Chapter Text
The thick smell of cigarette smoke in the penthouse made Zheng Hai frown. With the instincts of someone who had undergone special training, he could read the room in just three seconds: the windows were closed, the curtains were drawn, and the man on the sofa was trapping himself in an invisible cage.
Zheng Hai placed the stack of schedules on the table, but the dry sound didn't make JianCi blink. The hotsearch headlines about "depraved past" or "complicated relationships" were still flashing across his phone screen.
"Do you want to tell me about this?" Zheng Hai's voice was deep, carrying the weight of an older man, someone who not only protected the body but also the honor of his target.
But JianCi's answer was like a bucket of cold water thrown on his dedication. "It's none of your business."
The bodyguard fell silent. A prolonged silence that seemed to freeze the air. He looked at JianCi, who was trying to put on a brave face, but his trembling shoulders and the half-smoked cigarette betrayed his inner brokenness. Over the past six months, they had been intimately involved on that bed countless times, but now, the line between "bodyguard" and "boss" was drawn sharply and clearly, like a razor blade.
Without arguing or wanting to cause further trouble, Zheng Hai approached, bent down to extinguished the cigarette and then carry him up.
Zheng Hai's inner turmoil was a jumble of sorrow and anger.
When he touched JianCi's body, all he felt was his stiffness. His boss was so thin. So thin that it made his hardened heart ache. He knew every inch of his skin, knew where the small scars from his arduous trainee days were, knew where his most sensitive spots were. But he also knew that he had never truly been able to delve into the past that caused him so much pain.
In the bathroom, steam began to rise. Zheng Hai meticulously wiped away the cigarette ash clinging to JianCi's slender fingers. He looked at him in the mirror: a fading star in its own brilliance. He was angry that JianCi didn't trust him, angry that he would rather suffer alone than fall into his arms for protection.
"Are you planning to face thousands of cameras out there with this lifeless appearance?" Zheng Hai thought to himself, but his lips remained tightly pressed together. He wouldn't allow personal feelings to override professionalism.
He helped JianCi put on his simple black shirt. Each button was fastened with utmost patience. When his fingers touched JianCi's throat to adjust his collar, he felt the rapid, pounding pulse of the younger one. The distance was so close that he could see the bloodshot eyes of the poor star who had stayed awake all night.
-
About 4 years ago, the name Tan JianCi began to become a phenomenon, sweeping the charts. But along with the fame came prolonged mental crises. After a scandal where a former teammate betrayed him, shifting all legal responsibility onto him and forcing him to pay a huge contract compensation, JianCi became hardened and lost faith in humanity. He plunged into all-night parties, using recklessness to fill the gaping void in his heart.
JianCi's father—a powerful man who always looked at his son with disappointment—decided to intervene. He brought Zheng Hai back.
Zheng Hai was unlike any bodyguard JianCi had ever seen. He was a former military officer, someone who had experienced real battles where the line between life and death was as thin as a hair. Zheng Hai possessed a physique as solid as granite, an angular face that rarely showed emotion, and sharp eyes that could see through any lie.
"From now on, Zheng Hai will manage all of your schedules and security. No exceptions." – His father's declaration was like a prison sentence for JianCi.
JianCi hated Zheng Hai. He hated the way he stood imposingly in the corner of the room, a constant reminder of his control. In retaliation, JianCi began his crazy provocations.
The dim lights of the five-star hotel hallway were so quiet that he could hear the ticking of the clock. Zheng Hai stood there, his back straight as a spear, his simple black jacket gleaming without a single wrinkle. He was a true fortress, separating the chaos of the outside world from the private space of the "little boss."
Inside the room, JianCi's laughter rang out, deliberately louder than necessary. He was with a male actor who had returned with him from a wrap-up party. The thumping music, the clinking of glasses, and the sounds of sex, half real, half imaginary, began to seep through the crack in the door, assaulting the sensitive ears of the veteran soldier.
Zheng Hai didn't move. His gaze remained fixed on the space in front of him, calmly, almost cruelly so.
Half an hour later, the door swung open. JianCi stepped out, his shirt collar slipping down, revealing his pale skin covered in red marks. He leaned against the door frame, his hair disheveled, his hazy, watery eyes staring straight at the man standing guard. His male co-star behind him also stepped out, his face slightly flustered by the cold, oppressive aura emanating from the bodyguard.
JianCi smirked, a smile full of provocation and arrogance. He approached Zheng Hai, so close that the scent of wine and the unfamiliar perfume on him assaulted Zheng Hai's nostrils.
"Hai-ge," JianCi whispered, his voice deliberately hoarse. "You've been standing here all this time... did you hear anything? Did you find it... interesting?"
He held his breath, his pupils dilating, intently observing the slightest change in Zheng Hai's angular face. He wanted to see a disdainful frown, a look of disgust, or at least a hint of embarrassment at this brazen indecency. He wanted him to break free from that dignified facade and scold him, so he would have reason to believe that he was just like everyone else, seeing him as nothing more than a commodity.
But, nothing.
The bodyguard lowered his gaze, his eyes still as calm as a winter lake. He took a step forward, not to punish, but to adjust JianCi's disheveled shirt. His fingertips accidentally touched JianCi's flushed neck, causing JianCi to shiver.
"The guests have left. You should go shower and go to bed early. We have to be at the airport at 5 a.m. tomorrow."
His voice was low and even, carrying a frightening professionalism. Zheng Hai turned to look at his male co-star, a sharp glance that made him immediately lower his head and walk straight to the elevator.
The smile on JianCi's lips froze and then vanished. He felt like he had just thrown a powerful punch but only hit empty air. This man's endurance and discipline were like a vast ocean; no matter how much garbage he threw into it, he couldn't even muddy it.
"Aren't you disgusted by me?" JianCi snarled, his earlier arrogance now just a fragile shell about to shatter. He wanted to see him angry, wanted to see him despise him so he could yell: "See? I'm rotten like this, go away!"
Zheng Hai was silent for a second, then he leaned slightly and whispered in the shorter one's ear:
"My job is to protect you, not to judge you. But JianCi... next time if you want to put on a show, choose someone with better acting skills. That guy just now, he was more afraid of me than he liked you."
Zheng Hai stepped back to his original position, continuing to stand there like an emotionless stone statue. His eyes held no disgust, only a profound sadness, like watching a child try to hurt himself.
JianCi stood frozen, his face flushed red at being exposed. He felt both humiliated and a strange electric current running down his spine. It turned out that all his antics had been observed by him. He wasn't disgusted by him, he only saw him... pitiful.
-
Thing started in that summer, after a lavish brand after party filled with insincere flirtatious remarks, JianCi was completely exhausted. He had laughed, drunk, and done everything to prove he was okay in front of Zheng Hai.
The deafening music of the brand's reception still echoed in his ears, but the luxurious car was now so quiet that he could hear his own breathing. JianCi sat in the back seat, his head resting against the cold window, his eyes glazed over as he watched the streetlights flash by like lifeless streaks of light.
He wasn't that drunk. JianCi had a considerable tolerance for alcohol, sober enough to know what he was doing. But the loneliness after a long day of acting in front of the cameras was like a poison, seeping into his very bones. He glanced at Zheng Hai's sturdy back in the driver's seat through the rearview mirror. Throughout the party, the man had remained the same, always standing in the darkest corner, his eyes never leaving him for a second, ready to reach out and catch him if he pretended to stumble in the crowd. He craved that attention. He wanted to know if this attention was for "the star Tan JianCi" or for himself?
When they arrived home, Zheng Hai opened the car door, habitually shielding the hood with one hand and supporting JianCi's arm with the other. JianCi seized the opportunity, leaning his entire body weight against him, burying his face in Zheng Hai's neck, greedily inhaling the clean, calm scent of cedar wood from his suit.
"Hai-ge... I'm so dizzy..." JianCi mumbled, his voice thick with a strange, familiar whining tone.
Zheng Hai said nothing, decisively lifting him up. JianCi wrapped his arms around his neck, squeezing tightly. In the elevator, he saw the reflections of the two in the mirror. One was cold and serious; the other arrogant and glamorous, yet clinging to the other like a drowning man finding a lifebuoy.
Entering the bedroom, Zheng Hai gently laid him down on the bed. Just as he was about to get up to fetch warm water, JianCi suddenly yanked at his shirt, causing Zheng Hai to lose his balance and brace himself with his hands on either side of JianCi.
"Don't go..." JianCi opened his eyes, his usually sharp, flirtatious eyes now filled with tears, looking at Zheng Hai with a pitiful, pleading expression. "Hai-ge, sleep with me. I'll pay you extra... any amount. Just don't leave me alone."
He was using his last ounce of pride – money – to mask his pathetic state. He wanted to use sex to bind this man, to shatter his professionalism and find a little genuine warmth. He feared the darkness of this large house, feared the feeling of waking up alone. He hadn't even realized when the name "Hai-ge" had become his only solace.
Zheng Hai looked deep into his eyes. His eyes were no longer cold as they had been at the door, but instead showed a heart-wrenching sorrow. He understood that this little star was breaking.
Zheng Hai slowly loosened his grip on his tie. JianCi felt a pang of disappointment, his heart constricting, thinking he had been rejected again, about to be abandoned again. But his bodyguard didn't leave. He sat down beside him, taking off his stiff suit jacket and tossing it aside.
He lay down, spread his large arms, and pulled JianCi into his embrace. JianCi's head rested on his chest, listening to the steady, strong beat of his heart.
"I don't need your money," Zheng Hai said, his voice low and warm, his large hand gently stroking JianCi's disheveled hair. "You don't need to seduce me, nor do you need to pretend to be drunk. Sleep, I'm right here."
JianCi was stunned. He had prepared for an argument, or a wild, passionate encounter, but he hadn't prepared for this tenderness. His last shred of defense crumbled. JianCi buried his face in Zheng Hai's chest, his shoulders trembling. He couldn't speak a word, only silent tears soaked Zheng Hai's shirt.
For the first time in years, JianCi no longer felt like a lonely star high above. In his bodyguard's arms, he felt allowed to be weak, allowed to be clumsy, and allowed to be himself. He drifted off to sleep amidst Zheng Hai's scent, strangely peaceful, though still apprehensive that this was just a fleeting summer dream.
-
The car slowly pulled into the back lobby of the film studio, where hundreds of fans were crowded around with support signs and skeptical glances.
Although his shoulders still trembled beneath his suit jacket, the moment the car door opened, JianCi seemed to be reprogrammed. He brushed aside his brokenness, flashing a radiant smile – the signature smile that had propelled him to the top. He bowed, his eyes sparkling as if the malicious rumors outside were completely harmless. Zheng Hai stood right behind him, his eyes like radar scanning every small movement, his arm always at a perfect distance, ready to support him at any moment.
Only when the car door slammed shut, completely separating him from the crowd, the smile on JianCi's lips vanish. He let out a sigh, his body collapsing onto the leather seat. His last ounce of strength had been drained. Before darkness enveloped him, he only felt a warm hand on his cheek and heard Zheng Hai's deep, worried voice in his ear.
When JianCi opened his eyes again, the space had turned white, like a luxurious rest room.
The setting sun cast a languid orange glow on the pristine white bedsheets. The silence was so profound that JianCi could hear the steady murmur of the IV drip. He wearily closed his eyes, but then a warm, rough sensation enveloped the back of his hand.
Zheng Hai wasn't sitting two meters away as per security protocols. He was sitting right on the edge of the bed, so close that JianCi could feel the heat radiating from the man's body.
When JianCi stirred slightly, Zheng Hai immediately leaned down. His hand—a hand accustomed to rifle butts and life-or-death close combat—now touched the boy's cheek with utmost care, as if the boy were the most precious crystal in the world, capable of shattering with a single gentle touch. His thumb slowly traced the skin beneath the boy's eyes, erasing the traces of weariness.
This gesture was completely different from his previous lovers. They had come to him for the spotlight, for the dazzling beauty on stage; their touches always carried a possessiveness and a desire to own a precious "toy." Zheng Hai, however, touched him as if soothing a bleeding soul.
"Hai-ge..." JianCi whispered, his lips dry.
Zheng Hai didn't let him continue. He slowly leaned down, his warm breath enveloping the boy's face. The first kiss landed softly on his forehead, an absolute protection. Then came his half-closed eyes, as if he wanted to seal away all the pain that JianCi had just witnessed through the camera lenses.
Finally, his lips touched JianCi's.
It wasn't a passionate, impulsive kiss like their previous nights of revelry. This was a deep, slow, and soothing kiss. His tongue gently glided over JianCi's pale lips, persistent and patient, just as he had stood guard behind him for so many years. In that moment, JianCi felt all the torment, all the shackles of the scandal outside, disappear. Only the pounding of his heart and the clean scent of cedar wood enveloped all his senses.
"Duo Duo... be good."
That nickname was uttered in the middle of the kiss, low and magnetic, making JianCi's whole body go limp. Zheng Hai slipped his hand behind JianCi's neck, supporting his head to deepen the kiss. As their bodies pressed close together, JianCi felt the firmness of Hai's muscles beneath his thin shirt. The contact wasn't just physical; it was a transmission of strength.
Each of Zheng Hai's kisses was like a healing balm, mending the broken pieces in his heart. JianCi unconsciously clung to his shoulders, pulling him closer. He felt like he was literally "coming back to life." In his arms, he wasn't a star being criticized by the world he was simply Zheng Hai's own Duo Duo.
Although his very last reason screamed that this was probably just dependence, that love was a luxury he could never attain, his body reacted more honestly than anything else. He trembled as he received Zheng Hai's tender touch, feeling like he was the only one protected by him amidst the sea of people outside.
Zheng Hai's extreme gentleness was the sweetest poison, making JianCi realize: no matter what hell lay outside, as long as this man called his name, he would never give up.
-
Their relationship began to blossom during a sweltering summer, after JianCi had just finished filming a heavy psychological movie. After three grueling months immersed in his character, he emerged from the set with a shattered and utterly empty soul. In the secluded seaside villa in Thailand his father had arranged for him to "rest," which was actually a form of confinement under Zheng Hai's supervision, the darkness began to speak.
Initially, it was merely acts of release. JianCi, with his arrogant nature but scarred soul, began to use his own body to provoke the patience of the stoic man. He deliberately left his bedroom door unlocked, lying under the dim bedside lamp, caressing himself amidst half-real, half-illusory moans. He wanted Zheng Hai to see, to disgust him, or at least to make him break down that cold, professional facade.
But Zheng Hai wasn't disgusted. On a night of torrential rain, when the roaring waves drowned out the sound of his heart, he crossed that boundary. Instead of closing the door and leaving, Zheng Hai stood in the dark corner, watching the little star writhing in loneliness. And then, his rough hands, accustomed only to weapons, touched him. Initially, it was awkward help to "reach the finish line," but gradually, curiosity about the other's body and the need for warmth pushed them further.
From cautious external masturbation, they progressed to oral sex – a silent submission and surrender. JianCi was captivated by the feeling of seeing a disciplined man like Zheng Hai kneel before him, but it was he who trembled whenever Zheng Hai's hands tightened around his waist, suppressing any resistance. That ambiguity progressed, from superficial physical contact to a true merging as his bodyguard penetrated deep inside him. It wasn't a brutal act of conquest, but a painful yet satisfying fulfillment, where Zheng Hai used his burning heat to burn away the coldness that enveloped JianCi.
Each time they reached their climax, they chose to ejaculate inside – a dangerous yet alluring act of surrender. Deep down, both deceived themselves into believing it was just a game of amusement, a mutual comfort for two lonely souls. They didn't talk about the future, didn't define love, simply treating each other as a temporary painkiller.
Therefore, two parallel, extreme worlds existed between them: During the day, in front of the media and fans, they were a perfect pair. Zheng Hai remained the cold bodyguard with his shiny black leather jacket, standing exactly two meters away from JianCi according to security rules, his sharp eyes always vigilant for any danger. JianCi remained a proud and arrogant star, sometimes deliberately acting aloof or ignoring Zheng Hai to maintain that inseparable "boss-employee" distance. They acted so well that the whole world believed that their relationship was solely based on contracts and money.
But when night fell, behind closed doors, that mask completely shattered. They shed their clothes, shed their identities, to become two wounded little beasts, clinging to each other on the disheveled bedsheets. In the darkness, JianCi was no longer the universally adored star, he was just a small creature emitting instinctive moans of pleasure beneath Zheng Hai's sturdy body. And Zheng Hai, he shed his mental uniform, using his broad shoulders and warm chest as a haven for him. They licked each other's wounds with kisses, each touch full of enchantment, immersed in a pleasure they both believed was fleeting.
Each time the encounter ended, Zheng Hai would silently put on his black jacket and return to his guard post, restoring the cold silence of the room to JianCi. They lived in that cycle for half a year, believing their hearts remained safe behind the walls of their agreement, unaware that their breaths and heartbeats had long since merged into one from those nameless, passionate nights.
-
A barrage of malicious posts rained down like acid, turning JianCi's hot search rankings into a notorious "graveyard." Meticulously edited screenshot, fabricated stories about relationships with numerous girls… everything pointed to this not as a coincidence, but as a meticulously planned campaign to eliminate him from the shadows.
In the stifling meeting room, the lawyers and managers paced anxiously. JianCi sat in the center, yet he seemed completely detached from the surrounding panic.
"Tan-laoshi, you must be honest with us," the manager leaned forward, his voice low and filled with concern, "The girls in the pictures… are you really involved with them? We need to know to find a way to put an end to this."
JianCi subtly curled his lips, a half-smile full of mockery. He didn't look at the manager, but slowly twirled the ring on his finger.
"Those people?" He replied in an unusually calm tone, "They're not the most worrying cases. They're not even worthy of being a 'problem' to me."
JianCi's gaze remained fixed on the tall figure standing silently in the corner of the room. The bodyguard approached, his movements precise and mechanical, like a machine programmed to serve him. He brewed him a strong cup of coffee, made to his liking, then pulled out a cigarette, casually placed it to JianCi's lips, and lit it for him. Thick white smoke billowed out, partially obscuring the beautiful but cold face of the star.
JianCi thought to himself, if his enemy truly wanted to find a "weak point" to finish him off, that weak point was right here, holding the lighter for him. But precisely because he was his greatest weakness, he wanted to hide him even deeper in his own shadows.
When the meeting ended, the door closed, leaving only the two of them in their private space. The earlier feigned professionalism vanished completely. JianCi leaned back in the couch, casually resting his long, slender legs on Zheng Hai's lap – a clearly provocative and possessive gesture.
Zheng Hai wasn't surprised, nor did he resist. He calmly accepted the legs, his large, warm hands enveloping JianCi's tiny ankles. He began to gently massage them, his rough fingers moving over the smooth skin with a strange tenderness.
"Aren't you going to ask me about those girls?" JianCi looked at him through the smoke, his eyes full of scrutiny.
"My job is to protect you from those who want to touch you, not to protect you from your own past," Zheng Hai replied, his voice low and steady like a still lake.
JianCi chuckled, a laugh full of triumph. He liked the way his bodyguard always maintained boundaries, yet simultaneously tolerated his excessive behavior. He could calmly face the storm of public opinion because he knew it was all just a game, and he held the trump card. He wasn't afraid of losing his glory; he was only afraid of losing control.
He bent down, his fingers running through Zheng Hai's short hair, pulling him closer. Looking into his deep eyes, JianCi felt a crazy satisfaction. In the chessboard his opponent was setting up to destroy him, JianCi believed he could control everything – including the man kneeling at his feet.
He believed he was controlling Zheng Hai, but he didn't realize that Zheng Hai's very presence was the only thing keeping him from truly going insane amidst the world's insults.
The smoke mingled with the bitter smell of coffee, creating an atmosphere thick with possessiveness. JianCi stared intently at the top of Zheng Hai's head as he bent down, meticulously massaging his ankle. His hands were strong, yet when they touched him, they were as light as a feather. JianCi looked at him with the gaze of a king looking at his most loyal subject, someone he believed he had completely under his control.
JianCi deliberately used his toes to lightly brush against Zheng Hai's shirt, a teasing, demeaning gesture, as if testing the man's ultimate limit.
"Hai-ge, tell me... if I'm truly as rotten as they say, would you feel that being by my side protecting me is an insult to your ideals?"
Zheng Hai's hand paused for a moment, but he didn't look up. He understood exactly what JianCi was doing. He was deliberately rubbing salt into the wound, deliberately using his own flaws to force him to resist, to judge. Only when he judged him did the boy feel he still had influence over his emotions. JianCi wanted to use sex, dependence, and even his troubles to shackle him. He wanted him to "take it for granted"—to consider his presence as a matter of course, an undeniable obligation.
Zheng Hai knew he was being controlled. He knew JianCi was using this ambiguous physical relationship as a kind of invisible chain. But instead of anger, only boundless sorrow welled up inside him. He realized that this arrogance was actually the cry for help from a soul weary of betrayal. The boy would rather be the villain to control others than be the good one and trampled upon.
Zheng Hai gently took his boss's foot, pressing it against his cheek. This action showed no weakness; on the contrary, it carried the forgiving nature of a giant towards a child trying to act aggressively.
"My ideals have never been the praises of the crowd out there," Zheng Hai said, his voice low and steady like a vow. "My ideal is to ensure that when you're tired, you have a place to lean on without having to pretend. If you want to use me to feel powerful, then go ahead. I'm willing to let you use me."
JianCi was stunned. His smug, triumphant smile froze. He had prepared for mechanical submission, or silent endurance, but he hadn't prepared for Zheng Hai to see through his entire innermost thoughts and accept them so gently.
He felt like someone trying to suffocate a ghost, the tighter he squeezed the more ethereal and vast the other became. He wanted to control Zheng Hai, but it turned out that Zheng Hai's unconditional submission was what was "imprisoning" him. He indulged him completely, giving him the right to be spoiled, the right to treat him as a tool... only for him to realize he couldn't live without this "tool" full of human feelings.
In the empty room, JianCi suddenly felt his arrogant mask shatter. He recoiled, not to push him away, but to throw himself into his arms, burying his face in those broad shoulders. He realized a bitter truth: He couldn't control him. It was he who was controlling his heartbeat with his silence and patience.
He clung to him, moaning weakly, while Zheng Hai leisurely held him, his hand stroking his spine as if comforting a small animal exhausted after a hopeless scream. JianCi opened his eyes, rested his chin on Zheng Hai's shoulder, and whispered in his ear, "I want to..."
Zheng Hai flicked his forehead, couldn't help but laugh, and replied, "You'll have to wait till I finish my shift."
"Right now, I want to do it." JianCi blinked at Zheng Hai. The bodyguard could feel JianCi's thighs on either side of his lap, could feel the desperation in JianCi's kiss. Teeth scraped against Zheng Hai's bottom lip, and he realized just how badly JianCi wanted to get fucked.
He bent down and lifted the lapel of JianCi's white shirt, revealing his chest. JianCi's chest was firm, rising and falling like round, white mounds, looking soft and easy to pinch. His areolas were large, looking more alluring and seductive than even the small, delicate nipples.
Zheng Hai licked one nipple, while one hand gently but firmly massaged the other breast. Without breaking the kiss, Zheng Hai slid his hands under the waistband of JianCi's sweatpants, nudging them off. JianCi was the one to pull away, shucking them off along with his pants before leaning in for another kiss. His other hand, lubricated, slowly and rhythmically began to penetrate JianCi's anus. He skillfully massaged JianCi's sensitive spots, and a flush gradually appeared on JianCi's face, causing him to let out soft moans from deep in his throat. Zheng Hai observed the contact surface; the lubricant had mixed with JianCi's secretions, oozing out in small sounds.
JianCi's chest was marked with red from the friction. Zheng Hai then moved on to licking the other nipple, quickly using his fingers to caress the erect nipple. A tingling sensation spread through JianCi's head, causing him to reach down and scratch Zheng Hai's back, saying, "Enough, just put it in." JianCi always felt that Zheng Hai filled him perfectly and usually loved to spend some time reveling in the sensation of this, but not today. Today he needed to be fucked.
"Ride me and we'll both feel good, how's that?" Zheng Hai drops a few light kisses to JianCi's jaw, as though it'll sweeten the deal. JianCi doesn't answer verbally, he just lifts himself up and starting fucking himself down.
Zheng Hai groans too; the sensation of JianCi's tight hole practically sucking him in too much to bear silently. "Duo Duo, your ass always feels so fucking good." Zheng Hai began with slow, gentle thrusts, allowing JianCi to get used to his size and speed. The feeling of his rear end slowly being filled sent shivers of pleasure through JianCi. With each contraction and expansion, he couldn't bear the thought that Zheng Hai's slow pace would leave him feeling empty for too long. JianCi wrapped his arms around his bodyguard's neck, urging him to go faster.
They both moaned at the sensation. His bodyguard felt so fucking good inside him. JianCi started to ride him, clenching his ass and shivering with pleasure as Zheng Hai brushed up against his prostate.
"Duo Duo, slow down, I'm not gonna last like this," Zheng Hai warns him, fingers gripping JianCi's hips so hard he's sure to leave bruises for the morning.
"It's alright, I'm close too," JianCi assures him, a hand reaching down to stroke his own dripping cock. "I just want you to fill me up."
His grip on JianCi's hips turns to steel, and he starts bucking his hips up, relishing in the breathless squeaks and gasps JianCi lets out every time Zheng Hai shoves inside to the hilt. "Right there, don't stop, don't stop..."
Zheng Hai felt himself getting closer to his climax so reached down to begin stroking JianCi cock in time with his strokes. It only took a few strokes before JianCi came with a shout of the bodyguard's name.The sound JianCi made when he orgasmed was absolutely gorgeous. Zheng Hai continued to fuck JianCi through his orgasm until the tightness became too much and he pushed himself as far in to his lover as possible before cumming with a shout of his own, deep inside his boss.
Zheng Hai knew JianCi liked this and always indulged him so after they had got their breath back, he stood up and dragged JianCi up off the sofa so that they could take a shower. JianCi fell in to his bodyguard arms and they stood exchanging, lazy, sated kisses through their grins.
Zheng Hai knew that no matter how the boy treated him, he would still be here. Because for him, being "used" by the boy was a kind of happiness that he would willingly trade his whole life to maintain.
-
The stage for the new song's debut was a sea of lights and enthusiastic cheers, but for JianCi, it felt like a silent performance. Instinctively, after each act, he would search for a tall figure standing in the dark corner of the wings – someone always ready with a bottle of warm water and a towel, their eyes never leaving him for a second.
But today, that spot was empty. Standing there was another bodyguard, professional but unfamiliar.
"Where's Hai-ge?" JianCi asked, his voice sharp despite his labored breathing after the dance.
"Zheng Hai took the day off, didn't he? He handed over his duties last week, the schedule is still on track..." The assistant's voice trailed off as she saw JianCi's face darken.
He realized he had forgotten, or rather, he had never really bothered, that Zheng Hai was also a human being who needed his own space. In JianCi's world, Zheng Hai was a constant, an entity always present like air. This sudden absence felt like a slap in the face to his self-esteem. He felt so empty he was going crazy, and that anger quickly turned into blind possessiveness.
Immediately after the performance ended, while the entire team was packing up to fly back to Beijing, JianCi separated himself from the group and called Zheng Hai.
"Tomorrow, you have to be in Haikou. Pick me up," he ordered, his voice arrogant and leaving no room for refusal.
There was a long silence on the other end of the line, then Zheng Hai's weary and heavy sigh came through: "Don't make a fuss, JianCi. I've already taken leave to deal with personal matters. Just fly back to Beijing with the team as scheduled."
"I don't care!" JianCi yelled, his extreme possessiveness causing him to lose all reason. "If I don't see you in Haikou tomorrow, I'll leave the hotel on my own without bodyguards. Do you want to see me in the hotsearch again?"
That pressure was a fatal blow. JianCi used his own safety to blackmail Zheng Hai emotionally. On the other end of the line, Zheng Hai remained silent, a silence filled with utter helplessness and rage.
The next day, Zheng Hai appeared in the Haikou hotel lobby with a haggard face and bloodshot eyes. He had driven through the night to get there on time. When the car door closed, the cramped space erupted in an unprecedented argument.
"What do you think I am? A toy? Or a dog that runs to you at the sound of a whistle?" – Zheng Hai roared, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white. This was the first time he had lost his military composure in front of him.
JianCi was not afraid. He leaned back in his chair, his beautiful lips curving into a mocking smile. He looked at him with the eyes of a hunter who had caught his biggest prey. He liked seeing Zheng Hai angry, liked seeing him break all his rules for him, because it proved that he was still under his control.
"Hai-ge, are you angry?" He moved closer, his long, slender fingers lightly tracing the tense, angry cheek of his bodyguard. "Didn't you say you willingly let me use you? You won't escape my grasp."
Zheng Hai brushed his hand away, his gaze now devoid of its usual indulgence, replaced by a chilling, icy warning.
"JianCi, you're crossing the line." His voice deepened, sharp as a knife. "My patience has its limits. If you continue to use these despicable tricks to trample on the last shred of respect between us, I will be forced to end it all. Not just this relationship, but my bodyguard job as well."
The smile on JianCi's lips froze. For the first time, he felt a chill run down his spine. He suddenly realized he had been too complacent. He could control his schedule, his body, but he couldn't control the will of a man who inherently belonged to freedom. His extreme possessiveness seemed to have pushed the only person who truly protected him into a corner.
The air inside the car seemed to be drained of oxygen. Zheng Hai's warning wasn't a mere threat; it carried the weight of a death sentence for JianCi's already fragile inner world.
The smile on his lips faded, then vanished completely. JianCi stared intently at the man beside him – the one who had uttered the word "end" so cruelly. He was used to Zheng Hai being an unshakeable wall, someone who would silently endure any torment he inflicted. But now, that wall was cracking, threatening to collapse and bury him in its rubble.
"What did you say?" JianCi heard his voice tremble, his earlier arrogance now a thin layer of melting ice.
Zheng Hai didn't look at him. He started the engine and decisively pressed the accelerator. The car sped down the highway towards the airport, as fast and decisive as his current mood.
"I told you, I'm not a pawn in your game. You can control the entertainment industry, you can manipulate public opinion with your silence, but you're not allowed to trample on my private life to satisfy your selfishness," Zheng Hai said, each word filled with profound disappointment. "If you truly consider me just an object to control, then you've chosen the wrong person."
The rest of the journey was marked by a deathly silence. JianCi sat huddled in the leather chair, his hands clasped tightly together. He wanted to scream, to say that he did it only because he was afraid. He was afraid of waking up in a strange city and not seeing him backstage. He was afraid that if he tasted freedom, he would realize that being with a "rotten" and troublesome person like him was a burden.
But his overwhelming ego choked him. He didn't know how to apologize, nor did he know how to admit that he loved him madly. He only knew how to use possessiveness as a facade to hide a bleeding heart.
Upon arriving in Beijing, as soon as the car stopped in the apartment building's underground parking lot, Zheng Hai didn't wait for him to get out first as usual. He took out the key, got out of the car, and opened the trunk to retrieve his luggage – the meager amount he had brought from Haikou.
JianCi rushed out of the car, running after him and grabbing his arm. "Hai-ge! Where are you going? You still have your shift!"
Zheng Hai froze, slowly turning his head to look at him. His eyes no longer held the warmth of the "Hai-ge" who had held him to sleep that summer night. They were now the eyes of a stranger, cold and distant.
"My shift has been replaced. From now until the end of the week, I will take unpaid leave so you can find someone new, or so you can reconsider how we treat each other." – Zheng Hai gently removed JianCi's hand from his sleeve, one finger at a time, slowly but heartlessly. "Don't use your safety to blackmail me anymore. It only makes me see you as pathetic and... worthless."
The word "worthless" was like a final stab, ending JianCi's resistance. He stood frozen in the deserted parking garage, watching his bodyguard's back disappear behind the emergency elevator door.
That night, for the first time in six months, JianCi faced the vast penthouse with no one guarding the door. He drowned his sorrows in alcohol and half-smoked cigarettes, but no one came to put them out or carry him to the bathroom. He realized he had won the power game, forced Zheng Hai to come to Haikou for him, but the price he paid was the shattering of the only thing that made him feel like a human being.
He curled up on the sofa, where Zheng Hai used to massage his ankles. In the darkness, JianCi burst into tears – a heart-wrenching, broken cry of a child who had just smashed his only cherished toy. He realized that Zheng Hai wasn't the one who couldn't escape his grasp. Rather, he was the one forever imprisoned in this possessive and misguided love.
-
A week without Zheng Hai Hai was a week JianCi lived in hell of self-esteem and loneliness. He deliberately frequented the most notorious nightclubs, intentionally letting paparazzi photograph him drunk alongside unfamiliar faces, with only one goal: to force Zheng Hai to show up. He believed that if he were in danger, that disciplined man would immediately rush over, grab him by the neck, and scold him – that would still be better than this terrifying silence.
But the bodyguard didn't come. His frantic messages only received a cruel "seen" mark.
In the middle of a stormy night in Beijing, JianCi drove frantically to Zheng Hai's private address, which he had begged his manager to find out for him. He stood in front of the simple wooden door, completely soaked, the cold rain soaking into his skin, making him shiver uncontrollably. When the door opened, the warm golden light from inside illuminated the star's pale face. Zheng Hai stood there, stunned, looking at his "boss," who looked more pathetic than ever.
Without waiting for him to speak, Zheng Hai sighed sadly and pulled him inside. As soon as the door closed, JianCi, like a madman, threw himself into Zheng Hai's arms, his cold hands gripping Zheng Hai's waist as if afraid he would vanish into thin air.
"Why... why did you dare leave me?" JianCi screamed, his voice hoarse, a mixture of sobs and anger. "You said you'd protect me? You're satisfied seeing me this pathetic, aren't you?"
He stood on tiptoe, using his lips, numb with cold, to seek Zheng Hai's, a chaotic, desperate, and possessive kiss. Their teeth clashed violently as JianCi greedily sucked on Zheng Hai's tongue. Zheng Hai's initial resistance, anger, and reason were gradually overshadowed by the overwhelming desire he felt for JianCi, he couldn't suppress his craving for him. The sound of teeth clashing subsided, while the sticky, wet sounds of their lips touching grew louder, like two misaligned gears clumsily meshing and beginning to run smoothly.
JianCi wrapped his arms around Zheng Hai's neck, stood on tiptoe, and supported his head, trying his best to kiss him. Zheng Hai wrapped his arms around his waist, his other hand instinctively stroking JianCi's back. JianCi wrapped his arms around him, deliberately leaning forward, pressing his entire body against him, rubbing his soft belly against the other's lower abdomen. He whispered in his ear, gasping and pleading.
"Do it... Hai-ge, please fuck me. I'll give you everything, I'll be good, I won't cause any more trouble. Just don't leave..."
For JianCi, sex was the only language he knew to communicate with the world. He believed that if Zheng Hai still desired his body, it meant he still belonged to him. He used his body as a final shackles to hold onto someone who had already seen through the rottenness within him.
Zheng Hai held JianCi's wrists tightly, using the strength of a soldier to subdue his unruly behavior. He didn't return the kiss, nor did he let him continue his self-degrading actions. He forced JianCi to look him straight in the eyes, his eyes red but resolute. JianCi was confused. He pressed his forehead against Zheng Hai's, rubbing his nose against his face and nose, then whispered, "You don't want me anymore?"
"Duo Duo! Look at me!" Zheng Hai whispered, making JianCi freeze. "Do you think I've been with you for the past year, enduring all your bad habits, just because I wanted to sleep with you?"
He released JianCi's hand, but then hugged the little star's trembling shoulders tightly.
His voice deepened, gently, almost painfully so:
"To me, you're not a sex toy for me to satisfy my boredom. Your value has never been in what you can give me in bed. I left not because I stopped loving you, but because I didn't want to see the person I love turn this love into a cheap power game."
Zheng Hai lifted JianCi's tear-streaked face, using his thumb to wipe away the tears streaming down his face.
"I want you to understand that, even without control, without sex, I'll still be here. But I need a Tan JianCi who values himself, not a star who only uses his body for exchange. This feeling... it's much bigger than you think."
JianCi stood still in Zheng Hai's small room. For the first time, he didn't feel like the "controller." He felt like a real person, loved not for fame, not for fortune, and not for lust. Zheng Hai's sincerity was like warm water, slowly soothing and healing the scars of betrayal from the past, making him realize: He didn't need to control him, because his heart had belonged to him for a long time already.
That night, the rain outside continued to fall incessantly, but the chill was completely dispelled by the warm embrace of Zheng Hai's small room.
After their heart-wrenching confessions, they sought each other not to escape or possess, but to connect. For the first time in six months, their lovemaking was free from agonizing moans and power-hungry thrusts. Zheng Hai cherished JianCi as if he were his only treasure, each kiss gliding down his spine, each warm breath enveloping his skin filled with tenderness. JianCi closed his eyes, completely relaxing his body, no longer trying to control the pleasure but silently feeling the authenticity of Zheng Hai's heartbeat. In the darkness, two souls scarred by pain truly merged into one, gently and peacefully like a flowing stream.
He could feel himself drooling against the pillow, lips parted, breathing uneven and ragged. He didn’t fight it anymore. Didn’t try to regain control. JianCi was lost to it and just let himself sink into the sensation, letting the push and pull of their bodies rock him deeper into the haze. His hips start moving on time with Zheng Hai’s thrusts of their own accord, chasing even more pleasure.
They kiss for a long time, slow and lazy, open mouthed and tongue heavy. Zheng Hai seems unable to stop touching his face, he keeps brushing his knuckles the length of his face or holding his chin as he deepens the kiss or holds his entire face with both hands so delicately it’s like he’s scared JianCi will break. Every time Zheng Hai bottomed out inside him, JianCi’s stomach twisted with something between pain and pleasure.
The wet slap of skin echoed obscenely in the room, mingling with JianCi’s choked, involuntary grunts. The pain was intense, white-hot, but it grounded him, tethering him to the moment as his bodyguard’s cock carved him open. The angle was deeper like this, Zheng Hai’s chest flush against his back, his breath hot and ragged against JianCi’s nape. JianCi’s eyes snapped shut, nails digging into the sheets as Zheng Hai’s grip tightened on his thin waist, leaving even more bruises on his skin.
“Fuck, Duo Duo...” Zheng Hai growled, free hand coming up to grip JianCi’s jaw and turn his head for a filthy kiss. “I got you baby... I got you, such a good boy, taking me so well.”
“Missed this...” JianCi panted out, voice high and thready with pleasure. “M-Missed you. Filling me up, fucking me, making me yours again.”
“Always mine...”
When the wave of passion subsided, JianCi curled up in Zheng Hai's arms, his head resting on his strong chest. Their legs tangled again under the sheets. The air between them felt different now — not lighter, not easier, but real. A thread stretched taut between them, no longer fraying. Zheng Hai stroked his hair, slowly recounting the reason for his week-long absence.
"I didn't leave you. This past week was the anniversary of the deaths of my former comrades... I needed to go back to my old unit, visit their families, and find some peace for myself. I told you, but you were too preoccupied with all those rumour around."
JianCi fell silent, his fingers gently tightening around his arm. He realized how selfish he had been, always making him revolve around his dazzling but empty world, forgetting that he also had pains that needed soothing, memories that needed respect. He had always been afraid of being abandoned, so he chose the cruelest way to keep him, without understanding that understanding was the strongest bond.
"I'm sorry... Hai-ge." The words came out softly, yet weighed heavily. For the first time, the arrogant star knew how to bow his head before someone with genuine remorse.
The next morning, JianCi woke up to the smell of a simple breakfast. There were no stage lights, no cheering fans, and no mind-numbing scandal reports. Only his bodyguard was standing in the kitchen, his broad back shielding him from the storms outside.
JianCi walked over, gently wrapping his arms around Zheng Hai's back, pressing his face against the soft, worn t-shirt. He realized that the peak of his career or the dazzling spotlight couldn't compare to the feeling of being genuinely called "Duo Duo," of sharing a simple meal and knowing for sure that person would never turn their back.
This was no longer a game of control, nor a calculating bodyguard-boss relationship. This was the beginning of a simple love, where JianCi learned to love himself with Zheng Hai's heart, and Zheng Hai willingly dedicated his life to being a peaceful haven for his little star.
end.