Shen Que’s life gradually fell into sync with Mr. Xuan’s, and the atmosphere between them grew less tense than before. Occasionally, they could even exchange a few casual words over meals.
Before long, the day arrived for Shen Que to meet Dong Xiangyu and head to the variety show set. He dressed early and prepared to leave.
“The director of ‘Beautiful Life’ is a friend of mine. Do your best when you get there—he won’t make things difficult for you.” Sheng Xuanzhu handed him a jacket.
Shen Que was grateful for Mr. Xuan’s help. As he slipped on the jacket, he stood on his tiptoes and planted a kiss on the man’s cheek. “Thank you, Mr. Xuan.”
The omega’s eyes sparkled as he looked up, a smile curling at the corners. For a moment, Sheng Xuanzhu thought he loved this version of Shen Que; for a moment, he wished Shen Que didn’t share Wen Zhibai’s face.
Sheng Xuanzhu wrapped an arm around the omega’s slender waist, his kiss landing on those soft lips. The warmth and sweetness made him crave more than just a light peck.
A strong hand cradled the back of Shen Que’s head, turning the lingering kiss into something deeper and more intimate—a slow, savoring exploration of tastes and textures.
By the time they parted, Shen Que’s mind was buzzing. He practically fled the scene.
Mr. Xuan’s kisses were becoming increasingly disarming. Shen Que’s cheeks burned, yet he couldn’t help but savor the memory of that kiss.
Dong Xiangyu arrived early. As soon as Shen Que showed up, he led him to meet the director and production team.
“Aside from the director, no one knows you’re Mr. Xuan’s person. Don’t mention him during filming—it’s for your own good,” Dong Xiangyu advised as they walked.
Shen Que understood. He didn’t want to be known as a star who rose under someone’s protection. Without real talent, he’d lack confidence in front of the camera.
Director Chen immediately stepped forward to shake Dong Xiangyu’s hand upon seeing him and greeted Shen Que politely.
“An assistant will take Shen Que to makeup first. We’ll start filming soon.”
Shen Que nodded and followed the assistant into the makeup room.
The makeup room was a temporary setup, stuffy and poorly ventilated. The moment Shen Que stepped inside, he caught a familiar scent.
Plum wine.
The same fragrance from that night at the Xuan family villa.
Shen Que looked up and locked eyes with a boy seated at the vanity.
Upon seeing him, the boy stood up.
He wore an oversized sweater that barely covered his thighs, its round neckline strategically revealing delicate collarbones and a slightly flushed scent gland. Below, his straight, pale legs were boldly on display.
With a slight tilt of his eyes, the boy waved a slender finger, and the makeup artists in the room promptly left. He then sauntered over to Shen Que with a coy sway.
“So you’re Shen Que?” The boy looked him up and down. “How could Mr. Xuan fancy such an ordinary omega?”
Shen Que was certain this was Nuo Feng. Instead of taking the bait to mock himself, he asked, “Is Teacher Nuo Feng also a guest on the show?”
“Of course not,” Nuo Feng replied, sitting back in his chair with a twisted smile. “I heard you were coming as a guest, so I specially begged Mr. Xuan to let me join as a permanent cast member.”
Shen Que could sense the hostility. He had no desire to pick a fight with anyone. “Being a permanent member of a hit variety show is quite an opportunity.”
As Shen Que moved to sit for makeup, Nuo Feng kicked the chair aside.
Suppressing his anger, Shen Que forced a smile. “Teacher Nuo Feng, what are you doing?”
“Did I allow you to use my makeup room?”
“Yours?” Shen Que remembered this was a shared makeup room.
Nuo Feng sneered at his question, his smile turning sinister. “I don’t like sharing a makeup room with others.”
“The director sent me here for makeup.”
“Then wait until I’m done.” Nuo Feng called his assistant over, effectively dismissing Shen Que.
Shen Que felt bewildered. Even with Mr. Xuan backing him, how could someone act so lawlessly?
The assistant who had brought him to the makeup room was also at a loss when she saw Shen Que being pushed out. The person inside was a big star with Mr. Xuan behind him, while the director valued Shen Que, who was also an artist under Dong Xiangyu. She couldn’t afford to offend either side. In the end, she had no choice but to send Shen Que to the extras’ makeup room, asking him to make do.
Shen Que wasn’t particular about such things. As long as it didn’t delay filming, he could do his makeup anywhere.
After finishing his makeup, the director personally briefed him on the general details of the variety show, the filming process, and the difficulty of the tasks. Shen Que listened attentively, afraid of causing trouble for others during the shoot.
He was a guest star for this episode, so his screen time might not be much, but he had the chance to work alongside many popular celebrities.
There were three regular cast members for the show. Apart from Nuo Feng, the other two were highly sought-after stars in the entertainment industry.
Yang Xuan, a leading actress among the post-90s generation, was known for her solid acting skills. Her recent idol drama co-starring Duan Ruirui was currently airing.
Many fans adored this bickering couple pairing, so the production team invited Duan Ruirui as one of the three guest stars.
Wen Rou, the oldest among them, was a classic cool and charismatic alpha sister, an all-around artist excelling in both singing and dancing. She was the most popular among all the guests, with a large following of admirers online.
As for Nuo Feng, his dramas weren’t particularly successful, and his acting and singing skills were average. He had risen to become the hottest traffic star in the entertainment industry solely based on his good looks and delicate, fragile demeanor.
Aside from Shen Que and Duan Ruirui, the other guest star was Chen Dan, a young celebrity who had just graduated. She was cheerful and always wore a smile on her face.
“However, starting from this episode, we’re going to try unscripted filming,” the director suddenly announced.
Dong Xiangyu nodded. “Fans love seeing celebrities’ genuine reactions.”
Shen Que clenched his fingers. This meant he would need to adapt even more quickly, or else things could go terribly wrong.
Once everything was ready, the three regular cast members and the three guest stars stood together in the center of the square. Originally, Shen Que had been positioned closest to the regular cast, but just before filming began, he was pushed to the farthest corner.
Dong Xiangyu wasn’t pleased, but when he saw Nuo Feng, he knew exactly whose doing this was.
He called his assistant over, whispered a few words in his ear, and the assistant gave an “okay” sign before bending down and running off.