter 5 · Don’t want toChapter 6 · Women’s clothing and DaddyChapter 7 · Ji Ran hunched over and began to sob softly.Chapter 8 · Rebellion, offense, and self-rewardChapter 9 · I hate it when people flaunt their wealth in front of meChapter 10 · CompensateChapter 11 · Why are you following me?Chapter 12 · Damn, he forgot to take off his leg chainChapter 13 · Ji Ran was indeed still afraid of him.Chapter 14 · A message came from OrcaChapter 15 · Self-blame, anger, and tears.Chapter 16 · You have to pay more!Chapter 17 · Did you come here just to yell at me?Chapter 18 · Just bear with it a little longerChapter 19 · Women’s clothing live streamChapter 20 · Could you come and pick me up?Chapter 21 Part 1 · It’s all an actChapter 21 Part 2 · It’s all an actChapter 22 · The actions could be even more brutalChapter 23 · A slapChapter 24 · He wanted to surrender a part of himself