FL Chapter 3

Out of curiosity after that conversation, I read a few articles concerning this aspect of the entertainment industry. The more I read, the more confused I was. There was something wrong with how things progressed. People usually flirt with each other first for a duration. Only after reaching a tacit understanding would they start with the next step. Why is this Master Ji so unusual, going through a different route? Which entertainment genre novels was he even reading? 

But fortunately, I didn’t cross paths with Ji Shi afterward. It seems he didn’t make things hard for me. Not long after, Cai Ni ge informed me of the plan to form an idol group. And I was relieved because I could finally cover my sister’s tuition fee.

As soon as I was in a good mood, I collected entertainment genre novels and gave them a read. Some of them were interesting. There was even one of those books that made me tear up. I closed the book feeling complicated. How can I have a shred of longing for a patron? Certainly not!

So I logged on to the X web novel website again and reread “XX Master” and “XX Notebook” to regulate my emotions. Satisfied with what I had read, I rested down on the bed. That’s right. Now, this is more like me. 

But the lingering poison of the entertainment genre novels remained.

One time, the company invited us to attend the concert of an artist under Yitian to observe and learn. At first, I was very much involved with the whole process; but when I heard Ji Shi’s voice, I blushed and felt my heart race. I thought back to that night, how this celebrity onstage took his coat off and put it on me. Wait, what is going on? What is this weird feeling of happiness?!

Until now, I still thought the Ji Shi of that night was the most perfect. Can’t sing the high notes? Can’t sing the low notes? His singing skills are lacking? Anyway, I didn’t notice any of that. I was too engrossed in observing how he was feeling cold by the end of the concert, and how he bounced around on the stage. Even though he was singing a rock and roll song, the background music of Korean dramas sounded in my ears…

Ji Shi had always given people a sense of charm. That was also how I felt looking at him. Suddenly, I felt a bit of regret. If I had agreed at that time, I wouldn’t be losing out. Ji Shi is quite charming, with a sharp angular face that fits my sense of aesthetics. Although it would seem immoral to pursue the same sex, in the entertainment industry, it was not considered a strange thing to do. And besides, he took a fancy to me, which means he doesn’t only look at outward appearance. As a kept man, that’s something we can’t ask for from a patron.

It’s over, I thought. Entertainment novels have completely brainwashed me.

However, I still stood by my principles and have not fully dyed myself red¹The color red, means he hasn’t been tainted yet..

Once, I had a dream. I dreamt that I was lying beside a massive dye vat. Wanting to see what Ji Shi was doing, I looked around; but only found him playing in the water like the vain Greek god, Narcissus. Sometimes he would raise his head and ask me, “Do you want to play with me?” I shook my head and replied, “No, I’ll only watch you play.” Then Narcissus Ji would continue to jump in alone.

As for when I jumped in, that’s for another story.

I have reminisced a lot tonight, probably due to the red wine I drank with the company of beauty and coinciding with my upcoming glorious debut. Perhaps humans would subconsciously summarise their past every time they reach a significant stage in life. After having dinner at the French restaurant, I got into Ji Shi’s black Mercedes car. Ji Shi played a few songs and muttered, “Why isn’t there a song about a patron and the young artist who was cared for?”

I echoed, “Yeah.”

Ji Shi said, “I’ll write a song about it next time. You think it would sell?”

I said, “No one is brave enough to do so currently. If you dare to, I can’t guarantee it would be a hit, but I’m sure it would become a golden song of choice in KTV.”

Ji Shi laughed loudly, “You spoke so reasonably. I can’t even refute it!”

I watched him as he laughed his ass off. If he wasn’t driving at this time, he might be squatting on the ground laughing. Anyway, these words weren’t supposed to be taken seriously. I just casually responded to his words to make him happy. After all, it’s my job to do so.

I glanced at his curved smiling eyes one more time. Making him happy makes me happy too. 

***

The Mercedes drove to Ji Shi’s high-end apartment. This apartment building was 30 stories high, and Ji Shi lived in the penthouse alone. The upper and lower floors are more than 500 sqm. It even has its garden and dye vat. (The dye vat is a swimming pool. Ji Shi and I got used to calling it “dye vat”) Ji Shi rented a single apartment in this building. It was for me to live in temporarily for convenience. This way, I can visit him whenever I want. Although the single apartment only has one bedroom and one living room, it was ultimately still located inside a high-end apartment building. The interior was not only decorated like a 5-star hotel suite, but it also had floor-to-ceiling mirror glass on the entire wall of the living room. The massive mirror made the whole 60 sqm single apartment look like 120 sqm in an instant. With a glance, you’ll know that the rent isn’t cheap! At that time, we had just reached the seventh day of our patron relationship. At first, I felt I owed Ji Shi a huge favor, but later on, I found out that he was, in truth, the landlord.

Oh, how annoying.

After Ji Shi parked the car, he raised his eyebrows and asked me, “How about we go to the rooftop garden today?”

Feeling grateful that he asked for my opinion, I asked him in return, “Uhm… have you read the entertainment genre novel called ‘Ridiculous’?”

“No, is it good?” Ji Shi seemed interested and raised his ears like a rabbit.

“No, it’s not good,” I said, “but there was a scene where the patron and the artist he was supporting were making out on the rooftop garden. They were caught on camera by the black box installed on the plane. It was said to have been based on a true story in Hollywood…”

“Damn!” Ji Shi violently reacted as if he was the one photographed.

I persuaded him to give up on his idea and went to his apartment instead. Upon entering, Ji Shi rushed to take a shower so I went to the other bathroom to take a shower as well. Honestly, I dislike showering alone. When Ji Shi came out of the bathroom, he would have quickly switched from beauty mode to beast mode. Can’t we have a chat first, play some cards or something? We’ve been in this relationship for half a year, and I still don’t know his hobbies. I only know he likes to read entertainment genre novels. I can’t always give him entertainment genre novels as a birthday present yearly, can I? 

When I came out of the shower, Ji Shi had already washed up. He sat cross-legged on the bed in a white bathrobe while reading a music score. He looked up, and as he stared at me, the piercing on his left ear flickered. I looked at his half-wet hair and his provocative face and felt electrified.

Ji Shi swept the music score across the floor and patted the empty bed. The way he looked as he did so naturally was so shameless!

“… Can we have a ‘heart’²It should be “heart-to-heart”, but I left only one word of ‘heart’ to connect with the following line. talk first?” I said. I omitted the second “heart” in the sentence since I don’t know if I want to fall in love with this person.

“Whose heart are you talking about?” Ji Shi asked. “Yours?”

Okay. I said to myself and nodded. I still have confidence in my heart. I just want you to give me a break, and not be overly obsessed with my body. 

“Okay, let’s do it first and talk later.” Ji Shi brazenly said.

Oh, why am I still acting coy? It’s because I’m the one at the bottom! It’s not that I can’t be the one receiving it, I’m still a man at the end of the day, and I can take it. But this is different from my initial assumption! Now that I thought about it, no wonder he asked me to read entertainment genre novels. In nine out of ten novels I have read, the patron was the top. I thought Ji Shi, being so charming with such an adorable personality, should be a shou. Turned out he wanted to fuck me!

When Ji Shi first asked me to let him top me, I couldn’t refuse. The first time he did, my heart almost collapsed. I wanted to ask him if he’d read the only novel out of the ten where the patron is the shou, so I did.

Ji Shi sighed as he said, “I read the beginning but found out it was not my cup of tea…”

If you’ve read it well, it was a fluffy story. But of course, I couldn’t say that out loud because Ji Shi didn’t give me a chance to reply and continued, “How can the patron be the bottom? Without this bit of boldness, how is it possible to protect the little artist in the future?”

First of all, I’m not an artist yet. Secondly, I’m not “little.” 

But never mind, after all, he has been in and out of me… 

Ah, and he is inside me again. 

The things that I once thought were difficult, dangerous, and impossible to accomplish could be done by closing my eyes and gritting my teeth.

• 1
  The color red, means he hasn’t been tainted yet.
• 2
  It should be “heart-to-heart”, but I left only one word of ‘heart’ to connect with the following line.