Xie Wang sighed inwardly and picked up the phone from the sofa. There was a text message on the screen, but without unlocking it, only half could be seen:
"City Second Hospital reminds you, xxxx."
It was probably just a health subscription reminder for omegas. Xie Wang had one too, reminding him of when his susceptible periods might occur.
Feeling a bit nervous, he tentatively put the earphones to his ears, ready for his pheromones to explode.
However, what played through the earphones today was just a soothing composition of flute and zither, which sounded quite nice.
Lin Jianlu had already run off and was nowhere to be seen, probably back to his room.
What if I don't pick it up? Just leave it here?
Xie Wang thought to himself.
"Da Wang, there you are!" the director called out, handing over a few sheets of paper. "Give these to Lin Jianlu. He just asked me for it, but I guess he forgot. You two live close by, so you can take them over."
The papers contained a brief biography of Xie Wang's character in the film.
Well then, Xie Wang thought.
Whether he picked up the phone or not, he would have to knock on Lin Jianlu's door later.
It's also double insurance and a careful plan.
Might as well go.
There just happened to be something that he really wanted to verify now.
There's not a damn thing he's afraid of.
Lin Jianlu was feeling a bit tired today. Filming looked simple, but for an outsider like him without formal training, it was actually quite brain consuming.
He simply freshened up, changed into a bathrobe, and waited for a long time, but Xie Wang still hadn't come by to return his phone.
Sleepiness gradually crept in.
He had spent most of the day with Xie Wang, and when he closed his eyes, all he could see was Xie Wang's roguishly handsome face, the kind that belonged to an alpha.
He fell asleep in a daze.
In his dream, it was the same alley from today's filming. A tall alpha pushed him into the corner, lifting his chin to kiss him. The tingling and soft sensation was like a warm breeze, sweeping all over his body.
"Lin Jianlu?" There was a knock at the door. "Are you asleep, Lin Jianlu? If not, open the door."
Lin Jianlu: "..."
He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost midnight. Xie Wang's reaction time was ridiculously slow.
Xie Wang was super nervous.
He had lingered in the restaurant for half an hour, paced back and forth by the elevator for another half hour, and then dawdled in his own room for two hours.
As he knocked on the door, he wondered what kind of clothes Lin Jianlu would be wearing when he opened it.
Even the best-selling livestream couldn't compete with the number of outfits running through his head right now.
He almost got himself worked up from imagining it.
The room door clicked open, and Lin Jianlu, neatly dressed in his pajamas, stood in front of the door, looking at him with half-closed eyes, seeming a little confused.
The fresh scent of shower gel assaulted his nostrils.
"You're going to sleep now?" Xie Wang asked.
Lin Jianlu: "What else?"
He shifted slightly to the side, letting Xie Wang see the clock on the wall behind him.
Xie Wang: "..."
I was careless.
"I found… your phone," Xie Wang said. "Came to return it to you."
"Thanks," Lin Jianlu responded tersely.
Is that all?
What am I expecting?
Xie Wang thought to himself.
Lin Jianlu looked like he was about to fall asleep any second.
Lin Jianlu glanced up at him, as if silently asking, 'Anything else?'
Xie Wang handed over the two printed sheets from the director as well.
"Why do you want to read my character's biography?" Xie Wang asked.
"To act well," Lin Jianlu said, cracking the door open just a bit. "Is that okay?"
Is that an invitation to come in?
Xie Wang tried to take two steps inside.
Lin Jianlu didn't object.
Looks like there's hope.
Xie Wang clenched his fists.
"Senior," Lin Jianlu said sleepily, "Do me a favor."
In Xie Wang's mind, a racing car was whizzing past a winding mountain road.
Xie Wang: "What?"
He did his best to sound calm.
Lin Jianlu led him to the bathroom and pointed at the top cabinet: "Can you get a hanger for me? It's too high for me to reach."
Xie Wang: "…"
He began to despise himself.
You're overthinking it.
Lin Jianlu was so innocent and aloof, why did he think Lin Jianlu had some ulterior motive?
Before leaving the room, he glanced at the desk. Lin Jianlu had been working on some math problem, with a mess of numbers scribbled all over the paper. In the middle, there was a figure: 98.73%.
Does he even study this at the music school?
That number is so familiar.
He really had been into Lin Jianlu for too long—now even seeing him write numbers looked beautiful.
Lin Jianlu drove the man away and lay back down, hugging his quilt.
Xie Wang really picked the worst time to come. He had been sleeping so soundly that he had lost all worldly desires.
He had teased Xie Wang many times today, both openly and secretly.
He'd save the rest for the next couple of days.
I'm so sleepy, a break won't hurt.
Lin Jianlu fell asleep again.
Across the hall, Xie Wang was suffering from insomnia. He had gotten close to Lin Jianlu just now, but surprisingly, it had not triggered that overwhelming sense of losing control.
A drowsy Lin Jianlu was too cute, and he would be even cuter if he hadn't driven him away.
Lin Jianlu was woken up by Xie Wang.
Today, they were once again scheduled to film scenes together, which would be used as flashbacks during the protagonist's grueling pursuit of the murderer.
The scene was set outside a supermarket, depicting the two characters' first meeting.
"Did you sleep well?" Xie Wang asked Lin Jianlu.
Their schedules were chaotic thanks to busy filming, but for someone like Lin Jianlu, a good student with a regular routine, adjusting to this hectic pace must be hard.
"Hmm, no problem," Lin Jianlu replied.
He quite liked Xie Wang's costume and styling today, which gave off a slightly decadent urban youth vibe—he wore a black short jacket paired with overalls and graffiti-covered sneakers.
With a cigarette hanging from his mouth, Xie Wang sat on the steps, a makeup scar painted under one eye.
He was a drifter, taking odd jobs wherever he went, and this place would just be another city he passed through.
As Lin Jianlu came out of the supermarket, he accidentally dropped his sketch papers, one of which fluttered to the ground at Xie Wang's feet.
The alpha exhaled a puff of smoke, picked up the paper with the hand holding the cigarette, and handed it back.
Ash softly fell, leaving two marks burned on the sketch paper.
The alpha's hand froze midair.
"It looks better now," Lin Jianlu said.
The alpha sat there, staring blankly.
"Can I draw you?" Lin Jianlu recited his lines, "You're different from this city."
The alpha was momentarily stunned, as if he'd never heard such an absurd request.
"That's fine," he said. "Buy me a pack of cigarettes."
"Good, nice job! Next take," The director called out, signaling a cut. "You two are in great form today, so you'll get extra drumsticks for lunch."
Xie Wang got up from the ground, stretched his body, and snuffed out the half-burned cigarette in his hand next to the trash can.
Lin Jianlu didn't like the smell of cigarettes.
He couldn't smoke this thing.
"I thought this scene would take some work," the director said. "But you guys nailed it in one go."
That's because we've already met twice before.
Xie Wang said inwardly.
Wait a minute.
Yellow rose petals floated through his mind.
Yellow rose.
The first time he met Lin Jianlu, the thorns of a yellow rose had pricked Lin Jianlu's hand, and Xie Wang had handed him a handkerchief.
So how exactly did Lin Jianlu hurt his hand when he attended the fashion gala a while ago?
Damn.
It's not his overthinking for sure.
Lin Jianlu definitely had a problem.
He knew too little about Lin Jianlu.
"Senior," Lin Jianlu said, standing in front of him with the sunlight behind him. "Let's go over the scene."
"Let me see.. the next scene…" Xie Wang suddenly snapped back to attention.
"The next scene is where Da Wang brings in the big bucks, hahaha!" the director said happily.
The next part was the drawing scene.
The detective, who had casually agreed, followed the other person home, only to be surprised when the other party asked him to take off his clothes.
Xie Wang: "…"
Shit! This bunch of vulgar people just had their eyes on his precious body.
"Make sure to get a close-up of Da Wang's abs," the director instructed the cameraman.
When shooting this movie before his rebirth, Xie Wang hadn't contributed this much.
"It's an intimate scene in the art studio. You two should take another look at the script," the director said.
"This part is not difficult," Xie Wang explained. "It's just a hug. I got the short end of the stick, but I refuse to admit it and can't back out, so I scare you with a hug."
Lin Jianlu: "Got it."
"Are you going fully nude?" Lin Jianlu asked.
Xie Wang yelled, "? Of course not!"
What are you expecting?
Xie Wang: "I'm not stripping stark naked in front of you."
What scary things are you thinking?
Lin Jianlu's expression remained flat: "Oh, I don't understand your whole filming process."
"YoYo," Xie Wang said seriously, "we're shooting a movie, not some cheap production. We'll only show abs and leg lines—nothing else. It's for character development, to show the person I'm playing isn't an ordinary guy."
Lin Jianlu: "Oh."
For some reason, Xie Wang had the feeling that for a brief moment, Lin Jianlu seemed a little... disappointed.
"I want to draw you," Lin Jianlu said, "So should I lift up the corner of your jacket?"
Xie Wang: "Technically, yes. I can't just start undressing myself."
"Like this?" Lin Jianlu asked.
The omega's slender fingers pressed against Xie Wang's collar, the cool fingertips resting partly on the collar and partly on the edge of his collarbone.
Damn it, Lin Jianlu.
Xie Wang felt like his hair was standing on end.
But this was indeed a f*cking drama process, and there was nothing wrong with it at all.
"Just grab the bottom and give it a tug. I'll hold your hand in place," Xie Wang said, grabbing Lin Jianlu's wrist and guiding his hand to his waist.
"Okay, I understand," Lin Jianlu responded, stepping back at the right moment.
Every approach he made was fleeting.
Like a timid small animal testing the waters, it seemed as though he was leaving the decision-making power to the party being tempted, but in reality, he was giving absolutely zilch.
Xie Wang felt like he was peeling something off layer by layer.
And his understanding of this wasn't due to his own vigilance but because he had gone up against an even more unrestrained Lin Jianlu.
"Are you ready?" the director urged, "Let's get this shot."
The scene shifted indoors.
This time it was a small art studio.
Lin Jianlu placed the bag from the supermarket on the sofa and took out a pack of cigarettes.
Xie Wang reached out to grab it.
Lin Jianlu hid the cigarettes behind his back: "You can have them after we finish the drawing."
"Then let's draw," Xie Wang scoffed. "Should I sit or lie down?"
"Neither," Lin Jianlu's fingertips brushed against the edge of Xie Wang's jacket. "Take off all your clothes."
The alpha's smile froze on his face.
"Where do you get your nerve?" Xie Wang said, grabbing Lin Jianlu's wrist. "You dare bring a stranger alpha to your place? And you're bold enough to say such things to me, aren't you afraid I might be a bad guy?"
To prove his point, Xie Wang yanked the man and pressed him into his arms.
"The close-up is coming next," Xie Wang whispered in Lin Jianlu's ear. "You can hang around to watch the fun later."
"Shut your mouth, Da Wang. Just because we're quiet doesn't mean you can talk nonsense," the director shouted, "Hug a little longer you two, we need a couple more shots."
Director: "Lin Jianlu, control your expression. You are supposed to look frightened, not happy. What are you happy about? I can't bear to criticize you, it's rare to see a happy expression on your face."
Xie Wang: "…"
Lin Jianlu: "…"
Both of them adjusted their mood and prolonged the embrace.
Lin Jianlu was held tightly in Xie Wang's arms.
There was a faint scent of tobacco on the alpha's shoulder, which made Lin Jianlu feel so at ease that he wanted to close his eyes. But then, Xie Wang suddenly applied pressure with his hand, and the pain at his waist brought a hint of panic to his face, perfectly matching the character he was playing.
After the forced embrace came the alpha's concession.
"Forget it," Xie Wang said. "If you want to draw, go ahead. No one's ever had control over me before. But this is enough. The world is too big for you to keep bringing home any stranger you find easy on the eyes."
Lin Jianlu: "Um, got it."
"Alright, that's a pass. Thanks for your hard work." The director called for a stop. "That was just right."
"Sorry," Xie Wang apologized, just as he had the day before. "I wanted to help you get into character, so I used a little trick."
He was referring to when he had suddenly tightened his grip during the hug.
"No problem," Lin Jianlu shook his head.
After watching Xie Wang film several times, Lin Jianlu noticed that despite his outward arrogance and brashness, Xie Wang was actually polite at heart. He would apologize after fight scenes and even apologize if he touched someone.
Lin Jianlu filmed a few more scenes with Xie Wang, all of which depicted the two people getting to know each other in the movie—flashbacks that appeared during the protagonist's pursuit of the murderer.
"Lin Jianlu really has that 'white moonlight' vibe to him and fits the role very well," the director praised. "It was a good call to recast instead of cutting the role, it would've been a real shame otherwise."
Lin Jianlu couldn't shoot tonight.
His manager had called him to Yanxing Media to rehearse for the music festival.
"That's fine, no worries," the director said. "Da Wang seems to be heading there too. The crew's off tonight."
Da Wang… Xie Wang is going too?
Lin Jianlu turned back to look for Xie Wang.
Xie Wang, who had just been dragged into filming a close-up of his abs, came out swearing, "Hey, only one second of that shot, you hear me? I'm saving this nice body for my future wife to see."
His eyes met Lin Jianlu’s, and he froze.
"Music festival right?" Xie Wang said. "I'll drive. You can come with me. Your manager… the director will talk to her."
He had to tag along; today, he was determined to figure out what kind of 'deer' Lin Jianlu really was.
Director: "???"
***
In the evening, Yanxing Media Building.
The entourage of the participating artists arrived one by one, and Xie Wang pulled up right at the entrance, handing his keys to a staff member to park the car.
"Get out," he said as he walked around to the passenger side and opened the door.
Artists nearby curiously glanced over and saw an omega step out of Xie Wang's car.
"So what exactly is your program?" Lin Jianlu asked. "To warm-up the audience, you have to have a program."
Xie Wang: "Yeah, it's just a program. Don't worry too much about the format."
Lin Jianlu had a bad feeling: "What kind of program?"
"A highly discussed one," Xie Wang replied.
Fifteen minutes later, Lin Jianlu stared at the words "Poetry Recital" on the program list and felt he was really calm.
He had underestimated the shamelessness of actors.
So, why had Xie Wang followed him here?
On one hand, Xie Wang seemed to be abiding by the rules of Alpha decorum, but on the other hand, he was tagging along to the music festival.
Maybe... he should test him again?
Lin Jianlu was a guest invited by Yanxing, and the company attached great importance to it, arranging a dedicated styling team.
As soon as he stepped out of the car, he was whisked away by the team.
Meanwhile, Xie Wang acted as if he owned the place, wandering around the company freely.
"Yanxing Media barely has any musicians, and they finally managed to host an online music festival. Can you not cause trouble?" His agent, Sun Lei, blocked him.
"You don't want free publicity?" Xie Wang retorted.
The agent had nothing to say to that.
After Lin Jianlu finished his styling, he waited in the lounge for his performance.
Xie Wang also came over.
The alpha had changed into a white costume.
He had the gangster vibe going in the afternoon, but became a decent person in the evening.
Lin Jianlu glanced at him a few more times.
"Can we change the performance order?" Xie Wang stood up and went to ask the staff.
Lin Jianlu was tuning his zither.
As Xie Wang walked past, Lin Jianlu lowered his head slightly, seemingly to listen to the strings. Between the strands of his black hair, the omega's gland was faintly visible.
"???" Xie Wang's chest suddenly felt hot.
It was like an electric shock, a sensation that coursed down his spine, leaving his fingertips numb and aching.
Something's fishy, definitely fishy.
Why did Lin Jianlu have to lower his head at that exact moment when he walked by?
He had always thought that the feeling of being out of control and the desire to get close had nothing to do with Lin Jianlu.
But.. did it really have nothing to do with him?
98.73%
That number from Lin Jianlu's scratch paper suddenly flashed in his mind and he cottoned on.
No wonder it felt so familiar.
98.73% was the AO compatibility percentage written on their marriage certificate before his rebirth.
To test pheromone compatibility, pheromone test strips were needed, applied directly to the gland or... to something the other person has been carrying.
Xie Wang thought of the handkerchief he had handed over, and the towel he had used that Lin Jianlu had mistakenly taken.
Suddenly, everything became clear.
I'm such a stupid dog.
Xie Wang laughed angrily.
He really didn't understand Lin Jianlu at all.
He didn't understand before his rebirth, and even now, he still doesn't understand.
His Lin Jianlu is definitely far from innocent.
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