The overhead lights cast a warm glow over the deep brown curtains, and the room was bathed in soft, dim lighting.
Luo Ding relished the intimacy, and Duan Xiubo did too. Their jobs often kept them apart, so they had to rely on phone calls to express their longing for each other. But neither of them was particularly good with words, so the calls often felt dry. Only physical touch—kissing, hugging—felt like real intimacy, enough to ease the loneliness of being apart and make them want to savor the moment.
Once the ice was broken, there was no need for hesitation. Luo Ding’s robe became disheveled as Duan Xiubo’s warm hands slipped inside. Luo Ding wrapped his slender arms around Duan’s neck, his hands gently rubbing Duan’s short hair. Being shorter, Luo Ding had to stand on his tiptoes, leaning almost his entire weight on Duan Xiubo.
Duan gladly accepted, his arms sliding lower to lift Luo Ding’s waist and pull him close.
Luo Ding kissed him, their noses touching but neither turning away. The closeness of their lips was more intimate than any other act. Luo Ding had thought Duan would carry him to the bed, but instead, Duan turned, and before Luo Ding realized it, his back was pressed against the hard wall.
Duan’s arms were strong, and with a few subtle movements, he spread Luo Ding’s legs, leaving him no choice but to cling to Duan’s waist to keep from slipping.
So sly.
Luo Ding cupped Duan’s face and kissed him, his lips slowly curling into a smile. His fingers slid through Duan’s hair, gently stroking, as if combing and soothing him at the same time.
Duan’s actions were almost too intense, like a predator on the hunt. Luo Ding wasn’t sure if that was just Duan’s nature or if their time apart had built up too much desire. But today, Luo Ding was exhausted and didn’t have much energy, so he responded as gently as possible to remind Duan to take it easy.
Duan Xiubo was going insane! How could something be so perfect? No matter how much, it was never enough! Not enough!
Luo Ding’s soft, tousled hair, his lean, flexible waist, his cool arms wrapped around Duan’s neck, and the gentle hand rubbing the stubble on the back of his neck—it was all driving Duan wild. He felt like he was in a dream, overwhelmed with excitement as he sucked on Luo Ding’s tongue, his hands still unsatisfied as they slipped under Luo Ding’s robe.
The silky fabric of Luo Ding’s underwear covered his firm buttocks, and Duan’s hand spread wide over them. How could something be so perfectly shaped?
Sweat dripped down Duan’s forehead as he asked himself this question over and over again. He didn’t know who could give him the answer. He thought about it until his head hurt, but Luo Ding remained as gentle as a spring breeze. Duan wanted to pull him down into the depths with him, to feel a fiery response rather than this tender affection.
In front of Luo Ding, Duan Xiubo always felt like he wasn’t mature or stable enough.
When their lips finally parted, the bond between them had been so tight that it made a soft “pop” sound.
Duan gently bit Luo Ding’s lower lip, sucking on it before slowly, reluctantly pulling away. His kisses trailed from Luo Ding’s cheek to his right eye, which reflected the soft glow of the lights.
He froze in this position for a moment.
Luo Ding tightened his hold around Duan’s neck, lowering his head slightly as Duan’s large hands kneaded his rear. Luo Ding’s body twitched involuntarily.
“Don’t move,” Duan’s voice was hoarse. He pulled away from Luo Ding’s eye and kissed his temple. “Just let me hold you for a while. You’re too tired today.”
Between the runway shows, practice, and rehearsals, as Wu Fangyuan had said in the car earlier, Luo Ding had likely been working non-stop for over 30 hours. Duan Xiubo had probably been lenient because they had been apart for a while, but he could see how tired Luo Ding was. Even when they kissed, Luo Ding’s movements were stiff at times, his drooping eyes showing how drained he was as he tried to comfort Duan.
Duan Xiubo felt a little heartbroken, and his body ached too. Luo Ding’s cool skin did nothing to calm the heat that had swept through Duan’s body, spreading from his abdomen to every corner. With Luo Ding’s hips firmly in his grasp, Duan felt they were only one step away from crossing the final line.
Luo Ding was quiet for a moment. He pulled back slightly to examine Duan’s eyes, which were still burning with wild emotions. Then he smiled. “Are you serious or not?”
“…” Duan Xiubo seemed to regret his decision. His hands moved gently again, but only for a few seconds. “I’m serious.”
Luo Ding kissed his eyes, noticing the slightly aggrieved look on Duan’s face. He couldn’t help but think that Duan resembled a child holding back from eating sweets, waiting for parental praise.
But Luo Ding was truly exhausted. From the beginning, he had been worried about whether he had the energy to be intimate with Duan tonight. He could have turned down that first kiss on the back of his neck, but when he thought of the words Duan had spoken over the phone about how much he missed him, Luo Ding just couldn’t bring himself to let him down. But he hadn’t expected Duan to be the one to stop.
Duan Xiubo held Luo Ding for a while longer, and after what seemed like a little pep talk to himself, he lifted Luo Ding and carried him to the bed.
Luo Ding rolled into the covers and lay on the side further from Duan. His clear eyes were as pure as crystal.
Duan Xiubo felt a little regret but didn’t want to appear weak, so he lifted the blanket and climbed in too. Luo Ding had been staying here for a few days, and it seemed the hotel staff hadn’t changed the bedding during his stay. The entire bed smelled like Luo Ding, and so did the pillow under Duan’s head. These small details made Duan regret getting into bed immediately. He couldn’t tell if he was torturing himself or enjoying it. The mental satisfaction clashed with the physical frustration, causing sparks to fly. He was frozen in place, wishing he had asked Mi Rui to book him a separate room.
Big mistake.
The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Luo Ding’s breathing slowly became even. Still wide awake, Duan turned his head to stare at Luo Ding’s peaceful sleeping face. The hectic work schedule had left him utterly exhausted, making the dark circles under his eyes stand out against his fair skin. Luo Ding’s small head was buried in the soft pillow, his cheeks puffed up, and his lips were slightly pursed. One hand was even sticking out from under the covers, resting against his chin.
All of Duan’s earlier frustration melted away.
With a long sigh, he finally allowed the fatigue to overtake him. He was tired too.
He moved closer, stretching his hand out from under the blanket to rest it on Luo Ding’s hand, gently stroking it in small movements, careful not to make too much noise.
As he gazed at Luo Ding’s pink lips, puffed out like a little mushroom, Duan Xiubo couldn’t help but smile softly.
“How could he be so cute…”
******
They slept soundly through the night. Thanks to Duan Xiubo drawing the curtains, the morning light didn’t disturb them, and by the time they woke up, it was already close to 10 a.m.
It was rare for them to sleep so late, and Luo Ding felt surprisingly refreshed when he woke up. He had dreamt all night, his mind filled with scattered, fragmented images. Once again, that fat cat, which always pressed down on his chest in his dreams, had appeared. Its fur was sleek and shiny, and it moved with an air of pride, quietly padding over to his feet before curling up and settling in as if it absolutely had to be touching his skin to be happy.
In the dream, Luo Ding had been tangled up with the long tail of the cat, which kept winding itself around his calf, acting spoiled. He wasn’t really into animals, but for some reason, this particular fat cat made his heart soften, and he ended up holding it in his arms and sleeping together with it. The soft pads of the cat’s paws rested on the back of his hand, radiating warmth, and its gentle purring filled the air as it buried its head into the crook of his neck.
When he woke up, Luo Ding found himself trapped by something else. Duan Xiubo’s arm was wrapped firmly around his waist, holding him in place with such strength that he couldn’t escape. Since Duan was taller, he’d directly wrapped himself around Luo Ding, his breath tickling the top of Luo Ding’s head, making him itch.
As Luo Ding shifted slightly, Duan Xiubo stirred and, after checking the time, murmured groggily, “It’s still early…”
“Get up for breakfast,” Luo Ding nudged him. “Come on, today we’re going out for a walk.”
Mi Rui and Wu Fangyuan were already sitting in the hotel’s dining room. Hardly anyone came for breakfast here, so the place felt empty. The chef behind the buffet quietly flipped sausages and bacon, the sizzling sound filling the air, while Wu Fangyuan ate his fourth egg wrap of the morning.
Mi Rui: “…”
Each of these egg wraps was packed with a thick layer of cheese, sausage, meat chunks, and mushrooms. The wrap was fat and heavy, using at least four eggs!
Pig… seriously.
Mi Rui was feeling rather conflicted. He hadn’t slept at all last night, staying up agonizing over that box of condoms. As Duan Xiubo’s manager, he didn’t just handle his entertainment business; in fact, if you looked at his actual workload, a typical manager’s responsibilities wouldn’t even justify his high salary. He also helped manage Duan Xiubo’s real estate and took care of his daily life. To Mi Rui, Duan had long since become a kind of family—family in a way that no girlfriend could ever be.
In the past, he had complained about always working overtime, but often, it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. This sense of devotion made it hard for him to remain as rational as a typical manager when it came to analyzing the artist’s romantic life.
This path was not going to be easy.
With a sigh, he glanced at the time—it was already half-past ten. His eyelid twitched.
Getting up this late inevitably led his mind to wander. He had distinctly reminded them to go easy last night. Luo Ding had such a demanding work schedule, and Duan Xiubo hadn’t had much rest either. Overexerting themselves like that was just plain reckless.
Wu Fangyuan chewed on his egg wrap, commenting happily, “It’s great now that Duan Ge is here. You don’t know how busy Ah Ding has been recently. The whole point of coming abroad to attend these fashion shows was to give him a break, but who would’ve thought he’d get a gig walking the runway? He’s been working so hard, practicing his runway walk every day, no matter how much I feed him, he just doesn’t gain any weight. I tried to get him to sleep early, but the moment Duan Ge arrived, ha, he just obediently went to bed!”
Still chewing his egg wrap, Wu Fangyuan stuffed a sausage into his mouth, his cheeks puffing out even more. “Duan Ge looks so much more mature than Ah Ding. Mi Ge (brother Mi), managing him must be a breeze for you, huh? I’m so jealous, with your high salary and all.”
Mi Rui cast him a sidelong glance, adjusted his glasses, and kept his face expressionless, though inwardly he cursed: What a pig!
How could this pig live so happily?
Wu Fangyuan scooted closer, prying for more information. “Hey, Mi Ge, how much do you make anyway? Ah Ding just gave me a raise last week. I’m making six thousand a month now. You must make way more than me, right?”
Mi Rui: “Heh.”
All his brooding thoughts were scattered by this pig’s obliviousness. Sighing, Mi Rui pushed Wu Fangyuan back a bit. “You should eat less; you’re already fat enough.”
Wu Fangyuan immediately widened his eyes. “Fat?! I’ve lost almost twenty pounds!”
Mi Rui’s eyes were starting to hurt from the sight of Wu Fangyuan’s head of bright blond hair. Turning away, Mi Rui finally spotted the two people he had been waiting for at the entrance of the dining room.
Instinctively, Mi Rui stood up. “Over here!”
When they were out in public, Luo Ding and Duan Xiubo usually kept a bit of distance, always walking one after the other. But as soon as Duan spotted Mi Rui, he paused, waited for Luo Ding to catch up, and then wrapped his arm around Luo Ding’s shoulder as they both made their way over to the table.
There was no need for secrecy in front of the two managers.
Mi Rui’s smile stiffened as he watched them approach. His gaze shifted from their faces to their posture and movements. He had specifically looked up information last night and knew that after certain bedroom activities, it wasn’t unusual for people to move a bit awkwardly or stiffly. Given how late they had woken up, they must’ve had quite the night, but strangely enough, both of them were walking normally.
And their expressions seemed fine too.
Could it be that he had misunderstood? Did Duan Xiubo need that box of condoms for… a lung capacity contest or something? (LOL!!)
Facing Mi Rui, Luo Ding felt a bit awkward, though he was skilled at hiding it. Mi Rui wasn’t sharp enough to see through his acting, so Luo Ding and Duan Xiubo naturally sat down at the small round table. Duan, ever the considerate one, asked Luo Ding, “What do you want to eat?”
Luo Ding glanced at Wu Fangyuan, who had barely looked up from his plate to say hello before diving back into his food. After a pause, he said, “I’ll have an egg wrap.”
Comparing his assistant to Mi Rui, who had stood up out of respect as soon as Duan appeared, Luo Ding couldn’t help but think his own assistant was a bit lacking…
But that was okay. Compared to the ever-sharp Mi Rui, a simple and silly assistant like Wu Fangyuan made Luo Ding feel much more comfortable.
Forcing a smile, Mi Rui tried to make small talk. “Did you sleep well last night, Luo Ge ?”
“Pretty well,” Luo Ding replied with a smile. “Thanks for your help yesterday.”
With just that half a sentence, Mi Rui didn’t dare speak again until Duan Xiubo returned to the table.
Duan Xiubo came back with porridge and dishes, neatly serving Luo Ding. He scooped out the passionfruit and placed it into a small dish, tore apart the egg wrap, and while fussing about how fried food and cheese were high in cholesterol, he efficiently went about his tasks. Watching this, Mi Rui’s emotions grew even more complicated. He had always thought Duan Xiubo was useless when it came to household tasks, but now he realized that Duan was just lazy. When there was someone he wanted to take care of, he could be quite diligent.
Sighing once more, Mi Rui felt all kinds of feelings bubble up inside.
Duan Xiubo turned to him and said, “I’m taking Luo Ding to see a fashion show today. You have the day off.”
Mi Rui was caught off guard. “Aren’t you two going to rest in your room?” Why pretend in front of me? After what they did last night… shouldn’t they be resting instead of going out?
Duan Xiubo squinted his eyes, raising a brow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
That look shut Mi Rui up instantly.
Over on the other side, Luo Ding handed half of his egg wrap to Wu Fangyuan, frowning at his assistant’s eating habits. “You should eat less. This thing has several eggs in it. Aren’t you worried about high blood pressure or cholesterol?”
Wu Fangyuan bobbed his head, his round face looking strangely adorable. “I’ll just eat this once. You can’t get food this good anywhere else.”
Luo Ding treated him like a younger brother. While he was strict most of the time, when Wu Fangyuan started acting cute, Luo Ding could only sigh and relent. Patting Wu Fangyuan’s golden head, Luo Ding said, “You’ve worked hard these past few days. Take the day off today and go have some fun around Milan. Do you have enough money?”
Wu Fangyuan nodded. “Yeah, I’ve got enough.” Since he usually didn’t have to spend on food, lodging, or clothing, Luo Ding sometimes bought clothes for him, and Gu Yaxing often picked up large-sized clothing for him as well. With nothing much to spend on, Wu Fangyuan was able to save almost all of his salary.
Satisfied, Luo Ding gave him a playful push on the head, signaling him to eat less and stop talking.
Meanwhile, Mi Rui locked eyes with his boss, who was giving him a look of mild disdain. Internally, Mi Rui could only laugh bitterly.
Life really was unfair…
******
By now, the fashion week had been running for quite some time, and though the event hadn’t officially ended, photos of the stunning outfits from various shows were already all over the internet back in China.
The models were glamorous, the dresses extravagant, and the new bags and jewelry were all captured in perfect detail by the cameras. Even if people couldn’t afford these luxury items, they could at least admire them.
Chinese celebrities had swarmed Milan this year, their presence growing more and more prominent each year. The media coverage followed the usual routine—rumors of catfights between actresses, claims of who outshone whom, or declarations of who was the most stunning at the show.
However, the results of this year’s trip to Milan were far from as significant as in previous years.
And it was all because this time, among the many Chinese celebrities who had flown to Milan, there was a hidden winner. While most were still working hard to secure invitations to watch the shows, one person had already made it onto the runway of an international luxury brand’s show—D&S.
Not just attending, but walking the runway!
Up until now, only a handful of Chinese artists had managed to make it onto international runways, and most of them were professional models. When fashion brands chose to work with non-model celebrities, they were extremely cautious. It was not easy for Chinese stars to be accepted into the Western fashion world. To walk on their runways, it often took more than just talent; after all, there were plenty of professional models to choose from.
It took connections, ability, and opportunity. And for many, just having two of those three would be enough to stand out from the crowd. But luck? That wasn’t something everyone could hope for.
Luo Ding was almost enviably lucky.
While other celebrities might have been envious, the media was thrilled. This kind of explosive news was a goldmine for any outlet, unless the artist in question had somehow fallen out with the press. Even without any perks, the media was more than happy to report such stories. China was increasingly interested in its share of the international market, and this type of news always garnered high click rates. It was a win-win situation for the media, so why not report on it?
Gu Yaxing understood this very well and made sure not to get complacent. He carefully maintained good relations with the media, ensuring that no one would be tempted to smear Luo Ding out of jealousy.
Luckily, Luo Ding didn’t disappoint. His performance during fashion week could only be described as breathtaking.
Even Gu Yaxing hadn’t expected Luo Ding to do so well, though Luo Ding had a habit of exceeding expectations.
The video of the D&S show had become one of the most-watched clips since the event began, receiving unprecedented attention. The moment when Luo Ding walked down the runway and dramatically took off his cloak had been made into a short video clip, which now adorned the homepage of China’s top fashion portal as a classic example of elegance.
Luo Ding’s fans had come to realize something: every time Luo Ding disappeared for a while, it meant that the next time he appeared, the news would be even more monumental.
Everyone was frantically refreshing the page on the official portal for China’s fashion scene. Each time the page reloaded, they were greeted with a screen of pitch-black. Slowly, the darkness faded, replaced by the sound of rhythmic, powerful music. The screen shattered like glass, pulling back a gray curtain.
Amidst dazzling lights, Luo Ding and a glamorous woman in a white dress locked eyes on the runway. He gave her a subtle smile.
Then, with a swift turn, Luo Ding began his steady, confident walk toward the camera. His fitted riding outfit accentuated his long, toned legs. His slightly raised chin was strikingly beautiful, and the faint smile that played at the corner of his eyes as he gazed at the camera was casual yet commanding. As he walked forward, he effortlessly untied his luxurious cape, exuding natural grace and confidence.
As the cape fluttered in the air, the video slowed down for two seconds, and the entire world seemed to pause. The heavy fabric fell gracefully into Luo Ding’s hands as he glanced coolly at the camera, his gaze dismissive, like a king surveying his subjects from the walls of his kingdom before proudly turning away.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!”
“Your Majesty, please don’t hold back when punishing me ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!”
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