Gentle, scheming, and patient top x sharp-tongued, arrogant bottom with a strong offense and weak defense
A poor country boy with a fox-like vibe from an ethnic minority and a rich, beautiful city girl with a cat-like vibe, secretly in love with each other
SG and Original Color Entertainment released new boy groups one after the other, and the two groups naturally became rivals.
Every comeback clashed, their fan sign events were held on different floors of the same hotel, and they even had to compete for venues on tour.
Zhu Qinghuai, the legendary visual of every generation and a god at keeping his expressions in check, wanted to throw up every time he saw the trending topics. Why was that rookie who debuted after just three months of training, that android named Wen Xu, always ranked above him?
What. Made. Him. So. Special?
Wen Xu was trending yet again: #TreasureOfAGentleLeader#
Zhu's review: This character type is everywhere. What's so great about this hashtag that it's worth paying for?
On variety shows, Wen Xu was polite and gentle to everyone.
Zhu couldn't stand it: An android pretending to be everyone's nice guy. What a faker.
When Zhu Qinghuai came across Wen Xu's stage performance, he criticized it from the first second to the last, then watched it over and over again.
Zhu: That's all he's got? And he's still this popular?
Zhu Qinghuai used every spare moment to study Wen Xu, even watching his fancams backstage at music shows.
Wen Xu passed by and asked him of his own accord, "Would you like an autograph?"
Zhu: ?!
Zhu blurted out his thoughts: "Those dance moves of yours are all over the place, you just brute-force the high notes, and the whole performance isn't polished..."
Wen: "As expected of an ace. Thank you for your guidance, Teacher Zhu."
Zhu's thoughts: What super-popular idol? More like a super-annoying idol!
As the saying goes, if a boy group doesn't sell fan service, they might as well grow sweet potatoes.
After studying Wen Xu from every angle, Zhu Qinghuai realized that...
He really didn't sell fan service... not with his groupmates, and not with anyone else.
He was probably completely straight, just like Zhu himself.
A hugely popular variety show invited Zhu Qinghuai, and Wen Xu was among the guests.
Sure enough, nothing in life is perfect, but Zhu Qinghuai put up with it for the sake of the exposure.
Wherever Zhu Qinghuai went on the show, Wen Xu was sure to be there too.
Zhu: "Why are you always sticking to me? Are you trying to sell fan service with me?"
Once the show ended, he got over it. Wen Xu, however, wouldn't leave his mind.
But after that, Wen Xu's group soared to the top, and the two of them crossed paths less and less.
Proud Zhu Qinghuai refused to fall behind, especially not his rivals. He looked for an opportunity to switch to acting, and became an overnight sensation, even winning an award.
At the year-end arts gala, Zhu Qinghuai and Wen Xu met again.
Wen: "You're amazing at everything you do, Qinghuai. Congratulations on your award."
Zhu Qinghuai gave him a perfunctory professional smile. The next second, Wen Xu pulled him into a blind spot between security cameras and kissed him forcefully.
Zhu Qinghuai still had his on-screen first kiss, yet the boy group leader before him, who was under a dating ban, kissed him until his whole body went limp. All that remained was his stubborn tongue.
Zhu: "Are you crazy? Idols can't date while they're on the rise!"
Wen: "Who do you think I've been killing myself to get the group to the top for all these years?"
In the dim corner, Wen Xu held him tightly by the small of his back, his fingertips brushing over the reddened corner of Zhu's lips. His eyes held years of obsession and absolute certainty, his voice low and hoarse:
"What does a career matter? I've given everything to reach the top and endured all this until now, but it was never for fame or fortune."
He leaned down, his lips close to Zhu Qinghuai's ear, forceful and earnest:
"It was so that one day, I could stand by your side in the open."
_
Bonus scene
Zhu: "Were you a turtle in your past life? You can really fucking hold back!"
Wen: "I don't know about my past life, but in this one, I'm Zhu Qinghuai's."
Zhu: "Did you just call me a turtle?"
Wen: "?"
Theme: When someone is strong enough, the world will make way for them.
