CTS 10

Zhao Yi didn’t press the topic further.

It wasn’t until a moment later that Shen Mo realized what he had really meant.
So Ji Mingxuan had a house in Jinxiu Villa too, and the person living there was likely Zhao Yi’s real romantic rival. As for him… Zhao Yi had probably assessed him and decided he wasn’t even worth considering as competition.

The heating in the private room was turned up too high. Shen Mo felt a bit suffocated.

Just then, Ji An’an returned from the restroom, and Ji Mingxuan came back from his call. He had already settled the bill and said, “It’s getting late. Let’s go.”

The parking lot was a bit of a walk.

The night breeze was chilly, and while waiting by the roadside for the driver to pull the car over, Shen Mo’s ears were turning red from the cold. Ji Mingxuan stood next to him, took one of his hands and tucked both of theirs into his coat pocket.

Shen Mo flinched. “Mr. Ji.”

Ji Mingxuan stayed perfectly calm. “What is it?”

“…Nothing.”

Shen Mo glanced at Zhao Yi, who stood not far away. He really couldn’t figure out what Ji Mingxuan was thinking. Was he bored with his stable life and trying to stir up drama by pitting his lovers against each other? Shen Mo weighed his odds. He was probably below average in bed, but if it came to a fistfight, he might stand a chance.

He was seriously considering which hand he should throw the first punch with when Ji Mingxuan gave his hand a light squeeze and asked, “When is Zhou Yang’s birthday?”

Shen Mo’s whole body tensed. He replied reflexively, “I don’t remember.”

Ji Mingxuan nodded slightly. “And your own birthday?”

That one Shen Mo could answer easily, but right after he did, Ji Mingxuan asked again, “What about mine?”

Shen Mo was speechless.

He never would have dreamed that Ji Mingxuan would quiz him like this.
Ji Mingxuan could probably recite his birth date down to the minute, but Shen Mo did not have that kind of memory.

The night blurred the city lights. Ji Mingxuan turned to look at him, the sparkle of the skyline reflected in his dark eyes.

Shen Mo’s palm was starting to sweat.

Ji Mingxuan suddenly chuckled, let go of his hand, and said, “I knew you wouldn’t remember.”

Just then, the driver pulled up. Ji Mingxuan opened the car door for Ji An’an. “Be careful on the road.”

“You are not coming back with us, big brother?”

“I still need to give Zhao Yi a ride.”

After Shen Mo got into the car, Ji Mingxuan shut the door with a firm thud and gave the driver a small gesture. The car slowly pulled away, and Shen Mo sat in the back seat, watching Ji Mingxuan’s figure grow smaller in the rearview mirror.

On the way home, he hurried to make up for his earlier blunder, casually probing Ji An’an about Ji Mingxuan’s birthday.

Ji An’an said, “My brother’s birthday is the easiest to remember. It’s on the first day of spring. Why? Brother Shen, are you already planning a gift?”

Shen Mo smiled faintly. He thought, everything he had, Ji Mingxuan already had too. And what he didn’t have, Ji Mingxuan still had. What could he possibly give?

That question stayed on his mind as he fell asleep that night. The next evening, Ji Mingxuan still hadn’t come home.
Instead, Zhao Yi made it into entertainment news. A paparazzo had staked out his building and snapped a blurry photo.

The headline was dramatic enough to grab attention, but the content lacked substance. It only sparked the usual wave of fan wars and hateful comments online.

Ji An’an studied the photo seriously, then let out a breath of relief. “Not my brother.”

The photo only captured two figures from behind in very poor lighting. Unless someone had a supernatural vision, there was no way to recognize Ji Mingxuan. Still, Ji An’an offered Shen Mo some comfort.
“My brother is probably busy with work. He and Zhao Yi look nothing more than ordinary friends.”

Shen Mo held onto his smile and said, “Of course.”

Acting was exhausting, body and soul.

He had always been like this since childhood. Even though he worked harder than everyone else, he never managed to come out on top. First it was academics, then it was art, then love, and now, even as Ji Mingxuan’s lover, he was barely clinging to the bottom of the list.

Despite feeling down, Shen Mo did not give in to despair. If he lacked talent, he would make up for it with effort. He gave up sleep to download a bunch of gay porn, saved them in a folder labeled “study materials,” and took detailed notes as he watched.

He was completely focused when his phone suddenly rang.

Shen Mo answered without checking.
A familiar voice came through from the other end.

“Shen Mo. It’s me.”