Xie Wang recalled many details from before his rebirth.
For example, he had made harsh remarks about going to a nightclub and not returning all night, but inexplicably stayed behind.
For example, at that time, he clearly didn't like Lin Jianlu's indifference, yet he kept approaching Lin Jianlu again and again.
Another example was on the night they were forced to marry. He was so displeased that he planned to smoke on the balcony and zone out for the entire night.
But when he turned his head, he saw Lin Jianlu standing barefoot on the floor.
Lin Jianlu had his back to him, taking out his belongings one by one from the suitcase, but couldn't find a place to store them. He could only hold a stack of books and silently look at Xie Wang.
It was only then that Xie Wang remembered it was Lin Jianlu's first time at his house and he didn't even know where to find slippers.
Seeing that Lin Jianlu was about to be overwhelmed, Xie Wang rushed over and took the items from him.
The omega's snow-white ankles were slightly red, tinted from rubbing against the carpet. He wanted to change out of his wedding attire but couldn't seem to find a place to change, nor did he want to ask Xie Wang which room he could use.
The omega sat where he was, unbuttoning his shirt one button at a time.
Xie Wang raged impotently, grabbing him by the waist and throwing him onto the bed.
His second lifelong mark on Lin Jianlu began here.
Looking back now, every action Lin Jianlu made seemed to precisely hit some nerve of his.
It was no accident; someone was pulling tricks.
Tracing the timeline in his mind, Xie Wang realized that only in those early moments could he spot any clues.
During the time before his rebirth, he couldn't even remember what Lin Jianlu had done, only that he himself was helplessly angry.
Great.
His wife had treated him like a monster spawn, leveling up by defeating him.
Rebirth had brought him back to Lin Jianlu's novice village.
But—
Why did Lin Jianlu treat him this way? Did Lin Jianlu like him?
After discovering this, Xie Wang's attention toward Lin Jianlu redoubled dramatically.
Lin Jianlu finished tuning the zither and tested the sound. He looked up and only then did he notice that Xie Wang hadn't left.
Xie Wang was still standing at the door, staring at him with a complicated expression, and there seemed to be a few tufts of resentment on his head.
"Senior, what's up?" Lin Jianlu asked coldly.
Nothing's up with me.
Something might be up with you.
Xie Wang thought.
"YoYo, I'll wait for you to go on stage together," Xie Wang said. "I've adjusted the performance order. You're up first, and I'll follow."
Lin Jianlu still looked as disinterested and reluctant as ever: "Oh."
This online music festival was being live-streamed across the entire network, with both Lin Jianlu and Xie Wang's names prominently listed on the guest roster.
@WildPansy: Lin Jianlu! Woohoo, the cold circle is delighted. I've liked him since the trailer for "Seeking Sound" dropped. He's a talented singer-songwriter, and he's really good-looking too.
@Tulip: Not that cold. He had a lot of fans when he first signed with Xingluo. Plus, Lin Jianlu's song "A Moment" from that drama's ending theme is pretty popular. Who isn't singing it lately?
@DaWangLotus: I have a question. I really want to see Xie Wang, no doubt. But can Yanxing Media stop forcing actors into music festivals? Poetry recital? Am I seeing things? LOL
@Yanxing Media Official: …
@Hydrangea: They’re performing one after the other? Don't they not get along and have a strained relationship? I heard Lin Jianlu switched mentors on the latest episode of "Seeking Sound."
"Lin Jianlu, Teacher Xie Wang," a staff member knocked on the door. "It's almost your turn, you can start getting ready."
Lin Jianlu: "Thank you."
Xie Wang was still watching him.
Unlike his simple but elegant light makeup for filming, Lin Jianlu's current look was a bit more striking.
The makeup artist had accentuated his eye makeup, softening his usual cold demeanor. His clear almond-shaped eyes now seemed to have a feathery touch, gently tickling people's hearts with each glance.
They left the room one after the other, with Xie Wang following behind Lin Jianlu at a careful distance—neither too close nor too far.
The staff member jogged off, leaving the two of them alone in the hallway.
Xie Wang felt that, based on the pattern he had recently figured out, something was bound to happen.
He silently began counting his steps in his mind.
Sure enough, just as they were about to exit the hallway, Lin Jianlu pushed down his collar with his right hand, deliberately in Xie Wang's direction.
Xie Wang's right hand clenched into a fist, then relaxed.
Very well.
His wife wasn't a aloof O.
His wife wasn't an ice block either.
More like cheese, with at least eight hundred holes.
Lin "Strawberry" probably only put 10% of his energy into studying and writing songs, with the remaining 90% focused on figuring out how to make him impotently angry.
"Senior, why aren't you moving?" Lin Jianlu asked. "We're short on time, let's hurry."
See the gland on my neck? Sure you don't want a bite?
Are you impotent?
Xie Wang: "I'm here. Just thinking about something."
From now on, I'm going to clear your novice village, you bronze player.
The two people, each with his own thoughts, exchanged a few insincere pleasantries and then separated at the stage entrance.
They were not heading in the same direction to get on stage.
There weren't many audience members at the scene of the online music festival.
When Lin Jianlu took the stage, the only people in the audience were staff members hurrying by and one seated figure… Xie Wang.
Seeing his gaze sweeping over, Xie Wang waved at him and gestured 'Jiayou!'
How silly.
Lin Jianlu shifted his gaze away.
But he couldn't help glancing back once more.
It seemed that no one had ever cheered him on for such a small thing before.
On stage, Lin Jianlu had no time to flirt with Xie Wang. As the music prelude began, his clear and slightly cold voice followed suit.
The song was his recent hit, the ending theme he wrote for a TV drama.
Xie Wang was seated in the same row as the teleprompter.
It was then that he remembered—Lin Jianlu's exceptional memory of memorizing lines at a glance meant he didn't need the teleprompter while singing. So, during the recording of "Seeking Sound," Lin Jianlu had indeed been looking at him. Lin Jianlu seems to really like him. Xie Wang listened to the entire song alone in the audience. Before his rebirth, despite all the times Lin Jianlu had performed at concerts, Xie Wang had never found the time to attend. Lin Jianlu finished singing the song for his only live audience.
This online music festival organized by Yanxing Media didn't have a host. After the previous performer finished, they needed to announce the next act.
Lin Jianlu looked at the announcement that appeared on the teleprompter not far away.
Lin Jianlu: "…"
Who wrote it?
So wicked.
"Next, please welcome my... most beloved... friend, Xie Wang," he read expressionlessly. "Presenting his performance."
Lin Jianlu stalked off the stage and didn't bother listening to a certain actor go up to troll for amusement.
In the backstage lounge, Lin Jianlu picked up his phone and glanced at the messages in his music school class group.
There was a music arrangement assignment that needed to be submitted soon.
Luckily, he had brought his computer with him to Yanxing Media, so while the event was still ongoing, he used the computer to revise his assignment.
"Teacher Lin," a staff member knocked on the door. "Do you have a complete studio version of the song you just performed? We'd like to use it for the follow-up promotion."
"Yes, I do. Just give me a moment," Lin Jianlu said.
Xie Wang finished his act, announced the next performer, and headed back to the lounge where Lin Jianlu was.
His omega was copying the song file for the staff.
He sat down next to Lin Jianlu and glanced at the computer screen.
Lin Jianlu selected a file with just a number for its name from various documents titled Principles of Music Creation, Vocal Range 101, History of Development of Music Conservatory, etc. and sent it to the staff.
"Do you have a lot of classes?" Xie Wang asked.
Lin Jianlu replied, "Yes... I do."
Xie Wang looked absorbed in thought.
That sounds pretty busy.
But he hasn't studied himself stupid; rather, he still has time to play him like a monkey.
Lin Jianlu, taking his time, sent over the song and submitted his assignment. Only then did he notice that Xie Wang was sitting unusually close to him today.
"Heading back to the set?" he asked.
Perhaps feeling the temperature was too low, he picked up the air conditioner remote from the table and pressed it a few times.
Xie Wang: "No rush. We've got a post-performance interview coming up. Need to go through the process."
So Lin Jianlu fell silent again, typing away at his computer. The room filled only with the sound of the clattering keyboard.
Xie Wang wasn't in a hurry either.
Today, he was going to stay put, quietly waiting for Lin Jianlu to make trouble first.
Time ticked by slowly, and Xie Wang casually picked up his phone and started playing a game.
After submitting his assignment, Lin Jianlu began chatting with Wei Lan.
[Lan]: I watched the live stream. You were amazing. There were so many barrage explosions and umpteen confessions.
[Lan]: Xie Wang performed right after you! Did he chase you there?
[YoYo]: I think I'm about to succeed.
[Lan]: Congratulations in advance to Classmate Lin for crashing through the novice village and making an alpha dead set on you. You're about to unlock the reward: Temporary Mark of Fierce A.
[YoYo]: Pushes up glasses.jpg
Xie Wang's game was going terribly.
Twenty minutes had passed, yet Lin Jianlu still hadn't made a move to bait him.
Did Lin Jianlu and Wei Lan have so many learning problems that must be discussed at this time?
In the past twenty minutes, aside from saying it was cold and pressing the air conditioner remote to adjust the temperature, Lin Jianlu hadn't done anything that would make people think too much.
In fact, Lin Jianlu was still maintaining an AO safe distance from him as per international standards.
Urgent, waiting online.
Xie Wang felt like he was getting anxious again.
His whole body was feverish, his palms were burning, and he felt like he could turn into a grapefruit bomb at any second.
He was eagerly anticipating the outcome that was slowly taking shape in his mind.
But how could someone as good-looking and outstanding as Lin Jianlu like him?
Lin Jianlu took off his jacket and continued typing and chatting.
Thirty-five minutes later, Lin Jianlu turned and asked him, "It seems a bit hot. Don't you want to take off your jacket, Senior?"
Xie Wang: "…"
My bad.
Xie Wang glanced up and saw the temperature on the air conditioner: 30 degrees.
So what kind of lu(deer) is Lin Jianlu to be so naughty?
From the moment he entered the room, Lin Jianlu had already been plotting against him.
"It does feel a bit hot," Xie Wang said, lifting his jacket. His arm muscles were firm and well-defined, his posture relaxed, exuding the arrogance and pride typical of an alpha.
A flicker of satisfaction appeared in his omega's slightly cold eyes before he went back to typing.
Xie Wang was stunned for a long time.
He got it.
If he bites the small fish hook cast by Lin Jianlu, Lin Jianlu is very happy.
If he misses the bite, Lin Jianlu gets angry.
Just like that time at the hotel, when Lin Jianlu slammed the door and left.
So that's how it is!
It's like he's been reading a book, initially finding it hard to digest and avoiding it. After racking his brain but finding no solution, he finally realized he's been holding the book upside down all along.
So, time and time again, Lin Jianlu was actually hoping he'd get closer?
Turns out, his wife likes him this much!
Lin Jianlu likes him!
--------------------
Lin Jianlu, a high-level player before Da Wang's rebirth: I'll gently cast a small fish hook here.
Lin Jianlu, a low-level player after Da Wang's rebirth: See this huge fish hook? I'm going to crush you to death with it now.
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