Chapter 59: The Hypocritical Senior 01 Part 1

A fine drizzle fell continuously.

Yu Sui wore a black trench coat and stood under the eaves of the convenience store, gazing off into the distance.

[Host.] The System spoke up. [Congratulations on completing another task.]

“My memories?” Yu Sui’s eyes churned with deep darkness.

[Temporarily blocked, for better task performance,] the System replied.

Yu Sui was just about to say something when his phone rang in his pocket.

“Hello?” He pulled it out and answered.

“Brother Sui, that role’s been locked in.” Assistant A Feng’s voice grew quieter. “The director wants you to come to the company.”

“Oh?” Yu Sui frowned, his tone laced with displeasure. “Got it.”

He hung up the call, his lips pressing into a straight line.

In this world, his identity was that of an actor in short-form web dramas for video platforms—considered the top star in the industry, no less.

He had previously starred in nothing but Long Aotian comeback face-slapping power fantasies, but over the past couple of years, the genre had become oversaturated. Netizens had grown tired of it, so he had decided to switch things up.

His first CP drama happened to feature dual male leads.

He didn’t particularly mind. It was just a couple of straight guys shoehorned into a CP pairing, after all.

But the director had originally promised to consult him first about any suitable partner. Instead, the role had been filled without a word.

Later, he had stumbled upon the fact that his new costar was a genuine bottom type.

And Yu Sui himself was a hardcore straight guy with a touch of homophobia to boot.

He had wanted to swap out the partner, but the company wouldn’t allow it. So he had resorted to stalking and covert filming, desperately hunting for any dirt he could use.

In short, he was skating right on the edge of danger.

The convenience store was only a short walk from the company—a few steps away, really.

He gathered his thoughts and headed inside.

“Brother Sui.”

Everyone he passed along the way greeted him warmly.

Yu Sui returned their hellos with a mild smile and friendly words, showing not a trace of arrogance.

As they watched his retreating back, the employees couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

“Worthy of a top star. There’s a reason he’s stayed relevant for so long.”

“Yeah, exactly—so approachable.”

The corners of Yu Sui’s mouth curved higher.

He took the elevator up to the fifth floor.

When he reached his agent’s office, he rapped lightly on the door with his knuckles.

“Come in.”

Yu Sui pushed the door open.

At the sound, the man in the khaki trench coat with tousled black curls turned his head. He stared boldly at Yu Sui, without a shred of manners.

Yu Sui mentally filed away the rudeness, his smile growing all the brighter. “Hello. You’re playing Bai, right?”

He stepped forward and extended a friendly hand.

The man paused at the sight of those neatly manicured, pale, slender fingers. His throat bobbed as he reached out and clasped it. “Li Xia.”

Yu Sui felt the other’s fingertips lightly scratch against his palm. His smile stiffened for a fraction of a second before he yanked his hand back and turned to the director.

“What do you think, Yu Sui?” The director cleared his throat awkwardly, his gaze darting away with a hint of guilt.

“Anyone the director picks must have something special going for them.” Yu Sui’s smile was gentle, his eyes as warm and serene as a pool of spring water.

Sweat beaded on the director’s forehead. “Ahem…”

“Yu Sui.” His agent finally spoke up. “This is one of our company’s newly signed artists.”

Yes—this guy was his junior, too.

All of it added up to something truly nauseating.

“I see.” Yu Sui nodded, his expression unchanging.

The agent needed to chat privately with the new artist next, so Yu Sui excused himself from the office and headed to the restroom.

He locked the door behind him and twisted on the faucet.

The hand that had been dangling loosely at his side, careful not to brush against his clothes, was now scrubbed viciously under the running water.

He did it with something approaching neurosis, until his palm flushed red.

[Host?] The System sounded concerned. [Are you this badly affected by the plot?]

“Maybe.” Yu Sui replied offhandedly.

His thoughts drifted to Li Xia’s face, and he knew exactly what his agent was up to.

This drama had less to do with his career pivot and more to do with propping up a rookie.

Heh.

The door creaked open.

“Brother Sui.”

Yu Sui froze, clenching his fist before twisting around with a smile. “Something you need?”

Li Xia gazed at his handsome face. “Brother Sui, I had some questions about the script.”

That same rude, piercing stare. Yu Sui kept his expression neutral. “Of course.”

As the top star, he had his own lounge.

The two of them headed up to the sixth floor.

Li Xia eyed his back and made a quick gesture to compare their heights.

The thought of this loathsome guy invading his personal space filled Yu Sui with utter revulsion. He bit the tip of his tongue to steady himself and stayed calm.

The lounge was decorated in sleek black and white—simple and cool-toned.

Li Xia glanced around before sinking onto the sofa. “I skimmed the script. Based on the character traits, I’m the bottom.”

At those words, Yu Sui couldn’t stop his eyelid from twitching faintly. “We don’t need to go that far. No need to overthink it.”

“Oh.” Li Xia nodded. “I’ve watched your previous works, Senior. They’re incredible.”

“Is that so?” Yu Sui’s tone was lukewarm. “Feel free to ask me about anything you don’t get.” And stop with the small talk.

“Some of the more… intimate scenes.” Li Xia hesitated. “It’s my first time acting. Do we actually have to kiss?”

“It’s all body doubles,” Yu Sui said.

Li Xia seemed to relax. He stood. “I won’t keep you then, Senior.”

With that, he left the room.

Yu Sui pursed his lips and yanked the sofa’s throw cover off, tossing it to the floor.

He couldn’t say why, but his disgust toward this man burned hotter than toward anyone else. Maybe it was because Li Xia had been forced on him—a classic case of a junior stepping on a senior to climb the ladder.

The web drama The Twins was quite short. It drew viewers in with its moody, beautifully damp aesthetic and the dual male leads.

The director had a real knack for atmosphere.

Mo and Bai came from a blended family. The older brother was obsessed with his younger sibling, seizing him through force from beginning to end amid all sorts of confinement scenes.

For the next two days, Yu Sui stayed home reviewing the script.

Monday dawned clear and sunny.

Yu Sui arrived at the shooting location with the crew—a hotel.

The two leads changed into costume and got their makeup done.

Li Xia was dressed all in white, his hair damp and tousled, clothes clinging to his skin. Red marks had been drawn on his wrists and ankles, the corners of his eyes tinted pink. He looked utterly pitiful, like he’d been relentlessly bullied.

Yu Sui, by contrast, wore a black trench coat and gleaming leather shoes. His hair was impeccably styled, sharpening the edge in his brows and eyes.

He shot a glance at Li Xia. In his periphery, he caught sight of a staff member wearing a mask and hefting a camera.

Yu Sui’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

That was the protagonist gong.

In this world, the protagonist gong and shou mirrored the drama’s setup: a blended family. But the older brother started out with no love for his younger sibling—only disgust.

He saw the younger one as sunny and outgoing, stealing everyone’s attention, and plotted ways to utterly destroy him.

One day, he accidentally spotted Yu Sui’s little schemes and grew displeased.

In his mind, only he had the right to torment his brother. No one else did.

Over time, that disgust warped into something more. Thanks to Yu Sui’s repeated machinations, the brothers gradually fell for each other. In the end, they teamed up to cannon fodder the hell out of this hypocritical man.

Yu Sui quickly averted his gaze and looked back at Li Xia.

Even under so many watchful eyes, Li Xia showed little tension. He collapsed backward onto the bed, arching away to reveal a look of fear.

Yu Sui advanced on his knees, closing in step by step. Towering over the young man, he stared down at him. “Still running?”

His voice was hoarse and magnetic, his eyes roiling with darkness laced through with intense emotion.

Li Xia’s body went rigid, the tips of his ears turning red. “I…”

He flubbed the line.

“Too nervous?” the director called from the side.

Yu Sui straightened up, his expression softening to its usual mildness. “Want some time to get into it?”

Li Xia nodded in a daze. But his stare remained fixed straight on Yu Sui. His throat bobbed, fingers twisting in his pants as his heart hammered away.

The camera operator narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze landing on the smiling man in the black trench coat standing nearby.

Did Li Xia like him?

Malice flickered in Su Shan’s eyes.

Yu Sui keenly sensed the scrutiny. He glanced over but saw only the camera lens. He arched a brow faintly and calmly looked away.

Short dramas cut out most of the plot, focusing only on key interactions.

The final shot of the first scene captured their ten fingers interlocking.

Two pairs of beautiful hands overlapped—one straining to pull away, the other clamped down tight. Nothing more was needed; the sexual tension crackled through the frame.

Next came the bathroom scene.

The older brother discovers his sibling’s escape attempt and drags him into the tub. Warm water sloshes as their figures merge—even through their clothes, it was enough to flush the cheeks.

Yu Sui shed his jacket and stepped into the water wearing just his black dress shirt.

Li Xia grabbed at his collar, trying to shove him away.

Yu Sui gripped his chin with one hand, drawing slowly closer. “Such a disobedient boy.”

Li Xia scowled and struggled. “You’re a total psycho!”

“Who was that person?” Yu Sui demanded.

Li Xia felt the proximity overwhelm him. His eyes darted guiltily aside.

Yu Sui forced his face back around. “Tell your brother.”

The words came in a seductive murmur, like a lover’s whisper.

Inside, though, Yu Sui was in absolute torment. Being this close to the man made his skin crawl with revulsion.

Veins bulged along the back of his hand, but it all fit the character’s intensity. No one could tell it stemmed from pure disgust.

“I…” Li Xia swallowed hard, his stare locked on Yu Sui. “I…”

“Cut! Li Xia, you’re supposed to hate him,” the director reminded from nearby.

“Sorry.” Li Xia looked abashed.

“One more take.”

This time, it wrapped in a single go.

There were no more scenes between them for now.

The other crew members filed out one by one. With their clothes soaked through and the weather far from warm, it was all too easy to catch a cold.

The two stayed behind to clean up and change.

Yu Sui went first. When he emerged, a towel crowned his head. He wore a black bathrobe, droplets still clinging to the elegant bridge of his nose.

Li Xia glanced up at him and swallowed. He rose awkwardly and headed in to shower.

Yu Sui blow-dried his hair, pausing when it was only half-dry.

After that, he began to change his clothes.

Yu Sui was in the middle of buttoning his shirt when Li Xia’s phone rang.

It was a distinctive ringtone, but he merely raised an eyebrow and ignored it.

The young man in the bathroom, however, who was only halfway through his shower, wrapped a towel around himself and rushed out in a panic. He seemed deeply worried about something.