"Wasteful." Shen Yu sighed, glancing at his friend Weilan, who had fallen silent ever since their conversation with the waiter had ended. There was a flicker of concern in Shen Yu's eyes as he studied Weilan's expression. "I still really like that boy. Why didn't Jin Linran come? Is there some sort of grudge between the two of you?"
Shen Yu had known Weilan for years, and he had always been intrigued by his friend's complex demeanor. Jin Weilan was hailed as the greatest actor of his generation, yet beneath his starlit facade, he often displayed a cold detachment towards others, particularly those he didn't know well.
Shen Yu had initially been perplexed by this aloof behavior; he knew there was more to Weilan than met the eye. Yet today, as he looked at his friend, he couldn't shake the feeling that the tension was deeper than usual.
"We're not enemies," Weilan finally replied, his voice steady and calm. "We're brothers who stick together through thick and thin. We share everything we have, and that includes our relationships. Fairness matters to us."
Shen Yu's brows knitted together in confusion. "What?" He leaned closer, lowering his voice to a whisper that was just for Weilan's ears. "Are you saying that if you have a girlfriend, then it's also fair game for him? Am I getting this right?" He sought clarity, his mind racing to wrap around this unexpected revelation.
It was hard to believe that Weilan, someone he thought would be possessive and fiercely loyal to one partner, could embrace such a nonchalant view of romantic relationships. Shen Yu knew that some people adhered to a lifestyle free from traditional limits, where sharing a partner was not only accepted but encouraged. But Weilan? It was a jarring thought.
"Yeah, you're not wrong," Weilan confirmed a hint of amusement in his expression. "We're twins, after all. It's not a problem for us." His laid-back response made Shen Yu exhale sharply, torn between frustration and disbelief. He didn't want to get tangled in the complexities of his friend's unconventional mindset.
For Shen Yu, the concept of love and relationships had always been about exclusivity. To him, even if you were twins or brothers, if you were the first to enter into a relationship, that bond should be yours alone. Sharing, in his eyes, would only invite confusion and jealousy—muddling the affections he held dear. The thought of someone else vying for the attention of the one he loved sent a wave of irritation coursing through him.
He tried to shake his head clear. "Forget it! D*mn it!" Shen Yu thought to himself, feeling exasperated. He found himself grappling with the peculiar lifestyles of billionaires. It was a world he didn't quite understand, and it was perhaps best that he didn't intrude.
***
When Alrich finally returned to the apartment where he and his sons were temporarily staying, he felt a mix of relief and fatigue wash over him. The familiar door creaked open, revealing the cozy yet modest surroundings that had become their home for the time being.
However, as he stepped inside, something caught his eye when he looked back—a man, seemingly around his age, stood outside their building, not too far from his apartment.
He didn't see it when he came, so Alrich was a little bit shocked.
The stranger was casually holding a camera, his gaze focused intently on the surroundings. He appeared lost in thought, almost as if he was studying the very essence of the place. Alrich's entrance went unnoticed, but something compelled him to go and speak up.
"Hey, mister. What are you doing in our building?" Alrich called out, his voice breaking the silence.
The man turned his back slowly to see Alrich for a moment before revealing his face.
What the man saw took him by surprise. The young guy, Alrich, was strikingly handsome, his long hair shining even in the dim light of the evening. It cascaded down his shoulders like a waterfall, mesmerizing in its beauty. But it was the young guy's eyes that truly captured the man's attention—cold and steely, they regarded him with an unsettling intensity.
Yin Felix, the man outside, couldn't believe the sight before him. Here was Alrich, a captivating figure, dressed in plain clothes that somehow only accentuated his allure. In that brief moment, Felix felt a rush of attraction that took him off guard. It wasn't merely Alrich's looks but the aura he emanated; there was something profound about him that spoke to Felix's artistic sensibilities.
Feeling a stirring of purpose within him, Felix soon recalled the reason he was standing outside—in addition to the undeniable charm of Alrich, he realized that the two children who had entered the house were seemingly looking like the guy he was facing.
Their father.
It was a revelation that made Felix's heart race with possibilities.
At just 25 years old, Felix had poured his heart into creating a company that had garnered popularity across various nations. He was selective, prioritizing not just the features of his prospective models but their attitudes as well. He couldn't afford to work with those who, despite having a pretty face, lacked respect or humility. Models were not just to be visually appealing; they needed to carry the ethos of the company that had uplifted them.
He had made a rule: contracts lasted for one year. It was either an end met by his choosing or a breach of contract by the talent. Attitude, disrespect, and any hint of scandal were all grounds for dismissal. Because of this, he had resigned himself to scaling back on recruitment, leaving it to the management team while he took on the role of the final judge of their choices.
As fate had it, Felix's visit to the kindergarten was meant to be a straightforward conversation with his sister, a teacher there.
However, he hadn't counted on the sudden allure of two angelic children who caught his eye. Their laughter filled the air like sweet music, and when they smiled, it felt as though divine light enveloped them, making them almost ethereal.
No matter how many attempts he made to engage them, they seemed untouched by his presence—every time he drew near, they glared at him and sprinted away. The innocence of their youth was striking, but it also sparked Felix's determination to connect.
He resolved to find their parents, believing that, perhaps, they might agree to his proposal for their children's modeling potential.
Before long, he found himself trailing them back home, where he expected to encounter a common household.
It was then that Felix couldn't have anticipated the electric shock of attraction that coursed through him upon meeting Alrich face to face.
The realization hit him like a thunderclap—those beautiful children were not just reflections of their father; they were his replicas, miniatures reflecting Alrich's striking features.
Felix couldn't help but utter a low curse to himself, "Sh*t! How is it even possible that the kids inherited such looks from their father?" He briefly registered his frustration at the irony: though he was drawn to Alrich's beauty, he also sensed an air of complexity in the man that intrigued him.
As Felix stood there, he couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter was loaded with potential—both professionally, in finding the perfect faces for his designs, and personally, in discovering what could lie beyond the surface of Alrich's captivating exterior.