If The Persona Is Wrong, Everything Else Is In Vain - Chapter 1

“Brother, you smell so good.” Lin Luo’s nose instinctively pursued the person in front of him. His Adam’s apple bobbed, his face was flushed, and his voice was husky and seductive.

The cloth covering his eyes had robbed him of his sight, but it had also stolen the last of his sanity.

The figure across from him stiffened, squeezing words out through gritted teeth: “Look clearly at who I am.”

He yanked the blindfold off Lin Luo’s face. In the darkness, two pairs of jet-black eyes shimmered with the reflected moonlight.

Lin Luo froze, seemingly forcing his rusty brain to think, but there was no movement for a long time.

After an unknown duration, he suddenly tilted his head and leaned in again, sniffing at the other man’s neck. “Zhou Wan.”

“You are Zhou Wan. My… Zhou Wan,” he repeated intermittently, as if savoring the name.

Grinning to reveal his canine teeth, he gently pulled off the bothersome gold-rimmed glasses perched on Zhou Wan’s high nose bridge. He rubbed his nose back and forth against the other’s slender neck.

Zhou Wan felt a chill on his neck followed by an itch that traveled straight to his heart. Like an electric shock, he jerked back and grabbed Lin Luo’s probing hand.

That restless hand was gripped tightly in his palm scalding hot. Lin Luo chuckled foolishly, “You’re not drunk, so why are you so hot too?”

“You lit the fire,” Zhou Wan’s dry voice cracked from his throat, sending the sparks of his logic flying. He flipped his hand and pinned Lin Luo against the couch.

Moonlight spilled through the window, carrying the dim, flickering glow of candlelight, forcing the darkness to join in a moment of predatory beauty, swallowing the sultry atmosphere whole.

“Cut!” the director shouted.

He rushed toward the monitor, unable to stop smiling. His eyes shone with the relief of finally finding a diamond in the rough.

He patted Lin Luo’s shoulder. “Xiao Luo, that was great! That expression of wanting to go with the flow while remaining restrained, eyes full of impatience yet slowly waiting for the prey to take the bait… it was fantastic!”

He gestured wildly, giving a big thumbs up. “Seriously good, huge improvement.”

Lin Luo turned his head during a gap in his makeup touch-up, not forgetting to humbly flatter the director with a pleasant smile. “It’s all thanks to your excellent guidance, Director An.”

“Director An, Zhou Wan doesn’t have any more scenes. We have an event to catch, so if you don’t mind…” Zhou Wan’s female manager, Ming Zheng, walked over in thin high heels. She was in a hurry, her communication device buzzing incessantly.

The director was in a good mood today and, for once, didn’t scowl. He waved them off. “Go on, go on.”

Ming Zheng looked down and kicked Zhou Wan, who was slumped on the sofa expressionlessly playing on his phone. “Let’s go,” she said, accustomed to his behavior.

The moment they left, the director took a phone call. By the time he hung up, the smile on his face had vanished instantly.

He found the subsequent scenes unbearable. He nitpicked everything from the costumes and props to the cinematography and even the cleanliness of the set.

Lin Luo was fished out of the water for the eighth time. In early spring, the water carried a piercing chill that left his face pale. He looked at the director cautiously.

The director’s brow remained furrowed, his expression heavy. He didn’t say the shot was a pass, but he didn’t call for another take either.

The entire set’s gaze was fixed on him. After about two minutes, he finally said, “Lunch break. We’ll resume in the afternoon.”

Lin Luo’s heart, which had been in his throat, dropped heavily and shattered on the concrete floor.

“Are you okay, Luo-ge?” His assistant, Xiao Li, came forward to dry his hair. “Why don’t you go back and take a shower first?”

Lin Luo shook his head. They were filming on location deep in the mountains, there were no showering facilities. Whether he could make it back from the hotel in time for the afternoon shoot was a major concern.

If he were late, the moody director would tear him apart.

Zhou Wan was a rich young master backed by the massive Zhou Group. He could afford to be willful, even if he were scolded, it wouldn’t kill his career.

But Lin Luo was different. His journey had been incredibly difficult. From his initial spark of fame to being “blacklisted” and then making a small comeback, it had taken him ten whole years.

Moreover, he was currently carrying the weight of a near bankrupt company that relied on him for survival, he was literally “the hope of the village.”

The rich kid Zhou Wan and the “artist” director were two giants fighting, if Lin Luo overstepped his bounds, he’d be crushed into dust.

He sighed and pulled Xiao Li back to the temporary tent that served as a resting area.

Xiao Li scrolled through his phone while eating. He pointed at the top trending topic. “The person who invented ‘shipping’ you two is a genius,” he remarked, giving a sincere thumbs up.

Lin Luo smiled without a word. He glanced over and returned his gaze to his own phone, skillfully switching to an alt account: Dream of the Setting Boat, the leader of the Lin-Zhou CP (couple) fans.

He was the “genius” who had first come up with the idea of shipping the two of them.

He picked a few behind the scenes photos from his phone and posted: Lin Luo-gege is so handsome! Lin-Zhou is real!

No one knew that Lin Luo was that very genius. Even the original BL (Boys’ Love) script Nothing to Doubt, featuring characters named Lin Luo and Zhou Wan, was something he had personally organized and planned.

At least his own persona was correct, a gentle, polite, sunny “bait style” Seme (top), both on and off-camera, with excellent acting skills.

As for Zhou Wan… heh.

His phone suddenly rang, startling Lin Luo so much he nearly dropped it.

He steadied his grip. “President Gu.”

“Lin Luo,” the voice on the other end called out, sounding low and troubled. “You know, Zhou Wan… he…”

The hesitation, combined with the director’s abnormal behavior this morning, made the connection click instantly.

It wasn’t the first time.

It was likely related to Zhou Wan taking leave. Most likely, the playboy’s itch had returned, and he had gone off to stir up trouble with his cronies. His father was now putting pressure on the production team to keep him in line.

How ridiculous. They couldn’t control their own son, so they threatened outsiders to do it for them.

Lin Luo immediately understood what was needed. “Got it,” he said considerately. “I’ll take the initiative to… ‘interact’ for the fans.”

Hearing this, Gu Ning’s tone shifted, becoming instantly bright and earnest. “I don’t want to force you, but the company’s current situation can’t handle any setbacks. Fanxing is tied to you now. Once we’re successful, we won’t have to bow our heads to anyone anymore. You understand, right?”

Lin Luo switched hands. “I understand.”

Gu Ning sighed. “Then go to the event tonight as well. I’ll have Da Li send you a suit.”

“This event is hosted by the Zhou family. Publicly, it’s a charity auction,” he explained. “In reality, it’s to generate exposure for their new project.”

“Don’t worry about endorsements, just focus on building the hype with Zhou Wan.”

Gu Ning took a sharp drag of a cigarette and exhaled. He squinted at the dual poster on his desk. “When Zhou Wan gets a piece of the meat, you’ll definitely get a bowl of the soup.”

After hanging up, an electronic invitation arrived.

Lin Luo glanced at the address and quickly closed the screen. He checked his bank balance: 3,651.2.

He then transferred 3,000 to the only account in his contacts, with the note: Funeral expenses, thank you.

The total transfers to that account now amounted to 100,000.

Xiao Li poked his head over curiously. “What’s up? Any orders from the boss?”

Lin Luo reflexively hid his phone and pushed Xiao Li’s head back. “I’m taking you to a good meal tonight.”

With that, he grabbed his clothes and walked into the partition.

At 7:30 PM, Lin Luo arrived early at the hotel entrance. He looked impeccably handsome in a well-fitted grey suit, his hair styled perfectly, and his rugged, sharp features standing out.

The reason he had managed to regain some fame, besides the “shipping” strategy was his uniquely handsome face, for which no substitute had yet been found.

Just as Lin Luo stepped out of the van, someone bumped into him from behind, nearly making him fall to his knees.

He frowned and looked back, seeing a familiar figure in a black hoodie being escorted inside, occasionally putting up a feeble, symbolic struggle.

The hood was pulled low, but Lin Luo recognized Zhou Wan by the half of his face that was bruised and cut.

Zhou Wan glanced at him sideways, his brow slightly raised in disdain and provocation. He seemed to let out a soft sneer as he turned away.

Xiao Li rushed up to support him. “Are you okay, Luo-ge?”

Lin Luo stood up and straightened his clothes. Just as he was about to answer, a strong scent of gardenia pierced through his skin, exploding in his olfactory nerves.

His vision blurred. He shook his head violently and looked at Xiao Li in disbelief, covering his nose. However, the gardenia scent was everywhere, growing even more intense.

Xiao Li’s face was flushed deep red down to his neck, and his eyes were losing focus. He awkwardly stepped back and scratched his head, smiling sheepishly. “I’m sorry, Ge… I forgot my suppressants…”

Lin Luo felt a cold sweat break out. He quickly looked around. People hadn’t gathered yet, but some had already caught the scent of pheromones and were searching for the source.

He quickly shoved Xiao Li back into the car and drove to the parking garage. He locked the doors and pinched his thigh to stay conscious, calling Da Li to come pick him up.

By the time he was done, his back was soaked in sweat and his hair was messed up.

Inside, Xiao Li couldn’t suppress his pheromones, he was rolling around in pain. Lin Luo leaned his head against the car window and gritted his teeth to comfort him. “Just wait a little longer. Your brother is coming.”

He laughed bitterly, muttering, “Good thing you ran into a defective Alpha like me, or else I don’t know what you’d do.”

As the words left his mouth, the garage security door slammed open. Lin Luo’s vision was almost gone. He slapped himself to maintain focus and looked toward the sound.

Zhou Wan had changed into formal wear. His hair was covered in styling clips, and the bruises on his face hadn’t been covered by foundation yet.

“Is this your scent?!” He grabbed Lin Luo’s shoulders tightly, forcing him to meet his gaze.

Lin Luo was startled by those bloodshot eyes. An indescribable discomfort surged to his head, only to be suppressed by a sudden scent of green grass.

Lin Luo cursed inwardly. Being hit by double pheromones was an absolute nightmare.

Before he could respond, Zhou Wan pulled him into a forceful embrace. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn’t break free. Zhou Wan’s nose pressed into Lin Luo’s neck, greedily inhaling the scent that obsessed him.

“You…” Lin Luo pushed hard against the other’s chest to create space, his mind a blank.

As a “defective” Alpha, Lin Luo wasn’t as severely affected by Omega pheromones as normal Alphas, but he still felt the distress.

Furthermore, he couldn’t release pheromones to soothe an Omega in heat. His own pheromones had no scent, or rather, his scent depended on the Omega pheromones he was exposed to at the time.

Just like now, having been tainted by Xiao Li’s scent, the faint pheromones he released were gardenia-scented.

But, that was the scent of an Omega. And Zhou Wan… was also an Omega.

In his half-conscious state, Lin Luo realized he had stumbled upon a massive secret.

No wonder the Zhou family watched him so closely. If same-sex pairings were considered outliers in this world…

Then AA or OO pairings were strictly taboo.

“Sss…” A sharp sting pierced through the fog, jolting Lin Luo’s clouded mind. He looked at the almost frenzied Zhou Wan in disbelief.

“Xiao Ming…” Zhou Wan’s voice was a blur in his ear, his sharp teeth refusing to let go for a second.

Lin Luo trembled with rage. He kicked Zhou Wan’s knee, slapped him, and clutched his neck, glaring at him in humiliation.

Zhou Wan looked at him blankly, his eyes even holding a hint of grievance. His eyes were rimmed with red, containing a depth of restraint and sorrow that Lin Luo couldn’t understand.

He tried to step forward again but was blocked by a sudden, tall figure.

Da Li quickly pushed Lin Luo into the passenger seat and started the car.

Paparazzi, who had been lying in wait, suddenly rushed out from the shadows, snapping 360 degree photos of the stunned Zhou Wan. Fortunately, arriving bodyguards quickly intercepted them.

Lin Luo took his eyes off the rearview mirror and rubbed his temples. “Drop me off at the next intersection.”

No response.

He looked over to see Da Li with his jaw clenched, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel, barely daring to breathe.

Lin Luo paused, looked at the nearly unconscious Xiao Li in the back seat, and sighed. He got out at a stop to buy a box of suppressant patches.

The two of them sat in front of a convenience store, waiting for Xiao Li to wake up in the car.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Lin Luo brushed back his messy hair and took a bite of an ice cream bar, his teeth shivering from the cold. “You gave me the tip-off as an apology, didn’t you?”

“But!”

Lin Luo pinched his mouth shut. “Losing a little money won’t kill me.”

“As for President Gu,” his eyes flickered, and he flashed a smile, “his bark is worse than his bite.”

Da Li looked at the car, then lowered his head. He took out his phone and handed it to Lin Luo.

“What’s this?” Lin Luo took the phone. “Zhou Wan?”

“He went racing at Mt. Que this afternoon with some other rich kids and got caught,” Da Li explained. “The Zhou family suppressed the news.”

“This… might help you.”

Lin Luo swiped through the photos and quickly locked onto Zhou Wan among the group.

The eyes filled with eternal ice and the natural aura of arrogance were unmistakable.

In the photo, red and blue lights flickered across his face. The scene was chaotic, but he was simply leaning against a car hood, arms crossed and legs hooked.

He seemed to be in a daze, but his posture was so relaxed it was practically a provocation.

Like an outsider.

Lin Luo narrowed his eyes. “Interesting.”

He reached out and casually ruffled Da Li’s hair. “You’ve done a great job.”