Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 37

At one in the morning, Chang’an Street in Beijing seemed unusually empty. Cars sped along at the maximum allowed speed limit, and the passing streetlights left a continuous halo of light on the car windows.

Inside the car, Liu Wanwan was half-asleep. Ran Lin’s eyelids were heavy, but his mind was alert, tiredly gazing out the window, lost in thought.

Wang Xi, who had been holding back all evening, finally got her chance after the gathering ended. She couldn’t hold back any longer and tapped Ran Lin’s head lightly. “What else are you hiding from me, kid?”

Startled by the sudden tap, Ran Lin looked dazed for a moment before realizing what Wang Xi was referring to. He chuckled, looking both honest and innocent. “Being good at drinking isn’t something to be proud of. I can’t just jump out and tell you, ‘Xi Jie, I’m like a barrel of liquor.'”

Wang Xi rolled her eyes at him with a hint of amusement in her eyes. “Whether it’s something to be proud of is not for you to worry about. Just report honestly. Who knows which cloud might bring rain. It might come in handy.”

Ran Lin raised his hand. “I can blow several layers of bubbles with chewing gum.”

Wang Xi, unamused by such a trivial skill, said, “Except for such obscure talents.”

Ran Lin couldn’t help but laugh heartily, and as his laughter faded, he stretched his arm over the front seat, resting his head lightly.

His spirit wasn’t tired, but his body was exhausted, as if every cell was screaming with fatigue and calling for a strike. “Xi Jie, I’m going to take a nap.”

Wang Xi seemed to want to say something more but hesitated, eventually giving up and saying softly, “Alright, I’ll wake you up when we get home.”

Ran Lin had a blurry memory of how he got home that day. He woke up the next afternoon, feeling refreshed and without a hangover.

As soon as he woke up, he eagerly called Wang Xi to inquire about the previous day’s outcomes. He could tell Lei Baishi enjoyed the drinking.

The last thing he remembered was Lei being helped away by his assistant, the “Internationale” echoing in the corridor, not knowing what battles Comrade Lei was fighting in his alcohol-induced illusion.

But no matter how happy the drinking was, business talks were another matter once sober. Lei Baishi’s entertainment company didn’t grow to its size by just drinking.

“We’ve done what we can. Let’s leave it to fate,” was Wang Xi’s response. Ran Lin was somewhat surprised; Wang Xi also had moments of uncertainty.

Actually, choosing him for the male lead role had its pros and cons. Choosing him, with his lower popularity, could risk the show’s ratings, but he was affordable, saving a significant amount in actor fees compared to other high-profile actors, which could be used to enhance production quality. Not choosing him and opting for a more popular actor meant less flexibility, as few popular actors would have their schedules open for the next few months, and from those, ones suitable for the role would be rare, and thus their agents would ask for high fees.

This was why the investor, director, and scriptwriter were at an impasse—no side had a clear advantage or certainty of success.

Originally, the director and scriptwriter were supportive of him, but the words Director Chen said that night made Ran Lin somewhat nervous. He didn’t dare share this conversation with Wang Xi, fearing her reprimand.

……

Days passed, and Ran Lin stopped asking Wang Xi about the role. He stayed home, reading the script daily. Previously focused on the third male lead, he was now considering both the second and third leads. Since Lu Yiyao hinted that the director might let him replace Fang Xian, the two hadn’t been in touch.

On June 1^st, the contract arrived. Wang Xi called him, excitedly revealing the answer as soon as he picked up. “Fang Xian, it’s yours!”

Ran Lin could sense his agent’s excitement, and he was happy too. Apart from anything else, this was recognition from the investor, director, and scriptwriter. But with the happiness came pressure.

“Why are you silent? Too happy to speak?” Wang Xi, unable to see her artist’s expression over the phone, guessed his feelings.

“Yeah, I’m secretly delighted,” Ran Lin playfully replied.

Wang Xi advised, “Prepare well. I won’t arrange any activities for you in the next three months. Stay home, study the script, and occasionally consult the director and scriptwriter. You have their contact information, right? Keeping in touch is always a good idea.”

Ran Lin knew Wang Xi had his best interests at heart and simply agreed. “Okay.”

Wang Xi felt Ran Lin’s reaction lacked the excitement she expected and decided to say more. “Variety shows can attract fans, but the popularity they bring is fleeting. Without solid works, you can’t raise your value. You’re like a small fish in the sea, and a dragon is passing by you. You only rise to the skies if you grab onto its tail.”

Ran Lin understood. <Sword of Fallen Flowers> was that dragon. “Many spend their lives in the entertainment industry without ever making a splash,” Wang Xi continued, her voice slowing down, each word impactful. “Ran Lin, seize this opportunity. Once you rise, you’ll be the dragon.”

After hanging up, Ran Lin fell into deep thought. He pondered over the role of Fang Xian, Director Chen’s words, and Wang Xi’s advice. In the end, he decided to share his joy with his friends first.

……

Lu Yiyao’s studio was located in the Chaoyang District of Beijing, not in the high-end office building cluster of the CBD, but in a quiet residential area. It was conveniently located with a full range of living facilities nearby, making it easy for the staff to commute.

Although the studio was under the Pentium Times Media Group, it was Lu Yiyao’s own, and everything was done according to his ideas from the beginning. The most noticeable was the studio’s location and decoration.

Many stars don’t have specific requirements for their studio’s office location; as long as it provides a comfortable working environment for the staff and ensures smooth and efficient work, office buildings are usually the first choice. But Lu Yiyao was different, choosing a standalone loft instead. From the outside, with its mottled walls and over two-meter-high iron gate, it looked like a warehouse, but stepping inside revealed a different world.

The spacious two-story space had an unobstructed spiral staircase leading upstairs. The first floor had no partitions or walls, using plants, sofas, and a coffee table to visually create areas. The second floor was the office area, with several offices all featuring bright floor-to-ceiling windows. There was even a sunroom in the corner of the second floor, filled with thriving plants and flowers, where sunlight streamed in, brightening the first floor’s hall.

The walls, at first glance seemingly plain gray, revealed deliberate natural gray textures upon closer inspection, simple yet artistic.

Lu Yiyao personally inspected the place. The owner told him that the previous tenant was a creative planning company that had grown significantly in recent years. The company felt that the loft was becoming too small for their expanding scale, which is why they reluctantly moved out.

Lu Yiyao nodded understandingly. “I get it. This place has good Feng Shui, accessible from all directions.” The owner liked such agreeable tenants, especially when they were famous stars, and immediately offered some generous terms. Lu Yiyao was quite satisfied with the place, finding it stylish and tasteful, so he didn’t haggle much and smoothly signed the lease.

It turned out that Lu Yiyao had a good eye for this. Regardless of how the staff complained about the workload, they unanimously praised the work environment.

Lu Yiyao also liked spending time here. Apart from the comfortable environment, he wanted to let his staff feel his presence, showing solidarity with them. In essence, he was like a mascot, also serving to boost morale. Unfortunately, due to his busy schedule, he couldn’t visit often, but recently he managed to come by more frequently.

As the studio’s boss, Lu Yiyao didn’t have an office here. According to Yao Hong, space was limited, and since he was more like a “ghost boss”, it wasn’t necessary to waste resources.

So whenever Lu Yiyao came, he stayed in Yao Hong’s office. At this moment, in the afternoon, the sunlight and breeze coming through the window were just right, creating a rare moment of comfort and relaxation.

Unfortunately, a phone call Yao Hong received two minutes ago subtly changed Lu Yiyao’s mood.

“Fang Xian is confirmed for Ran Lin?”

“Yes.” Yao Hong put her phone back on the desk. “The production company has already sent him the contract.”

Lu Yiyao’s first reaction was to be happy for Ran Lin, feeling genuinely surprised as if he had received the role himself. “Not bad. His team is really capable. That Mr. Lei isn’t someone who changes his mind easily.”

Yao Hong remained silent, just staring blankly at Lu Yiyao.

Lu Yiyao, puzzled, looked back at his agent.

After a long silence, Lu Yiyao couldn’t hold back and said, “Hong Jie, that intimidating look doesn’t suit your temperament.”

Yao Hong laughed. “Which eye of yours saw me intimidating you?”

“Both eyes.” Lu Yiyao paused, then sighed, adding, “And my ears heard it too.”

Yao Hong got curious. “Heard what?”

Lu Yiyao spread his hands, mimicking Yao Hong’s tone, a mix of threat and earnestness. “If you pass messages to Ran Lin again, don’t blame me for being unpleasant.”

Yao Hong was stunned, then laughed. Lu Yiyao, not waiting for her to finish laughing, said, “Don’t worry. This time, I definitely won’t call him first.”

Yao Hong already knew about the previous misunderstandings where Lu Yiyao ended up playing the messenger. She thought he would be eager to deliver the third piece of good news, but to her surprise, he said he wouldn’t call first. She looked at him, somewhat puzzled and skeptical.

Lu Yiyao helplessly smiled. “Such news should ideally come from his agent. If it always comes from me, his agent might overthink it.”

Yao Hong felt reassured at first, but then her feelings became complicated. “You really care about him.”

Lu Yiyao, caught off guard, leaned back in his chair, adopting a relaxed posture. “Anyway, I always reach out to him; this time I’ll wait for him to tell me.”

Yao Hong didn’t want to burst her artist’s bubble of confidence but feared his greater expectations might lead to greater disappointment. After pondering, she sighed softly. “Silly boy, you may consider someone a friend, but they might not…”

The phone rang at that moment.

Lu Yiyao, seeing the caller ID, widened his eyes in disbelief and immediately showed it to his agent with a triumphant smile.

Yao Hong, seeing the name “Dedicated Fan Ran Lin” on the screen, felt a headache coming on.

“Hello, yeah, I’m free. Go ahead.” Lu Yiyao, holding the phone, got up and smiled at Yao Hong, then cheerfully left the office to find a quiet place.

Yao Hong was dumbfounded. It was just a phone call, not like winning a house or land, but he was so pleased with himself! She sipped her tea and leaned back into the chair, relaxing in the warm sunlight.

Yao Hong had no personal likes or dislikes towards Ran Lin. Her only concern was Lu Yiyao’s future, hoping to shield him from anything that might harm or hinder his career. If Lu Yiyao truly just wanted to be friends with Ran Lin, she wasn’t about to interfere unnecessarily.

Unless Ran Lin genuinely harmed Lu Yiyao.

But as of now, aside from the initial publicity stunt, there hadn’t been any further manipulations from Wang Xi’s side since the reality show filming started.

Moreover, Ran Lin playing Fang Xian was an opportunity. If done well, he might really become famous overnight. Then, with similar popularity levels, a friendship between them could benefit their public image.

Yao Hong shook her head and picked up the event information she had been reading—there were still many things to worry about. As for the private affairs of artists, she would take it as it came.

……

“So you’re no longer conflicted about preferring Xu Chongfei?” teased the friend on the phone.

Ran Lin replied irritably, “No more conflicts. Even if the second male lead is a big, burly guy, I’m determined to play him.”

The laughter from the phone lingered before turning serious, yet still amused. “Then we’ll have a lot of scenes together.”

Ran Lin felt a strange sensation in his heart. Even though he knew Lu Yiyao meant nothing more, he couldn’t help feeling sweet and secretly said, “Yeah, loving and killing each other…”

Lu Yiyao quickly interrupted, correcting seriously, “Forget the old script. In the future, it’s just killing, no loving. After all, your dad is my family’s sworn enemy, and you still compete with me for the same girl.”

The word “loving” coming from Lu Yiyao’s mouth made Ran Lin’s heart skip a beat. Luckily, Lu Yiyao’s straightforward tone and firmness, once the sentence was finished, nipped any budding romantic notions.

Ran Lin sighed, setting aside his wandering thoughts, and defended his character. “I’m not competing for the same girl with you. It’s me who tearfully steps aside to let you two be together!”

Lu Yiyao: “Don’t bother; Zhao Buyao has always liked Tang Jingyu. Even if you didn’t step aside, you had no chance.”

Ran Lin: “What about later, when you used me?”

Lu Yiyao: “That was for avenging my family’s annihilation. It’s only right and proper for the son to pay the father’s debt!”

Ran Lin: “That’s heartless of you. When we were kids, who played with you in the Fang Clan, if not me?”

Lu Yiyao: “Am I heartless, or are you? Your elder brothers used to bully you for being younger. If it weren’t for me protecting you, you would have been bullied to death.”

Ran Lin: “You protecting me? It was more like you made them angrier, and then they bullied both of us even worse. Plus, you didn’t have any martial arts skills, so I felt bad about running away and leaving you behind!”

Lu Yiyao: “Having low combat skills is one thing, but it’s the heart that matters. Don’t you understand?”

Ran Lin: “So you mean to say you had me in your heart?”

Lu Yiyao: “Of course. Otherwise, why would I feel so pained about using you later on?”

Ran Lin: “…”

Lu Yiyao: “Hello?”

Ran Lin: “Yeah, I’m here.”

Lu Yiyao: “Why did you suddenly stop talking?”

Ran Lin: “…”

Ran Lin placed his phone, which was on speaker, on the bedside table and then threw himself onto the bed, hugging the blanket and rolling around in silence and intensity!

How could he speak? Right now, he couldn’t say anything but giggle like a fool!

Ran Lin, you sly fox! You took advantage of the conversation to flatter him, satisfying your inner desires! Ah, what to do? Why didn’t I record the call?

He really wanted to hear Lu Yiyao say he had him in his heart again…

The mainland star, feeling played on his end, waited patiently on the phone. After a long while, getting anxious, he tried to change the subject. “By the way, how did you manage to get the role?”

Unintentionally spoken, the question had a different meaning for the listener. Ran Lin’s spirit immediately returned, and his heart, which had been fluttering, started to sink slightly.

Although Wang Xi had greatly praised his performance at the dinner party, Ran Lin always felt that it wasn’t something to boast about, especially to Lu Yiyao…

“Hello?” Lu Yiyao suspected the call had been disconnected since there was no response to his new topic.

“I’m here,” Ran Lin hurriedly replied. But after responding, he was at a loss for words again. He didn’t want to lie to Lu Yiyao, but he also didn’t want to tell the truth. It was as if two people were fighting in his head, and he couldn’t come to a conclusion.

Lu Yiyao, somewhat amused and frustrated, said, “Just saying ‘I’m here’ without anything else, how are we supposed to talk?”

“I’m seriously considering your question,” Ran Lin replied casually.

But Lu Yiyao had a thought and suddenly realized that his question might not be as innocuous as he thought, potentially involving trade secrets. He quickly said, “Never mind. Forget I asked.”

This response made Ran Lin anxious, thinking Lu Yiyao was upset because he was hiding something. In a moment of panic, he blurted out, “A dinner party!”

Ran Lin’s response was so abrupt that Lu Yiyao didn’t catch it. “Huh?”

“Xi Jie arranged a dinner party,” Ran Lin explained everything honestly, “and invited Mr. Lei to discuss things face to face.”

Lu Yiyao chuckled. “You mean to drink face to face.”

Ran Lin, surprised by the understanding and playful tone on the phone without any disdain or disgust, uncertainly said, “By the sound of it, you’ve also…”

“Drank,” Lu Yiyao replied succinctly.

Ran Lin could almost hear the blood, sweat, and tears in those two words.

Lu Yiyao sighed almost inaudibly, saying softly, “My first leading role was also finalized at a dinner party. That Mr. Lei is really a heavy drinker… Uh, you’re not recording this call or using speakerphone, right?”

Ran Lin: “…No, not at all!”

Lu Yiyao frowned, feeling that the denial seemed… somewhat hesitant?

Ran Lin, who had sneakily switched back to the handset, decided to take the initiative. “I thought a top star like you wouldn’t need to resort to drinking for networking.”

Lu Yiyao was immediately drawn into the new topic. “It’s the era of capital now. It doesn’t matter who you are, in front of capital, everyone is equal.”

“It sounds a bit sad.”

“No, every industry has its challenges. Compared horizontally, ours is already a high-return industry,” Lu Yiyao said earnestly. “So many people drink until they bleed from their stomachs and still can’t earn what we make. That’s why I dislike it when artists constantly complain and play the victim. It’s really not necessary.”

Ran Lin was just teasing, not expecting Lu Yiyao to take it so seriously. And from his words, there was no trace of arrogance, only respect for other professions, acknowledgement of his own, and a clear understanding of his work.

The more he knew, the more he liked him. Ran Lin felt he was beyond help.

Finally, Lu Yiyao said, “Looking forward to working with you.”

Ran Lin replied, “See you in September.”

After hanging up and returning to the phone’s home screen, Ran Lin realized it was June 1^st. Unable to resist, he impulsively sent Lu Yiyao two WeChat messages.

The first was a gif of Tigger, and the second was a text message: [Happy Children’s Day, little Tigger.]

A few minutes later, he received a reply, two messages. One was a picture of Winnie the Pooh holding a honey pot, and the other was a text: [Here’s some honey for you, classmate Pooh.]

What was supposed to quell his restlessness now made his heart flutter even more. Ran Lin stared at his phone screen, feeling despondent. In terms of flirting and counter-flirting, Lu Yiyao wasn’t just a professional; he was the master.

……

The same night he talked with Lu Yiyao, Ran Lin, after much thought, sent a WeChat message to Zhang Beichen: [I managed to get the role of Fang Xian.]

The way he phrased it was delicate.

If he sounded too soft, it would seem like he was being smug about getting a bargain. If he sounded too firm, it would come off as boasting. But not telling Zhang Beichen and letting him find out through his agent or other official channels didn’t feel right to Ran Lin.

He felt it wasn’t friendly or open enough. If he were in Zhang Beichen’s shoes, he would prefer to hear it from a friend.

So Ran Lin didn’t elaborate or use fancy words. Fang Xian was a role he had fought for, and that was the truth, so he simply stated it as such.

The reply came quickly, with a celebratory emoji and a: [Congratulations!]

Ran Lin smiled knowingly, feeling relieved.

Then another message followed: [My show also starts filming in September, in Hengdian 😏.]

[😮Really?]

[Court drama, but different locations from yours. I’ll visit your set when we start filming 😆.]

[Warmly welcome!]

[😎]

Ran Lin, looking at the small laughing emoji with sunglasses, finally felt his heart settle down, warming up slowly.

On the other end of the WeChat conversation, Zhang Beichen, who had just finished a gig and was heading to the next location in a nanny car, handed his locked phone to his assistant, expressionless, and lit a cigarette.

His agent, Wu Xuefeng, sensing something amiss, asked directly, “Whose WeChat message was that?”

Zhang Beichen replied indifferently, “A friend.”

Since his debut, it had always been Wu Xuefeng guiding Zhang Beichen. The two weren’t particularly close or fond of each other, but they understood each other well.

Wu Xuefeng, seeing his expression, knew there was an issue and decided to get to the bottom of it. “What friend?”

Zhang Beichen, seemingly recalling something, smiled. “A pretty cute friend.”

Wu Xuefeng immediately became wary. “I’ve told you. Your future is bright. Don’t mess it up…”

“Don’t worry.” Zhang Beichen gave his manager a reassured look. “I know what I’m doing.”

“That’s good.” Wu Xuefeng had no other choice when the artist refused to say more. Fortunately, Zhang Beichen was indeed sensible in this regard, and they were in sync on this matter.

“Wu Ge.” Zhang Beichen suddenly looked at his manager.

Wu Xuefeng braced himself. Although everyone called him Wu Ge, Zhang Beichen wasn’t usually so respectful behind closed doors. Their relationship was more of an equal partnership, so whenever Zhang Beichen showed respect, it meant there was an issue.

“Go ahead.” Wu Xuefeng prepared himself. “I can handle it.”

“It’s not like I’m going to machine-gun you,” Zhang Beichen joked, then turned serious, speaking softly. “I’ve reconsidered that matter you mentioned before.”

Wu Xuefeng didn’t immediately catch on. “Which matter?”

Zhang Beichen raised an eyebrow lightly. “What do you think?”

Wu Xuefeng was taken aback, and then his eyes widened behind his glasses in surprise. “You agreed?!”

Zhang Beichen looked unimpressed. “Don’t act like you weren’t actively involved.”

Wu Xuefeng was indeed happy to hear this but said, “Weren’t you opposed to it before?”

Zhang Beichen took a deep drag of his cigarette, then looked up, blowing smoke rings leisurely. After a long while, when the smoke dispersed, he turned back to Wu Xuefeng and smiled. “You were right. Only by climbing high enough can you avoid being stepped on.”

Wu Xuefeng smiled wryly. “It’s still because of Yu Dong, isn’t it?”

“No.” Zhang Beichen shook his head, looking out the window pensively. “It’s about everyone who stands in my way.”

……

During the three months of June, July, and August, Ran Lin had very few schedules and spent most of his time in closed training. He studied the script, memorized lines, and pondered over the character almost obsessively.

The whole summer was calm. The only ripple was the behind-the-scenes footage of the Miya shampoo advertisement that leaked online, unedited and in its original sound. As a result, Ran Lin once again trended on social media for his self-played and self-sung song.

Wang Xi, worried about Ran Lin’s lack of exposure during these months, was delighted and took the opportunity for another round of promotion. Throughout July, Ran Lin maintained his presence thanks to his singing talent, and by August, when the news of <Sword of Fallen Flowers> started flooding in, the buzz was immense.

Lu Yiyao’s fans had mixed feelings. On one hand, they saw that their idol was friends with Ran Lin and refrained from saying too much, but on the other hand, they weren’t content. Many who hadn’t seen <National First Love Drifting Story> asked who Ran Lin was and how he got such good resources. People in the industry, having the most complete information, predicted that Ran Lin was about to become famous.

Ran Lin was oblivious to all this.

Lu Yiyao also didn’t pay much attention.

Both were focused on improving their acting skills during the summer. Ran Lin was studying scripts, practicing in front of mirrors, self-training, and self-correcting. Lu Yiyao watched others’ performances to learn and observe.

Lu Yiyao started spending more time at the studio, so Yao Hong let him use her office, and Li Tong officially became his secretary, working regular hours.

“Lu Ge, latte.” Li Tong brought the prepared coffee to the second-floor office, where his boss was deeply engrossed in a notebook.

“Thanks.” Lu Yiyao didn’t even look up.

Li Tong carefully placed the coffee down, sneaking a peek at the laptop screen, which was playing a historical drama he hadn’t seen before. Although unfamiliar with the drama, the actor on the screen seemed familiar…

“Li Tong.” The boss, who had been looking down, suddenly looked up and spoke.

Li Tong, startled, thinking he was caught snooping, became nervous, only to hear his boss ask, “Do you know what actors rely on when acting?”

Li Tong was used to being asked a million-dollar question, but this was way out of his field.

Lu Yiyao didn’t expect an answer and said, “I’ll tell you. Some rely on willpower, some on charisma, some on experience, some on looks.”

Li Tong nodded, trying to understand. “So?”

Lu Yiyao turned the laptop towards him, pointing at the actor on the screen. “What do you think he relies on?”

Li Tong leaned closer to the laptop, watching intently, trying to figure it out. Before he could come to a conclusion, the scene changed, and the actor Lu Yiyao had pointed out disappeared, replaced by another actor in a dialogue scene—

“Today is your end, Linghu Xiaodao!”

The dialogue was too violent for Li Tong’s taste, but he dared not show disapproval, weakly looking towards his boss. “Uh, the scene changed…”

The boss, still lost in thought, said, “I think it’s 30% charisma, 30% willpower, and 40% looks. What do you think?”

Li Tong swallowed nervously, facing his boss’s earnest gaze. After struggling for a while, he finally spoke his mind: “Lu Ge, as long as you’re happy…”

……On September 6^th, in Hengdian Film and Television Studio, <Sword of Fallen Flowers> began filming.

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