If The Persona Is Wrong, Everything Else Is In Vain - Chapter 2

“Yo, isn’t this the young Master Zhou? Why are you here so early today?”

The director, who had been suppressing his rage all night with nowhere to vent, seized the opportunity early in the morning to speak sarcastically to the culprit.

Zhou Wan yawned and ignored him, tossing his bag aside and sprawling out on his private sofa.

His hair and makeup were handled by his personal stylist. By now, the bruises on half of his face had been covered, and his meticulously crafted look was a tailor-made version of his own handsome style.

If only he wasn’t slouching like a couch potato.

Lin Luo was still in the middle of his makeup session. Hearing the commotion, he glanced over and happened to lock eyes with Zhou Wan’s inquisitive gaze. After a moment, Zhou Wan looked away nonchalantly and went back to playing on his phone.

“Mr. Lin, your neck…”

Lin Luo instinctively reached out to touch the adhesive bandage on his neck. Beneath it lay a bite mark that had yet to fade. “It’s nothing. I was scratched by the cat at home last night.”

“I’ll have to trouble you to find a way to cover it up.” With stars in his eyes, he clasped his hands together and gave a smiling, prayerful plea.

The young makeup artist froze for a moment, her face instantly flushing red as she hurriedly agreed.

At the same time, Lin Luo felt that malicious gaze from behind stick to him again, making him feel incredibly uneasy.

Suddenly, a head popped up next to him, winking suggestively. “It wasn’t sent by a little lover, was it?” The tone was ambiguous.

Lin Luo had a good personality and got along well with everyone, usually, they joked around with each other and no one took it seriously.

But this time, he truly couldn’t overcome his guilty conscience. Lin Luo gave a couple of awkward laughs and joked back, “If you see through it, don’t say it.”

At that moment, the middle-aged, career focused director, who had caught half the conversation, walked over and said earnestly, “Xiao Luo, don’t blame me for being nosy, but your private life is your own business. Just don’t let it delay our show’s progress.”

Lin Luo nodded repeatedly in agreement, though he rolled his eyes internally. If you know you’re being nosy, then don’t talk.

He instinctively looked through the mirror at the culprit on the sofa behind him, unable to help feeling a surge of resentment.

Even though it wasn’t a big deal for an Alpha to be marked and besides, Zhou Wan was an Omega, so it wouldn’t have the same effect as marking an Omega, the more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt.

Zhou Wan curled his lips, raised his eyebrows provocatively, and with a face full of disdain, mouthed word by word: “Bootlicker.”

Lin Luo wasn’t polite either. He squeezed out a fake smile and mouthed back: “Giant baby.”

“Come, come, everyone gather around. I’ll talk about today’s scenes first.”

The crew formed a circle around the director.

He pointed to the markings set up by the prop team on the roof of the unfinished building. “In a moment, the two leads will be cornered there by the villain.”

“During the struggle, Zhou Wan will be pushed off the building. At the critical moment, Xiao Luo, you grab him. Then, there will be a segment of a life and death dialogue, a playful testing of whether there’s still a ‘possible’ future between them.” The director looked at the sky and then at his phone. “Time is limited. We only have two hours. Can we try to get through this quickly?”

Dark clouds had already gathered in the sky. The impatient sunlight could only peek through the gaps, casting mottled shadows on the ground. It was said that it would rain in two hours.

Although Director An was a bit talkative, he was extremely professional and had high standards for his work. As a suspenseful detective BL (Boys’ Love) drama, Nothing Doubtful contained countless dangerous scenes, and he demanded they be filmed on location.

Everyone gritted their teeth and agreed, praying to finish the scene safely before the rain fell.

The wind was strong on the roof, making their clothes flap loudly against their bodies.

Lin Luo shielded Zhou Wan behind him with one hand while holding a gun with the other, his gaze fixed steadily on the opposition.

“Why aren’t the two officers running anymore?” The leader of the group casually wiped his gun. “Behind you is the broad road leading to light and justice.”

The group behind him burst into laughter.

Lin Luo glanced under his feet. There was no railing on the roof, and the two of them were already hanging on the edge. He quickly shot a look at Zhou Wan, the “Bluetooth pairing” was successful.

Lin Luo curled his lips. “That’s none of your concern.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a precise shot hit one of the men, and their formation instantly fell into chaos.

He rushed forward with a flying kick and a slide, while Zhou Wan, from behind, quickly drew his gun and hit several people in succession.

The two stood back to back, fully focused and united against the enemy.

“Not bad. My apprentice is indeed strong,” Lin Luo said improperly, leaning slightly toward Zhou Wan’s ear while keeping his eyes on the enemy.

Zhou Wan nudged him lightly with his elbow, reminding him to be serious at a critical moment.

Lin Luo suddenly went silent, his breathing growing a bit heavy.

Zhou Wan accurately captured the slight stiffness in Lin Luo’s posture. Turning his head, he saw Lin Luo’s face was pale, and a layer of fine sweat had broken out on his forehead.

Moving his gaze down to where he had just touched him, blood was gushing out.

Zhou Wan’s expression darkened. “You…”

Lin Luo quietly pulled away the hand that Zhou Wan had instinctively reached out with. Gritting his teeth, he joked softly, “My waist isn’t for just anyone to touch.”

“Yo, yo, yo, you two are quite elegant, flirting at a time like this.” The bandit leader walked out from behind his subordinates, poked his cheek with his tongue, and spat out some blood. “In a moment, I’ll send you both down so you can chat privately.”

Saying that, he made a hand gesture, and his remaining subordinates rushed forward together.

Lin Luo was injured, and Zhou Wan’s close combat skills were slightly weaker. The two instantly fell into a disadvantage, both sustaining new injuries.

Just as a blade was about to hack into Zhou Wan, he was violently pushed away by Lin Luo. But Lin Luo wasn’t fast enough, he took the hit on his side and collapsed to one knee. Meanwhile, Zhou Wan, momentarily distracted, was pushed off the building.

Lin Luo grabbed a nearby hemp rope and, with half his body suspended in the air, caught Zhou Wan’s hand.

The thug approached with an axe to finish them off when suddenly, sirens pierced through the mist from all directions, weaving a dense net to bring evil to justice.

The thug spat, cursed a few times, and quickly fled the scene.

The wide shot was finished, and the camera slowly pushed in for a close-up.

Lin Luo was hanging halfway off the building, supported entirely by his waist. His face was flushed red from the strain. Just as he was about to say his lines, he suddenly saw Zhou Wan, who was being “uncooperative” below him, unbuckling one side of his safety harness.

His eyes widened in shock, and a curse escaped his lips. His back was drenched in cold sweat as he gripped him deathly tight.

After unfastening the harness, Zhou Wan’s expression remained unchanged as he continued his character’s lines: “Do you have anything to say to me, Brother Luo?”

Lin Luo froze for a moment, gritted his teeth, and panted with sweat pouring down. “Hold on tight.”

It seemed only from his angle could he see what this madman Zhou Wan had done; everyone else remained oblivious.

“Just that?”

“What do you want me to say!”

Zhou Wan, who usually never smiled, suddenly let out a light laugh. The blood pack on Lin Luo’s shoulder was still leaking, and droplets of red hit Zhou Wan’s exquisite face one by one.

“I want to ask, does your shoulder still hurt?”

His gaze landed precisely on the bandage on Lin Luo’s neck. It had been completely concealed by the makeup artist and was practically invisible from the outside.

Yet Lin Luo still felt a damn sense of shame and annoyance at having his secret pierced through. He was so annoyed he nearly considered letting go to end this troublesome “culprit.”

At the same time, Zhou Wan’s index finger brushed seemingly accidentally against Lin Luo’s palm.

Even though his eyes remained immersed in the scene, Lin Luo felt as if he could see the real expression behind those words.

In a way, how could he not be considered an award-winning actor?

Lin Luo swallowed hard. Those restless fingers were still brushing against him. Lin Luo’s palms were sweating. He was wondering why the director hadn’t called “cut” yet, and whether he should shout that there had been an accident.

Suddenly, the weight in his hand lightened. Zhou Wan had let go on his own. Lin Luo instinctively reached out with his other hand to grab him. “No!”

The sudden weight tore at the old wound on his shoulder. The pain was so intense he saw stars. “Are you f*cking suicidal?!”

The nearby staff finally realized something was wrong and rushed forward in a swarm to help pull the man up.

“What happened?” The director ran over furiously, scolding the heads of several departments.

Zhou Wan didn’t care at all. He shrugged, gave Lin Luo a meaningful look, and was escorted downstairs by his people.

“F*ck!” Lin Luo violently kicked a nearby concrete pillar. He was wrapped in a bath towel, looking like he had just taken a shower. Thinking back on it now, he was still terrified.

He followed them out. Just as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he received a call from Gu Ning: “Lin Luo, you can’t fall out with Zhou Wan right now.”

Lin Luo froze slightly and looked around. Sure enough, in an inconspicuous corner, he saw someone dressed as a bodyguard.

Catching Lin Luo’s gaze, the person nodded to him expressionlessly.

Lin Luo took a deep breath. “You’re spying on me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?” Lin Luo gripped his phone. “Is it because you don’t believe I can handle Zhou Wan, or do you think I’ll go back to my old ways?”

Gu Ning was silent for a while and then sighed. “I don’t trust myself. Fanxing Entertainment doesn’t have the power to go head-to-head with Qinchao Entertainment yet.”

After a pause, she added, “If Ming Songqin wants to, crushing us would be as easy as crushing an ant. For your own sake,” she laughed bitterly, “just bear with Zhou Wan’s foul temper for now. Aunt Luo’s medical fees…”

Lin Luo gripped the phone tighter and tighter. “I know.”

The rain poured down instantly. Work finished early today. Lin Luo crouched under the eaves waiting for Da Li to pick him up. Water droplets smashed onto the concrete ground, gathering into puddles, while the excess splashed onto his pant legs.

He stared blankly at the ripples in front of him. The sky was darkening, and the rain showed no sign of stopping.

A black business van slowly drove past and stopped right in front of him, the door sliding open.

“Is Brother Luo waiting for a car?” Zhou Wan leaned forward slightly to look at him, his tone frivolous. “It wouldn’t happen to be another rented van, would it?”

“How about I give you a lift?”

Lin Luo tilted his head up and looked at him for a moment, then suddenly curled his lips. “Sure.”

With that, he grabbed his large bag and jumped straight into the car, closing the door and barking out an address.

Zhou Wan pushed away the bag that had been shoved against him, which was covered in a bit of muddy water with a look of disgust. He grabbed a wet wipe to clean his hands, momentarily speechless.

“Young Master Zhou is acting so unusually today. I assume you have something to say to me,” Lin Luo said, getting straight to the point. “If you have something to say, please say it directly. There’s no need to be so ‘honest’ as to show me your true character.”

“After all, we are just ordinary colleagues under contract. I am not a psychiatrist. I can’t counsel someone with suicidal tendencies.”

“Is that so?” Zhou Wan nodded thoughtfully.

Then, with lightning speed, he ripped the bandage off Lin Luo’s neck. He grinned, revealing slightly sharp canine teeth. “Then I wonder if Brother Luo can treat issues regarding pheromones?”

In an instant, the entire cabin was filled with the scent of green grass. The driver sensibly raised the specialized partition, sealing off the air in the back seat.

Lin Luo closed his eyes, a vein throbbing at his temple. His expression remained unchanged as he grabbed the bandage back and pressed it firmly over the teeth marks. “Naturally… I cannot.”

Two minutes later, the scent of grass gradually faded. Lin Luo opened his eyes to see Zhou Wan looking defeated, staring at him in disbelief.

“How did that scent disappear?” He was stunned, then his voice turned low. “It wasn’t you?”

“What do you want? Pheromones?” Lin Luo said with a fake smile. “I’m sorry, you’re not my type.”

Zhou Wan was someone who could keep his composure. After a moment of shock, he returned to his usual arrogant and rude self.

He picked up a wine glass and swirled it, the ice cubes clinking against the glass. He took a small sip. “Since that’s the case, I won’t force it.”

“Hey, you’ve got it all wrong.” Lin Luo interrupted him, pulling a document out of his bag. “Young Master Zhou remembers this document, right?”

Zhou Wan raised an eyebrow at him.

“A few months ago, my company approached you to talk about a collaboration to ‘ship’ us as a CP (Couple). Although we were the organizers, you were in an awkward position yourself back then. Therefore, as a matter of objective fact, we are in a partnership, not an employer-employee relationship. I am not your subordinate, there is no need for me to keep yielding to you.”

A few months ago, Lin Luo discovered the secret to entertainment industry traffic: male-male “fan service.” He chose Zhou Wan, whose persona was the complete opposite of his own. After some maneuvering, he managed to turn the tide and save Gu Ning’s company from the brink of bankruptcy.

Zhou Wan remained silent, wearing an expression that said let’s see what nonsense you’re going to spout next.

“Since we are a community of shared interests, splitting the gains including but not limited to money and reputation, then you have an obligation to cooperate with me in this ‘business,’ and continue building the Lin-Zhou CP.”

Zhou Wan: “And so?”

“And so…” Lin Luo pulled his phone from his pocket and brought up the photo Da Li had given him last night of Zhou Wan being caught drag racing. “Is this enough?”

Zhou Wan scoffed, rolled his eyes, and took another sip of his drink.

Lin Luo wasn’t annoyed. He changed the subject, answering his own question. “This is definitely not enough.”

“Then how about adding this?” He pulled up another photo.

A young boy was smiling brightly at the camera. Even his ragged clothes couldn’t hide his radiant glow. Upon closer inspection, he looked seventy percent similar to Zhou Wan.

“You…”

Lin Luo slowly pulled down the hand Zhou Wan had pointed at him. “Don’t be in a hurry. If you don’t say it and I don’t say it, your old man won’t find out for the time being.”

“Three years.” Lin Luo made a gesture. “Just as stipulated in the contract. Give me three years. Of course, it’s for yourself as well. Once we both have full-grown wings, I’ll continue my path in the entertainment industry, and you go back to inherit your family business. We’ll go our separate ways, a win-win for both.”

Zhou Wan gently swirled the nearly melted ice cubes, the liquor clinging to the sides of the glass. A few minutes later, he raised his glass and clinked it against the water in Lin Luo’s hand. He tilted his head and finished the last drop.

Perhaps feeling a bit tipsy, his cheeks were slightly flushed. He laughed lazily, his eyes incredibly alluring. “Deal.”