Male Sing and His Pet Owner: Chapter 4

Late at night, Zhao Kaile, wearing slightly oversized new clothes, sat leaning against the cat tree, still finding everything that happened today somewhat unbelievable.

KIKI yawned and came over to lie on his lap, ready to sleep. Zhao Kaile touched its head with a blissful expression, thinking to himself that it was worth it, absolutely worth it, even death would be worth it.

At seven the next morning, Zhan Hang finished washing up and went downstairs. Passing by Zhao Kaile’s room, he deliberately glanced inside. The bed was empty; it seemed he was already up.

He strolled leisurely to the front of the cat room and saw Zhao Kaile leaning against the cat tree, his head bobbing slightly, eyes tightly shut, as if dead asleep. The clothes thrown to him yesterday were indeed a bit too large for Zhao Kaile; he could only roll up the sleeves and pant legs. The skin exposed outside was several shades fairer than Zhan Hang’s. KIKI was lying on his stomach, seeming to quite like this soft spot. TITI walked to the window and crouched there, staring at Zhan Hang with an expressionless face.

Not bad, quite dedicated.

Zhan Hang nodded in approval, pushed the door open, and gently kicked him with his foot.

Zhao Kaile instantly woke up, struggling to open his eyes wide: “Here! Right here, right here!”

Zhan Hang said indifferently: “Didn’t I give you a place to sleep? You came here to steal the cats’ nest?”

Zhao Kaile’s eyes were dark and bruised, clearly having not slept well all night. He hung his head listlessly: “Sorry.”

“If you’re not sleeping, go make breakfast.” Zhan Hang didn’t even look at him, his eyes slowly sweeping across the room.

Zhao Kaile’s consciousness finally returned, and he accurately relocated his position once more—a slave driven by money.

Thus, he replied with utmost respect and exited the cat room, rushing to the kitchen to start cooking.

After Zhan Hang watched him go downstairs, he finally dropped his public persona. Without any regard for his image, he sat on a small stool, his expression hungry and thirsty, picked up KIKI, and gave her a fierce round of sniffing. He rubbed his newly emerged stubble against KIKI, only to be met with her two paws’ ruthless resistance. TITI crouched coolly to one side, glanced at him with disdain, and turned to lick her own fur.

“Brother Hang, what would you like to eat…” Zhao Kaile came back to ask Zhan Hang specifically what he wanted to eat, only to witness this utterly shocking scene. He immediately froze in the doorway, then reacted extremely quickly by voluntarily closing the door, pretending he had seen nothing. Zhan Hang: “…Come back!”

Zhao Kaile came back.

Zhan Hang put the cat down and asked nonchalantly: “What can you make?”

Zhao Kaile: “All… all kinds of porridge.”

“Whatever.” Zhan Hang said: “Make it sweet.”

Zhao Kaile agreed submissively, closed the door, and ran off in terror.

A dozen minutes later, in the dining room.

Zhan Hang tasted a mouthful of sweet potato and millet porridge. Zhao Kaile watched his reaction nervously.

“Not bad.” Zhan Hang gave a simple two-word evaluation, ate a few casual bites, and stopped.

Zhao Kaile breathed a sigh of relief. He discovered that Zhan Hang in the early morning seemed less aggressive than before.

Zhan Hang sat there looking at him, then glanced at the porridge. Zhao Kaile inexplicably understood his meaning, pointed at himself in surprise, and Zhan Hang nodded.

“…”

Could it be that the previous assistant left because they couldn’t communicate with him via brain waves?

Zhao Kaile sat down to drink the porridge. Zhan Hang leaned back in his chair, his medium-length hair casually tucked behind his ears, his bathrobe hanging loosely on his body, inadvertently revealing a bit of chest muscle that wasn’t overly exaggerated. He slightly lowered his eyes, staring at his phone, his long fingers sliding gently across the screen.

Zhao Kaile couldn’t help but imagine what content he was looking at.

Zhan Hang suddenly asked: “Are you Bai Li’s relative?”

“I am…” Zhao Kaile answered honestly: “The university classmate of Sister Li’s cousin.”

Zhan Hang: “What did you study?”

Zhao Kaile said: “Chinese literature.”

Zhan Hang made a sound of acknowledgment: “Remember clearly whose person you are.”

Zhao Kaile was instantly thunderstruck by this domineering CEO-style remark, nearly spraying out his porridge. He covered his mouth and coughed for a long time.

Zhan Hang raised an eyebrow looking at him: “Report less to Bai Li about my matters in the future, understand?”

Zhao Kaile said embarrassedly: “Understand, understand, understand.”

After breakfast, Zhao Kaile hurriedly followed the schedule Lu Jiayin had given him. Before departure, he confirmed once more the things he needed to bring. When he got in the car, he still had that uneasy feeling of having forgotten to turn off the gas at home. Because Zhao Kaile hadn’t officially driven on the road since getting his license, Bai Li wasn’t very reassured, so the driver was still the same one who used to pick up Zhan Hang a man in his forties.

“Why so nervous.” Zhan Hang looked out the window and said leisurely: “Today we’re just shooting an advertisement, not some big occasion.”

Zhao Kaile trembled: “I understand.”

The driver chuckled: “Everyone’s nervous on their first day at work. Young man, keep at it, do your best.”

Zhao Kaile relaxed slightly: “Phew… thank you, I will.”

Zhan Hang let out a contemptuous snort, seemingly scoffing at the driver’s words of encouragement.

The advertisement they were shooting today was an invitation from an emerging Chinese streetwear brand to Zhan Hang. The moment Zhao Kaile got out of the car, a wave of hot air slapped him in the face. The burning sensation made him a bit dizzy.

Zhan Hang asked with a fake smile behind him: “Do you need another two hours?”

Zhao Kaile hurriedly jumped out, stepped aside, and bowed respectfully to hold an umbrella for him, saying: “Brother Hang, please take it slow, watch your step.”

Zhan Hang was nearly ten centimeters taller than him. Zhao Kaile holding things in one hand and an umbrella in the other was truly awkward, but fortunately, the advertising company entrance wasn’t far. When they entered, several young women hurriedly came to greet Zhan Hang, calling out enthusiastically “Teacher Zhan Hang” and “Brother Hang,” then smilingly led him to the makeup room.

At this moment, Zhan Hang magically changed his face to reveal a gentle and handsome smile, greeting politely: “Hello everyone.” He was completely different from the person he was in front of Zhao Kaile.

Zhao Kaile watched in awe. In a moment of carelessness, he was squeezed to the back. He could only hug his bulging bag of things and pitifully follow behind. When he finally squeezed to the door of the makeup room, he was stopped by two security guards who cast inquiring looks at him.

Zhan Hang sat in front of the makeup mirror. Not seeing Zhao Kaile’s figure, he turned around and saw him squeezed at the door, struggling to explain. He immediately had a black line on his face and had to speak to bring him in.

“Let him in, he’s my new assistant.” Zhan Hang said to the two of them.

The two security guards hurriedly nodded and apologized, inviting Zhao Kaile in.

A slightly older female makeup artist who had some acquaintance with Zhan Hang saw this and teased: “Little handsome guy, why are your eye circles so dark and bruised? Let me put some concealer on you?”

Zhao Kaile said awkwardly: “First day at work, didn’t sleep well last night… sorry, sorry.”

Several female assistants all laughed. They surrounded Zhan Hang and began to work on his hair and makeup, occasionally praising that Brother Hang’s skin was really good. Zhan Hang’s attitude toward them was very good, completely unlike the condescending and cutting manner he had shown in front of Zhao Kaile.

Having truly not slept well last night, Zhao Kaile nearly fell asleep while waiting for Zhan Hang to get ready. His head leaned against the chair back, his mouth slightly open, saliva nearly about to drip out.

Zhan Hang finished his styling. Turning around and seeing him in this state, he was immediately speechless. However, he couldn’t go over and kick Zhao Kaile in front of so many people. He could only approach with a smile, bend down, and gently pat his face a few times, smiling while gritting his teeth: “Wake up, Zhao Kaile, get up and work.”

Zhao Kaile’s eyes half-opened and half-closed. In his daze, he saw an exceptionally handsome face smilingly appear before him. He sucked in a bit of saliva and said blankly: “Handsome guy…”

“Get up!” Zhan Hang slightly raised his volume. With his back to everyone, he bared his fangs viciously at Zhao Kaile, pinching his face hard: “Are you here to take care of me or am I here to take care of you? Hmm?”

Zhao Kaile was pinched into a jolt, scared completely awake. He hurriedly stood up, launching into a triple combo of apology, bow, and guarantee: “Sorry sorry sorry sorry…”

Zhan Hang straightened his body, resumed his gentle expression: “Let’s go.”

Several female assistants discussed among themselves: “Brother Hang truly is the male god of our industry, huh? He’s so nice even to a new little assistant.” “Yeah yeah, his temper is really good, not arrogant at all.” “Brother Hang is the eternal god in my heart!”

The door opened, and outside the makeup room it was even more chaotic. Everywhere were working people holding files, phones, or equipment, rushing back and forth. Zhao Kaile followed closely behind everyone, trying hard to keep his eyes wide open and stay awake.

Hold on, Zhao Kaile, ten thousand a month! Ten freaking thousand a month!

“Zhan Hang’s here?” A short-haired woman who was discussing with the photographer looked up and saw Zhan Hang, hurriedly coming over with a beaming smile: “Just waiting for you. Those few still aren’t quick enough with their hands? Wasting time.”

“Sister Jiang.” Zhan Hang smiled: “Then I must speak up for the beauties. They’re already quite efficient.”

“Alright alright, let’s not chatter.” Jiang Yun laughed heartily, then clapped her hands and said to everyone: “Starting work! What’s that thing in the middle? Whoever dropped it, pick it up quickly. Starting work, starting work.”

Zhan Hang sat in a chair on one side, going over the script to get into the mood. The director sat across from him observing his expression. The props teacher did a final check of the props. The lighting technician shouted at the assistant to adjust the position. Meanwhile, Zhao Kaile, temporarily idle, was afraid of falling asleep again. He didn’t dare sit, only stood pressed against the wall perfectly straight. A set worker sister brought a stool for him to sit, but he politely declined.

“Are you Brother Hang’s new assistant? Haven’t seen you before.” That sister didn’t insist, simply sitting down herself: “Isn’t it tiring holding all that stuff? Put it on the floor.”

Zhao Kaile thought, oh right.

Am I stupid, why have I been hugging this huge bag this whole time??

“I’m new.” He replied: “Hehehe, there are many things I don’t understand. I still need to learn a lot from all of you.”

“I understand, I understand. The first time is always nervous. You’ll get used to it after running around more.” After comforting him, the sister changed the subject: “Oh right, is Brother Hang good to you?”

“…” Zhao Kaile said tactfully: “Very good. Brother Hang treats me like a friend.”

Hearing this, the sister immediately let out a disappointed “oh,” her expression full of the disappointment of not having extracted any gossip or secrets.

Zhao Kaile still smiled at her, thinking to himself hehe, want to bully the newcomer? Your tricks aren’t enough.

The sister sized him up and asked again: “Why are your eye circles so dark? He didn’t let you sleep? Or does he sleep on the bed while you sleep on the floor?”

“…” Zhao Kaile didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, explaining once more: “I was too nervous on my first day at work and didn’t sleep well all night.”

Seeing that she was about to ask more, Zhao Kaile stood up in a panic, dragging his bag and running off, saying he urgently needed to use the restroom.

He was greatly alarmed, thinking to himself no way, no way, could it be that celebrity private life scandals are all spread like this??