episode 8
After finishing the emergency meeting and dealing with work emails, it was already 2 a.m. for Mo Shilin.
He sat on the black leather sofa, rubbed his temples, impatiently loosened his tie, then lit a cigarette and slowly inhaled, his demeanor clearly different from during the day. As he exhaled the smoke, his cold face revealed a hint of dejection in the dim light.
After finishing his cigarette, he took off his suit jacket and pushed open the door to the inner room.
Actually, he had forgotten that there was someone in the inner room. When he saw the light on, he remembered that he had put He Xun to bed. He subconsciously looked around and found that the person who should have been lying on the bed was curled up on the sofa with a serious expression and kept muttering something, as if he was trapped in some kind of terrible nightmare.
After trying to call He Xun's name twice without success, Mo Shilin fell silent and simply looked down at the young man in front of him.
At this moment, He Xun was lying on his side, his thin body sinking into the sofa. His shirt was slightly disheveled, and the top button was undone, revealing a glimpse of his private parts that seemed about to be exposed at any moment. His cold brows were slightly furrowed, and his face carried a resolute look that was different from that during the day.
It must be admitted that He Xun in this state is very capable of arousing certain desires in men.
Fortunately, Mo Shilin was a gentleman. He not only covered He Xun with a light blanket, but also waited until He Xun's expression had calmed down before gently picking him up and placing him on the bed. Only then did he push open the door and leave, going to a nearby hotel to check into a room and sleep.
*
The next day, early morning.
Light streamed through the gaps in the gray curtains, gently illuminating the fairly tidy bed in the lounge. Outside, buses had already started running, and the faint sound of their horns could be heard.
He Xun woke up at this moment.
His first feeling upon waking up was one of confusion.
Staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, he really wanted to say that very cliché but perfectly fitting internet phrase: Who am I? Where am I?
After a three-second pause, he vaguely remembered that it was because he had suddenly fallen ill last night that he hadn't gone home.
but--
He Xun paused for a moment, then looked down at the thin white blanket covering him with a suspicious expression.
That doesn't make sense, does it? He clearly slept on the sofa yesterday, didn't he?
Although Mo Shilin definitely meant for him to sleep in the bed, he still managed to curl up on the sofa and fall asleep last night, relying on his remaining rationality.
After all, he was well aware of the unspoken rule in society that 'you can't completely trust the boss's polite words'...
So, how exactly did he end up in bed?
If he weren't still properly dressed and feeling no discomfort, he would have suspected that the clichéd scene of losing his virginity in a prime-time soap opera was about to happen to him.
He didn't recall having a sleepwalking habit, and was confident that his memory wasn't so bad that he needed to go to the hospital.
If all of these are ruled out, then there is only one possibility—
"You're awake? How are you? Still feeling unwell?"
The man's lazy voice suddenly rang out, and He Xun, who was about to play Sherlock Holmes, paused and subconsciously looked towards the door.
Mo Shilin walked in, carrying a sandwich in one hand and a phone in the other.
Today he wore a pair of half-black-rimmed glasses, a dark gray casual suit jacket with a notched lapel, and a loose navy blue tie. His hair was unkempt, and it was tossed by the wind as he walked, giving him a very spirited look.
It has to be said that He Xun always felt that Mo Shilin's temperament was more like that of a noble and dashing young second generation than the stereotypical image of a steady and mature founder.
This may be due to the unique nature of the internet industry, since the company's business segments all need to keep up with the trends, not to mention that Mo Shilin comes from the game industry.
So in some ways, their aesthetic tastes are quite similar.
"They're all trendy guys," He Xun thought to himself, his face expressionless.
Mo Shilin casually tossed the sandwich and phone onto the small coffee table, then turned his head and squinted at him, seemingly checking his physical condition.
Meeting the other person's gaze, He Xun's legs, which were tucked under the covers, inexplicably curled up.
It's a little embarrassing to be stared at while you're in bed early in the morning.
Admittedly, this wasn't a matter of whether he was familiar with Mo Shilin or not, but rather a matter of privacy.
In his subconscious mind, only close people would see him lying in bed with his eyes still sleepy.
For example, Dad and Mom.
But the current situation is that he, as a male servant, is lying in bed, while his master—no, that word is still a bit strange—and boss Mo Shilin comes in with breakfast and asks him how he feels after just waking up.
To be more precise, this lounge is even Mo Shilin's private space.
This kind of scenario, where identity, environment, and behavior are completely reversed, is very strange.
It also carries a slightly eerie...ambiguous feel?
This is truly bizarre.
Where did he get this ambiguous relationship with the capitalists?
Fortunately, the kind of erotic flirting scene that Mo Shilin would have been doing while he was getting dressed wouldn't happen—because he hadn't taken his clothes off at all.
He Xun quickly straightened his clothes, then got out of bed and offered his seat to Mo Shilin: "Please sit down."
Finally, he added politely, "Sorry, Mr. Mo, I overslept. I should have gone to buy breakfast."
At the very least, you have to show some attitude.
"I bought it on the way." Mo Shilin sat on the sofa, his narrow black eyes behind his glasses curving slightly, looking indifferent. "You can go home after you finish eating the sandwich."
"Are you still feeling unwell?" he asked one last time.
"It's nothing, it wasn't a big deal anyway," He Xun replied meekly. "Thank you for bringing me breakfast. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
He was just being polite, but Mo Shilin actually started to think about it seriously, and it seemed that he really wanted to find him some more work to do.
After a moment, the man narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly, a smile flashing in his eyes, and pointed to the tie around his neck: "Tie this for me."
He Xun was taken aback, and his eyes fell on the tie to examine it carefully.
Does a casual suit really need to be this formal? Can't you just button it up however you like?
"Unwilling?" Mo Shilin seemed to have guessed his thoughts, and quietly withdrew his gaze. "Then forget it, I'll do it myself."
He Xun immediately retorted, "No, I'm not unwilling, I'll do it."
After saying that, he stepped forward and grasped the other person's tie.
He stood between the man's legs, his eyes lowered almost obediently, his hands expertly beginning to tie knots, his full lips above Mo Shilin's high, straight nose.
Mo Shilin, leaning back on the sofa in the shadows, squinted and said in a emotionless voice, "I'll give you the money that needs to be reimbursed later, you don't need to ask Aunt Mu."
Although He Xun didn't understand, he didn't ask any more questions and simply nodded in agreement.
The boss has his reasons. He's not so stingy as to insist on the money. It's just that work is work. He won't confuse the two just because the job is similar to the boss's daily life. If the other person is a friend instead of an employer, he might not accept the money.
He also knew that sometimes such overly clear boundaries could create a sense of alienation and even cause him to miss opportunities to get closer to his boss.
But he doesn't care about such hypocrisy.
*
Time flies when you have free time, just like how school days feel like an eternity while holidays seem to pass in the blink of an eye.
After He Xun accompanied Mo Shilin to work overtime that day, the next day Mo Shilin personally flew abroad on a business trip for a game agency project.
He expressed his understanding, after all, 29 years old is the age to take risks.
Mo Shilin was gone for more than a month, and He Xun successfully received his first paycheck since arriving here.
As for the salary, it wasn't shockingly high, but honestly, compared to the pittance he earned in his original world, Mo Shilin was practically doing charity.
So He Xun was quite content.
Another thing is that the male servant outfit was suddenly and inexplicably redesigned.
He learned about this from other servants at a dinner party, and there was even a minor incident that day.
That day he went to the dining room reserved for the servants.
A creamy white long table lay in the center, surrounded by matching round chairs. Under the cool white chandelier, even the food on the table shimmered with a silvery sheen reminiscent of ancient Greece, as if a king in a Greek robe and crown might appear at the table at any moment to deliver a pre-dinner speech.
This looks great, and it can even help with weight loss.
He Xun pulled out the chair at the very end and sat down.
His intention was not to attract attention, but he suddenly felt that the moment he sat down, everyone at the table immediately turned their gazes toward him.
Like a machine gun.
What is this being done?
Why does everyone see him that way?
Workplace bullying?
No... is it really that serious? He's only been here a few days.
He Xun silently gripped the chopsticks in his hand tighter, and his right leg quietly peeked out halfway through the gap between the table leg and the chair.
Then, there was a loud bang as someone slammed their chopsticks onto the table.
never mind.
If these people insist on giving him a hard time, he'll have no choice but to stand his ground.
He Xun let out a long sigh, clasped his hands together to loosen his muscles, raised his head, and looked around warily, but instinctively felt that something was wrong.
No, the way these people look at him doesn't seem like they hate him.
He paused for a moment, then turned his head, completely bewildered.
Suddenly, the person sitting to his left grabbed his shoulder and looked at him intently: "Dude, so your name is He Xun?"
He Xun remained silent for a moment.
It wasn't that he didn't want to talk, but this whole ordeal almost sent him to his death on the spot.
That's too powerful!
What grudge or hatred could there be?
"Cough cough..." He Xun pushed the other person away forcefully and managed to speak with difficulty, "It's...it's me..."
"That's great! It really was you! We've all benefited from your success!"
"Yes, yes! Thank you so much!"
The others echoed enthusiastically, their eyes fixed on He Xun with intense gazes, as if he were some kind of savior.
Confused and disoriented, He Xun felt only horror. Who knew how it was set up in the novel?
He freed himself from the man's grasp, coughed violently several times before catching his breath, and asked, "What are you thanking me for?"
Someone replied, "Oh, you don't know yet? Because of your fall on the stairs today, Aunt Mu and Uncle Li ordered a new batch of maid uniforms for us. They said the current uniforms are not convenient for working, so they need to redesign them. We should be able to wear them next week."
He Xun then noticed that most of the male servants' clothes had been manually shortened by half, with the edges of the fabric raised from their ankles to their knees, making them look much neater than before.
It seems everyone has been suffering from this male servant outfit for far too long.
He Xun didn't feel that he had made a great contribution; he was just surprised.
Is Mo Shilin... such a kind person?
Oh well, whether it's genuine or not, it's convenient for everyone at least.
"Don't be so polite, everyone. The credit doesn't all belong to me; it was just a coincidence."
Knowing that he hadn't been bullied at work, He Xun finally felt relieved and scooped up a spoonful of congee with preserved egg and lean pork and put it in his mouth.
After exchanging a few more polite words, the conversation shifted to other topics.
Eating with colleagues was generally pleasant—unless the male servant across from him kept staring at him with fiery eyes throughout the meal.
Anyone who didn't know better would think that He Xun had been chasing him.
"Dude, why are you staring at me like that?"
Because the other person's gaze was so persistent, He Xun finally couldn't help but raise an eyebrow before leaving: "Have you a crush on me?"
The male servant, referred to as "bro," shuddered: "..."
Judging from his expression, he was clearly taken aback.
Who has a crush on you!
"Then stare at me. What, is there something on my face?"
He Xun took a few steps closer to the other person, leaned down, and had a teasing smile on his face.
To be fair, he is very handsome, otherwise he wouldn't have been so often wrongly labeled as a scumbag.
The expression he made at this moment was not as serious and aloof as usual; instead, it conveyed a sense of playful ease.
Not to mention, he was a full head taller than the other person, which in some ways created a strong sense of intimidation.
Sure enough, in less than half a minute, the other person's dark face began to turn slightly green under He Xun's gaze.
He hurriedly took a few steps back, angrily leaving behind the words, "Pretentious act, I wonder what dirty tricks he used," before storming off.
He Xun wasn't angry; he just found it inexplicable and funny.
After all, he had lived for over twenty years and there were countless people who disliked him. If he had to take it personally with everyone, he might as well not live at all and would rather die.
......
He Xun snapped out of his reverie of that day's scene.
Actually, the changes to the male servants' uniforms weren't that big. They still wore black silk shirts on top and white aprons around their waists. The only difference was that they changed from skirts to soft trousers, which made it much easier for everyone to work.
But there was one thing He Xun didn't dare to say.
This outfit is fine if one person wears it; it's the 21st century, and no one will gossip. The playful style is also pleasing to the eye. But the problem is—all the male servants in the villa are dressed like this now.
Whenever Aunt Mu gave her routine morning address and told everyone to line up in a row, He Xun couldn't help but feel like he was a male escort working in an adult bar.
You might as well wear a dress! At least that would look more open and honest.
That person had absolutely no good intentions.
However, he only thought these words to himself and would never say them aloud, otherwise everyone's impression of the clothes would be distorted, and he would not do such a talkative and annoying thing.
He Xun decided to take advantage of the holiday to go out and buy some things for his empty wardrobe.
After all, his previous job involved dealing with the entertainment industry, and he simply couldn't stand wearing inappropriate and ugly clothes.
*
At seven o'clock in the evening, the city lights began to come on.
A pedestrian street located in the southwest of S City is bustling with activity.
This street was specially created by the government in the past two years to attract tourists from other places. Both sides of the street are planted with beautiful and fragrant roses of famous varieties. The shops introduced are mainly trendy clothing, cosmetics, toys, figurines, photo booths, 24-hour convenience stores and other shops targeting young people. The street is lit with purple and pink tones. When the night breeze blows, the petals sway and the fragrance floats in the air, making it romantic and beautiful. It attracts many young people and couples to come here for a walk and take pictures at night.
Naturally, some online celebrities and self-media bloggers also come here with their GoPros to find shooting material.
In front of a cluster of pink roses with balloons attached, several trendy young girls are fiddling with their phone stands, preparing to film a dance video that has recently gone viral online.
A short while later, another girl wearing a T-shirt and shorts ran out of the milk tea shop with a smile, sharing her milk tea with her companions. The girls chatted and laughed while drinking milk tea, creating a beautiful scene that attracted the attention of passersby.
But no one noticed that in a dark corner, a camera flashing red light was quietly raised and pointed at their bodies.
"Have you all finished drinking, ladies?"
Meng Xiaoyun took the last sip of her milk tea, casually tossed the plastic cup into a nearby trash can, and then stood up.
Her makeup was exquisite, and her long, light brown wavy hair flowed smoothly down her chest. She wore a black off-the-shoulder top, a gray A-line skirt, and black Martin boots. Her long, straight, and slender legs were so beautiful that they were almost too dazzling to look at directly.
She organized this video shooting event. Seeing that the break time was almost up, she urged, "If the lights go out when it's time to film, we won't be able to film anymore."
Someone chimed in, "Yes, yes, let's start now, Sister Mengmeng."
The girls were all close friends and knew each other well. As soon as Meng Xiaoyun spoke, they quickly put the milk tea cups into paper bags, clearing the space.
Some people were responsible for holding up the reflector in front of the phone, while others were responsible for playing music.
With everything ready, Meng Xiaoyun nodded in satisfaction and pressed the shutter button: "OK! Let's begin now."
The upbeat music started playing quickly, but the girls had only made two moves when they were suddenly interrupted—
"Hello, miss."
A pleasant male voice entered my ears, its clear tone carrying a uniquely masculine low magnetism that tickled my ears.
Meng Xiaoyun, who was standing in the center, was clearly stunned for a moment. She turned around suspiciously, but when she saw the other person's face clearly, she was stunned again.
The person who interrupted their filming was a young man, very tall, with handsome features and a high nose bridge. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and was staring intently at her with his eyebrows raised, one hand in his pocket, exuding a nonchalant kind of cool.
But no matter what words are used to describe him, in the end it can all be summed up in one word: handsome.
Handsome guy!
The other girls also looked at Meng Xiaoyun with mocking eyes, assuming that the handsome guy was there to chat her up.
After all, only a face like that deserves to be called a great beauty!
Meng Xiaoyun snapped out of her reverie, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear to reveal her delicate face, and said cheerfully, "Hello, is there anything I can help you with?"
She was prepared for the other party to ask for her contact information.
He Xun, however, remained calm, a polite smile playing on his lips, and asked, "Do you know this person?"
"Me... huh?" Meng Xiaoyun's smile froze, clearly not expecting this opening line. She widened her eyes, looking completely bewildered. "Who is it?"
The other girls were also taken aback, and following He Xun's gaze, they all looked to the side, only then noticing that there was someone else next to them.
The man was short and slightly overweight. He wore glasses, and his pockmarked skin gleamed with an oily sheen. Anyone who didn't know him would think he was wearing the latest trendy dewy skin makeup from South Korea. His already small eyes darted around aimlessly, and he exuded a sleazy aura.
Noticing the gazes of the crowd, the man's face showed even greater shame and indignation.
"......"
It's not that they have bad eyesight, it's just that this guy is too ordinary... He doesn't stand out in front of handsome guys!
He Xun grabbed the man by the collar with one hand and shoved him in front of the girls without much politeness: "I saw him filming you over there, so I came to ask if you know him. If you do, then I apologize for bothering you."
The girls then realized that the handsome guy wasn't there to flirt with them, and they were instantly disappointed. But they quickly realized that taking pictures of him secretly was even worse, and all their eyes turned to the greasy man.
Meng Xiaoyun looked back at the other girls and saw that they were all frowning and shaking their heads. She immediately understood and nodded at He Xun: "Thank you, handsome. We really don't know him."
After saying that, she looked coldly at the man and said, "What did you film about us? Please let us check it."
The man's face twisted for a moment: "Why? This is my personal privacy! If you want to see my phone, you'll have to produce evidence of me secretly filming it!"
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