The Affectionate Backup is a Heartthrob [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Devoted Stand-In is Coveted (2)

Wen Zhe’s room was right next to Jiang Yan’s. He occasionally stayed overnight when he came back with Jiang Han, so a room had been prepared for him.

After one night, Wen Zhe got up to wash, then went downstairs to the kitchen. Jiang Han always needed to drink his homemade chicken soup the morning after a hangover to feel comfortable; Wen Zhe had learned this slowly over time.

Jiang Han would wake up with a headache and be quite irritable after a night of drinking. Previously, Wen Zhe would give him a massage, but Jiang Han was somewhat resistant to his touch. Later, Wen Zhe started making him soup. Once, he didn’t make it, and Jiang Han acted awkward and difficult with him all day, only asking him at night why he hadn’t made the soup.

He immediately understood and made it for him. Jiang Han drank two large bowls and finally said critically, “It’s not even that delicious, it’s just to sober up.” Wen Zhe didn’t know what kind of alcohol required a “sobering up” soup the following evening, but he learned: on the morning after a hangover, Jiang Han wanted his soup.

In the kitchen, two cooking aunties were already busy. They weren’t surprised to see Wen Zhe; they all knew he was the lover following the eldest young master. They greeted him and went back to their work.

Wen Zhe prepared the ingredients with practiced ease. The ingredients were already processed, so it wasn’t much trouble.

Watching the bubbles gurgling in the pot, he stirred gently with a spoon. Just then, he felt someone press up against him from behind. A distinct scent drifted into his nose. Wen Zhe turned his head to see Jiang Yan; the boy’s face was backlit, making his silhouette look a bit blurry.

“Smells so good,” Jiang Yan said.

“It’ll be ready soon,” Wen Zhe said with a smile. He moved back a bit; Jiang Yan was standing so close he was almost encircling him.

Instead of backing away, Jiang Yan leaned even closer, resting his chin on Wen Zhe’s shoulder and rubbing against it. “Brother Wen Zhe, it’s so good to have you here.”

Wen Zhe, being six years older, naturally didn’t think much of it; he simply thought the youth was cheerful and lively with his own unique, clingy way. He didn’t mind, except for the heat of the boy’s breath on his earlobe, which made him shift uncomfortably. Jiang Yan stepped away at the right moment.

Once the soup was ready, Jiang Yan proactively brought it to the table. Other dishes were already neatly arranged; even for breakfast, it was exceptionally lavish.

Wen Zhe was about to go up to call Jiang Han, but Jiang Yan suddenly grabbed his wrist. Wen Zhe looked a bit confused.

“No need to go up specifically for my brother. I put an alarm clock in his room this morning; he should be down any second,” Jiang Yan said.

Wen Zhe was surprised for a moment. Just then, a sound came from the stairs. Both of them looked up simultaneously. Jiang Han was coming down, his face full of irritation—likely from being woken by the crude alarm. Combined with the hangover, his overall aura was quite low-pressure and grim.

He swept a glance downward and saw Jiang Yan standing next to Wen Zhe, intimately holding his wrist. His brows furrowed, and his irritation deepened. “Jiang Yan, if you put any more junk in my room, don’t say I didn’t warn you when I clean your clock.”

Seeing him come down, Wen Zhe was about to return to his seat only to find his wrist was still being held by Jiang Yan. He immediately broke free and sat back in his own spot. Facing Jiang Han, Jiang Yan didn’t show the slightest weakness. “It was just an alarm clock, to save someone the trouble of going up to get you and having you lose your temper at them.”

Jiang Han’s frown deepened. He noticed that Jiang Yan had been talking back to him more and more lately. “You’re determined to go against me now, aren’t you?”

Jiang Yan didn’t speak further or even look at his brother. When he walked in front of Wen Zhe, however, his expression softened considerably. He served two bowls of soup, placing one in front of himself and one in front of Wen Zhe.

“Thank you,” Wen Zhe said. The two brothers had been discordant since early morning, making the atmosphere at the table quite tense.

However, for Wen Zhe, this wasn’t difficult to handle. The Jiang parents were often abroad; if they were home, the atmosphere would truly be unfriendly to him. The fact that Jiang Han brought him along so recklessly and even gave him his own room made it easy to imagine the elders’ attitude toward him.

Jiang Han sat down next to Wen Zhe with his lingering irritation, and Wen Zhe thoughtfully served him a bowl of soup. “Freshly made this morning, drink it while it’s hot.”

Watching Wen Zhe’s actions, Jiang Han’s eyes darkened slightly, but he soon adjusted his mood. He smiled at Wen Zhe and said, “Delicious. Brother Wen Zhe’s soup is still the best.”

Wen Zhe showed a smile. When Jiang Yan smiled, he looked sunny and bright, with a dimple on his cheek that carried a youthful cuteness. Wen Zhe served him another bowl. “If it’s good, drink more.”

Watching this harmonious scene between the two, the image of them holding hands earlier flashed in Jiang Han’s mind, and an involuntary sense of unpleasantness welled up in his heart.

He took a mouthful of chicken soup; it was the familiar taste, but he said critically, “The taste is average. Let’s have something different next time.”

A flash of surprise crossed Wen Zhe’s eyes. He turned to look at Jiang Han, sensing he had been in a bad mood all morning. Being a naturally submissive person, he simply hummed an “En.”

Jiang Yan, sitting opposite, stood up for Wen Zhe. “It’s delicious. Isn’t this exactly how Brother Wen Zhe’s chicken soup always tastes?”

“It’s because it’s always the same that I’m getting tired of it.” He set down his spoon, losing interest in eating. His gaze turned toward Wen Zhe beside him, his eyes darkening. “Don’t you agree?”

Wen Zhe bit his lip. Jiang Han’s words were loaded, and his gaze carried the dominance of a superior. At this moment, he could only be obedient. “I can make something else next time.”

Only then did Jiang Han’s expression soften. Just then, a phone on the table rang. Wen Zhe caught a glimpse of the name—it was Jiang Ke, an actor in the same company, and more importantly, Su Cheng’s younger cousin.

Jiang Han got up to take the call. Jiang Yan had lost his appetite as well. He looked at Wen Zhe across the table and sighed helplessly. “Brother Wen Zhe, you have such a good temper…”

Wen Zhe knew what Jiang Yan meant, but this was his personality now. Who told him he ‘humbly loved’ Jiang Han?

Jiang Han said he would drive him to the company today. For Wen Zhe, this was exactly what he wanted. Jiang Han owned 50% of the entertainment company he was currently in; he was Wen Zhe’s literal boss.

Upon arriving at the company, the two entered the elevator together. When the doors opened, Jiang Ke was standing right there. He had a somewhat coquettish appearance with “fox eyes”—the popular “vibe” idol look of the moment.

Having recently ascended to ‘trending star’ status, he looked very spirited. Seeing Jiang Han, he broke into a bright smile.

“Brother Jiang Han, you’re here!”

His voice was also on the feminine side. Without even glancing at Wen Zhe, he went to Jiang Han’s side, grabbed his wrist, and led him toward the office.

Wen Zhe was long used to this attitude and followed behind them. He couldn’t help it; he and Jiang Ke were managed by the same agent.

Inside the office, the agent, Liu Wen, had already had the assistant brew the tea Jiang Han preferred. Once they entered, she greeted them professionally.

A moment later, everyone sat down at the desk. Jiang Han asked about Jiang Ke’s recent situation; the two looked so familiar it seemed they were the ones with the closer relationship.

When the conversation turned to work, Jiang Ke suddenly said, “Brother Jiang Han, there’s a second male lead role in a Xianxia drama. It’s a ‘growth-type’ character, lively and active. Don’t you think this role suits me?”

Jiang Han seamlessly withdrew his arm from Jiang Ke’s grasp, took a sip of tea, and nodded. “It does suit you.”

Hearing this, Jiang Ke looked at Wen Zhe triumphantly. “See, even Brother Jiang Han says this role suits me.”

Wen Zhe just watched the two of them quietly without speaking. This drama was a newly launched S+ project, a big-budget ancient idol drama with an investment exceeding one billion, produced by “Jiashi Pictures”—a company known for producing hits. One could imagine how many actors were eyeing this piece of meat.

Jiang Ke, who was already capable of playing male leads, wanted to fight for a role in this drama as well. Originally, both of them had been selected to audition, but Wen Zhe had set his sights on this second male lead role. Jiang Ke’s intention now was very obvious.

Jiang Han naturally understood Jiang Ke’s meaning. He asked Liu Wen, “What does the production team say?”

“They want both of them to try out for these two roles.” Liu Wen stood up to pour tea for Jiang Han, then continued, “The two roles are a growth-type, sunny, and cheerful junior disciple, and a cold, refined, and gentle master. One is the second male lead… the other is roughly third or fourth male lead.”

“Cold and refined…” Jiang Han muttered. He looked at Wen Zhe, his deep gaze tracing Wen Zhe’s face inch by inch. “You are very suited for this Master role. Let’s just audition that way.”

As Jiang Han’s low voice fell, the roles were decided just like that. However, his gaze continued to linger on Wen Zhe’s face intentionally or unintentionally. Finally, he checked his watch. “It’s almost noon. Jiang Ke, let me take you to lunch.”

Jiang Ke’s face was full of triumph, especially when looking at Wen Zhe—the smugness and ostentation were self-evident. “Sure! It’s a good chance to tell you about my cousin’s recent situation. He even mentioned you when we chatted last night.”

A smile curled on Jiang Han’s lips. His gaze swept over Wen Zhe’s expressionless face, and his brow furrowed slightly, but Jiang Ke soon urged him to leave.

The office suddenly became quiet, leaving only Wen Zhe and the agent, Liu Wen. Liu Wen knew the relationship between the boss and these two artists under her; it was very subtle…

She saw Wen Zhe’s sadness and came over to pat his shoulder to comfort him. There was nothing to be done; the boss always prioritized Jiang Ke, and as an agent, she could only do the same.

“This is your first heavyweight role. You have to grasp it, understood?”

Wen Zhe gave an “En,” then stood up and walked out. Actually, his mood was quite good. He knew Jiang Ke’s personality—things only smelled sweet to him if he snatched them from someone else’s hands. But the role Wen Zhe truly wanted to play was, in fact, the Master.

Leaving the company, just as he sat in the car, he received a bank transfer, followed by a message from Jiang Han: “Buy a few outfits.”

Wen Zhe smiled. The eldest young master was indeed generous. Was this compensation for having his role snatched? He was being exceptionally “thoughtful” today.

Wen Zhe returned to the Jiang family villa. He actually had his own place in the city, though it was small—only about forty-odd square meters. He had bought it with his earnings and the money Jiang Han usually gave him, but he didn’t live there often; he had to follow Jiang Han’s needs.

Opening the door, he saw Jiang Yan sitting on the sofa in the living room playing games. Only then did he remember it was the boy’s day off, so he was home.

Hearing the door, Jiang Yan looked up. Seeing it was Wen Zhe, his eyes immediately crinkled into a smile. “You’re back, Brother Wen Zhe.”

Wen Zhe greeted him and headed upstairs. “I’m going up to take a quick shower first.”

Jiang Yan gave an “En.” The sound of game special effects played on his phone, but his gaze had already followed Wen Zhe’s figure upstairs.

A while later, Wen Zhe came down. “Is there anything to eat?”

Jiang Yan shook his head. “What do you want to eat? I’ll have the auntie make it.”

Wen Zhe turned toward the kitchen. “No need. I’ll just cook a bowl of noodles.”

It was afternoon, not yet dinner time. He hadn’t eaten lunch, so he was quite hungry and planned to just make a simple bowl of noodles.

Jiang Yan immediately stood up. “I’ll help you.”

Wen Zhe put on an apron and didn’t refuse, letting Jiang Yan help him wash the green vegetables while he chopped scallions.

Jiang Yan stood beside Wen Zhe. His gaze fell upon him; the person who had just showered gave off a rich scent of body wash that drifted into his nose in waves.

The half-dry hair hung softly, the curve of the neck was graceful and the skin flawlessly white. Because of the apron, the curve of the waist looked even more slender, and the curve of the buttocks was even more pronounced…

The vegetable leaf in Jiang Yan’s hand was crushed by his grip. His eyes grew increasingly dark until Wen Zhe took the vegetable from him and teased, “My precious young master, that’s not how you wash vegetables.”

The tips of Jiang Yan’s ears turned red. He stopped the uncontrollable imaginings in his mind, feeling more and more that something was wrong with himself.

At the same time, the jealousy in his heart intensified. A fire of envy filled his chest. “Brother Wen Zhe, why are you with my brother?”

Wen Zhe, who was stirring the noodles, froze. He glanced at the youth beside him, wondering why he suddenly asked this, but the question was easy to answer: “Because I like your brother.”

Jiang Yan’s chest heaved for a moment. His eyes turned red, but he gradually calmed down. This was his brother’s man.

But why should his brother be allowed to have someone like Wen Zhe? He didn’t even like Wen Zhe.

“Brother Wen Zhe, the showerhead in my bathroom is broken. Can I borrow your bathroom for a bit?” Jiang Yan asked with a smile.

Wen Zhe didn’t think much of it, his attention still on the pot. “Of course, go ahead.”

Jiang Yan went to the second floor. He felt discouraged but also unwilling. How could Wen Zhe like a scum like his brother?

Entering Wen Zhe’s room, he could smell that familiar scent, which made his pores open up involuntarily.

The water heater in his bathroom was indeed broken and he hadn’t called anyone to fix it yet, but he clearly had other rooms to choose from. Yet he didn’t want to go anywhere else. He didn’t know when it started, but things associated with Wen Zhe’s name held an extraordinary attraction for him, like an addiction—just like the man himself. He wanted to look at him, then look again, and again…

Jiang Yan pushed the door and entered the bathroom. It still held the damp warmth from Wen Zhe’s recent shower. That scent filled the entire space. He took off his clothes, the humidity clinging to his skin and making his muscles tighten inexplicably.

He turned on the showerhead. As the hot water poured over him, images of Wen Zhe showering here previously surfaced in his mind. The water flowing over his body became strangely suggestive.

He felt a burning heat in his chest. Suddenly, a pair of white underwear caught his eye. They were hanging on the rack after being washed. He instinctively took them down.

Clutching the soft fabric, the veins on the back of his hand bulged with tension. He felt like a pervert, yet he hurriedly pressed the fabric to his nose to sniff it, whispering in a raspy voice, “Wen Zhe…”

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