Jiang Changshen’s home wasn’t the villa Shen Qi thought it was. Instead, it was a duplex penthouse apartment. Xiao Li set them off at ground level and left.

Shen Qi was excited and curious. This was his idol’s house, the home of Jiang Changshen, the one he held dear to his heart. It was also an idol that he’d been chasing for eight years, so how could he not be excited when faced with the chance to enter his idol’s home.

“Should I take off my shoes?”

Shen Qi, who had always been a big-hearted person, became more reserved. Even his movements were a bit careful.

Ouch, this was his idol’s carpet. What if he dirtied it?

Jiang Changshen took a pair of slippers out of a cupboard. “Here. This pair is new; no one’s ever used them.”

Shen Qi’s eyes lit up. “Then these will be mine from now on!” The implication was that he would come back at a later time.

Jiang Changshen, of course, understood what he was thinking and brought him satisfaction by agreeing. “Well, they’re yours. You’ll use them next time.”

Inwardly, Shen Qi cheered a little. He quickly put on his slippers and followed Jiang Changshen into the home.

He looked around. The apartment was decorated in a modern, simple style, in black, white and grey, with very few flashy colours. Even the flowers and trees used for decoration were all in cool colours, including the wall decorations.

Sometimes, decoration style could reflect a person’s personality. Shen Qi was convinced that there was something wrong with Jiang Changshen’s mindset and it was likely to be related to a childhood misfortune.

In fact, he could have paid someone to spend a lot of time and effort investigating this. But secrets did not always remain hidden, and there were things that would inevitably be exposed. To put it in perspective, if someone investigated Shen Qi behind his back, even if he liked him, he wouldn’t feel good about it.

He didn’t want to create an obstacle for himself over this little thing, preferring to find answers himself.

“You sit down, first. Feel free to watch TV or surf the net if you want, the tablet is on the table, or you can use your phone. The wifi’s name is 111, password’s my birthday.” Jiang Changshen settled him down and went to the kitchen. “I’ll be right back.”

Shen Qi reckoned he was going to fetch water or something. He sat down nicely, eyes averted, saw the tablet on the table, smiled twice, and went ‘hehe’. How could one use one’s own phone at a time like this? Of course you had to use the other person’s electronics. You might be able to see something unexpected.

He picked it up and a quick glance showed that the tablet actually had no password.

One swipe and it opened. A few quick searches.

It was all the usual software, the ones everyone went with. It was a little disappointing all of a sudden.

Carefully glancing in the direction of the kitchen, he opened the search software, clicked on the blank bar, and the search history automatically appeared below.

“Wei Xuanzong.”

“The things that happened in Wei.”

“Famous Wei Dynasty Minister.”

“Wei Ling.”

　　……
　　

Each mission world developed differently. In this case, the Tang and Song had been followed by the Wei dynasty.

This time Shen’s Entertainment was bringing together several people in a big production. It was a big historical costume drama about the Wei dynasty, called “The Great Wei Dynasty”, which focused on the most famous emperor of the Wei dynasty, Wei Xuanzong.

Jiang Changshen was to play the main character Wei Xuanzong, naturally. From teenaged years to middle aged, eighteen to forty-eight, a span of thirty years.

Shen Qi would play the role of Wei Ling. Just as Han Yan was the favourite minister of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Wei Ling was the favourite minister of Emperor Xuanzong.

The two were very similar. They knew each other as teenagers and were very close, with clear favouritism. However, Han Yan was ordered to commit suicide by the Empress Dowager, while Wei Ling was dead after having blocked an arrow for Wei Xuanzong.

Wei Xuanzong was grief-stricken afterwards, to the point that he wrote a long essay about the sacrifice, and he honoured the man each year. This profound friendship only appeared briefly in historic records, leaving quite a lot of space to imagination among the following generations. Hundreds of pages had been written about those two men.

Shen Qi’s intent in giving himself this role was clear.

He held the tablet in his hand and felt touched by the sweet gesture.

Brother Jiang had actually looked up Wei Ling. What did that mean? With so many characters, why was he searching for Wei Ling in particular? Was it because he knew Shen Qi was going to play the role? Was that why he’d searched for it?

Whatever. That must be the reason! It must be because of Shen Qi that Brother Jiang had looked that up online. It must be!

Jiang Changshen brought out the tea and saw Shen Qi smirking at the tablet. When he came closer, he understood the reason.

He put the tea on the table. “Does the phoenix slave still have a headache?”

Shen Qi was stunned. After all, feng nu—phoenix slave—was a nickname for Wei Ling. It was said that Wei Xuanzong himself had started calling him that. A term with ‘phoenix’ in it, as if ignorant that the speculations of their relationship would strengthen.

He blinked, quickly getting into the act. “When His Majesty comes to see me, even pain disappears.”

“Since when has my phoenix slave become such a charmer?” Jiang Changshen took the tea, blew on it gently, raised his eyes with a smile and brought it to Shen Qi’s lips. “Here, I’ve personally made you some tea to sober you up. Drink it and your head won’t hurt.”

The tone was cajoling but condescending, revealing an innate sense of superiority, but those eyes gazing at him. But those eyes were looking at him like he was the only one in the world and no one else was visible, as if he was special.

Shen Qi knew that Jiang Changshen was a good actor, but he’d only been an observer before. This time, he was seeing it live and witnessing the film emperor’s acting skills. He was instantly conquered, his eyes lighting up. His brain leaked out through his ears as his fanboy-self activated, unable to care about picking up the scene where his companion had left off.

“Fail.” Jiang Changshen curled his finger and flicked it on Shen Qi’s forehead. “You forgot your line.”

Shen Qi came back to his senses and covered his head in frustration, defending herself. “That’s because you… You… You’re too handsome!” He nodded vigorously, deepening the credibility of his words. “Yes, you’re so handsome, I was too focused on your face and I forgot the words.”

What splendid BS.

Jiang Changshen lost his smile and placed the tea in Shen Qi’s hand. “Alright, drink your tea first. This is a secret recipe Song Yan found to cure hangovers. I’ll have him make more for you later.”

“Thank you, Brother Jiang.”

Shen Qi brought it up and blew on it twice.

Since Brother Jiang had handed it to him, he would drink it. Coming from him, Shen Qi would even drink poison!

He immediately expressed his feelings through eye-contact. Suddenly, all those previous acting classes didn’t feel boring anymore.

Jiang Changshen was delighted and took a cup of his own. He turned on the TV to avoid the risk of any awkwardness appearing.

Shen Qi finished his tea in one gulp and turned the empty teacup back to Jiang Changshen, putting it down. He started pulling back his sleeves.

“Want me to give you a head massage?”

Brother Jiang had made him tea, so he had to pay that back somehow.　

“You know how to give massages?”

“Yeah, I’ve been doing that since I was a kid. When I was a child my mom loved to study Behaviorology abroad. With her, us kids made a lot of pocket money sweeping floors and washing dishes. I’m lazy, plus I’m the youngest, so sweeping the floor and washing the dishes—the kind of work that made a lot of money—were taken by my brother and sister. All that was left to me all was massage.”

Shen Qi laughingly continued pulling up his sleeves. “So, since I couldn’t sweep the floor and do the dishes, became good at massages!”

“Yes, you did.” Jiang Changshen sat down against the couch in a relaxed posture.

Shen Qi, with a wry look in his eyes, rolled over and kicked off his slippers. He sat up. As he leaned over, he suddenly pushed Jiang Changshen’s legs together and sat directly on his lap, his legs spread on either side. They were now facing each other.

His heart was in turmoil, but his expression was serious. “It’s easier this way. That’s how I used to sit on my dad’s lap and massage him when I was a kid.”

Jiang Changshen’s eyes darkened. He clamped down on Shen Qi’s thighs and yanked him forward, pulling the young man directly into his arms, groin to groin, cupping the young man’s lithe waist. He gazed at him with a smile, waiting for his favour.

“Go on.”

It was such an ambiguous position, with strange and familiar scents coming in from all sides. Their warm chests were pressed against each other, as if they were trying to feel each other’s temperature and heartbeat through the thinness of their garments.

Shen Qi’s little heart was beating fast. His face wasn’t red, but his throat was a little dry, so he swallowed a little and pressed his hand on Jiang Changshen’s temple.

Jiang Changshen closed his eyes, as if simply enjoying the massage. But the hand around Shen Qi’s waist was gently rubbing the teenager, either intentionally or not.

It was a cool late summer evening, but Shen Qi felt hotter and hotter, especially when he asked if Jiang Changshen was comfortable. Jiang Changshen’s throat let out a hmmm, and the urge to do something stupid was overwhelming.

He couldn’t!

Shen Qi had become the provoked instead of the provoker. Seeing as the Xiao Qi below was about to rise and betray Shen Qi’s true feelings, he immediately withdrew his hand and shook his throat.

“Bro-Brother Jiang. All right, we’re done.”

If he continued, he would make a complete fool of himself.

But before he could lift his leg, a large hand tightened around his waist and firmly encircled him in a hug.

Jiang Changshen opened his eyes.

The man’s other hand cupped the back of his neck, forcing their foreheads close together. Jiang Changshen’s eyes were piercing, fierceness suppressed, and his voice held derisive laughter as he asked:

“Trying to run?”

Shen Qi blushed instantly. That was it, that was how he felt! He was so excited!

Immediately he stopped moving, looking at him.

That good?

Jiang Changshen raised his eyebrows, somehow reminded of the cat Song Yan had raised, lying in his arms. It had been so nice when it didn’t show its claws, too.

Almost instinctively, the hand on the young man’s waist moved as if he were petting Song Yan’s cat, sliding from the bottom upwards through the thin material of the garment.

“Mmm…”

Shen Qi was all agitated, as if he’d been electrocuted. The numbness instantly hit him from the tailbone up and his whole body went soft, except for one place where it rose up in instead.

So sensitive?

Jiang Changshen’s smile was malevolent. The feeling of having the boy in his hands was wonderful. Sensing the tremors under his hands, a strange emotion so thick it couldn’t be melted spread across his heart, as if some place that had been lacking had been filled, telling him that this was it, this was it. He had to control him, to dominate him, to make him belong only to Jiang Changshen so no one can take him away, not even Shen Qi himself.　

The thoughts came together. He was thrilled to the point of trembling all over, breathing heavily, a looming red in his eyes.

“Brother Jiang?”

Shen Qi peered into his eyes and wondered what was going on. His heart thudded, feeling as if something was wrong.

Jiang Changshen closed his eyes, then opened them again, and the red from before was gone, replaced by an intense heat. The hand on Shen Qi’s back went down to his hip and pressed the young man into an embrace.

They were face to face, pubic bone to pubic bone. Immediately, they could sense a difference in each other.

The heat on Shen Qi’s face didn’t subside. “I’m-I’m, that is, done with the massage…” he stuttered.

“Heh.”

Jiang Changshen chuckled. Then, satisfied by the fascination in the young man’s eyes, he cupped Shen Qi’s chin and kissed him.

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